Commander Fury

Hi everyone! Happy new year and welcome to 2048… Erm, sorry, I mean 2021! I’m super excited to be here to give you a very special update on our upcoming cyberpunk stealth-action RPG Disjunction: a release date. I’m thrilled to say that Disjunction will be releasing on PlayStation 4 on January 28, and will be fully playable on PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility. We also have a brand new gameplay trailer to give you a closer look at what to expect: Play Video If you didn’t already know, Disjunction is set in the dystopian underworld of 2048 New York City that tells the interconnected story of three playable characters. The game was developed by myself and my two brothers here at Ape Tribe Games. We’re all huge fans of games like Deus Ex and classic sci-fi movies, and wanted to create a game with deep RPG systems, cybernetic abilities, plenty of player choice, and adrenaline-pumping stealth-action gameplay. There’s so much to tell you about, so I’m going to try to distill Disjunction’s essence into five key points. Let’s get started. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. It’s set in a cyberpunk New York City Disjunction takes place in the year 2048, in a New York City barrelling into the future, yet plagued by social unrest. Megastructures soar overhead, cybernetic implants are commonplace, and security robots patrol the perimeters of powerful corporations. On the other hand, crime has skyrocketed, climate change has forced the construction of an enormous flood wall surrounding the city, and Central Park has been converted into an autonomous shanty town. The technological advances of the future are enormous, but they haven’t been spread evenly across society. There are three main characters Disjunction follows the stories of three characters – Frank, Joe, and Spider – as they work together to unravel a city-wide conspiracy. Each character has a unique personality, story, and set of abilities with which to overcome the challenges they face. The narratives of these three characters are interwoven with one another, and you’ll learn more about their personal histories over the course of the game. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Your playstyle is up to you Disjunction gives you the freedom and flexibility to choose your own playstyle. You can tackle encounters in lethal, high-octane combat, or use your wits to stick to the shadows, using distraction techniques and non-lethal attacks to reach your objective. It’s up to you how you decide how best to navigate New York City’s treacherous underworld. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Your choices matter Disjunction features a reactive story that is shaped by your actions. Your approach to situations can have serious consequences for the future of New York City, with the repercussions of choosing to spare or kill even one person rippling throughout the underworld. Based on your playstyle and dialogue choices, the story you experience will react and change, culminating in a wide range of possible endings. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. There’s deep character progression In Disjunction, you’ll be able to unlock cybernetic upgrades to augment your abilities via upgrade trees, and build upon your playstyle to improve your stealth or increase the lethality of attacks through talent trees. Find every hidden upgrade kit and spend your hard-earned talent points wisely to maximize the effectiveness of each character. Thanks so much for checking out Disjunction. We’re really looking forward to all of you trying it out for yourselves when the game launches later this month! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/BruMxJ4Sw9sView the full article

It’s a new year, but we can’t help but look back at some of the amazing gaming moments that had us opening up photo mode in 2020. As last year came to a close, we asked you to share you favorite gaming shots using #PSshare and #PSBlog. Here are the highlights: This detailed portrait of Ellie in The Last of Us Part II is shared by Xenolith3D Jin shares a moment with a fox in this shot by Dande_Lion55 This Stormtroopers aims to fire in this Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order share by ccf_photomode DotPone shares this magnificent portrait of a valkyrie in God of War. This Death Stranding share by TheFourthFocus honestly just made me laugh, it’s so good. Eivor is ready to go aviking in this Assassin’s Creed Valhalla share by adambomb2mk Cloud gazes through the mist in this Final Fantasy VII Remake share by virtua_photo Jesse stares down new threats in Control, shared by MdeavorVP Hoffman_vp shared a monstrous portrait from Doom Eternal. 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: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on January 13 Next week, use Odin’s sight to capture legendary shares from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Send in your best shots aviking with #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/b7AY8R5aHv8View the full article

With this month’s PlayStation Now releases, race across the United States by land, sea or air, help a city survive – and grow – in the middle of a new ice age, or leave Earth entirely and attempt to colonise a hostile planet. These new additions to the PS Now lineup are available from today, Tuesday January 5 for all subscribers, joining hundreds of other titles ready to play instantly. Let’s take a closer look at those games below. New to PlayStation Now and want to know more? Head here. The Crew 2 In The Crew 2, take on the American motorsports scene as you explore and dominate the land, air, and sea of the United States in one of the most exhilarating open worlds ever created. With a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats, and planes to choose from, experience the unbridled thrill and adrenaline-pumping excitement of competing across the entire USA as you test your skills in a wide range of driving disciplines. Record every heart-pounding, asphalt-melting moment and share them with the simple push of a button – fame is yours to take! ● The Crew 2 is available to play on PlayStation Now until July 5, 2021 Surviving Mars Discover a planet’s secrets as you work to build a sustainable colony on the face of Mars. Use drones to prepare for human colonists, then make sure to balance colonist personalities as you create habitable living areas in grand domes, make discoveries, and build a new society. But colonizing a hostile world challenges you to build carefully and the planet hides secrets, both good and bad. Best of luck, pioneer. Frostpunk: Console Edition Enjoy a complex strategic challenge alongside a rich narrative in this alternative take on the nineteenth-century industrial revolution. Heat means life as you construct and maintain a steam-fueled Victorian city in this social survival game. Search for intel, supplies and survivors to expand your society’s population. Research new technologies to develop advanced infrastructure, including self-powered automatons, airships and more to help you survive the overwhelming cold. Whether you’re an enlightened ruler or an iron-fisted tyrant, you’ll discover choices in this world aren’t as easy as they seem. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/4agnDrsoJvkView the full article

Despite the rest of 2020, the past 12 months have been rich with immersive video game worlds, inspiring characters, compelling gameplay mechanics, and fantastic soundtracks. You’ve already told us what your highlights are. Now leading developers in the industry share their personal PlayStation picks from the class of 2020*. Call of Duty: Warzone Play Video As chosen by… “As somebody who typically doesn’t play multiplayer, I not only surprised myself with how many hours I logged in Warzone this year, but how profoundly meaningful it all was. On its surface, Warzone combines the battle royale genre with Call of Duty’s rock-solid mechanics, gunplay, and audio design, making for a very potent (and addicting) combination. “In 2020, however, Warzone became much more than a ‘game’ for me—it launched right around the time Covid-19 hit Seattle and we all went into lockdown, which just so happened to be when Camouflaj was due to wrap up development on Marvel’s Iron Man VR. My colleagues and I got into a fun habit of unwinding in Warzone after a long day of remote work. The game became our virtual afterhours hangout where we’d find ourselves having really heart-to-heart conversations while blasting our way out of spicy firefights.” – Ryan Payton, Director, Camouflaj – Marvel’s Iron Man VR “Since the month of April a few close friends and I play it about two to four times a night around 10pm for a few hours. These late night gaming sessions have been instrumental in keeping me sane during a very difficult year. We’re absolutely focused on getting that win but, we also just talk about the most random stuff and just laugh non-stop. It’s a release, it’s relaxing, it’s comforting and it’s just positive vibes. Video games have always been a participatory medium and a form of escapism. What I didn’t foresee happening is video games becoming another instrument in mine and so many others mental health toolbox this year. For those reasons Warzone was and still is my favorite game of 2020.” – Ramone Russell, Product Development Communications and Brand Strategist, San Diego Studio – MLB The Show 20 Demon’s Souls Play Video As chosen by… “Although there were many amazing games this year, my favorite has to be Demon’s Souls. I never played the original, but got hooked on these types of games when Bloodborne came out in 2015, so getting a new PS5 was even more exciting because I got to play Demon’s Souls for the first time. Oh, and it also looks amazing. Incredible job by Bluepoint Games!” – Jason Connell, Creative Director & Art Director, Sucker Punch – Ghost of Tsushima “For me it’s got to be Demon’s Souls. Its worlds are as terrifying as they are beautiful. There are few games which give you that same tension, that sense of foreboding. The moment you think you’re getting somewhere you’re put firmly back in your place. It’s always keeping you on your toes. It’s stunning, punishing, awe-inspiring, and when you do finally defeat that seemingly impossible boss it’s incredibly rewarding. You really feel like you earn your victories. This game and I have a love/hate relationship. I love it… it hates me.” – Ned Waterhouse, Designer Sumo Digital – Sackboy: A Big Adventure “I was looking at a list of games that have been released this year. Most of them I’ve finished, some of them Platinumed, some of them are a trophy or two short of the Platinum, and I was (seemingly) struggling to choose which game to pick out as my personal game of the year. But try as I might, I couldn’t get away from the fact that to me, the original 2009’s Demon’s Souls is one of the most important video games of all time and the 2020 remake by Bluepoint Games re-hammered that point home like the Black Phantom Garl Vinland on NG+++ after you miss your parry. – Henri Markus, Game Designer, Housemarque – Returnal Doom Eternal Play Video As chosen by… “Doom (2016) was an incredibly tough act to follow as it was such a breath of fresh air, but somehow, Doom Eternal gave me everything that I could have wanted out of a sequel. Instead of just giving moreDoom (which they did completely and then some) they also completely expanded upon the core combat loop of the game; taking the Glory Kills = health mechanic and adding on the additional moves to provide armor and ammo, which fundamentally changed how you interacted with the combat spaces in comparison to its predecessor. It constantly has you thinking while also moving and shooting – evaluating your own resources in the midst of combat. Combining that fundamental change with just a hilariously over-the-top feel of ever-increasing scope and scale made for a truly memorable experience this year. Plus… you have to love a game that has something called a ‘Super Gore Nest’. Somehow balancing the line between reverential, serious, over-the-top, and absolutely ridiculous – Doom Eternal was definitely an achievement by the team at id.” – Louis Studdert, Producer, Toys for Bob – Crash Bandicoot 4 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Play Video As chosen by… “The rules are simple, the gameplay is wild, and you can enjoy it with your entire family. The combination of old and new elements – gameplay that focuses on a balance of luck, mastery of action, and strategy – is great. I think it’s fantastic that your luck depends a lot on the physics of interacting with other players, making it hard to direct your frustrations at the game itself. It’s been awhile since I’ve been this vocal while playing a game.” – Hideaki Itsuno, Director, Capcom – Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition “I got caught up in the hype and started playing the game and before I realized it, I had spent an entire night trying to clinch that crown…” – Naoki Hamaguchi, Director, Square Enix – Final Fantasy VII Remake Ghost of Tsushima Play Video As chosen by… “It was visceral and precise like the blade itself. Legends was the best co-op experience to date with friends.” – Keith Lee, CEO, Counterplay – Godfall “Not only can you see Sucker Punch Productions’ technical finesse in this game, but I really felt their strong commitment to craftsmanship. Even as a Japanese person, I really enjoyed this game as a historical piece.” – Masayoshi Yokoyama, Designer & Writer, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio – Yakuza: Like A Dragon “Ghost of Tsushima really left an impression on me. It was a completely new game set in Japan during the Kamakura period, which I imagine was no easy endeavor for Sucker Punch to undertake, and they did a fantastic job with the stunning visuals and highly polished gameplay. Here at Team Ninja, where we have worked on a lot of sword fighting action, we were really impressed with the game overall, and strive to create a title with as much ‘honor’ as Ghost of Tsushima.” – Fumihiko Yasuda, Producer, Team Ninja – Nioh 2 “Ghost of Tsushima is a game that has a special place in my heart. Everything in the art style, characters, music helps realizes the samurai setting perfectly. It was one of my most anticipated games for 2020 and Sucker Punch delivered it.” – Rafael Grassetti, Art Director, Santa Monica Studio – God of War “Hopping into Tsushima and clearing out Mongols from camps is exactly the therapeutic gameplay I needed in 2020. The world is beautiful, there are tons of things to discover, the combat is fluid and surprisingly deep, and I can feel like I’m actually accomplishing something turning the entire map from red to white! Sucker Punch really delivered on the samurai fantasy.” – Kurt Margenau, Co-Game Director, Naughty Dog – The Last of Us Part II Ikenfell Play Video As chosen by… “I’m tempted to give GOTY to the nostalgic grand slam that is Final Fantasy VII Remake, but my heart was stolen late in the year by Ikenfell! I was drawn in by the cool tactical approach to RPG combat, but before I knew it I was engrossed in the story of troubled magical youths trying their hardest. It’s the best classic RPG I’ve played in years and nobody should sleep on it. Also: killer soundtrack!” – Kevin Zuhn, Creative Director, Young Horses – Bugsnax Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Play Video As chosen by… “My favorite game for 2020 is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales because of its diversity, homage to Harlem and it’s always fun when my sons and I can swing through and explore Marvel’s New York City while fighting crime.” – Shaun Escayg, Creative Director, Crystal Dynamics – Marvel’s Avengers No Man’s Sky Play Video As chosen by… “My personal favorite game of 2020 is the same as my personal favorite from 2019: No Man’s Sky. In a lot of ways, NMS is the opposite of the games we make at Naughty Dog: rather than every moment being carefully crafted, literally the entire galaxy is procedurally generated. Digging a tunnel to take shelter from a raging radiation storm, barely avoiding freezing to death diving for ancient secrets in a polar ocean, building my dream-base on a forest moon filled with giant squid creatures, quietly watching flying animals flock and undulate with the planet’s ring backing them in the sky… Some amazing memorable moments in that game, all the more special because no one will ever have those exact moments but me. The next-gen update on PS5 is amazing, a great reason to come back.” – Anthony Newman, Co-Game Director, Naughty Dog – The Last of Us Part II Resident Evil 3 Play Video As chosen by… “I was pretty busy this year, but I made time to play Resident Evil 3 because I loved the Resident Evil 2 remake. I thought RE3 was fantastic, especially given how stressful 2020 was. The combination of horror and action made it extremely cathartic for me to play through.” – Derek Yu – Spelunky 2 The Last of Us Part II Play Video As chosen by… “The original Last of Us is one of my favorite games of all time. It really felt like they pushed the boundaries of what is possible in games and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole experience. With Part II, I wanted to know where director Neil Druckmann would take this world. How could he and the team possibly surpass the original, having set the bar so high? “Well, they did, and I wasn’t let down. Existing characters are taken in unexpected directions, and brand new characters join The Last of Us saga that add spice to an already rich post-apocalyptic world.” – Gavin Moore, Creative Director, SIE Worldwide Studios – Demon’s Souls “For me it represents the best PS4 could offer, the pinnacle of this generation. It’s just so beautiful in every way, a masterpiece.” – Cyrille Imbert, Executive Producer, Dotemu – Streets of Rage 4 “This game stuck with me for a long time. Humanity is shown from its darkest angle. But in all the hatred and revenge, is also a story of empathy and hope. A thought-provoking masterpiece.” – Angie Smets, Studio Director, Guerrilla “There’s so many [games to choose from]! I *just* platinumed Astro’s Playroom – and that was fantastic – a real love letter to the history of PlayStation…. But probably the highlight of my year was seeing the continuation of the Joel/Ellie story in the sequel to the Last of Us.” – Stuart Whyte, Co-Studio Head, London Studio “The narrative masterpiece that is The Last of Us Part II. One of the only games where I don’t find myself trying to analyze game loops or reading Reddit about min-maxing builds. A game where I sit back and willingly surrender myself to the brilliant minds at Naughty Dog. Also, my wife agreed that if we ever have a daughter, her name would be Ellie. (If you’re reading this, it’s on the internet now. No take-backs).” – Jason Chuang – Senior Product Marketing Manager, miHoYo – Genshin Impact “I was blown away by the experience, by far my favorite of the year. I have always loved the craft and attention to detail Naughty Dog puts into every game they make and with The Last of Us Part II has set the bar, once again, for what our industry can accomplish.” – Brian Horton, Creative Director, Insomniac Games – Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 Play Video As chosen by… “Revisiting THPS 20 years later has been like some kind of hallucination. I sank 4 trillion hours into this series on the original PlayStation, and the gameplay feels just as snappy and endorphin-inducing as it did in my nostalgia-tinted memories of yesteryear.” – Anthony Pepper, Senior Designer, Mediatonic Game – Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout —– And while most of the creatives who kindly took the time to contribute to this article managed to boil down their favourite game of the year to just one title, some found the decision impossible. We made a rare exception and didn’t force them to choose. Here’s what they had to say: Persona 5 Royal and Streets of Rage 4 Play Video As chosen by… “I tend to enjoy games that I can share with my family, so it’s really a toss up between two titles for this year – Persona 5 Royal and Streets of Rage 4. I played the original Persona 5 when it released in Japan back in 2016 and Royal has even more content and story. My wife and five year-old daughter loved watching the characters interact and the well-developed story unfold. I must have played for over 230 hours! Streets of Rage 4 is a fun action game that has local co-op and it’s great to share the experience with the fam. The controls are simple enough for my daughter to play, and she’s pretty good. I personally love the throwbacks to the original. The nostalgia is heavy with a booming soundtrack and homages to the originals.” – Peter Fabiano, Producer, Capcom – Resident Evil 3 Final Fantasy VII Remake and Ghost of Tsushima Play Video As chosen by… “It is so hard to pick one, as there are so many good games that shipped this year… if I go with my heart it will have to be Final Fantasy VII Remake. For me it was a massive hit of nostalgia. I was always a big fan of the series even from the very first one! But if I go with my soul, Ghost of Tsushima as it was so well done. I really like how they took this theme and expressed it in mechanics and systems beautifully.” – Benoit Richer, Co-Dev Game Director, Ubisoft – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II As chosen by… “This is tough. I will get in a lot of trouble for making choices like this, but I can’t decide between Ghost of Tsushima or The Last of Us Part II. Ghost was such an enjoyable experience – I am so happy for the team at Sucker Punch at the way that has gone for them. Exploring 13th century Japan felt unique, and it’s such a beautiful game as well. The cinematic Kurosawa Mode just felt so cool. And The Last of Us Part II was a very intense experience. Not just because the story and characters were gripping, but also because the world itself was so detailed. It’s the kind of memorable experience you get from being dragged way outside of your comfort zone. “In fact, you cannot expect me to choose just one game here. So I am not going to. Btw, I am also very impressed with the work that Sucker Punch and Naughty Dog did to make both titles run so well on PS5.” – Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios *The views and opinions expressed are those of the persons appearing in the blog and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sony Interactive Entertainment. **Call of Duty: Warzone, Demon’s Souls, Fall Guys, Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, Streets of Rage 4, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2’s online multiplayer modes require internet connection and a PS Plus subscription; fees recur until canceled. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: https://www.playstation.com/legal/ps-plus-usage-terms/. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/ELMtZwUYA1gView the full article

PlayStation Plus starts 2021 with a bang. PlayStation Plus members will receive two PS4 titles – action adventure Shadow of the Tomb Raider and action RPG Greedfall – on Tuesday January 5. On the same day, PlayStation 5 owners with a PlayStation Plus membership can play a terrifying apex predator in the open world (sea?) RPG Maneater*. Let’s take a closer look at the games. Maneater* (PS5 version) Play Video Experience the ultimate power fantasy as the apex predator of the seas – a terrifying shark! Maneater is a single player, open world action RPG (ShaRkPG) where you are the shark. Starting as a small shark pup you are tasked with surviving the harsh world while eating your way up the ecosystem. To do this you will explore a large and varied open world encountering diverse enemies – both human and wildlife. Find the right resources and you can grow and evolve far beyond what nature intended, allowing the player to tailor the shark to their play style. Eat. Explore. Evolve. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4 game) Play Video Fight, explore, craft and survive amid the dense and perilous jungles of South America in Lara Croft’s biggest adventure to date as you race to save the world from a Maya apocalypse. Gather resources and master the unforgiving terrain. Outgunned and outnumbered, you need to use your surroundings to your advantage; strike from the shadows and use mud to camouflage your presence. Use advanced traversal techniques to reach long-forgotten tombs and negotiate deadly puzzles. Greedfall** (PS4 game) Play Video In this stunning action RPG, explore uncharted new lands as you set foot on a remote island seeping with magic, and filled with riches, lost secrets, and fantastic creatures. You’ll have complete freedom to shape your abilities, spells and skills and decide whether to complete objectives with combat, diplomacy, deception, or stealth. Forge this new world’s destiny, as you befriend or betray companions and entire factions. All games will be available until Monday February 1. *PS5 console only; PlayStation Plus benefit not applicable for Maneater on PS4. Maneater is not available in Saudi Arabia. **Greedfall: Not available in the Middle East (replaced with Assetto Corsa), Japan, or South Korea (replaced with Mistover) ***The games included in the subscription, the online features of each game, as well as the other features and benefits of the PlayStation Plus subscription, are subject to change. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/OzReP4N2m2cView the full article

Be it a quick button press or the stunning result of multiple edits, PlayStation games’ Photo Modes – and PS4’s Share and PS5’s Create buttons – have given us all the chance to play photographer in memorializing special moments. And those shots are captured for good reason. Whether they’re being shown to the world or sitting on a console hard drive, every photo has a story behind it. So we reached out to some industry friends and asked them to share their personal favourite snap captured on console this past year, and tell us why it made the cut*. Demon’s Souls Captured on PS5 “Well, maybe not my favorite screen, but definitely the screen I’ve seen the most.” – Jason Connell, Creative Director & Art Director at Sucker Punch – Ghost of Tsushima Captured on PS5 “Living my best life mending the world.” – Henri Markus, Game Designer on Returnal, Housemarque Captured on PS5 “This is me posing for the camera after one of my best friends and I toppled the Tower Knight in Demon’s Souls. We continued this nightly ritual of co-op boss battles, so the world might be mended.” – Ryan Payton, Director, Camouflaj – Marvel’s Iron Man VR Fall Guys “Considering I rushed to push the Share button on my PS4 after winning the match, I think this is an excellent screenshot. From what I can remember, this is from my second victory. The first time I won, the match was extremely close, and I didn’t feel like it warranted a screenshot. That and “WINNER!” was covered by my trophy notification, so I chose this one to share.” – Hideaki Itsuno, Director, Capcom – Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition Ghost of Tsushima “I absolutely loved the stunning beauty of Ghost of Tsushima earlier this year and took many videos and screenshots on my PS4 Pro – here’s one of my favourites!” – Stuart Whyte, Co-Studio Head, London Studio “‘Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.’ – The Book of Five Rings.” – Keith Lee, CEO, Counterplay – Godfall Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales “From my recent photos, I’m going to pick this one with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PS5! The reason I’d say that, is maybe because I’ve unboxed the PS5 like I’m still 7 years old (I’m 42), smelling the booklets, inspecting every cable, etc…, putting aside the previous console with the heart full of good memories that it brought, but yet sooo looking forward to play the next gen with excitement. When I started the game, I was already so into it – it was Christmas time in New York with SNOW, where here in Montreal, Canada, snow sadly hadn’t arrived yet (we’re fine now…), I played until 3:30 am (when this selfie was taken) because I felt I was living a ‘Moment’.” – Benoit Richer, Co-Dev Game Director, Ubisoft – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a perfect game for Photo Mode. Swinging around the city feels amazing. From the look of the game and its use of next-gen features to the amazing animations makes this game impossible not to take screenshots on PS5 as you are playing Super Hero through Marvel’s New York City.” – Rafael Grassetti, Art Director, Santa Monica Studio – God of War “Another game that is inching toward my top of the year list (I haven’t finished it yet!) is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Such an absolute joy to play – really continuing all the great work that Insomniac Games did with 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man. I had to take screens of this running on the PS5… and the Photo Mode is just stellar for that. So many options for positioning, lenses, FOVs, frames and filters… it’s really hard to put the Photo Mode down and just play the game to be honest, but I am going to have to if I want to finish it!” – Louis Studdert, Producer, Toys for Bob – Crash Bandicoot 4 Captured on PS5 “The above served as the foundation for the digital soundtrack for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.” – Brian Horton, Creative Director, Insomniac Games – Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Nioh 2 “This is a screenshot taken on PlayStation 5 that features the two protagonists of the Nioh series with their swords clashing. This visual featuring William from the first Nioh game and the Nioh 2 protagonist, who both made their debut on PlayStation 4, is a very sentimental picture for me as it brings back memories of the almost 10 years spent working on the Nioh series.” – Fumihiko Yasuda, Producer, Team Ninja – Nioh 2 No Man’s Sky “I took more screenshots from NMS than any other game I’ve played… I’m intimidated to share this because there are some virtual photographers taking amazing shots in that game (shout out No Man’s Smile!) and I’m not sure any of mine can compare, but this is a shot I took on my PS4 Pro that I really liked of a trading post at sunset: the way the lighting worked out it looked a bit like a Simon Stalenhag piece.” – Anthony Newman, Co-Game Director, Naughty Dog – The Last of Us Part II And finally… “I was playing Astro’s Playroom and enjoying how a game that is so focused on the innovative controller for the PlayStation 5 can also bring back such memories of our history. But then I got to the end of Turbo Trail and there is that little squad of Robo-Helghast and I just burst out laughing. I’ve spent a LOT of time with the Helghast in my career, but I didn’t know they were going to be there. That was fun.” – Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios (Screenshot taken by PS Blog staff) Interested in sharpening your own photographic eye on PlayStation? Here are some primer guides to help you get started: How to use PlayStation 5’s Create Button. Demon’s Souls: Photo Mode first look Ghost of Tsushima: Photo Mode guide. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Photo Mode developer tips Naughty Dog’s guide to The Last of Us Part II’s Photo Mode. Nioh 2 Photo Mode launches And submissions for our end of year Share of the Week are still open, so there’s still time to enter your favourite shot! *The views and opinions expressed are those of the persons appearing in the blog and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sony Interactive Entertainment. **Demon’s Souls, Fall Guys, Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, and Nioh 2 online multiplayer modes require internet connection and a PS Plus subscription; fees recur until canceled. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: https://www.playstation.com/legal/ps-plus-usage-terms/. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/DgHMBogvV5AView the full article

Hello everyone! PS5 has arrived and with it, an amazing slate of launch titles. I’ve been hopping back and forth between games like Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and of course wonderful indie titles like The Pathless and Bugsnax. It’s an embarrassment of riches, an overwhelming feeling that there are way more great games that I can play now on my PS5 than I have time. I’ve been meeting the delicious denizens of Snaktooth Island in Bugsnax — from Young Horses, the creators of Octodad: Dadliest Catch — and getting lost in the mesmerizing world of Giant Squid’s The Pathless. This month also saw the release of Haven, an exploration of relationships while you discover a mysterious world, playable in co-op. These games are all distinct from one another, but they all carry so much heart. And the PlayStation Indies team has been working with many more brilliant creators to bring a variety of new experiences to PS5. There are more great indie games coming to PlayStation soon that I’m excited about — let me introduce you to a few of them. Play Video Kena: Bridge of Spirits Exploration, action-packed combat, a beautiful world to explore – Kena has it all. But if you’re like me, it’s the Rot that will capture your heart. Collect these adorable, tiny spirits and they will help you manipulate the environment and take down corrupted spirits as you uncover the secrets of the forest. Kena, the Spirit Guide players control, wields a staff which can magically work as a bow — and it feels fantastic with the DualSense controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers. As you wear down enemies, the Rot will join you, enhancing your abilities and helping you bring life back to your village. Play Video Nour: Play With Your Food What’s your favorite food? In Nour, you can finally indulge in playing with your pancakes, boba, ramen, and more. Go ahead — make a huge mess and don’t worry about cleaning up. Developer Terrifying Jellyfish wanted to make players hungry with this bright, interactive experiment of a game… and it’s working on me! This open-ended experience lets you explore the aesthetics of food while a reactive soundtrack sets the mood. Play Video Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach No one will judge you for playing this one with the lights on. If you’ve played any of the other Five Nights at Freddy’s games, you’re familiar with the creeping tension that builds up as you explore a pizza restaurant filled with toys, rides, and terrifying animatronic creatures. Ray tracing technology makes Security Breach shine, drawing you further and further into this restaurant of monstrous robots waiting to jump out at you from the shadows. Play Video Oddworld: Soulstorm Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey launched on PlayStation in 1997 with groundbreaking high-end pre-rendered CG, and it was a pioneer in mixing a mature narrative with comedy in video games. With its foundation as a 2D action platformer, the “game speak” mechanic introduced an innovative way to communicate with AI characters in nonviolent ways. Soulstorm continues the saga as the 2nd chapter of the Oddworld Quintology. Its “2.9D” level design allows players to explore beautiful, expansive 3D worlds in a linear fashion for tried and true 2D action gameplay. With up to 1,300 rescuable followers — more than 20 of which can follow Abe at a time — plus an engaging crafting system, you can approach the game’s puzzles in your own ways. Play Video Temtem This creature-collecting MMO launched in Early Access on PS5 this month! Explore islands while finding and collecting Temtems, train them to defeat the evil Clan Belsoto, and do it all while trekking across a world packed with other players. Team up to adventure together or battle each other to become the best Temtem tamer. This vibrant adventure also provides plenty of ways to customize your character as you unlock new cosmetics to let your tamer’s personality shine. I’m excited to jump in and become the ultimate Temtem tamer, and I can’t wait to see how this one evolves on its way to a full release. Play Video Disco Elysium Disco Elysium is an award-winning RPG with a morally questionable protagonist, a mysterious world, and a bizarrely intriguing progression system. I was thrilled when The Final Cut was announced for PlayStation at The Game Awards this month! While solving a murder mystery as an amnesiac detective, developing your character’s skills in this RPG takes a strange twist as those same skills will try to influence the detective with internal dialogue. It is a dark, compelling journey and we can’t wait for you to play with full voice-acting and other enhancements in March. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/Pyig-vxK5xkView the full article

Hey Pilots! The time is finally here to enter the arena and start your journey to the top in Override 2: Super Mech League. At Modus Games, we’re extremely excited to welcome returning fans and newcomers to the series with today’s launch. Play Video The 3D competitive arena brawler returns with 20 distinctly devastating mechs, an amped up fast-paced combat system, and an all-new career mode. Rise through the Ranks What better way to make a name for yourself as a pilot than Override 2’s all-new career mode called Leagues. In Leagues, your agent Zoe will guide you through the ins and outs of the Super Mech League and set you up with your first few matches. Each match type available in Leagues has an associated rank, which increases as you beat-down the competition against players online worldwide. Leagues feature returning match types from the first Override such as 1v1, 2v2, and free-for-all brawls. Additionally, series-first match types such as Control, a king-of-the-hill style battle, and Xenoswarm, a battle for survival against Kaiju-infused bots, will appear in the Leagues rotation. Earn Sponsorships and Join Clubs As you attain reputation in the mech fighting circuit, pilots have the option to accept limited-time sponsorships. Put on a show for the crowd by completing the in-game challenges from sponsorships to earn bonus coins. Raking in that extra cash opens up a slew of options for customization in the Garage, including unlocking additional mechs to fight with in Leagues, skins for each part of your mech, and cosmetic attachments. Once you’ve gained enough experience, you’ll unlock the option to join one of three Clubs – Magma, Pacifica, and Starlight. Winning matches and completing challenges will raise your clubs collective influence. The more influence your club gains, the more rewards you’ll reap! Become the Best Mech Pilot Finding the right mech to suit your fighting style and personality will be the first step in becoming a top-tier pilot, but we also wanted to provide a few tips and tricks to give you an advantage in the arena. An important mechanic pilots should use is the quick recovery system. By tapping the jump button while knocked down, mechs will spring back into action. “The bigger they are the harder, the harder they fall,” doesn’t really apply to these advanced technological fighting machines. Upon death, mechs will persist on the map for a short duration and explode. In matches with more than two players, surprise your opponents by grabbing the mech scraps. Timed correctly, you can throw them like an item to catch your enemies in the blast! Override 2: Super Mech League and Override 2: Super Mech League – Ultraman Edition are available now at PlayStation Store for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Till next time, we’ll see you in the arena. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/daiz8oxecWYView the full article

The Holiday Sale promotion comes to PlayStation Store from Tuesday, 22nd December, with savings up to 50% on games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, FIFA 21, NBA 2K21, and more. For our European players, head here to check out the full lineup and discounts. Coming to us from North America? Head here. Below is just a selection of the games included in the promotion. Check your PlayStation Store for the full list and your regional discounts. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Deluxe Edition Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time Destiny 2: Beyond Light Doom Eternal Standard Edition F1 2020 FIFA 21 Final Fantasy VII Remake Godfall Ghost of Tsushima Grand Theft Auto V Madden NFL 21: Standard Edition Marvel’s Avengers MLB The Show 20 Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Digital Deluxe Mortal Kombat 11 NBA 2K21 (PS4) Red Dead Redemption 2 Resident Evil 3 Spyro Reignited Trilogy Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Star Wars: Squadrons The Last of Us Part II Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 UFC 4 Watch Dogs: Legion *PlayStation Store’s Holiday Sales promotion runs from Tuesday, 22nd December until 23.59pm local time on Tuesday, January 19. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/xKOfn1gRDR4View the full article

As the year comes to a close, we can’t help getting a little sentimental looking back at the games and talented teams that helped make 2020 another unforgettable year in gaming. However you celebrate the season, we want to thank you for your support this year. The PlayStation.Blog team hopes everyone has a festive holiday kicking back and enjoying some quality time with your favorite games. As is tradition, we know a few other folks across the industry that would love to spread some holiday cheer. So grab some hot chocolate, sit back, and enjoy these season’s greetings cards from our friends and partners around the world. 2K (Civilization VI) ❅ 2K (NBA 2K21) ❅ 2K (PGA 2K21) ❅ 2K (WWE 2K21 Battlegrounds) ❅ 2pt ❅ Activision (Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War) ❅ Activision (Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time) ❅ Activision (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2) ❅ Amanita Design ❅ Behaviour Interactive ❅ Bend Studio ❅ Bethesda ❅ Bohemia Interactive ❅ Bungie ❅ Capy Games ❅ Charm Games ❅ Chucklefish Games ❅ Crystal Dynamics ❅ Drodo Studio ❅ EA (Madden 21) ❅ EA ( FIFA 21) ❅ Ember Lab ❅ Epic Games ❅ fatshark ❅ Finji ❅ Flight School Studio ❅ Gaijin Entertainment ❅ Gearbox Publishing ❅ Grinding Gear Games ❅ Guerrilla Games ❅ Harmonix ❅ Housemarque ❅ Insomniac Games ❅ Koei Tecmo ❅ Konami ❅ London Studio ❅ Lucid Games ❅ Media Molecule ❅ Mediatonic ❅ My.Games ❅ Naughty Dog ❅ Oddworld Inhabitants ❅ Paper Cult ❅ Perfect World (Remnant From the Ashes) ❅ Perfect World (Torchlight III) ❅ Pixelopus ❅ Polyarc ❅ Private Division ❅ Psyonix ❅ Raw Fury ❅ Riot Forge ❅ San Diego Studio ❅ Scavenger ❅ Sega ❅ SIE Worldwide Studios (Demon’s Souls) ❅ Spike Chunsoft ❅ Steel Wool Studios ❅ Studio MDHR ❅ Sucker Punch Productions ❅ Superbrothers ❅ Tarsier Studios ❅ Asobi Team (Holiday) ❅ Asobi Team (New Years) ❅ Tequila Works ❅ Titan Forge ❅ Vertigo Games ❅ Wargaming ❅ Young Horses http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/4l5j0V8uDbcView the full article

Ringing in the New Year just got a little sweeter – Celebrate the arrival of FIFA 21 FUT tournaments on PlayStation 4 with seven-stacked days of tournaments and prizes! From December 26 to January 1, participate in daily competitions for a chance to finish the year strong and make a name for yourself. This is your chance to celebrate the New Year with your Ultimate team and win big. The tournaments are open to all eligible participants* in the U.S., Canada, and across Europe and South America. The more you participate during the FUT New Year Kick Off daily matches, the greater rewards you can get! Each day of tournaments will have a grand prize pool of more than 250,000 FIFA points up for grabs. 1st Place – 36,000 FIFA points 2nd – 4th Place – 24,000 FIFA points 5th – 6th Place – 13,800 FIFA points 7th Place – 9,200 FIFA points 8th Place – 4,600 FIFA points 9th – 16th Place – 2,200 FIFA points 17th – 23rd Place – 1,600 FIFA points 33rd – 200th Place – 500 FIFA points Ready to score big for 2021? Sign up through the Events tab on your PS4 console, or via the Competition Center – the home of all PlayStation competitive gaming content. Find out more at https://playst.cc/37Q0ba8. Additionally, make sure to check out the Competition Center for upcoming FIFA 21 FUT Open Series tournament information. Starting January 4, you’ll have multiple opportunities to qualify for the finals where winners of the monthly finals could win cash prizes and unique prizes that are unavailable anywhere else. Learn more at https://playst.cc/3gFktag. Remember, no matter your skill level, you will be able to compete against both friends and others in the PlayStation community. For more information on all PS4 Tournaments, visit compete.playstation.com. Sign up today! *Active PS Plus membership required for online multiplayer. Must be 16+ and resident of the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. Must be 18+ and resident in Germany. Void where prohibited. Other Restrictions apply. See full tournament rules at https://playst.cc/37Q0ba8. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/dmjJE1_Q4wwView the full article

Temperatures are plummeting, but the battle is just heating up in Cold Sun, the third season of Warface: Breakout. Between a brand-new map, exclusive rewards, new features and Christmas events on the way, find out what awaits in the upcoming free update. New Map: Outskirts While most of your battles have been on war-torn, futuristic city streets, Outskirts is based away from the metropolis and close to a large, snowy mountain. Push your tactical prowess to the limits as you fight other players and the elements in this wintry village… and don’t freeze! Cold Sun Seasonal Rewards For a limited time only, fight your way through Cold Sun to earn exclusive rewards, including new cosmetics. Customize your weapons and style by unlocking new armor, weapon skins, avatars, challenge cards, victory poses, and bomb skins. You can also add another element to your personal style with weapon trinkets, a newly added cosmetic option that you can attach to your weapons. Improvements and New Features Get a better look at the battlefield with the reimagined weapon scope system, giving you a look at the action outside of the scope for better awareness of your surroundings. The Training Room is arriving later this season, allowing you to try out new and different weapons on targets, and test your reaction times with an obstacle course. Holiday Cheer and Team Deathmatch Mode Santa’s bringing even more gifts to Warface: Breakout. Drop in and fight over the Christmas period to earn limited-time rewards, including festive skins. The holiday spirit is out in force on Outskirts, where the halls will be thoroughly decked with lovely festive decorations. Christmas is traditionally a time of love and togetherness. That said, if you need to let off a little steam, you can look forward to duking it out in the all-new Team Deathmatch mode. Warface: Breakout is available at PlayStation Store for PS4 and PS5, with the Cold Sun seasonal update available starting December 22 as a free download for new and existing players. The Cold Sun Cosmetic Pack includes the Freestyler (Reapers) and Icecap (Wardens) legendary character skins and three exclusive weapon skins, and is also available to buy now. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/aG7Mm25aVCcView the full article

The FIA certified Gran Turismo Championships began its third year with great anticipation as it continued to grow and attract new audiences and new players. World Tour 2020 – Sydney in February was a stunning way to start the new season in spectacular surroundings with some thrilling races. Japanese driver Takuma Miyazono took the honours in the Nations Cup and Nicolás Rubilar (CHI), Randall Haywood (USA) and Coque López (ESP) took the win for BMW in the Manufacturer Series. We all know what happened next. The global pandemic locked down countries and restricted large gatherings and international travel. There would be no more physical World Tour events for the rest of the year. But, of course, one of the great features of these emerging championships is that the majority of the racing takes place online. The 2020 Online Series saw competitors across five global regions racing each other over the 30 rounds. Come November, three online Regional Finals were staged with all the action broadcast on YouTube and results available here. More great racing action selected the fastest Gran Turismo drivers in the world to take part in the World Finals in December. Not being together physically did not mean we could not create a great arena for racing. A new virtual home for the World Finals 2020 was created, and, with the help of new series partner Sony α (Alpha) cameras, we brought our competitors together via video from 14 different countries (and many different time zones). The result was, once again, some epic racing. Day 1 – GR Supra GT Cup The scene was set by the support event – the one-make GR Supra GT Cup final in association with Toyota. 24 competitors took part in two semi-finals narrowing the field to a 12-player Final. After trailing by more than 20 seconds at one point in the final race, a combination of superb tyre strategy and lightning-fast driving saw Takuma Miyazono of Japan cross the finish line first. The race win shot him to the top of the standings and handed him the 2020 GR Supra GT Cup title ahead of Brazil’s Lucas Bonelli and 18-year-old Spaniard Jose Serrano. Day 2 – Manufacturer Series Day two of World Finals weekend was devoted to the Manufacturer Series. 36 competitors represented 12 manufacturers – including series Official Partners Toyota and Mazda – in teams of three. The three teammates would contest one race each with the cumulative points total deciding the winning manufacturer. The Grand Final climax of the Manufacturer Series was a 30-lap contest around Autódromo de Interlagos, where two past Nations Cup World Final champions would go head to head: Brazil’s Igor Fraga, the 2017 winner (and real F3 race driver) representing Honda, and 2018 champ Mikail Hizal of Turkey driving for Subaru. After some close, exciting racing – and a battle of strategy of how best to use the three different compounds of Michelin tyres required in the race – Hizal emerged with the race win and Championship for a Subaru team that also comprised American Daniel Solis and that man Takuma Miyazono. Team BMW took second place ahead of Team Mercedes-Benz. Day 3 – Nations Cup The FIA GT Championships 2020 reached its climax with the Nations Cup, pitting the top 16 competitors from all over the world against each other over three races. With the Grand Final worth double points, it came down to two drivers, Miyazono and Italy’s Valerio Gallo, who took their heated battle to the final corner of the last race, keeping everyone watching on the edge of their seats until the very end. The battle between Miyazono and Gallo began early as the Japanese driver grabbed pole position for Race 1 at the Fuji International Speedway in the exciting new Toyota GR Yaris, with the Italian driver two spots behind him in P3. But Gallo ran a flawless race with a perfect pit stop strategy enabling him to cross the finish line first, while Miyazono came in a disappointing 9th place. But the winner of the Asia-Oceania Region came roaring back in Race 2 by grabbing pole position around the tricky Tokyo Expressway – East Outer Loop street circuit, run in tricky rain conditions on Michelin wet tyres in the Porsche 911 RSR. Miyazono put his car-control skills on full display, besting Jose Serrano of Spain on the final corner for the win. Gallo never found a rhythm in this race, crossing the finish line in 10th. The Grand Final began with intrigue as the two points leaders, Miyazono and Serrano, had a disappointing qualifying session, managing only a 7th– and 8th-place starting position, respectively. Gallo, seeing a window of opportunity, laid down a blistering lap in the stylish Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept around the Sarthe Circuit, home of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to take pole position for the 10-lap race. With several different pit-stop strategies employed by the drivers, they put on a grand show as several notable drivers challenged for the lead, including Australia’s Cody Nikola Latkovski, Tomoaki Yamanaka and Ryota Kokubun of Japan and Canada’s Andrew Brooks. After 10 laps, however, it was Gallo who crossed the finish line first, but Miyazono’s 2nd-place finish was enough to hand him the 2020 Nations Cup title, giving him 45 total points to Gallo’s 42 and 3rd-place finisher Kokubun’s 29. He also made it a World Final clean sweep, winning all three events of the weekend to add to his ‘World Tour 2020 – Sydney’ victory and Asia-Oceania Regional Finals win. While many of us may wish to forget 2020, Takuma Miyazono will remember it with pride for a long time to come. All three events are available as separate streams on the Gran Turismo TV YouTube channel with results and full news available at gran-turismo.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/r_ZLRDdIGD4View the full article

Email us at pspodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here In the final PS Podcast of 2020, the gang runs down their top three of 2020 — plus, of course, a few honorable mentions. See you next year! Stuff We Talked About Your Game of the Year picks Our Game of the Year picks The Cast Justin Massongill – Content Communications Manager, SIE Tim Turi – Content Communications Manager, SIE Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/jBKNqaKvye4View the full article

Last week, we asked you to swing into Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and share daring moments as Miles navigates his journey being Spider-Man using #PSshare and #PSBlog. From death-defying leaps to fierce combat shots, here are this week’s highlights: Shared by N00bMaster0069 Shared by PeteyReilly Shared by themarkplumb Shared by GamingIntPhoto1 Shared by DotPone Shared by Virtual_Archer Shared by Rimaeternax Shared by Sarokeye Shared by 0sty_gaming Shared by firescorpio_photo 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: Share of the Year SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on January 6 It’s been an amazing year in gaming, so let’s see your best shots! Over the next few weeks, share the gaming moment you are most proud of from 2020 using #PSshare and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured in the Share of the Year round up. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/343Hn3Csp4MView the full article

Sometimes, video game music transcends its original purpose as a soundtrack. A quick glance at the numbers on any music streaming service is testament that certain scores haunt players long after they have finished a game. In my case, Nier achieved the opposite. I was enthralled by its soundtrack before I’d even played the game. I still vividly remember the day a friend recommended it to me and how captivated and intrigued I was from the very first listen. I knew all the songs by heart by the time I finally dove into the game and I will forever remember the unique experience of discovering where each of these ethereal songs belonged in the Nier universe. The soundtrack slowly unravelled before me, finding its rightful place within the delicate story, landscapes and characters of Nier, like pieces of a puzzle finally coming together to reveal the bigger picture. A musical treasure hunt. I’m far from the only one forever marked by that evocative score. Nier’s soundtrack, composed by Keiichi Okabe and sung by Emi Evans, was incredibly well received and collectively praised. Perhaps one of its most unique details was the made-up lyrics Emi created, suitably named “Chaos Language”, invented to sound as if our modern languages had drifted away for thousands of years to finally become indistinguishable to us. “The reason we went for this mysterious made-up language is because we felt that as game music, having lyrics which you can recognize and understand might distract you from the gameplay,” explained Yoko Taro, the game’s director, when I met him in 2017 ahead of the launch of Nier’s sequel, Nier:Automata. “We wanted something that could truly serve as background music. If you don’t know what these mysterious words mean, you can’t get side-tracked.” For Emi, this was the opportunity to try something completely new. “I have always been fascinated by languages, so this was a very interesting task for me and I welcomed the new challenge.” she wrote in answer to a few questions I had the opportunity to send her over email. With the newly upgraded version of Nier Replicant, due out early next year on PS4, it was the perfect time to revisit that soundtrack and her work as singer and lyricist on this unique project. “As it was my first time to create a made-up language, I had no set system in place. So for my first attempt, I just mashed together sounds from all the languages I had ever experienced. The result was the lyrics for ‘Song of the Ancients’. “I was shown a short clip of Devola and Popola and was told that this was to be their theme. This was the very first piece I recorded for Nier and my first attempt at creating a made-up language. There’s German, Hungarian, Welsh, Japanese, French, and Latin, as well as some extra sounds I thought up myself!” Song of the Ancients – Devola “I was pleased with what I had written, but quickly realised that simply mashing up random sounds would give similar sounding results every time. In order to produce different sounding lyrics and character for each song, I would need to come up with a new method. “I shared my concerns and I believe that it was Okabe-san who came up with the wonderful idea to base each song on a real existing language, imagining what it might sound like thousands of years into the future.” ‘Song of the Ancients’ excluded, the rest of the Nier Gestalt/Replicant soundtrack would be inspired by single existing languages, bringing a unique feel and flair to each track. Emi started working on the lyrics for every song she sung on the soundtrack, thoroughly researching each language. “To begin with, if I haven’t already been instructed, I decide on a language. Usually I listen to the music and then, having grasped the song’s atmosphere, I research to find a language which I think would make a good match. For instance, for one song I might feel that a gentle, flowing sounding language would be suitable, for another song maybe I will want to use a language which sounds harsher with lots of guttural sounds and hard consonants. On occasion, I will blend two languages together, but usually it is just the one. Once the language is decided upon, I then go on YouTube and immerse myself in pronunciation lessons and performances in this language, trying to identify and imitate the particular sounds which seem to be characteristic. “I write out what I can hear and collect maybe a page full of the sounds which my ears have picked out. Then I piece everything together at random, slightly altering sounds and changing letters here and there, so that everything fits the melody in a way that I find most phonetically pleasing. Then I sing them, over and over, tweaking and adjusting until they feel really comfortable and natural coming out of my mouth. Then I go back to YouTube and double check my pronunciation! “As I am not a native speaker of these languages, it is hard for me to imagine how they might sound to a native ear, but from the comments I see online, people do seem to recognize many of my pseudo languages, so I must be doing something right!” Fascinated by the process, I asked Emi to describe her inspirations for a few chosen tracks from the original soundtrack that I think are an astounding display of her voice and linguistic work: Grandma “Okabe-san asked me to base ‘Grandma’ on French. He told me that this song would play when fighting a super strong boss who would weaken you by making you recall your most painful memories. So, as I sang, I just mournfully opened up the back of my throat and softly wailed out the beautiful high notes. Hearing the playback of my vocals on ‘Grandma’ for the first time was one of my most memorable studio moments for Nier Replicant. I had only just received the track the day before and, as it was still unfamiliar to me, I couldn’t imagine how it would turn out. Yet, in a very short space of time, the song somehow transformed itself into a gorgeous, woeful piece which was giving me goosebumps!” The Wretched Automatons “‘The Wretched Automatons’ was fun and the easiest of all, as I was asked to base it on my own native language, English. I just strung together all my favourite sounding words then tweaked them to make sure they had no meaning and then tried to pronounce them in a “cool” way. I was told that this would be used on a large metallic scrap heap where robots would attack you, but the arrangement [at the time] was very simple, with none of the percussive sounds. I had the biggest surprise when the OST came out and I couldn’t believe how much this song had transformed!” Kainé “‘Kainé’ I was asked to base on Gaelic. I really enjoyed researching this language and found that something about the vowel and “r” sounds gave it an air of beautiful attitude. So later when I was told that Kainé’s character was rather unrefined, yet gorgeous, I thought the lyrics were a perfect match. ‘Kainé’ is the song which seems to make fans cry the most, especially when I perform it live, but for me, this will always be an uplifting song full of tenderness and power.” Regardless of the original language that inspired each song, Emi’s invented lyrics helped the entire soundtrack feel all the more ethereal. “For Nier, certainly “Chaos Language” worked extremely well to convey a sense of sadness, despair, peace and mystery, but for other projects I have found that it works equally well for hopeful, uplifting songs – even songs which are sweet and joyful.” “What I have learnt about using invented languages is that, as they have no meaning, they completely allow the listener’s imagination to make its own emotional interpretation of the song. I feel that the potential to evoke deep and personal emotions is far greater than using lyrics with actual meaning. Singing in “Chaos Language” allows me to express myself so honestly just using the tone of my voice, without feeling that words are limiting me or getting in the way. So maybe the catharsis which I feel as I sing also communicates to the listener in a unique and positive way.” “While recording each song for Nier Replicant and singing in “Chaos language” for the first time, I remember feeling so excited and fascinated to hear each song blossom in the studio. On paper, my lyrics were just a series of meaningless sounds strung together, yet once I started singing them and layering up the tracks, these lyrics suddenly sprang to life and took on a meaning and personality, all of their own. Hearing each set of lyrics transform like this, almost beyond my control, was such a thrill for me.” Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, the remake of the original, will release in April 2021 with newly recorded versions of the songs from the original soundtrack. When I asked Emi how she felt getting back on this project a decade later, she wrote: “When I first recorded, it was with much uncertainty as I didn’t know how my made-up lyrics or even my voice would be received by the players. Also, tight deadlines meant that sometimes I wouldn’t hear the tracks until the day before the scheduled recording, so I would have to familiarize myself with them and write lyrics overnight. I remember being really sleepy a lot of the time in the studio and worrying if what I’d come up with would be good enough. “So, to have been able to re-record all these songs, which have grown so dear to me, with full confidence thanks to the love which the fans have shown over the years, has been such a dream come true. I don’t think my voice has changed that much in these last ten years, nor the way in which I performed, but this time I felt such gratitude and love as I recorded each song. I hope this will bring an extra depth to the music which the fans can feel too!” Want to know more about Emi’s career and creative process as well as her work on Nier Gestalt/Replicant, Nier:Automata and the upcoming Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…? Listen to the interview on the Official PlayStation podcast. Liked the selected tracks above? You may also be interested in the Nier: Theatrical Orchestra 12020. This Blu-ray release features full orchestral performances of select tracks from both Nier Gestalt/Replicant and Nier:Automata, performed in Japan’s Tokyo International Forum this past March. Find out more here*. *For local availability of Nier: Theatrical Orchestra 12020, please check the Square Enix store. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/JpRe3VanySUView the full article

Wow! Despite a shorter voting period than last year, voter turnout in this year’s Game of the Year polls shattered previous records, coming in at over 2.5 million total votes across all categories. Thank you! PS Blog readers declared Naughty Dog’s long-awaited follow-up The Last of Us Part II the clear champion this year, taking home nine total Trophies (many of them Platinum), but there are a few surprises among the results below. Read on to see all of 2020’s big winners, then hit the comments to let us know how you voted. See you in 2021! Best Narrative The Last of Us Part II The Last of Us is considered one of the best video game tales ever created, so the storytellers at Naughty Dog had a tough act to follow. That’s what makes this ambitious, nuanced, and subversive sequel even more impressive. From old obsessions that possess Ellie, to newcomer Abby working through her own issues, The Last of Us Part II is compelling from beginning to end. Credit also goes to the masters of storytelling at Sucker Punch, Insomniac, and Square Enix. Ghost of Tsushima Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Final Fantasy VII Remake Best Use of DualSense Astro’s Playroom From the scraping sensation of skating across ice, to detecting subtle pit-pats of rain on an umbrella, to feeling the resistance of a coiled spring, Astro’s Playroom put the DualSense wireless controller to work. Voters noticed in a big way, earning the game a Platinum trophy. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Demon’s Souls round out the winners with Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies respectively. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Demon’s Souls Best Accessibility Features The Last of Us Part II Accessibility in games has always been important, but teams like Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, Insomniac, and Ubisoft built in new features this year that ensure their games can be played by as many gamers as possible. Congrats not only to these winners, but also to everyone who is able to enjoy these titles as a result of the teams’ efforts here. Ghost of Tsushima Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Best Graphical Showcase The Last of Us Part II Naughty Dog is renowned for creating games with a mesmerizing level of detail, and The Last of Us Part II is the team’s most technically impressive feat yet. Swivel the camera around while Ellie grapples with an enemy, and you’ll see her grimacing with effort. Position Abby next to a steep ledge and experience her wobbly tunnel vision as acrophobia settles in. 2020 was a great year for stunning games, including interpretations of ancient Japan, Marvel’s New York City, and the dark fantasy world of Boletaria. Ghost of Tsushima Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Demon’s Souls Best Art Direction Ghost of Tsushima Sucker Punch’s lavish attention to detail meant its open world samurai epic never missed a chance to impress. From that title drop sequence to the twisted reimagining of its world with the Legends multiplayer mode, Ghost of Tsushima demanded frequent use of its Photo Mode. It, as well as the other winners in this category, was a perfect excuse to familiarise yourself with the PS4 Share and PS5 Create buttons. The Last of Us Part II Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Final Fantasy VII Remake Best Soundtrack The Last of Us Part II The Last of Us Part II snags yet another Platinum Trophy in our GOTY Awards. Yet all four winners here highlighted the diversity of this year’s soundtracks, perfectly capturing the soundscape of historical adventures, modern day heroics, near-future horrors and fantastical cities. Whether propelling the on-screen action or being enjoyed in isolation, these scores were worth putting on repeat. Ghost of Tsushima Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Final Fantasy VII Remake Best Sound Design The Last of Us Part II Naughty Dog’s achievements with the audio of its acclaimed sequel isn’t limited to that captivating soundtrack. The intricate work of the game’s sound design – perhaps showcased best by the staggering complexity of its breathing system – added essential details to make this world feel fully realised. A ragged breath; the cocking of a rifle; metal grinding, the howl of an Infected. All immersed us that much more in The Last of Us Part II. Ghost of Tsushima Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Demon’s Souls Best Multiplayer Call of Duty: Warzone Activision’s legendary, buttery smooth FPS gameplay merges with the popular battle royale genre in this free-to-play juggernaut. Content updates have kept the experience fresh, from new game modes to holiday-themed events including Jigsaw and Leatherface cameos around Halloween. Shout outs to the stumblin’ fun of Fall Guys, focused intensity of Black Ops Cold War, and four-player co-op in Ghost of Tsushima’s Legends mode. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Ghost of Tsushima Legends Best Sports Game Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater 1 & 2 Activision’s sick combo of publishing incredible remakes continues, and THPS 1 + 2 is the latest trick in that chain. Developer Vicarious Visions has refreshed the skaters and locations we know and love, while retaining the precise-yet-accessible control scheme that made the series famous. While the Birdman kickflipped over other sports game competition, respect is due to EA, 2K, and Codemasters for their excellent releases. FIFA 21 NBA 2K21 Dirt 5 Best New Character Miles Morales as Spider-Man (Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales) While 2020 saw the introduction of an impressive roster of charismatic new characters to gaming, Miles Morales swung to the top of this particular poll, no doubt influenced by Insomniac’s heartfelt, original story centered on Miles becoming his own Spider-Man. Jin, Abby, and Eivor took home the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Trophies, respectively. Jin Sakai (Ghost of Tsushima) Abby (The Last of Us Part II) Eivor (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla) Best Independent Game Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Uproarious, everyone-for-themselves moments made Fall Guys a genuine phenomenon earlier this year, so it’s no surprise to see these bouncy be-chickened beans at the top of the list. Fellow PlayStation Plus titles Bugsnax and Worms Rumble round out the Gold and Silver winners, while Skater XL’s unique approach to trick controls earned it a Bronze trophy. Bugsnax Worms Rumble Skater XL Gaming Moment of the Year The Last of Us Part II: Final Showdown Steadily roiling conflict builds to a dramatic crescendo in Naughty Dog’s bold, stunning sequel. No spoilers here, but the emotional turmoil and memories that the leading characters bring to this climactic showdown is so white hot that it demands full attention. Other best moment kudos go to galloping through the fields as Jin and feeling the immersive magic of the DualSense controller. Ghost of Tsushima: Horseback title sequence Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales: The bridge sequence Astro’s Playroom: Experiencing haptics and adaptive triggers for the first time Best PS VR Experience Star Wars Squadrons The allure of (virtually) climbing inside iconic Starfighters made Star Wars: Squadrons an irresistible PS VR experience. Turns out, screaming past asteroids and evading 360 degree enemy fire while packed into the confines of a cockpit really sticks with people! Gold, Silver, and Bronze Trophies went to Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Dreams, and The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners. Marvel’s Iron Man VR Dreams The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners PS4 Game of the Year The Last of Us Part II In a strong year for PlayStation exclusives, PS4 Game of the Year was hotly contested. But in the end Naughty Dog’s emotionally-charged sequel clinched the Platinum. Sucker Punch’s open world samurai epic Ghost of Tsushima took Gold, Final Fantasy VII Remake Silver and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Bronze. Ghost of Tsushima Final Fantasy VII Remake Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS5 Game of the Year Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales made a name for itself in this year’s GOTY polls, taking home more reader-voted awards than you can shoot a web at. It even bested fellow PS5 launch titles Demon’s Souls, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Astro’s Playroom to secure the coveted Platinum Trophy for PS5 Game of the Year — congratulations, Insomniac! Demon’s Souls Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Astro’s Playroom Most Anticipated Game New God of War title The mere confirmation of a new God of War was enough to get PlayStation Blog voters (and staff!) hyped and eagerly awaiting new information. The powerful lineup of Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village and Final Fantasy XVI proves the future looks bright indeed. Horizon Forbidden West Resident Evil Village Final Fantasy XVI Studio of the Year Naughty Dog Following up one of PlayStation’s most acclaimed games was no mean feat, yet Naughty Dog carried it off with aplomb. Every inch of The Last of Us Part II – story beats, set pieces, character animation and so much more – spoke of a development studio at the top of its game. You clearly agreed. Strong acclaim as well for the fantastic work of Insomniac Games, Sucker Punch and Square Enix, who earned Gold, Silver and Bronze Trophies respectively. Insomniac Games Sucker Punch Square Enix http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/_zQ6kYDar4QView the full article

Arise, corsairs and sailors! Olija, our swashbuckling action-fantasy game, will set sail for adventure on PS4 January 28, 2021. Your PS4, a powerful gate to other worlds, will take you to Terraphage, a wild land filled with new challenges and ancient tales. I’m Thomas Olsson from Kyoto-based Skeleton Crew Studio, a small game studio with big dreams. Play Video Olija charts the adventures of Faraday, a man shipwrecked then trapped in the mysterious country of Terraphage. Armed with a legendary harpoon, he and other castaways try to leave this hostile country to return to their homelands. “I saw it all, smelled it, even drank deep your sorrow. Ship hulls tasting of salt and blood… …bitter tears soaking tattered sails. Rise, captain without a ship. Aren’t you the captain of all of our fates?” – Ishtar Four Claws When Faraday awakes on the strange, cold shore of Terraphage, everything is unfamiliar, treacherous and deadly. His crew is lost and scattered. Home is far away. But there is more than death and shadows lurking in wait… There is wisdom and kindness in the words of an old boatman. Freedom in the bold flights of an exotic raven. Power in the cold iron of an ancient, mystical harpoon. And above all, goodness and hope, found within the calm and resolute eyes of a queen. Will you answer the call of adventure and lead the castaways home? “After a great storm, the tide carried fallen oak trees here… …allowing the castaways to build these docks. The storm gives just as it takes away.” – A Castaway Olija’s story and atmosphere were partly inspired by various trips around Asia and dreams of adventure. Its brutal and fast-paced combat was built instinctively around the Harpoon of Legend, a relic that allows Faraday to instantly teleport to targets the Harpoon pierces. It is a personal game that became a reality thanks to the combined efforts of awesome individuals. We all sincerely hope that you will enjoy it. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/e_uKRuuaVs8View the full article

Online play comes to Sackboy: A Big Adventure today as part of a new title update.* And with it a new opportunity to experience the chaotic, slapstick multiplayer fun of Sackboy’s latest escapade. Our goal from day one of this project was to give players an excellent single-player platforming experience. But… we wanted that experience to be even better when you shared it with your mates. I thought this would be a great opportunity to let you know about the features and content you can look forward to enjoying on your co-op adventure. Teamwork levels You can play through Sackboy’s whole adventure from start to finish with up to three companions. And we have included a set of ten dedicated Teamwork Levels where you and your friends will have to work together if you want to succeed. There are two Teamwork Levels in each of the five main game worlds. In these exclusive multiplayer stages, you and your team will need to collaborate, coordinate and communicate to reach your goal. And you should expect that at some point it will go completely pear-shaped, often with hilarious consequences. Guide, goad and grief your friends There are a bunch of multiplayer moves with which to both assist and annoy your chums. Experiment with slapping, grabbing, and rolling into other players. Then dodge out of the way before they do the same to you. Also, a word of warning: take care when wielding the Swingamajig with other Sackfolk around. You don’t want to do anyone a disservice… do you? As well as these fun ways to aggravate aid your companions there are also co-op emotes so you and your friends can show your appreciation for each other with hugs, high-fives and chest-bumps. You can unlock co-op emotes with collectabells or discover them in prize bubbles. Equip co-op emotes in the wardrobe at Zom Zom’s and use them by pressing the D-Pad and having your buddy stand next to you and press the D-Pad too. Everyone’s a winner! Levels include rewards for bronze, silver and gold high scores. In multiplayer you earn (and lose) score as a team. To score big make sure you use your x2 multipliers wisely, take out as many enemies as you can and pick up those high-value collectables. If you work together you can rack up loads of points! It’s worth it because when you hit the scoreboard everyone gets prizes. Keep your progress What if you spend a bunch of time playing online helping someone else on their adventure? What happens to all of those valuable, hard-earned Dreamer Orbs you’ve discovered? Fear not! When you return to your adventure your progress will be carried over to your local game, so you keep all of those hard-won orbs. PS4/PS5 Cross-Play This game is awesome fun in multiplayer and we wanted to make sure that as many people as possible get the opportunity to enjoy it with their friends. So we have included support for PS4/PS5 Cross-Play.* PS4 to PS5 save transfer This new update isn’t just about online multiplayer, we have also included an option to transfer your PS4 adventure progress over to PS5. To do this, simply load Sackboy: A Big Adventure on PS4, select Extras in the pause menu and follow the instructions. I hope this post has given you a good idea of the multiplayer shenanigans you can look forward to when you take Sackboy online. We’re going to continue to support the game with future updates making tweaks and improvements to give you the best possible gameplay experience. Finally, as you may know, music plays a massive part in the Sackboy: A Big Adventure. The soundtrack really does need to be heard to be believed. And to coincide with the launch of online play we’ve put together an all-new trailer celebrating Sackboy’s love of music, dancing and dressing up. I hope you like it and I look forward to seeing you online. *Online multiplayer requires internet connection and PS Plus subscription; fees recur until cancelled. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: www.playstation.com/legal/ps-plus-usage-terms. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/Fq_QABN9V7kView the full article

Happy holidays yokai hunters! As promised, I’m excited to announce the harrowing conclusion to Nioh 2, The First Samurai*, the final DLC expansion of our story from Team Ninja, is available today. To commemorate this occasion, I wanted to bring you some insight into the development of this third and concluding expansion which will bring our protagonist to the beginning of the Heian Period (794 – 1185), taking them further into the past than ever before in the saga. As mentioned above, The First Samurai takes you to the beginning of the Heian Period, far back into the past of Japan’s ancient history. At this period in time, Japanese swords as we know them today did not even exist! Weapons with the general shape of straight swords with a slight curvature started to be produced at this point in history. With the story being brought this far back into the past, we contemplated on what equipment and yokai we would include. Only yokai from this period or earlier could be included, so we put a lot of time into evaluating which ones would be appropriate for this expansion. Or at the very least, include yokai that felt believable to be present during this time period. This expansion will put on full display the fearsome and terrifying Oni, Otakemaru, while also revealing the inner emotions of many of the characters that will appear throughout your adventure. As you journey through the new locations found in The First Samurai, all of the mysteries presented in the base game will be revealed to bring a definitive end to the exciting Nioh 2 story. We put in a lot of effort to highlight the beauty of this area while contrasting it with the ominous “land where yokai reside”, which should make even the most seasoned player tremble with fear. Our designers strived to leave everyone with a lasting impression of this awe-inspiring area. I hope you will look forward to learning more about it when you venture through the final chapter for yourself. The legend of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who is said to have defeated Otakemaru, is the oldest recorded story in Japanese history of a military personnel working for the Imperial Court, and one of the most well-known stories in Japan as well. He is recognized by many to be Japan’s first Shogun, and his story has been passed down through the generations through numerous retellings, causing many different variations of his legend to arise over the years. So, in keeping with this tradition, we wanted to contribute our own variation of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro’s legend. I hope that even fans of historically accurate retellings of his tale can recognize the many over-the-top ways his story has been told and look at our retelling, chuckle to themselves, and see past the liberties we have taken with the story. We hope all of you will enjoy this new version of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro’s story and potentially explore other retellings as well. This brings an end to the riveting tales behind our Nioh 2 DLC expansions. We hope you’ve enjoyed the journey and will be entertained with The First Samurai, as you experience the heart-pounding conclusion to the Nioh 2 story! While this ends the epic saga, we hope all of our yokai hunters will look towards the future and experience both Nioh and Nioh 2 on PlayStation 5 through The Nioh Collection, or each of the games sold separately through Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition, also available on PS5 console. For any users that have not made the jump to PS5 yet, you can experience the entire Nioh 2 story through Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition on PlayStation 4 console. All of these titles will be available on February 5, 2021. Also, for all of our veteran players out there, by purchasing all 3 of the DLC expansions for Nioh 2 (PS4) you can gain access to the final difficulty level: Dream of the Nioh (also available to Nioh 2 Season Pass holders and to be available in the upcoming Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition on PS4 and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition on PS5). Thanks again for joining us on this thrilling adventure through the world of Nioh 2. We raise our swords as we wish you and your families a Happy Holiday season and an even happier New Year! Cheers samurai! *Nioh 2 (PS4) required to play “The First Samurai” DLC expansion (sold separately or as part of the Nioh 2 Season Pass. “The First Samurai” DLC expansion will also be available as part of the upcoming Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition on PS4 and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition on PS5. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/c6nCPpZEpCcView the full article

Hey survivors! I’m Evan, founder of Dead Drop Studios, solo indie developer, and creator of the Outbreak series. I’m very excited to be back to discuss both the PlayStation 5 system and to announce brand-new next-gen versions of every title in the Outbreak series starting with Outbreak: The New Nightmare releasing on December 17, 2020. Get ready to return to the next-gen world of survival horror. It’s not the fear that kills you… The Outbreak series is all about bringing you back to the glory days of survival horror. Each title in the series pays homage to the genre through hardcore difficultly, brutal inventory management, challenging puzzles, and delivering lore through exploration of the environment and your equipment. And zombies, plenty of zombies! You’ll find intense action through over-the-shoulder precision shooters, third-person fixed camera nightmares and even a 2D “demake” that is packed with atmosphere and fear. A beautiful undead apocalypse The PS5’s new hardware allows for tremendous improvements to graphical fidelity and framerates. Across all of the 3D titles in the Outbreak series you’ll see massive improvements like higher quality real-time shadows, better graphics further off in the distance, improved texture and model detail and so much more! For example, In Outbreak: Epidemic and Outbreak: Lost Hope, you’ll find the available field of view in front of your character has greatly expanded and spooky real-time shadows bringing the horrific experience to life even at the very edge of your vision. Even with all of these massive improvements to the visuals, you’ll also find that every title in the Outbreak series runs better than ever during gameplay. Framerates have more than doubled in some titles allowing even the most intense action to feel smooth. If you’re fleeing, or facing the undead, you’ll have the best control imaginable as the game powers through complex environments and intense particle effects without missing a beat. The PS5’s SSD delivers the horror faster than ever Improved graphics and framerates are already gamechangers and the benefits don’t stop there. The PS5’s brand new high-speed solid-state drive allows developers like myself to deliver all of these improved experiences while getting you into the game faster than ever. Across every title, you’ll see load times drop dramatically as complex scenes now load and are ready for you to play in mere seconds, sometimes instantly. Everything from loading a new scenario, switching to co-op and customizing your survivors is orders of magnitude faster and helps trap you with the undead instead of trapping you in a loading screen. DualSense controller benefits Every title in the series plays better thanks to the ergonomic and technical improvements on the DualSense controller. You’ll find greater precision as you line up headshots on the undead in Outbreak: Epidemic, while also benefiting from improved control schemes in titles like Outbreak: The New Nightmare. The action feels more alive thanks to the new haptic feedback in the DualSense controller, allowing for a more visceral experience as you expertly dispatch the undead and try to reach the evac zone to survive! And don’t forget to bring a friend as local co-op is supported fully across Outbreak: Epidemic, Outbreak: The New Nightmare, and Outbreak. Your feedback shapes the apocalypse In addition to all of these technical improvements, you’ll find numerous new quality of life features and bug fixes across every title. From improved handling in your inventory, to balancing and other gameplay buffs, every game in the series plays better on PS5 and that’s all due to your feedback and engagement. Thank you for surviving with the Outbreak series and we’re looking forward to a more beautiful apocalypse on PS5. Check below for the upcoming release calendar. Outbreak: The New Nightmare – December 17, 2020 Outbreak: Epidemic – December 24, 2020 Outbreak: The Nightmare Chronicles – December 31, 2020 Outbreak: Lost Hope – January 7, 2021 Outbreak – January 14, 2021 Thank you and enjoy the games! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/QEQfMRlDhhAView the full article

Howdy folks, I’m Toby Ragaini, the content director at Proletariat, the developer of Spellbreak. Spellbreak is a competitive, free-to-play, third-person spellcasting game where you unleash powerful magic as you battle other players for supremacy. With the launch of Spellbreak’s first chapter, The Spellstorm, I wanted to introduce the fantastic fictional world that the game takes place in. Play Video The area now known as the Hollow Lands was once a peaceful and prosperous part of Velnor called the Highlands. Home to the Five Hand Alliance, five kingdoms joined together, pledging to protect and defend one another for the good of their people. But such unity came at a cost. The Vowkeepers, a once obscure, priestly order that believed that magic was a destructive and ultimately corrupting influence, convinced the rulers of the alliance to ban all spellcasting. While there was initially some resistance to this, the Vowkeepers were successful in winning the hearts and minds of the people. As the years passed, those few who persisted in using magic in secret were considered dishonorable Vowbreakers, criminals and heathens with no respect for the sanctity of human life—and life might have continued that way, if not for an event that would literally reshape the world. The Fracture was an enormous explosion of magical energy so powerful that it split the Highlands asunder. Huge rifts opened up and waves of magical energy permeated everything for miles in all directions. The effects of this energy were unpredictable and inconsistent. Many living things died instantly while others were seemingly unaffected. Curiously, some objects were affected in subtler ways…ways that seemed to defy the very fabric of space and time itself. Had the Fracture been a singular event, the hardy people of the Highlands would have recovered and continued on with their lives. But sadly, this was not the case. For reasons that are yet to be understood, the Fracture preceded another even deadlier disaster. The Spellstorm, an enormous cyclone of destructive magical energy, descended on the Highlands soon after the Fracture and in its wake, very little would survive. Any living thing caught within the Spellstorm’s fury would eventually succumb to its enervating effects, leaving behind nothing but dust. Banehelm, Bogmore, Dustpool, and even mighty Halcyon were all devastated. In less than a day, the once bucolic Highlands were rendered uninhabitable, and the ruins became known as the Hollow Lands. What few survivors there were fled to the relative safety of the sole surviving kingdom, Longwatch. The Spellstorm never expanded into the mountains and valleys of this isolated realm, and this may explain its salvation. Long the center of military strength in the Five Hand Alliance, Longwatch now houses a crowded and anxious community of refugees. With their future hanging by a thread, the people of Velnor are desperate for deliverance. Can a scrappy group of maligned Vowbreakers solve the mystery of the Spellstorm? Find out in today’s update, Chapter 1: The Spellstorm. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/L0mW-gYvRkEView the full article

Well here we are… Sackboy: A Big Adventure has finally hit the shelves. Bursting with the most incredible roster of new (and old!) music, and built on a completely revamped interactive system, the soundtrack is by far the heftiest we’ve ever assembled for the franchise. So I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few insights into what we’ve been doing for the last couple of years, as well as touch on what you can expect to hear when you embark on your own Big Adventure. No spoilers though! Play Video Media Musical We’re all huge fans of the original LittleBigPlanet games, and many of us have worked on the franchise for quite some time now, so we’re naturally passionate when it comes to respecting its musical heritage. As both composers and supervisors for Sackboy’s latest outing, what we considered incredibly important was having the freedom to assemble a uniquely eclectic mix, with a focus on elevating the gameplay experience and a willingness to make some brave choices. With this in mind, the two key questions for us at the outset were: ‘how can we honour the soundtrack’s legacy yet evolve it in new directions?’ and ‘how can we broaden the scope whilst continuing to introduce fans to new and exciting music?’ The answers to these questions we thought (well, hoped!) lay in diversifying the content even further; in expanding in all directions. So we looked at raising the stakes with more mainstream artists, yet pushed further in our endeavours to discover new talent. We explored music of a more vintage nature whilst combining this with modern production techniques. We worked even more closely with established artists and we broadened the search for unique new composers. And above all, we had a lot of fun, constantly looking for opportunities that might raise a smile from the player. Jukebox Hero As you may already have read in Ned’s excellent blog post, variety was one of the key pillars when planning out the design direction. There was a strong desire for every level to feel unique, for the game to continually surprise the player with new and interesting game mechanics. We thought it only right that we support this with the music, so we made it our ambition to provide a unique musical experience for every one of the game’s core levels. A major aspiration for me personally was to leave players not only thrilled by the current level, but also excited about what was to be uncovered in the next. We have a wealth of original compositions, from both new faces and franchise favourites, as well as some really exciting artist exclusives. There’s an unprecedented roster of licensed music, which spans an entire century and features everything from burgeoning new talent to superstar DJs and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. We also wanted to look at ways in which we could experiment with a few new ideas, so have worked a number of original remixes and mashups into the soundtrack, not to mention a few more recognisable songs reimagined in a new light! Putting the ‘Play’ in Playlist Interactivity was always a really big deal for us. Whereas previous titles have made great use of interactive music with the composed tracks, licensed music has tended to remain a fairly linear experience. For Sackboy: A Big Adventure we wanted to rethink how we could work with licensed music – specifically how we could arrange those tracks so that they become more of an integral part of the experience. So we made a call to implement all music interactively, be it composed or licensed. This means that every track in the game is broken down into instrumental layers as well as edited into its component sections. This allows us to not only rearrange the mix in realtime but also to choreograph the arrangement so that it adapts to the player’s actions and whereabouts. What this means from a player perspective is that each track feels much more meaningful to the experience. The music builds through the opening moments, it evolves with the narrative, it responds to your actions, it crescendos, and it concludes the action. And the fact that we’ve been able to do this with a King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard song is a massive bonus! As well as the tracks themselves, we also wanted to explore how we could push musical interactivity into other areas of the sound. Quite a large number of the sound effects are rich in tonal elements, so we began thinking: ‘Can we implement these sounds in such a way that they become more intrinsic to the musical experience?’ This ultimately led to the development of both harmony and rhythm systems. These allow the sound designers to create sound effects that adapt to the key signature of the accompanying music track, as well as synchronise those events to beats and key motifs. The outcome of this is that we now have an ensemble of sound effects effectively singing along to the soundtrack – everything from checkpoints to collectabells, level badges to key UI events. Even the disconcerting buzz of an approaching Boomblebee! The natural evolution of these systems subsequently allowed us to create a number of, shall we say, ‘more standout’ musical set-pieces. We wanted these levels to be a more distinct experience, to feel more akin to a music video, and we wanted players to feel like they were starring in that video. However, there was also a strong desire to avoid a linear, on-rails approach that would essentially force the player through the levels. Instead we geared the design towards allowing the player to inhabit a world infused with the song, with the beat, flow and even lyrical references turning the game into one big dance party. Anyway, that’s about enough from me for now. The official soundtrack featuring all of the bespoke music releases today across all digital platforms and you can listen to it here. We’ve also compiled an official playlist of most of the licensed music, which you can find here. We’ve had a real blast putting this soundtrack together and I’m so excited to finally get it into your hands (and ears!) Like the game itself, it’s bursting with joy and has been a real labour of love for the whole team. There’s so much fun to be had and so many minute details that will make you smile. And I think we could all do with a bit of that right now! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/oMWyq5rulnoView the full article

Hello everyone, I’m Julien “Patch” Desourteaux, the game director of Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood, *takes a deep breath* a beat’em up-oriented action-RPG. At Cyanide, this is our first major incursion into the action genre, and what better way to start than playing as a werewolf? As Cahal, you will take part in a bloody campaign against the evil oil and gas corporation Endron, whose activities are upsetting the balance of nature and threatening the way of life of the Garou (the Werewolves) and humanity as a whole. The development team and I are very excited to share more details about the game and a first look at pure gameplay footage, walking you through some of the forms, abilities, and skills of Cahal, an exiled werewolf who has returned to aid his endangered tribe. Play Video If you are not familiar with the Werewolf: The Apocalypse universe, let me explain a couple of important plot points. Werewolves in our game are not the typical monsters you expect from books or movies. In the World of Darkness, Werewolves are warriors, defenders of nature against the corrupting influence of the Wyrm, a spirit of destruction and chaos. The Werewolves are almost an antithesis to the Wyrm, with their own culture, beliefs, and social hierarchy. Cahal is an Ahroun, a warrior from the Fianna tribe; he’s a ferocious fighter and is fiercely protective of his family. There are many different Tribes that you will encounter throughout the game, each with their own unique perception of the world. Unlike a horror movie from the 80s, being a Werewolf isn’t a curse. It offers great power, granting the ability to shapeshift into 3 different forms. The Human or “Homid” Form This is the main form you will make use of for anything related to social interaction, hacking computers, and stealth kills. You can quietly get the jump on enemies, perform silent takedowns, or pick off an enemy from afar with your crossbow. With some handy upgrades, you can also use the crossbow to disable electrical systems. The Wolf or “Lupus” Form As a human, sometimes there are places you just can’t get into. It’s these times where you’ll be grateful for the speed and agility of the wolf. The Wolf form will help you navigate through vents and move rapidly between cover to avoid being detected by the guards. Speed and agility are the name of the game, and it’s just as valuable when you’re trying to take a stealthy approach. The Werewolf or “Crinos” Form This is the form that everyone immediately thinks about when you hear the word “Werewolf”. These towering beasts are powerful creatures, capable of devastating acts of carnage. A Crinos is the ultimate combat machine, and if infiltration fails, it’s time to go big or go home. Brutal, fast-paced combat Werewolves are not known for their patience, and your inner Rage will raise as you silently take down enemies. Sooner or later, you will have to fight your way through. For our first foray into the action genre, we really wanted to design impactful, brutal fighting systems. Something that would bring these powerful creatures to life. We went through lots of iterations, balancing the different moves and enemies, with a focus on strength, power, and aggression. Every move, every animation needed that “snap” and “crunch” to ensure each strike feels heavy and satisfying. Rage is at the heart of combat: it builds up as you damage enemies and allows you to perform a range of special moves, from unleashing a big area-of-effect attack to rushing towards an enemy. The Crinos also has two different combat stances, each suitable for different situations. In Agile Stance, you can perform fast attacks and move quickly between enemies. This comes especially handy when you need to get closer to ranged enemies, or when cornered. Heavy Stance sacrifices agility for better strength and resistance, but it’s a chance worth taking to quickly dispose of basic foes and break the guard of tougher enemies. As the fight goes on, your Frenzy meter will also fill up, and once it boils over Cahal can unleash his fury. Frenzy is a double-edged sword: while active, it increases the speed and power of your attacks and allows you to unleash spectacular, dedicated combat moves. But in return, you can’t block, heal or use any other special move until the Fury gauge empties. We just have a few weeks left before you unleash your fury, so we hope you enjoyed the video and this article! If you want to hear more about the game, follow our social networks by searching for “WerewolfVGame”. Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is coming out February 4 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, with pre-orders available from today! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/9mcwPq8NbfUView the full article

An icy wind blows through the Blunderdome for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Season 3, decking the halls with wintry wonders. The whole world’s invited to the ‘Winter Knockout’ on December 15, delivering swathes of festive mayhem, including seven new Rounds, bountiful features and fresh costumes that are truly the snowy peak of Fall Guys fashion. But what about the most dedicated beans? The players who truly rack up the Crowns on their quest for slimy domination? We’re delighted to exclusively introduce you to Crown Ranks and Golden Costumes—a whole new dimension of content for Fall Guys royalty… Play Video Are you down with the Crown? Fall Guys Season 3 throws down the gauntlet to players whose thirst for victory is frankly unquenchable with Crown Ranks! We’ve been thinking hard about new ways to celebrate our most dedicated players—something to make seizing those coveted Crowns more trackable, shareable and ultimately, more rewarding. That’s why we cooked up Crown Ranks, an all-new rewards track that salutes the players who have truly stumbled their way to the top again, again and again. The more Crowns you grab, the higher your Crown Rank rises. And with it, players will unlock a world of curious and highly desirable rewards, including exclusive Colours and Patterns to leave other players in no doubt of your commitment to the bean cause. But that’s not all… Going for Gold As an extra special treat for avid Crown-getters, climbing the Crown Ranks will also reveal…Golden Costumes! In the most prestigious addition yet to our overflowing wardrobe of Fall Guys accoutrements, players who excel can adorn gilded versions of iconic costumes. Decked out in glitzy gold, these shimmering creations will transform the looks you know and love into something altogether more special. Ever see a solid gold chicken get yeeted? Finally, we have the technology. Prepare for the Winter Knockout! With Season 3 dropping on December 15, our entire team is super excited about the fresh snowy stumbles we’ve put together. On top of our biggest haul of new Rounds to date, you can also look forward to experiencing a slew of devious new obstacles, dozens of game-changing variations and some of our most stylish (and if we’re honest, cutest) costumes to date. We cannot wait to hear what you think, so share your tumbles with us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Plus, dive into the helpful community over on our official Discord server. See you on the starting line! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/IF6TpjlH-KQView the full article