Commander Fury

Hi folks! With the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 just weeks away, we wanted to share first details around some of PlayStation’s 30 days early-access content coming to Rockstar Games’ deepest and most expansive world to date.

Both Red Dead Redemption 2 and its multiplayer experience, Red Dead Online, will come with exciting PlayStation 4 benefits right from launch. In Red Dead Redemption 2, PS4 players will be able to customize Arthur Morgan with the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit.

Come November with the launch of Red Dead Online, PS4 players will get 30 days early access to the versatile Arabian horse featuring a custom Alligator skin saddle, and the High Roller double-action revolver. Make sure that you have an active PS Plus subscription so that you can access Red Dead Online and check out these awesome items!

But with October 26 almost upon us, read on for a closer look at PlayStation’s 30 days early access content offering for Red Dead Redemption 2.

Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit – available day one in Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode and at the launch of Red Dead Online

A slick but rugged look, the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit is perfect for exploring the forests of Ambarino.

Featuring a wool-lined, long coat with custom, hand-tooled leather accents, a leather vest with ornate pattern details, stand wing-tip collar with black neckerchief, and custom ornate buckle with matching boot tips, the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit pays homage to the “boss” of the Northern States, its real-world inspiration.

Red Chestnut Arabian Horse – available at the launch of Red Dead Online

Known for its speed and handling, the Red Chestnut Arabian Horse is in a class above most horses you would find in the wild, with performance a step up from the first tier of available horses.

Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter Saddle – available at the launch of Red Dead Online

In addition to its stylish look, the Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter Saddle provides a number of benefits when equipped including core Health and Stamina boosts, which increase speed and acceleration for the horse. This saddle is an enhanced version of the basic saddle that comes stock for players when starting Red Dead Online.

High Roller Double-Action Revolver – available at the launch of Red Dead Online

Looks could kill: The High Roller Double-Action Revolver features a polished steel body with unique period-inspired, beautifully detailed engraving work. The deadly, quick draw revolver comes complete with unique playing card and skull elements carved into the grip. Its superior, quick rate of fire over all other revolvers makes it a great choice for mounted combat.

See you October 26!

View the full article

The critically acclaimed Laser League hit PS Plus this week, and we’ve squeezed Sam Brayley, QA Manager at developer Roll7, for expert strategies to help you hit the arena floor running.

For the uninitiated, Laser League can be a nerve-frying experience. We’ve covered the gameplay basics in a previous blog, and here we’ll lift the lid on how to get the best from each of the game’s six classes and challenge for position at the top of the leaderboards.

Smash

• Smash relies on your team controlling laser nodes, so grouping up with a Thief is always a good idea.
• Smash isn’t just for taking opponents down, every hit also suspends and resets an opponent’s ability charge!
• Smash’s ability can be utilised for pure speed increase, allowing it to beat other players to nodes and power-ups. This can be just as lethal as hitting the opponent itself.

Expert tip:
A knocked-down opponent becomes Smash-able in the last few frames of their recovery animation. Master the timing, and enemies become sitting ducks.

Ghost

• Ghost can pass through and dodge both Lasers and offensive abilities, pairing this with great wall-wrapping makes Ghost the ultimate evasive Class.
• Ghost’s evasion also makes it great for fearlessly Reviving teammates and activating advantageous power-ups – even in the most dangerous situations.
• Always be aware: Different Modifiers provide different invulnerability durations – don’t get caught out by over-extending.

Expert tip:
Territory control ebbs and flows in a Laser League match. In 3v3, Ghost is critical for keeping teammates alive until nodes time out and you can start to reclaim them.

Thief

• Thief thrives in Laser-busy maps and can effortlessly control the largest and most central Lasers.
• Laser nodes often pass by, or near each other – finding and stealing groups of nodes in a single ability use can be the key to dominating the field.
• Pairing up with a Shock or Smash can make for a lethal team, increasing the chances their hits eliminate an opponent.

Expert tip:
Steal a laser just after an opponent activates it, ambushing them with a laser that unfurls in a deadlier colour than they were expecting.

Snipe

• Snipe can eliminate multiple opponents with a single ability use, making it the most constantly threatening Class in play.
• Dragging its Snipe Teleslice line through walls is the best way to co-ordinate surprise, long-range attacks. Hint: Horizontal space is wider than vertical!
• Snipe’s Guard modifier is useful for getting out of tough spots and evading unknown dangers: Double-tapping with this equipped gives a similar but shorter Ghost ability effect!

Expert tip:
Activate Snipe next to a wall and wrap through it to quickly trace your snipe line across the full width of the screen. You don’t even need to make the kill: the presence of the line cuts down opponent space and panics them into mistakes.

Shock

• Shock is the support offense of the team, lethal when paired with a Thief or Blade and perfect for those that haven’t played before.
• As with Smash, every hit suspends and resets an opponent’s ability charge, Shock can even catch multiple opponents when timed right!
• Due to Snipe’s constant wall-wrap tendencies, Shock is great at consistently shutting it down with its area-of-effect.

Expert tip:
A well-timed Shock will protect you from a Blade swipe or a Smash attack, sending your assailants spinning into danger.

Blade

• Blade requires a degree of accuracy but can take out opponents on the spot with no assistance from other Classes.
• Similar to Smash, Blade’s attack can be used purely as a speed boost to grab a vital, point-winning node.
• Blade’s ability range can even be used for surprise attacks by aligning with opponents on the other side of a wall, they’ll never see it coming!

Expert tip:
The Reflex modifier is risky, as it takes a while to charge up. But hunt in pairs with a Shock and mop up their knocked-down targets to maximise the benefit.

Hopefully with these tips, you’ll be ready and prepared to take on opponents out on the pitch. Don’t forget you can team up online with friends too, so be sure to invite them along, then mix and match your classes to stand the best chance of taking down the opposition.

Remember, team work makes the dream work, right?

View the full article

Hello! The new Scuf Vantage (Paddles! Adjustable thumb sticks! Removable vibration modules! Sax buttons! More!) is shipping now, so we decided to snag the controller and snap a few photos of it for your perusal. Take a look and let us know what you think!

All photos taken with a Sony a7R II fitted with a 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens.

For more info on the Scuf Vantage, or to customize and order your own, visit playstation.com.

View the full article

Hello everyone, I’m René from NGDEV, a small video game development team based in Germany. We’ve been making 2D arcade games for more than 10 years. Perhaps some of you know us from our games such as Gunlord or the upcoming Kraut Buster.

Today we’re very excited to announce our partnership with eastasiasoft to bring our retina-scorching vertical 2D arcade shoot ’em up Fast Striker to PS4 and PS Vita. Fast Striker will launch at PlayStation Store on October 16 for $6.99 and supports Cross-Buy.

Like many of our games, Fast Striker features nice CGI graphics and a strong emphasis on scoring. The console port is based on the latest 1.5 update, which contains four different game modes (Novice, Original, Maniac and Omake) and six stages, including more than 40 unique enemy types and huge boss battles.

Fast Striker is very accessible to both expert and beginner shoot ’em up fans. The novice game mode provides a good entry level to learn enemy and bullet patterns. The longer you play, the more credits you earn, which makes the game easier to complete. Once you feel more comfortable with the game, we recommend you try out the other game modes, which are not only more difficult but also feature different spaceships and scoring systems.

As soon as you feel like a pro, try to complete the game on a single credit (the ultimate test!) and defeat the hidden boss to see the true ending of the game. We’ve also added a large variety of Trophies to the game, including Platinum Trophy support.

Performance is hugely important in arcade games, especially shoot ’em ups, which is why we’ve put a lot of effort into the PS4 and PS Vita ports. As a result, both versions run at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. Furthermore, we’ve added a couple of new features, including fully customizable button controls and adjustable screen settings, such as scanline and screen-scaling support.

With six stages, over 40 unique enemy types, super smooth 3D-scrolling backgrounds and huge bosses, we hope you’re as excited about the Fast Striker PS4/PS Vita release as we are. Make sure to look for Fast Striker at PlayStation Store on October 16. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

View the full article

The Mega Man series is famous for its challenging, precise platforming action. Even though newly accessible difficulty modes are available in Mega Man 11, the game’s default level of challenge requires some finesse. Get ready for perilous pitfalls, treacherous spikes, and Robot Master boss battles that will put your skills to the test. Sometimes we need a little help conquering that first boss to get the momentum going, so I’m here to help you master Mega Man’s new abilities and make it through Block Man’s stage.

Mastering Mega Man’s New Powers

The Blue Bomber’s new Double Gear System offers players several options for how they approach the variety of stages in Mega Man 11.

• Speed Gear – Toggling this ability enhances Mega Man’s speed, making him move so fast that it appears as if the world around him has slowed down. In essence, it slows time so that players can better dodge falling blocks, battle quick enemies, and more.
• Power Gear – This Gear powers up Mega Man’s arm cannon, enabling rapid-fire shots and a double-charge shot blast for huge damage. It also powers up boss weapons, which we’ll cover in a minute. It’s great for battles against the spikey mid-boss in Block Man’s stage and for taking down the Robot Master himself. Be careful about overusing either Gear, as the Double Gear System can overheat and you’ll have to wait for it to cool down before you can use it again.
• Double Gear Technique – Try pressing R1 + L1 at the same time when Mega Man’s health is critically low to unleash the Blue Bomber’s hidden power. Mega Man will trigger the Power and Speed Gears simultaneously, giving him a heavy advantage in combat.

Busting Through Block Man’s Pyramid

Mega Man’s core abilities and exciting new powers are crucial for making it through Block Man’s stage for a showdown with the Robot Master himself. Block Man’s stage is filled with tricky platforming challenges, falling blocks, auto-scrolling mazes, and tons of pits, all ready to claim one of Mega Man’s lives. Here are some stage-specific tips to keep in mind if you’re having trouble getting through the level:

• Speed Gear, Speed Gear, Speed Gear! – This tip bears repeating, as Mega Man’s new time-slowing Speed Gear works wonders on this stage.
• The Conveyor Belt Block Maze of Death – Block Man’s stage features a couple of sections where Mega Man walks onto a conveyor belt that feeds him backwards towards a spinning tower of blades. Meanwhile, huge block mazes fall from the ceiling on to the conveyor belt, forcing Mega Man to break his way through to escape instant destruction. Use the Mega Buster to blast cracked blocks out of the way and navigate through the openings that are created, and use the slide ability (Down + Jump) to squeeze through some of the smaller gaps.
• Mid-Boss Battle Tactics – Just like the classic games, Mega Man 11 is packed with memorable mid-bosses, and you’ll face off with a tower of power in Block Man’s stage. This four-story pillar is covered with spikes, so try to dodge them when it flings its segments across the room. Use the Speed Gear to slow the boss down and find safe spots to stand more easily.
• Block Man Transformed – Reaching the boss in any Mega Man stage is an achievement in and of itself, so make sure to congratulate yourself whenever you reach those iconic hallway shutters. Part way into the battle with Block Man, he will go berserk and use his own Power Gear to transform into a giant robo-golem. Unleash charged shots into his glowing red weak spot, and avoid taking damage by studying behavioral cues for his punch, slap, and rock toss attacks.

These tips – along with your own determination and skill – will help you defeat Block Man’s stage and acquire his Block Dropper ability. This nifty weapon allows Mega Man to drop a ton of blocks on the heads of foes (try powering it up with the Power Gear!), and will offer a huge advantage in the rest of the stages. Now sit back and ponder at the Stage Select screen, thinking hard about which Robot Master might be weak against Block Dropper. Defeat all eight bosses, master the Double Gear system, and stop Dr. Wily in Mega Man 11 – available now for $29.99!

View the full article

Hello, cosmic friends! This is Nicolas Doucet, Creative Director of Astro Bot Rescue Mission over at Japan Studio. We’re very excited to announce that Astro Bot Rescue Mission is available now! As more and more PlayStation fans join Astro’s epic VR adventure, it’s a great time to revisit the genesis of the project.

A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, ASOBI Team released The Playroom VR, a compilation of multiplayer games free to download for all PS VR users. The game received praise and one mini-game in particular caught the attention of the gamers: a simple platformer called “Robot Rescue.” The reactions were very positive with many of you asking for a full game. And after 18 months of trying new ideas, hard work, and a dose of fun, Astro Bot Rescue Mission is live on PS VR!

Our motivation for creating this one is to show that VR is great for third-person action games. As we prototyped various ways to play in VR, we felt the platforming genre definitely had potential to grow and evolve within VR.

In this video, I join three of the old timers from Team ASOBI: Takumi (Lead Programmer), Gento (Lead Designer) and Seb (Art Director) for a ride down memory lane, looking at the origins of Astro Bot Rescue Mission.

We hope you enjoy this video and I want to thank each and every one of you for showing your support over the past months. It made a huge difference. This one is for you! If you want to experience platforming re-invented for VR, head over to PlayStation Store to get your copy of Astro Bot Rescue Mission now!

Thank you all and speak again soon!

View the full article

It’s time! Cast your vote in the Players’ Choice poll for September and help decide the best new game of September 2018. Marvel’s Spider-Man is an obvious nominee, but we’ve got lots of other great picks this month too — Hollow Knight, FIFA 19, The Gardens Between, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Valkyria Chronicles 4, Transference… what’s your pick?

View the full article

Red Dead Redemption 2 hits PS4 on October 26, and with it, Rockstar’s follow-up (actually a prequel) to 2010’s influential hit Red Dead Redemption.

I recently played RDR2, and it’s shaping up to be a smooth, polished, and ambitious epic that capably builds on the strengths of the original game, while adding deep layers of conversation, combat, and exploration.

To celebrate the release of the latest gameplay trailer, here are the details that you need to know about the next iteration of Rockstar’s open-world epic.

A robbery gone wrong puts the story in motion.

You play as Arthur Morgan, member of the infamous Van der Linde outlaw gang. Following a bloody robbery in the Western town of Blackwater that left a trail of dead, the gang is chased by the law East into the Grizzly Mountains. The game picks up as the gang is fighting to survive against the elements of a brutally cold winter.

The Van Der Linde gang is a rowdy bunch, but they’re like family.

Lead by the philosopher-outlaw Dutch van der Linde, this gang of hellraisers is 23 members strong. Doing your part for the gang will raise morale and change the way gang members respond to you. Talk to fellow members for leads on new money-making activities for the gang, or roll up your sleeves and chop some wood or head out to hunt wild game. Or, just pour yourself a cup of joe and listen to some stories. Cough up some of your hard-earned cash for the camp’s donation box to fund future camp upgrades, like fast travel.

It’s visually impressive.

This is hardly a surprise, considering Rockstar’s production pedigree. But running on PS4 Pro, Red Dead Redemption 2 shows that Rockstar has mastered the PS4 hardware. After all, it’s the studio’s first title natively designed for this generation. The HDR and volumetric lighting bring the game’s sweeping exteriors to life. And the boosted resolution highlights subtle details, from the rough bark on trees to grass shoots peeking out of the snow.

There are multiple camera settings.

In addition to the standard third-person camera, you can pull the camera back to see more of your horse’s fancy footwork, or activate a first-person camera view ala Grand Theft Auto V.

Activate Cinematic camera angles that toggle between dramatic close-range and panoramic shots as you ride the open plains. Hold down X as you ride in this view, and your horse will keep to the track, allowing you to take in some stunning views on epic rides.

New cinematic techniques are also used for seamless transitions between cutscenes and gameplay.

You can customize the in-game HUD.

Press down on the d-pad to toggle between several different HUD options: off, a minimized version, and the default setting. On the radar, you can easily identify story beats by the yellow icons, while emergent “ambient” events are marked in white.

Hold L1 to access the weapon wheel.

A new version of the original’s weapon wheel is available by pressing and holding L1 – but tap R1 and you’ll now have access to helpful support items, including healing potions, binoculars, and the bandana. Weapons include a knife, revolver, repeater, lever-action rifle, and a classic bow and arrow. You can also earn the ability to dual-wield as you move through the story.

Fire a warning shot to get attention.

Sometimes you won’t want or need to cause unnecessary trouble. While aiming, tap up on the d-pad to fire a warning shot. Handy for intimidating a witness, or causing a carriage to stop so you can climb aboard or simply chat with the driver.

Everything you carry is independently rendered.

This is a subtle detail, but you can’t unsee it. Arthur’s bag, coat, hat, and weaponry all jostle realistically as he moves. The impressive animation carries over to your horse’s reins, saddle, bags and more.

Expect wide environmental diversity.

As you play, you’ll traverse snowed-in mountains, agoraphobia-inducing plains, gloomy swamps, and bustling frontier towns. The game seamlessly transitions between wide outdoor vistas into detail-rich interiors, a technical achievement rarely seen.

Small talk can lead to outsized consequences.

There’s more to interacting with this world than just drawing a weapon. When approaching another person, you can hold L2 to pull up a menu of interactions. A greeting can trigger pleasant exchanges, awkward replies… or could provoke a brawl if your counterpart enjoys his privacy. Engaging with townspeople or fellow travelers adds color and unpredictability to the game. You never know what reaction you’ll get.

Some towns keep secrets.

Not every shopkeeper is running an honest business. Some stores have an illicit business on the side – if you can find it, you can hold up the owner for access to their less-than-lawful enterprise.

You can behave honorably or dishonorably.

Arthur Morgan is whoever you want him to be: a good-natured outlaw, a cold-hearted killer, or something in-between. If you want to show off your rebellious side, get ready for witnesses to report your crimes to the local lawmen.

You can cook and craft by the campfire.

Ready for a hearty meal of Gritty Fish, or a healing potion? Or perhaps something a bit more substantial, like special rounds for your revolver or shells for your shotgun? You can craft a wide array of supplies at campfires using ingredients you find or purchase during your travels.

The wildlife is diverse and unpredictable.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is seething with life, from snakes and swallowtails to deer, skunk, bear, and Lord knows what else. And the creatures engage with each other: during our demo, a hawk soared down to pluck a snake from a nearby bush. It was a dynamic event triggered by the game’s AI, not some scripted sequence.

Hunt Legendary Animals for special outfits.

Legendary Animals are unique beasts of each species scattered across the world. Bring items from any downed Legendary Animals to a trapper to create unique pieces of clothing to wear.

Your horse is your partner, but you’ll need to earn its trust.

Horses aren’t treated as expendable vehicles here, but as living, breathing creatures with individual temperaments. They provide more than transport: they can carry animal skins and carcasses, as well as extra weapons and gear. To build trust with a new horse, you’ll want to tread lightly — patting it until it’s comfortable in your presence. Horses can be unpredictable based on the situation, too. A nearby snake might give your ride a case of the jitters!

Caveat emptor.

Town gun shops sell a variety of weapons and gear for the seasoned traveler, from new firepower (revolvers, repeaters, rifles, and shotguns) to performance-boosting accessories like gun belts and bandoliers. The shopping UI is a clever touch: you browse the selection using a vintage shopping catalog.

You can bathe, shave, eat, drink, and more.

Arthur’s clothes will accumulate grit, grime, blood, and mud as you fight your way across the Wild West. When you’re ready to clean him up, just head to the local hotel and pay $0.25 to scrub down in the bathtub. To complete the look, get a haircut and a shave — if you’ve got the cash.

The soundtrack is dynamic.

The rich epic score is being led by returning composer Woody Jackson and a range of guests artists across the game. The game’s soundtrack features approximately 190 individual music pieces, and in the open world, the dynamic score subtly changes based on your actions.

It’s a cross-studio initiative.

Every studio associated with Rockstar Games is pitching in to help create the massive world of Red Dead Redemption 2, which Rockstar sees as a continuation and extension of the vision first laid out in Grand Theft Auto 3 all those years ago.

Pick up your hat with the Square button.

A fun detail here that’ll come in handy sooner than you think.

Twirl your guns for extra style.

Just double tap L1 to draw and holster your guns with a twirl and a flourish.

View the full article

We are excited to announce an exclusive opportunity for FIFA 19 fans to compete for a chance to attend our Continental Cup 2018 at Paris Games Week this October 26-28 – right from their PS4 at home.

This is the first official FIFA 19 Championships tournament and a major opportunity for 32 of the best FIFA players from around the globe to compete for points to apply toward a chance to attend the EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series Playoffs, in addition to cash prizing and a trip to the UEFA Champions League Final in Madrid, Spain 2019.

If you are interested in taking part, be sure to check out playstation.com/continentalcup for information on how to register, alongside a full breakdown of rules and qualifying events taking place in select territories around the world, starting October 6 through 14.

Just remember, only 32 players will have a chance to advance to the Continental Cup 2018 Presented by PlayStation in Paris, France – so be sure to bring your A game. Otherwise, keep an eye out for The Continental Cup 2018 Presented by PlayStation as it is livestreamed on Twitch, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook this October 26-28.

Are you a competitive FIFA 19 player? Let us know if you are planning to enter the tournament in the comments below!

*Active PS Plus membership required. Must be 16+ and legal resident of an eligible country. Begins 10/6-10/28/2018. Void where prohibited. See full rules: https://esl.gg/cc2018rules

View the full article

In Astro Bot Rescue Mission, you control the captain of a ship trying to rescue its lost crew, who have been scattered across five planets.

Created exclusively for PS VR, the adventure spans 26 levels that take the platforming genre to new heights with 360-degree VR gameplay, precise controls, and a breathtaking level of scale and immersion.

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

The information above is subject to change without notice.

Venom Exclusive Playlist

Cypress Hill Hip-Hop and Play Takeover

Logic – YSIV

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Unfriended: Dark Web

Premieres Sunday, September 30 at 8PM on FOX

Premieres Sunday, September 30 at 8:30PM on FOX

Premieres Sunday, September 30 at 9PM on FOX

The information above is subject to change without notice.

View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here

This week we’re joined by Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden, who stops by to give us an update on the future of PlayStation Experience and discuss this week’s big Fortnite cross-platform play announcement.

Stuff We Talked About

• PlayStation Experience
• Fortnite cross-platform play
• Ric Flair
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Astro Bot Rescue Mission
• Fist of the North Star
• Sand

The Cast

Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA
Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA
Kristen Titus – Social Media Specialist, SIEA

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

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

View the full article

Assassin’s Creed games, at their core, are built around engaging stealth combat, intriguing time-hopping lore, and breathtaking historical settings. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the series’ latest installment, expands upon this legacy, then injects it with an RPG cocktail of broad player choice, customizable combat systems, and a gorgeous open world. After more than a decade donning the hood, Ubisoft can still make the Assassin’s experience feel new.

This expanded experience presents itself immediately when selecting your assassin’s gender at the beginning of Odyssey. This isn’t the first Assassin’s Creed title to feature a female assassin, but it is the first where that assassin’s identity is entirely up to the player. Where other titles locked players into set character molds like fiery instigator, pragmatic sneak, or noble sentry, Odyssey’s new dialogue and combat systems allow players to shape Kassandra or Alexios’ personality, temperament and fighting style. I decided to play as Kassandra, but regardless of who you choose, the way the game plays out depends on you.

Dialogue opens up a lot of this choice, from minor quests up to game-altering cutscenes. Does your assassin speak with god-fearing determination? Sly sarcasm? Frustrated bite? Your responses affect the characters around you and can change the outcomes of quests. In one pivotal plot point, your dialogue choice even determines whether you assassinate a powerful general, or show him mercy. Some results are immediate, while others can marinate, culminating in a payoff hours later. This raises the dramatic stakes of your assassin’s journey, both fleshing out the character beyond a single archetype and noticeably shifting the game’s environment based on your choices.

My Kassandra was a brash warrior, ripping shields from guards and kicking enemies off of hilltops. To my surprise, this sometimes worked against me. In one quest where I needed to steal an item, I chose to attack the guards and clear the area before searching for the item in question. When I returned to the quest-giver, their estate had been attacked due to my actions. If I had taken a stealthier approach, the outcome may have been different. Knowing that actions have real consequences that ripple through the world makes every choice an exciting gamble.

Odyssey adopts a varied weapon system similar to the one introduced in Assassin’s Creed Origins. Gone is the iconic hidden blade; players now dual wield the broken Spear of Leonidas as the main weapon alongside a second weapon of your choice. The skill tree takes this one step further, allowing players to assign powerful specialized abilities to the D-pad from three skill sets: Hunter, Warrior, or Assassin. Players can switch out skills or weapons throughout the game, and I agonized over which ones to keep in my rotation since they can often turn the tide of battle.

Characters’ agency expands to an even grander scale once you start to explore the massive map in Odyssey — easily larger than Origins map. The newly introduced Exploration Mode, enabled at the beginning of the game, encourages adventurous exploration by not immediately providing quest markers. Dialogue provides clues that players can chase and compare to their map, eventually leading to new locations and quests. I’m an open world explorer by nature, often choosing to get lost seeking out new locations and hidden secrets rather than following a game’s main storyline, so the introduction of this mode set my brain cells alight. Of course, players can set their game to Guided Mode for more traditional marker settings.

The map also displays which regions are controlled by Athenians or Spartans. With Odyssey set during the Peloponnesian War, a conflict between these two city states, your assassin can lend a hand to either side. If a region is controlled by an opposing faction, players can take steps to weaken the enemy: burn vital war supplies, loot funds, attack commanding officers, and finally assassinate the region’s leader. Weakening a region eventually triggers a Conquest Battle, a massive skirmish between hundreds of soldiers with your assassin at the center. I found my special abilities choices to be extremely useful here, bouncing from enemy to enemy and unleashing these attacks at lightning speed. The battles are an exhilarating new addition to the series, making you an active participant in the conflict that would shape Greece for centuries to come.

Odyssey sees the return of some fan favorite gameplay elements (Naval combat! Bounties! Present day plot!) and boasts a compelling, at times deeply moving storyline that had me audibly gasp at one point. Ultimately, it’s the breadth of player choice that colored my playthrough the most. My favorite moments across the Assassin’s series have been when the personality of the protagonist gets a chance to shine, and Odyssey ensures that Kassandra is a character I will never forget. I plan to leave no stone unturned when Assassin’s Creed Odyssey comes to PS4 on October 5.

View the full article

Last week, we asked you to turn your lens to the Spider-Man’s greatest foes and share your favorite moments taking on the villains of Marvel’s Spider-Man using #PS4share and #PSBlog. After sifting through your villainous entries, here are this week’s winners:

@RPGLove4 showed off Rhino getting rowdy.

@Raffu42 shared this moody portrait of Tombstone.

Shocker charges up his attack in this share from @ErikBeni50.

Martin Le begins to transform into Mister Negative in this share from @DobPS4.

@chococriespy captured Vulture shooting high into the sky in this soaring share.

Scorpion bears his deadly tail in this sinister share from @AreeLyBadPun.

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

Theme: Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, October 3

Next week, we head to the jungle and spotlight Lara Croft’s latest perilous adventure in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. While racing to stop a Mayan apocalypse, share your greatest shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

View the full article

With God of War shipped and in the hands of our fans, I find myself contemplating the moments that helped define the new visual cinematic style we utilized for God of War. Each of these moments was a mental turning point, starting with “Can this be done with the tools we have?”, which moved onto “Can we pull this off without breaking our visual language?” and, mostly, ended with “I can’t believe we pulled this off.”

I’d like to share three of these moments, each of them defining a key cinematic milestone that paved the way moving forward.

Mother’s Knife

Cinematic challenge: Can we use traditional cinematic/visual storytelling when the disciplines required are cross-departmental while we don’t cut the camera?

Reading the first draft of the script, this scene drew my attention. Even though it went through quite a bit of iteration in production, the crux of it always struck me as pivotal. This is the last scene we experience before our heroes start the first leg of their epic journey. Establishing core empathy fundamentals and key tension points was critical. If not, why would we care about this journey in the first place? Our writers (Matt Sophos and Rich Gaubert) did a great job setting up these fundamentals and I wanted to make sure the message was delivered subtly, but in a clear and evocative manner.

• What’s the relationship between Kratos and his son? How do they feel about each other?
• How do they feel about the loss of the mother?
• How does Kratos feel about being a single father?

I decided to use the blue, cold, harsh tones of the “outside” to represent Kratos, Kratos as a father (at least at that point in the story) and the dangerous journey they have ahead of them. We used this light in sharp, high contrast for punctuation. We then chose the soft warmth of the indoors to define the rare safety the mother provided, using that to portray the softer emotions.

The challenge was staging the acting and camera to play against these two moods and to help define the core relationships and personalities, all without cutting the camera. Compounding these challenges were the technological limitations of creating sophisticated lighting models for real time rendered scenes. Our lighter (Greg Montgomery) did an amazing job balancing these assets.

Wide angle lens, emphasizing the environment, combined with the blue cold morning light. Atreus is outside, he’s in his father’s domain.

The door “wipes the shot,” revealing a body on the table. It’s lit in warm light, washing the interior with warm and safe mood. Atreus is still backlit cold.

The cold back light fades, Atreus is slowly enveloped by warm light. The lens slowly zooms, creating a sense of intimacy to partner with the lighting shift. Atreus is leaving the realm of his father and transitioning to the memories of his mother.

Soft warm light, tight lens, a sense of warm intimacy amidst tragedy. This is Atreus’ moment to mourn his mother. Kratos is no longer “in the picture.” Atreus is fully in his mother’s domain, where he has been all his life where he is comfortable… where he “belongs.”

Camera violently whips left, revealing Kratos, faceless, silhouetted in black against cold blue. The intimacy is broken. The image radiates “Pull it together boy, act like a man!”

Lens pulls back a little wider as Kratos takes over the scene. Just before he steps into the warm light of the candles, the camera orbits behind him, keeping him pooled in blue light. He just brought the “cold chill” into the room.

Atreus takes the hint; he musters up and collects himself, now washed in blue as well. He is no longer in the mother’s realm, he is now under the rule of his father. He wipes his eyes and steps off frame.

Atreus is no longer in the frame. Kratos is now alone. He no longer has to uphold the role of the stern father and he can now shift into the role of the mourning husband.

Camera orbits to give the sensation of “transition.” Kratos is wiped from cold blue to warm orange. He is still up lit, looking ominous. The emotion of the moment registers with him, but he is still the hard warrior, resisting giving in.

Kratos’ shell cracks, he leans into the light, the light is now soft, warm. He has entered the mother’s domain, revealing “softer” emotion for one of only three times he will do so in journey.

The brief moment is over. Kratos turns away from the warm light. We re-reveal Atreus, Kratos is back to being the stern father, his idea of what a relationship with a son is. They are both bathed in cold light. Back to the business at hand.

Two more beats resonated with me as I read the script for this scene. The lighting was strongly dictated by the environment at this point, so I chose to emphasize them in my framing and staging.

When Atreus drops the knife, we lose Kratos in the shot. The moment becomes all about Atreus and his need and deed. When Kratos is re-introduced into the scene, it’s with a gunslinger framing. A menacing shot, full of aggressive intent. Atreus looks at Kratos, his face reflecting that same doubt of “Uh-oh…” Then Kratos breaks the tension by leaning down, pulling a bandage off his own arm and bandaging Atreus.

We’ve seen how deeply Kratos cares about Faye, and how bottled up he is about his emotions. The funeral pyre is obviously deeply important to him. Here comes Atreus with his childish attachments, ruining everything. With this setup, my next instinct was “Kratos is going to hand him his a**!” But, Kratos surprises us and leans down to take care of Atreus’ burned hand. Whether he is trying to be fatherly, or merely making sure he can still function as a warrior, we don’t know. But that contrast struck me when reading the script and I wanted to emphasize it.

As Atreus comes back into frame, bow in hand, asking “what’s next?”, Kratos is out of focus. As Kratos responds, instead of shifting the focus back to him, we keep the focus on Atreus. Kratos speaks out of focus, lit by the warm light of the pyre, with a thousand-yard stare. He is not present. He is outwardly functional, giving Atreus commands, but his mind is elsewhere, mourning his dead wife. I felt it gave this moment that extra, subtle tension it needed.

Kratos is struggling with both the emotion of losing Faye and not knowing how to be a father to Atreus. He pushes Atreus into a world he better understands (“We’re going hunting”), though he is still in deep pain over Faye’s loss. The very end of the scene gave the perfect opportunity to emphasize this conflict.

Flying Boat Jump

Cinematic challenge: Changing point of view (from third to first and back) in order to push a sense of hallucination, while promoting empathy.

In this scene, Kratos is reliving a painful secret from his past: the moment he kills his father, Zeus. This display is part of Helheim’s mechanism to mentally torture its inhabitants. Kratos is hit by this vision two-fold; he is both internally struck by reliving it, and is shaken that his son is exposed to this part of his past, a part he has been struggling to hide from Atreus. On the other hand, Atreus himself is seeing his father, fully enraged and unrestrained for the first time — brutal, unbridled and violent. The challenge was how to do all the following without cutting the camera:

• Portray the brutality of the vision
• Portray Atreus’ reaction to seeing it
• Portray Kratos’ two-fold reaction to the event
• Bonus points: Portray it in a way that would evoke a sense of delirium, or being mentally off balance.

“Hell fog” rising from under the boat, leading Kratos’ attention away to a scene unfolding. Building up the tension, transitioning from current-day/older Kratos to a younger version of himself.

Kratos winds back a big punch; we use that body momentum to transition the camera to first person. We now are Kratos. Sharing in his moment of rage, reliving that moment from his past with him. This was also a good opportunity to pay homage to a very memorable moment from God of War III.

We use the momentum of the punches to swing the camera over and reveal Atreus; we’re back to the “real world.” Our empathy has shifted to experience this moment as a revelation to Atreus.

Something grabs Atreus’ attention. He runs back to Kratos, back to first person, back to us. We are again in Kratos’ head space, taking the moment in, taking in the fact his son has just seen one of the darkest moments of his past.

Atreus tells Kratos to snap out of it and point towards danger. We transition from first to third, experiencing Kratos’ struggle to break out of his reverie, adding to the sense of “delirium.”

It takes Atreus being in mortal danger for him to snap back into action.

Ogre Intro

Cinematic challenge: Motion capturing a high action, high physical interaction scene with characters of different scale.

The previous two challenges were more about defining our emotional, cinematic language and how to execute it without cuts in a real-time engine. This challenge was more technical and helped define our approach to action. It helped us define which tools we’d need on set, and how far we could push real-time performance capture for characters with vastly different scales.

Large scale enemies are a core part of God of War’s visual language. Hence we wanted to address this key challenge early on.

Once I’m done staging the scene on paper, we move to rehearsing the action in “real space.” This step was critical in order to test whether or not the paper breakdowns were actually achievable and also gave us a chance to see all the “players” involved internalize the choreography and pacing of the scene. It’s interesting to see how “slow and safe” we took things at first.

Each actor played their role in their own “scaled space,” acting against props representing the other actors in the scene. This is why internalizing the choreography beforehand was critical.

Our roles:

• Bruno (our Animation Director) played Kratos
• Erica ( our Cinematic Animation Lead) played Atreus
• Mehdi ( our In-Game Animation Lead) played the Ogre
• Myself (Director of Photography) Staging, pacing callouts and “shooting”

All action was in sync, actors physically responding to each other, even though they had no real world contact. A well-oiled execution, the pre-planning and rehearsals paid off in spades. Ability to shoot multi-scale, single shot action scenes in real time… check!

As you can see in the clip, I shot this scene by looking at our on-stage monitors, using a stick to represent the camera. This test led to the realization that we needed to develop a far more sophisticated virtual camera system.

Going over these scenes, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come. From exploring methods and ideas on how to execute Cory Barlog’s concept of a no-cut camera, to a clear, well-oiled, sophisticated and clearly defined visual language. At the risk of sounding cliché, it really does take a village.

View the full article

Are you the type of person who thinks that Halloween is better than any other holiday? Do you listen to John Carpenter soundtracks while making breakfast or foresee peril upon finding a dusty old VHS in the attic? Then you’re in good company. I’m Ryan Bousfield from Wolf & Wood, and in anticipation of the launch of Chapters 4 and 5 on PS VR I’m here to shed some light on what makes The Exorcist: Legion VR such a dark and foreboding horror experience.

Late shift

It all starts on the late shift in the Boston Police Dept. with a narrative that picks up from The Exorcist III movie. Putting you in the role of detective, it is up to you to hone your skills by following clues and making deductions to build up a picture of who your character really is. Once you’re comfortable in the precinct, a call comes through on the radio: it’s dispatch, and you’re needed on scene at a local church to investigate the apparent murder of the resident priest.

Your case soon spirals from criminal to something more sinister: an inexplicable presence whispers from the darkness, you realize that statues and paintings are defaced, and eventually the whole chapter erupts as church pews are thrown up into the rafters. Someone, or something, is warning you not to continue.

Design and demons

Although the demons are trying to push you away from the investigation, as designers we’re doing everything we can to pull you in and lead you forward. Ultimately you are the protagonist: you control the camera and you decide where you want or don’t want to go. Our job is to guide you and we hide clues in everything, but we only take you part of the way; the rest is up to you.

The Devil’s in the details

Even the smallest clue is intricately detailed; a notebook once belonging to the priest is handwritten and held together by sticky tape, which combined with other evidence pertains to his wider story of unofficial exorcisms. Everything across the five chapters is meticulously placed to offer clues on both the ever present demonic threat and to reveal why the possessed would be vulnerable to the influence of malevolent forces.

The clues are embedded in a variety of ways across the six unique environments. If there are signs of a struggle and blood stains lead to a door you should take out your crucifix and be prepared for what awaits on the other side.

Idle hands

We feel that VR isn’t just a leap in visual technology: by using controllers that are tracked in 3D space (which is very exciting to develop for), simply reaching out and grabbing objects feels truly immersive. We’ve made much of the world interactive and items just beg to be played with. This opens up the story to be told through more unusual means, for example the toys in the dolls’ house of Chapter 3 pose questions about the home’s real occupants.

The interactions go way beyond inspection. Using the exorcism tools, and other interactive items found throughout the game, you will be throwing holy water capsules into the fiery pits of hell, dodging anything that the demon Baal in Chapter 4 can throw at you, or pulling a makeshift raft into the tomb of Chapter 5.

What you don’t see

A good detective can make deductions, fill in the blanks and build a picture of what happened; horror works much in the same way, but on a visceral level. With just the creak of a floorboard your mind can conjure up images of what might be lurking in the shadows. We use positional audio to make the world come to life: subtle sounds hint to the next objective and if you listen carefully you might hear a soft lullaby in the next room… but that’s enough from me – it’s really up to you to go in there.

Tuesday October 9 will see the culmination of the story when we release the final two chapters – with the biggest threats ready to be faced.

• Chapter 4 – Samaritan. A failed quarantine zone in Haiti has been racked by an unknown plague, and a slew of health worker deaths has led to the collapse of efforts to control the mounting victim toll.
  
  
• Chapter 5 – The Tomb. Located deep in the mountains of Upper Mesopotamia, the demon Pazuzu lies in wait, and he’s prepared to test you on everything you’ve learned so far.

In addition to these final episodes, we have implemented Spanish and Japanese localization, and made some upgrades to the calibration system, as well as additional comfort settings to give players the most immersive experience possible.

Chapters 4 & 5 can be purchased individually for $6.99 on October 9, or the Complete Series is currently available for $29.99.

View the full article

We launched The Last of Us five years ago and, later that year, began what would become one of our favorite traditions: celebrating Outbreak Day. Every year on September 26, we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate The Last of Us community and share our appreciation for the love and passion you have for this world, these characters, and their stories. This year, to commemorate the Fifth Anniversary of Outbreak Day, we’re excited to share a new collection of The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II merch, content, and special promotions. This is our biggest Outbreak Day lineup yet–and it’s all available right now at thelastofus.com/outbreakday.

We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Mondo with a new The Last of Us-inspired poster for 2018 designed by Sam Wolfe Connelly. Once again, this year’s Outbreak Day poster will only be available as a timed-edition release. You’ll only have until this 9:00am PT this Saturday, September 29 to get one. After that, it’s gone! We’re also teaming up with Mondo to re-release the original The Last of Us soundtrack on vinyl in two volumes, the first of which is available today. Ever since the soundtrack was originally released as a box set in 2015, we’ve heard your requests for a re-release and we’re thrilled to be able to make it a reality!

To help add a little more The Last of Us to your digital life, we’ve also released a new set of The Last of Us Part II wallpapers and launched The Last of Us Stickers for Apple devices. Pop over to the App Store and show off your infectious personality with help from Ellie, Joel, the infected, and other The Last of Us iconography illustrated by Lily Nishita.

We’ve released a new theme song from The Last of Us Part II called “The Last of Us (Cycles)” by the one and only Gustavo Santaolalla. You may have seen Gustavo perform it live at the E3 2018 PlayStation Showcase, but now, the studio version is here and ready for you to listen to on repeat. To go along with it, we’ve also released a new The Last of Us Part II dynamic system theme for PS4 and collection of PS4 avatars that are available for free from now until 9:00am PT, September 27, at PlayStation Store. PS Store is also offering Outbreak Day discounts on The Last of Us Remastered and other The Last of Us DLC through October 2.

For those that want to wear their fandom on their sleeve, our friends at Insert Coin Clothing have created a new shirt for Outbreak Day featuring Ellie’s tattoo from The Last of Us Part II.

But this is just a quick overview of what we’ve cooked up for this year’s Outbreak Day. Head over to The Last of Us website for all things Outbreak Day and, as always, be sure to follow Naughty Dog on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates.

Happy Outbreak Day!

View the full article

We’re already getting into the Halloween spirit, and we’ve got a great line up in store for you this month. So let’s just jump right in!

First up, we have Friday the 13th: The Game. Players can take on the role of a teen counsellor or Jason Voorhees. As a teen counsellor, you and up to six other unlucky souls will do everything possible to escape and survive while a masked killer tracks you down. Survival is entirely up to the player as you either hide from Jason or work together to either escape or bring the fight to Jason. How will you play?

Next up, we have Laser League. This all new multiplayer experience is easy to pick up and incredibly fun to play. What starts out as a simple test of your reflexes becomes a strategic competition with deep team tactics. Developer Roll7 (OlliOlli series and NOT A HERO) brings their approach to a near-future competition.

This month’s PlayStation Plus lineup also includes:

• Master Reboot, PS3
• The Bridge, PS3 (Cross Buy with PS4 and PS Vita)
• Rocketbirds 2: Evolution, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4)
• 2064 Read Only Memories, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4)

As a reminder, PlayLink and PlayStation VR bonus games are still available for download as part of your PS Plus membership!

In Here They Lie for PlayStation VR*, explore a nightmarish city inhabited by strange, malevolent creatures in this first-person horror game, where unsettling encounters and environments come to life. Here they Lie is available for PS Plus members until October 2.

In the PlayLink game Knowledge is Power, this party game is sure to entertain as you outsmart your opponents with a massive variety of trivia questions and tactical challenges. Be sure to have a compatible mobile device and companion app and you’ll be all ready to play! Knowledge is Power is available through November 6.

Finally, for fans of H1Z1, we have the PlayStation Plus Blueshift Pack. This pack is perfect for new players and pros alike, and includes the Blue AR-15 schematic, Pro Gamer Hoodie, and Marine Blue Offroader – all free for PS Plus members.

*PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation Camera are required to experience VR functionality.

View the full article

Do you remember how your favorite toy made you feel as a child? Those little bursts of enthusiasm and happiness when you imagined it to be alive?

I always saw my toys as my friends each with their own character. I created whole worlds that were rooted in my imagination. While I played, I slowly shifted into other galaxies full of adventure. Time didn’t matter.

With Squishies we wanted to evoke this feeling again. We wanted you to be closer to your inner child and slooooow doooown while experiencing another world. That’s why we chose to use PS VR to make it even easier to get lost in the Squishies universe when it launches on November 20.

As some of you may know, we created a game called Typoman, a dark and morbid 2D platformer. We loved making Typoman, but working for years on a depressing world of letters and monsters left us wanting to do something entirely different (overcompensating?). Squishies is a joyful, relaxing experience, full of color and life… of course, there’s a little bit of peril, too.

Your goal is to help stranded Squishies find their way back home. You do this by using your superpower – which is pushing & pulling Squishies around with the help of your transdimensional Alien Fish friends (PS Move controllers).

To complete each level, you need to roll the Squishies to giant alien gates, ensuring them a safe route home. When the environment gets too hazardous you’ll need to use power-ups, alien technology and helpful creatures to get by (and don’t forget, you’ll need your little superbrains as well).

While helping this tubby species you’ll forget that you are actually still sitting in your living room looking like a Power Ranger petting small animals (yes, you do!).

Aside from the extra adorable look of those creatures and the ingenious challenging gameplay, we wanted you to experience the huge fun we had while creating all these levels. That’s why we implemented the same tool that we used during development, so you can have the same experience that we had.

The level editor makes it possible for you to bring your own imagination into the game world. We also wanted to give you the opportunity to share your masterpieces with other players all over the globe. Because we all know, sharing is caring, right?

To end my (obviously very objective) monologue about the awesomeness of our new game, we, as a team, want to state that we cannot wait to see your creativity and imagination being shared with the community. We are really looking forward to see what you guys will create with the power of your minds!

View the full article

We’re pleased to announce that latest free content update for GT Sport, patch 1.28, will be available for download for all players starting today (Internet connection required for update). Alongside a selection of brand-new vehicles to take to the track, we’ve added a fan-favorite course set against a spectacular backdrop, a selection of new League events and more.

New Vehicles

New in at Brand Central this month are nine new vehicles, including classic Porsches and iconic BMWs.

• Alfa Romeo GIULIA TZ2 carrozzata da ZAGATO CN.AR750106 ’65
• BMW M3 GT (BMW Motorsport) ’11
• Mazda RX500 ’70
• Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster ’60
• Honda NSX Type R ’92
• Nissan Fairlady Z 300ZX TwinTurbo 2seater (Z32) ’89
• Porsche 911 GT3 (996) ’01
• Porsche 911 GT3 (997) ’08
• Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe ’06

New Track – Fuji Speedway

Japan’s famed high speed circuit at the foot of grand Mt. Fuji has played host to countless international races on its tarmac since opening in 1961.

Following Fuji’s famed 1.5km straight, the first half is a high speed section consisting of tight corners, followed by a technical second half running on a challenging incline. In addition to the classic Fuji Speedway F layout, the Fuji Speedway GT shortcut layout has also been included, and both variants are playable in reverse.

GT League

This month, we’ve added three new GT League events for beginner to veteran drivers, including:

• The Passion of Dr. Wankel – Beginner League
• Real Circuit Tours – Amateur League
• Group 1 Cup – Professional League

Finally, the pit lane of the new Fuji Speedway course can be used in Scapes mode, and The Red Bull Ring from last month’s content update has been added to the circuit experience.

We hope you enjoy this month’s free update, and remember you can find all the latest GT info here on PlayStation Blog and on the official Gran Turismo website. Until next time, drivers, we’ll see you out on the track.

View the full article

Following a comprehensive evaluation process, SIE has identified a path toward supporting cross-platform features for select third party content. We recognize that PS4 players have been eagerly awaiting an update, and we appreciate the community’s continued patience as we have navigated through this issue to find a solution.

The first step will be an open beta beginning today for Fortnite that will allow for cross platform gameplay, progression and commerce across PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Mac operating systems. We see the beta as an opportunity to conduct thorough testing that ensures cross-platform play is best on PlayStation, while being mindful about the user experience from both a technical and social perspective.

For 24 years, we have strived to deliver the best gaming experience to our fans by providing a uniquely PlayStation perspective. Today, the communities around some games have evolved to the point where cross-platform experiences add significant value to players. In recognition of this, we have completed a thorough analysis of the business mechanics required to ensure that the PlayStation experience for our users remains intact today, and in the future, as we look to open up the platform.

This represents a major policy change for SIE, and we are now in the planning process across the organization to support this change. We will update the community once we have more details to share, including more specifics regarding the beta timeframe, and what this means for other titles going forward.

In the meantime, please stay tuned for more information via PlayStation.Blog and social channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

View the full article

Yes, PlayStation Blog readers, it’s true. You’ve been asking us, and we’ve listened. Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood is coming exclusively to PlayStation 4 via digital download on 26th October 2018. That’s only one month from today!

As you might’ve guessed already, Requiem will bundle together two classic Castlevania games; Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night. Both games are closely related by characters and plot, focusing on the stories of vampire hunter Richter Belmont and Dracula’s son Alucard respectively.
Originally released as a Japanese exclusive in 1993, Rondo of Blood is known as one of the best side-scrolling, action games of its time, picking up plenty of praise for its level design and rewarding difficulty. Both of which still stand the test of time. Just in case you were wondering.

On that subject, Symphony of the Night is quite simply one of the best games ever made. Don’t take our word for it though. The critical praise received at the time of its release and the plaudits it continues to receive speak volumes about its quality. Check any greatest games of all-time list and you’ll find Symphony of the Night up there. A sequel to Rondo of Blood, Symphony follows a similar formula to its predecessor, but expands on things with the introduction of RPG elements and some mind-blowing, genius level design.
Both games are the originals emulated for the PlayStation 4, with several updates that take advantage of the new hardware. This includes 4K/1080p upscaling, multiple high resolution backgrounds, different rendering options such as smoothing and full Trophy support. Word of warning though, that Platinum will be tough to get. Elsewhere, Requiem will make use of the DualShock 4’s vibration, analog stick and speaker, with the latter meaning you’ll hear a cool little chime when you pick up an item.

Just look at those screenshots! Playing these classics is sure to bring back some good memories for Castlevania veterans. On the other hand, if you’re new to the series and fancy some retro goodness, then you can’t go wrong with this amazing bundle. Just be ready for a challenge!
Good news! You can pre-order Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood now on the PlayStation Store.

View the full article

We are thrilled to announce that a new white version of the Gold Wireless Headset will be joining the lineup this October in North America, just in time for the holidays. With the same enhanced comfort and performance of the new Gold Wireless Headset, gamers can stand out a bit more with this new crisp white color.

As always, it’s the connection to games that makes our headsets great, and we are happy to announce more titles with audio mode* support through the headset companion app** for both Gold and Platinum headsets. These audio modes, tuned by the developers themselves, let you experience the game as the developers intended. Dive into densely populated jungles, markets, and bustling city hubs, with Shadow of the Tomb Raider, or relive the iconic sounds of the dragon realms with Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

3D Audio***, our enhanced deep immersion audio function for the Platinum Wireless Headset, gets new supported titles as well. We look forward to an incredible new RPG experience from EA’s Anthem, and the brutal test of survival in Days Gone.

Are you excited for the new white version of Gold Headset? Let us know in the comments.

*Audio mode is available only with PS4 system.
**Sony Entertainment Network account and Internet service required.
***3D audio is available only with Platinum Wireless Headset on PS4 with select titles.

View the full article

Hi everybody, this is Nicolas Doucet, Creative Director of Astro Bot Rescue Mission over at Japan Studio. I hope you guys are getting ready for our new action platformer landing on PS VR on October 2. Not long to wait now!

Today I’m back to share with you one of my favourite aspects of Astro Bot Rescue Mission: enemies and big, bad bosses!

Any great action game needs its roster of bad guys and we put extra care into designing enemies that complement the VR gameplay to create a thrilling action platforming game.

In the video above, I catch up with Tuyen Ngo, the Programmer behind the bosses, as well as Sebastian and Jamie, respectively Art Director and Lead Animator who gave them life.

You and Astro will come across a wide range of enemies from cannon fodder lashing at Astro to more advanced enemies, such as electric, splitters, spiky, stompers all requiring various techniques to defeat. Though they are deadly foes, they all benefit from a precise character design making them feel very tangible in VR.

As a VR player, you also exist in this world in first person and larger enemies will not hesitate to attack you, occasionally causing damage to your visor or blocking the view, exposing Astro to new dangers. Using your body, you will need to dodge incoming attacks by leaning, distribute a few headbutts, and use your deadly DualShock 4 gadgets to put an end to them.

And of course, Bosses will stand in your way at the end of every world. These bosses are huge and create an amazing sense of scale in VR. Defeating them will not be a small affair though and your platforming and gadget skills will be put at use. Every one of them features a unique finale with a special mention for the final boss. And you’ll have to play to find out!

That’s all from me! Enjoy this video and we’ll see you very soon with more Astro news as we near launch on October 2. See you around!

View the full article

Gear.PlayStation.com: A New Beginning

Hi, PlayStation Gear fans. If you’ve followed Gear Comms since its inception this past July, then you’ve probably picked up on the persistent, underlying theme that guides our vision of how we develop merchandise: “PlayStation merchandise is our way of celebrating the rich universe of PlayStation in our everyday lives.” We have an affinity for PlayStation, just like so many of you. But we realize that PlayStation Gear as a lifestyle extension inextricably calls for a specialized store in which to shop for that gear; a store that further delivers on our commitment to encapsulate merchandise as a lifestyle complement.

That’s why earlier this year we made the difficult decision to temporarily close the doors on the gear.playstation.com e-tail site. So many of you have commented that you want the store back. We’re anxious too. It’s coming, but in a more defined way. We don’t want to spoil any of the surprises we have in store, but you can expect new features, new product categories, and new ways to celebrate the rich universe of PlayStation! If you’re hankering for the store’s debut as much as we are, then you’ll want to subscribe at the PlayStation Gear website for an exclusive invite to the store’s opening.

Subscribe now at gear.playstation.com to secure your invite.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game

It’s board game night. Let’s check off the prep list… Snacks? Check. Drinks? Plenty. Friends? Inbound, but we’re excluding Bob this time. He was a sore loser last game night. Okay, everything is set, except… What are we going to play? No, not that same old game where you repeatedly circle the board buying up all the real estate properties you can in an effort to render your party guests broke and humiliated. My friends are modern. Sophisticated. They want something cooperative and fraught with peril.

Enter Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game. Created by the ever-capable folks at Steamforged Games Ltd. (and pictured at the top of this post), this new board game promises all those things and much more. 1-4 players assume the roles of a Banuk Survivor, Carja Warrior, Nora Outcast or Oseram Forgesmith hunters as they embark on a treacherous journey, earning Sun tokens signifying the glory one only achieves in the thrill of the hunt! Think you will be the one to earn all of the glory? Play to find out!

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game is currently only available on Kickstarter as a crowdfunded project, but fear not HZD fans. Pledges for the board game have already far surpassed the funding goal and are busy earning bonus content, so it’s coming to a table near you – if you pledge before time runs out that is!

September 9, 1995: The Birth of a PlayStation Nation

The year was 1995. It was the year that the Internet was completely privatized, the year where companies like AOL gave us a browser so we could begin to “surf” the web, and the year where we would embrace a PlayStation controller for the very first time. For many, yeah the Internet is cool and arguably the greatest advancement in human collective knowledge, but that console though!

In celebration of our 23rd year of entertaining North America, we honor one of our favorite products born out of one of our favorite games to ever grace the tray of that still-stylish Original PlayStation form factor: Twisted Metal’s Sweet Tooth Exclusive Edition statue by Gaming Heads. Is it just me or is he devilishly winking at us?

Inside PlayStation: Meet Gary Barth, Collectibles Creative

If you’ve visited the PlayStation Gear event stores in recent time, there’s a good chance you’ve glimpsed or even longingly gazed at a Gary Barth collectibles concept. Gary has ideated countless PlayStation collectibles for nearly 24 years. From Uncharted to The Last of Us to just about anything imaginable in the PlayStation Universe, Gary has been hard at work for you, the PlayStation fan. You may have even stood next to one of his more elaborate projects without even realizing it, such as the incredibly lifelike scale Sam Porter Bridges from the upcoming Kojima Productions game, Death Stranding.

We asked Gary about his time at PlayStation and what he enjoys most. Here’s what he had to say:

“In my time here at PlayStation, I’ve held a few different jobs and I’ve enjoyed them all. I love learning new things and every day I’m doing something different at this company. Sometimes it’s helping design a merchandise line, or building a realistic display for an event, or a costume for a live action commercial… and sometimes it’s something as small as making the holiday ornaments that we gave out last year. I really enjoy being involved with all these projects and when someone compliments the projects I work on, I really want them to know it was a group effort.”

Gary’s latest project is an exceptionally intricate statue from the upcoming PlayStation exclusive game, Days Gone. The prototype for this incredible piece debuted at this year’s PAX West.

Gary is working on an all-new collectibles product line coming to the PlayStation Gear store. Stay tuned for more news and sneak peeks!

View the full article

Welcome to the Vanguard, recruit! Consider this your field guide to surviving the intense bullet-hell action of Evasion, which launches October 9 on PS VR.

Even if you are a grizzled FPS veteran, there’s plenty of challenge in store for you when you square off against the Optera. The development team assembled these tricks and tips to give you your best shot at survival. Good luck out there.

Essential Tips For Surviving Your First Mission

• Move or Die: Standing still in Evasion is a death sentence, especially as the game escalates in difficulty. We made sure there’s a locomotion option for every playstyle, so it’s worth going through the tutorial to find the one that suits you best.
• Get to Cover: The Optera are relentless and will come at you from every direction, from both land and sky. Find cover early and take advantage of that crouch function.
• Max out your Blaster’s Energy Level: Your blaster has three energy levels. You want to hoover up those power cores so you can be at max level as much as possible. Not only will your blaster pack more punch, but you will have access to powerful finishing moves called Surge Attacks that can wipe out swaths of Optera in one go.
• Watch Your Health: Get in the habit of regularly checking your health, which is displayed on the top of your blaster, and the health of your teammate during major encounters. Perform Surge Attacks on enemies to increase your odds of extracting a health core, and when it activates, make sure you are standing inside the healing pool.
• Turn It Up: In addition to getting to hear some fun banter and the game’s epic soundtrack, many enemies can be heard before they can be seen, which will give you a definitive tactical advantage.
• Use That Tether: The tether can be used to heal teammates, as well as perform class-specific buffs. But it can also be used against Optera to perform a tether lash, which is a great way to finish off an enemy and guarantees a core drop. Review the class selection panel in the main hangar for a detailed description of each classes tether ability, then try them out in the shooting range to find the one that you like best.
• Mix and Match: Find a friend and strategically pair your classes to make you into an unstoppable destructive force. The Surgeon and the Warden make a classic healer/tank duo, for example. The Striker and the Engineer are also an effective pair.
• Unleash Surge Attacks: Each hero class packs a unique and devastating Surge Attack that can be activated once your energy level and health are maxed out. Boss encounters and digging the enemy out of entrenched fortifications are ideal times to deploy a Surge Attack; however, your weapon’s energy level will steadily deplete as you unleash an attack, so you want to use them strategically.

If you heed these tips, you will have a fighting chance (even in the Survival challenges!) when the Optera descend on October 9. We also highly recommend trying Evasion out with the AIM controller; holding the rifle in your hand really lets you feel the kickback from each shot.

Got a question about Evasion’s gameplay, classes or locomotion options? Drop us a comment in the space below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

View the full article