Commander Fury

Last week, we asked you to zero in on the luscious locks of your favorite gaming characters. From braided updos to and textured curls to muddy mops and brash beards, we scoured #PS4share and #PSBlog for this week’s hair-raising highlights: Aloy’s iconic red hair looks good even in the rain, like in this share from Horizon Zero Dawn, shared by @ameeba37. @assassins_book shared Aya’s textured braids in Assassin’s Creed Origins. @Eazels shared this look at Nadine’s voluminous curls in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Kratos’ beard shows flecks of gray in this God of War share by @nelid_vp. @RaffGN7 zoomed in on what was left of this Freaker’s hair in Days Gone. @Sefwick liked the shape of Adam Jensen’s beard in Deus Ex Machina: Mankind Divided. 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: Marvel’s Spider-Man: 1st Anniversary Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, September 11 It’s almost been a year since Marvel’s Spider-Man swung its way onto PS4! To celebrate everyone’s favorite web crawler, share your amazing captured moments over the next two weeks with #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Don’t forget to check out our Photo Mode Guide if you need a little inspiration. View the full article

Cancel those weekend plans, PlayStation Store has a Flash Sale on the horizon with savings up to 50 percent – and we’re leaking a peek at the incoming bounty. Buckle up with the Bandicoot in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, prepare for morphin time with Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid, and get ready to throw chin music with the greats in MLB The Show 19: All-Star Edition. Take a first glimpse at the full lineup below, then head over to PlayStation Store later today. This weekend’s Flash Sale ends September 2 at 8 AM Pacific. PS4 Games Title $Sale $Original 8FLOOR STRATEGIC COLLECTION 9.99 19.99 CODE: REALIZE ~WINTERTIDE MIRACLES~ 24.99 49.99 CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED 29.99 39.99 CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED – NITROS OXIDE EDITION 44.99 59.99 DAKAR 18 23.99 59.99 DEGREES OF SEPARATION 1.99 19.99 FAR: LONE SAILS 11.24 14.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK 34.99 49.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION 41.99 59.99 FELL SEAL: ARBITER’S MARK 22.49 29.99 GUNGRAVE VR – LOADED COFFIN EDITION 14.99 29.99 HITMAN 2 29.99 59.99 HITMAN HD ENHANCED COLLECTION 23.99 59.99 MLB THE SHOW 19 23.99 39.99 MLB THE SHOW 19 ALL-STAR EDITION 29.99 49.99 MLB THE SHOW 19 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION 47.99 79.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (1000) 0.69 0.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (11000) 5.99 9.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (150000) 49.99 99.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (24000) 11.99 19.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (5000) 3.49 4.99 MLB THE SHOW 19: MLB THE SHOW 19 STUBS (67500) 24.99 49.99 MONSTER JAM STEEL TITANS 31.99 39.99 MX VS ATV ALL OUT 33.49 49.99 PERSONA 3: DANCING IN MOONLIGHT (VR) 29.99 59.99 PERSONA 5: DANCING IN STARLIGHT (VR) 29.99 59.99 PERSONA DANCING: ENDLESS NIGHT COLLECTION 49.99 99.99 POWER RANGERS: BATTLE FOR THE GRID 11.99 19.99 POWER RANGERS: BATTLE FOR THE GRID – COLLECTOR’S EDITION 23.99 39.99 SEGA GENESIS CLASSICS 17.99 29.99 THE SIMS 4 BUNDLE – CITY LIVING… 24.99 49.99 THE SIMS 4 BUNDLE – GET TO WORK, DINE OUT, COOL KITCHEN STUFF 24.99 49.99 THE SIMS 4 CATS & DOGS 19.99 39.99 THE SIMS 4 CITY LIVING 19.99 39.99 THE SIMS 4 DINE OUT 9.99 19.99 THE SIMS 4 GET TO WORK 19.99 39.99 THE SIMS 4 PARENTHOOD 9.99 19.99 THE SIMS 4 VAMPIRES 9.99 19.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT – COMPLETE EDITION 14.99 49.99 THIS IS THE POLICE 4.99 19.99 THIS IS THE POLICE 2 14.99 29.99 TITAN QUEST 8.99 29.99 TOUR DE FRANCE SEASON 2019 27.99 39.99 PS Vita Games Title $Sale $Original CODE: REALIZE ~WINTERTIDE MIRACLES~ 19.99 39.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK 27.99 39.99 FATE/EXTELLA LINK – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION 34.99 49.99 P3D & P5D BUNDLE + MEGAVERSE COSTUME PACK 34.99 69.99 PERSONA 3: DANCING IN MOONLIGHT 19.99 39.99 PERSONA 5: DANCING IN STARLIGHT 19.99 39.99 View the full article

La-Mulana 1 & 2 taps into the excitement of exploring the unknown and challenging your reflexes and puzzle-solving skills! Slay monsters and solve diabolical traps in this non-linear puzzle-platformer from indie superteam Nigoro, now available for the first time as a physical collection on PS4! We prepared a beginner’s guide for series newcomers who dare explore the ancient ruins rumored to be the origin of civilization itself. Without further ado, let’s get to the Top 5 Tips for Surviving La-Mulana 1 & 2! 1. Pay attention to your surroundings and take it slow! Rushing into an area will almost always cause instant death; besides, there’s no need to be in such a hurry! Find the Holy Chalice as soon as possible for fast travel between points. Also, don’t forget to save frequently through multiple save files. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did. 2. Read all the tablets and take notes! The tablets provide hints for solving puzzles, some of which will definitely have your mind twisting and turning. And when we say scan everything, we mean it: things like mysterious glyphs, bones of past explorers, and tablets will give you hints and warn you about deadly traps. 3. Use your resources wisely! Save your gold for buying different software and relics, and use ammo for your sub-weapons when fighting tough bosses or for solving puzzles. 4. Read your emails! No, we’re not trying to call you out on your office work ethic. Xelpud, the Elder, and friends will give you advice through emails on where to go or what to do next! 5. Last but definitely not least, learn enemy and boss patterns! It’ll take some practice but bosses all have strategies that can be utilized to fight them more efficiently. Got all that? Now apply these tips in real-life with our special La-Mulana 1 & 2 challenge at our booth (Level 6, Booth #7505) at PAX West this weekend! You can also test your mettle by joining our Stamp Rally, where you will receive a prize upon completion! We also have a panel with the game designer himself, Takumi Naramura, on August 30 at 4 p.m. PT in Hydra Theatre. Witness some spicy shenanigans occur while learning about what went into designing this extraordinary platform collection. This panel will be streamed live via PAX’s secondary Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/pax2. We hope you enjoyed our advice on how best to brave the numerous trials and tribulations you’ll encounter deep within the ruins. Look forward to the release of La-Mulana 1 & 2 next year, and stay tuned for more updates! View the full article

Has it already been a year since Marvel’s Spider-Man webbed up our hearts? I’ve been a lifelong fan of the ol’ wall-crawler, so since Insomniac’s acclaimed adventure first point-launched onto PS4 I’ve been beside myself swinging through the city, putting a stop to crimes both big and small… and stopping every five minutes to bust out my camera. Even after locking down the game’s Platinum Trophy, I’ve made quite the habit of hopping back in from time to time not only to let off some steam with a quick swing through NYC, but to flex my photographic muscles with the superb Photo Mode Insomniac baked into Marvel’s Spider-Man. There are three broad ideas I try to keep in mind when getting into the Photo Mode mindset in any game, and they certainly apply here as well. Let’s call them Lights, Camera, and Action. LIGHTS Photography, at its core, is the practice of capturing light. As such, understanding light and how it affects your subject is key to capturing a compelling photo. If you’ve unlocked the ability to set the time of day at Harry’s Research Stations, set your game to nighttime and go for a quick swing around the city. Look for various sources of light and get up close to each one to see how they interact with Spidey. Some of my favorites are the lit glass skylights on top of some buildings, which can make for dramatic bottom-lit shots of our hero. Use these… … to do this I also like to play with the huge electronic billboards you can find in the brighter parts of the city. Framing a well-timed jump or mid-air attack just right can make for a rad silhouette shot of the web-slinger. Setting the time of day to sunset can make for great silhouettes too, and that warm “golden hour” lighting is especially gorgeous. Experiment with the different color filters in your Photo Mode menu here, too — but keep in mind that you can (and often should) decrease their intensity a bit to suit the photo you’re taking. The Spider-Chrome filter can blow out the details of a photo at full strength, but reducing its intensity can provide just the contrast bump you need to give your photo an extra kick. CAMERA Photo Mode in Marvel’s Spider-Man has plenty of menus to tinker with, but the first one I look to when setting up a new shot is the FOV (field of view). This behaves similarly to the optical zoom feature on a real-life camera, which means two things: Setting it to 100 will give you an ultra-wide angle shot. This will add an element of distortion to the edges of your image, which can make for an especially dramatic shot if you frame it well. Cranking it all the way to the other side of the slider acts similarly to a super-telephoto lens in real life, compressing the elements of your image together and letting you zero in on specific details. This makes for great portraits, especially given the extensive texture work Insomniac has put into many of Spidey’s suits. Marvel’s Spider-Man | Photo Mode Gallery Next, I usually adjust the aperture and focus distance of the photo. This emulates the behavior of the aperture setting on a real camera, which means it lets you adjust how much of a photo is in focus. You know that effect where a person’s face will be in focus, but the background is blurry? That’s called depth-of-field, and it’s what we’re playing with when we adjust these sliders. It’s tempting to just crank it all the way down to blow out the background of every photo, but don’t get too carried away. Sometimes it pays to keep a little bit of detail in the background to add a bit of context to your shot. Tilting your camera is another technique that can help keep certain elements in-frame or make a photo feel more dynamic, so don’t be afraid to play around here. Additionally, you can rotate the camera 90 degrees to frame your photo in portrait orientation, which can make for some rather nice mobile wallpapers! It’s important to consider the altitude of your camera in relation to your subject, as well. Generally speaking, shooting from a low angle can make your subject seem more powerful, but as with all things in Photo Mode (and in life!), moderation is key. Try taking the same photo with the camera at different heights and see how it affects the final shot. Bonus tip: Watch Spidey’s eyes as you experiment with all of these points. Since they’re so large and expressive, they can be especially subject to these adjustments. Play with the different emotes when using the selfie camera, too! ACTION Since Photo Mode freezes time, it’s possible to capture positively striking images if you time things just right. Experiment with all the moves in Spider-Man’s repertoire — he has a far more tricks up his sleeve than swinging and punching. If you’re really precise, you can even see the details on all of his different gadgets as he fires them off at foes! Keep playing with different moves to see how certain ones look when frozen; you’ll be surprised at the photos you can capture without even meaning to. Web Zips, Point Launches, various combat maneuvers, gadgets, and even simply wall-running can lead to surprisingly dramatic images. You may have noticed the repeated use of the word “experiment” in this guide, and there’s a good reason for that. I’ve provided a few starting points here, but the best way to get pictures of Spider-Man is to get out there and take them! The more you tinker with the toolkit Insomniac has provided, the more familiar you’ll become with its various powers — you might end up developing your own tricks, too. To get this shot, I froze the camera while wall-running up the side of a building, just as I passed a light mounted to the wall. Finally, there’s a sweet suite of frames and stickers you can apply to put the finishing touch on your art. Don’t be afraid to get weird with it — you could create the next great comic book cover! I’ve shared plenty of my own in-game photography on Twitter with the #SpiderManPS4 and #PS4share hashtags, and if you decide to boot up the game to take some photos I’d love to see you do the same! Got your own Photo Mode tricks you’d like to share? Drop ‘em in the comments! View the full article

Hello hunters! We’re on the verge of the worldwide console launch of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and while I know most of you are already 1000% ready for it, we wanted to give you one more Beta round and some juicy monster info! Iceborne Beta Round 3 – Velkhana of the Frost First up, get ready for one more epic challenge before launch. From August 30th at 12:01am PDT until September 1st 11:59pm PDT, we’ll be hosting the third round of our Beta, featuring a curated quest against the mythical Velkhana! Watch the PlayStation.Blog team take on Velkhana in the newest episode of PlayStation Underground… then see if you fare better against your icy opponent. This legendary Elder Dragon is a key part of the mystery behind the story of Iceborne, but also earns its spot as the flagship monster by bringing in game-changing gameplay mechanics—watch carefully as it manipulates humidity in the environment into ice, seemingly out of thin air! And part of what makes this Beta quest special is its carefully balanced parameters: the quest itself is only 15 minutes, and you’ll have to choose from a preset selection of gear. So this will be a true test of your teamwork coordination, and your ability to adapt to new dynamic gameplay systems. Good luck, hunters! The Return of Zinogre As the Iceborne launch draws near, we naturally start looking back at the journey thus far, starting with launch of the base game Monster Hunter: World back in 2018, and we really wanted to thank you for being a part of our community and playing a big role in shaping the game we have today. If you’ve watched our Developer Diaries and recent trailers, you’ll see that a lot of what’s in the game was directly influenced by fan feedback, from small things, like a “Take All” button on the reward screen, to big things, like the return of the fan-favorite thunder wolf wyvern, Zinogre! Seriously, this beast has been a fan-favorite since its debut in 2011. And for good reason: the thunderous howl, imposing stance, and dynamic gameplay mechanics paired with epic custom battle music, all add up to very memorable hunts. It’s a truly awesome combination that leads to an unforgettable first encounter, and consistent blood-pumping battles even many hunts later. Additionally, because all the creatures in Monster Hunter are designed to feel grounded in some form of reality, Zinogre also has a very interesting physiology, which gives background explanation for its awe-inspiring electric powers. It all starts from the yellow-brown carapace, known as “Zinogre Shocker,” that covers Zinogre’s body; they have lipids capable of generating electricity, which in turn is stored and amplified by the “Zinogre Shockfur,” the white fur you can see across its neck, chest and at the base of its legs. And the final piece of this puzzle comes in the form of small bugs charged with thunder element: Fulgurbugs. These little fellas amplify the electricity stored on Zinogre’s Shockfur even further, lighting up the Zinogre Shockers with a blue and white glow, and allowing the fanged wyvern to reach its supercharged state. It’s actually really cool to see this happen in real-time, changing the rhythm of battle and increasing risk of faints. Needless to say, watch out for that! To complement this formidable creature, the Guild has built stunning gear blueprints from Zinogre parts. The classic armor set designs return with tweaks to their asymmetric silhouette, and abilities that will surely channel memories of hunting Zinogre. The weapon designs also display a strong resemblance to the source material, featuring sturdy shells and fur that flows with electric charge… especially for weapon types with a charging gameplay mechanic, like this all-new Charge Blade. I’m definitely crafting that! Now that our hype is fully maxed out, we’ll leave you with the reminder that Monster Hunter World: Iceborne launches September 6th on PlayStation 4. The brand new story content starts immediately after the conclusion of the Monster Hunter: World base game (Hunter Rank 16), but if you’re still not there yet, look out for the Guardian Armor set, coming to all players as part of a free update on September 4th. Good luck against Velkhana in this weekend’s Beta, and happy hunting! View the full article

We’re very proud to announce Shovel Knight Dig, the newest project from Yacht Club Games. As a joint development project between Nitrome and Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight Dig has been in development for more than a year! It’s got quite a ways to go still, but we wanted to give you a taste of the amazing adventure that Shovel Knight will be embarking on next! What is Shovel Knight Dig? When Drill Knight and his dastardly digging crew blast apart Shovel Knight’s peaceful campsite and steal his loot, he grabs his trusty Shovel Blade and starts tunneling after them! Meet new friends and foes, visit strange lands, and outfit yourself in your quest to keep the entire land from collapsing underfoot! Jump, slash, and dig your way down an ever-changing chasm of mystery in Shovel Knight Dig, an all-new Shovel Knight adventure! An all-new presentation featuring a new Shovel Knight story! When Drill Knight and his dastardly digging crew blast apart Shovel Knight’s peaceful campsite and steal his loot, he grabs his trusty Shovel Blade and starts tunneling after them! The first Shovel Knight adventure in glorious high color pixel graphics and sound. Fluid animation, scaling, rotation, and parallax create the most convincing Shovel Knight world yet! Every adventure is different! Shovel Knight Dig levels have been meticulously crafted, then stitched together using proprietary generation techniques for infinite replayability. Jump, slash, and dig your way in an all-new direction – down! Rely on your trusty Shovel Drop, then dig through huge swaths of dirt with all-new Speed Shovel mechanics. Grow in power and wealth as you descend into the depths of the earth. Emerge with untold riches to outfit Shovel Knight further, unlocking permanent items and upgrades to your adventuring equipment. New Knights, new characters, and new enemies abound, but fear not! Shovel Knight Dig features Shovel Knight’s signature storytelling, humor, and maybe even some familiar faces… Another pulse-pounding soundtrack in a new style by astonishing virtuoso Jake Kaufman! The first collaboration between Yacht Club Games and Nitrome, pixel masters! Drill Knight With a string of high-profile heists under his ochre belt, Drill Knight’s name has become synonymous with precision pilfering. But despite his villainy, Drill Knight’s dramatic flair for the grandiose has made him… popular? Perhaps that’s why he was able to form the Hexcavators – a super-specialized digging squad greater than any seen before. No one seems to know the true purpose of their big dig just yet… but we sure wish we did. Because when Drill Knight talks, it feels like you could just listen for hours! Pros: Charismatic, Transforming Drill-Tech Armor Cons: Overconfident, Impatient Spore Knight When your eyes are opened to the true nature of your surroundings, it can drive a person a little mad! It’s unclear how Spore Knight moved from agriculture to counterculture, but her mushroom-manifesting skills make her a valuable asset to the Hexcavators. Her shroom stents hold open the tunnels of the Mushroom Mines… a once-collapsed series of caverns now pried precariously open. If Shovel Knight is to make it any further, he’ll need to head off Spore Knight’s cave-in before it begins! Pros: High Mental and Physical Resilience, Bouncy Cons: Bad Listener, Gullible View the full article

Don Batman’s cowl and stalk the rooftops of Arkham City, or unleash your inner fury in the savage third chapter of the Darksiders series, in your next batch of PlayStation Plus monthly games, available to download starting Tuesday, September 3rd. Let’s take a closer look: Batman: Arkham Knight Descend into the besieged streets of Arkham City as DC’s most-iconic crime-fighting crusader in Rocksteady’s neo-noir action adventure and explosive finale to the Arkham series. Pull on the legendary black cowl and explore the vast neon metropolis, grappling up walls and vaulting across rooftops, gliding between buildings, or tearing through the streets in the super-powered Batmobile. Go up against some of the caped crusader’s most iconic enemies, including Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc and more, using brutal hand-to-hand combat and an array of gadgets to liberate the over-run city once and for all. Are you ready to become the Batman? Darksiders III A visceral hack-and-slash action adventure, Darksiders III places you in a dark fantasy world filled with diverse environments, dangerous foes, hidden secrets, and weapons and abilities to unlock. Take on the role of Fury, the most unpredictable and enigmatic of the Four Horseman, as she returns to the scorched Earth to hunt down and destroy the Seven Deadly Sins. Track down each of the Seven Deadly Sins, slay their minions, and restore the balance between good and evil on Earth. Let the apocalypse begin… Both Batman: Arkham Knight and Darksiders III will be available to download from PlayStation Store between September 3 and September 30. In the meantime, you still have a few days left to pick up August’s PlayStation Plus titles. WipEout Omega Collection is a lightning-fast, futuristic racing experience filled with death-defying circuits and cunning combat, while Sniper Elite 4 is a tense stealth shooter set at the height of World War II. Both games are available to download until September 2. Let us know how you get on with August and September’s titles in the comments and we’ll see you again next month. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation.Blog! Our new game, Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise, launches tomorrow, and we’d like to tell you about it. Your mission (should you choose to accept) is to infiltrate enemy spy Ruby La Rouge’s secret hideaway and put a stop to her evil plans. If you’ve ever played an escape room, you’ll know what to do! Notice something strange or out of place? Making mental notes and observations (like a good secret agent) will aid you in solving tricky puzzles later on. As you explore Ruby’s secret lair, collecting objects and using them cleverly is crucial in unlocking a trail of puzzles leading you ever closer to your target. The puzzles in Agent A place a big emphasis on logic. You won’t be finding a gopher to unlock a microwave in Agent A (although that does sound kinda fun). You will, however, come across a couple of quirky characters including Trevor the mouse and a snappy bird named Günther… But do be warned: Ruby La Rouge is no spy to be taken lightly! Explore a labyrinth of perplexing puzzles in this quirky game of cat and mouse that’ll have you wondering whether you’re the cat… or the mouse! View the full article

Hello PlayStation players and CTR racers everywhere! We’re excited to be back with you with another blog post, right in time for our latest Grand Prix* season in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled – the Spyro & Friends Grand Prix! We’re thrilled to be bringing together two icons from the days of PlayStation past . . . gaming legends who have been spinning, jumping, wumping, gliding, and flaming bad guys for over 20 years. Now Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon will get the chance to take each other on . . . and no better place to do that than on the racetrack! As always, the Grand Prix is available at no additional cost for anyone who’s purchased Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled**, so make sure to jump in starting on August 30, as this Grand Prix season will bring new characters, new karts, and new items into the race, and introduce a whole new track. What makes this season so exciting is the fact that this time it brings together two classic franchises into one and is the perfect way to celebrate both. We at Beenox are huge Spyro fans and have not been able to keep our hands off of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy since its release last year. We are (obviously) also huge Crash fans, so being able to create a world where these two franchises can co-exist in all of their whacky glory has been an incredibly fun undertaking. This season you’ll see Spyro showing up all over the place in CTR – – in the opening menu screen, in the Grand Prix cinematic, and of course, in the game itself. Spyro, Hunter, and Gnasty Gnorc will be added as unlockable playable characters with all of the personality that you come to expect from them. You’ll also see some amazing new karts such as the Spyromobile and Gnasty Ride which give their namesakes some blistering rides to boast about: In addition to these, you’ll have the opportunity to unlock amazing new decals, stickers and paintjobs to deck out your karts with, and a ton of awesome new skins for characters new and old, such as the Dark Spyro and Gnome Velo skins you see below: Yet, our favorite part of this season is the track you’ll be racing on, which as you know by now is something that can be played online and locally from this season onward. We know you’ve been asking for it and we can finally reveal some details behind the creation of our favorite purple dragon’s track: Spyro Circuit. Spyro Circuit is a celebration of all things dragon. The design takes it inspiration from Spyro the Dragon all the way down to the gameplay ingredients themselves. We’re excited to give you the first deep dive, and the insider racing tips, for this scaled up course! With that said, let’s glide in! WHERE IS MY WUMPA FRUIT?! You will notice immediately that some items have undergone a drastic cosmetic change in this track, as opposed to the other tracks in the game. Power-up crates have been replaced by chests. Wumpa fruit has been replaced by gems. Even the invincibility masks have been replaced by Sparx! We’ve gone the extra mile to make sure the track feels like it was truly part of Spyro’s world all the way down to the soundtrack itself. TRAVELING PLACES Just like Hyper Spaceway, we saw an opportunity to travel to different places using Spyro’s magical portals. We asked ourselves, what if Spyro was racing on a magical campus of some kind? You might notice a few dragon statues placed here and there along the track as a tribute to some of the dragons from the Dragon Realms in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. Starting with the first hub in the Artisans Homeworld as a base for the beginning of the track, we opened the doors to its main castle. ENTERING THE LIBRARY As soon as you hit the gas, you will be taken inside the main hall inspired by the Dark Hollow level filled with bookshelves and candles. No time to read though! Players can take advantage of the base of the two statues to get a boost jump and smash some of the floating chests above, or go around them to strategically grab a power-up. Some might decide to go straight down the middle, but they must watch out for the fireworks crate that’s been placed there! Good news for those who pass by right after the explosion as it will leave gems scattered around. Following an S-curve, the library forks into what would look like an 8 shape from above. Players must plan before entering the first portal. Taking the left and right portion of the track will lead them to a boost pad with 2 power-up chests. Players can also go right down the middle to be rewarded with a chest filled with gems (but at the risk of losing their boost if they hit the side walls). THE FIRST PORTAL Taking the first portal will warp players into an area inspired by the High Caves level in the Magic Crafters Homeworld. Players must take advantage of the straight line and prepare for two sharps turns leading to the next portal all while avoiding projectiles fired by a duel of wizards. Hit the second turn with enough speed and you should cut the corner shot by jumping over the grassy area. THE SECOND PORTAL The second portal takes you inside the castle with architectural elements inspired by High Caves and Wizard Peak. The narrow pathway makes a sharp right turn to take you through a giant room filled with a magical vortex created by a group of wizards. Don’t panic and bounce off the floating platforms held by these crazed magicians! THE THIRD PORTAL The third portal leads us back to the Artisans Homeworld, but we’re not at the finish line just yet! The track ends with a loop followed by a jump in the end . . . this is where it can get messy. If you can manage to avoid the explosive crates in the loop, maintain your boost and hit the jump just right, you can maintain that momentum through the finish line. But be careful – – if other players are on your tail with just the right powerup, you could lose your position at the last minute! We think this track is going to create some intense racing competition with new elements to watch out for (firework bundles), and fewer shortcuts than usual. We wanted Spyro Circuit to be a knock-down-drag-out, Bandicoot v Dragon fight all the way down to the finish line. There are no places to hide on this one so make each boost and power-up count! SEE YOU IN THE DRAGON REALMS! So that’s the deep dive of Spyro Circuit, and a quick overview of the new content coming in this exciting Grand Prix season. We’re thrilled to be bringing Spyro into the CTR mix, and can’t wait for players to enjoy these retro gaming icons together on the PS4 for the first time! The Spyro & Friends Grand Prix starts Friday August 30 at 7:00AM PDT (2PM PDT UTC)* You can pick up Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled here [link to CTR product page] and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy here [link to the Spyro Reignited Trilogy Product Page] * Grand Prix content and timing subject to change. ** Internet required for Grand Prix, Wumpa Coins, Nitro Points, online multiplayer (PlayStation® Plus subscription sold separately), access to the Pit Stop and other features. View the full article

When Harmonix first announced its VR rhythm shooter, Audica, earlier this year, we got one question more than any other: when is this coming to PSVR? Well, I’m excited to say that the wait is almost over! This fall, PlayStation VR players will be able to enter the arena, raise their blasters, and shoot to the beat of a stellar soundtrack featuring some of the hottest artists in the pop and EDM space. Audica is a game about precision, about becoming one with the music, and about texting your friends to gloat when you leap past them on the leaderboards. With the perfect combination of rhythmic timing and aim, you could even find yourself topping the global leaderboards. At launch, Audica will include four visually stunning arenas, a variety of blasters, a suite of customization options to personalize your gameplay experience, and a campaign to guide you through the 30+ song soundtrack. You can spend your time seeking a trance-like flow state with the music, creating your own local target maps, or using practice mode in your pursuit of FC glory and that coveted #1 spot on the leaderboards. Whatever your reason for donning the headset, you’ll quickly find the real world disappears, leaving only you, the ethereal world of Audica, and the music. Audica has been a been a passion project created by a small team of dreamers within Harmonix who set out to answer one very important question: Wouldn’t it be awesome to feel like an action movie star with the coolest soundtrack choreographing everything you do? The world of Audica itself is anything but a quick background to the action, though. Four arenas provide a fully immersive and musically-reactive environment, each one providing a little more insight into this mysterious world you’ve entered. We can’t promise you won’t be left with some questions about where and who and what happened, but we do hope to captivate you along the way. A music game worthy of the genre deserves a best-in-class soundtrack. In true Harmonix style, the soundtrack is carefully cultivated for the gameplay, including a blend of songs right off the charts and new songs crafted specifically for Audica. Here’s a look at what’s been announced so far: We’re excited for our return to the platform with Audica later this fall, and will have more details about exact date, price, and full soundtrack in the coming months. Stay tuned to PS Blog and Harmonix’s channels for all the latest! View the full article

We feel privileged to be repeating the same thing over and over again – thank you for all of your amazing support of Insomniac Games and Marvel’s Spider-Man since the web-slinger landed on the PlayStation 4 system. We’re a little over a week away from the game’s one-year anniversary on September 7th! We’ll be looking back at 2018 over the next few weeks – but we wanted to kick off the anniversary celebration with a loud THWIP. It seems crazy that just about a year ago people hadn’t yet had a chance to swing around Marvel’s New York. We’ll always remember that first E3 in 2016, when our teaser trailer surprised fans that we had teamed up with Sony Interactive Entertainment and Marvel Games to put our own spin on one of the most famous fictional characters of all-time. From working to nail web-swinging and acrobatic Spidey combat, to imagining a brand-new Spider-Man universe and storyline, and getting to build our own version of Marvel’s New York – it’s been a wild ride for all of us here. With that – we’re pleased to introduce the Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition. We remain deeply humbled by the incredible critical response to the game last year and during awards season. You might be asking – what’s in the Game of the Year Edition? You’ll find the full game, as well as a voucher for the entire Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps DLC – a three-chapter narrative to the game that tells its own spectacular, post-game story. We’ve been blown away by your response to Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps and we’re excited the Game of the Year Edition will expose it to even more players. It’s a great value, as you get the full game and all three story chapters of Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps for just $39.99 USD MSRP. You can buy it today at PlayStation Store or at your favorite local gaming retailer. Already have the base game? You can still get Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps on PlayStation Store for just $24.99 USD MSRP. We’re honored to mark the one-year anniversary of the game with this new Game of the Year Edition. We hope that some of you who maybe haven’t had the chance to experience Marvel’s Spider-Man can now swing into all of the amazing Spidey action with the complete package. *Internet connection and an account for PlayStation Network required. View the full article

It’s a big day for 505 Games and Remedy Entertainment today, as we launch Control on PlayStation 4. For those who know very little about Control, let me fill you in… Control is a supernatural third-person action-adventure title from the wonderful team at Remedy Entertainment. You play as Jesse Faden, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Control. The FBC is a secret government agency in the heart of New York, based at The Oldest House. It’s your job to seek answers and regain Control after an invasion (known as the Hiss) takes over their HQ. It won’t be long until you realize all is not as it seems… This otherworldly threat creates an unpredictable world that will challenge Jesse and push her to her limits. To give you an idea what to expect, we’ve highlighted five things you need to know in order to regain Control (We’ve kept it spoiler friendly, don’t worry!) 1. Keep an Eye on your Surroundings Look at what’s around you and use what you see to your advantage. See that table in the corner? That fire extinguisher on the wall? Use your telekinesis ability to grab it from afar. Hurl objects using your Launch ability to take down the Hiss. 2. Get Off the Ground Remember Jesse has supernatural powers, so be sure to use them! The ability to Levitate will not only help during battle but will allow you to reach certain places in The Oldest House otherwise inaccessible. Think outside the box and use this ability to your advantage. 3. Defend Yourself Defense is super important in Control. Evade will allow you to make sharp and swift movements, allowing Jesse to get out of fire range in quick time. There will be circumstances where you must rely on the environment for protection. Create a Shield using objects around you during moments when you need to put up a guard. 4. Understand the Service Weapon The Service Weapon is an incredibly powerful tool. Taking five different forms, Jesse must learn and adapt to using the right form in the right situation. Struggling to take down a boss? Step back and take a moment to think about how you’re using the Service Weapon. 5. Seize Control Jesse has the ability to Seize control of enemies, allowing them to assist you in battle. The Seize ability can really help in situations where you could use a helping hand. Teamwork makes the dream work. There’s so much more I could tell you, but let’s leave it at this for now. The world of Control is a deep, unpredictable one. A world that Remedy Entertainment have so finely crafted over the last few years. You’re about to experience something unbelievable in Control. Now is probably a perfect time to wrap things up. On behalf of the whole team involved here at 505 Games and Remedy, thank you! Since Control was announced at E3 2018 as part of the PlayStation conference, the level of support we’ve received has been staggering. The excitement, enthusiasm and love from our fans has got us to this point. We cannot wait for you to pick up Control and tell us what you think. Happy launch day! View the full article

Six games across two series megamerge into one giant collection! Taking legendary Reploids into the far future alongside a new generation of heroes looking to carve out their own story, Mega Man Zero / ZX Legacy Collection brings the intense action of all four Mega Man Zero games and both Mega Man ZX games to PlayStation 4 on January 21, 2020. Way Beyond 21XX If you’re familiar with Mega Man X, then you’re familiar with his mentor and long-time partner, Zero. Fully playable for the first time in Mega Man X4 on the PlayStation, Zero added a new angle to the classic gameplay formula of Mega Man with his close-range Z-Saber and ability to copy enemy techniques, as opposed to X’s ability to copy their unique weapon systems – a key difference in how each character played. Even after numerous adventures, Zero’s story didn’t end with the events of the Mega Man X games. If you’re a fan of Zero or the Mega Man X games in general, you’ll want to see where Zero’s story picks up hundreds of years later, beginning with the aptly titled Mega Man Zero. Setting the stage for the revival of the legendary Reploid, join Zero, human scientist Ciel, and Resistance forces in their fight for a better future. As the events of each Mega Man Zero game unfold, you’ll learn more about the fate of old friends, such as X, and gain powerful new allies. However, along the way you’ll also cross paths with terrifyingly destructive foes like the fearsome Omega and the twisted Dark Elf. The Resurrection of a Legend Series fans know Zero isn’t defenseless, of course. Even hundreds of years later, Zero is still an A-Class Hunter and knows how to fight. You’ll need to bring your A-Class skills if you want to survive what’s ahead of you! While ranking was mostly for personal pride in prior Mega Man X games, Mega Man Zero introduced a new ranking system that graded you on how well you played. When you maintain an A or S rank, bosses will give it everything they’ve got and unleash powerful “EX” moves – which, depending on the game, Zero can copy once he’s defeated his foe! Unlike other Mega Man games, defeating a boss doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a new technique; you’ll need to put your skills to the test if you want to earn those abilities! Fight for the Future A few hundred years after the events of Mega Man Zero, humans and Reploids now live together in peace at the start of Mega Man ZX. However, a certain megalomaniac’s legacy lives on, and an old threat has re-emerged: Mavericks. When a few rogue Reploids set their sights on a couple of Transporters on a routine job, fate intervenes to set one of them on a brand-new path. Choose from two playable characters, Vent or Aile, and take on new forms with the help of mysterious living artifacts known as Biometal Model X and Model Z. It’s up to you to discover the reason for the resurgence of Mavericks and put a stop to the rise of a brand new villain who wields the nefarious Model W. Taking place several years after the first game, Mega Man ZX Advent is a direct sequel and introduces a new pair of heroes looking to make their own mark on history while they uncover their past. With two overlapping stories to tell, join either Ashe or Grey as they discover their role as a Mega Man – someone who can megamerge with Biometals, such as Model A – to put a stop to a new threat and maybe understand just who, exactly, they were meant to be. Expanding on the first game, you won’t just gain new forms from defeated foes; you’ll be able to use the unique ability of Model A, “A-Trans,” to copy their DNA and transform into bosses on the fly, allowing you to use their unique abilities to fight enemies and explore the environment in brand-new ways. No one said it would be easy, but with a little help from your friends and the skills of fallen foes, you just might be able to put an end to the brutal “Game of Destiny,” designed to pit Mega Men against each other to discover the strongest one of them all. Take the Edge Off If all of that seems a bit too intense and you just want to relax while enjoying the story, Casual Scenario Mode and Save-Assist have you covered. Casual Scenario Mode offers the same core gameplay experience while powering up your character and reducing the penalty of spikes and pits from instant death to taking damage instead. In addition, Save-Assist automatically saves your game mid-mission, giving you a point to restore from if things go wrong or if you’re looking to practice a difficult section or boss. It’s particularly useful if you’re looking to keep your rank high in Mega Man Zero games! Each of these features can be turned on or off for each game, putting the power of how you want to play in your hands. Classic Gameplay, Modern Features There’s lots more we haven’t covered just yet, including optional visual filters, different screen ratios, and different layouts for the second display that features in ZX and ZX Advent! There’s even more to do beyond the games themselves, with an art gallery stuffed with illustrations, a music player featuring tracks from all six games, and exclusive new songs made for Zero / ZX Legacy Collection. You can also switch between multiple versions of each game (including the original Japanese releases). Of course, we can’t forget the new Z Chaser Mode that snuck into the end of the trailer – though you’ll have to wait a bit to hear more about that. If you’re ready to dive in as soon as the collection is available, you can pre-order now for an additional selection of ten tracks to listen to in-game! The “Reploid Remixes” include six new remixes of an iconic song or theme from each game, replacing the in-game music with a brand new track made just for Zero/ZX Legacy Collection. You can also listen to an additional four tracks made specifically for the collection via the in-game music player. Megamerge! To recap, here’s what games you’re getting in Mega Man Zero / ZX Legacy Collection: · Mega Man Zero · Mega Man Zero 2 · Mega Man Zero 3 · Mega Man Zero 4 · Mega Man ZX · Mega Man ZX Advent If you missed these games the first go around, now is a great time to jump in and see what you’ve been missing! Continue the legendary Zero’s adventures in the Mega Man Zero games, then join a new generation of heroes on the rise in Mega Man ZX and ZX Advent… and see what ties both series together. Model X and Model Z aren’t just random names, after all! This is the first time all four Zero games and both ZX games will be available on console, so we hope you’re looking forward to Mega Man Zero / ZX Legacy Collection bringing all six of them together alongside the Z Chaser mode, gallery, and more to PlayStation 4 on January 21, 2020. View the full article

Hey guys, Shabs here, Game Director on Firewall Zero Hour*, the 4v4 tactical multiplayer shooter, exclusive to PS VR. We’re absolutely pumped to be celebrating the one year anniversary of Firewall Zero Hour’s launch. And what a year it’s been! Over the course of a year, we’ve released a number of updates to the game — at times directly influenced by the awesome feedback we’ve received from our players! Our amazing community continues to grow stronger than ever, and we’re grateful for the recognition Firewall Zero Hour receives — such as being named the VR Game of the Year (2018) by UploadVR, and named a finalist for the VR Game of the Year Award (2019) by AIXR’s VR Awards. Coming up on a year of playing Firewall Zero Hour, we also have some fun data stats from the community to share with you. As of 8/13/19: You’ve played over 4,028,896 total hours! You’ve eliminated over 26,833,576 enemies! Your top three chosen Contractors are Texas, Red, and Skip! Your top three chosen maps are Compound, District, and Hotel! Your top three chosen weapons are Taylor X-75, Spitfire, and Taylor X-75 CQB! In honor of all of these milestones, we’re excited to be putting together an Extended Free Trial for active PS Plus members, August 28th – September 2nd! During this 6-day Free Trial, players can squad up and dive straight into battle—testing out the latest maps, weapons, and equipment. Since launching one year ago, we’ve added 4 more maps to the game (Containment, Hangar, F.O.B., Newsroom), plus new Contractors, weapons, and tons of customizations like camo skins, face paints, and trinkets. Players will get to try out the new free missions from our latest season which launched August 13th, Operation: Dark Web, and earn free cosmetic rewards. There will also be a Double XP event happening concurrently during the 6 days–so players can level up even faster in-game. It’s truly the perfect time for new players to hop in and try out Firewall Zero Hour! To get you in gear for the Extended Free Trial, we’re also bringing you a list of ten favorite tactics used by the Firewall Zero Hour community. Study up before you squad up! First time stepping into the game? Try out the Tutorial, then try out Solo Training for a few different maps. In Solo Training you’ll go up against AI, and get a feel for what it’s like to be an Attacker or Defender. You can also experiment with different loadouts and their weaponry (Assault, CQB, Support). Once you get the hang of different game mechanics, you’re ready to try out Public Training, where you and your teammates will play co-op against AI and learn the value of teamwork by communication. Try out different Contractors in this mode and see how their Primary skills play out. Now you’re ready for the heart of the gameplay — Public Contracts! In this mode, teams of 4v4 go head-to-head, and the stage is set for unpredictable outcomes. You’ll experience what it’s like to play as both an Attacker and a Defender, as your role switches after every round. Strategize together in the lobby and throughout the match. Who’s staying together? Who’s going to flank? Vocal communication with your teammates is crucial to your success. Experiment with different loadouts, depending on whether you’re on the Attacking team or the Defending team. The Support loadout is a great choice for new players, as you get access to the Revive Pistol right away. The Support loadout also comes with a Signal Modifier, which is a great tool if you’re a Defender. When you place a Signal Modifier near the laptop, Attackers must find and destroy that Signal Modifier before they can hack the laptop. There’s a new loadout this season called the Operation loadout. It’s an awesome option for those wanting to try out some of the latest gear in Firewall Zero Hour. The Operation loadout comes with the Raptor as primary weapon, the Sarge as secondary weapon, the C4 as lethal equipment, and the Motion Sensor as tactical equipment. The Motion Sensor is Firewall Zero Hour’s latest piece of equipment, as of Operation: Dark Web’s launch. You’ll be sure to encounter players using it, and you can test it out yourself with the Operation loadout. When a Motion Sensor is placed, a radius is engaged that can detect enemies. If an enemy enters this radius, their enemy outline will turn red and can be seen by the player who placed the Motion Sensor. Teammates of this player will receive a red-dot marker on their wrist tablets, but proper communication is still very important between the player who places a Motion Sensor and his/her teammates! Speaking of Motion Sensors — you might be wondering what’s a good counter to an enemy who places a Motion Sensor. Check out the Ninja Skill, Contractor Meiko’s Primary Skill. This Skill gives you reduced movement noise, as well as renders you undetectable to a Motion Sensor. The Operation: Dark Web season kicked off with a new Contractor, Kane**, whom you might see in a lot of your matches. It’s good to be aware of Kane’s Primary Skill of Blade, which allows up to 3 knives to be thrown using the melee button. How can you, as a player, counter against this type of attack? Equip your Contractor with the Secondary Skill of Rhino Skin, which lets you take less damage from knife attacks. All about the maps! Firewall Zero Hour now has thirteen different maps, set in diverse locations throughout the world. Take note of certain areas in maps that can really work to your advantage, or detriment. With great risk, comes great reward…but also…risk! The catwalk in Shoothouse, the ditch in District, and the skybridge in Hangar are all notable spots where both unique attacks and dangerous chokepoints can happen. Some maps are on the larger side (Docks, Warehouse, District, Hangar, F.O.B., Newsroom) so be sure to keep that in mind when strategizing what might work best for them — such as equipping Skills like Double Time (Diaz’s Primary Skill–faster movement speed) and equipping long-range weapons, like the Kruger. During the Extended Free Trial, you’ll be able to complete a variety of Operation: Dark Web missions and earn free rewards–and you’ll keep all your progress if you decide to get the game. Some of the free rewards during the Operation: Dark Web season include weapons, camo, trinkets, and face paints. Many missions will require you to complete a task (or several) in a particular map, or by using a particular Skill or weapon–giving you an array of interesting missions to complete. As a quick reminder: Firewall Zero Hour will soon welcome another free new map, Cargo, at the mid-season update September 17th! Well there you have it, Contractors. We’re excited to be welcoming even more of you into the fray! And we’re over-the-moon to be celebrating one year of fun with you in wildly unpredictable multiplayer matches, across realistic maps, and with a player base that now spans over 150 different countries…all on PS VR! For those of you who have been with us since day one — we thank you again for staying on this wild ride with us, one year on. Let’s squad up, and I’ll see you online, Contractor! – Shabs *An internet connection is required for all modes of Firewall Zero Hour, including Single Player Training Mode. An active PS Plus membership is required for Multiplayer Training and Multiplayer Contract modes. **Firewall Zero Hour – Dark Web Op Pass required to unlock contractor Kane. PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®VR and PlayStation®Camera are required to experience VR functionality. View the full article

At GDC 2019, the action RPG Crystar was announced with the catchphrase, “For When I Weep, Then I Am Strong.” But how can weeping make you stronger? Crystar’s Producer/Director Fuyuki Hayashi explains how that’s possible in this game. Crystar will be released on August 27, 2019 for North America and August 30, 2019 for Europe. Mimi Saito: Crystar starts off with the protagonist Rei killing her little sister Mirai. Can you tell us a little bit about the plot and who helps Rei in her journey to save her sister? Fuyuki Hayashi: This title takes place in the afterworld known as Purgatory. Rei, who has killed her sister, sets out to revive her by signing a contract with the Demon Twins known as Mephis and Pheles and becoming an Executor. As an Executor, Rei must travel through Purgatory and fight the Souls of the dead, called Revenants, and find her sister’s Soul. During her journey, Rei is joined by other characters with their own goals and motives: Kokoro, her senior Executor who vowed to take revenge on a certain Revenant; Sen, a girl with a strong sense of justice who lost her mother in a tragic accident; and Nanana, a mysterious Revenant who likes Rei very much. Crystar may be a bit dark with its themes of tears and girls enduring hardships and fighting in the world of the dead, but there’s a lot of fun dialogue like Rei being teased for her peculiar potato-only diet and the girls enjoying each other’s company. MS: Who else do you meet in Purgatory besides Rei’s companions? FH: Revenants, which are basically evil spirits, appear as some of the main enemies in this game. One of them is Anamnesis, who’s responsible for dragging Rei and Mirai into Purgatory. She’s also the one who Kokoro seeks out for revenge. Anamnesis is dead and gathers the Souls of others in order to grant herself Revival. She crosses paths with Rei and fights her several times throughout the story. There’s also Mephis and Pheles, the Demon Twins who act as guides for Rei and the other Executors. They’re the managers of Purgatory and form contracts with Executors to have them get rid of irregular Souls. You can also visit Rei’s room in the realm of the living and see her samoyed, Thelema. I recommend everyone pet her for some emotional comfort. MS: Everyone at the Spike Chunsoft, Inc. is a big fan of Thelema! Interacting with her is such a comforting moment in the game. Can you talk about Crystar’s theme and how that ties into the gameplay mechanics? How does crying actually help Rei in the game? FH: There are two ways in which characters shed tears in order to grow stronger in Crystar. First, the girls can cry in Purgatory and summon a supernatural companion known as a Guardian. There’s a Tear Gauge that can be filled by fighting or holding the cry button. The Guardian is summoned when the Tear Gauge is full, granting access to combination attacks and a special finishing move. The second way is by crying in the world of the living. The enemies known as Revenants that appear in this title were all once human. Their death cries, called Torments, appear on-screen as text when they’re defeated. Rei can purify these Torments by crying in her room, converting them into weapons and armor that can be used in the spiritual realm of Purgatory. This mechanism represents the process of achieving emotional and mental growth by overcoming grief and pain through shedding tears. MS: How many customization options are there? HF: There are four playable characters who you can freely switch around once they join the party. They each fulfill one of the archetypes of all-rounder, close-range type, combo type, and long-range type, so players can choose a style that fits them best. You can also find equipment that comes with slots, which can be imbued with random benefits like resistances to status effects. Finding slotted equipment and getting certain special effects for them can be another enjoyable aspect for the loot lovers out there. Plus, there are costumes you can unlock through DLC or simply progressing through the game, which can be used to customize each character’s appearance. MS: What was the most difficult aspect of developing Crystar? FH: Tears are the main motif of this game, so there are many scenes in which characters are crying. We had some difficulty during development figuring out a game system implementing tears and creating a dark setting and story that convincingly leads to the girls’ weeping. MS: Lastly, anything we should keep an eye out for when we play? FH: We put a lot of passion and thought into creating the story and characters, and implemented mechanisms involving tears and an action-based battle system so players can better relate and empathize with them. It would make me very happy if players play the game without seeing any spoilers and enjoy it to the end. Also, please don’t forget to show Thelema the samoyed lots of love! View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Like the rushing waters of the majestic Rhine River, video game news flowed forth from Cologne, Germany this week thanks to Gamescom 2019. Dive in for updates on Death Stranding, Predator: Hunting Grounds, COD: Modern Warfare, and more. Stick around for a chat about gaming experiences we just didn’t want to end. Stuff We Talked About Gamescom Death Stranding Castlevania Gummy Bears MediEvil The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Kristen Zitani – Social Media Specialist, SIEA Tim Turi – Senior Social Media Specialist, SIEA Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

Welcome, Director. You’ve got your work cut out for you. Master supernatural powers, shape-shifting weapons, and unpredictable environments to uncover the secrets of the Oldest House in Remedy’s gripping new adventure, Control, launching Tuesday on PS4. Supermassive Games’ first entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology, Man of Medan, hits PS4 on Friday, promising a branching thriller where anybody can live or die. Take the fates of each character into your own hands (and those of your friends, thanks to the game’s two multiplayer modes), and see if you can make it out alive. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise PS4 // Digital (Out August 29) You play as Agent A in this stylish secret agent world full of retro futuristic contraptions, hidden gizmos, gadgets and clever logic based puzzles. But do be warned… Ruby La Rouge is no spy to be taken lightly! Explore a labyrinth of perplexing puzzles in this quirky game of cat and mouse that’ll have you wondering whether you’re the cat… or the mouse! The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut PS4 // Digital, Retail Hidden in the shadows, an evil has waited patiently. Until now. Who will face the darkness if not you? A heroic adventure featuring 50+ hours of gameplay, 350 speaking parts, a Legacy Mode for returning fans, and over 100 pieces of incredible music. Control PS4 // Digital, Retail After a secretive agency in New York is invaded by an otherworldly threat, you become the new Director struggling to regain Control. From developer Remedy Entertainment, this supernatural 3rd person action-adventure will challenge you to master the combination of supernatural abilities, modifiable loadouts and reactive environments while fighting through a deep and unpredictable world. Crystar PS4 // Digital, Retail Crystar is an action-RPG developed by Furyu Corporation. Rei fights her way through the afterworld of Purgatory to rescue Mirai, the little sister that she killed. Crystar’s unique game mechanics allow the player to harness the power of grief. Use Rei’s tears to craft weapons and armor as well as summon a Guardian to protect her in battle. The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan PS4 // Digital, Retail (Out August 30) The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone, cinematic horror games. Each game features a brand new story, setting and characters, with a fully branching narrative. In Man of Medan, five friends set sail on a holiday diving trip. As the day unfolds, and a storm rolls in, their trip soon changes into something much more sinister. Who will live, who will die? It’s all down to you. Decay of Logos PS4 // Digital Embark on a journey of revenge and betrayal set in motion by the destruction of our young adventurer’s village at the hands of Crimson Knights. Find solace in your trusty elk companion as you battle the unforgiving foes that roam this once peaceful realm. Venture into ancient ruins and dungeons in search of its rewards in a quest to find the truth behind the attack of Ada’s home. Headspun PS4 // Digital (Out August 28) After waking from a five week coma, Theo finds his life in disrepair. With no memory of the accident, it’s up to Ted and Teddy – the conscious and subconscious voices in his head – to work out what happened, and put his life back on track.Headspun is a game about recovery, discovery, and the ongoing battle between logic and emotion. Hero Express PS4 // Digital (Out August 30) Crazy monsters, mad tracks, incredible vehicles. This is the world of Hero Express, where the hero isn’t the one to save the day. Hero express is a 2D physics based driving game. But unlike other driving games this isn’t a race to get to the end of the track first, but to get there alive. A challenge of skill and patience. Hookbots PS4 // Digital (Out August 29) Challenge your human friends in this multiplayer robot party game, with 52 ways to customize your bots and 14 game modes. From knights and dinosaurs, to bounty hunters and space warriors. Choose, customize and crush tons of different bots. Human Anatomy VR PS VR // Digital Human Anatomy VR Can you rebuild the human body? Do you know where is the Humerus located? Get to know the whole human body in an enjoyable way thanks to the Human Anatomy VR. Human Anatomy VR is an educational application in virtual reality. The application depicts simplified anatomy models suitable for high school students. Human Anatomy VR offers unique virtual and educational experience. Invisigun Reloaded PS4 // Digital The ultimate stealth battle adventure where everyone’s invisible. Risk versus reward guides your journey through the full-length single player campaign and local/online multiplayer. Vigilance is key as environmental tells such as footprints and other disturbances will point out careless cadets. A massive amount of lovingly-made environments, maps, modes, and abilities – all obsessively balanced – combine for high replayability and a deep path to mastery. Knights and Bikes PS4 // Digital Knights and Bikes is a hand-painted action-adventure for 1 or 2 players, set on a British island in the 1980s. It’s a coming-of-age story starring Nessa & Demelza, exploring the coasts of Penfurzy on their trusty bikes, looking for a legendary lost treasure in a Goonies-inspired tale of excitement, danger, fun and friendship. Legend of the Skyfish PS4, PS Vita // Digital (Cross-Buy) Legend of the Skyfish is a beautiful level-based adventure puzzler with a unique weapon and tool – a fishing pole! Follow the intrepid Little Red Hook on her journey with the Moonwhale to defeat the monstrous Skyfish. The Lord Of The Rings: Adventure Card Game PS4 // Digital (Out August 29) Build a deck of iconic Heroes and challenge the forces of Sauron in this thrilling tactical card game. Go forth and explore famous locations, complete story-driven quests, and forge your own legend of Middle-earth. But beware the Eye of Sauron—should you draw his attention, all will be lost… MXGP 2019 The Official Motorcross Video Game PS4 // Digital, Retail The official Motocross Championship video game is back with lots of new features in the series! For the first time in the series, you’ll be able to challenge MXGP and MX2 riders, bikes and teams in all official 2019 races around the world. Join the MX2 and MXGP championships financed by a sponsor, or get hired by an official team. Newt One PS4 // Digital (Out August 30) Newt One rewards players for how much life they bring to the game world, not how much life is taken from it. Experience your progress through color and music swelling in the game world as you play as Newt – a new tone in the musical land of Groovy Hue which has fallen to the Great Slumber. Awaken this sleeping, silent world to new heights of color and music in this colorful and relaxing 3D Platforming journey of cheer, music, and friendship. Pacific Wings (Out August 26) PS4 // Digital Pacific Wings is a vertical scrolling shoot-em-up with retro-style-graphics, where you fly an American P-38 airplane during the ‘Battle of Midway.’ Strength Of The Sword Ultimate PS4 // Digital Arcade-style action that combines the tactical skill-based combat of a fighter with the progression, overwhelming odds, and awesome boss battles of an old-school brawler. Tokyo Chronos PS VR // Digital (Out August 26) An empty, deserted Shibuya where time has frozen over. A suspenseful mystery woven by eight childhood friends trapped inside. Lost memories. A strange message: “I am dead. Who killed me?” Who is “I”? Why did we lose our memory? Who is the killer? Fragments shattered like a broken mirror. Where does the truth lie? Vambrace: Cold Soul – International PS4 // Digital (Out August 29) Vambrace: Cold Soul is a roguelike fantasy-adventure set amidst a frozen landscape. Plan your expeditions underground, then journey to the cursed city surface with your team of heroes. Wield unique powers, avoid dangerous traps, brave strange encounters, and survive deadly combat. Waltz Of The Wizard: Extended Edition PS VR // Digital Waltz of the Wizard is a virtual reality experience that lets you feel what it is like to have magical powers. The Extended Edition is a remaster of the original that adds new spells, interactions and secrets, along with performance optimizations and new options that help keep the experience an excellent showcase for VR. Whipseey And The Lost Atlas PS4 // Digital In Whipseey and the Lost Atlas you play as Alex, a young boy who’s curiosity has landed him in a world of trouble. After finding himself lost in a strange world and being transformed into a magical creature named Whipseey, he must solve the mystery of the Lost Atlas to return to his original form and go back home. Wreckfest PS4 // Digital, Retail Break the rules and take full-contact racing to the limit with Wreckfest! Expect epic crashes, neck-to-neck fights over the finish line and brand-new ways for metal to bend – These are the once-in-a-lifetime moments that can only be achieved in Wreckfest, with its true-to-life physics simulation crafted by legendary developer Bugbear, who also brought you FlatOut 1 & 2. The information above is subject to change without notice. Brockhampton – Ginger Powers Pleasant – Life is Beautiful 93Punx (Feat. Vic Mensa) Aladdin (2019) AEW: All Out John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Season Premiere Sunday, 8/25 at 10:30PM ET/ 7:30PM PT on HBO 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 headed back to the stars for a new look at No Man’s Sky Beyond. You hopped from planet to planet and shared all the procedurally generated beauty of space using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: @Goober1823 found their own private island. @JRPyznar stands before a runed doorway. @RaffGN7 floats on by. @sam99874011 takes to the stars. @scottoka1 pauses to take in the view. @Zig_Justice finds a colorful corner of space. 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: Hair Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, August 28 Next week, we’re grabbing some hairspray and looking at our favorite hairdos in gaming. Share your glamourous hair looks from the game of your chance with #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured! View the full article

While we took a recent look at Final Fantasy VII Remake back at E3, we couldn’t turn down another chance to return to Midgar as the studio brought the game to Gamescom this week And we’re glad we did: a replay of the game demo solidified how thrilling the reimagined combat is (you can read more about that right here). Add in an overview of the game by producer Yoshinori Kitase and we have a stack of new observations to share. So if you’re anticipating the return of Cloud Strife and co. as much as we are, read on. 1. The interplay between Cloud and Barrett is glorious The original’s opening mission established the fractious relationship between Barret, leader of the Avalanche resistance group and Cloud, a former SOLDIER and now Avalanche’s merc-for-hire via a few lines of dialogue. Remake expands on that friction, making for numerous compelling cutscenes which emphasize Barret’s distrust in this former Shinra employee. The exchanges are also surprisingly funny, with Cloud’s cold disinterest playing off Barrett’s bristling anger perfectly. It’s a double-act we’re eager to see more of. 2. Avalanche is getting an overhaul as well Jessie, Biggs and Wedge round out Avalanche’s troops during the bombing mission. They also get more dialogue and exchanges during the infiltration, helping flesh-out their personalities. (Side-note: Incidental, dialogue pops up on the left of the screen if you happen to be out of earshot at the time). Even when chatter was at a minimum, facial expression and body language on the new realistic character models spoke volumes. 3. You’ll experience unseen moments in the mission for the first time Remake’s embellishment of the original take isn’t restricted to story. During his presentation, Kitase-san explained how certain sequences of Avalanche’s mission were implied rather than shown in the original. Those moments – such as the group cutting through a fenced-off area during their infiltration – are now included. It gives more substance to both the mission and adds detail to the city’s layout. 4. Midgar looks and feels like a living, breathing city Midgar’s PS4 makeover is something to behold. Be it jaw-dropping vistas like the sprawling, towering cityscape reflected in a train platform window, or the small stuff, such as the bright yellow hazard tape marking out floored cabling in construction sites: the level of detail is stunning. Every exposed brick and piece of scaffolding tells of the city’s history. 5. This is how you PR in Midgar Prior to our hands-on we sit through a video primer, built specifically to familiarize us with the new combat mechanics. The decision to make this play out in-world is cute, especially as it allows us a glimpse at Shinra’s marketing, with the company’s video promo showcasing a Midgar with clean streets and blue skies – before it’s taken over by Avalanche’s hacker Jessie,who feeds you the tutorial while Shinra tries to shut down her hijack of their feed. 6. Not all Mako Reactors are built the same One would assume uniformity in Shinra Reactor interior design, given Midgar powered by the eight stations of equal size and shape which ring the city. Not so, as one new nugget of world-building is introduced in Remake. Responding to Barret’s exasperation at not knowing his way around – given it was one reason why he was hired by Avalanche – Cloud comments that every reactor has a different build. At least he’s earning his pay with a strong sword arm. 7. Cloud’s got two versions of his standard slash… Attacking enemies with the Square button speeds up your ATB charge meter. It’s a race to fill the bar quickly to get access to your special abilities. But there’s also a more powerful version of the standard sword attack, which grants a bigger boost to your ATB if it lands, by holding the Square button for a few seconds. 8. …and a unique Ability that deals out more damage On top of normal abilities and magic, every character has a unique ability, selectable with Triangle. With Cloud for example, it switches him from Operator to Punisher mode, a more aggressive, more powerful attack style with a longer reach. The trade-off? You’re much slower. 9. Cloud smash, Cloud get reward Yes, treasure chests remain, though they’ve been redesigned to keep more in line with Midgar’s unique aesthetic. But there are also Shinra crates and barrels dotted around most areas. Reap a reward for such carelessness by smashing them with your Buster Sword. Most contain items. 10. Your Materia, so shiny In Final Fantasy VII, holes in clothing and weapons are a design decision, not a sign of poor craftmanship. These slots allow you to equip Materia, mystic stones that grant you magical abilities. Every type has a different color, and these are no longer relegated to a menu: you’ll notice a prick of color on your character where the Materia is placed. Look close enough and you’ll see them glow with an inner light. 11. The glow of battle As we said, it’s the small touches that really hammer home the level of polish Square Enix is putting into Remake. Barret’s attacks are all long-ranged and built around his gun-arm. Hold Square for a continuous unloading of ordnance at whatever enemy he’s targeting. If you look closely at the tip of his gun barrel when you cease, you’ll note an orange glow that’ll diminish as his gun cools down. View the full article

“Girls don’t like playing video games.” It’s time to get rid of this age-old myth. Numbers don’t lie and if you look at the stats, about 46% of the U.S. gamer population is female. There are lots of reasons this misconception exists, but thankfully, there has been a shift in recent years, where more and more women have begun finding their voice and flourishing to prove this myth wrong. And it all starts at a young age. That’s where Girls Make Games steps in. My name is Laila Shabir and I am the founder of Girls Make Games. Five years ago I started out on a mission to show young women around the world that there’s a place for them in gaming. In 2014, we launched Girls Make Games, a summer camp for teaching young women game development and offering them a home to express their shared love of playing and creating video games. I’m reminded of a time when I spoke to a mother after camp and she told me that her daughter came home after the first day and enthusiastically cheered, “Mom, I found my people!” We continue to hear the same years later. Now, five years later, we just wrapped up our biggest summer camp season to date and it all culminated at the end with “Demo Day.” This was the chance for the top five teams from around the nation to come together at PlayStation’s headquarters in San Mateo, California, and present their demos to a panel of industry leaders: Shawn Layden, Chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios; Siobhan Reddy, Co-Founder and Studio Director, Media Molecule; Helen Chiang, Head of Minecraft Franchise; Reiko Ninomiya, Director, Product Localization, Nintendo; and Deepthi Menon, SVP, Words with Friends at Zynga. “What I enjoyed most was having fun at the camp and everyone being so nice,” said Team Banana, one of this year’s five finalist teams. “We really liked making new friends and playing video games.” Team Atlantis even found ways around summer vacation time and made it a point to balance their work with fun, “When people started going on vacation that was hard to communicate but we had a shared google doc so we could keep track of our game and work that needed to get done. But all 4 of us were, I think, very focused on getting what we need to get done and then taking pause and then finding time to goof off.” But through the fun and games, these GMG campers knew that they had work to do and overcome unexpected obstacles along the way. “I think the hardest thing was making the planting tree mechanic because I worked on that so I stayed in on break and just focused on that…and not goofing around,” team GG told me. Team Short Stack had loading errors when trying to complete their demo. “I think the hardest thing for me was my computer and Stencyl (game engine) bugging out and having to restart my computer a lot. I really owe it to my team for just keeping at it, not stressing about it, not trying to think about it, and just trying to get it done.” While at Demo Day each of these team presented their projects and competed for the Grand Prize – having their game developed professionally Kickstarted and published! This year’s Grand Prize winning team? Team Atlantis with their original game, What They Don’t Sea. In WTDS you play as a marine researcher with the Rachel Carson Research Organization, RCRO, who has been sent to collect samples of a special kelp for an alternative energy project. When asked about the inspiration for the game, the team said they were inspired by their collective fears of deep oceans and the mysterious creatures that live there, and their love for beautiful art. Team members Twyla, Catie, Claire and Riley contributed to the game’s development, including art, animation, and programming. They even made their own sound effects — the sound of air bubbles, for example, came from playing around with a faucet in the sink at camp! Demo Day was a massive success for all of this year’s contestants. After the celebration and fanfare died down, I asked Team Atlantis if they could share a piece of advice for aspiring game makers out there. “PLAN!” they responded. “Start out knowing approximately what you’re doing before you start on anything. Get the mechanics of what you want down and figure out what you are willing to cut off. “Work as a team,” they continued, “because you can’t really make a game by yourself. You can’t come up with all the ideas. There might be some really good ideas your team members have, so don’t shut people down, just listen to them. The more the merrier — if you incorporate other voices into your game it’s cooler and it’s just a more unique idea.” Every year, I’m blown away by the creativity and originality of the games created, and simultaneously filled with hope for the future of the industry. Registration for 2020 summer camps will open in November, and we offer up to 100% need-based financial assistance thanks to GMG’s generous sponsors. If you’re unable to join us at one of our 10 locations, you can still get your feet wet with game dev tutorials (Unity and Stencyl) available on the Girls Make Games Portal. View the full article

It’s been almost four years since our programmer André joined the studio. At that time, we were focusing on creating Unity tools, but we soon realized that André had brought more than his programming skills. He brought an idea… one that became the seed for Decay of Logos. Decay of Logos // Screenshots At first, it was a prototype he experimented with at nights after work. But the more we saw, the more we realized that this was the game that we had to make. We knew it was risky, and we knew it would be a challenge – but we were ready to do the work. In that way, our own story matches up with that of the game’s heroine – Ada. When her village gets burned to the ground, she sets out on an adventure far bigger than herself. She’s not a warrior, but driven by revenge, she doesn’t shy away from taking on overwhelming obstacles and enemies. Decay of Logos // Concept Art Gallery Today, we’re revealing the launch trailer of Decay of Logos! We have designed the game to be a challenging experience with very little hand holding – so we hope you’re up to the task. Your journey might be hard and unforgiving, but we hope you will be inspired by Ada’s bravery and get ready to take on this adventure alongside her when the game releases for PlayStation 4 on August 27! Much love, The Amplify Team View the full article

Couch multiplayer games are taking back their golden spot in gamers’ living rooms, gathering friends again around your console. Hookbots is a good example of an indie-developed party game that’s making couch multiplayer hot again. Here are five ways they’re doing it. 1. Up to 14 game modes Tree Interactive, the indie studio behind Hookbots, understood that if you want to create a good couch game, you must fill it with tons of game modes. That’s why Hookbots is not just a fighting game, but a compilation of 14 different ways to crush each other’s bots. Hold the Flag, King of the Ring, Robo Bomb, Volleyhook, Baskethook, Hookball, Big Boss, Coin Collector, Color Rings, Team Deathmatch and many more modes promise to keep you playing until neighbors complain about noise. 2. More than 99 variations to craft characters A key component to avoid game fatigue character customization. In Hookbots, the characters you unlock and enemies you destroy allow you to craft new unique bots that will represent your mechanized alter-ego against your friends. From knights and metal dinosaurs to bounty hunters and space warriors, you can design your perfect bot to surprise your friends on the next game night. 3. Active devs/gamers community By default, a couch game means socializing with people around you. That’s why it made a lot of sense for Tree Interactive to involve players since the beginning of Hookbots’ development, where specific game mechanics designed with competitive play in mind were tested. In fact, tons of ideas from the community were published with the final game. Now that Hookbots is releasing, their Discord community just keeps growing and growing, allowing both gamers and developers to polish what makes a perfect couch game even more. 4. Unlockable content without microtransactions or loot boxes Just like the good old couch games, Hookbots rewards playing, not spending. The game offers you new content (skins, game modes, stages and more) not by the money you put in, but for the skills you and your friends shows playing face-to-face. 5. It’s actually fun to play! When was the last time you gathered around your PS4 with three of your best buds? Hookbots offers you hours of chaotic madness without worrying about a random online bully messing around. It also gives you a good excuse to hang out with your friends each Friday night. And if you want to improve your skills on your own, there’s always a Solo Mode to level up. Hookbots launches August 28th for $19.99 USD. View the full article

Hey folks! It’s Tom from Team Ninja to give you a quick update on Nioh 2. To kick things off, I’d like to share with you the latest key visual showcasing our new protagonist. As you may have been able to detect from the visual, our central character is a half-breed. He is part human as well as possessing the extraordinary power of the Yokai. As a samurai warrior, his journey takes us through the treacherous Sengoku period of Japan. And his transformation from human to fiend will take him deep into the Dark Realm of the Yokai. I promise you that this metamorphosis will be spectacular and result in some truly intense action. I also wanted to thank you and briefly let you know that we had a really productive alpha demo session back in May/June of this year. Over 50,000 players took part in this closed demo worldwide and nearly 18,000 participants responded to our survey afterwards! The overwhelming majority of opinions were very positive and supportive of the demo as we received tons of comments and constructive feedback for us to analyze. And since then, we have been hard at work to process all of that data and make the necessary adjustments to create an even more exceptional experience. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the alpha demo survey. We can’t wait to share the progress with you guys! Speaking of which, we will be showing off a brand new consumer demo at the Tokyo Game Show 2019 in September. I can’t really disclose the specifics at this point, but more details will definitely be coming down the pipe soon. So stay tuned Yokai hunters! And prepare to unleash your darkness as Nioh 2 is on the horizon! View the full article

Hello! I’m James Han, producer for Mistover, the latest game from Krafton Game Union. We’re best known for PUBG and TERA, but we’re entering new territory with Mistover, which focuses on strategy and choice-driven dungeon dives. The gameplay is presented in an eye-catching visual art style and over-the-top premise with a large roster of classes to recruit and master. Mistover is coming to PS4 October 10, 2019 for $29.99. But in the meantime, here’s everything you need to know to prepare yourself for what is shaping up to be a gorgeous but challenging experience for all willing to answer the call! Enter the Misfortune Mist Players are charged with forming an Expedition Corps to explore the mysterious Mist. It’s a substance that covers and affects everything in the Vortex, a Pillar of Despair that descended upon your realm, unleashing all kinds of horrible monsters and miseries. All attacks from this Pillar of Despair have subsided. This has given your realm the time to research and prepare for what may come next, so there was a resounding call to arms to any willing to brave the deadly mysteries and effects of what Corps members call the Misfortune Mist. This Mist affects everything it encounters, sometimes in surprising ways; this allowed the team to introduce some unique gameplay elements. Some of these elements will be familiar to turn-based RPG mechanics, like a fog of war that lifts as players uncover the map. In other ways, the Mist offers some lore-based background, explaining Mistover’s procedurally generated dungeons (the fabric of reality is always changing!), adding replayability and opening up multiple ways to complete dungeons. But the Mist also affects your party members. Increased exposure could grant a Corps member a brand-new ability, but it can also make teammates exasperated, affecting passive skills and dialogue options. Even players themselves can be overcome with greed, making you more obsessed with finding treasure chests at the expense of their natural instinct to survive and sense of empathy, resulting in permanent death. The effects of the Misfortune Mist also apply to monsters you encounter, items, materials, as well as gear and relics. It’s a constant balancing act that requires players to constantly weigh the pros and cons and the risks and rewards of time spent exposed to the Misfortune Mist while progressing. Introducing the Expedition Corps When it comes to the Expedition Corps members — the real stars of Mistover — the first thing we hope fans notice is its striking art style and character designs that pull from both Western and gothic art aesthetics as well as manga/anime inspired designs. Some fans and critics have labeled Mistover’s look as “anime meets Darkest Dungeon” – and we invite that comparison! Mistover features a turn-based combat system – and with the right formation — Corps crew members can perform powerful coordinated attacks. Your party members here are more than nameless, generic character classes. While many do fill traditional RPG roles (like the tanky Paladin or spell focused Witch), the team has gone above and beyond to give each Corps crew member a distinct personality, backstory, and corresponding playstyle– with full VO to show that every character is special. Mistover is also full of non-traditional character classes that fans of typical turn-based RPGs may not expect, like the mild-mannered rookie Grim Reaper and the single-minded half-demon prophet Onmyoji. In these instances and more, Mistover expands beyond a typical turn-based RPG, melding mechanics and genres to create fresh experience, rooted in a style and genre we know and love. Who do you look forward to recruiting for your Expedition Corps the most? Let us know in the comments below and feel free to ask any questions! View the full article

Hello! Over three years ago the first PlayStation 4 discs of No Man’s Sky were hitting retail shelves worldwide. Those discs represented the first step along an amazing three-year journey that we and the No Man’s Sky community have been on together. It’s been a rollercoaster, but six major free updates later (Foundations, Pathfinder, Atlas Rises, Next, The Abyss and Visions), and we arrived at Beyond. Launched last week, Beyond is our largest and in some ways most important update. It massively expands multiplayer and increases the capacity for social interactions in a major way. On top of this the whole game is now playable in fully realised VR. It also delivers a whole load of new features, large and small, which come together with the two other pillars to form what we call No Man’s Sky Version 2.0. Beyond is our attempt to bring all of the strands of No Man’s Sky into a more cohesive whole and to fill in the detail so that, no matter your play style, no matter whether you’re a newcomer or veteran, it is an instantly accessible world and one that makes sense. It seems only fitting that we should bundle up all of these three years of updates, re-master the game and re-issue it on a shiny new disc. We’re super excited to tell you that a physical version of No Man’s Sky: Beyond will be available to buy on North America on September 10, and in Europe on 11th September. No Man’s Sky continues to be an amazing journey, thank you for joining us. Much love, Sean View the full article