Hello Mayors! Henning Sundell and Leon Andersson from Fast Travel Games here with a site analysis for the upcoming launch of Cities: VR – Enhanced Edition. Get ready to plan, build, manage, and enjoy the city of your utopian and dystopian dreams as the all-seeing mayor both from on high and down amongst your citizens. We’re super excited to be able to provide the first ever city simulation experience coming to the PlayStation VR2.
We’ll have a wide selection of areas available for you to start your new city. Some of you might already be familiar with a couple of areas brought over from Cities: Skylines, but there’s been some new ones added to the market as well. And with the added power of the PS VR2 we’ve made sure you’ll be able to expand even further out from that initial area to build the metropolis of your dreams! As it stands each site will contain 25 possible tiles to use, and your city planning permit will allow you to purchase up to nine (9) of those to build on.
So choose a site and start building your city. We’ll start off small with some low-density zoning and simple roads but as things expand you’ll have to start providing more…
Services
Services will unlock as you progress through the city milestones – ensure your citizens have access to these new services to provide them the best opportunity to live and prosper in your city! Prevent fires with your fire brigades, keep your citizens safe through your law enforcement, and care for the sick with your superb healthcare.
Just make sure they can get to where they need to go using the…
Advanced road simulation
With a wide range of road types ranging from gravel filled country roads to six-lane highways, control traffic lights, junctions, and round-abouts to make the flow of traffic as smooth as possible, ensuring that you use the right road for the right job so everyone can get to where they need to go.
And when rush hour hits make sure you’ve provided plenty of…
Public transport
Bus lines, ferries, above- and underground metro, there’s a variety of options to transport your citizens to, from, and around your cities! Help lighten the congestion of traffic on your road network as more and more people move in to your new…
Zones
From low density suburbs to the towering skyscrapers of high density areas, zones will be your primary way of providing housing, workplaces, and commercial shops for your citizens to live, earn, and spend money in your city. Watch those smaller buildings grow larger and more extravagant as they level up from you providing them with multiple Services and sources of Education.
This means you’ll have to balance your economy to buy and maintain all of that through our…
Advanced budgeting
Keep track of your income and expenses, increase and decrease taxes for different sectors, budget your services as you see fit – and if you end up in a pinch take one of the multiple but definitively fair and favorable loans provided by our local banks.
And if you happen to have a bit left over, make your cities prettier with…
Decorations
Ranging from large playgrounds and busy plazas to placing individual trees, rocks and pedestrian pathways. You can be ensured to put your own personal touch to your cities as you watch your city grow and come alive down at…
Street View
Walk along your shoreside promenade, watch ambulances and police cars swoosh by to whatever emergencies they need to take care of, and watch as your cities skylines grow, all from the same height perspective of your citizens.
All this and more thanks to our…
Deep city simulation
Working under the hood to make every part, every decision, every taxation, every car, and every citizen part of the same whole, an interconnected simulation that feels like a living, breathing, realistic city.
We hope you’ve found this quick overview helpful and given you some inspiration to get into the game and become the best mayor this side of the VR world.
With the PlayStation 5’s DualSense wireless controller, we at Motive are able to immerse players deeper into Isaac’s thrilling journey aboard the USG Ishimura. Across various events such as weapon shooting, asteroids impacting the ship, and Necromorphs attacking, haptic feedback lets players feel the impact as Isaac would.
Our goal with weapons was to give each a unique feel and sensation to make the experience of fighting Necromorphs even more engaging. Read on for some immersive examples of DualSense controller gameplay:
Plasma Cutter
You steady your plasma cutter and aim at the legs of a lunging Slasher. You place your finger on the DualSense controller trigger and push it past the required threshold to fire the weapon, feeling the weapon’s vibration shortly after. The DualSense controller trigger then pushes back up, re-initializing for your next shot.
The same kind of trigger effect is found on the flamethrower, but with a slight difference as you can feel a low vibration on the trigger as the ejected gas turns into flame.
Pulse Rifle
A Swollen begins lumbering towards you as you pull out your pulse rifle. To survive, you give it all you got, emptying your remaining bullets to defeat the approaching threat. While you hold down the DualSense trigger, you feel it buck with each round fired from the rifle.
Movement and ability haptics
When entering certain zero-gravity areas, the player can activate Isaac’s magnetic boots. Through haptic vibrations on the controller, the player will feel the impact of each step as the mag boots engage with the floor.
When players use Isaac’s Kinesis and Stasis modules, they’ll get similar real-time feedback through the controller through rich haptic vibrations.
Controller speakers
To dial up the immersion, players receive valuable gameplay feedback through the controller’s speakers. Throughout the player’s journey, as they perform certain actions such as picking up items, refilling their stasis energy, and using their locator, they will hear those effects from Isaac’s RIG through audio.
You can dive deep into this iconic story yourself and experience the immersive DualSense controller haptics and adaptive trigger effects when Dead Space releases on January 27 on PlayStation 5.
Forspoken is finally available on PS5, and it’s time to show off your wicked cool magic-slinging combat skills to the world. You’ll learn a lot of different magic types during Frey’s journey, but Purple Magic will be with you from the beginning and remains a great tool throughout the game. To help you get a leg up on your journey, let’s take a closer look at Frey’s combat-focused Purple Magic and what it can do.
Frey will start with the following attack magics: Burst Shot, Shield Shot, and Scatter Shot (each at level 1), along with the support magic Bind. To learn more spells, you’ll need to spend the mana points you accumulate from leveling up and by finding mana pools scattered across the massive landscapes of Athea. The order you learn spells is up to you, but if you think you made a mistake, don’t worry–you can always unlearn a spell to get a mana refund to use elsewhere.
Now, let’s check out some Purple Magic spells and detail how to best use them:
Attack Magic
Burst Shot: A powerful and reliable way to attack, burst shot creates a huge rock explosion after you release its charge. The higher the spell’s rank and the longer the charge, the bigger the ka-boom that ensues. When enemy defenses are tough, give a charged Burst Shot a try–it can penetrate the defenses of enemies who flaunt shields at you with ease.
Shield Shot: Some enemies don’t respect Frey’s personal space. That’s where the shield shot comes in. If you’re charging Shield Shot and an enemy tries to attack you from the front, they’re in for a nasty surprise when you counter by blowing up the shield in their face. The shield grows bigger at higher levels and can also function to protect you from certain projectile attacks. Be careful, though, because you’re still vulnerable to side and back attacks and shield-breaking strikes.
Scatter Shot: Do you love powerful attacks but hate that whole “can’t attack while you’re charging” thing? Then you’ll appreciate the mechanics of Scatter Shot. Holding down the button will send out a rapid-fire spray of small magic blasts while you charge up to unleash a big finishing blow. The higher the spell level, the bigger the blast. Scatter Shot is excellent for long-range combat and especially effective on many flying enemies.
Support Magic
Bind: Some enemies aren’t going to sit still while you try to aim at them, but Bind is here to help. Bind will temporarily hold enemies within a wide radius still while you take your shots freely, or if you’re just not feeling up for a fight, you can hold them at bay while you skedaddle.
Tendril: If you’ve got an angry mob coming at you from all sides, Tendril is an amazing crowd-control spell. It can be used on the ground or in the air and sends a huge vine sweeping around Frey in a large circle. Not only can it knock down numerous enemies at once, but it also heals based on the damage you’ve dealt.
Implant: Implant might not seem to be doing much at first, but every time your attacks hit, you’ll also do a little bit of extra damage. It’s a nice spell to use when facing an opponent with a big health bar.
Prime: This spell is a little tricky but well worth it. Use Prime to lay a trap in the ground, then try to lure your foes into it by using yourself as bait. As soon as they step on the trap, a blast will lay nearby enemies on the ground. (Or, if you feel mischievous, your charged burst shot can also set the trap off.) The knockdown potential makes this one great for setting up killing moves.
Disperse: This spell lets Frey plant a massive flower in the ground, which quickly blossoms into a beautiful turret hell-bent on shooting any foe that comes into range. It works well in tandem with scatter shot for when you want to keep a distance, and it’s also great on flying enemies.
Leach: It cures you if you’re poisoned. Not much else to say here, but keep it close to mind whenever you find yourself at the precipice of death by slowly depleting health.
Screen: Want the guard functionality of the shield shot, but up against enemies that it doesn’t work well against? Screen provides a similar protective wall against a hit from the front. Careful, though: it takes quite a long time to recharge and can be broken through with guard-break attacks.
Surge Magic
Genesis: Genesis is a Surge Magic spell, a powerful attack you can use by pressing L2 and R2, preferably during sticky situations, as it has a long recharge time. The spell sends out rock vines hitting anything on the ground a short distance in front of Fray. By upgrading Surge and holding down L2 and R2 longer, the area of effect grows larger over a few seconds, causing even more damage. As devastating as this spell is, it doesn’t cover Frey’s back and sides and can leave Fray vulnerable to attacks, especially when holding down L2 and R2 for extended periods. Be mindful of your surroundings whenever you decide to unleash Genesis’s power.
That’s a lot of spells and plenty to develop fun combat strategies with. And if you think these spells are cool, just wait until you see what Red, Blue, and Green magic offers. Don’t forget to use the Spellcraft books to undertake combat and exploration challenges centered around each spell, as completing them offers some very beneficial combat boosts.
Sony Music artist The Kid Laroi, Australian rapper, singer, and songwriter has become a global force to be reckoned with since his ascent in 2019. His bangers and dramatic beats are coming to Fortnite starting January 27 at 3PM PT — in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams. This immersive sonic experience will portray Laroi’s journey from humble beginnings to headlining sold-out performances, as well as becoming a worldwide superstar.
New music from Laroi will be featured in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams, including his upcoming song “Love Again” being released on Friday, January 27. “Love Again” isn’t the only new song featured in the experience, as three unreleased songs will also play in both this experience and the Afterparty experience.
Dress harmoniously for The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams with The Kid Laroi and The Rogue Laroi Outfits, available before the experience goes live. Both Outfits will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop beginning January 26.
Additionally, on January 24, players can compete in The Kid Laroi Cup for an opportunity to unlock these Outfits early, plus a special Banner Icon and Emoticon
Take Part in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams
The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams will have you venturing in the cybercity “Laroitown,” where you’ll ultimately attend a jam-packed Laroi concert featuring fan-favorite music and new music. After the performance, join Laroi in the Afterparty experience. Here, you can listen to the Wild Dreams mix on loop while getting a look inside the tour life, and beyond, of Laroi.
Complete The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams Quests (during both experiences!) to earn XP and special Laroi items, such as the Love Again and Thousand Miles Lobby Tracks, Laroi & The Rogue Loading Screen, and the Laroi Was Here and Laroi’s Tag Sprays. These Quests will be live from January 27 at 3 PM PT to 3PM PT on February 3, 2023.
To get to the experience, select The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams tile on the Discover screen, or input the island code 2601-0606-9081. Either option will take you to the island where the experience takes place, made by creators Alliance Studios, Team Atomic, and TheBoyDilly, and features a video directed by Adrien Wagner and produced by La Pac.
Also in an island made by Alliance Studios, Team Atomic, and TheBoyDilly, the Afterparty experience will be available from January 27 at 3 PM PT to April 27 at 3PM PT. Join by selecting the The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams Afterparty tile on the Discover screen or by inputting the island code 4294-0410-6136.
Choose Your Inner Laroi
Want to dress for the occasion? Starting January 26 at 4 PM PT, the Kid Laroi and The Rogue Laroi Outfits (plus more items) will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop.
The Kid Laroi Outfit and Back Bling
From dreamer to hitmaker.
Work your way to the top with The Kid Laroi Outfit. This Outfit has the Electrified Style in addition to its default Style. Included with the Outfit is the Get My Bag Back Bling, which has the blue default Style and pink Left Alone Style.
The Rogue Laroi Outfit, Back Bling/Pickaxe, and Wrap
From hitmaker to hunter.
Eliminate opponents on the battlefield with The Rogue Laroi Outfit, which has the Electrified Style in addition to its default Style. This Outfit comes with the Tragic Blade Back Bling. Unsheathe the Tragic BLADE as a Pickaxe! Also coming to the shop, the Laroi Free Style Wrap matches the Outfit too.
Emotes and Lobby Track
Keep the party going even after the Afterparty with these Item Shop items:
Stay Afloat Emote – Just relax and let it carry you away…
Heart of a King Emote – Take a Love(seat) Again.
Stay Lobby Track – Press play and feel the way I feel.
The Stay Afloat Emote, Heart of a King Emote, and Stay Lobby Track can be purchased individually or via the Laroi’s Party Starter Bundle, which additionally includes the Wild Dreams Loading Screen:
Keep your head in the clouds.
Battle to the Top in The Kid Laroi Cup
Be as fearless as Laroi in The Kid Laroi Cup. Compete in this Duos Zero Build tournament on January 24 for the opportunity to be among the top point-earning players in your region, unlocking The Kid Laroi Outfit (+ Get My Bag Back Bling) and The Rogue Laroi Outfit (+ Tragic Blade Back Bling/Pickaxe) early. Also, earn at least eight points to unlock a Laroi Banner Icon and the Laroi’s Smile Emoticon.
Competitors can play up to ten matches within their region’s approximately three-hour time window, and the specific event timing for each region can be found in the Compete tab in-game.
See you when the party starts in Fortnite on January 27.
Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE
Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and 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.]
Last week, we asked you to share epic moments from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, available as a PlayStation Plus Monthly Game for January. Here are this week’s highlights:
AreeLyBadPun shares The Second Sister reaches out sinisterly
Defalt368 shares Cal walking in the grass with a moon at his back
call_me_xavii shares Cal posing with a dual-sided lightsaber in a canyon
Ag_Beaver shares a Stormtrooper standing in the darkness
Retsu_Zankoku shares Cal leaping with his lightsaber drawn
RyoppyGamePhoto shares Cal standing in the opening of a massive round structure
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: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Lightsabers SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on January 25, 2023
Next week, it’s all about Lightsabers. Share an epic moment with Cal or an enemy’s Lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Ken and Roberta Williams need little introduction among adventure game fans. The duo, who founded legendary developer Sierra On-Line in the earliest days of gaming, has been responsible for some of the genre’s most innovative, daring, and memorable titles. The two have been away from game development for quite some time, but they haven’t been out of the spotlight–in recent years, the pair has been honored with a Gaming Icon Award from The Game Awards, and Roberta received a Pioneer Award at the 2019 Game Developers Conference.
Now, the accomplished tag team is returning to the world of adventure games after 25 years with a new development team, Cygnus Entertainment. The team’s first outing is a full remake of a true classic: Colossal Cave. Originally a pioneering text adventure game released back in 1976 and called Colossal Cave Adventure, Colossal Cave transforms the lime-green-on-black text of the original into a visually captivating graphic adventure. The original game was a huge influence on many of the designers of the era, including Ken and Roberta, who are funding this ambitious remake. We sat down with the power duo to discuss their return to the world of game development and what players can expect from their return to game development.
This interview has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity.
PlayStation.Blog: Roberta, can you tell us about your experiences with the original text-based Colossal Cave Adventure back in 1976 or 1977?
Roberta: I had never played a computer game ever. I think Colossal Cave may be the first or, if not, then very very close to the first computer game ever. And it certainly was the first adventure game — I mean, it basically invented the concept of an adventure game. So I played it, and I loved it, and I wanted to play more, but there weren’t really any more games quite like it at the time. So I was inspired to sit down and design my own game, which ultimately became Mystery House.
PSB: How did the original Colossal Cave Adventure influence the games you made, Roberta?
Roberta: Colossal Cave invented most of the things that many of us who do game design [rely on], especially in the adventure game genre. It developed the idea of mapping a world. Mazes, getting lost, going down a passage one way, coming in somewhere, but then getting confused.… plus levels, puzzles, and inventory objects, and creatures you can meet that might kill you. Colossal Cave put in all these elements that had never been done before, and that sort of formed the basis for adventure gaming. And maybe computer gaming. I took some of those elements for Mystery House, and I added more of a storytelling element to it. That was my process for making my first game.
With Mystery House, I had no idea where to start. I mean, I had no idea. “Why knows?” But I thought, I’ve always liked Clue, the board game. And I liked murder mysteries and detective stories and Agatha Christie books. So I thought it would be fun to do a whodunnit, that would be fun to do. But how do I turn it into a game? And I thought, well, I’m going to think about how I would play the game Clue. I put it together, write the game, and made it more story-like.
The thing I loved about [the original] Colossal Cave was the exploratory nature of it. I wanted to know where it went and how far I could get into this cave. I discovered that I loved exploring, and a cave is a perfect place to explore. So when I first started designing [Mystery House], I thought “I need to make it exploratory,” but I added the mystery story elements. I wanted to keep that sense of exploration in my games.
PSB: What made you decide to return to game development?
Roberta: So we were literally 25 years out of the business…. And we made the decision to do this with the pandemic and the lockdowns. We talked about it at the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021. We were nicely retired here in Palm Desert, California, and sitting out in our cantina one morning having our coffee, looking out over the Coachella Valley… We were thinking about how bored we were and what we wanted to be doing.
Ken wanted to do a project and get back into programming. I suggested Colossal Cave, and I don’t know why — It just came out of my mouth. Kind of like when I first played the original game, and I didn’t know why but I just had to sit down and write a game…I had never done that. It was weird.
Wouldn’t you know, later that day, Ken told me he got done talking to Don Woods (one of the original Colossal Cave developers). I said, “what? How did you do that!?” And Ken says, “Well, I have my ways. I guess we’re doing it.” But that started us on this. And it’s been about a year and a half since.
And we started out with the idea that it would be kind of simple. We knew we wanted it to be in 3D. He had secretly been studying Unity and try to get his…. programming chops. And he hired an artist, and the two of them started working on it. I came in a little bit later… at first I said, “I don’t mind helping out. But I don’t want to get really involved.” I looked over their shoulder and gave them some advice from time to time.
Before I knew it, the word got out, apparently. [laughs] People wanted to interview me about Colossal Cave and King’s Quest and all that. You know, “what are you doing, are you back?!” And at first, I was like, “Well, I wasn’t really planning on that… [laughs]. But I don’t know, maybe I am?”
Before I knew it, I was kind of pulled into a couple of meetings with Unity, and all of a sudden it’s about me being back. And I’m not trying to be egotistical or anything. It was weird, it was like everybody expected it. And I said, “well, it looks to me like I’m not going to get out of this.” And if I was going to be a part of this, then I needed to be very serious about it.
And once I made that decision that I was going to be a part of designing Colossal Cave, that I couldn’t get out of it, here we are. Since then, I’ve jumped in with both feet, arms, head, hair, everything else… but it changed the game completely. I said to Ken, “you wanted me in, I’m in.” It’s a big project, and I’m proud of it.
PSB: What can longtime adventure game players expect from Colossal Cave?
Roberta: It is different [from our old games]. It’s not King’s Quest. First of all, it’s a first-person experience. There’s no character that you guide around. I thought about creating a player avatar creator, but I decided that I wanted to keep Colossal Cave as true to itself as it could be. Not to try to put myself into it and make it my game. It’s Will Crowther and Don Woods’ game…I am trying to bring it to modern players so that it’s fun and immersive, in the world that Will Crowther and Patricia Crowther and Don Woods had in their minds. I wanted it to come across as what I imagined it to be when I played it.
Secondly, Colossal Cave is much more pure exploring [compared to the narrative focus on my older games]. I kind of confined people to a certain extent in my older works…. You’d be in an area until you got to the next part of the story, which sends you off into the next exploratory region with new goals and other things you must do.
But in Colossal Cave, you can go wherever you want. That doesn’t mean you won’t encounter obstacles. You can figure out how to get around them, but you can also turn around and go elsewhere. You’ll find treasures, but you might not be sure what to do with them — but then someone can steal your treasure! And that starts a strategy for dealing with the thief and the treasure. There are mazes; they’re fun, quite complex, and very interesting. And there are dwarves! They’re nasty little creatures.
PSB: How has game development changed over the past 40 years?
Ken: Well, it’s gotten better and worse. There’s a lot more competition, that’s the first thing you notice. But there are the tools, too. All those years ago, we had to write our own text editor, graphics editor, animation editor, invent how to do sound and how to get color graphics. Now for this project, we can immediately be effective because the Unity engine is free, with wonderful training materials. You can go on Unity’s site and buy assets affordably. You can go to Adobe’s site and you can choose from thousands of animations.
It allows you to focus on the art and the game design. A lot of the low-level stuff is lifted off your shoulders.
PSB: Was it challenging to develop during the pandemic?
Ken: We couldn’t have done it without the emergence of working at home. We needed to assemble a team quickly when Roberta came on the project, whereas I was treating it like a hobby project to kill time during COVID. Once Roberta got involved, she said, “this has got to be Sierra quality. I need artists and programmers.” It kept growing.And suddenly, I had to assemble a team of 30 good people quickly….being able to assemble a team and not care where they live. It’s better than working in an office, in some ways.
Colossal Cave comes to PS5 starting today, with versions for PS VR2 and PS4 also under development.
Since we announced that PowerWash Simulator would be coming to PlayStation (via our good friends Kenny Washmore and Jerry Cleansburg), we’ve seen such a buzz from the community. So, as you can imagine, we are thrilled to be putting the power of relaxation into the hands of players when PowerWash Simulator lands on PS5 and PS4 on January 31st, 2023.
Alongside this launch, we are also releasing our first free Special Pack, where you can explore and clean iconic locations and vehicles from the totemic Tomb Raider series!
Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from both PowerWash Simulator and the Tomb Raider expansion pack…
Everything isn’t as it seems in the town of Muckingham: an active volcano smoulders nearby, the mayor’s cat is missing, and things are extremely dirty. You’ll be commissioned to clean an array of dirty destinations, from hosing down humble homes to unmasking ancient architecture. With such a diverse range of locations, you may find your mind wandering as you clean… “what gives with this town?!”
But for all its oddities, Muckingham scrubs up quite nicely… thanks to you! The residents have noticed too. As you blast away every speck of grime that covers Muckingham, you’ll uncover secrets hidden in the dirt and objects of each level, as well as receive messages from clients that reveal the untold tales of the places you visit. You know what they say, it all comes out in the wash!
Once you get going, word of your power washing prowess will spread quickly, and business will be booming in no time. Earn cash by completing jobs and reinvest in more powerful washers, nifty nozzles, and cool outfits to help you clean more efficiently (and in style ?). No dirt is too tough for you to handle!
The whole aim of PowerWash Simulator is for players to wash away their worries and take a clean break from the real world; getting all the satisfaction of washing to a sparkling finish without having to work up a sweat or even leave the sofa!
Tomb Raider Special Pack
Once you’ve finished cleaning up Muckingham, you might be tempted to put your feet up, BUT WAIT… you’re not done yet! We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Crystal Dynamics to bring players five new levels from the time-honored Tomb Raider series.
For the Tomb Raider Special Pack, we focused on the illustrious Croft Manor, including its grounds and some of Lara’s trusty vehicles that have been muddied out on (and off!) the road.
“Creating the Tomb Raider Special Pack has been an honour and a fantastic experience,” said Dan Chequer, our Lead Designer at FuturLab. “We can’t wait for players to get up close and personal with Croft Manor and explore its many secrets!”
In the Special Pack, we’ve left the perilous plots to Lara whilst challenging our players to undertake the most hazardous escapade yet… cleaning her stately home! Only the very best will do when it comes to the Croft residence; so unwind and blast away every speck of dirt you can track down, whilst Lara regales you with tales of past adventures.
“What Tomb Raider fan hasn’t explored Croft Manor and thought ‘Winston could really use some help with these grounds! I would love to power wash this place!’?” asked Dallas Dickinson, Franchise General Manager for Tomb Raider at Crystal Dynamics. “Now, with the help of Square Enix Collective and FuturLab that’s not only possible, but immensely satisfying as well.”
“We know the community wants more to clean, and I’m delighted we’re able to kick off our post-release plans in style with this Tomb Raider collaboration,” added Phil Elliott, studio head at Square Enix Collective. “We’ve had so much great support from players, press and content creators, and we wanted to do something special to say thank you!”
We hope that you have good clean fun discovering the secrets of Muckingham and Croft Manor alike when PowerWash Simulator washes up on PlayStation next week!
PowerWash Simulator launches on PS4 & PS5 on January 31 alongside the free Tomb Raider Special Pack.
Hey everyone, happy 2023! I’m Phil Crifo, Tchia’s Game Director and Awaceb Co-founder. Last year was a very busy and exciting one for us, and I would like to give you an update on the development of Tchia and offer a sneak peek into the game. As you’ll see, it has come a long way, and we’re happy to announce the game is coming to PS4 & PS5 this Spring (stay tuned!).
A trip to our homeland
As you may know, Tchia is inspired by our homeland, New Caledonia, and it was super important for us that folks who worked on the game got to experience those landscapes, wildlife, cultures, languages and customs firsthand. If you’re interested in finding out more, we have already released a 3-part series on the topic.
Everything in Tchia is infused with the local culture of New Caledonia. This includes all the various landscapes that we recreated in the open-world archipelago, and that you can freely explore, swim or navigate around, and even climb on if you’d like!
This is also the case with our cast of characters that you will meet throughout your journey. We have worked with local talent to voice everyone you will encounter in either Drehu (one of the most ancient local New Caledonian languages) and French. As you can freely explore the archipelago in Tchia, we encourage you to try out various side quests to acquaint yourself with some of the island’s inhabitants and learn more about their culture and individual personalities.
Music, finally, is a major component of your adventure. All sounds and sonorities are inspired by traditional New Caledonian culture and folklore. You’ll try these out for yourself using your trustworthy Ukulele! More on that below.
Development milestones
2022 was also the year where Tchia shaped up into its final form.
To celebrate the approaching conclusion of this great adventure, and to thank you for your support and patience throughout development, here are a few highlights of what you can expect from Tchia.
Soul-Jumping
One of the main mechanics in Tchia is called Soul-Jumping. Soul-jumping lets you take control of any object or animal you can find. Any by any object we mean just that – swim as a turtle, fly as a dove or launch yourself at enemies as a lantern plus so much more. Ever secretly wished you were a coconut? Well, now is your time!
Each object or animal you can possess allows you to experience a specific move set. And with a bit of dexterity, you’ll learn unique tricks that will allow you to chain Soul-Jumps and even use a secret feature we call the Soul-Canon! You’ll need to be careful not to deplete your stamina to keep control of your animal or object. As you explore the world and complete challenges, you’ll upgrade your stamina bar for even more Soul-Jumping action.
Ukulele
Tchia’s fully playable ukulele will be a trustworthy companion throughout your journey. It’s fully playable and we’ve even been able to re-create some famous tunes by playing around with the various chords and tones implemented in this system. You’ll also encounter scripted events that will teach you traditional music pieces, but don’t worry if rhythm is not your strong suit. Tchia is super accessible, so even a Ukulele novice can complete these challenges. Getting 100% may be another story though, we can’t wait to see some of you take on the challenge.
Finally, your ukulele lets you trigger the special ‘Soul-Melodies’. Once unlocked, these mystical tunes will affect the world around you, from changing the weather to invoking magical plants and creatures to ease your journey or reach specific quest elements quicker.
Explore
Exploration is at the heart of Tchia. You can free-climb any surface and soar the skies with Tchia’s glider made of woven coconut leaves. Whenever Tchia is in mid-air, you can use special tricks to spin in various ways and show off your acrobatic skills. Those skills can also be put to the test in diving board challenges, so be on the lookout for those! That’s just one of a range of mini-game challenges to enjoy. There’s also racing, shooting ranges, and even claw machines! Each providing rewards ranging from useful items to progress in your quest, or to customize Tchia, her backpack and glider. You’ll encounter those challenges and many other hidden secrets as you sail around the archipelago’s glistening lagoons and dive to the depths of the coral reefs.
Thanks again for all the love and support you keep sending our way!
PlayStation Store welcomes the Games Under 20 promotion on Wednesday, January 18. For a limited time* enjoy great games at compelling prices. That includes the like of Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition, with 72% off the PS4 version, 67% off of the PS4 and PS5 versions of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition and 50% off God of War III Remastered on PS4.
Check out the full list of titles included in the promotion below, then head to PlayStation Store when the promotion goes live to find out your regional discount.
Check out the full list of titles included in the promotion below, then head to PlayStation Store when the promotion goes live to find out your regional discount.
