Commander Fury

During the creation of your game, it’s impossible not to be inspired by what has been already made. As both As both passionate players and creators, we wanted to do what we liked — even if this meant creating a Frankenstein’s monster, a hybrid between two styles. It is with this energy that we have created Pankapu, inspired by the games we grew up with. Pankapu is a colorful action platformer in which you can freely switch between three “Aegis” — Warrior, Archer and Mage — each providing the player with specific powers and abilities. At first glance, Pankapu’s switching system may seem similar to that of the game Trine, but ours is more inspired by the holy trinity of classes found in RPGs: Tank, DPS, and Support. With a press of a pad trigger, the player can switch instantly between Aegises, which has an immediate impact on gameplay. Bravery, the scarlet warrior, performs powerful melee attacks and blocks enemy hordes with his shield. Ardor is our archer, fast but fragile. Its movement skills allow you to always stay away from enemies. Our third Aegis, Faith, the mage, controls time and space. Its powers are used to stop time, immobilize enemies and teleport. One boss, “Tokatanka,” perfectly illustrates the importance of the switching system in Pankapu. We placed Tokatanka in an enclosed environment, surrounded by magnets. So, when the boss spits fire, the player must use Bravery, the only Aegis attracted to magnets. The visual of Tokatanka was based on the work of one of our Kickstarter backers. Following this attack, flames remain on the ground while the boss charges at Pankapu, which forces the player to switch to Ardor to double-jump over Tokatanka. As the flames stay on the ground, the player switches to Faith to hover to the non-inflamed area and thus to avoid damages. Another mechanic that we wanted to integrate during this fight is the reversal of gravity. Again, magnets placed on the ceiling allow Bravery to dodge enormous blazing projectiles. But Tokatanka isn’t dumb! He also spits projectiles in the air, forcing the player to change their Aegis to perform an aerial dance. We are convinced that this switching system gives depth and personality to Pankapu and we hope to share our universe with as many of you as possible. There are plenty of other uses of this switch system in Pankapu. You will be able to ride the wind, freeze lava, destroy walls… and many more specific actions against opponents with particular patterns. Mastery and dexterity will be the key. See you in the world of dreams on September 19th! View the full article

Next week, Undertale launches for PS4 and Vita. Next week! To say we’re excited would be the understatement of the year. It’s a special game – one that’s left quite an impression on many of those who’ve already played it on PC – and we can’t wait for PlayStation owners to be able to experience it for themselves on August 15. When Toby Fox, Undertale’s creator, first approached us about working on the game, it wasn’t to bring it to consoles – it was to localize it for Japan. (As some of you may know, 8-4 is primarily a localization company; we’ve been localizing games back and forth between Japan and the west since 2005.) So at first, our goal was (relatively) simple: give this game the best Japanese localization possible, and that’s it! Check it out: It’s Undertale…in Japanese! But along the way, we realized that just localizing it into Japanese wasn’t going to be enough. We put a ton of effort into the localization, so how could we make it so a wider audience could experience it? Especially in Japan, where the game hadn’t seen an official Japanese-language release yet. The answer? We would bring it to PS4 and Vita! Developing the PS4 and Vita versions was not without its challenges, but in the end, we managed to pull it off with minimal fatalities (we’ll miss you, test PS4). Not only is Undertale now fully localized into Japanese, but it’s releasing on PlayStation platforms in a few short days. (Fear not – it’s in English too, of course. In fact, all versions of the game will feature both English and Japanese language options in the Settings menu.) Personally, I hope you get to check it out on Vita – it looks great on the small screen, and being able to play Undertale on the go is a real treat. Fortunately, it’s Cross-Buy, so you only have to buy it once to get both PS4 and Vita versions. Finally, astute observers may be wondering what’s up with the artwork surrounding the game screens in all of these screenshots. Well, remember when we said there’d be no new content in the PS4/Vita versions? That’s…still mostly true. We wanted to maintain the same experience for all players old and new, so aside from now being playable in Japanese and having some simple trophies added, it’s the same game as before. BUT… since Undertale’s native resolution is displayed in a 4:3 format, we called on original Undertale artist Temmie Chang to create some optional borders that can be turned on to fill the space surrounding the screen. (Spoiler: they’re really pretty!) There’s two varieties – the pixel art “Sepia” border, which provides a nice floral design, and the hand-drawn “Dynamic” border, which actually changes in real-time depending on which area of the game you’re in. There’s also a “Simple” option if you just want to throw a literal border around the game screen. And again, these are entirely optional, so if you prefer to play in the original style with nothing surrounding the game screen, that’s totally OK too (in fact, that’s the default setting). Thanks for reading this far. Undertale is the type of game that’s best experienced fresh, so we didn’t want to drown you in story details or gameplay tips or whatever. We do hope you’ll play it and experience it for yourself when it launches next week, and we look forward to reading your thoughts and impressions once it’s finally out in the wild! There’s still some time left to pre-order, BTW – if you buy the game before August 15, you’ll get the dynamic “Ruins” theme as well for free! Anyway, that’s all for now. See you next Tuesday! View the full article

This month we have a new batch of PlayStation 4 games coming to the PlayStation Now library, and our summer price promotions are still available as well. Get your first month for $9.99 (new subscribers only, available in US only) or upgrade your subscription to 12 months for just $99.99 (both offers available until September 22, 2017). New This Month Join forces with the super heroes of the DC Comics universe in LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and blast off to outer space to stop the evil Brainiac from destroying Earth. PS Now supports local co-op play for games in the service (as well as online multiplayer, no PlayStation Plus subscription required), so enjoy LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, and nine more fun-filled LEGO games in the service including LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Harry Potter. Help Atoi the Messenger in a daring quest in a beautiful, magical papery world in the critically acclaimed Tearaway: Unfolded. Dive into the nostalgic 2D retro world of Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus and solve puzzles, converse with locals, gain new skills, and battle your way through hordes of nefarious enemies and massive boss battles. Combat the Bleakness and restore color to the world in the platforming adventure Last Tinker: City of Color. This month’s titles also includes plenty of indie games, puzzlers, adventure games, and classic favorites, adding to the library of 500+ PS4 and PS3 games playable on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Here is the list of the latest batch of PS4 games available on PlayStation Now this month. Back to Bed Blazerush The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus Goosebumps: The Game Farming Simulator 15 Fluster Cluck Ironcast Jumpjet Rex Last Tinker: City of Colors Legend of Kay LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Leo’s Fortune OlliOlli OlliOlli 2 Pure Chess Tearaway Unfolded Q*Bert Rebooted Velocibox Here are the most popular games on the service in July. Red Dead Redemption WWE 2K16 Mortal Kombat Mafia 2 Injustice: Gods Among Us Payday 2 Saint’s Row IV: Re-Elected God of War 3: Remastered Star Wars: The Force Unleashed NBA 2K14 If you haven’t given the service a try yet, now’s the perfect time to give it a spin with the seven-day free trial on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Note that in order to take advantage of the $9.99 intro offer, you will need to purchase that directly, as the 7-day trial will transition into the standard monthly subscription. As was originally announced in February, support for PS Now will discontinue on August 15, 2017 for all secondary devices besides the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. This includes PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation TV, all Sony Blu-ray players, and all Sony Bravia and Samsung TVs. All user save data is stored in the PS Now cloud, so you can continue your game progress on any PS4 and PC at any time with your PSN account and PS Now subscription. View the full article

While both Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross are undoubtedly firm Uncharted fan favorites, it’s fair to say that, until now, they have very much been ‘supporting players’ in Naughty Dog’s long-running saga. Of course, that changes with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, with the pair snatching the starring role away from Nathan Drake. It’s a big, ballsy move for a series with such an iconic hero attached, and adds a fascinating, unexpected new dimension to its impending return. So, ahead of the game’s August launch, I caught up with the game’s creative director, Shaun Escayg to talk a little more about the challenges the team faced in sidelining Drake, and learned a little about what we can expect from Chloe and Nadine. Nadine and Chloe are an uneasy alliance “There’s a lot of fandom around Chloe – people liked her – but we knew very little about her.” Shaun explains, discussing the team’s decision to make Chloe the game’s main playable character. “As you saw in Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3, she was a sidekick character who always bailed out when things got too tough; always chose self-preservation over heroism and that’s really what led us to her as a character. Why does she always bail out? Why won’t she finish the job? Does she have what it takes? We wanted to answer those questions.” What defines the Uncharted series as much as the eye-popping set-pieces is the banter that plays out between its characters – duly, Drake has almost always had a tag-along for company. The Lost Legacy was keen to keep the tradition alive. “When we settled on Chloe we tried pairing her up with a whole line of different characters: Sullivan, Cutter… And then we thought, okay, who’d be the best and worst person to pair with Chloe Frazer? Nadine Ross was the obvious choice. “Nadine is pragmatic; a militant leader suffering the loss of her father’s business and desperate to regain control of that. Chloe is an enigmatic, double-dealing hustler – the complete opposite really – but they both share a common thread: self-preservation. Together they provided the perfect brew for storytelling – will these characters betray each other or will they stick it out?” And this idea of unpredictable heroes seems to be a key theme for the writers in The Lost Legacy. As Shaun explains, “Just the nature of Chloe herself is… shifty. She’s not a character who you would normally think of as a hero. And as for Nadine Ross – I mean, she was the villain in Uncharted 4! “This world of thieves is complex. Everyone has perks: they’re still human, they still have personal goals, they still have a back story you can relate to. Once you find out what makes them interesting – for us it was self-preservation versus self-sacrifice – you have to give them that goal, give them that reason to put everything at risk for the greater good.” The story opens up the Uncharted franchise in new ways What this ultimately means for gamers is that they have the chance to really get a feel for both Nadine and Chloe, outside of their familiar antagonist roles. “You will learn some stuff that you would have never known about Nadine – there’s a side of her you really wouldn’t expect,” says Shaun. “Chloe has a very interesting past – there’s a struggle there coming from some very deep-rooted pain. Seeing Chloe’s perspective of the world opens up the world itself – in my opinion it’s the best of Uncharted.” The team are clearly passionate about the story and the characters, and they don’t want it to feel like an accompanying act to the gameplay – they want it to be an integral part of the experience. So, as detailed in our recent hands-on report, a more open, less linear structure to how the game plays out has given Chloe and Nadine room to breathe. “There are some side quests where you can get treasures and emblems that give you a little more context of the region and the history of The Eleven Kings. It also gives you a little more time to spend with these characters and build that bond – or splinter it.” To leave discovery of so many details up to the curiosity of the player is a brave move for the Uncharted franchise, where story has always taken the role of a central thread that unfolds over the course of play. But it was a conscious decision. “In this open world space you have options. You can go straight across it, moving from point to point, or you can spend many hours in one spot and learn a lot more about the world, the characters and their relationships.” Your relationships affect how the action plays out While all this is definitely *ahem* uncharted territory for the series, Shaun and the team wanted to take things a step further and try something slightly more radical. “One area that we’re really proud of is the ‘spilling’ of narrative into gameplay,” Shaun explains. “If the characters are doing well – if they’re having a good time and bonding – then gameplay is at its most efficient: you’re fighting and Nadine is there kicking some ass. “If the characters are at odds, though, you may have more difficulty. Your partner may be upset with you, may leave you – abandon you – may go do her own thing and this is really, really exciting for us at Naughty Dog because we’re always trying to blur the line between cut-scene, in-game and gameplay.” Since the very first entry way back in 2007, one of the key philosophies behind the Uncharted series was ‘always on the stick’. Put simply, if a moment of action or drama could be controlled by the player rather than being a cut-scene that’s how the team would do it. So while The Lost Legacy is trying plenty of new things with its characters and gameplay dynamics, in this regard it’s as true to that founding philosophy as the series has ever been. With the game’s 23rd August release just a few weeks away, you’ve not long to wait until you get to experience this new take on Naughty Dog’s enduring series for yourselves. View the full article

Welcome back to the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell! You’ve been gone a long time and there is much to discuss! First off, there are many new faces to familiarize you with. Let’s make the proper introductions: Evan Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, to be precise. This young man is the ruler of Ding Dong Dell and he’s been thrust into the position of king after the passing of his father, who was very much loved by the people of this great kingdom. Many of the citizens believe Evan is unfit to rule due to his lack of confidence and experience. Only time will tell if Evan can rise to the occasion and become the ruler that Ding Dong Dell truly deserves. Will Evan lead his nation to peace and prosperity or crumble under the weight of the oncoming evil? Otto Mausinger A usurper to the throne, with his nefarious mind he sought to overthrow the previous king and seize the crown for himself. He now plans to overthrow Evan by staging a coup. Will his plan succeed or can Evan put a halt to this betrayal? Roland An outsider to the world of Ni no Kuni, Roland is traveling with Evan and is said to be a high-ranking official of some sort from another land, although no one in the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell has heard of him. Roland also seems to be advising Evan during their travels… how will his influence shape the young king? Tani Evan’s chance encounter with a group of sky pirates introduce him to Tani, the adopted daughter to Batu, king of the sky pirates. Many of Tani’s fellow pirates describe her as a free spirit with an iron will and determination to boot. Almost immediately her and Evan form a bond that seems to be unbreakable. What role will Tani and her band of sky pirates play in Evan’s kingdom? Secondly, we are proud to announce that the Digital Deluxe Edition of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is now available to pre-order at PlayStation Store. Your pre-order includes a special sword set, avatars, and an exclusive Ni no Kuni II theme. Additionally, a Season Pass will also be available; it will include two large pieces of DLC, the contents of which are a closely guarded secret for now… There are many more realms to be explored and many more denizens to meet. Be ready to do both when Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom comes to PlayStation 4 on January 19th 2018. View the full article

Yes, it’s true. From August 10-13 you’ll be able to download and play For Honor for free on PS4. Free! This is the full game, mind you — the whole kit and caboodle. It’s all of the intense multiplayer action across five modes, as well as the entire campaign (playable solo or in online co-op) that immerses you in the age-old war among the Knights, the Vikings, and the Samurai. Every map and every hero will be available as you take up arms and test your skills in the innovative melee combat system. And you can get a head start by pre-loading the game beginning on August 7 at 9:00 PM Pacific. Whether you’re slicing enemies with a steel katana as the Samurai Orochi or wielding a shield and a vicious flail as the Knight Conqueror, each hero has a unique weapon and fighting style that makes them a force to be reckoned with. The basic tutorial will help you find your footing, and we’ve got a few more tips to help you hit the ground running. 1.) Meet Your Heroes Take a few minutes to watch the Basic Video under How to Fight in the hero menu for each hero you want to play. It’ll show you their playstyle and a few moves to try out. You don’t need to master the Berserker’s Bear Mauler combo right out of the gate, but knowing that they can’t hold their block stance like other heroes will help you stay alive longer. 2.) Spar Before Battle All the heroes, including the new Shinobi and Centurion, can be used in the practice mode available in the How to Fight menu. This is the perfect spot to get your bearings and try out a combo or two before heading out to the battlefield. 3.) Finish Strong If you finish off an enemy with a Heavy Attack (R2), you’ll get a chance to perform an execution. Not only do executions look friggin’ awesome, they also restore some of your health. Just be careful about executing an enemy if their friends are nearby, because they can (rudely) interrupt you. 4.) Don’t You Forget About Feats Each hero has an array of special attributes and abilities called feats that unlock as a 4v4 match progresses. Some give you passive benefits, but others need to be activated by using the D-pad. For example, using healing feats when your health gets low can keep you alive long enough to use a more aggressive feat: calling in a catapult strike to decimate your enemies! 5.) Ledges Are Your Friends, Ledges Are Your Enemies Forcing an enemy off a ledge will almost always kill them and probably make you cackle with glee. Getting knocked off a ledge will almost always kill you and probably make you wail in agony. Be very aware of ledges and other environmental hazards like spikes, large fires, and forge hammers. 6.) Sweet, Sweet Revenge If (or rather, when) you end up outnumbered in a fight, don’t give up! Blocking and taking damage fills your Revenge meter. Activating a full Revenge meter will automatically knock back any attacking enemy and boost your attack power and speed. Focus on killing one of your foes in this powered-up state, and you might just make it out of there alive. 7.) Fake ‘Em Out Catch your opponents off-guard by starting a Heavy Attack (R2), then canceling it (Circle) and immediately following up with another strike or a guardbreak. Cracking through a stalwart defense can take some creativity, and feints are a good way to bait your opponent into giving you an opening. If you get a taste for video game glory and want to continue to play after the free weekend ends, you can purchase the game for 50% off between August 10 and August 20. Any progress you make while playing for free will carry over when you buy the game, so you won’t have to leave any of your hard-earned loot behind. Hot on the heels of the free weekend, For Honor will be starting its third season — “Grudge and Glory” — on August 15. This event introduces new maps, adds ranked play, delivers a heaping helping of gameplay updates, and debuts two new heroes. The claymore-wielding Highlander will join the Vikings, and the Knights will welcome the Gladiator, who brandishes a long trident and small buckler. You can get a glimpse of the new heroes and maps in action during the For Honor Season 3 Live Event: Grudge & Glory Reveal livestream tournament that will air starting August 12 on Twitch. You’ll also be able to see some of the world’s best For Honor duelists in action, and maybe pick up a few tips. Pre-load on August 7. Fight for free from August 10-13. Smite your opponents with spear and sword and savor the sweetness of victory. For Honor awaits you, warriors. We’ll see you on the battlefield. View the full article

Hello PlayStation Fans, Dom here from Ninja Theory. Tomorrow is a very special day for us here at Ninja Theory: we’re releasing Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice on PlayStation 4, our first self-published and independently developed title. Hellblade will be available as a digital only title for $29.99. For those new to Hellblade, the game tells the story of broken warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, Senua embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Hellblade has been created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, to help bring Senua’s experiences of mental illness through in the game. When we first conceived Hellblade back in 2014 our aim was to create a game that could spearhead a resurgence in mid-sized games; the lost games of years gone by that were creatively rich, featured the highest AAA production values and were more focused in scope than many of the big hitting blockbusters of today. So Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a AAA quality game that is half the size of a regular AAA game, at about 8 hours in length, and sold at half the price – just $29.99. By keeping our team size small, at 20 devs, and our budget low we can deliver a unique experience that fulfils our creative ambitions, feels every bit AAA in quality and that can be offered at low price that is fair to you and us. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has always been an experiment in trying to break the mold, trying to rediscover the lost space in between indie and AAA. For our part, we think we’ve made our best game yet. From tomorrow it is up to you, our fans and the PlayStation community, to carry Hellblade forward and help make this experiment a success. Creating video games is a privilege, but it isn’t always easy. Just as Senua goes on a journey, so too have the Hellblade development team. The support that we’ve had from the PlayStation fans from the very beginning has been nothing short of incredible. You have believed in us, helped spread the word and watched Hellblade evolve over the years. We’re so excited that tomorrow we’ll be able to share the final Hellblade experience with you all. View the full article

We at Oasis Games are back with another VR game for you guys. Light Tracer combines platform-style movement with clever puzzles — and a unique style of game control. It launches on PS VR this September. Developed by our friends at Void Dimensions, Light Tracer lets you play as a mysterious, godlike entity who can wield a magical Light Staff in one hand while you use the other hand to interact with the game world. So with one hand you’ll guide the Princess up this giant tower while with the other you spin the world to get a better view (more on this in a bit) and interact with game objects to flip switches, move items, etc. So who’s this Princess? Well, you’re not sure at first but her people are afflicted with a serious sickness and she needs to reach the top to restore them. Do you want to help her? Of course you do! As you help the Princess get higher and higher up the tower, you’ll gradually learn about your relationship (as the entity) with the Princess. And you’ll have lots of fun puzzles along the way! A Better View As you guide the Princess, you’ll quickly find that your point of view is important. Sometimes solving a puzzle is a matter of seeing things from the right perspective, so you’ll find yourself constantly grabbing and spinning the game tower with the controller in one hand to figure things out — and then clicking on triggers to open portals or moving objects to free up a path. With the other hand you’ll be pointing the way for the Princess to guide her safely — and clicking to have her jump or swing her little sword to fight off enemies. This keeps you busy. But as a godlike entity, you’re up to the challenge! The Princess’s journey up the tower is contained in eight very different chapters, each of which has a unique environment (such as ice or mechanical devices) and a different style of puzzles (Gravity puzzles, anyone?). Each level is packed with action-platform stages requiring jumping, timing, and enemies that you must defeat. And while the game looks very cute, levels end in a tough boss fight where you have to figure out the boss’s style as well as use your reflexes. Can you beat a sinister snowman or a tough rock giant? A Rising Platformer We think that Light Tracer is a fun new kind of VR puzzler. As a player, you’ll exercise the powers of a god as you brandish your powerful Light Staff in one hand to guide the Princess while interacting with the tower world with the other to open a safe path upward. With the VR headset on, you’ll be immersed in an almost toy-like world come to life, but the challenges are anything but easy! However, we have confidence you can beat the odds and get the Princess to the top of the magical tower. We sincerely hope that you find the climb worthy of your time when Light Tracer launches for PS VR this September. View the full article

Back in June, we announced an expansion for Horizon Zero Dawn called The Frozen Wilds. Set in icy territories to the north, this new chapter of Aloy’s journey adds a new area to explore, new mysteries to uncover and new, highly lethal machines to take on. Today, we’re happy to share that the release date for Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is November 7th, 2017. We look forward to sharing more information about The Frozen Wilds as we get closer to the release date. In the meantime, there’s an exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn avatar available for those of you who pre-order the expansion from the PlayStation Store. To stay up to date on all the latest news for Horizon Zero Dawn and The Frozen Wilds, keep an eye on the PlayStation Blog and on Guerrilla’s Twitter and Facebook pages. View the full article

It’s a quiet, reserved day of programming at the PlayStation Blogcast studio today. We discuss the upcoming Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, LawBreakers, Justin’s continued love of Pyre, and the one game we haven’t gotten to this year. Then, Ryan and Justin celebrate the achievements of Master of None and the gorgeous documentary series Chef’s Table. Yes, we go a little off topic. Enjoy the show! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Stuff We Talked About Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice Pyre LawBreakers Master of None Chef’s Table Recent Episodes 257: Hungry Like the Wolfenstein 256: Destiny’s Child 255: Kill it With Pyre The Cast Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, SIEA Send us questions and tips! blogcast@sony.com Leave us a voicemail! (650) 288-6706 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

Explore the depths of pain and madness in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, launching August 8 on PS4. Developed by Ninja Theory (Heavenly Sword, DmC: Devil May Cry), Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice follows a tormented celtic warrior on a twisted vision quest to rescue the soul of her lover. Hellblade fuses myth and madness together to pave Senua’s brutal journey, created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people living with psychosis. Also leading the lineup next week is LawBreakers, the gravity-defying competitive shooter from renowned game designer Cliff Bleszinski. Fight in omnidirectional arenas using 18 characters and battle for supremacy. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! New Releases: Week of August 8, 2017 Armello Deluxe Edition PS4 — Digital Armello is a grand swashbuckling adventure that combines three styles of play: the deep tactics of card games, the rich strategy of tabletop board games, and a character role-playing system. Get all major Armello DLC in one place and at a special discount with the Deluxe Bundle! Batman: The Telltale Series Season 2 – Episode 1 PS4 — Digital Both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis. With the arrival of a ruthless federal agent and the return of a still nascent Joker, Batman must navigate uneasy alliances while Bruce Wayne undertakes a perilous series of deceptions. Blackhole: Complete Edition PS4 — Digital When the crew of the spaceship Endera is sucked into a black hole, it seems like the end. Fortunately, the ship crashes on Entity — an unidentified object resembling a planet. After the crash, the first member to wake up is the guy who makes coffee for the crew — you! Comet Crash 2: The Kronkoid Wars PS4 — Digital Building on the award-winning original, Comet Crash 2 is a strategy gamer’s dream with intuitive real-time action combined with tons of depth. The endless variety of gameplay plus online and offline multiplayer battles and co-op delivers a thrilling time whether you are solo or with friends. Graceful Explosion Machine PS4 — Digital Skillfully pilot the Graceful Explosion Machine, a fighter ship armed with a ludicrously overpowered quad-weapon array! Lost in deep space, you’ll shoot, dash, and combo your way through jewel-hued alien worlds, fighting crystalline enemies to find a way home. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice PS4 — Digital From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into the melancholic fury of Senua’s shattered mind. Icey PS4 — Digital Icey is a 2D side-scrolling action +meta game. As you follow the narrator’s omnipresent voice, you will see through Icey’s eyes and learn the truth about her world. LawBreakers PS4 — Digital Bring your skills and get ready to deliver death from every angle as you compete in unprecedented gravity-defying-combat in LawBreakers, the new first-person shooter from legendary game designer Cliff Bleszinski and team. Masquerada: Songs and Shadows PS4 — Digital Masquerada is a single-player tactical RPG adventure where real-time combat can be paused for tactics with Venetian-styled masks that grant deadly magic. Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 PS4 — Digital, Retail The Blue Bomber is back in this second collection of classic Capcom titles! Featuring faithful reproductions of Mega Man 7, 8, 9, and 10, this collection is bursting with additional content, from time trials and remix challenges to a music player and an extensive gallery of rare illustrations. Neon Drive PS4 — Digital Neon Drive is a slick retro-futuristic obstacle-dodging game that will make your brain melt. You’ve been warned. Neptune Flux PS VR — Digital Neptune Flux is a story-driven, open world adventure game set in a sci-fi ocean full of mystery and haunting beauty. Discover supernatural wreck sites, ancient artifacts, and dark secrets. Sine Mora EX PS4 — Digital Sine Mora is a side-scrolling shoot ’em up that provides a unique challenge, where time is the ultimate factor. Mixing classic shooter sensibilities with contemporary presentation, Sine Mora is a gorgeous shooter offering both a Story Mode that weaves an over-the-top tale and an Arcade Mode that provides deep, satisfying gameplay to challenge fans of the genre. ASAP Twelvyy – 12 Mystery Skulls – One of Us Mondo Cozmo – Plastic Soul Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (plus Bonus Features) Hard Knocks- August 8 at 10/9c (HBO) You Can Do Better- August 8 at 10:30/9:30c (truTV) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Hi, everyone! I’m Mark Xiao, the Producer from Fantablade, a game development team in Shanghai, China. This goes without saying, but the opportunity to have our game join PSN is both extremely humbling and very exciting! About Icey Icey is a side-scrolling action game. On the surface, players take on the role of a young girl with no memory, with only the voice of an omnipotent narrator to guide them through Ultimopolis on their quest to find Judas, a dangerous and powerful enemy. Look deeper, however, and players are actually acting as themselves. Should they resist the narrator’s instructions and instead help Icey discover her own self-awareness? It’s up to you, really. Do you prefer to see through Icey’s eyes and act as she would? Or do you prefer to remain “yourself” and see the world through your own eyes? Only you can decide what the real story is. Hack and Slash There are plenty of combo attacks to tie together during battle in Icey. Once enemies are sufficiently weakened, you’ll be able to dispatch them quickly in a flurry of slashes. Absorb energy released from kill shots to then release a massive attack which damages all enemies within view. Combine all of these together to build up devastating combos. Resist the Narrator and Find Your Own Path It’s possible to play Icey as a simple action game, but if you want to discover the real story behind Icey you need to realize that the narrator can be directly disobeyed. For example, the narrator will tell you to activate a bridge. Of course, you don’t have to listen. Resist these instructions enough times, and the narrator will prevent your progress and even teach you how to play the game. Resist further, and the narrator will create a “temporary” zone for you. And, of course, try to force you to finally follow the arrow. Feel free to once again disobey these commands. Only by annoying the narrator throughout Icey will players be able to uncover some semblance of the truth about the game world. Looking Forward In the beginning, I started making Icey because I wanted to make a game that provoked players’ emotions in a unique way. For example, if players were to enter Icey’s world and treat it as an action game, only to find that as early as the new player tutorial they could ignore the narrator’s directions, wouldn’t that be cool? Wouldn’t it be nice to feel that the narrator was actually a real person who could be resisted and annoyed? We showed a few of our classmates an early demo with these ideas, and their response was overwhelmingly positive. As a result, we moved forward with producing the full version of the game. My classmates and I began producing Icey immediately after we graduated in 2014. This was the first time any of us had ever tried to produce a game. There will probably be parts of the game we didn’t develop well enough, or ideas that could be further expanded upon. We hope that we’ll be able to continue improving Icey and create even better games in the future through sustained suggestions and feedback from all of the awesome people enjoying the game! View the full article

When you deploy into a match of Star Wars Battlefront II this November, you’ll need to make an important choice: which of the four trooper classes will you venture as? There’s the nimble Assault, the tricky Specialist, the commanding Officer, and – of course – the powerful Heavy trooper. Today, we’re really thrilled to reveal some new information on the Heavy with PlayStation Nation, including an exclusive first look at different versions of the Heavy you’ll be able to play as, depending on your era and faction. It makes sense, right? While combat tactics between classes might not change a ton over the years, the troopers themselves will visually adapt to fit into their situation in Star Wars Battlefront II. When it comes to gameplay, these different classes will follow the same rules of engagement no matter their era. When it comes to the Heavy, that means focused firepower with heavy weapons. Whether you need to lay down a rain of suppression fire, hold the line near a capture point, or brute-force your way through a narrow corridor, the Heavy is uniquely qualified to pull this off thanks to their two primary abilities: Combat Shield: A small forward-facing shield that allows the user to fire the primary weapon while slowly advancing. Sentry: Enter a powerful medium-range combat mode where you deploy a heavy repeating blaster with massive damage output, at the cost of severely limited movement. You’ll be able to try your hand at the Heavy and all the other Trooper classes in the Star Wars Battlefront II open beta*, coming October 6 (or October 4 if you pre-order). After that, the worldwide release on November 17 is right around the corner. Stay tuned for more news leading up to the game’s release. *Conditions and restrictions apply. Click here for details. View the full article

Hey everyone! James Windeler here, Lead Writer on episode one of Batman: The Enemy Within. Just last year, we launched the first season of our series, offering an original take on the iconic hero and the characters around him. A few weeks ago at San Diego Comic-Con, we were thrilled to announce that our second season, Batman: The Enemy Within, will be premiering for download on August 8th! Since we’ve revealed the game, we’ve made it no secret that we’re upping the ante with the number of villains we’ll see. Our friends and partners at DC Comics have left the door open for Telltale to develop our own take on canon, and we love seeing how we can turn elements just enough on their heads to make this version of Batman our own. Just as in the first season, we take pride in giving our own spin on the classic villains, as well as Bruce and the Wayne family… as players found out early in our story that Bruce’s father was actually corrupt himself. This time around, Batman will face off with a decidedly more vicious take on Riddler than we’ve seen in any other Batman canon. He has far less time for goofing around and much more of a penchant for pain. Beyond Riddler, there’s another major impending threat in play this season, something that we seeded in Batman: The Telltale Series with a character by the name of ‘John Doe.’ Internally, we refer to John as our ‘Proto-Joker’ — a man on the brink of madness who helped Bruce escape Arkham Asylum, only to come back this season with reason to believe that his ‘friend’ Bruce not only likes him but also owes him a favor. We want fans to know that their relationship with John Doe (and eventually, the Joker) is something they’ll be affecting with the decisions they make throughout the season. As Batman and Bruce attempt to stop the immediate threat to Gotham, John will be watching your every move and learning from your choices. By the end of the story, you will have created your own version of Batman’s classic nemesis through your interactions. Fan feedback has always been a crucial part of our development process, and we’ve heard our fans loud and clear: they want longer episodes with more variety. This premiere episode alone clocks in at over two hours in length, and includes more puzzles, more dynamic choices in the middle of the action, and more consequence to each choice as you carefully navigate the character relationships. Throughout all Telltale Games, it can often be difficult to understand how relationships change or are affected until later episodes (or even a second play-through), so we’ve also begun to implement all-new stats screens at the end of each episode that will allow players to see where they stand with their favorite characters like Jim Gordon, Amanda Waller, and so forth. There are a TON of surprises in The Enemy Within, and we really don’t want to spoil too much. If you haven’t played season one, don’t worry! Although the story continues from season one and save files can carry over into The Enemy Within, we’ve created a story that enables players to start fresh here after getting caught up with a recap before the new season begins. You can also use a story configurator before you dive in to emulate the choices you made last season if for some reason you don’t have your save file from last year on your current system. Beyond that, we just can’t wait for you to play it! Check out the trailer, play the premiere on August 8th, and let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article

It’s an exciting time for everyone here at Naughty Dog. After spending just over a year developing Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, in just a few short weeks it’ll be in your hands. In preparation, last week we revealed nearly 14 minutes of new gameplay footage and now, we’re excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at the game. Our friends at PlayStation recently visited the studio to sit down with Creative Director, Shaun Escayg, and Game Director, Kurt Margenau to discuss how the project began, the story we ultimately wanted to tell, and some of the new gameplay elements you’ll experience when the game launches, beginning on August 22. Watch the video above to hear directly from Shaun and Kurt and see some brand-new footage from the game. As we enter the home stretch for launch, we’ll have more exciting things to share in the days and weeks ahead. Keep your eyes peeled and be sure to follow Naughty Dog on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see all the latest. View the full article

Hello! I’m Vladimir, a game designer at the studio Fraoula. We’ve been hard at work to bring our newest game Neon Drive to PS4, and I’m excited to announce it will hit Playstation Store on August 8. Neon Drive is a journey back into the 1980s – a time when people still wrote letters, and when they thought — as Douglas Adams put it — that “digital watches were a pretty neat idea.” To be fair, back then we were secretly expecting to have robot coworkers and drive flying cars by the year 2000. The 1980s were also a time of the first computer music — digital synthesizers were all the rage. Computers made simple games possible, and game designers started exploring new genres such as racing, lane dodgers, top-down shooters, side-scrollers, and platformers. But back then the equipment was not cheap — you had to go to the arcades to play the best looking games, which were often so challenging that you had to spend dozens upon dozens of coins just to complete a single level. Neon Drive takes all this and blends it into a nostalgic love letter to the ’80s. With a couple of exceptions, though: you won’t have to go to the arcades every time you want to play, and neither will it cost you an arm and a leg. Au contraire, once you purchase the game, you’ll have all the time in the world to finish it. You’ll even get a complimentary dynamic Theme for free! Neon Drive brings you eight levels, each with a unique theme and a surprising twist in the gameplay. Using a two-button control scheme, you’ll have to make your car avoid oncoming obstacles, timing your moves to the rhythm and melody of an awesome custom-made synthwave soundtrack, composed and produced by Gustav Eriksson Pengus. Now I suggest that you simply take a deep breath and relax. It will help you sharpen your senses and prepare you for a battle with your own reflexes that you won’t soon forget. View the full article

Woah! Crash Bandicoot’s long-awaited N. Sane Trilogy spun to the top of the PS4 download charts last month, followed closely by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (there’s still time to catch up before Shadow of War!). The insanely stylish (and just awesome overall) Superhot VR took the top spot for PlayStation VR, which makes sense since the game can, ya know, control the flow of time and everything. Seems like an unfair advantage, to be honest. Miss any of July’s top games and want to see what the fuss is about? Head to PlayStation Store to pick ’em up! PS4 Games 1 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy 2 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor – Game of the Year Edition 3 God of War III Remastered 4 Friday the 13th: The Game 5 Rocket League 6 Grand Theft Auto V 7 Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition 8 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered 9 Ratchet & Clank 10 EA SPORTS UFC 2 11 Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age 12 STAR WARS Battlefront Ultimate Edition 13 Madden NFL 17 14 Battlefield 1 15 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands 16 How to Survive 2 17 MLB The Show 17 18 Mad Max 19 ARK: Survival Evolved 20 Elite Dangerous PS3 Games 1 The Last Of Us 2 God of War: Ascension 3 God of War Collection 4 Shadow of the Colossus 5 Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition 6 Jak and Daxter Collection 7 Grand Theft Auto V 8 God of War: Origins Collection 9 LittleBigPlanet 2 10 The Last of Us: Left Behind Stand Alone 11 Twisted Metal 12 Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 13 UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Game of The Year Digital Edition 14 Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 15 Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition 16 Ratchet & Clank: Collection 17 inFAMOUS Collection 18 Need for Speed Most Wanted 19 LittleBigPlanet Karting 20 Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition PS4 Add-ons 1 Call of Duty Black Ops III: Zombies Chronicles 2 Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer 3 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – DLC3 Absolution 4 Black Ops III – The Giant Zombies Map 5 Rocket League – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Car Pack 6 Call of Duty: MWR Variety Map Pack 7 Rocket League – The Fate of the Furious Ice Charger 8 DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 Dragon Ball Super Pack 4 9 Battlefield 1 Premium Pass 10 Injustice 2 Darkseid PS VR Games 1 SUPERHOT VR 2 Arizona Sunshine 3 PlayStation VR Worlds 4 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood 5 Job Simulator 6 Tumble VR 7 The Bellows 8 Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality 9 Archangel 10 The Brookhaven Experiment PS Vita Games 1 God of War: Collection PS Vita 2 Jak and Daxter Collection 3 UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss 4 Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom 5 Ratchet & Clank Collection 6 Gravity Rush 7 LittleBigPlanet PS Vita 8 Minecraft: PlayStationVita Edition 9 The Sly Collection PS Vita 10 Killzone: Mercenary PS Classics 1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 2 THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2000 3 Bully 4 SAMURAI SHODOWN VI 5 Psychonauts 6 Crash Bandicoot 7 FATAL FURY BATTLE ARCHIVES VOL.2 8 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 9 Crash Bandicoot 3: WARPED 10 Resident Evil Code: Veronica X View the full article

When we set out to create a new entry in the beloved Sudden Strike series, we knew that WW2 aficionados and hardcore strategy gamers would highly value authenticity and historical accuracy. But, we also knew that we were creating a game, not a documentary. No matter what, gameplay is paramount, so striking the right balance with authenticity was going to need a lot of hard work. In this blog post, I want to show you guys some examples of things we did to make Sudden Strike 4 the most authentic – and fun – WW2 RTT experience possible. 1. Read the manual! Surprising to no one, there is a metric ton of published material about the Second World War. So we set out to find as many different reputable sources as possible for Sudden Strike 4, spending a significant amount of dev budget on books from all over the world to check out the details of tanks, battlefields, soldier equipment and more. Just check these out: And these: 2. Field Trip To portray the areas in Sudden Strike 4 as accurately as possible, sometimes we had to go the extra mile. Literally. For a few levels in the game, we went out on location for field research. One example was the Battle of Hürtgen Forest – a particularly fierce and bloody series of battles in WW2 that took place in a densely forested area south-east of Aachen in western Germany, where both sides struggled to use heavy machinery and a lot of the fighting was done by soldiers from tree to tree. So we drove out to Hürtgen Forest to get a real feel for the area, taking hundreds of photos, including the slate slopes and rock formations that characterize the area, for our artists to use as inspiration for the map, seen here in-game: Pretty close, right? One of the key moments of the battle was the detonation of the Urfttal dam shortly before the Allies could reach it, which significantly set back the efforts to push into mainland Germany. The dam is the final objective of this mission, and we had to make sure we got it right. There is a restaurant near the Urfttal dam, but we wanted to have a view that would be more like a soldier’s, rather than a tourist’s. Thankfully, we found a way – the nearby Dreilägerbachtal dam, which is in the same forest and also built by the same architect (Dr. Otto Intze) in the same style. So here is a look at the Dreilägerbachtal dam as it would be if you were a soldier spying from the woods: And here is the Urfttal dam structure in the game: Of course, not all sites of the battles could be visited, so a lot of research had to be done through archives, historical videos and photos. In fact, Sudden Strike 4 features over 30 minutes of historical archive video material, some of which has never been digitalized before. This material can be invaluable when it comes to nailing down details that can’t be seen anymore today. Take for example the Reichstag, today restored as the seat of the German parliament, and adorned with a glass cupola structure. In 1945, the building was pretty deteriorated, not just from the bombing of the city but also from neglect, following the burning of the building in 1933. It was mainly used as a defensive position, so if you look closely you can see the windows are shut with brick barriers. And even before 1933, the cupola was very different from the one today, with the roof sporting a greenish hue thanks to the withered copper plating, which we were able to replicate from early colour pictures of the time: 3. Four eyes see more than two! I think everybody that looks at the unit models, details, explosions, environments in Sudden Strike 4 can agree with me that our artists did an awesome job. And I can’t thank them enough for their patience and hard work during the early phases of development when every single unit model was subjected to the scrutiny of several proof checkers (including me), criticizing every little detail. As a result, our units (especially tanks) underwent a lot of changes to get to the point you see now in the game. If you think most players wouldn’t notice these details, think again! Right after we released the first few trailers for the game, we had feedback from one player who noticed that the King Tiger model we used in those trailers had a Hentschel-style body but a Porsche-style gun variant, which did not make sense. And he was right. So here is the King Tiger before and after that feedback: Can’t see the difference? Well it’s there, if you look closely at the bottom end of the gun. OK, even if you can’t see it, some players will, and hopefully they’ll appreciate the extra work. These changes aren’t always just cosmetic, either. Take sloped armour for example, a certain way of producing tank armour that was heavily used by the soviets and some late-war German tanks. The idea is that an armour plate sloped at the right angle will deflect an incoming projectile, even if that would theoretically have enough power to penetrate the armour. And it worked very well in most cases, producing some of the most successful tanks of WW2. Look at the beauty that is the design of the T-34/76 and T-34/85 soviet tanks of the time: The effect of sloped armour is very hard to pinpoint and simulate in a strategy game. But we wanted it to be portrayed as well as possible, and so Sudden Strike 4 employs an intricate armour system that simulates front, back, side and top armour separately and also takes deflections and sloped armour into account. That is why you will see some projectiles bounce off the armour of some tanks in some situations in the game. It is a nice historical detail and has gameplay value. Plus it looks cool, don’t you think? View the full article

It’s that time of year again… A long couple of months have passed since that match in Cardiff where Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo showed the world just why he’s the FIFA 18 Cover Star, but the football season is finally back with us. We’ve been spending the summer break tracking transfers and studying squads, planning our perfect eleven for when we boot up Ultimate Team for the first time when FIFA 18 drops on September 29th. Oh, and we’ve also been hard at work adding a load of awesome new features to FUT 18 to make it the best and most enjoyable one yet. So let’s kick this blog off with the one I’m most excited about as a PlayStation player. As you may have heard, we’re bringing some of the most iconic players in the history of football to FUT 18 on PS4 as FUT Icons. Back in June we revealed the first five you’ll be able to add to your team when FIFA 18 drops on September 29th: “Il Fenomeno” Ronaldo Nazario; The King of Football, Pele; The original Argentine wizard Diego Maradona; The effortlessly brilliant Thierry Henry and the only goalkeeper to ever win the prestigious Ballon d’Or, Lev Yashin. Not a bad start right? Well, how good does a squad featuring Peter Schmeichel in goal, Carles Puyol and Roberto Carlos at the back, Ruud Gullit, Jay-Jay Okocha (so good they named him twice), Patrick Vieira and Deco in midfield with Alessandro Del Piero and Michael Owen up top sound? Strong, but missing a bit of that classic Brazilian flair in attack, right? That’s an easy fix… legendary World Cup and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho is a FUT Icon too! If like me you spent hours in the garden trying (and failing) to replicate his famous elastico then Ronaldinho will be top of your transfer list when you start building your Ultimate Team next month. I can’t wait to see how my opponents cope with that move. But that’s not all we have to announce about Icons today. Oh no! Each FUT Icon will have three different versions in-game with different ratings reflecting how their style and attributes evolved at three different points of their illustrious careers. Take Ronaldinho for example. He’ll have one item focused around his time at PSG and winning the World Cup in 2002, another based on 2010 and winning the title in his final year with AC Milan, and a final Prime version from that time where he was the best player on the planet in the mid-2000s. Two of the three items for each Icon will be available in packs at launch, while the Prime version will be available a little later via limited-time packs and Squad Building Challenges. All of that leads me on to some other great additions and improvements this year. We’re making Squad Building Challenges more accessible with some great unique items this year (such as those Prime Icons), adding a new Objectives feature that lets you earn great rewards every day, as well as a new single player Squad Battles mode that lets you compete against squads built by other players, celebrities and even pro footballers to work your way up a leaderboard and earn more rewards. You can even get a head-start on the competition in FUT with three days early access when you pre-order the FIFA 18 Icons edition, which will also net you plenty of great FUT content including Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo Nazario loan items. Because two Ronaldo’s are better than one! We’ll have plenty more to reveal about FUT and FIFA 18 over the coming weeks too, so stay tuned! View the full article

The googly-eyed Patapons march to the rhythm of the drum! First released in 2007 to worldwide critical acclaim, a remastered edition is out today on PlayStation 4. Described by its creators as “Command & Carnival”, Patapon is a mash-up of strategy, simulation and music game elements. In order to reach the end of the earth and defeat the foes that stand in their way, the player commands their little guys to march, fight and much more, just by beating a drum rhythm. This hit series’ three games made their way into players’ hearts with their addictive blend of rhythmic drumming, strategic character development and troop composition, and of course, the characterful, lively little Patapons themselves. 4K image captured on PS4 Pro. 4K display requires PS4 Pro and compatible 4K display We interviewed producer Hiroyuki Kotani and Sound Designer Kemmei Adachi prior to the game’s release, where we discussed the sound design process, the secret identity of the theme song’s singer, and shed light on a whole load of the game’s secrets. Hiroyuki Kotani, Producer (left) and Sound Designer Kemmei Adachi (right) The Inspiration for Patapon Striking like a Bolt of Lightning Patapon was originally released for PSP in 2007. Can you tell us about the process that led to its creation? Kotani: The first step on the road was when I saw a character design by Rolito, the French artist. One day, I was visiting the offices of Interlink Planning, who did overseas artist management including Rodney Greenblat of PaRappa the Rapper fame. They showed me a piece of work from an artist called Rolito which had done in Flash. I was completely taken aback! Loads of these alien little creatures that were basically just eyeballs waving spears around. They were these simple characters, made only of circles, no ornamentation. On a gut level, I felt drawn to them and told the company I was interested in his work. The illustration by Rolito, full of the then unnamed little eyeball creatures that would inspire Patapon. It was around the launch of the PSP, and plenty of new developers were being welcomed into the fold. There was this development house called Pyramid, who were making games that really stood out, even among the new crowd. I proposed a war strategy game involving war drums to them using these characters, and right off the bat, they thought the idea had merit. That’s when I started thinking up systems for the game. So it was then decided right away that your group would make a strategy game featuring those spear-wielding eyeball characters? Kotani: Right. My first idea was an image of the little guys swarming into battle. So, I’ve always liked picture books, and I’ve always wanted to create something fairy tale-esque. At the time though, I was involved in this project to discover talent through Game Yaroze! (“Let’s Make Games!”) and had to provide support to quite a few teams. I think it’s fair to say that Patapon was actually my first project that I conceived entirely from scratch. The monsters started as drafts from the development staff, which were discussed with Rolito, who upon approving them would provide the finalised design. From that first idea, how did you finalise the game’s systems? Kotani: It was something of a long and winding road to get there! Our first thought, looking at the four buttons, was to consider them parts of a drum, and designate them “March”, “Attack”, and “Defend”. But make it too complex and even we would have trouble remembering the commands, while making them too simple would be boring. Looking at the rhythm action games of the time, I considered having command prompts pop up on screen to tell the players what to press, but I had this idea that the game should be about communicating with this tribe that doesn’t understand your words, so we shouldn’t place a lot of emphasis on giving commands. I rolled these ideas around in my head for what seemed like the longest time. Around that time, Rolito came to Japan. I asked him to name the little eyeball creatures, and sometime later, he sent me around four naming conventions. I saw “Patapon” there in the list, and knew that was the one! Thinking about “pata” and “pon” as drumming noises, I envisaged drumming out “pata, pata, pata, pon,” and the creatures would start marching. From that, I knew anyone could remember the commands, and it even felt like communicating rather than commanding. I had Pyramid make a prototype right away, and after playing that build, I knew that this was what I’d wanted to make all along! After settling on this, the rest of this part of development was much smoother. “Throw” was “pon, pon”; the remaining two buttons could be given fun sounds like “don” and “chaka”. A screenshot from the early days What stage of development did you join, Mr. Adachi? Adachi: I joined pretty much at the start. I remember going to the studio when Mr. Kotani was saying, “I have this sort of idea for a game”. It was pretty rare for a Sound Designer to be present at a brainstorming session. Kotani: Sound was absolutely essential to Patapon after all, so I wanted ideas from the sound designer! That’s why I asked you to join during the brainstorming stage! Adachi: In the end, the concept of call and response became central to the game, but it took a lot of ideas from everyone to get there. Kotani: We also discussed what kind of music we should use. Since we were envisioning something quite primal, drums seemed like a natural fit. We listened to a lot of drum-based music as the picture of the game became clearer in our minds. And we even… well, it didn’t have anything to do with the game in the end, but we even learnt to play the didgeridoo! (Laughs) Adachi: There was always room for fun while making the game! Recording Off the Cuff: Secrets of Sound Design, Revealed! Once the basic design of the game was decided to be call and response, how did you decide on the four noises that would represent “pata”, ”pon”, “don”, and “chaka”? Adachi: Well, we tried a load of different sounds. We wanted pressing a button and hearing the sound to simply feel good, bearing in mind “pata” and “pon” were to be the call to attack. We wanted the sounds to feel commanding as well as satisfying to hear. What did you use to make the sounds? Adachi: A blend of a lot of noises. Congas and bongos just on their own didn’t seem satisfying enough, so we had to come up with a signature sound for Patapon. On top of the African instrumentation in the foreground, we mixed in percussive instruments from a lot of different countries. Kotani: Even after settling on “pon”, getting “pata” right proved quite difficult. I knew I was asking a lot when I requested the team to keep trying for something better (laughs). Adachi: Everyone was asking a lot, eh! (Laughs) Kotani: At first, I was quite pleased that after inputting a command, the Patapons would repeat it back to the player, but eventually I got the feeling that something was lacking. It was Pyramid who thought it might be interesting if the Patapons actually sang back to the player. I wrote the lyrics, and Mr. Adachi wrote the framework for the accompanying music. Adachi: I just added the melody to Mr. Kotani’s lovely lyrics. Kotani: Mr. Adachi initially wrote a very strange placeholder song for “Goroch’s Theme” that you hear at the start. Those are definitely your lyrics too, Mr. Adachi! Adachi: The process of composition was totally different from normal. We had booked the days for recording, and I’d come up with some frameworks for pieces, knowing that Mr. Kotani was writing the lyrics. They arrived before we were due to record, and somehow, I was in the studio, adjusting the pieces as we were recording and fitting these lyrics into them! Normally, you’d start with the melody, but here I’d come to the studio without any, so it ended up being a rare instance of composing right off the cuff! Kotani: The themes were locked down, but that was about it. This piece would feel African; that piece would feature yodelling as it was for a mountain level; etcetera (laughs). Adachi: I would make an instrumental base, and then change the instruments out for voices to make a piece. For example, a guitar line by The Ventures would sound like “tickatickatickaticka” when expressed vocally. Vocal percussion also turns sound into words, right? Using that method, I would turn the instrumental sounds into these words and have them sung in a child’s voice. Every piece was made in this way. Who did the singing? Kotani: My son! (Laughs) I thought it would be fun to have children sing, but since we didn’t have the budget to hire, I asked my son to have a go. (Laughs) At the time he was about 10. We threw the little bundle of energy into the studio and asked him to sing for us! Adachi: It was our first time doing it that way, so it was as difficult as you might expect. It was really hard to have a child maintain the energy needed. It was the summer holidays and he just wanted to play, and he got brought into the studio when he was still half asleep. Kotani: He laid down the ya-ho-hois and woo-ha-has while listening to the backing track. Adachi: It was all done quite spontaneously. Before working on Patapon, I’d worked on LocoRoco, which was a similar approach. My voice is actually in that game too. I got up in front of the mic and laid down some chorus and gradually added to it. Patapon ended up quite similar in terms of the method. Kotani:. We rigged it up so my son could hear me through the mic, and I sang an improved little song based on the backing track and had him copy me. Turns out even the recording utilised call and response! (Laughs) It felt a bit like a concert. Adachi: I remember some songs turning out completely different to the melodies that were sung because of that. Those ended up being pretty good though! Kotani: Putting the same vocals over a chorus wouldn’t have been any good, so we split it up where we had weak Patapons, weird Patapons, and angry Patapons, etc. all singing for us. Mr. Adachi would say, “Next we’re going to do some weak Patapons, okay?” to my son, and he did it like a stone cold pro (laughs). It really helped give the feeling that there were loads of Patapons in the game. Adachi: Once the template was completed, I’d redo my vocals. We added the musical elements together like we were putting chords together. In a previous interview, talking about LocoRoco, the director mentioned that the greater the number of LocoRoco on screen, the fuller the sound of their singing became In Patapon, FEVER, earned by chaining a big combo together, makes the music grow more lively. Did you re-employ this method from LocoRoco? Adachi: Exactly right. The music consisted of two mixes split into three tracks, which would respond to the state of the game. Was that difficult, on top of your compositional duties? Adachi: Every track has the same tempo. Marching tempo is 120BPM. It was tricky writing music to fit this. Rhythm games usually try to vary the tempo to create variety. Introducing variations at the same tempo, well, it was tricky to say the least. I had to be very careful that the tracks didn’t get too samey. Do you have a favourite piece? Adachi: Goroch’s Theme, I think. I also like the Patapon 2 tracks with funk elements. Whenever I got stuck, I added in my usual style of melody and got surprisingly into it. Kotani: Bibiricchi’s Theme, from the first boss fight is also great. Adachi: At the 23rd Game Symphony Japan Concert, celebrating PlayStation music, Patapon’s opening theme was performed live on stage. It was really moving, to have Patapon performed live! How important do you both think music is to video games? Adachi: I think it’s important to expand the scope of a world. Whenever I begin work on a project, I ask to see some art. Before even seeing the design documents, I look at the art and decide on a concept. Even if someone asks me for a specific kind of piece, the inspiration I take from the art will still form the base. I think this is a good way of expanding the scope. Sometimes, the music I provide has even ended up changing the direction of games I’ve worked on. Kotani: When the player gets feedback from a game, the most satisfying stimulus usually comes from the sound and music. Music plays an important role in three recent HD remasters; PaRappa the Rapper, LocoRoco and Patapon. Since music is tied in so closely to the gameplay, it seems players tend to recall them fondly. Adachi: Yeah, I believe so. We focussed hard on how to represent the swarms of Patapons musically. I think we managed quite well in the end, if I do say so myself. Kotani: It feels like each individual Patapon is singing in the game, doesn’t it? Whenever they’re marching, they would raise their spears to the rhythm. This animation wasn’t included at my behest, but actually one of the programmers made the decision to implement it independently. As soon as that animation was in the game, seeing them move and sing to the beat really gave the impression they were marching. That tiny bit of animation really brought them to life; I was totally awestruck. The animation and the commands were really brought together by the music, and made the whole experience that much better. Kotani: The music of Patapon is far more important than simply sound-tracking the action. Together with the visuals, they breathed real charisma into the game. Being Bold Enough to Use “Chaka Chaka” to Win! What feedback did you receive after release? Kotani: It was well-reviewed, but quite a few people said the rhythm for executing “Miracles” was too difficult. The irregular “don, dodon, dodon” rhythm seemed hard for some players. I’d previously made Mad Maestro! to allow people who didn’t play an instrument to enjoy playing music in game form. The music would react to your inputs in a simple and fun manner. I wanted to make a game anyone could enjoy, but it seems I made Patapon a little too hard. Is there any kind of trick to it? Kotani: Mad Maestro is the same, but keeping steady to the rhythm is deceptively tricky. Especially in Patapon, where you have to keep an eye on your enemy’s movements while inputting the next command. It’s not especially forgiving; if you don’t defend when you need to, you’ll take huge damage. That’s why “chaka chaka” (the defensive command chaka, chaka, pata, pon) is so important. Don’t underestimate the value of chaka, chaka! (Laughs) You only have two seconds or so to decide whether to attack, defend, or run away, which is both Patapon’s difficulty and its greatness. It’s all the harder to maintain the rhythm when you’re shaken up after taking damage too. Kotani: Right! When you’re shaken up, it shows in your rhythm. Which is exactly why you need the courage to chaka, chaka in order to succeed! (Laughs) Patapon seems popular around the world and went on to have sequels. Why do you think it became such a hit? Kotani: The characters. I thought a certain kind of person would definitely find them immediately appealing. I remember writing in the design doc that this would be a game for adults with good taste and an interest in art. Rolito came up with the catchphrase “delicious poison” for Patapon, as there was something “poisonous” in the Patapon’s design. The visuals were also very striking, and without them, the game wouldn’t be the same. Adachi: The scale was also great. These little beings swarming around made it really charming. You mentioned the game being made for adults. What’s the player base actually like? Kotani: We held a survey, which revealed that 40% of players were women and was great to hear. Most games’ user bases are 80% male. And it seems people grew really attached to the little Patapons. Different-looking Patapons debuted in Patapon 3, and while we were observing play tests, a common bit of feedback was, “Do Patapons grow up to look like that!?” I heard somewhere that “patapon” means “child” in French, and a lot of fans thought the Patapons were children. Even I think of them as my kids, and Rolito calls me “The Patapons’ other father”. Experiencing the full power of the “Don” with the PS4 How has your impression of the game changed with the PS4 remaster? Kotani: We did testing on PlayStation Vita, and despite the small size of the characters, they looked pretty sharp. The games live and die by the simple silhouettes of Rolito’s designs, the characters’ crispness only served to increase their charm. Can you offer any advice to players coming to the game for the first time? Kotani: It’s fun to try to play through the game without any outside help. Rarepons can be created once you make a certain amount of progress, which might actually happen by chance. It’s possible to create a Rarepon unknowingly while casually making a new Patapon. Have fun testing them out, seeing how they move and how they fit in with the others. Is there anything that hasn’t yet been discovered by fans? Kotani: Hah, I think the players have seen everything there is to see at this point! They’re far more knowledgeable about the game than I am! Try out lots of different combinations, as when they’re compatible, they can really boost your performance. For example, using Yumipons in conjunction with Tikulees massively increases your fire-rate. And since your play-style will be dictated by the Rarepons you’re using, it can be fun to go back and challenge bosses, even after you’ve beaten them, just to try out new combinations. Finally, anything you’d like to say to fans anticipating Patapon Remastered’s release? Kotani: Newer televisions tend to have display lag, making rhythm games harder to play than before. This was my biggest fear going into the remaster project. I thought that if the lag made the rhythms of the game too difficult to grasp, then the whole project would have to be scrapped. However, after a lot of work by the development team, it’s actually easier to get into the rhythm than even the PSP version! (Laughs) Even if you couldn’t manage it on the PSP version, Fever is awarded for only a 3-combo now. You might still experience lag with an older television, but it shouldn’t ruin your fun at all. I’m absolutely certain of it! Adachi: I always felt that on the small screen of the PSP, “don” never really had the impact I’d hoped it would. I have to admit I’m a little obsessed with the “don” sound. That’s why for the PS4 version, I’d like everyone to hear it at high volume, even once. Definitely take the opportunity to experience the full power of the mighty “don”! Patapon, the game that fuses the primal thrill of drumming with deep gameplay that’ll have you hooked. Experience the weirdly wonderful charm of the Patapons, and the impact of their sounds, beautifully remastered on PS4. View the full article

Hey everyone, I’m Daniel Robinson, Game Director from Odd Bug Studio. I’m really excited to announce that our first ever game The Lost Bear, a 2D platformer exclusively for PlayStation VR will be available from PlayStation Store this month! It has always been our dream to make a game for players to experience and immerse themselves in. It’s been a very long road and we can now finally tell people the story of ‘The Lost Bear’, I hope you all enjoy the journey! What is The Lost Bear? The Lost Bear is a 2D cinematic platformer for PlayStation VR, as you control a young girl named Walnut who sets out to rescue her teddy bear and bring her back home. The player sits inside a 3D diorama, inspired by puppet show theatre, that reflects what’s happening within the game and alters as the game progresses. Walnut’s story originates from my little sister, who always wandered off to the woodlands with her teddy bear by her side. She has always inspired me through her bravery and willingness to overcome her fears. And so, this game is all about a young girl called Walnut also overcoming her fears when she is alone in a wondrous, surreal and dangerous world. The project started at Norwich University of the Arts and ‘Dare to be Digital 2013’ where myself and two close friends wanted to accomplish a dream by creating our very own game. We were inspired both by Limbo and Eastern European puppet shows (our art director Harry is from the Czech Republic) and we teamed up with Fabrik Games to create and release The Lost Bear on PlayStation VR. Why PS VR? As developers, we are always intrigued by new mediums and different ways to convey our games. PlayStation VR was a new platform we could use to create an experience that felt like the player had been transported into a puppet show set in The Lost Bear world. The Lost Bear and the PlayStation VR work together to create a unique, immersive experience. This gave us the ability to place the player directly into an ever-changing theatre, as the environment shifted around them as they progressed through the story. Using the Dualshock 4 motion controls, we are able to give the player the ability to interact with the world around the player. We wanted to create mechanics that didn’t intrude on Walnut’s story, but would give the player control of the 2D environment using the 3D space. The evolution & importance of the diorama The diorama, the environment that surrounds the player, was created to help fully immerse the player into Walnut’s world. It’s a 3D/2D diorama that mirrors the 2D world; offering a visual language in which it subtly reflects the progress of Walnut through the game. For example, to the enviroment to the left of the diorama space the environment will reflect where Walnut has been previously, while the right will foreshadow elements of what she will encounter next. The challenge of making VR work in a 2D world Creating an art style that worked collaboratively within a 2D and 3D form was a key focus; we had to make sure that everything visually linked together. The VR mechanics of the game took a lot of time to get right. We didn’t want Walnut to be aware of the player and we wanted to avoid any mechanics that did not fit the feel of the experience or break the flow of the game. During the prototyping phase we tried many gameplay iterations, and other gameplay prototypes. The decision was made that if they didn’t ground the player within the experience, or feel viable to coexist between 2D and 3D, then they wouldn’t make the cut. From Odd Bug Studio Creating our first game for everyone to experience has been a big milestone for us, it’s been a tough road with many sleepless nights but with everything we have learnt, I’m excited for the future and the next dream. I hope you have enjoyed reading about our story and the production of The Lost Bear we are looking forward to everyone playing the game! View the full article

Matterfall, Housemarque’s dazzling new sci-fi shooter, is only a few weeks away from release. But before you plunge into the frantic fast-paced action on August 15, find out the thinking behind the title’s gameplay and story from its creator in this all-new video. Go behind the scenes at Housemarque as key staff explain the terror that’s gripped a futuristic world and detail your role in saving it from destruction. Find out the inspirations that have forged the team’s creative thinking, and why, for the minds behind Resogun and Nex Machina, art is always in the service of gameplay. View the full article

Hi PlayStation Nation, It’s Wonder from Runic Games, here with a jam-packed update on Hob. Let’s get straight to the big news in our new trailer: Hob launches on September 26! This is a big milestone –we know you’ve been waiting patiently for a release date. Test Your Knowledge We’ve released several gameplay videos, dev diaries and trailers, so you might feel like you know quite a bit about Hob. Let’s test your knowledge! Here are six facts about Hob we bet you didn’t know. 1. The sprites are plants These cute little creatures that magically zip in and out of your life are actually sentient plants! Our lead Engineer, Marsh Lefler, gives you more clues in our dev diary, Meet the Sprites. Which makes us wonder, would a grouping of sprites be called a bouquet? 2. The world is a puzzle You’ve seen some impressive in-game footage of land masses shooting out of the mechanical depths to fall and lock into place. But did you know the whole world of Hob is this way? Forests, dungeons, meadows, and areas we’ve kept super secret can only be accessed once you raise or activate those parts of the world. Want a hint about one of the (unannounced zones) you’ll be discovering? Make sure you watch to the end of our release day trailer above, but we warn you… spoilers! 3. Are you really the first? Along your journey, you’ll collect sword shards in the world and be able to upgrade your weapon. But where you get them just might be more intriguing than how. Dotted throughout the world are the Fallen Soldiers – cloaked figures with a silhouette not unlike your own, kneeling beneath a patina of age and rust. Around you are the ruins of a civilization, so what happened to these Fallen Soldiers? And could you possibly be related? You’ll have to play to uncover the mystery! 4. The world is true-neutral From twitching purple claws of Rogue Life to the majestic stilt-horses wandering the plains, the world is teeming with life. Nothing, however, is inherently good or evil. Instead, all of the life forms are locked in a Darwinian struggle for the survival of their own species. Some creatures may try to eat you, others could become your friends. Where do you fit in? 5. Hob isn’t his or her name At the very beginning when we started development, we just called it “adventure game.” Later, like most projects, we had an internal code name for the game, which was Hob. That name obviously stuck! But what’s important is that “Hob” isn’t his or her name; in fact, the Hero in Hob is gender-neutral. We want you to see yourself in the story! 6. Created by the Torchlight team Hob is our third title, after Torchlight and Torchlight II. We know it’s a big change from what our fan base is used to, but we are gamers ourselves who, like you, love playing a wide variety of games! Just like we put our own style and spin on the dungeon-crawler genre, we’ve put our own style and spin on the puzzle-platformer genre. We are immensely proud of Hob, and hope that if you loved our previous games, you’ll love Hob as much as we do. If you learned something new, tell us in the comments or on social media! And don’t worry, we know that discovery is part of the joy of Hob, and we are keeping back plenty of surprises for when you play yourself. Hob Pre-Order Incentive If you love the world-shifting of Hob, you need our dynamic theme! Hob launches on September 26, and if you pre-order, you get 10% off the sale price of $19.99, as well as the world-shift theme. See the full theme, including music from Matt Uelmen, here! Calling All Trophy Hunters! What’s better than collecting Trophies? Naming them! That’s right, you have the chance to name one of the Trophies in Hob. If we pick your name idea, we will even put you in the credits! This is must-have bragging rights for any serious Trophy collector. We also have tons of other prizes including a free copy of the game and exclusive Hob swag. Here’s a quick look at how the contest will work! Ready to do some naming? Head to our blog post for more information and find out how to submit your entries! I’ve played a lot of Hob since we started development, and I still fall in love with the experience each time I pick up the controller. In fact, I love it more now than I ever did. The artwork is gorgeous, the world sounds and music are immersive, and there are discoveries to make around every corner. Playing feels charming and meditative. We can’t wait for you play it on September 26. Start your countdown clock … Fifty-six days to go! With love, Wonder & The Runic Team View the full article

Hello, PlayStation Blog! I am thrilled to announce that X-Morph: Defense is coming to the PlayStation 4 on 30th August. In my last PlayStation Blog post, I described the game’s general concept and its core features. This time I’d like to tell you a bit more about X-Morph’s story campaign, unique destruction system, and split screen co-op. Take over the world! The X-Morph’s goal is to take over the entire planet by placing their harvester cores in key strategic locations. These structures transform Earth’s surface around them and drain energy straight from the planet. Landing sites are divided into primary and secondary areas. You are rewarded with new upgrades and technologies after securing each harvester core. You can observe X-Morph influence affecting the globe after each successful mission. There’s a large variety in gameplay sceneries ranging from urban centers and industrial complexes to dense forests. Destroy everything in your path The destruction system in X-Morph: Defense lets you destroy practically everything. It’s not just about collapsing bridges or tearing down buildings. Each single object can be destroyed and breaks up into small individual pieces. We’ve put extra effort into making the world respond to your actions. Every piece of debris that falls into the water creates a splash effect. The destruction algorithm is entirely physics based and buildings collapse depending on which of their parts are destroyed. You can shoot their top off, cut them down at the base or blow up the middle section. Dropping airplanes can destroy buildings revealing their interiors. It took us quite a lot of work to model all of these fancy interiors, but we think it was well worth the effort. The same goes for bosses ramming buildings. When a massive Mecha slams into a skyscraper, it will collapse depending on the force of the attack. Split screen co-op enhanced on the PS4 Pro Fighting humans is much more fun with a friend. We wanted to give the co-op campaign a special feel, so we’ve taken extra care in rebalancing each enemy wave in each mission.We added new enemies and additional human attack formations to create a different take on the story campaign. As you can imagine, two players wreaking havoc at the same time in split-screen, combined with even more enemy units, can put a lot of stress on a gaming system. We’ve put a lot of effort into optimizing our Schmetterling engine to handle all of that action. The game’s performance is additionally enhanced on the PlayStation 4 Pro to give you a solid 60 FPS in split screen co-op, even in the thickest of battles. Thank you all for your support since X-Morph’s announcement on the PlayStation Blog. We’re eagerly waiting to hear what you think about the game when it launches on 30th August! View the full article

Open beta is off the ground, which means the battlefields of the Solar System are now accessible to all captains! We’re adding new maps, launching a PS4-exclusive premium ship and continuing to improve core elements of the game. There’s never been a better time to be an outlaw captain. Ready to blow up some giant, thundering capital ships? I know I am. If you haven’t yet taken to the skies of Dreadnought, check out this overview of the game and this post on our latest, PS4-exclusive game mode, Havoc. Once you get your bearings, read on to find out everything you need to know about the open beta. Wage War on 8 New Battlegrounds The biggest change open beta brings to the table is maps: eight of them, to be exact. These include variants of all four battlegrounds that have been available throughout the closed beta, plus two brand-new maps (which have one variant each). Check out the map of Ryugu Haven—a gritty outlaw mining base hidden deep within the asteroids of the Scum Belt—and the ominous, eerily lit variants of Kappa Base and Rings of Saturn below! Own the Hactar—for free As a thanks for playing Dreadnought, we’re giving all PS4 players the Hactar Hero Ship—for free! Keep in mind, this is no rookie vessel. It’s a menacing, Tier-IV Tactical Cruiser with a screaming head at its bow. Take this beast onto the battlefield and channel the fighting spirit of the Dead Horde, the ruthless faction it once led into the asteroid belt during the Great Solar War. Just make sure you’re ready to unleash some serious destruction. New Features for Friends List and Squads Decimating enemy fleets is definitely more fun with friends. We’ve added an in-game friends list that enables you to see all your PSN friends who play Dreadnought and easily add them to it. You can also add friends to a squad, which allows you to fight alongside two of your most trusted allies. More social features are coming soon, so stay tuned! More Open Beta Updates Besides releasing tons of new, sprawling space battlegrounds, we’ve also added new content to the market: The Trident Hero Ship: One of the most famous vessels from the Great Solar War. Check it out! The Knight bundle: Now you can pick up this shining, bravery-inspired emblem and striking, green and yellow coating. GP packs: Purchase GP packs to buy Hero Ships, ship vanity items, captain accessories and more. Open beta also brings several additional changes: SHAREfactory theme: Easily share footage of your favorite battles with video clips and images taken from across the Solar System. Download it for free! 2 Dynamic themes: Customize your home screen with a view of Sinley Bay or one of its massive, cavernous ship hangars—for free. PS4 Pro optimizations: Get even better graphical fidelity on your PS4 Pro. Currency conversion: Spend GP to convert Ship XP into Free XP, or turn GP directly into Credits. New languages: Command the skies in French, German or Spanish. Brand-new battlegrounds. Epic new ships. Droves of freshly-minted captains flooding colonies and bases across the Solar System. Take the helm and explore all that’s new in the open beta—and let us know what you think in the comments! View the full article