Welcome to the first Players’ Choice poll of 2024! Let’s welcome the new year by picking your favorite title for January among the heavy hitters, indie knockouts, and virtual bangers.
How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year.
What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will.
How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted.
Until Then is an indie game with unexpectedly profound things to say and a breathtaking art style set among Philippine-inspired landscapes. Don’t mistake its simplistic controls for a lack of substance—from its addictively mundane minigames to its meaningful look at healing from trauma. This game has the potential to stand among the classics in the narrative adventure genre.
Until Then unravels a bittersweet story of mystery and tragedy, unpacking the trauma of loss through the eyes of the main character, high school student Mark Borja. In a world still recovering from catastrophe, Mark and his friends navigate the joys and woes of another year of high school—piano practice, homework deadlines, and school drama— as you reminisce about the daily insecurities of high school life.
That is, until a fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark’s life. People
disappear, and memories prove unreliable. You’ll work to uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure as you race to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.
An emotional rollercoaster blending tearful moments with delightful fun
Throughout Until Then, you’ll meet a diverse and achingly familiar cast of characters to converse with in person, over text, and through email. Watch how their personal stories unfold alongside yours as you get to know them, build relationships, and possibly flunk group projects.
Weave through familiar, busy corridors in your school uniform, wake to the roosters’ crows, and calls for Tahooooo! (a popular local sweet snack) and, of course, don’t miss the train for your morning commute. Immerse yourself in the sights and songs of the daily lives of Filipino students, barreling their way through high school in a rich and intricate city inspired by Metro Manila and the developers’ alma maters.
Attribution: Rizal Provincial Government
The game confronts you with philosophical issues as you walk alongside Mark as he makes mistakes and struggles to heal his wounds and let go of the past. Decide how Mark grows and strives to improve throughout the story.
Moments of relief from tear-jerking topics come in the form of comical and engaging minigames that you won’t want to put down. Insert a flash drive—oh wait, wrong way—nope, it was right the first time. Help Mark practice for his piano recital. Enjoy minigames inspired by Filipino life as well: Fight your friend for more fishballs at the food stand outside. Get in the groove to pay for the jeepney, a unique local mode of transport. Until Then lets you lose yourself in little games you play in everyday life.
Uncomplicated side-scrolling mechanics
You are seamlessly guided through the world of Until Then as you walk your character through the environment and interact with items and people. The dialogue—chatting with friends or texting with your in-game smartphone—often drives the story forward with new information and context for the strange occurrences Mark starts to experience. You can also explore the depths of social media, where your likes and comments may pose consequences. Scrolling through social posts, emails, and webpages might reveal further hints and clues about the people and world around you, so keep your eyes peeled.
Investigating the mystery will take you to all sorts of places, from a warm evening playing games at the local fair to the ruins of a coastal town marred by catastrophe. Take your time to walk around, see the sights, and interact with the environment to discover more about this bright and vivid world.
Concept Art provided by Polychroma Games
A love letter from the developers
Polychroma Games is a team of talented developers based in the Philippines, entwining the interactivity of play and the power of stories. Until Then was born from our desire to create stories that only games can tell.
The game itself is a love letter to youth in the Philippines. From small details in the background to major motifs in the setting of the fictional cities of Liamson and Bonifacio, we wanted to show a world that would celebrate the rich and diverse culture that shaped our own lives.
Attribution: Google Maps
We also wanted emotions that would resonate—a story familiar to everyone, which would resound in anyone’s heart even after playing. We wanted to tell a story of growing up, navigating relationships as time changes us, and coming to terms with loss.
Creating this game and its story wasn’t easy. It involved quite a few leaps of faith, and trusting that people would see and feel the heart we put into it, that people would want to see a story about some random kids in a Philippines touched by tragedy. Prepare to be swept off your feet into immersive storytelling, stunning pixelated visuals, intricate plots, and unforgettable characters when you come face-to-face with the mysterious world of Until Then. Wishlist Until Then now on PS5.
Last week, we asked you to share new skins unlocked in The Last of Us Part II Remastered’s No Return mode using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
RevolutionAndre shares Ellie facing forward in the Astronaut skin
secondcapture shares Abby looking up through aviator sunglasses in the Bomber skin
W3bmast3r_vp shares Ellie with her gun drawn and a spore mask on in the Savage Starlight skin
Morph__1 shares Abby looking down in the rain in the Eighties leather jacket skin
jabivgp shares Ellie wearing the red Plaid skin, looking at the camera with a spore mask on
SneakyMikeVP shares Abby looking over her shoulder in the Badlands skin
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Cool
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on February 7, 2024
Next week, we’re feeling cool. 😎 Share moments with an undeniably cool character from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Have you ever watched the anonymous soldiers of a sci-fi movie get obliterated by aliens and thought to yourself, “I could do better”? Helldivers 2 is Arrowhead Game Studios’ invitation to brave players dying to experience the chaotic fun of facing seemingly impossible odds.
For the uninitiated, Helldivers 2 is a full sequel that maintains the 4-player cooperative essence of the 2015 top-down PS4 entry, while adding modern over-the-shoulder third-person gunplay and deeper customization options.
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I recently had a chance to suit up and drop into a hands-on session with Helldivers 2 on PS5, and lived to share this debriefing. I teamed up with three other Helldivers to learn the ropes and emerged with a whetted appetite for eliminating space bugs and murderous Automatons.
Let’s dive in.
Action sci-fi gunplay
Helldivers 2 is bursting with customization options and strategic depth, but shooting lots of enemies is your bread and butter. Arrowhead managed to translate the frenetic top-down energy of Helldivers into a smooth third-person shooter. Weapon recoil feels powerful yet predictable enough to maintain your accuracy. I specifically loved watching Automaton’s armor dent and shatter off as I punched them full of sniper rounds.
Players have options when it comes to gunplay. Hold the Square button to switch between single, burst, and autofire. Press L2 to shoulder your weapon and zoom in with R2. Click R3 button to aim-down-sights for even deeper precision and immersion. The direction buttons are used for quick actions, like switching to grenades by pressing right or pressing for a life-restoring stim. Remember to save a few ‘nades to close up bug nests or destroy enemy factories.
The moment-to-moment action is tight and reliable, which is key when all hell inevitably breaks loose.
The gameplay loop
Blasting deadly bugs and robots is a reward in itself, but Arrowhead has plenty of progression options to keep soldiers motivated. Visit Ship Management after a mission to unlock new Stratagems like the deadly Orbital Laser or Bulwark machine gun. Use valuable Samples collected on missions to upgrade Strategems to more powerful versions, like the Donation Access License which increases the number of magazines in your weapons.
The Helldivers Mobilize menu allows you to customize your Helldiver with gear that’s both stylish and offers gameplay benefits. For example, the SC-34 Infiltrator body armor includes a passive boost called Scout, which boosts radar scan abilities and makes you harder to detect. Once you’ve unlocked and upgraded your options, it’s time to select the next mission, jump in the Hell Pod, choose your gear and Stratagem loadout, and begin again.
Your starship headquarters
Players rally on the bridge of their ship, which serves as hub of operations in Helldivers 2 (complete with customizable name). The militaristic sci-fi ship is outfitted with NPCs, an armory for outfitting your Helldiver, and a giant glowing holographic planet detailing the next mission destination. Accessing the hologram also showcases community stats like total active Helldivers, enemies killed, Helldivers killed in action, and bullets fired. The planetary map also offers a strategic overview of the map, letting players see key objections, extraction points, and choose their drop zones.
Stratagem highlights
Stratagems are Helldivers’ critical lifeline to the might of the orbiting military ships. These equippable commands include supply drops, orbital attacks, deployable defenses, and more. Players execute Stratagems by holding L1 and inputting a code with the directional buttons, similar to entering old-school video game cheat codes. Stratagems become available again after a cooldown period. The process of using a Stratagem is easy outside combat, but accuracy can go out the window when battles break out.
Check out some Stratagems that stood out to me as especially valuable and satisfying:
Orbital Laser – A massive beam of energy projects from above, scorching enemy forces in a spectacular and deadly display.
Tesla Tower – This deployable defense electrifies nearby foes with sprawling Tesla coils. Don’t drop it too close to your crew.
Anti-Material Rifle – At least one Helldiver should pack this high-powered sniper rifle. The range and impact punches through enemy armor like butter.
Stalwart – This machine gun packs a punch and beefy ammo capacity. Drop it at the beginning of the mission so you or your allies can equip it.
Anti-Tank Missile – A devastating projectile that can down bigger foes in one shot. Partner with another Helldiver to speed up the reload process, but watch out for the recoil blast.
Game mode variety
Arrowhead has a host of mission types for Helldivers to drop into. Horde mode involves defending a key area, which means it’s valuable to equip Stratagems like deployable sentry guns or Tesla Towers and group-protecting shields. Bug nest extermination missions involve wiping out clusters of eggs, so grenades and wide-radius precision orbital strikes come in handy. My favorite mode was Automaton Control, which involved closing down lethal robot assembly lines by gunning down enemies and tossing grenades into the factory vents.
Dive!
Chaos is bound to break out even amongst well-oiled Helldiver teams. Thankfully, pressing the Circle button makes your soldier dive for safety. Teammate accidentally calls in an Orbital Strike on top of your head? Dive! Suddenly step into your own sentry guns’ line of fire? Dive! Looking for a needlessly dramatic entrance into the fray? You guessed it… dive!
Friendly fire everywhere
Carelessness will get you killed on the battlefields of Helldivers 2. Your teammates’ bullets are agnostic, and shredding one another is lethally easy. This extends to your own deployed mines, gatling turrets, Tesla Towers, and more. Survival means keeping your head on a swivel and overcommunicating when your fellow soldier is about to be squashed by a supply drop. Expect to chew through some lives thanks to hilarious, spectacular fails.
Speaking of fails, teams share a pool of lives which depletes each time a player dies. You can quickly redeploy a replacement Helldiver by inputting a contextual Stratagem code, and even choose where their Hell Pod drops. Players can tune their drop location on the way back to the battlefield, either to land in safety or crush an enemy with a lucky landing. In my experience, the number of lives was well tuned for the increasing difficulty arc as we remained on the planet, just enough to keep the tension alive.
Procedurally generated maps
Every drop feels new thanks to Arrowhead’s procedurally generated maps. You’ll explore biomes like a tropical jungle, craggy lunar surface, gray rocky planet bristling with exotic red flora, and much more. The layout of the environment changes as well, meaning enemy bases, secondary objectives, and the terrain itself will present unique scenarios for each mission.
One example shared by Arrowhead involved a duo of bug nests standing between players and the extraction point. The bugs swarmed the lone path leading to their exit, but the numbers were too great to defeat. The Helldivers strategized by calling in a smoke screen Stratagem to blind the bugs and sneak past to victory. This is just one example of how shifting mission layouts can result in emergent war stories.
Make handy work of your robotic foes by equipping a high-powered sniper rifle.
Galactic War
Arrowhead looks at Helldivers 2 as a “global co-op” game. The entire player base combines forces to fight encroaching enemies for the liberty of Super Earth. The galactic map is made up of sectors, and each is composed of planetary clusters. When the community clears out all planets in a sector, it’s then claimed for Super Earth and participating players receive a reward. The liberation effort is represented by a progress bar on the map.
Prepare for incoming waves by dropping a spray of proximity mines. But watch out, Helldives can detonate them, too.
Orders & Effects
Arrowhead has a Game Master in the studio who sets Major Orders for the community to unite and complete for community rewards. One Major Order example in effect during my hands-on involved extracting from a successful mission three times. There are also cycling Environmental Conditions to consider, like Extreme Cold which reduces the rate of fire and delays heat buildup in weapons. Paying attention to conditions can help players plan for a smooth mission and equip gear and Stratagems that suit the planetary environment.
This is only a taste of what the treacherous yet rewarding life of a Helldiver entails. You can enlist and test your survival skills on interplanetary battlefields when Helldivers 2 drops on PS5 February 8.
Today’s Spider-Man creators grew up adoring Marvel’s web-slinging Super Heroes. Beyond this shared love for Peter Parker and Miles Morales, these creative minds approach their craft in surprisingly similar and divergent ways. Exploring how creators of different mediums approach crafting unique stories featuring shared characters is endlessly fascinating.
That’s why we’re excited to reveal a new entry in Sony’s Creator to Creator series, featuring some key people responsible for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This two-part series includes:
Bryan Intihar, Senior Creative Director, Insomniac Games
Jacinda Chew, Senior Art Director, Insomniac Games
Robert “Bobby” Coddington, Senior Animation Director, Insomniac Games
Bill Rosemann, Marvel Games Vice President & Creative Director
Joaquim Dos Santos, Director, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Kemp Powers, Director, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Justin K Thompson, Director, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Part one of the Creator to Creator series dives into everything from authentically portraying Marvel Super Heroes in film and games to the parallel bonds between the Spider-Men and the creative teams that bring them to life.
In part one, Coddington reflects on foundational lessons from Marvel artists and how to pose the Heroes dynamically. Thompson explains how technology has evolved so far that it’s no longer the main hurdle for telling visually complex stories, like those of the Spider-Verse. Chew reveals her excitement and sense of duty around creating convincing Symbiote tentacles in the game. Finally, Intihar discusses how the bond between Peter and Miles reminds him of growing alongside his fellow Insomniac developers.
We also had the opportunity to check in with the Insomniac Games team that participated in the Creator to Creator series, asking them to share what they learned and think will stick with them from these conversations:
“It was inspiring to talk to another creative team working in the Spider-Man universe and discovering that we were all dealing with similar problems and challenges regardless of medium.”
– Jacinda Chew, Senior Art Director, Insomniac Games
“That’s our great responsibility… to make a place where someone young and insecure and doesn’t see a future for themselves say, ‘that’s mine.”
– Robert “Bobby” Coddington, Senior Animation Director, Insomniac Games
“I’m a better Insomniac and better creative director because of (Bobby and Jacinda). For me, the game represents what it feels like to be part of this team.”
– Bryan Intihar, Senior Creative Director, Insomniac Games
Stay tuned for part two of Sony’s Creator to Creator series featuring Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, comingFebruary 5.
Prepare for a massive drop of new content with the arrival of Season 2 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone. Introducing new maps, modes, weapons, a new Zombies story mission, the return of Fortune’s Keep, Resurgence Ranked Play, and more, there’s plenty to challenge players across all modes.
Departures (Launch): Deploy to Zakhaev International Airport in a competitive 6v6 map with areas for all playstyles. Battle in the main lobby, up on the mezzanine walkway, or take it outside by the airport drop off. This map is larger than Terminal, rewarding exploration with new routes and strategies.
Stash House (Launch): Prepare for chaos as battle erupts on this compact map featuring a luxury ranch home filled with cash. Explore the modern décor within or fight by the outside bar, hot tub, and driveway. For those who like tiny maps, this is for you.
Vista (Launch): Explore a mountaintop resort in Brazil in this classic three-lane map featuring tight interior spaces with long-ranged outdoor sight lines. Battle around the gift shops and restaurants or flank through the lowered jungle route away from the bustle of stores.
Das House (Mid-Season): The seminal small map returns with an all-new look as Operators navigate an under-construction skyscraper in the vicinity of Highrise. Looking for constant combat? This is it.
Plus, two more otherworldly-themed maps will join Tetanus, Sporeyard, and Satan’s Quarry for the Vortex Mid-Season Event: Airborne and Skidrow.
New War Map — Operation: Tin Man
Compete in a new large-scale War map with Operation: Tin Man. Skydive to the roof of a skyscraper and crash into the inner lab in the search for enemy data. The attacking team must find a way into the building, complete the mission, and move onto extraction as the other side defends the building and attempts to run down the clock.
New Game Modes
Team Gun Game (Launch): Every player starts the round with the same specific weapon. Eliminate enemy Operators to progress through a set of eight predetermined weapons. Use Knife melees and Finishing Moves to deduct a point from the enemy team’s score.
Snipers Only (Launch): You’ll need a steady hand and quick reflexes in this playlist featuring long-ranged combat across a variety of maps. All weapons besides Sniper Rifles are restricted, including your Lethal and Tactical equipment.
Hordepoint (Launch): In this zombified version of Hardpoint, a portal opens whenever an Operator enters the objective boundary. Zombies pour forth, attacking everything in sight. Eliminated zombies have a small chance of dropping a power-up or a Pack-a-Punch weapon when eliminated.
Juggermosh (Mid-Season): Deploy as an armed Juggernaut and take on other hulking Operators. Grab armor from fallen enemies and gain increased damage for headshots. A one-hit kill Melee weapon lies at the center of the map, a powerful reward for whoever gets their hands on it.
Bounty (Mid-Season): In this twist on Team Deathmatch, the player with the most eliminations from each team will be marked as a high-value target. Earn extra points for slaying a high-value target.
Vortex (Mid-Season): Vortex returns with a stronger version of the Ray Gun plus an increased map pool and an update Vortex Mid-Season event.
Plus, Ranked Play: Compete in Ranked Play Season 2 at launch, featuring all-new Seasonal and Skill Division rewards.
Ninja Vest
Equip the new Ninja Vest to eliminate your Operator’s footstep sounds and become immune to movement reduction effects. You will also spawn with bonus Shuriken or Throwing Knives and resupply them every 25 seconds.
Zombies Overview
New Rift, New Mission (Mid-Season): Operation Deadbolt must face a new anomaly in the Exclusion Zone as the Dark Aether Story continues within a new Rift. Escort expert Sergei Ravenov inside the Dark Aether with mercenaries on your tail. Face down the Infested Stronghold and get out before it’s too late.
New Challenges, Schematics (Mid-Season): As with Season 1, your Prestige Player Level unlocks more challenges to complete and Calling Cards to unlock. Season 2 also introduces new schematics:
Mags of Holding: When activated, your weapon pulls ammunition straight from your ammo stash, eliminating the need for pesky reloads.
Blood Burner Key: Acquire this valuable key to summon the Blood Burner Wonder Vehicle from anywhere on the map.
V-R11 Wonder Weapon: Turn enemies into allies with a schematic for the V-R11.
New Warlord
The Warlord Keres, a deadly and elusive chemical warfare specialist, has set up shop in the Killhouse at Orlov Military Base. Expect the fortress to be highly fortified with soldiers, snipers, turrets, traps, and her specialty, poison gas. Bring your gas masks and precision teamwork to eliminate the new enemy.
Call of Duty: Warzone Overview
Welcome Back to Fortune’s Keep (Launch)
The island has evolved since its first debut: Konni Group has set up a base of operations, conducting mysterious experiments in a new underground lab. Something’s gone wrong, releasing a massive explosion across the island and letting loose an unceasing, undead threat.
Fortune’s Keep is set to become your primary Call of Duty: Warzone destination at launch as you drop into Resurgence matches and challenge the best players in Ranked Play.
New Gameplay Features
Zombie Nests, Eradication Contract (Launch): Recent seismic events may be linked to increased undead activity across Fortune’s Keep. Activate the new Eradication Contract by investigating any corpse that you find and following the tracks to a Zombie Nest. Destroy the cysts and any Zombie HVTs within to complete the Contract.
Rogue Signal Public Event (Launch): When this Public Event activates, all squads will be given a 90-second objective-based mission such as “Get the most eliminations” or “Deal the most damage to enemy players.” The top three performing teams will receive in-game Cash rewards and the location of a special Reward Cache.
Zombies Power-Ups (Launch): Seven Zombies power-ups have made their way onto the island, found by opening certain caches and eliminating enemy Operators. The power-ups include Double Points, Full Armor, Max Ammo, Fire Sale, Looting Spree, Zarkour, and Undead Sight.
Extendable Bridges (Launch): Fortune’s Keep now features three Extendable Bridges built over gaps in the fallen roadways following the explosion. Interact with the nearby control panels to extend or retract them, creating strategic opportunities for preventing and gaining access across.
New Squad Elimination Streaks (Launch): Get on a roll. This new tracker — available on all maps outside of Ranked Play — displays how many enemy squads you have eliminated back-to-back. Keep eliminating squads before the countdown bar runs out to extend your Squad Elimination Streak and earn rewards along the way.
Mid-Season Updates
Research Vessel (Mobile Point of Interest): A large pontoon-style watercraft has been spotted in the waters off the coast of Fortune’s Keep. Certain to draw attention, the craft is large enough for combat to take place across the deck.
Bunker Buster (Killstreak): Use binoculars to designate a target structure. This Lethal Killstreak launches a missile that vertically decimates a building through multiple floors, blasting those within. The impact creates a long column of gas designed to force surviving enemies out of cover.
Personal Decontamination Station (Field Upgrade): An improved version of the Personal Decontamination Station (PDS) Field Upgrade joins the loot pool at mid-season, emitting a cloud of chemicals that counteract the corrosive properties of the circle gas, creating a temporary safe zone.
Call of Duty: Warzone Ranked Resurgence
Compete against the best with Ranked Play in Call of Duty: Warzone. Players must be at least Level 55 to access this mode, including the following parameters:
Party Size: Trios Map: Fortune’s Keep Game Mode: Resurgence Public Event restrictions: Yes (e.g., No Fire Sales) Vehicle restrictions: Yes (e.g., No Turreted Vehicles) Restricted gameplay elements: Yes (e.g., changes to redeploy mechanics) Buy Station Inventory Adjustments: Yes
Battle your way through seven standard Skill Divisions by performing well in matches and completing challenges to earn Stars and increase your Skill Rating. Earn seasonal Ranked Play and Skill Division rewards and claim your title as ruler of Fortune’s Keep!
Season 2 Combat Pack and other Store offerings
Look for the Season 2 Combat Pack, free for PlayStation Plus members in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone starting on February 14. Other upcoming Store Bundles include the Dragon Soul: Lunar New Year Bundle, the Call of Duty Endowment Direct Action Pack, the Zombies: Aether Worm Bundle, and more!
Season 2 launches February 7
Purchase Modern Warfare III on PlayStation to enjoy the benefits of two additional loadout slots, monthly exclusive Double XP events, +25% PlayStation Party Bonus XP, +5 bonus Battle Token Tier Skips with a BlackCell purchase, and a free in-game bundle each season with the Combat Pack.
If you missed the live broadcast of the latest State of Play, you can find the full show, all the individual trailers and the announcements collected in one handy list below. Enjoy.
Today, we’re happy to announce the latest, full Monthly Games lineup for PlayStation Plus. February’s selection is headlined by Square Enix’s competitive yet ultra-colorful online party shooter Foamstars, which makes its debut exclusively on PlayStation Plus. Joining it is a potent mix of skates and gunplay with the highly stylish Rollerdrome, while Steelrising brings you automaton-powered RPG action. All three will be available to PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday, February 6 until Monday, March 4. Let’s take a closer look at each game.
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Foamstars | PS4, PS5
Introducing Foamstars, the new 4v4 online party shooter. Use foam to build terrain, creating slippery surfaces to surf around the arena at high speed, help defend from enemy attacks, or create vantage points to take out opponents from. Select from a quirky and colorful cast of athletes and compete across multiple game modes. Find out more about Foamstars from its creators here.
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Rollerdrome | PS4, PS5
From the critically acclaimed studio, Roll7, comes a high octane third-person shooter experience like no other. In the brutal blood sport, Rollerdrome, gear up for visceral combat with fluid motion set in an evocative retrofuture. Dominate with style in this intense shooter-skater hybrid, where kills grant health and nailing tricks provide you with ammunition. Will you have what it takes to become the next Rollerdrome Champion?
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Steelrising | PS5
This action RPG is set in an alternate history Paris in which the French Revolution has been suppressed by a robotic army. Fight and explore through the streets, rooftops, neighborhoods and castles as Aegis, a mysterious automaton masterpiece. Engage in ruthless and intense fights against technological marvels that are as complex as they are unforgiving.
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Fall Guys Icons Pack, exclusive to PlayStation Plus members
Play for the Crown with the Fall Guys Icons Pack, which brings some iconic PlayStation looks to the multiplayer party. Deck out your Bean in Aloy, Ratchet & Clank costumes and debut some additional cosmetics while competing!
Claim the Icons Pack and receive:
– Ratchet (Whole Costume)
– Clank (Whole Costume)
– Aloy (Whole Costume)
– Groovitron (Emote)
– Clank’s Laugh (Emote)
– Lombax (Pattern)
– Clank (Pattern)
– Seeker (Pattern)
– Ratchet (Colour)
– Clank (Colour)
– Ratchet (Nameplate)
– Clank (Nameplate)
– Horizon (Nameplate)
– Aloy (Faceplate)
– Ratchet (Faceplate)
– Clank (Faceplate)
– Seeker (Nickname)
You’ll be able to find and download this pack in addition to the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games line up on PlayStation Store. Download Fall Guys from PlayStation Store to access. Once downloaded, they’ll all be available in-game immediately, regardless of whether you’re a new or returning player.
Last chance to download January’s Monthly Games
PlayStation Plus members have until February 5 to add A Plague Tale: Requiem, Evil West and Nobody Saves the World to their game library.
This Valentine’s Season, whether you’re conquering virtual realms together or enjoying solo adventures, PlayStation Plus ensures your gaming experience is nothing short of epic with the below surprises:
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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Game Trial
(for PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe members)
Starting February 6
Get a taste of the life of Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they swing through the city and face various villains. As a PlayStation Plus Premium member you’ll have access to Marel’s Spider-Man 2 with a 2 hour time-limited trial starting February 6. Trophies and save progress from this trial will carry over if you decide to purchase the full game.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink will be available on February 1 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Ahead of its release, we sat down with the General Director, Tetsuya Fukuhara, and Director Yasuyuki Kaji from Cygames to discuss the efforts that went into this title.
PlayStation Blog: As the release day approaches, tell us your feelings and thoughts about the upcoming title.
Tetsuya Fukuhara: Just like most team members, the reality hasn’t sunk in yet for me. With the support of the company, we were able to focus on the development of the game, and the demo version received a more positive response than we had hoped for, so I feel all the effort we made to make this title as exciting as possible has paid off.
Yasuyuki Kaji: I feel terrible about how long it took for us to develop Relink and for keeping our fans in limbo. That said, I truly believe our time and effort have translated well into this title. The great response we’ve received for the demo version has instilled confidence in us that players would appreciate the work we have put into Relink, but of course, I feel nervous as it gets closer to the launch.
The battle movements and tempo are quite nimble. Are there any behind-the-scenes stories on how the team decided on the battle speed and what adjustments needed to be made?
Fukuhara: From the initial concept stage, our goal was to make it so that even those still new to action games could control their character skillfully. As we refined the details like movements and hit timing, we adjusted the battle speed; Slower movement or delayed timing would ruin the exhilarating sensation, and faster movement or quicker timing would make it too difficult for the player to keep up with the movement.
Kaji: We wanted to appeal to a broader range of players. Or, more precisely, with the assumption that people who have played the original Granblue Fantasy will be playing the console version for the first time, so we wanted to avoid making the game system too strict.
With over 20 playable characters appearing in the product version of the title, each with their own unique action style and different playstyle, what mind process did you go through to create this level of difference?
Kaji: Since Granblue Fantasy characters are very popular, I didn’t want Relink to be just another game with them. We aimed to create a game that pushes the limit by bringing out the best in each character and having depth and profundity in the action.
Fukuhara: When choosing characters to include in Relink, we envisioned which characters from the original title would offer a unique play feel and contribute best to make the game more exciting. In earlier days of development, I recall reminding the team not to hold back their creativity because they seemed too focused on mirroring the animation and styles of the original title. It is true that we had to make sure that we stayed within the character images of our original Granblue Fantasy fans, but it is also true that our job was to exceed their expectations and surprise them.
The PS5 version supports the DualSense wireless controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. How are these features utilized in the game?
Kaji: One of the stages features an ether cannon that fires projectiles. When firing two types of projectiles, the adaptive trigger has different resistance, so the player feels the sensation of firing and the recoil at the tips of their fingers.
Haptic feedback, on the other hand, was fully utilized, especially in battles. As the title boasts a variety of fighting characters who use a wide range of weapons, the haptic feedback is distinctively different from slashing with a large sword to striking with a heavy fist to slicing with two swords. This is directly related to the difference in the playstyle of each character. Also, regarding the game system, when a player successfully performs a just-guard or other move, the DualSense wireless controller sendsstronger vibrations. With Haptic feedback, players can feel whether their move was a success or failure, while simultaneously allowing them to experience a sense of tactility and exhilaration.
Cygames’ graphic work excels in the new 3D iteration of the Granblue Fantasy world. How did your team work together to elevate the world, and were there any hurdles along the way?
Fukuhara: Our fundamental goal was to stay true to its 2D illustrations. Achieving that in 3D took us years of trial and error until we were finally satisfied.
Kaji: There was a period of time when we would compare the finished 3D model with the original illustration and repeatedly make adjustments, saying, This part can still be better. All the textures of the background were hand-drawn. For the background illustrations in Granblue Fantasy, the amount of information is cut back for objects seen in the distance, but to reproduce this in 3D space, we walked around the world and made adjustments.
This title places a great deal of importance on the characters. How are characters portrayed in the game?
Fukuhara: Each character comes from a unique, rich background, so it was important to include the elements of their Fate Episodes from the original version. We wanted to make them easily accessible to players stepping into the world of Relink. Since the backstory of who each character is and why they are with the main character plays an indispensable role in the game, the first two episodes of each character’s ten-part Fate Episode are revealed automatically.
Kaji: It’s not a lie if I say the Link Attacks were included for the purpose of dialogue. Chain Bursts, which is also in the original game, allow the characters to talk to each other, but that alone does not give them enough opportunities to have dialogue during normal gameplay. When we were trying to develop an organic way to allow players to have dialogue with their allies instead of monologue for a more enjoyable game experience, we decided to employ the concept of fighting together.
What are your plans for additional downloadable content, new quests, and other post-launch developments?
Fukuhara: We have already announced that we will add the most challenging quest in March, two playable characters, Seofon and Tweyen, and a new quest in April. Beyond that, I cannot reveal yet, but we are planning another update in May.
Anything else you’d like to make sure players know?
Fukuhara: Each character offers a different play experience, so I recommend playing with all characters. Of course, you can enjoy the game even if you play the main character exclusively and play solo until endgame content. You’ll notice it will go smoothly when you play the story mode, but as we have carefully created every nook and cranny of the map, we hope you step away from the story and explore the map from time to time. It’s sure to give you a fresh perspective during the game!
Kaji: We designed the game to be accessible so that many people can play and enjoy this title. As each character has their own unique style of play, we successfully imbued palpable profoundness in the game. We hope you will enjoy playing the game in a way that allows you to explore each character’s unique moves. The game offers a large selection of equipment and skills, so you can master your characters how you like to fight.
Today, we are thrilled to announce that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is your MLB The Show 24 cover athlete!
We always look for great baseball players with interesting stories to tell. We also want to partner with great people with fun personalities who genuinely enjoy playing MLB The Show. Intentionality is very important to us, and we’ve developed a great relationship with the Guerrero family over the years. The Guerreros are the first father-and-son to be featured on our game cover across the years. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a great baseball player and embodies the sport’s best qualities, as fans saw during his Home Run Derby win last July. He loves the game, comes from a baseball family, and giving back to his community is very important. These factors and others made Vladimir Guerrero Jr. the right choice for this year’s cover athlete.
We are also excited to announce that MLB The Show 24 will launch on March 19, 2024, for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
Pre-order the Standard Edition now to receive one Gold Choice Pack. The Standard Edition includes the full game, 5 The Show packs, and 5,000 Stubs to get you started on your baseball journey. (5,000 Stubs apply to the PS5 version.) The Standard Edition on PS5 is $69.99 USD/$89.99 CAD. The Standard Edition on PS4 is $59.99 USD/$79.99 CAD.
MLB The Show Presents Ride to Reveal Documentary
Join our host, MLB Legend and MLB The Show cover alumnus David Ortiz, our cover athlete Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Latin Grammy award-winning artist Eladio Carrión, and friends as they travel to different parts of the Dominican Republic as we learn more about him, his culture and his love for the game. A festive ride unlocking every layer of our cover athlete’s rich background awaits.
Ride to Reveal is MLB The Show’s first deep-dive documentary into baseball’s rich history and growing impact worldwide. Baseball has a rich history and roots in Latin America. Baseball is more than a sport. It’s the heartbeat and passion that symbolizes love for their country and hopes for the future. We hope you’ll enjoy learning about and exploring different cultures through the lens of baseball in the Ride to Reveal.
MLB The Show 24 New Feature Reveals
Gear up for an action-packed schedule of new Feature Premieres and reveals. Follow MLB The Show on Twitch and YouTube to be the first to hear about everything exciting coming to the diamond. Watch episodes live or catch up on every episode on demand. We have several new episodes in the works, so be on the lookout on TheShow.com and our social channels for episode schedules and information.
Sign up for The Scouting Report, Create Your MLB The Show Account, & Account Linking
Prepare for your first pitch today by heading to TheShow.com to sign up for The Scouting Report. You can get free exclusive packs sent straight to your in-game inbox every month starting in April*. Keep up with all the latest MLB The Show 24 information, and head over to www.theshow.com to get your account set up today.
While you’re there, set up your MLB The Show account and prepare for Opening Day. MLB The Show 24 allows you to easily move from platform to platform and keep access to your entire inventory of cards** to play anywhere. Head over to https://account.theshow.com/ and create your MLB The Show Account. When in the game, link your PlayStation account to your The Show account, and you are all set.
Collector’s Edition reveal February 6, 2024
We’re sure some of you are wondering, where’s the Collector’s Edition? Next week, on February 6, 2024, we’ll reveal the Collector’s Edition(s) for MLB The Show 24 and all its content. Mark your calendars and gear up for an exciting reveal.
Please note: All Collector’s Edition(s) of MLB The Show 24 revealed on February 6 include dual entitlement***. If you plan on purchasing the Standard Edition of MLB The Show 24 on PlayStation 4 and upgrading to the PlayStation 5 version, you will need to purchase the digital edition to take advantage of the $10 USD upgrade offer.
We could not be more excited about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joining the roster of former cover athletes and MLB The Show 24 coming to PlayStation on March 19, 2024.
*Online multiplayer features require an internet connection and a PlayStation Plus online multiplayer subscription. ** Cross-platform progression requires an internet connection, and for each platform, you play on: 1) a copy of the MLB The Show 24 game compatible with your console (other platform versions sold separately); and 2) platform network account linked to your platform network account linked to your MLB The Show account. *** Physical edition for PlayStation includes PS4 & PS5 Voucher.
