Commander Fury

After months (years?) of anticipation, the big moment is almost here: <a href="http://www.vblank.com/">VBlank Entertainment</a>'s long-gestating 8-bit open-world homage <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/retro-city-rampage/">Retro City Rampage</a> comes to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> tomorrow on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>, complete with the ever-coveted Cross Buy and Cross Save features. Let's give the freshly released launch trailer a looksee! If you've never heard of Retro City Rampage, a) shame on you and I scarcely know where to begin! Imagine jamming all your favorite 8-bit games into a sprawling open world ala Grand Theft Auto and you'll have a rough sense of this game's special brand of pixelated magic. Retro City Rampage has more than 60 Story missions that span driving, stealth, platforming, shooting, swimming, and questing (just to name a few) as well as 40 Arcade challenges if you're in need of a quick release. More...

Once again, we’re here to brighten your Monday with the weekly update on incoming Plus content this week. So far in October, NFL Blitz joined the Instant Game Collection and Plus members received some discounts on Alex Kidd and Spelunker. This week, please join us in thanking our friends at Atlus for delivering the legendary King of Fighters XIII, free for Plus members! These updates will take effect with the October 9th (that’s tomorrow!) PlayStation Store update. Also, we’ve got another poll for you. This time, we’re curious to know what you would be most interested to see in PS Plus on PS Vita. The service is scheduled to arrive this November, and we’ll have more concrete information as we lead up to launch. And remember, it’s all one Plus subscription whether you get Plus now, or later. Don’t forget to also rank this post in the upper right corner too; we use all that data. More...

Why, hello again <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-walking-dead/">The Walking Dead</a>. We seem to see you top these charts every time one of your episodes releases -- in this case Episode 3: Long Road Ahead. Maybe it’s your emphasis on great characters and story telling? Or maybe it’s the crazy outcomes of your in-game choices and how they affect later episodes. Either way, congratulations once again on Episode 3: Long Road Ahead and its dominance of the charts in September! Other respectable debuts include Jet Set Radio, Borderlands 2, and Tokyo Jungle. <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> had a great September as well, with amazing games like LittleBigPlanet PS Vita and Madden 13 hitting hard, and August’s Sound Shapes rounding out the top three. Check out the full results below and let us know what your predictions for the charts are for October! More...

In one day, we will release <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dishonored/">Dishonored</a>, our new first-person action game developed by the talented team at <a href="http://www.arkane-studios.com/uk/index.php">Arkane Studios</a>. Dishonored puts you in the role of Corvo Attano, bodyguard of the Empress of Dunwall. A pretty good gig... until you're falsely accused of killing her, kidnapping her daughter, and subsequently imprisoned and tortured by the sinister Lord Regent. Despite this, you remain the best hope for saving Dunwall, where plague is rampant and the city is on the verge of dystopia. Early in your adventure, you will receive "The Outsider's Mark" -- a mysterious tattoo on your left hand that grants you supernatural abilities. As you progress through the game, this mark will allow you to unlock new abilities, each of which can be upgraded to a second level for improved functionality. More...

Following our LittleBigPlanet Cap Challenge last week to tweet <a href=" http://twitter.com/LittleBigPlanet" >@LittleBigPlanet</a> with a screenshot of your Sackperson wearing the Launch Spacesuit in <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/littlebigplanet-2-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">LittleBigPlanet 2</a> or <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-littlebigplanet-playstation-vita.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">LittleBigPlanet PS Vita</a>, we put the word out that we would award further LittleBigPlanet Caps for anything tweeted our way that catches our eye. And <a href="http://twitter.com/lasselund">@LasseLund</a> did just that! Presenting the LittleBigPlanet Nursery. We were so blown away by the sheer awesomeness of this nursery that not only was Lasse awarded the LittleBigPlanet Cap, we also sent a Rare Prize Crown his way to commemorate this wonderful nursery that’s waiting for their new arrival! More...

<a href="http://ibbandobb.com/">ibb and obb</a> is a cooperative puzzle-platformer with a gravity twist that will launch on PSN next spring. In the earliest stages of development, the game was called Brothers. Looking back at that now, it means a lot more than I thought it did. My fondest memories of games are those that I played together with my brother or close friends. It has always surprised me how few games are really designed around two-player interaction. With ibb and obb we’ve tried to do just that. The gameplay revolves around a world with two directions of gravity, but even more so it’s about the interaction between the players. All elements in the game are designed for two, ranging from the way you solve puzzles to handling enemies. For example, when one player takes out an enemy the other tries to be ready on the other side of the split to fetch the reward. More...

<p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> this week, Dishonored is an immersive first-person action game that casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. Creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal. Pursue your enemies under the cover of darkness or ruthlessly attack them head on with weapons drawn. The outcome of each mission plays out based on the choices you make.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">XCOM: Enemy Unknown also comes to PS3 this week. Threatened by an unknown enemy, the Earth's governments unite to form a secret paramilitary organization, known as XCOM, to combat this extraterrestrial attack. As the commander of XCOM, you control the global defense team and its resources in a battle against the terrifying alien invasion.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>, Retro City Rampage offers a unique parody of the open-world action genre that takes modern game mechanics and mashes them into an authentic 8-bit experience. Tackle over 50 story missions featuring driving, shooting, platforming and more.</p> More...

While you’re reading this, I’m either sleeping or cooking bacon. Ah, Saturdays. Anyway, it’s time for the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/psn-spotlight/">PSN Community Spotlight</a>. For the unfamiliar, this is where PlayStation gamers tell their unique stories/experiences/thoughts, as submitted to this section in the <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PSN-Community-Meets-the-PS-Blog/bd-p/22802">PlayStation Community Forums</a>. Those that make it all the way to the PlayStation Blog will receive a $50 PlayStation Store voucher. Last week we asked about your PlayStation stories, and gamer <a href="http://us.playstation.com/publictrophy/index.htm?onlinename=ScreamAimFire999">ScreamAirFire999</a> wrote in to tell us about how he grew up loving the brand. More...

I'm quite looking forward to this week (and so should you) with the arrivals of Dishonored, XCOM Enemy Unknown, and Retro City Rampage to PlayStation platforms. I've played all three at recent industry events, and I'd expect the reviews to come in quite high across the board - good news for us gamers. Heck, even though I'm currently on vacation (we're in Florida for a wedding), I packed my PS3 to get on these games ASAP. I'll link to coverage in next week's post. Below, find stories on Tokyo Jungle, Silent Hill: Book of Memories, and a comprehensive title update for PS Vita's Madden NFL 13. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/playstation-mobile-launches-today-with-super-crate-box-loot-the-land-and-more/">PlayStation Mobile</a> took its first steps into the world this week on PS Vita and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/playstationmobile/">supported Android smartphones and tablets</a>, dishing up star launch titles in the form of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/playstation-mobile-the-story-of-super-crate-box/">Super Crate Box</a>, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/playstation-mobile-pillage-and-plunder-with-loot-the-land-out-today/">Loot the Land</a>, FuturLab's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/04/playstation-mobile-futurlabs-beats-slider-and-fuel-tiracas/">Beats Slider and Fuel Tiracas</a> and many more. If you're giving the new games service a test drive, be sure to chime in with your favorite games in the comments -- I'm hearing good things about Rebel, too! This was a hefty week for news and announcements, starting with the week's 10 most-viewed stories listed below. Other highlights this week: an update from esteemed Hollywood scribe Gary Whitta on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/02/the-walking-dead-episode-4-coming-soon-new-trailer-and-screens/">The Walking Dead - Episode 4</a>, Jeff's hands-on experiences with PS Vita action-RPG <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/silent-hill-book-of-memories-for-ps-vita-a-new-angle-on-silent-hill/">Silent Hill: Book of Memories</a>, new details on Perks and weapon mods for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/qa-new-details-for-call-of-duty-black-ops-declassified/">Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified for PS Vita</a>, an October 23rd release for delightful and unique PSN exclusive <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/05/the-unfinished-swan-flies-to-psn-october-23-early-access-for-plus/">The Unfinished Swan</a>, the reveal of PlayStation's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/05/playstation-at-new-york-comic-con-play-god-of-war-ascension-playstation-all-stars-more/">New York Comic-Con lineup</a>, the release of the Director's Cut DLC for PS Vita puzzler <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/02/lights-camera-dlc-escape-plan-directors-cut-dlc-arrives-on-psn/">Escape Plan</a>, plus new Q&As for PlayStation-produced PS3 powerhouses <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/03/puppeteer-blending-the-best-of-east-and-west/">Puppeteer</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/02/until-dawn-qa-teen-horror-goes-supermassive/">Until Dawn</a>. More...

As Major League Baseball gears up for postseason play, you can too, as baseball’s highest-rated and bestselling game is now available at a new lower price. <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-mlb-12-the-show.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">MLB 12 The Show</a> is now just $29.99 for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and $19.99 for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. Begin your hunt for October as you watch your favorite teams vie for postseason immortality. This price drop means owners of both the PS3 and the PS Vita hardware can buy both games for less than $50 combined, giving them the ability to enjoy cross-platform functionality by saving and continuing a single Season, Franchise or Road to The Show mode on either platform. As you get ready to take your team to the playoffs on MLB 12 The Show, check out what the top players in baseball have to say about what the postseason means to them! More...

Are you gearing up for <a href="http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/">New York Comic Con</a> next week? Well, we are too; we have a killer lineup on the show floor this year. If you're on the East Coast and want to experience some of PlayStation's biggest upcoming titles -- including <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale</a>, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/god-of-war-ascension-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">God of War: Ascension</a>, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/littlebigplanet-karting-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">LittleBigPlanet Karting</a> and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/the-last-of-us-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">The Last of Us</a> -- before they launch, here’s your guide to PlayStation’s activities at the show. God of War: Ascension’s single-player demo will be at New York Comic Con, giving fans a taste of what to expect next March. In addition, multi-player stations will also be available, where attendees will have a chance to check out the newest way to play God of War. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/25/starhawk-and-free-dlc-soar-to-psn-today/">Last week</a> we released our massive Starhawk 1.04 multiplayer update, a ton of badass new free DLC, our multiplayer digital download edition, and our epic single-player campaign as a free download to <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> subscribers including all of the multiplayer DLC <em>free</em>. If you haven't signed up for PlayStation Plus yet, what are you waiting for? It's a crazy good deal -- not to mention it now includes a slice of Starhawk. On top of all that, in a partnership with the MLG, we launched a major $20,000 Starhawk multiplayer tournament. The competition has gotten off to a fierce start as all Starhawk players are eligible, including you! To sign up, head over to the <a href="http://gamebattles.majorleaguegaming.com/starhawk">MLG GameBattles Starhawk website</a> and mount up to compete for your share of the cash! After you sign up, all you have to do is get online in the ranked match frenzy and you’ll be entered. Easy! More...

From the gargantuan, larger than life battles with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=84366">Zeus</a>, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=84366">Cronos</a>, and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=85401">Poseidon</a>, to the brutally intimate no-holds-barred <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=86205">fight with Hercules</a> in God of War III, to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=84929">fighting alongside his brother, Deimos</a>, in Ghost of Sparta, there have been plenty of epic moments in Kratos' journey. But what, ladies and gentlemen, Spartans, warriors and champions, reigns supreme as the #1 Most Epic God of War Moment of All Time? If you ever doubted Kratos' ultimate arch-nemesis, the true evil that propelled him into an unstoppable rage, the original God of War -- who emblazoned the Blades of Chaos upon Kratos, as he swore an oath to serve his new master -- then by the Gods, this moment is bound to get you fired up. More...

Good news, everyone: we have an official date for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/22/sunflowers-beaming-to-ps-vita-this-fall/">SunFlowers</a> -- next Tuesday, October 9th for $3.99! SunFlowers is a brand new puzzle-shooter game for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>, including two unique worlds: Classic and Tropical. Each world has more than 160 flowers to collect. Now let’s take a closer look at the second world from SunFlowers: Tropical. In this world you will discover new varieties of flowers, including pirate-themed blossoms, but every flower is still based on a real existing species. When you play on this tropical island, you will quickly discover that the climate is very different from the Classic world, and the weather can be unpredictable. More...

In response to many, <em>many</em> questions from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> owners, I’m delighted to officially announce that the PS Vita version of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/doctor-who-the-eternity-clock/">Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock</a> will be available to download from the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> next week on October 9th in the US and October 10 in Europe! The PS Vita version of the game will have several new features that we’ve been working on the past few months. One example are the new <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a> controls, which utilize the combination of the dual analog stick controls and PS Vita’s touchscreen features, enabling players to switch between the more traditional controls and the ability to tap the screen to affect the action. All of the puzzle games within the game have been reworked to make full use of touchscreen controls as well. We’re also tapping into “nearâ€, PS Vita’s geo-social service. Using “nearâ€, players can collect “Gallifrean†medals while playing through the adventure and then drop them in a GPS location for other players to collect. Grow your collection while searching for other players’ medals! More...

It's great to be back on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation Blog</a> so soon! I'm here to tell you something surprising! <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/joe-danger-2/">Joe Danger 2</a> is coming to <a href="http://us.playstation.com/">PlayStation</a> gamers very soon, next week in fact! That's October 9th in the US! PlayStation owners are getting a huge exclusive DLC pack of bonus content too. I'd love to tell you more about it, but first I'm going to have to explain a little about how we make games. When we make a game, we make it for ourselves. We play it every day, getting better and better at it. The great thing is that you get rid of every snag and rough edge, but then we let our friends play, and realise it has become too hard! More...

One of the great things about localizing games for western audiences is giving fans the opportunity to experience their favorite titles in their native language, while providing newcomers a different take on a specific genre. Another great aspect of localization is the ability to bring cult classics and underrated games back into the current marketplace, giving these games a chance to gain popularity among new audiences. This is the case with Under Defeat. Today, we have released a new trailer for our upcoming title Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition, showing off some intense shmup (shoot ‘em up) gameplay with multiple weapon and vehicle options available. Developed by well-known Japanese arcade game company <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.rev">G.rev</a>, this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Defeat">classic title</a> will be receiving new features such as improved graphics, a new two-player mode and a 16:9 New Order Mode, which will take advantage of HD television screens by making the field twice the size of regular shmups. More...

We have been developing our first title, Planet in Distress (coming soon to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>), for nearly two years now. Like all developers, we had to decide what our focus with the game would be. The videogame medium is unique in the respect that it borrows from many other media, such as movies, radio, and the written word. The one aspect that separates games from movies or books is their ability to interact. But there are other distinctions worth mentioning, too. A book is conventionally about the text; a movie is the combination of sound and pictures. A game experience, however, can be crafted using a varied palette and with a more unpredictable focus. The balance between the different media incorporated within a game differs from project to project. That is the strength of videogames as a medium – but also the challenge for consumers. More...

When you make a game about something unusual like, say, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/05/01/the-unfinished-swan-is-coming-to-psn/">throwing paint in an all-white world</a>, you expect to get a lot of questions. But we were surprised that the question we got asked the most turned out to be "when can I buy it?" Now we have an answer: you can buy <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/the-unfinished-swan-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">The Unfinished Swan</a> on October 23rd exclusively on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>. And if you're a <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> member, you can get the game a week early -- October 16th. In the meantime, there’s still a lot to learn about the game. You’ve <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/31/meet-the-king-of-the-unfinished-swan/">met the King</a>, now get to know us: the team behind it all. More...

This week, the <a href="http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/music-unlimited/why-music-unlimited/">Music Unlimited</a> service features <a href="http://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/10/02/new-releases-on-the-music-unlimited-service-10212/">new releases</a> from MGK, Miguel, and Three Days Grace, as well as Matt & Kim, Tori Amos, and Blake Shelton. With two preview tracks from the upcoming LP, “Lace Up†as well as an exclusive track only found on the Music Unlimited service, be sure not to miss the exclusive MGK EP, “Lace up: The Prelude!†This week on the <a href="http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/video-unlimited/">video side</a>, check out <a href="https://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/10/02/new-releases-on-the-video-unlimited-service-10212/">New Releases</a> including the eerie shocker, Chernobyl Diaries, and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, which is available on the Video Unlimited service before it hits DVD. More...

<blockquote><strong>Subscription Links:</strong> <ul><li>Subscribe via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/official-playstation-blogcast/id483223024?mt=2">iTunes here</a> </li> <li>Subscribe via <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheOfficialPlaystationBlogcast">RSS here</a></li> <li><a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/45_Episode_045__Monsters_Myths_and_PlayStation_Mobile.mp3">Download the MP3 here</a> on PS3, PS Vita or PC (Right-Click->Save As)</li></ul></blockquote> With <a href="http://us.playstation.com/playstationmobile/">PlayStation Mobile</a>'s byte-sized games for PS Vita and supported Android phones and tablets officially on the move, we sit down with PlayStation Mobile's Sarah Thomson to chat about the top launch games, the future of mobile gaming, and the ins and outs of business development in a new Origin Story segment. Good stuff! More...

It's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ragnarok-odyssey/">Ragnarok Odyssey</a> time! I wanted to share more details about the game's beloved card equipment system, as well as the six job classes available in-game, so if you’re all about the meat of the gameplay, this will be an informative blog entry for you. If any of you have played Ragnarok Online, you may already be familiar with how cards work in Ragnarok Odyssey. For those who haven’t played, don’t worry! I’ll explain. You will find cards in shops and from defeated monsters. Depending on what monster you defeat, different things will appear on these cards, such as their likeness, rarity, and specific new abilities and stat boosts. Taking advantage of this is easy, as all armor in the game has a Card Capacity gauge – and the more you upgrade your armor, the more cards you can equip. It’s a nifty little system for when you need an extra boost in firepower to defeat an ugly FrostGiant (they really aren’t all that cute) or a little extra HP. More...

Good news for anyone who’s been enjoying Namco Bandai’s enormous JRPG <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/03/12/jrpg-tales-of-graces-f-debuts-tomorrow-new-trailer-here/">Tales of Graces F</a> since its launch back in August: its immediate successor, Tales of Xillia, is on its way exclusively to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> in 2013. We’ve struggled our way through an hour or so of the original Japanese version, which launched overseas back in 2011, and the 13th entry in the long-running series brings with it a number of significant new innovations for the much-loved franchise. Duly, we took the time to check in with producer Hideo Baba while in Tokyo last month to find out exactly what fans should expect. <strong>PlayStation Blog: What are the key new additions to the Tales formula since Tales of Graces?</strong> Hideo Baba, Producer: There are many unique features in Xillia but I’d like to emphasise that the battle system is very unique and much improved over the previous title. More...

It’s been a while, but we’re back with some updates on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/when-vikings-attack/">When Vikings Attack!</a> So what’s been happening since the last update? Well, apart from tirelessly working on the game day and night, the team have been to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/gamescom12/">Gamescom</a>, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/comic-con12/">Comic Con</a> and just this last weekend the game took a trip to the Eurogamer Expo in London. All of the events were great; we were all super happy to get your tweets and positive reactions, so big thanks to everyone who played the game! Anyway, it seems about time that we announced the winner of our <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/19/when-vikings-attack-character-design-contest/">design a character competition</a>. More...