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When players return to Nosgoth in Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered on PS4 and PS5, they are not only revisiting a defining chapter of the saga, but are also stepping into one that was never released. Included with the definitive edition of Defiance Remastered is a playable demo of The Dark Prophecy, the unfinished sixth entry in the Legacy of Kain series. For years, this project existed only in fragments, remembered through concept art and early development materials. Now, players can experience a preserved segment of that lost chapter firsthand. Play Video The demo is presented as a historical artifact rather than a reimagining. Freely explore its tone, environment direction, and early gameplay ideas as they were originally conceived. This is a rare chance to experience the direction the series was preparing to take and to witness how Nosgoth’s next chapter was intended to unfold. For longtime fans, it is a fun, what-if experience. For new players, it is a fascinating look at the creative ambition that followed Defiance. Rebuilding Nosgoth with care While The Dark Prophecy looks toward an unrealized future, Defiance Remastered focuses on strengthening the experience seasoned players will remember. Across the main campaign, environmental gaps and stretched geometry have been repaired. Areas that once showed seams now feel structurally complete. Standing at the edge of a cathedral or overlooking a distant ruin, the world holds together without distortion or missing detail. A camera that works with you In addition to the original fixed camera, the remaster also boasts a new third-person free camera. For the first time, players can also rotate the camera across those vistas to admire Nosgoth from any angle without breaking immersion. Now players have clearer sightlines when managing multiple enemies, navigating vertical arenas, and switching between Raziel’s spectral abilities and Kain’s telekinetic control. The encounters remain the same, but players can read and respond to them with far greater confidence. Lighting, atmosphere, and player choice Every level has been relit to enhance mood and depth. Shadows are more deliberate. Fog feels denser and more atmospheric. Interiors carry a heavier sense of presence, while exterior spaces feel more expansive. If players prefer the original lighting style, they can switch back at any time. The updated lighting system is entirely optional, allowing players to tailor the experience to their preference. A reworked interface and deeper lore The original static menu has been replaced with a new ring menu designed to keep players immersed. The interface grants access to the maps, character skins, and a world encyclopedia filled with rich lore. Beyond these, expanded bonus galleries and restored content further support the narrative and smooth out pacing across the campaign. Sound that responds to the world Game audio has also received a meaningful upgrade. Additional music is integrated into levels and cutscenes, increasing variety and reinforcing emotional tone throughout the story. Environmental sound design is also refined. Footsteps now respond accurately to different surfaces. When Raziel crosses a wooden bridge, players can hear the wood cracking beneath him. When Kain steps onto rough stone or plush carpet, the sound shifts accordingly. Preserving the legacy Defiance Remastered is about preservation and clarity. Players experience the same story, the same characters, and the same dramatic weight that defined the original – what changes is the stability, responsiveness, and cohesion of the world around them. Alongside those improvements, The Dark Prophecy demo offers something rare in game history: the chance to play a chapter that once seemed lost. Together, they form a more complete view of Legacy of Kain’s past and the paths it might have taken. View the full article

Looking for your next challenge in God of War Sons of Sparta? Go to the place all aspiring Spartans prove their worth as warriors, the Pit of Agonies. Enter The Pit today The Pit is a separate endgame roguelike challenge mode that gives you different enemies and reward pools each time you play. Play Video Normally The Pit is accessible only after you beat the main story to ensure those who attempt it are familiar with both Kratos’ Spartan arms and the foes you will face, but if you feel ready to test your skills earlier, you can input this sequence below in the starting menu to unlock it early: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad Once entered, you will see a new option on your menu that can be used to take you into the challenge mode. Two-player local co-op While The Pit can be played entirely solo as Kratos, the team at Mega Cat Studios was inspired to bring back a gaming staple that defined so many childhood afternoons on the couch: 2-player co-op. This is local, offline-only co-op in true retro style, so you’ll need to grab a buddy if you want to bring both Kratos and Deimos to face the challenges deep below. Choose your agony Each run begins by selecting your starting Agony, a global difficulty modifier that will add variety to each run and impact the way you play. For example, the Agony of Torment will manifest healing vessels that must be destroyed to prevent enemies from regenerating health, while the Agony of Calamity will cause defeated enemies to burst into a fiery explosion. As you progress through your run, you will have the option to add more Agonies or increase the effect of your starting choice. Rewards Upon finishing a run, you will earn a Symbol of Suffering for your chosen Agonies. As you reach certain thresholds of total Symbols, you will unlock new Agonies to choose from. Upon completion, you will also gain Ashes of Agony, a Pit-specific resource which can be used to acquire permanent upgrades that last between attempts. Keeping score If you like to track your progress (or earn some bragging rights), you’ll be able to see your current and high score at the end of each run. Thank you to everyone who has supported God of War Sons of Sparta, available now on PS5. We hope you’ll enjoy the challenge of The Pit. View the full article

March’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup features four games available to all PlayStation Plus members*. Improve your swing on the green in PGA Tour 2K25, seek out adventure in Monster Hunter Rise, enjoy a mix of farm sim meets first-person adventure with Slime Rancher 2, and explore a massive multiplayer fantasy world in The Elder Scrolls Online. All these titles will be available to PlayStation Plus members from Tuesday March 3 until Monday April 6. Let’s take a closer look at the games. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image PGA Tour 2K25 | PS5 Step onto golf’s biggest stages and prove you can rise among the greats. Compete in the ultimate test: The PGA Championship, The U.S. Open, and The Open Championship make their PGA TOUR 2K debut. Rise through the ranks in an expanded MyCareer, where every round builds your legacy. Create your path to greatness with new MyPlayer customization, upgraded Skill Trees, and advanced Course Designer tools. Then take your shot against the best in ranked, casual, and cross-platform multiplayer. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Monster Hunter Rise | PS5, PS4 The worldwide hit series Monster Hunter returns with a host of new gameplay features, original monsters and a story inspired by ancient Japanese folklore. Personalise your hunter, choose from 14 unique weapon types, recruit your Palico Felyne and all-new Palamute Canyne companions, and gear up to explore a range of vast, richly detailed hunting maps. Whether you prefer to go solo or enjoy the company of a four-person squad, smart difficulty scaling guarantees a fair and thrilling battle. The irresistible Monster Hunter loop remains, with each successful hunt yielding the materials required to craft and upgrade your weapons and armour, allowing you to hunt tougher monsters and gather more precious resources. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Slime Rancher 2 | PS5 Slime Rancher 2 is a sequel to the award-winning, smash-hit original that has been enjoyed by over 15 million fans worldwide. Continue the adventures of Beatrix LeBeau as she journeys to Rainbow Island, a mysterious land brimming with ancient technology, unknown natural resources, and an avalanche of wiggling, jiggling, new slimes to discover. As Beatrix attempts to unravel the island’s secrets and uncover its true purpose, she’ll build, ranch, and farm within a beautiful conservatory, whose sparkling glass walls give her full view of the prismatic paradise she now calls home. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road | PS5, PS4 Every legend starts somewhere, and in The Elder Scrolls Online, it starts with you. Write your story into a vibrant chapter of Tamriel’s distant past that takes place nearly 1,000 years before the iconic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and discover a world steeped in adventure and possibility. Travel the vast land of Tamriel and discover a world of adventure. Explore the mushroom forests of Morrowind, battle Daedric foes in the realms of Oblivion, or face off against other players in PvP combat. The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road grants instant access to all major Chapter zones, biomes and quest arcs across Tamriel*. *2025 Content Pass not included View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Last chance to add February’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games to your library PlayStation Plus members have until Monday March 2 to add Undisputed, Subnautica: Below Zero, Ultros, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown to their game library. View the full article

It always comes back to Chloe Price and Max Caulfield. Through several games, branching narrative series Life is Strange has explored the consequences of love, friendship, and community, but the duo’s bond remains the beating heart of the overarching tale. As Life is Strange: Reunion is said to be the final chapter in Max and Chloe’s story, it’s no surprise that both characters have returned, thanks to the cumulative events of Life is Strange: Double Exposure. Although some of the more significant decisions you’ve made from the first game, such as Max and Chloe’s relationship and the fate of Arcadia Bay, have carried over as well. I spent some time with the game to dive into why fans should be excited about the partners-in-crime getting one last chance. Some more familiar faces return It’s not just about Max and Chloe making their comeback. Many characters from Life is Strange: Double Exposure appear, with Moses, a graduate, as a focal point because he is one of the victims of a fire that Max is trying to prevent. Dr. Yasmin Fayyad and her shapeshifting daughter Safi are present too, but Max’s friend Amanda was very much the focal point of the demo’s opening minutes. Which led to… Ready to Rewind again? My first task in the demo was to save Amanda from a demoralising heckler during her stand-up routine at the Snapping Turtle campus bar. It was a gentle reintroduction to Max’s Rewind ability, as once I failed my first attempt to stop the jeering troublemaker, I rewound our encounter with L1. Using the information I learned in our previous conversations, Max was able to talk to him again and make up a story that forced him to leave. Max’s ability can be accessed at any time, but fundamentally, its use in the demo was to get around tight-lipped people, such as realizing that spilling beer over Double Exposure’s disgraced university professor, Lucas, is the only way to get a sneaky peek at his hidden documents. The revelations from that action led Max to investigate the unsettling Abraxus House, triggering a more action driven use of Rewind. After bumping into another familiar character, journalism student Loretta, the two women were trapped in a creepy basement, under threat of discovery. Using a broom to barricade the door proved useless, but Rewind allowed me to find a far sturdier metal crowbar. But the danger wasn’t over yet. With the house due for early demolition, I then had to use Rewind to find and disarm all the detonators in the right order under a strict time limit, a fun sequence that showed off the potential for where the game might go later on. Chloe’s Backtalk returns Given that Chloe is playable, it’s only fair that her dialogue-puzzle-based Backtalk ability from Life is Strange: Before the Storm is here, too. Although its introduction in the demo focused less on withering sarcasm to get her way, and more on charismatic persuasion by bending the truth. After sneaking into the Snapping Turtle and then later being caught by security, I was asked to prove Chloe’s university credentials or risk her getting banned from campus. The Backtalk overlay popped up, offering a selection of replies under a time limit, with some responses carrying future consequences. The key to successfully answering lay in the scene’s prior setup, with the game giving me a chance to observe items around the bar and interact with others for information, I had to remember to make my lie sound convincing. So don’t worry if you’re put on the spot – as long as you’re paying attention and quick on your fingers, Backtalk is a blast. Both Max and Chloe are playable Becoming both characters in the demo created an interesting situation when they were reunited at a climactic point of my game time. Rather than forcing me to choose who to control or keep them entirely separate, Reunion allowed me to decide what each character said to the other, shaping the ebb and flow of their conversation and creating immediate cause and effect in their dialogue. Their journals are the perfect catch-up tool We also have access to both Max’s and Chloe’s journals, which provide backstory and world-building through their scribbled thoughts, stickers, and other ephemera. The same menu allowed me to read incoming text messages between characters, along with their previous texts, providing a rich insight into their prior relationships. You can take photos at any time Similar to previous games in the series, there are photo hotspots to uncover in Max’s scenes, for collectible compositions that save in her journal. But pressing up on the D-pad at any time while you’re controlling Max reveals a much-requested addition to the series – the ability to take an in-game photo whenever something catches your eye. Your personal snaps won’t be saved to Max’s journal, but are shareable with friends and via social media with a long press of the Create button. My short time with the game left me eager for more as Max and Chloe’s adventure together was just starting to heat up. March 26 is when we’ll all be able to experience the likely heart-wrenching decisions of what comes next when Life is Strange: Reunion launches on PS5. View the full article

Toronto is in turmoil! As the mysterious GCorp takes over the Queen City, the members of Sex Bob-Omb have been kidnapped by Metal Scott. Ramona, Scott and a couple of her evil Exes band together to venture across the City to save it from these ominous forces. One of the many places the gang will have to explore will be the shadowy halls of…Casa Vania. Scott Pilgrim EX is different from our previous two beat’em up titles: while it still has a lot of fighting, we wanted to add much bigger exploration and character interaction elements. The resulting game is a sort of “brawling adventure” hybrid. Players will be free to trek all over Toronto, visit shops, equip items and encounter their favorite characters from the Scott Pilgrim world. But of course, adventures require zones and a variety of environments. This led our team to create a warped version of Toronto for players to discover along with the game’s numerous quests. In The Hidden Castle, the third quest of Scott Pilgrim EX, the players must jump, punch and flip kick their way through demonic gangs in order to gain access to the somber staircases of Casa Vania. Credit: Scott Pilgrim moveset frames illustrated by Jonathan Kim Once they’ve entered the castle’s gloomy corridors, they find none other than…Goth Neil? Seemingly transformed, Sex Bob-Omb’s biggest fan has fallen under the thrall of a dark figure! While he seems like an invention for SP:EX, Goth Neil’s hails from the pages of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s own sketchbook: “In the original Scott Pilgrim books, there’s a big “Day of the Dead” party. I did some early sketches of Young Neil in a goth outfit, but he didn’t make the final cut. Those sketches were published in later editions of the books, and some fans loved them. That’s part of the genesis of Goth Neil. Young Neil is a character who is always a bit child-like and naïve.” I initially sketched him holding an “egg-like rock”, but we later flipped the concept so that he’s holding a regular rock, which he thinks is a dinosaur egg. The animators gave him so much quirky personality. I don’t remember who suggested he transform into a bat, but we thought it was so funny.” – Bryan Lee O’Malley, creator of Scott Pilgrim Goth Neil leaves the scene in his own inimitable style. But who rules over Casa Vania? Who has bewitched Young Neil so? None other than Lady Envy! In Scott Pilgrim EX, we wanted players to face colorful bosses while keeping in mind that fans of the Pilgrim world, whether they’re books, movies or animation, still wanted to see their favorite characters. We arrived at the idea that every “warped” environment would be headed by themed versions of recognizable faces from the Pilgrim canon. O’Malley tells us more about Lady Envy’s origins: “A project like this is a big collaboration between so many artists and storytellers. Lady Envy was one of the first bosses we discussed. She’s a mashup of so many fun references and homages to classic games we loved from the 80s-90s (“Casa Vania”). She might bring to mind a few more modern references, too. She’s a cool horror-vampire-pirate pastiche, plus some pop-star flair to make her feel like the Envy Adams we know and love.” – Bryan Lee O’Malley, creator of Scott Pilgrim Credit: Lady Envy & Goth Neil design sketches by Bryan Lee O’Malley As Quest 3’s boss, Lady Envy will challenge the players with her dual blades and magical attacks. Will you be up to the challenge? Save Neil, the rest of the band, Toronto and more in Scott Pilgrim: EX, available March 3rd on PS4 and PS5. View the full article