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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Is Coming To PS4 And Xbox One

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 23:20:25 +0000

Here’s something of a surprise – during a recent earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has reportedly revealed that this year’s successful current-gen exclusive sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is going to get a port to the older PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms.

“Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is pure blockbuster entertainment, rooted in a timeless, culture-defining IP,” Wilson is quoted as saying (via VGC).

“Our team at Respawn proudly launched this title to critical acclaim and commercial success. Millions of players have already engaged with the game, making this one of the biggest events in the Star Wars galaxy this year. Thanks to the strength of this legendary franchise and community demand, our development team has committed to bringing this Jedi experience to PS4 and Xbox One.

“Over the coming year, we will harness the community’s passion and capitalise on key Star Wars franchise moments to drive continued engagement for this incredible game.”

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has seemingly been a massive contributor to the publisher’s huge Q1 earnings, with EA’s CFO adding, “Based on the strength of the IP, the engaging gameplay, and new ways to bring the title to players, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will continue to deliver long-term value.”

It’ll definitely be interesting to see how a port to older hardware is handled, given the experience is still not entirely optimal on current-gen consoles even after months of patches, but it’s great to see it’ll be made available to even more players without them having to fork out for new hardware.

We gave Star Wars Jedi: Survivor a huge 9/10 in our review, saying “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sharpens combat and exploration to a fine point while delivering a story that goes all in on its characters and human drama. Some minor pacing issues can’t stop the game from achieving exciting new heights for the series, if you’re willing to let it take you there.”

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EB Games Is Bringing Back Trade 1 Plant 1 This Week And Turning Your Games Into Trees

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 23:00:05 +0000

With Earth Day coming up on Saturday April 22nd, EB Games is once again partnering with non-profit organisation One Tree Planted to run a special trade promotion where a single tree will be planted for every game or other item that customers trade in during the promotional period.

The event runs this week from Wednesday April 19th to Tuesday April 25th with the usual EB trade policies in place.

Last year the event saw 29,000 trees planted in Australia, an increase over the previous year’s 25,000. It’s enough to cover over 300 tennis courts or over 6,500 carparks – two things we could probably do with less of anyway. It’s a huge effort, and hopefully one that the Aussie community can rally around again and outdo by an even greater number this time around.

For more on the Trade 1 Plant 1 promotion, head over here.

Trade 1 Plant 1 is BACK! To celebrate Earth Day, we’ve partnered once again with One Tree Planted, to plant a tree for every item traded until Tuesday! T&Cs apply. See staff for details. ??

Be sure to stay tuned for more preowned offers to be announced! https://t.co/pOb5lOBceC pic.twitter.com/10yw66EakF

— EB Games Australia (@EBGamesAus) April 18, 2023

Hey! You could even trade your old games and accessories towards the new Xbox Wireless Controller – Remix Special Edition, a snazzy green-coloured version of its standard Xbox controller that’s made from one-third recycled materials, continuing the company’s efforts towards reducing its impact on the planet.

The controller – which also comes packaged in with the Xbox Rechargeable Battery for obvious reasons – is constructed from post-consumer recycled resins made with regrind, the process of turning things like CDs, plastic jugs and even old Xbox One-generation parts into raw materials to be used to create new products. Like the EB Games Trade 1 Plant 1 promo, it’s all in the name of Earth Day and thinking about how we use and reuse what we take from the Earth and the efforts we’re making to ensure our stay on this planet is long and sustainable.

The Xbox Wireless Controller – Remix Special Edition is out now and you can pick one up for yourself at your local EB Games.

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Dreams Is Ending Live Support With The Final Update Coming In September

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 10:37:12 +0000

Media Molecule has announced that it’s ending all live support and updates for its game/art/music/anything creation suite, Dreams.

Launched in February 2020, Dreams has enjoyed a healthy run of new content, updates to its tools, special themed creation and curation events and annual awards ceremonies (The Impy Awards), but that’s all now coming to a close according to an update posted by the team, with the final update happening in September 2023 (outside of any critical fixes).

One exciting reason for these developments is the fact that Media Molecule says they’re working on a brand-new project, but it also means that features that were reportedly in development for Dreams, like multiplayer, and features that would’ve been great to have, like PS5/PS VR2 support, won’t happen.

A message from Media Molecule regarding the upcoming server migration and live service support for Dreams.https://t.co/XAIHZyB025 pic.twitter.com/eBRTG52zFg

— Media Molecule (@mediamolecule) April 11, 2023

Along with the ending of live support for Dreams, Media Molecule is migrating it to new servers, which also includes imposing storage limits on user creations, the good news being that it means that the game will live on on these new servers beyond the September 2023 live support end date.

There’s a full in-depth post on the changes available here, but Media Molecule also posted a quick FAQ on everything which we’ve copied below:

What does this mean for Media Molecule?

Media Molecule will continue to work on bringing joyful, playful, innovative experiences to players around the world. We’re currently working on a new project that we’re not ready to talk about at this stage, but stay tuned for more information in the future.

Why have you decided to end live support for Dreams?

We’re very proud of Dreams and grateful for the way you, the community, have embraced all it has to offer. Whilst we’ve always had the desire to build on the foundation of Dreams and expand the experience, when reviewing our plans we were not able to define a sustainable path. We made the decision to change the studio product strategy. This is obviously disappointing to many people inside and outside of Mm, however we are incredibly excited for what will come next.

When will live service support end?

We will be releasing our last update (discounting critical bug fixes) for Dreams in September 2023.

We will still support the ability to play, create and share Dreams with others after September.

Will I still be able to access and play Dreams? Will I still be able to create in Dreams?

Yes, you will still be able to access and play, create and share Dreams after the September update.

What happens between now and September?

Between now and September we will be releasing our final updates for Dreams, including an update to animation and create mode, the server migration and Tren.

Will I still be able to buy Dreams after September 2023?

Yes, you will still be able to purchase Dreams after September 2023.

Will events like the Impy Awards or DreamsCom still happen?

No, we won’t be continuing community events such as All Hallows’ Dreams, the Impy Awards, or DreamsCom.

Will there be any additional bug fixes after September 2023?

We may deploy critical bug fix patches after September. Any issues you encounter during your time using and playing Dreams can be reported via our ticketing system, forums or our social channels and our teams will investigate where appropriate.

Is the studio working on Dreams 2?

Media Molecule is working on a new project. We are not ready to talk about this yet, we can confirm that it is not Dreams 2, or the Dreams IP.

Will indreams.me still be supported?

Indreams.me will still be accessible after September, but we won’t be adding any new features. We will still post editorial content on the site, manage the forums and fix critical issues.

Will I still be able to access my creations after September?

Yes, creations will still be accessible in Dreams after September.

Is there any way to import/export creations made in Dreams to other software?

No, there is no way to export creations from Dreams. Music and video using the PlayStation share button can be exported however.

If I delete Dreams, can I reinstall it after September 2023?

Yes, you will still be able to re-install Dreams after September 2023. The game will still be available.

Will you continue with community support/social media posting of Dreams/Livestreams, etc?

Yes, we will continue to support Dreams on social media.

Will Multiplayer/PS5/PSVR2/3D printing support come to Dreams?

No, the planned releases for Dreams do not include multiplayer, PS5/PSVR2/3D printing support. There will be an update to animation and Create mode and Tren.

But MP was on the Trello board. What happened?

While we have done research and development on many areas for Dreams, unfortunately we’re not able to bring these features to the game.

What is the point of the server migration & changes if live service is discontinuing?

We still want to allow people to create in Dreams in a secure way, so the server work is a technical update to assure the stability of the Dreams server.

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The PlayStation Network Is Down For Many Users With Players Unable To Launch Games

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 22:00:09 +0000

Update: These issues look to now be resolved. Many players were having success in working around the issue while it was happening by “forgetting” their network in the PS5/PS4 settings menu and re-connecting, so if you’re finding that the problems are still occurring, that’s definitely something to try.

The PlayStation Network is currently down unexpectedly. PlayStation has not announced any maintenance, planned or unplanned, or addressed the issues many users have been facing this morning.

As of right now, the PlayStation Network System Status page says that everything is running smoothly, but users on Twitter are reporting they’re unable to launch games due to licenses being unable to verify.

@PlayStation PSN status says everything is clear, but there’s a bunch of us who are locked out of our games and can’t play. Message says the licenses can’t be verified. We can’t verify them or do anything network related.

— Ziv Kitaro (@ZeOneGod) February 7, 2023

Reports of the outage on Down Detector have started rolling in since around 8AM:

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The PlayStation Store’s January Sale Has Been Refreshed With New Discounts

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:40:56 +0000

Update: The PlayStation Store’s January Sale has been refreshed with new titles. You can browse the whole thing here, but some of the new highlights are below:

The PlayStation Store’s digital January Sale deals have gone live, with hundreds, if not thousands of titles discounted.

It’s worth noting that a fair few of the titles in these sales are also included in the PlayStation Plus Extra/Deluxe subscription tiers.

Luckily there’s also a sale on PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe subscriptions for new and upgrading members!

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PlayStation 4 Consoles Are Back In Stock At Aussie Retailers

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 03:43:41 +0000

Here’s something unexpected – it seems as though PlayStation 4 consoles are making a comeback at Aussie retailers with a handful of shops restocking the last-generation hardware right before Christmas.

Now, they’re not exactly going for the kinds of bargain basement prices that they have in the past, more than likely due to the same circumstances that are keeping current-gen hardware prices sky-high. Currently it’ll set you back a full $439 for a 500 GB PlayStation 4 Slim console.

If you’re interested, you can pick them up from the below retailers:

While there’s definitely still a market out there for a cheaper alternative to the PlayStation 5, we’re sure these would’ve come in greater handy last holidays where PS5 console stock was still in incredibly short supply. These days, it’s not overly difficult to get a hold of one in stores.

If you’re still looking, you should be able to pick up a PS5 at any of the below:

Amazon: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

JB Hi-Fi: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

The Good Guys: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Harvey Norman: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

EB Games: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Big W: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

The Gamesmen: Digital Console | Disc Console | God of War Ragnarök Bundle

Sony Store: God of War Ragnarök Bundle | Horizon Forbidden West Bundle

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PlayStation Tournaments Has Officially Launched On PS5

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 05:10:27 +0000

PlayStation has officially launched its newest effort to bring competitive tournament gameplay direct to home consoles as an integrated platform, with PlayStation Tournaments on PS5.

Much like its launch on PS4 consoles in 2016, PlayStation Tournaments rolls competitive play into the PS5 system to make it easy to discover, register for and compete in cross-console tournament play across a number of games.

From today, players can get stuck into events in Guilty Gear -Strive, NBA 2K23, and FIFA 23, all through a new UI that works seamlessly within the PS5 interface and offers real-time match updates and experience improvements with special events, challenges, leaderboard competitions and more.

An easy discovery process: Tournaments are easy to find. Scroll to the relevant game on your PS5 home screen and press the down directional button to see a list of upcoming tournaments. Alternatively, view available tournaments by launching the Control Centre with a tap of the PS button while playing a supported game.

Sign up on console: Signing up is quicker than ever. From the Control Centre or Game Hub, simply select an available tournament and press the “Register” button to enter a competition.

Bracket capping: Tournament length traditionally increases as more players compete. However, we have introduced a new bracket capping feature to ensure a standard duration for every tournament. If the cap is exceeded, multiple brackets will be created for the same tournament – but prizing will remain the same for each.

More tournaments: Everyone has different schedules. Tournaments will take place more often, and at regular intervals, so more players can find the time to compete.

All-new UI: The brand-new tournament UI utilizes the activity card framework to let you easily view tournament information. Notifications will automatically carry you through the experience, and you’ll be alerted when your next match is starting. The tournament can be launched from the notification, giving you time to train up in-game, or even play other titles between matches.

View automatic and real-time results: After registering for a tournament, all relevant details can be accessed via the corresponding activity card in the Control Centre.

Exciting prizing: Anyone eligible can sign up to win prizes, regardless of skill level. Prizes can range from cash, in-game currency, PlayStation consoles or accessories, experiences, and even special collectibles received just for taking part.

From December 1st to January 31st, PlayStation is also holding a special “Win-A-Thon” to celebrate the launch of Tournaments, giving players on PS4 the chance to win PS5 consoles and PS5 players the opportunity to score prizes like DualSense Edge controllers and Pulse 3D headsets.

To win, players need to jump into eligible tournaments designated with a Win-A-Thon badge and take home victories in a leaderboard competition.

A dedicated PlayStation Tournaments Discord server has also been set up for the competitive community to engage and keep up with all the latest in Tournaments action.

To learn more about PlayStation Tournaments, and the Win-A-Thon, visit the PlayStation Blog.

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God Of War Ragnarok Review – A Triumph Of Godlike Proportions

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 20:58:19 +0000

In the interest of helping along anyone hoping to avoid even the most mundane of spoilers or simply here to glance at a review score in an effort to reconcile an expensive collector’s edition pre-order, I’m going to say this upfront – God of War Ragnarök is the best game of its kind that I’ve played since, well, the last one. After the significant shake-up of the series’ formula in the 2018 soft reboot it’s easy to understand a degree of hesitancy around a follow-up largely built on the same foundations. What’s important to remember though, is how good those foundations are and how much talent lives within the walls of Santa Monica Studio.

THE CHEAPEST COPY: $95 WITH FREE SHIPPING FROM AMAZON

But when it comes to the end of everything as we know it, there’s no better place to start than the beginning. God of War Ragnarök picks up some years after the end of God of War 2018 and sees the godly father-son duo of Kratos and Atreus staring down the barrel of the apocalypse after receiving the world-shattering news that (here come some spoilers for the end of that game) Atreus is, in fact, the Norse god, Loki. With the titular Ragnarök approaching, and the nine realms plunged into ‘Fimbulwinter’, the pair set out on a new journey to band together whatever gods they can find willing to oppose the likes of Odin and Thor, unite the realms and attempt to drive back Ragnarök.

What follows over the next 20-50 hours is a fantasy epic unlike nearly anything I’ve experienced in a video game of this scope and prestige. To touch on even the most innocuous of story beats would be to spoil any number of genuinely memorable moments that continue to mine the depths of a rich cast of characters. As Kratos and Atreus chase myths and mysteries, repair bonds, form new ones, witness larger-than-life events and face impending doom they’re tested at every turn. Whether it’s Kratos’ past and the way it shapes the relationship with his son, Atreus’ teenage angst and desire for autonomy as his entire future is laid out in front of him in prophecy or Freya’s grief turned to hatred after the death of her own son, many of the same themes and ideas from the previous game are further explored here, but just as many new threads and perspectives are woven in.

And perspective is crucial to the tale that this game is trying to tell, something it nails by daring to match Kratos and Atreus up with new and returning faces for portions of its story as both travelling companions and active support in gameplay. Much like Horizon Forbidden West did earlier in the year, God of War Ragnarök enriches its world and cast of diverse beings by giving them all significantly more screen time and a more immediate role in the journey and it’s all the better for it. The mysterious entity behind the camera giving us the game’s single, unbroken shot continues to do the Lord’s work in imparting a sense of scale from the most grand to the most intimate, and the concept is taken to far further and more surprising places than anything from God of War 2018.

This is a tale of community, of strength, of reconciling with the past and embracing the future, of grief and acceptance and it’s one that couldn’t exist without Kratos but it no longer belongs solely to him. It belongs equally to Freya, the Norse God of War Tyr, the mysterious young giant Angrboda, to Odin, Thor and a huge number of others you haven’t seen yet. And, of course, Atreus. “It takes a village to raise a child” rings true here, with the duo’s found family growing over the course of the game and genuinely supporting each other in a way that feels rare in a video game, no less one so otherwise driven by spectacle. I absolutely would have loved to see some of the new faces here given more time to shine and have their stories and purpose more wholly explored, but I’m confident they’ll be appreciated regardless.

I’m not one for tears, but there were moments that definitely had me on the verge of them – and usually not because of some gut-punching twist or bad fate, but rather seeing these characters tested to their absolute limits and coming out better for it. The growth on display in this cast of well-rounded and surprisingly human-feeling gods and legends is immensely cathartic to witness. It’s a story told with deep respect for its characters, immense creativity, levity and solemnity in equal measure and a desire to inspire wonder in its audience.

We all remember the moment that Kratos takes up the Blades of Chaos again in the previous game, and the powerful concoction of giddy nostalgia and narrative weight that it bore, and Ragnarök does a great job of recapturing some of those feelings. But what’s hugely more impressive and commendable is the boldness with which it creates new feelings, blazes new trails and forges new legends that are just as powerful if not more. There’s so much I can’t and won’t say, but this sequel’s best sequences come from that same place of giving players new tools and mechanics to work with that don’t just add depth to gameplay but add meaning to the world and characters around them, and I think that’s something special.

What I can say on the subject of gameplay and that all-important concept of being an angry ex-God of War in a world full of mythical creatures to beat up is that combat in Ragnarök is an improvement on its predecessor in just about every way. I touched on it a little in my preview of the first few hours of the game and it holds true for the rest, there’s a new breadth to combat here afforded by increased verticality, a stronger focus on elemental abilities, better support from partner characters and a massively expanded variety of enemy types. Where things could eventually err towards predictability in God of War 2018, there’s nary an encounter I went into here where I could comfortably say I knew what to expect or how I would handle it.

Everything matters when going toe-to-toe with foes and creatures in Ragnarök , from the individual enemy designs and mechanics to how they’re grouped together and interact, to where you’re fighting them, who’s with you and what gear you’re using and all of these elements are constantly being mixed up in a way that no two fights feel the same. It’s all just as meaty and satisfying as ever, and for those hoping to see more boss battles this time around – there are a heap, and they’re all brilliant. There’s simply never a dull moment, and the pacing of both combat and exploration is aided immensely over the course of the core story content by some very smart, temporary changes in tone and perspective.

Further variety comes in an expanded arsenal and new tweaks to progression. Where a game like Forbidden West sought to expand its gear game by simply throwing tons of it at the player to its detriment, Ragnarök smartly adds nuance without overwhelming. Both gear and character progression benefit from the expanded elemental mechanics, greater variety of tools and more flexible customisation on offer, making upgrades and changes feel like measured choices that have tangible gameplay impacts. Things like greater variety in Kratos’ shields and how they impact gameplay, or the way that the skills you more frequently use eventually gain special slots to be further augmented with mods, go a long way to making things feel more personal and tailored without radically shaking up the already-excellent combat experience.

The character, equipment and shop menus don’t always do a great job of communicating crucial information, but once I wrapped my head around everything I appreciated the way the game encourages establishing your preferred playstyle early on with specialised gear and then has you tweak and build on it over time.

The allure of new loot and progression is, once again, a great reason to head off the critical path at every given opportunity and God of War Ragnarök continues its predecessor’s penchant for mixing up more linear and directed segments with plenty of opportunities to roam more open spaces within its larger realms. There’s much to admire about the mastery of design on display here. Nine realms all packed with networks of secrets and stories that steadily open up over the course of an otherwise tightly-scripted narrative that weaves in and out of them, a rotating roster of support characters, landscapes that change entire states on a whim, there are a ridiculous number of moving parts that all come together into something that feels precisely curated at every turn.

I’m particularly fond of the puzzle design on show in Ragnarök, whether it’s the one-off challenges you find dotted around each locale or the large scale, multi-part environmental puzzles that often reveal themselves further with repeated visits to an area. Kratos’ and Atreus’ expanded repertoires and the new gear they come into along the way are put to great use, and everything is impressively intuitive. There’s nothing you can’t figure out by applying what you’ve come to know about the rules of this universe, and the game is so confident of this fact that the most it does to hold your hand is have other characters naturally react to your progress and offer their own thoughts on the task at present.

Your companions’ quips and musings on the world around them are just as much reason to take every opportunity to explore, in fact. The game’s side quests and content are always narratively interesting, generously rewarding and often unexpected. Even 50 hours in I was seeing things I’d never seen before and getting the impression that my actions were having an impact within these nine realms. Admittedly, because the game’s realms and their gameplay possibilities don’t fully open up until you’re blessed with the full range of gear and abilities, the back half of the game can feel quite overwhelming with content – particularly right towards the end where you’re suddenly handed an enormous and largely optional new area stuffed with lengthy side quests and collectibles that threatens to ruin what is truthfully a bit of a thin climax.

There is a post-game state though, so you’re quite easily able to save the extra challenges and collectibles for when you’re ready to return to the game for your next God of War fix. I would heavily recommend diving right back in once you can as well, a post-game conclusion to one of the game’s most important and emotional moments does more to wrap the whole experience than the slightly shaky scenes before it.

Exploring each of the realms I was also constantly reminded of how strong a sense of place the team at Santa Monica Studio managed to create with the last game. Returning to familiar areas in this sequel, whether intact or completely transformed, immediately opened the gates to a flood of memories of puzzles, boss fights and pivotal scenes – despite my not having gone back to the 2018 game since that very year.

It’s all presented in a fashion more than deserving of its lineage, the trek across these varied and fantastical realms resulting in one of the most breathtaking audiovisual experiences in the medium from both a technical and artistic angle. Nothing in this franchise has come even close to the sense of wonder that permeates Ragnarök. It’s still a grim and violent fantasy, but Santa Monica Studio has packed such a vibrant and imaginative array of stunning landscapes, awesome creatures and magical moments all backed up by a wonderful score by the returning Bear McCreary that rivals some of the best soundtracks cinema has to offer when it comes to elevating the tone and mood of each scene.

You can almost sense Santa Monica directing the game’s every moment from behind this camera, whether you’re in control or not. Cutscenes and set piece moments benefit from masterful camera work with a filmic attention to composition and imagery, and universally phenomenal performances that result in these characters feeling both alive and larger-than-life in equal measure. That’s especially true of the Aesir gods like Odin and Thor, whose depictions in Ragnarök are a great deal of fun. There are scenes here that I can’t wait to talk to people about for either their pure visual splendour, emotional impact or for just being fucking cool – there’s one bar fight scene in particular that’s hands-down one of my favourite video game moments of all time.

It’s no secret that this is a game built primarily for the franchise’s enormous PS4 audience, with PS5-exclusive features few and far between and mostly confined to the physical realm with the DualSense controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers. The solution instead is art – bereft of buzzword tech like ray tracing, the studio has instead art-ed the shit out of everything it could possibly touch. The new generation edition is blessed with impossibly good-looking character models, lush environments with rich lighting and ridiculously detailed texture work that all adds up to a jaw-dropping presentation. As we explained during the game’s preview phase, there’s a nice amount of choice for PS5 players here in terms of visual/performance modes as well.

I’d be remiss to not once again call out the excellent suite of options on-hand for customising and tailoring the gameplay experience, either purely from a place of personal preference when it comes to how the game feels in the hand or in the name of making it as accessible and approachable as possible to all manner of players. You can read about these more in-depth in a piece we posted here.

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God Of War Ragnarok Hands-On Preview – More Of The Good Stuff

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:00:45 +0000

The 2018 reimagining of God of War was one of those rare games that felt genuinely fresh – an especially triumphant feat when you consider how stale the series had started to become before it. A new setting, a new perspective and radically changed combat combined with innovative ideas like the game’s uninterrupted, single-shot third person camera to form something that was undeniably special whether you were a diehard, lapsed fan or newcomer. Fast forward four years and the father-son duo of Kratos and Atreus are back in an adventure that, so far, feels like a welcome return even if it isn’t another massive shake-up.

Thanks to PlayStation we’ve been lucky enough to have our hands on God of War Ragnarök ahead of its November 9th release and while there’s still so much for to see, our impressions of the first 6-7 hours of the game have been incredibly positive.

Just a reminder that spoilers for the first game are unavoidable here, so if you’re yet to play God of War (2018) you should close this page, go to your nearest PlayStation ? console or gaming PC and enjoy that first.

God of War Ragnarok picks up some years after the long and brutal journey that saw Kratos and son travel across many of the nine Norse realms, following a trail left by Atreus’ late mother that ultimately leads them to learn of the impending Ragnarok. The pair seem to be enjoying relative peace despite the imminent doomsday event, but soon find themselves at the ire of Odin himself following the death of his son, Baldur, in the previous game. With Odin and Thor at their backs, Kratos and Atreus are forced to set off on a new journey, this time to find a means of stopping both Odin and Ragnarok itself.

First impressions of God of War Ragnarok are that of familiarity – from a broad-strokes perspective this game largely follows the template laid out by its predecessor. Kratos and Atreus navigate larger-than-life environments in a mostly linear fashion, solving environmental puzzles and exploring for secrets while engaging in the odd bout of combat against all manner of enemies and fantastical beasts. The more I play through Ragnarok though, the more its changes begin to reveal themselves from subtle tweaks to the moment-to-moment gameplay to larger additions and improvements that I’m sure are only the beginning of things to come.

The core combat experience in Ragnarok feels instantly recognisable. It’s still the same meaty, brutal ballet of violence that sees Kratos utilise both the boomerang-like Leviathan Axe and his classic Blades of Chaos to smash the ever-loving souls out of his foes while Atreus backs him up from afar with his bow, but smart revision and additions help it stay fresh. New abilities mapped to the triangle button allow Kratos to infuse his axe or blades with elemental powers for example, and different shields now offer slightly different blocking or parrying bonuses to suit how you play, things that quickly add up to make combat feel much more dynamic overall.

One of the other big changes comes in the form of an updated progression system that rewards players for using specific skills repeatedly in order to increase that skill’s “tier” and unlock the ability to further enhance it with modifications. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this, and it’s motivated me to really think about what skills I’m using and where, especially when it comes to dealing with new enemy types with their own new challenges. Odin’s Einherjar, for example, will inflict a ‘Bifrost’ status on Kratos that temporarily sections off a large portion of his health bar which he’ll lose if he’s hit by a follow-up attack.

Further adding that dynamism to everything is more verticality and interaction with the environment – Kratos can pick up nearby objects like pillars or molten rocks and hurl them at enemies with a button press, for example, and his Blades of Chaos now act as a sort of grappling hook to scale large cliffs or cross chasms with ease. Atreus being older also makes him a more formidable partner as well, he’s incredibly capable in battle and will traverse the environment without the assistance he needed last time around.

Other than some added mobility, traversal and exploration do feel quite similar to the 2018 game. Trekking off the beaten path and solving satisfying environmental puzzles to find things like Nornir Chests and slabs of lore is a matter of muscle memory. It’s far from a bad thing though, with all of the worldbuilding and onboarding groundwork already laid last time around, Ragnrok drops you right into the thick of it again and has you holding your own in battle, plumbing for secrets and canoeing around like the years haven’t passed.

The cheapest pre-order copy: $98 for PS5 and $79 for PS4 at Amazon with free shipping.

One thing that’s obviously going to be quite special about this sequel is the opportunity to explore all of the world’s nine realms, something that wasn’t possible before and that comes up within the game’s opening hours as Kratos, Atreus and Mimir head to Svartalfheim in search of Tyr, the Norse God of War originally thought to be dead.

Svartalfheim is quite a sizable locale, a series of land sections amongst huge lakes navigated mostly by boat (not unlike the Lake of the Nine in the previous game). It took me a good few hours to see everything that I possibly could sans some parts I’ll need to come back to with new abilities, including a couple of lengthy and genuinely interesting side quests. One of these rewarded me with some very attractive and useful armour for my troubles, the other – well, I’m not allowed to say. It’s cool as fuck, though.

Both of these also happen to centre around one of the game’s supporting characters and the reconciliation of their shady past, so while I’m excited for all of the new cast of characters I’ll meet across Ragnarok it’s also heartening to return to some familiar faces and have the opportunity to get to know them even more. And I think that really sets the tone for my journey back into this world – it might not be the massive shift that the previous entry was, but that game wasn’t just exciting because it was different, it was exciting because it was really bloody good and so it’s an immense pleasure just to be here again.

Following my semi-open world jaunt in Svartalfheim is a deeper dive into an enormous mine, a labyrinthine environment packed with large-scale puzzles that make good use of the pair’s increased mobility as well as some handy new ‘sonic arrows’ gifted to Atreus that can both stun enemies as well as cause certain materials in the world to crumple under acoustic pressure. This section serves to highlight the newfound synergy between Kratos and Atreus more than ever as they navigate the mine’s depths together and actively work towards a common goal.

Between Svartalfheim, Midgard and a secret hideout amongst the World Tree in the realm between, it’s clear that God of War Ragnarok is just as handsome and awe-inspiring a game as the one before it. Playing on PS5 there’s naturally a massive bump up in fidelity and detail with lush locales, gorgeous lighting and effects and breathtaking PS5-exclusive character models, despite a lack of any other real “new gen” features given this is a cross-platform release. It’s also a little odd to still be trudging through the Yggdrasil branch sections that were originally designed to mask the last game’s loading times, though these are also used to give characters time for conversation so it’s not a huge offence.

The single, uninterrupted camera shot that was a bold and fresh concept in the last game is back as well, and despite not being a new idea is still a unique point-of-difference in this series. It works just as well as ever, and even in these early moments is used to great effect to draw you into each scene and impart the wondrous sense of scale from enormous peaks right down to the quiver in a character’s eye. The game doesn’t pull any punches with throwing heart-wrenching moments at you from the outset and so being forced to sit, in those moments, still hits awfully hard.

There’s so much more that I could talk about, and exponentially more that I simply can’t just yet, but suffice it to say that based on the first half-dozen hours of God of War Ragnarok this is everything I would have wanted in a sequel. It doesn’t offer a wildly new experience in the way that its predecessor did, but it has no reason to when there’s still so much left to offer. It’s my hope that there’s maybe a major surprise or two in store down the track, but even if that hope turns out to be in vain I’ll be left with a meaty, satisfying action game filled with gorgeous views and a riveting next chapter in this compelling world.

God of War Ragnarok releases on November 9th for PS5 and PS4. Amazon currently has the cheapest prices at $98 for PS5 and $79 for PS4.

We’ll have a full review for the game at 3AM AEDT on November 4th.

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God Of War Ragnarok Will Apparently Be 40 Hours In Length

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 01:55:01 +0000

Tom Henderson at Insider Gaming has reported that God of War Ragnarok will be around 40 hours in length.

According to sources known to the website, the upcoming and much-anticipated sequel’s core campaign will take players around the same amount of time to complete as God of War (2018), clocking in at approximately 20 hours with 3.5 of those hours taken up by cutscenes. The additional 20 hours comes from side content, including an hour of extra cutscenes, which is a pretty significant bump-up from the less than 10 hours of side content in the previous title.

While these are obviously in-house estimates and won’t reflect the experience when players get their hands on the game on November 9th, nor does it speak to the quality of the game itself, it at least gives us an indication that players can expect more optional content in God of War Ragnarok. It’s to be expected too, given we’re going to be able to explore all of the game’s realms this time around.

In case you missed it, here’s the most recent epic God of War Ragnarok trailer:

You can also see some gorgeous new screenshots here as well as a look at the Svartalfheim realm here.

God of War Ragnarok launches on November 9th. You can grab the PS5 version for $98 with free delivery and the PS4 version for $78 with free delivery.

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The Sims 4 Will Be Free To Download On All Platforms Starting Next Month

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:06:39 +0000

EA has announced that starting October 18th/19th, The Sims 4 base game will be going totally free to download and play on all current platforms including PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

In a post on its official website, EA says of the decision, “We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover.”

Of course, the base version of the game is just a small part of the Sims 4 experience with plenty of paid content packs and expansions available for purchase to expand the game further. That’s not going to change, and the core game has been readily available for bottom dollar or as part of EA’s various subscription services for a while so it’s not the hugest stretch to start offering an entry point at no charge. Still it’s sure to help new players get involved and give the game a healthy boost as EA and Maxis no doubt gear up to start talking about The Sims 5 in the near-to-distant future.

The change will coincide with the Behind The Sims Summit, which will air at the ripe old time of 4AM AEST on Wednesday, October 19th and shed some more light on what’s currently in the works for The Sims.

As for those who already own the game or have an EA Play subscription, EA has promised some exclusive rewards as a thank you:

EA Play and EA Play Pro members will receive an upgraded experience when member-only bundles of The Sims 4 go into The Play List on October 18. The Sims 4 EA Play Edition includes The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack, while the EA Play Pro Edition includes both The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack and The Sims 4 Toddler Stuff Pack.

From September 14 through October 17, all players who have purchased The Sims 4 base game will receive the Desert Luxe Kit as a gift.

Come October 18th (or 19th locally), you’ll be able to grab The Sims 4 base game on the following platforms at no cost:

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Journey Developer’s Sky: Children Of The Light Is Finally Coming To PlayStation

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 09:25:06 +0000

The studio behind Journey, one of the most beloved indie games of all time, has announced that its most recent game is finally headed to the console where Journey made such a big splash back in 2012.

Sky: Children of the Light first debuted on iOS in 2019, before being ported to Android in 2020 and then Nintendo Switch last year, and thatgamecompany is now prepping to bring it to PlayStation consoles at an undetermined date in the future.

Scarce other info was given around release windows of platform-specific features but it was revealed on the studio’s website that the PlayStation version of Sky: Children of the Light will feature cross-play with the existing Switch, iOS, and Android versions.

We said in our previous 3rd Anniversary blog post that we have some surprises in store for the community.

Today it’s time to share one of those surprises we’re planning.

The work has begun to bring Sky to PlayStation!https://t.co/u7m7CoTCyP pic.twitter.com/WMFWVLZam6

— Sky: Children of the Light (@thatskygame) August 16, 2022

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We Are OFK Is Launching This Month And There’s A Vinyl And Physical Release Coming

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 13:29:09 +0000

Upcoming episodic indie video game/musical project We Are OFK has finally got a release schedule for its five-episode run, and it’s coming very soon. The first two episodes are coming this August 18th on PlayStation, Switch and PC with the rest to continue over the weeks following. The release dates are as follows:

Episode 1 & 2: August 18
Episode 3: August 25
Episode 4: September 1
Episode 5: September 8

If you’ve missed it before now, We Are OFK is a narrative series that’ll have players experience the origins of the band ‘OFK’ through interactive dialogue, texting and playable music videos. It’s the work of Team OFK who are a group of freelance creatives with talents from all schools of media, and it’s as much about the music as it is the game. You can even pre-save OFK’s debut EP right here.

Check out the release date announcement trailer for We Are OFK right here:

On top of the release date, a special physical edition of the game on PS5 or Nintendo Switch and a vinyl pressing of the soundtrack are being released through the wizards over at iam8bit. Take a look at them below and pre-order right here if you’re keen!

We Are OFK 2xLP

2xLP on Audiophile Black Vinyl
Featuring Exclusive OFK Acoustic Tracks
Includes OFK Singles Art Prints
EP Music by OFK, Written & Produced by Luna Shadows and Thom Powers (of The Naked and Famous)
Score Music by Omniboi, feat. Nicole Brady and Wldr Ensemble
Album Art by Nafisah Tung

We Are OFK (PlayStation 5 Exclusive Edition) /

We Are OFK (Nintendo Switch Exclusive Edition)

iam8bit Exclusive Edition
Reversible coversheet designed by Nafisah Tung from Team OFK!
Includes a 3D Papercraft constructed by Guadabosques of Debug, the cat from We Are OFK!
Includes all five episodes – a complete collection!
Region Free – Worldwide Compatibility

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Stray’s Trophy List And Day One Updates Have Appeared Online If Curiosity Is Killing You

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:15:14 +0000

Stray, the game that lets players embody one of the greatest creatures that God herself has ever created in a city populated entirely by robots, is finally out next week thanks to BlueTwelve Studio and Annapur(r)na Interactive.

The game will be available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 19th, where it will also join the ranks of the titles included in the new PlayStation Plus Extra/Deluxe tiered subscriptions.

Given that we’re so close to launch, it’s not surprising to see more and more details crop up online around Stray, with both the game’s trophy list and day one patch descriptions appearing.

PlayStation Network tracking website, Exophase, published the trophy list for Stray in full some days ago, and it looks like a fun little collection of trophies that shouldn’t prove overly taxing for most players hoping to nab that sweet Platinum. It’s all incredibly cat-centric as you’d expect, with awards for sleeping and meowing a whole bunch as well as dying an appropriate total of nine times. There are trophies tied to completion, naturally, as well as one that asks players to complete the entire game in under two hours – that one should be interesting. Peep the full list right here if you don’t mind treading into some very slight spoiler territory.

Also thanks to the power of the internet and database scraping, Orbis Patches has released the update details and patch notes for two pre-launch updates for Stray. It’s fairly purr-destrian stuff, describing localisation and collision issues as being remedied among various audio and graphical fixes. Also, apparently some meows have been totally “re-meowed”, which sounds very exciting. Have a look at the full deets for Stray Update 1.01 and 1.02 below:

Update 1.01 Pawtch notes:

Localization has been improved in several languages
Supplemental vibration has been added throughout the game
Some Meows have been totally re-meowed
Stability has been improved during a few critical moments
Performance has been improved in a few demanding places

Update 1.02 Pawtch notes:

Improved navigation in various places
Made some game scripts more robust when reloading checkpoints
Improved audio during cinematics
Polished audio sounds and general mix in throughout
Small graphical tweaks and fixes
Improved localisation in several languages
A LOT of collision fixes, naughty cat!
Thank you all for playing our first game! Hug your cat for us!

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A Massive New Update For Horizon Forbidden West Including New Game Plus Is Out Right Now

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:16:54 +0000

At today’s State of Play, PlayStation not only showed off a gorgeous new look at the PSVR2-exclusive Horizon Call of the Mountain, but announced a huge new content update to Horizon Forbidden West that drops today.

The update brings with it improved visual fidelity in Performance Mode, outfit transmogs, skill respecs, an ultra hard difficulty and a New Game+ mode with new trophies and weapons.

Guerrilla is also working on an upcoming patch which will include VRR support and a 40FPS Mode, according to the PlayStation Blog post.

Check out both trailers below:

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Stray’s Release Date May Have Been Leaked By The PlayStation Store

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 28 May 2022 02:51:45 +0000

It’s no secret that we’re pretty keen at Press Start for Stray, the upcoming indie sci-fi adventure starring an adorable kitty coming from Annapurna Interactive and BlueTwelve Studio. While it’s been a minute since we heard anything concrete about the PlayStation and PC exclusive, a release date may have just been leaked by the PlayStation Store itself.

PlayStation Game Size, a Twitter account that monitors the PS Store’s database for information on game updates and releases, tweeted that the database now has a July 19th, 2022 release date listed for Stray.

While this could potentially be a placeholder, it would line up nicely with the recently-affirmed June-August release window for the game.

? According To Playstation Database , Stray Coming July 19th 2022 , 8 AM PT

? Maybe it's Just Place-Holder !

? #Stray pic.twitter.com/5NNQW6dAkf

— PlayStation Game Size (@PlaystationSize) May 26, 2022

Keen to know what other games are still coming this year that are worth keeping an eye on? Check out our massive list.

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Digital Foundry’s Analysis Of PlayStation Plus Deluxe’s Classic Games Paints A Grim Picture

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 28 May 2022 01:38:19 +0000

The shiny new tiered PlayStation Plus subscription service has been available in Asia territory countries for a little bit now, and so while the service isn’t launching locally until late June we’re starting to see a healthy amount of information and analysis come through from those who have access.

While it’s exciting to see these services launch, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing and there are already some pretty glaring negatives that Sony will need to contend with if it’s serious about its offering. Teething issues such as “accidentally” overcharging users for upgrades are one thing, but if a recent breakdown video from Eurogamer’s video game tech experts at Digital Foundry is any indication there are some major issues with PlayStation Plus’ new library of classic PS1, Ps2 and PSP titles.

Emulation is always a tricky thing to get right, especially when trying to cram a couple decades’ worth of systems with varying display technologies onto one platform in a consistent and feasible way. To that end, I don’t think anyone was expecting the PS5/PS4’s ability to play titles spanning two generations of PlayStation home console and a handheld to be perfect, but the reality seems more bewildering than anything.

Starting with Ape Escape, DF’s John Linneman opens the analysis video with the disappointing news that the current library of PS1 games on the service is mostly comprised of PAL region versions. This is immediately an issue as, if you’re like me and old enough to remember, PAL region equipment ran at a lower 50Hz refresh rate compared to 60Hz in NTSC regions. What this means is that, now that new machines like the PS5 and PS4 all output at a minimum of 60Hz these emulated versions of the games perform with inconsistent frame pacing and judder on top of the games themselves literally moving 17% slower than intended.

More problems arise with the provided emulator’s rendering features, which include options for different aspect ratios and screen filters to adjust things to players’ liking. Linneman notes that the option to upscale games to a (roughly) 1920 x 1440 resolution actually works fairly well and doesn’t destroy 2D elements as much as it might have, but that it also causes a lot more instability in certain 3D elements. Meanwhile, provided options to change the aspect and pixel ratio in PS1 and PSP games seem to make little sense and not actually do what they describe. Digital Foundry was especially concerned at the fact that modes like “1:1” and “Square Pixels” actually cause pixels to be narrower, resulting in a squished image that nobody would want.

Meanwhile, PSP emulation in the one available game (Echochrome) seems decent enough with 3D elements upscaled to 1080p, although anything 2D looks to be filtered and blurred to an annoying degree. The same retro filters and screen aspect options apply here, something that DF rightly notes is odd because why on earth would someone add CRT scanlines to a PSP game?

PS2 emulation, with the only available games being the four Jak & Daxter titles already available as PS2 Classics on PS4, is probably the least interesting as it literally just transposes those same Classics onto the PS5, warts and all. The Jak games for instance perform worse than their original PS2 iterations and carry none of the upscaling or filtering options of the PS1 and PSP releases.

All up it seems like a cavalcade of oversights on Sony’s part to actually provide fundamentally better versions of these games on the service. I’ve personally tried my hand at Ape Escape and Toy Story 2 so far on the service and while it’s a novelty to be able to play these natively on my PS5, especially with the ability to rewind gameplay, create save states and earn Trophies, it definitely doesn’t feel like enough effort has been made here.

Check out Digital Foundry’s full, 20-minute video below if you’re keen to know more about this in-depth:

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Games Still Coming In 2022 To Be Excited For

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 28 May 2022 00:58:22 +0000

We’re nearly halfway into 2022 now, and while the earlier part of the year was fairly stacked with notable game releases there’s definitely a sense of uncertainty in the industry about how the rest of the year will pan out in comparison. Between an avalanche of delays and a huge amount of titles still waiting for release dates and reveals it can seem as though there’s not much to look forward to for the rest of 2022.

That’s why we’ve thrown together a list of games that we know (or are fairly confident) are still being released this year and are worth looking forward to. It’s far from a complete list but hopefully there’s something to keep everyone excited about the year ahead!

SNIPER ELITE 5

Sniper Elite 5 is right around the corner and it’s poised to be a pretty good choice for shooter/stealth fans who want an authentic and engaging solo or co-op experience with an exciting narrative. There’s a reason they keep making these and if you’ve never dived into the series before you’d do well to check this one out.

When’s It Out? Just dropped

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $79 at Amazon with free shipping.

THE QUARRY

Supermassive Games has been working hard ever since they struck a cord with horror and narrative game fans with the excellent Until Dawn, carving themselves out a genre niche with the Dark Pictures series and now The Quarry, the studio’s next big AAA choose-your-own-death hit. With a fantastic cast that includes the likes of David Arquette, Ariel Winter and Justice Smith and some bonkers-looking visuals and motion capture it’s certainly got the chops, too.

When’s It Out? June 10th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The cheapest copy: $80.90 at Amazon with free shipping.

MARIO STRIKERS: BATTLE LEAGUE FOOTBALL

The only thing better than Nintendo characters playing football is Nintendo characters beating the ever-loving stuffing out of each other while playing football. Battle League Football looks to take the penchant that Mario Strikers already has for over-the-top action on the field and cranking it up even further by encouraging you to literally slam your own teammates in the back to boost them over to the opponent’s goal… or into the opponents themselves.

When’s It Out? June 10th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest copy: $69 at Amazon with free shipping.

XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3

Still fairly fresh from being announced, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is coming sooner than anyone could have anticipated. It looks fantastic as well, taking the best bits of the first two games and Xenoblade Chronicles X to offer a massive, sweeping world with technical and addictive combat and compelling characters.

When’s It Out? July 29th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest copy: $69 at Amazon with free shipping.

TWO POINT CAMPUS

Two Point Hospital was a welcome injection of old-school management sim sensibilities with a healthy dose of silliness, and Two Point Campus is set to do the same in the context of higher education. Design and run your own educational campuses that’ll offer anything from gastronomy to wizardry, and take care of your students during some of the best and most stressful years of their lives.

We recently got our hands on Two Point Campus and came away impressed.

When’s It Out? August 9th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The cheapest copy: $59 at Amazon with free shipping.

SAINTS ROW

A total franchise reboot in a series that had maxed out its ‘wackiness’ factor two games ago, Saints Row looks like just the shake-up the series needed. With its most diverse locale yet, a new band of entertaining main characters and more options for customisation and carnage than ever this should be the perfect thing for those of us missing the fun factor of the open-world crime sims of yore.

We recently saw a bunch of Saints Row in a hands-off demo and spoke to the team at Volition, which you can read about here.

When’s It Out? August 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $78 (Day One Edition), $139 (Notorious Edition) at Amazon with free shipping.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM

This was one of the first next-gen games announced and it’s finally happening. It follows the original trilogy and it’s a stealth game where you take control of none other than Gollum. It’ll be interesting to see how this one turns out and we won’t have to wait too much longer for it.

When’s It Out? September 1st

Platforms: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC

SPLATOON 3

Splatoon has been something of a runaway success for Nintendo, with Splatoon 2 selling over 12 million copies to date on the Nintendo Switch. The newest entry is due out in September and features the same combination of single-player adventure and addictive multiplayer modes alongside tons of player customisation and social features. Splatoon 3 is beefing up the selection of weapons and abilities as well as bringing back the 4v4 Turf War mode, and it promises a much more significant single-player story than the previous entries.

When’s It Out? September 9th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest copy: $69 at Amazon with free shipping.

FORSPOKEN

Luminous Productions, the team behind the Luminous Engine that powers Final Fantasy XV, is back with an acrobatic action-adventure in the form of Forspoken. The game will follow a young New Yorker named Frey who finds herself transported to the mysterious and magical world of Athia and forced to contend with all manner of creatures and danger in a bid to find her way home. You can check out our behind-closed-doors preview of the game right here.

When’s It Out? October 11th

Platform: PS5, PC

The cheapest copy: $84 at Amazon with free shipping.

GOTHAM KNIGHTS

WB Games Montreal is tackling the open world Gotham template established by Rocksteady with a multi-character action adventure where a second player can drop in at anytime for co-operative play. Playing as Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood players will face off against the secretive Court of Owls and restore justice to Gotham City.

When’s It Out? October 25th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

The cheapest copy: $79 at Amazon with free shipping

CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE II

The next game in the Modern Warfare franchise, it’s now been confirmed that the sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare is Modern Warfare II and will release later this year. We don’t know a whole lot about the game, but once Activision announce a COD release date, it’s very rare to see it slip.

When’s It Out? October 28th

Platforms: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One PC

POKEMON SCARLET AND VIOLET

It’s hard to believe there’s already a new duo of mainline Pokemon games upon us this year, but at some point in late 2022 we’re getting Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet. For the first time, players will be able to explore a seamless open world with no borders between urban areas and wilderness. Also, Quaxly is the best starter by far.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: Switch

MARIO + RABBIDS SPARKS OF HOPE

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle took the world by surprise when it combined Nintendo’s iconic characters with those annoying Rabbids from the Rayman universe in an Ubisoft-developed turn-based strategy game. It shouldn’t have worked, but the end product was legitimately great, and so the promise of a sequel is very enticing. Sparks of Hope looks to expand the original’s grid-based combat into something more freeform, with less linear level design and enemy encounters that happen outside of the standard combat scenarios.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: Switch

BAYONETTA 3

After four long years we can finally expect to see Bayonetta 3 in 2022 and our first, extensive look at gameplay has us more excited than ever to be back in control of our favourite bad-ass witch. While there’s still much we don’t know about the third game in the beloved action series, Bayo’s repertoire of abilities looks to be hugely expanded and even seems include giving players control of one of the demons that she’s able to summon in-game. Colour us incredibly keen.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: Switch

STRAY

I feel like not much needs to be said about Stray. It’s a dystopian sci-fi mystery adventure where you play as a stray cat along with its robot drone companion – what else could you want? Despite its small development team, Stray looks absolutely gorgeous and it’s sure to shine on PS5. It is, thankfully, also coming to PS4 and PC as well when it launches at some stage this year.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

MULTIVERSUS

It’s wild to think that a free-to-play take on Super Smash Bros packed with classic Warner Bros. characters is turning out to be more than just a lazy grab for microtransaction dollars – from what we’ve played of it, it’s actually pretty decent! With plenty of attention to authentic detail, solid mechanics and a heap of progression systems to keep you hooked this could be the real deal for anyone wanting a proper platform brawler outside of the Switch.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

SONIC FRONTIERS

An open-world Sonic the Hedgehog game? Sign us up! The blue blur is enjoying a quiet renaissance lately thanks to the surprisingly good live-action film and some decent video game releases, but Frontiers is set to either be a proper comeback moment for Sonic and friends or a failed experiment in 3D Sonic gameplay. Time will tell.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

A PLAGUE TALE: REQUIEM

A Plague Tale: Innocence struck a surprise chord with many of us when it released in 2019 with fantastic storytelling and characters, and a simple but well put-together adventure. The sequel will hopefully flesh out its stealth mechanics while adding tens of thousands more rats on-screen thanks to the power on next-gen gaming. Next-gen rats!

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC

HOGWARTS LEGACY

Recent reveals have impressed Harry Potter fans, but not done much to change the minds of those that are choosing not to support the franchise as a whole. Whichever boat you’re in, it’s hard not to be impressed by what the team at Portkey looks to be achieving with this and the love and attention to detail they’ve poured into it. Hopefully the game does well enough that the studio is handed the keys to an IP that everyone can enjoy next time around.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK

Alright, yes, we don’t know for sure that God of War Ragnarok will release this year but we’d like to think that chances are pretty high for a Holiday 2022 launch. The sequel to the beloved 2018 franchise revival has a lot of work to do if it’s going to expand and improve upon what was arguably one of the last generation’s best games, so it’ll be interesting to see what surprises Santa Monica Studio has up its sleeve and how it takes advantage of the power of the PS5 given the sequel spans both console generations.

The latest update on God of War Ragnarok gave us a look at the game’s accessibility features.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4

SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II

The sequel to Ninja Theory’s excellent 2017 action-adventure, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, is probably one of the most exciting titles in Xbox Game Studios’ upcoming portfolio. Everything we’ve seen of it so far looks positively stunning from a technological perspective, and we’re keen to see where Senua’s story goes after the events of the first game. Gameplay and release details are still sparse at this stage, but we’re anticipating this one hitting sometime around the end of this year.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC

FINAL FANTASY XVI

Much like God of War Ragnarok, the Jury is definitely still out on whether this one actually releases in 2022. We can hold out hope though if the game’s producer’s most recent comments are any indication – things are delayed but it sounds as if the game could still be deeper into development than we expect. With Yoshi-P, the man famed for saving Final Fantasy XIV, at the helm this could turn out to be just the new direction that the mainline series needs.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5

SOME OTHER TITLES TO KEEP AN EYE ON IN 2022

Roller Champions (May 25th / PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Silt (June 1st / PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)
Diablo Immortal (June 2nd/ Mobile, PC)\
Sonic Origins (June 23rd / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (June 24th / Switch)
Outriders: Worldslayer (June 30th / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (June 30th / Switch, PC)
Wayward Strand (July 21st / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
LIVE A LIVE (July 22nd / Switch)
Soul Hackers 2 (August 26th/ PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Cult of the Lamb (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Ark 2 (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Thirsty Suitors (TBA / PC)
Disney Dreamlight Valley (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (TBA / PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)
Rumbleverse (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition (TBA / PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
Sons of the Forest (TBA / PS4, PC)
Disney Speedstorm (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
We Are OFK (TBA / PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Little Devil Inside (TBA / PS5, PS4, PC)
Tchia (TBA / PS5, PS4, PC)
Goodbye Volcano High (TBA / PS5, PS4, PC)
Park Beyond (TBA / PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Atomic Heart (TBA / PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Scorn (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Somerville (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Planet of Lana (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
As Dusk Falls (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Slime Rancher 2 (TBA / Xbox Series X/S, PC)

The post Games Still Coming In 2022 To Be Excited For appeared first on Press Start.

It Seems Like Resistance: Retribution Is Coming To PlayStation Plus Deluxe

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 27 May 2022 00:12:30 +0000

It’s seeming incredibly likely that Bend Studio’s PSP entry in the Resistance franchise, Resistance: Retribution, is making its way to PS5 and PS4 via the new PlayStation Plus Deluxe/Premium subscription tier.

A rating for the game on the new platforms has appeared via Korea’s ratings board, suggesting that the title is being prepped for an impending release.

Resistance: Retribution released in 2009 and received fairly positive reviews. Sony disabled the game’s multiplayer servers in 2015, so it’s unlikely that the much-loved online modes will be available if and when the game heads to PS+ Deluxe.

[Image via Gematsu]

So far, the only other PSP games we know are coming to the service are Echochrome, Ridge Racer 2 and Super Stardust Portable.

You can check out our recently-published list of all the games that are already available in Asia region markets as part of the new PlayStation Plus rollout here.

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PlayStation Is Apparently Charging Users Extra To Upgrade Their Discounted PlayStation Plus Subscriptions To The New Tiers

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 25 May 2022 12:00:33 +0000

UPDATE: PlayStation has now confirmed that this was a technical error and fixed the issue as well as credited anybody who was effected. You can read more HERE.

PlayStation users in Asia region countries where the new, tiered PlayStation Plus subscriptions have started to roll out are learning that the ‘easy upgrades’ that Sony had promised for existing subscribers wanting to move up tiers aren’t quite as simple as we may have initially thought.

Users have taken to social media to express anger with PlayStation over certain aspects of the upgrade system, in particular the way that upgrade fees work for users who obtained their original PS+ subscriptions at a discount. Essentially, where many people expected that the fee to upgrade tiers would simply be the difference between the cost of an original PS+ subscription and the desired tier, it turns out that the fee also factors in any discount that the user got when purchasing the original subscription.

Aside from price differences between Essential & upper tier,why do we also have to pay back the discounted amount we've got in the past,when upgrading our membership?
Or is this just a thing for Asia region?
And remaining days of membership must be upgraded at once?How absurd.

— DJ100W (@Dj100W) May 24, 2022

So, if you paid $79.95 for your 12 month plan and the next day upgraded the entire 12 months to PlayStation Plus Deluxe ($154.95 per year), you’d pay approximately $75 more. However, if you’d purchased your 12 month sub during a sale for something like $59.95 then your upgrade will actually cost an extra $95 instead.

Framed the right way, it can be argued that it makes sense to pay the difference in cost between what you initially forked out and what the cost of the new plan is, but punters are understandably upset about the surprise sting of an extra cost and the lengths PlayStation has seemingly gone to in order to ensure everyone pays the full amount.

Adding fuel to the fury is the fact that it’s also currently only possible to upgrade a user’s entire PlayStation Plus subscription at once, so if you’re subbed for a total of three years and want that Premium upgrade you’re up for a whopping $225 to get the new benefits. That’s an eye watering amount, and worse when you consider that some users have 5-10 years of PS+ stacked up on their accounts.

VGC reports that the PlayStation UK site’s information supports this claim:

“When the new PlayStation Plus membership plans launch, you will be able to upgrade to a plan with more features and benefits.

“When you upgrade you will be charged a pro-rated fee to level up the remaining time on your existing membership to the desired level.”

PlayStation is yet to confirm whether these issues are an error, an oversight or completely intentional.

Curious about what’s in the new PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe tiers? We’ve got the full list of games here.

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The Best Deals During PlayStation’s Days Of Play Event

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 25 May 2022 11:24:53 +0000

Once again the annual PlayStation Days of Play event is upon us, bringing fans deals of all kinds across PlayStation games and accessories. While this is the first Days of Play sale in memory where PS+ subscriptions aren’t being discounted (here’s why!) there are still some pretty good deals to be had, especially on things like DualSense controllers.

We’ve covered off all of the Days of Play bargains you’ll find at Amazon, Big W, JB HiFi, Target and the PlayStation Store, but we thought we’d collect all of the best prices in one spot to help PlayStation fans shop effectively during the event. Take a look below:

DUALSENSE CONTROLLERS

The best ongoing DualSense controller deal is at Amazon:

Amazon

PULSE3D HEADSETS

The best Pulse 3D Headset deal is at Amazon:

PS5 GAMES

A variety of first-party and exclusive PS5 games are on sale during Days of Play:

PS HITS GAMES

Amazon has the best prices on select PlayStation Hits titles at $9 each with free shipping:

JB Hi-Fi also has some other PS Hits games at $9 each:

PLAYSTATION VR

Unsurprisingly, Amazon has the best deal on PlayStation VR:

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It Looks Like Dino Crisis Is Also Coming To The New PlayStation Plus Deluxe Subscription

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 25 May 2022 10:24:38 +0000

The new PlayStation Plus subscription tiers have started to roll out in Asia territories, which means more and more information on the new service’s features and game library is trickling through every day.

While we’ve already published a full list of the titles that have currently launched in these territories, eagle-eyed users have spotted an odd detail in the store’s menus dedicated to the new tiers. Twitter user DarkClong tweeted an image of the menu on their PS5 console which curiously features art of Regina, the main character of Dino Crisis. While Dino Crisis hasn’t been announced as a classic title coming to the Deluxe/Premium PS+ tier, it would seem it’s definitely on the cards.

#PS5Share So we got PS1 Dino Crisis!!!? pic.twitter.com/iStwKgjpPr

— DarkClong (@DarkClong) May 24, 2022

We’ll definitely be keeping an eye out on this one as new games continue to be added to PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe/Premium leading up to and after it launches in Australia on June 22nd.

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PlayStation’s Digital Days Of Play Sale Is Packed With Big Titles At Deep Discounts

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 25 May 2022 09:14:24 +0000

Once again the annual PlayStation Days of Play event is upon us, bringing fans deals of all kinds across PlayStation games and accessories. While this is the first Days of Play sale in memory where PS+ subscriptions aren’t being discounted (here’s why!) there’s still plenty of bargains to be had for the digitally-minded among us with the PlayStation Store’s digital sale.

There are 300+ games with discounts to sift through and plenty of add-ons and other content on top, so as usual we’ve picked out some of our favourite deals below but you can check out the full thing here.

PS5 DIGITAL DEALS

PS5/PS4 DIGITAL DEALS

PS4 DIGITAL DEALS

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Bargain Guide – Sniper Elite 5

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 25 May 2022 04:00:51 +0000

The cheapest copy of Sniper Elite 5 starting with local retailers and finishing off with online only deals. We will update with new & special prices as they come in up until launch day.

Jump into the latest entry in Rebellion’s authentic and exciting Sniper Elite series. Wield impressive weaponry and forge your own path through open-ended levels as you work your way through a thrilling narrative solo or with a friend. You can learn more about the game here.

The game is also available for free on Xbox Game Pass.

AMAZON HAS THE CHEAPEST PRICE AT $79 WITH FREE SHIPPING.

Physical:
Amazon – $79 Standard Edition / $149 Deluxe Edition with free shipping
Big W – $79 Standard Edition / $149 Deluxe Edition
JB HiFi – $79 Standard Edition / $149 Deluxe Edition
EB Games – $99.95 Standard Edition

Digital:
PlayStation Store – $84.95 Standard Edition / $129.95 Deluxe Edition
Xbox Store – $89.95 Standard Edition / $134.95 Deluxe Edition

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Amazon’s PlayStation Days Of Play Sale Has Arrived

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:03:21 +0000

Earlier today Big W released their Days of Play sale, and Amazon has followed suite launching its sale live tonight. We’d expect other retailers to go live in the next day or two, despite the fact that PlayStation hasn’t officially announced the sale yet

PLAYSTATION HITS –

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

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Big W Is Having A Pretty Decent Gaming Clearance

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 21 May 2022 04:39:39 +0000

Big W is having another games clearance both online and in-store. There are some decent deals to be had across most formats including new-gen games, with quite a few titles going for less than half price. We’ve picked out the best deals below but head to your local store or check out the Big W website to see more.

Obviously some of these games could be out of stock at your local or for delivery by the time you get to them so act fast!

SWITCH GAMES

PS5 GAMES

PS4 GAMES

XBOX GAMES

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Syphon Filter For PS1 Will Have Trophies When It Comes To PlayStation Plus Deluxe

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 19 May 2022 22:01:41 +0000

Out of nowhere, we’ve just had confirmation of at least one classic PS1 game coming to the new PlayStation Plus Deluxe subscription tier that will include newly-added trophies.

On Twitter, Bend Studio (Days Gone, Uncharted: Golden Abyss) shared the news that one of its oldest titles, the beloved Syphon Filter, will include trophies when it arrives on the service in June.

Incoming From Bend Studio:

Agency intel reports that Syphon Filter will include Trophies when it arrives on the all-new PlayStation Plus. pic.twitter.com/YVdMixZxBR

— Bend Studio is Hiring! (@BendStudio) May 19, 2022

Syphon Filter is just one of a handful of classic PlayStation games already announced as headed to PS+ Deluxe when it launches, so it’ll be interesting to see if trophy support is a global requirement for getting games on the service or if they’re only being added to select titles. We’ll be sure to know more soon.

You can check out the list of (so far) confirmed titles coming to both the Extra and Deluxe tiers at launch here.

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Unpacking Just Got A Release Date On PS5/PS4

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:59:20 +0000

Humble Games and Brisbane’s own Witch Beam Games have announced the release date for the PS5 and PS4 port of last year’s patently excellent indie narrative puzzler, Unpacking.

Already available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC and Mac, Unpacking will make the move to current and last-gen PlayStation consoles next week on May 10.

Unpacking came in at #7 on our GOTY list for 2021, and scored a massive 10/10 in our review. We said:

“Unpacking is proof that a pixel tells a thousand words. Through simple, zen gameplay and a startling attention to detail a story unfolds in this tiny, pixelated world in a way that just wouldn’t have been possible in another medium. That’s truly something special on its own – a wholly unique and original narrative experience – and the fact that it’s wrapped up in an incredibly cathartic and tangible puzzle game makes it all the more praiseworthy. Witch Beam has something incredible on their hands with this one.”

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Everyone That Owns The Original Dying Light Has Been Upgraded To The Enhanced Edition For Free

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 06 May 2022 01:25:14 +0000

Techland and Warner Bros. Interactive are giving all existing owners of the base version of the original Dying Light a free upgrade to the Enhanced Edition for free, as part of the game’s final update.

The upgrade was announced on the game’s official Twitter and is in effect now. Users simply need to navigate to the DLC Packs menu option after booting the game and download the extra content from there.

Great news! ? Starting today, every player that owns the Standard Edition of Dying Light will be automatically upgraded to the Enhanced Edition.#DyingLight pic.twitter.com/jmSfQ3RkCd

— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) May 5, 2022

The Dying Light Enhanced Edition includes the game and the following extras:

Dying Light: The Following – a huge expansion complete with a new story, vast original map, and a customizable buggy to drive.
Dying Light: Bozak Horde – a challenging game mode with its own side story.
Cuisine & Cargo DLC – two additional quarantine zones.
Ultimate Survivor Bundle – exclusive weapons and outfits.

It’s worth noting that all versions of the game already have access to the free next-gen update for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the Enhanced Edition doesn’t include the Dying Light: Hellraid expansion. That can be found in the Platinum Edition, which is currently only $23.38 on the PlayStation Store.

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EB Games Is Currently Giving Out Boosted Trade Values On Consoles

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 05 May 2022 22:45:59 +0000

EB Games has decided to start the month off with a bang, offering increased values on select consoles trade-ins until Monday, May 9.

Right now, if you’re trading in an Xbox One, PS4 or Switch console you’ll be pocketing up to an extra $60 for the trade. Plus, if you’re an EB World member you’ll also be getting the EB World trade bonus applicable to your level on top. Not a bad time to clean house over the weekend and get rid of some of those dusty, last-gen machines!

We’ve got the full list of original and boosted trade values for the included consoles below:

PS4 Boosted Trade Values

PS4 500GB – $220 / $264 with Level 4 bonus (was $170)
PS4 1TB – $230 / 276 (was $180)
PS4 Slim 500GB – $250 / $300 (was $200)
PS4 Slim 1TB – $260 / $312 (was $210)
PS4 Pro 1TB – $300 / $360 (was $240)

Xbox One Boosted Trade Values

Xbox One 500GB – $150 / $180 with Level 4 bonus (was $120)
Xbox One 1TB – $160 / $192 (was $130)
Xbox One 1TB w/Elite Controller – $170 / $204 (was $150)
Xbox One S All Digital – $170 / $204 (was $140)
Xbox One S 500GB – $200 / $240 (was $160)
Xbox One S 1TB – $210 / $252 (was $170)
Xbox One S 2TB – $220 / $264 (was $180)
Xbox One X 1TB – $250 / $300 (was $200)

Nintendo Switch Boosted Trade Values

Nintendo Switch – $240 / $288 with Level 4 bonus (was $190)
Nintendo Switch Lite – $170 / $204
Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) – $330 / $396 (was $300)

Kick-off the first week of May with a massive BOOST to the trade values of PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch consoles! ???

Must End Monday 9 May. T&Cs apply. https://t.co/QcTsv2qBng pic.twitter.com/gl4BZmEIrB

— EB Games Australia (@EBGamesAus) May 3, 2022

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The LEGO Horizon Forbidden West Set Is In Stock At Amazon

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 05 May 2022 01:40:26 +0000

UPDATE: This has now sold out at LEGO but it’s now available at Amazon with free delivery.

Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck – $129 at Amazon

The latest in LEGO’s line-up of video game-themed sets is available for purchase right now on the LEGO Store

The Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck set consists of 1,222 pieces and stands at 34cm tall. Alongside the iconic Tallneck itself, the set also includes a LEGO-fied Watcher machine and a new version minifigure of series protagonist Aloy.

You can pick up the set direct from the LEGO Store right here:

Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck (76989) – LEGO Store ($129.99)

Build the ultimate LEGO® brick model (76989) of the most iconic Horizon machine in the Forbidden West: the Tallneck. Use clever building techniques to capture authentic details of this Communications Class machine, from its smooth, disc-shaped head to its long, slim legs. Display the Tallneck on a stand with brick-built Horizon landscape details, including a birch tree and rusty stoplight. A new-for-May-2022 Aloy minifigure with weapons, plus a Watcher figure with a choice of blue, yellow or red eyes, complete a striking centrepiece.

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Games Coming Out In May That You Should Be Excited For

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 05:57:54 +0000

While there were definitely a couple of heavy hitters in April, the likes of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Nintendo Switch Sports come to mind, it’s definitely been one of the quieter months this year. May looks to continue that trend somewhat, at least for what we know is due out for the month, but even if we’re not being showered in big-budget AAA releases in May there are still a fair few neat-looking titles that we reckon are worth keeping an eye out.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest games coming out for the month of May:

Trek to Yomi

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: May 5th

Citizen Sleeper

Platform: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 5th

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 10th

Salt and Sacrifice

Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

Release Date: May 10th

Cloud Gardens (Switch release)

Platform: Switch

Release Date: May 12th

Evil Dead: The Game

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 13th

The Cheapest Copy: $69 on Amazon

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 19th

Dolmen

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: May 20th

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Platform: PC

Release Date: May 24th

Sniper Elite 5

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: May 26th

The Cheapest Copy – $79 on Amazon

Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 27th

Kao the Kangaroo

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: May 27th

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Classic PlayStation Games Are Starting To Appear On The PlayStation Store Ahead Of The New PS Plus

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 04:55:05 +0000

With the brand-new tiered PlayStation Plus subscription coming this June, eagle-eyed internet sleuths are starting to find evidence of which retro PlayStation classics are set to be added to the service – a good thing since we’re yet to find out what games to expect as part of the Extra and Deluxe/Premium tiers!

A reddit user has begun to compile a list of titles that are appearing on the backend of the PlayStation Store, likely in preparation for their addition to the store library once the new service goes live. So far it’s just a handful of games published by Namco and two Worms titles, but no doubt we’ll start to see more roll through and for the post to be updated. Here’s what we have so far, though:

Tekken 2
Ridge Racers 2
Mr. Driller
Worms World Party
Worms Armageddon

For more on what the new PlayStation Plus tiers include head here, and check out launch date and pricing details right here.

Already a PlayStation Plus subscriber with plenty of time left on your membership? Don’t stress – Sony reckons you’ll be able to upgrade your subscription easily.

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New PlayStation Indies Montage Affirms Release Windows For Stray, We Are OFK And Cult Of The Lamb

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 04:24:35 +0000

PlayStation has dropped a short, 25-second teaser video highlighting three upcoming indie heavy-hitters and confirming (or re-confirming) their planned release windows. The video contains a montage of footage from Stray, We Are OFK and Cult of the Lamb – each with text denoting the seasons we can expect to see them. Naturally, the release windows are listed according to Northern Hemisphere seasons, so here’s what we’re looking at here in the Land Down Under:

Stray – June 1 to August 31
We Are OFK – June 1 to August 31
Cult of the Lamb – September 1 to November 30

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Seagate’s Latest Game Drives For PlayStation Include Gorgeous Horizon Forbidden West Designs

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 03:52:44 +0000

Seagate has introduced its latest line-up of specialised external game storage devices with two officially licensed drives designed especially for PlayStation consoles as well as two limited edition drives featuring gorgeous artwork from Horizon Forbidden West.

The Game Drive for PlayStation Consoles comes in both 2TB and 4TB capacities and features high speed USB 3.2 Gen 1 plug-and-play compatibility with both PS5 and PS4 consoles. The lightweight drives are designed and firmware optimised to work with PlayStation consoles and are perfect for storing PS5 games as well as storing and playing PS4 games direct from the drive.

The Game Drive for PlayStation consoles is available right now. You can pick up either the 2TB or 4TB drives right here.

Meanwhile, the Horizon Forbidden West Limited Edition Game Drive offers the same ease of use, compatibility and reliability in both a 2TB and massive 5TB capacity, adorned with official art from Horizon Forbidden West on a slick, white chassis.

The Horizon Forbidden West Limited Edition Game Drive is also available now. Check out both the 2TB and 5TB variants here.

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

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PlayStation’s Golden Week Sale Is Packed With Gems From Japan And More

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 00:10:51 +0000

The PlayStation Store is having another excellent sale, this time themed on Japan’s Golden Week holiday season. The sale contains a ton of games from Japanese studios and publishers, as well as Japan-inspired games from around the world and a sprinkling of others on top.

You can check out the full sale right here, but as always we’ve put together a quick list of the ones we think are worth checking out while they’re discounted:

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May’s PlayStation Plus Games Have Been Officially Revealed

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 22:40:30 +0000

UPDATE: PlayStation has now officially confirmed that FIFA 22, Tribes of Midgard and Curse of the Dead Gods are all included in May’s PlayStation Plus games. You’ll also get a bonus FIFA 22 FUT pack. All of these games will be available to download on Tuesday, May 3rd.

Dealabs user ‘billbil kun” who has been responsible for PlayStation Plus leaks in the last few months has today seemingly leaked May’s upcoming PlayStation Plus games.

In the post, it’s revealed that subscribers can expect FIFA 22 and Tribes of Midgard as the PS5/PS4 titles, as well as Curse of the Dead Gods for the PS4.

MAY’S PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

FIFA 22 (PS5/PS4)
Tribes of Midgard (PS5/PS4)
Curse of the Dead Gods (PS4)

We’ll let you know once we have confirmation, but this particular leaker hasn’t led us astray yet.

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A New Trailer For Free-To-Play Combat Racer Disney Speedstorm Has Confirmed Its Launch Platforms

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 10:17:54 +0000

Back in February we got the announcement of a new free-to-play combat racer coming from Asphalt developers Gameloft via a Nintendo Direct. Up until now all we knew was that the game was headed to “PC and consoles” at some point this year, but a new trailer has arrived and brought with it a little extra clarification.

Thanks to the short but impressive 22-second teaser below we can see that Disney Speedstorm will be coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC when it eventually launches. We still don’t have a release date, but keen punters can now pre-register for sneak peeks and potential early access on the game’s official website.

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A Naughty Dog Employee Has Listed An Unannounced Remake On Their LinkedIn Profile

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:17:17 +0000

LinkedIn, often an unexpected source of video game leaks thanks to rogue employee profiles, has once again brought us a tiny, gleaming nugget of hope for that Last of Us remake that’s been rumoured for a year now.

A Naughty Dog employee by the name of Corey Hong has listed their current experience and associated projects after three years at the studio, which includes things like development support and localisations for The Last of Us Part II and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. What’s more interesting though are two listings in particular, one is for an “unannounced multiplayer project” which we can assume is the same multiplayer project that Naughty Dog has spoken about in the past and is assumed to be the delayed multiplayer mode for The Last of Us Part II in standalone form.

The other one though, Hong claims is an “unannounced remake project”. It’s fairly safe to guess that this refers to the remake of 2013’s The Last of Us for PS3 (which was re-released in 2014 as The Last of Us Remastered for PS4).

Of course this is far from the first time we’ve heard rumblings about a remake of The Last of Us. Most recently we heard from industry insider and frequent leaker, Tom Henderson, that the project would see completion and release as soon as the second half of 2022. Both series producer Neil Druckmann and PlayStation Studios Visual Artist Robert Morrison have also recently alluded to some exciting announcements still to come this year:

PlayStation Studios developer says Sony has some bangers coming this year.

"I'm not working on God of War Ragnarok but something equally cool."

The Last of Us Remake or something else? ? pic.twitter.com/SDy6DXNl9p

— Kami. (@Okami13_) April 17, 2022

Whatever the case, it’s clear that PlayStation is hellbent on reviving the narrative of the original The Last of Us in any way they can, whether it’s the rumoured remake or the upcoming HBO TV retelling.

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Sony Reckons It’ll Be Easy To Upgrade Your Existing PlayStation Plus Subscription To The New Tiers

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:45:29 +0000

It might seem obvious but it’s good to hear it from the mouths of the people responsible – it sounds like PlayStation is adamant that current PlayStation subscribers wanting to convert their existing PS+ subscriptions to the newly-announced Extra and Deluxe tiers will be able to do so painlessly.

A Resetera user has shared an email they received from PlayStation since the new tiers were finally given estimated global launch dates that contains the following text:

You can easily upgrade to a higher benefits plan at any time. To do so, you’ll need to pay the difference between your current plan and your new plan, adjusted for the remaining time of your subscription.

While it’s unclear exactly how PlayStation plans to calculate the difference when upgrading a subscription to a higher tier, it’s at least nice to know that upgrading your plan at any point won’t involve any payment double-ups.

If you missed it, you can read all about the new subscription tiers including pricing and when they’re launching locally in Australia right here.

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God Of War Ragnarok Is Still Coming This Year According To One Of Its Developers

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 01:34:52 +0000

God of War fans who’ve been waiting for any speck of news about the upcoming sequel, God of War Ragnarök, would be forgiven for wondering if the game has potentially slipped out of its 2022 release window given the general radio silence from developer Santa Monica Studio. Earlier this week, the studio’s Creative Director Cory Barlog posted a video thanking fans for their support and stating that he wishes the developer had something to show, but that everyone is still very much hard at work:

4 years ago, God of War (2018) released! We’re grateful to all of you who joined Kratos and Atreus on their journey, and we’re so proud of the team who worked to bring it to life.

While we’re not ready to share an update about what comes next, here’s a quick message from Cory! pic.twitter.com/Z5PHpKQppY

— Santa Monica Studio – God of War Ragnarök (@SonySantaMonica) April 20, 2022

This could have added even more fuel to the argument that Ragnarok may be delayed, but if a follow-up tweet from the game’s Animation Director, Bruno Valazquez, is to be believed we should still see the game in 2022. After sharing Barlog’s video, Valazquez was goaded by a fan to reassure them that the game was still on track for this year, to which the Animation Director simply responded “Ragnorok is coming this year.”

Ragnorok is coming this year.

— Bruno Velazquez ?? (@brunovelazquez) April 20, 2022

Disregarding the awkward spelling mistake, hopefully this rings true or at least indicates that we’ll see something of God of War Ragnarok this year. The most recent trailer we have for the game is still this reveal video from a PlayStation Showcase last year:

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LEGO Builder’s Journey Has Appeared On The PlayStation Store With An April 19 Release On PS5/PS4

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 06:04:55 +0000

LEGO Builder’s Journey, the gorgeous and brilliant puzzler released in 2019 to critical acclaim, seems to be getting a surprise release this week on PlayStation platforms.

Previously exclusive to Apple Arcade, before being ported to Switch, PC and eventually Xbox, LEGO Builder’s Journey seems to be making its final rounds as it lands on both PS4 and PS5 on April 19. A PlayStation release has been rumoured, but we now have a solid date thanks to a listing on the Australian PlayStation Store which you can see in our screenshots above and below:

You can view the listing on the web version of the PlayStation Store here.

According to the game’s listing this will also include the new Creative Mode that was just added to the game in recent days. No pricing has been listing at time of writing.

We gave the PC version of the game a very handsome 9/10 in our review, so if you’re yet to check it out this might be a great opportunity!

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Sucker Punch Says Ghost Of Tsushima’s Latest Patch Will Be Its Last

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 00:46:22 +0000

Sucker Punch Productions has just pushed Ghost of Tsushima Patch 2.18 out into the world and, if a slightly heart-warming message included at the end of the patch notes is to be believed, it looks to be the last major update that the game will receive.

Among a host of updates to the game’s multiplayer Legends mode and just a couple of minor fixes for its core single-player component, the studio left the following message inside the full patch notes (which you can read here):

“While we aren’t actively working on any additional patches at the moment, we will continue to monitor feedback on the community-run Gotlegends subreddit and messages sent to @SuckerPunchProd on Twitter for any high priority bugs or issues that emerge. We want to say a huge THANK YOU to the entire community for the incredible amount of support and feedback we’ve gotten since launch. When Legends launched in October 2020, we never expected to have such an active community more than a year and a half later, and we could not be more thankful to everyone who has been with us on this journey!”

In the coming days, we'll release Patch 2.18 for #GhostOfTsushima. This patch changes several Legends items, fixes a bug that prevented some players from earning Hidden Heart, adds save imports to Legends standalone, and more.

See full patch notes here: https://t.co/duIl5AmKpO pic.twitter.com/I4IPB5nI1z

— Sucker Punch Productions ? Ghost of Tsushima (@SuckerPunchProd) April 8, 2022

This of course doesn’t mean that smaller hotfixes won’t appear in future for unforeseen issues that arise, but as far as Sucker Punch is concerned they are finally done with polishing up the game post-launch.

In other Ghost of Tsushima news, the upcoming movie adaptation has found its screenwriter. Amazon also currently has the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut for a decent price on PS4 (with PS5 upgrade available).

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No More Heroes III Is Coming To PlayStation, Xbox And PC This Year

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 01:23:28 +0000

Grasshopper Manufacture and XSEED Games have announced that previously Switch-exclusive No More Heroes III will be making its way to other platforms in the latter part of this year.

The latest in the cult-favourite franchise released in August last year, when we gave it a monumental 9.5/10 in our review, saying “No More Heroes III is the best No More Heroes game this far. A streamlined structure, some fantastic writing and direction from Goichi Suda and some of the tightest combat the series has ever seen makes No More Heroes III the best in the series.”

Now, even more fans will be able to enjoy it as it heads to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC, with a digital release across all platforms as well as a physical “Day 1” edition for consoles that includes a few bonus goodies inside a special cardboard box. As of yet there’s no word from local retailers on an Australian print but we’ll be keeping an eye out.

Our favorite otaku assassin returns! Travis Touchdown has been forced out of retirement to defend not only Santa Destroy, but Earth itself! Bring on the beam katana and take on Travis' toughest challenge yet in #NoMoreHeroes3, coming this fall to PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC! pic.twitter.com/kdEJnonUd5

— XSEED Games (@XSEEDGames) April 15, 2022

This new version of the game will reportedly include enhanced features such as higher resolutions, better frame rates and faster load times – sure to be a relief for those of us who played through the game’s somewhat-rough Switch form.

The post No More Heroes III Is Coming To PlayStation, Xbox And PC This Year appeared first on Press Start.

Relaxing Narrative Adventure Lake Is Out Now On PS5 And PS4

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 01:23:24 +0000

Launching back in September of last year for Xbox consoles and PC, Lake caught the attention of indie game fans with its serene atmosphere and open-ended narrative exploring slice-of-life themes in a small town.

While PlayStation players have had to wait a bit to experience the game for themselves, that wait is finally over – Lake is available right now for both PS5 and PS4. You can grab the game on the PlayStation Store for either platform for a very reasonable AUD $24.95 by heading here.

Lake lovers, listen up! We're super excited to finally bring our game to @PlayStation this Friday, April 8th!

Thanks for your patience, everyone. Granted, it needed a little time in the oven, but now that it's (almost) here, we hope you'll enjoy it. Who wants coffee and pie???? https://t.co/TRodS2P6Xs

— Lake (@Lake_The_Game) April 4, 2022

Take a look at the PlayStation launch trailer for Lake below:

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Two Point Campus Has Been Delayed By Nearly Three Months

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 14:05:48 +0000

Management sim fans and budding heads of higher education will have to wait a little longer for the much-anticipated Two Point Campus.

Developer Two Point Studios and SEGA announced today that the follow-up to 2018’s excellent Two Point Hospital will be delayed by a few months, moving from its original release date of May 17, 2022 to a new date of August 9, 2022.

Work on the game is moving along well, as evidenced by our recent hands-on preview of the game, but the studio is so keen to get it polished and primed to launch on every platform simultaneously that they’ve made the decision to ensure this happens.

Check out the announcement trailer for Two Point Campus below and read our preview to see what chancellor life is going to be like later in the year:

Two Point Campus is coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on August 9, 2022.

Amazon has the physical Enrolment Edition for $59 with free shipping.

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April’s PlayStation Plus Games Are Available Now

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 09:41:59 +0000

Another month, another new batch of PlayStation Plus games for subscribers to download and play!

This month it’s a trio of very different experiences ranging from the remaster of a 3D platforming classic, a PvPvE multiplayer heist game and a roguelike deck builder. The good news is the wait is over for the store to refresh and all three are available to add to your library right away.

Check them out below and add them to your library right here.

Not a member? Grab a 3 month membership or 12 month membership here.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated (PS4)

Hood: Outlaws & Legends (PS5/PS4)

Slay The Spire (PS4)

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

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Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition Review – A Welcome Bit Of History

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 12:58:10 +0000

Growing up my family didn’t have much disposable cash to spend on entertainment, let alone video games, so when I did eventually come to possess a PlayStation console it was by way of a hand-me-down from a relative. This particular PlayStation happened to be modified too, so it came with a bunch of highly questionable copies of games ready for me to play. This instant inherited library was what kickstarted my love for JRPGs and where I discovered my favourite game of all time in Final Fantasy VIII. Little did I know though that I’d also been blessed with access to a ton of games that were never actually released in Australia or other PAL regions. Games like Chrono Cross, the highly-regarded follow up to the SNES classic Chrono Trigger, and a game that’s never been (legally) available outside of Japan and the US before now.

That all changes with the release of Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, which not only plants the game firmly in the hands of gamers the world over and on a multitude of platforms but updates it with modern visuals and a few extra features to sweeten the deal.

The original version of Chrono Cross released to critical acclaim back in 2000, and with good reason. Rather than rehash what had come before in Chrono Trigger, the PlayStation sequel brought entirely new gameplay systems along with a compelling and well-told story that stood triumphantly on its own. By some black magic, the team managed to pull together 40-plus playable and swappable characters amongst a parallel-world plot with all of the bespoke dialogue and scenarios that involved and still come out with an end product that worked. It didn’t hurt either that it continued Square’s penchant for gorgeous visuals and CG cutscenes in its PS1 releases and came complete with one of gaming’s all-time great soundtracks thanks to Yasunori Mitsuda.

The game’s gameplay and battle systems were equally praised for bucking convention in the turn-based JRPG space. Combat deftly combined a risk-reward attack mechanic that balanced hit percentages and stamina with a meta where characters would receive buffs when the field of battle filled with an element they favoured. It also eschewed the idea of invisible random battles as well as employing a rudimentary point-and-click style of item interaction, all things that made it stand out against its contemporaries as the plucky and slightly experimental cousin to Final Fantasy. Of course there’s not much I can say about Chrono Cross itself that hasn’t been said many times over (and better) in the last 22 years. What I’m really here for is to break down what’s changed in the Radical Dreamers Edition and whether that makes it worth your time and money to play the game again or for the first time.

The biggest difference in Chrono Cross on modern consoles is obviously the HD graphical upgrade and this is probably the Radical Dreamers Edition’s most contentious change. See, it’s great to be able to play the game in much more modern resolutions but due to this being an upscaling of the source content and not a full-scale rebuild the results are a mixed bag. Much like Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, it’s a case of the updated character models and UI elements looking markedly better than their original counterparts while everything around them somehow looks slightly worse. The re-done 3D elements are sharp and new character models remain faithful to the originals while being given a tasteful update that still feels in step with the time, and the new character art in menus and text boxes is fairly nice across the board as well.

What’s most disappointing is the vaseline-smear filter applied aggressively over every pre-rendered background making them even less cohesive with the other visual elements. You’re able to switch back to ‘Classic’ visuals if you really can’t stand it, but only from the main menu and only with all the other HD updates turned off as well. Factor in as well the inconsistent frame rates and there’s a roughness that just doesn’t feel right in a modern HD re-release of such a revered title. It checks out given this release is an emulation as opposed to a full-on rebuild but it still sucks that more couldn’t be/hasn’t been done to make this the best way to play Chrono Cross. Hell, fans have done an excellent job with this on their own in the past.

It’s in the quality-of-life updates to the battle system that returning fans will likely find the most joy in replaying the game with this version. For starters you can turn battles off entirely which is a godsend during exploration, especially given that grinding battles isn’t really a viable way to progress in Chrono Cross anyway. When you do get into a fight you’re able to switch on an auto-battle that lets the game handle everything for you, as well as toggle on what is essentially an invincibility mode that causes every enemy attack to miss your party. Combined with a fast-forward toggle, this can really help with monotony out of fighting basic monster parties if you’re comfortable with breezing through everything.

Not everyone will be compelled to tap into these options all the time but there are definite moments where they take the edge off of some of the game’s pain points. Dealing with that frustrating horse-feeding minigame in Viper Manor? Just switch on slow-motion mode and show those horses who’s boss (it’s them, they’re being fed literally hundreds of times in one night). The fast-forward and slow toggles are actually a holdover from the original but they’re available right away now, as opposed to unlocked after completing the game, and they really come in handy for the impatient among us. I just wish there was a quick save/load option outside of the occasional auto-saving, it seems like such an obvious inclusion for a title such as this.

So far, so very much like every other HD port that Square Enix has brought to modern machines in recent years. One very cool point of difference here though is the inclusion of Radical Dreamers, a text-based adventure that predates Chrono Cross itself and was never officially translated to English before now thanks to its existence on the Japan-only Satellaview device for the Super Famicom.

As a kind of a side-story/parallel to Chrono Cross, Radical Dreamers follows Serge, Kid and Magil in a heist attempt at Viper Manor that would later go on to inform one of the main game’s early missions. It’s hardly essential playing/reading over its 3-4 hour runtime but definitely an interesting look into the attitude of the franchise’s creators heading into Chrono Cross, while also offering a unique take on text adventure gameplay with its choice-based combat scenarios, timed events and light relationship building. It also feels quite dark and violent in comparison to the main game in ways I hadn’t expected. Overall, it’s just nice to see it finally translated and released in an official capacity (and the translation work isn’t half bad, either!)

With the inclusion of Radical Dreamers and the handy quality-of-life stuff, there’s definitely good reason to check out this re-release of Chrono Cross if you’re a longtime fan or curious JRPG enjoyer. It’s not all good, the visual update swings wildly between pleasant and puke-inducing for one, but the more available this game is the better I reckon.

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The PlayStation Store’s Easter Sale Is Back With A New Season Of Bargains

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:58:27 +0000

The PlayStation Store loves a bit of a sale, especially when it coincides with a holiday event. Thus, the store’s Easter Sale is back for another round in 2022 with a ton of compelling discounts on digital PS4 and PS5 games as well as a selection of bundles and add-ons.

You can check out the sale in full HERE, but as usual we’ve broken down some of our favourite discounted titles below:

There we have it. Obviously these deals are good for those with digital PS5s, so take advantage if there’s anything that tickles your fancy.

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Games Coming Out In April That You Should Be Excited For

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 05:54:30 +0000

Now that the heavy hitters of March have come and completely swamped us with content to chew through, it’s kind of relieving to see that April is a tad quieter overall. That’s not to say there aren’t some huge titles ahead, especially at the front of the month with games like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and the remaster of Chrono Cross, but for most of April we’re largely looking at ports of existing games to new platforms. That combined with many of us still plugging away at Elden Ring, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Ghostwire: Tokyo and Kirby and the Forgotten Land means we can pretty safely dub April 2022 the official Backlog Month. At least until Nintendo Switch Sports comes out.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest games coming out next month:

MLB The Show 22

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch

Release Date: April 5th

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: April 5th

The cheapest copy: $64.90 with free shipping

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: April 7th

Godfall: Ultimate Edition

Platform: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Release Date: April 7th

Chinatown Detective Agency

Platform: Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: April 7th

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Platform: Switch

Release Date: April 12th

Road 96

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S

Release Date: April 14th

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Platform: Switch

Release Date: April 20th

MotoGP 22

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: April 21st

Chernobylite

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Release Date: April 21st

Nintendo Switch Sports

Platform: Switch

Release Date: April 29th

The cheapest copy: $58 with free shipping

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

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Everything You Need To Know About Hogwarts Legacy

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 22:41:37 +0000

It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve just had our first proper look at the much-anticipated Hogwarts Legacy – the Harry Potter open world action RPG from Portkey Games and WB Games Avalanche. Thanks to a meaty PlayStation State of Play presentation we’ve now seen in depth what players can expect from this huge title, and while you can see the whole thing in the full 4K gameplay reveal below we’ve broken down some of the key information here as well:

A Dangerous Mystery

It’s the late 1800s, and you’re a brand-new student beginning their attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry incredibly late as a fifth year. The events that led up to this are still shrouded in mystery but you’re mysteriously able to sense and wield ancient magic, an ability that will see you play a key role in unravelling the secrets behind a potential goblin revolution and all manner of dangers threatening the safety of Hogwarts and the rest of the Wizarding World.

Life at Hogwarts

On entering the fabled school your uniquely created Hogwarts student will be sorted into one of the four houses, giving you a dormitory to live in and a common room to meet and interact with your new housemates. School life means attending classes like Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts.

You’ll be free to explore Hogwarts between classes, discovering its secrets including deep dungeons and iconic locations that you’ve never been able to explore before. Side assignments will also help you catch up to the rest of your fifth year students and hone your abilities.

Spells and Combat

Combat will play a vital role in this action RPG, against both other wizards and witches as well as all manner of fantastic beasts. You’ll use familiar spells like Accio, Incendio and Descendo, mixing and matching them to exploit enemy weaknesses. You’ll also be able to wield the mysterious ancient magic unique to your character, and take different approaches such as stealth should you choose.

Avalanche also promises multiple difficulty levels to suit players who just want to experience the story or make every swish and flick of their wand truly matter.

Talents and Abilities

Players will have access to deep skill trees to fully customise their character’s playstyle, upgrading their spells, affinity for plants and potions and more by earning XP throughout the world. Magical gear can be discovered, crafted or bought and later upgraded and customised to change its traits and appearance.

Potions, Herbology and Beasts

As you attend classes and gain experience in the world you’ll become more and more adept at brewing potions to boost your magical power, growing magical plants to use as assists in battle and interacting with magical beasts, You’ll also want to master broom flight if you’re keen to move about Hogwarts and its surroundings with ease.

Companions

Depending on your house affinities and how you play the game, different students may become your friends. These unique companions can accompany you on adventures and come with their own stories to tell and abilities to teach your character. You’ll meet them across Hogwarts, in classes, common rooms, gathering areas or just wandering the castle’s halls.

The Room of Requirement

As it is in the books and films, Hogwarts’ Room of Requirement is a magical space that senses your needs and provides for them. Here, that means it becomes a space for you to further catch up to your studies by sowing and harvesting plants, brewing potions and upgrading your gear.

You’ll also have access to Vivariums, freely customisable spaces where you’ll be able to house and rehabilitate rescued magical beasts.

Beyond the Castle Walls

A huge feature for Hogwarts Legacy is the ability to explore the vast world beyond the walls of the school itself. You’ll visit Hogsmeade to interact with its citizens, shop for new gear and unearth even more secrets. Out in the wilder world you’ll across dangerous dungeons, puzzles and more with dynamic seasons and weather making the gorgeous landscapes feel alive.

Hogwarts Legacy releases Holiday 2022.

The game is available to pre-order at Amazon at the below links:

The post Everything You Need To Know About Hogwarts Legacy appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At Today’s PlayStation State Of Play

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 22:32:59 +0000

This morning, PlayStation hosted the first State of Play for 2022 which had its share of reveals and updates for games predominantly out of Japan but also across the globe.

Opening with a brand-new multiplayer PvE game from Capcom, and closing with an interesting-looking new action game from Square Enix, the presentation featured a bit of everything.

Here’s a rundown of everything announced and shown off:

Exoprimal

A brand-new announcement of a bonkers-looking multiplayer dinosaur battling game that looks to throw thousands of prehistoric predators at a squad of players in fancy exosuits. Coming to PS4 and PS5 2023.

Returnal Ascension

The long-rumoured Returnal DLC is on its way. A survival mode with a tower climb with procedurally-generated challenges and new weapons and enemies to contend with. There’s also the promise of answers to untold lore and some freaky, freaky bosses. Also includes campaign co-op! Coming very soon on March 22 with update 3.0

GhostWire Tokyo

This wouldn’t be a State of Play without a Bethesda title that’s literally on the verge of release getting a bunch of airtime, now would it? This one’s out on PS4 and PS5 on March 25, naturally.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

Another game right about to release, but we get a brand-new demo on the PlayStation Store today! Coming March 18 on PS4 and PS5.

Forspoken

Another look at the recently-delayed open world action game from Square Enix’s Luminous Studios. This look shows off a fearsome dragon, a bunch of gorgeous-looking fighting and acrobatic traversal. Freya can even skate across water on a magical icy hoverboard from the looks. The new date for this one is October 11, 2022.

Gundam Evolution

A fast-paced multiplayer shooter coming to PS4 and PS5 later this year. It’s got exactly what you would expect in a modern online FPS with small teams facing off in a variety of maps using mobile suits with their own unique abilities.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection

A brand-new collection of 13 classic Turtles titles from across arcades, NES, SNES, SEGA Mega Drive and the Game Boy including the all-important Turtles in Time. Coming 2022 to PS4 and PS5.

Gigabash

A neat-looking kaiju brawler coming to PS4 and PS5 later this year.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle R

A newly-remastered JoJo fighting game is on the way! JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle R coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2022 with over 50 playable characters.

Trek to Yomi

A new look at the brutal and beautiful samurai action game with a cinematic black-and-white aesthetic and plenty of interesting spiritual phenomena. This one’s still on track to release this year on PS4 and PS5.

The DioField Chronicle

A brand-new strategy RPG title from Square Enix that looks oddly identical in narrative to the recent Switch exclusive Triangle Strategy, only with proper 3D visuals and a war table to create large-scale plays on. Coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2022.

Valkyrie Elysium

A third-person action game from Square Enix set in the Valkyrie Profile universe. Some lovely psuedo cel-shaded visuals on show. Coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2022.

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You Can Download A Free GhostWire: Tokyo Visual Novel On PlayStation Right Now

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 07:41:01 +0000

PlayStation and Bethesda have announced the release of GhostWire: Tokyo – Prelude, a free visual novel set before the events of the upcoming PlayStation exclusive first-person thriller GhostWire: Tokyo.

The visual novel puts players in the shoes of a wisened detective named KK, who anyone that’s been following the main game’s marketing will recognise as the spirit that joins forces with main character Akito. As KK you’ll work with fellow investigators to uncover the truth behind urban legends coming to life in Tokyo. Players can pursue different elements of the story with repeated playthroughs and build relationships with KK’s companions as you’d expect from a visual novel-style experience.

Check out the launch trailer for GhostWire: Tokyo – Prelude below, and either navigate to the GhostWire: Tokyo store page on your PS5/PS4 console or click here to grab the download now.

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Do You Need To Play Horizon Zero Dawn Before Picking Up Horizon Forbidden West?

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:54:22 +0000

As we approach the launch of PlayStation and Guerrilla Games’ excellent Horizon Forbidden West (you can read our review here!) there’s one question that we’ve seen crop up far more than any other. It makes a lot of sense too, given the hype surrounding Guerrilla Games’ much-awaiting sequel as a showpiece for the PS5.

That question is simply, do I need to have played Horizon Zero Dawn before playing Horizon Forbidden West?

The short version of the answer? Probably not, honestly.

There are plenty of comprehensive and useful story recap videos available online that’ll give you the lowdown on what’s going before you jump into the sequel. Like this one from Gamespot:

The longer version though, is largely dependent on how much time you have and want to spend on playing the first game before you pick up Forbidden West. The good news is that Horizon Zero Dawn is usually incredibly cheap to pick up for the PS4, with the current version available containing the Frozen Wilds expansion carrying an RRP of $24.95 but often going much cheaper digitally and physically.

That said, it’s not a short game and pretty much everything in it is done significantly better in Forbidden West. The new game also does a really good job of easing new players into the ins and outs of gameplay. There’s no transfer of any character progression or gear from the original game to the new one either, so you’re not missing anything gameplay-wise by starting out in the new game.

So if you’ve got the time and you want to get the full Horizon experience, there’s very little stopping you from downloading and firing up Horizon Zero Dawn for little cost and it still holds up as a great game. Otherwise if you’ve been reading the glowing reviews and you’re frothing to get stuck right into Horizon Forbidden West you’ll be just fine reading or watching up on the lore up until this point!

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $78 (PS4) and $98 (PS5) with free shipping.

If you’re keen to check out the original game first you can find it digitally on the PlayStation Store for $24.95 or physically on Amazon for $24 with free shipping.

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The Horizon Forbidden West Story Trailer Is Our Best Look Yet At Aloy’s New Journey

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:15:38 +0000

With less than a month to go before release, Guerrilla isn’t pumping the brakes yet on Horizon Forbidden West’s steady flow of new trailers and information.

The latest glimpse into the game comes by way of a new “Story Trailer” for Forbidden West that offers a quick look into some of the challenges that Aloy will face in her journey to rid the world of a devastating blight that threatens to wipe humanity from the face of the planet.

The trailer also offers a look at some of the faces Aloy will encounter along the way – including some familiar favourites like Varl, Erend, and of course Lance Reddick’s Sylens.

The whole 3-minute trailer is gorgeous to look at in and of itself and should find eager fans even more desperate to get their hands on the game when it launches. Check it out:

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $78 (PS4) and $98 (PS5) with free shipping.

You can read the rest of our coverage of Horizon Forbidden West here.

The post The Horizon Forbidden West Story Trailer Is Our Best Look Yet At Aloy’s New Journey appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation Has Officially Confirmed 22 Games That Are Set To Launch This Year

Shannon Grixti — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 22:58:35 +0000

It’s not something we see very often, but PlayStation has just published a page on its website detailing 22 games that are set to come to PS4/PS5 this year.

Some of the more surprising inclusions (that Sony would be willing to commit to) are God of War: Ragnarok, Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad. Notable omissions are Hogwarts Legacy (which was rumoured to be pushed out of 2022 over the weekend) and GTA V: Expanded and Enhanced. Obviously, any of these games could still be delayed (or make a miraculous last minute release) at any point in the year.

RELATED: AMAZON HAS DROPPED THE PRIZE OF HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST

You can find the full post with release dates and the such HERE.

The 2022 games on the list are as below:

Horizon Forbidden West
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Dying Light 2
Elden Ring
God of War Ragnarok
Gran Turismo 7
Gotham Knights
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Stray
OlliOlli World
Salt and Sacrifice
Little Devil Inside
Sifu
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
Tchia
Babylon’s Fall
Forspoken
Lord of the Rings Gollum

Amazon Has Dropped The Price Of Horizon Forbidden West

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A New Horizon Forbidden West Trailer Is Out Showing Off The Game’s New Factions

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 00:03:22 +0000

PlayStation and Guerrilla have shared another new trailer for the much-anticipated Horizon Forbidden West, ahead of its upcoming February launch.

The trailer, titled “Tribes of the Forbidden West”, gives us a look at some of the human tribes we can expect to encounter in this new world. There are the familiar sights of the Oseram and Carja, as well as the Utaru and Tenakth – tribes that are only glimpsed in the original game but which call the Forbidden West their home.

The trailer also hints at another, mysterious tribe that players can expect to learn more about when they finally get their hands on the game.

Check out the Tribes of the Forbidden West trailer below:

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

You can read the rest of our coverage of Horizon Forbidden West here.

The post A New Horizon Forbidden West Trailer Is Out Showing Off The Game’s New Factions appeared first on Press Start.

Ghost Of Tsushima Has Sold More Than 8 Million Copies Worldwide

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 23:15:04 +0000

PlayStation and Sucker Punch Productions are celebrating a significant milestone for one of last generation’s most exciting original IPs, Ghost of Tsushima.

The studio has reported that the game has now officially sold over 8 million copies globally, including sales of its recently-released Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PS4 and PS5, which included updated features and enhancements as well as the all-new Iki Island expansion.

We're thrilled and amazed that #GhostOfTsushima has officially sold more than 8 million copies!

Thank you so much to everyone who has played since launch! We are so incredibly appreciative and grateful for the support! pic.twitter.com/AQfyqviBlK

— Ghost of Tsushima ? Director's Cut Out Now! (@SuckerPunchProd) January 5, 2022

For comparison’s sake, 2018’s God of War has sold close to 20 million copies since launch, Horizon Zero Dawn has sold 10 million and Marvel’s Spider-Man has sold over 13 million copies.

We gave the game’s original release an 8.5/10, calling it a gorgeous and epic samurai adventure cut from a similar cloth to the platform’s other AAA open worlds. We scored last year’s Director’s Cut a 9/10, praising the impactful refinements to its gameplay and the beautiful, personal tale told in its Iki Island expansion.

The post Ghost Of Tsushima Has Sold More Than 8 Million Copies Worldwide appeared first on Press Start.

17 PS5/PS4 Exclusive Games To Be Excited For In 2022

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 03:19:55 +0000

The PlayStation 5 has had a cracker first year, quickly becoming the poster child for scarcity and scalping en masse and going on to sell over 13 million consoles as of October 2021. It’s up to PlayStation now to ensure the promise of the PS5’s ultra-fast storage and unique DualSense controller features goes answered in its future software line-up and to prove its case for why punters need to upgrade to the new generation of PlayStation.

While there are definitely some huge hitters on the way, it remains to be seen what surprises PlayStation’s massive suite of first party studios and exclusive development partners have up their sleeves and how many of the most anticipated titles will actually release in the next 12 months. We also expect that the newly revealed PlayStation VR2 will release at some point this year too.

As usual, the below is a list of games that are either confirmed to be – or anticipated to be – released in 2022 and are exclusive to PlayStation at least at launch and among console platforms (we’re not counting PC). Of course, with continued challenges facing development studios globally thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the below is subject to change and being pushed back further to 2023 and beyond.

Let’s hope not though, because there’s some seriously exciting stuff to come!

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Release Date: January 28 for PS5, later for PC.
Platform: PS5/PC

PlayStation sure loves dipping into the previous generation of Uncharted titles for its current-gen consoles, and now it’s time for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted Lost Legacy to get the treatment. Luckily they’re both excellent titles that make for some of the best action-adventure gaming on any platform, so if you’re yet to check them out or you’re looking for a replay there’s not going to be any better way than this new collection with up to 4K or 120fps visuals, lightning-fast load times and new DualSense features!

The cheapest copy: $79 at Amazon with free shipping.

Sifu

Release Date: February 8
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

If you’ve been paying any attention to PlayStation’s indie line-up for 2022 you’ll likely have seen this unique, stylish kung-fu brawler where your character ages a little each time they die. It’s by the people behind Absolver, so you can be sure the combat chops are there, and the premise is incredibly enticing.

Horizon Forbidden West

Release Date: February 18
Platform: PS5, PS4

The first major flagship title for PlayStation in 2022 comes in the way of Horizon Forbidden West. The sequel to Guerrilla’s runaway blockbuster hit from the PS4 is surprisingly close to release, but there are still tons of questions we have that are unanswered despite a healthy amount of video content out there for fans to pore over. We’re incredibly intrigued to see how Aloy’s story continues and what the post-apocalyptic robot dinosaur-infested version of San Francisco has in store for us come February 18th.

The cheapest copy: $108 (PS5), $88 (PS4) at Amazon with free shipping.

Babylon’s Fall

Release Date: March 3
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

The name PlatinumGames slapped on a hack-and-slash action game should be enough for most people to jump on board with few questions asked, but Babylon’s Fall represents something of a sidestep for the studio. Bringing in knowledge gained from working on NieR Automata as well as resources and inspiration from other Square Enix titles like Final Fantasy XIV, Babylon’s Fall puts a multiplayer spin on the adventure that should make for some memorable and exhilarating combat.

Gran Turismo 7

Release Date: March 4
Platform: PS5, PS4

It’s already been five years since the last Gran Turismo game and nine since the previous numbered title, so fans of the premiere racing sim franchise have a lot to look forward to when the series roars onto PS5 (and PS4) in March. With over 420 cars and 90 tracks, plus a new version of Scapes that features ray-tracing on PS5 alongside 4K60 visuals and DualSense feedback it’s going to be one hell of a return to the race.

The cheapest copy: $108 (PS5), $88 (PS4) at Amazon with free shipping.

Stray

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

Forspoken

Release Date: May 24
Platform: PS5, PC

The cheapest copy: $84.90 at Amazon with free shipping.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PC

Likely Bethesda’s last major PlayStation release and the next game from Shinji Mikami’s Tango Gameworks, Ghostwire: Tokyo has a lot going on but we’re still not quite sure what to make of it. With a haunted, supernatural vision of Tokyo and first-person combat with devastating elemental abilities it’s certainly unique. If anyone can make it all work, it’s the studio that brought us the excellent The Evil Within 2.

Tchia

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

We’ve seen Tchia show up a couple of times now at PlayStation events and each time it’s won us over with its adorable-looking sandbox inspired by New Caledonia where players can use a special ability to take control of any object or animal they can find.

ANNO: Mutationem

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS4, PC

ANNO: Mutationem combines the feel of cyberpunk cinema and anime with the composition of VanillaWare’s hybrid-2D titles to create a slick, stylish action game that looks like a dream to play. This one’s supported by the China Hero Project, which aims to boost the profile of China’s development scene by working with studios to market and release their games.

God of War Ragnarok

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5/PS4

Deathverse: Let It Die

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4

I definitely didn’t have “multiplayer survival game show spin-off of Let It Die” on my 2022 bingo card but here we are. Developer Supertrick is bringing players to the Death Jamboree, where they’ll face off against others in brutal close-range combat with a colourful cast of characters. It looks wild – just wild enough to actually work!

Final Fantasy XVI

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4

Though it’s had a tumultuous development since first being announced as a joint project between PlatinumGames and Cygames way back in 2016, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is still set to arrive in 2022 (albeit missing the PlatinumGames badge). It’s an action RPG set in the universe of Granblue Fantasy, looks gorgeous and even features music from the legendary Nobuo Uematsu.

Goodbye Volcano High

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

This story-driven cinematic adventure incorporates choice-based narrative and rhythm game elements with a coming-of-age story in a world on the brink of extinction. That’s a ton of disparate elements to pull together, especially when you factor in the whole anthropomorphic-dinosaurs deal, but Goodbye Volcano High looks poised to be something special indeed.

Moss: Book II

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS4 (VR)

The tiny adventurer, Quill, is finally making her return this year in the follow-up to the 2018 PlayStation VR hit, Moss. Fans can expect a thrilling new story with new challenges, puzzles and enemies to encounter. Here’s hoping you kept that PSVR headset stored safely aware somewhere!

Little Devil Inside

Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC (other platforms later)

It feels like we’ve been waiting for this game for a lifetime, and it’s finally set to release at some point this year. Combining elements of open-world survival with an action role-playing adventure in a 19th-century inspired fantasy world, Little Devil Inside looks incredibly intriguing and sports a distinct, minimalist visual style that truly sets it apart. We can’t wait!

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22 Third-Party Games To Be Excited For In 2022

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:44:50 +0000

With the new generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles already entering their second year of life (and some of us even managing to buy them!) there’s a lot of expectation on video game releases in the year ahead to really deliver on the promise of these supercharged new machines and break free of the shackles of the previous generation.

That’s not to say there won’t be plenty to look forward to for anyone who’s yet to make the jump either, as we look to some of our most anticipated releases for the year and see that the vast majority will still span platform generations for the foreseeable future.

As usual, the below is a list of games that are either confirmed to be – or anticipated to be – released in 2022 and aren’t exclusive to a particular console. We’ve also got lists on the way for games that are exclusive to a particular platform on the console side of things so stick around for those in the coming days.

Of course, with continued challenges facing development studios globally thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the below is subject to change and being pushed back further to 2023 and beyond.

Let’s hope not though, because there’s some seriously exciting stuff to come!

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction

The co-op survival horde shooter genre might have had a bit of a resurgence in recent times with the likes of Back 4 Blood and Aliens: Fireteam Elite, but the idea of mixing those concepts with the moment-to-moment feel of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is certainly an enticing proposition. Sharp strategy and teamwork will be put to the test when this one kicks of a year of gaming in just a few weeks.

When’s It Out? January 20

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $69 at Amazon with free shipping.

Life is Strange Remastered Collection

After the incredible Life is Strange: True Colors released last year it makes sense that players would want to go back and revisit (or visit for the first time) the origins of the series. With both Dontnod’s original episodic series and Deck Nine’s prequel spin-off included with massive improvements to visuals, animation and gameplay this’ll be a real treat for Life is Strange fans.

When’s It Out? February 1

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Dying Light was a surprise hit for many, combining first-person parkour gameplay with a tense, zombie-filled open world survival horror game that only got scarier when day turned to night. Dying Light 2 looks to expand on everything that made the original compelling while fleshing out its world and narrative and giving players even more tools to tackle both the undead and the very much alive.

When’s It Out? February 4

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $74.90 (Standard Edition), $99 (Deluxe Edition) at Amazon with free shipping.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring needs no introduction, especially if you’ve got a FromSoftware fan or two in your life. The studio’s next major title represents a sizeable departure from their previous efforts with a huge open world to be explored. With a premise partly-penned by the one and only George R. R. Martin and the usual menagerie of enormous and grotesque bosses to be punished by, this one’s going to be something special.

When’s It Out? February 25

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $79 at Amazon with free shipping.

Evil Dead: The Game

Sure, it’s yet another asymmetric multiplayer title steeped in 80s horror – but it’s Evil Dead this time! Saber Interactive is giving fans of the iconic franchise a very handsome and fun-looking take on the genre, and although it was delayed into its new release window of February it’s meant that the studio has also been able to add a single-player option which is a nice touch.

When’s It Out? TBA February

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

I hope you’re ready to KILL CHAOS! Everything about this game is incredibly weird – but we’re here for it. Reimagining the world of the original Final Fantasy as an edge lord Soulsborne game is certainly a concept, but if the most recent playable trial is anything to go off it might actually turn out to be a pretty good time.

When’s It Out? March 18

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $74.90 (PS5), $88 (Xbox) at Amazon with free shipping.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

What else do you do when the Borderlands franchise’s most beloved DLC is a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired campaign directed by the completely chaotic Tiny Tina? Turn it into a full game, obviously! Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands shakes up the established Borderlands formula in a number of ways with fully customisable playable characters, melee and magic attacks and more.

When’s It Out? March 25

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $84.90 (Next Level Edition), $139 (Chaotic Great Edition) at Amazon with free shipping.

Saints Row

When’s It Out? August 23

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest copy: $78 (Day One Edition), $139 (Notorious Edition) at Amazon with free shipping.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

It feels like it’s been a long, long time coming but 2022 will be the year we finally get the most ambitious LEGO video game yet. Throwing out the linear structure and pulled-back camera of previous games, The Skywalker Saga features an over-the-shoulder camera, expanded combat and an open-ended campaign spanning the nine Skywalker Saga films.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Sonic Frontiers

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

Daedalic Entertainment might not be the most well-known studio from a development perspective, but that hasn’t stopped them being trusted with this fairly unique project in the Lord of the Rings universe. Gollum is a fascinating character that deserves a bit of time in the spotlight and to have his story heard, so a starring role in a gorgeous-looking action-adventure game might be just the ticket.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

A Plague Tale: Requiem

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals

Set five years after the events of 2016’s indie darling, Oxenfree II promises to continue the original’s penchant for mind-bending mystery combined with its distinct dialogue system and gorgeous art.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Hogwarts Legacy

Portkey Games has been radio silent about its highly-anticipated take on the Harry Potter universe, likely for very obvious reasons, but hopefully the game manages to reappear this year and separate itself from controversy enough that fans can enjoy a gorgeous, open-world action RPG set in the beloved universe.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Gotham Knights

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Meanwhile, Rocksteady is tackling a different band of anti-heroes in the Suicide Squad. Unlike Gotham Knights, this one’s actually set in the Batman: Arkham universe, albeit from a different perspective, and will see players take on the roles of Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn and King Shark – switching between them at will in single player or playing with up to three others to fill out the entire team.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

DokeV

Coming from the developers behind Black Desert, DokeV is a jaw dropping-ly gorgeous open world creature-collecting game that looks as deep as it is stylish. The vibes are absolutely infectious, and if it lives up to the promise of its spectacular visuals it could well be a massive hit.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Shadow Warrior 3

Flying Wild Hog and Devolver Digital have been cooking this one up for a while, modernising the template established by the series’ initial 2013 reboot with even more over-the-top action and freedom of movement. Think DOOM Eternal with heavy Japanese and Chinese cultural influences.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Star Ocean The Divine Force

This was a surprise announcement last year for a franchise that still has a hungry fanbase. It looks to feature the series’ staple sci-fi fantasy aesthetic and intoxicating combat with a huge and varied cast of characters.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Park Beyond

Theme park building sims are great and all, but what if they encouraged you to craft rides that straight-up break the laws of physics and public safety? That’s the question that Park Beyond hopes to answer while also making an attempt to fit the experience on a console controller more intuitively than anything else in the genre has managed to date.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Trek to Yomi

A superbly stylish samurai adventure that evokes classic Japanese cinema and combines it with vicious, stylish combat. The black and white, cinematic presentation looks to change up scene-by-scene as players engage in gameplay from multiple perspectives and fend off the forces of evil.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Atomic Heart

This Bioshock-esque first-person action RPG has had our eye for some time, so hopefully this year is the year we finally see it release. The alternate-reality Soviet Union sci-fi setting is incredibly intriguing and the grotesque, intelligent enemies should prove to be a tense and formidable challenge.

When’s It Out? TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One PC

Stay tuned for our picks of the games to look forward to on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch in 2022 coming soon!

The post 22 Third-Party Games To Be Excited For In 2022 appeared first on Press Start.

Press Start’s Top 10 Games Of 2021

Press Start Team — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 23:39:26 +0000

Our 2021 GOTY countdown is sponsored by the SteelSeries Prime range. Designed in collaboration with top esports players, the Prime range includes the Arctis Prime headset and wired/wireless mice. Shop the SteelSeries Prime range HERE.

Another year has come to an end, and another rather challenging one at that. As usual though, we could rely on video games to provide us with hours of comfort, catharsis, competition, collaboration and all-around entertainment in 2021.

As we do every year, the Press Start team put our heads together to come up with what we felt were the ten best games of the year, eventually narrowing it down to one ultimate winner to be recognised as the annual Press Start Australia Game of the Year. You can follow the entire journey and read about each nominee in full here, but we’ve also compiled a quick list below so you can see which ten games the team collectively dubbed as our favourites among a year packed with excellent titles.

You can read about how we decided on these ten titles in the first of our GOTY features right here. We’ve also included some honourable mentions at the end for the games that just quite didn’t make the cut.

#1: Returnal

Release Date: April 30

Platforms: PS5

Why We Loved It: “With some doubt at the front of people’s minds, Returnal is a shushing finger across the lips of detractors as well as a tremendous example that PlayStation’s middle line titles can still offer as much value and entertainment as its tentpole exclusives. Housemarque achieves an atmosphere like few can and set up a universe ripe for expansion while marrying it to a grind — which is more forgiving than most of its kind but will still alienate some—that’s both brutal and gratifying all at once.”

Our Review Score: 9/10

#2: Metroid Dread

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Why We Loved It: “Metroid Dread feels like a celebration of 2D Metroid. It manages to stay true to the original games, whilst also introducing some new elements that keeps things feeling fresh.”

Our Review Score: 8.5/10

#3: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Release Date: June 11

Platforms: PS5

Why We Loved It: “Some minor missed opportunities aside this Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart is an unforgettable, unbelievably gorgeous, and downright addictive game and easily the best entry in the fan-favourite franchise.”

Our Review Score: 9.5/10

#4: Resident Evil Village

Release Date: May 1

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Why We Loved It: “While Resident Evil Village channels the best bits of several Resident Evil games, it stands on its own to be something never done before in the franchise. A macabre potpourri of European, gothic-inspired styles of tension and horror, Resident Evil Village is a worthy follow-up to Resident Evil 7: biohazard and one that any self-respecting horror fan shouldn’t miss.”

Our Review Score: 9/10

#5: Deathloop

Release Date: September 14

Platforms: PS5, PC

Why We Loved It: “Deathloop redefines what a shooter can be, and the developer has used their entire toolkit to get there. Satisfying action, world-building that’s second-to-none, style and substance, and a genuinely enthralling riddle at the centre, Deathloop delivers it all.”

Our Review Score: 9/10

#6: It Takes Two

Release Date: March 26

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Why We Loved It: “It Takes Two is a co-op experience that’s second to none, which offers more ways than you can imagine to experience these larger-than-life play spaces.”

Our Review Score: 7.5/10

#7: Unpacking

Release Date: November 2

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Mobile, PC

Why We Loved It: “Unpacking is proof that a pixel tells a thousand words. Through simple, zen gameplay and a startling attention to detail, a story unfolds in this tiny, pixelated world in a way that just wouldn’t have been possible in another medium.”

Our Review Score: 10/10

#8: Psychonauts 2

Release Date: August 25

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC

Why We Loved It: “Psychonauts 2 brings together classic platforming, an engaging story, and well realised combat in a package that feels reminiscent of the best platformers of decades past. Even better, it does this with a visual flair that’s unmatched by its contemporaries.”

Our Review Score: 8/10

#9: Forza Horizon 5

Release Date: November 5

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Why We Loved It: “Though it’s iterative in a lot of ways, Forza Horizon 5 is a near-faultless open-world racing experience that’s so sure of itself and its offerings that it goes the extra mile to sprinkle in the kinds of fan service that people go wild for. As a game it’s tremendous, but it’s also a brilliant, interactive postcard for a culture that is passionate about few things more than their country and their cars.”

Our Review Score: 9.5/10

#10: Halo Infinite

Release Date: November 15

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Why We Loved It: “With an adventurous campaign, complete with a sandbox that’ll still be there when your friends can join the fight, and a multiplayer suite that feels like a note-perfect revival of the Halo of old, Halo Infinite feels like the complete blockbuster sci-fi shooter we’ve been waiting for from 343 Industries. It hasn’t happened overnight for the team, but the mantle passed to them, at last, feels earned.”

Our Review Score: 9/10

Honourable Mentions:

While the above ten games made it through the team’s internal voting process to be crowned our collective favourites for the year, there were some unlucky outliers that were incredibly close to sliding in but just missed out. We felt they deserved a shout out as well:

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Death’s Door
Life is Strange: True Colors
No More Heroes III

The post Press Start’s Top 10 Games Of 2021 appeared first on Press Start.

A Heap Of New Horizon Forbidden West Info Has Dropped And Here’s What We’ve Learned

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 00:24:25 +0000

The latest issue of Game Informer has arrived with a massive, 12-page feature on the upcoming PlayStation exclusive Horizon Forbidden West, bringing with it a slew of new information to pore over as we anticipate one of 2022’s biggest titles.

Head to the Game Informer website to learn how to pick up an issue or subscription and read the full piece for yourself – it’s a fantastic read – but we’ve broken down a few of the key new things we’ve learned for you below:

A Sequel Was Always Going To Happen

Although the sheer success of the first game apparently took the team by surprise, Guerrilla had already built the potential for a sequel into Horizon Zero Dawn’s narrative. Not only that, but after the first game was completed and released they were left with tons of unused ideas and a lot of learned lessons on how best to bring the game’s world to life.

A sequel was “inevitable” then, according to the developer, and a bigger arc for Aloy was on the team’s mind for a long time already. The concept of the Forbidden West was already hinted at in the first game, and the team knew that they had a compelling new story to tell for Aloy as she struggles with the weight of being the world’s saviour.

Side Quests And NPC Characters Have Been Improved

Guerrilla mention multiple times throughout the GI article that a key focus of theirs was to ensure side quest content and side character interactions were more compelling than in the first game. It starts with a simple goal – give Aloy more time to spend with all of the faces she meets throughout the game so that the player can forge deeper relationships.

The worlds also seem to be filled with more life, as the article describes one particular scene in a town’s tavern that’s crowded with residents getting their drink on, chatting, arguing and singing.

The team has also made side quests more rewarding, giving players more incentive to complete optional content by more often handing them useful gear like weapons and outfits.

A New, Revamped Skill Tree

Aloy’s skill tree in Forbidden West has seen a significant overhaul, now split into six distinct playstyles – Warrior, Trapper, Hunter, Survivor, Infiltrator and Machine Master. Guerrilla says each specialisation has enough depth to create very different gameplay experiences, but players can mix and match as they like.

Every skill tree also features a unique “Valor Surge” which are the new special skills that Aloy can use by filling a meter during gameplay.

You Better Work (Bench)

The workbench is a brand-new feature in Forbidden West that allows Aloy to upgrade her gear and outfits as well as craft items. Thew new game does away with the simple metal shard upgrade materials from the first game and instead places new importance on the components that Aloy harvests from specific machines.

Aloy will also be able to craft ammo and traps out in the field, without needing a workbench or having to stock up at a merchant. Guerrilla says the need to find a workbench for the rest of crafting and upgrade management is an effort to remind players to keep on top of what they have available and to make regular stops at settlements.

Fitted Out

A major push for Guerrilla in Forbidden West is expanding on the idea of Aloy’s different outfits. The system has been expanded greatly from the first game with outfits factoring into both the workbench system as well as Aloy’s skill trees, allowing players to really capitalise on every unique ability, combining them with outfits that push specific stat bonuses even further to create distinct character builds.

Aloy’s New Focus Scanner

To support the new upgrade systems, Aloy’s Focus has had a bit of an upgrade in Forbidden West and can now help her identify and analyse machines in the world. The new scan feature gives her access to information such as enemy weak points and resistances, detachable or indestructible parts and those all-important upgrade resources.

To further support this, whenever Aloy needs specific components for an upgrade the player is able to highlight the necessary items in the crafting menu that will point her to where the required machines typically reside, and her scanner will tag the parts she needs to nab from said machines.

All The New Machines (So Far)

Speaking of machines, Horizon Forbidden West is going to have a ton of new ones, and Game Informer’s coverage also includes details on a bunch of them. You can read about them (and see screenshots) in full here, but we’ve included a quick rundown below:

Rollerback – A giant armadillo-like machine that (yep) attacks by rolling around, making use of flame-firing parts and eject-able scales. Death armadillos, basically.
Burrower – Described as the ‘successors’ to the original game’s Watchers, Burrowers are weasel-like machines that like to dig and swim and will alert nearby machines of Aloy’s presence.
Bristleback – Inspired by boars, these tusked machines ‘graze’ by digging up resources from beneath the ground. They’re big and brutish, but also adept at ranged attacks – a scary combo.
Clamberjaw – Baboon-like machines that can scale walls, make use of status-affecting attacks and travel in formidable groups.
Tremortusk – The enormous, mammoth-like machines that have featured heavily in previous gameplay footage. Armed to the nines and used as walking fortresses by human factions, these aren’t to be messed with.
Clawstrider – Mechanical velociraptors that can stun Aloy before attacking in packs and even spew fire.
Shellsnapper – Majestic, turtle machines that are incredibly territorial and well-protected by a camouflaged and heavily fortified shell.
Tideripper – Aquatic machines that resemble plesiosaurs, these guys are as keen as you are to take advantage of Forbidden West’s new underwater sections.
Sunwing – Huge, Pterosaur-like machines with solar panel wings. They’re most vulnerable while collecting solar energy but this is also when they’re at their most alert.
Slitherfang – This is the huge, fearsome snake-like machine that made an appearance in the recent The Game Awards trailer. Game Informer has a full feature on this one right here.

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

You can read the rest of our coverage of Horizon Forbidden West here.

The post A Heap Of New Horizon Forbidden West Info Has Dropped And Here’s What We’ve Learned appeared first on Press Start.

Amazon Is Slinging Elden Ring Pre-Orders For A Hot Price

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 10:15:10 +0000

After a strong showing with its recent Closed Network Test and a rousing story trailer at The Game Awards, the Elden Ring hype train is full steam ahead and we don’t have to wait long – it’s out on February 25, 2022 for the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

If you’re keen to get stuck into the game’s beautiful and dangerous new world, Amazon has come out of the gates with a cracker of a pre-order deal. You can secure yourself a copy on any of the above platforms for $30 off the RRP at just $79.90 with free shipping.

Elden Ring – $79.90 with free shipping (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC)

Just as a reminder, Amazon do not charge you for items until they have shipped and if it drops in price between pre-ordering it and the item shipping, you’ll get it for the cheapest price.

Check out the new Elder Ring Story Trailer below:

The post Amazon Is Slinging Elden Ring Pre-Orders For A Hot Price appeared first on Press Start.

New Gran Turismo 7 Details Have Emerged Including PS5-Exclusive Features Plus Car And Track Numbers

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 08:51:30 +0000

A leaflet from Japanese retail giant Yodobashi Camera has revealed some new details about the upcoming PlayStation racing exclusive, Gran Turismo 7.

The information, which was translated and shared by a Reddit user, has given us an idea of some of the modes and content being included in the game at launch. For example we now know that 420 car models and 90 tracks will be included, with post-2011 vehicles able to be purchased at an in-game shopping mall as well as a selection of 80s and 90s historic Japanese cars at a “used car dealer”.

We’ve also learned that players will have a garage capable of storing 1000 cars, and that Scapes (the game’s photography mode) will have over 2500 photo locations across 40 countries globally.

PlayStation has also shared some new detail on the Gran Turismo 7’s PS5-exclusive features with a video starring Polyphony Digital’s CEO Kazunori “Kaz” Yamauchi.

The video explains how the game uses the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers to create a connection to the driving, especially in feedback from things like braking. It also gives us a look at how 4K resolution, 60fps and HDR come together to make this the best-looking Gran Turismo yet, and how the Scapes mode even features ray-tracing to allow players to take photorealistic shots of their cars.

Check the video out below:

Gran Turismo 7 releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on March 4, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

The post New Gran Turismo 7 Details Have Emerged Including PS5-Exclusive Features Plus Car And Track Numbers appeared first on Press Start.

Horizon Forbidden West Shows Off Its New Machines As Well As Gorgeous PS4 Screenshots

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 01:48:43 +0000

Guerrilla has been keeping the Horizon Forbidden West hype train rolling with continuous juicy drops of information, and its most recent update comes in the form of a quick but gorgeous two-minute video showcasing three of the game’s new machines.

The “Machines of the Forbidden West” trailer shines a spotlight on the armoured Rollerback, the graceful Sunwing, and the acid-spitting Slitherfang, as well as glimpses at some of the rest. You can watch it below:

Guerrilla also recently took to Twitter to share some screenshots of the long-awaited sequel running on PS4 hardware, to show that owners of the previous generation of PlayStation consoles will still be getting an incredibly good-looking game next year.

We've showed you a lot of footage of #HorizonForbiddenWest on PS5 so far, but the game also looks – and plays – stunning on the PlayStation 4! pic.twitter.com/BuVga90W5L

— Guerrilla (@Guerrilla) December 15, 2021

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

The post Horizon Forbidden West Shows Off Its New Machines As Well As Gorgeous PS4 Screenshots appeared first on Press Start.

Binge Is Now Available On The PS5 And PS4

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 02:55:44 +0000

Following in the foot steps of Kayo joining the PlayStation family a few months ago, Foxtel has now announced that Binge is available on both the PS5/PS4 consoles.

If you’re using a PS5, you can go to the Media portion of your UI and grab it there. If you’re on PS4 you’ll need to go to the PlayStation Store. You can also get a free two week trial of Binge.

Get ready for binge-worthy entertainment. Stream the world's best shows including Succession, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead plus loads of movies on @binge, now on PS4 and PS5. pic.twitter.com/pm5F3PjsIv

— PlayStationAU (@PlayStationAU) December 16, 2021

Binge houses a number of original and classic tv shows/movies. More recently, notable series include And Just Like That, Mare of Easttown and Succession with shows such as Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts premiering in the new year. There’s also classic shows such as The Sopranos, Friends, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones on the service.

Following the announcement of Binge on PlayStation, the Executive Director of Binge said the below:

“It’s great timing to be launching on PlayStation4 (PS4) and PlayStation5 (PS5) consoles in Australia with an incredible line-up of content coming to viewers this summer.

“We know PlayStation users have been asking for it so I’m thrilled that as of today they can now access the very best of drama, lifestyle, reality, docos, and movies that are available on Binge.”

The post Binge Is Now Available On The PS5 And PS4 appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation Plus Is Opening Up Multiplayer To Everyone For Free This Weekend

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 07:55:12 +0000

Great news if you were hoping to get in some gaming with friends this weekend but have a lapsed PlayStation Plus subscription, or simply can’t justify spending money on it right now. PlayStation is holding a free online multiplayer weekend so that everyone can join in the fun, whether or not they’re subscribed to PS Plus.

The event runs from 12:01am on Saturday, December 18 through until 11:59am Sunday, December 19 (AEDT) so you’ve got the full weekend to take advantage:

? FREE ONLINE MULTIPLAYER WEEKEND ?

Dive into online multiplayer modes of your fave PS4 & PS5 games without a PS Plus subscription during our FREE Online Multiplayer Weekend: Dec 18 @ 12:01am to Dec 19 @ 11:59pm (AEDT). pic.twitter.com/abkYuOaumc

— PlayStationAU (@PlayStationAU) December 14, 2021

You will still obviously need an active internet connection and a registered PlayStation Network account to take advantage, but the pay gate will be temporarily lifted for all!

In other PlayStation news, we just learned of a range of new DualSense controllers coming next year, as well as (finally!) official coloured PS5 faceplates.

The post PlayStation Plus Is Opening Up Multiplayer To Everyone For Free This Weekend appeared first on Press Start.

See More Of The Threats You’ll Face In Horizon Forbidden West’s New Trailer

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 05:41:20 +0000

It took up a mere minute of The Game Awards’ mammoth 3-hour runtime, but Horizon Forbidden West’s showing at the event still made a big impact.

The new trailer, aptly titled “New Threats” showed us a montage of locations and enemies from the new game as well as glimpses at how Aloy will need to deal with them. In the footage, returning machines look as imposing as ever while brand new ones look to offer even greater gameplay and tactical opportunities. Meanwhile, the different locals and biomes look drop-dead gorgeous.

In particular, a huge snake-like machine wrapped around a ruin on the beach has us incredibly excited to get personally acquainted. You’ll notice that Aloy sports a striking red outfit in certain sections as well! Check out the trailer below:

Most recently, Guerilla took to the PlayStation Blog to talk about designing these new machines and the gameplay challenges associated with them. You can read about that here.

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

The post See More Of The Threats You’ll Face In Horizon Forbidden West’s New Trailer appeared first on Press Start.

Grab Some Of The Year’s Best Games Cheap In The PlayStation Store’s The Game Awards Sale

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 04:28:55 +0000

With The Game Awards done and dusted for another year, many of us might be interested in checking out some of the year’s award-winning (or nominated) titles to see just what all the fuss is about.

Thankfully the PlayStation Store has you covered with a special sale running this weekend only that discounts a bunch of the titles featured in the show. We’ve put together some of our top picks below, but you can check out the full thing right here.

It Takes Two PS4 & PS5– $37.16 (38% off)
(WINNER: Game Of The Year/Best Family Game/Best Multiplayer Game)
Deathloop PS5– $49.97 (50% off)
(WINNER: Best Game Direction/Best Art Direction)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy PS4 & PS5– $64.96 (35% off)
(WINNER: Best Narrative)
Resident Evil Village PS4 & PS5– $42.97 (57% off)
(WINNER: Best Performance – Maggie Robertson)
Life is Strange: True Colours PS4 & PS5 – $55.21 (35% off)
(WINNER: Games For Impact)
Kena: Bridge of Spirits PS4 & PS5– $41.96 (30% off)
(WINNER: Best Indie Game/Best Debut Indie Game)
Returnal PS5– $93.71 (25% off)
(WINNER: Best Action Game)
Tales of Arise Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 – $90.96 (30% off)
(WINNER: Best Role Playing Game)
Guilty Gear Strive Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 – $92.21 (25% off)
(WINNER: Best Fighting Game)
Battlefield 2042 PS4 & PS5 – $82.46 (25% off)
NBA 2K22 PS5 – $49.47 (55% off)
Riders Republic PS4 & PS5 – $59.97 (40% off)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla PS4 & PS5 – $49.97 (50% off)
Mass Effect Legendary Edition PS4 – $56.97 (43% off)
HADES PS4 & PS5 – $31.96 (20% off)
Psychonauts 2 PS4 – $59.11 (35% off)
Little Nightmares II PS4 & PS5 – $26.76 (33% off)
Far Cry 6 PS4 & PS5– $59.97 (40% off)
Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout PS4 – $14.97 (50% off)
Hitman 3 PS5 & PS4 – $39.98 (60% off)
Jurassic World Evolution 2 PS5 & PS4 – $67.96 (20% off)
No Man’s Sky PS5 & PS4 – $34.97 (50% off)
Alan Wake Remastered PS5 & PS4 – $35.96 (20% off)
Persona 5 Royal Ultimate Edition PS4 – $66.38 (60% off)
Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep PS4 – $7.47 (50% off)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania PS5 & PS4 – $41.21 (25% off)
Chicory: A Colorful Tale PS5 & PS4 – $23.96 (20% off)

Be quick though, these deals end 11PM AEDT on 13/12!

The post Grab Some Of The Year’s Best Games Cheap In The PlayStation Store’s The Game Awards Sale appeared first on Press Start.

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon Is Finally Dropping In December

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 03:34:03 +0000

Yacht Club Games has finally announced a release date for Shovel Knight’s puzzle/dungeon crawler hybrid spin-off.

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, the team’s passion project in development for three years, is coming to PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC on December 13.

The game is a top-down dungeon crawler with a unique twist, where battles are a take on falling-block puzzlers using iconic Shovel Knight enemies and items in new ways. You can read more about the game in the developer’s blog post here.

We're ecstatic to announce that Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon will launch on December 13th!

A lot of hard work, joy, tears, & love went into this game’s 3 year development. It was a passion project to bring a new type of puzzle game to the world!

Blog: https://t.co/LpSxsPTG5D pic.twitter.com/UFdaDJi7bZ

— Yacht Club Games Is Hiring (@YachtClubGames) November 23, 2021

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Six Games That Made Players Feel Like They Could Hack The World

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 21:00:30 +0000

Cyber security is the fastest growing area of information technology. With the rise in new technologies presenting a risk to local and global security, it’s not hard to see how. Chisholm has responded with a course specifically designed in collaboration with industry partners. The Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22334 VIC) is a high tech and high-speed program that will prepare you with the skills and knowledge required to be job ready in a rapidly growing sector. Take a look at the courses here.

Computer hacking is a broad and complex art that can be traced back to the earliest forms of telecommunications tampering in the 1950s, but its place in mainstream culture conjures a very specific image of tech prodigies wearing trench coats and sunglasses indoors and rapidly prodding at keys as lines of code fill a screen.

These sneaky geeks are most often seen trying to break into computer systems to get information, open locked doors, siphon bank accounts or thwart corporate conspiracies, and so their skills translate incredibly well to the world of immersive video games. Hacking has a huge place in a multitude of the games we play, typically of the action or RPG variety, where players can hone a skillset that allows them to circumvent tricky situations in new ways.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at some of the best examples of hacking in video games – the ones that go a long way to make players truly feel like they could be that person in a dimly-lit room, coat and sunnies on, surrounded by empty energy drink cans while they steal the passwords of everyone who’s ever logged into Neopets.

Check out our top picks below:

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

It’s always going to be hard to talk about games featuring hacking and high-tech espionage without mentioning the Deus Ex series, and 2011’s Human Revolution is a great example of what makes the series’ gameplay loop so addictive. Nearly every situation in Human Revolution can be solved in a multitude of ways, so something as simple as a locked door can be approached by players differently – maybe you’ll look for a passcode scrawled on a sticky note somewhere, maybe you’ll brute force it, or maybe you’ll don your futuristic hacker shades and crack the code yourself.

Many, many things in Deus Ex: Human Revolution can be hacked through computers in-game, from security doors to drones and turrets, and the minigame involved in doing so is a ton of fun in and of itself. The game presents players with a series of nodes to capture in order to reach the network’s registry before its security sub-routines discover them and boot them from the system. It looks complex, but plays sort of like a quick-fire tower defence game where it’s important to fortify captured nodes and decide whether you risk veering off to collect extra bonuses or go straight for the hack. It’s a great example of a hacking minigame that’s almost more fun than anything else in the game.

Quadrilateral Cowboy

One of the lesser-known games on this list but easily one of the most unique and engaging hacking experiences, Quadrilateral Cowboy casts players as a hacker named Poncho in an 80s-inspired world of clunky computer systems and cassette-based tech. Out of everything here it’s probably the closest thing to a “realistic” hacking experience with its command-line prompts and immersive world where your toolkit is a portable computer that you need to lug around with you to jack into other devices.

The neat thing about Quadrilateral Cowboy, aside from its oddly-charming blocky aesthetic and off-kilter vibes, is that any initial fear factor players might have when asked to understand and perform actual command prompts quickly dissipates when they realise how natural and practical its systems are to use. It’s a really effective way of making players feel like legitimate hackers even if they’ve never touched a line of code in their lives.

Bioshock

Bioshock might come across as one of the stranger examples in this list, given its trapped-in-time art deco setting means that there’s not exactly any high-tech computer equipment around. That didn’t stop Irrational Games from tapping into their pedigree with System Shock though and including some form of a hacking minigame. The more analogue nature of technology in Bioshock’s Rapture extends to its hacking minigame, which sees players uncover and arrange a series of pipe joints in order to direct the flow of water from one point to another. It’s a fun, and surprisingly addictive, puzzle in a race against the clock.

The best thing about hacking in Bioshock is that it affords players another playstyle opportunity that benefits them whether they’ve chosen to play the game with stealth or brute force in mind. You can hack obvious things like doors and safes, or cameras and turrets to turn on enemies, but also devices like vending machines and health stations to lower their costs. Health points can even be turned on enemies so that they take damage when attempting to use them! Despite the rudimentary tech, hacking is absolutely an invaluable part of the Bioshock experience.

Cyberpunk 2077

In a game about cybernetic implants in a futuristic dystopia it’s no surprise that much of Cyberpunk 2077 is a cautionary tale about the added vulnerability of human beings having such an intrinsic connection to tech. As V, players have a multitude of options for hacking access points, devices and people as they make their way through CD Projekt Red’s open world epic.

Quickhacks in CP2077 present players with options to augment their playstyle, allowing them to access and sabotage devices in their environment as well as turn enemies’ cybernetic implants against them. From something as simple as pinging an electronic object to draw a foe’s attention to burning out their synapses (ouch!), hacking will often get you a lot further than simply running into a room, guns blazing. V will also need to hack themselves at your local ripperdoc’s to upgrade their on-board RAM and further their implants’ abilities.

Hacking is a beautiful thing in Cyberpunk 2077, an essential component that means that nearly every living or inanimate thing in its world has a hidden potential – if you’ve got the tech to crack it.

Observer

Similar to Cyberpunk 2077, Observer’s dystopian sci-fi setting opens up a lot of discussion around the potential dangers in the fusion of humans and machines. As a detective in a gritty and grimy Krakow in 2084, players are tasked with tracking down their estranged son in a derelict apartment block by interrogating its residents and searching for clues. It’s the only game in this list that leans more on a psychological thriller aesthetic than espionage action, a feat it achieves partially through Detective Lazarski’s ability to “hack” into people’s minds to retrieve information and memories through their brain implants.

The more narrative-heavy experience won’t have you engaging in addictive hacking games, but its adventure-style gameplay still uses hacking as a core component to obtaining information to progress and unlock secrets that its shady characters don’t necessarily want you to know.

Watch Dogs

If there was ever a video game series that screamed the phrase Hack The World, it’s Watch Dogs. Since the first title, Ubisoft’s open world action games have allowed players to live out the hacker fantasy in bombastic and ridiculous ways. Sure, it’s one thing to tap into a facility’s security cameras to observe enemies, but how about remotely hacking their phones to explode in their pockets? Or hacking a passing car’s on-board AI to cause it to swerve into traffic? By the time the most recent entry, Watch Dogs Legion, rolled around players had so many options for hacking that some missions could almost be completed entirely without even entering the building or area they took place in.

Famously, the series also let players snoop into the phones of any passer-by to see details of their personal lives, a mechanic that would eventually be used to canvas potential recruits in Legion. Out of everything that players can do in the games it’s probably the one that feels the most like a cautionary tale for the future of online devices and identities…

Which brings us to the real world. The potential of technology for our daily lives continues to expand at an astronomical rate, and the more online we become, the greater the risk to our personal and global security. That means that cyber security is more important than ever, and for many that means there’s a ton of potential in a career path within this crucial industry.

Melbourne’s Chisholm TAFE understands the value of education in one of the fastest-growing areas in technology, and so it’s offering courses for people to chase their calling in Cyber Security.

The Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22334VIC) is a Free TAFE for Priority Course (see eligibility here) that offers the opportunity to learn network security fundamentals, incident response plans, ethics and privacy within an ICT environment, analyse data and present research. The course provides for a range of possibilities within the Information Technology sector, including penetration testing, human hacking, network and IT security. The skills acquired will provide a multitude of career options worldwide.

The course is also part of a unique pathway to the Advanced Diploma of Cyber Security (22445VIC), which provides graduates with the knowledge and skills that will equip them to provide a comprehensive set of technical services such as:

• performing a security risk assessment for an organisation
• implementing best practice for identity management
• evaluating an organisation’s compliance with relevant cyber security standards, laws and codes of practice
• evaluating and implementing security protection devices and software
• managing a cyber security environment
• assessing and securing cloud services
• performing digital forensic investigations on workstations and mobile devices.

If you’d like to know more about Chisholm’s course offerings in Cyber Security, head to the web page here.

The post Six Games That Made Players Feel Like They Could Hack The World appeared first on Press Start.

The Latest Horizon Forbidden West Developer Blog Is All About Its Menacing Machines

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 09:33:29 +0000

Guerrilla has been regularly dropping insights into the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West via the PlayStation Blog, and the newest one is all about the much-anticipated sequel’s mean machines and the ways in which players will face up against them.

In the post, Principal Machine Designer Blake Politeski and Asset Art Lead Maxim Fleury talk about expanding on ideas they had for the original Horizon Zero Dawn, the process of designing and creating each machine as well as how they fit into the game’s upgraded combat systems.

The full article is well worth a read, but we’ve picked out some of the most interesting details here.

For starters, the new biomes and locales in Horizon Forbidden West have meant that the team has been able to really dive into each existing and new robotic animal’s place in the ecosystem. For example the new Sunwing, a larger flying machine than the first game’s Glinthawk, collects solar energy through its wings making it vulnerable when it’s out harvesting power in the sunlight but much more alert when it’s resting.

These machine behaviours will often create new opportunities for Aloy to deal with them beyond simply taking them head-on. Another example given is the dust clouds created by a machine digging in the ground – allowing Aloy to use them as a visual cover and sneak up on the machine while it’s busy and distracted.

Machines are also more capable this time around, using their mobility to manoeuvre the environment by jumping, climbing and swimming, meaning Aloy’s expanded traversal capabilities are going to be essential. Planning ahead of an encounter will be more important than ever to ensure Aloy covers every base when it comes to an enemy’s typical behaviours.

The machines in Forbidden West will even have an expanded range of calls and audio cues for player’s to learn and recognise, made all the more immersive using the PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D audio tech.

Aloy’s Override ability is boosted in Forbidden West too. She’ll be able to Override more machines than ever, and can switch some of them between aggressive or defensive states. Carefully observing machines in the wild may even lead Aloy to precious resources as they go foraging for themselves.

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

The post The Latest Horizon Forbidden West Developer Blog Is All About Its Menacing Machines appeared first on Press Start.

Games Coming Out In November That You Should Be Excited For

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 03:57:13 +0000

As if this past month wasn’t already stacked with incredible video games, November is rolling around very soon and bringing with it even more potential bangers to drain you of your free time and pocket money.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest games coming out next month:

First Class Trouble

Platform: PS5, PS4

Release Date: November 2 (coming to PS Plus!)

Knockout City

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X

Release Date: November 2 (also coming to PS Plus!)

Just Dance 2022

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch

Release Date: November 4

The cheapest copy: $64 at Amazon

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 5

The cheapest copy: $78 (PS4, Xbox One) $88 (PS4, Xbox Series X) at Amazon

Jurassic World Evolution 2

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 9

The cheapest copy: $72.90 at Amazon

Forza Horizon 5

Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 9

The cheapest copy: $74.90 at Amazon

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 11

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: November 11

The cheapest copy: $74.90 (PS4) $79.00 (Xbox Series X/Xbox One) at Amazon, $69 (Switch) at JB Hi-Fi

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Platform: Switch

Release Date: November 11

Shin Megami Tensei V

Platform: Switch

Release Date: November 12

The cheapest copy: $68 at Amazon

Grow: Song of the Evertree

Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: November 16

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 16

Battlefield 2042

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 19

The cheapest copy: $79 (PS5, Xbox Series X) $69 (PS4, Xbox One) $62 (PC) at Amazon

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Pokémon Shining Pearl

Platform: Switch

Release Date: November 19

The cheapest copy: $68 (Single) $134 (Dual Pack) at Amazon

Icarus

Platform: PC

Release Date: November 20

Farming Simulator 22

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: November 22

Death’s Door

Platform: PS5, PS4, Switch

Release Date: November 23

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Platform: PS5, PS4, PC

Release Date: November 23

Cricket 22

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Release Date: November 25

Propnight

Platform: PC

Release Date: November 30

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Platform: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One

Release Date: November 30

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Every Announcement From Today’s PlayStation State Of Play

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 21:38:09 +0000

This morning, PlayStation hosted a State of Play which gave us an updated look at some new titles as well as some brand-new announcements.

The showcase focused entirely on third party games, with a few of updates on upcoming indies as well as a handful of surprises.

Here’s a rundown of everything announced and shown off:

Deathverse -Let It Die-

The show opened with a new announcement, a surprise new multiplayer melee survival game based on Suda51’s Let It Die called Deathverse. It’s got all the zany, sadistic characters and violence you’d expect from the now-franchise, and if it’s anything like its predecessor it’ll likely be free-to-play supported by microtransactions. Deathverse is coming to PS5 and PS4 in 2022.

We Are OFK Shows Off A Charming New Trailer For Its Episodic Band Biopic

The episodic narrative adventure continues to look stylish as hell, and the new trailer had plenty of jokes about State of Play presentations. It’ll feature five episodes in total, each with plenty of drama and dialogue choices as well as a new interactive music video per episode. We are OFK is coming to PS5 and PS4 at some point in 2022.

Bugsnax Is Getting A Big New Update Called The Isle of Bugsnax

Young Horses’ indie darling is getting a big free update in 2022 that includes giant Bugsnax, a customisable home and new adventures on a brand-new island. It’s coming at some point in 2022.

Five Nights At Freddy’s Security Breach Looks Disturbing As Hell

The new first-person take on Five Nights At Freddy’s brand of animatronic horror got a new look, showing a bunch of creepy ‘bots and some tasty visuals. Five Nights At Freddy’s Security Breach is coming December 16, 2021.

Death’s Door Is Coming To PlayStation Consoles

Death’s Door is headed to PlayStation! The early indie GOTY contender for this year is making its way to PS5 and PS4 on November 23, 2021 and comes with a free copy of Titan Souls.

KartRider Drift Is Bringing Action-Packed Racing And Customisable Characters

KartRider Drift is screeching over from PC and Xbox, bringing its unique brand of racing to PlayStation consoles. A playable beta is planned for 2022 and you can register to participate now.

King of Fighters XV Is Getting A Beta Test With Eight Characters

A beta for the newest entry in the long-running fighting franchise is coming with eight playable characters, including new fighter Dolores. The beta starts Nov 19/20 worldwide. Feb 17, 2022 for PS5 and PS4.

First Class Trouble’s Devs Show Off How The Upcoming PS+ Game Works

This asynchronous multiplayer game is all about high-tech espionage, and a couple of the developers showed off a quick look at a match in action. The game is coming to PS5 and PS4 on November 2, 2021 and will be free for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

A New Star Ocean Game Has Been Announced

In a surprise, Tri-Ace has revealed a look at a brand-new Star Ocean game with footage of exploration and combat that looks to meet the standards of the series’ gameplay and visuals. We didn’t get a lot of concrete information about the game’s narrative. Star Ocean The Divine Force is coming to PS5 and PS4 at some point in 2022.

Little Devil Inside

The show closed with a new look at the long-awaited indie darling, Little Devil inside, showing the character getting into a train to traverse its picturesque world. We get a glimpse at the game’s inventory, dialogue and quest systems alongside its adorable world map. We also got a look at combat and fishing in various environments. Little Devil Inside is coming to PS5 and PS4… at some point.

… and that was the show!

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Beat Saber Now Has Online Multiplayer Support On PlayStation VR

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:14:48 +0000

After a long wait, PlayStation VR players can finally get in on some multiplayer Beat Saber action with the game’s latest update.

PlayStation players can now customise their avatars and jump into heated five-player competitions online (provided they have an active PlayStation Plus subscription) to compete for victory and special multiplayer badges.

? PS VR players, this is not a drill! ? PS VR Multiplayer update is now ready to download. ?

Create an avatar and challenge your friends or random opponents. See you in the arena! pic.twitter.com/21yFjnHtIv

— Beat Saber (@BeatSaber) October 25, 2021

Alongside the multiplayer update, developer Beat Games has also dropped a new free track, “Spooky Beat” by Jaroslav Beck, to celebrate Halloween.

If you own a PlayStation VR headset and you’re yet to check out Beat Saber, do yourself a favour and grab it on the PlayStation Store.

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A Horizon Forbidden West Combat Deep Dive Has Revealed Aloy’s New Gear and Abilities

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:03:00 +0000

It’s been a bit quiet on the Horizon Forbidden West front since we last saw the game in May’s special State of Play presentation, but thanks to Guerilla and PlayStation, patient fans have been treated to a deep dive into some of Aloy’s new weapons and abilities in the much-anticipated sequel.

Guerilla’s Community Lead, Bo de Vries, guests on the PlayStation Blog in the second entry of the game’s developer blog series to talk about traversal and survival in Forbidden West. You can read it in full here, but we’ve broken down some of the juicier details below.

One of the most immediate and exciting additions to Horizon’s exploration gameplay comes in the form of free-climbing, which allows Aloy to traverse surfaces that previously would only be accessible by pre-designed handholds. Now, certain surfaces like rocky areas and structures that make sense physically will be climbable, as we got a look at in previous footage. And, she can now wall jump!

As far as new tools goes, Aloy will now have the Pullcaster and the Shieldwing, both of which we saw glimpses of in the State of Play gameplay. The Pullcaster is a dual-function device that allows Aloy to grapple and quickly scale the environment and launch herself up above ledges which should prove to be a useful mechanic for making fast escapes. The Pullcaster can also be used as a winch to pull items from out of reach and tear into the environment (and presumably enemies!).

The Shieldwing takes advantage of all of the added verticality in Horizon Forbidden West to let Aloy safely glide down from heights, and she can even use it to safely land on her mount or strike enemies from above.

This same increased focus on player choice translates to combat, where Guerilla has greatly expanded Aloy’s tactical options. In particular, the team wanted to bring melee and ranged combat closer together in a way that makes sense for her character.

One example of this is the new Resonator Blast, which sees Aloy mark enemies with an energy that’s built up from successive melee attacks and then detonate that energy with a projectile hit for a huge explosion. Aloy will also have access to special Valor Surge abilities that are unlocked through a skill tree and give players further options in combat to suit their playstyle.

In this growing and changed world, humanoid and machine enemies are also now starting to work together in meaningful ways, which means that Aloy will often encounter them operating as a group and will have to adapt to fighting mounted enemies.

Guerrilla’s Lead Combat Designer, Dennis Zopfi, says “We put a lot of effort into creating more choice and depth for the players, and are super excited to see how people will play as Aloy with so many new possibilities of skills, weapons and gear she can obtain throughout the mysterious Forbidden West. We had a lot of fun creating cool and powerful combinations for players to discover, and we hope people will enjoy the game when it launches!”

Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on February 18, 2022. You can pre-order the game digitally on the PlayStation Store as either a Standard or Digital Deluxe edition.

Amazon currently has the cheapest Standard Edition physical pre-order price at $88 (PS4) and $108 (PS5) with free shipping.

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A PlayStation State Of Play Showcasing Third Party Games Is Coming Next Thursday

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 21:36:28 +0000

PlayStation’s State of Play livestream is returning next week!

The announcement was made over on the PlayStation Blog, where the upcoming State of Play is revealed to be showcasing brand-new third party game announcements as well as updates on upcoming titles for PS5 and PS4. The showcase is said to run at around 20 minutes.

The State of Play airs this Thursday, 8:00am AEDT / 7:30am ACDT / 7:00am AEST / 5:00am AWST

A new State of Play is heading your way next Wednesday, October 27 starting at 2:00pm PT / 10:00pm BST.

Full details and what to expect: https://t.co/EnDyyYGqBc pic.twitter.com/MeUjdW7wIa

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) October 22, 2021

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The PlayStation Store Is Having A Killer Halloween Sale With Some Scary Good Deals

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 00:50:21 +0000

It’s spooky season, and that means it’s time for another PlayStation Store Halloween Sale with bargains galore on scary, tense and thrilling games of all genres.

You can find the entire sale HERE but we’ve rounded up some of the better deals below:

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Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles Review – A Remarkable Retelling

Harry Kalogirou — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 15:59:18 +0000

It’s been two years since Demon Slayer took the world by storm in 2019 with its first season of anime adapted from the popular manga penned by Koyoharu Gotouge. With the second season having just kicked off, it only seems fitting that CyberConnect2 helms a game adaptation. Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is a retelling of the first season of the anime, alongside the Mugen Train arc that came out in theatres earlier this year. Much like CyberConnect2’s other work, The Hinokami Chronicles doesn’t do anything extraordinary or step outside of its comfort zone, but it’s bound to please Demon Slayer fans and newcomers alike.

While this isn’t a one-to-one recount of the events of Demon Slayer’s excellent first season, it gets pretty damn close without resorting to just playing clips from the show. Much like Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, The Hinokami Chronicles has an Adventure Mode that’s split into the most important arcs, opting to explore the pivotal beats of Tanjiro’s journey as opposed to fleshing out the characters and world building. For the uninitiated, Demon Slayer follows Tanjiro Kamado, whose family has been slaughtered by Muzan Kibutsuji, king of the demons. His only surviving sibling, Nezuko, is turned into a demon, and Tanjiro takes it upon himself to avenge his family and revert his sister back to her human form.

It’s a simple premise that’s as typical as a shonen can get, but it’s the characters and moments of major development that shine through here alongside the excellent animation work. All the hallmark moments are treated with great respect, most of which either receive gorgeously animated cutscenes or the eye-catching quick time events that CyberConnect2 executes so well. There are also optional vignettes you can unlock throughout the levels that further flesh out the story, which work as a great way to catch up newcomers on the characters and world events that don’t get explored in as much detail. The Mount Nagumo and Mugen Train arcs in particular are handled brilliantly, and fans will no doubt enjoy reliving these moments again. It’s definitely not the definitive way to experience the first major leg of Tanjiro’s and Nezuko’s journey, but it’s all killer, no filler, and I’m positive that’s what most players will want.

If you’ve played any of CyberConnect2’s previous titles, The Hinokami Chronicles will feel very familiar. You have a standard combo which is performed by mashing light attack and can be further changed with a directional input. These can lead to air combos or hard knockdowns, and are your primary means of squeezing out damage. Each character also has three unique special attacks that have a myriad of uses. As you take and deal damage, you build meter for Ultimate Techniques, and a Burst mode. You can also call in your partner for offensive and defensive assist actions or to tag out and play as them.

It’s an extremely simple combat system that gets a little deeper with the inclusion of a high risk, high reward parry mechanic, but it’s by no means the new gold standard for fighting games. What stands out the most is the flashy animations and particle effects that really deliver an experience that looks and feels the way you would want a Demon Slayer game to present itself. It really provides the power fantasy and player experience of what it would be like to be a demon slayer, and playing your favourite characters only empowers this further.

A fighter is nothing without a good base cast of characters, and the Hinokami Chronicles is mostly great in this regard. Besides the distinct lack of any playable demons at launch, every character you could want is here. From staples like Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu, to smaller picks like Sabito and Urodaki. There’s a little bit of something here for everyone, and while each character fundamentally plays the same, they’re visually unique enough to feel like you’re playing a different fighter. A special mention should go out to the Ultimate Techniques, which are universally stunning to look at and brilliantly recreate the moments they’re inspired by.

Most of the story mode is played by moving through small open spaces from the series. Each area is largely linear and there isn’t much room for exploration, leaving it feeling extremely surface level and lacking any real purpose. There are some collectibles scattered about for extra unlockable content, but the areas mostly serve as a means to fight demons and progress the story. Each playable chapter takes place in these zones, as you progress, you’ll almost always fight demons and eventually partake in a boss fight. There are quite a few regular demons to fight in each chapter, and while it never gets truly stale, some repetition does set in before you get to the boss. The boss fights are easily the highlight of each chapter, each one providing a new challenge and experience different from the last. They’re more complex than just the simple hacking and slashing you get used to against regular demons and provide a refreshing change of pace. They typically end in flashy quick time events, and while I’m not usually a fan, I can’t deny that these are excellently animated and satisfying to pull off.

If there’s one thing that CyberConnect2 always nails, it’s translating the aesthetic of anime to a video game world. The Hinokami Chronicles is given the same treatment, with beautiful 3D character models, environments and cutscenes that stand alongside the quality of the anime instead of trying to live up to it. The end result is a game that’s always a treat to look at, with vivid colours and that trademark Demon Slayer flair that drew so many in to begin with. Performance is also rock solid here, and I encountered nothing in the way of bugs, making for a polished experience with great production values.

THE PS5 VERSION OF THIS GAME WAS PLAYED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW. A DIGITAL COPY OF THE GAME WAS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER.

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This Great Fan-Made Website Details Which PS4 Games Are Updated For PS5

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 07:45:31 +0000

Backwards compatibility on the PlayStation 5 can be a tricky subject. While the console is able to play the vast majority of the previous generation of PS4 titles, there are a handful of games that either don’t work well or don’t work at all, and exact compatibility and performance is often a bit of an unknown until someone simply tries it.

That’s where the website Backwards Compatible comes in, a fan-made effort that collates results from Resetera and YouTube users who’ve done the hard yards in testing backwards compatible PS4 games and puts them in an easy-to-navigate format with clear information on general performance and benefits (if any) when played on PS5.

The website allows users to search for specific games, or browse them by a list of traits such as ‘PS5 Improvements’, ‘PS5 Issues’ and ‘DualSense Features’.

Once you’ve found a game you’re interested in playing you’ll be able to see its resolution and framerate performance broken down across PS4, PS4 Pro and PS5 and whether it supports specific features when played on PS5 natively or via BC. In certain cases you’ll also be able to see user feedback and occasionally videos detailing exact performance, such as Ape Escape 2 which lists “PS5 Issues – Several Graphical Glitches, It makes it practically unplayable.”

Backwards Compatible might not be new to some of our readers, but we discovered it and think it’s an excellent resource to use before spending cash on any PS4 games with the intent to play them on a PS5 console!

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Here’s 50% Off Sackboy: A Big Adventure On PS5/PS4

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 03:53:07 +0000

This is a bit of a weird one.

You can currently get 50% off Sackboy: A Big Adventure on PS5/PS4 on the PlayStation Store (yay Digital owners).

You need to add the game to your cart in the PlayStation Store either on the web app or on your PS5/PS4 and then put the below code in at checkout: F2GH2LJ4BM. This brings the game down to $54. You can grab it off the web PlayStation Store HERE.

If you have a US account, you can actually get the game for $41 AUD. The code for that store is: BJHFN468DR

Amazon Has Dropped A Cracking Far Cry 6 Deal

In all my time writing deals, I don’t think I’ve seen a discount code like this on the PlayStation Store, so hopefully it’s a sign to come, particularly for those digital owners.

If you’re after other gaming deals, there’s some good ones coming on Amazon:

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Lost Judgment Review – A Bigger, Better Brawler

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 12:59:12 +0000

CW: Lost Judgment’s story contains themes of bullying, sexual assault and suicide. The following review touches briefly on these without going into detail, but please keep this in mind if you plan on playing Lost Judgment. Be sure to take breaks where needed and reach out to a trusted person or service if you feel that you need support.

Visit here for a list of mental health support networks and contacts.

When Ryu ga Gotoku Studio released 2019’s Yakuza spin-off, Judgment, it felt like a departure mainly in tone. It swapped the larger-than-life stories of organised crime syndicates, government conspiracies and sympathetic, Robin Hood-type antiheroes for gritty noir fiction with a significantly darker feel, but otherwise built off of a similar overall game structure. Fast forward to 2020 though and the mainline Yakuza series took a massive detour with Yakuza Like a Dragon’s pivot to JRPG combat alongside a brand-new setting and protagonist, resulting in arguably the best entry yet but dividing fans of the original format.

Enter Lost Judgment, a direct sequel to Judgment and the new flag bearer for the real-time flavour of Yakuza-universe titles.

Lost Judgment finds lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami once again being called on by his old haunt, Genda Law, to assist in an assault case with a shocking twist. Apprehended for groping a woman on a crowded Tokyo train, former police chief, Akihiro Ehara, willingly admits to committing the act. While in court though, Ehara drops the bombshell that a murder has been committed and reveals the location of the body, belonging to a man who’d driven Ehara’s son to suicide years prior due to bullying. This immediately raises the question of how Ehara could possibly know about the murder before anyone else, and what his involvement might be given his clear motive but watertight alibi in the heavily-witnessed sexual assault and subsequent detainment. Along with his ex-yakuza buddy, Kaito, and a few familiar faces from the original game, this sequel takes Yagami across both Kamurocho and Yokohama to unravel the thrilling mystery.

Lost Judgment’s core case has enough twists and turns to be a high-level Dragon Kart track, with Yagami’s resolve and ability to see through his emotions once again tested as human lives begin to become collateral in his relentless need to unfold a mystery that has a reach beyond what he could fathom. Admittedly, once some of the bigger revelations come to the surface leading into the final chapters it loses a little steam, but by that point the sheer conviction of Yagami and company is strong enough that you’re left rooting for them until the bittersweet end. I just wish it treated its women better, pushing Saori to the background of her own case and then doubling down on the uncomfortable dress-up segment from last time is certainly a disappointing choice.

Whether or not the game’s core narrative compels you, the subject matter of bullying, suicide and sexual assault make for quite jarring tonal whiplash against diversions like skateboarding, battling robots and beating up high schoolers. These games have always struck a balance between hard hitting storytelling and straight-up ridiculousness, but given the much darker tone of the Judgment games it feels like the needle swings more wildly than ever here. Separated by a short loading screen, transitioning from the streets of Isezaki Ijincho to Seiryo High School almost feels like watching a double feature of Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage and High School Musical. That’s either going to sound like a word of caution or a glowing endorsement depending on your tastes – I would very much attend that screening.

As successful as Judgment was in establishing a new identity and incorporating lite-detective gameplay into the Yakuza framework, criticism was levelled at the simplistic nature of its investigation mechanics. Every facet of these has been fleshed out in the sequel, and even more have been introduced, though the issue of a lack of player agency still persists.

Yagami’s objectives now routinely include stealth portions, parkour, brand-new gadgets and even a canine companion to sniff out trouble. These are all plenty of fun, but there’s rarely ever more than one way to tackle a problem. Stealth sections especially tend to go one of two ways – either a heavily predetermined path or a Game Over screen. There’s a silly sort of joy to be found in some of the new twists though, like pretending to look at your phone if a subject you’re tailing looks your way or being able to slow down a runaway by kicking stray objects at them with a force and accuracy that’d land Yagami a lucrative football career.

As usual, side cases are universally great and provide Yagami plenty of opportunity to flex his upgraded investigation skills. Optional side content has always been an opportunity for RGG’s writers and designers to loosen their collective collars and get a bit weird with things and that’s no different here. Ridiculous plots like thwarting an ex-editor stealing book ideas with a wiretapped cat, investigating an antique roadshow with a side of murder or tracking down a runaway video game producer are all true to the Ryu ga Gotoku DNA and continue to be a true highlight.

Though the quality of Lost Judgment’s extraneous content is as high as ever the ties holding it all together feel a little more loose than usual. Effort has been made to communicate Yagami’s detective skills through its gameplay structure – you’ve often got to put in the legwork to unearth new things to do – but navigating the possibilities can feel needlessly obfuscated. Being able to find things to do organically in the map, through side quests, by progressing school stories, by poking at random civilians with detective tools or flicking through social media makes sense but often gets in the way of actively looking for content you want to play. Despite going in excited to try various bits of content I knew were in the game, not once did I have a clear idea of what I needed to do to gain access to any of it, even after I’d finished the main objective and started playing the post-game.

Where the districts of Kamurocho and Yokohama have previously held starring roles, they feel a little less pivotal this time around, but a large part of that comes down to the addition of Seiryo High School. There’s a strange void left where the school storyline and the main case veer off in two different directions early in the game, allowing players to decide which to tackle at any given time but portioning off most of its minigame content to Seiryo. That leaves the city streets feeling emptier than fans might be used to, at least until the later stages where side cases begin to ramp up. It’s hard to tell whether the ‘correct’ way to play is by running both storylines in concurrence or leaving the optional stuff for the endgame, but I chose the latter and found going through all the wackier stuff at the end to be a nice palette cleanser at least.

It’s almost as though Lost Judgment is suffering from an identity crisis of sorts, attempting to continue its darker brand of storytelling while also pushing the envelope when it comes to zany diversions and minigames. The problem isn’t necessarily that these activities exist – I can think of few things I want to see more than Yagami tearing up a skate park, burning rubber in biker gang death races or coaching a dance team all the way to finals – but they’d all work just as well without the added bloat of the High School Stories questline. It’s just not overly interesting, even with the promise of finding out the mysterious identity of The Professor, and the idea of a 38-year-old private investigator with ties to gang violence traipsing the halls of a high school joining various clubs is a stretch even for this series.

For anyone that missed the real-time combat of the Yakuza titles when the series pivoted to turn-based battles in Like a Dragon, the good news is that Lost Judgment continues where Judgment left off. The even better news is that this is arguably the best iteration of melee combat that the studio has put together thus far. Adding to the existing Tiger and Crane fighting styles, Yagami gains a third in the form of Snake – a more defensive style that allows him to disarm enemies, redirect their blows and even scare them into submission. This new style feels almost necessary in the context of the high school portions of the game where facing off against teens is frighteningly common, allowing players with consciences to defend themselves in a mostly-passive way.

Fights in general feel as fast, fluid and over-the-top as ever and hold up shockingly well even with a dozen or more combatants in the fray, but one small addition makes all the difference in Lost Judgment’s moment-to-moment gameplay. Yagami now gains bonus SP (used to unlock new abilities) for fulfilling certain conditions in combat, such as using takedowns, knocking enemies out in quick succession or even things like throwing them into oncoming traffic. These stack and can be multiplied with unlocked buffs and become a core strategy for amassing huge amounts of SP, which helps significantly cut down on the fatigue of being harassed on the streets by thugs or kids – what would normally be a nuisance just turns into a new opportunity to test yourself and see how many points you can farm. Where I’d normally be inclined to sprint away from enemy groups as the game went on, I found myself actively picking fights throughout the entire game because of this one small change.

While definitely bound by the shackles of its last-gen version, this is still by far the best that Kamurocho and Yokohama have ever looked. Lighting and environmental detail continue to the RGG’s strong suit and here that’s bleedingly obvious – the atmosphere is palpable whether you’re soaking in sun by the shore, hitting the Chinatown alleys by night or scoping out dingy abandoned apartments for clues. Combat remains incredibly flashy as well, cinematic cutaways of brutal takedowns an endlessly rewarding reason to do more than button mash your way through encounters. I constantly found myself in awe of Lost Judgment’s characters and scenery, especially on the PS5 where I had the option of either a higher resolution presentation or a 60fps mode, the latter of which is definitely the better way to go given the pace of combat.

Lip syncing for the English audio is noticeably less accurate than in Like A Dragon or even the original Judgment, though that can be attributed to a first-ever simultaneous global release. Less forgivable are the surprisingly frequent moments in which character’s mouths don’t move at all, usually in scenes where faces are only briefly visible or seen solely in reflections – almost as if the team working on the English animations mistakenly skipped over numerous shots. Still, both Japanese and English dubs are excellent across the board and seeing RGG and SEGA’s increasing commitment to localisation has me excited for the future. The game’s music is as great as ever too, and the battle themes in particular are some of the best yet.

At the end of it all nothing about Lost Judgment, good or bad, should come as a shock to Ryu ga Gotoku fans. And it’s a great game – fantastic, even – but after the bombastic, emotional masterpiece that was Like a Dragon its small missteps do stand out that little bit more. If you’ve been craving a return to Yagami’s story and the brawler combat that now belongs to the Judgment games this is absolutely another worthy addition, though.

THE PS5 VERSION OF THIS GAME WAS TESTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW. A DIGITAL REVIEW CODE WAS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER,

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F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Review – Robotic, Raving Rabbits

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 07:00:06 +0000

First announced way back in 2016, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s China Hero Project has sought to support the game development industry in China by backing new titles from start-up Chinese studios. Putting these projects on a global stage is not just a boon for local developers but has brought them to the attention of audiences the world over, with games like Lost Soul Aside and ANNO: Mutationem sharing the marketing spotlight with other well-known PlayStation titles. F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch from TiGames is upon us even sooner though, and it’s a great example of why initiatives like the China Hero Project are well worth pursuing.

The Metroidvania genre might have become something of a staple in the indie video game sphere in recent years, but how many can you say star an anthropomorphic bunny wearing an exosuit with a giant robotic fist attached? That’s pretty much F.I.S.T.’s entire pitch – put said rabbit in a sprawling, labyrinthine dystopia where animal ‘furtizens’ are oppressed by a robotic legion and have him punch his way out. Ex-revolutionary rabbit, Rayton (Ray for short), is swept up in another fight against the Legion and its Iron Dog soldiers when his friend is kidnapped and he learns of secret plots between the machines and the city’s seedy underbelly animal organisations.

To be perfectly honest, I stopped keeping track of exactly what was going on in F.I.S.T. after about the halfway mark, mostly due to some fairly awkward dialogue that may have been lost in translation. Thankfully the setting of Torch City is interesting enough on its own to stay engaging, and it’s easily the star of the game thanks to the part it plays in F.I.S.T.’s Metroidvania status. The winding pathways stacked with hidden secrets and plenty of reasons to retread old ground with new abilities are a given, but it’s all dressed up in some astonishingly-good visuals. Utilising the Unreal Engine, it looks far better than a side scrolling action game should have any right to, with the backdrop of the enormous Torch City at the top level and industrial greens and oranges reminiscent of Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake really driving home the dystopian, diesel-punk vibe.

The real make-or-break in a game like this is the level design of course, and F.I.S.T. mostly nails it in that regard. The game consistently throws new ideas and challenges at Ray, and subsequently builds on them over time to give the player a sense of progress even when they’re not collecting new gear. Platforming sections in particular are quite the thrill with Ray eventually picking up a very Ori and the Blind Forest-esque repertoire of jumps, double jumps, dashes and hook shots that can be strung together gracefully to maneuver around hazards. There’s a definite satisfaction in soaring gracefully over electrified panels and threading through perfectly-placed openings and being rewarded with something new and shiny (or just a bunch of cash).

If F.I.S.T.’s overall structure is typical of the genre though, its combat is anything but. As the it gradually introduces new weapons and abilities, from the titular Fist to a Drill and Whip as well as extra gadgets and moves, its combat quickly morphs into something akin to an arcade fighter. Complex combos and lightning reflexes are the key to success – though thankfully you can get away with mostly the latter – as is switching between your three core weapons on the fly in the midst of a fight. The game isn’t afraid of throwing up some pretty steep challenges, especially in a few of its boss fights, but forgiving checkpoints and a real sense of accomplishment when overcoming them makes figuring out where you’re going wrong a fun and satisfying exercise – and if all else fails there’s likely a bunch more upgrades to go find in areas you’ve not visited for while.

I’m convinced how much content is packed into this modestly-priced romp, I’m not quite at 100% completion of the game yet but I’m fairly close and can safely say I’ll slide in at the 20-hour mark by that point. For $45 AUD and given the production values on show it’s an impressive package. For everything it does right though, F.I.S.T. does have a handful of frustrations. I found the in-game map to be clear and easy to navigate, but mission markers and descriptions were often unclear or just broken. There’s no difficulty settings either, which isn’t so bad given how finely-tuned the difficulty curve is overall but there are at least a couple of noticeable spikes that might turn some off completely. There’s also the matter of the narrative, which loses steam right as it starts to make a push toward its conclusion – but your mileage will probably vary there.

The post F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Review – Robotic, Raving Rabbits appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To Sucker Punch About Creating New Player Experiences For Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Kieron Verbrugge — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 13:59:13 +0000

Almost a month ago, PlayStation and Sucker Punch Productions announced Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut – a massive new update to last year’s critically-acclaimed PlayStation exclusive. On top of adding a host of new updates to the game itself when it arrives on August 20, the Director’s Cut will also bring with it a substantial story expansion set on the brand-new island of Iki as well as a native PlayStation 5 version that adds support for DualSense features and enhances the game’s visuals and 3D audio support.

To find out more about what we can expect from both the Iki Island content, the new PS5-specific upgrades and what went into crafting brand new experiences and challenges for both Jin Sakai and the player we were fortunate enough to speak to and Senior Staff Writer, Patrick Downs, as well as Creative/Art Director, Jason Connell, from Sucker Punch Productions.

Would you mind telling us a little bit about the Iki Island expansion and where it fits within Jin Sakai’s journey in the main game?

Patrick Downs: It came about as we had some time to kind of reflect on the main game after the launch, and then start to kind of kick around ideas that we felt were exciting and compelling to expand Jin’s story, and this one clearly rose to the top and that’s what became Iki. And what we’re trying to do there is, one, tell a story that deepens our understanding of Jin Sakai as a human being, as a character, the traumas and the struggles he went through as he became a samurai. And then two, we wanted to tell a story that would deepen our understanding of the main game’s story in various ways.

The third thing we were really interested in is creating this new island, Iki Island, and really making it a counterpoint to Tsushima. So you know, Tsushima, although it’s been invaded by the Mongols, it’s traditionally been a stronghold for the samurai. Iki Island, the way we imagined it, has been a haven for pirates and smugglers and raiders. So it was an interesting kind of mix to say, “Okay, now we’re going to send the samurai, Jin, over to this island that isn’t necessarily going to welcome him in the same ways, or at least think about him in the same ways that a lot of people on Tsushima did.” So that was the overall aspect of the story that really compelled us. That’s the story we wanted to tell.

We’ll be able to access the expansion as of Act Two of the main game – but approaching the expansion from the latter stages of the game, maybe for those who have completed it, can you play it just the same way?

PD: Yeah, absolutely. That was a conscious decision for us to design a story that would work well whether you’re coming to Ghost of Tsushima for the first time and you immediately want to play it at the start of Act Two, or you’ve played all the way through the game, maybe even two or three times in NG+. That the story would be equally compelling, for the player and for Jin, whether or not they’ve completed that main story yet. And if they have, it’s still going to resonate.

Will Jin be able to travel freely between Iki Island and the rest of the map once you’ve gained access to it? Or is it more of a closed-off area that you need to commit to?

PD: There’s a certain point in which you can travel back and forth. Early on, you have to do some things – Iki is a tough place for a samurai – but once you’re able to, you can go back and forth freely. And that’s again by design, we want this to be intertwined with the main game and not feel like a closed-off little bubble universe. It’s part of the same world.

Whilst the game already got quite dark at times, how would you describe the impact of the pandemic on the themes of Iki Island in comparison to the game you shipped a year ago?

PD: When we were looking at stories that we wanted to tell [there was] this idea of Jin, like all of us, having to go through trauma, having to go through difficult times and then emerging on the other side, maybe not healed, but you can at least see the prospect for healing. That was something that resonated with us emotionally. And we just figured, well, the whole planet has been going through this so it’s gonna resonate with our players as well. So that kind of fed into our creativity, in terms of telling the story, in addition to just being a challenge developmentally. That’s really a testament to the resilience and the flexibility and adaptability of our team, to be able to ship Director’s Cut under these conditions. This team continually amazes me, to be honest.

Ankhsar Khatun and her followers represent a very different threat to what we’ve seen before, what inspired you and the team to create this new group?

Jason Connell: The biggest inspiration, I think, is a little bit of what Patrick was just talking about, that it’s a counterpoint. It’s a different flavour when you’re over there. We didn’t want that to just be a visual flavour or a musical flavour, we really wanted it even at the encounter level to be a flavour change. So the enemies and the types of enemies that you fight are going to be new, and you’ll have to figure out ways to fight them, they’re going to be flavour changes. I think that’s an important part because they support this “Eagle” and her vision. And so they’re as cryptic and as different as she is, in a lot of ways.

Can you tell us about what sort of new abilities and gear Jin might acquire to combat these new enemies?

JC: Without giving it all away, what I will say is that there are some new skills and some new abilities. There’s some things that we lean into a little bit more that we’re pretty excited about. We quite like our Mythic Tales that we had in Tsushima, so leaning into something like that, this game is going to be very rewarding and fun. Also we lean into nature as sort of a theme. We had foxes in the base game, but there are more types of animals, I think about three more in total in this one for you to experience.

And now we have actual horse armour, as well as a Horse Charge ability that kind of scatters guys out of the way and you can use it every now and then and it’s quite cool. You can see it in the trailer – it’s pretty exciting, it gives a whole new use to riding your horse through an area. I’m using it as an actual weapon, which is very exciting. So yeah, we have a number of things that we’re not talking about quite yet, but that should be really exciting to our players when they jump in.

What can you tell us about the landscape of Iki, and what secrets and side quests and activities might await players on the island?

JC: I will say that if one were to do research on Iki, you’ll notice this fascinating rock sculpture that’s a real place. As soon as you see that it’s just shrouded in mystery, like, how did this thing come to be? I think that so much of the experience has that little bit of that “shrouded in mystery” feeling. So some of the art that we put into this place, for one, we created a new biome that’s just, like, ivy covered over everything. It’s lost and forgotten. What was the history? It’s just gone. That’s kind of that “shrouded in mystery”. There’s other areas where we use these beautiful wisterias, I think that was actually shown in our trailer too, it’s poetic and beautiful but it has this unknown to it that’s really alluring. So we’re really excited about how some of those pieces kind of connect together.

How long do you expect it’ll take players to complete the Iki Island expansion?

PD: The way to think about it is that the size of Iki and the content, you know the breadth and depth, is analogous to an act in the main game. So if you think of the first region, Izuhara, it’ll have that variety and depth of content, and playtime, of course.

Petting foxes was one of people’s favourite things to do in the base game, was that popularity and online virality the reason you’ve added so many more animals in the expansion?

JC: Yeah, you know, people like our foxes! Foxes are cool, the birds are cool. There’s this spirituality that we built with Jin and his connection to his home and it’s by way of, you know, the wind guiding him and some yellow bird coming around and showing him some cool content. It serves two purposes. One, it serves a purpose that’s like, “Hey, there’s a lot more to the game than just the awesome combat, right?” There’s a whole bunch of other stuff in this game, if you choose. Maybe you’re an open world player and this is an interesting way to get you to go find content, and an interesting way to experience content.

And then I think the other one is just deepening that connection with Jin and the environment and maybe even with you and the environment. It’s very exciting because that’s what you’re really wanting in a big open world game. You want people to fall in love, you know, with not just their story, but maybe their surroundings and to be a little bit more one-to-one with their adventure.

How does the Director’s Cut of Ghost of Tsushima utilise PS5-specific features like the DualSense and 3D Audio and how does that elevate the experience over the PS4 version?

JC: Definitely you’re going to get that DualSense [support], and that means you get the haptic feedback, you get the adaptive triggers. You know, it’s a samurai game and you have a four-foot razor blade – you hit somebody with that and we do a lot to make that feel good – now we have another tool to make it feel good. So that’s incredible. And certainly, we spent a lot of time on our audio mix and our weather effects to make you feel like you’re in this beautiful landscape. So when it’s raining, with that 3D audio you don’t just hear kind of a general pitter patter. You actually feel like it’s hitting the ground somewhere beneath your feet, there’s actually some spatial feeling.

That’s pretty incredible, I’ve never experienced that before. And I think that that really elevates just the base experience by quite a lot. It feels like you’re just there more, which, you know as game designers, I think that’s what we always want.

The newly added Japanese lip sync that was announced has been made possible thanks to the cutscenes playing in real time on PS5. Can you explain what the limitations were with the PS4 and making that work?

JC: We very much explored it. We wanted that, on the PS4, in the base game when we were charting towards finishing that one up, but due to our technical constraints, due to the way that we were making our cutscenes and frankly due to logistical and time constraints – those things combined sort of didn’t make that a reality for us, but we really wanted it. So when we had the opportunity to go make this Director’s Cut, make the PS5 version available, we got to revisit this and it was very exciting for us.

I think the very first thing that we had people working on was getting that technology going because we knew it’d actually be a lot of work, getting our cutscenes all to be real time so that we could utilise this tech for our audience that really wanted this. And we know they wanted it so while we were maybe disappointed that we couldn’t have it in the earlier base version, we’re super happy that we were able to get that pipeline working and get it up and running on this PS5 version.

A lot of fans are wondering where the decision was made to charge for the PS5 upgrade and frame it within the context of this Director’s Cut, where some titles have had free upgrades on new consoles. Can you shed any light on why that is?

JC: The thing that I think is important for people to know is that, those features that make it so specific to the PS5, we didn’t just work on those as a generic hardware upgrade, they are fully enveloped into the Iki expansion and Jin’s experiences on Iki. They were really tightly connected to one another. So that’s kind of the reason why we didn’t look at them as kind of separate. We really wanted those two to sing together. And that’s the base reason why.

You’re adding the ability to hide the quiver in-game, which was supposedly in response to one serial tweeter? What’s the story there?

JC: I know myself and Andrew, who’s our Communications Director, and Sucker Punch, we all got a series of it from someone/people/a group, I’m not sure. But it was just a very commonly requested thing. And it’s not that it was incredibly difficult, right? It just took some time and there’s a whole bunch of stuff you’ve got to make. Honestly, it’s kind of a blessing though, right? You make a game that people care about so much that, literally, this feature doesn’t do much of anything other than impede them from being the visual representation of what they want to be. I think that’s awesome. I think it means we’ve succeeded in some capacity, that people want to look a certain way and they don’t want to have that quiver on their back. Now they can turn it off, and maybe they’ll be ecstatic about that.

We celebrated the game’s one year anniversary recently and we’ve seen people loving the game, sharing their favourite clips, photos and experiences. After all this time, what does Ghost of Tsushima mean to you?

JC: In a lot of ways, I can’t imagine it going any better. It was so positive. I wake up every day and I check Twitter and somebody’s posted a picture of the art that they’ve created and cinematography or something they’ve created with the Photo Mode tools, or maybe even sometimes actual hand-drawn artwork of Jin. I mean, creating a new IP is really hard. It’s hard to penetrate that world full of other awesome, crazy cool ideas. So I’m just happy that that didn’t last for like two weeks, it lasted literally a year, and people are still excited about it. So that means that we get to deepen the story and provide a new experience and people are excited about that. I don’t think I could ask for anything else. I’m just thankful.

PD: Yeah, I would second that completely. It’s an honour and a privilege just to see how people have embraced the game and made it their own. As an aside, one thing that’s particularly moved me is I worked on a character called Yuriko and so many people have reached out and either written in public or just kind of messaged me privately saying, “Thank you, because I went through this with, you know, a grandmother and this helped me deal with that and understand it better.” That blew me away, that really touched me to my core.

I think that’s what we’re always trying to do with our characters is write characters that give you all the action and adventure and excitement and deliver all of that, but also really touch a place in people that resonates with them emotionally or reminds them of an experience they’ve been through or helps them get through an experience that they’ve had. That’s just been amazing to me, actually.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut will release on August 20th for PS4 and PS5. It will include the Iki Island expansion on both consoles, and on PS5 it’ll also include a new Japanese lip sync option, new DualSense features, enhanced 3D audio as well as drastically improved load times and an improved resolution and frame rate. Ghost of Tsushima Legends will also be getting new updates including a brand new mode, with more information to come on that at a later date.

If you already own Ghost of Tsushima on PS4, you can upgrade to the Director’s Cut on PS4 for $29.95 AUD, with the upgrade already available to pre-order on the PlayStation Store. While the PS5 Director’s Cut upgrade isn’t available on the store as of writing, you’ll be paying roughly $30 USD (approx. $40 AUD). If you don’t own the base game, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut will be $109.95 AUD on PS4 and $124.95 AUD on PS5.

We gave Ghost of Tsushima an 8.5/10 in our review and said: Ghost of Tsushima might be built from the same stuff as its AAA, open world contemporaries, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best open world experiences of the generation. Sucker Punch has set its samurai fantasy apart by presenting players with a beautiful world that is rewarding to explore, with many mysteries to uncover. Jin’s story is a compelling tale pulled from the pages of the epics, and it’s just one of many that the game has to offer. The game isn’t perfect, but it’s not often I spend upwards of 50 hours playing an open world game to total completion and immediately want to jump back in, even if it’s just to sit and watch the breeze roll by.

The post We Spoke To Sucker Punch About Creating New Player Experiences For Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut appeared first on Press Start.

PSN Looks To Be Down In Australia Causing Issues For PS5/PS4 Users

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 08:45:25 +0000

It looks a though the PlayStation Network looks to be having problems in Australia. As of 6pm AEST reports of outages surged on DownDetector.

Currently, the PlayStation Services website says that there are no issues which is a bit odd, and means that it could likely be restricted to Australia (or it’s just a bit slow to update).

Several users had also tweeted us saying that they were having issues:

@shancake_ Hey Shan, are you aware of any PSN issues at the moment? PS5 says it’s connected but status is ‘Offline’ and can’t access trophies or online settings…

— Brad (@bradsnoey) July 28, 2021

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July’s Free PlayStation Plus Games Have Been Revealed

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 23:02:44 +0000

PlayStation has revealed July’s Free PlayStation Plus games and it’s a fairly decent month. Those with a PS5 will be able to grab A Plague Tale: Innocence (PS5 version only) whilst PS4 and PS5 users will also be able to grab WWE 2K Battlegrounds as well as Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4. The games will be available on July 6th.

JULY PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

A Plague Tale: Innocence (PS5 only)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds (PS5/PS4)
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PS5/PS4)
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown (PS5/PS4)

We’re giving away a PS5 console and an Oddworld Soulstorm Collector’s Edition. You can enter HERE.

WIN: PS5 Console + Oddworld Soulstorm Collector’s Edition

STILL TIME TO GET JUNE’S PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

You’ve got until Monday to grab the below games:

Operation Tango
Star Wars Squadrons

A DESCRIPTION OF JULY’S PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

A Plague Tale: Innocence

The critically acclaimed adventure releases on PS5 with 4K native resolution***, targeted 60 FPS, highly improved visuals, and fast loading – and makes its debut onto PlayStation Plus. Follow the tale of young Amicia and her little brother Hugo, in a heartrending journey through the darkest hours of history. Hunted by Inquisition soldiers and surrounded by unstoppable swarms of rats, Amicia and Hugo will come to know and trust each other. As they struggle

WWE 2K Battlegrounds

The world of WWE is your battleground with over-the-top, arcade action as your favorite WWE Superstars and Legends battle in interactive environments around the world. Play through a new story mode while unlocking unique characters and Battlegrounds. Compete using special abilities and power-ups in match types like Steel Cage, Royal Rumble, and more! Compete in Online Tournaments or stake your claim as King of the Battleground against players from around the world!* Plus, battle it out in local multiplayer and dominate your friends.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 delivers a trio of action-packed multiplayer-modes* for first-person shooter fans. First there’s the series’ iconic multiplayer experience pitting players against each other worldwide. Second, is the fan-favourite Zombies experience, letting you and friends battle the undead. Last but not least is Blackout, an intense large-map mode inspired by battle royale. Blackout brings together characters, locations, weapons and gear from across the series in all-out survival combat – all with a unique Black Ops twist.

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June’s Free PlayStation Plus Games Look To Have Leaked

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 25 May 2021 13:11:27 +0000

Areajugones, a Spanish outlet who correctly reported on May’s PlayStation Plus games has gone early on June’s PlayStation Plus games.

According to the site, the lineup will be headlined by Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown (a new version of Virtua Fighter 5), Star Wars: Squadrons, as well as Operation Tango for PS5 owners. We’ll let you know as soon as these are confirmed but as always, we’d recommend holding off purchasing these games.

This is made more legitimate by the fact that this leak was posted prior to Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown being announced (it has since been announced).

JUNE’S RUMOURED PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

Virtua Fighter: Ultimate Showdown (PS4/PS5)
Star Wars Squadrons (PS4/PS5)
Operation Tango (PS5)

Just as a reminder, you’ve still got a week or so to grab May’s PlayStation Plus games including Battlefield V, Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last as well as Stranded Deep, so get on adding them to your library if you haven’t already.

The post June’s Free PlayStation Plus Games Look To Have Leaked appeared first on Press Start.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition Is Only Free To Download Until Tomorrow

Shannon Grixti — Fri, 14 May 2021 07:57:06 +0000

This is a reminder that any PS4/PS5 owner can currently get Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition for free until 1pm AEST on Saturday. You can grab it right HERE. The game will be yours to keep forever, as long as you add it to your library before it disappears tomorrow.

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition – Free until 1pm Saturday

As we detailed earlier today, the last Play at Home freebie was announced earlier today. You’ll be able to get free in-game currency for games such as Rocket League, Brawhalla, Destruction All-Stars, MLB The Show 21, NBA 2K21, Rogue Company, World of Tanks, Warframe and Call of Duty Warzone.

RELATED: THE NEW PS5 CONTROLLERS ARE AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

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PlayStation’s Days Of Play Event Is Back Bringing Rewards For PS4/PS5 Owners

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 11 May 2021 12:37:41 +0000

PlayStation has confirmed that its Days of Play event is returning for another year bringing deals (not mentioned yet but we’d assume there will be deals) and also digital prizes just for playing games. Pre-registrations begin today and the actual event will start on May 18th and run until May 31st. You can sign up to take part right here. We’ll let you know when we know more about the deals that are on offer this year.

Just like last year, all you have to do is sign up and play games to help unlock digital rewards for everyone who is signed up. You can play solo for at least one hour for it to count towards the game goal, play with friends online to double your play time and earn trophies (up to six each day).

Stage one will begin on May 18th and end of May 24th require all gamers to hit a goal of 2.4 million games played and 7.2 million trophies earned. As a reminder, all gamers will help add to that total score.

THE PLAYSTATION DAYS OF PLAY PRIZES

STAGE ONE:

2.4 million game played/7.2 million trophies earned:
- 1 x PSN avatar (Days of Play themed)
- 1 x PS4 dynamic theme (Days of Play themed)
3 million game played/8.8 million trophies earned
- 3 x PSN avatars (Astrobot/Gran Turismo 7/Returnal)

STAGE TWO:

2.9 million game played/8.5 million trophies earned:
- 5 x PSN avatars (Ghost of Tsushima/Sackboy/Horizon Forbidden West/The Last Of Us Part II/Demon’s Souls)
3.6 million game played/10.4 million trophies earned
- 3 x PSN avatars (Astrobot/The Last Of Us Part II/Horizon Forbidden West)

STAGE THREE:

3 million games played/9 million trophies earned:
- 1 x PS4 dynamic theme (PS5 themed games)
- 1 x PSN avatar (God of War)
3.7 million games played/11 million trophies earned
- 3 x PSN avatars (Astrobot/Gran Turismo 7/God of War)

As a reminder, you can sign up to take part HERE.

We’ll keep you posted once we know when Stage Two and Three are taking place and also let you know as soon as we know about any deals that are happening.

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Valkyria Revolution Is Currently Free On PS4/PS5

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 11 May 2021 06:38:49 +0000

Unclear if it’s a mistake, but Valkyria Revolution and all of its DLC/in-game items are currently free on the PlayStation Network for both PS4 and PS5.

We’re not sure if it’ll last (if it is a mistake) but you can currently add it to your library HERE. If you’re looking for all of the DLC and in-game items, you can find them HERE.

Big thanks for reader and friend of the site Josh for letting us know about this.

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These 9 Free PlayStation Games Are Only Available For A Few More Hours

Shannon Grixti — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:07:16 +0000

The nine free games that Sony made available as part of the Play At Home initiative are only available for a few more hours. Our estimate suggests they’ll be taken off the store at roughly 1pm AEST today, so get downloading.

Even if you don’t own a PS4/PS5, you still should be able to add them to your library by signing in with a PlayStation Network account.

If you haven’t already gotten in, be sure to get Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition for free as well (although you’ve still got a few weeks left to grab that).

You can find that below:

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition – Free

It shouldn’t be too long before we hear about what the next Play at Home game is. We’ll keep you posted when we know more.

The post These 9 Free PlayStation Games Are Only Available For A Few More Hours appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation Is Giving Out A Free Game A Month For The Next Four Months

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 21:25:19 +0000

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Stay At Home initiative that happened last year is continuing on this year. Whilst last year saw us get Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey for free for two months, this initiative will last from March until June bringing PS4/PS5 owners a free game every month. This will be free to all owners and be completely separate to the PlayStation Plus lineup.

As of March 1st, Ratchet and Clank will be free for all PS4/PS5 owners. Now obviously, this won’t be a big win for everyone, as PS5 owners that are PlayStation Plus subscribers would already get this game for free. If you do grab it, it’ll be yours to keep forever, regardless of a PlayStation Plus subscription

So just as a reminder, here’s what March’s free games look like on PlayStation:

Ratchet & Clank – Free for all
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – PlayStation Plus
Maquette (PS5) – PlayStation Plus
Remnant from the Ashes (PS4) – PlayStation Plus
Farpoint VR (PS4) – PlayStation Plus
Destruction All Stars (PS5) – PlayStation Plus

In addition to this, Funimation are giving gamers new subscribers extended access beyond the initial trial.

Sony has said that they will reveal the remaining games and also other offers in the coming weeks.

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The PlayStation Wrap-Up Will Tell You How Many Hours You Spent Playing PS4/PS5 Last Year

Shannon Grixti — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:58:37 +0000

Much like they did last year, PlayStation has launched the 2020 Wrap-Up which will tell you your most played games as well as how many hours you sunk into your PS4 and PS5 in 2020.

You can head here to login with your PlayStation Network ID and get your wrap. You’ll be able to find out the number of games that you played in 2020 (with the top three split into hours), exactly how many hours you sunk into games in 2020 split into games played locally and games played online.

The wrap will also tell you how many days you played your PlayStation console on in 2020, and let you know what your most played day was of the week (mine was Sunday afternoon). There’s also a bunch of great trophy data too. You’ll also get told how many PlayStation Plus games that you downloaded and how long you spent playing them.

For those that were lucky enough to get a PS5, the wrap will tell you the amount of time you’ve specifically spent playing your PS5, your most played game, how many many trophies you’ve earned and how long you’ve spent playing your top played game.

For those that take part in the wrap, you’ll get a special dynamic theme (unfortunately only for PS4) that will feature the iconic PlayStation shapes.

Let us know what your most played game was and other other cool stats that you find out on socials. We’d love to see your individual wraps.

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12 PS5/PS4 Exclusive Games To Be Excited For In 2021

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 23:40:01 +0000

While the world around us was going from one disaster to another, gamers were spoiled for choice when it came to escaping reality in the confines of our homes in 2020. It was an especially good year to own a PlayStation console, with award-winning exclusives like The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima and Final Fantasy VII Remake helping to close out a generation before the launch of the PlayStation 5 gave us some stellar cross-gen and next-gen titles the likes of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls. With that new hardware comes a new year of possibilities in 2021 and, without sounding like we’re picking sides, it’s really looking like Sony’s year again with some bloody exciting exclusives (and consoles exclusives) to look forward to this year.

We’ve put together a list of the biggest titles for PlayStation owners to keep on their radar, with a healthy dose of new-gen exclusives, cross-generational releases and our hopes and prayers that a handful don’t get pushed into 2022… Check it out!

RETURNAL

Release Date: March 19
Platform: PlayStation 5

Housemarque has carved itself out a nice little niche for itself in crafting frenetic and pulse-raising experiences in a range of styles while almost always paying homage to the classic bullet hell shoot-em-up, from the more obvious titles like Resogun and Super Stardust to the likes of metroidvania platformer Outland. Their next effort, Returnal, is another genre-bending bullet hell action game that riffs on modern procedurally-generated roguelikes – only it looks bigger and flashier than nearly anything we’ve seen from the genre or the developer.

RATCHET & CLANK: RIFT APART

Release Date: First Half of 2021 (Tentative)
Platform: PlayStation 5

Hot off the heels of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, veteran PlayStation collaborator (and now official SIE studio) Insomniac is set to bless PS5 owners in the coming months with the first new Ratchet & Clank game since 2016’s soft reboot. This time around it’s a canonical continuation of the Future series that graced the PlayStation 3, and sees the dynamic duo able to instantaneously zip around their world, and many others, using portals made possible by the power of the PlayStation 5’s super-fast SSD. It also just looks incredibly gorgeous.

KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS

Release Date: Q1 2021 (Tentative)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Ember Lab has seemingly burst onto the scene with the impossibly-good-looking Kena: Bridge of Spirits, a game that looks equal parts Studio Ghibli, Pixar and old-school 3D action platformer. Battling cursed monsters, collecting and raising the adorable Rot and transforming the lush environments all look incredible from what we’ve seen in trailers and gameplay snippets so far. If Kena can live up to its promise it’s set to be one of the indie darlings of 2021 and an instant classic.

HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST

Release Date: Second Half of 2021 (Tentative)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Another huge PlayStation 4 exclusive, although one that’s perhaps a little more divisive, Horizon Zero Dawn saw Killzone developer Guerilla Games tackle the tried and true open world adventure genre with a fresh IP and a menagerie of killer robo-dinosaurs. Horizon’s biggest success is its world, vast and full of extraordinary history and potential to be explored, so a return to 31st century Earth that promises more variety on a larger scale is very welcome indeed. This one’s coming to both PlayStation 4 and 5, but we’re particularly keen to see how the Decima Engine that powered Horizon and Death Stranding performs on the new machine, and how it utilises the console’s unique features like the DualSense controller and Tempest 3D audio.

NIOH COLLECTION

Release Date: February 5
Platform: PlayStation 5

Team Ninja is celebrating four years of PlayStation-exclusive demon slaying with remastered versions of both Nioh and Nioh 2. Boasting up to 4K or 120fps visuals and ultra-fast loading screens, this package will be the best way for PlayStation 5 owners to play these two fan-favourite action games. Better yet, if you own either Nioh 2 or Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition you’ll be able to upgrade to the respective remastered versions at no cost as well as transfer your progress from PS4 to PS5.

DESTRUCTION ALLSTARS

Release Date: February 2021
Platform: PlayStation 5

Part hero shooter, part vehicular combat, Destruction AllStars was originally slated as a PlayStation 5 launch title but has since moved into a February release window as well as become a free download for PlayStation Plus subscribers on release. That could prove to be a winning strategy, if the likes of Rocket League can serve as a historical example of similar success. A gorgeous, full game with loads of potential for multiplayer mayhem and a promised future full of free downloadable content on top of everything else you get with PS Plus? Sign us up!

GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK

Release Date: TBA 2021 (Tentative)
Platform: PlayStation 5

There’s no skirting around the fact that God of War was a generation-defining moment in PlayStation history when it launched a little over two years ago. It certainly took a lot of us by surprise by modernising what was fast becoming a franchise best left in the 00s, giving us an emotionally-charged and expertly designed experience that defied convention and broke new ground. To say that expectations for the upcoming sequel are decidedly higher than last time around is an understatement, but with such a rich narrative well to draw from following the events of the last game and with the PlayStation 5’s raw power, lightning-fast SSD and unique 3D audio and DualSense controller at hand it’s hard to imagine God of War Ragnarok doing anything but surpass them.

DEATHLOOP

Release Date: May 21
Platform: PlayStation 5 (Timed exclusive), PC

It’s a strange time we live in when a Microsoft-owned studio is publishing a game that’s exclusive to Sony’s platform for a full year, but here we are. Arkane, working under the newly-acquired Bethesda, is once again flexing their first-person action adventure muscle with a unique, time-looping race to take down a series of eight targets that also features an asymmetrical multiplayer element where a second player can invade a game and attempt to foil the assassinations. It’s Groundhog Day meets grindhouse built on the bones of Dishonored and Prey and it might just be crazy enough to work.

GRAN TURISMO 7

Release Date: TBA 2021 (Tentative)
Platform: PlayStation 5

There’s not too much we know (or need to know) about the next entry in PlayStation’s long-running driving franchise other than it’s more impeccably-modelled cars zipping around some extremely pretty tracks and landscapes. Series veterans will no doubt be ecstatic to see the return of GT Town/World and many classic modes as well as newer features from GT Sport. Even if you’re not a massive gearhead though, the promise of the PlayStation 5’s bespoke haptic feedback and spatial audio solutions, as well as ray-tracing and the series’ penchant for jaw-dropping photo modes should put this on the radar of anyone wanting a taste of what the console is truly capable of.

GHOSTWIRE TOKYO

Release Date: TBA 2021 (Tentative)
Platform: PlayStation 5, PC

Although overnight internet darling Ikumi “It’s Spooky” Nakamura is no longer involved with the project, the E3 2019 reveal of Ghostwire Tokyo left the gaming world as entertained as it was confused. Fast-forward to June 2020 and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks’ upcoming project was revealed to be an offbeat, first-person action adventure with horror elements where players use Kuji-kiri-inspired magical abilities to rid Tokyo of an invasion of evil spirits. Like Deathloop, this now-Microsoft-owned new IP will be a PlayStation 5 console exclusive for a full year.

using this forever #itsspooky @tango_gw_en @bethesda pic.twitter.com/KblGYSjDDd

— Kieron (@hash_braun) June 10, 2019

STRAY

Release Date: TBA 2021 (Tentative)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

You only need to say the words “third-person cat adventure” to get people listening, but throw in a cyberpunk world, a droid companion and the power of the PlayStation 5 and you’ve got a great recipe for success. Purveyors of excellent indie experiences Annapurna Interactive are onto something with French developer BlueTwelve Studio’s unique project that sees players as a stray cat in a neon-filled, futuristic city, using stealth and vertically-rich exploration to find its way home. And did we mention there’s a droid companion?

FINAL FANTASY XVI

Release Date: No Idea (But One Can Dream!)
Platform: PlayStation 5

Okay, so this one probably isn’t going to see the light of day in 2021, but stranger things have happened! At any rate, it’s hard to be a Final Fantasy fan and not immediately froth at the idea of a return to the series’ more classical fantasy RPG aspects married with its modern combat sensibilities and headed up by the development team responsible for “saving” Final Fantasy XIV. The brief in-game footage shown off last year gives the impression that this one is further into development than the last few Final Fantasy games have been when first revealed, so there’s a small glimmer of hope that the PlayStation 5 exclusive could be coming sooner rather than later.

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You Can Download January’s Free PlayStation Plus Games Right Now

Shannon Grixti — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:00:52 +0000

This month’s free PlayStation Plus games are now live on the PlayStation Store!

Hit the links in the titles below to be taken straight to the browser-based store and add them to your library, or head to the PlayStation Plus store page here.

PlayStation has now confirmed January’s PlayStation Plus games and it’s exactly as leaked. The games are available to download right now:

JANUARY PLAYSTATION PLUS LINEUP

Click the titles above to be taken straight to the browser-based store and add them to your library!

Persona 5 Strikers, Deep Rock Galactic, and Dirt 5 are available with PlayStation Plus starting January 4.

Full details: https://t.co/ehw153oCPc pic.twitter.com/BLrE2Zh0vY

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) December 29, 2021

It seems to be tradition at this point, but January’s free PlayStation Plus games have leaked yet again courtesy of Dealabs.

The first month of 2022 will be a good one with the line-up headlined by Deep Rock Galactic and Dirt 5 whilst PS4 owners will be able to enjoy Persona 5 Strikers.

JANUARY PLAYSTATION PLUS LINEUP

Deep Rock Galactic (PS5/PS4)
Dirt 5 (PS5/PS4)
Persona 5 Strikers (PS4)

You’ve still got a week or so to grab December’s PlayStation Plus games which includes:

Amazon Is Slinging Elden Ring Pre-Orders For A Hot Price

It’ll be interesting to see if we see a bigger shift to PS5 games being included in the lineup next year. If this leak turns out to be true, this is the first time we’ve seen two PS5 games included in the one month.

The post You Can Download January’s Free PlayStation Plus Games Right Now appeared first on Press Start.

A PS5 Remote Play App Has Started Appearing On PS4 Consoles

Shannon Grixti — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 02:16:52 +0000

As of this morning, Sony is slyly sneaking a PS5 Remote Play app onto people’s PS4 consoles. Without any software update or download, the PS5 Remote Play app is appearing on the dash.

This app allows you to stream a PS5 console onto your PS4, which would be useful if you’ve got your PS5 in another room or your office.

The PS5 can also remote play to or from another PS4/PS5 console, so you can remote play the other way as well.

One thing’s for sure. Looking at the two UIs compared, makes me realise how much more aesthetically pleasing the PS5 UI is. This will definitely be useful and hopefully it works well.

For the latest PS5 news this week, head to our PS5 launch hub.

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You’ll Be Able To Continue Playing Your PS5 While Your PS4 Data Is Transferring Over

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 23:13:44 +0000

In a brand new video focused on getting your PS4 data over to the PS5, Sony has detailed the fact that you’ll be able to continue to use your PS5 whilst your data from your PS4 gets transferred over.

In terms of how you can transfer all of your data, you’ll be able to do it over Wi-Fi, but Sony recommends that you use an ethernet cord between your PS4 and PS5.

You’ll also be able to just plug-in your external drive to play PS4 games, which looks like a fairly seamless process.

In terms of saves, you can either use a USB or download them from the cloud (but make sure you’ve uploaded them before you trade in that console).

The post You’ll Be Able To Continue Playing Your PS5 While Your PS4 Data Is Transferring Over appeared first on Press Start.

The Last Of Us Remastered’s Load Times On PS4 Have Been Hugely Improved Following A Patch

Shannon Grixti — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 23:15:27 +0000

Sony has begun rolling out a number of patches for PS4 games (assumed to be in preparation for PS5), but the games are seeing huge improvements on PS4 as well.

The Last Of Us Remastered in particular has seen a huge improvement when it comes to load times on PS4 with it taking only 14 seconds to load into a new game with the 1.11 patch. For comparison, it took 1 minute 30 seconds before the patch was installed.

Similarly, loading from a save also took around 14 seconds whilst it took roughly two minutes before the patch. You can see the comparison in the below video.

It’s unclear how there’s been such a drastic load time jump without the use of a fast HDD, but obviously some serious optimisation has been done.

The post The Last Of Us Remastered’s Load Times On PS4 Have Been Hugely Improved Following A Patch appeared first on Press Start.

The PS5 Box Has Provided PS4 To PS5 Transfer Details

Shannon Grixti — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 00:59:14 +0000

A bunch of US media outlets got their PS5 review units overnight, giving us our first proper look at the box, but the most interesting thing that box reveals is confirmation on exactly how we’ll be able to transfer all of our PS4 information over to our PS5.

RELATED: Amazon Has Dropped The Price Of Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War On PS5/Xbox Series X

FOR PS4 CONSOLE USERS:

You can transfer data to your PS5 console in the following ways:

Connect your PS4 console and your PS5 console to the same network
Connect your extended storage drive from your PS4 console to your PS5 console
Sign in to your PS5 console with the account you created on a PS4 console. You can transfer data such as gaming history and trophies, as well as profile and friend information.

Here it is compared to a base PS4. The keyword here is CHONK pic.twitter.com/TfCTJqc5SW

— Devindra Hardawar (@Devindra) October 23, 2020

Obviously, we get our first look at the actual PS5 box size as well, which is considerably bigger than the PS4 box in every aspect.

In terms of box contents, it’s confirmed that the console comes with:

PS5 console
HDMI 2.1 cable
Materials
Wireless controller
AC power cord
Astro’s playroom (pre-installed)
Base
USB cable

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Ghost of Tsushima: Legends’ Raid Mode Is Coming Next Week

Brodie Gibbons — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 23:02:26 +0000

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, the recently launched multiplayer mode for Sucker Punch’s samurai odyssey, is receiving its much-anticipated Raid next week. The devastatingly difficult mission is the culmination of the Legends storyline and will launch on October 30.

The Tale of Iyo supports four-player co-op and will be broken up as a three-chapter adventure. Given it demands attention and focus, it won’t support matchmaking at all so it’s best to come prepared with three of your friends if you’ve got any hope of tackling it.

“To get Raid ready, we recommend finishing all Story missions, and replaying Story and Survival on higher difficulties to get higher level gear,” developer Sucker Punch explained.

A patch is expected to be rolling out today also and it’s set to address the content’s network errors plus a number of other encountered bugs and crashes. For a full rundown of the patch notes, click here.

We recently got to speak with Sucker Punch’s Nate Fox and Daren Bridges about Legends and how fans of the game shaped its direction, you can read it here.

The post Ghost of Tsushima: Legends’ Raid Mode Is Coming Next Week appeared first on Press Start.

Spider-Cat Will Be Your Badass Feline Sidekick In Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Brodie Gibbons — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 22:31:09 +0000

Another thing learned in the fallout of Game Informer’s coverage of Spider-Man: Miles Morales is that our hero will, at some wonderful point, rescue a shopkeeper’s missing cat from a group of thugs at a power plant. Though the cat is actually named ‘Spider-Man’ and is affectionately referred to by Miles as ‘other Spider-Man’, it looks as though it’ll make for a badass sidekick.

Though the clip doesn’t show a heap of Spider-Cat in action, it would appear that once returned to its owner, he lets the ball of feline fury out on other adventures with Miles to the point where it has its own little mask, leaping out of Miles’ backpack to deal out a bit of claw justice on the thugs of New York.

Understandably, the internet is losing its collective mind over the darling Spider-Cat.

RELATED: AMAZON JUST DROPPED THE PRICE OF A BUNCH OF PS5 GAMES

..there is a suit in Spider-Man: Miles Morales with Spider-Cat in your backpack and it supports you during finishers pic.twitter.com/hpmsQiLvQW

— Nibel (@Nibellion) October 14, 2020

It’s bloody precious and we’re keen to see how many other weird and wonderful suits Insomniac pile into Miles Morales, which is set for release on November 12, 2020, for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

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PS4 Update 8.00 Seems To Be Causing Issues For Some Players

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 09:55:33 +0000

Earlier tonight we wrote about the imminent release of PS4 Update 8.00. It’s now dropped and several people are reporting issues with accessing friends list, adding or joining parties and other online services. The error code for almost everyone seems to be PS4 error WS 44369-6 or WS 36770-3. It’s quite possible that the update has pushed out ahead of Sony’s servers making the necessary update.

One reader wrote on our post: “There seems to an issue where friends list and user services is broken after the 8.00 update”. Another wrote: “After I updated, I can’t see my friends list or start a party”.

We’re keeping an eye on it and will let you know once there’s a fix.

RELATED: AMAZON JUST DROPPED THE PRICE OF A BUNCH OF PS5 GAMES

@AskPlayStation after installing the latest firmware for PS4 (8.00), my friend list doesn’t load. It says error WS-44369-6. Tried to search something on the web but it doesn’t exist.

— Christian Collins (@SimplyOriginals) October 14, 2020

Don’t install the #PS4 update that just came through. It’s pretty broken. Can’t appear online, my friend can’t turn his console off and no online connectivity – keep receiving an error. @PressStartAU @PlayStationAU @Sony

— Joshua Wells (@joshuawells93) October 14, 2020

Even tho I’m connected to the internet update 8.0 keeps giving me this, PSN is all up and running fine and when I try to go into fiends it gives me a error pic.twitter.com/g9geFobvgl

— Max Holton?? (@Maxhotlon) October 14, 2020

I can't see my friends list with the latest playstation update? Will we get a fix?

— Toby Ragan (@progamer8543) October 14, 2020

@AskPlayStation Hey, would you be able to tell me why I keep getting error codes? Everytime I try to access my friends list it gives me.. Cannot load. (WS-44369-6).Also when I try to appear online it comes up as An error has occurred. (WS-36770-3).I have just completed the update

— Pablo Migel (@Imjustpreeing13) October 14, 2020

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PS4 System Update 8.00 And A PlayStation App Update Are Coming Today Ahead Of The PS5 Release

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 09:10:51 +0000

Sony has announced that PS4 System Update 8.00 will release later today. There’s not a lot of huge changes, but it seems that Sony is preparing a lot of its services for the release of the PS5. This includes changes to party and messages, as well as a number of changes to parental controls and 2-step verification.

The PlayStation Remote Play app is also getting updated. It’ll now be called PS Remote Play and include support for the PS5 at launch.

RELATED: Amazon Just Dropped The Price Of A Bunch Of PS5 Games

PS5 SYSTEM UPDATE 8.00 CHANGES

Updates to Party and Messages

Following this update, Party and Messages will be more tightly linked together and you will see changes to the UI. Both apps will now use the same ‘Groups’ of players for Party voice chats and message exchanges, instead of having different groups setup across the two apps. So now you can start a Party chat or send a message to the group you’ve previously chatted with across PS4, as well as PS5 when it launches.

New Avatars

We’re expanding the collection of pre-set avatars for players to showcase on their Profile. An array of new avatars from your favorite games will be available, including Bloodborne, Journey, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, The Last of Us Part II, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and many more.

Mute all Mics from Quick Menu

We’ve added an option to “Mute all Microphones” in the Quick Menu, so you can easily mute your mics while gaming.

Simplified and more flexible Parental Controls

Under Parental Controls, we’re combining the ‘Communicating with Other Players’ and ‘Viewing Content Created by other Players’ into one setting – ‘Communication and User Generated Content’- to cover both areas of communication and UGC sharing. This offers a simpler setting that’s easier for parents to understand and apply to their children.

In addition, children can send a request to their parents to use communications features in specific games. When a child sends this request, the parent will receive an email notification and can choose to make an exception for that game and allow the child to use its communications and UGC features. This will provide more flexibility to both parents and children.

Enhanced 2-Step Verification

The 2-Step Verification (2SV) feature on PS4 will be enhanced to support third party authenticator apps as an option during the activation flow and 2SV sign-in across PS4, mobile and web.

Removal of Event Creation and Private Community Creation

After 8.00, you will no longer be able to create Events or access existing Events created by other users.

We’re also removing the ability to create private Communities under the Community app on PS4. If you already have existing private Communities, you can continue to access them.

Updates to Remote Play App on Mobile and PC

At the same time as 8.00, the existing PS4 Remote Play app on mobile (iOS/Android), Windows PC and Mac, will change its name to PS Remote Play, and the option to connect to PS5 will be added. You’ll need to sign in to PSN from your PS5 to be able to access the feature, so sit tight until PS5 launches this November!

The post PS4 System Update 8.00 And A PlayStation App Update Are Coming Today Ahead Of The PS5 Release appeared first on Press Start.

Here’s A Look At The First Boss Fight In Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Brodie Gibbons — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 23:11:22 +0000

To go with the screenshots and details that released this morning, Game Informer has also released a small clip showing off Miles Morales in action in what is supposedly the game’s first boss encounter.

The clip opens with Peter and Miles easing a spiraling helicopter to the ground using their webs. Unfortunately, this leads to a police escort truck rolling, Miles is apologetic but the pair quickly galvanise themselves as the rear of the truck bursts open, revealing Rhino as the first boss. It’s a small but nice slice of the mentoring role Peter is sure to have as he helps Miles hone his gift.

Most of the clip is Miles rodeoing Rhino and hitting him with ‘Venom Punch’ or two. The game looks great and it looks as though it’ll well and truly carry the torch from 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales releases on November 12, 2020, for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

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Here Are The PS4 Games That Won’t Work On PS5

Shannon Grixti — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:57:04 +0000

Sony has detailed PS5 backwards compatibility, and things like games saves and transferring your PS4 games to your PS5, but they also detailed a number of PS4 games that won’t work on PS5.

PS4 GAMES THAT WON’T WORK ON PS5

DWVR
Afro Sumurai 2 Revenge of Kuma Volume One
TT Isle Of Man: Ride on the Edge 2
Just Deal With It
Shadow Complex Remastered
Robinson: The Journey
We Sing
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
Shadwen
Joe’s Diner

RELATED: Amazon Just Dropped The Price Of A Bunch Of PS5 Games

It’s unclear why these games won’t work on PS5. It seems like an odd list made up of a few games that I’ve heard of and others that I haven’t, but none of them stand out as games that wouldn’t work on PS5.

The post Here Are The PS4 Games That Won’t Work On PS5 appeared first on Press Start.

PS5 Backwards Compatibility For PS4 Games Has Finally Been Detailed

Shannon Grixti — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:35:35 +0000

It’s been the missing piece of the puzzle for quite some time, but Sony has finally detailed exactly how PS4 backwards compatibility works on PS5.

WHICH PS4 GAMES AND PS4 SAVES WILL WORK ON PS5?

Sony has confirmed that 99% of your PS4 games will work on PS5. It’s as simple as putting the disc in or re-downloading the game from the PlayStation Store and installing the necessary updates. In terms of your game saves, they’ll work perfectly as well.

RELATED: Amazon Just Dropped The Price Of A Bunch Of PS5 Games

HOW TO GET YOUR PS4 GAMES OVER TO YOUR PS5

You’re able to get your digital games, game data and saves from a PS4 console to a PS5 by using a LAN cable or by Wifi. If you’ve got an external hard drive that you’re using with your PS4 for PS4 games, then you’re also able to plug this into your PS5 as well.

PS4 GAMES WILL RUN BETTER ON PS5 USING GAME BOOST MODE

It was referenced on the PS5 website some time ago but it’s now been confirmed, that similarly to how the Xbox Series X enhances Xbox One games, the PS5 will see the same benefits including enhanced load speeds, games with unlocked frame rates will run better and games that use dynamic resolution up to 4K will see higher fidelity. Sony also says that PS4 games will take advantage of PS5 UX benefits, but they’re not talking too much about that yet.

THE PS4 GAMES THAT WON’T WORK ON PS5

Sony has published a list of games that will remain PS4 only, and honestly I’m surprised at how small it is. I haven’t even heard of the majority of the games on the list. They include:

DWVR
Afro Sumurai 2 Revenge of Kuma Volume One
TT Isle Of Man: Ride on the Edge 2
Just Deal With It
Shadow Complex Remastered
Robinson: The Journey
We Sing
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
Shadwen
Joe’s Diner

PLAYSTATION VR GAMES ON PS5

Just like PS4 games, PlayStation VR games will also work. You just need a PlayStation VR headset, a PlayStation camera and the previously mentioned PlayStation Camera Adaptor for PS5.

The post PS5 Backwards Compatibility For PS4 Games Has Finally Been Detailed appeared first on Press Start.

The PlayStation Game Sale Has Some Bloody Good Deals

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 01:00:06 +0000

Sony has launched the PlayStation Game sale across all retailers in Australia, bringing several PS4 games to their cheapest prices ever. You can find all the deals HERE from Amazon, but we’ve also listed them below. As always, you will get free shipping if you order over $39. If you’re a Prime member, you get free shipping no matter how much you spend.

RELATED: ALL THE PS5 GAMES AND ACCESSORIES ARE UP FOR PRE-ORDER

PLAYSTATION GAME SALE

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS

The post The PlayStation Game Sale Has Some Bloody Good Deals appeared first on Press Start.

More Aussies Are Gaming Online During Lockdown

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 22:00:53 +0000

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, but it looks like more people are gaming online in 2020 than ever before.

In a study conducted by NortonLifeLock, 42% of Australians said they were gaming online regularly. This is up from the 33% that said that they didn’t game online pre-lockdown.

Interestingly enough, with more people buying things online, using online streaming and gaming services, the same survey suggests that nearly 1 in 4 Aussies have experienced cybercrime during the Covid-19 lockdown.

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