Commander Fury
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Store
Articles
Events
Blogs
Everything posted by Commander Fury
-
Hi everyone! PlayStation Heroes is partnering with Activision and Treyarch to give you a chance to win a trip to the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies experience during Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA on October 30th, as well as a Limited Edition Call of Duty: Black Ops III PlayStation Bundle. Just purchase the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Theme through PlayStation Store and register online to be entered for a chance to win. Participate in this month’s PlayStation Heroes promotion and support USO by purchasing the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Theme for $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $75, or $100. Each dollar you spend on the Theme acts as one entry for your chance to win a trip to Fright Fest at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, where you’ll get VIP treatment at the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies experience, including the opportunity to play Call of Duty: Black Ops III against a few of the developers from Treyarch. Don’t miss your opportunity to enter for a chance to play Call of Duty: Black Ops III before it launches on November 6th. You have until October 23rd to support The USO, purchase the Call of Duty Black Ops III Theme, and register online for a chance at a trip to Fright Fest. For details and full rules, head here. Activision Publishing, Inc. is not a sponsor of this promotion. View the full article -
score submissions PSBlog Feed: PlayStation Store Update
Commander Fury posted a topic in Playstation Blog
PS4 Games Arcade Archives Crazy Climber 2 $7.99 Back to the Future: The Game — 30th Anniversary Edition $19.99 Bedlam: The Game By Christopher Brookmyre $19.99 Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below $59.99 Goosebumps: The Game $14.99 Grand Ages: Medieval $59.99 Minecraft: Story Mode — Episode 1: The Order of the Stone $4.99 One Upon Light $11.99 The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition $39.99 The Jackbox Party Pack 2 $24.99 Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition $4.99 (Cross Buy) Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut $39.99 WRC 5 FIA World Rally Championship $49.99 PS3 Games Goosebumps: The Game $14.99 The Jackbox Party Pack 2 $24.99 Minecraft: Story Mode — Episode 1: The Order of the Stone $4.99 WRC 5 FIA World Rally Championship $39.99 PS Vita Games Corpse Party: Blood Drive $39.99 Farming Simulator 16 $34.99 Super Blackout $4.99 Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition $4.99 (Cross Buy) WRC 5 FIA World Rally Championship $29.99 BundlesConsoleBundlePricePS4Dead Or Alive 5 Last Round – Halloween Costume 2015 Set$27.99PS4Dragon Quest Heroes Digital Slime Edition$64.99PS4Rocksmith 2014 – Kiss Song Pack II$7.99PS3Dead Or Alive 5 Last Round – Halloween Costume 2015 Set$27.99PS3Rocksmith 2014 – Kiss Song Pack II$7.99 Sales PlatformTitleSale PriceOriginal PricePS4Dying Light$37.49$49.99PS4Dying Light Ultimate Edition$52.49$69.99PS4Gauntlet: Slayer Edition$14.99$19.99PS4Grand Theft Auto V$40.19$59.99PS4Grand Theft Auto V & Great White Shark Cash Card$47.99$79.99PS4Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition$11.99$19.99PS4Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham$17.99$29.99PS4Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Season Pass$8.99$14.99PS4Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Deluxe Edition$32.99$54.99PS4Lego Jurassic World$44.99$59.99PS4Lego Marvel Super Heroes$6.60$19.99PS4Lego The Hobbit$10.99$19.99PS4Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor$20.99$29.99PS4Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor – Game Of The Year Edition$27.99$39.99PS4Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor Season Pass$17.49$24.99PS4Minutes$4.79$7.99PS4Mortal Kombat X$44.99$59.99PS4Mortal Kombat X Premium Edition$67.49$89.99PS4Mortal Kombat X Season Pass$22.49$29.99PS4Mousecraft$2.70$14.99PS4Stealth Inc Ultimate Edition$1.95$14.99PS4The Lego Movie Videogame$10.99$19.99PS3Grand Theft Auto Episodes From Liberty City$5.00$19.99PS3Grand Theft Auto IV$5.00$19.99PS3Grand Theft Auto V$25.20$59.99PS3Grand Theft Auto V & Great White Shark Cash Card$29.60$79.99PS3Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Storie – PS2 Classic$2.50$9.99PS3Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – PS2 Classic$3.75$14.99PS3Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – PS2 Classic$7.50$29.99PS3Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – PS2 Classic$2.50$9.99PS3Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – PS2 Classic$2.50$9.99PS3Grand Theft Auto 3 – PS2 Classic$2.50$9.99PS3Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition$11.99$19.99PS3Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham$11.99$19.99PS3Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7$6.60$19.99PS3Lego Jurassic World$37.49$49.99PS3Lego Lord Of The Rings$6.60$19.99PS3Lego Marvel Super Heroes$6.60$19.99PS3Lego The Hobbit$10.99$19.99PS3Lord Of The Rings: War In The North$6.60$19.99PS3Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor Legion Edition$13.99$19.99PS3Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition$11.99$19.99PS3Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection$5.99$9.99PS3Mortal Kombat Vs Dc Universe$6.60$19.99PS3Mousecraft$2.70$14.99PS3Persona 4 Arena Ultimax$29.99$39.99PS3Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Ultimate Edition$74.99$99.99PS3Stealth Inc: A Clone In The Dark$2.00$9.99PS3The Lego Movie Videogame$10.99$19.99PSPGrand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars$5.00$19.99PSPGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories$5.00$19.99PSPGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories$5.00$19.99PS VitaInjustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition$11.99$19.99PS VitaLego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham$11.99$19.99PS VitaLego Harry Potter: Years 5-7$6.60$19.99PS VitaLego Jurassic World$22.49$29.99PS VitaLego Marvel Super Heroes$6.60$19.99PS VitaLego The Hobbit$10.99$19.99PS VitaMinutes$4.79$7.99PS VitaMousecraft$2.70$14.99PS VitaStealth Inc: A Clone In The Dark$2.00$9.99PS VitaThe Lego Movie Videogame$10.99$19.99 The Game Documentary 2 City and Colour If I Should Go Before You R. City What Dreams Are Made Of Follow PlayStation Music on Spotify The James Bond Collection Vacation Tomorrowland The Walking Dead – Season 6 For more new movies and TV shows visit PlayStation Video App Updates Amazon Instant Video New to Prime: Back to the Future trilogy. Crunchyroll The Asterisk War: season premiere available for FREE this week If you love Parasyte, then check out The Perfect Insider HBO GO The Leftovers, new episode “A Matter of Geography†available today Project Greenlight, new episode “Picture’s Up†available today Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, new episode available today Feardotcom, available today Grudge Match, available today The Haunted Mansion, available today John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A., available today WWE Network Undertaker vs. Lesnar! Watch the Hell In A Cell PPV this weekend, October 25th at 8E/5P. Sign up. VidZone VidZone Highlights: https://youtu.be/meoa1HBc1t8 Artist Of The Week: Rae Sremmurd – Featuring the brand new video for ‘Come Get Her’ taken from their hugely successful debut album, Sremmlife. Featured Playlist: CMA Awards 2015 – Nominees – A playlist featuring all of the Country Award’s nominees including Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert and more. Featured Video: Eminem – ‘Phenomenal’ – Watch the action-packed video which sees the rapper gain superhuman strength before facing off Hollywood star John Malkovich. The single is taken from the Southpaw movie soundtrack starring Jake Gyllenhaal. New Videos: Eminem – Phenomenal (Featured), Selena Gomez – Same Old Love (Pop), Mac Miller – 100 Grandkids (Hip-Hop), Trey Songz – About You (RnB), Kygo Ft. Ella Henderson – Here for You (Dance), Hozier – Jackie And Wilson (Alternative), Magic! – #SUNDAYFUNDAY (Party), PS4 Add-onsDead Or Alive 5 Last Round Akira Halloween Costume ($1.99) Alpha-152 Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ayane Halloween Costume ($1.99) Bass Halloween Costume ($1.99) Bayman Halloween Costume ($1.99) Brad Wong Halloween Costume ($1.99) Christie Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ein Halloween Costume ($1.99) Eliot Halloween Costume ($1.99) Gen Fu Halloween Costume ($1.99) Hayate Halloween Costume ($1.99) Helena Halloween Costume ($1.99) Hitomi Halloween Costume ($1.99) Honoka Halloween Costume ($1.99) Jacky Halloween Costume ($1.99) Jann Lee Halloween Costume ($1.99) Kasumi Halloween Costume ($1.99) Kokoro Halloween Costume ($1.99) La Mariposa Halloween Costume ($1.99) Leifang Halloween Costume ($1.99) Leon Halloween Costume ($1.99) Marie Rose Halloween Costume ($1.99) Mila Halloween Costume ($1.99) Momiji Halloween Costume ($1.99) Nyotengu Halloween Costume ($1.99) Pai Halloween Costume ($1.99) Phase 4 Halloween Costume ($1.99) Rachel Halloween Costume ($1.99) Raidou Halloween Costume ($1.99) Rig Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ryu Hayabusa Halloween Costume ($1.99) Sarah Halloween Costume ($1.99) Tina Halloween Costume ($1.99) Zack Halloween Costume ($1.99) Destiny 500 Destiny Silver ($4.99) 1,000 (+100 Bonus) Destiny Silver ($9.99) 2,000 (+300 Bonus) Destiny Silver ($19.99) Disgaea 5: Alliance Of Vengeance Girl Laharl ($1.99, Free for Season Pass) Kunoichi ($1.99, Free for Season Pass) Complete DLC Bonus: Pleinair (Free) Scenario: Disgaea D2: Laharl Episode ($3.99) Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe And The Blight BelowFandangoos (Free)Hustle Kings Free To PlayPuzzle Exhibition Pack ($4.99)Minecraft: Story Mode – Episode 1: The Order Of The Stone Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Pass ($24.99)Rock Band 4 ‘Don’t Wanna Fight’ – Alabama Shakes ($1.99) ‘Dailure’ – Breaking Benjamin ($1.99) ‘Follow Me Down’ – The Pretty Reckless ($1.99) ‘Trainwreck 1979’ – Death From Above 1979 ($1.99) Rocket LeagueRevenge Of The Battle-cars ($3.99)Rocksmith 2014 Edition Kiss – God Of Thunder ($2.99) Kiss – Love Gun ($2.99) Kiss – Strutter ($2.99) PS3 Add-onsDead Or Alive 5 Last Round Akira Halloween Costume ($1.99) Alpha-152 Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ayane Halloween Costume ($1.99) Bass Halloween Costume ($1.99) Bayman Halloween Costume ($1.99) Brad Wong Halloween Costume ($1.99) Christie Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ein Halloween Costume ($1.99) Eliot Halloween Costume ($1.99) Gen Fu Halloween Costume ($1.99) Hayate Halloween Costume ($1.99) Helena Halloween Costume ($1.99) Hitomi Halloween Costume ($1.99) Honoka Halloween Costume ($1.99) Jacky Halloween Costume ($1.99) Jann Lee Halloween Costume ($1.99) Kasumi Halloween Costume ($1.99) Kokoro Halloween Costume ($1.99) La Mariposa Halloween Costume ($1.99) Leifang Halloween Costume ($1.99) Leon Halloween Costume ($1.99) Marie Rose Halloween Costume ($1.99) Mila Halloween Costume ($1.99) Momiji Halloween Costume ($1.99) Nyotengu Halloween Costume ($1.99) Pai Halloween Costume ($1.99) Phase 4 Halloween Costume ($1.99) Rachel Halloween Costume ($1.99) Raidou Halloween Costume ($1.99) Rig Halloween Costume ($1.99) Ryu Hayabusa Halloween Costume ($1.99) Sarah Halloween Costume ($1.99) Tina Halloween Costume ($1.99) Zack Halloween Costume ($1.99) Destiny 500 Destiny Silver ($4.99) 1,000 (+100 Bonus) Destiny Silver ($9.99) 2,000 (+300 Bonus) Destiny Silver ($19.99) Rocksmith 2014 Edition Kiss – God Of Thunder ($2.99) Kiss – Love Gun ($2.99) Kiss – Strutter ($2.99) PS Vita Add-onsPersona 4: Dancing All Night Midwinter Clothes Set (Free) Colored Contacts Set ($1.99) Persona Classics Set 2 ($1.99) Track ‘the Fog (atlus Konishi Remix)’ Featuring Adachi ($4.99) Track ‘P4 Animation Track Set B’ ($1.99) Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3Samurai News 16 (Free) ThemesConsoleThemePricePS41 River Dynamic Theme$3.49PS43 American City New York Dynamic Theme$3.49 PS4Kiss The Skull Dynamic Theme$2.99PS4Spark Dynamic Theme – Full HD$2.99PS4Spider’s Ground Dynamic Theme – Full HD$2.99 PS VitaKiss The Skull Theme$2.99PS VitaSpark Theme$2.99PS VitaSpider’s Ground Theme$2.99 View the full article -
Last year our first 3D Action RPG, The Witch and the Hundred Knight, found its way onto PS3. For those of you who didn’t dip your toes in the swamp, you’ll now have a chance to get down and dirty because this witch is coming to PS4 in The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition on March 1! If you didn’t spend any time in the swamp last year, this will be the perfect opportunity to get your toes sticky. For those of you who did a little mucking around already, this revival will come jam-packed with new features, shiny new graphics, and of course, the adorable little demon warrior whose name is bound to confuse you at least once, Hundred Knight, all for just $39.99. Now that, my fellow Prinny, is what I call a bargain for a PS4 game. Oh, you’re curious about the new features I’m talking about? Well, let’s take a quick look! If you were one of the Prinnies that hopped in and duked it out last year, you’ll be familiar with Metallia. In Revival Edition, you’ll finally be able to take control of the dastardly witch herself and raise Cain in Medea! She has some pretty awesome magic skills to do things like call down lightning, create a vortex to draw in enemies, or summon a massive sword to slice and dice her way through the Tower of Illusion. Oh, that’s new too! The Tower of Illusion is a nifty way to challenge yourself and gain some sick loot! To enter it, you’ll have to sacrifice a weapon — the stronger the weapon, the more powerful your foes and the better the loot! It’s almost like you’re battling the weapon you sacrificed… Give up a little stick, and it’ll be easy-peasy, but give up a legendary Spear of Sins with some super strong catalyst upgrades, and you might find yourself a touch outclassed. But that’s the fun of a challenge, right? Those catalysts I mentioned are new, too. In the Tower of Illusion, you’ll be able to gather catalysts like the Concentrated Mana Pearl, which you can combine in the new Alchemy system to boost the stats of your favorite equipment! You can only use a limited number of catalysts on each item though, so be sure to pick the right ones for your playstyle. Since the game’s graphics have been revamped for the PS4, all these new features will come with a coat of new paint. And speaking of new paint, we’re giving you a chance to help decide just what color paint the game’s box should have! Swing over to our Facebook page and cast your vote for the game’s cover art right now! And while you’re waiting for The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition to crawl out of the deepest parts of Medea on March 1, 2016, you can check out our official site for more details about the game! That’s all from me this time, dood! See you in the swamp! View the full article
-
score submissions PSBlog Feed: Home Free Coming to PS4
Commander Fury posted a topic in Playstation Blog
Hi, I’m Kevin Cancienne, and I’m working on a game called Home Free, about the life of a dog lost in a randomly generated city. You play as that dog. You’ll need to find food, a safe place to sleep, and friends, both human and canine. Eventually, hopefully, you’ll find home. I’m currently crowdfunding Home Free over on Kickstarter, and today I’m very happy to announce that I’ll be bringing the game to PlayStation 4! I’ve been building Home Free for over two years now. It was born when I combined two projects I’d been working on — a procedural city engine and a local multiplayer dog wrasslin’ game called Dog Park. It currently seems like we’re living in the golden age of video game dogs: the dog in COD: Ghosts, DD in MGS5, and Dogmeat in Fallout 4. And there have been a few games, over the years, where you get to play as a dog: Cult favorite A Dog’s Life on PS2, of course. You can even briefly control Chop in GTA V. And Okami has a special place in my heart (OK, technically Amaterasu isn’t a dog, she’s a mythological wolf sun goddess. But still). I was interested in making a game where you’re basically just a dog, seeing the world from a dog’s perspective. A game where you can run, jump, wrestle, tackle, and sniff butts. That’s why I started by creating Dog Park for NYU’s No Quarter Show in 2014. I wanted to create a game about the sheer joy and physicality of dog play. But ultimately, I had something bigger in mind. The idea of being a dog in an open world city game seemed like something I had to pursue. A dog can’t steal a car or shoot a gun, but has to use its instincts to survive in an environment that wasn’t built with canines in mind. With my random city generator, I had a way to create a place where no one’s been before, a place where every player can feel truly lost. I was inspired by the vibrant, abstract visions of Tokyo on display in games like Jet Set Radio and Katamari Damacy, and now I had a way to create a near-infinite number of variations on them. Home Free still has a way to go, which is why I took the game to Kickstarter. I estimate I still have about another year of work to do until it’s done. Kickstarter has helped me get the money I need to focus completely on the project and to pay some folks to help with the parts I can’t do myself. The Kickstarter is now fully funded, but there are still some fun stretch goals to reach. And if you back it now, you can reserve yourself a digital copy when it comes out on PS4. I recently checked out the Home Free trailer on the big TV in my living room for the first time. Seeing it like that, a glimpse of how it will look on PS4, briefly gave me chills. The game already feels great with a controller in your hand, and I’m so happy to be able to share it with PlayStation owners around the world. View the full article -
Today’s release of Bedlam sees the completion of a unique creative cycle: from games to books and back again. Novelists can be very snobbish about what they’re prepared to cite as inspirations. Standing on the shoulders of literary giants grants unquestionable artistic kudos. Standing on the shoulders of Serious Sam not so much. I’ve heard authors talk about weeping over poetry as teenagers. At that age I was weeping over having spent fifteen minutes loading a ZX Spectrum game from a cassette only for it to crash on launch. In many people’s minds, video games and literature are at opposite ends of some theoretical artistic spectrum, but for me the former has frequently fuelled the latter. I lost myself in those digital worlds, excited and inspired by what I experienced there, and as a result I have spent years writing novels intended to give the reader the same sense of excitement and wonder that I got from playing those games. Now the process has come full circle. Developers RedBedlam had read my novels Pandaemonium and A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away, and loved the games gags and references peppered throughout. They were interested in developing an FPS, and thought that a collaboration with a novelist would be good way of coming up with something fresh. I didn’t need to be asked twice. We wanted to create a game that encapsulated our experience of growing up alongside the FPS genre and games in general, the pleasure we had taken in watching those games evolve, but being gamers, naturally we wanted to mess with all that. I’m sure everybody has been playing a gritty war shooter and wished we could pull out a futuristic plasma weapon, or unleash a rocket at an oncoming horde of fantasy-realm enemies (two meanings of RPG for the price of one). What really excited us was that the technology we now have would enable us to create a single game in which you could: Warp from a Nineties-style sci-fi FPS to a gritty modern cover shooter to a state-of-the art fantasy RPG. Play 2D arcade games from a first-person perspective. Stomp like a giant around the map of an RTS, battling swarms of military units with your scale-mismatched guns. Take the weapons load-out from one genre into another; in fact from one gaming era into another. Bedlam is that game. Of course, all of the above might only serve to take you out of the moment, unless it was held together by a story that sucked you in and made the cross-genre stuff part of the concept, part of what immersed you. That is why I wrote it first as a novel, an action-packed sci-fi thriller full of jokes and Easter eggs referencing three decades of gaming history and culture. So trust me when I say that Bedlam is an experience made by gamers, for gamers. This, to coin a phrase, is for the players. View the full article
-
Healio everyone! We just announced Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below in February of this year, and it’s already launch day — time has sure flown by! It’s officially out today, so make sure you pick up your copy here! To celebrate today’s release, we created this all new launch trailer: If you somehow missed all of the goo-reat stuff we talked about this past year, or in case this is your first time hearing about Dragon Quest Heroes, here’s just a quick run down to catch you up to speed: What is Dragon Quest Heroes? Check it out here! Is this game just a hack and slash? Psshhh… yeah right What have we done to make this version special for US fans? Collector’s Edition?!? Did you know it’s the first one ever for Dragon Quest? And I’m unboxing it! For you folks that just don’t have the shelf or storage space for a physical Collector’s Edition – for just $5 more than the Standard Version, you can upgrade to the Digital Slime Edition to get the 11 pieces of DLC in the physical Collector’s Edition! Hopefully you’ve met my adorable little buddy Healix… cute, huh? This is from when he was the star on Twitch! If you’d like to follow his goo-rand worldwide adventures you can follow him here on Facebook or Twitter! One thing you guys might be wondering… is this it for Dragon Quest Heroes or will there be anything to look forward to after launch? Well I can tell you, every weekend until January 31, 2016 we will be hosting special event weekends where you can get some serious buffs and stuffs to keep going through Dragon Quest Heroes. Awesome, no? Here’s the schedule of what you can look forward to every weekend: Every week (Saturday) midnight to 12 noon PDTBonus EXP campaign – During the event the amount of EXP earned will be increased by 20%!Every week (Saturday) 12 noon to 11:59 pm PDTRare item campaign – During the event the chances of obtaining rare items will be doubled!Every week (Sunday) midnight to 12 noon PDTBonus gold campaign – During the event the amount of gold earned will be increased by 20%!Every week (Sunday) 12 noon to 11:59 pm PDTBonus EXP campaign – During the event the amount of EXP earned will be increased by 20%! You will need to have internet connection and a valid PSN account to access the weekend events. These weekend events will go until January 31, 2016. Anything you want to know about Dragon Quest Heroes from us? If not, we’d love to hear what you’re looking forward to! View the full article
-
Circle February 9 on your calendar, gather your friends, and put your camping trips on hold: Firewatch is launching on PS4! Right now we’re still polishing, optimizing, writing, and developing the last bits of the game, but we can’t wait to put it out there for you to play. If you didn’t see us at E3 this year, you can check out our trailer here. Firewatch is a first-person adventure game about a mystery in the Wyoming wilderness. It’s being developed by a group of folks who brought you games like The Walking Dead: Season 1, Brutal Legend, Bioshock II, The Cave and Mark of the Ninja. We’ll have much more to say in the lead-up to February 9, as well as some opportunities for some of you to get an early hands-on. Keep an eye out for more info, and feel free to toss us questions in the comments right on this blog. View the full article
-
Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition is coming to PS4 and PS Vita on October 13th! For its console release, Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition has been overhauled technically to provide the best experience yet. I’m thrilled to be releasing this narrative-focused, fairly personal game on PlayStation, and to mark the occasion I wanted to share some of the motivation and design behind this project. Three Fourths Home began development two years before I wrote a single line of code for the game, before I’d ever made a sprite of a car or a cornstalk. Before I’d considered moving back to Nebraska, having lived between Wisconsin and Minnesota since 2008. Before I’d even made a game. Three Fourths Home didn’t have the most typical pre-production cycle, to say the least. I tend to think of Three Fourths Home’s earliest development having roots in the rough sketches and ridiculous plans that led to [out], my first game. Unsurprisingly, the plans for that game were far too ambitious, and I gave up for a year before using the idea to make an HTML-based text game. The seeds of Three Fourths Home were sown sometime during that development. I knew that I could tell a story with text – I’d grown up playing games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, and Monkey Island, so I sort of expect I default to “text as story†(perhaps) more often than I should when I think of game narratives – but I also wanted to tell a story with text that connected with a player not only because they were choosing what to say; I wanted players to have a physical connection to the forward momentum of the story itself. I wanted players to feel the inevitability of the events of the story because they were the ones driving it forward. I made a few games and prototypes between [out] and Three Fourths Home. They followed a progression of themes: [out] focused on coming out, Letters to Babylon dealt with the possible aftermath. I was working on a follow-up to Letters to Babylon when I had all of my development work stolen. My computer, hard drive, notes, code – gone. Shortly after, I found myself in a situation that forced me to move back to Nebraska, where I’d graduated from high school and promptly moved away from six years prior. Starting from scratch, in a place I’d never planned on returning to, I set about making a new game that continued on with some of the themes that were explored in my previous games. With my own circumstances staring me in the face, I decided to draw from them. I wrote Three Fourths Home, starting with Ben’s story, but still needed a way to tie the player to the forward momentum of the story. Making players drive a car was perhaps the most literal interpretation, but it worked. The story in Three Fourths Home will not progress unless you are pressing the pedal, making the protagonist Kelly barrel forward to the inevitability of the game’s conclusion. You can’t avoid the forward progression. Sure, you can dawdle and pretend that something will happen if you sit and wait, but it’s just biding time until the inevitable. Until you realize that in the years you’ve been gone, Nebraska has changed. Your family has changed. It’s not the way you left it, and you’re not sure how to deal with it. And above it all, disaster sits and waits to descend. A ruinous thing that will expose the rot eating away at everything you’d considered steadfast and reliable. Once you’re Three Fourths Home. View the full article
-
Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… But we do need a pitch! Starting October 21, 2015 — the same day that Marty McFly traveled to in Back to the Future, Part II — The world-famous DeLorean Time Machine will officially appear as a playable Battle-Car in Rocket League! Truth be told, we used to fantasize and joke about having the DeLorean Time Machine in our game months before it even came out. We were all such huge Back to the Future fans here at Psyonix, that it was one of the few “Holy Grails†we had hoped for besides having a hit game. The fact that we’re getting both of those “best-case scenarios†in the same year is an amazing accomplishment for us, they’re things we’ll never forget! Hopefully you’ll never forget your time with the DeLorean Time Machine either, as we’ve worked meticulously to recreate its look, feel, and folding jet-wheels just as they appeared in the original motion picture trilogy. Best of all, it’s a heck of a lot of fun to play with — and comes complete with its signature “Burnt Rubber†Rocket Trail to boot! Available in the “Back to the Future Car Pack,†the DeLorean Time Machine will retail for $1.99 USD or its regional equivalent starting October 21! (P.S. If you want to grab even more content before the DeLorean Time Machine hits the field next week, don’t forget to drop by PlayStation Store tomorrow and pick up the “Revenge of the Battle-Cars DLC Pack,†for $3.99 US) View the full article
-
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a huge open world game where player choices matter. The rich story is full of difficult decisions that shape the way gamers develop their character. The player has over 50 abilities to choose from and a platitude of weapons, potions, bombs, glyphs and armors. With such a vast amount of choices, each gamer can create a witcher they can call their own. In Hearts of Stone, we are introducing new mechanics that provide another layer of customization — Runewords and Glyphwords. These are powerful enchantments that can be applied to the highest quality swords and armors. I’d like to share a few ideas to help you start customizing your own unique witcher, as well as a few examples of how Runewords and Glyphwords can enhance your customization. To do that, let’s explore in detail the three paths players can embark on while developing their character: Combat, Signs and Alchemy. CombatThe Combat tree was designed as an entry point for new players. Early abilities are straightforward and make your standard attack more effective. As you advance in this path, you open new possibilities, like Whirlwind (which allows you to strike multiple opponents) or Rend (a very strong attack against one opponent). More advanced players may consider going after abilities related to Battle Trance and its resource, Adrenaline. These abilities can be very powerful when used under the right circumstance, but also require special equipment to achieve their full potential. Speaking of equipment, the Combat tree is not very demanding in this regard — just grab the hardest-hitting sword and you should be fine… should. One of the drawbacks of going the Combat route is that you maximize damage at the expense of your protection. This problem can be fixed with Hearts of Stone’s Runewords and Glyphwords. For example, you can grab the Runeword Placation to increase your health regeneration once you’ve built up enough Adrenaline. Another option, Glyphword Deflection, deflects all arrows — so you no longer need to worry about archers sniping you from afar. Overall, the Combat tree is the simplest way to start, but can be difficult to master. It is not heavy on item-use and, in most cases, all you will need is a good sword. Of course, on Death March difficulty — things can become a bit more complicated, but that’s another story… SignsThe Signs tree is slightly more advanced than the combat tree and requires more thought into what ability to choose. At the start of the game, choices are limited — both in what you can buy and how many abilities you can use. Each sign is strong in one situation, but weak in another. The first sign I’d like to cover is Ignii — it allows you to attack enemies from a relatively safe distance, can set enemies on fire and effectively remove them from a fight for a moment. If you need extra protection, Quen is the way to go. If you invest heavily in the Signs tree, you can turn Quen into a potent offensive tool. Even without upgrades, it is still a good tool to use… especially if you’ve invested heavily in the combat tree, as it lacks strong defensive options. Yrden is a must for some fights, as it has the potential to disable some monsters’ abilities (check out the in-game Bestiary log for more details). Yrden alone is still a potent sign, but it may need a bit of practice for optimal use. Axii is an interesting sign, as it can help you avoid a fight altogether through proper dialog choices and influencing another person’s mind. On the highest difficulty levels, Axii can be a real lifesaver! Who doesn’t like having enemies help you win a fight? Finally, the Aard sign: Aard is sometimes overlooked because of the power of other signs, but in the right hands it can be devastating. Knocking an enemy off of his feet means you can finish him off with one strike.The major drawback of the Signs tree is that you need a full stamina bar to cast them. It takes a few precious seconds to refill it, so casting the right sign at the right moment is critical. There are some Runewords and Glyphwords that can help with maintaining stamina. The Rejuvenation Runeword restores a bit of lost stamina instantly, and the Protection Glyphwod will activate Quen without reducing stamina when you enter combat. There are a few more Runewords and Glyphwords to help bolster the Signs tree, but I will let you discover those when Hearts of Stone arrives. AlchemyThe Alchemy tree is the most advanced of the three and requires dedication and effort to make the most of it… but it is well worth the investment. If you want to become almost undefeatable, grab Refreshment, Protective Coating and Tissue Transformation. With heavy armor and a few green mutagens, you might just become an unstoppable juggernaut. With the Invigoration Runeword active, any type of healing you do when your Vitality is at maximum will be used to increase the damage of your next sword attack. You may go after Cluster Bombs and Efficiency to create mayhem with the sheer number of bombs at your disposal. For those of you who like living on the edge, Trial of Grasses abilities might be the way to go. They require the player to consume poisoned potions, but grant some of the most powerful abilities in the game in return. The major drawback of the Alchemy tree is that it requires a lot of crafting. You really need to get as many alchemy recipes as you can and upgrade to level 3 as soon as possible. This requires a lot of time and money, so alchemy is the path that starts to shine at a later stage of the game. On the flip side, this path does not require any particular weapons or armor to be effective. Just grab what you like and enjoy blowing stuff up! This should be enough to get you on your way to becoming an ultimate monster-slaying machine. Remember that there are lots of choices in the game, so don’t be afraid to experiment! View the full article
-
Hello PlayStation community! The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Rising Star Games are excited to have the opportunity to bring One Upon Light to your PS4 very soon. And for those of you who aren’t already in the know, today I will be shedding some light on what the game is all about, what inspired its creation, and how its primary mechanic of altering the laws of natural physics is used to create an interesting and challenging gameplay experience. Watch our new One Upon Light trailer here first, exclusively on PlayStation.Blog! During the ideation stage of One Upon Light, SUTD was looking at different ways that they could alter light and shadow as a means of creating fun and challenging game that requires not only thought, but skill as well. SUTD game designer, Justin Kang, took inspiration from his regular late night runs, using the shadows cast by streetlights as his goal markers. Kang declares: “I felt that I was always ‘chasing shadows,’ so to speak, and got to thinking about how my environment and my perception of it would change if these shadows could be manipulated.†It was this initial lightbulb-over-the-head idea that sparked the birth of the game. In One Upon Light you will be using the mechanic of shadow manipulation, or “Shadow Echo†to your advantage. By learning and understanding how you can use shadow manipulation abilities to upend the natural laws of light and shadow, you will be able to temporarily record shadows to create beneficial pockets of darkness to navigate safely through each level of the game. As the game progresses, you’ll be solving challenging puzzles while testing your manual dexterity and reaction time. Utilizing the shadow manipulation abilities will serve you well in that regard, as time slows down ever so slightly to allow you a little bit of enhanced focus whenever the ability is triggered. You’ll be taking on the role of a scientist who, after a mysterious and violent accident, awakens to discover that he has developed a highly photosensitive condition and must somehow escape the Aurora Science Lab, which has turned into a crumbling labyrinth. As the game progresses, the scientist’s condition, his abilities, and what caused the Aurora Science Lab accident are gradually hinted at, but it is up to you to utilize whatever items and objects you can to guide him to safety while avoiding the light at all costs! In his photosensitive condition, stepping into the light will result in sending the scientist to the great laboratory in the sky …if you catch my drift. Anyone looking for a challenging and unique puzzler should definitely check out One Upon Light when it shines on the PlayStation Store this October! View the full article
-
Sweeping action, adventure, rampaging monsters, and of course — Slimes! The world of Dragon Quest finds meets fast-paced action combat in Dragon Quest Heroes, out this week on PS4. Ready your sword… Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below (That’s the last time I’ll write the full title here, folks…) marries the colorful and beloved world of Dragon Quest with the massive battles made famous in the Dynasty Warriors series. The result is an all-new adventure brimming with weapons, magic, monsters, and plenty of RPG goodness. But that’s only the start of the massive lineup coming to PlayStation this week, so prepare for some serious scrolling down this list. And enjoy the Drop! New Releases: October 13th, 2015 Arcade Archives Crazy Climber 2 PS4 — Digital (Out 10/15) Crazy Climber 2 is an action game that was released by Nichibutsu in 1988. The stages are set in the United States but the same gameplay as the original applies. The climber will attempt to reach the top of buildings while characters relentlessly interfere with his progress. The Arland Atelier Trilogy PS3 — Retail NIS America is happy to announce that the 3 game collection, The Arland Atelier Trilogy, is coming to PS3! This incredible collection contains Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland, Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland, and Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland, all on one glorious disc! Back to the Future: The Game — 30th Anniversary Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail Six months after Back to the Future Part III, the DeLorean time machine mysteriously returns to Hill Valley — driverless! Marty McFly must once again go back in time, or else the space-time continuum will be forever unraveled! Bedlam PS4 — Digital Bedlam is a unique first person shooter based on the novel of the same name by award winning and best-selling author Christopher Brookmyre. Corpse Party: Blood Drive PS Vita — Digital, Retail While some members of Kisaragi Academy’s class 2-9 returned from their trip to the hellish, otherworldly elementary school known as Heavenly Host, many did not. Class president Ayumi Shinozaki attempted to use an ancient tome called the Book of Shadows to resurrect her deceased friends once before, but only compounded the tragedy in the process. And now the book has been lost. Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below PS4 — Digital, Retail Venture forth on an all-new action RPG adventure set in the world of Dragon Quest! In the peaceful kingdom of Arba, man and monster live side by side. But when the monsters suddenly snap and go on the rampage, it’s up to our heroes to fight back! Farming Simulator 16 PS Vita — Digital (Out 10/12) Farming Simulator 16 invites you into the challenging world of a modern day farmer: animal husbandry, plant, harvest and trade in crops, including new potato and sugar beet. Own and operate your very own farm… wherever you go! Goosebumps: The Game PS4, PS3 — Digital The walk home from school today is going to be a lot spookier than usual… Your sleepy neighborhood’s been overrun by monsters! Werewolves prowl the woods, Gnomes roam underfoot, and scarecrows walk at midnight. Grand Ages: Medieval PS4 — Digital, Retail Grand Ages: Medieval is a real-time, grand scale strategy game that takes place in the High Middle Ages. The game begins in the year 1050 A.D. as you assume the role of a mayor governing a small European settlement. The Jackbox Party Pack 2 PS4, PS3 — Digital The sequel to the party game phenomenon The Jackbox Party Pack, featuring five fresh, rib-tickling party games! Minecraft: Story Mode — Episode 1: The Order of the Stone PS4, PS3 — Digital As Jesse, you’ll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. While at EnderCon in hopes of meeting Gabriel the Warrior, you and your friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. One Upon Light PS4 — Digital Immerse yourself in the monochromatic world of One Upon Light. Manipulate your surroundings to cast shadows and keep yourself safe from the light. Super Blackout PS Vita — Digital Can you black out all of the lit-up tiles in this addictive puzzle game? Features include 90 puzzles, a random puzzle generator, and a custom puzzle editor. The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail The Talos Principle is a philosophical first-person puzzle game from Croteam, the creators of the Serious Sam series, and written by Tom Jubert (FTL, The Swapper) and Jonas Kyratzes (Infinite Ocean). Assume the role of a sentient artificial intelligence placed within a simulation of humanity’s greatest ruins. Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy) In her mid-20’s, Kelly has been forced to move back to Nebraska. Back to that flat expanse, that seemingly endless sea of rustling cornstalks peppered by rusty silos and rustier towns. A typically intense Midwestern storm is approaching while Kelly is out she needs to get home. Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut PS4 — Digital, Retail From the Producer of the original Fallout comes Wasteland 2, the sequel to the first-ever post-apocalyptic computer RPG. The Wasteland’s hellish landscape is waiting for you to make your mark…or die trying. WRC 5 PS4, PS3, PS Vita — Digital (Retail Out 10/16) Find all the cars, all the drivers and all the official rallies of the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship in the racing simulation standard. Raury – All We Need MGK – General Admission Coheed & Cambria – The Color Before The Sun The James Bond Collection Vacation Tomorrowland Inside Out MLB Playoffs – American and National League Divisional Series (Available on FS1 and TBS) The Walking Dead – All New Episodes, Sundays at 9/8c (Available on AMC) Homeland – All New Episodes, Sundays at 9/8c (Available on SHOWTIME) South Park – All New Episodes, airs October 14th at 10/9c (Available on Comedy Central) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article
-
You should be playing the Star Wars Battlefront Beta. You could be playing it right now! Read our FAQ for the full scoop. Did you hear that we dropped PS4’s price? Yep, it starts at $349.99 now! Perfect time to grab one if you haven’t joined the party yet. Here are the rest of this week’s highlights: This Week’s Top 10 Posts Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Beta: Everything You Need to Know PS4: Big Holiday Lineup, Lower Cost How You Helped Improve Call of Duty: Black Ops III Multiplayer Free Halloween Items Coming to Rocket League PlayStation Now: Celebrate SHOCKTOBER with 13 New Subscription Games Primal Carnage: Extinction Comes to PS4 on October 20th Super Meat Boy Leaps Onto PS4, PS Vita on October 6th with New Soundtrack Rock Band 4 Launches on PS4 Tomorrow Why Disgaea 5 Will be Your Most Played Game This Year The Hardest Songs in Guitar Hero Live, as Named by Freestyle Games Download this month’s games | Join PlayStation Plus 1. Jurassic World 2. Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (Bonus Version) 3. Spy (Unrated) 4. Furious 7 (Extended Edition) 5. Entourage (2015) 6. San Andreas 7. Pitch Perfect 2 8. Mad Max: Fury Road 9. Insidious: Chapter 3 (with Exclusive Bonus Featurette) 10. Cinderella PS Blogcast Episode 183 This Week’s PS Store Update Most-Watched Video of the Week View the full article
-
It’s New York Comic Con week, which is always an exciting time of the year. However, this year it’s especially exciting for us as we finally get to reveal a little bit more about LEGO Marvel’s Avengers on PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. We’ve been busy in the studio working hard on the game, but NYCC is our time to assemble (see what I did there) and Hulk Smash! From the very start of the project, we wanted the game to be more than just the two amazing Avengers movies featuring our favorite Marvel Super Heroes. As such, we not only focused on retelling the fantastic story of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, but went deeper into everything related to the Avengers past and present. We’re now able to reveal that we have playable content in the game that focuses on Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, which allows us to squeeze all sorts of fun gameplay, jokes, and characters into a terrific package of a videogame. We’re all huge fans of the Marvel Universe here at TT Games, so we’ve definitely gone to town with what we’re putting into the game on the Marvel Cinematic and Comic side. We want to make sure that LEGO Marvel’s Avengers is a videogame that appeals to anyone who has the slightest attraction to Marvel and their amazing characters, so we’ve made sure that our roster is second to none. We’re including all of the characters from both Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, of course, and then delving into the comic books for our fun free play. Players will be able to enjoy the main story, explore our reimagination of LEGO Manhattan, experience places like Asgaard, Washington DC, Malibu, Barton Farm, and much more. The entire development team at TT and our inspirational partners at Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, Marvel, and LEGO, are really trying to outdo ourselves with this game. We’re crafting the most authentic and fun Avengers experience possible while ensuring that there are surprises around every corner… and we mean every corner. Hold on tight, January 26th, 2016 can’t come soon enough! View the full article
-
The day has finally arrived — Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is here. You can now relive (or experience for the first time) the single player campaigns for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, one of the most revered game series of all time. Within Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, follow the perilous journey of Nathan Drake across the globe, from his humble beginnings to his extraordinary discoveries. We’re extremely proud of the work Bluepoint Games has done to make this the definitive edition of the Uncharted series. We’re looking forward to reading and watching your reactions, whether you’re experiencing the games for the first time or revisiting the trilogy to relive your favorite Uncharted moments. Here is a brief look at what we’ve packed into this collection: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Multiplayer Beta – purchasers of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection will receive exclusive access to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End multiplayer Beta while the Beta is available. PlayStation Plus membership required to access the Beta. Faster Frame Rate – All three games were pushed towards being locked at 60 FPS where possible. Camera, Movement and Aim – In order to unify all three games, we adjusted the speed of camera movement, the stickiness of aim assist, and how the camera handled diagonal movement in Uncharted 3 and rebuilt the aim assist in Drake’s Fortune. Controller Layout –We remapped buttons to ensure players did not have to switch between different control schemes with each game. We also tweaked some of the controller layout decisions based on player’s familiarity with The Last of Us Remastered. Uncharted Drake’s Fortune Grenade Gameplay – We’ve brought the grenade gameplay in Drake’s Fortune in line with the other two games. Players no longer need to equip a grenade to throw one and can also throw grenades in various ways while hanging or while in cover. Trophy Tuning and Additions – We added in over 3,500 new trophy points and 3 new Platinum Trophies. Languages – All three games now support 22 languages! Music Enhancements – Music was upgraded across all three games to support surround sound systems for a better overall audio experience. Three New Gameplay Modes: Explorer – an “as easy as possible†mode to let new players enjoy exploring as they follow along with the narrative. Brutal – a new “as hard as possible†mode called Brutal, an intense challenge, but not a torturous experience. Speed Run – Players can practice with Chapter Select and set best times for each chapter or play continuous runs from a New Game to set their best overall scores. Photo Mode – Players can now capture their favorite moments and most breathtaking scenes via Photo Mode. Enhanced Statistics and Friends Leaderboards – We added support for tracking player statistics across the three games. Enhanced Visuals – Visual improvements include enhancements to lighting and shadows, materials, shaders, and visual effects. The models and textures are improved and we’ve added ambient occlusion and motion blur where such rendering features weren’t originally supported. Better Movies – All of the movies were re-rendered to include all the visual improvements made to the games themselves, such as better lighting, improved models and textures – and to display at 1080p, 60 FPS. Want to create your own #UnchartedMoments? Make your own with the Uncharted Moments GIF Wall. The Naughty Dog team has been having some fun with the GIF creator already. Check it out: If you’re new to the Uncharted franchise, welcome! We recommend playing the games in order, starting with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. If you’re one of the many who has “charted†their adventures on the PS3 versions, welcome back! We’re looking forward to seeing your Speed Run times and Photo Mode shots! View the full article
-
Welcome back to PlayStation Underground, our online show about video games! Today, we’re preparing for Halloween this year by sampling four creepy games on PS4 — two that are upcoming, and two you can buy now if you’re interested. Yes, four Halloween-friendly games, all in one episode! Too bad we forgot to wear costumes or decorate the set. We apologize for the oversight… Included in this incredible lineup: the stylish and spooky strategy game Ray’s the Dead, the chaotic multiplayer mayhem of Extreme Exorcism, the unnerving, web-weaving of Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon, and the critically-acclaimed, first-person thought-provoker Soma. Sure, we enjoy a few jokes during the show, but I was essentially terrified the entire time. If you like what you see, both Extreme Exorcism and Soma are out now on PS4. They both pair quite well with all the pumpkins, costumes, and candy that are creeping closer to us on October 31st. And as someone that has played and beaten Soma since the recording of this episode, take it from me: brace yourself for all manner of terrors and lingering nightmares. Let us know what you think in the comments, and remember that we’ll be back soon with more Underground in the weeks to come. Enjoy the show! View the full article
-
Hello again, PlayStation fans! Next week marks the launch of Grand Ages: Medieval for PS4 on October 13th. To prepare would-be emperors, we’ve created a special “How to Play†video for PlayStation.Blog that introduces you to the game mechanics, along with 6 tips to help you become a master trader. To catch you up on our game, Grand Ages: Medieval is a grand-strategy title from Gaming Minds Studios and our first strategy title to be released on PS4. In Grand Ages: Medieval your goal is to use commerce, trade, diplomacy, and war to conquer all 20 million kilometres of our Medieval Europe game world, set in the year 1050 A.D. The path to becoming emperor is long, but these trading tips will help start you off on the right path to attaining economic dominance. First-time players should begin with the campaign mode, which provides a complete introduction to all the mechanics found in the game. When settling a new town in campaign or sandbox mode, look for a location that has the most varied resources so that you’re increasing the total amount of goods produced. There are 20 different goods that can be produced in Grand Ages: Medieval. Not all goods are available from the beginning — some will have to be unlocked in the development chart. The more items you unlock, the easier it is to balance your economy. The best return on trade routes comes from creating routes among 4 to 5 towns that, in total, produce all the goods available in the game. The more items you unlock, the easier it is to balance your economy. Create diplomatic allegiances — as you begin, evaluate carefully who your neighbouring towns are and what they produce. In the beginning, you always have one trade agreement with a neutral town. Scout out other neutral towns nearby and strengthen your alliance with them to forge a trade agreement and generate profit from the start. Your goal should be to take control over neutral towns, so you should check the goods they are producing and try not to produce the same ones as redundant trade goods slow down your economic growth. Military mastery — in the beginning, it’s best to keep your standing army small as soldiers drain resources from the town they are closest to. Each troop also requires gold for their upkeep, which you can only afford once your economy has stabilized. Once you expand your territory further and run into AI enemies who have declared war on you, then that’s the time to heavily fortify your forces. Money talks — If a town leader is not receptive of your trade offers, you can outright buy more sympathy and influence with trade partners and eventually buyout the town leader wholesale. Long term trade is more cost effective, but sometimes the “golden rule†is faster. Though to “buy†a town, you will need to be very popular with the populace. Selling goods that are in demand will increase your standing, as well as providing the best profit. And there we have it! By following the tips outlined above, you’ll have the perfect financial platform to begin expanding your empire in Grand Ages: Medieval. Where you go from there is very much up to you — which lands will you conquer, which alliances will you forge and which resources will you best exploit to your advantage? On behalf of everyone at Gaming Minds Studios, I really hope you have fun getting pulled into our sophisticated economy system when the game launches October 13th on PS4. View the full article
-
Today, we cover first-person puzzler The Talos Principle, Nick raves about the latest indie flicks, and the crew compares long games versus short games. All this and more, so download at your leisure. And enjoy the show! Subscribe via iTunes or RSS, or download here Stuff We Talked About The Jackbox Party Pack 2 The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition The Iron Giant (and other fine films) Long games vs. short games Recent Episodes Episode 182: The King and I Episode 181: Creepycasta Episode 180: Witness Me! The Cast Nick Suttner – Account Support Manager, SCEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SCEA Ryan Clements – Social Media Specialist, SCEA Send us questions and tips! blogcast@playstation.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
-
We all love DualShock 4, but sometimes when you’re watching movies, you just want a remote. The good news is now you can, since we’ve worked closely with Performance Designed Products (PDP) on a Universal Media Remote for PlayStation 4 that will let you turn on the system, navigate the UI, and control video content on apps like Netflix or on Blu-rays and DVDs. Click here for the full gallery The Universal Media Remote for PS4, which will be available in the U.S., Canada and Mexico when it launches later this month, uses Bluetooth to control PS4 and can also be set up to control up to three additional devices, including a TV, cable box and audio receiver. It also features many of the most important buttons for navigating system menus and entertainment apps on PS4 including the Action buttons (triangle, circle, cross, and square). Like DualShock 4, the remote also features the SHARE, OPTIONS, and PS buttons. At launch, the remote will be fully compatible with the following apps and services (with more to come later): Blu-ray Disc Player Crunchyroll FUNimation HBO GO Media Player NBA GAME TIME Netflix NFL Sunday Ticket PlayStation Video PlayStation Vue Twitch YouTube Pick up the Universal Media Remote for PS4 when it releases later this month for $29.99 (MSRP) or pre-order it now. View the full article
-
We’ve said it before but it bears repeating: thank you to all the players in the PlayStation Nation who were the first to play our Call of Duty: Black Ops III Multiplayer Beta! Preparing for the Beta required a lot of work — basically, it was a launch-before-the-launch — but we all knew that it would be worth it because of the amount of data it would generate and the invaluable input that would get from you, our fans. With the Beta, we talked a lot about “providing feedback to help contribute to a better Day One experience.†Today, we’re here to provide a recap of the most common pieces of gameplay feedback we received, and fill you in on some of the design changes we’ve made to address that feedback. Here is a sampling of the gameplay changes and improvements that you can expect when Black Ops III launches on November 6th. Some players were dissatisfied that the Black Hat equipment was too powerful. We agree. Our new hacking mechanic scales the hacking speed based on how close you are to the target, and will require precise aim to hack Scorestreaks in a reasonable time. Time-to-hack has been adjusted upwards across the board to make it more challenging to hack, especially at the higher end of rewards. Hackers now also appear as a red dot on the minimap for the duration of the hack, which, along with VO notifications that a Scorestreak is being hacked, provides players the ability to counter by hunting down the attacker. Rejack sparked its fair share of controversy during the Beta for a number of reasons, most of which were valid. Included in that list: putting players into Rejack did not count as a kill, and players were using Rejack to stack Scorestreaks. Now, putting a player into Rejack counts as a kill. Players receive kill credit immediately in-game, on the scoreboard and leaderboard, and in persistent stats. Rejack now also resets all Scorestreak progress so that it cannot be used continuously throughout a match to pad progress towards high-level Scorestreaks. We’ve talked a lot about the flinch mechanics during the beta — that’s when getting hit causes your weapon to move out of position. Our improved networking code would sometimes cause bullet flinch to stack, so we put a cap on how much you can flinch while ADS. While you will still flinch when shot, it will be within tighter constraints to keep you closer to your aim. We improved the feedback that you have downed your target by including the red “kill marker.†This marker will subtly grow in size with each subsequent hit, turning red upon dealing lethal damage as added reinforcement to confirm the kill. During the beta, any downward or backward player movement could make the grenade toss distances feel awkwardly short. This has been adjusted so that player velocity never negatively impacts grenade trajectory. We also tweaked grenade speed and distances. Players felt Concussion and Flashbang grenade types were very powerful. While both grenade types need to be in order to stay viable as equipment choices, we reduced the Concussion grenade stun time by 1 second and are now unlocking the Tactical Mask perk (the counter for both Concussion and Flash Bangs) earlier in the progression system at level 13. By popular request, we’ve added a “Time in Hill†stat for the scoreboard and leaderboards in the Hardpoint game mode. Players did not feel sufficiently rewarded for escorting the robot in Safeguard. Players now receive +25 score for every 3 seconds that they escort the robot toward the enemy base. Players wanted additional details about how they were eliminated. The Kill Cam and Final Kill Cam now show what killed you (including weapons, Scorestreaks, Specialist weapons, equipment, etc.) and what perks the player has equipped. Additionally, various weapon-balancing changes were implemented, including to the Razorback and M8A7. Again, thank you for all of the input and for bringing these and a number of other issues to our attention. Your contributions will most definitely provide a better Day One experience for everyone. Finally, during the Beta we announced that anyone that played would receive an exclusive PS4 dynamic theme free as a ‘thank you’ from the studio. Keep an eye on your email and your system messages on PS4 early next week for more details on how to redeem your dynamic theme. Thank you and we’ll see you on November 6th! View the full article
-
This week, after four months of anticipation, long-time Transformers fans were finally able to get their hands on Transformers: Devastation on PS4 and PS3. The latest action-brawler from the gurus at PlatinumGames pits five of the franchise’s most iconic Autobots against an army of angry Decepticons. Grimlock, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, and Optimus Prime are ready to roll, but before you saddle up, I’d like to pass along a handful of tips that should help you win the war. For Tighter Turns, Hold Circle While DrivingTransformers: Devastation moves at a breakneck pace, so you’ll need all the control that you can get. In vehicle mode, holding circle will give your tires the grip needed to take those corners at supersonic speed. Why slow down when you have sticky tires? Hold R1 to Spin Your Tires After a Vehicle SlamAfter putting an enemy on his back with a vehicle slam (simply jump straight up, then hold R1), you can continue dealing damage by holding R1. You’ll spin your tires on the downed enemy, draining his precious hit points. Headshots with Ranged Weapons Trigger Opportunities for Vehicle AttacksIn Transformers: Devastation, honing those sharpshooting skills will open up new avenues for attack. In fact, scoring a headshot with one of the game’s ranged weapons will throw your enemies off balance and trigger a vehicle attack opportunity, even at long range. Learn the Delay CombosPlatinumGames is famous for creating deep, intricate combo systems, and this game is no different. All of the characters in Transformers: Devastation have a set of combos that require a bit of patience. You’ll press a sequence of buttons, pause for a bit, and then continue. Controlling the timing of those thumbs is essential. All of these combos can be found in the game’s move list. Hold Square at Max Vehicle Speed to do a Flying UppercutWhen your vehicle starts shooting flames from the exhaust, you’re at max speed. From here, holding square will trigger a rush attack, resulting in a spectacular uppercut that will launch you and your enemy into the air. Once airborne, immediately hit the enemy using the Triangle button to trigger a vehicle attack opportunity. This will result in some crazy air combos. To perform this you’ll need to purchase Rush Combo in the Lab. Parry is Super UsefulThe timing on this defensive move is difficult, but it’s incredibly powerful if used correctly. You can even parry Devastator’s drill projectiles in mid-air and throw them back at him. Parry is available for purchase in the Lab. Hopefully this collection of tricks will give you an edge in the battle against the Decepticons. Transformers: Devastation is available right now on PS4 and PS3. Happy smashing. View the full article
-
Hello, and welcome to the PlayStation Store Top Sellers update for September 2015! Destiny tops the PS4 chart (thanks, I’d wager, to the recent release of The Taken King), followed by the long-awaited Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and global fútbol phenomenon FIFA 16. The Taken King, by the way, ruled the Add-on charts for both PS4 and PS3. PS Vita owners flocked to Metal Gear Solid 3, no doubt to prepare for MGS V (good idea), and GTA San Andreas topped the Classics charts. We’ve got some big releases happening this month — what do you think will be at the top of the charts next time we meet? Editor’s Note: If I’ve put this thing together properly, it should look good on your desktop AND on your mobile device, thanks to our fancy new mobile redesign. What do you think? PS4 Games 1. Destiny 2. METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN 3. EA SPORTS FIFA 16 4. NBA 2K16 5. Madden NFL 16 6. EA SPORTS NHL 16 7. Rocket League 8. Mad Max 9. Until Dawn 10. Grand Theft Auto V 11. Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition 12. DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin 13. SOMA 14. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition 15. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 16. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 17. Metro: Last Light Redux 18. Metro 2033 Redux 19. Resident Evil Revelations 2 20. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist PS3 Games 1. Destiny 2. EA SPORTS FIFA 16 3. The Last Of Us 4. Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition 5. Red Dead Redemption 6. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 7. Grand Theft Auto V 8. METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN 9. Goat Simulator 10. Okami HD 11. Saints Row IV 12. Dead Space 13. Batman: Arkham City 14. Madden NFL 16 15. Batman: Arkham Origins 16. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 17. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – HD Edition 18. Call of Duty: Black Ops II 19. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch 20. METAL SLUG 2 PS4 Add-ons 1. Destiny: The Taken King 2. The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited – ESO Plus 3. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Reckoning 4. Rocket League – Supersonic Fury 5. Dragon Age: Inquisition – Trespasser 6. Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves 7. Batman: Arkham Knight Red Hood Story Pack 8. Batman: Arkham Knight Crime Fighter Challenge Pack 1 9. Dragon Age: Inquisition – The Descent 10. Destiny Expansion Pass PS3 Add-ons 1. Destiny: The Taken King 2. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Reckoning 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops II Nuketown Zombies Map 4. Call of Duty: Black Ops II Apocalypse 5. Call of Duty: Black Ops II Vengeance 6. Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising 7. Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Revolution 8. Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves 9. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Ascendance 10. Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below PS Vita Games 1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – HD Edition PS Vita 2. Sword Art Online -Hollow Fragment- 3. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z 4. Assassin’s Creed III Liberation 5. Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition 6. Borderlands 2 7. Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed 8. Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls 9. Heroes of Loot 10. Ratchet & Clank Collection PS Classics 1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 2. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 3. Psychonauts 4. Tomba! 5. Mega Man Legends 6. Wild Arms 7. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee 8. Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 9. Metal Gear Solid 10. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver View the full article
-
Since the launch of PS4, we have been thrilled with the amount of gamers jumping into the world of PlayStation for the first time. If you haven’t made the jump yet, and you’re starting early on your holiday wish list, I have good news – we’re dropping the price of the PlayStation 4 system in the U.S. and Canada. Starting tomorrow, October 9, you’ll be able to pick up PS4 starting at the new price of $349.99 USD / $429.99 CAD (MSRP). Our goal at PlayStation has always been to provide the best gameplay experiences at the best value, and we feel this new compelling price will open the doors to even more gamers that have yet to purchase a system. Over the past few months, we’ve introduced a number of bundles that feature some of the biggest games coming to PS4 this holiday season. Here’s a snapshot of the new prices for the current PS4 hardware lineup: Bundle (Release Date)Current Price (MSRP)New Price (MSRP) (effective 10/9)UNCHARTED: The Nathan Drake Collection PS4 Bundle (10/9)$399.99 USD / $449.99 CAD$349.99 USD / $429.99 CADLimited Edition Call of Duty: Black Ops III 1TB PS4 Bundle (11/6)$449.99 USD / $549.99 CAD$429.99 USD / $499.99 CADLimited Edition Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars PS4 Bundle (11/13)$449.99 USD / $549.99 CAD$399.99 USD / $469.99 CADLimited Edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle (11/17)$449.99 USD / $549.99 CAD$399.99 USD / $469.99 CADStar Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle (11/17)$399.99 USD / $449.99 CAD$349.99 USD / $429.99 CADNHL 16 PS4 Bundle (Available now, Canada only)$449.99 CAD$429.99 CADThanks again for remaining the best fans in gaming, and we look forward to many hours of gaming this holiday season and beyond! For those of you making the jump to PS4 this fall/holiday, what game will you be picking up first? View the full article
-
Hey everyone, we’d like to introduce the upcoming sci-fi roguelike Cryptark on PS4, the new game from the team at AlienTrap Games. Previously, we brought you the action-packed Capsized and the mythical Greek adventure Apotheon, which enjoyed a great deal of success as part of the Playstation Plus February 2015 lineup. Cryptark is a high-speed roguelike shooter that takes you into the lives of a band of space mercenaries. Your goal? Fulfill your freelancing contract by boarding and disarming the dangerous remnants of an ancient alien flotilla. Complete objectives to get paid, upgrade awesome weapons and gear, and finally gain access to the flagship known as the Cryptark to recover mysterious alien technology. Cryptark allows the player to plan ship invasions and tackle problems however they see fit. You must knock out security systems such as factories, shields, and turret controllers onboard each ship before destroying the Central Core to bring in your paycheck. Customize your suit by equipping optimal loadouts and assault each ship with a personalized plan of attack. Your victories will lead you to larger and more difficult ships, but greater rewards await the daring! Use caution and wit to gather your wealth, and strategy and skill to keep yourself in the game. Cryptark is scheduled to launch next year on PS4. View the full article
-
Being assigned to a Goosebumps game, I was excited to dive back into the world of horror. I was also thrilled when WayForward proposed the game be a first-person point and click, similar to MacVenture classic Shadowgate. Despite it not being billed as a horror game, Shadowgate was one of the very first games I found scary. There was a thick atmosphere about its world, and things like your torch running out and the way the music transitioned left an impression. With the Goosebumps license and the first-person point and click gameplay style, it required us to take a different approach from what we have traditionally done at Wayforward. Fortunately, it was an approach that meshed very well with the tenets of horror and the story we are trying to tell. In designing a platformer (WayForward’s usual stomping ground), the game mechanics are decided upon, implemented in a rough state, and then the level designers can start to experiment and build levels around the player’s abilities. They have themes and goals of course, but many things can be shuffled around and changed based on play testing, shifts in the game structure, or what have you. Most gaming genres are built in a similar way and an organic trial and error takes place. Often little sequences take shape as building blocks for the overall stage; some learning areas, a few tests of skill, and a plot event or two — all of which get shuffled around throughout development. First-person point and clicks, however, are made up of a very specific number of rooms (our resources allowed for about 60), so not only do you have to plan the whole game ahead of time, but rooms often have to serve double duty. Most rooms might have an atmosphere component, a puzzle or two, clues for a different puzzle entirely, and some built-in storytelling elements. To complicate it further, we didn’t want to force the player into a linear sequence from point A to point B, but instead allow them to wander. If they got stuck on one puzzle, we wanted several others to occupy their time while their subconscious unraveled the first. Lastly, we’d chosen to use hand-drawn art for our backgrounds so each room in the game could have the same appearance as the iconic Goosebumps book covers, meaning once we drew items into a room it was very difficult to move them somewhere else if they weren’t working. In a 3D game it’s a matter of just moving the object and repositioning it. For us, however, “repositioning†would mean redrawing from scratch, and I really dislike wasted work. It was clear we’d have to plan out every room ahead of time. So I ran to the office supply store and bought some poster board, notecards, and Velcro strips — this called for some good old fashioned arts and crafts… Pictured is our first area, the Neighborhood. As you can see from our final model here, it’s color coded: green for plain rooms, blue for rooms with an interaction of some kind, red for rooms with monsters that can kill you, and lastly purple for “special case rooms.†In early stages every room was white until we’d hammered out a general flow and shape of the area, at which point I placed down adhesive Velcro strips, allowing rooms to be flipped over to reveal the room details written on the back of each card, including any relevant items, sound and visual effects to establish atmosphere, and any special traits for that room. Doing this (with a piece of scratch paper to track an inventory) allowed us to “play†through Goosebumps like a board game. This process became our “trial and error†phase, right up front before any art was scheduled. If we thought of a better location than the one on the card — cross out the old one. If an item needed to swap rooms, just rewrite it on the new card. If a section needed more threats, swap one of the existing cards for a red one. This process was essential, and let us schedule out the rest of development with confidence in our overall user experience. I’d say the final game only differs 10% from our paper models, at most. This approach (or a similar one) is something I’ve advocated for years to anyone making a horror title. The whole point of a scary game is to control the atmosphere and the player’s mood so you can effectively stage scare moments. Too many developers build an entire action game and then expect to drape “scary stuff†over the top of it during the polish phase, resulting in a bland atmosphere, failed scares, and an overall rushed feeling. I was glad to finally sidestep the debate entirely by building a horror game in this room-by-room structure. Everything was planned and called out up front; we knew exactly what we needed to build. It was refreshing to watch our “scare†elements come together smoothly. So planning was done. How did we communicate this all to the artists who had to bring it to life in a functional way? Goosebumps, as a series, leans heavily on youth and childhood as themes. The books are written for children of course, to encourage reading and to empower them: the protagonists are always kids who survive, outsmart, or otherwise overcome the books’ ghosts or monsters. Since we were continuing this theme, I looked to my own childhood to inspiration, and our first area is inspired by my walks home from school which included shortcuts through a small wooded area. Since I was spending Thanksgiving near my old neighborhood, I drove over and snapped reference photographs to send our artists. So the first area, at least, was simple to communicate: photographs accompanied by detailed text descriptions of the area and required items. Of course, I didn’t grow up in a haunted house or other creepy location (despite those pesky rumors), so we needed another approach to the rest of the game. After a few rounds of very nitpicky back-and-forth with several artists, our Art Director Dan Burke found a program that allowed for quick and dirty 3D modeling. He swapped our pipeline to begin with his quick 3D setups, allowing us to find the right creepy angles for each room, and a rough placement of important objects, exits, and so on. The artists would then receive these pre-vis rooms and proceed without worrying that I’d ask them to scrap half their work. So that covers how to create a first-person point and click with effective horror. But where does Goosebumps fit in with all this? Did we just slap a book/movie license on the game at the last second? Of course not! Brand accuracy and fanservice are things I always put at the forefront of my games, dating back to my localizations for Atlus, through Rocket Knight and Contra 4 at Konami, and now at WayForward with franchises like Adventure Time, TMNT, and now Goosebumps. I’m not satisfied if the game is merely Goosebumps-flavored, or brand-adjacent. I couldn’t sleep if the game felt like anything less than an authentic Goosebumps product with all the hallmarks that entails. It also helped that we were able to visit Sony Pictures to screen the film early on to provide inspiration and insight into the direction of the movie to help set up the prequel story. Above I mentioned childhood as a theme. We looked for other recurring themes in the books, finding things like big creepy houses, parents who seemed oblivious to what was going on, older siblings, outsmarting adults, distrust of strangers, etc. These helped shape our decisions regarding game flow and the areas you would visit. I hadn’t really been into Goosebumps growing up (they were just a year or two after my time), but I didn’t want to just research the series off wikis and Netflix. I went straight to the source, diving into a pile of books and reading like my life depended on it. Scholastic provided us with several, and I bought a few more that sounded interesting. Our last step before development could finally shift into full gear was deciding on what monsters to use. The film’s plot, which our game leads into, centers around the monsters being released from their books and terrorizing the town. But which monsters should we use? I wanted a good mix of creatures from the film, along with monsters from the books that didn’t get cinematic exposure. We really tried to make the game feel like its own standalone story, rather than just a retread of the film — this way Goosebumps fans can enjoy both of them individually. I listed out every Goosebumps monster ever, along with some traits I thought would be interesting in a game, or powers they might have, or how they might pose a compelling threat to the player. From here, we eliminated very similar monsters so each encounter would feel unique. (Sorry slime fans, there wasn’t room for both Monster Blood and The Blob that Ate Everyone.) Then we examined our locations, puzzles we wanted to feature, and so on, circling the monsters that worked best for the game and saying goodbye to the ones that just didn’t fit in. Eventually, this led to our final list of 20+ beasties. Which I won’t spoil for you here. I can share an image of my second or third pass at the overall list, though. With that detailed planning phase behind us, it was time to start actually making the game! Which for me personally meant writing. A whole lot of writing. Essentially all the writing. This was actually the most important reason for me to cram all those Goosebumps books instead of just doing some google searches — learning the voice of the franchise. All the books are written by R.L. Stine, so they sound a certain way. His word choice and the way the characters think/talk are integral to the stories being told, and I also wanted to get a handle on the level of scariness and (non)violence presented in the books, so the game would sound authentic. In case you haven’t guessed, this was the last fortunate “win†in our genre choice. Point and clicks are incredibly text heavy, and so are actual books. By its very nature, the game felt like an authentic Goosebumps experience because they’re both all about reading, and allowing the reader/player’s mind to fill in the blanks left by a carefully worded description. This way their own nightmares get cast over the game, and they’re hooked! At least that was the hope as I spent two months writing all the description text, dialogue, and various letter-based wordbits used in the game. At final count, I wrote 50,000 words for our in-game text. That’s equivalent to 2 entire Goosebumps novels! That… seems crazy. And that’s our story thus far. If you want to know how it ends, please check out the game! We were very lucky that the first choice we made for Goosebumps — its genre — paid off so well throughout development, letting us carefully design the game’s flow and horror beats, creating an efficient pipeline for our artists, and ensuring an authentic Goosebumps experience! I hope even new fans to the franchise (whether they’re 10 or 110) give it a shot and embrace the chilling spookiness of Goosebumps. Are you a Goosebumps fan? Are there any monsters you’re hoping to come face to face with in the game? Lay bare your fears in the comments! View the full article