Commander Fury

The infamous prison island of Alcatraz is now a standalone Blackout location! Available for all players on PS4, Alcatraz is completely separate from the main Blackout map, allowing for two distinct game experiences. Focused more on close-combat battles, the Alcatraz action takes place throughout the overcast island shrouded in a fog-filled gloom, creating a dramatic and intense atmosphere, where you’re dropped in from skybound portals with only limited time to gear up and start taking down enemies. Size-wise, the prison is far more compact compared to the main Blackout map, leading to more focused and immediate combat as dozens of competitors fight for control. Expect thrilling and chaotic firefights almost immediately, with you and your teammates vying for items and strategically-advantageous positions both in and around the many structures dotted throughout this prison island. It’s time to change up your tactics compared to the main Blackout map. In Alcatraz, a greater reliance on twitch skills and close-quarters combat leads to shorter, more frenetic battles where you’ll spend far less time to concoct a long-term plan, and more time scrambling for items and cover! Stalk your enemies across the claustrophobic prison yards, warehouses, jail cells, and dockside structures… many of which will feel right at home for Zombies fans. With the intensity dialed up to 11, expect matches to last around ten minutes, quicker than the 25-minute games in the main Blackout map. Shorter matches, tighter areas, and condensed player counts mean higher chances for more nail-biting victories! The divergent environments across Alcatraz range from rocky shorelines and caves, rusting Navy vessel wreckage, abandoned field hospitals and tents, a temporary helipad, industrial warehouses, apartment blocks, a variety of overgrown foliage, a powerhouse with a cooling tower, and dominating the “top of the Rock” is the derelict prison itself, where you can expect the firefights to be the most intense. As well as looking out for foes, you’ll need to look up too. Traversing the nine named destinations across Alcatraz is totally different compared to the original Blackout map. Alcatraz has a ridge-like topography, with a much higher building density, more tight corners to ambush and attack from, and a real sense of verticality as you ascend to the main prison on the highest ground. With such a change from the original Blackout map, it’s worth reassessing your item choices as you prepare for combat. As the circle closes in on you, it could be worth stuffing your backpack with equipment you normally might not think about employing: While close-combat weapons are obvious choices, the Grapple Gun is a great asset when maneuvering through the tight prison hallways, shadow-filled staircases, or treacherous balconies littered with barriers. Why go through them when you can grapple over them? Also, take some time to drop Razor Wire or Barricades to provide chokepoints in any narrow space, be it a corner, doorway, or stairwell, and stop potential flankers while you finish your adversaries off. Oh, and do keep an eye out for flesh-eating zombies. Blackout: Alcatraz is available on PlayStation 4 starting April 2 for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Fight Across Alcatraz as Part of Blackout Free Access All PlayStation Plus members can take part in Blackout Free Access on both Alcatraz and the original Blackout map, including all the latest spring color and weapon updates. You’re able to matchmake with all Blackout players, including Solos, Duos, and Quads, and any progression you make can be saved and transferred if you upgrade to a paid version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. There’s never been a better time to play Blackout. Leave none standing to win! The limited-time Blackout Free Access period begins April 2, 2019 and ends on April 30, 2019. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation Now fans! Today we’re adding nine new games to the PlayStation Now library of more than 750 games in all, including hits from Konami and Codemasters. Check out Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, DiRT 4, and more, available starting today! Subscribers can stream any game in the service to PS4 and PC, and download any PS4 game and PS2 game in the service directly to their PS4. Adding to our lineup of Metal Gear Solid games, starting this month PS Now subscribers can download or stream both Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, and the epic Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The Phantom Pain takes place in 1984, nine years after the events in Ground Zeroes, delivering immersive open-world tactical gameplay, feature-rich game design, and cinematic storytelling. Play Video Play Video For a change of pace, take things offroad with DiRT 4 for some rally, rallycross, and landrush action. With over 50 iconic rally vehicles from throughout the history of rally motorsports, courses in the US and Europe, and a custom driver/team creator, get your rally on with DiRT 4 for PS4 (stream or download). We’re also adding three classic Star Wars PS2 games to the PS Now library to stream or download. Take to the skies in Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, become Jango Fett in the 3rd person shooter Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and test your Podracing skills in Star Wars: Racer Revenge. Here is the full list of the nine games joining PS Now this month to download (PS4 and PS2 games) and stream (all games): Bang Bang Racing (PS3) Clouds & Sheep 2 (PS4) DiRT 4 (PS4) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4) Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) Shadow Complex Remastered (PS4) Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (PS2) Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (PS2) Star Wars: Racer Revenge (PS2) Here are the most played PS Now games during the month of March: NBA 2K18 WWE 2K18 Mortal Kombat X Mafia III Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution For Honor Red Dead Redemption The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited Sniper Elite IV Fallout New Vegas Saint’s Row IV Re-Elected Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots If you haven’t tried PlayStation Now yet, now’s the perfect time to give it a spin with the seven-day free trial for PS4 and PC. (Terms apply. New Subscribers only. Credit card required. See here for details.) Stay tuned for more updates on PS Now. Happy gaming! View the full article

I did it: I played No Man’s Sky in virtual reality! As announced during our first-ever episode of State of Play, Hello Games’ spacefaring epic gets full PS VR support this summer, and at a recent hands-on event I immediately beelined over to try it out. No Man’s Sky’s VR implementation is not a separate experience — it’s the full game, completely playable in virtual reality. The small, Guildford-based team at Hello Games has put in extensive work to rebuild the interface around VR — the demo I played was even set up with dual PS Move motion controllers. Using this control scheme, holding up your left arm and pointing at it with your right hand brings up a menu with your standard options (Quick menu, torch, mining tool, etc.). Hello has also implemented teleportation-based controls for getting around: Just hold the left move button to manipulate a marker that you can place anywhere within around 30 in-game feet (by my approximation). In a clever touch, rotating your right wrist before letting go of the left Move button will allow you to adjust your orientation before initiating the teleport. All the tools and upgrades you’ve accumulated in the No Man’s Sky universe are present, including the Terrain Manipulator. Just reach your right hand behind your shoulder and squeeze the Move controller’s trigger to grab it, then point and click to reshape the topography in front of you. Having 1:1 control here should be a boon for all you creative types — especially when perfecting the custom design of your home base! Climbing into the cockpit (fully built out for VR — nice!) of your trusty starship and exiting a planet’s atmosphere is a powerful experience, and it’s even more stunning in virtual reality. Punching the thrusters for the first time in VR felt similar to the first time I did it in the original game: surprisingly kinetic, and wholly exhilarating. Ship controls have been revamped for VR, too: manipulate the ship’s throttle with your left hand, and its flight stick with your right. Need to cover a lot of distance in a little time? Hold the left Move button to boost, or hold both Move buttons to activate your Pulse Engine for a dramatic speed increase. Looking around in the midst of a high-speed jaunt through the stars, pink and purple streaks zipping past the sides of your ship, is a sci-fi dream come true. I’ve enjoyed checking in on No Man’s Sky as Hello has continued to evolve and improve the game, but the addition of VR support may be the catalyst that gets me to sink dozens more hours into exploring its endless universe. Learn more about No Man’s Sky’s massive upcoming Beyond update here, and stay tuned for more info as we get closer to its summer launch. View the full article

Hi everyone, I’m Jeff Brown, a Creative Director at San Mateo Studio. Dominic Robilliard of Pixelopus recently shared the latest trailer for Concrete Genie, an upcoming game about a boy named Ash who, through the power of creativity, paints his ruined seaside town of Denska back to life. Dom also announced that we are working hard on two very special PlayStation VR modes* included alongside the core Concrete Genie PS4 game at launch. The team and I are super excited to share more about these VR modes with you today. When our Art Director, Dave Smith and I first sat down with Dom to have a look at what he and Pixelopus had created, we knew immediately that this world and its magic could provide some incredible inspiration for a PS VR experience. We wondered, amongst the beautiful art and storytelling of Concrete Genie, what it might feel like to get to know a Genie one-on-one. Where would we go? What kinds of things would we do together? In our first PS VR mode, VR Experience, you’ll follow a curious Genie named Splotch beneath Denska’s ominous lighthouse on a quest to unlock a mysterious power while using your Living Paint in a completely new way. I don’t want to give away too much, but what we came up with is pretty special. We can’t wait for you to try it yourself! But that’s not all! While looking at other possible PS VR modes for the game, everybody had a simple, common desire – to stand in one of Denska’s alleyways, paintbrush in hand, using Living Paint to bring our surroundings to life. A completely immersive, first-person painting experience. This was the springboard for building the first prototype of what would become our Concrete Genie PS VR Free Paint mode** (an immediate favorite around the office). You’ll have the choice between four unique Denska locations where you can play and experiment with all the Living Paint and Genie creation brushes you collect during your Concrete Genie adventures, all with the intuitiveness that the two PlayStation Move Motion controllers provide***. We think our two PS VR modes make a great complement to the world of Concrete Genie, and we love the way things are shaping up. Keep an eye out for more in the coming months, and we can’t wait for you to get your hands on the game later this year! *Please review and follow all safety guidelines for use of PlayStation VR. PlayStation VR is not for use by children under age 12. PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation VR and PlayStation Camera are required to experience VR functionality. **Players must complete VR Experience in order to unlock VR Free Paint. ***Two PlayStation Move Motion Controllers required for PS VR Modes. View the full article

“What would happen if you could play Everybody’s Golf in VR? Could VR be the key to creating more realistic courses, ones where players feel like they are actually there?” These were a couple of the questions that first launched this project alongside Everybody’s Golf for PlayStation 4. We wanted to take the series somewhere it had never been before and do something entirely fresh with it. After we began working on Everybody’s Golf VR*, we soon realized that we were on to something great. The nature of golf proved to be perfect for VR. The VR space itself further pushes the immersion, so you feel as though you are really on a golf course surrounded by natural scenery. From there, our focus was on developing a golf game that felt real while still remaining accessible. We didn’t want to make it a simulator, but instead something that players could easily enjoy. A big part of creating the realistic golf experience was making it compatible with the one PlayStation Move motion controller** as well as the DualShock 4 wireless controller, both of which you can use to take your golf shots***. In addition to a variety of original courses (with dinosaurs?!)****, we also built a practice ground (a first for the series) for players to practice their shots before hitting the courses. And, of course, we couldn’t forget caddies. Not only are they on hand to give advice as before, but now they also appear in random events during the rounds. We thought that VR created a unique opportunity to interact with them and hope that these events provide a fun little break between holes. Pre-order Everybody’s Golf VR now to receive bonus content at launch, including: Additional Caddie – Steve Everybody’s Golf VR – Seaside Theme Everybody’s Golf VR – Forest Theme Everybody’s Golf VR – Custom Theme The game is set to be released on May 21st for PS VR. See you on the fairway! *Please review and follow all safety guidelines for use of PlayStation VR. PlayStation VR is not for use by children under age 12. PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation VR and PlayStation Camera are required to experience VR functionality. **One PlayStation Move Motion Controller optional. ***Please review and follow all safety guidelines. **** Must complete certain levels to unlock additional courses and features. View the full article

Salutations! Last week, Kristen, Sid and I journeyed to the exotic land of San Francisco to attend a hands-on event featuring a bundle of upcoming PlayStation VR experiences, many of which had just been announced during our first episode of State of Play. We were plenty impressed by the lot of ’em, but we found time to write more detailed impressions of five new games coming to the platform in the months ahead. Peruse at your leisure, and hit the comments to let us know which ones stood out to you in last week’s show. Concrete Genie’s Two PlayStation VR Modes Detailed Hands on: 30 Minutes with Marvel’s Iron Man VR Frightful First Impressions for Five Nights At Freddy’s VR: Helped Wanted Here’s How No Man’s Sky Works in PlayStation VR Blood & Truth Brings Action Movie Moments to Life in PS VR View the full article

Marvel’s Iron Man VR is proving itself to be a highly intuitive VR action experience, offering up an immersive mix of flying and shooting that is sure to make Marvel, and especially Iron Man, fans cheer. My demo’s setup was simple. As teased in the announce trailer, classic villain Ghost has taken control of Tony Stark’s private jet. As Iron Man, my job was simple: recover the plane and save Pepper. During my short gameplay demo, I switched between firing Repulsors blasts, flying, and Repulsor blasts while flying, all using the versatile PlayStation Move controllers. Whether blasting Ghost’s drones or dodging incoming debris, I never felt overwhelmed or confused by the action. The feeling was exhilarating: more than in any other PS VR game I’ve played, I actually felt like I was the character. Some quick notes and observations: Flying feels more natural than I expected. It’s simple: You hold the Trigger button on both PlayStation Move controllers and position them opposite to the direction you want to fly. I picked up on it almost instantly. A quick double-tap of the Trigger button prompts a high-speed “dash” that boosts your flying speed considerably – helpful, say, for dodging incoming enemy fire. Shooting Iron Man’s iconic Repulsors is similarly intuitive. Simply aim one or both PS Move controllers and press the Move button with your wrists pointing upward. With a little practice, you’ll be flying and shooting like Iron Man. If you need some extra practice, there’s a well-thought-out tutorial set outside Tony Stark’s Malibu Mansion that shows you the ropes: hovering, flying, Repulsor blasts, and more. VR pros are free to skip it, though. Though I didn’t get a chance to try it, the final version of the game is said to allow players to customize Iron Man’s suit and upgrade its abilities in Tony Stark’s garage. More than any other VR game I’ve played, Marvel’s Iron Man VR made me feel like the character I was controlling. If you’ve ever posed in front of the mirror pretending to be Iron Man, this is the game for you. If the full game can keep building on these solid fundamentals, PS VR owners will be in for a treat when the game launches later this year. View the full article

Freddy Fazbear and his band of animatronic antagonists are back in Five Nights At Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted, and I’m thrilled (and chilled) to report that yep, they’re still pretty dang scary. The goosebumps came as soon as I strapped on the PS VR headset, where Freddy and co.’s eyes leered down at me from the menu screen, following my movements with their oversized plastic eyes. The new PS VR entry takes us back to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where a night-shift security guard tries to stay alive while the animatronic band characters become mobile and deadly overnight. Fans of the grizzly point-and-click puzzle series will be thrilled to see 20 classic levels from the original games come alive in Help Wanted, accompanied by 20 all new mini-games that pack an equally terrifying punch. The demo I played through featured three fright-filled minigames. The first was a recreation of Night 2 from the original Five Nights At Freddy’s. Alone in the back office, I had to survive the night monitoring several security cameras tracking the locations of the ragtag restaurant band members, strategically closing the office doors when they got too close. Switching between the security cams built a classic horror sense of anticipation, but VR introduces a new element of terror. It was one thing to see the creepy characters disappearing as I looked forward at the monitor. It was another for me to lose track of one, turn my head, and feel my heart leave my chest as Foxy rushed the room to make me his prey. Even when you close the doors in time, watching them amble past the office windows will only keep the horror at bay for a moment. Monitoring the power levels and strategically leaving the doors open will help you make it to morning. I took a different approach, frantically (and wastefully) closing my doors for too long, eventually cutting the power, and leaving me in the dark with only Freddy’s glowing eyes to keep me company. Next up was a new minigame, where I was set to perform repairs on Bonnie the guitar-playing bunny, whose instrument went out of tune. The feeling of unease sets in immediately, with the crooning critter perched disturbingly close, looming over me. There are a number of these repair-themed vignettes in the full game, and each requires following the technician’s audio instructions very, very carefully as just one mistake will spell your gut-clenching demise. And trust me, I messed up quite a few times. By my third try I was so nervous that even following the instructions to the letter had me feeling anxious, eyes wide while I unhinged Bonnie’s jaw or reset his eyeballs. Knowing the horror was held in my own hands made it a spine-tingling experience from rough start to finessed finish, and I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding once I successfully completed the repairs. The third minigame, also an original setting, spoke to two of my greatest and totally reasonable fears: tight spaces, and giant creepy-crawling rat-faced animatronics intent on murdering me. It’s an escape-the-room challenge set within the restaurant’s ventilation system, where I had to rush to push buttons, flip switches, and turn valves in a strategic order, all while one of Freddy’s demented buddies is scurrying through the vents trying to catch me. Shining light scares the rat off, but each step of the puzzle opens a new part of the vent in a different direction, forcing me to juggle focusing on the task at hand while throwing my head back and forth to catch the rat before it caught me. It felt like a race against myself, panic setting in while I searched for the next valve to turn. Each minigame has a unique goal and different set of mechanics, and they all successfully had me on the edge of my seat. Horror games thrive on the anticipation of what might go bump in the night. Bringing Five Nights At Freddy’s to PS VR makes that night bump up right beside you from every angle, with Freddy, Chica, Foxy, and the full gang nightstalking you at a terrifying real-life scale. The dingy, greasy pizzeria comes to life like a brilliantly interactive haunted house. The frights aren’t too far away, either. Five Nights At Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted comes to PS VR this Spring. View the full article

Last week, I got to be an action movie hero. More specifically, I attended a PS VR demo event and strapped into the world of Special Forces soldier Ryan Marks, living out what can only be described as an explosive action spree in Blood & Truth. The London Studio blockbuster has come a long way from its London Heist origins, the popular PlayStation VR Worlds experience that set production of this game into motion. Where London Heist gave a small taste of the action, Blood & Truth rockets you into the fray, saturating the senses with pulsing action sequences, an adrenaline-fuelled soundtrack, and kinetic gameplay that had me cackling with glee. My playthrough started off where the new trailer revealed during last week’s State of Play begins. Seated at a table in a rusty abandoned building, facing a government official who reads a laundry list of his supposed misdeeds, Marks is keen to set the record straight. From there I was dropped into a mission from Marks’ Special Forces past – infiltrate an enemy base, rescue a fellow soldier, then blow that popsicle stand. Traversing the desert base was smooth, with indicators popping up allowing me to move forward or strafe. Creative Art Director Anthony Filice says this guided movement is intentional — Marks is a Special Forces soldier with a trained sense of infiltration strategy from the get go. Exploration is still encouraged, like looking behind crates or pulling open desk drawers for ammo or other secret collectibles. What makes the game so delightfully immersive is how natural the weapons feel. At the beginning of my playthrough I calibrated the camera so the gun holster appeared at my waist, allowing me to simply move the Motion Controller down to my hip and squeeze the trigger button to draw my weapon. Similarly to reload, I raised the other controller to my chest where the ammo pack was strapped, pressed trigger, and then moved to slap the clip into the bottom of the handgun. Y’all, I cannot stress enough how deeply satisfying that slap is. Moving through the base and taking down enemies felt exciting, but quickly slamming a fresh clip into my pistol put a wacky smile on my face. It’s a small mechanic in a larger-than-life game, but it made me feel like a real part of the world in a way that no other PS VR game has before. The level was expertly paced, seamlessly switching between high-stakes shootouts to quieter stealth lock-picking sequences. I had a moment when I finally located my imprisoned ally where he stood up beside me, and I just marvelled at how grounded he and the entire setting felt. We then immediately barrelled out of the base into a frenetic fight sequence featuring a few focused movement shots — sequences where the world shifts into slow motion while you lay the enemy to waste. I treated these moments like challenges, taking advantage of the slow-mo to throw in some stylish flair like catching a grenade and throwing it back, or switching between my handgun and SMG like a practiced gunslinger. The final showdown was a harried escape sequence from the passenger seat of a truck, where I felt myself leaning out the window to shoot, as if I could feel the phantom truck door below me. As enemy trucks and motorcycles whizzed by, my eyes lit up with every opportunity to blast an enemy truck’s gas tank, or make them spin out on their bikes while my ally cheered me on from the driver’s seat. All this, and the thumping cinematic soundtrack, had me feeling like the star of a major action movie moment. I can’t wait to dive back into Ryan Marks’ world when Blood & Truth comes to PS VR on May 28th. View the full article

Concrete Genie, the second game from Pixelopus, is set to arrive on PlayStation 4 this fall, and as revealed during State of Play it will have two PlayStation VR modes packed in. After playing its “VR Experience” mode at a San Francisco-hosted hands-on event, I came away with a newfound appreciation for the artistry on display from the small San Mateo-based studio. My demo began in a dark, stifled room built of brick and devoid of light, color, or life. After being equipped with a large, magical paintbrush and Ash’s book of memories, I used my PS Move controller to select a picture of grass from the book held in my left hand, then painted a row of the stuff across the of the wall in front of me. When I did so, a few lights strung along the ceiling lit up. At this point I realized these lights almost completely encircled the room I was standing in… a-ha, a goal to pursue! Every so often, after bringing more life to the room, an envelope would fly toward the book held in my left hand. Giving the envelope a gentle tap with my paintbrush opened it with a whimsical flourish, unlocking a new artistic element I could then paint on the walls. Over the course of my play session I unlocked trees, dandelions, even fire (no, it doesn’t set the grass or trees on fire — think more like a campfire). The more comfortable I became with my expanding toolset, the more options I unlocked to complement my work. My guide throughout this experience was an adorable little sprite named Splotch, a fiery character with personality to spare. As I painted each room’s drab walls to life, Splotch interacted with elements of my artistry in amusing ways: blowing on bamboo shoots in an attempt to create music (you’re doing great, buddy), eating apples I placed on tree branches, and generally just being a mischievous little bugger. I love him. After painting enough to illuminate every light bulb in the no-longer-dreary room, something surprising happened: the wall in front of me cracked and broke, leading me into a new room where I used my newly expanded toolset to create a new piece. This happened a few times, easing me into an expanded set of tools. I was grateful for the gradual introduction to each new element in my kit, as I predict the full set would be rather intimidating if I had access to it all up front. Finally, after lighting up a few of these rooms, something incredible happened: the walls around me broke away entirely, giving way to a vibrant field where I was given free reign to paint in a fully 3D space (was I in the painting at this point?). Even Splotch was an actual creature now, rather than a painting on a wall! He trotted to and fro, collecting flowers I placed around the field and fashioning himself an adorable little floral headdress that we wore for the rest of the demo. Again, I love him. This sudden injection of color, a third dimension, and a general feeling of life to my work was almost overwhelming; the contrast to everything I had experienced thus far really accentuated the “wow” factor of the new world I inhabited. I’d wager anybody watching from outside the headset saw a nice, dumb grin on my face for most of this demo. Pixelopus has gone to great lengths to ensure even the most artistically challenged players can pick up a brush and create something beautiful. I’m not sure what kind of witchcraft they’ve baked in here, but even for an uncultured lug like me the act of painting felt graceful… even elegant. I found myself subconsciously getting into a sort of rhythm with it, channeling dramatic scenes of artists sweeping a paintbrush over a canvas in a creative frenzy, driven by some invisible force. And yes, despite my absolute lack of talent, everything I created looked gorgeous. Concrete Genie launches on PS4 this fall with two PlayStation VR modes. Until then, I’m going to brush up with some Splotch fan art. View the full article

Welcome back! Got a tough one for you this month: March saw the launch of multiple blockbuster new releases, including Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, The Division 2, and San Diego Studio’s very own MLB The Show 19. Looking at this list, I’m not even sure which one I would vote for… so it’s a good thing I can’t! We’ll leave the polls open until 11:59pm Pacific on Wednesday, so cast your vote before then for your favorite new game of March 2019. Then we’ll tally up the votes and reveal the winner on Friday. Good luck to each of this month’s nominees! How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year. What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will. How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted. Players’ Choice: What was March 2019’s Best New Game? View the full article

The Starry Eyes directors are preparing a grim new adaptation of Stephen King’s horror classic Pet Sematary, and it hits theaters next week. I took a rare opportunity to catch up with Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer to discuss their new vision for this classic horror tale. Before diving into the interview, check out an exclusive look at a brand-new clip from Pet Sematary. PSB: What drew you to Pet Sematary? It’s considered sacrosanct by many King fans… Kevin: Like you said – it’s a serious one. It’s got great characters and it deals with themes that are universal. Like it or not, we’re all gonna die one day. We all deal with grief, with the death of loved ones. It’s a universal theme. My favorite horror movies are where real characters go through real things. Primal fears, real-life horrors we all go through… and what’s more relatable than that? Dennis: Stephen King is one of those authors. He’s a gateway author. At a young age, when you’re discovering reading, he makes reading fun. You’re reading books they give you at school, they feel like homework. You get your hands on a King book, and it activates your brain. Pet Sematary was one of the first [Stephen King] books that I read. I was about 14 years old. The back of the book said “the most frightening novel that King has written.” It sounded like a dare, like they were throwing down the gauntlet. It’s easily one of his best books. PSB: How did you leave your unique mark on this story? Kevin: Obviously, there are changes to the story and script. Even if we worked off the original Stephen King screenplay that he wrote, we would’ve made a different movie [than the 1989 movie]. Dennis and I always say: you could give the same source material to 10 different filmmakers and you’d get 10 different films. Some people find this line should be quiet, or that line screamed… there are different takes on cinematography. So we weren’t worried about [retreading old ground]. We have our own visual style. At a certain point, you need to put the [1989] film on the shelf. You forget about it. Filmmaking is too long and arduous a process for us not to leave our own stamp on a film like this. A lot of the story changes were designed to make it a little fresher, to give viewers a new experience. We love the original film, but we wanted to give [viewers] a companion piece. But we needed to keep the essence of the King novel. PSB: Pet Sematary, your new film, has some weird, otherworldly atmosphere. I’m especially thinking of the scene after the deadfall, when the main characters bury the cat. How did you approach this scene? Dennis: In the book, there’s a chapter where they bury Church the cat. If you talk to a lot of loyal Stephen King readers, Constant Readers, they’ll tell you it’s one of the best chapters that he’s written. You get the sense there’s something [lurking] out there in the distance. We thought, look, this is such a rich sequence. We treated [the deadfall] piece like a set piece. This will be the atmosphere of the sequence, we’ll use a lot of budget. We can sell this. The scenes before the deadfall, we shot them in a real forest to keep it grounded. Once they go past the deadfall, we built our own forest on a stage. It allowed us to control the lighting, the trees… we made them leafless, treated the trees almost like characters themselves. We could do lightning, mist. We shot it all on a soundstage because we wanted it to feel hyper-real, or otherworldly. The book captured it so well, it was important to us in the film. PSB: How do you earn the fear and scares in a film like Pet Sematary? Kevin: I think scaring viewers is about relatability. It’s about making characters we can relate to, that we care about. If you can understand them, then you’re going to care about them when something horrible happens. The Zelda scenes… you see Amy, or her as a young girl, they’re really selling it on their face. When I look at Amy’s shivering face, it’s just as scary as the image [of Zelda]. It fills me with dread. And of course, the actors. We filled this film with great actors. On an easier level, though, when it comes to jump scares, the film needed to earn them. We try to set up the atmosphere, we try to fill the viewer with a sense of unease and foreboding. And when they’re not sitting right, you hit them. [laughs] Dennis: There’s been some talk about the changes we made to the book… but I haven’t seen [a discussion around] lot of things where we went back to the book. There were things people said we couldn’t do, such as the presence of the Wendigo. But there are ways to do those things….There’s always a way to approach these things that aren’t as literal, but are still cinematic. PSB: What did you learn from your previous horror film, Starry Eyes? Dennis: Sometimes when there’s a metaphor behind your film, it’s more effective to do it through the lens of the genre. We made a film before Starry Eyes, and it came off kind of pretentious… with Starry Eyes, we learned that by being more visceral, we were commenting on our mission. When we approached Pet Sematary, the message is — communication. Everything in this film happens as a result of a lack of communication about grief and death. The parents don’t agree with how to talk with Ellie about this topic, and it festers. Lewis very reluctantly goes along with this lie … but when the cat comes back, he knows it was dead. So the lies continue. So the lie festers and grows in the corner, like a beast, and it creates a chain reaction. I think it’s more effective to tell a story about death this way. PSB: I’m a huge King fan. He wrote a great book called Danse Macabre that deconstructs horror dynamics. One thing he points out is that horror films tend to bloom when society feels uneasy. Do you think successful horror films tap into cultural anxieties? Kevin: Right now, I think there’s a distrust of government, and a dissatisfaction – that’s why you’re seeing movies like Hereditary, which is very bleak and nihilistic, or Get Out, which is political. We love that stuff. We love movies where the character gets what he wants, but not necessarily in the way that they want….and that’s why horror is an important genre. Denis: I’ve had this question before, and I go back and forth about it. I think we live in an age of rabid horror fans, and whether there’s a boom happening at the box office or not, there’s always interesting, great, horror stuff being made. PSB: Last question! What is the single most effective horror film of all time? Dennis: I go back and forth. I think The Exorcist hits like a gut punch, but The Shining might be more entertaining overall. But The Exorcist is so raw, so emotional. It feels dangerous. It’s very adult, very mature. Probably The Exorcist, for me. Kevin: Dennis is probably right. It’s a perfect film, it ticks every box that we like. It’s perfectly executed. Pet Sematary arrives in theaters April 5. View the full article

Strap into the boots of Power Rangers from across the series’ 25-year history in Battle for the Grid, a new tag-team fighter launching on PS4 Tuesday. The nWay-developed brawler pits Rangers and villains from various generations against one another in a no-holds-barred melee with controls simple enough for a novice to pick up, but mechanics nuanced enough for skilled players to excel in the game’s online battle mode. It’s morphin’ time! For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! AngerForce: Reloaded PS4 — Digital AngerForce: Reloaded is an action-packed vertically scrolling shoot’em up that pays homage to 90s arcade classics. This high-octane experience is set in a 19th-century human world witnessing the outbreak of a robot rebellion. Beat Blaster PS VR — Digital (Out 4/5) Beat Blaster is a high-speed VR game about shooting and running where everything happens to the beat of the music. An original mix of styles with each level offers new challenges. Far: Lone Sails PS4 — Digital Traverse a dried-out seabed littered with the remains of a decaying civilization. Keep your vessel going, overcome obstacles, and withstand hazardous weather conditions. Where will this journey take you? Are you the last of your kind? Modern Tales: Age of Invention PS4 — Digital Paris, 1900. During the World Expo, an unknown force kidnaps the brightest minds of the century. Step into the shoes of the daughter of one of the captured scientists, follow the captor’s trail, and thwart his evil plans. Monster Dynamite PS4 — Digital Boom! Bang! Crash! Cheeky monsters everywhere! Place your explosives strategically on stacks of crates, scaffolding and logs where the little critters are sitting. Light the fuse and bring them all down! Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid PS4 — Digital A modern take on the 25-year franchise, showcasing stunning graphics and an original story. Pit current and classic Rangers and villains against one another like never before in 3 vs. 3 tag battles. Test your skills online against friends and players from around the world for endless replayability. Sephirothic Stories PS4 — Digital Shendoah — a world protected by Sephiroth. However, with the power of the world tree beginning to wane, countless people have been transformed into monsters. With the world on the verge of destruction, an unlikely band sets out on an adventure… Skorecery PS4 — Digital (Out 4/4) Skorecery is a fast-paced local multiplayer sports-like game set in a tournament of mystics. Gain control of the ball, shoot it at opponent Runes, and defend your own with smart maneuvering, tight controls, and powerful Spells. Sword & Fairy 6 PS4 — Digital Sword & Fairy 6 is an RPG set in a stunning world of Chinese heroism and fantasy come to life. Embark on a journey to uncover ancient secrets and slumbering beasts in a world torn by warring factions and deception, while customizing your party and weapons to your heart’s desire! The information above is subject to change without notice. MLB The Show 19 Playlist Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Various Artists – The Beach Bum (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Glass The Kid Who Would Be King Replicas Season Premiere Sunday, 3/31 at 7PM ET/10PM 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 sent you to save post-pandemic Washington D.C. from certain doom in The Division 2 and share your heroic moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog. From sunsets over national monuments to shadowed corners, here are this week’s highlights: The Capitol Building has seen better days, in this share by @Animanga_a. Graffiti catches our eyes in this shadowy share by @She3shGaming. The stars and stripes still fly in unexpected places, like this share by @mitzhor. The sun sets behind the Capitol in this well-framed share by @SignOfZodiac. @Spiggy_Smalls frames their agent in sunlight. @Philt43_Yewone. shares a close-up portrait of their agent. 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: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, April 3 Next week, carve a path of revenge as the One-Armed Wolf in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. While you jump from rooftops and fight against certain (or repeated) death, share your best moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Our second free content update for March, Patch 1.36, is now available (Internet connection required) for all GT Sport drivers, featuring classic Italian supercars and two stars of the Japanese Super Formula. New Vehicles Five new vehicles have rolled into the Brand Central garage, including the iconic Lamborghini Countach and two cutting-edge Super Formula race cars by Honda and Toyota. Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary ’88 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta passo corto CN.2521 ’61 Lancia Stratos ’73 Dallara SF19 Super Formula / Honda ‘19 Dallara SF19 Super Formula / Toyota ‘19 GT League To support our Super Formula stars, we’ve added the new Super Formula Championship (Amateur League) event — a one-make race event using the Dallara SF19. In addition, a number of new rounds have been added to some existing league events. Beginner League Two new rounds added to the FF Challenge Two new rounds added to the MINI Challenge Amateur League Two new rounds added to the Nostalgic Car Festival Professional League Two new rounds added to the La Festa Cavallino Two new rounds added to the Lamborghini Cup Endurance League One new round added to the Gr.1 Prototype Endurance Series Finally, in Scapes mode, we’ve added “Cherry Blossoms – Heralds of Spring” to the specially featured section. In the Museum, Super Formula has been added, and in Circuit Experience – we’ve added the Autopolis circuit from this month’s 1.34 update. We hope you enjoy this March’s second GT Sport content drop, and if you missed any of the action from our first 2019 World Tour event in Paris this weekend — you can catch up on all the action right here. Remember, you can find all the latest GT info here on PlayStation Blog and on the official Gran Turismo website. Until next time, drivers, we’ll see you out on the track. View the full article

Hello, VR explorers! I’m Chris and I do design, programming, and art at Owlchemy Labs. We’re counting down the days until Vacation Simulator comes to PlayStation VR and I’m writing this to share what I’m most excited about from the project: Emergent Gameplay! Emergent gameplay is when mechanics combine together in complementary ways, often making a new experience that is greater than the sum of its parts. Building a game this way is awesome, because it helps players create unique and memorable moments and adds lasting depth. We’ve experimented with these concepts in our earlier titles: facilitating mayhem with loads of interactable physics items to play with in Job Simulator and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality. (Did you know there are more than 30,000 first-order item combinations possible in our Combinator?) In Vacation Simulator, we dug even deeper and filled our open world with tons of interactive objects and connected systems to encourage emergent gameplay. You’ll see all these surprising and delightful mechanics when you play this summer, but I’m excited to share two examples from our Vacation Forest destination. First, let’s look at the Waffler, which lets you turn any object in the game into a delicious waffle: The waffles you make in this machine aren’t just for eating. You can stack them in sandwiches, feed them to fish to change their color, or even give them to hungry Bots. We made sure waffles seamlessly integrated with other systems in the game to give you those magic moments where “it just works!” Maybe you need a pink fish but can’t find any pink food around — but there is that pink flamingo statue by the garden. With a bit of creativity, you can use the waffler to turn that pink flamingo statue into an edible pink waffle, and voila… pink fish! Encouraging this kind of exploration is key to making our world a place where you’ll want to keep coming back for more. Interconnected systems also help you tell your own vacation story in our game. Are you the type of person who wants to create the perfect authentic breakfast, or would you prefer a waffle made of twigs you found floating downstream? Whether it’s a buttery waffle covered in jam and honey or sprinkled with trail mix and a dash of coolant, the waffler makes it possible and gives everyone who plays their own unique experience. Next up is the Shrubafier, a machine that lets you turn any item in the game into a shrub for your garden: By comparison, turning things into waffles was easy: objects were flattened, made edible, and lost all of their prior properties besides color. Building the Shrubafier brought up so many tough questions that the entire thing was almost cut — multiple times! What happens if you shrub an edible item? A watering can? A wearable hat? Ultimately, we decided to double down and embrace chaos instead of playing it safe, and we’re happy with the result. The key with this feature was meeting expectations. Would you expect food to be edible, hats to be wearable, and a mug to still hold liquid after being shrubbed? Of course you would! So we had to make that work. VR experiences are unique and powerful — you aren’t just pressing buttons and looking at a screen, you’re in the world and using your own hands to manipulate objects. This makes it all the more disappointing when things don’t respond the way you expect. We met as many expectations as we could, and when we couldn’t, we relied on our other tried and true Owlchemy strategy: jokes! These are just two examples of emergent systems, but you can already imagine a world of shrubbed hats with purple flowers being waffled into food for picky bots, hungry fish, or even your own avatar. There’s a lot more interconnected chaos where that came from, and I hope you’ll check out the game and explore the rest of Vacation Island this summer. Mark your calendars, Vacation Simulator comes to PlayStation VR on June 18! Cheers, Chris @ Owlchemy Labs View the full article

Hello, CoMmunity! There’s one big piece of information we need to share with you about Early Access and of course, that’s when it’s happening! So, without further ado, we’re thrilled to announce: Dreams Early Access Starts April 16, 2019! We can’t wait to welcome you in to get creating and be able to have a game jam with all of you! We’ve been working on Dreams for a long time now and the core of Dreams — the creation bit — is ready. There is so much we want to do with and add to Dreams — but to start, we want players to be able to see their creations on their own TV screen and be able to have all the tools they need to make games or stories or art or music accessible from their couch. The future for Dreams is exciting. We hope that Early Access gives us the feedback we need to make Dreams an amazing space for creators and players alike for years to come. We know you may still have questions. We’ve highlighted some key points below to help you navigate Early Access and beyond! What is included in Early Access? Early Access is exactly that. Early entry into Dreams, designed for creators to get hands on with the tools. It won’t feature everything that the full release will have (our story mode being a big piece of that) but you’ll get our full tool set for creating, our interactive tutorials and arcade games, templates and additional content created by Media Molecule and access to what you, the CoMmunity, made during our Dreams Creator Beta. You’ll also be getting the first hands-on with new features and content as we add them. When is Dreams Early Access launching? Dreams Early Access will be launching April 16! How much will Dreams Early Access cost? Dreams Early Access will cost $29.99 MSRP (+applicable tax) in the US and $39.99 MSRP (+applicable tax) in Canada. Which territories will Dreams Early Access be available for? Initially, Dreams Early Access will be available in the US, Canada and all European territories. What languages will be supported by Dreams Early Access? At launch, Dreams Early Access will be in English and French in North America. How do I participate in Dreams Early Access? That’s an easy one! You’ll be able to purchase Dreams Early Access from PlayStation Store on April 16, 2019. Can I pre-order Early Access? No, but you can sign up for updates here. If I buy Dreams Early Access, does that mean I get access to the full version of the game when it’s released, without paying any extra / twice? Early Access is intended for Creators who will participate and contribute to Dreams Early Access, and in return, will have the full version of Dreams upon release. ….and when would that be? ;) Ooo, cheeky! We don’t have a release date for the full version of Dreams to share right now. But when we do, you’ll know about it! And then we’ll keep telling you. And then probably tell you another 5,672 times. Will my Early Access / Beta creations carry over to the full game? Yes. Early Access is the launch of the creation tools of Dreams and this will then roll into the full version of the game. Will Early Access include VR? Dreams VR is not included in the initial Early Access offering. It’s still planned for Dreams and we’re super excited for it. We’ll be sure to share more details about it as soon as we’re ready. Is there any NDA for Early Access? No! You can stream, share and create to your heart’s content. How can I stay up-to-date on everything Dreams? We’ll update you on all things Dreams as and when new things happen! We’ll detail new features through blogs, streams and on our social channels, as well as on our feedback forums on indreams.me. Is there a cap to Early Access? Is there a chance I won’t get in? Dreams Early Access is limited yes, but it’s a big limit. That being said, to avoid disappointment, we do recommend you purchase as soon as you can to enjoy all of the creator tools available. View the full article

“For all the people who love music, dance, and games” is the motto of the original musical action game, Space Channel 5, which was first released in December 1999. Set in outer space during the 25th century, Space Channel 5 stars top reporter Ulala, who must solve an incident involving the Morolians, a mysterious race of aliens who are forcing people to dance. In the game, you’ll fight against the invaders by dancing, and win dance battles to gain more viewer ratings for Ulala. The award-winning Space Channel 5 is considered one of the most popular games from Sega and for Dreamcast. Interestingly, most of the original creators of Space Channel 5 are currently working at our studio Grounding, so Space Channel 5 VR is being remade by the people who know the game best — including the main designer of Ulala and the original motion actor for Ulala. Space Channel 5 is not only a love letter to the fans but also a passion project for everyone working on the game. Why VR? When thinking about the latest console for Space Channel 5’s retro-futuristic, funky 60s sci-fi world, we thought VR would be a great fit for Ulala’s style. Space Channel 5 VR is not simply a port of the old game, but reborn as a “Space Channel 5 VR Kinda Funky News Flash!” This new game will revisit characters and stages from two decades ago. Graphics back then for the Dreamcast were not the high-definition 3D models we are used to; they were simple planar pictures. We are recreating the game from scratch as well as the story for PS VR. Soundtrack and Voice actors The music of Space Channel 5 VR has a 60s spy-style sound and pays homage to “Mexican Flyer” in the music and sound of Space Channel 5. Grounding not only paid attention to the music and sounds of the world, but has been working with the people who truly know and love Space Channel 5. Want to do a big favor for Team Grounding? We’ve been looking for Apollo Smile, the voice actor who made Ulala special from the very beginning. She may have retired… but if anyone knows anything about Apollo Smile, please email us at press@g-rounding.com! We want to bring the original voice actor English voice actor back again! Any help and information would be appreciated to help Ulala become the number one reporter in the entire galaxy!! Gameplay In Space Channel 5 VR, the player (YOU) becomes a rookie reporter and joins the report show with Ulala. You might wonder why we didn’t want the player to be Ulala herself in this game. This is because we wanted the player to interact with Ulala in the game. We’re sure it’s going to be more exciting if the player can see her close by and feel that they’re working with her to dance against the aliens to save the earth and march to the end of the galaxy together. Also, “striking a pose” is a new feature! When an enemy’s beam is coming, let’s dodge with a pose! Beat them with your groove! Characters Ulala (pronounced ooh-la-la) is Space Channel 5’s top reporter. A news reporter saved her life when she was young, and it inspired her to become a reporter for the Space Channel. She carries around her trusty microphone and two guns. The Chu Beam is used for shooting aliens, robots and other attackers while the Rescue Beam is used to rescue hostages being forced to dance. When ratings are high, she emits a pink aura, signifying she is full of groove energy. Lou & Kee (player‘s character) are identical twins. Rookie reporters assigned to cover a breaking dance news story. Ulala is their boss. Morolians are alien creatures. They have invaded Earth, forcing people to dance. In Space Channel 5 VR, they invaded earth, forcing people to dance again. New characters appear to the game later! Stories behind the development In order to evolve characters from the low polygons for Dreamcast into the current style, the development team creates and destroys each character repeatedly. We’re carefully creating and developing the game, so that it shows the love we poured into the game. The demo for Space Channel 5 VR Kinda Funky News Flash will be available at PlayStation’s booth at PAX East in Boston, MA from March 28-31. By playing the demo, you will see the nostalgic but strangely new Ulala and Morolian to this time and age. Development status We’ve completed roughly 40% of the game. This is the information that nobody in the world knows. Stay tuned for more info and updates! View the full article

Two new titles join the PlayStation Plus monthly games lineup on April 2, each distinct but offering their own unique spin on what it means to survive. Let’s dive in and take a closer look. Conan Exiles Drawing inspiration from the classic barbarian tales, survival open world survival game Conan Exiles winds back the clock to the very dawn of civilization, casting you as a forgotten exile abandoned alone in the desert for crimes unknown. Starting out with nothing but a loincloth and your own two hands, you’ll have to explore this vast, hostile world, gathering materials, crafting tools and carving out a new life for yourself in a world filled with danger. Exploring a shared online space, you’ll have the chance to meet with other players, build settlements and bases together, and even raise your own armed fortresses as you advance your mission to dominate this brave new world. The Surge From the creators of brutal medieval action-adventure Lords of the Fallen comes a challenging sci-fi spin on the hardcore RPG genre. Take on the role of new staff member Warren who, following a trying first day on the job, awakens to the aftermath of an unknown cataclysm to find his new workplace devastated and its ruins overrun by out-of-control machines. Explore the twisting maze-like environment of the CREO research facility, fending off haywire tech, scavenging new parts and weapons, rescuing survivors and unlocking the secrets of this vast, abandoned facility. Both titles will be available to download from PlayStation Store on April 2. In the meantime, you still have a few days left to pick up March’s two PlayStation Plus titles. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a great chance to revisit one of the grand-daddies of the FPS genre, while The Witness is a mesmerizing slow-burn of gradual discovery and smart puzzle design. If you haven’t tried them, there’s time yet: both will be available to download for PS Plus members until April 1 (no foolin’!). Let us know how you get on with March and April’s titles and we’ll see you again next month. View the full article

Next month marks the three-year anniversary of the initial release of Enter the Gungeon on PlayStation 4, and the release of its final update A Farewell to Arms. And yes, it is free. It has been quite a ride over the last few years, but we are finally at the closing chapter of Enter the Gungeon. We wanted to take some time to go over what is new in the Farewell to Arms update before it arrives on April 5, and thank you all once again for supporting Dodge Roll. We are well aware that when we initially announced the plan to do a smaller update instead of a larger paid DLC, we said that we hoped to have it out by the end of 2018. The reason that didn’t happen is the same reason our previous updates have released a bit later than we intended: we kept adding new stuff. This is the final update to Enter the Gungeon, and as such the content included carries the weight of the end of an arc, the very legacy of the game. That is to say: we wanted to make sure Enter the Gungeon went out with a bang. With that in mind, we didn’t think just a new randomized “Paradox” character and some new guns and items were enough. Since the announcement of the update, it has grown considerably in size, and is now something more comparable to our first update, Supply Drop. Specifically, we’ve added a second new character with a wild starting item, a new variant of a very powerful enemy, and a new secret floor with its own very special boss that we really can’t wait for the community to experience (make sure you have your sound on!). This boss is in some ways the ultimate form of every joke or reference in Enter the Gungeon. It holds a particular place in our hearts, and it is something we probably would never have been able to do if you all hadn’t helped make Enter the Gungeon the success it has become. Thank you, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do. There is a new NPC named Bowler that brings with him a new gameplay mode inspired by the Gungeon community: Rainbow Mode! When you play a run in this mode, at the beginning of each floor a Rainbow chest will drop, from which you can only take one gun or item. However, these are the only items you will get other than pick-ups and Master Rounds for the whole run — so choose wisely. As usual with the Gungeon, this mode can be combined with other gameplay modifiers, like the new Paradox character, Challenge mode, or Turbo mode. We’ve also fixed a number of lingering issues since the last update, along with a few performance improvements. We’ve also made a number of quality of life improvements like boss health bars turning transparent when you go under them, and giving rewards for pedestal and wall mimic kills, among several others. Certain rare NPCs are now somewhat less rare, and the boss DPS cap is ever-so-slightly weaker than it previously was (I am imagining cheers to this). After gathering community feedback we did a substantial rebalance pass that buffs several of the less interesting low-tier items, some drastically changing their function, and evens out the Red chest tier of loot to be more consistently good. This is in keeping with the philosophy of our last update, which was to make the player feel “more powerful, more often” and we predict that loot quality will be more consistent run-to-run with these changes. We’ve also spent more time testing this update than the last one. Gungeon fans may remember that our last update came out of the gate a little rockier than we would like to admit. We can’t promise zero bugs, but we confidently anticipate many fewer, and we will, of course, be supporting this update with bug fixes as quickly as we can. Also, we want to clarify that A Farewell to Arms is a free update to Enter the Gungeon, and will automatically download if you have auto-update turned on in your PS4. You do not have to go looking for it in the store, and once it is installed all of the content integrates seamlessly, so just play and you’ll begin seeing new stuff! Enter the Gungeon has been so much more successful than we ever dreamed to imagine. Its success has changed our lives and allowed us to support it for years with free content, which in turn has made the game much better than it was at launch. The Gungeon community has been nothing short of inspiring, and in our opinion, it continues to be one of the nicest game communities we have ever interacted with. Personally, it never gets old to read the fan theories, or see the awesome fanart. The fact that there are still so many people interested in Gungeon three years in is truly amazing. Thank you sincerely, form everyone at Dodge Roll for the support of this game, thank you for laughing at our puns, and enjoying, or at least tolerating, our Die Hard, Metal Gear and other references. Enter the Gungeon is Dodge Roll’s first real game release and while we are very proud of the game, we are also extremely excited to move on to new projects full time. Hopefully we will be able to apply all we’ve learned during Gungeon’s development to make something even better. If you enjoyed Enter the Gungeon, we sincerely hope you will check out whatever we make in the future, Gungeon-related or otherwise. This may be the end of Enter the Gungeon, but the Gungeon remains. Thank you for playing. View the full article

History and Parts Pack is the first DLC available on PS4 for the award-winning multi-genre space exploration game, Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition! In addition to 10 exciting missions inspired by humankind’s own space exploration, this content-filled console-optimized DLC includes more than 60 new parts and an astronaut suit inspired by the historic Space Race! These parts will not only allow you to be creative and build all sorts of imaginative spacecrafts, but also replicate the iconic Saturn V and Soyuz Rockets! Below is a basic guideline of the parts you will need to build these rockets. The rest will depend on you (can’t make things too easy). Saturn V The Saturn V was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA between 1967 and 1973. Developed to support the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon, the three-staged rocket remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever brought to operational status, and holds records for the heaviest payload launched and largest payload capacity to low Earth orbit, which included the third stage and unburned propellant needed to send the Apollo Command/Service Module and Lunar Module to the Moon. To date, the Saturn V remains the only launch vehicle to carry humans beyond low Earth orbit. In order to build a Saturn V replica, you’ll need these parts, and a few more, like decouplers and probably a heat shield, just to name a few: Mk1-3 Command Module SM-6A Service Module (DLC exclusive) Launch Escape System SM-25 Service Module (DLC exclusive) RE-J10 “Wolfhound” Liquid Fuel Engine (DLC exclusive) Munar Excursion Module (M.E.M.) (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne S3-14400 Tank RE-I2 “Skiff”Liquid Fuel Engine (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne S3-S4 Adapter Tank (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne S4-256 Tank (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne S4-512 Tank (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne Engine Cluster Adapter Tank (DLC exclusive) Kerbodyne KE-1 “Mastodon” Liquid Fuel Engine (DLC exclusive) Soyuz The Soyuz is a family of expendable launch systems designed in the 1960s. Originally commissioned as part of the Soviet human spaceflight program, the Soyuz is the most frequently used launch vehicle in the world with over 1700 flights since its debut in 1966. Since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011, all human spaceflights to and from the International Space Station have been carried out using Soyuz. In order to build a Soyuz rocket replica, you’ll need these parts, and a few more! Don’t forget your decouplers and a parachute! KV1 “Onion” Reentry Module (DLC exclusive) KV2 “Pea” Reentry Module (DLC exclusive) KV3 “Pomegranate” Reentry Module (DLC exclusive) Size 1.5 Decoupler (DLC exclusive) FL-TX440 Fuel Tank (DLC exclusive) FL-TX1800 Fuel Tank (DLC exclusive) FL-A151L Fuel Tank Adapter (DLC exclusive) FL- T800 Fuel Tank FL-C1000 Fuel Tank (DLC exclusive) RK-7 “Kodiak” Liquid Fuel Engine (DLC exclusive) RV-1 “Cub” Vernier Engine (DLC exclusive) If you need more help building these historic rockets, be sure to check out some of the tutorials available on the KSP Forums and YouTube. The History and Parts Pack DLC is available now and we’re excited to see all of you PS4 astronauts exploring the vastness of space! Happy launchings! View the full article

Hey everyone, Tanya Watson here. I’m the CEO and co-founder of Squanch Games, a weirdo comedy game studio started by myself and the co-creator of Rick and Morty, Justin Roiland. Trover is a crazy comedy adventure in the vision of Justin, through and through. He started a game studio because he’s been a lifelong gamer, and when he had the opportunity to use a VR headset, it opened up his eyes as to how he could bring storytelling to video games. So, we built Squanch from the ground up to support his method of comedy and storytelling, and it’s been one helluva ride. We’ve been keeping our heads down for the last two years working on Trover Saves the Universe — our first full-length game — but we’re now to the point where we can really start talking about the game because it’s almost done! We even have a release date… Trover Saves the Universe will debut exclusively on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR on May 31 with pre-orders open now at physical and digital retailers including PS Store where PS Plus members will get an extra 10% off. Trover Saves the Universe is a story about you — your dogs have been dognapped by a beaked lunatic named Glorkon who stuffed them into his eye holes. Your cute little pup pup boys give him insane power that will allow him to destroy the universe, unless you can stop him. You can even choose how to play — on TV or PlayStation VR. Many people have asked me what it’s been like to work with Justin, to create this studio, and make this bizarre adventure. There’s not nearly enough room to go over all of that here, but, I love being a part of making funny and unique games. If you want more insights into how we did it for this one, you should tune into our Comedy in Games panel at PAX East, hosted by Justin Roiland, on March 28 at 4:30pm ET. It’ll be in the Main Theater as well as streaming on twitch.tv. He’s going to be talking a lot more about how he’s brought his own perspective to comedy in video games, and will be asking a number of hilarious creators to chime in as well. Until then, stay Squanchy! View the full article

Path of Exile launches on PS4 today! With many new exiles set to wash up on the shores of Wraeclast, we want to make sure you’re well prepared. Life in Wraeclast is unforgiving at the best of times, especially for new players, so we’ve compiled 10 simple tips to help you start off on the right foot. Decide on a playstyle Path of Exile has hundreds of skill gems and, due to its sprawling passive skill tree and deep item customization, thousands of potential playstyles. It can be tempting to try to do a little bit of everything, but you may end up being good at nothing. Picking a specific playstyle you want to use, such as a fire spellcaster or bow-wielding ranger, and sticking with it is far more effective than spreading yourself thin. Support your Skills Support Gems can drastically alter a skill’s performance. Not dealing enough damage with Ground Slam? Try using the Brutality Support to increase your physical damage. Ice Shot not hitting enough monsters? Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support will fix that by turning your single projectile into three to decimate a crowd. Make sure that the skills you are using are properly supported. Don’t Neglect Your Life Killing things is fun, but dying isn’t. Make sure you have enough life to survive a few big hits. The passive tree is filled with life modifiers, but they won’t do much if your items don’t also supply life. So keep an eye out for things that keep you alive, and make use of them! Resistances are Amazing Got a lot of life but still keep dying? Check your Elemental Resistances in the character panel! You can visit your character panel by pressing on the touchpad to go to your inventory and then navigating to your character list from there. Elemental damage can be lethal if you don’t have enough elemental resistances. Luckily, resistances are plentiful on items and can even be temporarily supplemented with auras and flasks! Cold Resistance is particularly useful in Act 1, and Lightning in Acts 2 and 3. Upgrade your Flasks As your character grows stronger and tougher, your life flasks will refill proportionally less and less of your life. Keep an eye out for better life flasks as you slay monsters, as a well-timed flask use can be a literal life-saver. Uniques Aren’t Always an Upgrade It’s exciting when you see that orange flash of a Unique item dropping, but remember that Unique items are often very specialized, and can take your build to the next level, but it’s no good equipping a Unique bow on your mace character. Don’t fret, because… Trade Unwanted Items The Trade Board will let you sell items you don’t want to other players. You can find it by pressing “Options” and going to “Trade Board.” Consider using it if you’re looking for an upgrade or have an item you just can’t use. Use Your Stash Your stash comes with four tabs by default and is shared by all characters on the same account. You can stash items you want to use later, or even on a different character entirely, and it’ll still be there when you check it in the future. Many players save gear for their other characters in their stash. If you run out of space, it’s possible to purchase more in the store. Some even come with extra features to make organising your wares even easier. Ascend! Special Trials are hidden throughout the campaign that unlock access to the Lord’s Labyrinth — a difficult, ever-changing dungeon. It’s not easy, but completing the Lord’s Labyrinth is worthwhile, as it unlocks access to your Ascendancy classes. Ascendancies come with very powerful role-defining perks. There are three Ascendency classes available for all asses, save one. The seventh class only has access to one Ascendency, while simultaneously having access to them all. You’ll just have to wait and see what we mean… Don’t Get Discouraged Path of Exile has a steep learning curve, but nearly bottomless depths. If you feel like you’re getting stuck, ask for help or check online for tips (like these!). Or even try starting a new character! You’d be surprised how much farther you get on a second character with the lessons learned on your first. We’re so glad you’re joining us on this journey and we’re looking forward to playing with you! View the full article

The day has finally arrived — MLB The Show 19 is now available! It’s been an exciting year for all of us at San Diego Studio. We’re thrilled to have you finally get your hands on MLB The Show 19 and experience all the hard work that went into this year’s game. Before we jump into the Top 10 Reasons to play The Show 19, Ken Griffey Jr would like to tell you about one of our new game modes: March to October. Here are 10 Reasons you should play MLB The Show 19: Experience the excitement of your favorite MLB team’s season in less time, with March to October. In March to October, pick your favorite team and play only the most important pivotal games of the season, so you can focus on taking your squad to postseason and beyond. More action and excitement, and less time chipping through the regular season. Relive and rewrite baseball’s most iconic Moments.* Play the most exciting moments in baseball history and some of the biggest modern MLB plays, with new Moments. From Babe Ruth to Bryce Harper, you can face off with some of the biggest players to ever play the game to relive and rewrite history. Diamond Dynasty makes building your fantasy squads more interactive and flexible than ever.* Diamond Dynasty is back with more players, more customizable options, and more streamlined rewards, to make your custom elite online roster better than ever. Define who you are as a player and teammate, as you chase the big-league dream in Road to The Show. This year’s Road To The Show features a refined RPG system with deeper character development, training mini-games, and game-changing personality attributes to give you a more unique and epic rise MLB superstardom. Another wave of Legends step into the spotlight, led by Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, Rickey Henderson, and Ty Cobb. More legendary ballplayers means more legendary games. Sweeping gameplay updates focus on defensive intelligence, user skill, and player differentiation. The Show 19 feels more realistic than ever. More unique experiences with individual players and defensive intelligence in the field means you’ll get to experience the most enhanced gameplay in MLB The Show yet. MLB Network’s Heidi Watney joins the broadcast crew as MLB The Show’s first on-field reporter. Realistic on-field media coverage makes every play of every game feel bigger than ever. Lots of new items and unlockables: Bat skins, stadium sounds, home run celebrations and more.* Show off to your friends and flex on the competition with more customizable in-game swag. Hitting engine advancements increase the significance of user skill and player tools. The biggest hitting engine update in the history of The Show. Hitting is more refined and unique to each player making every at-bat feel better than ever. New Flashback players. Play as your favorite big-league players when they had career-defining seasons. We couldn’t be more proud or excited for you all to jump into The Show 19. For those of you who haven’t purchased yet, head to PlayStation Store to pick up your copy today. Please make sure to check The Show Nation, our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts to be the first to know about all the new content coming to The Show 19 throughout the year. *Internet Required View the full article

Today, we are thrilled to announce that our upcoming PlayStation VR exclusive, Blood & Truth, launches on 28th May 2019. It’s an all-action first-person shooter that plays out amidst the grit and glamour of London’s criminal underworld, featuring outrageous set pieces, non-stop action and cutting-edge tech that gets the very best out of your PS VR headset. The Origins of Blood & Truth We were one of the first teams at SIE Worldwide Studios to get our hands on PlayStation VR and we were proud to deliver one of its standout launch titles. As you may remember, PlayStation VR Worlds was a collection of diverse, distinct experiences, ranging from deep-sea exploration in Ocean’s Descent, to an abstract future sport in Dangerball. But listening to community feedback, it was clear that the London Heist experience was the overwhelming fan favourite. People absolutely loved being the star of their own gangster movie – from the moment Mickie sat down in front of you and snarled “What you lookin’ at?” you were totally immersed in London’s criminal underworld. PS VR gave us the opportunity to explore something that traditional video games had struggled to do. You weren’t just watching the action unfold, you were being thrust into the very heart of it – and that felt like a thrilling paradigm shift for both creators and players alike. So with our next project, we were determined to not just replicate this laser focus on immersion and interactivity, but to push it to the next level. And what better playground to flex our muscles in than with a return to London’s criminal underbelly? Becoming an Action Hero Our goal with Blood & Truth was to take what we learned on London Heist and use that experience to create the ultimate PS VR blockbuster – one where the player could truly live out their wildest action hero fantasies in a full-length first-person shooter. Blood & Truth pushes you through a rollercoaster ride of a story line, set against iconic London locations. You’ll be dual-wielding automatic pistols while leaping from exploding buildings, exchanging gunfire from the back of an armoured vehicle, battling through hordes of enemies on daring rescue missions, and chasing down targets through the grimy back-streets of London. To ensure we nailed that all-action summer blockbuster feel, we worked with Hollywood producer/director Rick Porras (whose credits include Lord of the Rings, Contact and Forrest Gump) on our mo-cap shoots, alongside a great cast of actors including Colin Salmon (Mortal Engines, London Has Fallen, Resident Evil). Be at the Center of the Action We’ve also taken the level of interactivity and action beyond anything we’ve done before. Whereas in the London Heist your character fired from a fixed position, in Blood & Truth, you can move between cover to get a better angle on enemies, and interact with your environment to discover new weapons, ammo, intel or collectables. We’ve also implemented an on-body inventory giving you easy access to your guns, ammo and tools. This means you can glance down to your hips to see a pair of revolvers, then look to your shoulders to see a combat shotgun and an assault rifle. Changing weapons is as simple and intuitive as reaching to the holster and grabbing it. And we’re particularly proud of the work our audio team has done on Blood & Truth. We wanted a distinctive style to our music, reflecting both the action movie genre we’re inspired by, and the contemporary sound of London. We’ve worked with both talented grime artists and a full 90-piece orchestra and the results are spectacular – look out for more on the game’s music soon. Pre-order Incentives Mark your calendar for 28th May and prepare to be the ultimate action hero – Blood & Truth is coming. Pre-order today from the PlayStation Store and you’ll get the following extras: Avatars: A trio of avatars for your PSN ID showing agent Carson, Ryan Marks and the mysterious Kayla Digital art book Digital soundtrack Stay tuned to PlayStation.Blog for more news soon in the run up to launch! State of Play: All the Announcements Marvel’s Iron Man VR Arrives 2019 on PlayStation VR Going Retro: Creating PS4-Exclusive Content For CTR: Nitro Fueled No Man’s Sky Gets Full PlayStation VR Support This Summer Introducing ReadySet Heroes, a Fast-Paced Twist on Dungeon Crawling PS VR Blockbuster Blood & Truth Launches May 28 PlayStation VR: The Next Wave of Games Coming in Spring and Summer 2019 Observation Flips the Perspective on Sci-Fi Adventure, Out on PS4 This May Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted Coming to PS VR First Look: Concrete Genie Story Trailer Days Gone: Inside the New Story Trailer How Past Meets Present in Mortal Kombat 11 View the full article