Commander Fury

Last week, we asked you to use your photographic eagle vision while playing Assassin’s Creed Origins. While you helped Bayek seek justice and create the first order of Assassins, you shared your best shots with us using the hashtags #PS4Share and #PSBlog. After sifting through your impressive submissions, here are this week’s highlights.

@The_Don7684 captured Bayek and his loyal eagle Senu basking in the Egyptian sunlight.

@Philt43_Yewone brilliantly framed Bayek entering an ancient tomb.

The detail on this up-close shot of Senu by @videogame_photographer is stunning.

@Son_of_Sekhmet, stayed true to his username, submitting this firey mid-battle shot during the Trial of the Gods fight with the goddess Sekhmet.

Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entrancing entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? This week’s theme will put you in the driver’s seat:

Theme: Gran Turismo Sport
Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, March 7

While you’re behind the wheel in Gran Turismo Sport, share your best shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured next week.

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While playing Far Cry 5 at a preview event in Livermore, California, the Ubisoft team stormed an enemy-held radar station at the crest of a hill. This coordinated attack between two members of the studio involved sticks of dynamite, powerful firearms, and a complete lack of stealth.

As the resistance fighters surged against the dangerous cultists within, a wild wolverine hurdled out from the underbrush in a surprise attack. This wolverine was not part of the station’s natural defense system. It was not a trained wolverine being used by the cult. It was, simply, a wolverine. An angry one, at that. Even Creative Director Dan Hay laughed in surprise at the torpedo of fur flying across the screen.

This wolverine embodies the emergent gameplay of Far Cry 5. It is a quality that the Ubisoft Montreal team means to emphasize at every turn, rocketing the franchise’s staple player freedom to new heights.

The setting of Far Cry 5 contains a number of series touchstones: the sprawling open world, the outlandish action setpieces, the iconic villain. In Far Cry 5 players control a rookie law enforcement officer who winds up in Hope County, Montana — a gorgeous, remote locale under the control of Joseph Seed and his cult the Project at Eden’s Gate. After a failed attempt at arresting Joseph Seed, players must fight to build a resistance in Hope County and push the cult out.

How players do that, however, is up to them.

There are countless systems in Far Cry 5 in constant collision with one another. Moments of intense action quiet into nail-biting stealth. Resistance members react to nearby Project soldiers if they drive too close. Animals skitter across dirt highways. AI companions (called Guns For Hire) provide additional firepower while an actual bear (Fangs For Hire) does lots of bear things. The interactions between these systems result in the emergent gameplay that makes Far Cry 5 so interesting.

The possibilities feel endless. Even the story itself reacts to player input. Once the opening tutorial section of Far Cry 5 is complete, players can go virtually anywhere without the need to unlock towers and open the map in a linear order. Characters and plot points will adjust dynamically based on how players go about the fight against the Project. Ubisoft Montreal does acknowledge, however, that some folks may wander off and fish for hours on end. That may not advance the narrative forward, but who cares when there are so many fish to catch?

When the developers step in to direct the action the results are enormous. The opening of Far Cry 5 introduces players to cult leader Joseph Seed. Greg Bryk is tremendous as Joseph, delivering soul-piercing stares and haunting whispers in equal measure, and further fueling the player’s drive to liberate a besieged community. When the dialogue comes to a close and Ubisoft Montreal hands control back to players, the beautiful chaos resumes.

No matter how players decide to battle the Seed family and save the people of Hope County, one thing is certain: beware the wolverine.

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This week, the gang listens in on part two of Justin’s Moss interview, recorded on location at Polyarc HQ in Seattle, WA. Plus, Kristen gives us an update on her journey through Final Fantasy VII, and we reflect on things games have taught us about ourselves. Yeah, this is a deep one.

Stuff We Talked About

• Moss on PS VR
• Monster Hunter: World
• Detroit: Become Human
• Xenogears
• The Last of Us
• Final Fantasy IV and VII

Recent Episodes

• 282: Blogcast and Quill
• 281: To Bee, or Not to Bee
• 280: The Return of Nick Suttner

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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Hello everyone, I’m Matthias Hilke from ClockStone Software, we are the creators of the Bridge Constructor puzzle games. Together with our publisher Headup Games, we’re very excited to expand the franchise next week by releasing Bridge Constructor Portal on PS4. It’s a mash-up of two universes, the famous Portal universe (full of fun but dangerous Aperture Science technology) and the rather relaxing universe of Bridge Constructor.

After the collaboration with Valve was confirmed, it was pretty clear that bridge construction combined with the setting and mechanics of the Portal universe would become as unconventional as it could get. Thanks to the indoor scenario and the possibility to use numerous pairs of portals, vehicles could now be traveling through a level in all sorts of directions – back and forth from left to right, in a diagonal crisscross and even shooting up and down vertically. This alone leads to an exciting number of extravagant new level layouts, including spider web-style intersections or multi-storeyed bridges.

But this was only the beginning, as we were just about to open the fun box of Aperture Science test chamber technologies: Which mechanics would work in our game? What combinations would bring the most fun to the players? To find out, we prototyped almost all of them into some test levels and played around – it was just hilarious! So we found many exciting assortments and finally ended with 60 challenging levels which will be played under the demanding gaze of GLaDOS.

For example, by introducing Portal’s Aerial Faith Plates (catapults) and the Repulsion Gel, players can send vehicles and cubes through the level flying and bouncing. Companion Cubes, High Energy Pellets and Propulsion Gel allowed us to furnish the game with an extra portion of Portal-style puzzle solving. Finally, our levels would not be real Aperture science test chambers without some serious hazards, so we added Laser Fields, Emancipation Grills, Acid Goo, and of course some lovely Sentry Turrets (“There you are.”) to make sure that there was enough potential for an extra portion of entertaining destruction and mayhem.

The evolution from Bridge Constructor to Bridge Constructor Portal

After the success of the initial Bridge Constructor title in 2012, Headup Games and we always thought about possibilities to improve the series. First we created Bridge Constructor Playground, offering an easier sandbox-style approach with optional challenges like building with specific materials or with a limited budget. Bridge Constructor Medieval featured a little background story for the first time as well as roofs for protection against enemy fire and trap bridges that collapsed just in time, with the enemies on it.

With the “Slopemania” DLC for the original Bridge Constructor we managed to get away from just flat bridges, bringing more variety to the level design with sloped roads and much more complex and dynamic simulations. That DLC resulted in lots of great community videos, with jumping (and exploding) gas trucks and many hilarious attempts.

When we saw those videos, we wanted a game with considerably more action than the predecessors, so Bridge Constructor Stunts was conceived, featuring stunt parkour-style constructions and fast vehicles to perform daredevil jumps and loops. And, for the first time in the series, you were able to steer the vehicles yourself.

Eventually, during playtests with BC Stunts, where velocity and angle had become important game factors, the guys of Headup Games got the idea of combining Bridge Constructor with the Portal universe. As we all are huge Portal fans, we immediately felt it would be a great thing to combine the puzzle elements of both worlds into a fresh new construction game. So they approached Valve with the idea. They really liked it and helped us with great support – thanks again!

Bridge Constructor Portal launches today at PlayStation Store.

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Today, we’re very excited to announce that Gran Turismo Sport’s Patch 1.13 is now live, featuring 12 brand new cars, two new tracks and three all new GT League events for drivers to enjoy.

New Vehicles

Whether you’re an old-school F1 fan or modern supercar connoisseur, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the 12 new additions to Brand Central this month. Take a look at the full line-up:

• Alpine A110 1600S
• Alpine A110 Première Édition
• Audi R8 4.2 FSI R tronic
• De Tomaso Pantera
• Dodge Challenger R/T
• Ford Mustang Mach 1
• Gran Turismo F1500T-A
• Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
• Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man Time Attack Car
• Subaru Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution BRZ
• Toyota Supra 3.0GT Turbo A
• Toyota MR2 GT-S

New Tracks

Next, we’ve expanded the fan-favorite Blue Moon Bay Speedway by creating two brand new hybrid circuits: Blue Moon Bay Speedway Infield A and B – each adding tight turns and hairpins to the original course’s oval for a unique challenge.

GT League Events

Finally, we’ve added three exciting new GT League events geared towards drivers of all experience levels, including:

• Stars & Stripes – Beginner League
• Vision Gran Turismo Trophy – Amateur League
• F1500 Championship – Professional League

Don’t forget: you can find all the latest info on upcoming GT Sport content right here at PlayStation.Blog or over at the official Gran Turismo website. Until next time, drivers, we’ll see you out on the track.

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When we set out to design City of the Shroud‘s combat, we knew we wanted to make 1) a tactical RPG and 2) combine it with the strategic thinking and a sense of split-second action found in fighting games. Simple, right? The end result is a tactical RPG / fighting game-inspired combat system that rewards both patience and think-on-your-feet strategy, allowing for rapid-fire battles in a story-rich world.

So how did we end up with this system? After a lot of iterating (you should see some of the prototypes), we came up with the “Combo Wheel” — a circle of inputs used to activate and chain together special abilities, similar to a fighting game. Think down-right-down to shoot a fireball and you’ve got it; if any of you ever played Legend of Legaia, it’s a similar approach, but in real-time.

Since abilities require specific input sequences to activate them, you can equip abilities that share a starting and ending point for easy combos. For example, if you set a Duelist up with both Dash (up-left) and Roundhouse (left-down-right-up), you can push up-left-down-right-up to activate both skills using only five inputs. This results in the Duelist dashing to her target to slash them with her sword (Dash), then following up with a powerful spinning kick to knock them backwards (Roundhouse).
 

One reason we settled on putting a big wheel up on screen for these combos is that there are so many abilities and potential combos in the game that remembering them all in real time battles would be a tremendous burden. To make it so you can focus on combat and not have to recall a specific ability’s path, we set up the Combo Wheel to show each equipped ability’s starting input, with the following inputs appearing once you start the sequence. With everything laid out visually, there’s always guidance on how to activate a character’s abilities, so you can think about which ones to use, not how to use them.

So now you have a bunch of abilities and several angry opponents to use them on. Great! Or not, depending on your perspective! How do we manage real-time combat with all these characters and combos on a controller?
 

Two elements come into play here: the first is that the game rewards patience and strategy. Wait for the opportune moment to strike and victory will surely be yours. Mash buttons and, well, victory will probably not be yours. Finding the right moment to execute a powerful combo is key, and the pacing in combat reflects that.

The other is that we’ve put a lot of time and thought into getting combat to feel good with a controller. You can easily swap between characters, quickly navigate the battlefield, and pop open the Combo Wheel — all with just four buttons.

The Combo Wheel is currently controlled with the left stick: rotating the stick around in a circle is like moving around the wheel and letting it return to center resets your combo inputs. It’s a lot of fun to enter combos this way, and it’s really fast. We’re still iterating, though! We’re thinking about additional options — for example, using the face buttons or directional pad to represent the four inputs on the wheel.
 

What we’ve created for City of the Shroud: Definitive Edition is a rapid-fire tactical RPG that’s chock-full of action and strategy. Throw in the combo mechanics we’ve adapted, and it’s quite the shift! We’ve worked hard to make the experience as awesome as possible on a controller, and we hope you enjoy the results when City of the Shroud: Definitive Edition launches in 2019 on PS4!

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We are proud to announce that Detroit: Become Human now has an official release date: on May 25th, you will finally have the chance to get your hands on Quantic Dream’s most ambitious title to date.

In a dystopian vision of our near future, Detroit is the story of three androids, three machines designed to obey, who start to feel emotions. Confronted with persecution and the violence of society, they will all have to decide who they want to be.

Connor is a prototype designed to help human investigators on cases involving androids; Kara becomes a fugitive by empathizing with a little girl, united in their dream of freedom; Markus will become the leader of the android revolution.

The player will control all three in turn, taking control of their destinies, and telling not only their individual stories, but also the story of their people and of their world.

Detroit is by far the most ambitious title ever created by Quantic Dream; with this game, we wanted to push our limits by creating the most bending game we have ever made. Your actions have real and spectacular consequences: there are entire scenes that you can see or miss based on your actions, your closest allies may help you until the end or die just after you meet them, your destiny itself can be totally different depending on your choices. You must also be very careful with your three main characters, because any of them may die at any time.

Each story is almost as unique as your DNA: it is the result of the choices you made, the minor ones and the important ones, because in Detroit, all choices matter. You will need to observe, think, decide, feel, follow your intuition or your heart, to tell the unique stories of each character, and their stories will become your personal story.

Detroit explores many complex themes that resonate with today’s world. Of course, it is about AI and the role of technology, but it is also more than anything about us, about our society, our dreams, our mistakes, our hopes. It is about what it means to be human: is it just about having flesh and bones, or does it mean more than that? We hope that it sparks some meaningful conversations and we’re looking forward to hearing what you think about it.

In order to depict the world of Detroit, we have also developed the most spectacular 3D engine we have ever created. We tried to push the limits of the PS4 as far as we could, with hundreds of highly realistic characters, full performance capture, scenes featuring crowds, all with a level of quality that we had never reached before. We have also imagined a new way of playing a story where you are in direct control of a complex story where any of your choices may have consequences.

With Detroit, Quantic Dream presents its most accomplished experience, a spectacular and unexpected journey full of emotions, twists and turns, dangers and hope, in the most bending story we have ever created – where every choice matters.

We hope you see Detroit as a unique experience that echoes some of the challenges our world faces, and maybe it even resonates with your own personal life. More than anything, we hope that Detroit will leave an impression on you, and that you will remember for a long time the story of these three androids who wanted to be free…

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March is just around the corner, along with spring and some really great games. Let’s see what’s coming to PS Plus next week!

First up, we have the award-winning action RPG Bloodborne. Hunt your nightmares as you search for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like wildfire. Danger, death and madness lurk around every corner of this dark and horrific world, and you must discover its darkest secrets in order to survive.

Next, we have Ratchet & Clank. Get acquainted (or reacquainted) with some of the greatest heroes in PlayStation history. Based on elements from the original Ratchet & Clank (PS2), Ratchet & Clank brings Insomniac’s classic, out-of-this-world-gameplay to the PS4. Join Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark, and their new friends as they battle to save the Solana Galaxy. Armed with an arsenal of original weapons the franchise is renowned for, including the new Pixelizer and fan-favorites like the dance-party-inducing Groovitron, you’ll explore the galaxy and get a deeper look at the origin story of these two beloved characters.

This month’s PlayStation Plus lineup also includes:

• Legend of Kay, PS3
• Mighty No. 9, PS3 (Cross Buy with PS4)
• Claire: Extended Cut, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4)
• Bombing Busters, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4)

For fans of Dungeon Defenders II, we also have the Dungeon Defenders PS Plus Pack available starting March 13 to April 10 for PS Plus members. This pack contains 4 Shadow Costumes, 1 Million in gold, 5 Campaign Shard Packs, 5 Defender Packs, and a Ninja Gato Pet. Get your hands on this PS Plus Pack and jump into the action.

We also have an important service update. Starting next year on March 8, 2019, the PS Plus monthly games lineup will focus on PS4 titles and no longer include PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita titles. This won’t affect any games you’ve already downloaded, or will download, prior to March 8, 2019. Those games will still be part of your PS Plus games library as long as you remain a member. Your game saves and other benefits of PS Plus will also remain the same – the only change is that no new PS3 and PS Vita games will be added to the PS Plus monthly games lineup beyond March 8, 2019.

Many of our fans are playing on the PS4 platform, with the increasingly vast number of PS4s in homes around the world. We’ll continue to prioritize the benefits you receive through your PS Plus membership, such as online multiplayer, online game save storage, PS4 monthly games, and exclusive PS Store discounts across content and network services. As a reminder, if you do not wish to continue your subscription, please be sure to cancel it by turning off auto-renewal in your account settings before March 8, 2019.

There are plenty of new games and exclusive PS Store discounts to come for PS Plus members, and we look forward to sharing this with you in our ongoing monthly blog posts. As always, we thank you for your continued support.

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February is nearly over, which spells the beginning of another Players’ Choice vote! Players’ Choice is a way for PlayStation fans to recognize the very best games on PlayStation platforms.

Last month, Monster Hunter World captivated PlayStation fans and managed 50% of the overall vote. Who will take the crown in February? That’s up to you!

Read on for more details on Players’ Choice, or scroll down to cast your vote. The poll closes on Sunday!

Time to get started! Tell us: what was the best game of January 2018?

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Hello, PlayStation fans! My name is Michael Kelly, a producer and designer here at Question. We’re a small independent studio made up of former AAA veterans who worked together on games such as the BioShock series and Dishonored, as well as our indie debut The Magic Circle. Today I’m thrilled to finally announce our next game, The Blackout Club, a cooperative horror mystery coming out next year for PS4!

In The Blackout Club, up to four players become a team of teenage investigators uncovering a monstrous secret at the heart of their quiet community. Like many of our favorite horror movies and shows in the “teens vs. monsters” genre, we love vulnerable heroes working together to survive a harrowing journey into the unknown. Unlike those beloved movies, though, we put you directly in the protagonists’ sneakers to solve the mystery together with your friends.

The Blackout Club follows a group of teens who bond over a shared secret. They’ve all been temporarily losing consciousness — sometimes for days at a time — and waking up in strange places with no memory of what they’ve been doing. During one such blackout, a friend of theirs mysteriously vanishes. No one believes them — not the police, not their teachers… not even their parents. The club’s only recourse is to launch an investigation on their own.

Together, they pull on a series of threads that hint at a grand conspiracy that may or may not have supernatural origins. The teens coordinate to elude detection as they search for their missing friend and investigate the cause of their uncontrollable blackouts. And yet, caution is not always enough; each teammate must put themselves in harm’s way to capture video evidence of their tormentors’ plans so they can expose their dark agenda to the world at large.

Unlike most games where you fulfill a typical power fantasy, the members of The Blackout Club aren’t strong enough to confront adults directly. Engaging in combat by yourself is a dangerous proposition with perilous consequences. There is strength in numbers, though, so cooperation is key. Your team will need to improvise ways to overcome challenges and operate as a pack, using hit-and-run tactics to outwit your foes.

You will have a variety of items and abilities to customize your loadouts and balance different play-styles with your team, including direct assault, ghostly stealth, and resourceful hacker. Do you want to specialize in loud, riotous diversions or cleverly-concealed traps? As you complete more missions, you will level up your characters and unlock new abilities and customizations. If you survive long enough, you might even discover the mysterious source of your blackouts — and the hidden talents locked behind them.

In The Blackout Club, you can drop in and out of a session with your friends for a single mission, or several in a row. Each mission takes place in the kids’ own neighborhood and the bizarre network of tunnels hidden below the surface. An ever-changing variety of procedural elements populate the world, including enemy encounters, discoverable loot, and a range of objectives, making each night different than the last. Internally, we think of the experience as “the horror next door.” If you dare, you’ll explore a familiar modern community, and the twisted truth beneath it.

We would love to hear what you think about The Blackout Club and can’t wait to share more with you soon! Check out the new teaser trailer above and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date about Question and The Blackout Club.

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SoulCalibur VI’s roster is growing rapidly. While last year’s announcement was only headlined by series veterans Mitsurugi and Sophitia, they were swiftly joined by Kilk, Xianghua, Nightmare and new fighter Grøh. And late last week, familiar faces Ivy and Zasalamel were revealed to be returning the stage of history.

Those last two sadly weren’t part of a preview build I had hands on with earlier in the week. But I did manage to spend several hours putting the rest of the currently announced roster through their paces and try out the new game’s mechanics.

Here’s 12 random observations from an evening with the returning fighting franchise.

1.There are so many memorable one liners

Not that Soul Calibur ever flirted with realism, but VI favors – consciously or not – fabulous one liners that have the soul of the 80s action movie era.

New man Grohl’s an early quotable favorite. His taunt (kick + block) goes from whisper to roar: “I have… THE ANSWER”. Then there’s his pre-fight hope of a decent match (“Try and resist your inevitable fate”) and mid-fight anger at his opponent not offering a challenge (“curse your weakness”).

Even the round commentator can’t help himself. Take his intro to the snow-covered stage for example: “A single slash can even cut the frozen air in two”.

2. Reversal Edge is a risky rock, paper, scissors duel that can go either way

Available to either fighter at any time during a match, Reversal Edge is a risky QTE-style attack. Here’s why: it takes a few seconds to charge, it needs to connect to initiate and it can be blocked. And even if you do land a successful strike, the move doesn’t necessarily favor its initiator.

Strike and a cut scene kicks in: both players have a second to tap an input, be that an attack or dodge command. Weapon reach and attack angle both dictate whether one fighter will have the advantage and land a hit, or whether a weapon clash forces a stalemate.

3. You can shatter multiple armor parts off your opponent

Every character has multiple pieces of armor (or clothing) that can be destroyed through a powerful combo called a Lethal Hit. The effect’s cosmetic, but permanent. A shameful reminder the battle’s not going your way.

4. Nightmare should leave his helmet off during fights

Shattering Nightmare’s helmet with a Lethal Hit reveals an untarnished and familiar face beneath: the long haired Siegfried. Confirmation then that not only is the franchise veteran once more host to the Soul Edge, but that his corrupted and mutated persona should keep the helmet off: it’s a badass look. Here’s hoping it becomes an alternate costume.

5. Alternate costumes are worth switching out the defaults for

Alternate costumes are color palette swaps that – in my eyes – work much better than the defaults. Grøh gets an all-white outfit coupled with a rose gold gauntlet, Nightmare ice blue armor plating and matching color light trails from his glowing eyes.

6. Where SoulCalibur VI sit in the series timeline: the Beard theory

As the Soul Calibur franchise continued, samurai sword-wielding warrior Mitsurugi gradually became a grizzled, bearded vet. In SCVI, the beard’s gone, and our favorite fighter looks practically baby-faced. Does SCVI skip backwards in the franchise timeline, or is this just how fresh-faced you look after buzzing off the facial fuzz?

7. Fighters’ shared histories add story flourishes to SCVI’s fights

Perform a throw on Kilik as Xianghua, and she’ll apologise as grapples him. Fight Nightmare as Kilik, and the bo staff master will grip his heart in pain in the pre-match preamble, affected as he is by the lure of Soul Edge. Little touches like this help flesh out the connections between the roster.

8. You’ll get a Soul Charge buff if you’re losing

Lost two rounds in a row? The game will automatically fill one level of your two-tier Soul Charge (stationed by the round timer at the top middle of the screen). This auto-buff is to give you a fighting chance. Soul Charge is important to match flow, as it allows you to activate Fury mode (back and R2, briefly super-charging your standard attacks) or perform your character-specific Critical Edge

9. Stages have different layouts

The Stage Select screen offers a top-down view of your selected level. If the two stages from the preview build are anything to go by, expect a variety of different layouts that could provide strategic advantages.

10. The replay camera can be controlled

The round winner gets control of the replay camera, letting you pan round the arena or tap a button to focus in on a specific fighter.

11. Grøh offers instant gratification when playing him

It’s easy to pull off some flashy combos with SCVI’s new combatant from the off. His weapon(s) is dual swords joined at the hilts, which detach and can land individual hits during particular combos. He’s instantly showy in the way Kilik was way back in the original Soul Calibur, and like the bo staff master, this guy’s move set will be worth digging into come release.

12. Grøh is pronounced “Gruh”

Now you know.

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2018 is shaping up to be a great year for Gwent! Even though the game is still in beta, players have already put a vast number of hours either playing it casually or taking it to the competitive scene.

We’ve also got to experience some amazing and skillful battles over the course of Gwent Masters – our ongoing official eSports series – and we can’t wait to see who gets the title of first ever World Champion.

But you don’t need to be a professional gamer to enjoy Gwent! Up until now, certain units were tied to one specific faction out of the available five — Monsters, Nilfgaard, Scoia’tael, Northern Realms and Skellige. It’s time to switch things up and give you a fresh perspective on The Witcher Card Game. To do that, we bring you to the Arena!

In this mode, you enter the mysterious realm of Master Mirror, whom players already had an occasion to meet as one of the most prominent characters in Hearts of Stone – one of two big expansions released for The Witcher 3.

This time, he offers you a challenge – create a deck drafted from randomly chosen cards and use it to win a series of battles. To make matters even more interesting – in accordance to the rule set of this new mode, there are absolutely no limits in available units.

They can be drafted out of every faction and regardless of whether or not you already unlocked them. This makes it a great way to learn cards and mechanics for new players who might have not had the time to assemble a large army just yet.

If you’re already familiar with Gwent, your creativity and ability to think of ways to integrate random cards into your play become your strongest feat.

You need to think outside the box as every battle is completely different. Both you and your opponent carry a unique deck of cards, the usual combinations can be outside the realm of possibilities and the next move is almost impossible to predict.

No match feels alike, as new strategies need to be crafted during each and every battle to best utilize your current hand. Gwent’s array of cards truly covers a lot of ground when it comes to possible playstyles and offers a lot of options for both veterans and newcomers to The Witcher Card Game.

Naturally, Arena comes with unique rewards.

Winning battles against other players will net you prizes and the more players you outsmart, the bigger those prizes will be. Only you can gauge if you’re ready for the next battle against an army where the Wild Hunt joins forces with the clans of Skellige, Elven Archers march next to Nilfgaardian Knights, and mages use their abilities to heal mighty dragons.

Are you up to the challenge? The Arena awaits!

We are giving away three free Arena tickets! Simply log into Gwent during Arena’s launch week to receive your reward. After that period, you will still be able to receive one free Arena ticket by logging into the game. See you on the battlefield!

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It’s hard to believe that a full year has passed since we released Horizon Zero Dawn. The old adage “time flies when you’re having fun” certainly rings true for us – these last 12 months have been an absolute blast, thanks in no small part to the terrific response from our fan community.

And yet, so much has happened that the actual launch of Horizon Zero Dawn sometimes feels like a distant memory. The positive critical reception; the explosive rise of fan artists, cosplayers and Photo Mode experts; the rollout of patches containing new functionality; the release of The Frozen Wilds and the Complete Edition; the various awards and honors bestowed on Horizon Zero Dawn and its creators. All of these occurred in such rapid succession that we’re still trying to wrap our heads around them.

The latest news to reach us is that Horizon Zero Dawn has sold more than 7.6 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling new first-party franchise launch on PlayStation 4 as of February 28. To quote Guerrilla’s co-founder and managing director, Hermen Hulst:

“We had huge ambition for Horizon Zero Dawn and as we approached the launch we knew people were excited, but to see sales of this volume is truly mind blowing. Since launch, millions of players have joined Aloy on a quest to discover the secrets of the old ones. We hope they enjoy playing Horizon Zero Dawn as much as we enjoyed making it.”

To which we can only add: thank you, dear fans. The past year ranks as one of the greatest in our studio’s 18-year history, and your unwavering devotion to and evangelism for Horizon Zero Dawn helped make that happen.

Obviously, we can’t let a milestone like this go by uncelebrated. We have several things planned for the coming week that we hope you’ll enjoy, including (but not limited to):

Free Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 avatar bundle and Photo Mode theme

Available tomorrow as free downloads from PlayStation Store, we’ve created a bundle of PS4 avatars of all your favorite Horizon Zero Dawn characters, as well as a PS4 theme containing some of the most stunning fan-made Photo Mode snaps out there.

‘Inventing Instruments for Horizon Zero Dawn’ Video

The Horizon Zero Dawn score continues to garner accolades, most recently winning Best Main Theme in the VGMO Annual Game Music Awards. But there’s more to the soundtrack than mood music, as music supervisor Lucas van Tol explains in this behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Horizon Zero Dawn’s in-world (or ‘diegetic’) music.

PlayStation Gear store promo

Throughout the entire month of March, the PlayStation Gear store will be running an anniversary discount on the Modern Icons Aloy statue: get 25% off when you enter the code ‘anniversary’ at checkout, while supplies last!

PlayStation Store

If you don’t have Horizon Zero Dawn yet, now’s the time to take advantage of the ‘Critic’s Choice’ sale on the PlayStation Store! Until March 6th, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition is being offered at 30% off for regular customers, and 35% off for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

…and more!

Stay tuned to PlayStation Blog and Guerrilla’s official Facebook and Twitter accounts for more Horizon Zero Dawn one year anniversary goodness!

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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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