Commander Fury

Hello Gungeoneers, the team at Dodge Roll is so excited to finally share the long-awaited Advanced Gungeons & Draguns update for Enter the Gungeon with the PlayStation community! First, we wanted to thank you all and the folks at PlayStation for supporting us and the game from the start and can’t be more thrilled to bring you something of a remaster of Enter the Gungeon. So what is Advanced Gungeons & Draguns exactly? The primary focus of the update was to provide a ton of new content and challenge balancing for longtime fans while making the Gungeon a far more generous place for those new to the game. This takes a number of forms, the first is that drop rates are better pretty much across the board. You will see far fewer brown chests, more high tier chests, more money, better selection in shops, more NPCs and shrines. The next form the generosity takes is a total overhaul of our synergies – guns can now interact with other guns and items with items, with often over-the-top and frighteningly powerful results. This leads to new followers, new orbitals, new gun variants, or just totally new effects. There are around 500 of these new synergies in the game, which you’ll run into naturally as you play the game. Furthermore, there’s a new NPC you can find who might help you out in completing some of those combinations! There are a couple of other quality of life improvements, like the ability to save hearts for later (on a floor) and the ability to speed up the player’s movement speed when you are not in combat. Obviously, there are a number of new items and guns to find and unlock, as well as new enemies and hundreds of rooms and a bunch of other random things we added over the past year. Also, you can slide over tables now and are invulnerable when doing so which feels awesome. Finally, there are two new bosses, and one new mini-boss. The two new bosses are meant for high-level players, and unsurprisingly both are hidden. And Turbo Mode. You can unlock Turbo Mode which longtime Gungeoneers might never go back from. Everyone at Dodge Roll hopes you enjoy both halves of Advanced Gungeons & Draguns. Whether you’re a new player coming to check out the more generous Gungeon, or you’re a longtime veteran seeking more challenging content, the team appreciates your support, your enthusiasm, and may Kaliber bless your runs! View the full article

The futuristic sci-fi setting of the Mega Man X series ushered in a set of new and exciting gameplay abilities for fans beginning in the early ’90s. Wall-jumping, dashing, and equipping armor upgrades are sublime, but the series also has a grittier narrative for the heroic battles of X, Zero, and Axl. Whereas the classic Mega Man series focused on fun, Saturday Morning cartoon story pastiche with Dr. Wily’s recurring tricks and antics, the Mega Man X series took on a more mature tone. In preparation for Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2 coming to PS4 on July 24, now is the perfect time to reflect on the series’ story of powerful, sentient androids and their struggle to find footing in human society. The Road to 21XX The first Mega Man X takes place roughly 100 years after the original Mega Man series. Set within the same world as the original series, the titular hero, X, is a different robot from the classic series’ iconic Blue Bomber. Long before the events of the first 16-bit title begin, Dr. Thomas Light finished his final robot creation before he passed away. A highly advanced fighting robot with intelligence, emotion, and free will, X was made to be an equivalent to humankind. Light believed X would be critical for the eventual salvation of the planet, but realized that his fellow humans would likely not be ready to accept him due to the potential threat he could pose to society. As a result, Dr. Light sealed away X to run 30 years of diagnostics to ensure his final creation would be ready for the world that awaited him. A century later, an archaeologist from Abel City, Dr. Cain, uncovered the capsule storing X, and was in awe of Light’s technological marvel. X overshadowed even modern advances in robotic circuitry, and as a result, Dr. Cain used X’s schematics as the blueprint for a new, enhanced line of robots called Reploids. These new machines demonstrated unparalleled combat prowess and intelligence, though none matched X’s integrated empathy and evolutionary potential. Dramatic leaps in technology always come with risks, and the Reploids were no exception. An unusual virus and corrupted programming infected a number of Reploids, turning them from defenders of humanity into deadly killing machines. Dr. Cain assembled a squadron of dependable Reploids to counter these irregular Reploids that came to be known as “Mavericks.” X, with his hardwired combat prowess, was selected to join the Maverick Hunter team alongside a red, A-Class Maverick hunter with flowing, golden hair named Zero. Once thought to be a Maverick himself, Zero was repaired by Dr. Cain and became a dependable Maverick Hunter. Dr. Cain also created the imposing Sigma, who he selected to command the Maverick Hunters due to his unmatched combat prowess and decisive nature. Together, the squadron fought against bands of Mavericks to maintain justice and peace in the world. To Dr. Cain’s dismay, his worst nightmare transpired when Commander Sigma went Maverick. The advanced Reploid put down his figurative shield to society, picked up his literal laser sword of destruction, and declared humans inferior and a hindrance to the evolution of Reploid-kind. He assembled a band of fellow Mavericks, from the frigid Chill Penguin to the hulking inferno Flame Mammoth, and attacked an isolated island near Abel City. This is where the adventure of the first Mega Man X title begins – with X heroically traversing a crumbling, futuristic highway on a mission to stop Sigma and his eight Maverick lieutenants. If you want to learn more about the events before the original Mega Man X, check out “The Day of Σ,” a thrilling animated prequel that’s included in both Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2. The Maverick Hunters Saga Continues Mega Man X is only the beginning, as X, Zero, Axl, and the rest of the crew pursue the corrupting influence of Sigma through multiple battles and incarnations. The Hunters must face new Reploid menaces gone Maverick, like the slippery Wheel Gator and dive-bombing Blast Hornet. The evil X-Hunters assemble in Mega Man X2, focused on destroying X and claiming Zero for their own destructive deeds. Mega Man X4 introduces fully animated cutscenes and the Repliforce, a militaristic counter-Maverick force that operates independent from the Maverick Hunters. Mega Man X5 explores Zero’s nightmarish past, revealing his legendarily brilliant-yet-devious creator. Mega Man X7 and X8 introduce new protagonist Axl, a rapid-firing Reploid seeking a new team after his previous comrades in Red Alert begin showing Maverick-like tendencies. This is the perfect time to return to these unforgettable tales, or experience them for the first time. The narrative of the Mega Man X series features many twists, turns, unique characters, and unforgettable moments. These dramatic story beats are woven together with satisfying gameplay, wherein players battle a gang of eight Maverick bosses in any order, steal their weapons, and use them against other enemies. If one-on-one Maverick battles don’t quench your thirst for combat, Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 + 2 features the exclusive X Challenge mode, which pits X against two Mavericks at once in a series of intense battles. Think you can take on Wheel Gator’s underwater antics while Bubble Crab dishes out damage? Try it out for yourself! Dash into Mega Man X – X4 in Mega Man X Legacy Collection, and jump into Mega Man X5 – X8 in Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, coming to PS4 on July 24 as a digital or physical bundle. Fight like it’s the year 21XX! View the full article

Hello, all! Alex from White Rabbit here, and we’re really excited to reveal the final feature list for Death’s Gambit and do a deep dive into the features that make our 2D action platformer Gambit shine! August 14 is so soon! Expansive Campaign Death’s Gambit is a challenging game. There are many things we do to alleviate the inevitable frustrations that come with the territory — from music, to the landscapes, and even how we treat death. Death is a marker of progression in Death’s Gambit. Certain story beats only unlock upon dying. Bosses will remember if you’ve lost to them before. Does that mean you have to die to get the full story experience? Not exactly. There is an overarching narrative that plays out as you guide Sorun through Siradon. We’ve made sure the most important story beats happen naturally while playing. And for all you lore hunters out there, there is plenty of hidden subtext within the narrative of the world design and its items that should clue you into some nefarious undercurrents to the main storyline and more! Mortal Perma-death Death is a recurring theme and mechanic of Death’s Gambit. Go figure. For the most hardcore players, it’s possible to cancel Death’s contract, a mutual agreement that for all intents and purposes keeps you immortal. Cancelling the contract will turn you mortal, and activate iron-man mode, or perma-death. Try it out at your own peril! Non-Linear World Upon exiting the tutorial, the world opens up and allows for multiple routes. Right from the get go there are five bosses that are accessible. Each area has a distinctive feel and aesthetic to it that explores the themes of death and immortality. Should you come across something that seems impossible, fret not! There’s likely another path you have yet to explore. Heroic Boss Rematch In the same way you resurrect and challenge bosses over and over again, the bosses can do the same to you. Defeating them once will not stop them. Return to the boss room and face off against a heroic version of the boss that introduces new abilities and loot, at an exponentially harder difficulty! New Game + Now if that wasn’t enough to encourage all the masochistic souls-like fans, there’s also a New Game+! New Game+ introduces some varying enemy placements, and of course a bump in overall difficulty by scaling health and damage. If you want a real challenge, I encourage you to defeat all heroic bosses in New Game+ as a mortal. Good luck! 7 Classes There are a total of 7 playable classes in our game. They determine starting stats, equipment, as well as certain unique gameplay mechanics. For reference, soul energy is a meter you build up to spend on abilities. Attacking enemies naturally awards soul energy, but most of the classes have an additional method. Soldier: Blocking enemy attacks awards soul energy. Assassin: Dodging enemy attacks awards soul energy. Wizard: Healing awards soul energy. Sentinel: Equip weapons and shields at half the required stats. Parrying awards soul energy. Noble: Gain access to a unique merchant. Using items awards soul energy. Blood Knight: Regain a portion of lost health when dealing damage. Acolyte of Death: Restore broken save points. Killing enemies awards soul energy. Talent Tree While there are 7 different classes, the talent tree remains universal. Each class has one additional talent on top of the base starting talent that determines how they gain soul energy. Talent points are earned from defeating bosses, but only in the first play through. New Game+ does not award additional talent points. So choose wisely according to your favored playstyle. No Weapon Restrictions While classes start with a specific weapon, they are by no means limited to using that for the whole game. You are free to swap out your weapons however you see fit, as long as you have the required stats. There are two weapon slots in the inventory, for you to equip weapons, while a shield is always available. Weapon Skills Weapon skills or abilities are tied to the specific weapon and not classes. Therefore your build depends entirely on what weapon you use. Each weapon has a set of 3 skills that perform various functions from utility, pure damage, to applying status effects. Weapon skills are what add dynamism to the combat of Death’s Gambit. Experiment with different weapon combinations and skills to find one that suits your playstyle, or switch them up according to the challenges you face! But Wait! There’s plenty more, from storing your healing feathers to augment your damage, to chests that only open if you haven’t healed since the last save point. Challenges are strewn around the world, with a ton of tools to customize your playstyle. We hope you’ve enjoyed this deep dive into some of the mechanics of Death’s Gambit. We look forward to seeing how you all fare on August 14! View the full article

Thank you all for voting in June’s Players’ Choice poll! This month, we took a little extra time and rounded up a new set of Editor’s Choice picks for games released between April and June this year — enjoy! June 2018 Players’ Choice Winner: The Crew 2 Competition was fierce this month, but Ubisoft’s open-America racer The Crew 2 pulled away from the pack and racked up enough votes to claim the victory. Runners up included Vampyr, Unravel Two, and The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. Congratulations! Editor’s Choice: April – June 2018 Three months have passed since we selected our first batch of Editor’s Choice picks for the year, so we’re back with a fresh roundup for the second quarter of 2018. Read on for the biggest standout games of the past three months, as played by the editors of PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store. Peruse all of our picks at PlayStation Store, and maybe even add a new game or two to your library. We’ll vouch for ’em! God of War Sid Shuman // PlayStation.Blog One of PS4’s best games reinvents a classic antihero. The brutal combat is satisfying, and the Norse setting spellbinding, but the father-son relationship will truly move you. Bold, beautiful, and unmissable. Detroit: Become Human Kristen Titus // SIEA Social Media Top-notch graphics and an astounding level of player choice all make Quantic Dream’s ambitious narrative adventure a marvel worth playing again and again. Navigating Kara, Markus and Connor’s world is moving, inspired and above all, fun. Onrush Andy Yen // PlayStation Store Imagine a racing game where winning isn’t based being 1st.Team-based objectives and bone-crunching takedowns make for a fresh, yet thrilling ride. From the studio behind Motorstorm, OnRush is a combination of racing, battling, and a MOBA. Minit Justin Massongill // PlayStation.Blog An example of a clever mechanic executed well, Minit moves quickly and never overstays its welcome. This micro-adventure manages to feel grand in its own way, and it’s appropriately lo-fi soundtrack complements the journey perfectly. Moonlighter Justin Massongill // PlayStation.Blog A brilliant take on the crowded roguelite dungeon-crawler genre, switching often enough between adventuring and shop/town management to prevent you from getting bored of either. Beautiful art, animation & music seal the deal. Laser League Andy Yen // PlayStation Store Laser League is a thrilling futuristic sport in which you must eliminate your opponents with deadly laser grids. Each match is tense and kinetic and every win feels like a triumph. It’s an absolute blast and the perfect party game. View the full article

Hi everyone. I’m delighted to share the news that 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, a story-driven adventure set within the real-world events of the Iranian uprising, will be available on PS4 starting Tuesday, July 31. In almost four decades of playing video games, I can safely say 1979 Revolution is quite unlike anything else I’ve ever come across. Modern-day Iran isn’t exactly a familiar location for gamers (I’ve played more games set in Tamriel), but it’s the turbulent backdrop of Middle East politics as a setting for the story that makes it such a unique experience. I must admit, knowing its political theme, going into 1979 Revolution for the first time I really wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy it. But by the end I was completely enthralled. Developer iNK Stories has taken incredibly complex source material and crafted a compelling interactive drama that is simultaneously entertaining and enlightening. I can’t wait for more players to try it when it arrives on PS4. Until then, and to whet your appetite a little more, here’s some additional info and context about 1979 Revolution: Black Friday… There are two reasons why you play as a photojournalist Players take the role of Reza Shirazi, a young photojournalist returning to Tehran during the revolution. Over the course of the game, you must make a series of critical choices that determine not only Reza’s path through the revolution, but also of those around him. The idea to make the main character a photojournalist was twofold: a photojournalist’s role is usually one of objectivity, so the onus is on the player to decide how involved Reza becomes, but it was also a way to make use of the many archival resources that iNK Stories collated during development. For example, players can compare their own photographs taken in the game with those of French photojournalist Michel Setboun, who documented both sides of the revolution. It’s inspired by the developer’s first-hand experience and memories of the revolution Although he was very young at the time, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday creator Navid Khonsari was living in Iran with his family and can remember the months of escalating unrest and the sweeping changes it brought to the country. When the revolution was over, looming instability and uncertainty crept into their daily lives and Khonsari and his family – under the pretence of a holiday – left for Canada. The experience made such a lasting impression on Khonsari that, more than 30 years later, he created 1979 Revolution: Black Friday. The game offers an honest and accurate portrayal of events To ensure 1979 Revolution offers an authentic retelling and framing of events, iNK Stories conducted exhaustive research during its development. The team interviewed more than 40 people, of all ages, and with varying religious or political beliefs, from Iranian academics to prisoners who were held at Evin Prison (a location which features in the game). Regardless of the authenticity, Iranian officials have a dim view of the game, banning sales of it in the country and calling it ‘pro-American propaganda’. Thanks for reading and I hope you give 1979 Revolution: Black Friday a look when it launches for PS4 on July 31. View the full article

Hello! On July 24th No Man’s Sky Next will launch as a free update for everyone who owns the game. On behalf of myself, and the team at Hello Games I just want to say – Thank you. We are so excited to have made Next, and to continue to improve and develop No Man’s Sky, because of you, the community who play, explore and share this universe with us. It means so much to us. We are focused on development, but we know people are hungry for details so wanted to share this before launch. When No Man’s Sky launched it was broad in a way that almost no other game is, but with four updates it has become broader and so much deeper too. Now the release of Next brings a full multiplayer experience which makes the universe even more rich. We can’t wait for you to play, but hopefully you can see from the trailer this is a very new experience. Here are a few things you might notice from the trailer… Multiplayer Team up a small team of friends and explore the universe together, or be joined by random travellers. You can help friends to stay alive, or prey on others to survive. Tiny shelters or complex colonies that you build as a team are shared for all players. Fight as a pirate or a wingman in epic space battles with friends and enemies. Race exocraft across weird alien terrains, creating race tracks and trails to share online. Character customisation allows you to personalise your appearance. Visual Overhaul The game is fully playable in third or first person, both on-foot and in ship. Planetary rings and improved space visuals make space more beautiful than ever. Dramatically improved planetary terrain generation, ground textures, water and clouds bring the environment to life. Significantly more detail added to ships, NPCs and buildings. Unlimited Base Building Bases can now be built anywhere on any planet. Dramatically increased base building complexity and size limits. Hundreds of new base parts. Own multiple bases. Command Freighters Assemble and upgrade a fleet of frigates and command them from the bridge of your freighter. Send your fleet out to into the universe, or deploy them to help you as you explore a specific system. Improved freighter base building allows a truly custom capital ship. Invite your friends aboard and take on challenging multiplayer missions from the Galactic Commision Station on your bridge. Nearly two years ago our small team of friends, with a shared love sci-fi, opened up the universe of No Man’s Sky for the first time. It was an innovative, weird and at times lonely game. I loved that, it reminded me of the science fiction books I grew up with. This is an incredibly important update for us, but it’s also just another step in a longer journey, and we’ll continue to support No Man’s Sky in this way for the foreseeable future. We hope you enjoy this and what follows – and we look forward to meeting you out there! Our journey continues. View the full article

There’s never been a better time to walk into Mordor for the first time, or to walk right back in if you played Middle-earth: Shadow of War when it released. Here at Monolith, we are so excited for today’s release of our massive game improvement update. Since Shadow of War launched, we’ve had the Flaming Eye pointed directly at our fantastic community, and we’ve been continually watching, reading and listening to your comments, criticisms and recommendations. We want to say thank you because you’ve helped us make Shadow of War into a game we are truly proud of. We’ve removed the market, streamlined and improved the post-campaign Epilogue, added new player skins, new Legendary gear including Nazgûl masks so you can really confuse those Orcs and introduced hundreds of fixes and improvements. And if you want to try out Shadow of War before diving into the best version ever of the game, you can play a new demo releasing tomorrow (Update: now live!) in conjunction with the update to experience the dynamic personal stories of the Nemesis System as you conquer your first fortress. Here are just some of the improvements we’re most excited about: Middle-earth: Shadow of War | Download Demo Free Reign We’ve completely removed the market and microtransactions from Shadow of War. Now we have the Garrison where Orcs you recruit through Online Vendettas and Ranked Conquests will be stored, and you can now spend in-game Mirian to train, upgrade and customize your personal Orc army. The Shadow Wars The post-campaign Epilogue has been massively streamlined and polished to include new narration from Shelob, the Witch-king and Dark Talion. Victory in the Epilogue rewards you with the masks of the Nazgûl, unlocks powerful new abilities to raise the dead, summon more powerful monsters or curse your enemies. And if you want to keep upgrading and defending your fortresses and your army in Mordor, you can do so after the final credits roll. More Power to You In addition to new Nazgûl gear, the level cap has been increased to 80, and you can level up faster with greater XP rewards for Nemesis missions, defeating Captains and online fort assaults. New Prestige Skills available after Act III can be unlocked multiple times. You can also spend Mirian to upgrade your gear to your current level if you can complete the upgrade challenge. New Skins Take the fight to Sauron as Celebrimbor, reliving the first War for Mordor or as Dark Eltariel. Nemesis Improvements Even the Orcs have some presents for you. There are more Legendary Orcs to encounter, followers can now surprise you with the occasional gift. And if you think your followers are too keen to help and have been stealing your kills, you can turn off the savior feature in the menu. Thanks so much for reading this. The time has come to head back through the Black Gate and take the War to Mordor. We can’t wait to hear what you think. View the full article

“The difference between a demon and a hero is just inside your head.” — Dr. Bill Feynman Gene Rain is a futuristic third-person shooter launching on PS4 tomorrow. It takes place at the end of the 21st century, a time when science and technology are developing incredibly rapidly. The collision between man and technology brings the world into endless conflict, and society is fragmented by inequality as the majority of people can’t adapt to the fierce competition that ensues. There are two opposing forces in Gene Rain. First, meet senior statesman of the quantum technology circle: Dr. Bill Feynman. Dr. Feynman aspired to change the genetic structure of human beings to make everyone’s IQ equal. He created genetic spraying agents, and used his power to build modified wind towers to spread the agent around the world. Gene mutation brings a completely new evolution, but unfortunately, not everyone can adapt to the change in genetic structure and many die in the process. The Death Squad hopes to stop the Gene Rain by destroying the wind towers around the world. There are both humans and robots in the Death Squad, all with the singular objective to restore world order. You are part of the Death Squad, and control four characters. As you advance through the game, you can upgrade and transform your weapons, and use the improved weapons in new levels. Apart from the main guns that can be freely upgraded, we also built a 3D audio system for weapons. The sound effects are self-adapting to different bullet velocities, giving bullets distinctive sounds as they fly past your ear. Enemy behavior in the game is driven by an AI tree which allows them to respond in a variety of ways according to their judgment. Sometimes they will attack openly; sometimes they will sneak up and ambush you. With a variety of weapon classes, the whole game is tense and exciting! Development of the game started in 2014, when we were still video game outsourcing contractors. A group of us were very eager to make our own game, so we established a game research and development studio in 2015. We wanted to create a next-generation console game, and after a series of discussions, the Gene Rain project emerged. During the development process, we stayed up countless nights to finish the project. Each scene in the game took an average of three months to debug and polish. Sometimes it was hard to find the balance between artistic reality and actual reality. Finally we created a refreshing TPS game with a modern style and a compelling sci-fi setting. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it! But enough from us. You are now ready to begin your apocalyptic journey. View the full article

It’s time for another adventure! Finn, Jake, and friends return in Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion on PS4. The land of Ooo is mysteriously underwater. Players must embark on a new quest to uncover the reason behind the flooding. Sail on the high seas, collect loot, upgrade the party, and use powerful abilities to battle a horde of baddies. For the full list of new games coming to PlayStation, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion PS4 — Digital, Retail Ahoy! The Land of Ooo is underwater and it’s up to Finn and Jake to find out why. Join our heroes as they explore the high seas, search for hidden clues, interrogate shady suspects, and fight pirates to solve the mystery and save their waterlogged world! Blacksea Odyssey PS4 — Digital The hunt is on! Get ready to battle colossal space monsters in Blacksea Odyssey, a savage, top-down rogue-lite shoot ’em up RPG. Chicken Assassin: Reloaded PS4 — Digital Chicken Assassin is a fast paced action-RPG with an outrageous storyline filled with over-the-top humor that boasts a myriad of colorful enemies and visually stunning levels and environments. Frost PS4 — Digital Frost is a deck-building, solo survival card game set on a harsh, frozen world ravaged by a lethal storm. Gene Rain PS4 — Digital Death is always fair. He treats both the poor and the rich equally. This is the concept of the Death Squad, fighting to end the conflicts afflicting the whole world. Gotcha Racing 2nd PS4 — Digital (Out 7/19) Get parts from the gacha and customize your own original machine. Win the variety of races and aim the top of the Grand Prix! Guts and Glory PS4 — Digital (Out 7/19) Welcome to Guts and Glory – the craziest game show on earth, where ordinary people compete in extraordinary challenges of life and death, for glory! Hopalong: The Badlands PS VR — Digital One-of-a-kind locomotion combines with comedy and fast paced gameplay to bring you Hopalong: The Badlands. Sling lead and thunder across the Badlands as you chase down the infamous Dynamite Gang. Hungry Shark World PS4 — Digital Experience life as a shark and eat everything that gets in your way in this action-packed aquatic adventure. Ice Cream Surfer PS4, PS Vita — Digital The evil Broccoli, irritated by the fact that kids hate vegetables and love ice creams, has created an army of vegetables to destroy the flavor galaxy. Only the Ice Cream Surfer with the help of his four super tasty friends can prevent that. Let’s Sing 2018 PS4 — Digital Warm up those vocal chords, enter the virtual stage and experience the best Let’s Sing ever made! The Mooseman PS4 — Digital (Out 7/18) You are the Mooseman and you have the ability to see all that is hidden to the mortal eye. You are about to visit three layers of this universe – the first one is the Lower World where the spirits of the dead reside. Mothergunship PS4 — Digital From the creators of Tower of Guns, Mothergunship mixes bullet-hell intensity with the FPS genre, and brings one of the largest gun customization options seen in video games. Mugsters PS4 — Digital Aliens have taken over the planet and enslaved humanity. Only you have the know-how to drive back the dastardly threat, free your fellow Earthlings, and save the world! The Path of Motus PS4 — Digital Will you let other people stop you from pursuing your dreams? For generations, a village of goblins has been trapped inside a mysterious forest… anyone who attempts to leave returns hopeless and defeated. Determined to break new ground, a young goblin named Motus plans to build a series of bridges through the forest. Race Arcade PS4 — Digital Race Arcade is the ultimate top down racing game with a strong retro feeling and super smooth gameplay. This fresh and evolved racing experience seamlessly combines all the best parts from the good old racing games with the most recent technologies. Sonic Mania Plus PS4 — Retail Sonic Mania Plus is the definitive retail enhanced version of the original Sonic Mania digital release, presented in pristine collectable packaging. Building off its momentum and critical acclaim as one of the best platform games of 2017, the nostalgic pixel-perfect visuals and fresh gameplay will deliver a classic experience to gamers across the world! Spacejacked PS Vita — Digital Build. Shoot. Survive. Can you, Space Technician ace Dave Paprovsky, defend your spaceship against a relentless horde of aliens? Super Destronaut DX PS4, PS Vita — Digital Inspired by an arcade classic, Super Destronaut DX is retro space shooter that pits you against an enemy more dreaded than a UFO: a scoreboard. Super Dungeon Tactics PS4 — Digital Super Dungeon Tactics is a classic turn-based game featuring exciting, new gameplay mechanics. Along with traditional RPG characters making you feel right at home, the dynamic gameplay will keep you on your toes. Tempest 4000 PS4 — Retail Tempest 4000 is a visually stunning, action-packed tube shooter based on the classic hit arcade game Tempest. Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded PS4 — Digital Set out on an all-new adventure with Reimu, Marisa, Sanae, and more of your favorite Touhou characters! Steve Jablonsky – Skyscraper Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Dreamers – Launch Twenty One Pilots – Jumpsuit / Nico and the Niners Tully Overboard (2018) Ancient Alien America Snowfall – Season 2 Premiere Thursday, July 19 at 10 PM on FX Eleague Finals – Friday, July 13 at 11 PM ET/PT on TBS Suits – Season 8 Premiere Wednesday, July 18 at 9/8 c on USA PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Welcome, PlayStation fans, to the first installment of a recurring newsletter we’re calling Gear Comms; an online column dedicated to PlayStation Gear merchandise and the PlayStation community. This newsletter will allow the team behind the PlayStation Gear store to share news and insider perspectives on the world of PlayStation merchandise. We know you’re passionate about PlayStation. We are too! That’s what this newsletter is all about. For us, PlayStation merchandise is our way of celebrating the rich universe of PlayStation in our everyday lives. Welcome to our world… the world of PlayStation Gear! Let’s get started. The Last of Us Part II Vinyl Record From E3 2018: Sold Out! Or Is It? If you missed your chance to own the incredible The Last of Us Part II 7” vinyl record sold at E3 2018, here’s your chance to add the vinyl’s twin to your collection. The blue-colored variant vinyl record is now available for pre-order on Mondo’s website. The PlayStation Gear Store @ Comic-Con That’s right! The PlayStation Gear store will have its Comic-Con debut at 2018 Comic-Con International: San Diego. Here are just a few must-own PlayStation Gear products on sale at the event*: *Products subject to change **Products not to actual size or scale Our Comic Con debut comes hot on the heels of the PlayStation Gear store’s E3 2018 presence, which stepped up with Days of Play giveaways, Spotify hosted live DJ’s mixing and delivering the best in dance-driving music, and a fresh store makeover. Get a look at some of the limited edition merchandise and VIP visits that make shopping at the PlayStation Gear store such a unique shopping experience. Hope to see you in San Diego! The Gear store will be located in Hall A Booth 121. See below for store hours! Date Hours Wednesday, July 18th 6:00 PM – 9:00PM Thursday, July 19th 9:30 AM– 7:00PM Friday, July 20th 9:30 AM– 7:00PM Saturday, July 21st 9:30 AM– 7:00PM Sunday, July 22nd 9:30 AM– 5:00PM *Credit cards only. No cash. All sales final. No returns, exchanges, or refunds. What’s Next: God of War Limited Edition Crate by Loot Crate Going, going, almost gone! The highly-anticipated God of War limited edition crate is the greatest crate in the Nine Realms, but it’s nearly sold out! There’s still time to get your pre-order in before they’re gone, if you move quickly! While supplies last, of course… Think, Baldur attack! Yeah, that fast! Available now for pre-order on Loot Crate’s website. Featured Story: God of War / Horizon Zero Dawn Mash-Up PlayStation studio developers are usually hard at work bringing us the very best in video game entertainment, so it’s not often that we get to see beloved characters from separate game franchises brought together in a harmonious way leading to must-own merchandise. However, that’s exactly what we saw at E3 2018. Guerilla Games, developer of Horizon Zero Dawn, produced an all new PlayStation fan-favorite mash-up featuring Kratos, Atreus and Aloy. In this endearing scene, Aloy takes time out to help Atreus sharpen his aim. The image was first surfaced online and subsequently into the hearts of PlayStation fans worldwide. The fanfare was undeniable. Not long after the artwork’s release, Santa Monica Studio contacted the PlayStation Gear team and asked to see if the piece could be used in developing E3 2018 products. Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity! We asked Guerilla Games to give us the scoop on how this engaging piece came to be. Here’s what they had to say… For the God of War launch, we wanted to do something special. Something that highlighted the PlayStation family. What better way to display this, by sharing some amazing art created by one of our artists where the God of War world would meet the universe of Horizon Zero Dawn? Santa Monica Studio was not aware of what we had planned for them, as we wanted it to be a surprise for not only the PlayStation fans, but also the studio themselves. We loved seeing all the positive responses from the PlayStation fans for this and who knows, maybe more of these creative outbursts will happen in the future. If you missed your chance at E3 2018 to own the t-shirt or decal sticker featuring this historic character mash-up, be sure to swing by the PlayStation Gear store booth at 2018 Comic-Con International: San Diego for another chance to purchase these super cool items! Gear Fan of the Month: Skyler “SkyDiddy” Harper Big ups to SkyDiddy for embracing the world of PlayStation Gear! You wear it well! Are you a PlayStation Gear super fan? If so, show us your gear! Post pics on Twitter/Instagram of you wearing/sharing PlayStation Gear using #GearCommsFan for your chance to be featured in next month’s newsletter*! See You in August! Be sure to check out next month’s newsletter for the inside scoop on exciting, new and upcoming products, as well as the debut of the PlayStation Gear store at another upcoming big event… Did someone say PAX West? * Valid entries must include the following: All photos must be of you with no other individuals in the photo. Please only include PlayStation branded merchandise on your person and in the photo. If your photo is selected, you will be contacted and must sign a release to be included in Gear Comms newsletter publications. Restrictions apply. PlayStation reserves the right to dissolve, discontinue, or modify any and all newsletter content including, but not limited to, Gear Fan of the Month. View the full article

Hello everyone! We know, we know. This would normally be a cause for celebration, but E3 and holiday travel have delayed our plans for a big, special episode. So, in grand PlayStation Blogcast tradition, please join us for Episode 301 for the actual special program! Until then, we talk about Moonlighter, Life is Strange, and more on this week’s show. Enjoy! Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Stuff We Talked About Moonlighter Life is Strange Life is Strange: Before the Storm The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit My Hero Academia Unravel Two The Cast Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, SIEA Kristen Titus – Social Media Specialist, SIEA Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

A few weeks ago, I was granted an opportunity one does not pass up: a one-on-one interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki. The famed director of Dark Souls and Bloodborne set aside an hour on the final day of E3 to answer my questions about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the mysterious new PS4 project currently in development. We discussed the game’s setting, Miyazaki-san’s reoccurring theme of death, and his philosophy on “lore” vs “story.” PSB: Sekiro is set during the late 1500’s in Sengoku-era Japan. What led you in that direction? HM: If we’re going to do something with ninjas, there are two key areas that are relevant: the Edo period and the Sengoku period. For context, the Sengoku period was a bit earlier than the Edo period. We ended landing on the Sengoku period [because it] was dirtier — it was grittier and bloodier. It had more of a feel of the type of world we’d want to create… PSB: A good fit for a FromSoftware game! HM: The other reason we landed on this period is because [it still seems] “medieval,” vs the Edo period, which feels more modern. In my mind, it felt more believable to see something mystical or having to do with the presence of gods in the Sengoku period. Another thing is that it’s set at the end of the Sengoku period. The reason for that is, in my opinion, there’s a nuance — a beauty — in the finality of something coming to an end. That fits our artistic sense, and we wanted to express that. PSB: On that note, your games often deal with death as a theme. What impact will death have on the story and gameplay of Sekiro? HM: Probably the best way to cover that question is to directly address the fact that there is resurrection in the game. My idea of a ninja fighting rather than, say, a knight fighting, is that ninjas can’t take a lot of damage. They’re taking a huge risk, they’re very vulnerable while they’re fighting. It’s this idea of fighting on the edge, it’s a risky situation where if you screw up by a hair’s breadth, it’s over. With a knight, there’s more back and forth, there’s armor and all that. The idea of that type of fighting is where the idea for resurrection came from. With that image for the combat, that it’s risky, a slight mistake and you’re dead, if you had to go back every time you die and walk back to where you were, the tempo of the game would not feel very good. The idea of resurrection is that it helps the flow of the game. Yes, you have this battle, but you don’t necessarily need to go back every time you die, this helps to balance that out and allows for that riskier “edge of the knife” type gameplay. “Just because you have this resurrection mechanic, it doesn’t mean the player won’t be afraid of death.” It’s also related to the game’s story. It’s related to the mystery surrounding the main character as well as the young lord. Resurrection will have something to do with them. One of the general concepts for the game is that you can kill ingeniously — a ninja is so resourceful that he can even make use of his own death to gain an advantage. That’s kind of the idea we had. So, to answer your question, there are three ways death influences Sekiro: for the gameplay purposes of keeping the flow good and being able to have this risky situation, to be able to use it creatively, and also that the story centers around the concept of resurrection. There’s one thing I’d like to make sure isn’t misunderstood: the resurrection system was not introduced to make the game easier. If anything, it actually can make the game harder because it allows us to push the edge of risky combat where the player can die at any moment. PSB: So the game’s difficulty was balanced around the idea of knowing the player can die and resurrect? HM: Yeah, exactly. PSB: Can you speak more about what resurrection entails in Sekiro? How exactly does the mechanic work? HM: The system itself is not yet 100% final, so we don’t want to say anything that might end up changing. What we can say is that it’s in place to maintain the tempo of the game, and the difficulty of the game will be based around it. Just because you have this resurrection mechanic, it doesn’t mean the player won’t be afraid of death. PSB: Can we talk about the main character’s missing arm, and how it will affect gameplay? HM: There were two things we really liked about using a ninja, in terms of game design. We’ve always designed stages with verticality in mind, we consider it one of our strengths. What really appealed to us was being able to explore that dynamically — not relying on ladders and other ways to move around these stages, but being able to just boom, I’m there. The other thing is that when you’re designing gameplay around a ninja, it’s not like a samurai. With a samurai, you’d go right in with a sword, with a ninja you can sneak around, you can do things that are considered unfair — you can blind guys, you can do stuff that’s not honorable. It was really exciting from a gameplay perspective because it opened up so many options. So, the two key aspects of this shinobi prosthetic are that you can explore with verticality, and you have a variety of moves that you can use in combat. There was a desire to have a symbol for the idea that you have a wide variety of things at your disposal. That’s how we came up with the arm, it was a way to put that in a single place. This arm can let you do so many things, you can see that there are wires on it, there are tools on it, it kind of gives you the idea that you have this multi-use feature. PSB: Sekiro feels much faster than, say, a Dark Souls or Bloodborne. Is this more of an action game, or will fans of those series feel at home here? HM: There are two key things about battle in Sekiro. In combat, one of the key aspects that’s important in this game is the violence of the clashing of swords. The other thing is the verticality and dynamic movement that you’re allowed. That dynamism is in the combat, as well. There are lots of different ways to approach a battle, such as stealth, or using your arm tools. Attacking from above, for example. Some of your ninja tools can take advantage of an enemy’s weakness, as well. Or, if you want, you can just go straight in with your sword. There are lots of different things you can do that will help you in battle. The game is designed in such a way that even if you’re not insanely good at the game, you can figure out how to get through it if you think about it and play it smart. “The game is designed in such a way that even if you’re not insanely good at the game, you can figure out how to get through it if you think about it and play it smart.” PSB: Changing gears, what’s your philosophy when it comes to the idea of “lore” versus “story”? The former being focused on world-building within the game, the other the act of actually telling a story. HM: There are some aspects of Sekiro that will be different than our previous games, and others that will be similar. In Sekiro, the story is actually centered around the main character. He’s a character in the story, who exists in this world. Previously we had nameless characters who weren’t as involved. Thanks to making the main character part of the story, the beginning of the game is probably easier to understand than our previous games. Aside from that, not too much is different. This isn’t a game where you go through one area, kill a boss, watch a cutscene, then the game tells you where to go next. The story trickles in as you’re playing the game, you’ll find things that will give you more information on the world — the lore, if you will — along with actual story information as well. In that way, it’s similar to our previous games. PSB: Is there a particular reason you choose to tell your stories this way? Do you find that it’s a more effective way of storytelling? HM: I’m a fan of stories that require you to use a little bit of your imagination in order to really understand the whole thing. When I was young, I used to enjoy reading books that were too hard for me, where I could only read maybe half the kanji, and using my imagination to fill in the gaps. I wanted to see if I could bring that kind of experience to a video game, where you use your imagination to bridge those gaps. PSB: FromSoftware announced two games at E3: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, as well as Déraciné for PS VR. Has it been challenging to work on both simultaneously? “Actually, I’m used to directing multiple titles at once. It’s easier to find inspiration… I enjoy that.” HM: Actually, I’m very used to directing multiple titles at once. Armored Core 4 and Demon’s Souls were at the same time, while Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 were at the same time. This is a pretty normal situation for me, but what wasn’t normal was announcing two games at the same time. I actually prefer “parallel direction” — directing multiple projects at once. As a creative, if you’re focused on a singular thing all the time it’s easy to get stuck in that mentality. It’s easier to find inspiration when you’re working on multiple things than it is when you’re totally focused on one. I enjoy that. PSB: Any final thoughts? HM: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a different kind of game. Our previous titles have been action RPGs, this time it’s an action adventure. There are lots of cool new things that I’m looking forward to fans enjoying. Particularly the new story format, or at least the fact that the main character is a big deal in the story. The new ways to explore the world, and the new way that you’re going to become more and more powerful. There are lots of aspects from our previous titles that I feel we’ve been able to iterate upon. The dynamic exploration, the violent swordfighting, and the huge number of strategic options. I feel that these are all major steps forward for these mechanics, and I’m really looking forward to fans playing it. PSB: So are we. The above interview was conducted via an interpreter, and answers have been edited for length and clarity. View the full article

Last week we challenged you to send us your most gripping moments from a platform favorite, The Last of Us. While helping Joel and Ellie fight off both infected and the darker parts of humanity, you sent us some harrowing shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: Joel prepares for a fight in this share from @4mllr. @Chy_Visual_Arts shared a stunning black and white portrait of Ellie. @fox_hzd got up close and personal in this portrait of villain David. Joel treads lightly knowing danger could be right around the corner in this harrowing share from @AndrsManuel. 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: Sunlight Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, July 18 Next week’s theme is all about letting the light in. Whether it’s sunrise, sunset, or sun rays gleaming in, share your best and brightest moments where the sun was shining in the game of your choice to #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Today, we’re excited to announce that there are two Betas on the Black Ops 4 horizon: a Private Multiplayer Beta in August, as well as a wholly separate Private Blackout Beta in September. PlayStation players will get the first access to the Private Multiplayer Beta starting at 10am PT on August 3, via an exclusive PS4 Beta Weekend. The team at Treyarch is 100% committed to ensuring the best possible Day One gameplay experience, and the feedback generated from going hands-on will allow us to do just that – which is why we can’t wait to get the game into everyone’s hands. Available to those who have pre-ordered Black Ops 4 for PS4*, the Private Multiplayer Beta will give the public a hands-on opportunity to enjoy grounded combat, fluid gameplay, our Pick 10 system, new Gear and Loadouts, as well as explosive tactical play. And that’s just scratching the surface! To better prepare you, here is some intel that should come in handy: Specialists Specialists bring special equipment and game-changing weapons into the fight. On a single team, each player will choose a specific Specialist: Recon Crash Battery Torque Ruin Seraph Ajax Firebreak Nomad Prophet Specialist skills can be combined through tactical teamplay for creative and highlight-reel ready gameplay. Discovering unique and powerful ways to use the different Specialists’ abilities and weapons is one of many reasons to test out each of the Specialists during the Beta. You can still be a Call of Duty badass on your own, but there is a great deal of power that can be unlocked when you combine talents to work as a team. Modes & Maps The Private Multiplayer Beta returns several fan-favorite game modes including Team Deathmatch, Hardpoint and Domination. Also, be on the lookout for Search & Destroy – the first time that the mode will be playable in Black Ops 4. The Beta will also offer participants a chance to experience the newest game mode: Control. In Control, teams are tasked with either attacking or defending two static objectives. Each team has a limited number of lives in this first-to-three wins match-up, so strategic strikes and defensive positioning are a necessity. The clock also factors into gameplay as each round is timed, making for frenetic and fun gunfights. All the Private Multiplayer Beta game modes will be available on four playable maps: Frequency: A covert listening station deep in the mountainous region of Hunan Province is being used to track strategic targets across the globe. Contraband: Surveillance of an international arms smuggling operation has uncovered this shipping hub on a remote, uncharted island off the coast of Colombia. Seaside: An anti-government protest in this quaint coastal Spanish town grew out of control and forced a military shutdown. Payload: A defensive ICBM launch facility deep in an Icelandic mountain range has been infiltrated by hostile forces attempting to steal a nuclear warhead. Along the way, PlayStation players will be treated to two brand new maps, new to the Black Ops 4 Multiplayer rotation: Hacienda and Gridlock. With the Beta, our intention was to provide a range of maps that support various playstyles: verticality for long-range experts, tight corners and areas for melee and shotgun players, and plenty of open-space and cover for assault weapon veterans. In Closing… The benefit of a multiplayer beta is that it gives us the opportunity to assess the game with a broader pool of players and ultimately deliver on the best Day One experience possible. So, thank you for playing and doing your part to help us make Black Ops 4 all it can be! We can’t wait to see you online! Treyarch *MP Beta starts August 3, 2018 on PS4 system. Actual platform availability and launch date(s) of MP and Blackout Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Beta duration is 3 days. Limited time only, while beta codes last, at participating retailers. Internet connection required. View the full article

After the launch of Sonic Mania last year, fans kept asking us for one thing: “Give us a physical version, please!” On July 17, your wish will become a reality – and not only will the game come in a physical package, but also, we’ve added more content and amazing bonuses! If you haven’t had a chance to play Sonic Mania yet, Sonic Mania Plus is the perfect opportunity to experience the definitive version of the game. The game will be available in a collectible physical package, with new characters, features and reimagined zones for new and veteran players alike. Already own Sonic Mania digitally? We have you covered! The Encore DLC features all of the in-game content available in Sonic Mania Plus. Just head over to PlayStation Store on July 17 to upgrade for only $4.99. The Long-Awaited Return of Mighty and Ray One of the new elements we’re most eager to share with fans is the return of Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel, both of whom are playable characters in Sonic Mania Plus. People have asked for Mighty and Ray to make a reappearance for years, so we can’t wait to see you guys enjoy these blasts from the past! Harness the power of Mighty’s shell as you smash through obstacles, or glide through zones with Ray’s flying ability. New Gameplay Modes We’ve also added an all-new Encore mode, which challenges players to run through fresh new versions of Sonic Mania Zones as they’ve never seen them before! You can now play with up to three other friends locally on Competition mode, or battle for the quickest time in Time Attack mode. Thanks again to all the fans who played and supported the original Sonic Mania. We’re thrilled for you to continue the adventure on July 17 with Sonic Mania Plus, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it all together! View the full article

Our devs really love co-op gaming here at Holospark. Spending an evening on the couch, talking and joking with our friends online, and bashing our way through a level together is a pretty sweet time. We’re excited to bring you Earthfall, a four-player co-op shooter where you fight to survive after aliens conquer the Earth! And you can join us when Earthfall launches on PS4 tomorrow. While we’ve enjoyed robbing banks with our friends and slashing at rats from another dimension, we were really craving that run-and-gun feeling of shooting our way through an endless swarm of enemies like in the classic co-op shooter Left 4 Dead so many years ago. But Earthfall isn’t just a remake. We applied that old-school feel to the modern-era shooter with aim down sights and recoil, and then added new tactical gameplay with portable barricades, auto-turrets, and 3D-printed weapons. The result is Earthfall, where you and three friends team up to battle aliens and keep humanity alive. To help you survive this battle, we have field reports from the human resistance on some of the aliens you will encounter in Earthfall: Drones will throw themselves at you wave after wave. But they come in multiple flavors to mix things up. Light Drones go down fast while Heavy Drones will take a few more rounds to the chest. Ranged Drones will lob gooey slime at you from a distance. You’ll have to change up your firing patterns and battle tactics to deal with each of these guys. Sappers are walking gasbags, full of toxic vapor. If you pop them up close, get ready to choke! You want to take these guys out at range, or shove them if they’re nearby and then pop ’em. For a clean kill, burn them with fire and the vapor won’t hang around to poison you. Big, bad and ugly, the Beast is a wrecking ball on two legs. Up close it’s devastating with claws and jaws, but at range it can spew a toxic plasma ball that can seriously harsh your mellow. This thing is enormous so it’s easy to shoot, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to take out. You’ll need teamwork to handle this bad boy. There’s a lot more aliens you can meet and make friends with… just kidding, they want to eat your face. But now you know some of what you’re up against, and maybe you and your friends can stay alive a little longer. And you can all help fight the alien invasion starting tomorrow when Earthfall launches on PS4! View the full article

Welcome back! You’re here for the charts, so let’s get straight to it. Grand Theft Auto rocketed back to the top of the PlayStation 4 charts, with FIFA 18 hot on its heels and God of War rounding out the top three. Job Simulator reclaims its throne atop the PS VR list, and PS Vita players are enjoying the simpler things in Stardew Valley. If you missed any of these, head on over to PlayStation Store to pick ’em up! PS4 Games 1 Grand Theft Auto V 2 FIFA 18 3 God of War 4 The Last Of Us Remastered 5 Detroit: Become Human 6 Mortal Kombat XL 7 Jurassic World Evolution 8 Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition 9 Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition 10 Gran Turismo Sport PS VR Games 1 Job Simulator 2 SUPERHOT VR 3 DRIVECLUB VR 4 Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality 5 DOOM VFR 6 Farpoint 7 Killing Floor: Incursion 8 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood 9 PlayStation VR Worlds 10 Moss Free-to-Play Games 1 H1Z1: Battle Royale 2 Fortnite Battle Royale 3 Fallout Shelter 4 Brawlhalla 5 Paladins 6 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2018 LITE 7 Warframe 8 DC Universe Online Free-to-Play 9 3on3 FreeStyle 10 America’s Army: Proving Grounds PS Vita Games 1 Stardew Valley 2 God of War: Collection PS Vita 3 METAL GEAR SOLID: HD COLLECTION PS Vita 4 Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 5 Odin Sphere Leifthrasir 6 Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified 7 Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition 8 Persona 4 Golden 9 Jak and Daxter Collection 10 Persona 4: Dancing All Night PS4 Themes 1 Cat of Apocalypse HiQ Dynamic Theme 2 Legacy Dashboard Theme 3 Mystic Tree Dynamic Theme 4 Monster Hunter: World – Theme 5 Nebula Coulds Dynamic Theme 6 Amazing Aquarium 3D HiQ Dynamic Theme 7 Rainbow Shooting Cat Dynamic Theme 8 Synthwave A/B Complete Dynamic Theme Bundle by Truant Pixel 9 Awesome Space 4K Dynamic Theme 10 Amazing Night Sky Timelapse Dynamic Theme PS Classics 1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 2 Destroy All Humans! 2 3 Psychonauts 4 Destroy All Humans! 5 Bully 6 METAL SLUG ANTHOLOGY 7 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 8 The Warriors 9 Resident Evil 2 10 Tomb Raider View the full article

PlayStation gamers – I am excited to tell you that Panic Button is developing the PS4 version of Subnautica, and Unknown Worlds is launching the game this holiday season! Also, you can pre-order the physical version of the game (thanks to Gearbox Publishing) starting today. Unknown Worlds made a gorgeous, immersive game a bunch of us at Panic Button have been fans of since it was announced, and we have been hoping to bring it to PlayStation gamers for a while. Everything recently lined up nicely, and we are looking forward to bringing Subnautica to PS4 by the end of the year. Photo Mode Gallery So what’s the setup? In the 22nd century, humanity is beginning to colonize planets. You are on a secondary mission to find a missing ship when a massive energy pulse sends you crashing to the planet. You find yourself stranded in your damaged escape pod on an alien, mostly-ocean planet. Now it’s your job to find a way home. You will scour the planet to find food, water, and materials to make the equipment you need to survive, from knives to diving gear, high-tech watercraft, and more. Over time, you will build your own unique base of operations on the sea floor, with various layouts, components, and environmental factors. Oh – and the waters definitely become more and more perilous the deeper you go. What drew me to the game were the gorgeous visuals and the gameplay. There is a wonder and an excitement and a weight that I haven’t experienced with a lot of games in this type of setting. It’s got a wide diversity of gameplay: scavenging and crafting and surviving, casual to hardcore permadeath options, and a base-building mechanic that makes your gameplay experience unique. Subnautica is a special game, and we’re looking to do some special things for PlayStation gamers (more on that later). Subnautica will be available for PlayStation Store and physical purchase, and I’m looking forward to you all getting to enjoy it this holiday season on PS4. View the full article

Hi! First, Dead Cells will be released on August 7. Hooray! Our action-platformer might come off as a little challenging at first, but don’t worry, once you get the basics you’ll be well on your way to the final boss before you inevitably fall to your death. So here are some tips and tricks to get you off to a good start. #1: Roll! This is the number one thing to keep in mind when playing Dead Cells. Like a lot of your favorite games, you’re invincible during your roll, allowing you to dodge almost any immediate danger. Given that we wanted to add a modern touch to the classic side-scroller, we chose not to implement collision damage with enemies, however you can’t just walk through them. Rolling will allow you to pass through any enemy and position yourself ideally for the rest of the fight. You can also cancel your roll at any moment, allowing you to stop at the exact place you wanted to be. Of course, there’s a slight cooldown before you can roll again! Managing your roll is the key to survival in this game. Don’t hesitate to spam that circle button, but be careful in situations with multiple enemies… #2: Explore side paths As you progress in the game, you will unlock new permanent abilities which allow you to access new levels and new paths to the end. New weapons and loot await you in these alternate levels, so take the time to explore them all! #3: Learn enemy patterns Each monster and boss has its own set of attacks and timings. Once you know them, you will be able to anticipate incoming strikes, dodge them and defeat your opponents with minimal losses. #4: Use special skills In addition to your set of two weapons, you will be able to equip powers and items such as grenades, turrets and traps. These are cooldown-based, so don’t worry about ammo and make the most of them during each encounter. #5: Don’t skip scrolls In Dead Cells, you increase your damage and health points through the use of scrolls. Skip too many of them and you will quickly feel underpowered. So if you see one, don’t ignore it. #6: Pick your battles See a room full of enemies dying to eat you for breakfast? Not enough potions left to withstand extra damage? Poorly equipped? You don’t have to kill every zombie and monster you come across. Plus, you never know when a better weapon or a lucky chest might be waiting for you right around the corner. Keep all of this in mind and I promise it will go well…at least for the first few levels! Then you’ll need to learn more tricky techniques like parrying effectively and building for upcoming fights. I’ll let you figure those out for yourselves. Hope you have a wonderful time exploring the cursed island of Dead Cells! View the full article

We unveiled Darksiders III more than a year ago. We did it quite early in our production cycle as our fanbase was desperate for news after we set the stage with the remasters of Darksiders and Darksiders II. And if we’re honest, the teams at THQ Nordic and Gunfire were desperate to show off Fury – the third of the Four Horsemen! We couldn’t wait to hear what people thought about our main character in our combat-focused action-adventure. Last year, our focus was to show the visual identity of the Darksiders III project and share a few details about world design, but we skipped talking about Fury’s elemental powers almost entirely. Showing off the base form of combat was great, as Fury and her whip provide a different type of combat experience, but what we didn’t mention is that Fury can transform herself during gameplay, possessing new weapons, attacks, and traversal abilities. We think Fury in her Flame form and her flails will take players who thought they knew Fury a bit by surprise. Pre-Orders Pre-orders are now live for Darksiders III! With three options, we believe there’s a good option for everyone. The standard edition will give you the most affordable option and a unique, exclusive Darksiders III Theme for your PS4. The Deluxe Edition includes two downloadable content packs that we will release after the game ships. We would love to talk specifics here but we have to keep some things secret. One thing is for certain: we will put all of our passion into creating these content pieces. Finally, the Blades & Whip edition also gives you Darksiders Warmastered Edition and Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition for PS4, with enhancements for PS4 Pro. All pre-orders come with a unique, hand-crafted armor skin that can be worn at all times, if the player chooses. We are in the final stage of development with Darksiders III, and we’re working hard to deliver an outstanding product that will please fans of the series. Stay tuned — we’ll have more updates on Darksiders III at PlayStation.Blog and at various events leading up to launch! View the full article

Summer brings out baseball’s best during All-Star Week! And MLB The Show 18 is pulling out all the stops to bring you the best baseball video game experience with new All-Star-related rewards and time-limited events, plus a big sale and prizes. New All-Star Edition Starting today, we’ll be replacing our MVP Edition with the All-Star Edition, available only on the PlayStation Store for $49.99. This new edition immediately adds All-Star-caliber players onto your Diamond Dynasty squad, grants powered-up equipment for your customizable created player in Road to the Show, plus provides valuable items to build a championship-winning club in Franchise mode. This All-Star Edition will include: Game 11,000 Stubs Mission Starter for Gold Player Mission Starter for Diamond Player 3 Gold Sponsor items 2 Gold Equipment items 1 All-Star Equipment Item 1 All-Star Flashback Item Jump Start Pack (24 Silver player items) 10 Standard Packs 30 MLB The Show PS4 Themes 1 Classic Stadium 10 Standard Packs for PlayStation Plus For all active PlayStation Plus members, we also have a special offer. Starting today through August 7 at 12AM Eastern, PlayStation Plus members can pick up 10 free standard packs for your copy of MLB The Show 18! Pick them up here. MLB The Show 18 Stub Sale Between July 13 12AM Eastern and July 24 11AM Eastern, all stubs bought from the PlayStation Store will be 50% off, meaning: 1,000 Stubs | $0.49 USD 5,000 Stubs | $2.49 USD 11,000 Stubs | $4.99 USD 24,000 Stubs | $9.99 USD 67,500 Stubs | $24.99 USD 150,000 Stubs | $49.99 USD New In-Game Events & Rewards The celebration continues in the popular Diamond Dynasty mode, which will be loaded with All-Star themed game content this summer! A number of time-limited missions are available in July to earn All-Star Flashbacks and Legends such as Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Missions require home runs and pitcher strikeouts, so add your favorite players to take on other teams around the world or try single-player mode. Leading into the MLB All-Star weekend, look for three big online All-Star events. These events are faster three- and six-inning games with special lineup building rules. It’s a great chance to earn more All-Star Flashbacks to add to your dream team as you play with your best American and National League players. Diamond Dynasty missions and events require an internet connection and an active PlayStation Plus subscription. While you play in Diamond Dynasty, check out other Programs to earn Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Mike Piazza, Frank Thomas and other all-time greats to complete your fantasy squad! Stay tuned to MLB The Show’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as we visit the nation’s capital and get your eyes on all of the All-Star Game festivities. Or visit theshownation.com to join the community and read about the latest news and content in MLB The Show 18. View the full article

Unlike some other games that are developed in secret and then announced about six months before launch, Chasm has been in the public eye pretty much from the beginning. Our first post about the game was on IndieDB.com back in January 2013, and we launched a successful Kickstarter campaign just a few months later. It is with a combination of pride, exuberation, relief, and fear that I am hereby officially announcing that we will be launching on July 31! The price will be $19.99. Although we’ve been very public about our development process, there’s no way everyone can keep up with every game in development, so here’s a quick summary of the game: Chasm is an RPG-adventure in which you play the role of a new recruit who’s sent to investigate why a nearby mining town has shut down. As you explore, you discover all sorts of supernatural creatures you need to battle to uncover the mystery of what’s happening with the town, and how you can save them. One distinctive feature of Chasm is that the world map is procedurally generated when you start up a new campaign. That feature has led to a lot of questions and confusion, so I’d like to address exactly how it works and why we designed it that way. The latter part is easy to answer. Our entire team is composed of Metroidvania fans. Whether it’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night or Axiom Verge, we’ve played through our favorite games so often that we’ve long since memorized the maps. We love how those games play but wish we could wipe our memories so we could get that experience of exploration all over again. It’s our hope that people who love Chasm the way we love our favorite games can play it over and over and still have it feel fresh. But at the same time, people who only play the game once should have no idea that there’s anything procedural about it. But that’s not to say that everything’s completely random; there is a fundamental structure to the game that never changes. If you’re familiar with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night you may recall that first you get the Jewel of Open, then the Leap Stone, then the Soul of Bat – in that order. As you get these upgrades, new areas of the map become accessible. Chasm, like most titles in this vein, follows this structure. When you start up a campaign, the game always has these key upgrades and plot points in the same place. What’s different is how you get from one key point to the other. Chasm has a bunch of pre-designed rooms that are slotted in modularly in different combinations. So you won’t have any rooms that feel like they were designed by a computer. Instead, you’ll encounter rooms in a different order and even encounter new rooms you never saw the first time, and your path will be different each time you start up a new campaign. Getting that to feel right was way easier said than done. There was a ton of balancing we needed to make sure the procedural engine took into account when it builds a world map. There’s pacing: you don’t want to have a string of combat rooms with lots of enemies and no platforming to break it up, nor do you want the opposite. You don’t want the system to block your progress by requiring a certain ability upgrade that you don’t have yet. You don’t want to have the save points too far apart. (Side note: to address a common misconception, Chasm is not a roguelike with permadeath, though there is an option for that for veteran players. Permadeath combined with the changing dungeons makes for a tense experience, since you never know how many more rooms are left until the end.) And you want to make sure that there’s just the right amount of treasures and surprises along the way to encourage exploring every little nook and cranny of the game. There are some people who like the comfort of getting to know a single map by playing it over and over or being able to follow their favorite YouTuber’s walkthrough of the game. We have an option for that too. Everything randomly generated by the game engine is based off of a seed number. If you enter a specific seed number, you can guarantee a specific map. So if you want to follow a walkthrough, just check their seed number and enter that when you set up your campaign. We’re very excited – and not a little bit nervous – to send our baby out into the world. We’ve polished and fine-tuned every little bit of that game to make sure there were no compromises to our original vision over five years ago. We can’t wait to hear what you think on July 31! View the full article

Last week we took things back to a beloved PS4 launch title, inFAMOUS Second Son. While helping Delsin run (or fly) around Seattle and fight for Conduits’ freedom, you shared your best eye-catching moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog. These highlights have very good karma: @ps4brshare_ caught Delsin in a portrait highlighting his infamous jacket. @RahmanFarzad took to the skies in this atmospheric share. Delsin fights back in this fiery shot from @sparklethemagiceggo. Delsin rocks the paper mask from the Paper Trail DLC in this colorful share from @Vexx663. 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: The Last of Us Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, July 11 Joel and Ellie grab the spotlight in next week’s theme. While you help them cross the country and avoid Clickers and bad guys alike, share your favorite moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

“Nani?” In anticipation of Yakuza Kiwami 2’s release next month, a demo of the latest remake in the Japanese crime fighting series is available now. Jump back into the white snakeskin shoes of beloved series protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, and find out what happens when two dragons come head-to-head! Digital pre-orders are now also live at PS Store! Pre-order today and receive an exclusive Yakuza Kiwami 2 Dragons theme (redeemable upon pre-order). Purchase the special digital edition to receive the following exclusive bonus content, The Special Item Pack (this edition is available for a limited time only). The Special Item Pack includes the following: Demonfire Blade weapon Hostess Ono Michiyo Sotaro Komaki R Clan Card Jo Amon R Clan Card The Comedian Suit Outfit 1 Million Yen To mark the launch of the demo going live, series Localisation Producer Scott Strichart sat down to answer some key questions on the upcoming title. What is it about Yakuza 2 that makes it many fans’ favorite entry in the series? Yakuza 2 is where the series really found its footing, striking that perfect balance between serious crime drama and ridiculous antics that I think really surprised and delighted people when it came out. Not to mention it has a great story, an incredible cast of villains, and a dash of romance that melted a lot of hearts! At what point in the Yakuza series is Kiwami 2 set? It’s December 2006, one year after the events of Yakuza Kiwami. With so many of its leaders having died in that conflict, the Tojo Clan is only being held together by some pretty thin strands, which makes it the perfect time for the rival yakuza faction in Osaka, the Omi Alliance, to make its move. The game opens with an assassination and it never lets up from there. After the events of Y0 and YK, what sort of Kiryu can we expect to see in YK2? Kiryu walks away from the Tojo Clan at the end of Kiwami, thinking he’s free of the yakuza for the rest of his life. He couldn’t be more wrong, though, right? He quickly finds out that he didn’t leave the organization in very good health and we see Kiryu rising up to take responsibility for his actions. I think Yakuza 2 is a very repentant Kiryu, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to put up with any nonsense, either. Because, hey, he’s still Kiryu. How has the new Dragon Engine allowed you to improve on the system from Y6 and what new features can we expect to see in Yakuza Kiwami 2? Everything looks incredible in the Dragon Engine; Sotenbori has never felt so alive. And things have only gotten better since Yakuza 6. The battle system is snappier, there are some new charge attacks you can weave into your combos, the Heat Actions are more numerous and brutal, the weapon system is back, Kamurocho’s Champion District and West Park area are re-opened… And as far as new features go, there’s the return of the much-loved Yakuza 0 cabaret minigame in a direct sequel to that storyline, the clan creator returns and is completely revamped, we’ve got Virtual-On and Virtua Fighter 2.1 in the arcade… Wow. If I was saying all this out loud, I’d be pretty breathless right about now. It has been stated that Kiwami 2 is to be as loyal as possible in its re-creation of Y2, however, what would you say are the biggest differences between the upcoming title and the original release? What changes had to be made? There are some pretty minor differences in a few scenes, one main story quest got streamlined so that you no longer end up on an epic fetch quest out of Sotenbori, but overall, Yakuza 2 has been faithfully recreated, almost shot for shot. We’ve also updated the entire localization, bringing out some of the things that got chopped out of the original due to space constraints or what-have-you, and bringing the characters a little more in line with how they’ve sounded in all the releases to date. It should feel pretty fresh! What does Yakuza mean to you? What a heavy question! I’d say the Yakuza series is the journey of Kazuma Kiryu, and as far as playable protagonists go, he’s pretty special. There’s something about stepping into Kiryu’s strong sense of justice, his big heart, and his random drops of sage-like wisdom that can feel empowering, especially if you’ve ever felt powerless or marginalized. When he walks under that iconic gate at the beginning of every game, I think players know that no matter how many problems we’re going to have to deal with together, we can always trust Kiryu to do his best to solve them, even if his best doesn’t always turn out perfectly. And there’s something very comforting and lifelike about that. View the full article

Be on high alert for arkfall activity as Defiance 2050 makes its debut on PS4 today, as part of the July 6 Head Start! Play as one of many unique classes in this free-to-play futuristic cooperative online shooter that releases wide on July 10, or join in the Head Start now by becoming a Founder (North America only). Each class in Defiance 2050 has impactful abilities and passive effects to help you kick the shtako out of your enemies. Create your own Ark Hunter and choose between classes ranging from the all-around Assault, deadly Assassin, supportive Combat Medic, relentless Guardian, and explosive Demolitionist. Select one base class for free, or grab a pre-order pack to play as a Demolitionist. Keep in mind you can unlock classes through gameplay, and you can quickly swap between classes, loadouts, and respecs for free. We want players to customize and experiment as they embark into a massive post-apocalyptic world filled with alien-infused weapons, gear, and arkfalls that will crash to the earth as you play through the story of Defiance. The Assault class is incredibly versatile offensive and defensive capabilities, starting with the Sprint ability. Then, skill up to gain the Health Stim or Super Melee for some sweet self healing or to pack an extra punch. As you continue to level up, turn on Close Combat to boost your damage, or activate Concussion Blast to stun nearby foes. The Assassin class excels with critical strikes and dealing a surprising amount damage using their Stealth ability. Focus fire with the Mark ability that makes an enemy more vulnerable, or spread a Bio Toxin that applies damage over time and infects other enemies upon death. Get up close and personal to slice enemies with Hidden Blade, or withdraw a lethal sniper with Big Bang to wreak havoc. The Combat Medic class is well equipped with all sorts of healing and buffs, you can even summon a Healing Bot that supports allies both physically and emotionally – it’s pretty darn cute! Control the tide of battle with Protection Spike or Inspire abilities, which respectively reduce damage taken or increase damage dealt by you and your allies for a short time. Strategically activate Ego Refresh to reduce ability cooldowns for your team and if you’re in a pinch, place a Revive Spike for allies to come back into the fight. The Guardian class can hold down the frontlines with their Barrier keystone ability that places a shield to block incoming shots. Provoke targets with the Taunt ability or increase your health and armor with Bolster. Guardian protects with Steadfast which reduces damage significantly, but they also attack by unleashing a Shockwave that outwardly stuns enemies in a line. As the Demolitionist, you can decimate some fools and throw Satchel Charges that detonate at your command. Give them hell (or hellbugs, rather) with the Hatchling Spawner that generates a swarm of hatchlings or unload a Flashbang that briefly disorients foes. Upgrade Drop and Roll to drop grenades like it’s hot when you perform a dodge roll. For the grand finale, unleash a Grenade Barrage that immensely reduces cooldown for grenades or turn on Cluster Projectiles that makes your explosions create extra explosions. Down the dev roadmap ahead, the crafty Engineer and valiant Crusader classes are in the works with more on the way. At launch, you can have a blast with the Demolitionist class by becoming a Founder or play one of the four base classes. Keep in mind: classes can be unlocked through gameplay, and we’re excited to bring new items, story missions, and end-game content in the future. View the full article