Commander Fury

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here This week, we read through an avalanche of wonderful listener letters offering advice to new parents looking to juggle gaming with the adventure that is raising a child. Plus, a former host returns for a special guest appearance… listen in! Stuff We Talked About Parenthood! The Outer Worlds Tamarin A special guest appearance from a powerful former co-host The Cast Justin Massongill – Content Communications Manager, SIE Kristen Zitani – Content Communications Specialist, 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.] View the full article

Last time, we asked you to check the gaming forecast and share shots of the weather in a game of your choice using #PS4share and #PSBlog. From sunny sand dunes to snowy plains, here are this week’s highlights: Ellie gets in a snowball fight in this The Last of Us Part II share by choombroom. Birds fly through this thunderous shot from Ghost of Tsushima, shared by YouJustGotArfed. Lunar9p shared the dry sunny sands of Assassin’s Creed Origins. Deacon drives his bike through the snow in Days Gone, shared by vikingdad278. Nathan Drake takes in some dreary scenery from Uncharted 4, shared by JordynTeeuwe. A solar eclipse dominates the skies in this Shadow of the Tomb Raider share by odysseyinspace2. Search #PS4share and #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: Marvel’s Avengers Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, September 16 Photo mode lovers, assemble! Over the next two weeks, share your greatest moments fighting as the Earth’s mightiest heroes in Marvel’s Avengers using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

WB Games Montréal’s new project finally made its debut at the recent DC FanDome event. An open world action RPG, Gotham Knights is an all-new tale inspired and shaped by the wider Batman franchise. It’s not a continuation of the studio’s work in the Arkham series; instead, it delves into unexplored aspects of the superhero fantasy. In the wake of Batman’s apparent death, the extended Bat family — Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin and Red Hood — takes to the streets (and rooftops) of DC’s iconic city to continue the Dark Knight’s role as its protector, tackle the rising tide of crime, and take on threats both new and familiar. Play Video In the wake of the game’s reveal (a thrilling team-up of announcement trailer and near eight minute gameplay walkthrough), I sat down with creative director Patrick Redding to delve deeper into the studio’s new unique vision for Gotham. 1. Four heroes, four combat styles, four separate XP progression systems Tragedy hits hardest to those closest to it, which is partly why the studio chose this quartet — Barbara Gordon, former Robins Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, and one of the latest wearers of the mantle, Tim Drake — to focus on. “The original core of the Bat family” carry the shared weight of lives lived under the tutelage of Bruce Wayne and heroics shaped by the shadow of his alter-ego. The other reason? Despite that connection, their methods and fighting styles are noticeably distinct from each other, making for a potent mix of gameplay styles whether adventuring solo or in two player co-op. Red Hood is a brutal brawler with a focus on gunplay. Nightwing’s acrobatics lead to a more exaggerated style of fighting, while the current Robin favours stealth and is a dab hand at using status effects to disrupt enemies. And Batgirl? “She combines a laser-focused, targeted and efficient melee fighter approach with a lot of resilience and the ability to weaponize her environment using hacking,” says Redding. Pick a hero and head out on your nighttime patrol, returning to the Belfrey, the Knights’ base of operations, at any time to tag in a different crimefighter. You’re never forced to play a specific character; you can play through the entire game with one hero if you so wish. But each vigilante will have a unique ability tree and craftable gear, with XP gains earned through open world activities. The idea, Redding explains, is that the core gameplay loop intertwines with one of the narrative approaches. “It’s not one story set over one night, but really about the mid to long term growth of the hero. The game affords players a huge amount of growth and a huge amount of goal setting in an open world environment that they need to protect, that they need to go back to again and again. “It’s that idea of how this new guard of younger heroes – that are not Bruce Wayne, are not Batman — approach the problem of equipping and training themselves up, preparing and adapting for that next major threat, that next major menace that they’re going to need to combat?” On the subject of equipment, I ask about a certain visual treatment given to each hero visible in the reveal trailer. The neon-like colouring to their weapons: aesthetic only or is there more to it? “It’s funny you brought that up,” Redding muses, “Because it’s a very important platform for us to deliver game information.” He points to the gameplay walkthrough as an example. “Some of those visual effects tell you what damage type you have equipped on your weapons. “So it’s a way for the player to receive signs of feedback… that lets them know what protection they have, what they’re going to use against their enemies, both in terms of ranged and melee attacks.” Contrary to Bruce’s pre-recorded message, the Belfrey’s tech isn’t as outdated as you might fear. “It’s literally a piece of dialogue in the game,” laughs Redding when I ask him how the heroes will cope. “Alfred says to Barbara: ‘only you and Bruce would ever say any of this is outdated’. They make fun of the fact these guys are used to being at the bleeding edge of everything.” 2. An evolving open world with a living, breathing ecosystem One of the biggest characters in the Bat universe — quite literally — is Gotham itself. Working with DC, WB Montreal’s open-world, five borough-strong vision curates its inspirations — its interpretation — from versions seen across comics, movies, TV shows. “There are places and locations that are iconic, that have history,” Redding affirms. It’s also one that supports multiple elements that boil together to create a vivid, ever-thriving ecosystem. A living citizenry who travel to work or the local grocery store, who add to traffic congestion or run home from the train station. Multiple criminal factions. The GCPD. And, of course, Batman’s rogues gallery, who as much as the Knights, are having to reinvent themselves in the wake of their nemesis’ death. Redding is excited for players to see what results. “It’s going to serve up a ton of variety, a ton of complexity that you can keep evolving, modifying and adding to as the player advances through the story.” The Knights will explore this world by grapple or Batcycle, battling baddies and gradually finding evidence, major clues that point to the larger storyline, the next chapter of the larger mystery. And they’ll uncover a new threat that has its roots in the very foundations of Gotham’s history: the Court of Owls. Villains, even street-level goons, will level up alongside your characters. The intention is to make you think about every fight. Lower-level criminals may inspire you to try something flashy. In contrast,you’ll want to change up your gear loadout or stick to stealth when tackling more powerful foes. “We wanted to make sure that every encounter, no matter where it is, provides those kinds of choices,” explains Redding. 3. Reinvented villains, old, new and ancient “They are all about the 350-year history of Gotham,” explains Redding of the Court. A fairly recent addition to the Bat mythos, first introduced in the comics back in 2011, The Court of Owls is a secret society that has shaped Gotham since its earliest days, whose “wealth and corruption and entrenched power twisted the city into its current form.” The creative director goes on to explain how the Court’s long history with the city and their inclusion as the main adversarial force made the studio look at Gotham “as a historical place” and influenced its design. “History is embedded in the architecture and bedrock, in the very foundations of every square of the city.” And as much as the Court is intrinsically tied to Gotham itself, the other villains you’ll tax your crime fighting skills won’t operate in a bubble; they’ll be part of and imperil the city you’re trying to protect. “We want to make you feel all that work you’re investing into protecting Gotham City,” outlines Redding. “Regardless of whether you’re dealing with a small street gang on a corner somewhere or dealing with a major supervillain like Mister Freeze.” Villain Crimes will play out over multiple nights, “a series of encounters where the player has to do a certain amount of legwork and detective work to hunt down the villain at the next major confrontation.” In all, WB Games Montréal presents a compelling pitch for its take on the Bat mythos. I’m intrigued to know more, but will need to wait a while longer before I can grapple my way across a new Gotham skyline and start investigating its many secrets. Gotham Knights will release in 2021 on PS4 and PS5. View the full article

The launch of a next-gen console is always an exciting time for any game developer. We usually face two different situations: on one side we have plenty of ideas and secret wishes about what we’d love to implement and improve, while on the other side we know we’re just scratching the surface of what new possibilities await. Every new console is a whole new universe to explore and it is always so inspiring when you can mix new hardware power and technologies with the creativity and the experience of your development team. That’s why we’re all so thrilled that Ride 4 is coming to PS5 on January 21, 2021. PS5’s specifications are incredibly inviting for a racing franchise like Ride, where players expect to experience the excitement of riding a 200 HP bike in fast-paced, adrenaline-filled races all over the world. We will now be able to deliver a smoother gameplay experience at 60FPS with a resolution up to 4K. That means players will be able to enjoy their beloved bikes with the highest quality for shaders and textures, with a never before seen level of detail for both bikes and environments. Your riding experience will also be more precise, satisfying and natural. And all races — both online and offline — will be even more compelling as up to 20 riders will be competing for victory! Thanks to PS5’s SSD, loading times will be significantly reduced. That means less waiting time before races, but also a better gameplay experience during them. That’s because the SSD will enable faster streaming of textures, allowing us to better immerse players in our environments while they roar around tracks at 300 km/h. Last, but definitely not least, Ride 4 fans will experience the power of PS5’s DualSense wireless controller. Gas and brake levers will have their own resistance to transmit the same sensations as their real-life counterparts. We are also leveraging haptic feedback to let players feel their vehicle’s vibrations, just like when they ride on the streets. This is just the start of what it means to compete at full speed with Ride 4 on PS5 — the race has just begun! View the full article

It’s been over three years since Marvel’s Avengers was announced, and now it’s just around the corner (for those of you who didn’t get in on Early Access editions). We are super excited to share with you our Avengers vision and to play with you all! We couldn’t have done it without your support, feedback, and excitement. We celebrate our launch, with you, the fans. To hopefully make this final stretch a little more bearable, here are some tips and tricks to have you ready to hit the ground running at launch. Don’t forget to level up your AI companions. They are important allies to aid you in the fight against AIM and future threats to come. Even if you play mostly multiplayer co-op with your friends, you’ll find that you’ll still need them later on. And if solo is more your style, you’ll benefit from having your companions be well-outfitted with the skills, outfits, and gear of your choice for your personal Avengers team playstyle. After all, each of your AI companions will use the abilities and gear you set for them. If you reach a difficult point in the game, try improving the gear of your companions so they can help your team. Change can be a good thing! If you’re having too easy of a time, increase the difficulty and get a harder challenge and better rewards. The higher the difficulty, the more your gear choices will matter, so you’ll want to adjust it to what feels right for you. Similarly, don’t be afraid to take it down a notch if that would make the game more enjoyable — the game is about having your personal, fun-filled Super Hero experience. Many rewards in War Zones are highlighted with a question mark that can be seen from afar. However, don’t get too used to that: not every reward is marked from a long distance in that fashion. Some treasures are hidden and will only show up when you’re nearby. Explore high and low through all the caves and buildings you can, because you never know where and what you might find like powerful gear that was right under your nose the entire time. To use resources or to save them: a dilemma as old as gaming itself. Upgrading your gear will allow you to find higher level gear faster by making you more powerful and increasing your gear level. However, you may then find yourself short on materials if you find a really good drop. You’ll need to find a balance between the two. In doing so, consider if you’re planning to keep the gear for a while, or if you are progressing fast enough to find something more powerful soon. Alternatively, keep an eye on the Perks of gear you find so that it fits your playstyle. If you want a more powerful version of gear with your desired Perk, you may need to go searching for it, which is where War Zones come into play. A general gear tip: don’t be afraid to dismantle gear early on as you’ll undoubtedly run across more powerful gear as you progress. There are many ways to play Marvel’s Avengers, even within the same Super Hero. Once you know your personal playstyle, try to focus on equipping gear that strengthens and synergizes with how you like to battle. That said, it’s never a bad idea to carry around a different toolkit for a different job. For example, if you typically use damage enhancing gear but have a set of defensive gear you can equip, a tough fight can become a lot easier! You can store gear in the helicarrier so it doesn’t take up space and can also access this gear once you’re in the Quinjet awaiting to launch a mission. Always keep an eye on mission modifiers to know what gear to take with you and when. Whether you’re a veteran who’s been here from the very beginning, or if you’re a fresh face who just joined us recently: thank you for being on this journey with us. Getting here wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of our Marvel fan community. Though launch is a huge milestone in our story, it’s not the destination — it’s the beginning. We hope to see you there with us as we keep moving forward towards an even better future! View the full article

PlayStation Skaters, it’s your time to become the G.O.A.T. in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2. Developed by Vicarious Visions, this faithful remaster of the original two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games is available tomorrow on PS4. Before you check your griptape and start shredding, here’s what you need to know: The O.G. THPS 1 + 2 Experience Meets the New School of Skateboarding Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 returns classic levels, pro skaters, and tricks alongside new skaters, customization features, and much more, all brought to life in detailed 4K*. Skate your dream park at vintage spots first discovered in 1999 and 2000, or craft a dream skatepark with Create-a-Park, totally revamped from ramp to rail. Here, expect to find a robust editor that allows for park customization like never before, the ability to share creations with friends, and the ability to download “Remixable” parks on the public Park Browser to then mold into your own skating paradise.** Carve up these parks with your own custom skater through Create-a-Skater, as skateboarding’s current stars, including Leo Baker, Aori Nishimura, Riley Hawk, and Tyshawn Jones, or as a member of the O.G. roster. Like this mix of old and new skaters, this game’s soundtrack stacks songs from the original games on top of three dozen fresh hits, which come from across decades and around the music world. Play Video Tours – Career Mode Remixed No matter what your soundtrack and skater is, get ready to conquer every skate park from the first two games through Tours. This primary single-player experience is akin to a reimagined Career mode from THPS 1 and 2, as you will go through goal-oriented levels, where you complete various objectives such as collecting the letters “S-K-A-T-E” around the skate park or hit a High Score, and competition-based levels, where you must earn Medals by beating other skaters via virtual judge’s scores. There are two Tours to choose from: the THPS Tour and the THPS 2 Tour. Each is based on each game’s original Career mode and will bring you through the following locales: The THPS Tour: Warehouse – Goals School – Goals Mall – Goals Skate Park – Competition Downtown – Goals Downhill Jam – Goals Burnside – Competition Streets – Goals Roswell – Competition The THPS 2 Tour: Hangar – Goals School II – Goals Marseille – Competition NYC – Goals Venice – Goals Skate Street – Competition Philadelphia – Goals Bullring – Competition Two Secret Levels – ??? On top of revisiting these hallowed stomping grounds, expect to find a few other surprises within these tours that add some modern challenges to the old school experience. Other single-player modes are also available, like Free Skate and Single Session, as well as the next chapter in the franchise’s signature Multiplayer mode. Multiplayer – Jams and Competitive Playlists Outside of local couch play, you can hop online to skate alongside – and against – up to seven other players on two distinct playlists that host vintage THPS Multiplayer game modes on a variety of skate parks. In the Competitive Quick Playlist, only the best skater will win each session. If you top this playlist’s leaderboard, then feel free to call yourself a G.O.A.T. in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 Multiplayer. Jams is the more casual Quick Playlist; the top-four skaters will be counted as winners, and its own leaderboard is separate from Competitive. This makes Jams the place to warm up before Competitive matches, or to just hang with friends through the game’s party feature. Get Ready to Drop in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 is available tomorrow for digital download on the PS Store in two versions: a regular edition, which retails for $39.99 (MSRP), and digital deluxe version, which has a suggested retail price of $49.99 (MSRP). Have fun dropping into this nostalgia-packed experience on your journey towards becoming the G.O.A.T! *4K Available on PS4 Pro. **Internet required for online multiplayer (PlayStation Plus subscription sold separately) and other features. View the full article

What exactly is Bounty Battle? Well, it’s a thrilling addition to the fighting game genre — a fun, 2D, all-star indie fighter where players must defeat opponents by either depleting their life bar or, if the arena permits it, by ejecting them from the arena itself! Bounty Battle has a host of game modes including Tournament, Challenge Mode, Tutorial and Training Room to perfect your style along with a local versus mode where you can throw down with up to three other players, settle some scores, and start some grudges! Play Video Today, I would like to tell you about the beginning stages of this project, which developed over time from one concept to another, and has been in the works for almost six years now. The genesis of the project was this concept art: I created this back on October 1, 2014. Back then, Bounty Battle was called “Ethereal Mana.” it was a different type of game where players would have to “beat them all” and embody different types of characters. So far nothing extraordinary, other than the concept to embody monsters rather than heroes, (a bit like Dungeon Keeper). The project progressed from one iteration to another without clear direction, but still moved along relatively quickly. Through gameplay tests Ethereal Mana gradually changed into a fighting game, Bounty Battle. Looking around in 2014/15, I realized there were very few brawler-type games that featured characters from the independent games world. Before 2008, there wasn’t much focus on indie game creators and studios. With the release of Indie Game: The Movie, the spotlight started to shift to independent game creators, bringing many studios to the fore as known names in this field. I didn’t spare a moment to start searching for potential IP characters, and outreach to studios to see if they’d be interested in joining me in this adventure. I’m not going to lie to you, it was very difficult in the beginning. There does seem to be a domino effect when you do this kind of thing, nobody seems to be interested until the first person is! It’s completely understandable from the studio or team’s point of view; asking them to trust you enough with their own character (who that studio will have been working on for years!), and let you take that character and put it into your own game is not an easy ask. Like I said, difficult but understandable. So, I’d like to take this moment to thank Graham Smith from Drinkbox Studios. Graham was the first to honor me with the permission to add Juan Aguacate from Guacamelee! to Bounty Battle’s roster. After that, other studios came forward to allow their characters to be included and join the roster of Bounty Battle. In order to homogenize the different graphic styles from the different independent games, (which range from minimalistic pixel art to the most sophisticated 3D), I went with a slightly more cartoony 2D style. Of course, it was complex and time-consuming work, but I often had the help of independent studios in order to respect the designs of the characters. It was then feasible for me to work the other characters into the same file as Juan so that the style matched. Soon after the game was transformed to accommodate more characters, most of the characters I created had to be deleted or underwent extreme modifications in order to stay in the game. In Bounty Battle there are, as in all games of the genre, aspects of the fighters’ movesets which are shared across all of the characters. For the rest we had to play, and if possible finish, the games which are represented by their hero. Once the maximum number of actions were unlocked in their respective games, a decision was made to see in which style the character will be the most fun to play (distance, projectiles, melee or mixed). Afterwards, it was necessary to go through the shooting of action shots and sequences from the original games, and then transcribe the best 2D animation for Bounty Battle. The process proved to be time consuming and difficult. It’s not easy to keep a project going for six years. There are times when you must ask yourself where you’re going and look back to understand how you got to where you are. Was this project too ambitious? Probably. It’s generally strongly advised to start simple and advance step by step… but I like to take risks (until they don’t work out). We’ve always been a small team; me and a programmer, nothing more. Maybe team is the wrong word, we’re just two people with computers who do a whole lot of telecommuting! In terms of the future, plans are still being finalized for DLC — we’re still speaking with a number of indie studios who are interested in having their characters in Bounty Battle! The main focus is to ensure the game remains balanced when adding new playable characters. All future indie guests will be added as free DLC! This project has been a passion of mine since the beginning, created because of my interest in 2D work and my desire to produce beautiful and fun games. The world of independent video games is truly wonderful, and it is my dream come true that people will finally get to play something I’ve worked on for so long. I hope to continue improving Bounty Battle and work on new characters. Characters who made their mark on the video game world, characters who you fell in love with, and characters that make you dream! Of course, it’s up to you to see who will be the strongest! View the full article

Hello, potential battlemages! My name is Jesse Kurlancheek and I’m the Design Director here at Proletariat, the developers behind Spellbreak. Spellbreak is a competitive third-person action-spellcasting game where you take on the role of a powerful battlemage and it releases for free today! In a previous post, I described the six classes available at launch and gave a brief overview of what they could do. In this post, I want to look a bit deeper at some of the many abilities and build customizations options available for you to create a character best suited to your playstyle. Play Video A quick refresher on How to Build a Battlemage in Spellbreak: Class Your class is your biggest upfront decision. It dictates your primary spell and sorcery as well as the four skills you’ll unlock over the course of the match. Talents Another decision you’ll make pre-match. You can choose up to three different talents that give you passive benefits, each changing the way you play. Equipment Once you’re in a game, you’ll find various pieces of equipment on the ground, in chests, and dropped by other players. Offhand Gauntlet – This gives you a second spell and sorcery and can be used to combine elements with your chosen class. Rune – Your rune gives you access to a variety of movement abilities on fairly short cooldowns. Amulet, Belts, and Boots – These increase your maximum mana, maximum armor, and maximum movement speed, respectively. Build Example 1 Here’s a flexible build that focuses on making it easier to hit and track targets, a good mix of mobility options, as well as solid offensive and defensive options. Class The Pyromancer gives you access to Fireballs and Flamewall, both of which have large areas of effect when paired with the class skills. Additionally, the level two skill, Firefly, gives you surprising amounts of mobility by flying through your Flamewalls. Talents Tracking – This lets you highlight any target you tag for a few seconds, letting you keep track of them even behind terrain or other obstacles. Fervor – The base cast time on Fireball is a little slow, but Fervor speeds up your cast speed allowing you to fling more of them, more often. Recovery – Whenever you take any damage, Recovery will slowly heal 50% of it back over a short time period. If you get hit, dodge behind some cover and heal back for free! Equipment Offhand Gauntlet – I’m a big fan of pairing a Toxic gauntlet up with Fire since when you combine the two elements, you can cause a massive explosion for bonus damage. Setting toxic puddles on fire can give you some decent area control as well. Rune – Featherfall lets you launch yourself into the air and when paired with both Fire and Toxic’s area of effects and Tracking’s highlighting, you can stay above your enemies and ensure lots of damage. Build Example 2 At the other end of the spectrum, here’s a build specializing in damage at the expense of all else. Your goal with this build is to open up on someone, expend all of your resources and hope you burst them down before they know what hit them. Class The Conduit gives you access to Lighting Bolts and their passive skill, Potential Energy, which ramps up your damage the longer your cast. To leverage this, we’re going to want to help you get in position and stay on your targets. The final Conduit skill, Power Surge, makes your spell casts free for a few seconds as well, so once you’re “spun up” you are a true force of destruction. Talents Focused Mana – Whenever your mana is at 80% or higher, you’ll get a damage bonus from this talent. Lightning Bolt’s cost is on the low side and this will let your talent pick up the slack until Potential Energy takes over towards the end of your mana bar. Fervor – Similarly, more cast speed provided by Fervor will let you ramp up your damage stacks faster as well. Recklessness – Now we’re getting dangerous. Recklessness increases your damage when you have NO armor. We’re going to intentionally never pick up a belt with this build to keep this buff up at all times. The downside is that… well, you have no armor, so you’ll have to be extra careful. Equipment Offhand Gauntlet – Keep leaning in to the theme and go with Frost as an offhand. It’s about as close as you’ll get to a sniper rifle and while Lightning is decent at range, Frost is the best option if your target is far away. Rune – Invisibility not only gives you an escape, which you’re painfully lacking, but it also lets you get in close to unsuspecting targets to take advantage of them being out of position. I could go on and on, but hopefully this gives you a brief insight into what’s possible when building your own battlemage in Spellbreak. We’ll be adding new talents, runes, and even classes going forward, unlocking even more possible combinations. We’d love to see what builds you come up! View the full article

I’m Thomas Welsh, lead writer and narrative designer on Cloudpunk, and I created the characters you’ll meet in the cyberpunk city of Nivalis. Since release, seeing players’ response to the diverse and colourful cast of characters has been a blast. Everyone has their favourite, and I’m really touched by how the community has taken these androids, humans, and cyborgs to heart. Today I’m going to tell you about five of the most important people you’ll meet during your rain-soaked, neon-infused cyberpunk adventure. When I first joined the project, Cloudpunk had a beautiful voxel world filled with flying vehicles, but no characters or plot yet. We knew Cloudpunk wasn’t going to be a typical cyberpunk story about grizzled cyborg cops or robot gangs shooting each other in the street. Instead, we wanted to tell the story of a regular person living a normal life in a cyberpunk world. How do they pay their bills? Who are their friends and rivals? What is it like for them to work the nightshift for a delivery company, flying between buildings, meeting interesting people, and listening to a pulsing synth soundtrack? To answer those questions, we needed a hero. That hero was Rania. Rania is an outsider, an immigrant and — most importantly for Cloudpunk — a good driver. Just like the player, she is new to the city and has a lot to learn. She’s clever and a little cynical, and she’s not easily manipulated or tricked. Rania doesn’t drink, but she connects with Nivalis through her love of street food. From cherry pie to dumplings, she’ll never walk past a food stall without checking out what is hot and cheap. Rania’s call handler for the night is Control. He is grizzled and tired but laughs often. Control knows he shouldn’t get attached to his drivers as the job is dangerous, but he can’t help himself. His mysterious background is slowly revealed throughout the story. Control can’t wait for the end of his shift so he can finally open the bottle of sake he has waiting in his desk drawer. Rania’s best friend is Camus, her dog-car. Camus was a robotic pet before they came to Nivalis, but Rania had to sell his metal frame to clear her debts. His personality is stored on a data drive and when she receives her first wage, Rania pays to upload his consciousness to her vehicle. He is cheery and helpful, but naïve. Camus acts as Rania’s conscience, often questioning her decisions when they are selfish or cynical. Camus doesn’t eat human food, but he is “food-curious.” He wants to try donut-coffee, though Rania is not sure that’s even a real thing. One of the weirder characters Rania meets during her shift is Huxley the android, and he has become a real fan favourite. Huxley is “Nivalis’ best, cheapest private investigator” and due to an overheating CPU, he speaks like he is narrating a noir crime novel. He eats anything, as long as it’s hard boiled. Finally, we have Lomo, owner of the Sin Wave nightclub and local crime boss in Midtown. He helps Rania when she is detained by Nivalis’ authoritarian police force CorpSec, but in return he demands a favour. As Lomo says to Rania, “Your hands are too clean.” They won’t stay that way. Lomo’s drink of choice is expensive whisky. These are just a few of the fully voiced characters you’ll meet in Nivalis. I can’t wait for a whole new batch of players to join us for their first shift when we launch Cloudpunk on PlayStation on October 15 this year! View the full article

Growing up in the 80s in Asia, family road trips were quite the adventure. We would pack everything but the kitchen sink into the car, with my sister and I making the backseats into our playroom for the next few hours while our parents would take turns driving. There would be music on the radio and I would lie on my sister’s lap while staring up into the skies, watching the telephone lines dance by. The journey itself would always have a sense of anticipation, of something to come at our destination. Often, it would be a fun holiday or an exciting family visit, but sometimes, there would be trepidation too, knowing that we were driving into unpleasant situations, like my grandmother’s wake when I was just seven. Wherever we went though, food would follow. Visiting relatives and friends meant home-cooked comfort foods at our destinations, while holidays meant new or different foods to explore. Even visits to the cemetery meant a picnic on my grandparents’ graves after we’d offered up the food to the dead. It is impossible to think of any road trip without food or relatives. When I joined the Just Add Oil team to develop Road to Guangdong, I knew that it was a chance for me to bring these nostalgic memories into the game. We had decided early on that the game was going to be a buddy driving game, going around early 1990s Guangdong with narrative puzzles. My task from then was to create characters and stories that would bring this to life. While I was working on the narrative structure, we tested the first driving simulations and I was delighted to find that the driving experience was zenful and reflective of those childhood drives. In the 80s and 90s, while highways were just being built, most of our trips would go through old roads, which were a lot harder on cars. If we were not careful, we would find ourselves by the side of dusty roads with an overheated engine, or a punctured tyre, or even with no petrol. All we could do then was wait for passers by to offer help, or for a tow car from the nearest garage to come by. The graphics, though upbeat and modern, also inspired a sense of timelessness which guided the development of Sunny and her Guu Ma (aunt), two characters who come together in a tragic circumstance of Sunny’s parents’ deaths. In the game, you play Sunny who inherits the family restaurant and needs to visit the extended family to gain their blessings for her to run it. And the only one who can guide her through the trip is her Guu Ma. Through the story puzzles, Sunny needs to make the most out of the visits to family whom she hasn’t connected with in a long time. Though there’s a sense of familiarity, there’s also a need to rekindle old connections. And like my childhood trips, no matter what happens, food is involved. We know that cooking for someone is a way to show our love, but in the Chinese culture, coming together to eat means so much more. Showing up at the dinner table is saying sorry and thank you and proving your love and respect all at once. So, if you’re looking for an adventure, a chance to explore an unfamiliar place and time that’s wrapped up in food, family and warm feelings, come join Sunny and her Guu Ma on their quest. You might just collect some recipes on the way too. Road to Guangdong is out now on PS4. View the full article

Welcome back! September has arrived, which means it’s time to look back and celebrate the excellent new releases we saw in August — and crown one as the month’s best new game. The polls below are now live, and we’ll keep them open until Sunday night at 11:59pm Pacific (or Monday morning at 7:59am BST), so get those votes in before then. Feel like going to bat for your selection? Hit the comments and tell us why you voted for your pick! How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year.</span> What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will.</span> How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted. What was the best new game of August 2020? View the full article

The Outer Worlds made quite an impression on me last year, with its rich characters, morbidly hilarious dialogue, and the distinct stylish trappings of its capitalist space society Halcyon. The sci-fi RPG offered a funny and engaging adventure in moral ambiguity that made multiple playthroughs a must. Obsidian and Private Division add a new layer of galactic intrigue with their first expansion, Peril on Gorgon, which I had the chance to dip my toes into during a preview this week. Here’s what I gathered during an hour exploring the mysterious Gorgon Asteroid. Fans of noir mysteries are in for a treat, as Peril drops the crew of the Unreliable right in the middle of a seedy scientific enigma. The expansion kicks off with an introduction to cocktail-wielding dame Minnie Ambrose, who dishes out a classic detective quest: discover why Spacer’s Choice shut down the disastrous Gorgon Project, and reveal the fate of Minnie’s missing mother, head project researcher Olivia Ambrose. Every part of the mission and side quests on Gorgon have a flair for the dramatic, from the region’s new music to the shady “Mysterious Figure” I encountered towards the end of my gameplay. At one point even my companion Felix commented that it felt like he was in one of the serial dramas he loves so much. Speaking of drama, the Gorgon Asteroid is a fully explorable region teeming with new moral quandaries to solve. Rather than diving right into the mysteries of the Gorgon Project I spent some time meeting local scavengers at the Sprat Shack, a Sub-lighter hub where I tangled with such colorful characters as Freddie the Scab and Junkyard Trixie (these names!). Alongside the local riff-raff are introductions to some compelling side quests, including a tragically touching mission to reunite a widow with her lost husband’s hip flask. Exploration is always encouraged in Outer Worlds, but I appreciated how these side missions tied seamlessly into the larger mystery of Gorgon. And sure enough, something fishy is afoot. I’m used to encountering Marauders while traversing the expanse of Halcyon, but the ones I fought on Gorgon felt distinctly different. In the Overlands I could sneak up on new variants specific to the region, like Plunderers and Berserkers. They often carried N-ray weapons that would send focused pulsing blasts that damaged me and any companions in my range. Luckily, I stumbled across a N-ray handgun myself: the beautifully designed Doctor’s Orders, which significantly evened the odds. Still, I was often caught off guard while snooping through the Office of Creation Incubation (where Spacer’s Choice comes up with all those unforgettable taglines), where I might move through a room of knocked out Marauders only for them to reawaken and attack with a renewed vigor. Something is changing the people of Gorgon, and the more I encounter, the more I want to unravel this mystery. A nice addition I found while sticking my nose into every nook and cranny are the new Portable Phonographs, nifty little audio logs scattered across the region. Hearing the lingering thoughts of Gorgon’s past inhabitants, including my assumed-dead detective predecessor Lucky Montoya (again, these names!), added another noir-inspired flair to my investigation and kept me digging deeper. Ultimately, exploration is unavoidable given Gorgon’s beautiful setting. While research facilities and Spacer’s Choice apartments have been left abandoned, the stars shine ever so brightly from Gorgon’s skies, and the stealth-friendly bioluminescent grass had me enjoying every jaunt from location to location. Even the new beast types — Shiverpillars and Frostsaur Soldiers — seemed to glow in the night. Something may be fishy about Gorgon, but it sure is beautiful to behold. I only spent an hour exploring the abandoned research facilities of the ill-fated Gorgon Project, but the small teases I found of the truth had me ready to discover more. I’ll be hopping back in the Unreliable when The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon takes off on September 9. View the full article

The Essential Picks promotion is unleashed on PlayStation Store on Wednesday, September 2. Offering up to 50% off an array of PS4 titles, it’ll let you enjoy all-new adventures for less. Headlining the digital sale is Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed action adventure The Last of Us Part II. While continuing the story of Ellie and Joel, it also introduces new intriguing characters, all of whom are swept up in the dramatic events that unfold in a post-apocalyptic world. Want to get historical with your adventuring instead? Heads to ancient Greece to explore an open world rich with intriguing stories in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In the mood for high speed pursuits instead? Also joining the promotion is the kart-based chaos of Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled. There are plenty more games available in the Essential Picks promotion. Below are the titles that are on sale in both Europe and North America. Check out the full list on PlayStation Store from Wednesday, September 2 (EU players, head here and American players, here) to see your local discounts*. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Gold Edition Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Season Pass Assassin’s Creed Origins – Deluxe Edition Batman: Return to Arkham Battlefield V BioShock: The Collection Borderlands 3 – Season Pass Borderlands 3 – Super Deluxe Edition Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Deluxe Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Battle Pass Edition Code Vein Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled Days Gone Days Gone – Digital Deluxe Edition Death Stranding Death Stranding: Digital Deluxe Edition Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Digital Deluxe Edition DOOM + Wolfenstein II Bundle Dragon Ball FighterZ – FighterZ Edition Dreams For Honor – Marching Fire Edition For Honor: Complete Edition God of War God of War – Digital Deluxe Edition Gran Turismo Sport Spec II Grand Theft Auto V and Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack Bundle HITMAN – Game of the Year Edition Hitman 2 – Gold Edition Hitman HD Enhanced Collection Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Journey: Collector’s Edition Jurassic World Evolution – Jurassic Park Edition Just Cause 4: Complete Edition Marvel’s Spider-Man – The City That Never Sleeps Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition Marvel’s Spider-Man: Silver Lining Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist Marvel’s Spider-Man: Turf Wars Megalodon Shark Cash Card Middle-earth: Shadow of War NASCAR Heat 5 NASCAR HEAT 5 – July Pack 2 NASCAR Heat 5: Gold Edition Need for Speed Heat: Deluxe Edition Nioh 2 Season Pass Red Dead Redemption 2: Special Edition Resident Evil Revelations 1 & 2 Bundle Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Skyforge – Firestarter Quickplay Pack Skyforge: 105000 Argents Skyforge: 11750 Argents Skyforge: 24000 Argents Skyforge: 50000 Argents Skyforge: Archer Quickplay Pack Skyforge: Kinetic Quickplay Pack Skyforge: Starter Pack 3.0 Sleeping Dogs – Definitive Edition Sniper Elite 4 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Deluxe Upgrade Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition The Last of Us Part II Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands – Ultimate Edition Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands – Year 2 Gold Edition Tour de France 2020 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Warface – Essential Pack Watch Dogs 2 Watch Dogs 2 – Gold Edition WipEout Omega Collection XCOM 2 Collection Zombie Army 4: Dead War *The Essential Picks promotion runs until 23.59pm local time on Wednesday, September 16. View the full article

For our special launch edition of the Marvel’s Avengers War Table, our Crystal Dynamics team wanted to go BIG, so we revealed new details on the weekly gameplay ritual, new game modes, and a new Hero. Read on for a recap. Operation Taking Aim The Avengers Initiative will evolve over time for years to come. Each addition combines and builds over time to a much larger series of story arcs. We’ve discussed missions in the past, but now it’s time to share some intel on Operations! Kate Bishop is officially the first Avenger to join our roster after launch, voiced by fan-favorite Ashly Burch. In the comics, Clint – the original Hawkeye – took on Kate as a protégé. That being said, Kate is often the mature one in the face of Clint’s recklessness. Operation Marvel’s Avengers: Kate Bishop — Taking AIM will directly advance from the conclusion of the Reassemble campaign, and includes a new villain for Kate to face off against. Clint – voiced by TV veteran Giacomo Gianniotti – will come with his own Hero Operation, Marvel’s Avengers: Hawkeye — Future Imperfect. Considering the strong friendship and connection between Kate and Clint, we think of their Operations as a “double feature.” Day One Breakdown If you played the Beta, you now know that Marvel’s Avengers is huge. The Beta barely scratches the surface of what’s coming on day one. On day one, most of you will want to start with the full single player campaign to experience reassembling the team and our narrative spotlighting Ms. Marvel & MODOK. That being said, if you want to jump right into the Avengers Initiative (with some campaign spoilers) to begin leveling up your favorite Avenger – you can! It is worth noting you can access the Avengers Initiative and play in parallel with your campaign. So, you can go play with your friends, and then come back, and pick up right where you left off. Daily and Weekly Missions Marvel’s Avengers has daily and weekly gameplay loops. Understanding these is a great way to get the most out of each play session. There are daily and weekly content resets, and the War Table is also dynamic. Some missions and rewards cycle in and out during your play session, some rotate daily, while others will only appear over the weekend (we’ll get to that in a bit!). Here’s a pro tip: There are two Factions, each with eight Assignments and one Villain Sector per day, which adds up to almost 20 small objectives. Make sure to go grab all your Faction dailies when you login, because they can be completed as you play through other missions. In-game vendors are also important to regularly check in on. Each has an inventory that rotates once per hour, so there’s always something unique to shop for. Cosmetic vendors are similar. They have a stock of outfits, emotes, and nameplates that rotate once per day. You can unlock these cosmetics with units you earn by opening strongboxes, which are found throughout missions. Villain Sectors Villain Sectors are special missions that provide epic showdowns in boss fights that you’ll want to keep coming back to, especially the closer your Heroes get to the game’s launch power level cap of 150. Uncover the secret behind these villain resurgances and put an end to them, if you can! Shield Vaults It turns out that before Nick Fury went missing he set up hidden SHIELD Vaults around the world. Players can unlock these to claim resources, gear, and secrets. However, coordinates for SHIELD Vaults must be located within other missions first. SHIELD Vaults are critical to ensuring you are ready for the challenges in late-game play. Avengers Initiative Events Events are a way we’re keeping the Avengers Initiative fresh and new. Some events will take place over a week, and others will be seasonal. Some will have cosmetics and gear that are only available to earn for a limited time. We’re also adding new locations to explore, with friendly faces (and voices!) you’ll recognize! SHIELD Substation Zero SHIELD Substation Zero is a new Resistance Outpost led by Commander Maria Hill, who is voiced by industry veteran Jennifer Hale. Available shortly after launch, the Substation opens as a social space after temporal anomalies begin forming across the world. You’ll have to help Maria Hill investigate the source of these disturbances, known as Tachyon Rifts. We’ll save more details on the missions and the special gear you can earn for another time. AIM’s Secret Lab & Mega Hives On to AIM’s Secret Lab, which will drop shortly after launch and be a true test of late-game co-op teamplay. Only available once a week, the Lab must be completed within a set time window and concludes in a huge boss fight that will take some strategic thinking from your four-player team. The Mega Hive also arrives shortly after launch if you’re looking for a meaty solo challenge. This weekly mission type will test your full roster as you fight your way through descending floors with increasingly difficult enemies. When one hero goes down, another will join. After your full roster is defeated, you’ll need to start over from the beginning. Before we wrap up, we want to send a huge thank-you to our fans. August was a big month for us. Millions of you joined the Beta and were among the first to play our original Avengers story and assemble online with friends. You are influencing the future of Marvel’s Avengers. We’ve been working hard to address your feedback, and will continue to do so. We hope you can see, feel, and play it on launch day! View the full article

Face a terrifying descent into America’s deep South, take a road trip with royalty, become legend in the ring and save a space station from annihilation with this month’s PS Now games. With Resident Evil 7, Final Fantasy XV, WWE 2K19 and Observation launching today, you’re spoilt for choice as to what your next PS4 adventure will be. Let’s take a closer look at the games. Resident Evil 7 Play Video Step into a Resident Evil experience quite unlike anything you’ve ever encountered as the series embarks on an ambitious approach that plunges you neck-deep into an adrenaline pumping nightmare. Trade the series classic third-person gameplay and stylized visuals for an unsettlingly realistic, first-person adventure, filled with a grueling atmosphere, stomach-turning design and a hauntingly unhinged cast of new characters. Set among the isolated rural estates of America’s deep South, nothing is quite as it seems and nowhere is truly safe. Resident Evil 7 biohazard is available until November 30, 2020. Final Fantasy XV Play Video Join Prince Noctis and his closest friends as they fight against the empire in an effort to take back their fallen kingdom. A unique fantasy world teeming with exotic wildlife, nefarious beasts and ancient treasures lies in wait. Wield devastating magic and powerful cooperative attacks in a tactical real-time battle system to crush those that stand in your way. Discover and modify new weapons and armour as you go, developing new skills and strengths with each successive victory. Final Fantasy XV is available until March 1, 2021. WWE 2K19 Play Video Take on or play as WWE and NXT’s most popular Superstars and Legends in one of the franchise’s biggest rosters to date in a variety of match types and options, extensive creation capabilities, fan-favorite modes and much more. Includes an all-new MyCareer experience and new game modes such as 2K Towers and the return of 2K Showcase, highlighting the Return of Daniel Bryan. Observation Play Video This cinematic sci-fi thriller told through the lens of a space station’s artificial intelligence. Take on the role of S.A.M., an AI system installed on the low orbit space station “Observation” in 2026 and take control of the station’s control systems. A mysterious event has caused the station to lose power and forced S.A.M. to reboot. With most of your systems offline, you must work with the only crew member you can find, Dr Emma Fisher, and attempt to restore your systems to discover the fate of the station and its crew. View the full article

With PlayStation 5, our goal is to put the player at the heart of the gaming experience. From the DualSense wireless controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, to the ultra-high speed SSD, to the immersion felt with Tempest 3D AudioTech engine, we want players to lose themselves in every PS5 game. To provide in-game examples of these benefits, we asked developers around the world to share their thoughts on how the PS5 console’s ultra-high speed SSD and Tempest 3D AudioTech engine will shape the future of gaming. You can see some of the games that will leverage these features in our latest video: Play Video Read on, and leave your comments below! “Beyond near-instant loading and fast-travel, the SSD and its speed allow us to more quickly load and display more detailed assets. This should lead to the city looking better than ever, and this is just the beginning for our team unlocking those possibilities. It’s a fundamental change that we can’t wait to take more advantage of in the years to come.”— Brian Horton // Creative Director, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales “As developers [of Demon’s Souls], we are already changing the way we think about the SSD. We see it not just as storage but also memory, utilizing the speed of the SSD to load data at blistering speeds, bringing you straight back into the action to avenge your many deaths.”— Gavin Moore // Creative Director, SIE Japan Studio “Hitman 3 pushes you to explore and experiment in huge sandbox locations – and being able to save/load frequently is key to that. The blitz-fast load times we are seeing on the PS5 console encourages [player] experimentation more than ever.”— Mattias Engström // Game Director, Hitman 3 “The SSD is a gamechanger, I think as this generation matures we will see some amazing innovation in streaming and open-world game design.”— Neil Hill // Lead Programmer, Far Cry 6 “A bit further into the next generation I’m expecting we’ll start seeing developers make more use of the not-so-obvious benefits of the SSD. This is what excites me the most! What does it mean for developers when everything can be loaded from the disk that fast? Will we even need the concept of “levels” anymore?…. The possibilities for this tech are exciting for me as a developer, and exhilarating for me as a gamer.”— Ari Arnbjörnsson // Lead Programmer, Returnal “Hopefully players were able to see the new extended gameplay demo we recently revealed for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.The SSD and custom I/O architecture around it allows us to send players across dimensions with near-instant speed. It fundamentally changes the rules and allows us to think about ideas and game designs that are only possible on PS5.”– Marcus Smith // Creative Director, Insomniac Games Tempest 3D AudioTech Engine PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech engine is designed to provide highly accurate audio positioning, which could spell a major leap forward for gaming immersion. Developers across the globe are already putting the Tempest 3D AudioTech engine to good use, and below, they’re sharing some of their plans (and hopes) for the feature: “3D Audio is exciting because it can create a more convincing and accurate soundscape for players, and a stronger sense of place.… in a fast-paced action game with lots of verticality like Returnal, it can also help with the player’s situational awareness, and make it more intuitive for players to pinpoint the locations of nearby enemies or incoming projectiles in the heat of combat.”— Harry Krueger // Game Director, Returnal “The ability to layer the music even more deeply with dozens of different states reacting to areas and enemy levels make for an environment that’s even more lush and mesmerizing. The players can use these cues to prepare accordingly in the hopes that they might live another day.”— Julian Maroda // Creative Director and CEO, Norsfell “Now with the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech sound engine we’ll be able to play sounds in such a way that players will be able to locate the machines around them with greater ease, which is great for situations in which you find yourself surrounded or just want to sneak on machines.”— Mathijs de Jonge // Creative Director, Guerrilla Games “Audio is a key feature to really push the next-gen experience with PS5. It’s almost as if 3D Audiotech was made specifically with horror games in mind. It used to be that in order to get that spatial audio, players would have to invest a lot of their own time and money. Now, just putting on a headset, they can get a full 3D audio experience.”— Jun Takeuchi // Executive Producer for Resident Evil Village “Our game worlds have been 3D for generations now, but for audio we typically have been limited to 2D surround sound. When Iron Man is destroying a turret positioned above you, or Hulk roars as he takes on the enemies below you, you want to hear the sound coming from those directions. We can just take the actual positions of the audio and ensure we get them to the PS5 3D Audiotech engine and significantly improve your sense of being in the world. And all that is just with your headphones, without needing complex surround stereo systems.”— Jurjen Katsman // Studio Head at Nixxes, developers for Marvel’s Avengers For more on the DualSense wireless controller’s native features, check out this prior post. View the full article

Ary and the Secret of Seasons is a one-of-a-kind 3D platforming adventure wherein players will journey through the land of Valdi, controlling the seasons while solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and restoring order following the chaos that ensued when the seasons were thrown out of whack! An Unlikely Hero Aryelle, known lovingly as Ary amongst the villagers of Valdi, is a young girl who is strong-willed and ready to take on responsibilities for which the adults think she is far too young to handle. Her father, the current Guardian of Winter, has been injured, and her brother disappeared during his apprentice training. When a meeting between the Guardians of Seasons is called to discuss a recent disturbance to the world’s seasonal balance, Ary defies tradition and attends the meeting in her father’s stead. The Guardians of Seasons, as well as other characters Ary meets as she travels across Valdi, often write her abilities off due to her age, discouraging her from taking risks and claiming she will be unable to bring change. But Ary, being the feisty and headstrong adventurer, never takes no for an answer! Thus begins Ary’s quest to face the dangers that lie ahead, defying the naysayers to protect her friends, family, and home! A World Under Threat Legend says that 1000 years ago, an evil mage attacked the world of Valdi, bringing it to the brink of imminent doom. The Guardians of Seasons and the Legendary Hero rose to fight the evil mage and save the world. But now, the world has been thrown back into chaos as the seasons are no longer in their correct regions. Ary’s journey will take her through the world of Valdi as she uncovers the source of the chaos and seeks to restore order. Valdi is a beautiful world set against a backdrop of an ambient, orchestrated soundtrack that adds an additional level of excitement within each region. There are five areas: four regions — each associated with a season — and the central hub, the Dome of Seasons. Each region is unique in its landscape and puzzles. With each new power Ary possesses, players can return to the different regions to find paths that lead to more treasures and quests. Hidden Pathways and Treasures As Ary explores the world before her, she will gain the powers of the seasons bestowed to her by the Guardians of Seasons. There are many temples, pathways, and additional locations to be explored, so those who are up for the challenge to uncover them all will be rewarded with the amazing treasures that await! Ary will also look the part of a cultured voyager with collectible outfits and weapons! Whether you choose to beat up baddies with a wooden spoon or a mighty sword, they are going down regardless! Message from the Devs “Ary was brought to life through my vision of being able to play with the seasons when I was a teen and my love for nostalgic PS2 games. The game provides a feel-good atmosphere, perhaps from getting to defy adults all the time, but also from being allowed to experiment with the seasons. As they play, players will be able to find inspiration from the classics of the PS2 era. Ary is a colorful hero and you will definitely fall for her charm!” Master the seasons September 1, when Ary and the Secret of Seasons arrives on PS4. View the full article

More so than ever, video calls have become a daily norm for many. And there comes a time when you tire of seeing the same background to your hangouts and would happily trade it to transport yourself — and those you’re conversing with — to somewhere more exotic or exciting. So let the creative talent of some of the best PlayStation developers do just that. Below you’ll find a gallery of dazzling imagery curated from the likes of Sucker Punch Productions, Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, Santa Monica Studio, to name just a few. Vistas from newer hits like Death Stranding and Concrete Genie join classic views from Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. There’s a lot of choice. Click on any image to load up its high-res version. A right-click and Save As is all you need to get these downloaded onto your device, ready to use for any video call service that allows custom background uploads. Concrete Genie Days Gone Death Stranding Dreams Ghost of Tsushima God of War Gran Turismo Horizon Zero Dawn Ico inFAMOUS Little Big Planet MLB The Show Ratchet & Clank Shadow of the Colossus The Last of Us The Last of Us Part II Uncharted View the full article

When we set out to create Away: The Survival Series, we wanted to make a game that immerses you in your own personal nature documentary. A game where you get to experience nature from the eyes of an animal. Well, after four years of development, we’re excited to give you a sneak peek at what we’ve been building! Explore the Natural World In Away, you play as a tiny Sugar Glider as you embark on a journey to save your family. Your adventures will take you across vast environments and immerse you in vibrant ecosystems filled with unique species of plants, insects, and animals. The great thing about being a Sugar Glider is that you can explore your environments in any way you want. Whether you’re climbing trees, sneaking through tall grass, or gliding through canyons, the world of Away is yours to discover. Follow Your Instinct Away’s ecosystems are brimming with life — there’s always something going on around you, whether you notice it or not. But you will have to stay vigilant, as the wilderness is home to both nimble prey and hungry predators. As you explore new environments, you can tap into the Sugar Glider’s instinct to get a view of the hidden life that surrounds you. Green means friend, red means foe. Better tread carefully… Fight or Flight Sitting near the bottom of the food chain, Sugar Gliders make up for their small size with great speed and agility. Useful for catching smaller insects, this also comes in handy to escape the grasp of larger predators. But sometimes your only choice is to face enemies head on. Throughout the game, you will learn to develop the Sugar Glider’s fighting skills. This will be crucial for defending yourself against dangerous creatures like this scorpion, as you dodge its hits with well-timed rolls and pounce while it’s vulnerable. Control Other Creatures From small insects to large mammals, there are moments in the game where you will have the chance to control other creatures. Experience nature from new perspectives as you see the world through the eyes of a beetle, lizard, fox, and more… There is so much to discover in the vast world of Away, and we can’t wait to show you more. Coming to PS4 in early 2021, we’re looking forward to taking you on the Sugar Glider’s breathtaking journey into the wild. In the meantime, we want to give you a chance to experience Away’s lush environments, so we’ve prepared some relaxing nature soundscapes recorded straight out of the game. Immerse yourself in the sounds of a dense forest, the gentle call of birds, and the echo of a distant waterfall. Check out @awayseries on Twitter to get our soundscapes for free. View the full article

The wait is finally over … that’s right, Madden season is upon us, and Madden NFL 21 is officially available everywhere. Another season of bragging rights, Ultimate Team upgrades, and total domination over your friends is just a click away. A lot has changed this year in Madden 21, so we’re bringing you some tips to get the most out of your Madden experience. So start taking notes, here are the top five tips for Madden 21. Have more fun in Madden’s newest mode The Yard is a backyard-inspired 6v6 football experience, a brand-new mode in Madden that’s all about trick plays, the freshest gear you’ve ever seen, and a bold attitude. Create wild gameplay moments and swag out your custom Avatar while earning rewards along the way. The rising generation of NFL stars has been dropping dimes and creating in space way before they got to the league. Now, it’s your turn. Get more wins with these teams In Madden 21, the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers boast advantages that other teams likely can’t beat. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs has speed and mobility in the pocket and some elite downfield weapons to throw to. Lamar Jackson (ahem, the Madden 21 cover athlete) leads a dominant ground game (yes, we know he’s the QB). The 49ers have a great defense and an elite play action-based offense. The Buccaneers have Tom Brady (GOAT) under center, and a slew of big, talented wideout options to throw to. Learn how to use Superstar and X-Factor abilities There are over 50 new Superstar and X-Factor abilities in Madden NFL 21 fresh out of the lab designed to elevate the stars of a new generation. This game-changing ability system is key to winning, as you can gain, (or take away) huge advantages in clutch moments. If you know what the trigger and knockout conditions are for the Superstar and X-Factor players on your team, and on your opponent’s team, you’ll have what could be a momentum-shifting edge during clutch moments. Master new gameplay enhancements Developed to inspire creativity on and off the field, innovative new gameplay enhancements in Madden NFL 21 offer new levels of ingenuity and control on both sides of the ball. On offense, the Skill Stick ball carrier system allows the user to chain together elusive skill moves that combine for amazing gameplay moments that could result in a game-winning touchdown. On defense, strategy is more crucial than ever as offensive linemen now build resistance to repeated pass-rush moves. Diversify your play calling to outsmart Adaptive AI adjustments that counter your tendencies in new ways. Be aware of Madden ratings Every single week, Madden Ratings are adjusted based on the performance of NFL players in stadiums around the country. And being aware of the ratings of players on your team, and your opponent’s team, can give you that slight advantage you might need to earn a win. For example, if we’re talking about pass-rush moves, knowing which types of moves to try and which lineman to try them against is very important to success. For example, faster speed rushers won’t excel with “power” moves. So what are you waiting for? Go all out in Madden NFL 21 today! View the full article

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here This week, Justin’s back! He and Kristen talk about hopping back on the skateboard and dropping in to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2’s Warehouse Demo. Stuff We Talked About Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Marvel’s Avengers Manifold Garden Final Fantasy XIV (now you REALLY know Justin’s back) The Cast Justin Massongill – Content Communications Manager, SIE Kristen Zitani – Content Communications Specialist, 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.] View the full article

Your time exploring a post-apocalyptic Colorado in Wasteland 3 is close-at-hand. As one of the Desert Rangers, you’ve been summoned to Colorado by the Patriarch, the self-appointed ruler of the area and its people. But things aren’t as simple as a friendly house call, and the Rangers soon discover their tenuous agreement with the Patriarch will be stretched thin over pillories of deception and intrigue. Wasteland 3 is a game where your choices matter, and where your words and actions can drastically change the world and the outcome for its people. With hundreds of epilogue endings and a host of ways to wrap up the main story, how you choose to deal with the Patriarch, his request, and his people will directly impact your experience — so choose your words carefully. Our Senior Writer, Nathan Long, was kind enough to answer a short Q&A on the Patriarch, his children, and the impact the Rangers can have on both. The Patriarch of Colorado has summoned the Desert Rangers to deal with his rebellious children, Victory, Valor, and Liberty. Can you tell us why they’re leaving Arizona to help him? The Rangers are in a bad spot after the events of Wasteland 2. They had to detonate a nuclear warhead inside their base to destroy a malevolent intelligence known as the Cochise AI. Not only did that mean they had to rebuild their entire organization from scratch, weakening them and making it more difficult for them to protect Arizona’s citizens, it left a radioactive hot zone in the middle of the state. Consequently, untainted food and water are scarce, and raiders are getting bolder and more desperate. The fragile hub of civilization the Rangers helped build is in danger of falling apart completely. Arizona isn’t going to make it without emergency deliveries of food, water, and supplies, and that is what the Patriarch has promised them. The mission to go to Colorado and help him is thus a life or death one for the people back home. Why does the Patriarch need the Rangers to deal with his kids? Because he can’t trust the people around him. Every faction in Colorado would love to use his kids as bargaining chips or figureheads to further their own agendas. The Rangers need help only he can give, so he knows it is in their own self-interest to be loyal. What is Victory’s story? He seems to be the wildcard. Vic is a spoiled psychopath, a kid who knew he could get away with any terrible thing he did because he was the Patriarch’s son, so he did every terrible thing he could think of. The people of Colorado are terrified of him because he’s dangerous and unpredictable. He does what he wants to whoever he wants and no one’s brave enough to stop him or stand up to him, for fear of incurring his daddy’s wrath. Valor is with the Gippers — a Ronald Reagan-obsessed cult. That’s of course going to be something you’ll have to deal with. The Gippers have done with Valor exactly what the Patriarch was afraid of — they made him a willing hostage. The Gippers control all the oil production in Colorado, and now that they control Valor too, they can hold him for ransom to get a better deal for their oil, or even try to take Colorado for their own and put Valor on the throne as the Patriarch’s ‘legitimate’ heir. On his own, Valor isn’t much of a threat, but with the Gippers behind him, he’s a force to be reckoned with. We haven’t heard much about Liberty. Why is she opposing her father and what threat does she pose? Liberty has the best tactical mind of all the Patriarch’s children. She’s sane, smart, ruthless, and thinks her father is too soft. She wants to run Colorado like a military dictatorship, with all the citizens working in her factories, pumping out weapons and robots for her war machine. And with the warlords of the eastern plains under her command, she’s got the biggest army in Colorado. How has she managed to amass such a big army? The Patriarch’s last war was with the warlords, who led big roving bands of raiders that prey on Colorado and other civilized areas further east. Since their defeat at the Patriarch’s hands, the warlords have wanted revenge, and Liberty has promised she will give it to them. As long as they get to loot and pillage along the way, they will follow her anywhere. Liberty has modified her body with cybernetic implants. Are such things common in Colorado? Not common, but they exist. They are particularly popular with the eastern gangs. For the Scar Collectors, the most powerful of the gangs, body modification is a sacrament and a badge of honor, and their members will often sport multiple cybernetic limbs and internal implants. Wasteland is all about choice, so are there different ways to deal with each of the children, and how does that impact the game? The biggest and most obvious way is that the Patriarch has commanded that his kids be brought back to him alive so, if you fail to do that, things will get… difficult. On the other hand, there are other possible allies who want all three kids dead, and they won’t like it if you don’t kill them. It depends who you want to side with. Beyond that, there are subtler consequences depending on how you treat each of the kids if you do keep them alive. But I’m not going to tell you how these decisions impact the game, because, well, spoilers. Which of the three kids did you have the most fun writing? They all have their strong points, but I think it’s Vic. Because he can join your party and make horrible, disgusting comments about everything you see from then on, it gave me the biggest opportunity to write fun, unforgivably inappropriate lines, so I pick him. Wasteland 3 launches today on PlayStation 4, and we hope we’ll see you in Colorado! View the full article

Hello once again everyone! This is Zhenzhong (ZZ for short) from miHoYo and I’m super excited to be back with another announcement regarding the release of our latest open-world action RPG, Genshin Impact. Thanks to the support of our dedicated community and the continuous hard work of our development team, we’re thrilled to officially confirm that Genshin Impact will be launching for PS4 worldwide on September 28! A world waiting to be explored In Genshin Impact, you play as a mysterious being known as the Traveler. After you are suddenly separated from your sibling, you find yourself stripped of your former powers and helplessly stranded in a new unfamiliar world. You have arrived in Teyvat — a fantasy world where the seven elements flow and converge. But you are not alone. Here you will embark on an epic journey to find your lost sibling and unravel the many mysteries of this world, meeting a host of faithful companions along the way as well as powerful enemies who seek to challenge your quest. This vast open world is yours to explore as you travel to new cities, unlock elemental powers, and uncover the ancient secrets of Teyvat through an immersive story-driven campaign. Whether you revel in completing side quests brimming with lore, challenging dungeons packed with hordes of intimidating enemies, or simply like interacting with your party of unique and fully-voiced characters, Genshin Impact will be a one of a kind adventure with something for everyone to enjoy. We hope that the amazing world of Teyvat will soon become a place full of meaningful stories and memories for you just as it has for us. A journey in the making Our own adventure with Genshin Impact first began over three and a half years ago, and the game’s development has certainly been a journey of its own. Our talented and diverse team of developers here have overcome numerous technical obstacles along the way, whether it was meeting the demands of Genshin Impact’s massive open world, or polishing the mechanics of its fast-paced elemental combat systems. Given that this is miHoYo’s first release on the PlayStation, we wanted to take this as an opportunity to showcase our vision on PS4’s hardware. Exclusive PlayStation bonuses* – Fight and fly in style To celebrate the release of Genshin Impact on the PS4, we will have some special bonuses for PlayStation players during the game’s launch. PS4 players will have the chance to get the exclusive Sword of Descension and Wings of Descension, as well as more bonuses coming in the future. The Sword of Descension is an impressive weapon that will prove quite handy at the outset of your adventure. It not only has a chance of dealing additional damage to nearby opponents but also grants a considerable increase to attack damage when equipped on the Traveler, making it the perfect choice for dealing with any pesky enemies you may encounter early on. The second item is the Wings of Descension, an exclusive stylized wind glider. Your trusty wind glider will help you travel quickly over adverse enemies and terrain, and will allow you to safely navigate heights that would be otherwise impossible. The limited Wings of Descension glider style will be exclusively available to travelers on the PS4. Cut down challenging foes and soar through the celestial heights — in style! To find out more about unlocking these bonuses, be sure to log in to Genshin Impact at launch, where you will find all the related details. Limited pre-order bundle now available – the Adventurer’s Starter Bundle Finally, in preparation for the launch of Genshin Impact, we have assembled the Adventurer’s Starter Bundle, an exclusive pre-order bundle that includes everything you need to get your journey started on the right foot. But as they say, time is of the essence, and this special bundle will only be available for a limited time. So pack your bags, don your adventurer’s cap, and be sure to pre-order before September 28. /// https://www.flickr.com/gp/playstationblog/9aj6L2 We look forward to seeing all of you in Teyvat! *Gameplay required to unlock exclusive content on PlayStation. View the full article

Creating Windbound has been an unforgettable experience for us at 5 Lives Studios – through both calm winds and turbulent seas. We’re thrilled for players to finally embark on their journey alongside Kara and explore the mysteries of the archipelago. These are just the first steps into the world of Windbound, and there are many more exciting things on the path ahead! To coincide with the launch, we are releasing a six-minute dev diary-style trailer, which features gameplay and interviews from the team, giving you the inside scoop on how Windbound came to be. Watch the developer diary launch trailer here: Play Video This launch video kicks off a three-part Dev Diary video series. What makes this world so special? Who is Kara? What inspired the whimsical soundtrack? The Dev Diary series explores all of that and more, directly from us, after spending over three years lovingly crafting every pixel of the game. Visit @WindboundGame every Friday as we share how Windbound was brought to life, from the first sketch on a piece of paper, to the game that it is today. Sailing and Boat Building Your boat is your greatest companion in Windbound. Boat building is modular and full of options towards how you want to construct your ideal vessel. Your choices will impact the way you sail and survive at sea, so favouring speed or durability, for example will come with its own benefits and downsides. It’s up to you to decide what materials you make it from and what peripheries you add to it to create the perfect boat. You’ll face harsh fauna and rock formations while at sea so you’ll be rewarded for crafting your vessel with some TLC, otherwise you may be faced with the perils of losing your boat in the depths of the waters. Spoiler Alert – you probably won’t survive if you do! You can upgrade your boat at any time, even while you’re travelling, provided you have enough materials on you, such as adding masts, additional hulls or perhaps some storage or a small fire to keep you warm at night. However, some construction will change the way you sail more than others. Let’s say you add your first mast to your boat. This will fundamentally change the way your boat travels by following the wind direction, instead of paddling with an oar. You’ll have to learn quickly how to direct your boat and align your sails, to ensure you stay on course. You might find the wind isn’t blowing in your favour for your intended destination. You’ll learn how to tack – a manoeuvre allowing you to sail upwind by zig-zagging and when to tighten and loosen your sails to find a comfortable speed, taking full advantage of the current wind direction, without capsizing. All this while navigating rocky formations, storms and dangerous sea creature’s intent on taking a bite out of you and your precious boat! Crafting We wanted Kara to be a character that was able to survive in the situation she finds herself in, she’s not completely out of her depth, so when she washes up on shore, she knows what she needs to do to hunt and gather food to survive. She knows the resources she needs to start crafting her initial canoe, to improve upon what she’s already built and then eventually get off that first island and on to the next set in the archipelago chain, until she can eventually make her way back to her family. Kara’s innate knowledge of crafting and her survival skills are essential for her to move forward in Windbound. The moment you’re washed ashore, you’ll need to know where to look for food to ensure Kara doesn’t starve and learn how to craft various weapons and tools, allowing her to hunt the fauna of The Forbidden Islands more effectively and gather more advanced materials to craft stronger equipment, higher quality boat-building materials, clothes, potions, ammunition and storage. Exploration There are five chapters to explore within the game, each with their own group of procedurally generated islands, which affects everything from the look and feel of the islands, the creatures and challenges, to the in-game music which is also generated procedurally to compliment the unique experience players will have each time they play. Exploration at first is quite intentionally very friendly, but then as you progress through the game you’ll start getting introduced to more obstacles within the environment. It’s both the environment itself and the creatures that make things feel more hostile, so as the player advances, they’ll make their way through forests, deserts, swamps and savannah landscapes that every player will see differently, going deeper into the belly of the beast as they progress through the game. Unlike most survival games that have settlements, your ‘base’ and indispensable partner is your boat that you bring with you throughout the game. Your custom-crafted vessel enables you to explore and progress through the islands, surrounded by sea and a mysterious storm. As you discover more on these islands, you’ll come across remnants of the people/beings that once lived there before Kara arrives. These remnants must be explored, and mystical items gathered to upgrade Kara’s skills, health, and power, through the tower system to complete the game. As an extra, PS4 players will receive Kara’s Ancestral Gear bonus items if they purchase the game within the first two weeks of launch until September 10. To Kara’s tribe, the exploits of her ancestors are legendary. Hunters, fishers, warriors, poets and philosophers, their stories tell of a people who lived in perfect harmony with the natural world and swam the deep waters in the company of gods. Though the tale of their downfall has been lost to time, their legacy lives on in these artefacts that have endured to this day. Here are full details on the Ancestral items: Ancestral Attire This treasured garment – fit for either a warrior or a priest – has been handed down from generation to generation, and now the time has come for Kara to honour her past. Ancestral Oar The Oceanic Gyre was revered in times past, though its true significance is enigmatic to Kara’s people today. Nevertheless, this salt-treated wooden oar remains sturdy and functional, despite its age. Ancestral Knife How or where the ancestors acquired these Sea Shards remains a mystery, but few would deny their efficacy. Luminous, durable, and impossibly sharp, this blade cuts as well today as it did a hundred years ago. View the full article

Players, pick up those controllers – Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is available for PS4 today! Flashy moves, over-the-top combos, intense matches – this is more than just your average soccer game. Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions brings exciting, action-packed gameplay along with a heart-felt storyline and a cast of characters that fans around the world have come to love. Before you take to the field, we have prepared a quick guide to help you as you begin your road to victory. Play Video Basic controls Take a look at this diagram to get a feel for the basic controls: Remember that you can hold the triangle, circle, and square to charge these moves. Shooting Move Hold the shoot button (square) to perform a powerful shooting move to wear down your opponent. Be strategic about these shooting moves, as they will deplete your players’ spirit gauges. Dribble Move/Dash Dribble The rule of thumb for using Dribble Move and Dash Dribble is: If you have possession of the ball, R1 beats R2, and R2 beats R1. When you are defending, R1 beats R1, and R2 beats R2. You’ll need to pay attention to what your opponent is doing and time your reaction accordingly. Spirit gauge This gauge is depleted when you take certain actions, such as dashing tackle moves, special shots, and saves. As your spirit gauge is depleted, it will take longer to charge shots. If it is too low, you won’t be able to dash or do special moves. The spirit gauge recharges for all players but behaves differently for goalkeepers. Goalkeepers lose spirit gauge when they save shots. Unlike other players, their spirit gauge recharges at half time, and only if they let a goal in. Try saving your spirit gauge to wear down the opponent’s goalkeeper using a shooting move until you can make a goal. Special combos Fans of the original series will be excited to know that they can execute their favorite iconic moves from the anime in this game. There are many combinations of plays that can lead to jaw-dropping combos, so our advice to you is: experiment, experiment, experiment! In the meantime, here are a few flashy combos to help you get started. If you have Tsubasa and Misaki running up a pitch together and one of them has the ball, hold Triangle until the bar is full to execute a Combo Pass Move that is extremely difficult to counter. Keep tapping Triangle in time to quickly get past the entire opposing team. If the ball is centered into a penalty area and the Tachibana brothers are there, hold square to perform Skylab Hurricane, an extraordinary move that is unlike any you’ve ever seen. If two compatible players are near each other when you charge up a shot, they will combine forces and kick the ball at the same time. Experiment to find which players can perform this move. If Sano is in the right position, make a shot from the back lines with Jito to perform the Hirado Combo. Sano will change the course of the ball with a header, slipping it past the goalkeeper! V-Zone One of the most important mechanics in the game is the V-zone, a powerup that affects the entire team. Watch the V gauge at the bottom of the screen – once it’s full, activate it with L2. When V-zone is activated, your spirit gauge lasts longer and recharges quicker. Shots will also charge faster. Don’t have possession of the ball? V-zone also helps with defense! When the V-gauge is full, activate it when your opponent does a shot to perform a super save which prevents them from scoring. In short, don’t sit on a full V-gauge. Instead, use it to tip the scales in your favor to ensure victory. That pretty much covers the basics. Don’t forget to check out the Training Mode – just like with real soccer, you will have to spend time practicing in order to perfect your strategies and discover cool combos. Additionally, what sets this game apart from other soccer games is the extensive Story Mode, so be sure to check that out as well while you’re at it. Pick up Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions today to receive a bonus DLC pack. Purchase the Deluxe Edition for additional bonus items, and the Character Pass, which gives you access to nine DLC characters. I hope to see you on the field! View the full article