ps4 – PlayStation.Blog

(For Southeast Asia) You’re Invited: PlayStation Showcase broadcasts live next Thursday, 25 May at 3am (BKK/JKT) / 4AM (SG/KL/MNL)

Sid Shuman (he/him) — Thu, 18 May 2023 04:53:10 +0000

It’s almost time to see what’s next — PlayStation Showcase broadcasts live next Thursday, 25 May at 3am (BKK/JKT) / 4AM (SG/KL/MNL).

The show will run a bit over an hour, focusing on PS5 and PS VR2 games in development from top studios from around the world. Expect a glimpse at several new creations from PlayStation Studios, as well as spellbinding games from our third-party partners and indie creators.

The live broadcast starts next Thursday, 25 May at 3am (BKK/JKT) / 4AM (SG/KL/MNL) on YouTube and Twitch. Hope to see you there!

Regarding Co-streaming and Video-On-Demand (VOD)

Please note that this web broadcast may include copyrighted content (e.g. licensed music) that PlayStation does not control. We welcome and celebrate our amazing co-streamers and creators, but licensing agreements outside our control could possibly interfere with co-streams or VOD archives of this stream.

If you’re planning to save this broadcast as a VOD to create recap videos, or to repost clips or segments from the show, we advise omitting any copyrighted music.

Inside the creative minds of Humanity developers Yugo Nakamura and Tetsuya Mizuguchi

Shuhei Yoshida — Tue, 16 May 2023 22:00:23 +0000

Shuhei Yoshida chats with Yugo Nakamura, creative director, art director, designer, and narrative designer for Humanity, and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, executive producer for Humanity, on how the title delivers a new puzzle game experience. They discuss the thought process behind the creation of Humanity as a new form of interactive experience and how they came up with the game’s main theme.

Humanity is available starting today as a Day 1 PlayStation Plus Game Catalog title.*

Inspired by the “flocking behavior of birds”

Shuhei Yoshida (SY): I heard that Nakamura-san likes to observe flocks of birds, and that’s where you found inspiration for Humanity. Can you tell us more about that?

Yugo Nakamura(YN): I specialize in Interactive Design, and I like to spend my time programming, sharing my work, and creating visual experiences; I enjoy these things and that’s why I do them for a living. I think a lot of people like me have used a simulation program called “Boids,” which essentially simulates the flocking behavior of birds. If you focus on just a single creature, you’re able to create very organic movements just by programming three simple rules and connecting them. But in the case of birds, the simulation looked so alive, and it was fascinating to see how organically the flock of birds moved, even though it was based on such a simple mechanism.

From there, I spent some time making a bite-size mobile game that used simple bird movements as motifs. It was like a racing game where you control a flock of birds.

SY: It’s the one where you try to progress further into the game, right?

YN: Yes. In a regular racing game, you’re only responsible for controlling one car, but in this game, you basically had to control 300 different cars. If you made a small mistake, you lost 100 birds, but then eventually gained back 200!

SY: Game developers like us are always looking to surprise people by creating something that goes above and beyond what you’d expect from a hardware’s capabilities. So when I saw your game, I felt something similar.

YN: I had similar thoughts as a consumer myself. I was shocked at how smoothly games ran back on the original PlayStation, and I thought that was such a great achievement. From there, I decided that since I already made a game with birds on a smartphone, next I wanted to create a system that controlled large groups of humans. That’s how the idea for Humanity was born.

SY: Birds’ movements are driven completely by instinct, but in the case of humans, a mix of intellect and social conventions come into play. What aspects did you focus on when designing the movement of crowds of humans?

YN: My first eureka moment was when I saw huge crowds of people at Comic Market (Comiket) in Japan, all properly lined up and waiting patiently. I was fascinated by how the movement of that many people was so controlled and regulated – I think this sort of behavior is unique to humans who are not just herded by instinct.

“Humanity is something special” – how development started

SY: How did you meet Mizuguchi-san?

YN: I’ve always loved games, and I’d seen Mizuguchi-san many times in gaming magazines since his time at Sega. I was a fan of his work. I once had a chance to meet him briefly, but then I saw him again at Unity Developer’s Delight – a developer event hosted by Unity. There, one of our engineers, Yama, showcased a human crowd simulator demo which was the prototype for Humanity. Mizuguchi-san was one of the judges there, and he later got in touch.

Tetsuya Mizuguchi (TM): I met Yugo once at the Japan Media Arts Festival, hosted by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, but to me he was like a superstar creator that produced so many unique and creative products. If you turned on the TV you’d see a show that he produced, and if you walked the streets of Ginza, you’d see UNIQLO ads that he had worked on.

Enhance helps navigate the complexities of game design

SY: Nakamura-san’s “tha ltd.” isn’t a game development studio. How does the collaboration between Enhance work?

YN: We aren’t a game studio, but our expertise lies in design and tech for interactive experiences. Even though we didn’t know much about video game design, we were overly optimistic at the beginning, and decided that our team will be responsible for development, and Enhance will take on the role of publisher and producer.

However, the deeper we went into development, we realized that game development was not at all like we had imagined. I realized rather early on that creating a fun gaming experience is not something an amateur can easily pull off, so I spoke to Mizuguchi-san to have seasoned game designers oversee our work. From there, we had staff from Enhance join our development as well.

The fun and terror of collectivized humanity

SY: I felt like the game’s title, Humanity, is ironic in a sense that it reflects how humanity as a concept can be perceived. Heaps of people walking around in hordes almost reminds me of a totalitarian society. I was really curious as to whether you developed the game with such irony in mind, or whether you were just genuinely interested in people. When creating a game, you have to implement a lot of rules, which may cause the game to end up becoming something that was not originally intended. Did you face any dilemma like that?

YN: Actually, the inspiration behind the game title is a T-shirt that I own with a logo that says “Humanity” – I thought that was a cool logo and the word itself had a nice ring to it. But when you think about it, Humanity has a very deep meaning, and when I reflected on how humanity plays a role in my daily life, many thoughts came to mind. Each and every one of us is generally kind and rational, and not many of us are inherently mad or crazy. However, this all changes drastically when it comes to ‘groups’. Politics, war, cancel culture on social media – people tend to go to extremes when they are part of a larger group. The title, Humanity, embodies the idea that humans gain a new trait when they come together.

When we view human beings as a cluster, and not as individuals, we may associate them with the totalitarian and homogenous image you mentioned earlier, and the fear and extremities that derive from that are certainly an important motif in the game.

SY: Visuals of the game evoke fear as well.

YN: It was even more terrifying and ruthless at the earlier stages. When you looked at a single human from a group’s perspective, they looked like a speck of dust or even a tiny piece of trash. Mizuguchi-san provided us with some guidance and we went in a more gentle direction.

Expanding the community with the Stage Creator

SY: What was the idea behind Stage Creator?

YN: Originally, the development team was working on a tool for level design, and we thought it would be fun to make it public. However, it was quite a challenge to develop it into something that users could play with a controller.

When we previously released the demo, I saw users creating stages that went far beyond our expectations, so I felt reassured that we made a good decision

SY: I felt the same with LittleBigPlanet and Dreams. It’s nice to see players leveraging the games in ways that the creators never imagined, and sharing their creations with other gamers. Humanity’s UI is also very well designed. Stages with high user ratings and recommendations are showcased at the top, allowing users to quickly discover fun and interesting community-made content.

The world of Humanity in PS VR2

SY: In my position, I must bring up the fact that the game is compatible with PS VR2. The team at Enhance has produced VR masterpieces such as Rez Infinite and Tetris Effect: Connected, so I imagine it was a familiar process for Mizuguchi-san. What was your impression of VR as a medium, Yugo?

YN: I enjoy VR so I have been playing around with it since the early days, but I had an impression that the majority of VR content was immersive first-person experiences. When Mizuguchi-san suggested trying out VR, I didn’t think it would be a good fit for this game, but there were so many discoveries when I gave it a try. I didn’t realize VR was capable of capturing extremely detailed 3D human movements in such high resolution. We were able to utilize VR in a unique way, where the player can watch over small crowds of people walking around in an elaborate diorama, as if you’re observing a swarm of ants.

TM: Most of the VR games I have worked on so far are immersive first-person experiences, but I had a feeling that Humanity would be interesting to play from a third-person perspective – sort of like Sim City where you can walk around and get a bird’s eye view of everything. At first, members of the team were a little skeptical, but when we tried it out, everyone agreed that it was a good idea. The development went smoothly from there.

SY: Performance, such as framerate, can be a concern on VR. Did you run into any issues around that?

YN: It was quite challenging optimizing for PS VR, but we had a lot of leeway with PS VR2. I think we were able to achieve the level of detail we were aiming for, with the resolution of the PS VR2.

Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s take on the potential of PS VR2

SY: As a developer, how do you feel about PS VR2 overall – not just limited to Humanity?

TM: Compared to the original PS VR, the overall quality has improved dramatically, and I think it is an amazing generational leap forward. As a developer, I’m particularly interested and see a lot of potential in the new eye tracking feature.

Also, you may think that we at Enhance are obsessed with haptics – well, we are haha – but we are interested in building experiences that involve haptics. In that sense, the inclusion of haptic feedback in the headset is very significant. What I found out when I created the Synesthesia Suit for Rez Infinite, for example, is that when there is distance, you can experience the world through the senses of your whole body. You can feel the sensation of objects passing by or the alternating beat of the music. What only existed in the palm of your hands is now extended to the headset, so there are so many new possibilities.

A perfect chemistry of puzzles and narrative that make it worth playing till the end

SY: It’s been five years since development started. How do you feel looking back?

YN: We were struggling the whole time basically (haha). I mentioned earlier that the game was an extension of an interactive design we worked on, and there were parts of the process that were exactly as we had imagined and parts that were completely unexpected. The basic aspects of development were what we had expected, but the process of refining the game to make it more fun and enjoyable was very unique.

Extensive playtesting and listening to various user feedback is common practice in the game industry. Even when there were opinions I thought were okay to ignore, we diligently repeated the process of resolving them. We would eliminate even the slightest stress, and the end result would be a game that is pleasant and comfortable to play, even if you can’t quite complete it.

SY: Indeed, there is no stress when playing Humanity. You can retry immediately if you fail, and it drops you right back into the middle of what you have been doing. I felt that the game was being accommodating to the user and made them feel comfortable during gameplay.Players from around the globe enjoyed the demo released in February, and now the full version is available as part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.How do you feel about that?

YN: In one word, I am terrified! The content I usually produce lasts five to 15 minutes at most. With videos, I only need to grab the attention of the viewer for that short amount of time, so I can focus on that and make it happen. Games, however, can take up to several tens of hours, so I cannot help but wonder if our game is really worth that amount of players’ time. As the creator, I don’t have that much objective confidence, and because I’ve been a part of the game’s development for so long I can’t say I’m objective anymore.

SY: Do you have a message for those who haven’t played Humanity yet?

YN: There may be people who don’t enjoy puzzles or are not too fond of it as a game genre, but I hope people will see past that and give it a try. Of course the puzzles are fun, but I encourage gamers to jump in and play around as if it’s a playground; move the crowds in various ways and experiment by making them do different things. You’ll see a lot of interesting behaviors and results. We put work in creating a game that you won’t get tired of.

It is part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, so if you are already a member, you can play it whenever you feel like it. I’ll be delighted if everyone could give it a try.

TM: Humanity is a game that delivers a whole new experience. If you ask me what genre it is, I would probably say it is a puzzle game. I think it is easy enough for anyone to pick up – from children to the elderly, even our parents’ generation. Everything that happens is a spectacle, and that alone is interesting, but I think the game is about experiencing the narrative, and immersing yourself in the story of Humanity.

It’s a fun game that can be enjoyed on your own, or have family and friends with you helping to solve the puzzles. You can also treat it like a party game where everyone beats the game together. I hope players enjoy the game in their own way, and are able to witness the end that we prepared for them.

*Humanity is available now on PS4, PS5, PS VR, and PS VR2. It’s also included with the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog with PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium memberships.

(For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for May: GRID Legends, Chivalry 2 and Descenders

Adam Michel — Tue, 02 May 2023 15:29:13 +0000

Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for May. The Monthly Games lineup of GRID Legends, Chivalry 2 and Descenders will be available to PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday, May 2 until Monday June 5.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the games in turn.

GRID Legends | PS4, PS5

Welcome to GRID Legends: a high-stakes driving experience that combines thrilling and unpredictable motorsport, incredible race variety and an immersive narrative that puts you at the heart of the action. Take the spotlight in an engrossing racing story, brought to life by a world-class cast including Ncuti Gatwa in a ground-breaking extended reality production. Face fierce personalities, paddock politics, on-track drama and the infamous Ravenwest Motorsport, as a fly-on-the-wall documentary captures every moment.

Chivalry 2 | PS4, PS5

Return to the ultimate medieval battlefield in this multiplayer first person slasher inspired by epic medieval movie battles. Players are thrust into the action of every iconic moment of the era – experience large-scale conflicts in sprawling medieval environments ranging from Tournament grounds to full-scale castle sieges. Pick your playstyle with 4 classes and 12 subclasses, each with their own unique weapons and abilities and much more then charge headfirst into stunning 64-player cinematic battles. The PS5 version runs in 4K at 60fps.

Descenders | PS4

Descenders is a fast-paced extreme downhill biking game that’s easy to pick up, but difficult to master, featuring an in-depth physics system that lets you control every subtle movement of your rider. Take on different jumps, slopes and hillbombs every time you play with procedurally generated levels. Earn special mutators each time you play, and work out which abilities work best for your riding style and earn new bikes and threads as you build your online Rep system.

Last chance to download April’s Monthly Games

PlayStation Plus members have until Monday May 1 to add Meet Your Maker, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Tails of Iron to their game library.

(For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April: Meet Your Maker, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Tails of Iron

Adam Michel — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:05:10 +0000

Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April. The Monthly Games lineup of Meet Your Maker, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Tails of Iron will be available to PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday, April 4 until Monday May 1.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the games in turn.

Meet Your Maker | PS4, PS5

Meet Your Maker is a post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players. Switch between roles as you mastermind devious Outposts filled with traps and guards, then gear up for methodical fast-paced combat raiding other players’ creations, gaining an edge by choosing the right loadout (melee, ranged, defensive), perks, and consumables to match your challenge or playstyle. Combine your creativity and build with a friend or join forces to raid Outposts as a team of two.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure | PS4, PS5

Iconic PlayStation hero Sackboy bursts back into breathtaking action with a huge, fun and frantic 3D multiplayer platforming adventure. Go solo in an epic race against time stuffed with danger and peril or enjoy local or online party play, creating teams of two to four adventurers as you work together to overcome nefarious tasks however you can imagine, including unmissable co-op only levels.

Tails of Iron | PS4, PS5

Set in a grim land plagued by war, Tails of Iron is a hand-drawn RPG Adventure with punishingly brutal combat. As Redgi, heir to the Rat Throne, you must restore your broken Kingdom by banishing the merciless Frog Clan and their ferocious leader, Greenwart. As you explore the deceivingly charming world, you’ll encounter a cast of unique companions, ready to aid you in your adventure. And you’ll need all the help you can get, whether that’s new meal recipes, blueprints to forge deadly weapons and armor, or even a land-chugging, armor-plated mole mobile!

Last chance to download March’s Monthly Games

PlayStation Plus members have until Monday April 3 to add Battlefield 2042, Minecraft Dungeons and Code Vein to their game library.

(For Southeast Asia) Atomic Heart is available on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 starting February 21, 2023

PlayStation Blog Staff — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 01:42:30 +0000

The long-awaited release of the immersive action-RPG game Atomic Heart from Mundfish studio, which takes place in the mad utopian world of the alternative history of the USSR of the 1950s, is available now for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5! Get ready for the game’s release by learning important gameplay details that will help you immerse yourself in the game and survive a deadly technological nightmare!

Upgrade weapons and manage resources

As you progress, you will be able to gain access to 12 unique types of weapons, including melee weapons, firearms and energy weapons. Using melee weapons, you are constantly accumulating a charge for an energy weapon, and using a mix of those will always allow you to fight even if you run out of ammo for firearms. In order to increase your level of lethality, you will need to thoughtfully upgrade your arsenal. And that will also give you an access to a special additional attack of certain types of weapons. For example, an energy weapon is capable of releasing an EMP-impulse via special attack, and a Zvezdochka melee weapon can release rotating saws in front of it. Also, for example, having gained access to a special attack of the PM gun, you will be able to spend 4 bullets to make a sniper shot that deals crushing damage and instantly headshots some enemies. And do not forget to use special cartridges for weapons with elemental effects to make an additional damage effect on enemies in the form of fire or, for example, freezing.

To upgrade weapons, you will need to look for recipes and use them with the NORA crafting machine. Some of them are available from the very beginning, and to understand where to search for new ones, the location of the recipes will be indicated within the NORA machines’ interface. Also, in the rooms with a NORA, you can save your progress and pick up items from the warehouse. You will be able to send items for storage at any time, while those that can’t fit into the inventory will be sent there automatically. Manage your items carefully to be ready to change your approach to fights at any time.

Use the abilities of the polymer glove wisely

To deal with opponents more effectively, you will be able to combine the use of weapons together with the special abilities of your polymer glove CHAR-les! You will have 5 abilities at your disposal: Shocker, Telekinesis, Frostbite, Polymeric Shield and Polymeric Jet. The Shocker will be available for permanent use, while out of the remaining 4 you will be able to additionally activate 2 more abilities at the same time. This system will allow you to take a unique approach to fights with different types of opponents. You can change the set of active skills at any time to deal with unexpected combat conditions.

Thus, look for the best approach and thoughtfully combine a mix of weapons, elemental cartridges, special attacks and, of course, the abilities of the glove. As an example of a combat situation – if you suddenly find yourself surrounded by opponents from all sides, you will be able to freeze those who are behind with a glove, then use the Dominator energy weapon to discharge the accumulated energy into those who are in front, then turn back again and smash frozen enemies with melee weapons, thus accumulate an energy for “Dominator” and finally discharge additional energy shots to finish the remaining enemies in front. Use your imagination without limits!

Benefit from consumable items

Do not forget to constantly use consumable items, which are an integral part of the gameplay and are scattered around the world. Be aware that Condensed Milk – increases outgoing damage, Vodka – increases the level of protection, adrenaline – gives acceleration of movement and a small regeneration of health, and, of course, first aid capsules – basically restore health. At critical moments, consumable items will be able to help you deal with a situation that could have seemingly ended in death.

Strategically upgrade the skill branches

In total, you will have 7 skill branches available for upgrading. 5 of branches relate to the active skill sets, which are actually upgrades of the polymer glove abilities: Shocker, Telekinesis, Polymeric Shield, Frostbite and Polymeric Jet. The 2 remaining branches relate to passive skill sets: character skills such as speed of movement and branch of energy upgrades. Keep upgrading your skills and become more and more invincible!

You will be able to reset all skills at any time absolutely free of charge and restore the polymers spent on them in order to assemble a new build of skills. You will be able to create more than 300 different combinations of all the branches’ skills. Experiment and look for new approaches to opponents, whose vulnerabilities differ from type to type!

Enjoy the DualSense wireless controller features while playing on PS5

Part of the advantages of playing on the PS5 – is an access to the immersive sensations that the DualSense wireless controller provides. You will feel the recoil from adaptive triggers while firing weapons, and this recoil will differ depending on the weapon used. You will also experience particular vibrations while using certain special attacks of some weapons or when the glove’s abilities are overheating. Also, you will be able to listen to the Chirper’s audio through the controller speaker, which will additionally contribute to the overall experience. Play the Atomic Heart with a full immersion and enjoy exploring its amazing and deadly world!

Atomic Heart is available on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 starting February 21, 2023, and you will have the opportunity to finally look behind the veil of mystery surrounding the occurring technological nightmare and find out what an Atomic Heart actually is!

(For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup for February: Horizon Forbidden West, The Quarry, Resident Evil 7 biohazard and more

Adam Michel — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 06:12:23 +0000

Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for February 2023. All games will be available on Tuesday February 21. Let’s dive in.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe | Game Catalog

Horizon Forbidden West | PS4, PS5

Join Aloy as she braves the Forbidden West – a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats. Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon. Reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past – all the while trying to stay one step ahead of a seemingly undefeatable new enemy.

The Quarry | PS4, PS5

A thrilling teen horror story, where your decisions shape how the night unfolds. As the sun sets on the last day of summer camp, the counsellors of Hackett’s Quarry throw a party to celebrate. Things quickly take a turn for the worse. Hunted by blood-drenched locals and something far more sinister, the teens’ party plans unravel into an unpredictable night of horror.Play as each of the nine counsellors in a thrilling cinematic tale, where every decision shapes your story.

Resident Evil 7 biohazard | PS4

Menace and isolation seethe through the rotting walls of an abandoned farmhouse in the American South. ‘7’ marks a new beginning for survival horror, and a full model change to the frightening and immersive ‘Isolated View ‘player perspective. Powered by the cutting-edge RE Engine, horror reaches new heights of photorealism so overwhelming you won’t be able to turn away. Enter a terrifyingly new world of horror and survive.

Outriders | PS4, PS5

Embark on a co-op-focused, sci-fi shooter experience from People Can Fly, the developer behind Bulletstorm.

As mankind bleeds out in the trenches of Enoch, you’ll create your own Outrider and embark on a journey across the hostile planet. With rich storytelling spanning a diverse world, you’ll leave behind the slums and shanty towns of the First City and traverse forests, mountains and desert in the pursuit of a mysterious signal.

Scarlet Nexus | PS4, PS5

Dive into a complex story of bonds, courage, and heroism crafted by minds behind the iconic Tales of Vesperia. In the far distant future, deranged mutants known as Others descend from the sky. That they’re highly resistant to conventional attack methods means humanity’s only defence lies in those with acute extra-sensory abilities, known as psionics, to use psycho-kinetic abilities to fight back. Featuring a dual story, begin your adventure with either Yuito Sumeragi, an energetic recruit from a prestigious political family or Kasane Randall, the mysterious scout whose power and skill has gained great notoriety among the OSF. As their different experiences interweave with each other, it is only then that you will reveal the full story.

Borderlands 3 | PS4, PS5

Return to the over-the-top world of Borderlands in this long-awaited addition to the acclaimed FPS series. Play as one of four all-new, deeply customizable Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands. Customize your Vault Hunter with tons of personalization options, and use their distinct skill trees to tailor abilities to your preferred playstyle. Play with anyone at any time online or in split-screen co-op, regardless of your level or mission progress. Take down enemies and challenges as a team, but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.

Tekken 7 | PS4

Raise your fists and get ready for the epic conclusion of the 20-year-long Mishima blood feud as you unravel the reasons behind each step of their ceaseless fight. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, Tekken 7 features stunning story-driven cinematic 3D battles and intense duels with innovative fight mechanics. Settle old scores and wrestle for control of a global empire with a catalogue of over 30 playable characters. Choose from an impressive roster of fan-favourites including King and Nina Williams, and all-new fighters such as Lucky Chloe, Shaheen, and the Street Fighter series’ Akuma.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown | PS4

Strap yourself into the cockpit of some of the world’s most formidable fighter planes and skim through the clouds engaging in daring aerial stunts and nerve-shredding tactical dogfights. In Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, you take on the role of an Ace – an elite fighter pilot tasked with patrolling the most open and intimidating space on Earth: the sky. Choose from an array of authentic modern and futurist aircraft and load them up with an arsenal of cutting-edge super weapons as unfolding events drive you into ever more dangerous aerial face-offs.

Earth Defense Force 5 | PS4

Battle gigantic bugs and other huge enemies in this arcade-style third person shooter. Go it alone, team up with a friend in local co-op or take the fight online with four player action, utilizing over a thousand different types of weapon across a hundred missions.

Oninaki | PS4

This action RPG from Square Eni tells the story of one Watcher on a journey to protect Life, after Death. The game features exciting hack and slash style battles, with deep customization of your daemons and weapons and more than enough content to keep you coming back for more. Experience unique action gameplay combined with a deep and satisfying story.

Lost Sphear | PS4

A fresh take on classic RPG gameplay beckons in Lost Sphear. An ominous power that threatens the fabric of reality. Take on the role of Kanata as he and his comrades set out to stop the world from disappearing forever by awakening the power of Memory. Take on exciting boss battles and rebuild the world.

I am Setsuna | PS4

This JRPG features a battle system and character designs inspired by past genre classics. It charts the story of Setsuna, a young woman of incredible inner strength and the sacrifice she must make to save the people of her land. As custom in her homeland, every decade a sacrifice is offered to a fiend to maintain the peace. That custom is broken when the fiend grows violent early, and the islanders try to restore its calm by offering Setsuna, chosen because of her powers of enchantment. Now she must leave with her safeguards behind as she travels to the the farthest land, where the ceremony of sacrifice will be held.

No Straight Roads | PS4

Start a rock band & end the EDM empire in a rockin’ action-adventure from the minds of Wan Hazmer (Final Fantasy XV) and Daim Dziauddin (Street Fighter V). Explore Vinyl City & fight musical megastars on your journey to defeat oppressive EDM empire ‘NSR’, in an action-packed adventure that mashes together rhythm-infused third-person combat with a kick-ass soundtrack!

PlayStation Deluxe | Classics

The Legend of Dragoon | PS1

Unveil a fantasy of magnificence, deception, magical combat, and retribution as you join swordsman Dart and his companions to harness the spiritual forces of Dragons and triumph over evil. Using a unique and innovative tactical combat system, transform into Dragoons and unleash extraordinary powers. Control a wide variety of characters that wield unique weapons and Dragoon attacks powered by the elements in this unforgettable role-playing game. Experience The Legend of Dragoon – originally released on PS1, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Wild Arms 2 | PS1

It’s about one world hanging in the balance. Where one hero must sacrifice his heart for peace. Where courage and fear, love and malice, heroes and villains go hand in hand. It’s power that exceeds human knowledge. It’s neither dream nor reality. It’s what legends are made of. Experience Wild Arms 2 originally released on PS1, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature | PS1

It’s a different kind of RPG for the entire family. As a child you visited your Grandfather’s ranch when vacation plans fell through. Return to the farm that holds fond childhood memories and rejuvenate its long neglected fields. Tend to your livestock and interact with over 50 characters. As you struggle to make the farm something your grandfather would be proud of, one nagging question remains: What ever happened to the little girl that you knew a decade ago?

Experience Harvest Moon: Back to Nature originally released on PS1, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. The game has been converted to PS4 and PS5 consoles and provides newly added features. Consequently, there may be times where the title plays differently from the PS1 version, or where some features may cause the title to not function properly. This version does not support the PS1’s peripherals, therefore some functionality may not be available.

Destroy All Humans! | PS4

The cult classic returns! Terrorize the people of 1950’s Earth in the role of the evil alien Crypto-137. Harvest DNA and bring down the US government in the PS4 remake of the legendary PS2 alien invasion action adventure. Annihilate puny humans using an assortment of alien weaponry and psychic abilities. Reduce their cities to rubble with your flying Saucer.

(For Southeast Asia) THE YEAR OF PLAY promotion comes to PlayStation Store

James Thivierge — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 02:00:00 +0000

PlayStation Store welcomes THE YEAR OF PLAY promotion on Wednesday, January 18. For a limited time* enjoy great games at compelling prices. That includes the like NBA 2K23 with 70% off, 65% off It Takes Two, 50% off Cyberpunk 2077 and 20% off Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.

Head to PlayStation Store when the promotion goes live to find out your regional discount.

PlayStation Plus Sale

New customers who purchase 12 Month or 3 Month on Deluxe or Extra subscription now can save up to 40%! Existing members can get 30% off upgrades to Extra and Deluxe!
Offer available until 25 January 2023.

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(For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup for January: Back 4 Blood, Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition, Life is Strange and more.

Adam Michel — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 07:23:16 +0000

Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for January 2023. All games will be available on Tuesday January 17. Let’s dive in.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe | Game Catalog

Back 4 Blood | PS4, PS5

Join the war against the Ridden in a thrilling co-op first-person shooter from the creators of Left 4 Dead. With humanity’s extinction on the line, it’s up to you and your friends to take the fight to the enemy, eradicate the Ridden and reclaim the world. Fight your way through a dynamic, perilous world in a four-player co-op story campaign where you must work together to survive increasingly challenging missions. Play with up to three of your friends online or go solo and lead your team in battle. Choose from eight customizable Cleaners, one of the immune survivors, and a range of lethal weapons and items as you strategize against an ever-evolving enemy bent on your total destruction.

Dragon Ball FighterZ | PS4

Endless spectacular fights with iconic, all-powerful fighters await in this action game from Arc System Works. Capturing the authentic anime style of the series and combining it with easy to learn but difficult to master gameplay, the game has multiple modes to keep franchise and genre fans happy. Build your dream team and sharpen your skills to master high-speed tag combinations in 3v3 Tag matches, take on all comers in ranked matches (including 6-player Party Match) online. The Story mode includes a never-before-seen scenario with a new character created under the supervision of Akira Toriyama himself.

Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition | PS5

In Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, blistering speed meets impeccable control for an incredibly tight gameplay experience as you work your way through the thrilling story. This optimized version of the original release represents the pinnacle of stylish action! Several years after the Order of the Sword incident, a new demonic threat has invaded our world. It’s up to the legendary devil hunters Dante and Nero to stop it, with the newcomer V joining forces with them. These three men’s fates are tied together in mysterious and surprising ways. The game introduces next-gen features such as ray tracing technology and enhanced 3D audio, fan-favorite modes including Turbo Mode and Legendary Dark Knight Mode, and the inclusion of Deluxe Edition.

The PS4 version of Devil May Cry 5 will also be available on PlayStation Plus Extra.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm | PS4

In this choice and consequence driven narrative adventure, Chloe Price, a 16 year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a beautiful and popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret it takes their new found alliance to give each other the strength to overcome their demons.

Life is Strange | PS4

This award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future. Follow the story of Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend Chloe Price. The pair soon find themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of fellow student Rachel Amber, uncovering a dark side to life in Arcadia Bay. Meanwhile, Max must quickly learn that changing the past can sometimes lead to a devastating future.

Jett: The Far Shore | PS4, PS5

Take an interstellar trip to carve out a future for a people haunted by oblivion in this cinematic action-adventure. As scout Mei, be the first to deploy to a mythic ocean planet. Take the helm of a ‘jett’ and explore a vast unknown – skim low over waves, roar up pristine coastlines and carve through otherworldly woods. Adapt to an intricate, systemic open world and persevere through adversity alongside an intimate ensemble cast. Embark on an exploratory single-player adventure presented in five captivating acts encompassing monumental moments, laid-back exploration, occasional white-knuckle action, moments of heartfelt companionship, and a helping of existential dread.

Just Cause 4: Reloaded | PS4

Jump into an action-packed open-world sandbox experience and cause chaos with a wide selection of weaponry, vehicles and gear. Just Cause 4 Reloaded delivers an expansive and explosive gameplay experience in an all-new package and includes additional premium content as well as all previously released improvements and additions to the game. Strap into your wingsuit, equip your fully customizable grappling hook, and get ready to bring the thunder!

Omno | PS4

A single-player journey of discovery through an ancient world of wonders. Full of puzzles, secrets and obstacles to overcome, where the power of a lost civilisation will carry you through forests, deserts and tundras – even to the clouds. On your way you’ll discover a vibrant world full of strange and wonderful lifeforms, from cute little critters to enigmatic giants, and everything in between.

Erica | PS4

In this innovative live-action interactive thriller, your decisions shape the narrative. Become Erica, a young lady plagued with nightmares of her father’s murder. With the traumatic events of her childhood dragged back into the light via grisly new clues, it’s up to you to unearth the shocking truth. Every choice you make influences how the game develops, with multiple endings awaiting you at the finale of the gripping branching narrative.

PlayStation Deluxe | Classics

Syphon Filter 3 | PS1

Special agents Gabe Logan and Lian Xing stand accused of conspiring to spread the fatal Syphon Filter virus around the world. However, the trail of treason leads straight to their former employers – The Agency, and only Gabe and Lian can uncover the covert conspiracy and stop the virus in its tracks. Missions include stealth, assassination and all-out combat, plus a wide range of mini-games including evasion, retrieval and demolition. A host of secret bonus missions and the new extended two-player deathmatch mode deliver maximum longevity and replay value. This version of Syphon Filter 3 is enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Star Wars Demolition | PS1

Choose from over 10 iconic Star Wars vehicles and battle it out across eight intense arenas and four game modes. Blast your way to victory with an arsenal that includes laser cannons, proton torpedoes and concussion missiles.

This version of Star Wars Demolition is enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Everybody’s Golf 2 | PS1

Dust down your clubs – the game for every keen golfer has just returned to the top of the leaderboard. Combining addictive gameplay and stunning visuals, Everybody’s Golf 2 delivers a comprehensive golfing experience, with a wacky sense of humor. This version is enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Seasons greetings 2022 PlayStation.Blog and friends

Kristen Zitani (she/her) — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:00:01 +0000

The end of 2022 is almost here, and as we look back on all the amazing gaming moments we’ve shared, the PlayStation.Blog team wants to thank you for your support all year long.

But we’re not alone in spreading holiday cheer! Our talented friends and colleagues from across the industry have created a festive bunch of season’s greetings cards for you to peruse over a mug of hot cocoa. Cheers to another great year of gaming!

2K (PGA 2K23) ❅2K (Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands) ❅ 2K (WWE 2K23) ❅ Activison (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II) ❅ Bandai Namco (Tekken) ❅ Bandai Namco (One Piece Odyssey) ❅ Bandai Namco (Park Beyond) ❅ Bend Studio ❅ Bluepoint ❅ EA Games (Dead Space) ❅ EA Games (NHL 23) ❅ EA Games (The Sims 4) ❅ Extra Nice ❅ Fast Travel Games ❅ Finji ❅ Firaxis ❅ Fireshine Games ❅ Firesprite ❅ Guerrilla ❅ Housemarque ❅ Insomniac Games ❅ Kalypso Media ❅ Koei Tecmo ❅ Konami ❅ London Studio ❅ Media Molecule ❅ Microids ❅ Mighty Eyes ❅ Naughty Dog❅ Neat Games ❅ Pixelopus ❅ Playstack London ❅ Polyphony Digital ❅ Psyonix ❅ San Diego Studio ❅ Santa Monica Studio ❅ SEGA ❅ SEGA (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles) ❅ Spike Chunsoft ❅ Square Enix ❅ Striking Distance Studios ❅ Studio Sai ❅ Sucker Punch Productions ❅ Supermassive Games ❅ Wargaming ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Back 4 Blood) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Gotham Knights) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (MultiVersus) ❅ Yacht Club Games

Holiday card from Santa Monica Studio

Holiday card from Guerrilla

Holiday card from Insomniac Games

Holiday card from Housemarque

Holiday card from 2K (Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands)

Holiday card from Square Enix

Holiday card from Bandai Namco (Tekken)

Holiday card from Naughty Dog

Holiday card from Bend Studio

Holiday card from Sucker Punch Productions

Holiday card from EA Games (The Sims 4)

Holiday card from Psyonix

Holiday card from Warner Bros. Games (MultiVersus)

Holiday card from Polyphony Digital

Holiday card from Media Molecule

Holiday card from Activision (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II)

Holiday card from SEGA

Holiday card from Bluepoint

Holiday card from Striking Distance

Holiday card from Pixelopus

Holiday card from Konami

Holiday card from Dead Space

Holiday card from Bandai Namco (Park Beyond)

Holiday card from Bandai Namco (One Piece Odyssey)

Holiday card from Warner Bros. Games (Gotham Knights)

Holiday card from Firesprite

Holiday card from EA Games (NHL 23)

Holiday card from Supermassive Games

Holiday card from Finji

Holiday card from Extra Nice

Holiday card from Warner Bros. Games (Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga)

Holiday card from PlayStack London

Holiday card from PGA 2K23

Holiday card from Neat Games

Holiday card from London Studio

Holiday card from Fireshine Games

Holiday card from Warner Bros. Games (Back 4 Blood)

Holiday card from Koei Tecmo

Holiday card from San Diego Studio

Holiday card from WWE Games

Holiday card from Microids

Holiday card from Wargaming

Holiday card from Mighty Eyes

Holiday card from SEGA (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles)

Holiday card from Kalypso Media

Holiday card from Spike Chunsoft

Holiday card from Studio Sai

Holiday card from Firaxis

Holiday card from Fast Travel Games

Holiday card from Yacht Club Games

Indies coming to PS4 & PS5 in August 2022

Heidi Kemps (she/her) — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 15:00:06 +0000

It’s August and things are really heating up—and we don’t just mean outdoors. There’s a tidal wave of new indie titles coming to PS4, PS5, and PS VR this month*, covering a wide variety of genres and playstyles. Here you’ll find wacky sports action, death-defying stunts, alien words, and even a terrifying “vacation” to a secluded cabin… all without the risk of sunburn. Take a look at some of this month’s indie highlights to plan your next adventure.

Gigabash

It’s time to cause some combat carnage on a gargantuan scale. Passion Republic Games is debuting Gigabash, an all-new multiplayer arena brawler for PS4 and PS5. Humanity has screwed up big-time by uncovering ancient forbidden technology that’s caused massive monsters to pop up across the globe. They’re looking to brawl and party in the only way they know: by causing massive destruction. Fight as a giant mech or monster with up to three other players. Utilize quick movement and unique skills to prove your might, repurpose buildings, landmarks, and infrastructure as your personal beatdown tools, then use your amassed Giga Energy to morph into the ultimate S-Class monster. Come August 5, no city is safe.

Release Date: August 5, 2022 | Publisher: Passion Republic Games | PS4, PS5

Cult of the Lamb

When a helpless little lamb finds itself saved from doom by a mysterious stranger named “The One Who Waits,” they are awakened to a newfound religious zeal for their savior. Now, they must build their own flock of devoted followers. This dark and humorous action/adventure/strategy game from Massive Monster sees your cult-leading sheep traversing the world in search of potential converts. As you spread your gospel, you’ll need to deal with numerous threats, both environmental and from rival religious leaders. Gather your followers, build houses of faith, perform sermons and rituals, and show no mercy to the false prophets who sully the hearts of minds of the populace. Find your calling when Cult of The Lamb comes to PS4 and PS5 on August 11.

Release Date: August 11, 2022 | Publisher: Devolver Digital | PS4, PS5

Rollerdrome

Skate… or die! The developers at Roll7 follow up their hit skating adventure OlliOlli World with a darker take on the world of rollersports. In a retro-dystopian future, the world’s population needs distractions from the social and political strife around them, so they turn to 2030’s hottest sport: Rollerdrome. Slide into the skates of would-be Rollerdrome superstar Kara Hassan and prepare to test your wits, guns, and style. Learn how to impress the cheering crowds with tricks while evading heavily-armed foes and returning fire with your own personal arsenal, and use PS5 features like 3D Audio and haptic feedback to enhance your combat prowess. Prepare to enter the arena on PS4 and PS5 on August 16.

Release Date: August 16, 2022 | Publisher: Private Division | PS4, PS5

Cursed to Golf

When Dante Alighieri wrote his afterlife-examining masterpiece The Divine Comedy, he accidentally left out the part in Purgatory where one must atone through golfing. Thankfully(?), in Chuhai Labs’ Cursed to Golf on PS4 and PS5, you can take your very own 18-hole tour of Golf Purgatory… without having to die in real life. Charmingly creepy 2D pixel visuals guide you through the challenge of procedurally generated hellish holes packed with all kinds of bizarre hazards. Use Ace Cards from the ghostly golf shop Eterni-tee to supernaturally supercharge your swings and make friends with the souls of Legendary Caddies. Get ready to tee off in the hereafter on August 18.

Release Date: August 18, 2022 | Publisher: Thunderful Games | PS4, PS5

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

We all know that being a teenager is tough, but living out your most awkward years on another planet entirely? That’s hard mode for sure! I Was A Teenage Exocolonist from developer Northway Games is a genre-bending hybrid of RPG, strategy, visual novel, and deck-building card game set in a far-flung sci-fi future. On this beautifully illustrated alien world of Vertumna, you’ll attempt to navigate all of the highs and lows of your teen years. And you’ll do so through a unique collectible card-based system. Your card choices influence making friends, learning life skills, getting jobs, and even falling in love for the first time. How will the decisions you make affect your colony? Can you survive? With 29 endings and 800 unique story events, even death doesn’t mean game over. A strange time-loop has you reliving your life with your memories intact. Can you save those you love while navigating the perils of youth? Find out when I Was A Teenage Exocolonist releases August 25.

Release Date: August 25, 2022 | Publisher: Finji | PS4, PS5

Inscryption

A wise man once said to “trust in the heart of the cards.” This is extremely good advice for Inscryption, the latest from Daniel Mullins Games, because your life is held hostage within a bizarre card-game world. Trapped in a cabin with no idea who you are or how you got there, you find yourself at the whims of Leshy, a mysterious being who offers you salvation through playing his card game. With the aid of a handful of friendly card-beasts, you’ll need to build decks to conquer this dark game and find a way to escape. Unique features like controller-speaker sound and mood lighting enhance the horror, and PS5 players get additional haptic feedback for more… intense moments. Fall into deck-building darkness on August 30.

Release Date: August 30, 2022 | Publisher: Devolver Digital | PS5

*Game content and release timing subject to change without notice. Based on U.S. release timing.