Commander Fury

Here is a sentence I did not think I’d be writing in 2020: there’s a new Streets of Rage game launching today. Why the surprise? It’s not only because it has been 26 years since the last one, but that the original side-scrolling beat ’em up trilogy was lightning in a bottle, rightly celebrated at the time, and has been venerated by genre aficionados ever since. How could any modern-day studio hope to resurrect the series? How could they recapture that magic? As it turns out, one couldn’t. But three might. Guard Crush Games (who created a love letter to the genre in the form of 2015’s Streets of Fury and handled programming duties on Streets of Rage 4), LizardCube (responsible for the gorgeous visual overhaul on 2017’s Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap remake and who looked after art direction) and Dotemu (retro-loving, Paris-based studio who took care of game design and general production) joined forces and embarked on a three year journey to reimagine Streets of Rage for a PS4 audience. To find out the story behind what may be this generation’s most surprising retro revival, I reached out to a number of people working on the title. Kindly setting aside time in the last few days before their game’s launch — and giving us a taste of the collaborative nature of the project — were Dotemu’s Executive Producer Cyrille Imbert and Lead Game Designer Jordi Asensio, Lizardcube’s Art Director Ben Fiquet and Guard Crush Games Technical Director Cyrille Lagarigue, as well as composer Olivier Deriviere. Maintaining an iconic legacy Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding as they appeared in the key art for 1991’s Mega Drive classic Bare Knuckle. The game would be rebranded Streets of Rage for its western release. This series is well-loved for so many reasons. Its gameplay, music, and design are all iconic. There must have been a lot of attention on every development decision made. Which aspect did you feel the most pressure to deliver on? Asensio: Every aspect, really. The original games are so well crafted that you cannot leave any aspect unpolished. For my part, I tried to give people instant fun while creating a deep system that will make people interested in mastering the game and coming back again and again. Lagarigue: The overall dynamic of the fights, so that they feel fluid and strategic but still snappy. Imbert: A bit of everything. But the game feel, the gathering of different aspects like the design, the animation, and the reactivity was definitely something we had to nail. The music was also something that absolutely needed to succeed. Obviously Streets of Rage has a very unique look and feel. How much did player — or even developer — feedback impact the final level and character designs? Asensio: As a matter of fact, we talked a lot with hardcore fans and they gave us tremendous feedback and ideas. Every event we could show a demo at (like PAX) was a gold mine. We changed, added, and balanced considerably thanks to this feedback. Smiles and praise were also key to keeping us focused on our work. Fiquet: Before starting production, I spent a lot of time researching game design documents, interviews with the developers, in-depth video analysis, fan-made games, even fan art. This helped me get a sense of the overall feelings surrounding the license. Reimagining Streets of Rage for 2020 The key art for Streets of Rage 4, featuring (clockwise from top left) Blaze Fielding, Axel Stone, Floyd Iraia, Adam Hunter, Cherry Hunter Has Streets of Rage 4 evolved much from its original concept, or did you have a pretty clear idea of what it would be from the start? Asensio: From the start we wanted it to be a pretty straightforward beat ’em up with no fancy modern trends. Just a good old-fashioned beat ’em up. Then as the game was coming together, we found room for improvement: adding more fun, along with modern solutions to old frustrations, without ever losing track of the game’s roots. Imbert: The idea was crystal clear for everyone: we just wanted to do a great beat ’em up game. Something pure, simple, and efficient. Something that would be in line with its predecessor, but modern in its approach. Can you touch on the modern-day additions you’ve brought to the classic SoR gameplay formula, and explain why you added them? Asensio: There are small things (but which make a big difference), like downsizing the depth of the player character’s hitbox when moving up or down, so you really dodge when you want to dodge. And bigger things – for example, in SoR2 when you were surrounded, doing a special move was smart, but it cost a small amount of health. So it was better than being hit, but it always felt a little off to lose health for a good decision. So in SoR3 they added a cool-down bar that allowed you to do your special move for free. We tried something different. In SoR4, you lose a small amount of health that you can regain by hitting enemies – but if you are hit in the meantime, this small amount of health is gone for good. This opens the door for some aggressive play styles, gambling a lot of life in order to do huge combos. Some players will prefer to use specials more wisely though… We also added powerful ‘Star’ moves, which replace the old ‘police call.’ Police call is a “clear screen” mechanic, and though it’s fun, we wanted to have something more befitting our gameplay loop. So now you have to think more to connect your Star move, as it hits only a certain portion of the screen, which is dependent on your character. It can save you from a lot of enemies (sort of like an emergency defense mechanism), but it can also extend the length of a combo. This helps you recover some invested health from special moves and focus your damage on a boss, for instance. Many levels have environmental dangers. You can use the wrecking ball in this rooftop fight to knock out enemies (and score a Trophy) Lagarigue: We wanted to give the players more freedom on how they can play. We changed the rules of the main game mode (Story mode) so that you restart at the beginning of each stage when you run out of lives. Also, if you are stuck you can choose to get gameplay assists (more lives, star moves…) in exchange for a reduced score. This way, everyone can finish the campaign, but you are still tempted to choose a higher difficulty level because you know that you will be able to get help if you are stuck. Then you can train and improve your score on each level or try the old-school-style Arcade mode. So the goal was really to keep the challenge while making the game more accessible. “You can unlock retro characters by scoring points, and you get bonus points when you play at higher difficulty levels or when you try different characters. So overall you are incentivized to get better and play in a variety of ways.” – Cyrille Lagarigue Creating new characters… How much iteration did Cherry Hunter and Floyd Iraia go through in terms of design and combat style before you agreed on their final versions? Asensio: Usually we do a kick-off meeting where we discuss each character’s overall style and gameplay. Then we go into details move-by-move to determine the function of the move and maybe find a pose that will fit. Then it’s up to Ben [Fiquet, Lizardcube’s Art Director] to work his magic. Sometimes moves change because Ben finds something cool visually that may (or may not) fit the gameplay, but in the end the animation influences gameplay as much as gameplay influences animation — so we always find common ground. For Cherry Hunter it took several iterations to balance her two sides: bare-hands moves and guitar moves. We pushed the sliders to the max so the bare-hands move feels really fast and swift, while the guitar moves feel really slow but powerful, with range and a big zone of impact. Fiquet: Graphically speaking, both characters were driven by their function – but I was adamant on Cherry’s guitar despite some push-back from the team. I wanted something that would be truly unique in the series and cool looking. Ultimately though, I wanted characters that would fit right in with the Streets of Rage universe. Asensio: Floyd was pretty straightforward, since he was the last character and we knew what we needed for the game to have a good, rounded character roster. The biggest challenge was to work around the unique concept of a “ranged grappler.” It took several iterations, even some last-minute ones, to balance him well, since his telescopic grapple can win against a lot of AI behaviour (yes, we ended up changing the AI a little bit for him). …and reimagining the classic brawlers In the same vein, were Blaze, Adam, and Axel easier to design because you could adapt the blueprint of their looks and combat styles from SoR 1-3? Asensio: From the start we decided that they should have their iconic moves, but I changed their properties. So for instance, Axel’s neutral jump kick now just does one hit, but it’s more powerful and it sets enemies bouncing off the wall. Fiquet: Axel wasn’t easy to design artistically. I knew giving him a beard and bulking him up would be quite a leap for many, but I felt the character needed to get rougher with time. You can read about Blaze and Adam’s redesign in our previous blog post. How did you decide on each character’s special moves? Again, was it a case of refining previous special moves or completely reimagining them? Asensio: The fun part about Axel and Blaze was that we could introduce some new twists to their existing moves. So we could think about them in terms of how well they would fit into our game system defensively, offensively, and combo-wise. Then, I tried some special air moves by reusing some animation frames from other moves, allowing us to add some new moves. It was fun and useful, so Ben made legit animations for them and it became a thing: every new character has a special air move. For Adam, we thought of him as a completely new character. We had several discussions about what his playstyle should be. The idea of a small forward dash made sense, since like all of Hunter’s family members, Adam can move fast. For the other moves, we tried to find powerful ones to fit his SOR1 character stats (“power A”). Lagarigue: We really wanted to find a fighting style for Adam that played like a “regular” character, yet wasn’t too close to Axel or Blaze. There is a little detail I implemented that I like a lot: if you dash with Adam and you touch an enemy, you do a circling move and get to the other side. I got the idea while watching the fights between Jackie Chan and Brad Allen in the movie Gorgeous. I thought it would be fun to have a character that felt like a very agile boxer, and that is the gameplay behavior I came up with to try to replicate this feeling. Axel and Blaze are the only two characters to appear in all four games. Why did you choose to have Adam return over Skate, Max, or Zan? Asensio: Adam is too cool and was out for too long! Fiquet: Honestly, he was long overdue. As soon as we announced the game, you could hear the outcry of so many fans pining for his return. We knew we were gonna add him, and it was excruciating not to be able to show him sooner. Adam doesn’t fill a gameplay need like the fast Skate or the strong Max. He just needs to be here because he rocks. What was your process when deciding which enemies would return? Are there any you consciously excluded? If so, why? Asensio: Streets of Rage 2 is, I think, the best game of the series. I love its slow, strategic pace. I love how it was designed around three core enemies: Galsia, Signal, and Donovan. Galsia will come at you and keep you busy, Signal will attack when you face away from him, and Donovan will prevent you from jumping on him. So we built enemies and levels around this idea of synergy between baddies. Oh, and we decided not to bring Jet back, because he’s so annoying — flying all over the place and not vulnerable to combos… Streets of Rage 4’s music The soundtrack is a mix of in-house tracks and contributions from iconic industry names. How did you decide on the sequence that they would appear in the game? Was each contributor given a theme, or concept art of a level, to help shape their track, for example? Imbert: The idea was to have a main composer who would bring harmony and coherence throughout the game. Olivier Deriviere is not only a great composer and a fan of electronic music, but he also completely understands the relation between music and gameplay. This is vital for a Streets of Rage game. But we also wanted to have different Eastern and Western influences. Different touches of music, because this is something that existed in previous SoR titles. So we had the original composers, Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, take care of strong tracks – certain boss fights, important themes, certain levels, etc. The idea was to have part of the soul from the original titles, but also the amazing music they both make nowadays. We also had lots of other talented artists who represent the best of classic and modern video game music, as well as contemporary musicians that never composed for a video game before. Each had a specific moment of the game to interpret with their own vision and transcribe into music. We sent each composer a scene from the game, with story elements and general indications about the atmosphere and characters. And then we just let them work their magic. Receiving their tracks one by one was like Christmas every time. Olivier, what was the most challenging track for you to create/lock down the final version of? Deriviere: The most challenging aspect was to follow what Koshiro-san & Kawashima-san did in the previous Streets of Rage. I didn’t want to mimic their style but rather their approach, which was taking club music from the 90’s and incorporating it to the game. However, in my case, I had to go through 25 years of club music and pick what would be right without betraying the spirit of the series. It was so much fun to revisit some of the East and West coast tunes. I also revisited dubstep, IDM like Aphex Twin, and so many more genres. But to make it all sound like a whole was definitely challenging! Which track from the guest musicians’ submitted surprised you the most? (This could be the full track or just a section of one which completely shattered your expectation) Deriviere: I think I wasn’t surprised by the Main Title theme from Koshiro-san, it is perfectly reminiscent of Streets of Rage and it sets the right tone and prepares the player for the upcoming fight. We start the game with his style, close to the original games. On the other hand, what Kawashima-san delivered is very special, very modern, and almost sounds like avant-garde electronic music sometimes. The two of them are incredibly unique and, to my big surprise, I understood much more on how they could have created such cult music in the past… (and the present too!) All the other guests did a fantastic job as well, adding their own personalities to each boss. The game also features the option to play classic tracks – how did you decide which would play where? Deriviere: It was a team effort. We took feedback from the most hard-core people and we spread the retro music from Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2 onto the levels and bosses. The game features two player online co-op and, for the first time in the series, four player local co-op The game’s extra modes How does the gameplay scale or change in four-player local co-op mode? Asensio: Balancing a 4-player co-op mode is almost impossible. So from the start we decided to not try it, but instead just crank up the fun factor by only making small changes that make the game more fun and easier to understand. For example, the more players you are, the less damage you do, so you must help each other and coordinate your actions to make cool co-op combos. Also, you do bonus damage if you activate friendly fire. There are more enemies during the boss fights, so you always have someone to fight. Plus, enemies are more aggressive, and players can’t be superimposed (they repel themselves like opposing magnets). Does the game feature any New Game+, leaderboards, etc. to draw players back in once they’ve finished the campaign? Asensio: There are leaderboards for every stage and character, so once you’re done obtaining the S rank (the highest rank) for all stages, you can go for some serious score attacks against the world’s best players. There is also the Mania difficulty mode, which is a New Game+ in its own right. Players should also try the battle mode, where each stage has a cool flavour that always provides interesting fights. Lagarigue: You can then try the game’s two ultimate challenges: Arcade mode, where you have to finish the whole campaign in one go with a limited number of lives; and Boss Rush, where you have to defeat all of the bosses without extra lives. Both are very fun, but intense! Development challenges and secrets Any fun development stories you want to share? Asensio: We discussed how we reintroduced the original sprite version of the characters into this game in our previous Blog post. But the truth is, I even put other sprites from other games into the engine… so at some point we even had Joe Musashi from Sega’s Shinobi as a playable character. Of course we removed him at the end since it was for engine testing purposes only, but it was pretty cool kicking bad guys with him. Fiquet: One of the bosses — Estel, a tough cop driven by duty — is based on a real cop I encountered in my building. She was so bad-ass I decided to put her in the game. Estel (left) is one of the new characters you’ll have to tackle over the course of the game Looking back over the development, what was the biggest challenge? Asensio: The biggest challenge was to understand the previous games and what made them so good. You have to leave your nostalgia goggles aside and ask yourself, ‘What’s the essence of these games? Are there any frustrations? Should we remove them, or maybe they are part of the experience?’ These sorts of things. Lagarigue: I think the biggest challenge was to nail down the game’s level design and rhythm. When you make a side-scrolling beat ’em up, it is hard to keep it interesting and varied while keeping the same fighting gameplay. I think we achieved it by iterating a lot on the level design, on how and when the enemies appear in the levels. And also by polishing the enemies’ AI, especially for the bosses. Imbert: There were so many challenges along the way. For example, it’s so difficult to find the right balance between legacy and innovation. Personally, one of my biggest challenges was the music. It was very difficult to gather so many great artists together and handle all the licensing elements and negotiations. But the result is amazing and it allowed me to work with and get to know insanely talented people like Olivier Deriviere and Yuzo Koshiro. Fiquet: Staying true to the original games while trying to create something new. You face not only yourself, but also the expectations of fans around the world. View the full article

Two very different lifestyles will compete for your time thanks to next month’s PlayStation Plus lineup. Challenge yourself to design, then maintain, your ultimate metropolis in city-building strategy sim Cities: Skylines. Want a break from the city life? Take in the country air as you turn your hand to agriculture in Farming Simulator 19. Let’s take a closer look at both games. Cities: Skylines – PlayStation 4 Edition Do you have what it takes to develop a small, bustling community into a sprawling megacity? In Cities: Skylines, the acclaimed city builder sim by Paradox Interactive, you make the decisions that will see your city flourish or fail. You’ll need strategic smarts to keep your burgeoning ecosystem from collapse, ensuring your ever-growing populace stay happy and the industries that are the lifeblood of your expanding metropolis continue to thrive. Farming Simulator 19 Stressed by the bustling city life and eager to tackle a more sedate livelihood? Rural escapism awaits with Farming Simulator 19! Developer GIANTS Software has packed in a wealth of agricultural pastimes to lose yourself in as you set out to maintain a homestead. Harvest crops, raise livestock, tackle forest, ride your own horses…or just jump behind the wheel of your John Deere tractor or one of over 300 authentic farming vehicles and go for a drive. Both titles will be available to download from Tuesday, May 5, until Monday, June 1. Last Chance! Grab April’s PS Plus Games As a reminder, you’ve still got until Monday, May 4, to download this month’s PS Plus games. Quick wits, fast fists and inventive use of weaponry are essential to survive the danger-filled, globe-trotting journey of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, while nerves of steel and precision driving are essential to roar to championship glory in racing sim DIRT Rally 2.0. View the full article

Love a bargain? Been on the fence about picking up a particular game? Had your eye on that bundle for longer than you can remember? Wait no longer. Games Under $20 hits PlayStation Store tomorrow with a treasure trove of titles ready to be enjoyed for less. Starting tomorrow, save big on Far Cry 5 and battle a doomsday cult across the sprawling open world of Hope County. Scoop up Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition for an endless adventure in the ultimate space opera. Dare to take on competitive fighting with EA Sports UFC 3 Deluxe Edition – and so much more. Scroll down for just a snapshot of the deals to come, then head over to PS Store tomorrow morning for the full lineup reveal. Games Under $20 ends 8am Pacific, Wednesday, May 13. 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ATV SUPERCROSS ENCORE $7.49 $29.99 MY TIME AT PORTIA $14.99 $29.99 ONRUSH STANDARD DIGITAL EDITION $2.49 $24.99 OUTER WILDS $18.74 $24.99 OVERCOOKED $6.79 $16.99 OVERCOOKED HOLIDAY BUNDLE $7.99 $19.99 OVERCOOKED: GOURMET EDITION $7.99 $19.99 PIERHEAD ARCADE $7.49 $14.99 PILLARS OF ETERNITY: COMPLETE EDITION $12.49 $49.99 PLAGUE INC: EVOLVED $10.49 $14.99 PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS $14.99 $29.99 PREY: DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $4.99 $19.99 PROJECT CARS $3.99 $19.99 PROJECT CARS – GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $7.99 $39.99 RAGE 2 $8.99 $29.99 REAL HEROES: FIREFIGHTER $7.49 $14.99 RED FACTION $6.74 $14.99 RED FACTION GUERRILLA RE-MARS-TERED $11.99 $29.99 REMOTHERED: TORMENTED FATHERS $10.49 $29.99 RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION $8.99 $29.99 ROUNDGUARD $13.99 $19.99 SAINTS ROW IV RE-ELECTED $4.99 $19.99 SAINTS ROW IV RE-ELECTED & GAT OUT OF HELL $7.49 $29.99 SAINTS ROW: GAT OUT OF HELL $3.74 $14.99 SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER $7.49 $49.99 SINNER SACRIFICE FOR REDEMPTION $9.49 $18.99 SLEEPING DOGS DEFINITIVE EDITION $4.49 $29.99 SLIME RANCHER $9.99 $19.99 SLIME RANCHER: DELUXE EDITION $17.99 $29.99 SNIPER ELITE 4 $11.99 $59.99 SNIPER ELITE 4 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $17.99 $89.99 SNIPER ELITE V2 REMASTERED $19.24 $34.99 SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR 3 SEASON PASS EDITION $7.99 $39.99 SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR CONTRACTS $19.99 $39.99 SOUTH PARK: THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE – SEASON PASS $14.99 $29.99 SPEEDRUNNERS $2.49 $9.99 SPEEDRUNNERS DELUXE BUNDLE $5.09 $16.99 STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II: CELEBRATION EDITION $19.99 $39.99 STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II: CELEBRATION EDITION UPGRADE $12.49 $24.99 STAR WARS BOUNTY HUNTER $2.49 $24.99 STAR WARS PINBALL: SEASON 1 BUNDLE $14.39 $23.99 STAR WARS: JEDI STARFIGHTER $17.49 $49.99 STAR WARS: RACER REVENGE $5.09 $16.99 STEEP X GAMES GOLD EDITION $19.99 $49.99 STREETS OF ROGUE $9.99 $19.99 THE COUNCIL – THE COMPLETE SEASON $7.49 $24.99 THE CREW ULTIMATE EDITION $15.99 $39.99 THE DISNEY AFTERNOON COLLECTION $4.99 $19.99 THE ESCAPISTS $4.99 $19.99 THE ESCAPISTS + THE ESCAPISTS 2 $17.49 $34.99 THE ESCAPISTS 2 $6.79 $19.99 THE ESCAPISTS 2 – GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $9.17 $26.99 THE EVIL WITHIN 2 $9.99 $19.99 THIEF $2.99 $19.99 THIS IS THE POLICE 2 $8.99 $29.99 TITAN QUEST $8.99 $29.99 TOEJAM & EARL: BACK IN THE GROOVE $3.74 $14.99 TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON WILDLANDS STANDARD EDITION $14.99 $49.99 TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON WILDLANDS YEAR 2 PASS $14.99 $29.99 TOMB RAIDER: DEFINITIVE EDITION $4.49 $29.99 TROVE – MEGA MENAGERIE PACK $19.79 $29.99 TROVE – SQUARE NECESSITIES $11.99 $19.99 TRUCK RACING CHAMPIONSHIP $19.79 $59.99 V-RALLY 4 $11.99 $59.99 WARHAMMER 40000: INQUISITOR – MARTYR $9.99 $39.99 WARHAMMER 40000: INQUISITOR – MARTYR | IMPERIUM EDITION $10.99 $54.99 WE HAPPY FEW $14.99 $59.99 WE HAPPY FEW DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $19.99 $79.99 WE HAPPY FEW SEASON PASS $11.99 $19.99 WE SING $7.49 $29.99 WE SING POP $7.49 $29.99 WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH $7.99 $19.99 WOLFENSTEIN: CYBERPILOT (VR) $8.99 $29.99 WOLFENSTEIN: YOUNGBLOOD DELUXE EDITION $3.74 $14.99 WORMS BATTLEGROUNDS $7.49 $24.99 WORMS BATTLEGROUNDS + WORMS W.M.D $17.49 $34.99 WORMS W.M.D $8.99 $29.99 WRC 7 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP $17.49 $49.99 WREKFEST: RETRO RAMMERS CAR PACK $2.39 $3.99 WWE 2K20 $14.99 $59.99 WWE 2K20 ORIGINALS: EMPIRE OF TOMORROW $9.74 $14.99 WWE 2K20 ORIGINALS: SOUTHPAW REGIONAL WRESTLING $9.74 $14.99 WWE 2K20 ORIGINALS: WASTELAND WANDERERS $9.74 $14.99 XCOM 2 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $18.74 $74.99 YOOKA-LAYLEE $9.99 $39.99 YOOKA-LAYLEE AND THE IMPOSSIBLE LAIR $17.99 $29.99 View the full article

You know how in action movie trailers they sync all the gunfire and fisticuff sounds to match up with the music — that’s what it feels like to play Pistol Whip, our first-of-its-kind action-rhythm FPS for PlayStation VR. You’ll become the hero of your own action movie scenes, with hand-crafted enemy engagements and environments synchronized to a breakneck soundtrack. Since we launched on PC late last year, Pistol Whip has rocketed to become one of the highest-rated VR games available, even becoming recipient of Immersive Reality Game of the Year at the 2020 DICE Awards. We’re extremely excited to bring Pistol Whip to the PS VR family at long last this summer, so you can become the ultimate action hero badass you were meant to be. For Pistol Whip, we took divine inspiration from the tone and stylings of god-mode action movies like John Wick and Equilibrium, as well as PS VR classics like Beat Saber and Superhot. Built for pick-up-and-play with dead simple, single-button controls, Pistol Whip is easy to play but tough to master. By default, you’ll use a single PlayStation Move controller to aim and shoot, encouraging you to brace your weapon with your offhand like a real action movie badass. Unlike traditional rhythm games, Pistol Whip features dynamic levels instead of a static void. Comfortable, constant momentum journeys you through a variety of “scenes” inspired by action movie settings, from bank heists to airship raids. Each scene comes with three difficulties, and we have a suite of weapon personalization options and gameplay modifiers, including dual wield akimbo, to mix up the flow, challenge you, and encourage new playstyles as you chase friends and global leaderboards. Also unlike traditional rhythm games, Pistol Whip has no line in the sand; you have complete freedom to shoot, dodge, and melee targets (pistol whip) to the rhythm you feel is right, in no specific order. You’ll earn bonus points if you take out baddies to the beat of the music, but you can play Pistol Whip entirely rhythmless like a classic arcade shooter. Whether you play tactically or musically, Pistol Whip offers unprecedented player agency. Pistol Whip was built for virtual reality by our team of veteran VR developers to take advantage of the physicality of the tech. With Pistol Whip on PlayStation VR, you’ll use the breadth of your space to dodge bullets, avoid obstacles, and land some mean pistol whips. For the fitness-minded, Pistol Whip can also be used as a workout tool perfect for maintaining your best quarantine bod. Plus, it’s fun to watch and you look pretty cool playing it. As a veteran VR team, we also have a keen focus on comfort. For Pistol Whip, we came up with a comfort-first locomotion design that prevents motion sickness while you play, even during the most hectic movements. With this design, you’re able to experience non-stop motion without the fear of nausea, allowing you to focus on the action and stay in rhythm. If you’re motion sensitive and have been holding out on VR action games for that reason, Pistol Whip may be right for you. When Pistol Whip launches on PS VR this summer, the story does not end there. We’ll be continuing to support the game with content updates over the months to follow, introducing new scenes, customization options, and more to be revealed. View the full article

Tite Kubo. You may know him as the creator behind one of the most popular manga series of all time, whose influential work has stretched to every corner of the anime industry, and whose name recently resurfaced. He is also the main character designer of Sakura Wars, now available on PS4. It has been a decade since the steampunk world of Sakura Wars has seen light in the west, and even longer in Japan. And because of that, when it came time to reboot the series, Sega went to some of the biggest names in the anime, manga, and JRPG industries to help bring this incredible series back to the world. Fans of Tite Kubo know well his attention to detail and the way he diligently integrates each character’s personality into their visual appearance. His concept sketches include insightful notes about each character. For example, he specifies that Sakura Amamiya smiles with a V-shaped mouth when she’s dressing up and feeling cute. The shrine maiden Hatsuho Shinonome’s look is a combination of “priestess + monk.” Azami, ninja of the Mochizuki clan, sports a bob haircut with a few stray hairs to give off the feeling that she doesn’t care much about her appearance. Additionally, Kubo-sensei noted that he decided not to draw crying faces for her or the worldly actress Anastasia Palma as “they don’t seem the type to cry in front of people.” For Claris’ clothing, Kubo-sensei called out such specific details as the fact that her Oxford ankle boots have 6 holes and her blazer is without pockets. Along with Tite Kubo, any JRPG or anime fan is sure to recognize the names of some of the guest artists and their work. As captain of the Flower Division, you will be challenged by other Combat Revues from around the globe, most directly in the Combat Revue World Games. Each of these teams was handled by one of our guest artists, bringing their particular style and flair to their designs, as you’ll see below. Shanghai Combat Revue: Yukiko Horiguchi London Combat Revue: BUNBUN Berlin Combat Revue: Fumikane Shimada Back home in Tokyo, the Imperial Combat Revue is surrounded by a cast of vibrant and memorable characters, from a huge fan of their theatrical productions and shop people in Ginza to old sword instructors and theater mascots… Every designer brings their matchless style to the work, and yet they all blend seamlessly together into Sakura Wars’ 1940s steampunk world of theater, mecha, and intrigue. Itsuki Saijo and Hiromi Hongo: Noizi Ito Hakushu Murasame: Shigenori Soejima Grand Imperial Peanut: Ken Sugimori As a reminder, the physical Launch Edition for Sakura Wars features reversible cover art, a sticker set featuring the main cast, and the Theater Add-On Bundle. We also have more details to share regarding our Digital Standard ($59.99) and Digital Deluxe ($79.99) Editions that are available starting today. Just to reiterate, both options grant you an Imperial Combat Revue PS4 Dynamic Theme along with the Neko Ears Add-on Bundle. By upgrading to the Digital Deluxe Edition, you will also receive the following: Legacy of Love Add-on Bundle Charming Accessories Add-on Bundle Swimsuit Add-on Bundle But we’re taking things one step further. Early adopters of either digital edition will now also receive three Combat Revue dynamic themes featuring the main character designs of Tite Kubo. Digital Deluxe buyers receive two static themes, containing the character designs of the above-profiled artists, on top of that! That’s five different themes for the Digital Deluxe Edition you can use to switch up the look of your PS4 home screen, all at no extra charge. The Digital Add-on Bundle ($14.99) is also now available at PlayStation Store. This set contains all the extra DLC featured in the Digital Deluxe Edition, perfect for those who either pick up the physical edition of Sakura Wars or purchase the Digital Standard version and want to upgrade later. Finally, we’re excited to announce we’re joining the PlayStation Wallpapers program! Show off your love for Sakura Wars by downloading a set of free wallpapers and adorn your desktop PC, phone, PSN profile, or other device with the gorgeous art featured in the game. Through this far-reaching collaboration, everything has come together into one of the most visually engrossing experiences we have ever delivered. You can discover this for yourself by joining us on the extraordinary journey that is Sakura Wars starting today! View the full article

Deep in a fragmented dreamscape led by a mysterious shadow, horrible monsters stalk the Shadow’s memories. Escape or fight them as you face obstacles and puzzles in the darkness of the Shadow’s mind. We at Playmind are really excited to announce today’s launch of The Inner Friend on PS4. The Inner Friend will guide you through an “Alice in Wonderland” type world where you’ll face many challenges and childhood fears. You’ll be faced with a heavy atmosphere, manage tension and oppression, and will have to accept that you will be vulnerable at certain moments. This game is a combination of horror and psychological genres. Sometimes you’ll have moments of respite where you’ll solve puzzles, and other times you’ll be chased by fears that you will have to face in order to survive. Gameplay is inspired by childhood games like jumping on beds, hide and seek, Marco Polo and more. Players will face different fears that many may have experienced as a child. Whether it is the fear of hospitals, abandonment, the hairdresser, or school, everyone can recognize themselves in these fears. But are you capable of facing them? In addition to going through these fears, you’ll have to gain the confidence of a shadow in order to regain inner peace — which isn’t always easy. Players will also find different artifacts to collect. Tip from the studio: Play it with headphones and a big screen if you can — this is meant to be an immersive experience! Are you ready to face your childhood fears? Take a deep breath and dive into a whole new world. View the full article

When I posted the first Dread Nautical trailer, one of the initial comments was, “that’s not pinball.” And they couldn’t have been more on point there. Over the past few years, new teams have formed at Zen, focused on making games entirely different from pinball. While we will always love pinball, we also love story-driven RPGs such as our recently launched dungeon crawler Operencia: The Stolen Sun, or super genre-mashups like the upcoming CastleStorm II. Further, we are not shy to try things like mashing kung-fu with high energy beat matching in KickBeat (ok, that was crazy). So, you may have known Zen for pinball, but we’re hoping you get to know us for our other passions as well. Which brings us to Dread Nautical, the game you’re actually here to learn about. The game takes a lot of its inspiration from classic titles like Darkest Dungeon and the mysticism of the Lovecraftian universe. Combining that with cartoon-style visuals feels like something of an odd decision, but it’s a flashy opposition to the game’s overall dark theme. The game itself is a rogue-lite survival horror game, with some additional RPG elements. If you wonder what the term rogue-lite means, I got you covered: taking characteristics of roguelike games, such as randomized environment generation, turn-based movement, but presenting them in a lighter complexity, without permadeath, and a bit less planning involved. Your goal in Dread Nautical is to solve the mystery of a cruise ship trapped in another dimension, controlled by a mystical entity: the Dread. Most of the passengers are now merely a wretch of their former selves, serving as thralls to the evil lord of this domain. You will have your choice of characters in a New Game, each with their own fully voiced narrative and perspective: Fargo Drexler, a detective, who’s spending his first vacation in years. Miraje, a singer, looking for easy money by taking a few gigs on the ship. Hatano Kenichi, a former Yakuza member, letting the steam out a bit. Vi Nussbaum, a gamer, who had no intention to be here, but her parents forced her to attend this journey. She just wanted to play at home. :( Each of them has different passive and active abilities, changing the ways of how you can — and how you should — approach different situations. You’ll also find other survivors scattered across the ship, waiting for someone to save them. They are in the same boat (pun intended) as you, and all of them have a set of weapons and skills to help you find a way out of sticky situations. For example, Bill — a war veteran — gives all members of your party an extra action point when landing a killing blow. While exploring the decks below, you want to find some food for yourself and the crew, shed light on the mysteries of the ship, and recruit other survivors. Once you’re back at Deck 0 (your base of operations), you can repair your weapons, upgrade skills, and craft some equipment to use out there. All these aspects of the game fit perfectly into what our idea was when we wanted to touch the horror genre. We aimed to create an atmosphere where monsters could be lurking behind any door and yet have goofy characters with colorful personalities. As we’re getting ready for tomorrow’s launch, it’s a wondrous feeling to look back and see how everything came together, and Zen is incredibly inspired as we look forward to the future with hope and ambition to bring more titles like Dread Nautical to life. View the full article

As our teams at Sony Interactive Entertainment and Worldwide Studios approach development milestones and confront a world changed by COVID-19, we find ourselves having to adapt to today’s ever-changing environment. Amidst some disruptions to our working styles, we wanted to provide an update to PlayStation gamers who are eager to learn when our next exclusive titles will arrive to PlayStation 4. As we begin to see an ease in the global distribution environment, I am pleased to confirm that The Last of Us Part II will arrive on June 19. And Ghost of Tsushima will follow on July 17. I want to personally congratulate and thank both the teams at Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions on their achievements, as we know it’s not an easy feat to reach the finish line under these circumstances. Both teams have worked hard to deliver world-class experiences, and we can’t wait to see what you think of them when they release in just a few short months. And finally, I want to thank the PlayStation Community for their continuous support and patience. View the full article

Hello everyone! I am Ryosuke Hara, lead producer of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Thank you for your support of this game so far. We have new and exciting content coming soon, beginning with a Boss Battle Episode that introduces players to Beerus and Whis from the movie Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods. This upcoming DLC is the first Boss Battle Episode that Season Pass owners can access. The Season Pass includes 2 Boss Battle Episodes and 1 Additional Scenario. In terms of content volume, each Boss Battle Episode is on par with a few Sub Stories combined. The Additional Scenario we will be on-par with one story saga (such as the Saiyan or Frieza sagas). In this first Boss Battle Episode, players will get a chance to go against the strongest opponents they have faced thus far and further increase their growth and power level. However, please keep in the mind that this DLC Episode does not follow the story from the movie; rather, it will have its own original setting, and will mainly focus on battle gameplay. The main focus of this DLC will be improving strength by following Whis’ training regimen, allowing Goku and Vegeta to awaken a new power and finally challenging the ultimate opponent, Beerus. Players will also be able to fight against a level 250 Beerus from the beginning. Confident players should definitely take on this challenge without undergoing Whis’ training. Players are not required to clear the main story campaign to play this DLC, so they are free to play however they like! You can even choose to play the new DLC and achieve the Super Saiyan God form from the beginning, and take out Raditz in one single blow. The second part of this DLC Episode is still undergoing development, and I can’t really spoil any details just yet, but take my advice that it might be best to start leveling and strengthening your characters as much as you can… View the full article

With the release of Moving Out just a day away (you can grab the demo to play now if you can’t wait) I thought we’d talk about our approach to playtesting. It might seem like a simple part of the development process but by starting early and making it a focus it helped shape Moving Out in many ways for the better. Throughout all of 2019 we conducted over 150 different playtest sessions of Moving Out with friends, neighbors and fans, that’s over 120hrs of recorded playtests. Not including the 1,000+ hands on sessions at various gaming events like PAX. Click to enlarge What started out as a casual way to share the tests between the various studios in Melbourne, Sydney, DevM in Sweden and Team17 in the UK, turned into a major part of the game’s QA and level design feedback loop. It also led to the decision to include an “Assist Mode” in the game which is a major element to the game’s accessibility. How did we find enough playtesters? This was the biggest challenge. Finding “fresh” players but then later on finding players who could come back for repeat playtests to conquer the more challenging levels. We set up regular playtest sessions using Calendly and tried to fill 2-4 sessions a week. We kept this Tuesdays and Thursdays to allow time to update the game based on feedback from the previous session. We hounded the local game schools and then Facebook groups for the various platforms. With the offer of playing an unreleased game and candy we were able to find enough willing participants. I think we went through probably 200 bags of candy. So if you want to do this make sure you have a candy budget :) Below is a typical “spread” for the testers. Leftovers were consumed by the team. Here’s my kid watching over some playtesters on the weekend. During the later stages of testing we needed groups of four who could come in multiple times. This group we recruited from a Facebook group could only do weekends. In addition, we also have Team17 providing their own user testing from their internal design team, various departments and local “fresh meat” testers. Keeping it “simple” The process was: P.L.A.Y ( Playtest -> Learn -> Action -> verifY ) I just made that up for this blog post but I like it so we can just pretend we’ve had this patented system all along. We captured the gameplay and recorded players via a webcam using XSplit. That way we could see and hear what they were saying and reacting while playing. One big tip was to have visible build numbers on the game. So any footage captured and screenshots could be directly tied to a specific build! We’d then upload these videos to Youtube and share with the wider team. With development split between the main development team in Melbourne, Jan from DevM in Sweden, Team17 in the UK and myself in Sydney, Youtube was the fastest way to share the files. We’d then do multiple passes through each play test. So that one video might get viewed several times across the studio. For QA it was easier to spot an issue, timestamp it and log a support ticket. That ticket would have a video of the bug in action or a screenshot from the video. For our first game Death Squared, we’d sit in the sessions and try to spot a bug and then have to quickly take notes. When we did capture game footage we didn’t capture the players. This made it much harder to understand if a player was having problems based purely on gameplay. I’d personally watch the videos back at 1.5x speed which saved me many hours vs sitting in the room. This led to a weird feeling that when I watched it back at 1x speed everyone seemed to be talking slowly. I did this so much that I can’t watch Youtube at normal speed now :/ For the level designers they could see and hear how players approached each level. Were they doing what we expected? Did they approach the level in new ways we didn’t expect. We’d notice trends between the various playtests on how players approached things. A simple example is in an early version of the dialogue the “boss” says: “The client said to not break their things.” Which was written as an ironic line as of course they don’t want you to break their things. The problem we found is players take this seriously. So we added the line “Just kidding! They paid for moving insurance. Smash all you want!” It’s subtle but it sets the tone for the game. We want players to embrace the chaos and have fun breaking things. We almost negated that with a throwaway line of dialogue. Recording players also allowed us to see if the jokes were landing and having the audio of people laughing and yelling at each other over your game is really uplifting in a weird way. So if anything that’s worth the effort alone. Navigating the grey area of game design For anything that wasn’t a clear bug we’d describe it in a Google Doc and then do weekly reviews as a team. We’d then create a ticket if it needed to be actioned or ignore it. Game design is a process where many times there is no right or wrong answer. So discussing, sometimes very granular user experience things, with everyone having video to refer to made this process pretty smooth. Impact on Level Designs Passing over to Dave and Brodie who lead the level design for the game: Having people play the game in front of you allowed for some really quick iteration and validation of ideas. These could be as simple as ‘did players navigate levels in the way we expected?’ or ‘did they try any unintended/unexpected routes?’. This allowed us to feel more confident about our ideas and have less assumptions. One of the standout game mechanics that was born through user testing was the co-throw. In one of the playtests, the players tried to chuck a photocopier over the side of a balcony. At this stage, we’d only really let users throw smaller objects, but these testers opened us up to the idea that we could try a cooperative throw! By working together to swing big ticket items and releasing at just the right moment, we could allow players to throw hefty objects over balconies, pools and into fully-loaded trucks. This simple idea changed the game so quickly! The Tutorial: we wanted to be hands off with the testers and allow for consistent testing across multiple offices which led to the development of the tutorial early on in the testing process. This meant every tester had the same introductory experience and we could then compare sessions to make better informed decisions. And now over to John, the producer on the game: Impact on Production At times the flood of user data was overwhelming. We were iterating on mechanics we hadn’t finished yet or were put into the game that morning and not fully realised yet by the designers. It was challenging to maintain focus and priorities throughout the process. As an example our archived feedback document which listed discussion points or issues in bullet point form sits at over 260 pages! User testing reiterated we were on the right path and that the game was at its most fun when played with two or more players. Seeing users working together, communicating and laughing was so encouraging. It also highlighted that single player needed more work and we pushed forward to add some functionality you see in assist mode like ‘Lighter 2P items’ and also a new way of playing called ‘Dual Move Mode’ in which a single player can control 2 movers on the one controller. Bring your ambidexterity and hemispheric dominance in equal measure! As a developer you are always confronted with bugs and issues that need fixing. The most time consuming of these are the ones that are not reproducible. Lucky for us we had mountains of user test footage. One such issue we encountered was players not being able to finish a level because a box movable had seemingly disappeared. It wasn’t in the truck, nor was it in the level. As it turned out re-watching the video showed that the box had failed to respawn after being thrown into the water because another physics object had been placed in the box’s initial spawn position. This led to us creating a more involved respawning system including a ui prompt when something is blocking something from spawning into the game world. As a result user testing allowed us to keep the game stable, playable and devoid of serious bugs throughout development not only because it highlighted the issues in the game but there was always another build needed for the next lot of users coming to play the game in the next day or so. Impact on Art? Jon, Moving Out’s art director says “One of the immense benefits of broad user testing is that we were able to see where particular elements of the visual communication were not optimised for players to read quickly and at a range of distances. In a game where the camera frame can zoom significantly far out to encapsulate the positioning of up to four characters — making sure the player is able to cut through visual noise and understand the gameplay space underneath is of primary importance. One valuable thing we learned as a direct result of user testing was that adding a uniform colour tint to both the wall and floor treatment of a room, made it not only easier to identify as a distinct zone due to the added cohesion — but also built on the vocabulary players could use to coordinate with each other. The spaces overall felt more unified and players were able to call out that they were clearing out the ‘purple room’ for instance, leading to a better toolkit for cooperation.” Overall impact on the game The biggest impact on the game outside of the tightly designed gameplay is the game’s “Assist Mode.” We were at a crossroads with how difficult it was to make the game. Do we tune the game to be easier or do we remove some of the obstacles that players were getting stuck on regularly? With the playtesting sessions you could see people getting stuck but also still having fun. Places where players regularly failed, they learned and on the second or third try succeeded. But some players were also frustrated. These were fully abled players who just got stuck and you could see their frustration. What about players with less ability or less patience? We wanted Moving Out to be tuned for FUN not Frustration. The solution was the Assist Mode. We were able to offer a variety of game functionality to allow players to tune the game to suit their needs. With the Assist Mode you can extend the levels time, remove danger, make items lighter, remove them as they are added to the truck and just skip a level if you fail it. The extensive playtesting not only informed us what functionality we should allow tweaking for but also that it was a valid idea. It’s become more of an accessibility focus for us lately as we realize this can help more people enjoy the game. Now the game is finished it’s quite interesting to look back on how far the game has progressed since the first playtest session. If you’re a game developer we encourage you to record as many playtests as you can. It’s cost effective and the time it takes to set up is saved many times over. And if you’re a player, reach out to your local indie developers and see if they need someone to help them playtest their game and eat their candy. We hope the hundreds of playtest sessions have paid off and everyone enjoys the game. We have a free demo to try with a small sample of the 50 levels available in the game. View the full article

A gaming legend returns! Streets of Rage 4 brawls to PS4 next week, more than 25 years (!) after the series’ third entry. Developer Lizardcube brings their expert animation chops to the table, brilliantly reimagining characters Blaze, Axel, and more… but new fighters join the ranks too. Old-school fans can indulge with playable retro sprites, as well — chunky pixels and all. Other highlights dropping next week include Moving Out, Telling Lies, Sakura Wars, and Snowrunner. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Active NeuronsPS4, PS Vita — Digital (Out Apr. 29) Active Neurons is a game that trains the player in spatial logical thinking. By controlling the power of thought, you must charge the neurons. The more the neurons are charged, the healthier the brain becomes. The healthier the brain becomes, the more of a fully-fledged life the person will live. Arcade SpiritsPS4 — Digital, Retail (Out May 1) What if the 1983 video game marketing crash never happened? Set in 20XX, Arcade Spirits is a visual novel romantic comedy with a different history, where arcades still reign supreme as the ultimate place to play. After a period of turbulent employment, your character starts an exciting new job at the Funplex: a popular local arcade with a team of staff that are as eccentric as the customers. Book of DemonsPS4 — Digital (Out Apr. 30) Book of Demons is a Hack & Slash Deck-building hybrid in which you decide the length of quests. Wield magic cards and slay the armies of darkness in the Old Cathedral dungeons. Save the terror-stricken Paperverse from the clutches of the Archdemon! Daymare: 1998PS4 — Digital Daymare: 1998 is a third-person survival horror game that recreates the mood of iconic titles from the ’90s, with a fresh storyline. An incident that turns a small town into a deadly zone, three characters to play with and little time to find the truth, before its mutated citizens abruptly end your mission. Down the Rabbit HolePS VR — Digital (Out May 1) Down the Rabbit Hole is a VR adventure set in Wonderland prior to Alice’s arrival. You will guide a girl who is looking for her lost pet by solving puzzles, uncovering secrets and making choices about the story along the way. Dread NauticalPS4 — Digital (Out Apr. 29) Your cruise was so relaxing until the monsters from another dimension showed up to kill everyone. Fight them off, manage your resources effectively, and convince scattered survivors to join your efforts. A captivatingly eerie tactical turn-based RPG. Gun CrazyPS4 — Digital Gun Crazy is a fast paced and hectic arcade style action shoot em’ up in this homage to classic old school classics! Become the fiercest lady on the police force! Take out the bad guys through four unique levels filled with challenging bosses and powerful special guns. The Inner FriendPS4 — Digital Led by a mysterious Shadow, face fears and nightmares inhabiting its materialized subconscious universe. Dive into a unique and eerie world to relive the Shadow’s childhood memories and overcome them to restore what was once a safe haven. Dark and scary, mysterious at times, the world of The Inner Friend is a surrealist representation of memories and fears. Jigsaw AbundancePS4 — Digital Now with more themes and puzzles, including 10 different themes to choose from, four different difficulty settings to adjust anytime during playing, 50 high quality puzzle images, the ability to adjust background themes, and soft, relaxing and cheerful music. Moving OutPS4 — Digital, Retail Moving Out is a ridiculous physics-based moving simulator that brings new meaning to ‘couch co-op’! Take on moving jobs across the town of Packmore. Enjoy the story mode solo or as a team of four friends, move through sleepy suburbs, frenzied farms, haunted houses and lands beyond to grow your company’s reputation! Sakura WarsPS4 — Digital, Retail The Imperial Combat Revue takes the stage as Tokyo’s defense against demons in this extravagant adventure. Soldiers in wartime, theater performers in peacetime, the Flower Division is not living up to its legacy and risks being shut down. As newly appointed captain Kamiyama, it’s up to you to turn things around. Snowrunner PS4 — Digital, Retail Get ready for the next-generation off-road experience! Drive powerful vehicles and overcome extreme open environments: mud, torrential waters, snow, frozen lakes, with 40 unique vehicles to unlock, upgrade, and customize. Go solo or play with other players in 4-player co-op. Streets of Rage 4PS4 — Digital (Out Apr. 30) Amongst the best beat’em up series ever created, jammin’ ‘90s beats and over the top street beating, the iconic series Streets of Rage comes back with a masterful tribute to and revitalization of the classic action fans adore. Telling LiesPS4 — Digital An investigative thriller game with non-linear storytelling, Telling Lies revolves around a cache of secretly recorded video conversations. Starring Logan Marshall-Green, Alexandra Shipp, Kerry Bishé, Angela Sarafyan and directed by Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Pardon our dust! In the coming months, you may notice the occasional discrepancy in The Drop as we’re updating the back-end systems we pull game info from to populate our list. We will, of course, strive to correct any mistakes as they arise. Thanks for your patience! View the full article

PlayStation · Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 362 – Materia Possession Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here This week, we dive into the deep end of Final Fantasy VII Remake spoilers. Let’s talk about that ending! If you haven’t finished the game yet, don’t worry — we’ll warn you before we get there. Plus, we chat with the inimitable Ramone Russell from San Diego Studio for an update on all things MLB The Show. Listen in! Stuff We Talked About MLB The Show interview with Ramone Russell Final Fantasy VII Remake spoiler discussion at the end of the show Streets of Rage 4 Stranded Deep out now on PS4 Snowrunner Predator Hunting Grounds God of War’s second anniversary The Cast Justin Massongill – Content Communications Manager, SIE Tim Turi – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE Kristen Zitani – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

Last week, we equipped our favorite Materia and asked you to share your best moments from Final Fantasy VII Remake using #PS4share and #PSBlog. From scenic heartwrenching views to delightful Chocobo sightings, here are this week’s highlights: Cloud looks down at tragic destruction in contemplative shot by GamerSWIG77. IxionVII shows Cloud, Barret, and Tifa posing in front of some Avalanche graffiti. Anyone need a ride? Lorsteibel shared this moment with a Chocobo carriage. Cloud and Aerith share a moment amongst the flowers in this share by scottoka1. Virtua_photo shares this striking portrait of Aerith. Cloud makes a visit to Wall Market and all its neon lights in this share by Vlladan_P. Search #PS4share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? Theme: Green Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, April 22 Next week, we’re feeling green. Share verdant fields, emerald gems, lime neon lights, and everything in between in the shade of green using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Final Fantasy VII is an important game. Not only to the millions of gamers whose lives it has touched over the past two decades, but to Square Enix as well — FF7 is far and away the most recognizable game developed by the JRPG powerhouse. So the idea of going back to square one and retelling this timeless story with a completely new game built for modern hardware seems like an impossible task. The tech of the 1997 original may be dated at this point, but the feelings we all have for our first visit to Midgar have only strengthened as we’ve grown older. How do you rekindle that love? How do you recreate Final Fantasy VII without disappointing — or enraging — one of the most passionate fanbases in gaming? Many of the cinematic shots in Remake will pluck at the heartstrings of those who played the original game, while still evoking a sense of magic and wonder for new players. Final Fantasy VII Remake, against all odds, achieves this and more. The act of playing Final Fantasy VII Remake is a fascinating experience. This is not a slavish, blow-by-blow recreation of the original game with a new coat of paint. Instead, it feels like Square Enix used the original as a framework and asked “What kind of game would Final Fantasy VII be if it were made today?” That isn’t to say this grand, ambitious revisit doesn’t tug at my ever-nostalgic heartstrings — it manages to find just the right balance between old and new, impressively evoking its legendary pedigree while simultaneously surprising die-hard fans by sprinkling in clever twists and entirely new sequences. A special shout out to the vocal performances on display, too: Characters are cast perfectly, somehow sounding just like I imagined they would during my very first playthrough of the 1997 classic. Fan-favorite side characters like Shinra’s Turks are impeccably realized, supported by pitch-perfect performances that highlight their distinct personalities. The music in Remake is a high point (I, uh… may or may not have already pre-ordered the 7-disc soundtrack). These are not just orchestrated versions of the songs we know, but ground-up rebuilds from their very foundations, honoring what made the original compositions legendary but taking confident — and wholly earned — liberties with them. This one’s gonna be in my daily rotation for a while. And the cutscenes! In the JRPGs of the 32-bit era — Final Fantasy VII included — cutscenes always felt like a reward for conquering a section of the game. I was constantly waiting to see what graphical marvels the next pre-rendered scene had in store. Technology has improved to the point that the lines between gameplay and cutscene are dramatically less clear, but Remake still has plenty of bombastic action sequences up its sleeve. More importantly, the cutscenes in Remake evoke the same direction and quirky energy of the original, often drawing a clear line in my mind between the two and reinforcing that this is, indeed, still Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII Remake embraces the quirkiness of the original game, especially when it comes to some of the more… outlandish Summons you can invoke during battle. In battle, characters have unique, wholly distinct abilities and fighting styles, all of which are built around the character’s personality and how that character would, you know, actually fight. Tifa’s setup is most intriguing to me: her kinetic, lightning-fast flurries of punches and kicks weave effectively with her more powerful command attacks, making for a playstyle that should be interesting to see at higher levels of play, once players start to truly wrap their heads around the potential of Remake’s combat system. An honorable mention goes to Aerith, though: as you hold Square, she twirls her staff with a carefree grace, deftly lobbing long-range magical attacks from a safe distance. Trying to sum up this grand, ambitious, almost impossible project is exceptionally difficult. The word that keeps coming to mind when I try to describe Final Fantasy VII Remake to people is “spectacular.” But I don’t just mean spectacular as in “really good” — I mean it in the literal sense. This game is a spectacle on multiple levels. Aerith’s magical prowess earned her a permanent spot in my party by the end of the game. Combining her devastating spells with Cloud’s unrelenting physical attacks can make short work of most enemies if you know how to exploit their weaknesses. Final Fantasy VII is a rare entry in the pantheon of all-time gaming greats that truly deserved to be remade so a new generation of players could experience this timeless tale, and so those of us who grew up bathed in the light of the lifestream could experience that magic once more. Final Fantasy VII Remake stands proudly alongside its forebear, ready to inherit its legacy and keep its flame burning bright. View the full article

In the aftermath of a mysterious plane crash, you are Stranded Deep in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Alone and without any means to call for help, you must do what you can to survive… So what can you do? Here are eight tips and tricks to help you not only survive, but thrive! 1. Don’t Lose Your Raft! You may be tempted to jump right into that crystal clear water and make your way to shore — don’t. If you do, there’s a good chance your raft will float off into the sunset along with all your precious emergency food rations. Instead, paddle your way to shore and use the dragging feature to bring it onto dry land. The dragging feature can be used on any interactive item or object and is a great way to carry around a large object, flip your raft, or organise materials. It’s also important not to lose your paddle so be sure to attach it back onto the raft when you’re done. 2. Check More Than The Time. Health, Hunger, Thirst, and Sunstroke; manage and monitor these vitals through an interactive survival watch. Cure poisons, heal broken bones, and bandage bleeding to stay alive. Your survival watch is your best friend and regularly checking it will ensure you stay on top. Ignore it — you die! 3. Avoid Being Poisoned Speaking of best friends — these are not! The ‘Crown of Thorns’ Starfish, Snakes, and Lionfish, will absolutely wreck your week and could cost you your life… Starting out it is vital to avoid any interaction with these creatures. If you do get poisoned try to ride it out by keeping your thirst and hunger up, or at later levels craft an Antidote. 4. Water Is Life Ironically, water is hard to come by in the Pacific Ocean; Drinking salt water from the ocean is worse than not drinking at all, so you will need to find a way to obtain fresh drinking water… Make it your life goal to craft a Water Still. It works by using the sun’s heat to evaporate the condensation from leaves and into a small flask. Not many survivors know this, but you can use Palm Fronds instead of Fibrous Leaves to fill it up. Fibrous Leaves are very important to save to make Lashings — so instead use Palm Fronds when starting out. Another quick way to get water is by drinking Coconuts. But be warned: drinking too many will cause you to lose more water from your body than you put in, if you know what I mean…. 5. Save, Save, Save! Chances are, you’re going to die — a lot! Make it a frequent habit to save at any Shelter or Bed. That way if you do die and you’re not on the Permadeath difficulty you can resume right where you left off. If by now you’ve followed the tutorial correctly then you should already have a pretty basic looking campsite. “Is this all there is to life now?” you wonder. Far from it! Read on to see what else Stranded Deep has to offer… 6. Explore, Scavenge, Loot As you look on at the beautiful sunset sinking into the horizon while drinking your 47th coconut, you may notice other larger islands, shipwrecks, shelters, and mysterious structures. Build up the courage to explore these procedurally generated environments! Your starting yellow dingy will do the job, albeit slowly, so work on construction a real raft with a sail, and rudder, or even a boat motor if you can find all the parts! Looting shipwrecks is an excellent way to quickly progress. But watch out for sharks, and be careful not to drown. 7. Build A Home Away From Home Have you found the perfect island to set up a base? Gather resources and construct your very own home from the dozens of building materials and pieces. You can even decorate your own home with the objects you find, crafted furniture, animals, containers, and even trophies. 8. Dominate If setting down roots and ruling the Pacific just isn’t for you then take on the ‘End Game.’ Discover the means to escape the Pacific by completing a set of objectives which include taking on three epic creatures that rule the waters! Compare your escape time with your friends through the interactive leaderboards, or become the perfect survivor by unlocking all the games trophies and achievements. Stranded Deep offers a unique gaming experience that for some, may find an initial challenge that results in many deaths. We recommend getting familiar with the controls and interactions. If you are still finding it too difficult then try adjusting the difficulty settings and remember to frequently save your game at any shelter or bed. Stay Alive! Beam Team View the full article

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to dive back into the world of Ivalice, then we have some great news — a new update for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is releasing today. It’s also just in time for today’s Big in Japan sale, which goes live later today, and in which the game is a massive 50% off! If you haven’t tried it, now’s the time, because the new patch brings some significant changes to the game — many of which have been highly requested by fans. Here’s just a brief look at what’s being added: You can now reset licenses In Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, you assign each character in your party up to two licenses. Think of these as jobs – they define the role they’ll play in battle. So for example, the dashing Balthier could deal out damage as a Knight, and soak it up with the big buff brawny Foebreaker license. Or the noble Ashe could couple the destructive magic of a Black Mage with support spells of a Time Battlemage. It’s an incredibly flexible system that gives you a lot of control – though fans had one issue with it. Once you had assigned a role to a character, you couldn’t reset it. That’s not the case anymore. Simply head over to Rabanastre (the city where the game starts), and visit Montblanc, the leader of Clan Centurio. He’ll let you change your licenses, allowing you to re-spec characters and try out new combinations to your heart’s content! You now have 3 Gambit sets Another key part of Final Fantasy XII is setting Gambits. These allow you to set remarkably precise behaviors for your team in battle — if someone’s health drops to critical, cast a healing spell, or prioritize the strongest enemy in a fight and so on. Experimenting with different Gambits is one of the most entertaining parts of the game, and now it’s even more convenient. You can set up to three sets of instructions, and switch between them at will. That allows you to create team set-ups for different scenarios much more easily than before. Say, for example, your current tactics are focused on taking down mobs of enemies quickly. If you run into a powerful foe or boss, they may not be particularly effective. Now, you can instantly switch to a new Gambit set-up — perhaps one that’s more focused on dealing damage to a specific target, or keeping the team on their feet. It means you can spend less time in menus, and more time focusing on exploration and overall battle strategy. The original Final Fantasy XII OST is now available Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age features a fully re-orchestrated soundtrack — and it’s really quite wonderful in our opinion. But we know some people prefer the original — that’s why The Zodiac Age lets you switch back to the original PS2 music if you prefer. With the new patch, there’s now a third music option available for everyone — the original game’s OST. It hews close to the PS2 version, but with higher quality samples and different instrumentation in some cases. You can switch between soundtracks in the menu, so take a listen and see which audio option you prefer. After all, there are no wrong answers here – they’re all great in their own way. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age on sale We hope you enjoy the additions to Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age — they make a great RPG even greater. For anyone yet to experience this one-of-a-kind RPG, here’s a PSA: the PlayStation Big in Japan sale begins today, offering sizable savings on many of the greatest games from Japan. Naturally, that includes Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. Other Final Fantasy games have discounts too, including Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, and more. View the full article

The FIA Certified GT Championships 2020 series is gearing up again and drivers can enter two distinct series. The Nations Cup is an individual competition where players compete under their national flag. In the Manufacturer Series, competitors represent their favorite make against all other participating manufacturers. The Gran Turismo Championship is certified by the (FIA) Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. Beginning in 2018 the Championships has seen success in the last years working to shift gears and perceptions of online racing, encouraging supporters, manufacturers, real world racers, media and FIA experts to consider it as a turning point in the future of motorsport. So, how does the new season look? The FIA Gran Turismo Championships are split into three Stages each consisting of 10 Rounds. The Championships are also split into five Regions across the globe: EMEA; Asia; North America; Central & South America; and Oceania. During each Stage, the top ranked players will be invited to compete against each other in their own Top 16 Superstars races. All of the Top 16 Superstars races will be broadcast on the official Gran Turismo YouTube channel with the first broadcast of each of the Regions set to take place as follows: EMEA and Asia Regions Sunday: May 3 North America and Central & South America Regions: May 4 How do I participate? Eligible players who wish to join the competition must complete the GT Sport Mode registration form which is available via the ‘Sport Mode’ within the game. After selecting to race in either the ‘Nations Cup’ or ‘Manufacturer Series’ Championship, or both, they will need to register for and compete in online races which take place on given dates and times. Scores are tallied at the end of each Stage by totalling the points earned in their best races from all previous Rounds which will determine their position in the overall ranking. Where can I see the action? All of the Top 16 Superstars races will be broadcast on the official Gran Turismo YouTube channel with the first broadcast of the EMEA and Asia Regions set to take place on Sunday, May 3, and can be seen in North America; Central & South America; and Oceania on May 4. Due to the current Covid-19 situation, there are currently no live showcases planned to bring together the top leaders of the online stages, but that doesn’t mean the tension on the tracks of these Top 16 Superstars races will be any less compelling. All information on the new season and how to watch the streams can be found here: https://www.gran-turismo.com/world/gtsport/fia_championships/ View the full article

This is a moment we have been waiting all our lives for — I am extremely excited to announce that Deliver Us The Moon launches today on PlayStation 4! Deliver Us The Moon is a space sci-fi adventure game that draws endless inspiration from sci-fi movie titans such as Interstellar and Gravity. These films have heart. They feature breathtaking scenery, gorgeous cinematography and stupendously immersive atmospheres. But as we took our first steps in developing Deliver Us The Moon, we realized there was one more thing these films had in common: they made you believe it could be real. So we knew that we needed to ground our story in a realistic, plausible setting — if we wanted players to feel like an astronaut, it had to feel real. But how do you make a science-fiction game feel real? Launching your rocket It’s tempting to overlook the procedures and complications involved with launching a rocket into space — but as we all well know, it takes more than simply pressing a ‘Launch!’ button. Thankfully, NASA has an enormous library of publicly available information, including the order of events that are involved with blasting a vessel into space. So when you get to launch your own rocket in Deliver Us The Moon, we need you to take care of these gaseous oxygen vent arms, sound suppression systems and hydrogen burn-off igniters! An elevator to the moon It may sound impossible, but an enormous elevator tethering a space station to the moon has been the subject of more than a few serious studies. Efficiency is a crucial factor in space travel, so if we’re going to make regular trips to the moon and back again, we need to make sure we save fuel wherever we can. One way of doing so is by eliminating some fuel-heavy moments on our trips — such as landing. A space elevator would allow us to dock our vessels onto a space station and reach the moon without having to burn precious fuel to land on (and depart from) its surface. Perhaps we’ll never create such a colossal elevator, but it’s a fascinating idea, and one that makes for a pretty picture. Transmitting energy — wirelessly The story of Deliver Us The Moon centers around a colony on the moon that had one goal: to provide energy to Earth. A key element to the colony’s success was to be able to get the energy from the moon to Earth as efficiently as possible (there’s a recurring theme here). When we looked into how this would work, we came upon Japanese research about getting power wirelessly from one point to another using microwaves. While this technology — Microwave Power Transmission — isn’t viable yet for long distances, it inspires hope for our future. If this technology improves, steel lattice towers and overhead power lines may well be a thing of the past. Helium-3 So how would this lunar colony generate enough energy to keep the lights on back on Earth? The moon is a pretty desolate place, but due to its lack of a magnetic field, it’s been bombarded with Helium-3 by solar wind. If we could extract and process these isotopes, it could well serve as a potent source of energy instead of the fossil fuels we’re currently burning at an alarming rate. As with Microwave Power Transmission, it’s not a viable alternative right now — but it could be in the future. A future in which we, hopefully, have learned to take responsibility and have established a sustainable relationship with our planet. A future that isn’t as ominous as it is in Deliver Us The Moon. We cannot wait for you to experience all of this, and more, in Deliver Us The Moon. Perhaps you will find even more examples of other realistic technologies in the game? View the full article

PlayStation Store’s Big in Japan sale hits tomorrow – celebrating the studios and diverse range of gameplay offerings that originate from the Land of the Rising Sun. That means it’s the perfect chance to showcase your stylish action moves while battling a stunning array of monsters in Capcom’s acclaimed Devil May Cry 5: Deluxe Edition. And the prime time to rediscover a RPG classic in a whole new way with Final Fantasy VIII Remastered. Anime and manga fan? Battle it out with some legendary characters in One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows. These are just some of the experiences that await. Check out a sampling of titles below, then head over to PlayStation Store tomorrow morning for the full lineup. PS Store’s Big in Japan sale ends Friday, May 8th at 8am PST. PS4 Games $Sale $Original .HACK//G.U. LAST RECODE $12.99 $49.99 ACCEL WORLD VS SWORD ART ONLINE $14.99 $59.99 AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES $29.99 $59.99 AKIBA’S TRIP: UNDEAD & UNDRESSED $8.99 $29.99 ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION ARCADE CLASSICS $8.99 $19.99 ATELIER DUSK TRILOGY DELUXE PACK $71.99 $89.99 BIRTHDAYS THE BEGINNING $15.99 $39.99 BLACK CLOVER: QUARTET KNIGHTS $14.99 $59.99 BLACK CLOVER: QUARTET KNIGHTS DELUXE EDITION $18.74 $74.99 BLACK DESERT: DELUXE EDITION $24.99 $49.99 BLACK DESERT: STANDARD EDITION $14.99 $29.99 BLACK DESERT: ULTIMATE EDITION $49.99 $99.99 BLAZBLUE: CENTRAL FICTION $17.99 $59.99 CAPCOM BEAT ‘EM UP BUNDLE $9.99 $19.99 CASTLEVANIA ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION $8.99 $19.99 CASTLEVANIA REQUIEM: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT & RONDO OF BLOOD $8.99 $19.99 CATHERINE: FULL BODY $29.99 $59.99 CHOCOBO’S MYSTERY DUNGEON EVERY BUDDY! $19.99 $39.99 CODE: REALIZE ~BOUQUET OF RAINBOWS~ $14.99 $49.99 CONCEPTION PLUS: MAIDENS OF THE TWELVE STARS $29.99 $59.99 CONTRA ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION $8.99 $19.99 CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS $9.99 $39.99 CRYSTAR $23.99 $59.99 DANGANRONPA 1•2 RELOAD $19.99 $39.99 DANGANRONPA ANOTHER EPISODE: ULTRA DESPAIR GIRLS $14.99 $29.99 DARK SOULS III – DELUXE EDITION $21.24 $84.99 DARK SOULS: REMASTERED $23.99 $39.99 DATE A LIVE: RIO REINCARNATION $15.99 $39.99 DEAD OR ALIVE 6 $20.99 $59.99 DEAD OR ALIVE 6 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $27.99 $79.99 DEATH END REQUEST $15.99 $39.99 DEVIL MAY CRY 4 SPECIAL EDITION $7.49 $24.99 DEVIL MAY CRY 5 DELUXE EDITION (WITH RED ORBS) $24.99 $49.99 DEVIL MAY CRY HD COLLECTION $14.99 $29.99 DEVIL MAY CRY HD COLLECTION & 4SE BUNDLE $22.49 $44.99 DIGIMON STORY: CYBER SLEUTH – HACKER’S MEMORY $14.99 $59.99 DIGIMON WORLD: NEXT ORDER $8.99 $59.99 DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT $14.99 $29.99 DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $22.49 $44.99 DMC DEVIL MAY CRY: DEFINITIVE EDITION $9.99 $39.99 DMC4SE DEMON HUNTER BUNDLE $8.99 $35.99 DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE $7.99 $39.99 DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE + SEASON PASS BUNDLE $12.99 $64.99 DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 $8.99 $59.99 DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE SUPER BUNDLE $12.74 $84.99 DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS $35.99 $59.99 DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 $35.99 $59.99 DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $47.99 $79.99 DRAGON QUEST HEROES II EXPLORER’S EDITION $29.99 $59.99 DRAGON QUEST HEROES: THE WORLD TREE’S WOE AND THE BLIGHT BELOW $19.99 $39.99 DRAGON QUEST XI – DIGITAL EDITION OF LIGHT $29.99 $59.99 DRAGON’S CROWN PRO $6.99 $19.99 DRAGON’S DOGMA: DARK ARISEN $9.89 $29.99 DUSK DIVER $29.99 $39.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1: THE SHADOW OF NEW DESPAIR $9.99 $19.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 $35.99 $59.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 DELUXE EDITION $53.99 $89.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN ULTIMATE EDITION $44.99 $89.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE:IRON RAIN $29.99 $59.99 FAIRY FENCER F: ADVENT DARK FORCE $3.99 $19.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK $29.99 $49.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $35.99 $59.99 FATE/EXTELLA: THE UMBRAL STAR $14.99 $29.99 FIGHTING EX LAYER (STANDARD VERSION) $11.99 $39.99 FINAL FANTASY IX DIGITAL EDITION $10.49 $20.99 FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD $9.99 $19.99 FINAL FANTASY VII $7.99 $15.99 FINAL FANTASY VIII REMASTERED $9.99 $19.99 FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD REMASTER $12.49 $24.99 FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE $24.99 $49.99 FINAL FANTASY XV MULTIPLAYER: COMRADES $4.99 $9.99 FINAL FANTASY XV ROYAL EDITION $17.49 $34.99 FIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD $14.99 $49.99 FIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD DELUXE EDITION $26.99 $89.99 FIST OF THE NORTH STAR: LOST PARADISE $19.99 $39.99 GAL*GUN 2 $11.24 $44.99 GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES $7.49 $14.99 GOD EATER 2: RAGE BURST $14.99 $59.99 GOD EATER 3 $23.99 $59.99 GOD EATER: RESURRECTION $4.99 $19.99 GUILTY GEAR XRD -REVELATOR- $9.99 $19.99 GUILTY GEAR XRD REV 2 $11.99 $39.99 GUNDAM VERSUS $14.99 $59.99 HARVEST MOON: A WONDERFUL LIFE SPECIAL EDITION $7.49 $14.99 HARVEST MOON: LIGHT OF HOPE SE BUNDLE $24.99 $49.99 HARVEST MOON: LIGHT OF HOPE SPECIAL EDITION $19.99 $39.99 HARVEST MOON: SAVE THE HOMELAND $7.49 $14.99 I AM SETSUNA $19.99 $39.99 JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: EYES OF HEAVEN BUNDLE $8.99 $59.99 JUDGMENT $29.99 $59.99 LABYRINTH OF REFRAIN: COVEN OF DUSK $24.99 $49.99 LITTLE WITCH ACADEMIA: CHAMBER OF TIME $12.49 $49.99 LOST SPHEAR $19.99 $49.99 MEGA MAN 11 $14.99 $29.99 MEGA MAN 30TH ANNIVERSARY BUNDLE $40.19 $59.99 MEGA MAN LEGACY COLLECTION $5.99 $14.99 MEGA MAN LEGACY COLLECTION 1 AND 2 COMBO PACK $14.99 $29.99 MEGA MAN LEGACY COLLECTION 2 $9.99 $19.99 MEGA MAN X LEGACY COLLECTION $9.99 $19.99 MEGA MAN X LEGACY COLLECTION 1+2 $19.99 $39.99 MEGA MAN X LEGACY COLLECTION 2 $9.99 $19.99 MEGADIMENSION NEPTUNIA VII $3.99 $19.99 METAL SLUG 3 $3.74 $14.99 METAL SLUG ANTHOLOGY $9.99 $19.99 METAL SLUG XX $7.99 $19.99 MONSTER HUNTER WORLD: ICEBORNE MASTER EDITION DIGITAL DELUXE $46.89 $69.99 MONSTER OF THE DEEP: FINAL FANTASY XV $14.99 $29.99 MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE $19.79 $59.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM 2 $9.99 $19.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM 3 FULL BURST $9.99 $19.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM 4 $17.99 $59.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO $24.99 $49.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM LEGACY $34.99 $69.99 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM TRILOGY $19.99 $39.99 NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER $8.99 $59.99 NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER DELUXE EDITION $20.69 $89.99 NARUTO: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM $9.99 $19.99 NELKE & THE LEGENDARY ALCHEMISTS ~ATELIERS OF THE NEW WORLD~ $29.99 $59.99 NI NO KUNI: WRATH OF THE WHITE WITCH REMASTERED $28.99 $49.99 NITROPLUS BLASTERZ: HEROINES INFINITE DUEL $7.99 $19.99 ODIN SPHERE LEIFTHRASIR $23.99 $59.99 OKAMI HD $9.99 $19.99 ONE PIECE BURNING BLOOD – GOLD EDITION $12.67 $84.49 ONE PIECE: BURNING BLOOD $11.99 $59.99 ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 3 $11.99 $59.99 ONE PUNCH MAN: A HERO NOBODY KNOWS $35.99 $59.99 ONECHANBARA Z2: CHAOS $8.99 $29.99 ONIMUSHA: WARLORDS $9.99 $19.99 ONINAKI $24.99 $49.99 PATAPON 2 REMASTERED $7.49 $14.99 PERSONA 3: DANCING IN MOONLIGHT $20.09 $29.99 PERSONA 5: DANCING IN STARLIGHT $20.09 $29.99 PERSONA DANCING: ENDLESS NIGHT COLLECTION $21.99 $54.99 PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY TRILOGY $14.99 $29.99 PIXELJUNK MONSTERS 2 $2.99 $14.99 PIXELJUNK MONSTERS 2 DELUXE EDITION $4.39 $21.99 RESIDENT EVIL $4.99 $19.99 RESIDENT EVIL 0 $4.99 $19.99 RESIDENT EVIL 2 DELUXE EDITION $22.99 $49.99 RESIDENT EVIL 4 $7.99 $19.99 RESIDENT EVIL 5 $7.99 $19.99 RESIDENT EVIL 6 $7.99 $19.99 RESIDENT EVIL CODE: VERONICA X $7.49 $14.99 ROMANCING SAGA 3 $21.74 $28.99 SAGA SCARLET GRACE: AMBITIONS $22.49 $29.99 SAINT SEIYA SOLDIERS’ SOUL $14.99 $59.99 SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL $7.49 $14.99 SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 EMPIRES $19.99 $49.99 SAMURAI WARRIORS: SPIRIT OF SANADA $24.99 $49.99 SCHOOL GIRL/ZOMBIE HUNTER $11.99 $39.99 SENRAN KAGURA BURST RE:NEWAL $15.99 $39.99 SENRAN KAGURA BURST RE:NEWAL – TAILOR-MADE EDITION $19.99 $49.99 SHINING RESONANCE REFRAIN $11.99 $29.99 SNK HEROINES TAG TEAM FRENZY $29.99 $49.99 SONG OF MEMORIES $15.99 $39.99 SOULCALIBUR VI $17.99 $59.99 STAR OCEAN : INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS $11.99 $29.99 STAR OCEAN FIRST DEPARTURE R $14.69 $20.99 STAR OCEAN TILL THE END OF TIME $10.49 $20.99 STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE – 4K AND FULL HD REMASTER $10.49 $20.99 STREET FIGHTER 30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION $14.79 $39.99 STREET FIGHTER V $7.99 $19.99 STRIDER $2.99 $14.99 SWORD ART ONLINE RE: HOLLOW FRAGMENT $3.99 $19.99 SWORD ART ONLINE: FATAL BULLET $9.99 $39.99 SWORD ART ONLINE: FATAL BULLET COMPLETE EDITION $17.49 $69.99 SWORD ART ONLINE: HOLLOW REALIZATION $11.99 $59.99 SWORD ART ONLINE: HOLLOW REALIZATION DELUXE EDITION $16.99 $84.99 SWORD ART ONLINE: LOST SONG $8.99 $59.99 TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: DRUM SESSION! $14.99 $49.99 TALES OF BERSERIA $14.99 $59.99 TALES OF VESPERIA: DEFINITIVE EDITION $19.99 $49.99 THE CALIGULA EFFECT: OVERDOSE $24.99 $49.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97 GLOBAL MATCH $3.74 $14.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2000 $2.99 $9.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS COLLECTION: THE OROCHI SAGA $7.49 $14.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV $19.99 $39.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY EDITION $26.99 $59.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS™ ’98 ULTIMATE MATCH $3.74 $14.99 THE LAST REMNANT REMASTERED $9.99 $19.99 THE LEGEND OF HEROES: TRAILS OF COLD STEEL $23.99 $39.99 THE LEGEND OF HEROES: TRAILS OF COLD STEEL II $27.99 $39.99 THE QUIET MAN $4.94 $14.99 THE YAKUZA REMASTERED COLLECTION $44.99 $59.99 TOKYO CHRONOS $34.99 $49.99 TOKYO DARK – REMEMBRANCE – $9.99 $19.99 TOKYO XANADU EX+ $11.99 $59.99 UMBRELLA CORPS DELUXE EDITION $6.24 $24.99 UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH EXE:LATE[CL-R] $27.99 $39.99 VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 4 $12.89 $29.99 VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 4 COMPLETE EDITION $22.99 $49.99 VALKYRIA CHRONICLES REMASTERED $7.99 $19.99 VALKYRIA CHRONICLES REMASTERED + VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 4 BUNDLE $17.99 $39.99 VALTHIRIAN ARC: HERO SCHOOL STORY $4.49 $14.99 WHITE DAY: A LABYRINTH NAMED SCHOOL $6.89 $29.99 WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY $12.49 $24.99 YAKUZA 0 $9.99 $19.99 YAKUZA KIWAMI 2 $20.09 $29.99 ZANKI ZERO: LAST BEGINNING $17.99 $59.99 ZERO ESCAPE: THE NONARY GAMES $14.99 $49.99 ZERO ESCAPE: ZERO TIME DILEMMA $11.99 $39.99 View the full article

Greetings, PS Blog. My name is Ben Fiquet and I’m the CEO of Lizardcube and the Art Director on Streets of Rage 4. It’s been a long journey but we’re finally here: Streets of Rage 4 comes out in a week! Everybody at Lizardcube, Dotemu and Guard Crush Games can’t wait for you to play it and try the various game modes and content we’ve created for this series revival. For today I’d like to share some insights regarding our redesign of Blaze and Adam, two of the series’ most iconic characters. Streets of Rage 4 has 17 characters to choose from: 12 retro characters in all their pixel-art glory, and five iconic HD hand-drawn heroes. Blaze Fielding has appeared in every game since the series began, but with vastly different styling from game to game. It was obvious to us that she would be in Streets of Rage 4, but our challenge was how to render her for players in 2020? I decided to start from what fans remember most, which is the original sprites. One of her “calling cards” is the color scheme: red, underlined by her miniskirt and tight top. It was important to keep these attributes, as they express not just the character herself but also the fond memories of many players around the globe. So, I tried different things in my attempt to “get” the character. My point of view is that she’s a strong, independent woman — a cop and a professional dancer who’s not afraid to clean up the streets in a tight skirt. I liked her jacket in the first episode, which gives her a more urban look, so I wanted to keep it — but in a more modern way. Ultimately, what put me on the right track was returning to her idle pose, which would put her in action and help provide some rhythm to the shapes and contrasts. The sixth one above is cool, but it’s a bit too aggressive. From all the references I gathered, there’s always something gentle about her face. Also, all the details I included were too complex for animating, which is important in terms of production. On a side note, as an animator I tend to design knowing that elements will look better when animated. For example: her elaborate belt will make a sweet motion when she moves. Which brings us to the animation, which is very important to me and is also one of Lizardcube’s strengths. Due to the technical limitations of the time, the original games didn’t have many frames. To bring the game forward to the present, I wanted as much fluidity and impact as possible. This proved very hard on the production, since each playable Streets of Rage 4 character has approximately 1,000 frames. Plus you have assorted enemies between 300/400 frames each. And everything is hand-drawn frame by frame in Photoshop. For the special moves, I added more visual effects to increase the impact. This emphasizes that special action and it feels more rewarding to perform. It’s also a continuation of the character – Blaze’s style is more fluid, and using her natural blue FX with some lotus and mandala-type shapes gives her moves their own flavor. I followed the same mindset when designing Adam. However, because he only appeared in the first episode, there was way less to work with. I tried keeping his shoulder pads, but to no avail — they felt too anchored to the 80s. So I explored other directions… The glasses make him look more mysterious, and sort of remind me of the look of the old sprite, where his eyes are barely noticeable. Finally, after various attempts to show him wearing a jacket like a PI or a detective, here he is. The same, yet not the same. Designing Adam Adam from the first Streets of Rage didn’t have many moves, so we had to iterate what we thought would be a good fit for him. One of his traits is his ability to dash, and the color green for his visual effects was a good choice that sets him apart. I tried to make him snappy with strength, and since Axel has a dragon for a defensive move, I thought the wolf was on point. Lastly, for Adam’s Ultra move we wanted a wave moving forward. I thought having swords coming out of the ground was kind of new, but would also portray him as a “sword of justice.” Thanks for reading! I hope you like the game, and that long-time fans will enjoy seeing our new takes on old favorites. Don’t forget you can choose to play their new forms or go retro, just like back in the day. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation.Blog readers! My name is Evgeniy Sorokin, Lead Producer at Saber Interactive. I have the exciting opportunity to talk to you about our open-world physics playground, SnowRunner. In our game you can take powerful off-road vehicles and drive them on realistically simulated terrain like mud, water, snow, and ice. Completing our sandbox Contracts gets you rewards that you can spend on increasing the size of your fleet or customizing your vehicles. SnowRunner is a grueling test of patience and skill. Some of these Contracts will have you delivering heavy cargo across really dangerous terrain. Others may need you to rescue lost and damaged vehicles while making sure not to get stuck in the mud yourself. So, the team and I have concocted a list of tips to make sure your next ride goes swimmingly. Tip 1: Explore and scout new areas Every time you enter a new map or region take some time out to learn the area. Reaching Watchtowers will reveal large parts of the map, giving you the location of Contracts, hidden upgrades, and even vehicles. Also, the more of the map is explored, the easier it will be to plan your routes! Tip 2: Buy, sell, upgrade, and customize your trucks in the Garage The rewards from Contracts and Activities can be spent in your Garage. Here, you can purchase new vehicles to expand your lineup, upgrade their parts, and customize them visually. Your favorite vehicles can be improved to tackle tougher terrain with bigger engines, new wheels, or even a snorkel for braving river rapids. You’re going to need all the power you can get to tackle some of the more challenging objectives! Tip 3: Use the Truck Storage to send your best vehicles across the world The Truck Storage can bring your vehicles to other maps and regions, perfect if you want to bring your preferred truck on every journey you go on. Tip 4: Plan your journey around your Fuel Certain late-game Contracts span multiple maps so preparing yourself for the long-haul is important. A fuel trailer makes you more autonomous, but if you can’t afford the price of the trailer or your truck isn’t strong enough to carry it, you will need to rely on fuel stations. Be sure the route you’ve got in mind has plenty of fuel available. Tip 5: Activate All-Wheel Drive and Differential Lock when necessary All-Wheel Drive gives power to every single wheel on your vehicle, it is especially effective when trying to overcome slopes. This raises your fuel consumption, so use it sparingly. Remember to turn it off when the terrain is easier to navigate! Cars normally have their differentials unlocked, which allows each wheel to rotate at different speeds for safe turning at high speeds. Differential Lock forces two wheels that share the same axel to turn in unison, heavily increasing vehicle traction. Make sure to know when to use both, so you don’t end up crashing on the curb! Tip 6: Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast If you’re stuck, don’t panic! Flooring the accelerator will likely leave you in a more precarious situation, because spinning your tires will just dig you deeper into the mud or snow. Set your gearbox to a lower level and try to gently nudge yourself free. Slower tire spins with careful steering wheel control can get you more traction and you’ll be out of there in no time. Tip 7: Increase your Driver Rank Certain Contracts may be too tough for you to handle early, so don’t be afraid to leave them for later. Raising your Driver Rank will grant access to more vehicles and upgrades, netting you with more tools to make your job easier. Tip 8: Use your Winch! Using the advanced menu gives you access to your winch. This powerful tool lets you pull objects and vehicles, as well as pull yourself out of trouble if you ever get stuck. Be careful! It’s powered by your engine so it consumes a lot of fuel if you’re accelerating as well. SnowRunner also includes the quick-winch function, which can save you in emergency situations. And that’s it from us! We can’t wait to see you in the wild on April 28 when SnowRunner releases on PS4. View the full article

Way back in the long long ago of 1995, a new action RPG was released in Japan: Seiken Densetsu 3. A sequel to the classic Secret of Mana, it quickly won critical acclaim and a legion of fans. 25 years later, a full remake has arrived on PlayStation 4 — Trials of Mana. And when we say remake, we mean it — this is a complete reimagining of that earlier game, designed for a modern audience. The game launches in two days on April 24 and retains everything that made the original game so beloved in its native Japan — quirky characters, an imaginative world, fast-paced gameplay and memorable music. But it also includes brand new mechanics, deeper combat, beautiful visuals and so much more. Here’s just a quick look at some of the things that are new and improved: What’s improved Graphics To say that the graphics are better in the new Trials of Mana is something of an understatement! The game has been remade with vividly vibrant visuals — from the characters to the world itself, everything bursts with detail and color. But the legacy of the original game still shines through clearly. The team has taken great care to capture the unique look of the original characters, enemies and areas. For example, take a look at the skilled swordsman Duran here: What was once (admittedly beautiful) pixel art has been fully modelled in 3D. All the details present in the original are there, from his proud stance to his lustrous mane of red hair, but he’s much more detailed and much better animated than before. I mean, his abs alone are a good showcase for how technology has marched forward in 25 years! Combat The new action RPG features a completely redesigned combat system that’s fast, fluid and tactical. It’s all about utilizing combos, controlling the battlefield and unleashing special attacks at the right moment to deliver maximum damage. It’s a completely different combat system to the 1995 game’s — but then it has to be. The original Trials of Mana took place on a 2D plane, so you never had to worry about enemies getting above or below you. But 3D space is… well, 3D. Characters and enemies can move in all directions, and combat had to be retooled to accommodate that. For example, you can now jump, perform aerial attacks, flank enemies and more. It’s particularly vital to consider your positioning in a fight. Enemies can assault you from all sides, launch attacks at range, and send powerful strikes towards you — if you’re in the way, it’s going to hurt. It all adds up to gratifying battles that only get more strategic and satisfying as you progress through the game. Music The move to modern platforms like the PlayStation 4 means that composer Hiroki Kikuta’s incredible score sounds even better than before — and that’s saying something! The latest game adds new instrumentation and arrangements that bring these unforgettable tracks to life like never before. But you don’t need us to tell you that — if you’ve tried the demo and spent any time in the Rabite Forest, that tune’s probably lodged firmly in your head by now! What’s new The developers of Trials of Mana didn’t just upgrade what was already in Trials of Mana — they also added loads of new features, from additional story to entirely new mechanics that deepen the game’s RPG elements. For example, the full game includes: New Abilities System Whenever you level up in Trials of Mana, you’ll earn TP (that stands for Training Points by the way, not what you’re probably thinking). You can then spend these TP on all kinds of new upgrades for your characters. Some of these are useful passive boosts, such as increased attack power, or more health. Others can provide entirely new moves for you to unleash in battle — and that’s barely scratching the surface. There’s more than 300 abilities to unlock in the game, and they allow you to build your character in the way you want. New voiceover As you’d expect from a 1995 RPG, the original Trials of Mana didn’t include any spoken dialogue. That’s not the case in the new game. It features fully acted scenes, which helps the characters’ personalities shine like never before. New Story When you start Trials of Mana, you have to pick three characters (from a selection of six) to form your party. The narrative you experience will play out differently depending on the heroes you choose. Regardless of who you go with, the Trials of Mana remake features brand new story elements for you to uncover. New Classes We’re dancing round this to avoid super-spoilers, but at a certain point in Trials of Mana’s epic story, you’ll be able to change a character’s class. In essence, this changes their role in combat, giving them access to new strengths and new abilities. As in the original Trials of Mana, there are multiple classes available, but this new version includes even more. When you complete the story, you’ll have the opportunity to seek out Class 4. Not only will it change your appearance, it will give you a whole new way to play the game! As you can tell, Trials of Mana is a thorough update on the original game. That’s just a small taste of what awaits and we hope you enjoy digging into this action RPG opus this Friday. View the full article

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so much pleasure from beating a boss as when I landed the final blow on Nioh 2’s fire-breathing, faceless monstrosity Enenra. Jumping from my seat in victory, it dawned on me that I had spent a solid two hours, used up all of my life-giving elixirs and came this close to rage quitting more times than I like to admit. But the excitement, the jubilation, the… relief of taking him down. Oh boy. It’s worth noting that Enenra isn’t a latter act clash. Oh no. You’ll encounter Enenra early on in Team Ninja’s retooled sequel. The beast is the first major test for players braving one of the toughest games of the year. He goes in hard and will stomp you into the dust quicker than you can say ‘mortal coil.’ But the rush of dodging a boss’ whirlwind attacks, swinging one last slash and seeing that glorious Mission Complete screen is what kept me coming back for more of Nioh 2’s masochistic action. Luckily, the opportunity for that rush is never far away. Other games in this genre are all about the bosses, a massive battle to really test your skills. But what I love about Nioh 2 is that it’s as much about the journey to get there as it is about triumphing over a level-end challenger. Every gorgeous stage, from stunning mountain ranges dotted with towering castles, to dank caverns filled with spine-shivering spiders and snake-like Nure-Onna, offer the chance to show that you can survive an onslaught of tricksy new enemy types. They flung blades, summoned spirits, blew themselves up and even tossed their own dung to stop me in my tracks, often successfully. Each yokai and samurai I faced was as dangerous as a boss, making for an experience of never-ending tension and genuine fear. But every time I came out victorious, even from a fight with a lower tier grunt, that rush was there, ready to envelop me and coax me onto the next battle. I wasn’t always the victor, though. We’ve all seen the movies where a trainee warrior disappears to the mountains to hone their skills, carrying buckets of water up enormous staircases to prepare for the inevitable battle with the Big Bad. Each death I suffered in Nioh 2 – and trust me, there were a lot – added a drop to my very own water buckets, helping me steel myself for what lay ahead, teaching me the skills I needed to take down my next assailant. And I loved every second of it. One of the best things about Nioh 2 is that it isn’t afraid to play with what made the original so great. Sure, the stance system remains, but new yokai abilities – an excellent (and super flashy) burst counter, as well as impressive customizable demonic attacks – mean that despite having claimed the original Nioh’s Platinum Trophy, the follow up put me back in the boots of a fresh-faced warrior. But that climb back to level 100 and beyond, seeing my skills click into place and participating in plenty of jolly cooperation with other players along the way, is some of the best fun I’ve had this generation, making Nioh 2 more than worthy of an Editors’ Choice accolade. I spent hundreds of hours with the original Nioh, and with a sequel this good, I can see it happening again. The credits may have rolled on Nioh 2 for me, but there are still plenty of brilliantly challenging Twilight missions to face and new yokai slayers in need of a guiding hand. So drop an Ochoko cup at the Shrine and we might just see each other on the battlefield. View the full article

The April content update for Gran Turismo (Patch 1.57) will be available tonight April, 22 at 11:00pm PDT. Toyota GR Supra RZ ’20 (N300) The Toyota Supra ended production in 2002 to the dismay of many fans worldwide, but the car made its comeback in the 2019 North American International Auto Show. This flagship Toyota model, which carries over the inline 6-cylinder engine and rear wheel drive, is headed by chief engineer Tetsuya Tada, who also brought the Toyota 86 to life. Under the slogan ‘Numbers are one thing, feeling is what matters,’ he proceeded to create a car that speaks to the senses of the driver. Optimally balanced with a 50:50 weight distribution and a low center of gravity, it provides powerful acceleration with a twin scroll turbo. The quick handling enabled by the wide body and short wheelbase is a result of a pursuit to achieve an ideal sports car, and its glamorous and elegant form and straight six engine sound combine to give it an aura that is unrivaled by others. The GR Supra RZ was developed for not only real motorsports but also with competition in Gran Turismo Sport in mind. The further refined 2020 model will also come in highly anticipated new body colors. View the full article

First off, I really want to thank everyone who downloaded and played with us over Trial Weekend! A lot of our dev team, myself included, were jumping into matches and loved getting to see how everyone tackled the missions and hunted. It was also a great learning experience for us as developers. We play every day with each other, a fact that is beneficial to the development process, but also means we get very used to how we all play. So, getting to see how new Fireteam members and Predators come into the game and how they play was extremely helpful to our last few weeks of development. For that we are so thankful! One of the major takeaways from the trial was that the game is super fun to play and watch other people play, which was rewarding to see. Some other takeaways helped us regroup on that following Monday and put into motion our plan of action for patching pre-launch. With only four weeks to go we knew there was a bit of work to do still, but we were ready. Thankfully, we were able to address a lot of the issues folks were seeing. We also addressed many things in respect to balance, that was a key area of feedback we received, on both the Predator and Fireteam sides. You can visit the forums to see the full list of changes made. Here is a snapshot of some of the changes we made that will impact balance. For the Fireteam we made infil locations based on the mission. Quick gear swapping controls are now shown on the screen and many weapon adjustments have been made, in regard to damage done, etc. We made the diffuse button for the Predator Self Destruct sequence easier to interact with. However, there is an increased difficulty with the Self Destruct puzzle. Also for the Predator target isolation will no longer start at 100% at the match start. We also enabled the ability to switch weapons while transitioning in Predkour and made changes to various elements of the weapons, like damage. One of the pieces of feedback we heard a lot was about the Predator’s footstep sounds, we updated the walking/running footstep attenuation to make the Predator stealthier. And lastly, some of the additional issues the community gave us feedback on were also addressed like matchmaking times and notifications, crossplay is now enabled by default, voice mic mute is no longer enabled by default, and many more. Performance issues are still something we continue to look at and dial in. This will be ongoing, especially as we put out planned updates down the road, post launch. Which we do have a plan for! If you would like to see our full list of patch notes make sure to visit the forum here. Post-launch Support Speaking of planned updates, we view the launch of Predator: Hunting Grounds as just the beginning. What that means to us, at IllFonic, is that we ​can continue to drop new content post launch. We do have a roadmap in place for this already. In fact, you will see the first content update​ — which will be a free one — go live a little over a month from now. And the​re will be more content updates after that. These will include many great surprises. This is part of why our community forums are so special to us. We are listening and taking your feedback to heart, whether it be found bugs or comments on the game. It has been a busy four weeks and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than getting into the hunt with you this Friday. After the Trial Weekend we were all having withdrawals playing testing things without the community. We make games we love, and it means so much when the community loves them too! We will see you in the hunt on Friday the 24th! Oh, don’t forget to pre-order the game to get the ’87 Predator if you haven’t already. Predator TM & © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. * You’ll need an internet connection and PS Plus subscription to play on PS4. PS Plus is a paid-for ongoing subscription and a recurring fee will be charged automatically at the frequency chosen by the consumer at purchase until cancelled. View the full article