Commander Fury

It’s time to Web-Swing. With Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 out now worldwide, you may already have taken your first tour of Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens by web or Web Wings. Put Peter and Miles’s masked aerobatics to good use to quell crime and tackle new emerging threats, browsed the new suits and styles with relish, tinkered with a range of accessibility options. If you’re one of those players, you may already be through the game’s early hours, enjoyed its spectacular showstopper of an opening and applied your Spidey skills to complete some earlier missions. If so, then you have some of the same questions we posed to the game’s Senior Creative Director Bryan Intihar when we sat down to talk the game’s opening act. Below are select excerpts from that conversation touching on specific moments in the early game, edited for length and clarity. You can hear much more in an elongated version of the interview, which will air on the PlayStation Podcast later today. But for now, please enjoy. Spoiler Alert: this interview touches on some story and missions in the game’s first act. Play Video That opening tutorial set piece was proposed early on in development In Marvel’s Spider-Man, players got to grips with Peter Parker’s moveset in a showdown with Kingpin. In Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the newly anointed Spider-Man tackled a rampaging Rhino. For Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac went bigger. Much bigger. “Sandman was one of the first things we decided upon, like really early on,” explains Intihar. “This was a meeting where I was like: ‘I want to open with Sandman’. We knew very early on [Marvel’s Spider-Man 2] was going to be on the PS5 console. We knew enough about the console, its capabilities and how we wanted to push it. And we obviously knew it was going to be two Spider-Men. So, you say: new console. Big sequel. Two heroes. What is deserving of an opening for that? I think Sandman was our thing. We worked on that mission for a long time. A long, long, long time. Here’s the thing: it’s not just like, obviously, he’s a big character in the opening. But technically it’s a challenge, whether it’s moving in and out of buildings and seamlessly switching heroes, just the amount of tech and art that goes into making Sandman look good. We wanted to go big. We wanted people to understand right away – and I always joke it’s called Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for a reason, because there’s two of them – but for us, it was like, how within that first 20, 30 minutes, can we show people that everything is being leveled up. “Having this big spectacle opening that would knock people’s socks off, but then also trying to teach people ‘here’s how you play the game’. So, there’s the challenge between creating this unbelievable spectacle, but at the same time, teaching players like here’s how you web-swing, here’s how you punch, here’s how you dodge, here’s how you use your first slotted ability. Here’s how you dodge in midair, here’s how you use the Web Wings… we throw a lot at you. And that just comes through iteration, testing, and more iteration.” The studio wanted events to have a lingering impact on Marvel’s New York “The thing that probably we don’t talk a lot about, couldn’t talk about till now is the second mission. Internally, we call it The Aftermath, because we want to show, unlike the first couple games, there’s a cause and effect of these big things happening. So, like you’ll see the devastation in the destruction of the city, from this big Sandman event. The example I give is, when we did that construction mission, in Marvel’s Spider Man [in 2018], there’s the very, very end, Pete webs up the helicopter, right? And it’s webbed up between two buildings, right? It’s super cool. Well, movie magic: if you finish that mission, as soon as you finish it, you turn right back to where that helicopter is, it’s gone. Like nothing ever happened. Well, we wanted all of our big events to have that cause and effect, see the aftermath of that. So, whether it’s that mission or others in the game, you’re going to see a sense of cause and effect across the game. And that’s one of the things we want to show in our world compared to the last couple.” Hailey and the representation of ASL in the game Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales introduced players to Hailey, a talented artist who communicates with Miles and her friends with American Sign Language (ASL). She makes a return in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and is – light spoiler – the focus of one mission in particular. “That certain quest – which I’m gonna try to not go into too much detail – I will tell you, is definitely one of my favorite parts of the game. Not only because of what it is, but how it came to be. Because the team – I can tell you right now, we didn’t go into this game with the idea of making that quest. Definitely did not. But it was something that the team talked about and proposed. And I can tell you, it didn’t fit in the schedule. It didn’t. And this was something that the team was really passionate about, and they went for it… Our entire team was like, ‘hey, let’s figure out how to make this happen’, even down to [it being] one of the last things I reviewed. One of the last things I actually came into the office and reviewed, was that mission, was that quest. I know I’m being super broad, because I don’t want to spoil it for people – you’ll know once you play it what I’m talking about everybody, I promise. And to me, it’s really special. That quest is a great example of how, yes, I’m the creative director, yes, part of my responsibility is defining the vision of the game. But it also is my job to empower the team when they have really great ideas that are going to not only get people excited to work on the game, but also make the game better. And I think that particular quest is a great example of when you empower the team to make the game, they make it better than you could have ever imagined in your head.” On the game’s accessibility features and importance of accessibility for the studio and the industry “Someone asked me the other day what’s been the biggest advancement in gaming over the last, you know, 5,10 years, and I very quickly said: ‘accessibility’. I think that’s what’s been – not just Insomniac, but across the entire PlayStation family and the whole industry – is the amount of accessibility features that we continue to add to our games. For us, it really started a lot with Marvel’s Spider-Man, and then just kept getting added upon through Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and then obviously, you know, Ratchet & Clank. And now in Marvel’s Spider Man 2. “I think, you know, our goal is always to find more ways for more players to play it. In many ways, [Spider-Man] is such a character, the characters, Pete, Miles, they’re such a big part of pop culture. They’re in many ways, two of the most popular Super Heroes out there. So, whether you’re, you know, you’re old, like me, or you’re young, everybody wants to be Spider-Man… I think what’s really awesome is that not only are we committed to continue to add accessibility features to every game, but we’re going to continue to add more features, even post-launch, so we’ll continue to add more things. And again, I think it’s whether it’s different settings to make the timing and combat different or timing and swinging different, like all these different sliders, whether it’s visual settings that you can set, you know, audio things… what can we do, so that as many people as possible can play … I think for a lot of us, especially me, it’s things I haven’t either been exposed to before, or I’m learning about myself. But I think it’s extremely important. We always look at other games, right? You’re always looking at what they’re doing. I think you’re gonna see more and more of the industry coming together and sharing more of their knowledge on this, because I think this is something that can make the whole industry much, much stronger, and take our whole entire medium to a whole other level if we make our games playable by anyone.” On Bryan Intihar’s personal favorite moment in the game and why it speaks to the heart of Spider-Man “It’s not really a big spoiler, because you play it early in the game, but my favorite is the mission in Queens with Harry and Pete… because essentially, it is the least Spider-Man content in the game, in many ways. But we all felt it was really important, because that relationship and that friendship is so vital to the game and to the story in understanding where this game story’s gonna go, and how their relationship is going to go through its ups and downs throughout the game. We wanted to make sure that people really understood the history behind those two best friends. “It’s like the least Spider-Man thing, but… the thing I always said early on was like, ‘hey, we want to deliver the fantasy of being these heroes, whether it’s the web-swinging, the suits, the combat. We wanted to live the Super Hero fantasy, but I think the thing that can really help our game stand out is how we show their lives outside the mask. If we show their journeys, their needs, their wants, their problems? How do we show them outside the mask?’. And I feel like that Queens mission is that like magnified times a hundred. And there’s a lot of custom stuff. It takes a lot of belief because those kinds of missions tend to be ones you have to squint a lot during development to see if it’s really going to work. But the team, they crushed it and they made it way better than I could have ever imagined. “What was really great was that whenever we did a usability test that was the first mission I always looked at, whether people liked it or not. Because I was like, if they like that, that means they’re going to buy into the rest of the story and their characters. I mean, obviously the Sandman thing is super cool, because it’s just like ‘oh my god superhero-like bonanza’. But those moments with Harry and Pete in Queens… yeah, that’s what I’ve always wanted from our Spider-Man games.” Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is out now, only on PlayStation 5. Check out what’s new in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PlayStation.com. More on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Photo Mode features detailed: tips to get started Scaling up in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: how Insomniac created a new version of Lizard Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 builds on accessibility in previous titles and introduces new features How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 taps into the power of PS5 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: hands-on report – gameplay details on symbiote powers, combat, PS5 features and more Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: new State of Play trailer, gameplay details Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: New Story Trailer First Look: PS5 Console – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Bundle Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 arrives only on PS5 October 20, Collector’s & Digital Deluxe Editions detailed Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gameplay revealed Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 prequel comic announced for Free Comic Book Day Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine revealed View the full article

The release of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is just around the corner, out October 24. It’s the perfect opportunity for both longtime Metal Gear-heads and new fans alike to dive deep into Metal Gear’s history. Beginning with the early 8-bit foundations of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake up through the PlayStation and PS2 masterpieces Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, players will experience the evolution of tactical stealth gameplay, in-game political intrigue, and complex social themes over time, all in one action-packed package. Let’s take a look at some key main games in the series—including those included in the Master Collection Vol. 1 Metal Gear Release Year: 1987 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) The original Metal Gear made a huge splash upon its 8-bit Japanese debut in 1987, releasing internationally a few years later. Metal Gear introduced many of the elements that would come to define the series throughout: Foxhound agent Solid Snake, the eponymous Metal Gear, and stealth-focused gameplay. Snake infiltrates several highly-armed complexes in a high-stakes rescue mission, navigating carefully to avoid detection by foes in a top-down view. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake Release Year: 1990 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) Solid Snake embarked on his second mission in 1990, taking him to Zanzibar Land in a rescue-and destroy mission to take down the Metal Gear D super weapon. More advanced enemy behavior was added, such as reacting to noises the player made and a wider field of view to spot Snake, while players were given more movement skills like kneeling and crawling. While Japan was enjoying this game at the start of the 90s, players abroad would need to wait 16 years for an official release. Snake’s Revenge Release Year: 1990 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) Instead, players in North America and Europe got this alternative sequel, made in response to the positive reception of Metal Gear. A mass-production facility manufacturing Metal Gears has been taken over by terrorists, and now Snake must lead a three-man Foxhound unit to infiltrate and secure the facility. Alongside the top-down stealth sections and puzzle-solving that made Metal Gear beloved, Snake’s Revenge also features new side-scrolling action sequences–just one unique twist in a game that’s chock-full of story surprises. Metal Gear Solid Release Year: 1998 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) After skipping an entire generation, Metal Gear made a surprise return after the better part of a decade on the PlayStation. For many gamers, this was their introduction to the Metal Gear series–and it turned them into fans for life. Antagonist Liquid Snake and his crew has hijacked the Alaskan island of Shadow Moses–a secretive weapons complex–and home to the advanced weapon Metal Gear Rex. The legendary agent Solid Snake has been summoned to face down his former teammates at Foxhound. With the aid of Rex’s designer (and recurring Metal Gear series favorite) Otacon, Snake must once again stealthily infiltrate a huge military complex with the fate of the world in the balance. Using the 3D technology and the CD storage of the PlayStation, Metal Gear Solid was able to present a stunning experience, expanding tremendously on the original 8-bit gameplay and weaving an intriguing story through robust voice acting and cinematic presentation methods that had been impossible just a decade before. Players were also surprised at unique, creative fourth-wall breaking moments, like Psycho Mantis examining Memory Cards to comment on the games players had enjoyed previously and making players solve a puzzle by looking at the back of the game’s case. Metal Gear Solid is still considered one of the most beloved and influential games of all time by many. Fans hungry for more missions to embark as Snake were treated to the challenge and variety of Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions (1999, a.k.a. Special Missions in PAL regions – also available with Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1). The collection also includes Metal Gear Solid: Integral, originally released in Japan as an expanded edition of the game including extra VR missions, difficulty settings, and more. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Release Year: 2001 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) When Metal Gear Solid 2 was announced for the then-upcoming PlayStation 2, the gaming world was set alight. Millions of Metal Gear fans the world over were eager to get their hands on any and all coverage of the upcoming game, which promised to be a graphical and gameplay experience unlike anything yet seen. Little did anyone know that they were going to be shocked by one of the biggest gaming plot twists of all time. While the pre-release material focused on Solid Snake as the main character, it turned out that the majority of the game instead focused on a completely new character, Raiden–a move which inspired a great deal of discussion, but played perfectly into the game’s themes of information manipulation and perceptions of reality. MGS2 showcased the PS2’s power to create a murky, mystery-filled world filled with political intrigue and complex themes about information in the digital age. Gameplay-wise, more processing power meant enhanced reactions from enemies, adding more depth to the espionage. Fortunately, new elements like first-person aiming, enemy distractions, and more hiding spots give you plenty of ways to outwit and outrun. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Release Year: 2004 (Included in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1) After the intense modern-day drama of MGS2, in 2004 we went back a bit… way, way back to the height of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. In a time fraught with global political tension, operative Naked Snake is sent into the heart of Soviet-controlled territory to take down The Boss, a supremely talented agent who has defected… and Naked Snake’s mother figure. Breaking from the mostly-indoors environments of previous Metal Gear games, Snake Eater is set in the jungles of southern Soviet territory. This new setting provided some new ways to approach the series’ trademark stealth gameplay, such as outdoor camouflage gear (including the hilariously effective crocodile cap), but also presented new hazards. Close-range combat was revised and expanded with the new CQC (Close Quarters Combat) system, which would continue to be featured in subsequent installments. A new challenge was keeping track of Snake’s stamina, which would gradually drain in the harsh jungle wilderness and could be affected by severe injuries. (Odds are that if you’ve played Snake Eater, you’ve definitely had to feed Snake something odd to keep his stamina up.) Snake Eater remains a series favorite to many, and with a remake set to debut in the future, now’s a great time to revisit this riveting survival adventure. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Release Year: 2006 The PSP debut of the Metal Gear Solid series introduced a new style of stealth gameplay to complement the small screen. In the aftermath of Snake Eater, Naked Snake has been accused of treasonous activity and imprisoned. He escapes and sets out to reveal the current rogue leader–but he’ll need to recruit a team of soldiers to do so. What sets Portable Ops apart from other games in the series is its focus on squad-based operations. Players control one character out of a squad of four, each with unique abilities, changing at swap points as necessary to complete missions. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Release Year: 2008 The saga of Solid Snake drew to its end in 2008 as Metal Gear Solid 4 released on PlayStation 3. From the outset, MGS4 was used as a showcase of the PS3’s cutting-edge HD visuals, garnering attention and praise even before the console went on sale. Debuting to massive fan expectations, MGS4 fulfilled its promise as a graphical and gameplay powerhouse. Even now, the PS3 original still looks stunning, showcasing a tumultuous world in the throes of large-scale military combat. Elements like the advanced-camouflage OctoCamo and the feature-changing FaceCamo were key showcases for the hardware. Switching from the third-person overhead view of previous installments to more traditional action game camera gives players a sense of chaos all around them. Not only do players have to utilize Snake’s stealth and combat skills, but also keep control of his troubled Psyche. A complex and challenging story helps deliver a more than fitting final mission for a gaming icon. Play Video Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Release Year: 2010 A hidden gem of the Metal Gear saga, Peace Walker was developed for the PSP in 2010 before eventually making its way to the PlayStation 3 in 2011. It’s the mid-70s, and Costa Rica is under siege. Big Boss and his army, the Militaires Sans Frontieres, are tasked with freeing the country. Peace Walker builds upon Portable Ops’s recruitment system while also bolstering multiplayer. For the first time, players can take on their stealth missions with other players in co-op operations, which opens up a wealth of new actions designed for the comrades-in-arms to aid each other–all while keeping established Metal Gear staples like stealth and CQC. It’s a key game in the development of future Metal Gear titles, both gameplay- and story-wise. Play Video Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Release Year; 2013 While fans took time to digest Raiden’s debut in Metal Gear Solid 2, there’s no denying that by Metal Gear Rising the agent had become beloved by many. Enter Revengeance, a collaboration between series’ developer Kojima Productions and the stylish-action wizards at Platinum Games. Now decked out in the array of Cyborg Ninja-esque enhancements he was given in Metal Gear Solid 4, Raiden drops any pretense of stealth and instead uses his high-frequency blade to cut through every foe that stands in his way. Despite being a marked departure from the familiar Metal Gear stealth, the intense, over-the-top action gameplay, packed with stunning setpieces and an ensemble cast of wickedly memorable villains, won over old and new fans alike. Play Video Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Release Year: 2014 The story of Metal Gear Solid V is so grandiose and ambitious that it took two games to contain. Ground Zeroes, released in 2014, served as the connecting tissue between Peace Walker and The Phantom Pain. It’s a shorter adventure than most of the other MGS titles, but its main mission and side missions offer plenty of the stunning visuals and strategic stealth and combat gameplay fans have come to love along with plenty of juicy story bits to chew on. Ground Zeroes is a first taste of the more open-world structure that would define Phantom Pain, giving players a huge variety of options to infiltrate Camp Omega. It’s a perfect appetizer for the main course, which came a year later. Play Video Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Release Year: 2015 And finally, released in 2015, we have Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, one of the most-acclaimed PlayStation 4 games of all time. Expanding greatly upon the open-world mechanics first seen in Ground Zeroes, The Phantom Pain opens with Big Boss awakening after a nine-year coma and taking up the mantle of “Venom Snake” to lead a new mercenary group, the Diamond Dogs. As you travel through the sprawling environments of Soviet-controlled Afghanistan–on foot, on horse, even on tank–you’ll find myriad ways to explore, progress the story, and approach combat through both traditional stealth gameplay and CQC combat. The new buddy system allows Venom Snake to call upon AI-controlled companions on missions, forming bonds with them, as well as finding members to staff Mother Base in an expansion on Portable Ops and Peace Walker’s recruitment system. In addition to its sprawling single-player mode, The Phantom Pain also offers two online gameplay modes: the competitive Metal Gear Online and a unique “Forward Operating Bases” base-building mode, where players can establish a facility to generate resources for the single-player game–which must be defended from invading players. For longtime Metal Gear fans – what was your jumping-on point for the stealth franchise? And for newcomers, what will be your first mission when the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol.1 launches on October 24? View the full article

Name: XBox - Warm Snow – Launch Trailer Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 10/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Warm Snow – Launch Trailer XBox - Warm Snow – Launch Trailer

Name: PlayStation - Warm Snow - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 10/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Warm Snow - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Warm Snow - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Sonic Superstars is now available for purchase on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5. ■ Sonic Superstars, the Newest Title in the Sonic Series Out Now! Sonic Superstars is a brand-new high-speed action game that combines the classic feel of the 2D side-scrolling Sonic series with crisp 3D graphics. A new adventure begins for Sonic and his pals, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles, in the mysterious Northstar Islands, inhabited by gigantic creatures. With your newfound Emerald Powers, stop Dr. Eggman and Fang, who plan to use these creatures for their devious schemes! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Sonic Superstars – Key Features An Evolution of the 2D Side-Scroller The series’ 2D side-scrolling action is back and better than ever, with new visuals, zones, songs, and mechanics! Newcomers and longtime fans alike can enjoy a brand-new experience that still maintains that classic Sonic charm! Introducing Just Some of the Zones Your Adventures Will Take You! ・SPEED JUNGLE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Your pursuit of Fang will lead you to a dim, overgrown jungle. As you slide speedily down ropes of ivy, zipping through the dense thickets, you may suddenly plunge straight into darkness! This zone also sets the stage for a Sonic-exclusive act where you can enjoy a thrilling chase with Fang. ・PINBALL CARNIVAL View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image A bustling park where you can enjoy colorful neon lights and fireworks. By day, it’s a vibrant world for thrill-seekers, but by night, the gloomy atmosphere creeps in… There are plenty of unique and fun Sonic attractions like pinball machines and jet coasters! At the end of the zone, a giant Dr. Eggman lies in wait… ・CYBER STATION View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image A weird and wonderful world where everything is pixelated – even Sonic and his friends! Transform into jellyfish, mice, rockets, and more to overcome the quirks of the digital world! A Colorful Cast of Characters In Sonic Superstars, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy appear alongside Sonic as playable characters. Each character has their own unique skills, in addition to basic maneuvers such as running, jumping, and Spin Dashing. Sonic has the Drop Dash and Tails can fly. Knuckles has Glide and Wall Climb, while Amy has Hammer Smash. Utilize their skills to confront their arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman and Fang, and face off against all-new enemies as well! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image All-New Emerald Powers Unlock brand-new Emerald Powers by collecting Chaos Emeralds from Special Stages hidden throughout Acts. Emerald Powers offer various abilities such as creating clones to defeat enemies and swimming up waterfalls. After you activate an Emerald Power, you can use the ability as many times as you want within the time limit. If you run out of time, just run past a Star Post to replenish your Emerald Power timer. Try out each Emerald Power for yourself and discover new ways to experience this high-speed adventure! A Glimpse at the Different Emerald Powers! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Avatar Creates a horde of clones that will destroy objects, clobber enemies, and collect Rings and items for you. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Bullet Transforms your character into a ball of fire and allows you to blast off in any direction. You can use this ability as many times as you want within the time limit. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Vision Reveals hidden platforms and Rings in Acts. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Ivy Reveals hidden platforms and Rings in Acts. Play With Your Friends in Multiplayer! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image This is the first title in the series to feature local multiplayer. Enjoy adventuring with up to four players in the story mode. The battle mode can be played online or offline. When online, you can participate in a variety of battles with up to eight players from around the world! ■ LEGO® and SEGA are Thrilled to Announce a Free LEGO® Sonic Skin DLC! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Download the free LEGO® Sonic Skin! The DLC will let you switch Sonic to LEGO® form. Zip through the Northstar Islands in true LEGO® style! Product Information TITLE：Sonic Superstars SUPPORTED PLATFORMS：PlayStation®5 / PlayStation®4 RELEASE DATE：October 17, 2023 GENRE：High-speed Action DEVELOPER / DISTRIBUTOR：SEGA CORPORATION Copyright：©SEGA Official Website：https://asia.sega.com/SonicSuperStars/en/ View the full article

Name: PlayStation - The 7th Guest VR - Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 10/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury The 7th Guest VR - Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games PlayStation - The 7th Guest VR - Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games

Name: XBox - Vampire Survivors: Free Whiteout Update - Out Now Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 10/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Vampire Survivors: Free Whiteout Update - Out Now XBox - Vampire Survivors: Free Whiteout Update - Out Now

Name: XBox - Cities: Skylines II Official Release Trailer | Coming October 24th, 2023 Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 10/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Cities: Skylines II Official Release Trailer | Coming October 24th, 2023 XBox - Cities: Skylines II Official Release Trailer | Coming October 24th, 2023

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We’re a scant two days away from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s launch. Soon we can delve into the next chapter of Peter and Miles’ story. Get to grips with the awesome power of the black suit. Encounter new foes and test new abilities. And for some (including myself), the chance to try out the game’s Photo Mode. Insomniac’s previous games include robust, feature-rich Photo Modes, giving players free rein to freeze the on-screen action, find a great angle, customize, and capture a memorable shot. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is no different. I’ve spent some a lot of time tinkering in its Photo Mode the past few weeks. For virtual photographers (especially for those of you who submit such excellent shots to PS Blog’s Share of the Week series), here’s what’s returning, what’s new or improved, plus some suggestions on using those options to snap your way across Marvel’s New York City. There’s also additional information and tips from Insomniac’s Aaron Jason Espinoza in addition to a sampling of the studio’s own snaps to inspire you. Note: no story spoilers here, outside what has been revealed for the game in trailers or hands-on thus far. Peter and Miles’ suits will tear and rip if you get bodied during combat. Turn any L into a W by using the punished look in snaps to add extra intensity. Shortcut to Photo Mode First things first: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 lets you assign shortcuts to certain menu options by mapping them to either the left or right D-Pad button. You can equally tap the Options button to call up the pause menu and scroll down to and activate Photo Mode there. My preference is to have my Photo Mode options ready in a blink when I spot a great visual. If virtual photography is a key focus during your time in Marvel’s New York, map that as soon as you can. You could also map a complementary action to the other shortcut – I’ll get to that in a bit. Menus and their options If you’re coming from the previous two games, the Photo Mode UI and menu options will be familiar. You’ll default to Camera Mode, L1 and R1 switching you between four tabs. First is Camera, letting you turn Hero or Enemy visibility off, play or pause visual effects (such as moving lights, smoke or the subtle rippling motion of the Black Suit). You can garb Peter or Miles in any unlocked Suits and Suit Styles and tilt the camera. A new Precision option will greatly lower the response on your analog stick movements or trigger pulls, allowing finer adjustments to get your camera positioning just so. Use this to get your final composition just right. The Lens tab changes Field of View (think close-up portrait or wide-angle landscape scene) and Exposure. This menu also lets you set your Depth of Field tinkering between Aperture, DOF Range Near and DOF Aperture Near. It means you can have background and foreground blurred if you want the eye focused on the scene or figure in the middle-distance. Filters and Frames are self-explanatory, with Filters from the previous games returning, and Frames featuring new Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 specific styles. The last tab, Overlays, introduces Vignette, Film Grain and Sharpening to your chosen image. Tapping Square will switch you over to three other menus. Character Mode (letting you choose from a shortlist of preset poses that are character specific, rotate those poses and change your character’s facial expression). You can tailor your lighting setups with Lighting Mode, offering three independent lights (in Spot Light or Sphere Light versions) and the ability to fine-tune the natural lighting of a scene (locked to whatever time of day you’re currently playing in). Sticker Mode has four different subsets of sticker types that can be moved, resized and plastered onto your shot. I’ll leave the specifics of what those are to be discovered: there are some fun ones that’ll appeal to long-time comic fans. Finally, two key options. Triangle hides the UI. Doing so also locks the menu to make sure you don’t accidentally lose your setup. But if you do want to reset everything, reactivate the menu then hit the Touchpad. “I wanted to share my personal new favorite addition that’ll be available soon – Action Figure mode! Arriving in a future update (release date TBA) , this option will scale down your hero, making them appear in the world as tiny little figures! Place them on tables, signs, or almost anywhere!” – Aaron Jason Espinoza Now, let’s talk about taking advantage of all the above. Adjusting Game Speed So, that other shortcut. Aside from Photo Mode, there’s a multitude of other options for the extra button: open the FNSM App (to quick select missions) toggle on the in-game Camera Gadget (to snap side-activity specific shots). You can also map some of the fantastic Accessibility options the game includes to the Shortcuts. One of those is reducing game speed to 70%, 50% or even 30%. This has a secondary yet equally super useful benefit when it comes to virtual photography: more easily capturing the perfect combat composition or mid-web-swing pose. Two acrobatic Spider-Men captured at the perfect angle of their swing, thanks to activating Game Speed adjustment. For both, I positioned Artificial Lighting in front of them to illuminate their previously-shadow covered forms. For Peter, I also adjusted the Depth of Field to infer the heavy city traffic below, but not have it distract from the focus of the shot. “You know, I’m somewhat of a virtual photographer myself… so I always urge players to adjust their lens! Adjusting Aperture and Focus Distance can add a ton of dimension to your photos. Meanwhile, a higher field of view (FoV) can produce great landscape shots, while narrow FoV can accentuate finer details. The slightest changes here can upgrade your photo from a mere screenshot to a masterful piece of virtual photography.” – Aaron Jason Espinoza Using custom poses, Artificial Lighting options, and reframing You can use artificial lighting to increase the intensity, infer game world lighting to still highlight characters that’d otherwise be in shadow, or make your photo both more natural and moody. The photo of Miles below is captured in the same moment as the shot of him above. I liked how his figure was lit in the original (single, high-intensity light positioned at his front), but I thought I could better infer – and incorporate – the billboard lighting of Times Square. But first, I fired up the Character Mode to choose a new pose. Worth noting: there are separate pose sets when on the ground or in the air. I spun the first artificial light from his front to his side, then activated two others and positioned them similarly. I altered the coloring of all three to better match the output of the billboards behind. The resultant silhouette shot – bathed and framed by the lights of Time Square – is much better. It’s worth noting there are separate custom pose sets on the ground and in the air. Fun Easter Egg: Miles’ aerial poses include one that mirrors the key art from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Another note: rather than being halted by one end of the Tilt option bar or the other in Camera Mode, you can keep spinning, as it resets to the other side automatically if you keep left or right on the D-Pad when held down. “Experiment with Spot Lights and Sphere Lights and make your subjects pop in to frame! We always recommend using at least one Spot Light to get a nice rim light on your subject, which can cast a luminescent outline to their silhouette or separate them from the background.” – Aaron Jason Espinoza Peter Parker sitting, admiring the rides of Coney Island. The camera’s generous in how far you can pull it out from your playable character. Coupled with FOV you can capture some great landscape shots. Originally Pete was in shadow, so I added a spotlight and moved it high overhead, to suggest he was being illuminated by the street lamp above him. This is also a great way to draw attention to a specific character in a crowded scene. Tip: if you want your character’s attention seemingly captured by something/someone in frame, turn the right stick’s camera in that direction – and therefore their gaze – before jumping into Photo Mode. There’s a marked difference in a shot depending on the positioning and intensity of your artificial light. To the left, a Sphere Light just out of frame, positioned to outline Peter’s silhouette. The color intensity is pulled right down to appear white, and suggest he’s lit by the moon’s glow. There’s a totally different vibe on the right, as the Light is switched from Sphere to Spot, and the intensity cranked right up. The left is a moody, nighttime shot that showcases the ambient light of the city behind. Peter is the focus of the frame as Photo Mode automatically adjusts the background lighting. Before you exit Photo Mode, swing the camera around – you may spot a background detail you hadn’t considered and gives you a different dynamic to your shot. The above is shot in the same place as the original pair: I angled the camera round and spotted the sun’s set illuminating the water below. Thanks to Custom Pose rotation, I could ‘swing’ Peter round with a few taps so he was again facing the camera. Rotating Custom Poses can give the illusion your playable character is included in an NPC scene, rather than observing it. Here, switching to Custom Pose meant Miles ‘hovered’ near the bench. A few taps and boom – he’s sitting, absorbed in the conversation. A natural shot. “We have more enhancements planned for pose movement in a future update (release date TBA)!” – Aaron Jason Espinoza Another example of considering a reframe to enrich a photo. Same scene as the above two but bringing the camera to an isometric view pulls the focus to the speaker of the scene, rather than their spandex-clad listener. Look around to capture the flavor of Marvel’s New York Marvel’s New York is teeming with life. Be it street side or rooftop, school or festival, there’s plenty to capture outside combat and big story beats, from candid snaps of friends talking, portraits of key characters, or taking the time to grab a memory of an enemy takedown. So: keep your eyes out while patrolling and get your feet on the street. Not shown here: spectacular art exhibitions and statues dotted throughout the city, which are also worth a photo tour. Using environmental lighting, colored backgrounds, filters Don’t overlook environmental or in-game artificial lighting. Over the course of the game you’ll be exploring Manhattan during different times of the day, so create a Manual Save with each switch to easily get back to the sky you need. Equally if you spot a potentially cool moment with lighting you can take advantage of: Manual Save. If you watched me play, you’d see me gravitate to any new light source with the intensity and single-mindedness of a moth. Below was captured early into the game’s story, as a civilian-clothed Peter walked past a light fixture. Turning his head slightly, I switched to Photo Mode, activated the Noir filter and voila. However, some background detail was still apparent and distracted from the portrait. Chance then to test out the Background option: a shortlist of colored backgrounds that isolate the playable character from the environment. I switched colors (and filter) for an additional, warm yellow approach to the same setup. “The Filters and Frames and Overlay adjustments are great ways to add character to your captures, such as comic book frames or quick color adjustments. You can also add grain effects to give your shots a print-like quality or increase the sharpness for even finer detail.” – Aaron Jason Espinoza Bringing it all together The above brings together in-game lighting and artificial lighting, custom poses and different suits. There’s a side-mission early into the game that involves blacklight-style wall projection. Standing Miles in front of it, then using multiple artificial sphere lights and different filters created this awesome, fashion-like shoot . Switching to the (newly announced) Brooklyn 2099 Suit demonstrates how the metallic surface reflects the lights, adding additional glow and detail to the same photograph . I hope this quick guide and suggestions for how to use Photo Mode helps and inspires. I’m looking forward to seeing what my fellow photographers create in the coming days and weeks. Happy shooting! “Anyone can wield the camera. Whether you’re capturing photos of Peter Parker soaring between buildings with Web Wings or getting that electrifying shot of Miles Morales’ new Venom Powers, we look forward to seeing what captures your eye when Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20. Don’t forget to tag us on social media @InsomniacGames and use #InsomGamesCommunity for a chance to be re-shared on our official social media accounts! In anticipation of our upcoming launch, Insomniacs captured a few shots for us! Here’s our studio’s Photo Mode Gallery below!” – Aaron Jason Espinoza The Empire State Building image® is a registered trademark of ESRT Empire State Building, L.L.C. and is used with permission. Special thanks to The Madison Square Garden Company. 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