Commander Fury

It’s been just about 17 months since Hermen Hulst took the reins of PlayStation Studios, the international network of world-class development studios that produce some of PlayStation’s biggest hits — from Returnal and Astro’s Playroom to The Last of Us Part II, Dreams, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and much, much more. Over our jam-packed 20-minute discussion, Hulst provided updates on a host of topics: studio development updates, thoughts on PS5 and PS4 development, PlayStation Studios’ vision for PC releases, and a whole lot more. Listen to our full interview on the Official PlayStation Podcast here, or read on for some key excerpts, edited for brevity and clarity. PlayStation.Blog: Do you see single-player, narrative games as essential to the PlayStation Studios console experience? Hermen: Absolutely. Single-player, narrative-driven games — that’s our DNA. PlayStation Studios have made, in my mind, some of the most memorable narrative experiences available. We love making them, and we’ll keep making them as long as gamers enjoy them. For me, the idea of sitting down on a Friday night with a brand-new world, and a great story to explore — that sounds pretty perfect, right? We also want to make sure that we’re creating a variety of experiences for our audiences. Franchises, new IP, big games, smaller and more innovative games, single-player stories, and multiplayer. Who says that multiplayer experience cannot have great stories, right? PSB: We’ve seen the announcement of Haven, from Jade Raymond as well as a bunch of industry veterans. And more recently Firewalk, which also has some top names from the industry. How do you see partnerships like these fitting into the larger PlayStation Studios vision? Hermen: Yeah. You know, these partnerships are very exciting. You could, I guess, make a distinction between development teams who are part of Sony — like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Media Molecule, Sucker Punch, and so on — and then development teams who are working with us like partners… Haven, Firewalk, but also teams we’ve worked with over years, like Kojima Productions, From Software. To me, in many ways, there really is no difference. They’re all PlayStation Studios. We are, at the end of the day, a creator-led organization. Which to me means that we want to find the best possible development studios in the world and help them passionately pursue their ideas. To me, it’s important that PlayStation Studios is a place that allows creators to join us and do the best work of their career. That’s really what I’m after. …. PSB: Are you able to give us a snapshot of the total number of titles that PlayStation Studios are currently developing for PS4 or PS5? Hermen: Well, we have a lot going on right now. PlayStation Studios have more than 25 titles in development. Almost half of these are new IP. The other half, they’re titles that are set in franchises that PlayStation fans already know and love. So, it’s quite a lot. PSB: How important is new IP for PlayStation Studios? Hermen: New IP is incredibly important to us. New IP is the lifeblood of gaming. But, new IP is just one aspect of our strategy. Ultimately, I want PlayStation Studios to be fiercely daring, to take risks. I want us to continue to embrace the legacy of PlayStation, pushing the boundaries of gaming, keep making games that matter. Games that, probably, wouldn’t have been made anywhere else. And you know, Bend Studio is working on a very exciting new IP that they’re very, very passionate about. They’re building on the deep open-world systems that they developed with Days Gone. So I’m really happy for Bend Studio. PSB: How have the teams at PlayStation Studios been able to cope and adapt with these big challenges over the last year? Hermen: Perhaps the biggest challenge has been when we need specialist locations, often physical locations. Primarily performance capture, audio work. We’ve come up with some really clever solutions to some of this, we built tiny recording studios in people’s houses. But when you’re doing performance capture for a lot of cinematics, with multiple actors — that’s not so simple to solve. So you’ve got a choice. You could do it later in the schedule, which could cause you problems. Or you could risk the final quality by doing it in a different way. But I can tell you, we’re not going to risk the quality. We want to ship extremely high quality games, finished games, and we have to do that obviously without pushing our teams to the breaking point. So we have, currently, two very big, very narrative-driven games in development: Horizon Forbidden West and the next God of War. And for both of those, they’re frankly affected by access to performance capture and talent. For Horizon, we think we are on track to release this holiday season. But that isn’t quite certain yet, and we’re working as hard as we can to confirm that to you as soon as we can. And for God of War, the project started a little later. So we’ve made the decision to push that game out to next year, to ensure that Santa Monica Studio can deliver the amazing God of War game that we all want to play. With these things, something’s gotta give. It cannot be the quality of our titles, and it surely won’t be the health or the wellbeing of our amazing team. PSB: How does PS4 factor into PlayStation Studios’ development vision? Is it still a focus internally for future game development? Hermen: It very much is. You can’t build a community of over 110 million PS4 owners and then just walk away from it, right? I think that’d be bad news for fans of PS4, and frankly not very good business. Where it makes sense to develop a title for both PS4 and PS5 — for Horizon Forbidden West, the next God of War, GT7 — we’ll continue looking at that. And if PS4 owners want to play that game, then they can. If they want to go on and play the PS5 version, that game will be there for them. That being said, it’s also very important to have showpieces for PS5, hence the development of Returnal and Ratchet that are exclusive to PS5. PSB: [How does] PC fit into the worldview of PlayStation Studios moving forward? Hermen: We’re still early on in our planning for PC. And Horizon Zero Dawn has been very successful. I think it shows there’s an appetite from gamers outside the PlayStation ecosystem to experience the amazing portfolio of games that PlayStation fans have enjoyed for years. But I want to emphasize that PlayStation will remain the best place to play our PlayStation Studios titles at launch. But we do value PC gamers, and we’ll continue to look at the right times to launch each game. Bend Studio just released the PC version of Days Gone on May 18. So that’s about two years after the PS4 release. And I hope that a new set of fans can and will enjoy that title. And that’s the goal — we want to reach new gamers who haven’t yet experienced the great stories, characters, and worlds that we’ve built. Releasing games on PC will not come ever at the expense of building an exciting lineup of great console games. PSB: Another topic that’s been out there recently is Japan. Do you feel that, from the PlayStation Studios perspective, that Japan is still a big focus for development? Or are you maybe considering a shift to a more Western focus for game development? Hermen: Oh no, I want to be very clear that Japanese games and Japanese talent remain extremely important to PlayStation Studios and to Sony Interactive Entertainment. Japan and Asia are strongly associated with our legacy: the success of Sony, the PlayStation brand, and many of our iconic PlayStation franchises were actually born in that region. I remember watching the PlayStation 5 Showcase event from last year. It struck me how much Japanese influence there was in the games that we showed. And what a key part of PlayStation’s DNA that is. It’s one of the things that makes PlayStation different, unique in my mind. I know the potential from high-quality games from Japan and Asia, and some of the best development talent in the world is found there. They have that history of innovation, of craftsmanship and skill, that pride and team spirit. We very much want to continue those traditions. Polyphony Digital is such an important part of the PlayStation family, making the best driving simulation games in the world. We’re building Team Asobi in Tokyo, a world-class studio that are developing a franchise for all ages with global appeal. Such a creative team. And alongside Asobi, we will continue to maintain and build partnerships through our external development team. So I’m really excited about the future of PlayStation games from Japan, and Asia. And I’m grateful for the interest and passionate support for our Japanese teams. PSB: Great to know. And perhaps this is a redundant question, but it seems like maybe we haven’t seen the last of Astro Bot? Hermen: I hope not! I love that guy. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/FYnEZsInWUoView the full article

With over seven years since the last Ninja Gaiden entry, we are incredibly excited to bring back fan-favourite ninja, Ryu Hayabausa, to the PlayStation 4 (and PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility) on June 10, with the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. With it being several years since the last game in the Ninja Gaiden series was released, we thought it would be a great opportunity to take a little walk down memory lane to see how Hayabusa came to be such a renowned character in the games industry. Along with that – a selection of combat tips to help you survive the challenges awaiting Ryu. The Origins of Ryu Hayabusa Hayabusa first graced our screens back in the 1988 arcade game, Ninja Gaiden, donning his classic blue ninja costume (which he also wears at the beginning of Sigma). In this first outing, he travelled across America in a side-scrolling beat ‘em up adventure to defeat an evil cult seeking to end the world. The game quickly became a hit across the world for its unforgiving white-knuckle gameplay, pushing players to bring their A-game. With the series’ success, Hayabusa would go on to star in a variety of different home-console Ninja Gaiden releases, as well as appearing in the Dead Or Alive series where he became an ass-kicking mainstay, further rocketing his popularity as the ultimate ninja in video game lore. Nearly 20 years after the arcade classic was released, Ninja Gaiden Sigma finally brought the brutally challenging gameplay to the 3D battlefield of PlayStation, making its long-awaited debut on the PlayStation 3. The developers of Team Ninja drew inspiration from popular action-adventure games and titles such as Onimusha, working by trial and error to come up with a unique identity for a modern 3D Ninja Gaiden experience. These games would challenge gamers with no-holds-barred fights, forcing them to improve their gameplay skills in order to progress – something very different from how the highly-difficult “masocore” style games of today (such as the Nioh series), which provide various options aside from full-on combat to empower yourself. These modern Ninja Gaiden games set the trailblazing standard for stylish action games thanks to their merciless but rewarding difficulty level! Play Video Combat Tips With the series requiring you to hone your skills to overcome the challenge, we thought it would be best to provide some tips and tricks to Ninja Gaiden veterans and newcomers alike, giving everyone a fighting chance with the collection. Wall Running The ultimate ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, has incredible agility – allowing him to run along walls and jump between them to reach high-up locations. Be sure to get to grips with this ability early on in the collection, as it will allow you to efficiently re-position yourself in battle, as well as make it easy to reach secret locations to find unique items outside of combat. Flying Swallow Sometimes several enemies might ambush you all at once! A perfect way to wipe them out is to make use of the powerful ‘Flying Swallow’ technique. This ability allows Hayabusa to jump into the air and slash through several enemies quickly as he lands, in some cases decapitating those that stand in his way. Once you master this technique, you will be able to quickly recover and combine this with a flurry of other attacks. Guillotine Throw One of Hayabusa’s old-school techniques from the Ninja Gaiden arcade game, the Guillotine Throw, makes its way into these modern entries! This popular ability is incredibly strong and allows you to eliminate enemies faster by grabbing their neck and tossing them into the ground or a wall. This attack isn’t only great at defeating enemies, but it is also a perfect way to move enemies around the battleground so that you have more breathing room when things get tough. Shurikens As a “super ninja”, Ryu Hayabusa is proficient with a wide range of different weaponry to help him on his adventure. One weapon type that plays an important role in battle, and is a ninja’s weapon of choice, is the Shuriken. Not only can these projectile weapons briefly stun an enemy from afar and open them up to deliver the perfect blow, they can be used mid-combo to help lengthen the amount of attacks you can deliver to an enemy – creating unique possibilities in battle. These tips should help you get to grips with every game in the collection! As you progress through each title, you will meet many powerful foes, but keep your wits about you fearless ninjas and you’ll be able to overcome even the toughest of enemies. Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection leaps onto PS4 June 10. Do you have what it takes to become a master ninja? http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/xdpBm8I9pzAView the full article

May has come to a close, which means it’s time to open up the Players’ Choice polls and decide which new release had the most players buzzing last month. We’ll keep the polls open until Sunday night at 11:59pm Pacific, so be sure to cast your vote before then. Want to defend your pick? Drop a comment below on why it was your favorite. 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. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/H9SaxZzv-YgView the full article

Hello, People of the Fog! Whether you’re a fan of Resident Evil, Dead by Daylight, or both, there’s a lot to look forward to these days. We’re thrilled to honor 25 years of game-changing survival horror by welcoming Resident Evil into the Fog with our latest Chapter. While we’d love to get into more detail about our legendary new Survivors, Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine… they’ll have to wait for another day. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Today is all about Nemesis and his playground: our new map of the iconic Raccoon City police station. Dig in below to learn more about our massive new map and the new Killer’s deadly Power, Perks, and a Special Enemy never before seen in Dead by Daylight. Play Video The Raccoon City Police Station The Raccoon City police station stands as one of the series’ most famous locations and is featured heavily in both Resident Evil 2 and 3. Sprawling and dripping with atmosphere, the unique setting created the perfect challenge for our Level Design team to sink their teeth into. “If you’ve played the Resident Evil series, you might know that the Raccoon City police station was originally a museum. Everything from the architecture to the art pieces are gorgeous,” shares Stéphanie Hellin, Dead by Daylight’s Team Lead Level Artist. “It has its own flavor and mood that permeates the whole map and really shapes your experience playing the game.” If you’re a Dead by Daylight veteran and have been hungry to dive into a new map, you’ll be happy to know the Raccoon City police station should keep you busy for a while to come. “This is by far the biggest map we’ve ever introduced into Dead by Daylight,” says Stéphanie. “It was a challenge specifically with the time we had to create it. While the setting is huge, each room has its own look and feels which makes the map easier to navigate. We can’t wait to see how players adapt to this kind of layout and how both Killers and Survivors approach its opportunities and challenges.” While fans can expect a faithful recreation of the Raccoon City police station, they can also expect a few special twists to help merge the world of Resident Evil with Dead by Daylight’s gameplay and storytelling. “Our challenge was to make sure that both these worlds not only fit together, but complemented each other,” continues Stéphanie. “We needed to bring the essence of both games together in one map. Dead by Daylight’s gameplay is very hide-and-seek, and so we had to create more exits, entrances, and adapt some of the spaces and level-art composition while still staying true to the source.” In Dead by Daylight, Survivors like Jill and Leon will also find themselves dealing with an entirely new evil: The Entity. “The Entity is the essence of Dead by Daylight,” adds Stéphanie. “Our partnership with Capcom gave us the opportunity to have the Entity be even more present in our map. It feeds off hatred, and with these worlds combined it’s hungrier than ever. The Entity is rarely seen in our game, but here it surrounds you in the map at almost every turn – a perfect representation of the nightmare you’ll get to experience.” New Killer: Nemesis Now that you’re up to speed on our new map, let’s break down the new Killer who will be stalking its hallways: the Nemesis. Nemesis Power: T-Virus The new Killer’s power is the T-Virus, which causes extreme mutations and can be transferred to others. Its effects heighten aggression and strength within the Nemesis. Special Attack: Tentacle Strike Tentacles are a Tyrant’s best friend. Tentacle Strike works to help boost Nemesis’ strength and range as the Survivors he’s hunting are weakened. Charge up, then unleash Tentacle Strike on a Survivor to afflict them with the Contaminated status effect. Contaminating a Survivor will make them easier to spot as they cough and vomit their way around the map. Hit a contaminated Survivor a second time and you’ll damage their health. Survivors can cure themselves and their allies by injecting a vaccine found in Supply Cases (not Chests!) around the map. But use them wisely. Vaccines are limited and every injection reveals the Survivor’s location for a brief time. Mutation Rate Hitting a Survivor with Tentacle Strike not only contaminates them, but it increases Nemesis’s Mutation Rate as well. Tentacle Strike will gain greater range and the ability to destroy certain elements within the environment. At Mutation Rate 2, a Tentacle Strike can destroy palettes and even breakable walls. At Mutation Rate 3, the Tentacle Strike range will increase allowing him to attack over palettes, window vaults, and other tricky obstacles. Check your power icon to view your current Mutation Rate. Special Enemy: Zombies That’s right. Zombies. For the first time in Dead by Daylight history, a Killer will be assisted by AI characters. Whenever you play as Nemesis zombies will spawn and begin roaming the map. Zombie attacks work the same way as Tentacle Strikes. If a Survivor gets hit by a zombie, they are afflicted with the Contaminated status. If they get hit again while contaminated, they take damage. Survivors can destroy zombies by dropping palettes on them, and as Nemesis you can increase your Mutation Rate by destroying them with a Tentacle Strike. Zombies will always respawn after a short time. Nemesis Perk: Lethal Pursuer Nemesis was designed for the sole purpose of tracking down and destroying its targets. So naturally at the start of every trial, all Survivor auras will be revealed to you for a short time. The perfect way to get a head start. Nemesis Perk: Hysteria Make an example out of any Survivor who crosses your path. Whenever you put a healthy Survivor in the injured state with a basic or special attack, all other injured Survivors on the map will suffer from the Oblivious status effect for a short time. Nemesis Perk: Eruption As Nemesis, you don’t just have the brawn – you have the brains, too. Kick a generator and its aura will be highlighted in yellow. Now the trap is set. Put any Survivor in the Dying State and all affected generators will explode, reducing their progress. Any Survivor repairing an affected generator when it explodes will suffer from the Incapacitated status effect for a short time. As huge fans ourselves, we couldn’t be happier to bring the world of Resident Evil into Dead by Daylight and we can’t wait to put these new characters and map into your hands. Will you lead your team of Survivors to safety as Leon or Jill? Or will you become the Entity’s new favorite Killer as Nemesis? The Resident Evil Chapter will be available in Dead by Daylight on June 15 for PS4 and PS5. See you in the Fog! Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/21uqjSuxqTAView the full article

Hello, today we are so excited to be able to release our latest update for No Man’s Sky, Prisms, free to all PlayStation owners from today. Whilst exploring the universe, how you perceive the sights around you is so important. That is why we’re so delighted to be able to give No Man’s Sky a visual overhaul with this update. We wanted to allow you to see everything you encounter with new eyes, and we hope your screenshot button is about to get even more use! Play Video Whether in the depths of space, on synthetic structures or on organic planetary life, everywhere you look there are now stunning details like reflections on your spacecraft, more detailed caves, enhanced lighting in space stations, realistic water and weather effects, and even more variety with fur on creatures and pets! And of course, with all these visual enhancements, it makes sense to upgrade Photo Mode too with improved depth of field and bloom controls. Here are some of the features and enhancements PlayStation travellers are able to download from today: Volumetric Lighting – New styles of volumetric lights improve the lighting in a number of areas, including starship and vehicle lights as well as environmental effects. Warp Effects – The audio and visual warp effects have been completely reworked for a dramatic new interstellar experience. New Caves – Caves have been completely reworked, with new lighting effects, more detailed environments and greater variety of generation. Parallax Occlusion Mapping – New parallax occlusion mapping technology brings extra texture detail and depth to planetary structures and the Space Anomaly. Star Effects – The variety, quality and number of stars in the sky have been significantly improved. Improved Rain Effects – Rain effects have been significantly improved, bringing storms to life in a new way. As the rain continues to pour, the ground and other objects in the world become slick and coated with water. Improved Torch Visuals – The Exosuit torch now benefits from improvements to its visual effects as well dynamic brightness and positioning improvements. Refractions – New lighting technology brings refractions to No Man’s Sky. The new effects can be seen all over the universe, including on glass base parts; starship cockpits; forcefields and more! Space Station Core – The Space Station hangar has been dramatically overhauled for a brand new visual experience. Creature Fur – Fur has been added to a wide range of planetary creatures, bringing both extra variety and extra fuzziness to exploration and companion taming. Extra Planetary Details – Players on PlayStation 5 will see a dramatic increase in planetary detail across a whole range of environments. Screenspace Reflections – PlayStation 5 players will find reflections and improved lighting quality in the Space Anomaly, space stations, Atlas stations, freighter hangers, derelict freighters and more for PlayStation 5 players. Photo Mode Improvements – Photo Mode now benefits from significantly improved depth of field quality and controls, as well as now giving photographers manual control over bloom settings. Appearance Modifier UI Refresh – The UI for the Appearance Modifier has been refreshed for a cleaner and clearer customisation experience. Exotic Companions – The range of creatures that can be adopted as your companion has been hugely increased to encompass virtually every lifeform you encounter. ByteBeat Sharing and Drum Improvements – The ByteBeat Synthesizer now allows you to save tracks in a personal library, use them as a custom soundtrack to your exploration experience and share tracks with other players. Significant improvements have been made to the ByteBeat’s drum synthesizer, allowing for the creation of meatier drum loops and driving rhythms. Dynamic Weather Objects – Hazards such as meteors or lightning impacts now have a chance to spawn valuable objects, offering rewards to those who brave extreme planetary weather events. Move Freighter Bases – When purchasing a new freighter, your existing freighter base is automatically transferred and reconstructed. Freighter base layouts can be reset at any time from the Freighter Upgrade Control terminal. Recipe Station on Nexus – A new terminal has been added to the blueprint research area of the Space Anomaly. This new automated research station will provide recipes for crafting components, in exchange for nanites. Quality of Life Improvements – A number of UI and quality of life improvements have been added. These include: an icon to show when new items have been added to an inventory; improvements to the UI when receiving several blueprints at the same time; and improvements to planetary charts so that they will not be used up if they fail to find a building and will now give more detailed error messages. Flying Rideable Creatures – Low-flying creatures, such as giant beetles and flying worms, can now be adopted as your companion. Mount up and enjoy a whole new perspective on planetary exploration. It was just a few months ago we launched the Expeditions update and No Man’s Sky travellers on PS4, PS5, and PS VR have already enjoyed the first two seasonal adventures. Just last week we loved watching the community unlock the SSV Normandy SR1 frigate from Mass Effect, what a moment! The Prisms update is already our third major update of 2021 so far as we continue to celebrate our 5th anniversary on PlayStation. It has been a whirlwind of a journey so far, but there are plenty more surprises ahead. Our journey continues. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/mO4IkmwyrLQView the full article

Hello, Bounty Hunters! I’m Victor Mercier, lead producer on Necromunda: Hired Gun, releasing today! In this visceral, fast-paced FPS set in the Warhammer 40k universe, you make your living as a Bounty Hunter in the lower portions of a gigantic hive city. It’s a nasty, endless slum full of desperation, death, and industry. But also, doggos! Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Play Video In this article, we’ll explore the ways in which your trusty mastiff will aid you as you shoot, stab, and slay your way through the Underhive. The Underhive can be an oppressive environment even for the toughest of souls. Down there, you can’t trust your own mother. But the bond between dog and master, that’s another story. Your furry friend will follow you to the depths of hell and back again, and enjoy every moment. Summoning your mastiff is as easy as squeezing their favourite toy rat (you heard us). Aim the rat at the enemy you want to attack and they’ll feel 220 pounds of augmented flesh and steel slam into them within seconds. While an enemy is being mauled by your mastiff, they’ll be far too busy trying not to die to attack you, allowing you to deliver death in other directions as you see fit. Additionally, for as long as your hound is with you, you’ll gain part of its senses, creating red highlights around enemies within a certain radius of your buddy. Summoning your mastiff works great as both a panic button and for strategically incapacitating and attacking selected enemies. As strong as your mastiff is, it will need to rest after attacking for a set amount of time, but can be summoned back when the ability is ready again. All of this can be improved with augments. Just as with your own body, your mastiff can be upgraded at the Ripper Doc in Martyr’s End, the game’s hub area. A good boy deserves some Cranial Armour. With three major upgrade categories: Head, Body, and Paws, you’ll have a range of technology to help keep your dog alive and killing. Increase speed with Bionic Paws, then upgrade to a Bionic Nose for some cyber-sniffing, increasing detection radius of enemies. Improve your mastiffs dodge, health, armour penetration, and more, creating a veritable machine of destruction (while remaining your best bud, of course). With each major upgrade, your hound will visibly go from flesh to metal. What it may lose in cuteness, it’ll gain tenfold in killing ability. We hope you’ve enjoyed this overview of the mastiff in Necromunda: Hired Gun. Together, sniff out your target, eliminate it, and collect the bounty. The Underhive may be dangerous, but blood is good for business. Necromunda: Hired Gun is available now on PS5 and PS4. The retail version will be available on June 30. Pre-order now to get special bonuses. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/L6P56F57H5UView the full article

Operation: Tango is a co-op spy adventure that challenges you and a friend to work together as Agent and Hacker to complete exciting missions all across the globe. The game is online-only, requires two players (no solo), and is 100% dependent on voice chat since the Hacker and Agent exist in entirely different locations within the game world. This sort of intensely cooperative spy work can be daunting, so we’re here to provide you with special insights to maximize the fun of near-future co-op espionage. 1. Recruit a friend for free Given the two-player requirement, recruitment should be your first priority. Operation: Tango supports both cross-play and a Friend Pass, meaning you can invite a friend to play with you for free even if they play on a different platform. Simply ask your partner to download the Trial Version of the game, and then start a game together. Cooperation and fun are at the heart of the experience, so even the most casual gamers can jump in and tackle missions with you right away! 2. Agent or hacker, there’s no wrong choice Once you’ve recruited a friend, there’s no need to fight over who takes on which role. The Agent and Hacker roles are both built from the ground up to be integral to the experience while delivering their own unique brand of awesome. You’ll never be waiting around while the other player is having all the fun. Asymmetrical co-op is all about constant participation, and while the Agent may be “on the ground,” the Hacker will find themselves in virtual locations that rival anything the real world dishes out with regards to danger or visual splendor. 3. Communication is key Remember, your partner can’t see what you see, and vice-versa, so words are your most essential tool. Always try to speak freely, share details about your unique perspective, and talk through each challenge as if you were confronted with it in a real-life setting. Operation: Tango’s puzzles rely as much on communication as they do on creative problem-solving. Whether you’re describing abstract elements, giving directions, or trying to make sense of complex rule sets (while a timer counts down, no less), well-chosen words are the key to success, and sometimes the difference between life or death. Your voice is the one thing that connects you. The more you use it, the more effectively you can work as a team to complete each mission. 4. Take on a collaborative mindset When you’re part of a dynamic spy duo, you simply can’t go it alone. Winning like a team means playing like a team. Embrace your reliance on your teammate, and be sure to thank them for their efforts. Always try to keep kindness and patience in ample supply. Each obstacle you face is another opportunity to work better together, and there’s nothing better than completing a mission with a partner whose infectious positive attitude keeps things light-hearted and fun during even the most stressful moments. 5. Make your own fun Unlike scripted single-player games, Operation: Tango provides opportunities to insert your personality into the game. With emotes, dynamic text, and the ability to alter whole AR environments, there is ample room for personal expression. For some pairs, good-natured trolling can be half the fun. Get creative! 6. Take the hint Although we’d never want to rob players of a single “eureka” moment, sometimes a puzzle just doesn’t “click.” There’s no need to search the internet for solutions or rage quit out of frustration. Operation: Tango’s hint system is a button press away, and provides just enough guidance to inspire a new approach to finding a solution. Used with discretion, it’s a great way to maximize your gaming session. 7. Switch it up Perspective is everything, so don’t hesitate to change roles and replay missions to get the full experience. Operation: Tango is essentially two games in one, so don’t miss out on half the fun! Operation: Tango is available now on PS4 and PS5. If you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber and own a PS5, you can download it for free from June 1 until July 5, 2021. Regardless of where your friends play, they can join you for free thanks to cross-play and the Friend’s Pass. Thanks for letting us share this briefing with you. We hope you enjoy the game! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/gLivymIC-fMView the full article

Hey, hey everyone! I’m Adam Volker, creative director at Flight School Studio, the team behind the 2019 game Creature in the Well, a top-down, pinball-inspired, hack-and-slash dungeon crawler… or “pinbrawler” as we all lovingly called it. Published by MWM Interactive, our next title, Stonefly, a mech adventure game launches today (woohoo!) and I want to pull the curtain back on some behind-the-scenes tidbits we’ve never shared before. At Flight School Studio, we like to make things that feel a little weird and different. Storytelling and art are things that we love and we’re always trying new approaches to games to see what’s fun and exciting. Stonefly is definitely our next iteration exploring those ideas. You play as Annika Stonefly, a brilliant yet naive young inventor who sets out on her own journey after disappointing her father. The Stonefly family runs the local repair shop, working on mechs and because of Annika’s oversight, her father’s prized rig, Chrysa, is stolen by a thief in the middle of the night. Chasing the thief, Annika discovers a big fantastic world, that inspires her to invent new mech capabilities, all of which come in really handy when she encounters buggos out in the wilderness. Inventing a world Annika’s story was inspired by the journey that many of us on the development team have had. Sometimes taking on a huge journey can be paralyzing, and Annika not knowing everything she is about to undertake is just what she needs to get started. Her determination and directness is really inspiring. As she ventures out into the woods, she takes notes of the people she meets, the creatures, and fauna. She uses all of it as inspiration and she funnels that creativity into upgrades and abilities for her mech. It is in her curiosity that she finds knowledge. In Stonefly’s world, tiny people travel in mechs that glide along the wind and are composed of a few upgradable components: the hull, legs, and antenna. Annika is no stranger to how these mechs function and is constantly upgrading her’s as you adventure through the game. Depending on how you play you’ll be encouraging Ann to invent wind abilities, upgrade the utilities of the mech or find inspiration for cosmetic upgrades hidden throughout the world. For example, after being slowed down by silken worm goo over and over Annika invents a similar ability for her mech that makes bugs move slowly while she gets the loot. And, for any fashionistas, you can also scan elements in the environment to change the color of your rig, or even come up with your own custom color scheme. Slug it out or bugger off Gathering resources to make those upgrades is where Stonefly gets intense. Out in the world, there are bugs who are hungry for the same resources you need. To harvest the minerals like Limodot and Fawnicle, you’ll have to shoo the bugs away so you can drop in and get the loot. Bug encounters inspire Annika to create new mech inventions so that throughout the game, you’ll not only get stronger but also develop new strategies for handling bugs and getting minerals before they do. Speaking of bugs, each bug type will require a slightly different defense and engagement strategy. They’re inspired by everything from slugs to rhinos (seriously check out the animation and design for the Horned Beetle). For example, early on, many bugs you encounter will crawl on the ground, but Star Spiders fly high into the air making it hard to gain an aerial advantage. You’ll need to dodge their spinning defense and time your moves just right to stun them then shoo them away. With some advanced tactical strategy, you can even pit bugs against one another. Each encounter will require you to deftly use your abilities and smarts. And, keep in mind, bugs won’t want to attack you unless minerals are around and you’re a threat: that’s when they’ll get aggressive. Use it to your advantage if you want to take a moment to repair or if you decide you’re not interested in confronting them at all. Speaking of plans, clear your calendar because Stonefly is landing today at PlayStation Store. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/BGw67OwtrVQView the full article

Since we announced the next chapter of our story with Evo in March, we’ve been gearing up for an exciting Evo 2021 Online tournament in August. Today, we’re thrilled to reveal even more opportunities for you to play, watch and learn your favorite fighting games as we help kick off the Evo Community Series, a global celebration of the fighting game community (FGC) starting on June 10. Evo Community Series (June 10 – Aug. 3) Starting next week, the Evo Community Series features more than 120 tournaments across the globe, $74,000 in total prizing, and more than 100 hours of broadcasts. As part of this community celebration, PlayStation is hosting three tournaments from June 10 through August 3. Eligible PS4 players in select regions across the globe will be able to participate in these open-format competitions for a chance to vanquish rivals and win cash prizes (details below). Select matches will be broadcast on the PlayStation Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as Evo’s Twitch channel. Whether you can perform frame-perfect inputs or simply enjoy watching the execution of a tricky combo, this culmination of fans’ commitment to the fighting game community brings together different scenes over a shared love for the genre. Look forward to a record-breaking number of upsets, underdogs, and unforgettable moments at these highly accessible events. Register today on the PlayStation Competition Center or the Events tab on your PS4 console. Evo 2021 Online (August 6-8 and 13-15) Ready to showcase your skills on a global stage? Registration for Evo 2021 Online opens today! Entry is free, and aspiring champions in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America* can sign up to compete in the world’s longest-running fighting game competition at evo.gg. PS4 Tournaments in the Evo Community Series PlayStation Tournaments FGC Arcade: Evo Edition Dates June 10 – June 22 Regions North America, Europe Prizing $20,000 global prize pool Featured titles $20,000 global prize pool Granblue Fantasy: Versus, Guilty Gear Strive, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Tekken 7 Rules & eligibility Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 18+ and a member of an eligible country.** Void where prohibited. See full rules. Fight for glory in this pro-am tournament celebrating newcomers and underdogs. Free open qualifiers then swiss rounds will culminate in the winner challenging a pro for bragging rights and cash winnings from a $20,000 prize pool. Gain valuable insight from interviews and enjoy round table talent starring the voices of the community. For details on how to participate and watch, visit: Compete.playstation.com PlayStation Tournaments Evo 2021 Online Warm-up Dates June 26 – July 13 Regions North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Asia Prizing $19,000 global prize pool Featured titles Guilty Gear Strive, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Tekken 7 Rules & eligibility Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 18+ and a member of an eligible country.*** Void where prohibited. See full rules. Itching for competition and want to get some experience in before the real fight begins? Get a taste of the tension and fury to come in Evo 2021 Online. Players who fight to the top will get a cut of a $19,000 global prize pool as well as special rewards like themes and avatars. For details, please visit: Compete.playstation.com PlayStation Tournaments Evo 2021 Online Side Tournaments Dates July 8 to Aug. 3 Regions North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Asia, Japan Prizing $35,000 global prize pool Featured titles BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost ON, Skullgirls 2nd Encore, Soulcalibur VI, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] Rules & eligibility Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 16+ and a member of an eligible country.**** Void where prohibited. See full rules. This festival of regional events brings together communities to celebrate Evo and the FGC. Look forward to new friendships, rivalries, and that special feeling only fighting games can deliver, with a $35,000 global prize pool on the line. For details, please visit: Compete.playstation.com Evo’s biggest year yet is just getting started. We hope you’ll join our community celebration and come test your skills with players around the world as we get ready for Evo 2021 Online! Stay tuned here and to evo.gg for more details in the coming weeks. *Players in the following locations are eligible to participate: United States, Canada, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Ireland, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Western Russia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate will only operate in North America, Europe and Latin America regions. ** Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 18+ and a member of an eligible location. Void where prohibited. See full rules Players in the following locations are eligible to participate: United States, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK ***Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 18+ and a member of an eligible location. Void where prohibited. See full rules. United States, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate will only operate in North America, Europe and Latin America regions. **** Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 16+ and a member of an eligible location. Void where prohibited. See full rules United States, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/_b-kMSdFcJEView the full article

Hello everyone! My name is Seiji Aoki and I’m the chief producer of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown. I’m very excited to share the inside story behind development of the newest game in the groundbreaking Virtua Fighter series and delve into a few new features you can look forward to when it launches on PlayStation Plus tomorrow, June 1.* Virtua Fighter holds a special place in Sega lore – many of us on the dev team can still recall playing the original 3D fighting game when it first launched in arcades nearly 30 years ago. Its strategic depth, balanced combat, and realistic martial arts gameplay have stood out within the genre for decades, and it’s long past time a new game entered the ring. Sega’s 60th Anniversary, a massive community project celebrating the most iconic games over our entire company history, finally provided us that opportunity. Sega put together a new team of developers from AM2, the original creators of the VF series, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios – combining extensive console expertise with a deep passion for the franchise to kick off development on a definitive Virtua Fighter game for the new generation. Remade for a new generation When development began in 2019, we knew there was an entire generation of gamers who had never seen or played Virtua Fighter. To us, 2012’s Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown represented the series pinnacle – the result of nearly two decades of fine-tuning and development. But many younger fans had never experienced the fluid 60fps martial arts combat, intricately balanced and grounded in reality, that game perfected in its day. We knew from the very beginning that we wanted to re-create that experience on modern consoles. Although Final Showdown was top of its class from a gameplay perspective, the graphics, UI, audio, and especially online play were due for an overhaul. Utilizing RGG’s Dragon Engine Technology, we dramatically upgraded the look and feel of the game, remaking character models and stages entirely from scratch. Visual effects like lighting and shaders received a significant rework, while modern CG expanded the range of effects we could produce. An entirely new opening cinematic added the final layer to the presentation. Play Video In addition, we wanted to give the same love to the music. Many of our most passionate ideas came from long-time members of the Virtua Fighter sound team – in the end, we composed new background music for every stage in the game. Players who choose to purchase the new Legendary Pack (DLC) that releases alongside the game tomorrow can also check out the selection of classic and never-before-released background tracks for the full Virtua Fighter audio experience. Although the basic gameplay systems from classic Virtua Fighter 5 remain largely untouched – combat balanced and perfected over years of development – we didn’t want Ultimate Showdown to feel like a revival of a retro game. Every change we made had to serve our goal of bringing the series forward for a new generation. New online competitive features While overhauling VF5’s look and feel was important, re-envisioning online competitive play was vital. Competition – proving yourself against the best fighters in the world – has been at the heart of the VF experience since the early arcade days, and we knew we needed to add a ton of new online functionality to bring Ultimate Showdown up to a modern standard. New Tournaments and round-robin style League Matches, private rooms supporting up to 16 players, and entirely new room UI improving communication between players were just a few of the features we built to support our competitive community. Along with the new modes, match types and UI, we also added new features to enhance the viewing experience. Upgraded hit markers make battles more satisfying and dramatic, while Spectator Mode allows participants to watch matches in real-time from inside their room. Stamps and other messaging tools make for easy communication and add a fun layer of participation. Automatic replay showcasing the recent matches between the top-ranked players in the world is built right into the main game UI. It’s a tremendous tool for new players looking to learn from the best as they seek to master their own fighting style. Legendary Pack DLC Finally, we’re excited to share that the new Legendary Pack (DLC) releases tomorrow alongside the PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now editions of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown! Play Video The Legendary Pack celebrates the storied history of the entire series. A vast range of customization items (over 2,000), alternate character costumes, spectator stamps, and new and classic background music options round out the DLC. But our favorite items have to be the fully recreated UI and character models from the original Virtua Fighter! Our designers had a ton of fun rebuilding the old models for all 19 playable characters in such a modern game (two classic-style models for each character – including each new character from later entries): To all of the Virtua Fighter fans out there, we are beyond grateful for the passion and loyalty you have shown over the last 27+ years. Remaking this beloved fighting game has been a truly special experience for our entire team, and we can’t wait to watch new World Fighting Tournament champions emerge in the coming weeks. Thank you for your support – we’ll see you back in the ring tomorrow! *Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will be available to PlayStation Plus members until Monday, July 5. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/iDXA4vwL8j4View the full article

PlayStation Now’s June lineup features open world adventuring, 30th anniversary celebrations, the return of a fighting icon and a compelling combination of roguelike and card building. Starting tomorrow, June 1, you can hunt monsters in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year Edition (also known as the Complete Edition), celebrate Sonic’s birthday with a trio of fantastic titles starring the blue hedgehog, battle friends locally or online in Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown and attempt to Slay the Spire. Let’s take a closer look at each game. Play Video The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Game of the Year Edition This story-driven open world role-playing game is set in a visually stunning fantasy universe, full of meaningful choices and impactful consequences. Play as a professional monster hunter tasked with finding a child of prophecy in a vast open world rich with merchant cities, dangerous mountain passes, and forgotten caverns to explore. The Game of the Year Edition includes The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, all 16 DLCs, and two Expansion Packs: Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available on PlayStation Now until September 6, 2021. Play Video Team Sonic Racing The speeding ‘hog switches sneakers for wheels in this thrilling, competitive style arcade racer. Face-off with friends in intense multiplayer racing, race together across stunning worlds and work together as a team by sharing power-ups and speed boosts. Pick one of the Sonic franchise’s iconic faces, who have been split across three distinct character types, then unlock game changing vehicle customization options to suit your racing style. Play Video Sonic Mania Experience the ultimate celebration of past and future in this all-new 2D Sonic adventure running at a crisp 60FPS with stunning HD retro-style graphics. Multiple playable characters give you the ability to go explosively fast as Sonic, soar as Tails, or power through tough obstacles with Knuckles’ brute strength. You can relive the Sonic of the past with an exciting new twist on classic zones while fighting against new bosses and Dr. Eggman’s evil robot army. Go head to-head with players in Competition mode or play in co-op mode with a friend. Play Video Sonic Forces The evil Dr. Eggman has conquered much of the world with help from a powerful and mysterious new villain named Infinite. Now, you must assist Sonic and build an army to reclaim the world as you fight against chaos and destruction. Defeat enemies with blazing speed as Modern Sonic, catapult past perilous platforms as Classic Sonic, and create your very own Custom Hero Character equipped with a variety of powerful gadgets. Experience fast-paced action with these three unique gameplay styles and explore iconic stages. Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown As announced in our PlayStation Plus monthly game lineup for June*, Sega’s iconic one-on-one battler is also available on PlayStation Now this month. This console exclusive allows both VF veterans and newcomers to experience the intense martial arts combat, deep strategy, and intricately balanced gameplay of the groundbreaking 3D fighter in stunning HD. New online features – like custom tournaments supporting up to 16 players and live spectating – join classic modes like Rank Match, Arcade, and VF5’s famously robust training to deliver the definitive Virtua Fighter experience. Play Video Slay the Spire Card game fuses with roguelike in this acclaimed fantasy battler. With hundreds of cards to choose from to build your deck and ever-changing layouts and battles, every journey is unique as you attempt to ascend the Spire. Select cards that work together to efficiently dispatch foes and reach the top, while powerful items known as relics can greatly enhance your deck through powerful interactions. Slay the Spire is available on PlayStation Now until December 6, 2021. Car Mechanic Simulator Repair, paint, tune and drive cars as you strive to build and expand your repair service empire in this simulation game. There are also car auctions where old cars are available for resale or purchased for your collection. Featuring more cars (48), more tools (10+), more options and more parts (1000+) than ever before. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Also, just a reminder that streaming support for 1080p resolution to PS4/PS5 consoles and PC is now available everywhere the service is available. Your actual streaming resolution may vary depending on your internet connection speed (minimum 5Mbps required for streaming, minimum 15Mbps required for 1080p streaming). *Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will be available to PlayStation Plus members until Monday, July 5. **Certain games featured on PlayStation Now may be made available in the library on a limited-time basis only. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/YelrL7fWt90View the full article

Get ready to make your move. Auto Chess Season 12 arrives May 31, along with new Chess Pieces, a new Race, and optimized PlayStation controls. You’ll be able to control the cursor anywhere in the UI, speeding up gameplay so you can focus on the exciting battles. Play Video Introducing Horn, a brand-new race Horn are northern nomads who worship the power of nature through their totems. The Horn are natural warriors who thrive in the frozen plains of the north, making them especially cold-resistant and physically strong. Siblings Sunchaser Servant and Sunchaser Shaman grew up as poor orphans in the Horn tribe, taking care of each other to survive their tough childhood. Their fate changed when Sunchaser Shaman inherited the Sunchaser Totem and was chosen as the heir to the Great Shaman. Her brother trained hard as an elite warrior and was selected to become one of the Great Shaman’s guards earning the name, Sunchaser Servant. They have each other’s back both on and off the battlefield and have never lost a match yet. Medal System You can now earn medals to boast your achievements with the Medal System. Equip them to your personal information interface to flaunt them in front of your friends and rivals. Collect four types of medals: Set Medal, Career Medal, Championship Medal, and Event Medal. 4v4 team mode Ready to dig into some multiplayer battles? Get ready for the new 4v4 team mode. Eight players are divided into two teams of four, and the team with the most points wins. Players earn match points based on their ranking, and team points are the sum of all members’ match points. Make sure not to get knocked out – if all your team members get eliminated, you lose! Season 12 Chess Pass and Senior Pass S12 kicks off with the introduction of an all new theme: Sleepless Night. Open the Sleepless Cube for the chance to get the Purple Skin Dark Musician or Orange Skin Rhythm Musician. Plus, you’ll unlock the new player Calamity when you reach Rook Rank. Purchase Senior Pass Unlock Senior Pass exclusive player Young Cub when you reach Pass level 31 Unlock Orange quality chessboard – Sleepless Music Festival when you reach Pass level 80 Level up and get chess skin fragments Many more chat and battle decorations Download Today With Season 12 gearing up to be the best one yet, there’s never been a better time to get into the game and join the battle. Be one of the first to experience an all-new way to play and Download Auto Chess today. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/6su-QN8zJtIView the full article

Last week, we asked you to take on a challenge, and face off against some of tough enemies in the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. From otherworldly foes to oversized monstrosities, here are this week’s challenging highlights: AscensionDawn shares Aloy facing down a Stormbird in Horizon Zero Dawn. GameonFocus shares Amicia going against a whirling swarm of rats in this A Plague Tale: Innocence moment. justinphotomode faces an oversized foe in this Demon’s Souls share. tlou_captures shares a harrowing moment Abby faces in The Last of Us Part II. AlfredoVasini shares this monstrosity from The Evil Within 2. JRPyznar shares Selene facing down Nemesis in Returnal. Search #PSshare #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: Resident Evil Village SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on June 2 Next week, we’re stepping in Ethan Winters’ shoes and facing our fears in Resident Evil Village. Share your most terrifying moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/2JeKIdLI-PYView the full article

Hey everyone, we’ve been very happy to see Returnal resonating so strongly with players, and this time we wanted to do a deep dive into one of our Bosses. In general, Boss battles have always been an essential test of skill for players in action games, and of course they’ve been a strong staple of the Housemarque formula in our past titles as well. With Returnal we really wanted to dedicate some time to create something special for our Boss encounters, and provide players with some powerful and memorable moments. We’ve been thrilled to see that players have been enjoying our Bosses so far, and today we wanted to share some notes on Hyperion, who seems to have quickly become a favorite among players! SPOILER WARNING: this piece contains spoilers about the story of Returnal. It’s generally recommended that you read this only after defeating Hyperion, and ideally have seen credits roll. The inspiration From the very beginning, our goal with the story of Returnal was to haunt the player. On a personal level, many special and haunting moments I’ve experienced in games and film have often been accompanied by powerful music. In many cases I feel that music can be single-handedly responsible for creating the emotional impact and mood of a scene. This ability of music itself to express very complex, raw emotions in a unique way – to express the intangible – was the initial seed of inspiration here. This importance of music was also directly woven into our story, along with our other central elements and themes early on. It started by envisioning our key story beats (beginning, middle and especially our end), and then consciously working backwards from there: identifying which puzzle pieces we would seed throughout the experience to get under the player’s skin, and create the feeling of an overarching, layered mystery for players to solve. One of the crucial puzzle pieces was intended to be a specific piece of music, and throughout the game there are multiple clues that a particular melody is very important to Selene. (Note that I’m being intentionally vague to avoid spoiling too much here!) In parallel, we also knew that we’d want to have some epic bosses in the game. These would need to be memorable highlights that would provide a challenge for players and serve as milestones of progress, but they would also need strongly resonate with players emotionally and be thematically tied to our story as well. In addition to the harsh, dark sci-fi elements of Returnal, we also wanted to explore some more psychological/surreal themes with our story. Our Bosses would serve as climactic manifestations of those themes. So from very early on we knew that we’d have one Boss that would play with this theme of musicality. This boss was simply codenamed “The Musician” internally, eventually this became Hyperion. The idea for the Musician came first, and then the rest of the Echoing Ruins was built around it to support its presence. “The Musician’s” visual design There were some keywords we used to guide our initial concepting for Hypersion: unsettling, musicality, tragic, dramatic, theatricality. Much like our other Bosses, we wanted to make this encounter feel majestic. And what could possibly be more majestic than using an alien Church Organ? I’ve always found the church organ to be one of my favorite instruments (and has been tied to many of my favorite Boss battles in games), and its ability to express grandeur is simply unmatched. It’s also a very beautiful organ in itself, and there was a lot of inspiration drawn from researching large Cathedral church organs. Their massive scale, how they utilize air to practically “breathe” life into melodies, and how their range can express both extremely delicate sounds but also be very imposing and bombastic when… It feels alive and powerful – the perfect fit for Returnal. The Musician himself was envisioned mostly as a tragic figure: a creature that is bound to this otherworldly organ through multiple organic vines and tentacles, fused in a nightmarish, symbiotic relationship. The Musician is clearly obsessed with playing this haunting melody repeatedly – much like Selene is also haunted by it – and now that it’s bound to the organ it’s destined to be trapped there playing this melody forever. The hunched over look was inspired by virtuoso pianists, who often appear to be in a meditative trance when playing their tunes. Musician, instrument and music are one and inseparable. From the early stages we also had the idea of making the back of the boss appear like it could also be its front. We wanted to combine the imagery of the Musician’s back piece being forcibly bound (almost in a ritualistic manner) to the organ via the organic vines, while also keeping his arms free to play the instrument in the front as well. We also added some subtle facial characteristics on its back, to make the encounter feel slightly more unsettling and also give the player something more recognizable to shoot at (as otherwise its thin silhouette would also get lost amongst the vines and details). Now let’s look at how we built towards the encounter between Selene and Hyperion in-game, as well as the design of the battle itself. Extra insight comes from Returnal’s Principal Music Producer Joe Thwaites and Senior Game Designer John Hollingworth. Act I – Failed escape and the song’s setup Right before Selene reaches the Echoing Ruins, she experiences our “Failed Escape” ending. In this cinematic, Selene returns to Earth and finds herself haunted by many memories and she tries to resume a normal life. One of these haunting memories seems strongly tied to this particular melody, which just pours out when she sits in front of a piano again. She doesn’t remember exactly why it’s important yet, only that it is. She’ll become obsessed with this melody for the rest of her life. The cinematic ends with her – now aged – hands playing it one last time. She takes the mystery of the music with her to her grave. Act II – The Cycle continues and the ascension Selene dies, and reawakens on Atropos. One of the first things she notices is that same melody playing, as if the planet is using it to torment her further. Joe Thwaites: “The key objective [of the Echoing Ruins] is to find the source. This melody floats in and out of the ambient, environmental music: if you stop to listen, you can hear the distant sounds of the alien organ float in the wind. We used 3D audio capabilities* to position the melody in the environment. As you move through the level, the melody will play from the direction of the Echoing Vault, helping to lead the player to the source of the music. Pass through the Echoing Vault and you entire the spire… Hyperion’s resting ground. As you explore the Echoing Ruins, you encounter various hollow plants that seem to be playing the same melody. They all seem to suggest that there’s a central source of this music – an extra riddle for Selene to solve. “As you stand at the bottom of the spire, the arpeggiated organ tune that you have been following echoes through the environment, giving the sense that you are standing inside a cathedral. As you climb the spire, the clearer that music becomes. We wanted to create the feeling of moving towards the objective. We used the distance from the top of the spire as a parameter to add new layers and feed intensity into the music. We also add layers of saturation as you approach the top, giving the sense that the alien organ is so loud that it’s distorting.” When you work your way to the top, you’re confronted with a surreal sight: this huge creature obsessively – yet serenely – playing an organic church-like organ. Joe Thwaites: “Once the player steps into the arena the mood changes and the pace picks up.” Act III – The Bullet Ballet For our boss battle, we wanted The Musician to utilize the organ. It would demonstrate its mastery of the organ (and attached vines/tentacles) to attack Selene with a cacophony of bullets and a cosmic symphony of explosions. There would be multiple attack types that would resemble spores to tie into the organic nature of the organ, and lots of bullet hell patterns to drive our avoidance gameplay. Joe Thwaites: “The tune that you have been following is now played at a much faster tempo and in conjunction with Bobby Krilic’s much more intense boss fight score. As the fight plays out, the music intensifies with each phase, introducing more elements, fuller percussion, and thicker harmonic textures.” John Hollington: “The objective of the combat design was to mirror the dominating, escalating soundtrack. With each passing phase the difficulty and intensity increases, Hyperion plays the Organ near the end of each phase to unleash new chords of destruction at the player.” Joe Thwaites: “Hyperion’s obsession with the tune and the repetitive nature of this arpeggio creates a relentless wall of sound that accompanies the barrage of projectiles that emanate from the organ. The organ sound itself is made-up of a combination of real and synthetic organs put through some processing to make the sound aggressive and alien. This sits really nicely with Bobby Krilic’s percussive and synth-driven score which kicks in when the combat starts.” John Hollington: “Similar to a single musical note, each attack from the barrel of the organ doesn’t provide much on it’s own, but when they all come together in sequence it provides a challenging bullet hell symphony which forces the player to keep moving until it is silenced. “Every pattern was carefully balanced and tweaked from countless amounts of testing. As a team we were always pushing for bigger attacks, more bullets and impressive chaotic patterns, particularly for the Organ. However, we were very cautious of difficulty and readability. The visual language of the projectiles play an enormous role in that. By contrasting them clearly against each other it allows the player to quickly and easily identify the patterns and react to the attacks. “The colour of projectiles used represent the style of attack. Green is commonly used for more random, non-direct clusters (Low reaction response from the player). Orange is reserved for slower moving non-targeting shapes that consume space (Medium player reaction) and blue projectiles are for Hyperion’s main attacks, they are often direct and require the player to quickly respond to the threat (High reaction). These consistent colour-coordinated layers work together and overlap to create a truly chaotic scene, but one which allows the player to work around, read the threats clearly and slip through the designed gaps. The attacks need to present themselves so even if the player is completely overwhelmed at first, after time, practice and experience the boss could be defeated without the player taking a single hit of damage. This was something we would have to prove before we submitted each iteration.” Throughout the battle the vines are progressively broken and detached from its back piece, unknowingly “liberating” the Musician from the clutches of the organ. Yet even without this constraint, the Musician still returns to the solace of the organ for one final time as he senses his end drawing near in the final phase. This draws further symmetry with Selene’s story in the Failed Escape, where Selene is also seen repeatedly playing this melody just moments before her death as well. Act IV – The silence Just like many encounters in Returnal, the Musician also plays an important role in Selene’s story. Defeating Hyperion marks a bittersweet moment in Selene’s journey: although she silences the song, the haunting melody still lingers in her mind as she keeps exploring its significance. Along with the players sharing her journey, they will discover the significance of this song (and much more) later in the game together. Thanks so much for reading about the origins of Hyperion, and thanks to players who have stepped in the haunting world of Atropos. Returnal is available now on PS5. *3D audio requires stereo headphones (analogue or USB). http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/2Lt_ZJUZMlIView the full article

Hey everyone, my name is Kevin and I’m a designer at Klei Entertainment. I’m really excited to give everyone a look at Griftlands which launches June 4 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 backwards compatibility. Griftlands is a narrative RPG featuring multiple branching stories to experience based on your actions and choices. It’s also a deck-building card game with deep interlocking systems driving both combat and negotiation through card mechanics. We think players are going to have a lot of fun fighting, lying, cheating, bribing, and smooth-talking their way to victory. Let’s dive in. There are three main characters in Griftlands, each with their own problem to solve. Sal the bounty hunter wants revenge. Rook the spy is working on a mysterious contract. Smith is trying to collect his inheritance, and have a good time doing it. Those high-level goals are the same every time you play, but the day-to-day obstacles that you overcome in their pursuit vary wildly. Different subplots and events get drawn from a pool each time. The cast of characters shifts as different NPCs get cast in different roles and react to your choices. Your friend in one playthrough, with their unique mechanical strengths and weaknesses, may be your enemy in the next. We even switch up the boss fights that you encounter at the end of each day, to keep things fresh. Most problems in Havaria can be solved either with your words or with your fists. However, in Griftlands both are driven with unique card deck gameplay mechanics. You play out both physical and verbal battles by playing cards! Playing cards make them stronger each time they’re played and picking one deck over another will give you the option of adding a new card to it at the end of successful encounters. Succeeding comes down to having the right cards and playing them correctly in each situation. But you can’t always do exactly what you want – context matters. Your decks get stronger with use, so it’s important to balance your use of each, lest one of your skills falls behind and you get caught off guard by a powerful opponent. NPCs will also notice everything that you do and treat you accordingly. Saving someone from wild animals will earn their respect but killing someone’s best friend for example will have them seeking revenge and actively working against you. Here’s a concrete example, featuring Rook: Rook’s employer gives him a choice of jobs at the start of day two. He chooses to collect a debt from Ionis. On the way to find her, Rook encounters a stranger being attacked by wild animals. It’s early on the second day of Rook’s story, so he has a relatively strong combat deck. He chooses to fight the beasts. He wins at the cost of a little health and also gets to pick a new combat card to add to his deck. After the fight, we discover the stranger’s name is Wade, and she offers to give Rook a reward. Rook refuses the reward, instead earning Wade’s gratitude. This gives him a passive bonus based on Wade’s character class. Also, Wade promises to help him in the future if she is able. Rook continues to the job. He intimidates Ionis and collects the debt. This angers Ionis, who vows revenge. This gives Rook an ongoing, passive penalty, which makes completing his second job that day more difficult. At the end of the day, Rook returns to the inn where he’s staying. By happenstance, both Ionis and Wade are there. This is Rook’s opportunity to finally do something about that pesky penalty. Rook tries to provoke Ionis with a negotiation. Wade rushes to help her friend, making the negotiation much easier than it would otherwise be. Rook succeeds. Enraged at being outtalked, a now hot-headed Ionis challenges him to a duel and attacks. Rook’s upgraded combat deck makes short work of his foe, and both Ionis and her penalty die on the dirt-encrusted floor of the inn. Rook recovers some lost resolve by sharing some refreshments with his best friend Wade before continuing to the day’s boss fight. Every run through Griftlands weaves these narratives seamlessly through the main plot. You will have different allies and enemies each time, and the relative strengths of your two decks will present you with new and interesting challenges. Story-rich gameplay and replayability may seem like opposing goals, but we hope Griftlands shows that sometimes, they can work together. Out June 4 on PS4. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/979sggHe83MView the full article

Get ready to challenge again! The noble knight Arthur sets out on a new adventure to rescue the princess from the Demon Realm in Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, coming to PlayStation 4 (and backwards compatible with PlayStation 5) on June 1. Some 35 years ago, the first Ghosts ‘n Goblins made its grand debut in arcades. Few players knew what would await them as they dropped that first quarter into the machine, and fewer still could have guessed that beating the game would set them up for a ghoulish surprise; the game wasn’t over until you completed it a second time after a brutal second loop of the game. The hard-as-nails legacy of Ghosts ‘n Goblins has earned the franchise a reputation for its difficulty over the years but for this entry, we’ve kept the challenge while making the game far more accessible. Not only are there multiple difficulty modes that cater to players of all skill levels, we’ve also included a series first: two-player local co-op. To shine a light on the decision to give this traditionally single-player experience a two-player twist, we spoke with the game’s Chief Producer, Yoshiaki Hirabayashi (a.k.a. “H”). Best known for his work on the Resident Evil franchise, H was kind enough to speak with us about how this mode came to be. “The local co-op mode was an idea that existed from the earliest stages of the development phase, and was brought up by Director Tokuro Fujiwara,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. Long-time Capcom fans may recognize that name – Mr. Fujiwara was also the director of the original Ghosts ‘n Goblins, and returned to direct Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, as well. “The first time the format and goals of this mode were presented by Director Fujiwara, I felt that it was spectacular and I wanted to make it happen, ” says Mr. Hirabayashi. When you consider how long the franchise has been a strictly single-player affair, it raises the question: What made this the right time to add co-op? “This IP has been loved by many players for over 35 years, and those who played the earlier titles may now have kids of their own,” explains Mr. Hirabayashi. Mr. Hirabayashi recalls that the entire dev team was excited by the idea of co-op mode, hoping this addition would allow the game to transcend generations and offer a great way for long-time fans to share this arcade-style experience with their kids or even family and friends who may be new to platformers. “Of course, it was a challenge for us to prepare this mode, as we knew there were going to be certain expectations since this is the first title within the series that supports this kind of gameplay,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “Overcoming the difficulty the game provides while having fun playing and communicating with your friend or loved one is a brand new concept, and we weren’t sure how players were going to react to this.” Despite these concerns, Mr. Fujiwara seemed confident in its inclusion and the joy it would bring to players both young and old. “When Director Fujiwara first explained the concept of this co-op mode to me, I remember imagining how much fun it would be to enjoy this game with my child,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “I was very excited about it!” Of course, Ghosts ‘n Goblins is known for its difficulty more than most other games of its time (and even games today), and the team considered that factor, too. “From the beginning, the concept of the co-op mode was to provide a brand new experience unique from the single-player mode so there wasn’t a strong need for it to be balanced in comparison to the difficulty of the standard experience,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “The aim of this mode is to get two players to have fun cooperating together to overcome a challenge, and the balancing of the difficulty was not a big priority.” In other words, the goal for this mode was not to create an experience that would be challenging for two players, but rather to make the game fun for two people to enjoy it together. It brings a different feel to the game while not taking away from the solo challenge that it offers. “With this in mind, we designed the support characters to be flexible in terms of their functionality, and helpful when it comes to assisting Arthur,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “We hope that when players experience this mode, they can loosen up and have a fun time talking and working together.” Speaking of those support characters, there’s three in total: Barry, Kerry, and Archie. As their names might suggest, these spirited assistants each serve a different purpose when it comes to aiding Arthur. However, they aren’t just helpers – there’s a bit of story there, too. “The Three Wise Guys are Arthur’s ancestors, and, considering their role of being assistants who helps him, we thought this was the most appropriate way to include them,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. Considering they’re his ancestors, you might want to take a closer look at their mannerisms. “Each Wise Guy has their own unique design, but if you look at them carefully, don’t you think they look a bit like Arthur?,” asks Mr. Hirabayashi. Aside from their designs, special attention was also paid to how each one plays. Each of Arthur’s ancestors boasts their own unique skills, adding a new layer to co-op gameplay. “An important thing to note is that the functionality of the Three Wise Guys are different from what Arthur is capable of doing,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “Our intention was to provide a brand new experience that the single player mode can’t deliver on, and give the players a way to expand on the fun ideas that are only available in co-op mode.” Funnily enough, Mr. Fujiwara seems to still have a bit of a mischievous approach when it comes to game design – even for elements of the game that should be friendly in the hands of two players playing side-by-side. “From the beginning, we’ve been talking about this as a co-op mode, but the Director has always been expecting there to be certain players who will think of fun ways to play this mode that aren’t necessarily ‘cooperative’,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “For example, Kerry is a character who literally carries Arthur around, but that doesn’t always mean he’s going to place Arthur on solid ground. A co-op partner with a mischievous spirit may ultimately become a hindrance, making the game feel more like a single-player mode with another troublesome enemy that gets in your way!” True to Ghosts ‘n Goblins, even having someone else join you in co-op can still be part of the challenge. Turns out there are some things worse than a Red Arremer, and they might be sitting right next to you on the couch. Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Hirabayashi envisions people finding their own ways to enjoy co-op in unexpected ways. “We designed the support characters this way on purpose,” says Mr. Hirabayashi. “A fun way we thought players could enjoy the game is for players controlling Arthur to try to complete a stage under a certain amount of time, and for the ‘support’ character to keep him from accomplishing his goal.” For seasoned veterans playing with newly christened knights, coming up with unique ways to use the co-op mode is a great way to find new and fun ways to enjoy the game together. I’d like to provide a huge thank you to Mr. Hirabayashi for taking the time to answer our questions about the co-op mod.! And co-op isn’t the only way to enjoy the game. With multiple difficulty modes, you’ll be able to enjoy the game at a pace that’s right for you and explore everything that Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection has to offer. After all, it wouldn’t be a GnG game if the game ended after the first playthrough, right? Be sure to grab your throwing lance and a co-op buddy to play with – or against – and get ready to challenge again when Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection launches on PS4 June 1! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/QkOhvZ4aE8YView the full article

Today, we at Zen Studios could not be happier than to announce free DLC for Star Wars Pinball VR right here on PlayStation Blog. The classic Han Solo table from the Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within pack, enters the game as the ninth amazing table, joining the likes of Classic Trilogy tables, Rogue One, The Mandalorian and more. But what goes into creating a table like Han Solo? If you haven’t already run off to download it (and I really can’t blame you for that), let’s take a look behind the curtain. 1. Picking the theme First, we have to figure out our topic — something we work very closely with Lucasfilm Games to decide. Sometimes the topic ends up being a show like Star Wars Rebels, sometimes it’s a general theme like Jedi versus Sith in Masters of the Force; in this table’s case, it’s a wisecracking Correllian smuggler. Han Solo was a natural fit to get his own board, as his life is filled with funny shenanigans, exciting moments, plus he flies the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. 2. Pinball table layout Once we agree on the topic, that’s where things get technical. As pinball legend Roger Sharpe, famous for lifting the ban on pinball in New York City in 1976, told Vox, “Each game is different — each game has different geometry, each game has different rules.” This means we need a strong base of lanes, rails, sinkholes, and everything else you might recognize on any machine. This gives you the main gameplay layer, where a satisfying ramp shot can make or break a table, whatever theme you put over it. 3. Translating iconic moments to missions Once we’ve nailed the concepts, that’s when we turn on the pizzazz! All the different rules, multiballs, lamps and animated characters come into play. This is where we have to nail the best moments and translate them to pinball form. For Han Solo, our design team got together and created an extensive list from the classic-era happenings involving our favorite nerf herder — and his loyal copilot. The different “modes” (which are missions on a pinball table, each needing you to shoot a different part of the table, or a combination) will take you back to epic moments like freeing Princess Leia from the Death Star in A New Hope, navigating the asteroid field from Empire Strikes Back, and escaping from Jabba in Return of the Jedi. If you complete all of Han’s adventures, it all culminates in what we call the ‘Wizard mode’ (anyone like The Who?) named General Solo. This is an epic mode where four balls are let into play and a huge jackpot activates – a hard to achieve but infinitely rewarding mission to reward you for your efforts. I urge you to put yourself in Total Immersion mode — something only VR can pull off — where you will be roughly the size of the ball and look closely at all the pieces of Han’s life. Like the Carbonite chamber (you can lock three balls in there and start a multiball!) or the Space Slug to the right of the table which – just like in the film – has a great big maw to swallow up your pinballs and reward you later. You can put what we learned here to good use — and sooner than you think. The Han Solo pinball table is available for Star Wars Pinball VR right now. There’s plenty of jackpots to be had and high scores to break, but just remember: Don’t get cocky, kid! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/AbBOF26wC64View the full article

Hello, Travelers! Your Genshin Impact dev team is back once again, bringing you details for Version 1.6 coming on June 9. As the world of Teyvat enters the hot summer season, in the upcoming update we’ve prepared for you tailor-made summer outfits and a brand-new series of sea and island adventures to refresh everyone from the heat. Meanwhile, Kaedehara Kazuha, the first new playable character from Inazuma, will join in and lead the Archon Quest to a new chapter. Play Video Travelers who’ve completed the main storyline in Liyue will be able to move onto the new Archon Quest with Kazuha. You may also spend some of your splendid summertime in Teyvat in an uncharted sea area for a limited time during Version 1.6. Midsummer Island Adventure If you’re fond of sailing, exploring, and fighting, we may have something for you in Version 1.6’s main seasonal event: Midsummer Island Adventure. The story begins when Klee receives a mysterious letter from a Dodo-King threatening to take Dodoco away from her. To help Klee and Dodoco, the Traveler will sail on a boat called a Waverider and explore a secluded archipelago scattered over a remote sea area. The Midsummer Island Adventure main event will be divided into four stages, each featuring unique gameplay. In the first stage, players need to sail on the Waverider and destroy enemy floating towers and encampments, either through firing your boat’s cannon or in close combat. In the next stage, players will be challenged in a race that combines both sailing and flying. The third stage will put your combat skills to test with the new opponent, Maguu Kenki. And finally, players will be asked to clear out nearby monster encampments with the aid of three kinds of Harpastum Bombs. We also want to introduce a bit more about the new monster mentioned earlier, Maguu Kenki. With its unique Inazuma-style aesthetic, Maguu Kenki also has its own attack style. When Maguu Kenki’s health falls below a certain amount, it will summon phantoms and can deal both Anemo and Cryo damage against players. In addition, any ranged attack will be blocked if Maguu Kenki is not engaged in close-range battle, forcing players to confront it face-to-face. Bountiful rewards also await you in the Event Shop. By completing the main event challenges mentioned earlier, you can obtain two event currencies, Shiny Flotsam and Mini Harpastum, which can be used to exchange for various resources and items, as well as the new four-star catalyst Dodoco Tales up to maximum refinement. Dress up for the summer No summer vacation is complete without cool summer clothes. Therefore, we’ve designed summer-themed outfits for Jean and Barbara, providing you the first-ever chance to dress them up with alternate outfits. Jean’s outfit Sea Breeze Dandelion will be available for purchase in the in-game Shop at a limited-time discount. Barbara’s outfit Summertime Sparkle will be free to claim by participating in the Echoing Tales event. During the Echoing Tales event, items called Echoing Conches can be found all over the archipelago. By collecting the Echoing Conches, not only can you listen to some interesting stories and tales, but you can also get Barbara’s new outfit if you accumulate enough Conches. We’ve also prepared other events full of fun games and challenges on the archipelago. So be sure to check out this limited-time new area during Version 1.6. One step closer to Inazuma Kaedehara Kazuha, the first playable character from Inazuma, will officially join the game during Version 1.6. Wielding an Anemo Vision and a sword, Kazuha not only boasts a versatile combat style, but also provides buffs to his teammates under certain circumstances. Kazuha’s Elemental Skill Chihayaburu will release a rushing wind current that pulls objects and opponents towards his current position before launching nearby opponents, dealing Anemo damage and lifting Kazuha into the air. When Kazuha is in mid-air from the effects of Chihayaburu, he can unleash a special Plunging Attack, “Midare Ranzan,” dealing Anemo damage and creating a miniature wind tunnel that sucks in surrounding objects and opponents. His Elemental Burst Kazuha Slash will attack the enemies with Anemo AoE damage in a single strike, and leave behind a storm field that deals Anemo AoE damage at set intervals to all opponents within. To make Kazuha even more powerful, both his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst can deal additional elemental damage if they come into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro. Kazuha also provides additional buffs to the team, making him a great choice for your party and team. Upon triggering a Swirl reaction, Kazuha can grant his teammates an elemental damage bonus for their corresponding element. One of his other Passive Talents can decrease sprinting stamina consumption for your own party members. In the latest Archon Quest, Kazuha will also provide clues about the way to the closed-off Inazuma. For some reason, this wandering samurai is wanted by the Inazuma Shogunate and now traveling with Beidou’s Crux Fleet. The Crux Clash, a grand martial arts tournament, will be held there. Other improvements and more As always, in the end we’d like to share some adjustments our team has decided on to improve the current gameplay based on serious considerations and player feedback! Some of you might have already noticed a patch released shortly after Version 1.5 went live. The patch aims to improve performance from several perspectives, including a steady rise in frame rate on PS5 and PS4. With Version 1.6, if you’re fond of the Serenitea Pot we introduced earlier, you will also be able to invite characters you own to reside in your realm. Characters in your realm will gradually accumulate Character Companionship Experience over time, and this rate of increase will grow faster with a higher Adeptal Energy Rank. And that’s all we’d like to share ahead of the Version 1.6 release on June 9! We hope you have a wonderful summer on the sea and islands in the world of Teyvat! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/bOD-XudrCdIView the full article

We’re excited to share the very first gameplay reveal of Horizon Forbidden West with you on State of Play. This unique episode features 14 minutes of never-before-seen gameplay footage captured directly on the PlayStation 5 console, as well as a quick recap with Horizon’s Game Director Mathijs de Jonge and myself. Horizon Forbidden West continues six months after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn. Aloy, a machine hunter, has travelled west to investigate a mysterious and deadly blight. In these uncharted lands, she will meet strange new tribes and encounter ever more deadly machines. Together with old friends and new companions, she must brave this dangerous frontier to find the answers she needs to save life on Earth. In the State of Play gameplay footage, Aloy has sent her loyal friend Erend into the remains of San Francisco to recover an important artifact. But he quickly runs into trouble, encountering a rebel faction of the Tenakth tribe – vicious fighters who have somehow acquired the power to override machines. Aloy must cross the ruins and fight multiple enemies to rescue her friend and continue her journey. This dangerous and unfamiliar land is full of challenges and threats, but Aloy will have new tools to help her on her way. The Pullcaster speeds up climbing, getting her quickly out of trouble; the Shieldwing allows her to safely descend from great heights (or surprise enemies from above); and with the Diving Mask, a whole new underwater world is open for exploration. Not to mention big upgrades to her Focus, which now shows areas that allow free-climbing and gives her the ability to override more machines for mounts or combat. Speaking of combat, Horizon Forbidden West puts the emphasis on tactics and choice by giving the player a huge variety of weapons. Aloy’s trusty Spear is good for close combat and enables a new set of combos. Bows with specialized ammo types strip armor off machines to expose their weak spots. Adhesive grenades can be fired from slingshots, temporarily stalling foes. Plus many more, and all of them can be upgraded at a workbench. Aloy won’t just be dealing with human enemies. The game also features a big new selection of deadly machines: Sunwings in the sky, Clawstriders and Tremortusks on land, Snapmaws and the smaller (yet not to be underestimated) Burrowers in the water. That’s only the beginning, as many more will be revealed throughout the massive open world of Horizon Forbidden West. You’ll have to be smart and creative to take them all down. Thanks for watching our Horizon Forbidden West gameplay reveal! We don’t have an exact release date yet, but development is on track and we’ll have an update for you very soon. Thank you as always for your ongoing support, and we can’t wait to hear about your favourite moments. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/qAwLBehwtzsView the full article

We’re thrilled to announce that Dying Light 2 Stay Human launches on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on December 7. To mark the occasion, we’ve got fresh gameplay details Survivors, the sun is setting! It’s been over twenty years since the virus took over Harran, driving it into ruin. Humanity lost there, but now a glimmer of hope emerges in The City, one of the last bastions of mankind in Dying Light 2 Stay Human—for the survival of the entire human race, but also for you, a wandering pilgrim, serving as a connection between the scattered settlements. Driven by a promise of unveiling the secrets of your past and finding the one you’ve lost, you pause your travels and begin forging your own legend there. Dying Light 2 Stay Human offers a broad, tiered open world full of unique architecture. As civilization has fallen back to the Dark Ages, The City interlaces modern urban structures with medieval buildings and agricultural land. Your main way of traveling is your parkour abilities, but you’ve also got a grappling hook and a paraglider to navigate smoothly through its many levels. Most often, there’s more than one way to reach your destination, so try to be creative and play with your skills to discover new possibilities and test your limits. During your adventure, you’ll learn that The City’s a living and breathing world. Its inhabitants have opinions, relationships, and form factions, constantly struggling to tip the scales toward them. It’s often up to you who’s going to have the upper hand in the ongoing conflict, but remember that the consequences of your choices are yours to face, too. The City is a complex organism that will react to your decisions. Depending on whom you support, the setting around you will change, offering you new opportunities, but also posing many new challenges. When it comes to combat, your choices are equally crucial. The world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human is full of brutal fights and unexpected encounters. You’ll need to adjust your tactics and approach to get the best of your enemies, and you’ll do that with crafting, creative weapons, and a variety of combat skills at your disposal. Every fight in The City is different. Don’t stop challenging yourself—try unobvious combinations, see how you can take advantage of your environment and look for clever ways around the obstacles. With all those means of survival, you’re one of the few who can dare venture into the night and come back in one piece. During the day, you change The City. At night, The City changes itself. Its streets become flooded with the infected who were just waiting for the sun to set. Though it’s their time now, your extraordinary abilities allow you to still make the most of it. While monsters are busy hunting their prey, you can enter and search their hideouts, where you’ll often find powerful, unique items. It’s a dangerous game, but it sure is worth the candle. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Surviving in the City can be a risky and dangerous task. That’s why you’ll be able to explore the majority of the punishing and intricate world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human with your friends in co-op. Whether you’re proud of what you’ve achieved and dying to show it off or curious where other choices would lead, you can either host your own game or join friends in theirs and experience Dying Light 2 Stay Human together. Pre-orders for Dying Light 2 Stay Human start today, giving you a chance to grab a unique skin pack alongside your game. It contains an original six-piece outfit, a weapon skin, and a paraglider skin—everything you need to show off your superhuman combat and parkour skills in style. We’re going to keep dropping details regarding Dying Light 2 Stay Human, so stay tuned for news about the game on the road to its December 7 launch on PS4 and PS5. Stay human! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/f9Zz2RFL_d8View the full article

Hello everyone! Today we’re so excited to announce that Aragami 2 is arriving to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on September 17. To mark the occasion, we’re also excited to shed some details on how Aragami 2’s three-player co-op evolves the ninja clan experience, along with some development insights. We also proudly present a first look at its gameplay with a new trailer featuring a cinematic, in-engine look in which you’ll see how this sequel is taking the Aragami series to loftier heights. Check out the enhanced stealth mechanics and an all-new combat system where every move must be calculated. Play Video Since Aragami 2 is a stealth game, we challenged ourselves to create a combat system with supernatural ninja skills, which also encourages stealth over brute force. We thought the best way to achieve this was to give our characters agile and skillful movement, which empowers subterfuge and stealth assault instead of a lot of strength. It also strengthens the exciting feeling of overcoming overwhelming odds. We based the combat on fast character movement, explosive dodges, and lightning-fast combo attacks. At the same time, we discouraged blocking, since we want to keep action fast-paced and convey that our character uses his agility and reflexes over strength. Instead, we favored parries, since they are more dynamic and technical in their application. But how does this work with a three-player co-op system? Let’s start by looking back at the previous game we released – Aragami. The two-player co-op feature worked very well in Aragami: players loved beating the campaign alongside a friend and planning different strategies to complete the missions. We were overwhelmed by the impressive amount of players sharing their walkthroughs and also seeing them establishing their own identity combining different character skins and dyes. Given the positive reception, it was very clear that the co-op would be one of the main pillars for the development of Aragami 2 from the very beginning, but deciding for a three player co-op instead of two or four, was more an iteration process than a pre-reasoned decision. Narratively, we had to create a sensation of a clan and not to center on a lonely ninja, and the option of a two-player co-op didn’t reinforce this idea. We first explored with a four-player co-op, which is more classic in video games, but that gave a lot of trouble when balancing and, in our opinion, the stealth component was easily lost. Scout ahead and plan the attack… When we tried with the three-player option, we immediately felt that we had found that sweet spot between feeling like being part of a clan or squad while maintaining the feeling of stealthiness and being outnumbered by the enemy. We had so much fun doing three-player speedruns competitions in the studio to see who arrived first to the end of a level! The chance to play as a three-ninja squad opens up a wide arrangement of possibilities and versatility. You can have one player acting as a scout from an elevated spot marking nearby enemies, another taking down them from the ground, and the other stealing an item you need to complete the mission. Then divide, conquer, and execute from the shadows But there are many challenges you face when introducing three-player co-op. We wanted to give each player their own identity, including visual distinctions like different skins, dyes, and equipment. Unique gameplay across co-op was also important. It meant we had to design gameplay that adapts to every user, whether they are more combat-focused, stealthy, or more acrobatic. We had to give players the chance to play the way they want. Hence, we have a robust ability tree allowing players to specialize in their own craft. This is a pretty complex thing to achieve — making sure that this variety and possibilities exist, and that it’s fun, challenging, and well balanced. And this also applies to combat, as you don’t want the game to feel too easy when playing in co-op, or to eliminate the feeling of the game being a stealth title, which is our core. As a solo player, you can only unlock half of the ability tree when arriving to the maximum level, encouraging you to find partners that complement your playstyle with other roles. For instance, if you’re a stealthier player, you’d need another one that helps fight when battles erupt, and another that supports the team with recovery or combat items. We can’t wait to have you embark on this supernatural journey with your friends on September 17. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. Thank you for all your support! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/Q5fgaLw5otcView the full article

Today between 9AM and 2:30PM Pacific Time, join us on a very special journey into the Forbidden West. You can tune in for a special State of Play Pre-Show, and witness a very intriguing countdown to the main event, which starts at 2PM Pacific Time / 10PM BST / 11PM CEST. Play Video Our main State of Play will feature about 14 minutes of exclusive Horizon Forbidden West gameplay, captured on PlayStation 5. Share your favorite moments with us on social media by using #HorizonForbiddenWest. Join us on Twitch or YouTube from 9AM PDT / 5PM BST / 6PM CEST for the special State of Play Pre-Show, and at 2PM PDT / 10PM BST / 11PM CEST for the Horizon Forbidden West gameplay reveal. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/oBUybkqGeQgView the full article

Greetings travelers. I’m Chris Bischoff, creative director of The Brotherhood. Our isometric sci-fi adventure game, Beautiful Desolation, releases on PlayStation 4 May 28, so we wanted to give you a look at just a handful of the 40+ bizarre and unique characters you’ll meet on the journey. Play Video Since our two-person team lives in South Africa, Beautiful Desolation is a bit of a love letter to our home. We wanted to make a sci-fi adventure game overflowing with cool African inspirations and portrayals. So naturally the characters took a front row seat in this, be it in their looks, names, the slang they use, and working with African voice actors we brought on to bring them to life. So here are just five characters to look out for. Oothee – Hanasi Shield Maiden “If a people’s history is taken from them, they will do whatever it takes to reclaim it.” – Oothee The Hanasi is a once-proud warrior tribe who ruled with an iron fist. They have had their culture slowly eroded away due to modernization and subjugation. Their dazed state has cut them off from their history and connection to their ancestors. Now they waste away in the harsh sunlight begging for scrap from passers-by. Oothee or Momma as the Hanasi call her, is the matriarch of this tribe. She appears as a young woman but is truly ancient. Some speculate that her mind simply moves from one Hanasi Maiden to the next. Oothee and her brothers set out to unite the Hanasi and using a medicinal herb they have found a way to commune with their ancestors on the astral plane. The Grand Maw – Ruler Of The Fley “The host must be a child. Their brains are soft… their spines malleable. Even their skulls are not yet knit together, allowing the Fley to extend through the soft flesh. ” – The Grand Maw The Fley is a worm that creates a symbiotic relationship with its host. The symbioses of this relationship is in question. The Grand Maw is the leader of the Fley. She is at the pinnacle of Fley evolution, meaning she has outgrown the requirement of a human host. But without a body to sustain her, she is instead kept in a large vat in the volcanic underground caves of Scoria. The Grand Maw is desperately searching for a way to expand the Fley beyond the lava fall of Scoria. Ishmael – The Mongrel Hunter “I never trust a man with a clean dog” – Ismael The Mongrels are what remains of human civilization. Their use of environmental suits means that their travels aren’t restricted in the irradiated wasteland. Ishmael is a Mongrel hunter who has been tasked with tracking down the mythical Umloki which leads Ishmael into the desert plains of Vesta. This adventure has come at a great cost… his leg and the death of Red, his hunting prawn. Bra Bones – The Witherberg Bartender “Nevrogorses herself plucked my eye like a grape and sliced out my voice box as I knelt before her, as a reminder that she is always watching me, and I am to always speak her praise. What a gift!” – Bra Bones The Witnesses are cyborgs who have replaced so much of their anatomy that they barely count as human anymore. They are the liaison between the common folk and the High Priests Of Tribulation. Bra Bones runs The Old Abbey, a tavern in Vesta which is also home to the Mistress of Witherberg. He is always looking for a good new recruit into the cult of the Witnesses. Naarchee – Caecus Repair Tech “I don’t want to be in the dark anymore. Narchee misses the light. Please…” – Narchee The Caecus are blind map makers. Centuries of exploring the wasteland have withered their bodies which are now kept afloat by drones. Naarchie is a long Caecus who has been tasked with keeping a radio tower operational. Unfortunately, he is afraid of the dark, and his blindness has put him into a constant state of fear and depression. So there you go. At its weird little heart, Beautiful Desolation is a story-driven sci-fi adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic, distant future South Africa, reshaped by alien technology. We want players to know this is not some deep RPG with crazy character customization, item stats, loot hunting or constant combat. Rather, the core of the gameplay is about exploring this twisted, sci-fi African setting, meeting bizarre characters, making story defining dialogue choices, and solving a few puzzles. If this sounds like your type of jam, feel free to check it out on PS4 on May 28. Safe travels! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/FXcpjnNHq_8View the full article

Hey everyone! I’m Ben, and I’m super egg-cited to share our big news: KeyWe is coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on August 31. And if you’re scrolling through this post thinking, “Huh… A game about two kiwi birds running a chaotic mailroom? Tell me more!”, then buckle up, because that’s exactly what I’m here to do — including the first ever details on our DualSense wireless controller functionality for PS5. KeyWe is a cozy co-op game where you play as Jeff and Debra, two industrious kiwi birds who work at a fun and frantic post office. Jeff and Debra must collaborate together to type telegrams, send urgent messages, ship packages and keep the mail flowing to the residents of Bungalow Basin. You can play KeyWe with a friend in local and online co-op, as well as single-player, as you work your way through the changing seasons of the postal calendar with the help* of the colorful cast of critter co-workers joining you on your shifts. (*Some of them are totally unhelpful and should be fired immediately, but Telepost station manager Buck Hamm likes keeping them around.) The PS5 version of KeyWe will also take advantage of the DualSense controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers to let PS5 players really get a feel for the Telepost Office. What exactly do I mean by that? Well… Kiwi Feet at Your Fingertips Being a hard-working kiwi has its advantages, but flight isn’t one of them. Instead, feel every step Jeff and Debra take with pitter-patter vibrations as they scurry around the mailroom. We’ve all wondered what it would be like to hold a fluffy little kiwi – well, this is (probably) the next best thing. Keep the Post Rolling (in More Ways Than One) Never underestimate the strength of a determined mailbird. Jeff and Debra spend a lot of time pushing and pulling packages around the mailroom, and you’ll be able to feel this with a rolling haptic rumble to make your movements all the more immersive. Jeff and Debra may be small, but you’ll feel just how mighty they are too. These DualSense Controller Features are Snow Joke With no hands to help them, Jeff and Debra will have to use slingshots for a fighting chance against their colleagues in the Telepost’s annual snowball fight. And with the DualSense controller, you can feel the tightening tension when pulling back on your slingshot to land the perfect hit. These team-building exercises just keep getting more and more competitive. This Bubble Wrap Won’t Test Itself Popping bubble wrap is one of the finer things in life, and with the DualSense controller you’ll be able to feel every pop-pop-pop as you run some routine quality checks. And nobody can even tell you off for being annoying. It’s your job after all. Ready. Aim. Fire! The Telepost has some unorthodox means for moving mail around, including the patented Envelauncher. Feel the satisfying recoil of a well-launched letter every time Jeff and Debra fire this clattering contraption. Just don’t aim it at anyone’s face. Also, very importantly, you can dress up your kiwis. We’ve packed KeyWe with loads of cosmetic items and accessories for you to unlock and become the best-dressed birds in Bungalow Basin. We also have some awesome items for players who pre-order, including Buck’s Big Bushy Beard, the Cassowary Cowl, Zuni the baby octopus (she rides on your back), and the Experimental Postal Pack: a whirring gizmo that, when equipped, unlocks new objectives for you to test its mysterious properties, like hunting magnetic disturbances, collecting static charges or escaping hungry singularities. We’ll have much more to show you on KeyWe as we get closer to launch, but until then, all of us at Stonewheat hope you’re excited to meet Jeff and Debra and jump into the co-op calamity of the Telepost on August 31. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/GNC_t7S_MgMView the full article

Welcome to the Mortal Realms! With Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground, we at Gasket want to bring dynamic turn-based combat with strategic depth, where every piece at your command can be used in a variety of ways during fast-paced, decisive matches. With our game releasing tomorrow, we can’t wait to see you in the ever-changing realms. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check out our latest Overview Trailer to learn more about the freedom of playstyles, with a huge variety of approaches to every army and battle. Whether playing through the endlessly replayable solo campaigns with roguelike mechanics or fighting online against other players for dominance in online PvP matches, you’ll discover a wealth of challenges, rich mechanics, and customization options. Here are some tips on how to overcome your foes and survive in the brutal environment of the Mortal Realms. Consider your positioning carefully Unit adjacency bonuses will affect armor, damage, and health. Hills, hazards, and other units all affect the outcome of combat. If you step up to attack a squad while standing next to a hazard, you might find yourself knocked into it on the next turn. You can mitigate this by positioning troops to prevent enemies from occupying the spaces that would allow that position; it can be worth giving up a potential attack if it means protecting your hero from death. Experiment with different troop synergies, wargear, and skills Ranged units like Castigators and Chainghasts can be modified to penetrate armour, increase damage, or set fire to their targets. Heavily modified units do cost more to field, so sometimes it can be worth keeping a slot empty in order to field them earlier. Battle after battle, you will learn about the enemy’s weaknesses and equip your units for the dangers that await you. Sometimes a simple skill swap is enough to make the difference between victory and defeat. Your economy matters Power lets you field units and Divine Acts, but unspent power converts to Aethyr which lets you use magical abilities with your fielded troops. Do you field early troops to let you capture wellsprings that raise your power and aether resources, or do you commit your hero to an assault taking advantage of their abilities. These are all choices that will affect the outcome of each fight. The most powerful attacks are as spectacular to field as they are in strength The Lord Celestant can summon a powerful Stardrake to the field, and strafe a row of enemies, and Endless Spells like the Purple Sun are both gorgeous to look at and explosive to field. The Stormcast Eternals, Nighthaunt, and Maggotkin armies are fantastic to play in all meanings of the word. But your most powerful abilities, such as transforming your Maggotkin of Nurgle hero into a giant and devastating Great Unclean One takes several turns, costs a significant amount of power, and leaves the unit vulnerable during the incantation. It’s up to you to choose the best time to invoke these powerful techniques by protecting your ally or incapacitating the opponent during this time. Persistence pays off Each run of the campaign will be different: there are hundreds of items to earn in both the campaign, as well as in online multiplayer. Your army, items, and skills all benefit from investing time in finding more options to field. Whether you are fighting through the most difficult encounters of the campaign or squaring off against skilled opponents online, there is more to earn across the entirety of Storm Ground. On top of that, the campaign is filled with dozens of journals to discover – these character-narrated accounts offer a great introduction to the universe of Age of Sigmar. Take full advantage of Piercing Armor Some units have armor that protects their health from damage. Without special abilities or powerful attacks, they will be a challenge during battles. Consider equipping your troops with abilities that can break or pass through these protections. Not all of your units are able to pierce through the enemy armor as easily as your Heroes. Make sure they can deal with it to increase your supporting unit’s damage output. However, armor never completely protects a unit – there’s always a chance that an attack will find a weak spot. Cash in on caches Loot and Lore caches can be found on most battlefields, granting additional items and bonuses. They are sometimes hard to reach, but the reward may be worth the risk. It’s up to you to decide which unit you want to send to get them. Be careful though – since your opponent can also claim the loot, and chests disappear at the end of the battle if no one has claimed it. Each cache glows according to the rarity of the items inside and grants you powerful weapons, armors, abilities and lore elements to discover the secrets of the Mortal Realms. Not all actions are immediate While most attacks deal damage right away, certain skills are delayed. Anticipating your enemies’ next moves will allow you to deal higher damage later. Some units, such as the Stormcast Castigators, have powerful delayed field attacks. It is often wiser to ambush your opponents by luring them (sometimes even against their will with certain abilities) into your trap. Delayed abilities are a great way to control the pace of a fight if you want to get the most out of it. Prepare to battle in Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground tomorrow on PlayStation 4. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/uSnrww8QsH8View the full article