Commander Fury

Eat or be eaten — the world of Code Vein is harsh and unforgiving. As a Revenant, you’re able to choose different Blood Codes, Blood Veils, Gifts, and weapons in a myriad of combos that give you distinct advantages in battle. Add strategic attacks and coordination with your partner into the mix, and you have an endless number of options to explore in your battle strategy. Not quite sure where to begin in your fight for survival? Don’t worry — we’re giving you some helpful tips to use on your impending journey. Secret Codes Throughout the Code Vein experience, there is a considerable amount of branching paths with hidden areas to explore. Keep a close eye out for those sparkling item identifiers in the field or markers on your mini map. They could be Vestiges — fragments of Blood Codes — that can be used to unlock memories and Gifts. Some gifts require multiple Vestiges to unlock, so be on the lookout. If you’re having trouble, there are also specific Gifts that can help identify items in a larger vicinity. “Rez me!” In Code Vein, there is no shame in dying. Dying is a great way of trying out different skills and tactics to overcome difficult situations. Having a partner with you in your adventures is a great asset, as they have the ability to resurrect you within a short window after losing all your health, just as you can for them; but just like you, their ability to revive you also has a cooldown. When fighting bosses or mobs, it’s imperative to pay close attention to your partner’s icon since it will indicate if they can revive you again. If they’re still in a cooldown phase, it might be best to back away and take things carefully until your partner can cast once more. Prepare for the Next Battle Prior to entering a fight with a boss, certain preparations can be made to give you an extra advantage at the beginning of battle. Prior to entering the field and triggering the boss fight, examine which buff gifts would be advantageous for you fight such as additional fortification or elemental weapon enhancements. Though they begin to deplete from the moment you cast, they will be active as you enter your fight, giving you a chance to play aggressively from the start. Additionally, if you can strike your foe with a Drain Attack first, you can get two additional Ichor stock from the get-go, giving you additional flexibility with more casting opportunities during your battle. The Definition of Insanity There’s an old saying that the definition of insanity is repeating the same actions yet expecting a different outcome. Throughout the game, there are many points where you may hit a difficulty wall. Due to the fact that you can effectively change your character class via your Blood Code at any time, it’s in your best interest to change things up from time to time and see if you have better success. Changing your Blood Code (or class) can affect your strength, speed, proficiency in Gift types, base Ichor stock, and the like. Additionally, you can change your partner NPC, weapon, Gift Set, and Blood Veil, all of which can be exactly what you need to take down that formidable foe. Give it a shot; what’s the worst that can happen? Sweet Relief To relieve yourself of your ailments, you have a couple options. Using a consumable is a quick way to rid yourself of a status change, though it comes at a cost to purchase from the shop. Additionally, a consumable will only remove the status from yourself, leaving your partner unaffected. Alternatively, you can use the correct Blood Code with the appropriate Gift to remove the status. Just like Gifts that buff your character, Gifts that remove status ailments will cast on both you and your partner character. Remember these tips and tricks to gain a strong edge in your battles against the Lost. The beginning of your journey is nearly here, and we’re excited for you to take on the formidable challenges in Code Vein! View the full article

Bohemia Interactive is proud to announce the upcoming release of the first official DLC for their hit hardcore survival game. DayZ’s second official map, Livonia, will be available to purchase soon on PS4, and is showcased in our new trailer. Based on the recently released map from the Arma 3 Contact spin-off expansion, the Livonia region brings a fresh new experience to the post-apocalyptic world of DayZ. With vast green landscapes, dense expansive forests, serene lakes, and winding rivers, the 163km2 Livonia map offers the perfect backdrop for any survivor lost in the wild. The landscape, however, won’t be the only change of pace for DayZ players. The temperate late summer climate of Livonia will bring frequent rainfall and thunderstorms, providing players with additional environmental challenges during their travels – and making protective gear and shelter more important than ever. And, of course, with a new wilderness comes new wildlife. Most prominently, there is a new predator roaming the forests of Livonia – bears! – and they won’t take kindly to human-shaped threats. Survivors will have to be well-equipped to effectively deal with these grizzly foes. Arriving in tandem with the 1.06 update, the new map will be premium DLC and bring hundreds of new assets for the community to make use of – assets which will be available to everyone for free without the purchase of the Livonia map.Whether you plan to embrace this new challenge of survival with allies or face it as a lone wolf, the picturesque-yet-unforgiving backdrop of Livonia awaits you soon on PS4. View the full article

Hi PlayStation fans, today we’re launching our own online store to offer PS4 consoles, accessories, games, and more directly from PlayStation for fans and gift-givers in the US, who can visit a single destination. Integrated within the PlayStation.com website, you can now easily navigate from hardware and game product information pages directly to purchasing these PlayStation products from our store, ranging from PS4, PS4 Pro and PS VR systems and bundles, as well as headsets, DualShock 4 Wireless Controllers, PS VR accessories, a selection of physical games, and voucher codes for PS Plus subscriptions. With plans to expand down the line, the store’s initial selection of physical disc games includes titles such as: Astro Bot: Rescue Mission Blood & Truth Bloodborne Days Gone God of War 3 Remastered Horizon Zero Dawn Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition MLB The Show 19 Quantic Dream Collection Ratchet & Clank The Last of Us Remastered Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End This site not only provides our fans in the US with the option to purchase these items directly from PlayStation, but is also intended to help gift givers easily find the right product for their friends or family. Fans will find that prices on the new store align with those found at other retailers. The new online store is open now exclusively in the United States, with a limited time launch promotion ending on October 31, 2019, for two bundles, including: PlayStation 4 + a 12-month subscription of PS Plus for $339.99 USD (regularly $359.98 USD) PlayStation 4 Pro + a 12-month subscription of PS Plus for $429.99 USD (regularly $459.98 USD) PlayStation Plus members who are signed in are also eligible for Free 1-Day Express Shipping. Visit direct.playstation.com to check it out today, and be sure to come back often as we continue to expand with new products and promotions down the line. View the full article

We launched Black Desert on PlayStation 4 just over a month ago, and today we’re bringing the second major content update to players, now available as a free download. The shifting sands of the Valencia region hold many secrets to explore and adventures to complete — so to help prepare you, we’ve detailed some tips and information on what to expect! The desert kingdom of Valencia brings withering sandstorms that can be deadly if you’re not prepared. Before venturing into the great expanse, be sure to craft Purified Water or Star Anise Tea to prevent Heat Stroke and Hypothermia. To increase the challenge, new enemy types can be found for experienced adventurers to conquer. Beware of the new world boss, Kutum, who emerges from the shifting sands to hunt with lethal precision. To assist in defeating Kutum, Absolute Skills have been added to all classes, enabling devastating and powerful attacks. For those players looking for an extra boost in combat against the creatures of Valencia, we’ve added the Awakening feature to all ten character classes. Once a unique quest is completed at Level 56, each character’s can be awakened and have their combat prowess permanently boosted, unlocking new skills and weapons for use on the battlefield. Speaking of character classes, we’re adding two new options for players to choose from for their adventure to become their true self. Lahn and Ninja bring a high-level of agility and precision to master on the battlefield: Lahn: Lahn is extremely agile, with the unprecedented ability to leap and glide through the air over long distances. Combined with the flexibility of her Crescent Pendulum, whether she’s facing enemies head on or raining death from above, she is truly a force to be reckoned with. Ninja: Ninja is a high-skill fighter that excels in agility, using dashes, aerial skills and teleportation to rapidly close the distance to enemies. With the ability to conceal his presence, the Ninja can lie in wait before delivering precise, deadly strikes against his opponent. The kingdom of Valencia has a violent past, one which introduces new gameplay elements for players. Adventurers who kill another player within the region will receive a villain mark regardless of their current Karma, and will be treated as a hostile by other players. Once killed, murderers will be sent to Pila Ku Prison to serve out their time and gain de-buffs. If you look carefully, though, an escape route is rumored to exist… We’re excited to see all of you exploring the new content added today to Black Desert! View the full article

And that’s a wrap on our third episode of State of Play! We put a lot of work into this one, giving the show a visual overhaul and implementing feedback you’ve given us on past episodes. We think it’s culminated in our best episode yet — we hope you agree. We kicked off with the reveal of Humanity, a mysterious new title being developed by tha ltd. and Enhance, coming to PS4 next year with optional PS VR support. Then, we launched into a deluge of new reveals and updates on long-awaited games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, MediEvil (demo out today!), Civilization VI (finally coming to PS4!), and Arise: A Simple Story. We also revealed October’s PlayStation Plus lineup, featuring The Last of Us Remastered and MLB The Show 19. If you’re in the market for a new PS4 Pro, we’ve got good news: Kojima Productions’ upcoming Death Stranding is getting a beautiful limited-edition bundle featuring a 1TB PS4 Pro console and an eye-catching translucent orange DualShock 4, mirroring the style of the game’s BB Pod. You can pick yours up on the game’s release date: November 8, 2019. We also gave you a sneak preview of some upcoming PlayStation VR games, including Gorn, Espire 1: VR Operative, After the Fall, LA Noire: The VR Case Files, and Space Channel 5: Kinda Funky News Flash. Ooh la la! Finally, we ended the episode with a new trailer for The Last of Us Part II. I think that one speaks for itself. We’re pretty proud of this one, but we’re always watching to see how you like each episode. You are, of course, the reason we started State of Play. So, what did you think? State of Play: Your Favorite Reveal? State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

The underlying idea behind the artistic concept of Stardust Odyssey was to avoid a conventional, hard sci-fi universe. The aim was to create an 80’s-style, French sci-fi universe inspired by the likes of Mœbius and Jean-Claude Mezières, leaning more towards a world of fantasy based on magic and not industrial, advanced technology. We wanted to create a world where you would steer ships filled with ornaments and items made of primitive materials, such as wood, stone, leather and gold, floating through space with their wind-filled sails. The idea was to create a warmer feeling for the players, in contrast to the cold, futuristic materials and minimal design often found in sci-fi games. The second key element behind the game’s artistic concept was to come up with an original, exotic sci-fi look, taking inspiration from ethnic oriental cultures. The game’s main source of reference is the Silk Road and its convoys of merchants constantly travelling across land and sea to trade their merchandise; the middle-eastern civilizations of nomad clans and ethnic groups like the Berbers. Choosing the Silk Road as a reference point meant inviting players to travel through two types of environments and atmospheres: deserts and seas. Instead of flying through space, our ships, designed like boats with sails, would float above a sea of clouds. With the constant presence of sand covering the hulls and cabins also referring to the idea of stardust. Even though “nomadic life” was the central inspiration for the design, the environment needed to include some “sedentary lifestyle” aspects, such as buildings and architecture, away from the convoys. These are like unreachable areas in the background, setting the scene for anchoring points where the constantly-traveling merchants could dock. So, we designed homes such as seaside villages with ports and lighthouses that could fit in any type of landscape, along dunes or cliffs, in order to give extra life to the settings and add to the allure of the game. One of the main constraints was varying the rhythm, having two paces of gameplay. Since the main gameplay involves sailing through convoys in an open view environment, we chose to establish the meta game in a cosy, more sheltered space. For example, a snug tent providing a different sense of space, where you can rest and sit face to face with the other characters. More Images from Stardust Odyssey We also decided to represent both dangerous and harmless types of animals in the game. So, there are wild creatures in the form of parasites that attack the cargoes and players, but also domesticated animals, which are an essential part of nomadic tribes’ lives, helping to carry belongings. Like oxen, the domesticated animals needed to be large, strong creatures, the size of a small ship, in order to tow large cargoes. Moreover, to fit with the underlying theme of the artistic concept, they had to be based on marine life forms, so we decided to create a whale-like creature to carry heavy cargoes. As a small independent studio, we had to take on several roles. So, as a concept artist and head of the game’s aesthetics, I was also in charge of supervising the Sound Design and the coherence between the Artistic Environment and the Music. The musical compositions had to convey the classic, orchestral, epic feel of a fantasy adventure, based on the standard structure of western music but with a hint of oriental influence using exotic instruments. We wanted to offer something fresh, an original VR game, and I think we did it! State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

You’ve asked on our livestreams. You’ve asked in our forums. You’ve even asked our artists on Twitter. You’ve asked so many times that our Community Manager wakes up in cold sweats. Now, the time has finally come for us to answer. Free Lives, along with Devolver Digital, are excited to announce that Gorn will arrive on PS VR in Winter 2019. We’re working with the formidable team at 24Bit Games to bring the best possible version of the game to the platform. If you’re new to Gorn, here’s what you need to know. Gorn is a ludicrously violent VR gladiator simulator featuring a unique, fully physics-driven combat engine. It gives players the freedom to execute their most violent gladiatorial fantasies. Gorn is designed around intuitive gameplay, making it one of the best games for first time VR players. If you think you can smash it or bash it or throw it, you probably can. The game is intended to be as ‘pick up and play’ as possible. It’s this intuitive design — along with hilarious, over-the-top, action packed gameplay — that has made Gorn a VR staple. There are many different ways to play Gorn, and discovering new tricks and techniques can be some of the most fun in the game. Players progress through levels of the prison cell, fighting the Emperor’s champions along the way. The game culminates in an epic final battle that puts your wits and reflexes to the test. Gorn also features a custom arena, where you can tweak the parameters of the fight. Adjust the power of gravity, your size, the size of your enemies, or the amount of armor they wear. You can even battle skeletons by adjusting the ‘spooky’ setting. To ensure that gore averse players can also enjoy the game, Gorn includes a Piñata mode that turns gladiators into colorful, candy stuffed enemies. We can’t wait to see your ridiculous combos and brutal hits when Gorn releases on PS VR later this year. Thank you to the PlayStation team and community for your interest in our game. We look forward to sharing it with you. State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

Hey everyone! Nick from Vertigo Games here – you may know us as the creators of Arizona Sunshine. Have you ever wanted to star in your own 80s post-apocalyptic cult classic? Then we are super excited to announce our biggest VR game yet: After The Fall, a multiplayer VR action shooter with co-op at its core. Check out the first gameplay footage in today’s trailer! Set in a frozen, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, After The Fall pits you and up to three friends against unprecedented, huge waves of monstrous, undead creatures known as the Snowbreed. And when I say huge, I don’t just mean in numbers; you’ll be facing off against some of VR’s most colossal brutes and repulsive deformities. In an alternate 1980s, the age of decadence and delight, humanity started experimenting with a new type of designer drug to elevate the human potential beyond known limits. Meanwhile, the planet suffered: climate change ran hot and cold to extremes, resulting in a new ice age. To cope with the cold, people only consumed more drugs. This led to horrible mutations – the deadly Snowbreed. Now, 20 years later, Los Angeles lies in ruins and survivors are clinging to life in a frozen city roaming with mutated terrors. In your fight for survival you’ll wield a wide variety of weapons. Will you rush to the frontlines with your electrified knuckleduster and custom handgun ready to take down hordes of Snowbreed? Or would you rather stay back and use your hunting rifle with explosive ammo to take down the hulking brutes? It’s up to you. On top of this, you’ll unleash devastating attacks using crafted devices, such as a volley of missiles from a wrist-mounted ‘80s walkman-turned-rocket launcher. Crafting and customizing weapons and gear requires resources and blueprints found throughout the world, which you’ll take back to your basecamp for use. Speaking of basecamp; this is a shared hub where you’ll run into other players from all over the world, hang out and interact with them in VR, form a party of up to four players to go on new missions, and more. But you can also play the game by yourself – the difficulty will scale accordingly. Though I personally feel playing with friends is more fun, especially in VR! While our previous foray into VR shooting, Arizona Sunshine, is a somewhat slower paced survival experience, After The Fall is all about adrenaline-pumping action. It’s slated for release in 2020, and I can’t wait for you folks to play it. We’ll be back at PS Blog with more announcements soon – in the meantime, scavenge www.afterthefall-vr.com to learn more! State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files – which includes seven self-contained cases from the original game rebuilt specifically for virtual reality – is now available for PlayStation VR. Step into the painstakingly recreated world of 1940’s Los Angeles through the eyes of Detective Cole Phelps as you solve cases from across all five desks of the original L.A. Noire, including: Upon Reflection, Armed and Dangerous, Buyer Beware, The Consul’s Car, The Silk Stocking Murder, Reefer Madness, and A Different Kind of War – each picked for their suitability to the virtual reality experience. In addition to cases to solve, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files for PlayStation VR allows Detective Cole Phelps to let off some steam with three fun new minigames designed to take full advantage of the game’s unique VR mechanics: Boxing: Step into the ring as Cole Phelps and take on 12 different opponents Speedcar Racing: Race classic 1940’s “Speedcar” vehicles against AI opponents on three new dirt tracks Shooting Galleries: Keep your eye in with target practice in four different shooting galleries, each with their own challenges, targets and weapons L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files for PlayStation VR also delivers an enhanced technical experience specifically built for the PlayStation system including greater draw distance and upgraded visual fidelity; new sitting and standing modes (including a new “Crouch” button for easier object inspection); enhanced navigation, locomotion and weapon tuning. The latest enhanced version of L.A. Noire is also available for PlayStation 4, featuring the complete original game and all downloadable content. Owners of L.A. Noire for PlayStation 4 will receive 25% off the purchase of L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files by clicking on the “Get VR Cases” selection in the console game’s main menu. State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

Today’s State of Play broadcast marked the long-awaited return of Wattam, a whimsical, wonderful world that springs from the mind of Keita Takahashi, famous for his work on Katamari Damacy and Noby Noby Boy. With Wattam’s release date slated for December, the Blog team emailed the famed developer to learn more about his latest creation. Read our full Q&A below. PlayStation.Blog: What is the most important rule you’ve tried to abide by while creating Wattam? KT: I am not sure if I have any specific rules of game development. But I might have similar thing. Now I have two kids, and taking care of them is sometimes harder than game development. When I was working at Namco, I had been working from 10am to 10pm every day. But I can’t do that now. I have to help my wife as much as possible. Of course, I have talked about game and design with the team a lot, but I didn’t have any time besides making Wattam at the office. So I had been eating lunch while working on my desk. But anyway, I am not a person who likes to talk a lot, haha. PSB: What is the goal you’re trying to achieve with the final product? KT: Same as usual, I just wanted to make the game I have never played before. PSB: In a brief way, can you describe how to play Wattam? KT: Turn on the PS4 or PS4 Pro, grab the controller, buy/download Wattam (thanks) and hit button to start the game. PSB: What has changed since you first shipped Katamari Damacy way back in 2004? KT: I don’t think I have not been changing anything myself, besides that I have a family and also gaining weight, but this world has been changing a lot in bad way unfortunately. I’m sad, and thinking what the videogame can do for it… PSB: What’s one lesson you’ve learned about game development since Katamari Damacy that you would recommend to newer or aspiring creators? KT: Trust your team, but sometimes you need to fight with them for making good games. Believe yourself and your ideas, but you always have to doubt yourself and your idea to make good games. PSB: The games you’ve released to date have embraced absurdity as a theme, but they always feel incredibly pure and welcoming. How do you make a game like Wattam weird without running the risk of alienating players? KT: It’s a difficult question to answer correctly because I have never had that sense of the risk of alienating players in my game dev life, haha. Maybe I am a just selfish designer who doesn’t care about players. Sorry. PSB: What emotions do you hope players feel while playing Wattam? How do you create situations in the game to evoke those emotions? KT: I hope just having a fun time even if you saw some glitches. Wattam is a kinda narrative-based game more than you expected, so if I said something, it might be a spoiler:) PSB: If you could remake any game from PlayStation history as a different genre, which game and genre would you choose? How do you think that game would play? KT: I would say ICO. I want to swap a boy for a girl. State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

Arise: A Simple Story is a game filled with feelings of love and loss that we believe is truly special. With our hearts poured into it, it’s not just our debut as a studio… it’s our dream coming to life. We want to take you on this one-of-a-kind journey that will bring back memories of your own life, both happy and sad, but all part of your story. A Rollercoaster of Emotions Your adventure in Arise starts where many might end – on a funeral pyre. You wake up in limbo, where a mysterious light beckons you from atop of a snowy mountain. Your trek towards it turns into a bittersweet journey through your life, where you relive the moments of happiness but also have to face devastating tragedies all over again. If that’s not extraordinary enough, you quickly realize you have the gift to bend time to your will. One of our goals with Arise was to make this odyssey memorable and constantly surprising. We turned our hero’s rich life experience into beautiful landscapes, which will shift along with your emotional state as you roam through varied environments that reflect the current tone of the narrative. As the story unfolds, your power to manipulate time also transforms to fit the moments you’re reliving. In Arise you never know what’s around the corner. You enjoy the good times to the fullest knowing they might not last, and endure the hardships working to turn them around. To put it simply – that’s just life, right? Beautiful and scary at the same time. That feeling of not knowing what comes next and playing with the cards you were dealt is one of the major themes in Arise. A Deeply Personal Story Have you ever taken a long, hard look at your life and had doubts about some pieces of the puzzle? Is this who you want to be? Is this what you want to reminisce on 30 years from now? We did just that and decided we needed to take a leap of faith and reclaim the spark we’ve lost somewhere along the way. Next thing we know, we’re quitting our jobs. That’s how a small company we named Piccolo Studio was born, and Arise with it. Reflecting on our own lives directly inspired our game, so it’s only natural that it deals with self-reflection. This is a deeply personal project for us, a part of our own journey as we pursue our dream. The story we tell in Arise is important to us and the fact that we have years of various life experiences (not unlike your own, I imagine) helped a ton. We drew from them to tell a story that we hope will strike a chord with you. We genuinely can’t wait for you to play through it. State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

It’s been over a decade since Sid Meier’s Civilization has graced a PlayStation console, so it is my extreme pleasure to share that the critically acclaimed turn-based strategy series is coming to PS4 this fall! Originally created by legendary game designer Sid Meier, Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where you attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. The latest entry in the franchise, Civilization VI, offers new ways to engage with your world: cities now physically expand across the map; your actions help boost technology and civics research; and competing leaders pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race to achieve victory. That’s not all: the Expansion Bundle that includes both Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm adds a host of additional civilizations and leaders, new gameplay systems and depth, and unique challenges to the Civilization VI experience. In Rise and Fall, your choices will either inspire Loyalty or risk rebellion as you fight to maintain your empire and propel your civilization into a Golden Age. Lose your peoples’ Loyalty and you may find yourself in a Dark Age, but don’t fear – you may be able to rise again and trigger a Heroic Age. In Gathering Storm, the world is more alive than ever. Natural disasters like volcanic eruptions or storms can pillage or destroy your improvements and Districts. An evolving global ecosystem, shaped by your choices, can change the planet’s climate for better or worse. And, with the addition of the World Congress, you can make your voice heard among the other leaders of the world. We’ve taken great care to ensure that not only Civilization VI looks great, but that it plays well. The controls and UI are optimized for a controller experience, and you’ll find accessing information and moving about the map is a breeze. Our goal was to create a controller experience that gives the player total control over the map, menus and movement – and we believe we accomplished that. Civilization VI will allow up to four players to engage in online multiplayer. Form alliances with friends as you race to outwit and outmaneuver the competition, but don’t forget: alliances can be broken at any time and surprise wars can catch even the most skilled player off guard. Your friend today could end up being your greatest foe tomorrow! Not familiar with the Civilization series or Civilization VI? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered. While you wait for Civilization VI to drop this November, here are a few tips to help you dominate the competition. Don’t ignore Barbarians Barbarians are big trouble in the early game. These lawless savages will send out Scouts to look for cities to pillage, so take them out when you see them. Recruit some Warriors and Slingers early to defend your cities and borders, and make it a priority to clear Barbarian camps when you find them. Plan your cities Don’t just plop down a city anywhere! Take the time to scout the area around you. Look for a source of fresh water nearby, a food source you can harvest such as Wheat or Rice, and any Luxury resources or natural wonders to boost your city’s development. District placement is also a vital part of your strategy for success. Placing the Science District next to mountains will grant you extra Science points each turn, while placing the Commercial district next to a river will bring extra revenue. Plan your cities and specialize them to get the most out of your empire. Embrace the Eurekas Science and Culture will allow you to unlock new Techs and Civics to grow your empire, leading to new units, Districts and Wonders. Certain in-game actions will trigger Eurekas, reducing the time needed to research some Techs and Civics. Settling a city on a coast will give you a boost for the Sailing technology, while defeating a unit with a Slinger will trigger the Eureka for Archery. Check the Tech and Civics trees in-game to learn more! Choose a leader that fits your style One of the best parts of Civilization VI is that there are so many different ways to play, and every leader and subsequent civilization have their own unique playstyles. China, for example, can complete Wonders faster thanks to its unique bonuses and the ability of its Builders, while Rome favors territorial expansion and trade to accumulate wealth. Spain will tend to play an aggressive Religious game with various military bonuses linked to fighting civilizations with different religions. Try them all to see which best fit your preferences. Know which victory to go for There are several different paths toward victory in Civilization VI. The simplest to start with would be the Domination victory, which requires you to use your army to occupy all capital cities on the map. Be the first to colonize Mars for the Science victory, or build world Wonders and become the preferred tourist destination of the world to win a Culture victory. How you win is up to you and your playstyle! We can’t wait for you to get your hands on Civilization VI. Take one more turn with Civilization VI, along with the Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm Expansion Bundle, on November 22, 2019. State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

Brave knights of Gallowmere, rejoice! Shamble your way through the graveyard as you slice through Zarok’s resurrected zombie horde – just don’t forget to grab your sword from the crypt! And make sure to keep your single eye out for the Dan’s Helmet item – an elusive piece of armor that appeared in the Japanese version of the original PS1 title. Picking up Dan’s Helmet early within the demo will reward players with an extra challenge when equipped in the full game, so don’t miss out! Download the Short-Lived Demo now at PlayStation Store The Short-Lived Demo is only available until October 7th at 12:00am Pacific, so don’t miss this chance to re-live a piece of Sir Dan’s legend! Sir Daniel will be revived in glorious native 4K* when this classic PlayStation game, remade from the grave up, launches on October 25, 2019. *PS4 Pro and 4K display device required to view in 4K State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

As we eagerly await the launch of Death Stranding on November 8, we’re thrilled to reveal a new Limited Edition PS4 Pro Bundle featuring a custom design that will be launching alongside the game. The Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle includes a custom 1TB PS4 Pro system, as well as a custom DualShock 4 wireless controller, and the Death Stranding game on Blu-ray Disc. Inspired by the game, this new Limited Edition PS4 Pro features a white matte finish, with two BT handprints that form the shapes of the world’s continents. Sure to bring an otherworldly feel to your home entertainment setup, the bundle also includes an orange translucent DualShock 4 wireless controller that is the same color as the game’s BB Pod. Throughout the game, you can gently rock the controller to emulate holding the BB pod in your own hands. Using PS4 Pro, 4K TV owners can enjoy an enhanced Death Stranding experience with dynamic 4K resolution achieved through 4K checkerboard, while HD TV owners will benefit from increased image clarity through supersampling. Players with HDR displays can also experience the game in high dynamic range color, which provides a brighter and wider range of color detail for a more vibrant image overall. The Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle will be available across select US and CAN retailers for $399.99 USD (MSRP) / $499.99 CAD (MSRP) on November 8, 2019. So get ready to explore the world of Death Stranding, and save mankind from impending annihilation with this new custom designed PS4 Pro system this fall. Let us know what you think in the comments below! State of Play September 2019: All the Announcements The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020 PlayStation Plus Free Games for October: The Last of Us Remastered, MLB The Show 19 The Story of Modern Warfare Introducing Humanity, Coming to PS4 & PS VR Next Year Introducing the Limited Edition Death Stranding PS4 Pro Bundle MediEvil PS4 Demo Launches Today at PlayStation Store Civilization VI Comes to PS4 November 22 Arise: A Simple Story Announced for PS4 Wattam Coming to PS4 in December, Q&A with Creator Keita Takahashi L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Out Today for PlayStation VR After The Fall Hits PS4 Next Year, From the Creators of Arizona Sunshine Gorn Battles to PS VR This Winter Stardust Odyssey Announced for PS VR View the full article

AI: The Somnium Files launches today! We’re celebrating the global release here at PlayStation.Blog with an exclusive interview with the assistant director, Akira Okada. In this new interview, you’ll see why Okada is the brains behind all the challenges and puzzles you face in the game’s Somnium and multi-branching paths. Play Video Play Video Ari Advincula: What were the particular challenges of having both an “Investigation” mode and a “Somnium” mode? Akira Okada: How those two parts connect is an integral part of this game. I was in close contact with the scenario writer/director Uchikoshi, who was mainly involved with the “Investigation” part during development. I was mostly in charge of the “Somnium” part. I would put in requests that I got from Uchikoshi into the Somnia, but sometimes I would need to request a change be made to the Investigation part in order for the upcoming Somnium part to work better. This back-and-forth style of development was flexible, but a challenge. Also… I asked our team members about any recent dreams they had to look for usable ideas. However, they were too bizarre and we couldn’t use them in the game. *laughs* AA: What makes this project different from other projects you’ve worked on in the past? AO: This was my first new IP, so everything was different compared to past projects. Creating a new game system, smoothing out gameplay, creating a game that would be loved by the person playing it… All of that involved trial and error. One big thing I remember was being told, “Do what you want to do” by the producer. I had major responsibilities, but besides that, I was able to do whatever I wanted to do. That was definitely different. AA: What is your favorite part of the game and why? AO: I love everything. I can’t choose a number one favorite, but… if I had to pick one thing, it would be the cool, unique characters. Everyone feels very human and shows a range of emotions. In the story, the characters act based on their feelings. When a character acts in a way you wouldn’t expect or shows an emotion that they normally try to hide, I know that everyone playing will grow to love them. They’ll want to see the story of these characters. The character I like most is Mizuki. Because she’s so cute! AA: What is your favorite Somnium and why? AO: Sorry, but… can I give you two? AA: Of course! *laughs* AO: First would be Iris’s Somnium. She has a totally different dream depending on the day. In the third day of the story, one route will let you dive into her dream. That dream world shows you something you wouldn’t expect from a bright, cheery girl like her. When I created this stage, I got a good reaction from the team, so I was pretty confident in it. At the end of development, I remember playing through this stage with my palms getting sweaty, even though I was the one who came up with it! The other one is Ota’s Somnium. That dream world is filled with his heroism, fragility, vanity, and hobbies. It was so much fun creating his dream world. I was laughing constantly while making it. AA: Do you have any special comments on what it was like working on AI: The Somnium Files? Or a special behind-the-scenes story you’d like to share? AO: The beginning of development was constant trial and error… I haven’t told a lot of people this, but there were a lot of preliminary ideas for the Somnium part: VR, a Sound Novel, a pop-up picture book… there were really a lot of them. But none of them hit the spot, so we got the executives of the company involved in brainstorming ideas which led to the form we have right now. As development was coming to an end, there were many moments that brought us to tears playing through the game. Yes, the scenario is amazing, but it was the voices filled with emotion from our VAs, the amazing music, and the sound effects that did it. I found this out later, but our staff members who get emotional easily all cried at the same scene. *laughs* AA: Do you have anything you’d like to say to everyone reading this interview? AO: The story waiting for you has unimaginable twists and turns. When you start playing, you won’t be able to stop. The mystery will feed you more clues, suspicions and doubts. The case at the focus of the plot is a serious one, but exchanges between characters are fun and sometimes a little suspect. When you’ve finished, you will hold the story in high regard. I would like you to see the ending of each story with your own eyes. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation players! We here at Auroch Digital and Twice Circled are excited to announce that our aquarium tycoon game Megaquarium is coming to PS4 on October 18! It’s similar to theme park management games, except it’s all about building and managing your own underwater zoos. You’ll design the layout of your aquariums, decide which fish to exhibit, hire staff, and ensure your customers have souvenirs to buy and somewhere to rest. While that sounds like a lot of responsibility, there are no time restrictions in Megaquarium, so you can play it at your own pace. Take on a challenge in the campaign or switch to the more relaxed sandbox mode. It’s perfect for when you want to lounge on your sofa after a hard day. You can even install underwater tunnels and go inside them in first-person mode to chill out as turtles gracefully swim around you. This was something Megaquarium developer Tim Wicksteed experienced when he visited Plymouth aquarium, and he wanted to bring the joy it gave it gave him to his game. “We were inspired by their large marine animal tanks which are full of rays, sharks, and even a green turtle,” he says, There are just under 100 colorful species of fish in the game, including the ones Tim just mentioned, as well as crustaceans, octopuses, seahorses, and jellyfish. What’s really cool is that they all look, move, and behave just like their real-life counterparts. Each fish also has stats and care requirements that are scientifically accurate. We can see how this works for the Whale Shark, the largest fish in the world! To add the Whale Shark to Megaquarium, a 3D model needed to be created first, which was done using scientific drawings and photographs as guidelines. All the distinctive features of Whale Sharks had to make it in. That includes their blunt snout, white spots and belly, and their wide mouths which they use to filter-feed on krill. With all that done, it was time to animate the Whale Sharks so they swim like their real-life cousins. These gentle giants get around by moving their tails from side to side – not up and down like dolphins. The final stage was making sure all the care requirements and behaviors matched up. You’ll need a huge tank for Whale Sharks and it has to be rounded as they swim constantly. They also need very high water quality, so to keep them happy you’ll have to buy expensive filters — lots of them. While doing research for Megaquarium, Tim was able to get a look behind the tanks in a real-life aquarium, where they keep all the equipment. “It was the inspiration behind the pump system in the game, which allows you to connect many tanks together in a shared water system.” If you’re into engineering you can really get stuck into that part of the game. But you can just as easily become a fish nerd as you learn what the fish eat, as well as the plants and shelter they like inside their tanks. Megaquarium features about 90% of the fish you’d see in a real aquarium, so visit one after playing and you’ll probably be able to name most of the marine animals you see. We hope that you have fun keeping visitors your happy and making beautiful aquatic displays in Megaquarium. If you learn a little bit more about the wonderful animals that live in our oceans as you do, then that’s a great bonus. View the full article

At the UN Climate Summit, I will join leaders in the gaming industry to make formal commitments to contribute to the efforts of the UN Environment committee through a new partnership, the Playing for the Planet alliance. We believe that careful stewardship of natural resources is of utmost importance and are aligned with the mission and objectives of UN Environment. Earlier this year, they created a new Youth and Environment Alliance and quickly realized partnering with the video game industry would help them reach their sustainable development goals. At SIE, we have made substantial commitments and efforts to reduce the power consumption of the PS4 by utilizing efficient technologies such as System-on-a-Chip architecture integrating a high-performance graphics processor, die shrink, power scaling, as well as energy saving modes such as Suspend-to-RAM. For context, we estimate the carbon emissions we have avoided to date already amount to almost 16 million metric tons, increasing to 29 million metric tons over the course of the next 10 years (which equals the CO2 emissions for the nation of Denmark in 2017). I am also very pleased to announce the next generation PlayStation console will include the possibility to suspend gameplay with much lower power consumption than PS4 (which we estimate can be achieved at around 0.5 W). If just one million users enable this feature, it would save equivalent to the average electricity use of 1,000 US homes. From an operations point of view, we will complete a carbon footprint assessment of our gaming services and will report the energy efficiency measures we employ at our data centers. We are committed to informing consumers of energy efficient console set-up and use. Our commitments are not only related to hardware and operations, we are also keen to help inform people interested in sustainability goals. We have committed to working with the industry and climate experts to develop reference information for use by game developers that wish to include sustainability themes in games. In addition, we will investigate potential PS VR applications that can raise awareness of climate issues and climate experts. The gaming community is diverse and growing at a fast pace. There is an undeniable opportunity for leaders in the games industry to take a stand and support the UN Environment team by communicating the importance of preserving natural resources for generations to come. At PlayStation, we believe games have the power to ignite social change through educating people, evoking emotions, and inspiring hope. We could not be more proud to be part of the Playing for the Planet Alliance and the commitments announced. We look forward to seeing what the industry can achieve together. View the full article

Start stretching! FIFA 20 brings the World’s Game to life next week with new ways to play. Series veterans will enjoy refinements to the game’s time-tested gameplay and updates to FIFA Ultimate Team, and casual players can take it to the streets in Volta Football — an all-new mode with an emphasis on action. Other highlights include The Surge 2, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Code Vein, and more. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Code Vein PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 9/27) In the face of certain death, we rise. In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world as we know it. Team up and embark on a journey to the ends of hell to unlock your past and escape your living nightmare in Code Vein. Color Slayer PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) Race and slash your way forward in this color-based arcade game. Push your reflexes as you evade or slice color-coded enemies. Use the right colored sword to slash enemies as you avoid shielded ones, and pick the right enemy after a color switcher. Contra: Rogue Corps PS4 — Digital, Retail Contra is back! Two years after the Alien Wars ended, the Damned City erupts from the final battleground. From the midst of the chaos, a group of scoundrels emerge. They might not be typical heroes, but they’re here to save the world… or get rich trying. Dreaming Canvas PS4 — Digital (Out 9/24) Dreaming Canvas is a first-person adventure game where you can explore magical destinations, collect art-inspirations and paint pictures. Meet interesting other travelers along your journey, listen to inspirational art quotes from famous painters and get ready to paint the landscape of your dreams… FIFA 20 PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 9/27) FIFA 20 brings two sides of The World’s Game to life — the prestige of the professional stage and an all-new authentic street football experience in EA Sports Volta Football. Football Intelligence unlocks an unprecedented platform for gameplay realism and FIFA Ultimate Team offers more ways to build your dream squad. Habroxia PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) Blast your way through a myriad of extra-terrestrial incursions in this arcade-style scrolling shooter! Pilot the ship Habroxia through 15 levels featuring intense boss fights, rescue missions, shifting perspectives and untold surprises. Customize your ship, unlock three endless side modes, and save the galaxy from a series of sinister invaders. Star Wars: Jedi Knight II – Jedi Outcast PS4 — Digital Kyle Katarn’s classic adventure comes to PlayStation for the first time! Experience the legendary single-player epic with modernized controls and trophies. Test your skills in 24 single-player missions, four epic boss fights, and one unforgettable cantina. The Surge 2 PS4 — Digital, Retail On the way to Jericho City, your plane is shot down by a mysterious storm and crash-lands in the outskirts. You wake up weeks later in a derelict detention facility inside the city. Soldiers enforce Martial Law, robots are on a rampage, and a dark, expanding nanostorm looms over the cityscape… The information above is subject to change without notice. Blink-182 – NINE Madden 20 Soundtrack Rise Against – The Eco-Terrorist in Me Crawl Midsommar Spence Jr. vs Porter Season Premiere Wednesday, 9/25 at 8/7c on FOX Season Premiere Wednesday, 9/25 at 10PM ET on FXX Season Premiere Thursday, 9/26 at 9/8c on NBC PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to to step into the role of Director to solve the surreal mysteries of Control. While unraveling mysteries and navigating ever-changing rooms, you sent us your best Jesse Faden shares using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: Jesse moves around some floaters in this shattering share by @frameable_games. @poisonivyys found a way to color coordinate. @dlambo_ showed off the starry skies of the Bureau’s quarry. Jesse rocks a futuristic look in this share by @MrTJ_808. Levitation is a totally normal part of the job, as seen in this share by @thompsonjustin7. Jesse finds herself amongst an abundance of clocks. Good luck with that boss fight, @ZVWorlds! Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week? Theme: Neon Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, September 25 From city signs to formidable powers, neon has a starring role in our favorite games. Share your favorite neon sighting using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

After our intense hands-on experience with Capcom’s 4v1 multiplayer Resident Evil: Project Resistance, we sat down with game producer and leader of game development Kawata Masachika. Read on to see the concepts behind Project Resistance and Masachika’s vision on the final product. Play Video Play Video PlayStation.Blog: How was Project Resistance born and what was the idea behind it? Masachika: When making the Resident Evil games, we thought about the joy we get from placing zombies in a level and seeing how that placement could scare players. Making players scared with a great game is always enjoyable for us and we wanted the players to have the same experience as us by giving them the chance to add zombies or traps to levels. That idea is what started Project Resistance. By combining the co-op experience that forces players to face traps in a team-oriented environment and sprinkling in the Resident Evil elements/atmosphere, we thought we could create an interesting game experience. PSB: Was this game planned to be an online game from the beginning? Masachika: The version we showed at TGS 2019 was an online game mode, but we are fully aware that there many are Resident Evil fans that expect the story in the game. In an effort to satisfy our fans, we will have an offline mode that is focused on the narrative component. PSB: Four player co-op brings back memories of Resident Evil Outbreak. Is this a remake of the original game? Masachika: Some users think of this new game as a remake, but that isn’t true. The survivors being normal citizens is something we imagined from Resident Evil Outbreak. However, the existence of Mastermind is a big difference from Outbreak and we are developing this game in a different way. PSB: What kind of character is the Mastermind? Masachika: To put it simply, the Mastermind works for Umbrella Corps to kidnap citizens. These human test subjects are forced to face zombies for research on how to develop viruses. At TGS 2019, you only experience Daniel as Mastermind, but there are many variations of the Mastermind. The same goes for the survivors and there are more survivors with unique skills and looks that we are planning to add into the game. PSB: We got the impression after hands-on play that the Mastermind was very strong, especially the Tyrant. Is this character unbeatable? Masachika: When you include the Tyrant, many new players feel that the Mastermind is too strong. However, once the survivors get used to the map, it isn’t easy for the Mastermind. In fact, when I play as the Mastermind, it is very hard to win against my colleagues who are used to playing the game. A simple strategy, like placing zombies and traps where the survivors approach, will not have much effect on players working efficiently. On top of that, skills have great impact when used correctly. PSB: January’s skills were hard to deal with when playing as the Mastermind. Are the players well balanced? Masachika: In a way, January’s skills can attack the Mastermind directly. There are many skills that the survivors have that can affect the Mastermind, so if four players manage to use those skills effectively, they will be able to have an advantage. Additionally, there will be a leveling up system for the survivors during the game, and we will try to make both sides well balanced. PSB: What is the most effective way for the Mastermind to fight against the survivors? Masachika: There are several tactics for the Mastermind to fight against the survivors. For instance, this isn’t flashy but using door locks to separate the survivors is one way to fight them. While looking at a good Mastermind player, I noticed that they use the ability to control zombies. Good players tend to hide at the corner of an aisle and wait for the right moment, so when the survivors feel safe, they bite from behind and deal huge damage. Thinking like the Resident Evil developers when deciding where you’re going to place zombies is probably a good idea. By implementing those kinds of attacks, the survivors will get more cautious of the corners, and we will get to see a more Resident Evil-like battles play out in the game. PSB: It seems there is a lot of effort put into balancing the game. Is there anything else that you are consciously thinking about? Masachika: We call it an asymmetrical game, but I think it should be a game that every player can fully enjoy. With both sides overcoming incidents and tight situations, you often hear players saying, “Oh no, I was so close!” or “Yes, I made it!” until the very end. Of course, we plan on making the game difficult for both sides but as we develop the game further, we plan on adding more features that will allow everyone to enjoy the game, whether you win or not. PSB: Lastly, can you say something for the people reading the PlayStation.Blog? Masachika: Project Resistance is still in development and we cannot give all the details, but I would like everyone who thought that the game looked unique or maybe thought playing the Mastermind seemed fun, to try this game out. We believe we gave it a Resident Evil taste by giving players the experience of overcoming unexpected challenges through cooperation. Please join the closed beta test and I hope you are excited about the release. View the full article

A secret human experiment is taking place on the outskirts of Raccoon City… the perfect backdrop to the highly anticipated Project Resistance, which brings a new type of horror with 4v1 online multiplayer set in the world of Resident Evil. Play Video Play Video Players choose one of two sides: that of the Mastermind, who monitors and controls the experiment facility, or to participate as a team of survivors trying to escape from this prison by working as a team. This title brings new challenges that have never been done before in the Resident Evil series, and it caught the attention of the crowd at TGS 2019. How both Mastermind and the Survivors are played During the hands-on trial at TGS 2019, we were able to test out this team-based competitive co-op game. The current playable characters are the Mastermind, Daniel Fabron, and survivors Sam, January, Valerie, and Tyrone, who are trying to escape the facility. We were able to play through three areas of the game and we got a first-hand look at its basic mechanics. Playing as a Survivor Good teamwork and knowing your team strengths are essential. To win, the survivors must reach the exit together as a team of four before the time runs out. To open the exit door, the survivors will have to work together to defeat the zombies and reach a set of card keys that unlock several locks to escape the facility. We saw familiar items like herbs and weapons, as well as Umbrella Credits that can be used to purchase items. Given the co-op nature of the game, you have to be mindful that your currency is shared with the other three survivors. Buying an expensive item for yourself can lead to some members not being able to buy anything at all. As such, it’s always a good idea to discuss your next purchase with your survivor teammates. The unique skills that each survivor has is crucial to your escape. Survivors have their own Personal Skill and Fever Skill. For example, Sam can perform two types of powerful melee attacks while Valerie can light up items or equipment and can heal the team. It was difficult to use a skill at the right timing at first, but after getting used to I appreciated the importance of working together as a team and combining skills to survive the mission. Once you’re familiar with the unique abilities of the survivors, there are so many things to try out! At one point, I played January, who has hacking abilities and Tyrone who is good at close combat and has high defense stats. January is a support character that can shut off surveillance cameras for a fixed period of time. Using her Overload skill, she can also increase the cost of cards that Mastermind uses with her EMP skill. I used her abilities as frequently as possible, but the effects were hard to see so it I couldn’t tell if they were actually working. As a result, we all played very carefully, which kept us all alive, but we could not finish the third area in time, and eventually lost. Playing as Mastermind made me realize the power of January’s covert skills. While in this role, I could not do anything while the surveillance cameras were off and with the increased costs, I could not use powerful cards for a while. After getting a better understanding of her abilities, I came up with the idea of using her skill in places where Mastermind might put traps and increasing the cost of cards when we didn’t want a Tyrant (a massive bioweapon) to come out. The more playthroughs I did, the more I wanted to try January again since I learned how to maximize her skills. Next, I played as the melee survivor Tyrone, whose firefighter background comes in handy when beating up zombies. He can take on a zombie horde with weapons such as a piece of timber or a sledgehammer. I had fun playing him as the tank and took joy in running into places where zombies might be hiding and defeating them before they got to physically weaker survivors like January or Valerie. Tyrone has simple yet powerful skills, like the Survival Yell which increases defense stats of your teammates. His bold playstyle comes as a stark contrast to January’s and being able to play both characters gave me a good sense of the depth this game has to offer. That said, if you get too confident in this game, you will get hurt. I was moving straight towards the exit and fighting zombies alone, when suddenly a Tyrant appeared and promptly beat me up. I was in a nearly dead state and had to crawl back to my team, but the Tyrant blocked me, and I was eventually killed. After reviving, we headed to the exit but did not make it in time. I learned that it is important not to overestimate your abilities and to have good balance of aggressiveness, and defensiveness while playing as a team. Unfortunately, I was not able to escape the facility during my experience at TGS 2019, but I swore to try out Sam and Valerie and succeed in escaping the facility during the closed beta test, which comes out in October. Playing as the Mastermind Considering the survivors’ movements and the cost of cards are your keys to victory when playing as the Mastermind. To win in this role, you need to stop the survivors from escaping. By looking at icons on the map and looking through surveillance cameras, you must keep an eye on the survivors and set a trap or place creatures to stop them from escaping. The Mastermind uses a variety of cards like, placing zombies, setting bear traps, and firing shots from surveillance cameras. During this experience, Mastermind had four total cards to use. Each card had a cost and the cost of stronger cards was set high. For instance, Zombie dogs cost more than a Tyrant card. The Mastermind has a set number of cards you can use but they refill overtime. I thought constantly placing strong creatures like Licker and Tyrant would help me win, but I learned that it’s not as simple as playing all your strong cards up front. The staff who helped me learn the game told me that the survivors tend to be at a disadvantage before getting used to the game. While playing as Mastermind and monitoring the survivors through cameras, I noticed that the survivors were having a hard time getting past the initial traps and zombies. When one survivor finally passed the traps and entered the room, I turned the lights off and immediately locked the door. The surprised survivor tried the door, but it didn’t open. To make matters worse, while the poor survivor was panicking, a zombie in the room went to attack. As the Mastermind, I got a grim satisfaction from preventing the survivors from escaping. Even though turning the lights off or locking a door wasn’t a flashy move and didn’t cost me any cards, I have to admit that it was a pretty fun experience. Being mindful of survivor skills like January’s ability to hack surveillance cameras is important to remember and was difficult to deal with as the Mastermind. The Mastermind’s ability to interfere with survivors is compromised when you can’t look through the cameras. Once I was able to anticipate the survivor’s skills, figure out where to place zombies, traps and lock doors, I was able to slow the survivors down enough to the time to run out. It was an easy game this time, which gave me some time to think about what would be interesting for the survivors. With the closed beta test coming October 4 and more improvements to be made, the balance of the game will become even better. I can’t wait to go all out and see how I can improve my abilities as the Mastermind! Want to find out more? Read our interview with Resident Evil: Project Resistance producer Masachika Kawata here . View the full article

First, the good news: Afterparty is coming out October 29 on PS4. Bonus: we’re also creating a sweet Dynamic Theme that’ll turn your PS4 dashboard into a demonic pub! Now the not-so-great news: you’ve died and are about to burn in Hell. Instead of getting cozy with the concept of being eternally flayed, you must elbow your way into Satan’s house party and convince him to grant you re-entry to Earth. But (lucky for you?) the only way he’ll consider it is if you can outdrink him. That’s the premise of Afterparty, our next original game after Oxenfree. If it wasn’t apparent, our team’s mission these last couple years has been to let players inhabit their own darkly comedic adventure. The game evokes the vibes of Bill & Ted, Superbad, and Beetlejuice, but as a playable bender through Hell’s weirdest districts. To fulfill this promise, we needed to build a world, mechanics, and story that constantly reinforced the dream of letting players star in their own comedic romp. To that end, here are the key creative pillars we focused on while making Afterparty. Playing as two besties First, it was imperative to our crew that you embody not one, but two characters via Afterparty’s leads, Milo and Lola. Over the course of your night in Hell, you’ll explore the peaks and valleys of long-term friendship in ways that haven’t been seen in games before. Playing as a duo let our writers and designers explore not only the upside of long term friendship, but the pitfalls of knowing too much about each other. The game will pay close attention to how you shape your Milo and Lola; who you relate to more, whose plans you follow through with, and ultimately how you navigate the benefits and compromises of their friendship. By the end of the game, their relationship will be completely formed by your choices. A new vision of Hell’s denizens Afterparty’s version of the afterlife draws from all religions, but is firmly rooted in reality. It was a blast developing our own set of rules, deviating from the familiar pitchforks and fire in most interpretations of Hell. Our dead people and demons have jobs, families, and argue over the good parking spot like the rest of us. But they also throw Death Day parties for serial killers. An unpredictably wild night Whereas our last game, Oxenfree, had a unifying dilemma that the whole cast was trying to overcome, we wanted to make the situations in Afterparty reflect a much larger cast with their own unique problems. Milo and Lola just happen to stumble through these moments on their own journey, and the game is structured to feel more like a binge-worthy streaming TV series filled with an unpredictable cast. Win over the demonic band manager who brokers deals in exchange for souls. Dance for the EDM DJ in the middle of the throbbing two-story pile of limbs. Start a fight during the reunion of a grown man with the demon that possessed his toys when he was a kid. Every bar or street corner can lead to another set of strange characters who can help Milo and Lola on their greater journey. Things to do when you’re dead Over 30 drinks In a game where communication is one of the player’s central abilities, we wanted to let players customize how their characters would speak. So to aid them on their extraordinary quest, Milo and Lola are going to need a little liquid courage. To that end, we’ve created over 30 drinks to get sauced on throughout the game, each providing a different type of personality boost. Think of it like equipping a weapon, but for your words… every bar has a few different drinks that, once imbibed, give extra dialogue choices. Want to talk like a raging psycho? Order a Global Extinction. Fancy some vaudevillian flair? Grab a Great Exhibitionist. Don’t even ask what a Jeffery Bomber does. Friends in low places Like the best nights out, it’s about the friends you make, ditch, or piss off along the way. We’ve structured Afterparty in a way that tries to reflect those bumpy nights, so depending on who you interact with along the way, you’ll bump into a variety of folks again later in the game, many of whom may become crucial in your quest to take down Satan. Pub games It wouldn’t be a night on the town if you didn’t get a chance to compete in stupid games against the weirdos you meet. Beer pong, dance-offs, and shot stacking competitions will pop up when you least expect them, adding another dimension to the story. All of these design and story choices gave us the foundation to create our weird underworld. We hope you’ll join Milo and Lola on their quest to escape Hell, or at least throw a few back with the dead, on October 29. View the full article

Deck13 returns to PlayStation 4 with The Surge 2 on September 24, bringing back and expanding on hardcore combat, limb targeting system, and deep character customization. The game ups the ante by placing you in a sprawling city devastated by a cataclysmic event where you must fight to survive with your personalized exo-rig and combat drone. Inside the high walls of Jericho City, trapped in a technological apocalypse that threatens to consume everyone within, players will have to fight to survive and uncover the truth of the disaster. Cult members hopped up on drugs, nanomachines monstrosities, looters, and security forces will try to stop you wherever you go while a mysterious girl leads you to parts unknown. In anticipation of the release, we sat down with David Müller, Concept Artist at Deck13, to learn more about the art process. Hello David! Please describe your position at Deck13, what it entails and how it fits within the larger picture that is the creation of a video game like The Surge 2. I have been Concept Artist for Deck13 for roughly four and a half years now. As a concept artist I focus on character, armor, and weapon designs. Sometimes I help with UI/HUD elements like achievement icons, I create fake companies used in the game (so much fun!), and I do promo stuff, like cover artworks, postcards, posters or comics. I work closely with game design, animation, character artists and outsourcing partners, so that the ideas I come up with are doable and not too crazy. The challenging part for the Surge franchise is the layer system of a character. You have the basic model with clothing, the exo-rig, the gear-set with the possibility to have big weapons attached to it. Armor and weapon designs should be optionally combinable among each other without too many clipping errors. For The Surge 2 there was another layer mounted on top of the armor set at different positions: the drone carrier. What’s at the heart of Deck13’s sci-fi aesthetic? Is there a formula? Is this a combination of current-day references and anticipation? How can modern times influence the creation of a sci-fi setting and is the worst destined to happen? I would say in its core, our sci-fi aesthetic is to give a glimpse into what could be happening in the close future, observing current developments and trends, so yeah: current-day references and anticipation is a big part. The formula is to stay grounded as much as possible and draw a believable dystopia with a pinch of hope to make it believable and exciting. It’s funny when you look up how artists and writers imagined the future in their works centuries ago. It’s always interesting to see what actually came true, because most of the time it is just the idea that came to be, not the execution. The face of the future we can imagine is always just a distorted reflection of the present. A first look at the first few pages of The Surge 2 comic, “Out of the Ashes” — included in the Limited Edition The Surge 2 features creatures that seems to be coming from a distant world. What goes into creating brand-new “species”? What were your inspirations? What makes a good monster in your opinion, and what are some of the best monsters out there, games or movies? Every new concept starts with a lot of research. I always try to get as much input from every possible angle and source as possible. I do get my inspiration from almost every medium. Film, music, technology (machines, cars, planes, etc. for shapes and ideas), photography, paintings, drawings (old and new) and of course concept art. Just don’t steal unique ideas or concepts! I try to build on top of existing stuff I like, until almost everything that it was has been overwritten by my own style. That’s one way to get to the goal. A good monster needs to be believable in my eyes. It needs to be crafted like it could actually be a part of our world. If it needs to have some extraordinary elements, I’d try to build that on top of the core concept. The exception proves the rule of course, so if that “out of this world” element you want to pitch is the main idea for your monster design, go for it. It doesn’t have to work in the real world, but it should look like it could. If I would have to pick five awesome monster designs spontaneously, it would be: H.R. Giger’s Alien design, the fantastic creatures of Moebius, the Predator (especially that face), the classic Werewolf and Katsuhiro Otomo’s shapeshifting monstrosities (e.g. Akira). Concept art from “Out of the Ashes” The Surge 2 is set in Jericho City, a metropolis under quarantine that is far from the industrial identity of the CREO complex. What kind of challenges did you face in putting this world together? In terms of character designs and weapons, it was a challenge to combine the existing world of Surge 1 with the new companies, weapons, and factions of Surge 2. It needed to be connected but the new stuff also had to be able to stand on its own. Since Surge 2 plays outside now, we had to come up with new ways to combine the existing “tool” melee combat design of the isolated factory with firearms. We have been able to accomplish a combination of close and ranged combat, that feels fresh and easy to use mid-fight through our drone. The player drone design itself was a real beast to handle, because there’s so much stuff that builds up on it (armor designs, weapon attachments and the drone carrier), but it is one of the things I am most proud of. I think it could work in real life — I want that backpack! You’ve given our readers an exclusive look at the first pages of the “Out of the Ashes” comic that is only available by pre-ordering The Surge 2’s Limited Edition. Why this choice of medium? What can people expect from it, and what excited you most about putting it together? If you remember Iron-Maus from The Surge 1, we already played around with comic book references in the past. With The Surge 2, we were given the chance to provide players a new way to experience the story by providing a real comic for players to flip through and learn something they won’t discover anywhere else. We decided we should use this unique opportunity to fill the gap between The Surge 1 and 2 and continue the story of Warren, our hero from the first game. I love comics, so I was happy they asked me to do this. For me, the thing I liked the most was translating the characters I created for the game into another form of media – especially the comic medium. To see that it works was a great reward! I was also able to show two completely different drawing techniques here too (cover art and pages), which was really fun! You can see more early sketches from our later-abandoned Iron Maus-themed comic here. The Surge 2 brings the nanomachine nightmare of Jericho City to players everywhere on September 24 on PS4. Pre-orders are now available and come with the URBN Gear Pack, which includes a new armor set, two new weapons, and other cosmetics and equipment. View the full article

Hi all! Excited to share first details on PlayStation’s next State of Play, which will air Tuesday, September 24 at 1:00pm Pacific Time / 4:00pm Eastern TIme. We’re preparing a pretty hefty show, weighing in at around 20 minutes and sporting a fresh new look. And we’ll have some great news to share with you, including new game reveals, new content from PlayStation’s Worldwide Studios, and a host of other updates. Should be fun! Oh, and it probably bears mentioning: Don’t expect any updates related to our next-gen plans in this episode. You can watch live on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, as usual. Can’t wait to see what you think! And definitely keep that feedback coming – we read everything! View the full article

I’m Hannah Nicklin, Writer and Narrative Designer at Die Gute Fabrik. Earlier this year we were delighted to ​announce Mutazione​ to you via our GDC Teaser Trailer, and to release some exclusive ​garden gameplay footage​. Today, I’m delighted to tell you that the game is now live… ​and​ with a launch discount of 10%! Mutant Soap Opera In Mutazione you play as Kai as she travels to the strange and secretive community of Mutazione to visit her ailing Grandfather, Nonno. There’s lots you can do each day: explore your way through an in-game week of small-town drama and scenic hangout spots, engage with the magical musical gardening mechanic… But today we wanted to give you a little insight into the wonderful cast of characters! The ‘ensemble cast’ is part of the heart of the Mutazione experience. You don’t have to find your drama, laughter, tension and resolution all in the same person. Instead, on any given day in Mutazione, you will be able to follow the main plot — unpicking the mystery at the heart of the game — but you can also have or overhear hundreds of other conversations with members of the community, which will add to your understanding of the past and present. You’ll meet people like Tung, who plays drums in the local band, is unsure of what he wants to do with his life, and is addicted to a telenovela in a language he doesn’t speak. And Miu, who brings in meat for Mori’s Stir Fry and the weekly BBQs via her nightly hunts, and who is reluctant to speak about her dark past… Then there’s Graub and Ailin, who are expecting a baby, but have conflicting ideas about exactly how that should be. And there are moments of levity alongside every piece of drama. For example the Sausages, whose main job is shovelling manure, are always trying to discover the get-rich-quick scheme that will make them all millionaires. These are just a few of the characters you can talk to and spend time with over your time playing the game. I like to describe the game as having ‘multiple middles’ rather than multiple endings. We use the in-game journal to tell you which conversations are the key ‘story beats’ (and which will move time forward) giving the player to explore each time of day as much or as little as they would like. You can absorb every conversation possible, follow just the subplots of your favorite characters, or just hit the key story beats. We also like to talk about the game as a ‘mutant soap opera’ – because one thing that soap operas are so good at is examining how choices made by members of a community long ago can have ripples that last for generations. And instead of having ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies,’ you just have people, where lightness and darkness can exist in equal measure. Many people have worked over the past few years to bring the community of Mutazione to life. As well as the story, it also has wonderful magical musical gardens to play with, and a beautiful and unique art style. We hope that you come to love the world and the cast of Mutazione as much as we have. The launch discount will be live for a week after launch, so get in now, and tell your friends! View the full article