Commander Fury

I’m Hannah Nicklin, Writer and Narrative Designer at Die Gute Fabrik, and I’m delighted to be able to announce Mutazione via this brand-new teaser trailer.

Mutazione is an adventure game where the juicy gossip is just as important as the supernatural ‘adventure’ part of the game. The game is full of colorful dialogue, distinct character voices, and irresistibly tangled love-lives. It draws on the ensemble cast format of storytelling in favorite television shows such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Twin Peaks, Grey’s Anatomy, or Bojack Horseman.

Over 100 years ago, a great meteor named Moon Dragon struck a tropical holiday resort. Most of the inhabitants perished but those who didn’t remained in the mutating environment and founded the small community of Mutazione.

Fast-forward to modern day where you play as the protagonist Kai as she travels to this strange and secretive community to visit her ailing Grandfather, Nonno. Run around the village, choose who you want to talk to, and explore your way through an in-game week of small-town drama and scenic hangout spots. As you nurse your grandfather back to health, you make new friends, discover old betrayals, unravel long-kept secrets, and try to save everyone from a mysterious darkness at the heart of it all…

Die Gute Fabrik is a Denmark-based studio who have been making games for almost a decade. You might know us from Sportsfriends, Johann Sebastian Joust, and Where is My Heart. We make games that are handcrafted, fresh-feeling, offbeat, and which tell personal stories, and Mutazione is our most ambitious game yet.

I have been working as Writer and Narrative Designer on this game for over three years, but the story itself is much longer-lived, having been in Creative Director Nils Deneken’s imagination for over a decade. His beautiful illustration and design fills notebooks and paper scraps going back years.

Being handed the story-world of Mutazione has been a huge gift. Alongside an excellent and dedicated team, we’ve been able to develop and structure it around those first fledgling ideas into something full of dramatic twists and turns, rich characterization, and a lush hand-illustrated world.

The game also revolves around a generative musical “gardening” mechanic, which we hope to tell you more about soon. But for now, we’re designing a world we hope you’ll want to spend time in, and we’re writing characters we hope you’ll be eager to get to know.

You can play an exclusive demo of Mutazione at Day of the Devs at Game Developers Conference (GDC) March 18-22, 2019, or at the Sony booth at PAX East, March 28-31, 2019.

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It’s finally here! A fresh dose of beats just arrived to
Beat Saber and we are super excited to share it with you. Sharpen your sabers and swing with us.

It makes so much sense that we chose Monstercat for our very first Music Pack. These guys came to our mind as a perfect match because we believe in Monstercat’s progressive attitude and their supportive approach toward the games industry. For us, Monstercatis a perfect example of a trendy label that brings pulsing electronic dance music to their fans and community. And this philosophy strongly resonates with our studio!

Here is the list of tracks you will find in Monstercat Music Pack Vol. 1:

• ‘Boundless’ – Aero Chord
• ‘Emoji VIP’ – Pegboard Nerds
• ‘EPIC’ – Tokyo Machine
• ‘Feeling Stronger (feat. Charlotte Colley) [High Maintenance Remix]’ – Muzzy
• ‘Overkill’ – RIOT
• ‘Rattlesnake’ – Rogue
• ‘Stronger (feat. EMEL)’ – Stonebank
• ‘This Time’ – Kayzo
• ‘Till It’s Over’ – Tristam
• ‘We Won’t Be Alone (feat. Laura Brehm)’ – Feint

As usual, levels are mapped for all difficulties:

• Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert
• And of course, all-time favorite ‘Living Hell aka Expert+’ for all those crazy heroes out there

In the game, you can get full pack containing 10 tracks for $12.99 USD or get individual tracks for $1.99 USD each. We changed our UI so you can add tracks to your music library comfortably with just a few clicks and with your headset on!

We know it took our team longer than we expected but we are extremely happy to finally share this with you! The good thing is that from now on, releasing upcoming Music Packs will be much easier for us as we now have the infrastructure for adding new Music Packs figured out! Our plan is to share a new Music Pack with you every month and we already have several top stars and indie artists booked.

But Music Packs aren’t the only music content we are planning to add to the game. Apart from Music Packs, we will be releasing several free tracks from time to time. We want Beat Saber to become a place where you discover amazing artists and experience their pumping music in the most intense way — that’s our mission!

We can’t wait to share more of the names we have on the list!

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When demons invade, the PlayStation social team answers the call. We’ve been honing our skills with Dante, Nero, and V since Devil May Cry 5 released last week. Oh, the things we’ve learned while slicing and blasting the putrid minions of Urizen. DMC5 packs in surprising gameplay depth, so use these demon-slaying tips to up your game and know where to spend those Red Orbs.

Nero

• The Flow of Battle – Nero’s chargeable Blue Rose gun and Royal Queen blade powerful tools you must manage in battle. Try simultaneously revving up the Red Queen’s Exceed gauge while charging up the Blue Rose’s bullets. The resulting firepower stuns enemies, and the flaming sword dishes out pain.
• Breaker, Breaker – With all the tools at Nero’s disposal, don’t forget the new Devil Breakers! The Gerbera Breaker – obtained early on – deals potent shockwaves of damage that knock enemies back. The all-or-nothing Breakage attack summons a break beam of energy to devastate foes.
• Must-Have Nero Skills
  • Streak – Close the gap with this rushing attack.
  • Split – Slash enemies to the ground from mid-air.
  • MAX Act – Charge up your sword mid-combo by tapping L2 in sync with swings.

V

• Remap Those Buttons – V’s primarily attacks via his spectral familiars, Griffon and Shadow. By default these pals are mapped to face buttons. Tinker with remapping Griffon to a shoulder button to make it easier to execute moves that require holding buttons.
• Nightmare Treasures – Playing as V and see a suspicious wall or shiny collectible trapped behind a barrier? Try summoning Nightmare, who will sometimes clobber open routes to hidden goodies.
• Must-Have V Skills
  • Guillotine (Shadow) – A spinning charge attack that shreds enemies.
  • Blockade 2 (Griffon) – Blast forth more crackling pillars of electricity.
  • Trigger Heart – Keep Nightmare in the fray longer.

Dante

• Dante’s Many Tricks – Finally playing as Dante is rad, but his bounty of weapons and styles can make him a lot to handle. Avoid the urge to quickly buy complicated new skills and take time to practice Dante’s dual pistols, shotgun, swordplay, and melee-based weapons. Each weapon combination can be paired with a flashy combat Style like Trickster or Royal Guard, so there’s a lot to explore before digging deeper.
• Switch Up Styles – Remember to try Dante’s four unique styles in addition to juggling his many guns and melee weapons. The Swordmaster and Gunslinger Styles have signature moves associated with each weapon (break dance with Balrog or brandish a shotgun like nunchucks. Mix and match!
• Must-Have Dante Skills
  • Stinger — Perfect for reaching far-off baddies.
  • Ari Hike — Double jump to reach hidden areas.
  • Trigger Heart — Stay in Devil Trigger mode longer.

Above all, have fun! Don’t put too much performance pressure on your first DMC5 run (grades aren’t everything). Missions can be replayed at any time, and unlockable difficulty modes present more opportunities to hone your skills. Your weapons and purchased abilities even carry over into other difficulty modes. Good luck, and stay stylish!

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Starting March 26th, put the power of a full army – even dragons – at your fingertips and conquer the VR battlefield as Skyworld launches on PlayStation VR!

Skyworld is a VR wargame from the same team that brought you Arizona Sunshine. This time, we’re putting you at the helm of a kingdom at war in VR. Build your army from a huge variety of units – from snipers to siege tanks and flying fortresses – conquer all worlds and wage war against friends online!

Obliterating your friends in multiplayer will have an even more permanent, shove-it-in-their-faces effect with the all-new multiplayer features that we have added to Skyworld PS VR. A persistent leveling system will have you earn XP based on your single player and PvP victories and completing the game’s all-new daily challenges. Level up to unlock special avatars an earn a place on the new Skyworld PS VR leaderboards. Can you stand among the global top 10?

If you prefer to wage war in single player, Skyworld offers a full-sized single player campaign that has you start out with a small but growing army on a royal conquest across all Skyworlds. In a place where worlds dot the sky like stars – worlds with cores of magic, old as time through very much alive – demons have spilled into the once prosperous planets driven by a lust for their magical power. It’s up to you to deliver them from darkness.

Skyworld heads to war on PlayStation VR on March 26th, 2019. We hope to see you on the battlefield!

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A few months ago, we spoke with Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of legendary FromSoftware milestones like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, to learn what we could about their just-announced new project: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Now, Sekiro’s release date is almost here… but we still have questions. Activision’s Robert Conkey, producer on the title, was kind enough to answer a few of them as we draw nearer to launch on March 22.

PlayStation.Blog: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is nearly here. First of all, congratulations! How does the team collectively feel at this stage? Relieved? Excited? Anxious?

Robert Conkey, Producer: Thank you! It is hard to describe everything all in one word, but to say the least we are extremely excited. From has been hard at work on the game for some time now, and it has come to an incredible place. We can’t wait for players to experience FromSoftware’s next work.

PSB: What has it been like to work with FromSoftware?

RK: FromSoftware is a world class developer and it has truly been an honor to work with them. Personally, working with them on this title was a bit of a dream come true. The amount of love, blood, sweat and tears they’ve put into this game is astounding, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the results of that themselves later this month.

PSB: The main character of Sekiro is much more agile and mobile than characters have generally been in past FromSoftware titles. How does this new approach affect gameplay?

RK: Mobility is one of the things in the game we’re really excited about, as it opens up many new ways to fight. Just having a dedicated jump changes the concept of combat entirely, where you suddenly have to think in three dimensions – you have to jump over sweep attacks, you can deflect, use arm tools and combat arts in the air, etc. Additionally, the added mobility means encounters can be designed for the player to viably fight larger groups of enemies at the same time. There are a variety of techniques that are designed specifically for this purpose, and they can be very fun to use. The Bloodsmoke Ninjutsu technique we showed at TGS is a great example of one of these.

PSB: How do specific enemies like the Corrupted Monk and Oniwa dictate the change in an environment’s mood? Is there a relationship between the atmosphere of an area and the mechanics a player will find themself using?

RK: FromSoftware are masters of atmosphere, and they’ve done some really exciting stuff this time. It’s clear that much consideration has been made for each boss appearance and ensuring a certain mood is achieved. Just before a boss things might get quiet, and you may spend some time walking through a beautiful, visually rich area — the calm before the storm. Each boss has their own musical theme, as well as their own sense of character and personality, which is expressed vividly in their animations.

The Corrupted Monk is a great example of this – everything from her long flowing robes, to the way she fights, the bridge, the lighting, the music… it all plays into what makes the fight that much more memorable. Even the surrounding trees change the combat itself by allowing for different grapple points to escape or find a new vantage point for an attack.

PSB: In an interview with Miyazaki-san at E3 he mentioned that the details of the resurrection system in the game hadn’t yet been finalized, but I think it’s safe to presume they have been at this point. Can you share any insight into how that mechanic affects the flow of the game? Are there approaches that were proposed but did not end up in the final game?

RK: FromSoftware iterated on the resurrection system quite a bit, and I think it landed in a really great place. The idea was to ensure the player could experience intense combat as a fragile but powerful shinobi, while still giving the player some leeway to really push their limits and take some risks.

It also allows the player some opportunities to use death to their advantage by luring enemies into a false sense of security. Some astute players may have noticed, but the E3/Gamescom demo also featured an item that allows you to cause your own death specifically for the purpose of taking this advantage.

Of course, FromSoftware needed to make sure this mechanic didn’t make the game too easy (and don’t worry, it hasn’t); the game has been tuned around the fact that players have this ability. So while it makes for a different flow than what you’ve seen in previous titles, the level of challenge you’d expect is very much intact.

PSB: We spoke before about the different ways players might approach a battle in Sekiro, but is there a certain strategy you generally prefer? Sprint in with weapon drawn, or stick to the shadows and plan a quieter attack?

RK: This game has a lot of combat variety even in just the encounter composition. For example, sometimes you’ll be up against a group of five, six, or more regular enemies, other times two or three big, powerful ones, and other times it’s a pure 1v1. The player will have access to many tools that can help with such challenging situations.

Much of the strategy of the game is based on how good your initiate is and if you’re bringing the right tools to the party. Stealth is one of your strongest methods of initiation, and other mid-to-late-game moves such as the Bloodsmoke ninjutsu are especially effective when engaging against groups.

Prosthetic tool and Combat Art selection can also make a big difference in combat, so a lot of the fun is experimenting with different tactics and determining which tools and techniques make sense for different enemies. We are excited to see some of the unique approaches that fans come up with.

PSB: What’s one thing you think all players of Sekiro — be they hardened Dark Souls veterans or more casual players looking to broaden their horizons — should know before they start the game?

RK: While fans of From’s previous works will certainly find Sekiro familiar in some ways, this is an entirely new game that we think will appeal to both long time From fans as well as new players. The new Posture system is an evolution of FromSoftware’s signature combat, so some of the tactics that worked previously might not work so well anymore. I would encourage players to take the time to learn, embrace, and experiment with the new combat system and I believe they will find it very rewarding.

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Hi there! I’m Francesco Bruschi, CEO of development studio 3DClouds. We are bringing arcade racing back with the futuristic Xenon Racer! I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it when it releases later this month. But first, I would like to tell you the story of how my past as a go kart driver has inspired me to create a racing game, and how I translated my own experiences into features of the game.

Racing is in my blood, my grandfather was a race driver and his passion has been passed down from father to son. When I was ten years old, my father encouraged me to push myself to my limits in go kart races. I fell in love with the world of racing, the speed and adrenaline, the race lines, the sound of the roaring engines and the exquisite technique of the cars. I took part in the 100cc Championship, after which I participated in the LeMans Kart Race with the Beretta team and even raced Sebastian Vettel in Formula Renault.

I’ve always loved playing sim racing games as well. At some point I was playing the game Grand Prix 2, where I could simply modify liveries. From that moment on, I fell in love with the modding system and basically started to recreate every piece of my racing equipment within my favorite video games. I became infatuated with the idea of making a racing game from scratch, and a few years later my dream came true with the creation of Xenon Racer.

With Xenon Racer, the aim was to create an old school arcade racer, where players can have uncomplicated fun right from the start. We chose a futuristic theme, which fits the arcade vibe and allowed us to use our imagination and creativity when designing tracks, cars and buildings. We’ve spent a lot of time playing the classic arcade racers of the past 20 years and we’ve integrated their best qualities into Xenon Racer. We’ve also tried to take the physics of the karts I used to drive into the real cars in the game, by creating fast, futuristic cars that run at 400 km/h and that can drift just like a go kart.

The drifting system was the first thing we wanted to perfect, because to me drifting is a big part of what makes racing so much fun. We tuned the drift system until we had reached the perfect chemistry, a drift that challenges players to refine their driving style with every race. To add the true sense of competition that is key in racing, we have also included leaderboards, classic split screen for couch play and online lobbies in the game.

It was important to me to offer a massive amount of customization options as well, since that is something I’ve always valued in racing games. In Xenon Racer, you can personalize vehicles not only with extra liveries, but also with free palettes to change the looks and extra parts to change the statistics. For every racing track, there is a difference as to which car and which settings work best to put you in pole position.

I am very proud of how Xenon Racer turned out, and hope that you will have the same adrenaline rush that I experienced on the tracks as a child. Xenon Racer is already available for pre-order, and launches both physically and digitally on March 26, so speed to the stores and experience the drifts and boosts yourself. See you on the tracks!

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Greetings! More than 11 years after its initial launch, it’s time to level up PlayStation.Blog once again.

We’ve been working on some assorted UX tweaks for the past few months, and over the next day or two, we’re excited to begin rolling them out for you.

We had a few broad goals for the new-and-improved () PlayStation.Blog:

• A streamlined look and feel
• A simpler, more pleasant user interface
• Improved mobile/tablet functionality
• Improved discoverability for new and recent articles, as well as new videos

There are a number of other tweaks and refinements. But we didn’t want to change what makes PlayStation.Blog great: you’ll still see all the great announcements, developer updates, and peeks behind our playful curtains that you’ve come to expect.

That said, please pardon our dust while we roll out the new updates — you may notice things that don’t behave quite as expected as we transition everything over. If you notice any issues or have requests for new features you’d like to see us implement (Blog-specific requests only, please!) leave them in the comments here — unless the comments are acting up. And in that case, send us a smoke signal or something. We’ll be watching!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. PlayStation.Blog is something the whole team here is proud of, and we consider it a privilege to be able to keep bringing you updates on the games you (and we) love so much.

Now then, back to the news!

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Diamond Dynasty is back, and this year, we’ve made improvements to make it more customizable and rewarding than ever. At its core, Diamond Dynasty is an online mode that lets you play the game your way while earning the prizes you want. Let’s take a look at what’s different in MLB The Show 19’s new and improved Diamond Dynasty.

XP Reward Path

The Show 19 features an all new XP Reward Path. This means you can unlock excellent big-time rewards anywhere throughout the game. No matter what game mode you prefer, you can earn XP to use towards everything from Diamond players to special unlockable items.

Team Affinity

Being a die-hard fan of your favorite MLB team finally pays off. In the all-new Team Affinity section, you can earn rewards as you rack up innings with players from your favorite team. The more innings you play, the more team-specific rewards you’ll earn.

Signature Series

Diamond Dynasty’s next reveal is a big one: the Signature Series. Signature Series is a new set of rare and powerful unlockable players, taking Diamond Dynasty to new levels. Get ready to hunt down autographs to unlock all-time greats like Willie Mays. This is the new class of must-have players for your squad.

New Conquest Map Configuration and Goals

This year, Conquest is getting a major overhaul. In Conquest mode, you battle your way through maps, playing strategic games to unlock prizes. In MLB The Show 19, we’ve added all new maps with new scenarios. Attack strongholds and steal fans from opposing teams. New Conquest challenges will require your sharpest skills and strategies to unlock more rewards than ever.

Bat Skins

We’ve added tons of new customizable gear options to deck out your team and players. All new bat skins featuring flames, diamonds, and dozens of other creative designs. Swing away in style and show off to your friends with the most customizable gear yet.

Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale Rewards

Diamond Dynasty is our most competitive game mode, and so we have something special for our most competitive elite players. Choice Packs are now a part of Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale rewards at the highest levels of Diamond Dynasty. Fierce competition yields the biggest rewards, so bring your best game to win more Choice Packs.

Be sure to check out this Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on Diamond Dynasty. In the meantime, please make sure to watch The Show Nation, our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts between now and March 26 for the latest updates.

View the full article

Diamond Dynasty is back, and this year, we’ve made improvements to make it more customizable and rewarding than ever. At its core, Diamond Dynasty is an online mode that lets you play the game your way while earning the prizes you want. Let’s take a look at what’s different in MLB The Show 19’s new and improved Diamond Dynasty.

XP Reward Path

The Show 19 features an all new XP Reward Path. This means you can unlock excellent big-time rewards anywhere throughout the game. No matter what game mode you prefer, you can earn XP to use towards everything from Diamond players to special unlockable items.

Team Affinity

Being a die-hard fan of your favorite MLB team finally pays off. In the all-new Team Affinity section, you can earn rewards as you rack up innings with players from your favorite team. The more innings you play, the more team-specific rewards you’ll earn.

Signature Series

Diamond Dynasty’s next reveal is a big one: the Signature Series. Signature Series is a new set of rare and powerful unlockable players, taking Diamond Dynasty to new levels. Get ready to hunt down autographs to unlock all-time greats like Willie Mays. This is the new class of must-have players for your squad.

New Conquest Map Configuration and Goals

This year, Conquest is getting a major overhaul. In Conquest mode, you battle your way through maps, playing strategic games to unlock prizes. In MLB The Show 19, we’ve added all new maps with new scenarios. Attack strongholds and steal fans from opposing teams. New Conquest challenges will require your sharpest skills and strategies to unlock more rewards than ever.

Bat Skins

We’ve added tons of new customizable gear options to deck out your team and players. All new bat skins featuring flames, diamonds, and dozens of other creative designs. Swing away in style and show off to your friends with the most customizable gear yet.

Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale Rewards

Diamond Dynasty is our most competitive game mode, and so we have something special for our most competitive elite players. Choice Packs are now a part of Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale rewards at the highest levels of Diamond Dynasty. Fierce competition yields the biggest rewards, so bring your best game to win more Choice Packs.

Be sure to check out this Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on Diamond Dynasty. In the meantime, please make sure to watch The Show Nation, our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts between now and March 26 for the latest updates.

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When Sabotage creative director Thierry Boulanger was eight years old, his grandfather gave him a copy of Ninja Gaiden II. This event sparked a lifelong interest in telling stories and creating his own dream video game. About 25 years later, The Messenger, an 8-bit ninja platformer that blossoms into a 16-bit metroidvania, was released to critical acclaim, earned the Game Award for best Debut Indie Game of 2018 and was even praised by the Ninja Gaiden creators themselves.

In The Messenger, players take the role of a young ninja tasked with carrying a magic scroll across a cursed world in order to save his clan besieged by a demon army. While, on the surface The Messenger might look like a simple homage to the classic platformers, you’ll quickly discover that the game plays with your expectations to surprise you with its modern game design approach, clever writing and super tight controls. The cast of memorable characters as well as its fourth wall and the inclusion of a few mechanics from other game genres also contribute in making The Messenger a truly unique gaming experience.

While the game is considered fair compared to platformers of the early 90s, it still proves very challenging even to hardcore players with its 45 optional Power Seals to collect as well as its unique New Game+ system. We also designed The Messenger with the speedrunning community in mind from the beginning and we make a point to wholeheartedly support the scene in any way we can.

Ever since The Messenger was announced, fans have been asking us to bring it to PS4. Well, the wait is over, and we are very excited that the PlayStation family can carry the scroll and do the thing with a DualShock controller starting March 19.

But that’s not all. This summer, the story of The Messenger will take an unexpected turn with the release of a free expansion entitled Picnic Panic. This resolutely silly adventure will test your skills even more as our ninja heads to Voodkin Island in order to thwart Barma’thazël’s wicked plan.

Sabotage is a Quebec City based indie studio mostly made up of veteran developers with a deep passion for retro games and the punk attitude. We hope that you will enjoy The Messenger as it was created with a lot of love to bring back those memories of gaming from another era while keeping you on the edge as truly modern games do so well.

View the full article

When Sabotage creative director Thierry Boulanger was eight years old, his grandfather gave him a copy of Ninja Gaiden II. This event sparked a lifelong interest in telling stories and creating his own dream video game. About 25 years later, The Messenger, an 8-bit ninja platformer that blossoms into a 16-bit metroidvania, was released to critical acclaim, earned the Game Award for best Debut Indie Game of 2018 and was even praised by the Ninja Gaiden creators themselves.

In The Messenger, players take the role of a young ninja tasked with carrying a magic scroll across a cursed world in order to save his clan besieged by a demon army. While, on the surface The Messenger might look like a simple homage to the classic platformers, you’ll quickly discover that the game plays with your expectations to surprise you with its modern game design approach, clever writing and super tight controls. The cast of memorable characters as well as its fourth wall and the inclusion of a few mechanics from other game genres also contribute in making The Messenger a truly unique gaming experience.

While the game is considered fair compared to platformers of the early 90s, it still proves very challenging even to hardcore players with its 45 optional Power Seals to collect as well as its unique New Game+ system. We also designed The Messenger with the speedrunning community in mind from the beginning and we make a point to wholeheartedly support the scene in any way we can.

Ever since The Messenger was announced, fans have been asking us to bring it to PS4. Well, the wait is over, and we are very excited that the PlayStation family can carry the scroll and do the thing with a DualShock controller starting March 19.

But that’s not all. This summer, the story of The Messenger will take an unexpected turn with the release of a free expansion entitled Picnic Panic. This resolutely silly adventure will test your skills even more as our ninja heads to Voodkin Island in order to thwart Barma’thazël’s wicked plan.

Sabotage is a Quebec City based indie studio mostly made up of veteran developers with a deep passion for retro games and the punk attitude. We hope that you will enjoy The Messenger as it was created with a lot of love to bring back those memories of gaming from another era while keeping you on the edge as truly modern games do so well.

View the full article

Modern Warfare Remastered brings this classic back in full HD for a new generation of console gamers delivering the epic action, visceral gameplay and immersive experience that only Call of Duty can deliver.

It’s fortunate then, that key operatives have six helpful tips listed to help you survive and thrive in combat zones from Ambush to Wet Work, and any map in-between:

Movement Sensitivity

Change your Horizontal and Vertical Sensitivity. Long-range engagements are common in Modern Warfare Remastered, so if you find yourself over-compensating your aim, it may help to reduce your sensitivity until you have your aim dialed in.

Reload Cancel

Manually cancel your reload as soon as the bullet icons appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen (by double-tapping triangle), instead of waiting for your weapon to finish reloading. This allows you to bring your weapon to bear more quickly, and with a full clip or chamber.

Evasive Maneuvers

Make yourself more difficult a target to hit. Instead of jumping about, try strafing from side-to-side and — once in a while — use the “dropshot” technique (during frantic close-quarter fights). That is, dropping into a prone position while moving and firing at a foe, to make yourself harder to hit. Use the Tactical button layout when employing this trick.

Window Jumps

Instead of climbing (AKA mantling) through open windows, attempt to jump and crouch as you pass through a window. It’s slightly faster and keeps your weapon poised for firing.

Use Cover Correctly

Reduce your exposure to other players by utilizing cover (behind low walls, barrels, and jutting environmental scenery), thus making yourself more difficult to hit. Conversely, lob in a grenade if a foe is hiding to flush them out.

More Haste, Less Speed

Sprinting blindly around a corner is foolish, as you’re likely to run into an enemy waiting for you; when you approach corners with no knowledge of what’s on the other side; then don’t be reckless; instead you should slow down, step out, and then deal with threats. This can reduce your deaths.

Juggernaut and Stopping Power

Both these perks should be at the top of your list: Juggernaut allows you to take more damage, and is good for beginners learning the layout of maps (as you can survive for longer), while Stopping Power grants you more damage to your weapons; perfect for one-shot kills with more powerful weaponry.

Whether you’re visiting Modern Warfare Remastered for the first time, or reliving your chaotic campaign time with Captain Price, Gaz, and the crew, our tips only scratch the surface regarding the deeper tactics present. Choose and perfect your preferred weapons, combine them proficiently with appropriate perks, learn every alleyway and lookout spot on every multiplayer map, and earn the optimal XP as you aim to unlock Prestige Mode. These are all part of the Modern Warfare Remastered experience.

Now gather up your ghillie suit, sharpen your skills, and we’ll see you on the battleground.

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The fate of the nation’s capital is on the line, and it falls to a team of elite agents to neutralize an imposing new threat. The Division 2 launches Friday, March 15, with a new campaign set in a 1:1 recreation of Washington DC, a bevy of weapons and gear to pursue, and a robust, ever-evolving endgame that will ensure players have plenty to keep them busy well past the end of the main story.

For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop!

The information above is subject to change without notice.

For Honor Playlist

Captain Marvel (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Juice WRLD – Death Race
for Love

Mary Poppins Returns

Holmes and Watson

Second Act

Don’t miss the 4-part documentary series starting Sunday, 3/10 at 9/8c on HBO

The information above is subject to change without notice.

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Flash Sale, anyone? Don’t mind if we do. This weekend PlayStation Store is delivering Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition, Hitman 2, and more — all for up to 40 percent off.

Spend some quality time with your friends and survive Don’t Starve Together, flop around surreal dreamscapes with Human: Fall Flat, or keep it solitary while customizing your cell in Prison Boss VR.

As always, check out the full list of titles below and don’t delay. PS Store’s Flash Sale ends March 11 at 8 AM PT.

Note: All pricing is for U.S. only and subject to change.

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Last week, we asked you shine a spotlight on your favorite female characters. You sent us warriors, heroes, villains, survivors, champions, and everything in between using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are just some of ladies we admire:

Ellie takes sanctuary in water in this The Last of Us share by @seekers_sanctuary.

We got a LOT of truly amazing shots of Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn this week…but this one shared by @SebastianoCatig definitely got points for creativity.

This share by @Raffu42 perfectly captured Senua’s vulnerability in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.

Kasumi is ready to fight in Dead or Alive 6, shared by @Mistress_Quinn.

Kassandra poses gracefully in the Master Artemis armor set from Assassins Creed Origins, shared @ilikedetectives.

Elizabeth is mysterious as ever in the Bioshock Infinite: Buried at Sea DLC, shared by @deepak7kumar.

Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week?

Theme: Devil May Cry 5
Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, March 13

Time to get downright demonic. This week, join Nero, Dante and V as they fight off a demonic invasion in style. Share your wildest moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

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Friends, Rivellonians, Godwoken — lend me your eyes! We’re excited to tell you that we’ve just sent you our first Gift Bag! These content updates are coming over the course of the year, and the amount of content is increasing each time. We know a lot of you reroll characters and start new adventures in Divinity: Original Sin 2, and we wanted to make that experience more enriching each time.

Within these Gift Bags are free content that’ll be patched directly into the game, with a new option on the main menu letting you activate or deactivate each Gift Bag as you desire coming with, Gift Bag #2.

Gift Bag #1 launches today and contains a host of new visual options for your character. There are new faces for every race, plenty of new hairstyles to choose from and an eclectic mix of additional facial features to help roll a Godwoken like never before. Why not share some screenshots of your new characters with us?

But our Gift Bags won’t just be visual! For Gift Bag #2 we’ve been inspired by our active modding community, and so we’ve created a bunch of content based on the most popular mods for Divinity: Original Sin 2, so you can enjoy new ways of playing the game. These will be specially prepared compatible versions for you to try out, so now you too can play with Free Petpal for all characters or Infinite Spirit Vision. There’s lots more to be excited for in that pack, but we’ll share more details closer to the time.

Crossover characters, unique armor sets, a very special weapon (hint: DIY) and lots more are coming over the next year, and we can’t wait to see what you make with them.

We can’t wait to see your screenshots, hear your stories, and read your reactions as they roll out over the coming year. Thanks for your support, and we hope you continue to enjoy your foray into Rivellon!

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Devil May Cry 5 is now live on PS4! In celebration of the legendary demon-slaying series’ fifth installment, we reached out to producer Matt Walker of Capcom to get answers to a few devilish questions before we settle in for a weekend of rocket-riding, motorcycle-wielding, air-juggling action.

PlayStation.Blog: Devil May Cry helped popularize the idea of an over-the-top action-combat-RPG way back in 2001. What’s it been like to see this genre mature (well, maybe that’s not the right word…) over the past couple decades, and how did the team look to push it further with DMC5?

Matt Walker, Capcom: It’s been amazing to see action change and evolve since the first Devil May Cry. There have been action games that have pushed the genre with open world elements, there are those that have implemented gear-based approaches like Monster Hunter, and there are even action games that have lifted storytelling in video games to rival what you see in longer established mediums like movies.

Itsuno-san’s main concept for DMC5 has always been to bring the focus back to “pure action” – he wanted to show the world that the essence of what makes action games fun hasn’t changed in the last 30 years – that game loop of coming up against a good challenge, and then feeling an immense sense of accomplishment by overcoming that challenge.

With DMC5 we pushed this further by adding a 3rd playable character with a completely different approach in V, and further differentiating Nero’s gameplay with the Devil Breakers.

PSB: What do you think are the biggest, most important changes to have happened to DMC’s combat system across its various installments? What are some of the most important things that haven’t changed?

MW: The first Devil May Cry really established the template for stage-based 3D action games – I personally think it was the first one to translate the fun of side-scrolling 2D action games well to 3D. It literally defined Devil May Cry by introducing air combos and launchers, as well as the concepts of the Devil Trigger and the Style Rank.

In DMC2 we added a new playable character for the first time, as well as the ability to change weapons on the fly.

In DMC3 Itsuno-san fully took the reins and put his own spin on the story, the character design, and added fighting game like styles to give Dante even more options for playing.

In DMC4, we introduced Nero and the Devil Bringer, which gave him a completely new approach for combating enemies by pulling them in, as well as awesome throw/grapple moves he could perform on different enemies. We also introduced style switching in real time, which really solidified Dante’s gameplay as seamless.

As mentioned previously, DMC5 brings in Nero’s Devil Breakers and new character V, which will provide a brand new approach to gameplay for the series.

PSB: How drastically did the introduction of Devil Arms and Devil Triggers affect the overarching systems at play here? Did the dev team have to go back to the drawing board to see how that all fit in?

MW: One very interesting thing about the way Itsuno-san makes games is that he never deviates from the original concept he had when starting out development. Another way to put that is that he’s vetted his initial design so thoroughly before beginning development, that he never has to make any major changes to realize the final product. That being the case, although we had instances where we tuned various parameters along the way, we never had any instances where we had to completely rethink or overhaul a mechanic to make it work.

PSB: In a game where you wield a motorcycle as a weapon and break dance fight – what is one idea the team thought was way too crazy to get into the final game?

MW: One of the ideas we had for Dante was a figure skating weapon. At the time, figure skating was pretty big in Japan, and we thought it might be outrageous to see Dante figure skating. At the time we couldn’t think of a way to make it work quite right, so we shelved it.

PSB: What can you tell us about Nico?

MW: She’s a badass. She’s the granddaughter of Nell Goldstein, the Gunsmith who created Ebony & Ivory. She’s the one who devised and created Nero’s Devil Breakers, and she’s Nero’s partner, who drives around the DMC Motorhome with him.

PSB: Everyone knows about Dante’s mainstay weapons (Rebellion, Ebony & Ivory), but we’ve got some new toys to play with in DMC5. What’s the deal with this hat weapon? What about literally using a motorcycle as a melee weapon?

MW: The hat is called “Dr. Faust,” and it’s a throwback to an enemy from Devil May Cry 4. We thought it would be interesting to implement a risk/reward mechanic involving Red Orbs where you would use them, but could get back even more in return if you’re good.

The motorcycle is called “Cavaliere” – we’ve wanted to give Dante a motorcycle he could fight with since Devil May Cry 2. When revisiting the concept for Devil May Cry 5, one of the series animators provided a piece of concept art where Dante had the two pieces of the motorcycle in both his hands as he was dual-wielding chainsaws – it was right then and there we said we HAD to do it.

PSB: The developers have described DMC5 as having a certain “adolescent sense of cool” about it. What, in your mind, is the best example of a sense of style that only DMC can bring?

MW:I think Devil May Cry is the only series that can combine PBR (Physically-Based Rendering) graphics with swords, guns, lasers, explosions, one-liners – and do it in a way that comes off as both sincere and AAA.

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The charts are in! February’s launch of Respawn’s free-to-play battle royale Apex Legends took players by surprise, landing them top honors on the F2P list this month. BioWare’s shared-world shooter Anthem led the charge on PS4, and Beat Saber slashed through the competition to secure a win on the PlayStation VR side.

This year’s just getting started, though! March has some big ones lined up, including MLB The Show 19, The Division 2, Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and more. Stay tuned to see who comes out on top!

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Hi PlayStation.Blog, this is Paweł Lekki, co-founder of Exor Studios. I want to announce that our new game, The Riftbreaker, is coming to PS4.

It’s a fresh combination of hack ’n’ slash gameplay, base building, and survival on an alien planet. The main character’s name is Captain Ashley S. Nowak. She is a Riftbreaker — her task is to travel through a one-way portal to a distant planet to establish a base that will support a two-way portal for further colonization.

Ashley’s only friend in this distant world is her AI-controlled Mecha-Suit which she calls Mr. Riggs. Even though Ashley is a trained scientist, she is also a hot-tempered elite soldier. Although it might seem that the fighting is done with Mr. Riggs’ hands, he is usually the voice of reason in this duo.

The game’s action takes place on Galatea 37, a distant planet in the Sycorax Belt of the Milky Way Galaxy. It is an uncharted planet full of unknown minerals, strange plants, and exotic creatures. Ashley will have to gather samples to research new technologies, buildings, and invention blueprints. New weapons, special items, and upgrades for Mr. Riggs can be crafted using various materials that are found across the planet. Some of these materials provide unique properties while others may increase durability, attack power or other characteristics.

In order to survive in this hostile environment, you’ll have to build up a base and start gathering resources. You’ll be able to construct various types of mines, refineries, pipelines for transporting liquids, factories for building weapons and multiple kinds of power facilities. Some rare elements won’t be available near your base so you’ll have to travel across the planet to construct remote outposts. Gathering enough energy to power up the rift back home is going to require a really large base…

Galatea’s creatures won’t be happy with your interference in their environment. You can expect them to attack your base as you expand your activities. But don’t worry; you won’t have to fight all of them on your own. You’ll be able to construct defense towers, walls, and traps that will keep them off your perimeter.

The Riftbreaker is our third game based on the Schmetterling engine. We’ve been building this technology for more than 10 years. We started creating it with our first independent game, Zombie Driver, and enhanced it further with the development of X-Morph: Defense. We’re now officially calling it the Schmetterling Engine 2.0. It is custom-tailored for the Riftbreaker and allows us to make the game that we really want to make without any compromise.

We’ll have a lot more to share with you in the coming months so stay tuned!

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Hey guys! My name is Matej Zajacik, co-founder of Fatbot Games, creators of the steampunk dungeon crawler Vaporum. Vaporum is a modern first-person, single-character, grid-based dungeon crawler in an original steampunk setting, releasing April 9 in 11 different languages.

The game revolves around combat, puzzle solving, character development, exploring an environment filled with mysteries and secrets, and uncovering a sinister story. Vaporum uses a unique system where you develop your suit, instead of the human inside, by installing gadgets that grant various skills and bonuses.

Who We Are

We are a small indie company based in Slovakia, Central Europe, founded by Tibor Repta and myself. We worked on the first prototype as roommates in his small flat while burning through our savings.

Vaporum was developed by four industry veterans (former colleagues and long-time friends) with 43 years of combined experience in the game development business and we’ve grown to six members since launch. We believe in polished games with strong storylines and high production value in terms of both visuals and gameplay.

What inspired us

A great inspiration for Vaporum was a game that has basically created its own genre: Dungeon Master (1988). Not only a genre-defining game, it was also one of the best, and was followed by many others like it.

One example of these successors is Eye of the Beholder (1991), which we paid homage to in this video. In 2012, Almost Human revived the genre by releasing Legend of Grimrock. The grid-based movement can work well with modern audio-visuals and brings the gameplay of the old titles back to our screens.

Vaporum in Detail

Combat

Combat takes place in real time. Each enemy type has a distinctive set of strengths and weaknesses, and various kinds of attacks and defense mechanisms, so you must employ different tactics to beat each one.

Weapons differ in terms of damage, but also because each weapon type has a certain unique bonus or behavior other weapons don’t have. This adds more depth and requires some thought when choosing which weapons to equip.

You wear an exoskeleton rig, which you will enhance with many types of gadgets: direct attacks, area attacks, offensive & defensive buffs, and more. While these gadgets are powerful, they also drain your energy, and some enemies are immune to certain types of attacks. So, you will have to figure out the best way to deal with every encounter.

Puzzles

Most mechanics in Vaporum are very simple. However, combining these mechanics creates intriguing puzzles where you must use both your wits and reflexes. While most puzzles and riddles are contained within a single room, progression objectives can span an entire level or even multiple levels.

Character Progression

Instead of increasing the abilities of your character, you will improve the exo-rig itself. You have four types to choose from. The system combines a “you are what you wear” aspect with the long-term development of your exo-rig. The gadget-based system allows you to equip various gadgets to help you define your own playstyle. You can change your gadget loadout at any time, giving you a great deal of flexibility to deal with various situations.

As your exo-rig improves, you get to unlock useful circuits on it, gaining significant permanent attribute bonuses and strong passive skills. These two approaches result in a ton of customization and plenty of viable character builds, all at your will.

Storyline

Uncover the mysterious storyline via written notes and recorded audio-diaries. Find out what happened to the giant structure in the middle of an ocean, its inhabitants, and most importantly, to you.

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This week, we welcome Astro Gaming VP of Marketing Aron Drayer for a chat about their upcoming C40 TR PS4 controller. Plus, the gang talks managing their gaming time, Sid shares his latest Days Gone impressions, Justin talks burning calories with Beat Saber… and we take an introspective turn to share our happy places. Enjoy!

Stuff We Talked About

• Days Gone
• The Astro C40 TR PS4 Controller
• Managing our gaming time
• Beat Saber
• The Division 2
• Our happy places

The Cast

Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA
Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA
Kristen Zitani – Social Media Specialist, SIEA
Tim Turi – Senior Social Media Specialist, SIEA

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

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

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Who among us has never wanted a superpower? In Rage 2, your lifelong dream of heroic powers will finally be fulfilled. You’ll experience what it’s like to be a real wasteland superhero when Rage 2 launches on PS4 on May 14 — but for now, get a taste of that R-rated superhero life that you’ve previously only seen in short-lived Netflix originals with this brand-new trailer.

You’ve Got the Power(s)

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear super high-tech body armor and decorate themselves in the blood and entrails of their enemies. (Trust us, you’re not pulling off a Slam from high altitude without getting some person-paste on your shoes.) But what kinds of powers are in a wasteland superhero’s arsenal?

“We went through a number of iterations to ensure that we got abilities that complement and synergize with the weapons, not replace them,” explains Lead Combat Designer Peter Johansson. “In the spirit of id-style combat, we wanted abilities that support the aggressive, push forward, close- to mid-range combat we are creating. The key to survival in Rage 2 is to get up in your enemies’ faces, and the abilities are designed as tools to encourage that.”

Slam

Rain destruction from above with Slam, a devastating ground-pound attack. The effectiveness of Slam is based on height; the higher up you are, the more powerful the Slam. Grab some air with a double-jump and smash your enemies into a chunky red paste.

Shatter

When you absolutely need to get people out of your face, hit them with Shatter, a lethal kinetic blast that forces enemies away from you and sometimes just outright makes their heads explode.

Vortex

Vortex lets you pull your enemies out of their comfort zone. Aim and toss Vortex near a crowd of enemies to yank them all toward one spot, leaving them primed for a well-timed grenade, rocket or other area-based attack.

Barrier

Toss out your own portable shield with Barrier. Block incoming fire and instantly kill pretty much anything that comes into contact with your Barrier. A well-timed Barrier and Vortex combo will drag your enemies directly into your killer shield.

And More…

Those are just some of the abilities you can pick up, but between those four, Rush, Dash, Grav-Jump, Overdrive and more, you’ve got the makings for a master of the battlefield.

Don’t Forget the Upgrades

All abilities in the game have numerous upgrades to help you become the ultimate badass. Even the Rush ability (an extra speed boost you can trigger while sprinting) has some sweet tricks, like double sprinting speed and temporary invisibility. There are over 70 upgrades for abilities alone, some of which offer a cooldown decrease or a damage increase, while others add entirely new functionality.

“Traversal is very free and versatile in the game, and it becomes even more so the more you upgrade,” explains Yan Knoop, Gameplay Programmer. “If you master things like Dash, Grav-Jump, Float, Vortex jumps, and Rush, you can really master any space and keep your enemies constantly dizzy.”

Some of the favorite upgrades from the combat team at Avalanche Studios include: Vortex’s anti-gravity field — an excellent way to control the battlefield and hold your enemies in the air, making them easy pickings; Grav-Jump’s Float upgrade, which allows you to hover in place while aiming down your weapon sights; and the Touch of Death upgrade to the Barrier, which turns enemies that pass through it into meat cubes.

“All abilities have some sort of basic usage that’s either for offensive, defensive or traversal purposes,” says Knoop. “But most also have additional functions that really unlock their true potential beyond its original purpose. This is where the abilities really shine and enable you to be extra creative.”

Put Them All Together and…

…You’ll unlock Overdrive. As you fight, you’ll fill up your Overdrive meter. When triggered, Overdrive pushes your weapons and abilities well beyond their limits and grants them unique attributes. Some guns may gain a homing functionality, or the always-hilarious ability to juggle enemies in the air with a barrage of bullets like a sick party trick. Also while in Overdrive, the cooldown for your abilities will be reduced. Combining all of your abilities in interesting ways fills your Overdrive meter faster, which could mean the difference between life and death.

“Overdrive represents the climax of a streak of aggressive, adrenaline-fueled play,” says Johansson. “It gives the player a nod that they are playing well and rewards them with a boost. It plays a central role in the core combat loop. In addition to the frenzy-like effects, you move faster, kill quicker and regenerate your health. If you learn how to master Overdrive, it can quickly become an integral part of combat, allowing you to take on harder enemy locations with less powerful equipment. On higher difficulties, playing in a way that charges Overdrive fast becomes a key to survival.”

Rage 2 is coming to PlayStation 4 on May 14, 2019. Pre-order to receive the exclusive Cult of the Death God mission and don Nicholas Raine’s legendary armor and Settler Pistol. The Rage 2 Deluxe Edition is also available for pre-order.

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“I want one English subtitle track that mirrors what the English actors are saying, but I want a second English subtitle track that would accompany the Japanese audio. Can we do that?” I asked a room full of Japanese developers via teleconference.

A moment of silence passed that felt like an eternity. There was clearly some confusion.

“We can probably do that, but… why?”

I’m Scott Strichart, localization producer for the Yakuza series, and this is the story of why our upcoming game, Judgment, has two audio languages and two English subtitle tracks (on top of the French, Italian, German, and Castilian Spanish subtitle tracks).

It’s been about 13 years since we’ve had an English audio option in a Yakuza game. Despite having some incredible talent playing key roles, that dub just… wasn’t very well-received. We’ve only had Japanese audio as an option ever since, but with Judgment introducing a completely fresh cast, we figured now would be a great time to try this whole English thing out again, while of course offering the original Japanese audio if that’s what you’d prefer.

But what I really want to talk about is how no matter which audio language you select, you’re getting a subtitle track specifically crafted to that language, and we’re one of the first games ever to offer that.

Have you ever played a game with a dub and selected the Japanese audio, only to have the English dub’s subtitles appear, despite clearly not matching the length or maybe even the intensity of the line? People call those “dubtitles,” and they happen because the English audio is generally treated as the lead language, for obvious reasons, and the Japanese audio acts as simply a bonus feature for the enthusiast crowd. But for a game as steeped in Japanese as Judgment and its Yakuza legacy is, this was not an acceptable concession to me.

So we localized the story twice. And I had to convince some people to let us do that. I brought up examples of some pretty big films that did this. Even some anime on streaming services does this. So why haven’t games? Well, the simple answer is because games have a lot more text, so I want repeat that first sentence to make sure it carries the appropriate amount of weight: We localized the story twice.

Essentially, we took a base translation and then pushed it out into two different directions for Japanese audio and English audio. The Japanese audio got our traditional “Yakuza” pass, listening intently to each line and crafting the dialog to suit it. The English script was written for actors to perform it, with more of a focus on making sure it sounded like things people would actually say in English. Sometimes, the two versions are totally the same! Others, it’s totally different.

Both languages ebb and flow differently by nature, and this allowed us to play to each one’s strengths, rather than let the English be hampered by Japanese sentence structure, or the Japanese to have dubtitles that are clearly not what the speaker is saying, even to the untrained ear.

It also allowed us to do scenes like this, that arrive at the same idea via different paths. In the Japanese, the previous line is “Fair warning…” whereas in English, the previous line is, “You still wanna sue?” Both versions stage the threat differently, but Yagami sounds like a bona fide badass in both versions, which is ultimately what we set out to accomplish. Watching the two trailers we’ve made, you’ll hear a few more little differences between the two as well.

If you’re worried, the English is still a faithful localization of the story, and the Japanese subtitles were still crafted with all the considerations for a good read that always goes into a Yakuza title localization. So while I know some of our longtime fans are going to put on the Japanese audio and never look back, while others will simply prefer English because that’s their first language, I do hope that after your first playthrough, you’ll give the other language a shot! It’s not like you’re going to find all the hidden cats in one playthrough anyway.

What we’ve accomplished here feels like a pretty monumental achievement in game localization, and I hope you all are willing to give us feedback on if it ends up working for you, because it certainly wasn’t easy! I dream of a day that efforts like this will put the whole subs versus dubs debate to rest — both are valid ways to experience any media, as long as they’re both treated with equal care.

“We can probably do that, but… why?” the dev team asked.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” I said.

Judgment launches June 25 on PS4 in Japanese and English audio and English, French, Italian, German, and Castilian Spanish subs, (which are based off the Japanese audio sub track.) All physical copies include a reversible cover and a Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio sticker, and digital pre-orders include a static theme featuring Judgment’s protagonist Yagami and early access to the full game on June 21. Thanks everyone!

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For game director Takuya Yamanaka, The Caligula Effect: Overdose was an opportunity to introduce new audiences to the game while continuing to explore the real-world themes that were present in the previous release. In this exclusive interview with NIS America, Yamanaka shares his insights on developing this re-release and discusses the deeper, darker side of the story inside Mobius.

Many people recognize “Caligula Effect” as the title of the game, but not everyone is aware that it is also a psychological term. In your own words, what is the “Caligula Effect” and how does it manifest in the game?

“Caligula Effect” means “the guilt and excitement that comes with doing something that you shouldn’t do.” I wanted people to experience that while playing this game, a sense of immorality. In this game, [defeating] the symbolic cute vocal software idol µ (Mu) and the guilt of doing so is what I wanted players to experience.

Throughout the game, players are given opportunities to dive into the psyches of the various characters. Is there a character that strongly resonated with you in some way?

I try to treat all the characters equally in the game. Since I study psychology, I meet many people, and these characters all reflect people that I have met in some way. So for each character I created, I treated them like my own children. But if I were to directly answer the question, then I spent the most time on Shogo Satake, since his background is very involved with the flow of the main story.

The Caligula Effect: Overdose introduces a female protagonist. When developing this alternate playthrough, were you surprised at how it affected the other characters?

Actually, I wanted to make the original The Caligula Effect with both a male and female protagonist, but due to hardware restrictions, I was unable to do so. The [voiceover artists] for the male and female protagonists are actually brother and sister in real life; Chiharu Sawashiro is the male, and Miyuki Sawashiro is the female. It’s the first time they actually worked together. In Japan, having both sexes available for the protagonist was received very well. In the game, there is a character who is afraid of males, so depending on which protagonist you play as, her interactions with you will also change. That’s something to look forward to in the game!

A lot of titles don’t get a chance to be re-released with new content. What were the most important features you wanted to add or exclude? Were these saved from the original release? What is your favorite addition to this new release?

Betrayal is one of the biggest plot points that was added to this game. A person who you thought had your back now turns their back on you. Scenario writer Tadashi Satomi and I took care in adding this part to the game. Satomi-san is someone I’ve highly looked up to since I was young, so working with him on this project together was an intense opportunity.

I didn’t simply want to add new content right on top of the game, so I took care in weaving the new characters into the scenario, which turned out to be a big challenge.

This re-release has given you an opportunity to expose a wider audience to The Caligula Effect. Is there a message you would like to convey to new players that will be experiencing this game for the first time?

The problems that characters have in The Caligula Effect: Overdose are very realistic within Japanese society, and I would like people in Western cultures to have the opportunity to experience these problems present in modern-day Japan.

The Caligula Effect: Overdose is different from its original title in that the character can choose to leave the world µ creates (Mobius) or stay in that world. I want people to take their time to think of their own choice, and I am excited to see everyone’s decision!

The Caligula Effect: Overdose will be available for PS4 on March 12.

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I’ve been counting the days until I could dig deeper into the post-apocalyptic world of Days Gone (note: it’s been 288 days). I talked Bend Studio into setting me loose in an updated build of the PS4 survival-action game due out on PS4 April 26. My hands-on time proved there’s more (much, much more) here than meets the eye.

My trek through Farewell, Oregon kicked off about an hour into the game. As biker-mercenary Deacon St. John, I stepped into a deadly open world populated by flesh-eating Freakers and roving bandits. A plethora of activities awaited me: bounty hunting, clearing out Freaker nests, investigating the fate of Deacon’s wife, and settling old scores.

These missions fit into threads dubbed, fittingly, “Storylines.” Storylines are Days Gone’s answer to the well-worn “quest” structures found in other open-world adventures. Tired of chasing a quest thread? Just hop to another Storyline and be on your way — the other stuff will be waiting for you when you’re good and ready. In a nice touch, you can access your Storyline progress anytime via a quick swipe across your DualShock 4’s touchpad.

Bend Studios’ decision to set the game in the developer’s backyard, the US Pacific Northwest, was a wise one. The snow-capped mountains, sprawling trails, vast forests, and sand-swept high deserts are almost otherworldly in their beauty.

But danger is always close. I’m a few minutes into my play session, cruising the open road. I catch a flash of movement — the telltale red flicker of a laser sight — and before I can inhale I’m knocked off my bike by a marksman hidden in a tree ahead. As Deacon climbs to his feet, a crew of hatchet-wielding bandits close in to finish the job. This was no scripted encounter, but a reminder that in Days Gone’s unpredictable world, threats can emerge in surprising ways. (postscript: I kicked their asses).

Later, I’m clearing out an ambush camp, using my SMG, Molotovs, and stealth kills to methodically take out the marauders lurking within. It’s routine stuff. I wipe out the lead baddy, grab his tire iron to redeem for a reward, and start to loot the immediate surroundings. So far, so good. That’s when five, then 10, then 20, then 50 Freakers leap up directly in front of me, drawn in by the commotion.

I stumble backward, blinking in disbelief as I blindly fire my SMG at the ever-growing crowd — effectively channeling every bad guy in every zombie movie moments before they’re ripped to pieces. I realize my only hope is to run for it. I sprint for my bike and have a moment to curse myself for parking it facing a wall before I’m instantly overcome by a tidal wave of snapping jaws and flailing limbs. It’s an epic ending to an otherwise routine mission. In Days Gone, there’s no such thing.

A few other details that caught my eye:

Have an escape plan. You’ve got a gun, a bike, and a mission. Now all you need is a bug-out plan for when a Freaker horde descends like a swarm of locusts. Where you park your bike — and which direction it’s pointed in when you do — is often more important than your weapon loadout. And remember: your bike is your save point!

A quick note on weapons. Weapons come in five different flavors, ranging from Level 1 (“Junk”) to Level 5 (“Special Forces Condition”). Days Gone gives generous and on-the-fly stat comparisons, but it won’t always pay to go for the highest DPS. Bullet penetration takes on life-or-death importance in Days Gone, letting you blast through Freaker ranks without burning through all your ammo.

Don’t kill time. You know the routine, honed over countless open-world games. You clean out an enemy outpost, then slowly tour the carnage, picking up every spare bullet, bandage, and crafting item that isn’t bolted down. In Days Gone, this approach can end in tragedy thanks to a roving Freaker swarms, infected wolves, or “Rager” bears. Be ready to grab whatever’s handy, and make a clean getaway at the first sign of trouble.

CQC basics. Melee scraps in Days Gone feel desperate and wild-eyed, with blows carrying real weight. You tap R2 to land knife slashes and axe swings on nearby melee combatants; Deacon auto-targets nearby foes, but you’ll need to press R1 to roll-dodge past incoming attacks. Throughout it all, you’ll need to monitor Deacon’s stamina bar.

The care and fueling of bikes. Bike reality #1: You’ll need to keep it gassed up. Duh. In a pinch, you can usually find gas cans around houses and buildings, or inside marauder camps. Of course, it’ll pay to upgrade your gas tank ASAP. Bike reality #2: your bike isn’t invincible; bang it up enough and it’ll stall out, forcing an emergency field repair. Drive safe, people!

Let’s get physical. Speaking of bikes, Days Gone isn’t trying to be an offroad motorbike simulator, but you’ll want to master its physics system so you can get the hell out of Dodge when the Freaker hordes descend. Rule #1: When making a jump, try to keep your bike parallel to the ground to minimize damage.

Hunting and gathering. You can hunt for food — deer, wolf, and more — then trade the meat in at encampments to earn credits and trust. You’ll want to build trust at encampments to unlock more potent upgrades for your bike and weapons.

Touching interface. You can access all critical menus (map, skills, Storylines, etc.) by swiping the touchpad across the four cardinal directions. It’s a futuristic touch, and one I’d love to see other games adopt. Another immersive touch: emergency radio transmissions broadcast via DualShock 4’s internal speaker.

Skills and experience. Advance Storylines and drop enough enemies, and you’ll gain skill points that you can invest across three skill trees: ranged combat, melee combat, and survival. I became a more formidable fighter with skills that let me quickly execute enemies after breaking free from grapples, repairing damaged melee weapons, and gaining damage boosts. That’s just small sample — the skill trees looked pretty beefy.

It’s clear Bend Studio has been hard at work on the presentation, too. Days Gone shows off meticulously detailed rustic environments on PS4 Pro, complete with lush foliage, crumbling bluffs, and dust-choked roads. Look closely, and you’ll even see the individual pine needles that carpet many outdoor locations.

Bend Studio has leaned into the unpredictable threats and encounters that honeycomb this menacing open world. A powerful weapon, a fast bike, and a stock of supplies will only get you so far — you need to expect the unexpected if you want to survive when Days Gone hits PS4 on April 26.

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