Commander Fury

Sometimes a game is more than just a game. Today at PlayStation Store, we’re celebrating immersive storylines, stunning visuals, and titles that transcend the medium with our annual Critics’ Choice Sale.

Starting now, save up to 40 percent on critically acclaimed titles like Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Call of Duty: WWII Standard Edition and more. PlayStation Plus members save up to 50 percent.

Check out the full lineup below, then hurry over to PS Store before our Critics’ Choice Sale comes to an end Tuesday March 6 at 8 a.m. PT.

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At inkle, we love adventure stories. Jules Verne or Indiana Jones, Stargate or Star Wars: we love discovering new worlds, taking risks, and meeting mysterious strangers. And for our latest game, we’ve combined two of our favorite settings: the distant past – and the distant future.

Heaven’s Vault is the story of archaeologist Aliya Elasra, who sails the Nebula with her robot sidekick Six, finding and translating inscriptions written in the lost language of the ancients…

And when we say language, we really mean it: for Heaven’s Vault, we’ve created an entire language for you to figure out as you play.

The ancient glyphs you’ll encounter as you explore all have meanings. These meanings combine into words, and the words form the fragments and phrases you’ll find inscribed on the scattered artefacts and ruins of the Nebula.

It’s a puzzle mechanic, but one that comes with a narrative twist, because every inscription is part of the story. Everything you read was written by someone – and if you can figure out what they were saying, then maybe you’ll uncover another piece of the Nebula’s forgotten past…

But be warned – you can’t always be sure if the translation you’ve chosen is right: pick the wrong word, and you might get entirely the wrong idea about a place or what an artifact was for.

Because Heaven’s Vault isn’t just a puzzle game, it’s an adventure. Our previous title, 80 Days, won several awards for its adaptive narrative, which let you play through the story in any way you chose.

Heaven’s Vault is bigger, better and deeper.

Whether you’re delving into ancient ruins, or hanging out in the local bar of your home town, the storyline is always moving. Chances must be seized or they’ll be missed, and every decision you make will have its consequences.

This is a world filled with complex characters. Like Yazi, the labourer out for revenge against his former employer by any means; or Huang, the bookish nerd with a crush; or Mina, the heiress keen to escape her over-bearing father.

Some are friendly, some are cautious, and some are out to con you – but whoever they are, they will remember everything you say and do. Remember: everyone in the Nebula wants something.

We’ll be announcing a release date soon but until then, why not whet your appetite for ancient languages with the following inscription, found on a diagonally-cut black box sent back from the near future…

And be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

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We are excited to announce a new set of feature updates for PlayStation Vue will be coming soon to enhance your mobile experience on the service. These updates address some of the most popular feedback we’ve heard from PS Vue users, while helping us continue to reach our goal of making PlayStation Vue the best way to watch the best content on TV.

Here are some of the new features you can expect from this update:

Mobile Sign Up

• With this update, new users can sign up and start watching PlayStation Vue directly from PSVue.com on your mobile phone, tablet or PC, even if you are outside of your home. This gives you even greater flexibility, allowing you to sign up and watch wherever you are.

In-Home Regional Sports Network Access

• You’ll now be able to access regional sports networks like Fox Sports or NBC Sports even if you are traveling to another city. That way, you can still watch your favorite home team, even if you are in a rival city!

Out-of-Home Local Broadcast Station Access

• If you are traveling out of town with your PS Vue-supported device, you can watch the local broadcast channels that are available in the city you are in. It’s a great way to catch up on local news and weather when you’re on the road.

We want to thank you for your ongoing feedback and support as we continue to enhance PlayStation Vue to add more value to your experience. Stay tuned to the blog for more updates about PlayStation Vue or visit us at www.psvue.com.

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Hello everyone! I am Ryozo Tsujimoto, producer on Monster Hunter: World.

At the launch of Monster Hunter: World, we released a free collaboration event quest where hunters were able to make their Palico companions look like a machine from Horizon Zero Dawn. Starting February 28th at 0:00 UTC, a new free Horizon Zero Dawn collaboration event quest will be available. This time, you’ll be able to play as Aloy herself once you collect the materials to forge the unique themed gear! The quest will be live until March 15th at 23:59 UTC. If you missed the first event quest period to get the Watcher-themed Palico gear, we have good news for you today. Event quests are on a rotating schedule so you will have an opportunity to try out the quest at a later date. Please stay tuned for more information on when it will return.

In this brand new collaboration event quest, you receive a request from the Nora Tribe chief to hunt down a giant Anjanath in the Ancient Forest. Many captivating machines appear in Horizon Zero Dawn, but the one that made the biggest impression on the Monster Hunter: World development team was the Thunderjaw. Anjanath has a very similar skeletal structure to the Thunderjaw, so we felt it was the best fit to be the main adversary in the quest, but not just any Anjanath would do. This Anjanath is at a scale that many players will have never before encountered, and your typical attacks may not reach its height. We hope hunters will take on this challenge and enjoy a fresh new experience.

If you complete this event quest, you’ll obtain the Nora Brave Trophy item that gives you access to crafting the Aloy α armor set and Aloy’s Bow weapon. You cannot mix and match the full armor set with other pieces of gear, but unlike cosmetic armor sets, there are skills tied to the set that can also be upgraded. For example, the Aloy α set has the Marathon Runner skill which fits the character Aloy’s image perfectly. This is a very effective and useful armor set. It’s important to note that this set is not exclusive to female hunters! If you’re playing as a male hunter, equipping the Aloy α set will also change your appearance to Aloy.

To participate in this free event quest, you must be Hunter Rank 11 or higher. You may need to complete the quest multiple times to obtain enough materials to craft all the Horizon Zero Dawn collaboration gear, so jump on in with friends and take down that giant Anjanath! Then swing on by the Smithy in Astera and start crafting all the gear.

Many of our staff are fans of Horizon Zero Dawn and have great respect for it. Discussions on the collaboration first began when Capcom pitched the idea to Sony. From there, we spoke with Guerrilla Games and received a wholehearted approval from them. We shared some of our original design concepts with Guerrilla Games and received some ideas from them as well. It was a really smooth collaboration between each of our teams. It felt like such a natural fit to collaborate with Guerilla Games to allow hunters in Monster Hunter: World to experience the game through the eyes of the powerful hunter Aloy. We hope you all enjoy this great collaboration content!

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Gorgeous locales. Thrilling battles. A stirring soundtrack. And perhaps the world’s cutest adventurer. Moss is coming to PlayStation VR on February 27.

Join the courageous and adorable Quill on her dangerous quest. As a “reader” you live inside the world of Moss, interacting with Quill, the environment, and the enemies that threaten her. Set out in search of ancient magic and face a distant evil in this immersive next step in virtual reality.

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

Intense first-person bullet-hell gameplay that requires you to duck, dodge, and maneuver through tons of enemies and hundreds of bullets.

Enter the Aperture Science Enrichment Center and experience Bridge Constructor Portal — the unique merging of the classic Portal and Bridge Constructor games.

One gloomy night, Bulb Boy wakes suddenly from a frightening nightmare to discover that evil has overshadowed the Bulbhouse. His family has disappeared and there are horrid monsters lurking in the shadows. Gather the courage and use his glass head to save everything he loves.

Crypt of the Serpent King is a medieval first-person hack ‘n’ slash dungeon crawler with roguelike elements. Explore large, randomly generated dungeons.

In de Blob 2 Comrade Black and the Inkies are back with a whole new plot to rid the world of color. With all-new help from Papa Blanc and his followers the Blancs, Blob and his friends will have their work cut out for them bringing color back to the citizens of Prisma City.

Exploring an empty home in a neighborhood where legend says a demonic witch inhabits, they knock twice on the door and leave…

A dangerously fun game. With arcade-style gameplay that delivers a thrilling rush experience: destroy obstacles, take shortcuts, and forget any rules until the end to win!

With an emotionally resonating soundtrack and beautiful visual art style, Heroine Anthem Zero is the first episode in an epic fantasy adventure game from WindThunder Studio.

Enter another dimension and master the elements to become a supreme being.

Immortal Redneck is a FPS set in Egypt with rogue-lite elements. Frantic gameplay, twitch controls, and an arcade-style feel meet randomly generated dungeons, a complete skill tree, permanent death, and nine classes with different traits.

Play as Jettomero, a giant, indestructible, and incredibly clumsy robot determined to save the human race. Explore a procedurally generated universe by flying through space and landing on planets while trying not to destroy everything in your path.

Moss is a single-player action-adventure puzzle game and new IP from Polyarc tailor-made for VR. It takes classic components of a great game — such as compelling characters, gripping combat, and captivating world exploration — and combines them with the exciting opportunities of virtual reality.

Dive into northern Mexico’s breathtaking landscapes with Mulaka, a 3D action-adventure game based on the rich indigenous culture of the Tarahumara.

Challenge your mind with puzzles that are based on optical illusions. Find the perfect angle by rotating the camera until order is restored, and discover a story that is full of mystery.

The Spiral Arm has been plunged into chaos, hordes of WarSwarm, a hive-mind of alien AI, have waged war on humanity, and it’s fallen to the poster boy for the Federation’s “Most Wanted” to save the galaxy… and turn a profit.

Seum: Speedrunners from Hell is the world’s only competitive heavy metal first-person platformer. Slice every last millisecond as you race and blast your way through deadly arenas. Teleport, jump, fly, bounce, and drop in a hundred merciless and fast paced maps for the ultimate prize: your soul!

Robots can have a heart! Left to fend for himself after mankind abandoned the doomed planet Aurora, robot Kramer 227 must find a way to harvest energy and rescue his robotic friends before Aurora crashes into its sun.

Timothy vs the Aliens is an open-world platformer and adventure game where a gangster will defend his city from an invasion of aliens.

Logic – 44 More

Ferdinand

The Shape of Water (plus bonus features)

Pitch Perfect 3

The Walking Dead – Returns Sunday February 25 at 9 PM ET/PT on AMC

Final Space – Premieres February 26 at 10:30 PM ET/PT on TBS

McMafia – Premieres February 26 at 10 PM ET/PT on AMC

The information above is subject to change without notice.

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Join the Blogcast crew as they talk about impossibly adorable PS VR platformer Moss (out next week!) and share an interview recorded on location at Polyarc’s Seattle headquarters. Enjoy the show!

Email us at blogcast@sony.com!

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

Stuff We Talked About

• Moss
• Fortnite Battle Royale
• Burnout Paradise Remastered
• Your questions via Twitter
• Justin’s a homeowner!
• … in Final Fantasy XIV

Recent Episodes

• 281: To Bee, or Not to Bee
• 280: The Return of Nick Suttner
• 279: But What Does the NT Stand For?

The Cast

Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA
Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, 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.]

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Last week, we challenged you to take a creative eye to one of PS4’s biggest games released last year: Horizon Zero Dawn. While discovering the truth of Aloy’s past and taking down robot dinosaurs, you shared your best shots with us using the hashtags #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are a few of the submissions that caught our eye.

@MikLSP took Aloy to new heights in this architecture-focused shot.

@DobbyPS4 created a unique portrait of Aloy, shot through an animal hologram in the Frozen Wilds DLC.

Aloy steadies her bow in this vibrant share from @TastyPizzaRolls.

We couldn’t resist giving a shout out to @dascalvin1, who submitted not one, but eight shots from his Bufferflies collection.

Head to #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see other spellbinding entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? Our new theme will take us all the way to Egypt.

Theme: Assassin’s Creed Origins
Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, February 28

While scaling pyramids and helping Bayek find the first order of Assassins, share your best shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured next week.

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Hello, I’m Gabriel, the lone developer of Jettomero: Hero of the Universe. I’m thrilled to be able to announce that on February 27, 2018 Jettomero will be landing on PS4 at last!

Jettomero has been my passion project for over 2 years. If I had to choose a genre to properly describe it I might go with “Meditative Narrative Toy”. Being a solo developer I was free to experiment and take risks with this game. I found the development process very organic; the feel, the look, the sound all formed around one another into something I think is unlike anything I’ve played before.

Taking inspiration from such magical games as Hohokum, Noby Noby Boy and Proteus, I wanted to create something that was playful and beautiful. A strong aesthetic was something I strived for from the beginning and a friendly and accessible experience always sat at the core.

The visual style of the game is what most people notice right away about Jettomero. Through rigorous iteration I eventually settled on a striking comic-like look, drawing on a fantastic history of stylized galaxies from many amazing artists over the years. This style went on to shape many more elements of the game, in some ways Jettomero is a lot like an interactive comic book. The game’s flexible photo mode also provided a way to elaborate on various experiments, handing off a wide variety of filters to view and tweak at any moment.

As a musician, creating the soundtrack to Jettomero was a highlight for me. I knew from the start that I’d want to record everything using analog synthesizers and electronic drum machines. I recorded a lot of music for the game but all the final tracks are a cohesive down-tempo set, setting a dark but calming mood for the zen experience of the rest of the game.

While the soundtrack plays to the darker themes of Jettomero, the controls quickly became a very humorous endeavour. I’m not much of an animator myself so it worked out especially well that I developed a procedural animation system for Jettomero. The giant robot struggles to walk in a straight line and wobbles from left to right at every turn, but this played completely into a crucial aspect of the game’s story as well. The unpredictable nature of Jettomero’s movements were refined over time but there’s still a wildness to it that I feel is essential to the character.

The story in its loosest form was one of the first things I knew I wanted in the game. Jettomero’s goal to save the humans is constantly at odds with its clumsiness. How can a being capable of so much destruction but with so little control ever be a hero? It’s a bit of a tragic comedy as far as I’m concerned. Overall, I wanted to create a relatable character, and I know I see more than just a little of myself in Jettomero, as I’m sure many others will too.

Jettomero is a very personal project and I’m always so happy to see when others connect with it. Being able to share this strange and unique experience with you is incredibly exciting. I sincerely hope you enjoy your time with Jettomero!

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Hello, PlayStation fans!

We are thrilled to bring the beloved rhythm game DJMax Respect to the global audience for the first time on March 6. Start exercising your fingers to get ready for some intense rhythm action game some call the “Dark Souls of rhythm games.”

We’ve developed and shipped a total of 9 games in the DJMax series on PlayStation platforms since the launch of DJMax Portable in 2006. We’ve taken a bit of a hiatus after the release of DJMax Technika Tune on PS Vita in 2012.

Now DJMax is back bigger and better than ever in DJMax Respect. We’ve worked hard to make DJMax Respect a game that we can be proud to share with our long time fans. From the inception of the design, the development team’s goal was clear. We were all agreed to create a game that was a true homage to our fans. We named the game DJMax Respect as a form of paying respect to our most ardent fans around the world. Here is what you can expect from DJMax Respect starting March 6.

Gigantic content

DJMax Respect’s base game contains an unheard of 147 songs with 40 new songs available exclusively for the title. With multiple difficulty levels and a rich achievement system, the base game alone should give our fans hours and hours of challenges. To let our fans take advantage of the content in today’s HDTV environment, we’ve completely remastered the tracks and the music videos to run flawlessly at 60 FPS in 1080p.

In addition, we will release all DLC that’s available in Asia within the first month of base game release so there is no need to wait. There a tons of DLC to choose from. We are especially proud of our collaboration with other games such as Guilty Gear, Brown Dust and Girls’ Frontline. The base game and the DLC will allow you to own every song that we ever shipped in DJMax franchise, remastered.

Play with your friend… or anyone!

For the first time in the series, you will be able to play with your friends either locally or online. Playing together is always fun and nothing is more satisfying than beating your friends in their own living room. Battle it out in Freestyle Mode! Once you’ve soundly beaten your friend, you can go online to compete with the best of the best and try your hands at climbing the global leaderboard.

Get ready for challenge

If you are up for a challenge and are a hard core fan of rhythm games, DJMax Respect will provide you with hours of challenging fun. Make sure to stretch and strengthen your fingers before you grab the controller, you will need to be nimble and accurate to be respected in DJMax Respect. Check it out at PlayStation Store March 6!

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Hi everyone, I’m Tavez Huang, producer of Heroine Anthem Zero Episode 1 at WindThunder Studio. I’m excited to announce that our side-scrolling adventure will be released at PlayStation Store on February 27!

This is the first time the 16-year old series will appear on consoles, and we’re honored to have this chance to present our story to a whole new audience. Heroine Anthem Zero features side-scrolling platformer gameplay coupled with RPG elements to tell its story.

The Story of Heroine Anthem Zero

Heroine Anthem Zero takes place in a beautiful, but harsh, fantasy world where men, faeries and other creatures have been abandoned by the gods. Humanity survives, co-existing with various creatures and monsters.

For the tribes of men in this world, protecting the World Tree Terasyr is their duty — the reason for their existence. Legend tells that Terasyr is the origin of all life, and to this day the Engora dynasty still protects this World Tree that stands tall in the clouds.

The seven tribes of men are spread from seven rivers to the ends of the world. They take pride in living at the origin of life, believing that they protect the center of the world. Our protagonist, Wanin Sarem, is a young Forest Keeper, part of the Uzato tribe who are tasked with protecting forests on the border.

The world of Heroine Anthem

In creating a fantasy world that players will feel connected to, we crafted the basic foundation of the world — creating myths and legends mimicking oral storytelling traditions of indigenous cultures. For the denizens of this world, these stories are not only historical events, but a blessing (or possibly a curse) that makes up their identity. These myths not only tell of the past — some foretell the future.

The art direction of the game is something we take very seriously, from the architecture of the world, to the garments that different tribes wear, to the design of the boss creatures. The costumes of the characters reflect their culture and tell their own stories. Norse mythology has always been a source of inspiration for this series, and that influence is apparent in the game’s visuals.

Boss Creatures and Other Beasts

Humans are not alone on this world, sharing the land with other humanoid races like Faeries and the Darui — and some not so human. Ranging from magnificent beasts deemed to be divine, to furry animals to grotesque primordial creatures, they are the result of a world constantly stricken with strife and abandon by higher powers.

Rentolus is one such example — coming from a race of holy beasts found in White Feather Mountain, the Uzato tribe believes it has sacred powers, evident as White Feather Mountain is the only place immune to the evil encroaching into other mountains in the Longhorn Woods area. As a partner in fighting evil, Uzato Forest Keepers had begun calling them the White Feather Forest Keepers.

Other smaller creatures also roam the land. The Horned Wolf is mainly found deep in the forest, very protective of their own territory. Recently the Horned Wolves have begun encroaching into the village, and reports have seen crimson colored wolves in the Longhorn Woods.

In addition to the mythology, stunning visuals and memorable creatures, the soundtrack of the game is also an important part of Heroine Anthem Zero. Created by a collaborative team of musicians from Japan and Taiwan, the music utilizes rare instruments especially selected to convey the atmosphere of a world of fantasy.

The first Heroine Anthem game was released 16 years ago in 2002, and it is a special opportunity for a series to be given new life 16 years later. The team at WindThunder Studio is excited for this first console release, and we hope you’ll enjoy your adventure in the world of Heroine Anthem Zero!

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We’re kicking off Season 3 of Fortnite Battle Royale this week, and along with it our new Battle Pass! In addition to the Battle Pass, we have some awesome features coming in, a movement tool in Save the World, and improvements to how you build in Battle Royale!

Fortnite in 60 FPS!

The v.3.0.0 update brings a new 60 FPS mode for PS4 and PS4 Pro. You’ll be able to pick up those Victory Royales with more clarity than ever before with buttery smooth framerates. If the highest-quality graphics are still your preference, you can toggle the 60 FPS mode at any time for improved visuals instead. We plan to continue work on the mode and improve it over time so definitely give us your feedback!

Better Building

Building is vital to your survival in Battle Royale, so we want to make it feel as good as possible. Find a tiresome tree in your way? No problem, now you can build right through it and continue on your way to a Victory Royale. Additionally, with the Turbo Build mode and Material Swapping you can keep building those stairs as you sprint ‘n shoot and if you run out of wood the brick or metal (whatever is available) will swap right in!

Save the World Updates

Fans of our Save the World mode also get a slew of new content. Cruise around the storm in style with the brand-new Hoverboard, a new way to traverse the map. No need to use stamina as you surf to your quest objectives and complete them quicker than before. The v.3.0.0 update also brings in a new Lunar New Year questline with all new Heroes and weapons.

P.S. If you’re feeling Heroic, I’d give a listen to the newly overhauled orchestral Save the World music. There may even be a little in Battle Royale as well ;)

New to the Battle Pass? It’s a way to get exclusive loot by playing Fortnite, and then earn or buy tiers to unlock even more rewards!

When you buy the Season 3 Battle Pass, you’ll instantly unlock a batch of great in-game rewards including the new Mission Specialist Outfit! As you play during the season, you unlock a series of reward tiers. 100 tiers, 100 rewards. The more you play, the more you’ll unlock.

So what’s different from the Season 2 Battle Pass? There are now 30 more tiers in Season 3 (100 total), and with more tiers comes more loot. Even though we added 30 tiers, you’ll still be able to complete the Season 3 Battle Pass in the same amount of time as the Season 2 Battle Pass (typically 75-150 hours). Don’t have the time? You can always purchase tiers for 150 V-Bucks each.

Finally, don’t miss out on the new PlayStation Plus Celebration Pack that’s free for PlayStation Plus members. This exclusive bundle gives you a new glider and a new outfit for use in Battle Royale. Be the envy of other players… right before you take them out.

See you in Fortnite!

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Greetings, PlayStation fans! We know you’re super excited about the upcoming release of Ni no Kuni II on March 23, but we’ve got a huge update to tide you over…

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom has gone gold, and March 23 is the date! The wait is almost over for the sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs ever. The graphical upgrade from the first game is astounding, the music composed by Joe Hisaishi is magical and the story created by Level-5 is something that will keep you enthralled from start to finish!

Now then, let’s get into the details from the Behind the Scenes video. First off there’s the combat system, it’s a lot different from the first Ni no Kuni in many ways. You’re now able to move, attack, switch weapons and characters in real-time. This allows allow an unprecedented amount of freedom in how you approach each battle.

Another huge aspect of combat are the Higgledies, if you’re familiar with the Familiars from the first game, you’ll feel right at home giving commands to these little guys. Higgledies are much more than just combat fodder, they’ll go on the offensive during battle, cast spells, summon weaponry and buff your party. There are also a special class of Higgledies called Higgledy Heroes to discover and recruit throughout your adventure, each Higgledy Heroes has a unique look and personality. Outside of assisting you in battle, Higgledy Heroes are invaluable during your travels as they will open up new routes, clear pathways, and show you hidden passages.

Behind the Scenes – Kingdom Mode

Our main character of this story is Evan, a deposed King who must rebuild his kingdom. We didn’t want you to just watch Evan return to glory as a ruler. To truly have a significant impact, we wanted you to experience what it’s like to pick up the pieces and build your realm back up from scratch. That’s where the Kingdom Mode comes in, this mode will allow you to develop your very own kingdom full of shops to buy items, forges to build weapons, centers to study magic and even facilities where you can build an airship to travel the over-world map. You can spend hours in Kingdom mode. It’s so huge, it can be a game onto itself!

Behind the Scenes – Skirmish Mode

One of the most difficult aspects of ruling a kingdom is defending your kingdom from invaders. In order to showcase the large-scale battles associated with invasions we’ve created the Skirmish Mode. In this mode, Evan becomes a field commander with four units made of characters you’ve recruited to join your cause and kingdom. Completing these skirmishes will net you Kingdom Points that allow you to recruit new subjects, construct new buildings or expand your facilities in Kingdom Mode. In short, take out the invaders, grow your new kingdom and gain advantages on your journey to reclaim your place as the rightful king!

That’s all for now PlayStation fans! The next big RPG is right around the corner. Get ready to experience Evan’s tale when Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom hits the PlayStation 4 on March 23, 2018. Pre-order Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom digitally and receive the Special Swords Set and Proper Tidy Ring that will aid Evan in his travels.

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Cyrus Wesson from the Community team here at Bandai Namco! I’m super excited to tell you about the latest Sword Art Online (SAO) game in the franchise — Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, arriving on your PS4 February 23.

Whether you’re reading this as an avid SAO gamer, a Kirito or Asuna fan, or you’re completely new to the series, Fatal Bullet will give you a rich and immersive experience in the well-known VRMMO original novel and anime series. With this entry in the video game franchise, we welcome players to the world of Gun Gale Online, a futuristic and exciting game where tactical and challenging new experiences await. Now, let’s FullDive into some of the specifics that make this game such an adventure.

This is Your Story

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, I wish I could be a part of the SAO universe?” Well, fear not FullDivers, because in Fatal Bullet, you are the hero. You get to create your own avatar and venture into the world where you’ll meet Kirito and friends while exploring new areas.

You’ll make choices that help you progress through the story and dictate your relationship with the different characters. However, just because you’re not Kirito doesn’t mean you can’t experience his awesome beater skills. That’s right, you’ll be able to play as him and experience his story within the game in Kirito Mode! Just don’t forget, this is still your story where your personal choices come with a price.

Original Narrative Set in Gun Gale Online

Sword Art Online’s story is incredibly dynamic. Spanning across multiple different virtual worlds and realities, you never know if Kirito is going to have a sword, wings, or long hair. It’s a wild ride that we all know and love, and Fatal Bullet continues this never-ending creativity with an all new story supervised by Reki Kawahara himself.

But what’s even better is this story takes place in the intense VRMMO Gun Gale Online, where players can choose what they want their gun-slinging or sword-toting weapon will be. Want to fight enemies up close and personal? Grab yourself a shotgun and a photon sword. Or, did you want to snipe unsuspecting characters from afar? Load up your sniper rifle and crouch on a mountaintop. Just make sure to check your six so Sinon doesn’t have you in her sights, or you’re toast.

Dimps — Unreal Engine 4

Remember how we mentioned earlier that Fatal Bullet is incredibly immersive? Well, that’s in large part due to the game being developed by our great partners at Dimps, utilizing the power of Unreal Engine 4. You can be sure to expect stunning graphics and dynamic environments, plus an engine that can support multiple styles of play. Be sure to utilize those grappling repels, power slides, and the physical fixtures of the map to your advantage; you never know when you’ll have to escape danger.

And last but not least, we have a message from Reki Kawahara himself:

“Hello, everyone, I am Reki Kawahara, the author of Sword Art Online, and I am so thrilled that Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet will be releasing in the Americas very soon. The staff has put in a lot of effort into creating a very stunning game, and I believe SAO and third-person shooter fans will be pleased with this title. I hope you enjoy being the protagonist in Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, one who forges their fate while suffering from their choices.”

And there you have it! Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is your chance to dive into the Sword Art Online world. Be sure to grab it on February 23 and team up online. The world is yours, and your choices are heavier and faster than a bullet. Link Start!

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Shining fans rejoice! The latest installment in the Shining series, Shining Resonance Refrain, is coming to the West this summer on PS4! To get more details on the game, we caught up with Localization Producer James Kuroki, to ask him about the game, the characters and the music.

Jacob Nahin: For those new to it, what is the Shining series?

James Kuroki: The Shining series is a long-running Sega series. Some older gamers may recognize the name from Shining Force from the Genesis era. There was quite a hiatus since the last installment in the West, but we hope Shining Resonance Refrain can serve as the vanguard for future Shining titles.

JN: What is Shining Resonance Refrain?

JK: Shining Resonance Refrain, although brand new for the West, is a remaster of the PS3 game Shining Resonance, which was originally released only in Japan. This is the first time we are bringing it to the West. Along with improved graphics, Shining Resonance Refrain includes all the DLC released for the original, plus a brand-new “Refrain” mode with new content, which unlocks the Imperial Princess Excella and Dragonslayer Jinas as party members. This new mode is intended for those who want a second playthrough or who previously played the game released in Japan.

JN: What will players notice when they play this game?

JK: The game already looked great on the PS3, but in this remaster in 1080p, it’s gorgeous. Thanks to the increase in visual fidelity, the character models now look exactly like the illustrations provided by character designer Tony Taka, a renowned artist in Japan and abroad.
Each character plays differently, so you’ll take your time trying out all moves and party combinations. The game makes an outstanding effort to keep the battles seamless and the player engaged with the battle system. The battle is action-packed, with all sides moving at once.
Shining Resonance Refrain will also have both English and Japanese voiceovers available. Not only can players can choose which language they prefer to hear, but they can do it wherever and whenever they feel like. Even mid-battle!

JN: How does the element of music factor into gameplay and the series’ lore?

JK: The recent installments of the Shining series all have some sort of emphasis on music. Shining Resonance Refrain is no exception. Dragons share power with mankind, and mankind provides power to the dragons through the use of music. All of the party members use weapons that double as instruments and you can perform sessions during battle, providing various benefits such as increasing the party’s speed or making the enemy more vulnerable to certain attacks.
There are several songs in featured in the game, done by Elements Garden, a music production group that has created many hit songs for various artists, video games, and anime. And the songs are sung by the Japanese voice actresses, including Saori Hayami, Asami Seto, and Nana Mizuki.

JN: Tell us about the characters in the game.

JK: The protagonist Yuma is a timid young man, oblivious to the world and gullible, due to being locked away for possessing the Shining Dragon’s soul within him. In comparison, the people around him act as role models all in their own, different ways. As the story progress, Yuma learns from them and grows to become a reliable member of the team.

The characters are all unique and full of personality. For example, Kirika is a priestess who serves the Shining Dragon. She speaks very formally and is courteous, but she only sees Yuma as the Shining Dragon. Sonia, on the other hand, is very outgoing and straightforward. She helps prod Yuma during his times of indecisiveness but can be short-tempered at times. There are plenty of side stories to experience, both serious and comical, plus you can date them and see sides of them you otherwise wouldn’t be able to normally.

JN: What can you tell us about Excella?

JK: Excella, along with Jinas, were non-playable characters in the original game. But in Refrain mode they are available to play and have their own story to tell. Excella was a popular character in the original Japanese version, and I’m sure players will see why when they play the game. However, I do recommend playing the Original mode first though, because Refrain adds story on top of that.

JN: Any final comments?

JK: We’ll be hosting a livestream this Friday, 12pm PST on Sega’s Twitch channel in case anyone wants to see a first look at the localized gameplay! I am honored to be the Localization Producer for Shining Resonance Refrain, and our team is currently working hard to provide the best experience for our players. We hope the players will enjoy Shining Resonance Refrain this summer, as we ourselves are very excited to share this game with the world!

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Hello, my name is Erik Odeldahl. I am the Creative Director at Fast Travel Games, a VR games developer founded in 2016 by former creators of franchises such as Battlefield & Mirror’s Edge.

Today is a historical day for me and the team, and we could not more thrilled: Our debut title Apex Construct, an action/adventure we have built from the ground up for virtual reality, is finally available for PlayStation VR. The game is set in a strange future where merciless robots prowl the world as a result of mankind’s reckless experiments.

Using two Move controllers, with movement options like free locomotion or teleportation, players will need to explore this world to uncover its secrets while defending themselves from synthetic creatures, utilizing an upgradable bow, arrow & shield setup. Progressing through the story, players will gradually reveal what actually happened to the world they once knew – and what their role is in the drawn out conflict between two powerful AIs.

Early on, we set out on a mission out to create a VR world that was both beautiful and perilous – a world which you want to stay in and marvel at, but at the same time be cautious about and have a sense of imminent threat. In the beginning of the game, the player returns to earth after having spent an unknown period of time in the Void, a limbo between dimensions. Upon re-entry, the player soon realizes that the world is now a very different place. An event called The Shift ripped it apart and immediately reassembled it, but the fragments ended up all over the place, like scattered pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Almost all human and animal life is now gone. How did this happen, and why? This is up to the player to figure out.

While 50% of Apex Construct will be combat-focused, using bow, shield and arrows — which can all be upgraded by using Radiance Points earned by killing enemies or finding secrets — the other 50% will be about exploration and puzzle solving. You’ll travel to places like pre-apocalyptic research stations, underground caves and parts of an old city, and those who take their time to explore and interact with the environment will be rewarded.

Thankfully, the player won’t have to do this alone. Accompanying you through the game is the voice of Fathr, an artificial intelligence from the time before the Shift. Fathr recruits the player into its fight against Mothr, another AI with an opposing view of how the world should function. These AIs seem to have been in conflict for a very long time, maybe even since before The Shift. Why? Get exploring today and hopefully you’ll find out!

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One week from now Elite Dangerous will change. Elite Dangerous: Beyond — Chapter One is the first of four free updates launching in 2018 focused on community-requested core changes to the overall experience of the game, together with fresh content for Commanders to experience as you explore the Milky Way.

Last year PS4 players launched into Elite Dangerous’ massively multiplayer full-scale simulation of the Milky Way. Starting with a small spacecraft and a handful of credits, we want you to make your own way in the galaxy however you choose. Trade, fight, mine, explore, hunt, or just survive — the choice is yours.

From the very beginning an important part of Elite Dangerous has been the feedback we receive from our community. Your actions influence the galaxy and the ongoing story, but it also changes the way we develop the game. Your feedback has shaped our third season of content updates, and that’s why we wanted to give it to all Elite Dangerous players for free.

Beyond — Chapter One will launch February 27 with an automatic update for all Elite Dangerous owners. You’ll find lots of small changes we hope will improve the ways you choose to play, but here are some of the big things we’re most excited about everyone experiencing in Beyond — Chapter One.

1.) A fairer Open Play environment, and a challenging career for criminals with the new Crime and Punishment system.

The Crime and Punishment system that balances criminality and the consequences that come with it is designed to make the galaxy more challenging for advanced players, more accessible for newer players, and more difficult for any Commander who likes to hunt weaker prey.

Elite Dangerous can be played Solo, with friends in a Private Group or in Open Play where the galaxy is massively multiplayer and friendly fire is always on — but we know the Open Play experience can be as daunting as it is exciting. We’ve heard your feedback and implemented a series of changes that will make life difficult for criminals who prey on new players. We’re introducing “hot ships” to increase the consequences for seasoned lawbreakers, and we’re deploying a new Advanced Tactical Response unit to hunt for repeat offenders.

We’ve also rebalanced the bounty system and added levels of notoriety to create a fairer PvP environment in the open galaxy. We think Open Play is the most exciting way to play Elite Dangerous, but we want to make it a fairer place to play, too.

2.) A choice of mission rewards.

In Chapter One we’ll also be making changes to the mission reward system to give players more freedom and more tools to accomplish their goals. The new system will allow players to choose between three different sets of reward packages all of roughly equivalent value at the end of every mission. It’s another way we’re making the Elite Dangerous galaxy a place where you can really play your own way.

3.) Find the best deals with improved Trade Data.

We’re boosting trade with more accessible Trade Data. It’s a big change affecting the way information about the commodities markets is made available, and helping space truckers find profitable routes without turning to guides.

But the new Trade Data isn’t a “win button” for traders. You’ll have to explore the galaxy and add systems to your database before the info is accessible. The more systems you visit the greater the amount of trade data available when you’re looking to make some credits for that new ship, armor plate, or missile rack.

4.) Galnet Audio keeps you up to date.

The Elite Dangerous galaxy is full of news and weird events. GalNet — the main source about important events taking place in the Milky Way — gets an upgrade in Beyond — Chapter One, making it easily accessible right from your ship’s HUD with GalNet Audio.

The galaxy’s news moves fast, and GalNet Audio gives players a chance to listen to the latest updates and ongoing narrative while traversing the galaxy. The story updates daily based on player activity, and we want to give you a better chance to impact it.

5.) The introduction of the Chieftain.

For Elite Dangerous Horizons owners, we’re introducing a new combat-focused ship: The Chieftain. This warship was created in response to the growing alien threat and is designed to bring heavy firepower to any alien encounter. Favoring weapons and maneuverability over armor means the Chieftain will be able to dish out a lot of damage but won’t be able to take much. It’s a fun ship to fly, but also a risky one!

Beyond — Chapter One

And the Beyond series doesn’t end here! Chapter One opens the new season, The following two updates will see the introduction of new content, while the last Chapter of the year will once again bring major operational changes to core systems of Elite Dangerous. We’re especially excited to introduce Squadrons — a new way for Commanders to manage their player groups and take part in community goals together.

We’ve been listening to your feedback and we know Elite Dangerous wouldn’t be where it is today without you, so we’re thankful for your support and we hope you’ll join the players exploring, fighting, and trading across the Milky Way.

Available for all Elite Dangerous and Elite Dangerous: Horizons owners, Elite Dangerous: Beyond Chapter One makes its way onto PlayStation 4 on February 27.

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Hey everyone,

Thank you so much for your heartfelt support of Moss and the Polyarc team during these past months of development. From visiting our booths at places like PAX and Gamescom, to sending us feedback on social media after playing Moss on the PlayStation VR Demo Disc, your interest in our hero Quill and the world we’re building has been a great source of motivation during the homestretch. We’ve been looking forward to the day we’d finally be able to get the full game in your hands and I’m happy to announce that we now concretely know when that day will be. Next Tuesday, February 27, 2018, you’ll be able to enter the world of Moss through PlayStation VR and join Quill on her incredible journey.

To celebrate this announcement, we’ve also released the Moss launch trailer which provides a glimpse of Quill’s story, more gameplay, and some of the fantastic places you’ll travel with her. We hope this latest preview of Moss conveys what we set out to do: make a game that everyone can enjoy—early VR adopters, casual gamers, and truly, anyone looking for an exciting new experience.

As I talked about last June in my PlayStation.Blog post during E3 2017, our aim at Polyarc has been to make the most of the immersive, interactive potential of VR to build new worlds and tell new stories. It’s been a great challenge creating Moss, but working with this technology and discovering the possibilities has been a deeply rewarding experience. None of this would have been possible without the energy and effort of every person here at Polyarc. I’m so proud of what we’ve created, and proud to be a part of this team that worked so hard to bring Quill and Moss to life.

And now, in just eight days, players around the world will finally be able to experience the game we’ve had the privilege to build. We created Moss for you, so please let us know what you think. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Thank you.

Tam Armstrong

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Dive into the world of Gun Gale Online and experience the next chapter of the world-renowned series. Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet goes live on February 23.

Set in the acclaimed Sword Art Online universe, Fatal Bullet empowers players to create a custom character and alter the course of the story through their actions. Build a party and explore the world of Gun Gale Online, wielding powerful weapons and deadly skills.

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

Abo Khashem is a comedy RPG where, after awaking in the middle of nowhere with amnesia, you try to piece together what happened to you. With your trusty lizard companion, the two of you must uncover a massive conspiracy involving a powerful monolith.

In this atmospheric first-person action game built exclusively for VR, the fate of mankind rests on you — the last human alive.

Armored Warfare introduces you to dynamic, modern vehicle combat where one shell and a split second can be all that stands between you and victory!

Deadbolt is an extremely challenging stealth-action hybrid that allows you to take control of the reaper to quell the recent undead uprising.

Defender’s Quest is a tower-defense RPG hybrid that focuses on tactical depth, customization, and story. That means no random encounters, no spikey-haired emo kids, no forced time sinks, and no tedious, repetitive battles.

Immerse yourself in the virtual world of Konrad the Kitten and experience the first virtual cat that feels like a real one.

Venture through 12 levels and destroy all the monsters standing between you and the end.

Metal Gear Survive builds upon Metal Gear V’s enduring stealth action gameplay while introducing the new elements of exploration and survival to create a bold new experience.

An intense, cinematic, story-driven experience that challenges the player to use mind-bending mental abilities to survive.

Awaken the pool pro within you! (Re)discover the joy and tension of traditional pool through the different game modes and ultra-intuitive gameplay.

Rad is a rambunctious but spirited young boy who maybe plays too many video games. After dozing off at the tail end of a long night of gaming, Rad awakens to find his dusty old console has turned itself back on…

The Spirit of a girl appears in front of a father whose daughter is lost. This man, filled with grief in his heart, follows the guidance of the spirit, wandering ever deeper into the forest.

Run Dorothy Run is an immersive endless runner with a cheeky take on the literary classic.

How would you react if a sentient alien civilization was discovered that challenged everything you knew about biology, chemistry, physics, and religion?

Your choices are heavier and faster than a bullet. Experience an original story where you are the protagonist in the world of Gun Gale Online. Create your own avatar and explore devastated lands with your partner AI while experiencing exciting third-person shooting in this action RPG.

Symmetry is a survival management game set in a retro-futuristic, sci-fi universe. Your main goal is to manage the crash survivors and help them withstand the desolate, extremely cold environment in order to fix their spacecraft and escape.

It’s simple: get from the green tile to the red while clearing the blue tiles in between. Consider your moves carefully, though, as you might regret them later. Oh, and do it fast because the very ground beneath you is falling!

Xenon Valkyrie is a rogue-lite platformer game with RPG elements in which you must fight to the deepest part of a moon and halt the plans of a wicked witch.

Thor: Ragnarok (plus Bonus Features)

The Disaster Artist (aka The Masterpiece)

Murder on the Orient Express

The information above is subject to change without notice.

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Hello everyone! On today’s show we discuss Sid’s recent interview with storytelling mastermind Alex Garland. Plus: the incredible work of Ed Boon, further thoughts on Moss for PS VR, The Evil Within 2, and more. Enjoy the program, and we’ll see you next time!

Email us at blogcast@sony.com!

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

Stuff We Talked About

• DmC: Devil May Cry
• Ex Machina
• Moss
• The Evil Within 2
• Share of the Week
• Bee Movie Game

Recent Episodes

• 280: The Return of Nick Suttner
• 279: But What Does the NT Stand For?
• 278: It’s the Thrill of the Fight

The Cast

Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA
Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, 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.]

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Hey everybody! It’s Flash Sale time again and even though February is a short month, there’s no shortage of savings at PlayStation Store. Starting now we’ve got deals on a whole slew of titles – with savings up to 70 percent off.

Take a little trip to PS Store this weekend and set your peepers on discounted games like Overwatch Game of the Year Edition, Dragon Age: Inquisition Game of the Year Edition, Uncharted 4, and so much more!

Scroll on down to the full lineup and make sure to act fast – PlayStation Store’s February Flash Sale ends 2/19 at 8 a.m. PT.

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Last week, a hallowed PS2 classic was reborn in Shadow of the Colossus. Between taking down colossi, we put out the call for gamers with a keen eye to explore the game’s Photo Mode and share their best shots with us using the hashtags #PS4share and #PSBlog. We combed through some stunning material and picked out a few of our favorites.

This shot of Wander and Agro from @RatchetBlaster felt like a moment come to life.

@JerseyAnthony shared this dramatic moment fighting the first Colossus.

Wander steadies his blade before striking in this share from @rachelcmerriman.

Colossus 9 looks ready to strike in this share from @WonderBreadcast.

@VideoGameShelf moved in close for this detailed portrait of Wander in action.

Like what you see? Head to #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram and see the other artistic entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? Our new theme takes us back to one of our favorite 2017 releases, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Theme: Horizon Zero Dawn
Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, February 21

While you unravel the mysteries of Aloy’s past or tackle new robotic foes in The Frozen Wilds, share your best shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured next week.

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Big news — Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality for PlayStation VR is coming to digital and retail on April 10, 2018.

Virtual Rick-ality is an adventure game that immerses you in the strange and unusual world of the Rick and Morty TV series. As a clone of Morty, you’ll be put in the center of a unique story that takes you across dimensions, to death’s door, and alien planets. You’ll solve puzzles, get yelled at by Rick, and even fix an intergalactic car along the way. You can also pick up a diverse range of crap and throw it at your favorite Rick and Morty characters, for better or worse.

The retail version of the game will come in two flavors. First, you’ve got the standard box like so:

Also, this Collector’s Edition which includes a Funko POP! Rick and an exclusive 2-sided art poster:

We’re all really excited to get this game into your literal hands and, of course, for all of you PlayStation fans out there to experience Virtual Rick-ality.

See you on April 10, 2018. You know, because that’s when the game comes out. For PS VR.

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Our PlayStation VR holiday deal was such a popular promotion, we’re bringing it back to our fans. From Sunday, February 18 through Saturday, March 3, 2018, PS VR standalone headsets and bundles will start at $199.99 (MSRP).

It’s a great time to pick up the PlayStation VR Doom VFR Bundle, which comes with a PlayStation VR headset, PlayStation Camera, the PS VR Demo Disc 2.0 and the Doom VFR Blu-ray Disc. Doom VFR brings the fast-paced, kinetic gameplay fans of the series love as an all-new virtual reality experience. From an entirely new perspective, Doom VFR transports you to the UAC facility on Mars and the depths of Hell, as your skills are put to the test through intense combat. $299.99 MSRP (regularly $399.99 MSRP).

The most popular PS VR bundle this holiday, the PlayStation VR Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR Bundle, will also be on sale. This bundle includes the PS VR headset, PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move controllers, the PS VR Demo Disc 2.0 and Skyrim VR featuring the award-winning core game and all official add-ons, Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn add-ons. Perfect for The Elder Scrolls fans who want to experience the epic fantasy masterpiece with an unparalleled sense of scale, depth, and immersion. $349.99 MSRP (regularly $449.99 MSRP).

This PS VR promotion is available at participating retailers in the U.S. You can find more information here.

This deal comes at such an exciting time for PS VR, with recent launches such as The Inpatient and Accounting +, and upcoming titles like Moss, Bravo Team, and more! There are more than 150 games and experiences available that are compatible with PS VR, and more than 130 highly anticipated games and other entertainment content expected to launch by the end of this year. There is so much to look forward to for PS VR this year and we can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself.

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It’s time for Fe to leave the nest and spread its wings. Hello, PlayStation fans! I’m Alexandra, the Community Manager at Zoink Games, and today I’m here to talk with you about Fe.

For the last couple of years, we’ve been living and breathing the forest you’ll soon get the chance to discover yourself. We’re so excited to hear your thoughts when Fe launches on PlayStation 4 tomorrow, February 16!

In Fe, you take on the role of a young cub waking up in a forest glade. You are alone. You don’t know who you are, or what you’re doing here. But if you keep your eyes open, you’ll soon discover other inhabitants of the forest. Gain their trust, and they might share their secrets and lead you forward in your adventure.

It seems so long ago since we first snuck a prototype of Fe into our old title Zombie Vikings as an easter egg. In the middle of playing a hack and slash brawler filled with bad puns and monsters, players were suddenly cast into a lush forest full of beauty – and danger. This was something unlike anything Zoink had ever done before, and I’m sure a lot of people were surprised by the sudden change of art style.

But the Zoink core of storytelling is still there, only in a different way. In Fe, you’ll use your voice to form relationships with the inhabitants of the forest.

To take on the Silent Ones, a new threat that recently arrived in the area, you need to work together with your new friends, jump, glide and fly to get through tricky areas and hostile environments.

Fe is very much inspired by our own childhoods in Sweden. It’s hard to avoid the forest when most of the country is covered by it, and it served as a playground and a place for adventures. Thick pines, small trails coated in fir needles, slender birches and croaking toads all gave their own touch to a world that was both playful and a little bit scary at times.

After some initial gentle pushes in the right direction, we’ll leave you to discover all the world’s nooks and crannies for yourself. You’ll soon realize some areas will be hard to reach before learning the oh-so-important skills of climbing and gliding. These are just two of the abilities you’ll be able to unlock and make use of throughout the game.

Hopefully, your journey with Fe will be just as enjoyable for you as its been for us. Enjoy your time in the forest!

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This is Masaru Oyamada from Square Enix. I am the producer for the Secret of Mana remake.

I have been working on the Mana series since 2006, when I had the opportunity to work alongside series creator, Ishii Koichi, on porting Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu – Final Fantasy Gaiden) to mobile phone platforms.

As a fan, I first played Final Fantasy Adventure in 1991 and since then I have completed every game in this series and grew a passion for the franchise. I was one of many who felt great disappointment at there being no new Mana games after Mr. Ishii left the company. In 2014, when I was working on Rise of Mana, I had heard from many fans who wanted to play the previous titles in the series, but were unable to do so on current generation hardware. As such, I worked to remake Final Fantasy Adventure in 2016. Since then, there were many voices stating that they wanted to see a port of Secret of Mana globally, which now brings us to this remake.

Having finally arrived at release day, I look back over the development and I feel that the hardest challenge we had to overcome was recreating the world map that is used when flying on Flammie. We had to alter the basic system, as well as tweak the visual design, in order to convert the way the flat terrain was depicted from the original into 3D, and making sure that everything still fit together properly.

What I am most pleased with in the remake is the penultimate scene with the three heroes, just before they face the last boss. This was already a very emotional scene in the original game, but the remake enhances the drama even more with the new voices, 3D models and music, which is why I like it so much.

We invite fans who played the original game to indulge in your nostalgia, as well as enjoy the new elements, such as the interlude episodes that will let you see the story in a new light. There are also some nice little Easter eggs hidden in towns across the world which we would love to see long-term Mana series veterans pick up on!

This game was made with the incredible support of all the fans of the series. Everyone on the development team took care to leave in what made the original great, while also striving to make this a game that puts the Mana series on the map for many generations of gamers. As time continues to pass, we would love to see a new generation of players continue to remember Secret of Mana as one of their great gaming experiences.

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