Schlagwort: playstation games

  • Dutch 87 und kostenloses Anspiel-Event für Predator: Hunting Grounds

    Dutch 87 und kostenloses Anspiel-Event für Predator: Hunting Grounds

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Im Mai haben wir euch Dutch 2025 vorgestellt, aber Predator: Hunting Grounds wäre keine echte Hommage an den Predator-Film von 1987, wenn wir der Community nicht auch einen klassischen Dutch zum Spielen geben würden. Die Möglichkeit, eine neue Story mit Dutch erzählen und dabei seinen ikonischen Look präsentieren zu können, konnten wir unmöglich auslassen – also haben wir beides in die Tat umgesetzt! Und genau wie bei Dutch 2025 werden alle gesprochenen Zeilen vom einzig wahren Arnie vertont. Der Bezahl-DLC enthält außerdem 8 neue Farbtöne und frühen Zugang* zu Dutchs voll automatischer, durchschlagskräftiger Söldner-Waffe mit Granatwerfer – perfekt zum Ballern aus der Hüfte. Ab 1. September könnt ihr euch diesen kostenpflichtigen DLC saugen!

    Letzte Woche haben wir euch über die Inhalte von Patch 2.0 informiert, den wir am 28. August aufspielen werden, und wie aufgeregt wir alle schon sind. Heute haben wir noch eine Überraschung im Marschgepäck: Predator: Hunting Grounds kann am 28. August auch für kurze Zeit kostenlos ausprobiert werden und im PlayStation Store gibt’s obendrein noch ordentlich Rabatt. Wenn ihr das Spiel schon immer mal antesten wolltet oder Freunde habt, die sich noch nicht getraut haben, dann ist jetzt der perfekte Zeitpunkt, sich der Jagd anzuschließen. Die kostenlose PS4-Testphase läuft von 16:00 Uhr MESZ am 28. August bis um 16:00 Uhr MESZ am 30. August – ihr braucht lediglich eine aktive PS Plus-Mitgliedschaft. Wenn ihr Predator: Hunting Grounds noch nicht in eurem Besitz habt, schaut doch kurz im PlayStation Store vorbei, ladet euch die Testversion runter und geht mit euren Freunden auf die Jagd. Und keine Sorge: Sämtlicher Fortschritt, den ihr am kostenlosen Testwochenende macht, bleibt euch erhalten, wenn ihr das Spiel kaufen solltet. Perfektes Timing für Dutch 87!

    Das IllFonic-Entwicklerteam freut sich darauf, Dutch 87 und Dutch 2025 schon sehr bald durch den Dschungel streifen zu sehen. Und nicht vergessen: Das kostenlose Update nächsten Monat enthält eine neue Karte und einen neuen Modus. September ist aber erst der Anfang, denn unser Team hat noch so viel mehr geplant. Wir sehen uns auf der Jagd!

    *Dutchs Söldner-Waffe ist ab Oktober 2020 für alle durch Spielen des Spiels freischaltbar.

    Website: LINK

  • Lead the music revolution in No Straight Roads, out tomorrow

    Lead the music revolution in No Straight Roads, out tomorrow

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Hi everyone! Wan Hazmer here from Metronomik, and wow, what a day! I’m so excited that I’m finally able to say this — our musical action-adventure No Straight Roads launches on PS4 tomorrow! Here’s our rockin’ new launch trailer!

    Lead the music revolution in No Straight Roads, out tomorrow

    Myself and my cousin Daim Dziauddin (who is also Creative Director on the game) have been dreaming of making No Straight Roads for such a long time that it is truly humbling to know that you will all get to experience it tomorrow. We are so excited for you to lead the rock rebellion and start your adventure in Vinyl City. We hope you enjoy it!

    But some of you may still be wondering, what is No Straight Roads? Well to set the record straight (literally!), it’s not a racing game! 😂 It’s a third-person character action-adventure game based around music, where you control an indie rock duo on an adventure to defeat a corrupt EDM empire. Here’s a quick video explaining what the game is all about! 

    Lead the music revolution in No Straight Roads, out tomorrow

    At the beginning of the game, our two rock heroes Mayday & Zuke are unfairly rejected from an audition with the empire and witness their corruption shortly afterwards, leading them on a musical revolution to take back Vinyl City.

    Music is at the heart of No Straight Roads, and while you can play the game like a traditional action game if you want to, listening to the beat and learning the music will give you the advantage in combat. Enemies attack to the beat, so recognising audio cues, listening to the music and learning when they are about to attack is key to performing well and earning higher ranks. 

    Throughout the game you’ll have to defeat NSR’s artists, hijacking their concerts with rock! Each artist specialises in their own genre of music, from a pop-tastic robot boy band and piano playing child prodigy to a virtual vocaloid mermaid and globe-spinning DJ. We even have a rap battle! Once they’ve been defeated you’ll rule their district and unlock new areas of Vinyl City, which you can explore, speak to new NPCs, find new power cells and gradually restore power to the city. Oh, and you can do this all in 2-player local co-op, too. We’ve loved rocking through the story with friends and family members and hope you do too!

    No Straight Roads is all about music, then, but it definitely isn’t your typical rhythm game. In fact, we don’t usually like calling it a rhythm game at all. But we know there are hardcore rhythm players excited for the game, too, so we have included a special Parry Mode that unlocks after completing the story and allows you to go back and fight all the bosses again, but this time, you can only damage them by parrying their attacks to the beat! Here, learning enemy attack patterns and paying close attention to the music is absolutely critical, and we hope Parry Mode offers a different action-packed experience for hardcore players to traditional rhythm games.

    We’re so proud of our soundtrack and thankful to the talented artists who have created music for the game. We have a short mini-OST available online for you to download and stream, and if you like that, there’s plenty more just like it in the full game!

    From all of us at Metronomik, we hope you enjoy No Straight Roads and can’t wait for you to rock out with Mayday & Zuke tomorrow!

    Website: LINK

  • Share of the Week: Surprise

    Share of the Week: Surprise

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Last week, we asked you to find moments of shock and awe when characters from your favorite games were surprised using #PS4share and #PSBlog. From horror-filled gasps to wide-eyed stares, here are this week’s highlights:

    Aloy has a look of shock in this Horizon Zero Dawn portrait from prxvp.

    Abby looks down with surprise in this The Last of Us Part II moment from rmfisher26.

    Chloe shockingly loses her grip in this Uncharted: The Lost Legacy share by YouJustGotArfed.

    Jin gasps with surprise in this Ghost of Tsushima share by JRPyznar.

    Kat and Raven look shocked in this Gravity Rush 2 share by Sefwick.

    This freaker tries to surprise Deacon in Days Gone, as shared by Dominik_VP.

    Search #PS4share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

    Theme: Weather

    Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, August 26

    Next week, it’s time to check the weather! From scorching sunny spots to pouring summer storms, share moments highlighting the weather in the game of your choice using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

    Website: LINK

  • The Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 374: Music To Our Ears

    The Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 374: Music To Our Ears

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

    Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here

    Welcome back y’all! This week Kristen, Sid, and Tim share some of their favorite gaming soundtracks, and sing the praises of battle royale platformer Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.

    Stuff We Talked About

    • Ghost of Tsushima
    • Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
    • The Last of Us Part II
    • Manifold Garden
    • Weird (and immature) ways we name characters when given the chance

    The Cast

    Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE

    Tim Turi –  Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

    Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

    [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

    Website: LINK

  • An all-new MyTeam experience In NBA 2K21

    An all-new MyTeam experience In NBA 2K21

    Reading Time: 14 minutes

    Hello everyone! Erick Boenisch from Visual Concepts, back once again. It feels like just yesterday that I was writing the MyTeam Developer Diary for NBA 2K20! Writing this piece every year is something I very much look forward to; the team here at Visual Concepts makes it easy with their endless ambition and relentless work ethic.

    This has been an interesting year for, well, all of us. Our world has changed in many ways. The way we go about our lives is very different than it was at this time last year, but one item that has remained constant is the drive and ambition behind the team working on MyTeam. We designed much of this game from our homes. Thanks to video conferencing, I now know the name and face of every kid that has a parent working on MyTeam. You better believe they made sure to make cameos during meetings. From our homes to yours, let’s learn about what we have in store for you in NBA 2K21!

    MyTeam across generations

    Before we dive in on the new features you’ll be playing this year, I want to first cover a very important piece when it comes to MyTeam and the transition between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

    For those of you who start your NBA 2K21 MyTeam experience with the launch of PS4 on September 4, I am excited to confirm that your entire collection and progress will carry over once you start playing the PS5 version of the game. This means you will have access to all of your pulled and earned cards (and any evolution progress associated with them), your progress in Domination, Triple Threat, etc., and your entire balance of VC, MyTeam Points, and Tokens. It’s all there!

    In NBA 2K21, your entire MyTeam collection and progress will seamlessly carry over from PS4 to PS5 so you can enjoy MyTeam, uninterrupted, all year long! No strings attached.

    The carryover is quite simple and there is nothing you need to do. In fact, you can even go back and forth playing the PS4 version and the PS5 version at-will. You’ll learn more about NBA 2K21 for PlayStation 5 soon enough.

    Last bit here, and this is a good reminder. For anyone who purchases the Mamba Forever Edition of the game on PS4, you will receive a copy of the Standard Edition of NBA 2K21 on PS5. You can get all the details in our FAQ here. For all of my MyTeamers out there, this is great value and lets you start playing MyTeam ‘early’ this year without the worry of losing any progress/time spent. We got you!

    MyTeam Promo packs

    For those of you pre-ordering your copy of NBA 2K21 through PlayStation Store, we have some really cool packs in store for you! Specifically, with the purchase of any edition of the game through the PlayStation Store, you’ll receive two free MyTeam promo packs. PlayStation Plus members will also receive three MyTeam promo packs per month for 10 months! That’s 30 packs for those of you counting at home.

    Pre-ordering the Standard Edition of NBA 2K21 alone grants you 10 free Promo Packs, allocated at one pack per week. If you decide to go with the Mamba Forever edition, you will be granted 40 free Promo Packs, allocated as 10 on the first day you play, and then three per week for the next 10 weeks.

    So what’s in these Promo Packs? Every pack will grant you an NBA player to add to your team. Beyond that, there will be rare pulls in these packs that will be some of the best cards in the game at launch! One that I have been playing with and loving recently is Diamond DeMarcus Cousins. We all need a little Boogie in our lives, right? Point being, these packs aren’t something you should overlook. They will not only give you a player in every pack, but they also have a chance to give you one of the best cards in the game at launch!

    As a reminder, you can pre-order NBA 2K21in North America right here and Europe here.

    Enough. Let’s finally talk features.

    Seasons & seasonal content

    One of my favorite things about MyTeam is how the mode is always evolving, whether it be through new cards that change the meta, or new content that provides exciting rewards. That being said, I have become very interested in structuring that evolution into a mechanism that you, our community, can really sink your teeth into. In NBA 2K21, we are going to introduce the Seasons concept into MyTeam. Let’s clarify one thing at the top; Seasons are free for everyone, there is no paid component to it.

    I have two key tenets to the MyTeam Season design for 2K21: 1) New prizing updates across most modes every Season, and 2) Add something NEW to the mode every Season. I’m going to be intentionally vague here so as not to spoil any plans, so please bear with me. Some Seasons will add new content for you to play (think something like Spotlight Sims), while other Seasons may add new features to the game, or add a reward twist that you will be chasing all Season. The main point is, I really want each passing Season to feel fresh. I want the start of a new Season to create a buzz in the MyTeam community that we can all rally behind and be excited about.

    With the high level ideas out of the way, let’s dive a little deeper into what a Season truly is. While the duration of each Season is not a fixed period of time, they will generally be about six weeks in length.

    During the Season, you will be working to complete Daily, Weekly, and Seasonal-based Agendas. As objectives are completed, you will earn XP that will be used to raise your Season Level. Every time you level up, you will earn a reward. Reaching the final level within a Season earns you the grand prize for the Season. It’s going to take a lot of playing to get there, but we are always going to make the reward completely worth it. In fact, let’s talk about the Season 1 prize for reaching the highest level: Pink Diamond Steph Curry! A PD Steph Curry is going to be a beast to go against in the early game. All you’ve got to do is play to earn it. Interested yet?

    Brand new for NBA 2K21, Seasons will bring new content and new ways to play MyTeam all year long! Earn the Season 1 grand prize, Pink Diamond Steph Curry, by simply completing Seasonal Agendas!

    MyTeam Limited

    MyTeam Limited is a brand new MyTeam game mode for NBA 2K21. This new mode is only available for play Friday, Saturday, and Sunday each week. The twist here is that the rules for the mode will be changing every single weekend when a new event is activated!

    Let’s start with the basics. MyTeam Limited is an online 5v5 multiplayer mode where you will compete against fellow MyTeam players who, like you, are chasing Championship Rings (more on that in a minute). The twist that I alluded to above is where the ‘Limited’ in MyTeam Limited comes into play. We will be introducing new lineup restrictions every single weekend to change up the meta of the game. For example, one weekend we may limit you to players 23 years old and younger. Another weekend, we may say that all players in your lineup need to be Ruby or lower. The controls we have built in will allow us to create some very fun combinations that will both allow and encourage you to use a wider breadth of the cards in your collection. Looking for high-end budget cards is going to be an important part of card collecting in NBA 2K21!

    Now, about those Championship Rings. Every weekend, there is a new Championship Ring up for grabs. When you win a MyTeam Limited game, you will be rewarded with a prize. You’ll be able to view that prize, but you have an important decision to make with it. Do you want to keep the prize we gave you, or do you want to trade it in for your choice of one of two other mystery prizes? The mystery prizes may be better or worse than what we offered you (they may also contain the week’s Championship Ring). We are going to throw some creative prizes your way to make these decisions tough for you!

    New to NBA 2K21, MyTeam Limited is a limited-time game mode available every Friday-Sunday that features new rules every weekend! Find and collect the Championship Ring from each weekend during the Season to earn a powerful card that will make you the envy of all your opponents!

    After the final Limited event of the Season, you will trade in your Championship Rings for a tiered prize based on how many rings you collected. If you were lucky enough to collect every Championship Ring in a given season, you will earn the MyTeam Limited grand prize for that season. That grand prize will be a very high end card that will instantly make you the envy of all of your future opponents. And let’s be real, it will wreck the CPU in Triple Threat games! For those of you who manage to get one or some of the Championship Rings available in a season, we have tiered prizes for you as well, based on how many you earned!

    MyTeam Unlimited 2.0

    Introduced in NBA 2K19, MyTeam Unlimited instantly became the go-to mode for many in MyTeam. In NBA 2K21, Unlimited is undergoing its next evolution. This year, Unlimited will consist of 9 Leagues that you need to play through before you can reach the top!

    Every League in MyTeam Unlimited 2.0 will consist of up to 12 games. In order to advance to the next League, you will need to win a certain number of games in your current league. For example, in the first league, you only need to win three of your 12 games to advance. Once you get that third win, you automatically level up to the next league. You do not need to play the remaining games for that league. As you move up the league structure, more and more wins will be required to level up. To keep things interesting and to keep you on your toes, if you do not meet the win requirement to advance to the next level, you will still need to win a certain number of games (out of 12) to remain on your current level!

    The Exchange

    New to NBA 2K21, The Exchange allows you to turn in/exchange your cards for some great prizes! Every Season in MyTeam this year will feature new Exchanges for you to collect and complete to earn exclusive cards only available here. Yes, some of the cards you get from here will be truly elite. The quality of the reward is going to dictate how much effort is required to complete the Exchange. For example, a sample Exchange may require you to trade in a Western Conference PG rated 90 or higher and an Eastern Conference PG rated 90 or higher to earn a higher rated player. The system is incredibly flexible and will allow us to create Exchanges geared toward our newest users as well as some of our most dedicated and passionate users.

    The Exchange is a new feature within NBA 2K21 that allows you the opportunity to exchange some cards you may no longer be using for cards that will become staples in your starting lineup. This sample Exchange affords you the ability to exchange a collection of cards for a Pink Diamond Bob Cousy!

    My favorite aspect of this feature is that it gives you yet another avenue to utilize what were non-used cards in your collection in NBA 2K20. Between MyTeam Limited and The Exchange, you really need to be very aware of what you are doing when you decide you no longer need a card in your collection because it doesn’t fit in your ‘best’ lineup. MyTeam Limited has no ‘best’ lineup, and you literally never know what we will throw at you in The Exchange!

    Badge customization

    After taking a one-year hiatus in NBA 2K20, the ability to customize your players with unique badges has returned for NBA 2K21! I have to be honest, I really missed this feature last year. There is something to be said for pulling the latest and greatest card and then having the ability to truly make it your own by customizing it to better fit your play style.

    For those of you newer to the MyTeam experience who may not understand this one, there will be Badge Cards available in MyTeam that allow you to both Apply badges and Upgrade badges on players. For example, if you have a card that doesn’t have Clamps on it (and the player is eligible), you can take a Clamps badge card and apply it to your player. This is an awesome way to customize your team more than ever!

    There have been some changes and improvements since you last saw this feature. Badge cards will be available in Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Hall of Fame (oh yes!). To upgrade a player, you need to first apply the Bronze version of the badge. To upgrade to Gold, you will need to then apply the Silver version of the badge before adding the Gold version of the badge. Hall of Fame versions of badges are going to be very rare, and will be made available primarily through prizing and playing the game (Season level rewards is one area where you can definitely find these). For anyone familiar with the game, you know how powerful the right Hall of Fame badge can be to the game experience! Another change, and this is a really important one, is we are going to limit what badges can go on players based on their archetype/play style. It doesn’t make much sense to apply a Brick Wall badge to Steph Curry, right?

    Customizable evolutions

    Evolution Cards was clearly one of our star additions to the NBA 2K20 MyTeam experience. The ability to obtain cards and power them up to higher gem tiers felt very rewarding as it gave people a chance to build some sweat equity with their collections. Evolution Cards are back in NBA 2K21, and better than ever!

    New to NBA 2K21, you will now have more control over how some of your Evolution Cards evolve as they tier up. That is because we are introducing the concept of branching in the evolution process! When you have an evo card that reaches a choice tier, you will make a selection between two badges that you want to focus on adding to the given card.

    Evolution Cards are back and better than ever! New to NBA 2K21, you will now have more control over how some of your Evolution Cards evolve as they tier up. Will you improve Shaq’s rebounding ability or his shot blocking ability? The choice is yours!

    This means that not all fully evolved Evolution Cards will be identical in NBA 2K21, and I think that is a fantastic thing. MyTeam is a mode about fantasy. A mode about user choice and customization. The addition of Customizable Evolutions to the game this year takes us that one step further to differentiating player lineups and gives you yet another tool to give your team the edge out there on the courts. I can’t wait to see the choices you will all make this year. We’ve got some crafty ideas planned!

    Objective Tracker

    You’ll sometimes hear a company say they have added a feature as a ‘quality-of-life’ item. In NBA 2K21, that’s exactly what the Objective Tracker is. MyTeam players are going to have a lot going on this year. You are going to get Season Agendas galore that you are simultaneously chasing down (score points with this player, win this many games in this mode, make 9 threes with a Sapphire, etc.). With this new feature, you will have the ability to tag up to 9 Season Agendas or Dynamic Goals of your choice. You will then be able to see and review those tagged Agendas/Goals when entering into offline gameplay in MyTeam, as a reminder of what you set out to accomplish in the current game.

    No longer will you have to try and remember how many points you were supposed to score with Klay Thompson. Now, set it and review it as you start your next game. This is a feature I’m really enjoying in NBA 2K21. I think there is even more we can do here to make this more useful for you in the future. Stay tuned on this one!

    NBA 2K21 MyTeam starts NOW

    Inside NBA 2K20, we have launched a special MyTeam Moments Challenge. Live until Friday, August 28, players who successfully complete this challenge will immediately earn 21 Tokens in NBA 2K20. More importantly, you will also earn a free MyTeam pack that will be waiting for you to open in NBA 2K21 on September 4! I’m not going to spoil the contents of this pack, but I will say that it doesn’t have any players in it… and that you absolutely want it! Don’t be the person that misses out here!

    For more information on this challenge, please head over to our official MyTeam Twitter account. I strongly recommend you throw us a follow, as this is where all the latest MyTeam news, content releases, Seasonal information, and Locker Codes will be coming from!

    Closing thoughts

    In many ways, I view NBA 2K19 as the rebirth of MyTeam as we currently know it. It had a lot of new features that laid the groundwork for where we are today. NBA 2K20 did a fantastic job last year of carrying the torch and adding staple features of its own. To me, NBA 2K21’s MyTeam proves that the development team behind it have truly hit their stride; the feature set this year speaks for itself. New modes. New ideas. And new ways to delight players all year long.

    Personally, I’m a part of a number of different gaming communities. I think many of us are. The value presented to this development team by you, our MyTeam community, is second to none. We keep each other honest, and I think that is incredibly important for the long-term growth of this mode. And we’re never going to stop growing this mode. Our implementation of Seasons this year is going to show you exactly what I mean when I say that.

    I want to send out a heartfelt thank you to every single person here at Visual Concepts that worked on MyTeam in NBA 2K21. Your hard work is about to be enjoyed by millions! It was a wild ride. Work from the office. Work from home. Work from somewhere else. Kids and pets in star roles during meetings. I’ll never, ever forget this year. Through it all, we never stopped grinding, and it shows!

    Until next time, my friends. On behalf of everyone here at Visual Concepts, thank you for your continued support. NBA 2K21 is only a couple short weeks away. We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it!

    Website: LINK

  • Free patch update for Marvel’s Iron Man VR including New Game+, available today

    Free patch update for Marvel’s Iron Man VR including New Game+, available today

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Hello everyone, my name is Blaine Higdon and I’m a gameplay designer at Camouflaj. It’s been an honor to work on an IP as celebrated as Iron Man, and to do so in a way that leverages the immersive power of PlayStation VR.

    I know many of you have been busy playing Marvel’s Iron Man VR since it was released in early July, but we aren’t done yet! Today I wanted to show you some of the content and quality of life features we will be adding to the game in a free Patch* 1.06 update launching today.

    New Game Modes

    We are adding two new game modes designed for those who are hungry for more.

    The much-requested New Game+ will allow you to re-experience the story without giving up your Research Points and unlocks for the Impulse Armor. The New Game+ mode will only be available once you’ve completed the game. And if you’re a hardcore player who has already mastered “Invincible” difficulty, you should definitely give the new “Ultimate” difficulty mode in the new patch for a spin to see what you’re really made of!

    New Weapons

    Of course, if you’re going to be replaying the story or challenging a new difficulty mode, why not try out some of the new weapons that can be unlocked at the Armor Station?

    The Continuous Beam Repulsor

    Allows you to sustain a beam for several seconds, dealing continuous damage as long as it’s held.

    EM Charge Cannon

    It can fire a charged shot right through the hardlight shields of those pesky Skull, Revenant, and Wight drones.

    Micro Swarm

    A “fire-and-forget” intelligent anti-swarm weapon, great for disabling large groups of enemies. 

    The Gravity Bomb

    Creates a singularity that traps multiple enemies in a single location and is perfect for setting up a devastating shot from the Scatter Shot or Anti Armor Missile!

    New Custom Armor Decos & Challenges

    Another set of eight awesome Custom Armor Decos by our character artist Chris Foster will be added to the Armor Station in the garage, along with new challenges to overcome for unlocking them. Among the eight Custom Armor Decos is the Iron Patriot, in case you missed our launch weekend promotion.

    New Quality of Life Features

    In addition to the new content above, we’ve been hard at work improving user experience.

    Improved Load Times

    We’ve improved our load times across the board, including 20-30 second decreased times when loading into Shanghai missions. A big shoutout to our engineering team for their continued efforts on this front.

    Skip Cinematics without Loading on Replay

    When replaying missions, either in New Game+ mode or otherwise, you now have the option to skip an upcoming cinematic without having to load into it first if you’ve already completed the mission at least once before.

    Skippable Side Missions

    Based on feedback we received for you all, we have made two story missions skippable, if you so choose. You can use the “Skip Mission” button at the globe to advance past these missions, which will count them as “completed,” but you’ll still need to go back and complete it if you want  the trophies for them.

    Remember, you can still download and launch the free demo to unlock the exclusive Molten Lava Custom Armor Deco*, and you can purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game to get four extra Custom Armor Decos.

    As we prepare to launch this update, I’m reminded of the excitement the team felt in the days and weeks leading up to the game’s release. After years of development, pressing the proverbial “launch” button was both intimidating and deeply satisfying.

    One thing that we understood innately — but didn’t fully appreciate until our game was in the wild — was just how passionate Marvel fans are about what we were building. The development team at Camouflaj gobbled up your reviews, tweets, and videos; listening intently to what you had to say, and what you wanted more of. I hope this content update continues to make good on our initial promise: to make you feel more than ever like you are Iron Man.

    Thanks for all your support… and enjoy your flight!

    *Patch 1.06 and demo requires internet connection and account for PlayStation Network.

    Website: LINK

  • Presenting PlayStation’s first global ad spot showcasing key immersive features for the PS5 console generation

    Presenting PlayStation’s first global ad spot showcasing key immersive features for the PS5 console generation

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    PlayStation fans, I hope you are just as excited as I am for the launch of the PS5™ console this holiday season. Each console generation provides an opportunity to tell a unique story through our marketing. This new generation will be especially fun for us given the new suite of features that will come with the PS5 console.

    Today, I am pleased to share with you our first global spot for PlayStation that showcases some of the immersive gameplay you will experience on the new PS5 console.

    In our first global digital ad for the PS5 console, you’ll see the new console’s features come to life through a young woman’s eyes and her movements. It starts as she walks across a frozen lake, feeling the crack of ice at her feet. As the character senses danger, the sudden explosive reveal of the kraken from the icy surface showcases the haptic feedback sensation you can feel from DualSense™ wireless controller for the PS5 console.

    Sound then comes from all directions as the central character reacts to everything she hears – whether it’s coming from the front, the side, above, or from behind her – showcasing the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech. Closing out the spot – as the central character draws her bow – the tension of her bowstring is a sensation you’ll also feel, made possible through the DualSense wireless controller’s adaptive triggers.

    We are quite excited about these features and we can’t wait for you all to get more immersed in the world of games with the PS5 console and DualSense wireless controller in your own hands.

    Our partners in the development community have been hard at work either creating or dreaming up the next generation of games. Read on to learn some of the ways they are working with the DualSense wireless controller and its built-in capabilities.

    “The haptic feedback precision allows us to do all sorts of new things. In Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we’ll be hinting to players which direction attacks are coming from by providing haptic feedback from the appropriate direction on the DualSense wireless controller. What does it feel like to use Miles’s stealth ability? How does a Venom Blast feel? Because of the high resolution of DualSense wireless controller’s haptics system, we can really push the dimensionality of the feedback. For instance, as you hold down Square to do a Venom Punch, you feel Spider-Man’s bio-electricity crackle across from the left side of the controller, culminating in the right side on impact.” –Brian Horton // Creative Director, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

    I’m really excited by the adaptive triggers and the haptic feedback, both features that will bring some physicality in game experiences, and give important feedback. Deathloop being a first-person shooter, we do a lot of things to make weapons feel differently from one another. One I like is blocking the triggers when your weapon jams, to give to the player an immediate feedback even before the animation plays out, which prompts the player in a physical way that they have to unjam their gun. –Dinga Bakaba // Game Director, Deathloop

    Just as the name “trigger” suggests, the main use of the DualSense wireless controller’s adaptive triggers in Ghostwire: Tokyo is for “active” actions—to shoot or trigger something—and we also use them to create the sensation of recoil. We’re also looking at ways to take advantage of the adaptive triggers to express a sense of persistent energy, or a balance of forces if you will, and for perhaps actions such charging, loading, and a sense of accumulation of power or energy for things.The haptic feedback, in comparison to the vibration function of previous generations, allows us to utilize a much wider range, starting from a very strong vibration that is much more powerful than before, down to extremely light vibration. This way we can offer players very detailed, “textured” nuances. Because of this, our approach is different – it isn’t a transient or a constant vibration level anymore, it allows us to meticulously adjust the feedback throughout the game. – Kenji Kimura // Director, Ghostwire: Tokyo

    Horizon Forbidden West features new weapons that are designed to feel unique and play a specific role in combat with machines and human opponents. The DualSense wireless controller adaptive triggers will help us to make the weapons feel even more unique and satisfying to use.— Mathijs de Jonge //  Game Director, Guerrilla

    With the DualSense wireless controller and the power of haptics, we can make the combat [in Demon’s Souls] feel grittier, darker, and deadlier. Now you feel every blow as you strike down your enemies and cast each spell. You’ll experience the force of a titanic boss’ attack as you pull off a well-timed guard. Metal strikes metal when your foes block your attacks or you block theirs. That extra sensory feedback through the controller allows you to know your attack hit home and your perfectly-timed parry was a success, so you can react faster and more decisively.

    We can also turn the simple act of pulling a lever to open a gate into a sensory experience. This is something that rumble could never do. It could never replicate the feeling of metal striking metal or fire crackling in your hand as you conjure magic. Haptics [are] integral to the experience, to immersing the player in the world and adding to the gameplay. The visual, aural, and tactile working together takes this new generation of gaming into the future. — Gavin Moore // Creative Director, SIE Japan Studio

    As a player, I’m excited to finally FEEL which weapon I’m holding in my hands without looking at any UI. I can also sense where an enemy is spatially, even outside of my field of view. — Keith Lee // CEO, Counterplay Games

    The adaptive triggers are something we’re excited to feature [in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart]! For instance, the Enforcer is a dual-barreled shotgun type weapon. As you pull the trigger, you’ll fire from one barrel, and you can feel resistance around halfway down the trigger. Need a bigger blast? Pull the trigger through that resistance point and you’ll fire both barrels at the same time. — Marcus Smith // Creative Director, Insomniac Games

    As a developer, we want to surprise with unexpected feelings so the haptic feedback has been our central focus [for Astro’s Playroom]. The concept of “feeling the world” is omnipresent, that’s a significant step forward in immersion. I tried turning haptic feedback off once, and could not believe how much I missed it. It is a game changer for sure!

    We use haptic feedback throughout the entire game. The most striking are the surfaces because players will notice within the first few seconds. Astro’s steps can be felt running on plastic, metal, sand, and even splashing in water. –– Nicolas Doucet // Studio Director, Japan Studio

    Adaptive triggers have enabled us to provide sensations which match what Sackboy would feel in game. For example, when picking objects up, there is a tension to each press which conveys that the little guy is struggling to carry it. Similarly, when equipped with the grappling hook, R2’s ‘Weapon Mode’ makes the player feel like they’re actually firing it themselves.— Ned Waterhouse // Design Director, Sumo Digital

    I think the most effective use of the adaptive trigger [in Gran Turismo 7] is for representing the operation of the antilock brake system (ABS) while braking. A typical ABS releases brake pressure intermittently while the driver applies pressure to the pedal. The adaptive trigger is suited for recreating this pedal feel, and it will allow the player to accurately feel and understand the relationship between the braking force they want and the tire’s grip.

    Compared to the rumble force feedback we had in the past, the special character of the haptic feedback is that it has a bigger range of frequencies it can produce.

    What this means, is that sound design and tactile design can be handled in a continuous, integrated manner. — Kazunori Yamauchi // President, Polyphony Digital

    We’ll have more to share in the coming weeks. Keep your eyes peeled.

    Website: LINK

  • Jump into adventure in New Super Lucky’s Tale, out tomorrow

    Jump into adventure in New Super Lucky’s Tale, out tomorrow

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Meet Lucky. Tomorrow he arrives for the first time on PlayStation 4 — as the intrepid hero of New Super Lucky’s Tale. We can’t wait to hear what players think of him and his game!

    Lucky is a fox on a thrilling quest to save the Book of Ages, a magical artifact that opens doors to amazing worlds. Also looking for the book are Jinx and the Kitty Litter, a villainous gang of felines who want it for their own nefarious purposes. As you race to collect the book’s scattered pages before they do, you’ll learn some sweet moves to get around.

    Let’s take a closer look at those moves. At Playful Studios, we grew up on some of the best platformer games of all time, and our favorites always featured a playable character who felt grounded with precise, tight controls, and a distinct set of moves that flowed well together. That’s exactly the experience we wanted for Lucky.

    I have a few examples to better illustrate what I mean.

    Here’s Lucky diving into his slide move, which he can do on hard surfaces. While sliding, players can steer him as he glides forward.

    Lucky’s tail swipe, while primarily used as an offensive move against enemies, has a secondary benefit of extending his hang time while jumping.

    And Lucky’s signature move, the burrow, allows him to tunnel freely under softer surfaces like grass or sand. Initiating this move while airborne will direct Lucky’s path toward the nearest enemy or jump pad.

    Once you’re familiar with Lucky’s moveset, you can start to chain together combos. Soon enough, you’ll be taking on the terrain and its obstacles with an almost rhythm-like flow.

    On top of that, we spent a significant amount of time iterating Lucky’s controls, perfecting the movement and platforming mechanics, and ensuring the camera control handled smoothly. The end result? Moving Lucky through his world is as satisfying as it is delightful.

    Aside from movement, we put a lot of effort into the story, in creating memorable, funny characters, building colorful, vibrant environments, including multiple branching objectives in each level, and balancing out the action with a huge variety of fun things to do, such as puzzles, side-scrolling levels, boss fights, and a whole lot of mini-games.

    New Super Lucky’s Tale is a game where you find something new around every corner. New moves to master, new characters to meet, whole new worlds to explore. As we were designing this game, we tried really hard to never have anything feel repetitive, and the end result is a game that’s packed full of delightful surprises and endless variety that make this such a beloved genre.

    If you love platformers, don’t miss it!

    Website: LINK

  • Top 10 features and improvements for PGA Tour 2K21

    Top 10 features and improvements for PGA Tour 2K21

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Hey everyone, Craig Chapman here, Senior Game Designer at HB Studios, and I’m going to lay out my personal Top 10 things longtime fans of The Golf Club franchise should be excited for. Listing all of the changes and improvements included in PGA Tour 2K21 would be a monumental task, so I’ll limit this list to 10. Here we go!

    #1 Accessibility

    • In the years past, The Golf Club franchise always had a pretty high barrier to entry, and a steep learning curve.
    • PGA Tour 2K21 introduces traditional difficulty settings for the first time, which allows players of all skill levels to find a challenge that works for them. Whether that’s one of the six difficulty presets or a custom difficulty set up by the player, there’s something there for everyone.

    #2 PGA Tour Broadcast

    • The all new PGA Tour Career Mode introduces a full broadcast commentary from Luke Elvy and Rich Beem, and the return of John McCarthy as the “man on the ground.”
    • Broadcast presentation, with highlights and replays of the best shots of the day.

    #3 PGA Tour Pros

    • Play against 12 PGA Tour pros on your quest to win the FedExCup.
    • Pro Rivals challenge players to compete against PGA Tour Pros to unlock gear.
    • PGA Tour leaderboards filled with 100’s of real PGA Tour pros.

    #4 PGA Tour Events

    • 15 real-life licensed courses and events now populate the PGA Tour Career Mode.

    #5 Brand Sponsor Contracts

    • PGA Tour 2K21 features more than 15 authentic brands for you to outfit your MyPlayer with.
    • Sign brand deal contracts that carry with them objectives of varying difficulty to complete.
    • Completing contract objectives increases the level of your relationship with that brand.
    • As your relationship level increases with your brand sponsor you will be rewarded with unique sponsor contract clothing and equipment that can be used throughout the game.

    #6 Club Attributes

    • For the first time in the series individual clubs will carry with them attributes that affect how they perform on the course.
    • Club attributes have been horizontally balanced to put the emphasis on players finding the best combination of clubs to suit their game. There isn’t a “best club set” in the game as they all have pros and cons.

    #7 True Shot System

    • The old “shot shaper” has been replaced with the new and vastly improved True Shot system.
    • True Shot allows players to independently adjust fade, draw, loft, de-loft, and attack angle to create an endless variety of shots. Whether you want to spin it back on the green, fade it around a dog leg, or punch it under a tree branch, True Shot will let you do just that.

    #8 Distance Control, Over-Swing, & Partial Shots

    • Distance Control ups the skill gap putting an emphasis on swing skill.
    • The transition point of the backswing to downswing sets the swing power, which makes hitting exact distances a skill worth practicing.
    • Over-swings increase the swing power and allow players to hit beyond the carry distance displayed on their clubs, but brings with it added difficulty to the swing making miss-hits far more penalizing.
    • If you find yourself at a distance that is between clubs, Partial Shots allow you to set your intended target and the Distance Control Meter indicates when you need to transition. Be careful though as the downswing timing for Partial Shots will require some finessing to perform correctly.

    #9 Online Society Event Creation

    • The Event Creation flow for online societies has been streamlined to reduce the time and effort required by society owners and admins to create events and set up a season schedule.
    • Additionally, the introduction of Society Restrictions allow the Society to enforce difficulty settings that their members play on whilst playing Society events, or they may also leave it set to “Open” if they want their members to be free to play with whatever difficulty settings they prefer.

    #10 Online Multiplayer

    • All matchmaking rounds will be played using the Pro difficulty preset, to ensure matchmaking is an even playing field across the board.
    • Private Matches among friends now offers the same restrictions that Online Societies does in regards to difficulty settings, where the host of the private lobby can determine the settings everyone will play on.

    Get your victory dance ready and pick up PGA Tour 2K21 for the PlayStation 4, available at midnight (local time) on August 21.

    Players who pre-order will get the 2K/adidas MyPlayer Pack and swing with swag. Deck out your PGA Tour 2K21 MyPlayer with a signal green and core black look, featuring adidas CodeChaos BOA Golf Shoes, and custom 2K/adidas CodeChaos Polo, Pants and Hat, designed by adidas, exclusively for PGA Tour 2K21.

    Website: LINK

  • Predator: Hunting Grounds August update

    Predator: Hunting Grounds August update

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    It has been an extremely busy summer here at IllFonic. The Predator: Hunting Grounds team has been bringing free updates, patches, and paid DLCs every month since our launch in April – and we’ve been doing it all from our homes. I could not be prouder of this team! A highlight for me has to be continuing Dutch’s story with the tapes and character in May, but that’s just the kid in me who is still excited about making that a reality. Another, less biased highlight has to be the level increase to 150 with the unlockable Elder Predator. And the surprise content drop of the Alpha Predator with NECA… honestly, I am stoked about all the content and hard work that the team has put in, from weapons, to cosmetics, to playable characters. 

    And we have more! On August 28th, we will be dropping our 2.0 Patch. What does this mean? Well a few things: the game will have some quality of life bug fixes and the highly-requested crossplay with friends will be available. While we had hoped this would be in at launch, we are thrilled to make it happen now.

    We want to thank the community for their patience and support while we waded through the technical needs to make this happen. In addition, like every free update there are some great in-game items coming too. The Classic Combistick and Wrist Launcher from the City Hunter content is now unlockable to everyone; there is a large Fireteam Supply Drop including the OWLF Assault Rifle, the Anti-Cloaking Grenade, UAV Scanner, and the Self Revive Syrette; and a Field Locker Update with 3 new Predator Masks, a new Fireteam Ballistic Mask, and other new tints and shaders.*

    As a part of this blog post, it was really important to the team that we shared a look ahead at the Free Update and Paid DLC schedule. We’ve seen the posts on social media and in the forums asking when we are dropping a new map and mode. While we cannot share the exact date yet, we wanted to give some transparency to the months you can expect to get these items – the new map and mode will both be in our September update!

    And as a reminder, the map and mode are part of the Free Update, they are not Paid DLC. We think the community will really enjoy both, and we have more up our sleeves after these updates – so always come back to the forums and our social channels for updates. We will share all that we can as soon as we can!

    Next week we will be revealing what you can expect from this month’s Paid DLC. It is a good one! Until then, see you in the hunt!

    *Gameplay required to unlock items, weapons, skins, and classes; cosmetics acquired by randomized drops.

    Website: LINK

  • Train Sim World 2 arriving at platform PlayStation tomorrow

    Train Sim World 2 arriving at platform PlayStation tomorrow

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Hi railfans, I’m Matt Peddlesden the Senior Producer on Train Sim World 2 at Dovetail Games. This week our new simulation launches on PlayStation 4. Read on for our top ten tips as you start playing, to make sure you have everything you need to become an experienced train driver.

    Start a Journey

    Train Sim World 2 features three routes: Bakerloo Line, Köln – Aachen and Sand Patch Grade. Whichever you choose to play you’ll have the option of starting a new Journey. This is one of the best ways to get started — each Journey consists of tutorials, scenarios and services carefully selected to guide you through curated gameplay. Starting with simple tasks before testing you with more complex services.

    Play the Tutorials

    If you are a new driver, the controls of each locomotive can seem daunting at first. Fear not, we have included fun and easy to understand tutorials for each of the six locomotives included in Train Sim World 2. A brand-new immersion controller scheme also makes commands simple to learn. Don’t forget, if you need a quick refresher the tutorials are always there for you to have another try.

    Watch the HUD

    You’ll find lots of valuable information to help you drive during each session. The pause screen includes your train info as well as schedule details, whilst a re-designed HUD keeps pertinent information at your disposal. As well as speed you can see safety systems, brake pressure, door status and more. When you’re travelling at 250km/h across Germany this kind of information becomes critical. The HUD can also be resized to help with visibility or removed completely for an authentic experience.

    Learn Your Loco

    So, you’ve completed a tutorial and your first challenge. As you progress you’ll start to learn more about each of the locomotives. Each has their own unique control and safety systems, tailored to suit their role, and will behave differently on the rails. Everything from the type of power, weight and braking systems will change how you play. You’ll also have to adjust for weather conditions and grades with the new adhesion feature. Learn the nuances of each locomotive to ensure smooth running.

    Know the Route

    It’s not just the loco you need to learn. Each of the routes in Train Sim World 2 are meticulously recreated from the real thing. This means that they also include the areas of the route that are more challenging to navigate. Getting to know when signals or speed limit restrictions are coming up, or memorising braking points for platform stops is important to become a precise driver. Applying the right amount of power or brakes means you will arrive at your destination on time every time.

    Check Your Reports

    Once you have completed a scenario you will get a detailed breakdown of your progress along the route, how punctual you were, a display of route speed restrictions vs your actual speed and a medal based on performance. Learn from your mistakes, alter the way you drive and try to get a perfect run the next time you play the scenario.

    Go For a Walk

    Train Sim World 2 gives you the freedom to get out of the cab and explore all that a railway has to offer to foot. With a variety of tasks to complete around the route for those that want to explore. On the Bakerloo Line you will be placing route maps, repairing platform monitors, putting up posters and re-stocking newspapers around the route. Complete route tasks to unlock PlayStation Trophies!

    Get Creative

    Once you’ve found your favourite locomotive you will want to make it your own, you can do that with a new custom tool, the Livery Designer. Create your own unique look for your locomotives and wagons using a large selection of decals and colours, building up layers to make your personal livery. Then take them for a drive and see what they look like on your favourite part of each route.

    Railfan Shots

    Rolling mountains, amazing architecture and urban cityscapes bring Train Sim World 2 to life and really immerse you in the world of driving trains. These incredible backdrops often perfectly frame a locomotive so why not jump out of the cab, find the perfect spot and capture those locomotives as they pass by. The ‘Railfan Shot’ feature allows you to save your photos to a gallery online. 

    Create a Scenario

    Played through a full Journey on your favourite route and want more? Use the Scenario Planner to drive what you want where you want, building up a custom scenario with your choice of locomotives. This includes defying the laws of physics with an ‘Off The Rails’ option. So, if you want to take a German electric train up the side of a US mountain range… You can!

    Go have fun with Train Sim World 2, coming to PlayStation on August 20! There’s a 15% loyalty discount at launch if you already own Train Sim World 2020 — simply go to the Train Sim World in-game store to purchase.

    Website: LINK

  • Returning to the world of Samurai Jack

    Returning to the world of Samurai Jack

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    It has been an amazing road for Samurai Jack since it originally aired on Cartoon Network back in 2001. Genndy Tartakovsky’s epic vision of noble samurai’s heroic quest to undo evil immediately struck a chord with people around the world and would go on to spawn a legacy that still inspires legions of fans to this day. 

    Now, Samurai Jack returns once more this Friday for an all new video game, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time. As the game readies for release, Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky and series writer Darrick Bachman reflect on what it was like returning to the franchise after Jack’s dramatic series finale. 

    Did you think you were coming back to Samurai Jack after the show ended?

    Genndy:  I thought I was finished with Samurai Jack. So when the proposal for the game came up, initially I wasn’t excited because of my past experience. But then as things started to come together, I realized it was going to be quite different and of a more unique quality. Then I got excited for Jack to live on past the show.

    Darrick:  Returning to the world of Samurai Jack didn’t seem like much of a possibility after the season five finale. The series culminated with the completion of Jack’s quest, returning to the past to undo the future that is Aku, so that didn’t leave room for much else to be explored. In addition, Genndy had been on a near ten-year journey to finish Jack’s story, so the team’s thought was that we’ve finally done what we set out to do. However, the game gave us some new beats we hadn’t considered.

    What was it like returning to the world and characters?

    Genndy:  It’s always a warm experience, like seeing your kid return from college.

    Darrick:  As work got underway on the game’s narrative, we found that sliding back into the world and characters wasn’t as difficult as imagined. We had finished the fifth season only a few years prior, so characters like Ashi, the Daughters of Aku, and Scaramouche were still rattling around in our heads. The real challenge came from revisiting the characters and locations from the first four seasons. You suddenly find yourself having to rediscover Jack’s relationships with amazing characters like the Scotsman or Da Samurai, be immersed in the action of facing off against foes like the Imakandi or travel to places like the graveyard from episode 30. It was such a thrill to play in that world again.   

    What’s it like being able to not only see, but fight with or against the characters you were writing for?

    Genndy:  It was super fun! I didn’t realize how many different characters were put into the game. Making the TV episodes was really the same thing as each episode I get to fight whatever I’m drawing, but this was a much more fun experience in a way because it was immediate action.

    Darrick:  I really didn’t know what to expect when we first got the chance to demo the game at Soleil Game Studios in Japan. There had been some attempts to do Samurai Jack games in the past, but none had quite lived up to the level of the series. Needless to say, this game was amazing right from the start! The Soleil team are truly phenomenal and have worked tirelessly to bring Jack’s world to life. They are also huge fans of the series, so it was a real labor of love to capture the look and feel of the series in a 3D environment.

    What was it like picking up the controller and playing the game?

    Genndy:  It was strange, but fun! I usually am used to doing all my Jack battles with pen and paper, but now it was easily accessible to me with a press of a button.

    Darrick:  It literally gave me goosebumps. Seeing Aku City realized in a 3D space and making Jack run, jump, and battle his way across was just incredible. And to fight the Scotsman?! It was all so much fun!

    Who is your favorite character?

    Genndy:  Aku was always my favorite. As what usually happens is the villains have the most interesting personalities.

    Darrick:  Without a doubt, Aku is also my favorite character in the Samurai Jack universe. Not only is he the ultimate villain, but there are so many layers to his personality which makes him irresistible. He can be sad, jealous, giddy, dramatic, pathetic, or all of these at the same time. His relationship with Samurai Jack is also incredible because they are such polar opposites. Jack is so stoic and heroic and Aku is just a big hot mess. Even watching him order a pizza can be both sinister and the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. It’s a writer’s dream to have characters like Aku because his personality can go in any direction and the end result is always surprising.

    Did the game give you any opportunities to flesh things out or make changes you didn’t have time to while working on the show?

    Genndy:  No, through five seasons of doing the show we really did everything we wanted to do, so this was more of a way to go back in time and enjoy Samurai Jack on a nostalgic level and get an opportunity to be Jack yourself.

    Darrick:  By the end of the fifth season, we felt as if Jack’s story had been put to bed and there wasn’t much left to do. Then as Genndy and I began to discuss the game, and how the studio really wanted this to feel like an all new episode of the series, we did start to explore if there were any possible ideas or story points that didn’t get fleshed out during that last season? 

    As we re-watched the series finale, there was a moment near the climax – a fifty second window where Jack and Ashi travel through the time portal while offscreen. I found myself suddenly obsessing over what happened during that period of time. Did they just travel through time and space without incident? What if Aku made one last desperate attempt to stop Jack inside that portal? Time is infinite, so Jack and Ashi could get trapped in that portal for years, decades, and it would only appear to be seconds in our world. Genndy and I became increasingly intrigued by that fifty second window and that became the basis for the video game narrative.

    For Darrick, what was it like working again with the Samurai Jack creative team, including the voice actors?

    Darrick:  Samurai Jack was my first job in animation so, for me, being able to return to the project and reunite with the creative team has been really special. Just the recording sessions alone felt like a big family reunion. So many of the original, amazing voice actors like Phil LaMarr, John DiMaggio, Tara Strong, and Tom Kenny returned to breathe new life into their characters, and it takes the game to a whole new dimension. In addition, it was an amazing experience to watch the voice actors just slot right back into the characters, some of which they haven’t voiced in 17 years.  

    For Genndy, as a creator of so many beloved worlds, are there any other characters you have created that you would like to see in a video game?

    Genndy:  Sure! Really all of them!! They all could work in a fun way. Dexter chasing Dee Dee around a vast lab sounds promising!!

    Do you see yourselves returning to the world of Samurai Jack? Or do you feel that the story of Samurai Jack is finally complete?

    Genndy:  Well it is complete but having said that I’ve learned that there is really truly nothing ever final. So who knows in the future where and what might happen…

    Darrick:  Jack’s story concluded so definitively that it would be hard to return for more adventures. You don’t want to risk undoing or lessening what the series achieved, even if a tiny part of your heart hopes that Jack’s story isn’t quite over yet. Fortunately, we were approached about doing the video game and that has given us this opportunity to play in the world of Samurai Jack once more.

    We truly hope that fans will enjoy this all-new Samurai Jack story and get caught up in the excitement of getting to be Jack as he battles the evil that is Aku once more. Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time comes out on August 21 on PlayStation 4. 

    Website: LINK

  • Prepare yourself for UEFA Champions League Final weekend

    Prepare yourself for UEFA Champions League Final weekend

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    European football’s showpiece competition has returned with a straight knockout tournament in Lisbon, Portugal. Now that we are in the final stages of this year’s competition, who will be crowned the winner of this year’s UEFA Champions League on August 23?

    In preparation for the big finale, we’ve released two free-to-download UEFA Champions League themes*. Based on the iconic UEFA Champions League starball design, these themes will give your on-screen display a completely new look, changing the background, icons and colours.

    Check out how the UEFA Champions League dynamic theme works in action below. For European and Asian players, download it here. For US players, download it here.

    Prepare yourself for UEFA Champions League Final weekend

    Prefer a static theme? No problem, you can also download a static UEFA Champions League theme for your PS4. For European and Asian players, download it here. For US players, download it here.

    eChampionsLeague Invitational

    Taking place ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final, tune in for the special eChampionsLeague Invitational event to find out which FIFA20 player will become the champion of Europe. Across the three-day spectacular, the eight competitors will compete on PS4 for a slice of the $100,000 prize pool.

    UEFA eChampionsLeague Invitational

    The eChampionsLeague Invitational will broadcast on EASPORTSFIFA Twitch and UEFA’s YouTube. Set a reminder for the following times:

    • Thursday August 20 | 6pm – 11.40pm CEST / 10am – 3.40pm PST
    • Friday August 21 | 2pm – 7.40pm CEST / 6am – 11.40am PST
    • Saturday August: 22 | 6pm – 11pm CEST / 10am – 3pm PST

    Don’t forget, the below regions can also watch the UEFA Champions League Final in TV & Video on your PS4**!

    • UK: BT Sport app
    • France: RMC app
    • Italy: Now TV app
    • Germany, Austria, Canada, Japan: DAZN app
    • Nordics (excluding Finland): Viaplay app

    *Internet connection an account for PlayStation Network required. PS4 Themes are available in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay. 

    **Subscription service may be required.

    Website: LINK

  • How Team Ninja created Nioh 2’s The Tengu’s Disciple expansion

    How Team Ninja created Nioh 2’s The Tengu’s Disciple expansion

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    We hope everyone is enjoying their journey through Nioh 2’s first DLC installment, The Tengu’s Disciple. Today, I’d like to provide some perspective on our development team’s ambitious efforts to take all of you Yokai hunters back to the past in this exciting new trip through Japan’s fascinating history.

    Nioh 2: The Tengu's DiscipleNioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple

    Nioh 2 and the original Nioh are both set during the turbulent and war filled Sengoku Period which featured two of the most powerful figures of this era, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Tengu’s Disciple provides a new flavor to the story by taking players to the Heian period, hundreds of years prior to the Sengoku period, and allowing them to discover the mysteries surrounding the legendary whistle Sohayamaru and the powerful Yokai Otakemaru. While the Heian period brought with it new characters to meet and enemies to defeat, traveling back in time introduced several new challenges our team had to overcome.

    A principal character in The Tengu’s Disciple — Minamoto no Yoshitsune, is one of Japan’s most famous heroes and has been featured in countless stories and kabuki dramas. Recreating Minamoto no Yoshitsune while also keeping with Nioh’s tradition of reimagining historical figures and events proved to be quite an undertaking. We hope you will discover and gain an understanding of this exciting character not only from the compelling story, but also from his dramatic actions and equipment as well. Test your might in an exciting battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his Guardian Spirits, while trying to defeat this legendary figure!

    Nioh 2: The Tengu's DiscipleNioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple

    In addition to reimagining historical figures, we also had to take into consideration what content we could and couldn’t use during this time period. Being unable to add in new variations of weapons that didn’t exist yet, such as rifles and hand cannons, or include Yokai that hadn’t appeared at that point in history were among some of the obstacles we faced. Despite the huge shift in the time period, we worked hard to ensure that our players could experience a fresh take on new enemies and collecting loot with badass weapons and armor in order to provide a meaningful new experience for the continuing saga. 

    And for our avid Yokai hunters, I am happy to introduce a Japanese fan favorite Yokai through this new DLC: Nuppeppo. This odd looking Yokai was initially considered for the original Nioh, but did not make it into the final game. We worked hard to recreate this monster and introduce it into the series as a formidable foe to test your might. Try to get your hands on its Soul Core and test out its cool new ability for yourself!

    Nioh 2: The Tengu's DiscipleNioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple Nioh 2: The Tengu's DiscipleNioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple

    From all of us at Team Ninja, we hope that this voyage to yesteryears sparks a new interest in learning more about Japan’s history, and especially the Heian period through the exciting new areas and epic events that occur in The Tengu’s Disciple. Lastly, we know you are all eager to see what’s coming up, so I am happy to announce that the next DLC installment will be released this coming Fall! Please look forward to more details regarding the second DLC pack in the near future. Until then, scrub off the rust and sharpen your battle skills samurai. The fight is back on!

    Nioh 2: The Tengu's DiscipleNioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple Website: LINK

  • After almost eight years, Manifold Garden launches on PS4 today

    After almost eight years, Manifold Garden launches on PS4 today

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Hello Friends! After almost eight years in development, I’m excited to share that Manifold Garden is finally available now on PS4 in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. 

    For those who don’t know, Manifold Garden is a game that takes place in an Escher-esque world of impossible architecture. The world repeats infinitely in every direction, so falling from the bottom floor of a skyscraper has you landing on its roof. You travel down and land above, so to speak. You can change the direction of gravity to solve puzzles, walk through hallways that bend space and connect to different worlds, and grow trees to restore life to the world.

    The PS4 version has all of the new features added in the last year, including the new Photo Mode, as well as secrets and other rewards for exploring. The architecture and visuals have always been one of the defining characteristics of Manifold Garden, and the easy-to-use Photo Mode lets players look at the world in new ways. 

    Just for fun, we’ve also included a “Randomize” option that will generate beautiful shots for you. Below are some of our favorites:

    And of course, after keeping you waiting for so long, we knew we had to deliver something special for PlayStation fans. We’re delighted to showcase our exclusive Deluxe Edition, which also includes the game, the Original Soundtrack composed by Laryssa Okada, and an exclusive Dynamic Theme designed by the theme masters Truant Pixel. 

    Seriously — look at this theme!

    After almost eight years, Manifold Garden launches on PS4 today

    Manifold Garden Deluxe Edition is the only way to get this beautiful theme, and there’s no way to upgrade later, so please be sure to buy the Deluxe Edition if you want it! Both the game and the Deluxe Edition are on discount for 10% off for PlayStation Plus subscribers for a limited time as part of our launch.

    This has been quite the journey for both the team and for myself. I still remember showing the game at the very first PlayStation Experience in 2014. Back then, the game was still called Relativity, and consisted only of a few levels. It has definitely come a long way since. 

    To celebrate the launch of the game, we’ve created an assortment of free wallpapers based on some excellent Photo Mode shots for your desktop and mobile devices. You can PlayStation Wallpapers here.

    Thanks for your patience and for believing in our game. Manifold Garden is finally out now on PlayStation 4. Enjoy!

    Website: LINK

  • RPG Pathfinder: Kingmaker – Definitive Edition launches on PS4 today

    RPG Pathfinder: Kingmaker – Definitive Edition launches on PS4 today

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a classic RPG made by Owlcat Games based on the rules and setting of the famous Pathfinder Roleplaying Game system. You start your journey as one of the mercenaries hired to stop the atrocities of local bandits. But eventually, you will become the leader of a newly born nation and will nurture, grow, and protect it through many perils, making many crucial decisions and seeing their consequences. 

    During your adventures, you will meet 12 different companions who will accompany you on your journey, each with their own story and personality. The game features immense possibilities for character building, deep mechanics, more than a hundred different enemies to fight, and a lot of items to collect. The game was released almost two years ago, and we’ve been working on polishing and expanding the game ever since, and now we are proud to present it to PlayStation players on August 18.

    The game’s origins 

    The game is based on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game System and stays true to the spirit and the rules of the famous tabletop RPG system. With nine races and 16 classes, each with three archetypes (variations of the classes), we have seen many players agonizing over which character they want to try out. 

    Would you like to start your journey as a gnome sorcerer with the blood of dragons flowing in your veins? Or maybe as an elf grenadier, an alchemist specializing in powerful bombs? Or a half-orc mad dog, a barbarian traveling with an animal companion? Or maybe a simple human fighter is more to your liking? 

    As your journey progresses, your character will rise up through the levels all the way to level 20, and each time there will be exciting choices to make: will you decide to multiclass (combine several classes in one character), or maybe you will go for a prestige class (special class available only at higher levels, there are seven of these in the game)? The depth of Pathfinder’s mechanics is one of the things that fascinates many fans of the system, including us, and we strived to bring it from the tabletop to video game.

    Your journey will start in Brevoy, one of the many nations in this part of the world. Jamandi Aldori, powerful swordlord and de facto ruler of the city on the nation’s border, is hiring adventurers to stop the reign of bandit terror in the as yet unclaimed wildlands to the southwest – the Stolen Lands! She promises to set up a barony under her patronage if the adventurers are successful. 

    From the start, you will meet a cast of colorful characters, each with their own alignment and worldview. They speak their mind, comment on your actions, and argue. Each comes with their own baggage of problems and sometimes huge skeletons in their closets, but we hope they are also relatable and interesting companions on your long journey. You will become a baron as soon as you stop the bandit threat, and will guide your nation for almost five years. It will not be easy, as those lands are known as “Stolen” not because of the bandits, but because of the many kingdoms that have fallen while trying to settle there. You will have to make many decisions as you protect your barony from a multitude of threats and face the consequences of those decisions. We can’t tell you anything else about the story apart from that, because that would spoil it.

    Rule a nation 

    When we were choosing the campaign to serve as the foundation of the game, we selected Kingmaker not only because it was a very open-world experience, but also because it allowed us to become the rulers of our own nation at the table.

    Adventuring and becoming heroes is a rather commonplace experience, whereas ruling a nation is something that rarely happens in RPGs. We built kingdom management as an additional strategic layer to the game. You will have to choose advisors for various governmental positions, solve problems, and respond to opportunities while developing your nation in a dozen different directions, including Arcane, Military, Economy, Espionage, to name but a few… 

    You will be able to expand the barony by capturing new regions, build villages and towns, and eventually even become a full-fledged kingdom. This layer also greatly helped our story by showing our companions and essential NPCs from a new perspective, as rulers who have to address important issues, revealing entirely different facets of their personalities.

    The Definitive Edition 

    After we released the game originally, we continued to polish it and make new content for the game we loved so much. 

    That led to the release of several DLCs, some were free and added new spells or additional blood and gore effects. Others were premium and they expanded the story in different ways, by adding new companions from faraway lands, or by shedding some light on part of the story of the original game but told from a different perspective. 

    Another expansion introduced a separate game mode with an infinite dungeon and rogue-lite elements. It quickly became a favorite among players who wanted to try out very different parties (whether mechanical or thematic, like a party of gnomes, or a journey where every character has an animal companion). All the DLC released to date for the game is included in the PS4 version launching today. 

    Porting the game to console is also part of expanding the game and bringing in new players to the experience. We spent a lot of time redesigning the interfaces (which are many) to work seamlessly with the DualShock 4 controller and adapting them for TV screens.

    While doing this, we struggled with modifying the gameplay to work better with the controller as well, as giving a lot of orders in the chaos of battle (even when it is paused) can be difficult. At the same time, one particular mod for the game, hanging battles from real-time to turn-based, became popular and attracted new players. 

    We thought that it would be great to bring this mode to console, as it gives more control over the battle and allows for greater tactical precision. We made it so that you can switch between real-time and turn-based combat at any time, even during battle. This Turn-Based Mode is our latest addition to the game that will be available with the launch of the PlayStation version.

    To put it simply, Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition is the biggest and best version of the game. It will be great for newcomers to the game and for those who want to experience it again from the comfort of their couch with a game controller in their hands.

    Thank you for your time, and if you want to know more, feel free to join our official Discord server, where thousands of players will help you get settled in the Stolen Lands.

    Website: LINK

  • Beat Saber launches Linkin Park Music Pack today

    Beat Saber launches Linkin Park Music Pack today

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The waiting is over players… Linkin Park Music Pack – our biggest music pack so far – is out now! Fresh and energizing beats from the Grammy award-winning band Linkin Park just landed in Beat Saber. Linkin Park doesn’t need a long introduction, this iconic band jumped into the music industry spotlight in 2000 with their very first music album Hybrid Theory. Today, we are celebrating Hybrid Theory’s incredible 20th anniversary in VR with our brand new Linkin Park Music Pack.

    Linkin Park is a band very close to our heart, we have been listening to their music since teenage years and our heart rate rises every time we hear their songs. But everything gets even more real when you play it in PS VR. With this music pack, we are bringing 11 of the band’s most popular songs in all difficulties. Yes, that makes it 55 beatmaps in total. Linkin Park Music Pack unites tracks from influential albums Hybrid Theory, Meteora and Minutes to Midnight. As always, you can purchase the whole pack or download individual songs.

    Beat Saber Linkin ParkBeat Saber Linkin Park

    Check our selection of the band’s most famous songs:

    • Bleed It Out
    • Breaking the Habit
    • Faint
    • Given Up
    • In The End
    • New Divide
    • Numb
    • One Step Closer
    • Papercut
    • Somewhere I Belong
    • What I’ve Done

    We always want to bring something extra, but this time it is something totally different. With this music pack, we are releasing a brand new game environment – a fully enclosed game area inspired by the tunnel scene you might remember from the ‘One Step Closer’ music video. The environment is also accompanied by a new four-color lighting scheme. To pay our tribute to the iconic Hybrid Theory album, the whole environment is stylized into the album’s colors.

    Beat Saber Linkin ParkBeat Saber Linkin Park

    Are you ready to channel your inner music rebel? Head out to PlayStation Store and get yourself the new Linkin Park Music Pack now. See you on the leaderboards.

    Website: LINK

  • How Atlus x Vanillaware bring 2D art to life in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

    How Atlus x Vanillaware bring 2D art to life in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    One look at Dragon’s Crown or Odin Sphere and it’s obvious that the defining characteristic behind Vanillaware’s games is the painterly art style, beautiful backgrounds, and characters so realistically animated that they feel like they’re breathing on screen. Vanillaware’s upcoming sci-fi epic, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, is no different! So, how does Vanillaware do it?

    I’m super excited to bring 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Producer Akiyasu Yamamoto to today’s PlayStation Blog to answer that! 

    Arianne Advincula: Compared to previous titles, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim has a completely different setting, in metropolitan Japan. The backgrounds are so beautiful and detailed, it really feels like you’re in Japan! What would you say are the defining visual characteristics of this game?

    Akiyasu Yamamoto: As someone who’s worked very closely with the Vanillaware staff watching the creative process unfold, one challenge that particularly stood out to me early on concerned the visuals. Unlike previous games set in more medieval fantasy worlds, this one takes place in a more modern world composed of concrete buildings, which at first glance lacked the vibrance and life of past settings. After trying several methods, the answer we reached was an approach where we leveraged the light sources in each scene for atmospheric effect, like the sunset and the city’s neon signs.

    AA: Within this new approach that redefined what Vanillaware games could be, what was something that you felt the team was able to achieve with this title?

    AY: Much like in our previous games, the camera’s set in a fixed perspective to recreate the feeling of watching a theatrical performance unfold. But by placing objects within a layered three-dimensional space and incorporating strong backlights to add a sense of depth to the scene, I feel we not only achieved a very unique style for our background art, but also created a very effective, thematic storytelling device that ties the story paths together through underlying feelings of nostalgia and longing.

    AA: This is the fifth Atlus X Vanillaware title released on PlayStation. Vanillaware is known for their 2D art style, but how would you from the Atlus team, describe what drives their artistic vision?

    AY: Atlus’s partnership with Vanillaware began all the way back in 1997, when Princess Crown released on the Sega Saturn. That game, created in 2D, was released during a time when 3D polygons were seen as the future of gaming. Thanks to the love and support from fans of Princess Crown, we were able to release Odin Sphere on the PS2 in 2007.

    Since Odin Sphere, Atlus and Vanillaware have always had the shared belief that we need to be strategic about what elements of the game we want to focus on and polish. We lack the manpower and resources that most AAA titles have in the West, but we don’t want to lose the mindset behind our work: we simply want to create games that we, ourselves, would want to play. I think our current partnership was born out of these shared ideas.

    AA: I loved Odin Sphere, so this is definitely another Atlus X Vanillaware game I don’t want to miss out on. Thank you for your time and this insider’s look, Yamamoto-san!

    AY: Of course. Creating 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was, in a way, a new frontier and a creative challenge for Atlus X Vanillaware, and something totally different from our previous titles like Odin Sphere and Dragon’s Crown. It’s based on an ambitious idea we had where we thought, “How great would it be if we could replicate that feeling of solving numerous mysteries while finding answers in a whirlwind of information, like in Western thrillers… but in a game?” I hope many players in the West can experience this unique title, and share the joy of playing it all throughout the world. 

    I also wanted to mention that this title was recently nominated for the Media category for the “Seiun Awards,” which many consider to be the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Award/Nebula Award. I think many people consider this game one of the hottest works of contemporary sci-fi in Japan right now. To those who love American TV shows like we do, those who love games, and those who love sci-fi, we hope you can try 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and make it a global sensation that truly transcends borders. Thank you so much for all your love and support!

    You can get a closer look at 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim’s art yourself when you digitally pre-order the game from PlayStation Store! This will give you access to an exclusive, digital artbook filled with gorgeous, high-definition character art at launch.

    Or, pre-order 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim from physical retailers to secure an artbook featuring Vanillaware’s painterly art. 

    13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim releases on September 22 for the PlayStation 4! Check out our latest Doomsday Trailer here:

    How Atlus x Vanillaware bring 2D art to life in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

    Website: LINK

  • Share of the Week: Ghost of Tsushima – Motion

    Share of the Week: Ghost of Tsushima – Motion

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    With its robust and detailed Photo Mode, we asked you to move through the world of Ghost of Tsushima, and share animated videos using #PS4share and #PSBlog. From picturesque cliffsides to brutal duels, pensive portraits and intense posters, here are this week’s highlights: 

    Jin plays his flute in this serene scene from glenlee92.

    JRPyznar shared this red-stained cinematic moment.

    oPenguo shared a dramatic portrait of Jin in the rain.

    Jin stands in the middle of a bamboo forest in this share by PepperoniCobra.

    Virtua_photo captures this intense duel scene.

    Zimm804 shares Jin scaling this stunning cliffside.

    Search #PS4share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? 

    Theme: Ghost of Tsushima – Animals

    Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, August 12

    Next week, we’re focusing on the feathered and foxy critters of Ghost of Tsushima. Share shots featuring animals using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Need some inspiration? Make sure to check our Ghost of Tsushima Photo mode tips guide. 

    Website: LINK

  • Cat Quest II embraces the Mew World with a new free update

    Cat Quest II embraces the Mew World with a new free update

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Hey Catventurers! I am Anne-Lou, the Product Manager for the game and I will be your guide to the Mew World Update.

    First things first, in case you’re not familiar with Cat Quest – it’s an open-world RPG adventure in the world of cats. In Cat Quest II, you can play with both a cat and a dog in local co-op, and explore the Lupus Empire to bring peace to the kingdoms.

    Cat Quest II released last year, but developers The Gentlebros have been working tirelessly to bring out this update that will appeal to everyone:

    “We wanted to make these changes as a huge thank you to all our fans who’ve supported us since day 1. We never thought our games would be played by so many people! We read every single review, and every message sent to us, and these improvements and tweaks are what we feel would make the game a lot more enjoyable for everyone!”

    For this momentous occasion, they’ve also designed majestic new art for the game:

    Now onto the meat of the update itself, which includes a ton of quality of life changes. Some will take effect whether or not it’s your first playthrough, others will require you to have completed the story at least once to unlock the Mew Game modes.

    The patch is free (isn’t that beautiful?) for everyone, and will be live tomorrow – August 8, also known as International Cat Day (what a happy coincidence) – and it’s also the third anniversary of the release of the original Cat Quest!

    Top Features

    Here are some of the top features to discover:

    The Mew Game

    After finishing the story, you will now be able to challenge yourself with no less than eight new game modes with some really diverse meowdifiers, such as Fast Furrwards, where everything, including yourself, moves at twice the speed, or Naked Paws, where you cannot equip any armor or weapon for the entire playthrough.

    Top tip: After finishing the Mew Game, you will get a new armor set. The more you play, the better the gear!

    Reworked inventory

    As requested by the fans, the sorting of the inventory is vastly improved and also includes a color code for rarity.

    Sprinting

    After running for a few seconds, your kitty and your doggo will now speed up and travel everywhere even faster!

    Elemental damage

    Weapons that do elemental damage are now better displayed in the game – and the numbers now change color depending on the elemental damage you do.

    New Royal Arts

    The Pawer Smash has been revamped! Each weapon now has a unique and devastating new attack that triggers when you roll and attack right after.

    New enemies

    Water enemies are now ready to challenge your crossing of the Pawcific Ocean. These new monsters will be a source of gold or experience for the seasoned players!

    Defense

    The Defense stat has also been rehauled – it now works closer to the original Cat Quest (if you’ve been on a catventure before). With the right armor equipped, you will now have a defense bar that will absorb damage before your HP – until it is depleted that is. The bar will slowly recharge when you’re not under attack, so it’s a very useful feature for those of us who prefer a defensive stance.

    Quality of Life

    On top of many small tweaks to make the game smoother, you now have a way to delete your save files, the Kingsmaker (the fast travel system of the game) will display the general direction of your teleport, and the map shows what level the quests and dungeons are before you enter them, and you also have Arcane Temples scattered across the land rather than in one place!

    So catventurers, are you ready to pounce into Felingard and discover the clawsome changes that are coming? We hope you’ll enjoy them and continue to play Cat Quest II with your friends and family!

    Website: LINK

  • Players’ Choice: Vote for the best new game of July 2020

    Players’ Choice: Vote for the best new game of July 2020

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    What game made your July that much better? Was it the high-flying action of Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Jin Sakai’s stunning journey through Ghost of Tsushima, the freeform tricks of Skater XL, or perhaps the animated antics of Cuphead? Now’s your chance to let us know.

    Get those votes in below before Sunday, August 16, at 11:59pm PST / Monday at 7.59am BST / 8.59am CEST, and we’ll reveal the winner next week. See you then!

    How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year.

    What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will.

    How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted.

    Players’ Choice: What Was July’s Best New Game? Website: LINK

  • Indulge in a look at tasty Bugsnax gameplay

    Indulge in a look at tasty Bugsnax gameplay

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Wow, you all have REALLY been talkin’ bout Bugsnax. We’ve had a fantastic time listening, watching, and reading everybody’s reactions to the game since our announcement, and it’s been so fun seeing people theorize and wonder what the heck Bugsnax is. As we get closer to launch on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 this holiday, we wanted to show you a bit more about what you’ll be doing in our snak snatching, sauce splattering, mystery solving video game!

    In June we presented you with 3 important questions:

    • What are these half-bug half-snack creatures, really?
    • How do they affect the bodies of those who eat them? 
    • And most importantly, why do they taste SO GOOD!?

    We’re excited to announce we won’t be answering any of those!

    However, what we will tell you is that Bugsnax is a first-person adventure game where you must solve the mysteries of Snaktooth Island by observing, hunting, and capturing Bugsnax using an advanced array of Snak-catching traps you’ll discover on your journey. Shortly after arriving on the island and encountering Filbo Fiddlepie, the well-meaning interim mayor of Snaxburg.

    You’ll explore Snaktooth Island, meet the rest of the cast of furry puppet-like Grumpuses, who each possess clues to the puzzling disappearance of Elizabert Megafig. Each one of these eclectic characters has their own story to tell; they’ll require a little persuasion, often in the form of their favorite Busnax that you can help catch for them and yes, feed to them. Only then will they really open up to you, agreeing to interviews so you can learn more about these curious creatures called Bugsnax, and discover why each grumpus decided to join Lizbert’s expedition.

    Hopefully this sheds a bit of light on Bugsnax while also introducing a bit more intrigue!

    In addition to working on getting gameplay into the wild we’ve also been working with Kero Kero Bonito on a full official release of the definitive Snak-based song of the summer “It’s Bugsnax!” You should be able to find that on most streaming and music store services now!

    Thanks again for your overwhelmingly enthusiastic reaction to our game, we can’t wait to share more and look forward to you all encountering what’s awaiting for you on Snaktooth Island on this holiday.

    Website: LINK