Category: PlayStation

Hello, only last month we welcomed a huge number of new PlayStation Travellers to the No Man’s Sky universe with our free Omega expedition, which brought a ton of new content. It’s incredible to watch new folks getting to experience eight years of updates since launch.

Today March 27, we are releasing our 27th major update – Orbital – and this is a big one!

The Orbital update brings a complete overhaul to Space Stations. Until now these have been perhaps the only part of No Man’s Sky that wasn’t procedurally generated. Engine improvements have allowed us to create vast interior spaces and exterior spaces, with improved reflection and metallic surfaces.

Outside, Space Station exteriors are at a scale never seen before and are hugely varied.

Inside, Stations have been transformed, and are now vast, procedurally generated, and incredibly diverse. Featuring new shops, gameplay and activities, Stations are now uniquely customised based on system, race and locale.

Stations also contain perhaps our most requested feature of all time! A ship editor allows players to customise their ships and players can even create never-before-seen starship types.

We haven’t introduced customisation previously, because so many players love exploring to find the perfect ship already out there to purchase. In keeping with exploration, to customize their ship, travelers gather and trade parts for their ships as they explore, salvaging the best components from wrecks and ruins

We are also introducing a new Guild system, making joining Guilds and increasing reputation a much larger part of the game. Visit new Guild envoys on Space Stations to gain supplies and rare items, or make donations to increase your standing.

You can own a freighter and even build up a fleet of frigates in No Man’s Sky. Now you can send that frigate fleet on away missions where if they get into trouble, as frigate captain, you can perform daring rescues. Players can scramble your squadron of fighters, and warp to battles and engage your attackers.

The Orbital update adds ship customisation, transforms Space Stations inside and out, a new guild system, engine improvements, UI refresh and much more. It’s a huge update with several major features that have been on player’s wishlists for a long time. We have a lot more planned this year as our journey continues.

These and many more additions and quality of life improvements can be found when PlayStation players download the Orbital update to No Man’s Sky today.

Our journey continues.

Greetings. This is Hyung Tae Kim, director of Stellar Blade. We are pleased to officially announce the upcoming free playable demo for Stellar Blade, coming March 29 to PlayStation 5.

The demo takes place from the very beginning of the game when Eve, a member of the 7^th Airborne Squad is sent to Earth on a mission to reclaim the planet from the Naytiba, up to the first boss fight. This first stage will include the tutorial phase to help you familiarize yourself with basic combat features as you explore post-war Eidos 7, a human city now infested by the Naytiba, giving you an early grasp of gameplay mechanics that will serve you throughout the game’s story.

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We also have a little surprise included for players who complete the first stage.

From the smooth 60fps combat to the haptics, you’ll feel through the DualSense wireless controller, there are various charms of the game that you can only confidently appreciate through hands-on experience.

For those who complete the demo stage, you can carry over your save data when the full game releases on April 26, starting from the last checkpoint. Please note that save data must be stored on your PS5 system.

The Stellar Blade demo will be available starting Friday, March 29 from 7am PDT / 2pm GMT.

Alongside the demo, the full game will feature the following language options:

Voice Over: Korean, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin Spanish.

Text: Korean, English (US), French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Arabic, Turkish, Thai, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese.

We greatly appreciate your anticipation! Mark your calendar for April 26, and make sure not to miss the preorder bonuses. The time for humankind to reclaim Earth has nearly arrived.

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here

Hey y’all! After a few weeks of hiatus, the gang returns and introduces team member James to discuss his early playing experience with Rise of the Ronin. Plus the team talks Helldivers 2 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Stuff We Talked About

• Hi-Fi Rush – PS5
• MLB The Show 24 – PS5, PS4
• Alone in the Dark – PS5
• Horizon Forbidden West – PC
• The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered – PS5, PS4
• Dragon’s Dogma 2 – PS5
• Rise of the Ronin – PS5
• Helldivers 2 – PS5
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – PS5

The Cast

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Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE

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Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE

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James Stavrinides – Project Manager, Content Communications, SIE

Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Following the release of Echoes of the Fallen last December, Final Fantasy XVI’s final DLC chapter, The Rising Tide, is set to release on April 18! Available individually or in the discounted Expansion Pass on the PlayStation Store, the upcoming paid DLC, which takes place before the ending of the main game, includes plenty for fans to look forward to! Learn more about the DLC, as well as a new update and purchase bonuses, below:

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Introduction to The Rising Tide

An unmarked letter arrives at the hideaway containing a most curious request: the Dominant of Leviathan, the long-lost Eikon of Water, needs rescue. To heed this call, Clive and his companions must journey to Mysidia—a hidden land under a blue sky—where they will uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people. 

New Leviathan Eikonic ability set

In addition to the level cap being raised to level 60 in Story Focused Mode and Action Focused Mode or level 110 in Final Fantasy Mode (New Game+), during Clive’s journey in Mysidia, he will obtain new Eikonic Abilities of Leviathan the Lost.

This new ability set allows you to tame the tides and drown your enemies both near and far with the terrible might of the Eikon of Water, as well as includes an all-new Eikonic Feat – Serpent’s Cry, allowing Clive to summon a sea-spitting serpent capable of dealing precision strikes to enemies at great distances!

And when Clive has seized the eighth and final of the elements, what awaits him then? Yet Leviathan is not the only power Clive will discover on his journey…

New locations and threats

Enjoy additional side stories to learn more about the area and people of Mysidia, which will have you encountering new threats, including Final Fantasy XVI’s tonberries found in the ominous Aire of Hours, a new stage, which was once a bastion of civilization—these proud ruins now lay silent, save for the incessant sharpening of knives.

The Rising Tide also brings the highly anticipated confrontation between Clive and the legendary Eikon, Leviathan!

New endgame battle content – Kairos Gate

The Rising Tide introduces a challenging new mode unlocked after completing both The Rising Tide and main game scenarios.

Players can plumb the depths of a virtual underworld, vanquishing wave after wave of internal foes. Only with both strength and strategy will Clive survive the Kairos Gate and emerge with its richest spoils.

Fight through 20 stages–each growing more difficult than the last. Maximize battle performance to earn points and find new materials and weapons to upgrade for Clive. Top players can aim for a spot on the global leaderboard! 

Special bonuses

Fans who purchase The Rising Tide or the Expansion Pass will receive special bonus items, including:

• A reimagined version of the “Curtana,” the signature weapon used by the Warrior of Light in Final Fantasy XIV, and
• “Torn from the Heavens” and “Through the Maelstrom” Orchestrion Rolls, to be played as background music in the hideaway!

Free update (Ver. 1.30) arrives same day as The Rising Tide Release

Free Update (Ver. 1.30) will also be available for all Final Fantasy XVI players on April 18! This downloadable update will add quality-of-life improvements for the full game, including:

• Return to a quest giver immediately with the new “Quick Complete” function
• Icon updates for important character quests
• A new Skill Set feature, which allows players to save up to five unique Feat and Ability sets
• Abilities and Accessories adjusted for easier use
• New “Custom” controller type allows for freely customizable button layouts
• Tone correction, screen effects, and more added to Photo Mode
• Numerous new orchestrion rolls added

Hi everyone, we’re thrilled for our PC community to join Aloy on her journey as she braves the Forbidden West – a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats. That’s right, Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition launches on PC today.

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Horizon Forbidden West continues six months after the events of the critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn. Vicious superstorms rage. The land is dying. Machine hunter Aloy has traveled west to investigate the source of a mysterious blight that ravages the remnants of humanity. In these uncharted lands, she will meet strange new tribes and face ever more deadly colossal machines. Together with old friends and new companions, she must brave this awe-inspiring frontier to find the answers she needs, halt the biosphere’s imminent collapse, and save life on Earth.

Unlocked frame rates, ultra-wide support up to 48:9 resolutions and performance-enhancing technologies including NVIDIA DLSS 3 AI-powered upscaling and frame generation allow PC players to experience Aloy’s journey in its full glory on compatible hardware. NVIDIA DLAA is available to help maximize image quality. The game also comes with NVIDIA Reflex, reducing system latency and improving gameplay responsiveness. Intel XeSS and AMD FSR 2.2 upscaling is also supported. The team at Nixxes is working on an update to add AMD FSR 3 with frame generation.

To ensure the game runs on a wide variety of PC hardware, we’ve included graphics presets ranging from very low to very high. This allows gamers with the latest hardware to push their systems, while also providing a great experience on less powerful PCs. Additionally, the PC release offers customizable settings, allowing you to tailor your gaming experience according to your preferences!

On behalf of everyone at Guerrilla and Nixxes, we are so excited to bring Horizon Forbidden West to PC and we hope you enjoy this new adventure with Aloy! We would love to hear what you think and see your amazing virtual photography, so please use the hashtag #HorizonForbiddenWestPC when sharing your experiences and creations and tag us on social media!

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition for PC is available today on Steam and in the Epic Games Store. 

For Team Ninja veterans and newcomers alike, Rise of the Ronin offers a deep and satisfying combat system, set to the backdrop of the Bakumatsu era of Japan. With the game now less than a day away, I spoke to Rise of the Ronin’s Producer, Yosuke Hayashi, and Game Producer and Director, Fumihiko Yasuda, who offered their tips for players joining the Veiled Edge tomorrow.

Experiment with Combat Styles

Rise of the Ronin allows you to wield one main weapon – blades, fists and spears – and sub weapon at a time, such as revolvers, shurikens, bows, rifles and more. When starting out, you’ll have just one combat style available to you for each main weapon, and as you progress, you’ll unlock additional styles which can be attached to them, offering completely different ways to go on the offensive.

But it’s not just you using combat styles – your enemies will have their own styles too, which you will need to adapt to. Recognizing which style your opponent is using will allow you to choose an advantageous opposing style, and can help overwhelm them far quicker. Changing style on the fly is key to being successful in combat.

New styles can be learned through story progression, facing off against tougher enemies, and through bond-building with certain characters and factions. Experiment with different types to find a combination that works for you.

Counterspark is important, but…

The Counterspark – activated with the Triangle button – is both an attack, and a parry. With the right timing, it can be used to deflect most of your enemies moves, even their glowing red murderous attacks. But using the Counterspark isn’t your only tool to defend yourself; combining it with your block and dodge moves will help keep opponents on their toes.

Some enemies will be extremely aggressive, others will wait for an opening to attack, and some may even leap through the air to grab you. Choosing whether you deflect, block, or roll out of the way, and recognizing which works best for the attack you’re facing, can be the difference between success or swift death.

Wander off the beaten path

Rise of the Ronin features a rich narrative throughout, but across the open world, you’ll find a wealth of side missions, characters you can bond with, landmarks to visit, and cats to pet. Engaging in this and taking on quests for monks, fellow travelers, merchants and more will not only ensure you see more of the gorgeous world, but it will help you further your progress through the game’s RPG elements, allowing you to create a build that compliments your chosen playstyle. There’s so much to be discovered away from the main story, and you shouldn’t overlook it.

Make friends and influence people

The opening hours of Rise of the Ronin will bring you to Yokohama, a port city which saw an increasing level of Western influence during the Bakumatsu period. As a result, you’ll come across a wide range of characters, all with unique beliefs on the future of Japan. Much of the story centers around this clash of views, and you’ll find yourself moving between pro and anti-Shogunate groups, as well as Western forces.

How you build your relationships with members of these factions is core to the adventure, driving a Bonds system that can affect how you experience the game. Increase your Bond with certain people and you’ll unlock new skills, weapons and items, which you would otherwise be locked out from. Your choice of faction support will drastically alter the games’ narrative and how you experience key story missions, as well as the people you can team up with during your adventures.

You can also increase your bond with each region of the map by clearing out unruly bandit bases, running errands for locals and chasing off dangerous fugitives. A high bond with each region results in discounts at merchants’ stores and other benefits.

Explore what could have been

Your choices affect how the story plays out in Rise of the Ronin, and you’ll see the consequences of your actions throughout your entire time as the Ronin. But what if you chose differently?

Unlocked once you reach the city of Edo, the Testaments of Soul feature allows you replay previously-completed missions and see what could have been had you followed a different path, making different choices and potentially altering the story you’ve previously experienced. So if you come up against a decision you really struggle with, fear not – the option to explore other outcomes is open to you.

Choose a difficulty setting that works for you

From the offset, Rise of the Ronin offers three different difficulty settings:

• Dawn – enables features such as increased recovery item effect and reduced ki consumption from attacks, this mode is perfect for those mostly interested in the story and world exploration
• Dusk – the default settings, offering a balanced challenge to all players
• Twilight – the toughest challenge offered, this mode is ramps up the difficult, making enemies extra aggressive and attacks even more lethal

Difficulty can be reset at any point in the world, or you can increase or decrease the difficulty for key story  moments as you set out on your mission. Just be sure you’re prepared for the challenge if you decide to step up to Twilight!

With these tips, you should be well prepared for the journey ahead when Rise of the Ronin launches on PS5 on March 22.

The Lee family is reuniting once again to rid the streets of crime as Billy and Jimmy Lee’s cousin, Sonny Lee, is joining Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons on April 4. An unconventional fighter, Sonny thrashes his enemies with a flurry of punches and kicks to prove he’s just as powerful as his cousins.

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First appearing in Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone, Sonny Lee joins Double Dragon Gaiden as part of the free Sacred Reunion DLC coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Sonny is the lazy, distant cousin of the Lee brothers, but just like Billy and Jimmy, he has practiced the art of Sōsetsuken since he was young. However, Sonny has a hard time keeping up. He opts to give the ancient technique his own creative spin and now wanders the streets to test the might of his new moves.

Also joining Sonny in the Sacred Reunion DLC is the secret assassin Ranzou and one additional mystery fighter. Ranzou is a mysterious young ninja from a secret organization, known as The Secret Society of Ninjas. He has no stake in the fate of New York, but he is sent here by his organization as a test of his abilities. Along with the new characters, the Sacred Reunion DLC will include Survival mode, Versus mode and online co-op.

As a fighter, Sonny distinguishes himself as a rushdown/offensive warrior. He executes an action attack similar to a quick breakdance maneuver that travels a short distance and covers threats from all directions. Despite his Sōsetsuken roots, we wanted to ensure that Sonny is his own character, and he is designed to play differently from Billy and Jimmy with much more eccentric moves. His role as the familial outcast significantly influences his fighting style, resulting in a blend of showboating and non-traditional stances. Sonny’s distinctive approach to combat reflects his individuality within the family dynamic, which gives him more depth and personality, allowing him to shine brighter in the game.

Furthermore, our commitment to providing each character with a distinct fighting style facilitated the exploration and implementation of Sonny’s unconventional techniques. This emphasis on uniqueness granted us the flexibility to fully develop Sonny’s distinctive combat style, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Quick attacks, dodges and unexpected movements are what drive Sonny’s attacks. This includes the special move Feigning Dragon where Sonny pretends to fall back while knocking enemies far away with a barrage of punches and kicks. This is a very quick aerial move that can be easily used to cause high damage from opposite directions. It can be used as a great combo ender, but the move makes Sonny vulnerable upon landing.

Another special move of Sonny’s is Dragon’s Regret, which allows Sonny to dish out rapid punches. Activating this move allows Sonny to potentially travel across the screen while attacking, but if you hold the attack in the opposite direction when the move ends, you can deliver a final punch in the opposite direction. Dragon’s Regret is a great combo starter and extension.

The last move we’re going to talk about is the Sleeping Dragon. This is a quick jump kick, followed by an elbow drop to knock down nearby enemies. Sleeping Dragon covers a large amount of ground and can be used as an anti-air attack and as a combo extension.

Celebrate the Lee boys getting the band back together when the Sacred Reunion DLC releases April 4 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 as a free update to Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons.

Last week, we hit the track with EA Sports F1 23, and asked you to share moments behind the wheel using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

guneetsingh1111 shares a blurry race shot of a car shot from the back wheel perspective

call_me_xavii shares a close up of a driver

Defalt368 shares a blurry car in the foreground with a car behind it in focus

visionevp shares an orange car leading the pack around a corner of the track

Pastuzogaming shares a dark red car making practice loops

_pedrorsoliveira   shares an aerial red car zooming by with motion blur.

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:  Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on March 20, 2024

Next week, we’re turning our focus to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Avoiding spoilers, share eye-catching moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.