Commander Fury

The meaning of the Japanese word “Kiwami†is “extreme,†and I’d say it’s going to be a pretty extreme year for fans of Sega’s Yakuza games! I’m Scott Strichart, the localization producer for the series, and today we dropped some pretty rad news about Yakuza Kiwami, the upcoming PS4 remake that takes you back to where Yakuza all began in a from-scratch overhaul of the PS2 classic. As we promised when we announced the game at PlayStation Experience last year, Yakuza Kiwami is coming to North America on August 29, 2017! And it’s going to be a pretty sweet deal. Yakuza 0, which we launched for PS4 earlier this year, was only a success because you — the fans — believed in it, so we’re really going all out for Kiwami as our way to say thank you. You can grab Kiwami for $29.99 ($44.99 CAD) and all North American pre-orders/launch copies will include a special SteelBook while supplies last. In addition to that, today we launched the Yakuza Experience website, an all-new Yakuza portal where you can dive deeper into the world of Yakuza through an interactive timeline and character map to help you keep all these hard-looking dudes and what families they’re from straight. Right now you can check out everything leading up to 1995, where Yakuza Kiwami starts! The Yakuza Experience site also features the first issue of a 10-issue digital comic, starting with some of the key events of Yakuza 0 and taking you along for the ride all the way up to Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, coming to PS4 early next year. If you’ve just joined the family for Yakuza 0 or maybe Yakuza Kiwami is where you’ll start, these comics will help bridge the gap between Kiwami and Yakuza 6 with all the epic fights and intense drama the series is known for. And for our long-time fans? Stay tuned for some never-before-seen content and alternate perspectives on some of the previous games’ stories that’ll keep you hooked, too. Wanna learn more about Yakuza Kiwami? Check out the all-new official website, and get ready for one of the best remakes of a modern classic to hit PS4! And watch out for Majima. I hear he’s everywhere. View the full article

When we began our first Indie game back in 2014, codenamed “Motherlode,†we had two tantalizing ideas embedded in our brains: Combine “Bullet Hell†and “Roguelike.†Get weird! The reality-warping collision of these concepts became Deathstate, the best transdimensional indie bullet hell single-stick roguelike shooter ARPG ever made! Creating a bullet hell/roguelike was tricky. The bullet hell genre is more about dodging and positioning than shooting and aiming, so we knew right away players would need strong directional dodges. We love Binding of Isaac and wanted to follow its model, but we quickly discovered that the extreme volume of bullets, constant dodging, cooldown management, and twin-stick aiming added up to an overwhelming combination. Our solution: lose the second stick! In Deathstate, you are always shooting (as long as something is close enough to be shot). This shifted the player’s attention squarely onto movement and avoidance, and allowed us to get crazy with projectiles. Really crazy. On our highest difficulty, Insanity Mode, the bosses absolutely unload. Getting weird was easier. While we were making Deathstate our eyeballs were transfixed by movies like Jacob’s Ladder and Beyond the Black Rainbow. We were filling our ears with the Carpenter-esque sounds of Zombi, Umberto, and other synth-wave wonders. Deathstate’s otherworldly setting and synthed-out soundtrack grew from this creepy stew. The story: when Professor Elinberg goes missing from a shadowy New England university, a truth-seeking student finds herself trapped in a library suspended halfway between reality and the professor’s darkest discovery: the Deathstate. Using your newfound magical powers and apparent immortality, you’ll dive into the abyss — discovering planes full of monsters and bosses, treasure and mysteries. From Lovecraftian non-euclidean sunken temples to Hellraiser-esque labyrinthine black light hellscapes, Deathstate goes to some weird and wild places based on weird and wild inspiration. In just a few weeks, you can go there, too! Bread Machine is excited to announce Deathstate is coming to PS4 on April 25, 2017! Explore the multiverse as one of 10 playable characters. Collect more than 100 organs, weapons, relics, and grimoires. Fight more than 80 monsters including 14+ intense bosses. Die repeatedly — it’s for the best. You must have learned by now that death only makes you stronger. View the full article

Hi everyone! I’m really excited today to tell you about our newest in-game event: Overwatch Uprising! From now until May 1, you’ll have a chance to go back to an earlier time in Overwatch history. You’ll travel seven years into the past to experience Tracer’s first mission in a brand-new co-op brawl. We’ve also added more than 100 new Uprising Loot Box items that give you a glimpse at other heroes’ origins and backstories, including sprays that highlight key moments in our heroes’ histories, skins like Blackwatch McCree and Genji, Combat Medic Ziegler, Talon Widowmaker, and more. Origin StoryWhen we started exploring ideas for our latest event, we saw there was a great opportunity to delve into the story and history of Overwatch. Specifically, we thought about the idea of origin stories. We saw a chance to go deeper into the history of the relationship between omnics and humans by exploring a flashpoint in that conflict. We also thought it’d be a great way to explain and explore why the King’s Row we see in the game today is the way it is. Finally, it gave us a chance to show Tracer’s first mission. If you’re already familiar with the King’s Row map in Overwatch, a lot has changed over seven years. For the brawl, we’ve updated the overall art and mood to fit the setting of the omnic uprising. The omnic group known as Null Sector has occupied the city, and evidence of their presence can be seen all over. (We also had a lot of fun updating many of the art details throughout the map!) But it’s not just the map that’s changed—our heroes have, too. Tracer is still a little nervous about stepping into her first mission as an Overwatch agent. We see Reinhardt in command of the Overwatch strike team with Torbjörn and Mercy as active members. Perhaps the biggest differences are in the characters of Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes (who’ll someday become Soldier: 76 and Reaper, respectively), who sound different than the heroes we know today. Exploring the ArchivesIf you’re interested in reading more about the story leading up to this pivotal moment in Overwatch history, check out our latest free comic, “Uprising,†which takes place just before the events of the brawl. This is where you’re first introduced to “rookie†Tracer. While she’s confident in her own abilities, she trying hard to prove that she belongs in the company of the heroes around her. We were especially excited to create the skins and other cosmetic content you’ll find in the Uprising Loot Boxes. The event let us explore some of the heroes’ backgrounds in a fun way—sprays that give you a glimpse into Symmetra’s school days, important moments in the lives of characters like Widowmaker and Ana, skins that reveal what heroes like Genji and Torbjörn looked like in Overwatch’s early days… there’s lots of fun stuff to discover in the archives. With last year’s Junkenstein’s Revenge, our first co-op brawl, we dipped our toes into making a playable “story mission†in Overwatch, and it’s been exciting to wade a little deeper into that water with this event. We really hope you enjoy learning more about some of Overwatch’s characters and getting a glimpse at what the world was like before Overwatch’s fall. View the full article

Hello everyone! The Skyforge early access period is coming to a close, and our epic action MMORPG launches today! Now everyone can download Skyforge and start playing for free. It’s time to become immortal and save the world from invaders. To celebrate, we want to share eight tips to help our new players become immortal heroes. 1.) Don’t Skip the Training This may seem pretty obvious, but the better you understand how things work in Skyforge, the sooner you will learn to play well. Pay attention during the tutorial mission — that includes the story character comments and the tips on the side of the screen! If you’re planning to play with friends, please keep in mind that it will be possible to group up with them after you finish the tutorial part of the game (the Dankit Island adventure). This shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes, and it’s time well spent. 2.) Enjoy the Campaign! The Skyforge campaign is a story of the liberation of human settlements and encampments from enemy invaders, as well as uncovering the mysterious forces at work behind these attacks. In it, you have to face the remnants of hostile alien armies and suppress local bandits preying upon the inhabitants of Aelion. Campaign progression unlocks new bastions, with the campaign’s conclusion awarding you with the ultimate goal for an Immortal — achieving divinity and unlocking your divine form! I mean, it’s cool to be an Immortal and all that, but truly ascending to the ranks of a god and being able to assume your divine form opens the way to improved stats, cool new character looks, and — of course — your ultimate abilities. 3.) Unlock and Switch Classes As you progress through the game you will acquire resources to unlock the temples of different game classes. There are eleven classes to unlock in total with three more being added soon, and each class has its own purpose — after all, in Skyforge you can switch between classes with one press of a button. You don’t have to create a new character to try a different specialization — you simply select the class you want from the list and instantly switch from a Slayer to a Warlock or a Berserker. What’s important to know is that this instant class switching doesn’t only make the gameplay more diverse, but also more flexible! You can deal with even the toughest opponents by adjusting your class to the situation — there’s no need to limit yourself to one hero only! At the beginning, you’ll get to choose from the three starting classes — Cryomancer (DPS), Paladin (Tank), and Lightbinder (Support). We strongly encourage you to learn to play with all three of them — players love to have an immortal with them that can fit every role. 4.) Know Your Stats In Skyforge, instead of gaining levels, you will gain Prestige. Prestige is an indicator of your overall viability as an Immortal (or god) and is gained by acquiring additional might, as well as more powerful equipment that lets you stand out amongst the many Immortals on Aelion. And you surely want your followers worshipping the most prestigious of them all. Your prestige depends directly on your might as well as your character stat multipliers that come from your equipment. 5.) Upgrade Your Gear to Increase Prestige In Skyforge the equipment comes in different quality levels: Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary. The first two rarities are available from the start of the game. You will obtain uncommon items by participating in the main adventures and rare items by participating in group adventures. The epic and legendary gear can only be obtained by participating in challenging battles against raid bosses, or with a bit of luck from regular encounters. So make sure you spend some time on obtaining standout equipment. It will make your path to divinity even more enjoyable. 6.) Increase Your Might and Use Bastions It’s possible to increase your Might level in three different buildings: The Cathedral, the Tower of Knowledge, and Bastions. The first two buildings you can access via the “Capital†tab on your Campaign map, but the biggest increase to your Might is granted by Bastions. There are eight total, one in each Region of the campaign map. You can unlock them by completing all the main adventures of each region. Bastions allow you to access special quests, the completion of which will not only increase your might, but also grant you additional bonuses such as new active and passive abilities as well as increases to secondary stats. The Cathedral and the Tower of Knowledge are both also available for you to upgrade for in-game currency. Doing so will make you even more powerful! 7.) Use the Power of Your Enemies Fighting alien monsters is not only dangerous, but also a lot of fun. Brutal combos and the ability to loot and use enemy weapons (and sometimes also their body parts) against them will get your blood pumping. Such looted weapons don’t only look cool, they also deal a lot of damage. So don’t ignore them. One more thing — there are no dedicated healers here. Instead, you get to be the master of the battlefield by boosting your allies but ultimately you are still an unstoppable force of destruction. Similarly, nobody will follow you around to keep your health up, but almost every killed monster will leave a health orb behind, restoring a small portion of your health. You’ll have to figure out the most effective battle strategy for each encounter. 8.) Make Friends Skyforge is an MMO. And MMOs are most fun when you can play together with friends, share your experiences, explore together, and defeat the toughest enemies. So check your friendslist for buddies that are already playing Skyforge, or simply ask them to join you. It’s free, after all. Once in the game, you can simply invite players to your group or add them to your friendslist. Simply target them, press up on your d-pad, and follow the on-screen instructions. You can also directly invite players from your friendslist to join your group. If you’re looking for even more interaction, you can found or join a Pantheon — Skyforge’s equivalent of guilds. You can level up the guilds and unlock more features as you add more players to your ranks. Or if you are the more cautious type, you can join a Pantheon’s academy, where you can acquaint yourself with the Pantheon life before becoming a member. View the full article

Since revealing Uncharted: The Lost Legacy at PSX, we’ve been hard at work building a story and an experience that joins a new protagonist, fan favorite Chloe Frazer, with all of the hallmarks of an Uncharted adventure. Today, we’re excited to share new footage and additional details about the game — beginning with our release date. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy will launch on August 22, 2017 in North America for $39.99 USD ($49.99 CAD). In December we said that we’re approaching this project as a true Uncharted game — complete with its own deep narrative with complex character development, all-new destinations, refined gameplay, and blockbuster cinematic moments. We’re especially excited to have Chloe as our new protagonist and explore more of her story as she and Nadine venture across India in search of the fabled Tusk of Ganesh. To that end, we wanted to share a new scene from early on in the game as Chloe and Nadine try to unravel the clues leading to the Tusk’s location. Watch it at the top of this post. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | PlayStation.com Finally, you may have heard that our friends at PlayStation are bringing all four of the original Jak and Daxter PS2 classics to the PS4 via PS Store later this year. As beloved games in Naughty Dog’s history, we couldn’t imagine a better pairing for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Anyone that pre-orders The Lost Legacy at participating retailers will receive a free digital copy of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy for PS4 when it launches on August 22. For those who pre-order from PS Store, you’ll also get an Uncharted: The Lost Legacy PS4 theme designed by Truant Pixel. If you picked up the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Digital Deluxe Edition, Explorer’s Pack, or the Triple Pack, you’ll get Uncharted: The Lost Legacy as a digital download at launch. Owners of these products are not eligible for any pre-order bonuses. We look forward to sharing more details about Uncharted: The Lost Legacy soon. Shaun Escayg, Creative Director & Kurt Margenau, Game Director View the full article

Cosmic Star Heroine has been a huge undertaking for us at Zeboyd Games. With today’s launch, we wanted to share some of the ideas behind the battle system. Fast-paced battles are key elements to all of our games. While some of our previous games provided stationary, visible encounter points in maps, you were always taken to a separate static screen for battle gameplay. For Cosmic Star Heroine, we decided it was finally time for enemies to move around the map you explored, who would battle you right where you encounter them. This lends consistency to the game world, and has the advantage of jumping straight into battles immediately. It also provides the simple but fun mechanic of being able to narrowly skirt by moving enemies to avoid some encounters. It keeps the pace up, it keeps the player grounded in the game world, and it provides opportunities to fight or avoid some battles. We needed a complex, fast-paced battle system to go with it. Cosmic Star Heroine provides the player with up to 11 characters to choose from for their four-person party. For each character, there are eight ability slots; you can equip from a large variety of abilities and then narrow it down to eight for use in battle. This has the advantage of focusing players’ attention and diversifying their battle options without overwhelming them, while also speeding up battles by removing lesser-used abilities. To ensure that players would use a variety of combat strategies, we devised a simple system to encourage use of multiple abilities in battle, including the oft-overlooked “Defend†command. Players are able to choose any ability available — there are no mana or magic limitations — but can only use an ability once before it is locked out. The “Defend†command recharges all abilities. Think ahead: which abilities should be used at what time, depending on the turn order, such that they are not locked out at a critical moment? To further emphasize this mechanic, we implemented a Hyper system — each character is granted a powered-up mode that increases the effectiveness of abilities for one turn. The player can see when these Hyper turns become available, so they are encouraged to time their Ability and Defend commands to maximize a powered-up Hyper turn! By providing a wealth of battle options for customization and depth, but employing a system that focuses and simplifies elements towards strategy, we believe we’ve achieved the goal of a system that is easy to learn, fun to master, and keeps the pace of the game smooth! Our two-person team at Zeboyd has been working on Cosmic Star Heroine along with the super talented audio experts at HyperDuck SoundWorks to deliver what we feel is an incredibly varied, deep, approachable, fast-paced RPG with limited filler and tons of exciting moments. We’re excited to finally give the world a chance to prove their sci-fi super-agent skills! View the full article

When we began the StarBlood Arena journey, it began as an experiment; a wild idea had taken shape at our little company, WhiteMoon Dreams, and people quickly rallied behind it. The rally turned to a major movement within our studio and soon snatched up the attention of everyone who came close to it. Drawn from some of our favorite games and from a lot of practical development experience, we built a prototype that detailed our vision for what StarBlood Arena would become. At that moment, Sony empowered us to think bigger about VR and where we could go with it — taking it from a small shooting experience to a much more fleshed out game. StarBlood Arena is the culmination of years of R&D and the spirit of more than one hundred people who have, at one time or another, put serious love into it. We hope that you will find a pilot you call your own and an arena that everyone fears engaging you in. We hope that you trick your ship out so it plays exactly the way you feel in combat and so that it looks as ridiculous or as badass as you can possibly imagine. We hope that you spend days unlocking all the things you can possibly do with your ships and pilots and then meet us in the arena to soundly school us. But most of all, we hope that what you see is something that you built — it was your passion for VR, your love for games, and your love for PlayStation that made this possible. We hope you love StarBlood Arena as much as we do. View the full article

The Neverwinter team is extremely proud to bring you our latest expansion, The Cloaked Ascendancy, releasing on Tuesday, April 11! When a group of mad wizards threatens Lord Neverember’s rule over the city, it’s up to you to unravel their plans and learn of their harrowing past. The Cloaked Ascendancy boasts a brand new adventure zone and campaign, the new Spellplague Caverns Dungeons, and impressive rewards for all. We’re here to tell you about some of these rewards and how to go about obtaining them. Free Mulhorand WeaponPlayStation Plus adventurers can pick up their free Mulhorand Weapon when The Cloaked Ascendancy goes live on April 11! Simply head to the PlayStation Store to add this trusty weapon to your inventory. The Mulhorand Weapons are perfect for those who haven’t quite reached level 70 yet, but are looking for a boost in power. Make sure to log-in and grab it soon as it it’ll only be available until May 12, 2017. Ascended Artifact WeaponsAs you complete the new story in The Cloaked Ascendancy, you’ll have the chance to obtain the new sets of Artifact Weapons. This time, there are four different sets to choose from based on your role in combat: Mirage, Lifeforged, Fey, and Aboleth. You can purchase the new sets from the Campaign Store, but before you can use them, you’ll need to restore them to their former glory using items gathered from the River District. Fragmented Key of Stars ArtifactThis Artifact can be found by the bravest of adventurers in the Master version of the new Spellplague Caverns Dungeon. The mad wizard Nostura once tried to use it to bring calamity to Neverwinter, but has since been shattered. Much of the power remains and can safely be used by an adventurer. The Fragmented Key of Stars summons a Far Realm Horror that deals damage to enemies around it and knocks them back. It also comes as a Legendary Artifact. Companion GearIf you fancy your odds in the new Illusionist’s Gambit Skirmish you may find our brand new Companion Gear, which can be equipped on your companion to improve their stats. This includes varying levels of rings, neck items, waist items, talismans, sword knots, icons, pact blades, and grimoires. What’s even better is that you can easily salvage any extra gear you obtain for some good old Rough Astral Diamonds. A Whirlwind of a MountIf you’re looking for a stylish mount, The Cloaked Ascendancy comes with one of our most magical rides yet: the Arcane Whirlwind mount, which may be lying in wait in the new Many-Starred Lockbox. Upon summoning it, you’ll be enveloped by an elemental air spirit as it lifts you from the ground and will travel where you command. Now you can be gone with the wind as you leave your enemies behind! Feeling a sense of adventure? Head into Neverwinter on April 11 to experience The Cloaked Ascendancy. View the full article

We’re happy to announce a free upcoming update for the PS4 version of Race The Sun, including PS VR support, a new game mode, and a few other extras! VR Ever since our earliest days with Race The Sun on Kickstarter, some players have been asking for VR support. We’re happy to announce that this is finally happening on April 18th! All game modes will be playable in VR. To enable VR, just select the option from the menu. To exit VR mode, simply turn off the headset. Sunrise Additionally, we’ve added a free new game mode called Sunrise. This mode doesn’t have highscores, and doesn’t get increasingly difficult like the other modes. It’s simply a way to chill out and relax! New Portal Destinations We’ve added a few new worlds to be discovered when you enter a portal. Now, instead of always going to Void when entering a portal, you will randomly be taken to one of five destinations. The portal destination changes daily to keep things fresh. First Person Mode To go along with the VR update, we’ve also added an option to play in first person mode. You’ll be able to toggle this via the pause menu, or by using the square button at any time during play. We’ve found that some players find this mode to be more comfortable in VR, while some players prefer the standard behind view. We hope you enjoy the update! View the full article

Subscribe via iTunes, Google or RSS, or download here We’re back, baby! A bounty of listener letters sparks serious (ha!) discussion on a variety of topics in this week’s Blogcast: Justin shares tips for anybody thinking about diving into FFXIV, Sid finally conquers the Darkest Dungeon, Zac reveals his secret past in Hollywood, and it all culminates in a pierogies vs. nachos battle royale! Don’t ask. Stuff We Talked About StarBlood Arena Marvel Heroes Omega Kero Blaster Nier: Automata Tips for breaking into the games industry Advice for FFXIV newcomers Darkest Dungeon Cowboy Bebop New PS4 owner Protips Story vs. Gameplay Cosmic Star Heroine Pierogies (Pirogis?) Recent Episodes 243: What Remains of Your Jeans 242: Hob and Effect 241: Suffer Us Now! The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Zac Minor – Sr. Social Media Manager, 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

Prepare for the next generation of competitive multiplayer. In StarBlood Arena, players pilot one of nine distinct ships (with equally distinct pilots) and fight for glory and credits in underground arenas throughout the galaxy. Evade and attack in any direction, and unlock ship and weapon modifications to refine your combat style. Can you survive the most dangerous show in the universe? For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy the Drop! New Releases: Week of April 11, 2017 A Rose in the Twilight PS4, PS Vita — Digital In A Rose in the Twilight, a girl awakens in a castle void of color and time, affixed with the Curse of Thorns upon her back. After meeting a sleeping giant, the two work together to escape. Aaero PS4 — Digital Independent two-man studio Mad Fellows brings you Aaero, a game that synthesizes high-speed sci-fi shooting action with immersive music elements to deliver an amazing audio-visual experience. Cosmic Star Heroine PS4 — Digital Alyssa L’Salle was one of the top secret agents at the Agency of Peace & Intelligence on Planet Araenu. When she uncovers a horrible conspiracy, she has to go rogue in order to save the galaxy! Crawl PS4 — Digital Crawl is the dungeon crawler where you control the monsters! Possess cruel traps and horrid beasts in an effort to slay the hero. Succeed to take their place and it’s your turn to Crawl! Euro Fishing PS4 — Digital Euro Fishing is a fishing simulation game which allows players to master their skills to become a top angler within some of Europe’s most famous lakes. Fairune PS Vita — Digital Find different weapons to help you level up and defeat the hordes of monsters invading your realm. Face off against the mysterious threat, and seal it away once and for all. Kero Blaster PS4 — Digital A classically-styled 2D side scrolling action game packed with adventure from Studio Pixel, the creator of Cave Story. Lichtspeer PS Vita — Digital In a land filled with Wurst Zombies and Hipster Ice Giants, survival is an art. Grab your lightspear, become a Germonaut, and traverse lands straight out of Germanic myths. Survive with style and expand your powers to fight for the glory and amusement of the almighty Gods. Rolling Bob PS4 — Digital (Out 4/13) Draw freely with simple moves of your controller. Use your ability to draw all sort of things: create platforms, walls, walk face down, redirect energy, and much more. The Sexy Brutale PS4 — Digital The Sexy Brutale, a never-ending ball featuring intrigue, murder, and quite possibly the occult. Players must unveil the secrets of The Sexy Brutale casino mansion and its inhabitants, as they relive the same mysterious and murderous masked ball. Snow Moto Racing Freedom PS4 — Digital Lets race! Hop onto your snowmobile and thunder down tight cornered Snocross tracks with big jumps or over huge wonderful winter landscapes. Get ready for the ultimate snowmobile power ride. StarBlood Arena PS VR — Digital, Retail Test your mettle in furious arena combat with six degrees of freedom against pilots from every corner of the galaxy. Fight for glory, credits, and your life as the StarBlood Network broadcasts every lawless match for the universe to see. Stardew Valley: Collector’s Edition PS4 — Retail You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? Yooka-Laylee PS4 — Digital, Retail Yooka-Laylee is an all-new open-world platformer from genre veterans Playtonic! Explore huge, beautiful worlds, meet (and beat) an unforgettable cast of characters, and horde a vault-load of shiny collectibles as buddy-duo Yooka (the green one) and Laylee (the bat with the big nose) — embark on an epic adventure to thwart corporate creep Capital B! The Chainsmokers – Memories…Do Not Open Dead By April – Worlds Collide K.Flay – Everywhere Is Somewhere La La Land (plus bonus features) Underworld: Blood Wars (plus bonus features) Better Call Saul | Season 3 Better Call Saul- April 10 at 10/9c (AMC) Angie Tribeca- April 10 at 10:30/9:30c (TBS) The Leftovers- April 16 at 9/8c (HBO) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Hey pilots! We’ve got an update for all our PlayStation VR top guns and fresh-faced recruits out there. It’s always a pleasure to introduce new content, especially as thanks to the all the support we’re receiving from our vibrant PlayStation community. It’s a joy to fly alongside you… even when you’re blasting me into a thousand pieces. ;-) Anyway, on to the good stuff! Groundrush is our next free game update for Eve: Valkyrie, and it’s launching on PlayStation VR Tuesday, April 11. With every update, we try to push Eve: Valkyrie’s gameplay in new and exciting directions. As part of the Groundrush update you will gain access to our stunning new map, Solitude. This is a radical departure from the battlefields of open space as the action is set against the backdrop of our first combat zone located on a planet’s surface. We’re excited to see how pilots adapt their techniques to capitalize on all the new hazards (and opportunities) that come with this new environment. You’ll also find even weirder and wilder new gameplay in our next round of weekend Wormholes! We’ve added a ton of new content, from twisted locations to exotic mechanics there’s lots to be discovered. We eagerly await reading tales of your adventures in wormhole space on our forums. Our Co-Op mode has now been expanded to include both Control and Carrier Assault game modes. This player versus AI only playlist is the perfect place for pilots looking for a challenge with other pilots, rather than against them. No matter which mode you select, all XP progression and rewards are the same. You play the game how you want to, and be rewarded for it. Squads welcome! Also new for this update is our avatar animation feature. Aside from making our virtual world a far more believable and realistic place, the animations will help pilots celebrate a victory or commiserate a defeat. Accessibility and usability have both been focal points during the development of Valkyrie, so we are pleased to announce that English subtitles will be available as part of this new game update. On top of all these new additions, we’ve been making further changes to our Valkyrie League Alpha, improving our Training modules, tweaking our multiplayer playlists and fixing many bug and stability issues to ensure we deliver the best possible experience for all our pilots. I’m incredibly excited to be revealing this info to our amazing PS VR community first, and I’m looking forward to hearing your feedback and reactions on our forums, so drop by and join the discussion. We’d love to hear from you. What are you waiting for? Light ‘em up and let’s get out there! View the full article

Aven Colony is a non-traditional city-builder. Our goal is to make you feel like the governor of humanity’s first settlement on an alien world, lightyears from earth and 500 years in the future, growing a tiny, vulnerable colony on an exotic world into a massive, sprawling sci-fi metropolis. Along with that, you need to deal with all of the survival challenges that this hostile alien world presents. On the one hand, we designed Aven Colony to be easy for city-builder fans to pick up and play immediately, and we did an incredible amount of due diligence on the best standards across the city-builder genre. We felt strongly that we wanted to embrace and extend some of the best city-builder genre conventions wherever possible, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. At the same time, Aven Colony has a strong emphasis on survival, and taking place on an alien world that’s often hostile and works very differently from Earth. This meant that quite often, traditional genre conventions do not apply – “where we’re going, there are no roads.†Unlike any other city-builder, Aven Colony lets you collect and activate alien artifacts, pack your colonists into expedition vessels and send them exploring outside the colony, and build plasma turrets and lightning towers and other buildings to protect your colonists from creep spores and plague spores. Your plasma turrets can even shoot the weather, in the form of supercooled hailstones (“shard stormsâ€). Time and seasons also pose a challenge on Aven Prime. As the Aven Expedition has landed on a moon that circles an alien gas giant, the world has a very different day and night cycle from Earth, with time divided into “Sols†lasting approximately one Earth week. Each Sol is divided into seasons, and the “winter†season (nighttime) features cold winds, frost and snow, and dramatic lightning strikes that can damage or destroy buildings. It’s possible to counter this by building Lightning Towers that will protect the colony and shuttle the electricity from the strike into any Energy Batteries you may have. The traditional city-builder fire mechanic also posed unique challenges. Most city-builders include a mechanic where some buildings occasionally catch fire and will spread across the city if there aren’t enough fire stations to put them out. Colonies in Aven Colony are constructed with nano-scale carbon-metallic nano-cubes called “nanites,†which aren’t flammable. This, combined with Aven Prime’s low oxygen levels, meant that a traditional fire mechanic wouldn’t work. As a substitute, we designed an alien fungus called “the creep.†This is an aggressive alien life form that lacks sentience or consciousness. From time to time, creep spores head toward the colony, glom onto your buildings, and spread over the surface. There are several defenses against the creep, including building Scrubber Drone Hubs to remove them using special flying scrubber drones, as well as Plasma Turrets that can eliminate them before they land. We began working with concept artist Nate Hallinan to mock up the Creep and quickly arrived at a version that we loved, and the version that ended up in the game ended up being surprisingly true to the concept art. If you’re not careful, creep spores will quickly turn all of your colony’s structures into a big, writhing mass of nasty fungus patches and flailing tentacles. Later in development, we also added a few “Guardians,†such as the hover guardian shown below. These robots were left behind by the species that once lived on Aven Prime, and the player will occasionally encounter them when sending adventurers outside the colony using expedition ships. We also wanted colonies to be threatened from underground. In the current version of Aven Prime, the sandworm often appears in desert maps. We designed the sandworm to be very threatening, with huge “teeth†that extend out from the sides of its mouth and an acid attack that can damage the colony’s buildings. Although Sandworms rarely do too much damage to a colony, they’re a frequent reminder that we’re not in Kansas anymore. Aven Colony will be available on PS4 in Q2 2017. View the full article

On behalf of everyone at Gazillion, I’m excited to share news that we’re bringing Marvel Heroes Omega to PS4 this spring. So what is Marvel Heroes Omega? Marvel Heroes Omega doesn’t really fall into typical genre categories. It draws inspiration from both action-RPGs and MMOs, making it a truly unique blend of non-stop action and near limitless progression! If you’ve got a favorite Marvel Super Hero, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to play as him or her in Marvel Heroes Omega. It’s got one of the largest rosters of playable Heroes that pulls from all corners of the Marvel Universe. Play as Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Defenders, the Inhumans, the X-Men, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and so many more! Lovers of lore can also expect a fantastic tour through famous locations, from the dark streets of Hell’s Kitchen to the mystical realm of Asgard. The nine-chapter story campaign will also find players facing off against some of Marvel’s most infamous Super Villains, including Doctor Doom and the trickster god Loki. But finishing the story is really just the beginning! Like many great online games, we think Marvel Heroes Omega is best played with others – and players can look forward to joining forces with fellow Super Heroes in the game’s many Headquarter areas to tackle the game’s most challenging end-game content. There are so many more things I’d love to tell you about Marvel Heroes Omega. Like many other notable action-RPGs we love, we think it plays great on PS4. And with so many great Super Heroes, locations, stories, missions, modes, features, and literally thousands of hours of replayability, who could ask for more? But we don’t expect you to just take our word for it. Keep an eye out for more details soon on how to secure your spot for the upcoming PlayStation 4 closed beta and try it yourself! View the full article

Hi all, I’m the creator of Kero Blaster. Most people know me as Pixel from Studio Pixel, the developer behind Cave Story. Next week we are releasing Kero Blaster on PS4. A simple action game featuring a bipedal frog, this release will mark the game’s first console appearance. Moving from Cave Story to Kero Blaster has been an interesting transition in my life. In the beginning, I was making various smaller games. After Nicalis helped me sell many copies of Cave Story, I decided to quit my job making printer software and become a full-time game developer. Kero Blaster is the first game I’ve created since then. Kero Blaster is the result of much trial and error, considering things like the restrictions of an iPhone touch panel and what I should do to arrive at a completed product. It took some time, but I am really proud of how it turned out. Some of you who purchase Kero Blaster might be expecting a similar experience to that of Cave Story, so I’d like to explain the game mechanics. Kero Blaster is a linear side-scrolling action platformer. In contrast to the detailed exploration of Cave Story, in Kero Blaster the player simply proceeds right, encounters enemies, defeats the boss and moves on in a series of seven different stage types. If the enemies feel too strong, you can power yourself up at the stores located midway through the stages. It’s designed so that players with less experience in action games can take on the challenge at their own pace. After Kero Blaster’s initial release on iOS and Windows, a new “Zangyou Mode†was added to the game. This mode is for action-game veterans who beat the game quickly and want more. It can be unlocked by beating the game once and is available in the PS4 version. If any of the screenshots capture your interest, please go ahead and give it a try! View the full article

Six games from Lucasfilm are coming to the PlayStation Now subscription service starting today, adding to the library of nearly 500 games. Relive the magic of all six original episodes of Star Wars movies, recreated in the whimsical and always fun LEGO style, with LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Continue the adventure in the sequel, LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars. Take on the role of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice trained to hunt down and destroy Jedi, in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Ultimate Sith Edition) and its sequel. Or take a stroll down memory lane with everyone’s favorite archaeologist in LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, which features levels and favorite on-screen moments from the first three movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), and LEGO Indiana Jones: The Adventure Continues, which features newly designed levels from the first three movies not in the first game, as well as additional adventures from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As always, PS Now supports local 2P co-op, which is a great way to experience the above LEGO Star Wars and Indiana Jones games. Here is the full list of games available as of today on PlayStation Now: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – Ultimate Sith Edition Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures LEGO Indiana Jones: The Adventure Continues If you’re a fan of LEGO, PlayStation Now has plenty more to check out: LEGO Batman: The Videogame LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 The LEGO Movie Videogame If you’re new to PS Now, the service offers access to a large and ever expanding lineup of games for one low monthly price. Since the service is based on our cloud streaming technology, you can access the entire catalog of games, select one, and start playing quickly without needing to wait for downloads. Also, PS Now uses cloud saves, letting you start a game on PS4 and continue playing on Windows PC (or vice versa). If you haven’t given the service a try yet, we have nearly 500 PS3 games in the service and will be adding PS4 games to the lineup this year. Now’s the perfect time to give it a spin with the seven-day free trial on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Here’s a list of some of the most popular games on PlayStation Now during March: Red Dead Redemption Mortal Kombat Sonic Adventure Sonic Unleashed WWE 2K15 Tekken Tag Tournament 2 The Last of Us Sonic Generations Injustice: Gods Among Us NBA 2K14 View the full article

THQ Nordic has teamed up with PlayStation for the Humble THQ Nordic PlayStation Bundle, a new limited-time promotion from HumbleBundle.com. This is only the second time that games on PSN have been available at Humble Bundle, after the popular Capcom bundle last year. The bundle will feature over $334 worth of games from THQ Nordic. Some are for PS3 and some are for PS4 (SIEA PSN regions only). Like all Humble Bundles, it’s a brief offering, and will only be available from 11:00am PT on April 4, 2017 until 11:00am PT on April 18, 2017. Not only are a bunch of great games up for grabs, but the bundle also supports Hand in Hand International, a charity that nurtures grassroots entrepreneurship to fight poverty in over 14 countries (and counting). If you’re not familiar with how Humble Bundles work, you choose how much you want to pay, with higher tiers unlocking more games. No matter how much you decide to pay, you can allow the default split of your payment, or you can choose where the money goes – between the developer, Humble Bundle, the featured charity, or even a charity of your choice from their database of over 30,000 options. The following games are included in the bundle: For $1 or more, you get: The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (PS4) – Every world needs its heroes, however unlikely they may seem. Join Wilbur, Ivo, Nate, and Critter in another classic point-and-click adventure in the wicked world of Aventásia. Red Faction (PS4) – Red Faction revolutionizes gaming with Geo-Mod technology, the ability to completely alter and destroy the environment in real-time. Featuring 5 controllable vehicles, 15 weapons of mass destruction, unparalleled multiplayer action, and a setting on Mars in the midst of a deadly plague and rebellion, Red Faction sets the gold standard in gaming! Super Dungeon Bros. (PS4) – Super Dungeon Bros. is a rock-themed dungeon brawler where a band of mighty rock bros must navigate the fantasy realm of Rökheim and its hellish dungeons to seek out epic loot, fight hordes of evil undead and uncover the legends of long lost fabled Rock Stars! Deponia (PS4) – Daedalic Entertainment invites the players into a fantastic comedy adventure that revolves around a crazy love story of Rufus and Goal. Features a unique comic style with hand-drawn HD resolution 2D graphics, challenging puzzles, and hours of dialogue. ArcaniA: The Complete Tale (PS4) – The empire of Mirjana is in turmoil. The power-hungry king has set out to conquer the southern islands – no matter what the cost. In the add-on “Fall of Setarrif,†Aragon’s fate, once more, teeters on the edge of your sword. Face your destiny and make a path to Stearic blocked by monsters, churning streams of lava, deadly dungeons and a frantic population in desperate need of help! If you “beat the average†price for the bundle, you’ll get all the above plus: Legend of Kay Anniversary (select either PS3 or PS4) – 10 years after its initial release, Legend of Kay – Anniversary is a thoroughly remastered version of the original game. Full of fond allusions to old martial arts films and pop culture quotes, Legend of Kay – Anniversary is both an incredibly funny game and a challenging action-adventure for young and old alike. Battle Worlds Kronos (PS4) – Battle Worlds: Kronos is a classic turn-based strategy game in the tradition of Battle Isle, Advance Wars and Panzer General. Features Live Multiplayer – battle your friends live on the internet (cross-platform) or via hot-seat – and Asynchronous Multiplayer. Destroy All Humans! (PS4) – Take on the role of alien Cryptosporidium 137 and terrorize the people of Earth to harvest their DNA in the most brazen action-adventure you’ve ever played. Take over all of humanity using a variety of alien weaponry on land or in the air. Destroy All Humans! 2 (PS4) – Assume the role of the human-hating alien Crypto once again, in the sci-fi action adventure spoof. Take revenge on humanity for destroying your mothership. “Make War, not Love†and take on new enemies such as secret agents, giant creatures, Soviet Forces and even ninja warriors in an expanded open-world. Pay $15 or more to get everything above plus: MX vs. ATV Supercross (PS3) – Rip, jump and scrub your way around 17 tracks and try to cross the finishing line first against more than 40 official riders and harvest all that motocross glory. Choose between bikes or ATVs, multiple game modes including Career, Single races and various local and online multiplayer events. Darksiders (PS3) – Deceived by the forces of evil into prematurely bringing about the end of the world, War the first Horseman of the Apocalypse must take on the forces of Hell, forge uneasy alliances with the very demons he hunts, and journey across the ravaged remains of the Earth on his quest for vengeance and vindication. Darksiders II (PS3) – Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, embarks on a quest to redeem his brother’s name. Become the terrifying force which everything fears but nothing can escape. MX vs. ATV Supercross Encore (PS4) – Rip, jump and scrub your way to victory with over 35 tracks in this vastly extended version! Only the Encore edition features the brand new Rhythm Racing mode, extra outdoor Nationals tracks, and exclusive Waypoint races in open world maps. Darksiders Warmastered (PS4) – This remaster features native 1080p rendering resolution, doubled texture resolutions, rendering improvements and rework, post processing effects, 60 FPS gameplay, and more. Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition (PS4) – The Deathinitive Edition features Darksiders II with all DLC integrated into the game, which offers a total playtime of more than 30 hours; reworked and tuned game balancing and loot distribution; improved Graphic Render Engine for higher visual quality; and more. Visit here to purchase! View the full article

Hey all, Jaffe here! I’m super excited to let you know that starting RIGHT NOW you can head over to the PlayStation Store and download Drawn To Death! And if you’re a PlayStation Plus member, you can download the game for free for the entire month of April! Drawn To Death is a hybrid third-person competitive shooter/brawler; it’s fast and it’s loud, but it’s also deep and strategic. It will take some time for gamers to truly master each character’s skillset and learn how to tackle each of the game’s maps. Perhaps the best way to measure your skill in the game is to check out your ranking in Drawn To Death’s “Ranked Tower.†So, on launch day we wanted to take some time to dive into Drawn To Death’s meaty depth and strategic gameplay with tips from the development team so you can climb the Ranked Tower leaderboards at launch. The theme for the launch Ranked Tower is twisted Grimm Fairy Tales and needless to say, getting to the top won’t be easy. In order to help you on your climb, I’d like to offer my top eight tips to reaching the top of the Drawn To Death Ranked Tower! Tower Tip #1: Learn the Characters!If you dive into Drawn To Death and start playing it like a typical shooter, you’ll get slaughtered. When we say the game is a blend of shooter and brawler, we mean it – every character is totally unique. Each of the six launch day characters moves, plays, attacks, and defends in their own specific way. On top of that, each character has another fighter who they have a pro and con against. Changing up your playstyle based on the other three characters on the battlefield is a crucial aspect to winning matches. Tower Tip #2: Learn the Rules of the TowerEvery ranked game you win or lose will affect your standing on the Tower. The more you win, the higher you (or, more specifically, your PSN ID avatar) will climb. And every time you reach a new floor you’ll get a different sticker. This sticker will then get displayed next to your player name in the lobby, so your enemies will know just what kind of opponent they’re dealing with. But be careful! Every time you lose a ranked match you run the risk of dropping a floor. Will you be one of the few to make it to coveted Floor #25? Tower Tip #3: Use Friendly Mode to Explore the Maps!Drawn To Death has a friendly mode that you can use to invite your friends into casual games, set up game rules, and just have a more relaxed group of battles. But friendly mode also allows you to drop into any level on your own. Use this mode to explore and practice navigation techniques and get to know the maps. Friendly Mode helps you learn the shortcuts, the secrets, and the weapon and item placements for every level. Being a master of the battlefield is key if you want to be a great Drawn To Death player. Tower Tip #4: You Must Play With Sound!In a game as fast as Drawn To Death we rely a lot on sound cues to let players know which attacks are inbound and when specific enemies are close. For example: Hear heavy breathing right behind you? That means the psycho killer Alan is not only in striking range but he’s cloaked. So be careful! Hear the powerful shout of Bronco’s ‘DEATH FROM ABOVE!!’? That means you should JUMP because the most heroic character in the game is moments away from slamming into the ground and unleashing his devastating area of effect attack! Your ears can be one of your greatest powers in Drawn To Death. Tower Tip #5: Use the Threat Indicators!See these? These are threat indicators and they will save your life. Unlike a lot of shooters, staying alive matters in Drawn To Death, especially in modes where death strips away a point from your score. So, know that when you see these threat indicators around your character it means you’ve been targeted and it’s time to play some defense! Tower Tip #6: Rage Quitters Shall Suffer!Quitting a ranked game will not only deny you stats for that match but if you do it too often you’ll start dropping floors. Fight until the bitter end or run the risk of falling off the Tower! Tower Tip #7: Use the Hand!The Great Hand is a deadly ally. But you can only call on it once per match so make sure you use it at the best possible moment. Sometimes it allows you to make a last-second escape. Other times you can use it to wipe out several enemies with a single mortar attack. And if you kill an enemy with the Hand Stab it strips away 2 points from the victim, denying them the victory and turning the tide of battle! Tower Tip #8: Check the Options!Drawn To Death supports traditional option settings, such as aiming inversion and sound levels. But you can also set character rotation speeds, aim assist options, and things like automatic or manual ledge grabs. You can even tell the game if you’d like to activate your melee attack with a button press or by simply shaking the DualShock 4 when you want to strike. Make sure to explore the options and set them up just the way you like them. Doing this will give you a much higher chance of winning matches. And there you have it: my top eight tips for playing well and climbing the Drawn To Death Ranked Tower! But that’s just the start! For even more tips and strategies, don’t forget to visit the Drawn To Death forums over at drawntodeath.com where you can chat techniques, secrets, and tactics with fellow layers. And be sure to tune into our launch stream starting at 1:00 PM Pacific Time here . Happy launch day everyone and thanks tons for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoy the game and can’t wait to see y’all in the notebook! David View the full article

Hi, everyone! Since I first joined the company as a translator in 1999, I’ve been involved with the localization of all the Persona titles and their spin-offs, including Persona 5 — which is out today! When asked to write about the localization of P5, I thought about my methodology and whether things have changed as I devoted myself to bringing Japanese games to the Western audience for the last 18 years, and I realized: my goal has always been to deliver games in the most authentic and enjoyable form possible. P5 was a monster in terms of localization scope. It boasted the most number of translators and editors on a team, and everyone spent countless nights making the English version of P5 a reality. We set the general direction of the localization and settled on key terms and ideas at the beginning of the project, so everyone had a clear guideline when working on their assigned tasks. Whenever a big issue arose, it was brought to my attention, and I gave the team my feedback. As project lead I had to make the final call, but I made sure that I looked at the issues from different perspectives. When localizing a Japanese game, there’s always something that simply won’t make sense to the Western audience if translated word for word. Similarly, there may be lines that are too long to fit in the text window or the time allotted in a scene. What to keep, what to cut out, what to change, what are the consequences—it’s always a tough call, and the approach is different for each person. But the process becomes a bit easier to handle when the entire team is on the same page. I’m really fortunate to be at Atlus, where everyone in the company shares the same vision. Persona 5, as a game, is the pinnacle of the series. From battle system and social sim to playability and UI, it has remained true to its origin but every aspect of the game is at its best. The same can be said for localization: it’s the best English rendition in the history of Atlus USA thus far. I’m sure everyone who already purchased the game will enjoy it, and I really hope that people who haven’t heard of the series before will give it a try. This game will take your heart. View the full article

PaRappa the Rapper released on the original PlayStation in 1996, and starting today you can play the iconic rhythm game on PlayStation 4! To celebrate the release of PaRappa the Rapper Remastered, please enjoy this special interview between the father of PaRappa, Masaya Matsuura, and the president of SIE Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida. The original PlayStation version of PaRappa was released on December 6th 1996 in Japan. Crash Bandicoot, which Shuhei Yoshida produced, came out on the very same day. Both went onto become international hits and iconic mascot characters for PlayStation. Watch the video above to see part of the interview between these two friends, and read on for the full version of their talk. From a Musician to a Game Creator Yoshida: I have met Matsuura-san a number of times, but there are still times when I hear something new. Before you began working on PaRappa, Matsuura-san, you had been performing in a band called “PSY.Sâ€, right? Moreover, you were a major artist, releasing many singles and albums. So what made you work as a game creator? Matsuura: After making PaRappa, I too have had the opportunity to revisit that question countless times over. At the time, I was assigned to CBS Sony (currently Sony Music Entertainment), but I had tried counting once or twice to see what kind of platforms the music I had worked on was being used. Analog records, cassettes, CDs, video discs, etc. When I counted it all up, there were approximately 30 platforms. Of that, the one that had increased its presence was the interactive field. Yoshida: At the time, the word “multi-media†was popular, and CD-ROM interactive software was selling well. Matsuura: Yup. That was an era where there was a lot of focus on interactive media. There was also one more preliminary factor, though when I bring this up, I think everyone will be quite disappointed (laughs). That said, I had made my debut in the 1980s, a period of time that was revolutionary in the music industry. It was a time when MTV started becoming popular. It was a time when people didn’t just listen to music, but enjoyed the visuals that went with it. There are musicians who are suited for this and musicians that are not… Yoshida: That’s right. To me, I thought of PSY.S was very stylish. Even now, that image comes to mind. Matsuura: At that time, the record company was going through some hard times, and I think they had narrowed down a variety of ideas for me. (laughs) I just could not see myself appearing in videos. While it is nice to have others enjoy listening and seeing my songs, I recall myself just feeling out of place when it came to me appearing in videos. I had made music on computers as well, so it was fun doing collaborations where I create music and others create the CG. So with that, we entered into the 90’s. When these new themes of multimedia and interactive (software) came about, I thought to myself, “This is it! With this, I can avoid having to be in music videos!†(laughs) Yoshida: Oh so that was the reason, huh? (laughs) Matsuura’s Adventures in the Game Industry Yoshida: When did development for PaRappa begin? Matsuura: Around 1994, I guess. After the PlayStation was announced. Yoshida: At the time, you were a musician, not a game developer, right? “Even for me, it was not clear to me either if this was a game or not.†Matsuura: That is an important point. Upon completing PaRappa and gearing up for promotion, I had a discussion with the staff from Sony Computer Entertainment about how we should go about promoting the game. I remember that many of the staff at that time saying that, “this is not a game.†Even for me, it was not clear to me either if this was a game or not. Yoshida: At the time, it was a completely new type of game that didn’t fit into any genre. But yeah, even you, Matsuura-san, say it is unclear if PaRappa was a game or not. Matsuura: I would have never thought that PaRappa would have had such a good reception for this long. Yoshida: With PaRappa, we were able to establish a crucial position for “music games†as a genre in gaming worldwide. It had so much of an impact that it managed to keep music games going by continuing to stimulate other music game creators to create successor hit titles in the genre. But, the staff at that time was not sure what kind of game they should treat this title as. Matsuura: There were not that many discs manufactured anyway, and I thought that it would just end there and then. Yoshida: So that is how you felt until it was released, huh? Matsuura: Not just until it was released, but for another six months after release as well. Yoshida: In the end, it was a massive hit just in Japan alone. Matsuura: The initial number of copies we pressed was in the tens of thousands. I remember talking to some staff back then and asking them how long they thought it would take to sell through all the copies. Yoshida: I was a producer on Crash Bandicoot, which came out on the same day. The PaRappa team marketing rep and sales rep were both really fired up about the game. I was so jealous of that passion and sense of unity. Matsuura: Oh really? But I have no recollection of the game becoming a hit. Even after the initial shipment units sold through, we only managed to sell a few copies at a time following that. “It was the fact that players had recognized my work as an actual game that became a driver for me to enter into the gaming industry.†Yoshida: I see. So this was not a title that sold through a lot right away, huh? Matsuura: That’s right. It was selling at about a few thousand each week. Even after six months passed, we may have sold about a few hundred thousand units, but I still really didn’t feel it then. There were other million-seller titles, so compared to those I thought this was fairly subdued. Yoshida: So that’s what you had thought, huh?! I didn’t expect that. Matsuura: It wouldn’t hit me until later. The thing I was most surprised about was that players actually considered PaRappa as an actual game. The result of that was the opportunity for me to enter into the game industry. Yoshida: The release of PaRappa made me realize just how much fun it is to make games. So, you disbanded PSY.S in 1996. Did you feel like you threw away your exit strategy at that point? Matsuura: I did, yes. I thought to myself, if players accept PaRappa, then maybe I can make games for a living. It was the fact that players had recognized my work as an actual game that became a driver for me to enter into the gaming industry. PaRappa the Shrimp!? The Secret Behind the Birth of PaRappa Yoshida: PaRappa was received as a character that represented PlayStation around the world. While this was the start for spreading rhythm games around the world, the characters too were widely loved. Which came first – the game or the characters? Matsuura: The rhythm game portion was first. Yoshida: These days, it’s not that difficult to create a prototype on your own, but how did you create one back then? Matsuura: We decided that we would use Rodney’s (world-famous illustrator, Rodney Greenblat) illustrations. We wanted to make something on the PlayStation. Rodney, too, wanted to make something on the system. And that was when a SCE producer approached and asked us how we felt about making something together. It was from there that I studied the PlayStation environment and made the prototype from scratch. PaRappa the Rapper Remastered | PlayStation.com Yoshida: How long was the development cycle? Matsuura: About two and a half years, I think. Yoshida: Did you decide on what the gameplay was going to be from the beginning? Did you want to use rap? Matsuura: I had already decided to use rap, yes. Sampling technology itself was from the 80s, but the most interesting thing about sampling was people’s voices. I remember having the idea about wanting to create a music game using voices. Yoshida: How did the PaRappa character come about? Matsuura: I explained the content of the game to Rodney, and then asked him to draw a character that raps for us. From there, he drafted up several concepts. Yoshida: You didn’t tell him to make PaRappa a dog? Matsuura: I believe the proposal for a dog design came about somewhere along the way. Initially, the proposal was to have a shrimp that raps. (laughs) Amongst the many concepts, there was a proposal for a dog, and I thought that it looked pretty good. Yoshida: I see. So it wasn’t a matter of you specifically asking for a dog, but more of a request to make several variations of characters that can rap. Matsuura: Correct. Rodney already had several characters that he owned, so we borrowed some of those as well. Sunny, Katie, and P.J. were some of those. But we didn’t have a main character needed for a brand new game, so we started with having him create that character. Yoshida: There sure were a lot of unique characters, like Chop Chop Master Onion. Matsuura: Masters for each stage were all new characters including Chop Chop Master Onion. These were all characters that came about after PaRappa’s inception. Yoshida: Were all of the songs created by yourself, Matsuura-san? “Actually, the songs that I initially created were all samples of existing songs.†Matsuura: There were artists who created DJ-type songs, so I was able to have them assist me with this. Actually, the songs that I initially created were all samples of existing songs. However, we could not use these in the game due to licensing, so I rewrote all the songs into originals while maintaining the concept of each tune. Yoshida: The story for each of the levels is connected, but was there any possibility of not utilizing this game design perhaps? Matsuura: Some people suggested we should have stories in the game early on. However, all of the ideas were discussed flexibly and we were pretty much free to do as we pleased. Yoshida: Where did the idea come about for PaRappa’s line, “I Gotta Believe!!â€? Matsuura: There was a member on the development team who came up with the rap lyrics. His go-to phrase was, â€I Gotta Believe!!â€. In one of our discussions, he suggested that we should use that phrase, and we felt that it was a good fit. Even after the game came out, he was boasting in a post-launch interview about how he was the one who had given that line to PaRappa. (laughs) “Expression and Music Are Free†Yoshida: After PaRappa was released, there were several music games that came about. Matsuura-san, how did you view those titles? Matsuura: Fundamentally, I welcomed them, but there was one thing I was skeptical about. And that is the standpoint, where expression and music are meant to be free, was being underrated or ignored. I believe that the freedom of expression is something that leads to satisfaction. Yoshida: I see. So it is not enough to just learn the rules of the game and to just gain more points by playing by those rules, right? Matsuura: Exactly. In particular, it is important that music be a freedom of expression. It is a little unfortunate that there were music games that came out after PaRappa that focused on getting 100 out of 100 points. Yoshida: So I am hearing that you wanted to see more music games where players could express themselves? Matsuura: At the very least, I would have liked to have had (those games) relay the message of enjoying music and expression. I am okay with the game system itself being one to get 100 points out of 100 points. The Timeless Appeal of PaRappa After More than 20 Years Yoshida: During the making of PaRappa, was there anything you wanted to do but could not achieve at the end? Matsuura: To be honest, I don’t even know the answer myself. When I play PaRappa today, I still find something new from it. Maybe because this game was fueled with our message that imagination and expression should be free. If I look back on PaRappa and wonder if there is anything I could not accomplish, I think there are some things there. It is just that, as a person who is supposed to know PaRappa best, I cannot say that I know everything about it. “As a person who is supposed to know PaRappa best, I cannot say that I know everything about it.†Yoshida: As is the custom, a sequel would have been made after the hit of PaRappa the Rapper. However, you decided to make another title instead — UmJammer Lammy. There are certainly similarities between the two titles, but UmJammer Lammy took up a new challenge: playing guitar using analog sticks. Did you want to try a new thing because PaRappa was brought to completion? Matsuura: I just did not think about taking over the same thing. And I never thought of making a first piece of work in expectation of a sequel, which is often the case with recent movies and such. In that sense, maybe we gave everything to perfect PaRappa. Yoshida: PaRappa and his friends have been loved for a long time, what is the secret? Matsuura: I cannot really find the answer for this either. But maybe it is because we created this game communicating with people outside of our comfort zone. Yoshida: After playing it on PS4, I felt this game still offers a fresh experience. What did you think about this version? Matsuura: I was in awe at how gorgeous it looked. (laughs) Yoshida: PaRappa’s art and concept are fresh and timeless. Is this because of the strong emphasis placed on the art direction and character design? Matsuura: Yes, I think so. Yoshida: Due to the rapid progress in computer technology, we often feel let down at the poor visual quality of our old favorite games when we play them after a long time. However, the PS4 version of PaRappa still gives us the same impact as when we first played it on the original PlayStation. I felt as if the image of PaRappa that I had in my mind came back to life on the PS4. I am glad that a younger generation of gamers who have never played this game, or were even not born yet when the game came out, also get to experience PaRappa. Coincidentally, a remastered version of Crash Bandicoot is scheduled to release this year as well. I hope a lot of people will enjoy both PaRappa the Rapper and Crash Bandicoot on PS4. Matsuura: Definitely, that would be great. â€I Wanted to Make a Game that Puts a Smile on Everyone’s Face†Yoshida: When you were making PaRappa, how did you want players to enjoy this game? Matsuura: When we listen to music, we all feel a range of emotions such as encouragement, sadness, etc. But there are not many types of music that make you laugh or cheer you up, besides comedy songs. Even in the creative field where the emphasis is often put on personal expressions and emotions such as delight, anger, sorrow and pleasure, fun and delightful emotions have been somewhat underrated. And I have always thought that it is a deep-rooted issue in this field. So when I decided to make PaRappa, I wanted to make something that puts a smile on everyone’s face. And this concept was shared by many of the staff. Yoshida: So “making a player feel delighted†served as a basis for your decisions in your creative process. Matsuura: Yes, it did. Yoshida: I assume you have seen people playing your game in several events or received letters from fans. Had you expected those reactions? Matsuura: No, these exceeded my expectations. I presumed that the Japanese audience would understand the jokes or humor of PaRappa to a certain extent. But I had never thought this sense of humor would travel overseas. Yoshida: This year sees the release of the remastered version on PS4, and I am sure that a lot of people who have never played the series before will play PaRappa for the first time. Now that the time has changed since the first release, how do you think players would take PaRappa? Matsuura: I have no idea in regards to that. (laughs) Yoshida: These days, game players not only play games on their own, but also share it with others by live streaming to YouTube and other services. Are you excited to see how they are going to broadcast the gameplay of PaRappa? Matsuura: Yes, I am excited about that. Yoshida: I am looking forward to seeing gameplay where, like you said, players use PaRappa as a media to express themselves, not just a game to score perfect points. Matsuura: That would be ideal. PaRappa features COOL Mode which allows you to go beyond the simple task of mimicking your teacher’s commands. Instead, players can play the game freely. Actually, there is a certain rule you must follow in order to get a high score in COOL Mode. I have seen several gameplay videos uploaded on YouTube before, but I have not seen certain gameplay goals accomplished yet. For instance, I have never seen a player get the highest score with the minimum button input. Yoshida: A kind of gameplay that cracks the code? Matsuura: Exactly. I would love to see that kind of challenge. People tend to press the button repeatedly, but I don’t think this game is about that. Yoshida: Maybe it would work if players channel their inner musician, and play the game like “I would press the button here if I were going to make my own music†Matsuura: That is one way to enjoy this game, and I would love to see that. After this interview, Yoshida and Matsuura continued their conversation on several topics including the latest technologies while also playing PaRappa the Rapper on PS4. Occasionally tapping their toes to the rhythm, they were absorbed in the game just like they were over 20 years ago while thinking of the gameplay innovations of the future. Join in the celebration and play the iconic rhythm game PaRappa the Rapper Remastered, out now for PS4. View the full article

Hello! My name is Hito Matsudaira and I’m a character modeller for Nier: Automata. Does anyone famous in particular come to mind when you think of a character modeller? No one comes to my mind – character modellers rarely come out in public these days! Fortunately for me, I was given this opportunity so I would like to explain what kind of thoughts I had, and how I modeled the character 2B using some in-progress images of the character. I would like to show you that the process isn’t as simple as changing an illustration into 3D. Creating the modelGenerally speaking, character modelling follows the flow below: Predict overall form and its final image with a rough model Create high quality and precision modelling Implement into build as a model to be used in game I first began by creating a rough model based on the rough design I received from character designer Akihiko Yoshida. Yoshida-san’s tastes were clear to me through the images I hid in the above image (don’t worry, they aren’t weird or anything, they’re just reference images I can’t show), and with that, I understood what he was looking for without even talking to him. I love it. And this is the rough model I created. This was my first job since I joined the NieR: Automata team. I believe it took me about one to two weeks to create this rough model. I then had our game director Yoko Taro check the model as well and received a “great!†from him! I had referenced many things to create this model, such as games that Yoshida-san had worked on in the past (the character models for Final Fantasy XII are amazing…). When we mention a rough model, you may think that it can be very rough, but this is actually where I have to tax my brain quite a bit. Is this silhouette going to be final? Is it created in a way that the animators won’t have a hard time animating? How many bones will it have and how will we control the parts that will move? 2B was also a character that would become the benchmark for the project, so I had to think about the basis for body proportions and modelling, designing the shader, and even the cost associated with mass production, all while creating this rough model. It is difficult to regress 3D models these days, so it is also necessary to design the data while looking ahead to the impact that it may have on the project in the future. Next is the part that is the most fun: I work on adding details on a high quality model. I create it digitally like I would knead clay. I get absorbed during this process, refining the character model bit by bit. Lastly I implement it as a game model: In basic terms, the process involves pasting the images onto polygons, but the number of polygons and images increase each time a new generation console is released. The polygon count for the PS2 was a few thousand, so only one to two types of images were necessary. However, the polygon count for the PS4 is approximately 100,000 and it needs about eight types of images. You’ll also need more than that if you want something more detailed… The image below is where I’m adding image data onto raw polygon. Here’s how it works. I take the raw polygon → add images with surface contour information extracted from the high quality model → designate textures using different types of images → designate colour information using images → one last bit of creativity to bring out the texture of the model and – boom! The model is finished. On top of this, there is a dark side to 3D modelling. This involves figuring out how to configure the model when it gets wet, how things should move, and reducing the data size for the game so it would move at 60fps … but I’m only going to remember the fun times. The role of a character modellerI had written about what we do, but that was only the part of the process where I move my hands. The most important job of a character modeller is to think about how to implement a 3D model that moves in the game without it losing the charm of the original illustration. The difficulty of this is that the charm of an illustration gets lost as the character design is transformed into 3D and becomes more realistic. On top of that, the image players have of characters are generally based on illustrations, so players may have a negative sentiment towards character models from the start. This stinks. But in my job as a character modeller, I’ve thought about how to resolve that issue. Since a previous title exists, my first resolution was to create the model in a way that seems like the two worlds of Nier and Nier: Automata are connected (and by doing so, receiving forgiveness from fans of the previous title) I first thought about what the charm of the model from that previous title was. After studying it, I realised there’s a fragile beauty to it, a doll-like form that feels like it could easily break. Based on this, I’ve included odd elements to the 2B model in a way it wouldn’t be immediately noticeable. I won’t say more, but the model looks more beautiful with a dash of oddity. My second resolution was to give the 3D model it’s own unique charm, something you could only appreciate as the camera perspective changes, something that you’d never get from a 2D image. A 3D model can be seen in many different ways – from changes in lighting to perspective – so we can create a different look for the character that wouldn’t be seen in an illustration. I think that I created a pretty great model this way, but what do you think? SummaryCharacter models for games has a bit of a unique quality. Because games are interactive content, it is easy for a character’s charm to be elevated in the mind of a player through the player controlling the character and the memories and emotions that come from experiencing the game. I think that this is what makes game modeling fun. What did you think? You may have never thought this, but I was actually thinking about many things while creating the model. Through playing the game, I would be happy if 2B becomes a character loved by everyone. BonusThis is the official pattern design! (Please cosplay!) View the full article

The dynamic duo is back! We are delighted to announce that Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, and Jak 3 will be available on PS4 via download at PS Store later this year! Longtime fans and new players alike can experience the incredible exploits of Jak and Daxter as the duo sets out to explore ancient lands and unravel the mysteries of the Precursors. Images and video footage from Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy PS2 game on PS4 Jak and Daxter | PlayStation.com And we’re not done… ready to get car-Jakked? Image from Jak X: Combat Racing PS2 game on PS4 That’s right! Jak X: Combat Racing, Naughty Dog’s wild vehicular combat PS2 classic will be available for the first time anywhere since its release back in October 2005. Originally released for PS2, Jak X will make its way onto PS4 later this year. Play Adventure or Exhibition mode in this no-holds-barred buggy brawler for hours of challenge and fun. Although there will be no online features you can still battle against your friends via splitscreen. Experience these Naughty Dog PS2 classics with 1080p up-rendering and Trophy support. Additional enhanced features include Shareplay, Remote Play, and Activity Feeds (an active PlayStation Plus membership is required to use certain online features). We hope you are as excited as we are about these games — stay tuned for more news as we get closer to launch! View the full article

All of us at Volition are incredibly excited to finally be able to share a brand new Agents of Mayhem gameplay trailer that shows off all 12 Agents, the final box art, and most importantly answer the burning question on everyone’s minds… a release date of August 15, 2017! Agents of Mayhem | PlayStation.com I know that things have been pretty quiet from our studio these past few months. The truth of the matter is that we’ve all been working like crazy on the game to create a unique experience that delivers that special Volition style and humor. I could go on about the huge number of missions, the deep levels of gameplay customization and crafting, the easter eggs and nods to our past games, or the colorful cast of new characters that have charmed their way into my heart. The most important thing to me though, is that Agents of Mayhem is FUN. Playing, and replaying, and replaying yet again always manages to put a smile on my face. Today was just the start. We have a ton of awesome content lined up in the coming months between now and when the game launches on PlayStation 4 in August. I can’t wait to share it with everyone! View the full article

Ripped from the mind of acclaimed director David Jaffe and torn from the pages of an unusually creative high school student comes Drawn to Death on PS4. And here’s a special bonus: it’s free for PS Plus members this April! Drawn to Death puts crazy action and strategy to the fore, challenging players to shoot and brawl their way to the top of sketchbook arenas brimming with gore. Use an assortment of unique weapons and character-specific skills to deal out serious damage, and master the layout of each environment to trounce the opposition. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy the Drop! New Releases: Week of April 4, 2017 Air Conflicts: Secret Wars Ultimate Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail The arcade flight simulator Air Conflicts: Secret Wars takes you right into the heart of the action, with air combat at historical locations set in World War I and II. Take to the skies in seven exciting campaigns with a total of 49 missions. ArmaGallant: Decks of Destiny PS4 — Digital, Retail ArmaGallant: Decks of Destiny combines deckbuilding with real-time strategy, creating fast-paced 1v1 or 2v2 multiplayer arena battles. Learn and evolve the abilities of electrifying creatures and magical spells, forming powerful decks to unleash upon your enemies. Blackwood Crossing PS4 — Digital Blackwood Crossing is a story-driven first-person adventure game. An intriguing and emotive tale exploring the fragile relationship between orphaned siblings Scarlett and Finn. When their paths cross with a mysterious figure, an ordinary train ride evolves into a magical story of life, love, and loss. Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 4/7) Step into the boots of Grayson Hunt after a crash landing on an old resort planet forces him to make a hard choice: survival or revenge. Execute masterful kills with Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition’s unique combat system that rewards you for performing the most creative and deadly kills imaginable. Drawn to Death PS4 — Digital (Free with PS Plus) Drawn to Death is the latest title from acclaimed game developer David Jaffe (God of War, Twisted Metal). This competitive online multiplayer shooter provides deep gameplay mechanics by blending the nuance of a fighting game with the action of a competitive shooter. Lego City Undercover PS4 — Digital, Retail Join the Chase! In Lego City Undercover, play as Chase McCain, a police officer who’s been tasked with going undercover to hunt down the notorious — and recently escaped — criminal Rex Fury and putting an end to his city-wide crime wave. Mortal Blitz PS VR — Digital Become Yuhei ex-F.O.R.C.E. (governmental elite soldiers), and fight in the mission to thwart the evil plans of the Dominion’s Teratoma Destruction Plan. PaRappa the Rapper Remastered PS4 — Digital After 20 years since his debut, PaRappa the Rapper returns to PlayStation! Relive the original music game and join PaRappa on his quest to win the heart of Sunny Funny and learn from favorite rap masters like Chop Chop Master Onion, Instructor Mooselini, and Cheap Cheap The Cooking Chicken. Persona 5 PS4, PS3 — Digital, Retail The newest addition to the Persona series follows the actions of young phantom thieves. During the day, strengthen bonds with people as a high school student living your school life, and after school, become a phantom thief that wields the power of Persona to infiltrate the world within the hearts of evil adults! An unprecedented story of social reform begins! Plutobi: The Dwarf Planet Tales PS4 — Digital Plutobi (the nickname of Pluto) was kicked out of the planet list in 2006 and became a dwarf planet, because he is so small and weak. So he decided to become a planet again by showing his power to other planets in the solar system. Use Your Words PS4 — Digital Grab a few friends and get ready to laugh. Use Your Words is the party game for funny people and their unfunny friends! Virry VR PS VR — Digital Virry VR is the ultimate virtual safari. Head to the African savannah to play with wild animals in their natural habitats. Filmed on location in 4K VR, Virry takes you so close to real animals, you can practically feel their breath on your neck. Ghost in the Shell (Music Inspired by the Motion Picture) Mastodon – Emperor of Sand G-Eazy – Step Brothers Split (plus bonus features) Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Archer- April 5 at 10/9c (FXX) Colony- April 6 at 10/9c (USA) Crashing- April 9 at 10:30/9:30c (HBO) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

With PS4’s papercraft-inspired adventure Tearaway Unfolded available on PS Plus this month, we asked Media Molecule to talk us through some unseen concepts behind the game’s creation. Here, designer Rex Crowle pinpoints key design junctures in Tearway’s development, illustrated through exclusive images from the game’s early days. 1. A colorful dungeon crawler? “This is a very early concept from Tearaway. The game went through many changes, and switched genres a few times while we worked out the best way to use the paper-world setting. At this stage it was more like a colorful dungeon-crawler. “As we’d only just finished making LittleBigPlanet games, you can probably see a more LBP-style look here, with lots of color and pop-culture items combined together.†2. A collage look perhaps? “Another very early concept from me. I feel I was starting to put LittleBigPlanet behind me more by this point. The colorful collage look has transformed into something more atmospheric, and closer to the more magical and mysterious world that we finally ended up with. “At this stage it’s not really very papery, it’s more like someone has cut up sheets of painted paper and made this collage. I was actually quite inspired by the art of Eric Carle. You’ll probably know him as the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other children’s picture-books.†3. What about pop-up books? “In those early concepts you could quite easily miss that it’s supposed to be a game made out of paper, it just wasn’t bold enough. If we were going to make a game entirely out of paper, it needed to be instantly recognisable as a paper-world, with paper-characters, that look and sound papery, as that would inspire us to make uniquely papery-gameplay. “So we met paper craft designers and learnt about how pop-up books are designed and made. This concept by Men Lu was from a period when we tore everything up, and established a much stronger style – using the bold colors of construction paper and removing all other texture. So that the world was much closer to how it might look if you tried to make it in real-life. A very different type of photo-realism for a game! 4. Meet Oola “Any adventure needs an explorer willing to go on the journey. Originally our explorer was this little character called Oola, shown here in a concept by Men Lu. It’s a very sweet character, and I always loved the little bird-like feet that he had given to the design, especially as it ran around the world, possibly in search of some shoes. “Unfortunately we found it hard to create the more expressive animations for the character, as a lot of their body was hidden away. So after a series of redesigns and brainstorms from the whole art-team, we created iota – the paper messenger, and then soon afterwards, atoi.†5. How does weather work in a paper world? “When you’re making a world from one single material, it creates all kinds of interesting questions that you have to try and answer. Does fire hurt you if it’s made out of paper? Does paper-rain make you wet? We had a lot of fun arguing about things like this. “These concepts I put together for our genius engine-coder Mark, as we were figuring out how papery-weather would be represented in the world. I still really wish we’d been able to add those papery rays seen radiating out of the clouds, especially if you could have climbed up them!†6. A comic book design bible “When making a game full of ideas that everyone on the team are contributing to, it’s really important to make sure everyone is still making the same game together! The traditional way to do that is to have a design-doc, which collates everything together and contains every feature of the game in perfect detail. Obviously that makes it incredibly tedious and nobody reads it, which kind of makes it obsolete! “That’s definitely what I learnt in the early days of making Tearaway, and I soon switched to making little comic-books (like this example page) or videos, to explain quickly the overall atmosphere of what we were trying to achieve, and then everyone on the team could work on their own elements to get us there.†7. Getting the camera right “Another page from one of my ‘design-doc’ comic-books. This is taken from a longer-section about using the camera in Tearaway to reward players for exploring and recording what they find. “This feature was something that David ‘Dave Smith’ Smith really championed, and I loved how much it made you want to engage more with the world, as well as show other players what you’d found. “This camera feature was added long before we added all the other ways of customising your character and the world around them, and became such an important feature for sharing their own personal journeys.†View the full article