When Dark Souls launched back in 2011, it ushered in a new era of lore-filled and inscrutable combat-focused games that gave players the freedom to follow their own path and play style, but steadfastly refused to ‘go easy’ on them. Every encounter in FromSoftware’s series, no matter how minor, has the potential to end in tears; if you blunder in mindlessly mashing buttons, you will be punished.
Microbirds could scarcely have chosen a better place to debut their upcoming adventure Dungeons of Hinterberg than gamescom this week; my time with the first playable demo had me dreaming of sailing up the Rhine to cooler climes for some monster hunting and chill Alpine vibes.
The game is set in and around the eponymous Hinterburg, a tiny town nestled in the Austrian Alps, where magic caves filled with monsters suddenly appeared one day, thrusting the town into the world of adventure tourism. Thrill-seekers, including the game’s heroine, drift in from all over the globe to prove their mettle in battle- something otherwise frowned upon in polite society.
As Dungeons of Hinterberg’s first hands-on showing to the world, we were given a feel for the loop that defines the game: explore and adventure – above and below ground – by day, socialize in the evening, developing skills and acquiring items to support the next time you delve the deep underground.
As playable character Louisa, I set out first to find a dungeon, learning much of what she can do on the way- which is quite a lot! While exploring, the demo showcased two important skills, each mapped to a shoulder button: a tap of LB summons the Wrecking Ball, a massive bomb which, when detonated, clears piles of rubble blocking your path. RB fires a ranged Ball and Chain, which can attach to blobby masses in the overworld and can manipulate certain environmental objects – e.g. pulling down a log to traverse a gap. These came into play frequently, and were even used in concert for some puzzles.
Before arriving at the dungeon entrance, I encountered my first enemies, creepy masked monsters who, according to the developers, trace their inspiration back to real-life Alpine Mythology (think Krampus-esque). Light and Heavy melee attacks charge up bigger and badder magical attacks, such as a destructive leap with AOE effects, or a hail of meteors which drains enemy health bars in a hurry.
Before long, Louisa arrived at one of the dungeons that make Hinterberg famous, where the puzzle solving and battling ramp up to more intense levels, in closer quarters. After exploring, pillaging chests, solving a number of puzzles, dispatching more armadillos and a larger boss, it was time to return to Hinterberg to, y’know, chill for a bit.
Hanging out with NPCs isn’t just a break in the action, it’s crucial to your success – your character will learn new, useful skills by upleveling their social links. After chatting with a few locals, I committed to spending time with the cheerful employee of the local ice cream stand, Marina. This action increased Louisa’s dodge stamina, so that she can dodge more often – something you will definitely want to do. And that’s only at the first of three stars earned with Marina, so I found myself curious what further interactions will lead to.
After that, Louisa went to sleep, resting up for the next day’s adventures.
If this mix of battling and socializing brings titles like the Persona series to mind, know that there is less pressure to maximize every moment in Dungeons of Hinterberg. Indeed, your players can take a full-day break from adventuring if they choose to spend more time with friends; Louisa’s on vacation after all! I can see this tactic coming in handy if your character is having trouble progressing through a dungeon – meet a few more people, level up a few more skills, then try again.
Developer Microbirds shared that there will be approximately 25 dungeons to test in game, and, as beautifully bucolic as the Doberkogel mountains area we explored at gamescom is, I’m excited to see the other three biomes. Chilly glaciers and wetter areas were referenced.
With sunny vibes and the flexibility to battle or just hang out in town to make friends, Dungeons of Hinterberg is shaping up to be a vacation for players, though don’t be surprised if you find yourself pricing out airfare to Austria when you’re done. Dungeons of Hinterberg will be released in 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Cloud, and will be available day one for Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass members.
Big news in the world of Broken Sword: developer Revolution Software has announced a brand new game in the series alongside a remaster of the much-loved first game.
Broken Sword – Parzival’s Stone, the sixth chapter in the Broken Sword series, is currently in development for console, PC, and mobile. This game uses a new “super 2D” approach that applies hand drawn backgrounds to 3D geometry, and reunites series stars George and Nico for a new conspiracy that involves Nazi treasure hunters, medieval histories, and quantum physics.
The Broken Sword news you’ve been waiting for, live from the Xbox Showcase at Gamescom
🍂 Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged an enhanced classic
⛰️ Broken Sword – Parzival’s Stone a brand new chapter
— Revolution Software 🎉 Gamescom (@RevSoftGames) August 23, 2023
Here’s the official blurb:
“Take on the roles of George and Nico as they investigate an ancient manuscript and find themselves drawn into a terrifying conspiracy and into a world of Nazi treasure hunters, ancient medieval histories, and quantum physics. Navigate the manuscript’s clues to uncover the secret location of the Grail (but not as one might expect): a mythical treasure, lost for a thousand years. Rival ruthless technology entrepreneurs, corrupt government agencies, and billion-dollar global energy corporations which are also out to beat our heroes to the ultimate goals. Because George and Nico might just well be the only thing stopping the whole world from armageddon.”
Meanwhile, Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a 4K remaster of the first Broken Sword game, and is in development for console, PC, and mobile for release in early 2024. This reinvention of the 1996 point-and-click adventure classic has “crisper” visuals via updated animations and redrawn backgrounds, upscaled audio, and launches before Broken Sword – Parzival’s Stone. Revolution hopes this remaster will act as the perfect introduction for newcomers to the series.
As you might have noticed, Broken Sword – Parzival’s Stone drops the ‘6’ from its title. Revolution said it took the decision “because it’s time to talk to new people – to welcome them to the loyal community the Broken Sword series has fostered over the decades”.
“This is the start of what we’re calling the ‘Broken Sword Renaissance’,” said Charles Cecil, Founder and CEO of Revolution Software. “With both Parzival’s Stone and Shadow of the Templars: Reforged, we’re making a big, bold, and broad offer both to those who have walked in the shoes of George and Nico before and hunger for a new adventure, and also just as crucially people who have never even heard of the franchise. As with all Broken Sword games, both titles exist as independent adventures with no prior knowledge required, though naturally for those invested in the world we’ve created, there’s a lot to tap into under the surface.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Lexar’s NM790 PCIe 4.0 SSD is our ‘best cheap PCIe 4.0 SSD for gaming‘ pick, offering extremely rapid speeds. It maxes out at 7400MB/s reads and 6500MB/s writes, near the boundary of the PCIe 4.0 standard, and random read/write figures are impressive too despite lacking a DRAM cache, using HMB instead. So I thought it worth mentioning that you can now pick up this 2TB high-end drive for £85, following a price drop from £93 at Amazon UK.
How do you like your missiles? Do you prefer ones that fire straight up and then swoop down like birds of prey, or the kind that jet off to the sides, trapping the target in a pincer formation? How about a single missile that splits into a swarm of smaller missiles? Perhaps a zig-zagger that leaves a trail of explosive charges in its wake, detonating them like dynamite dominoes once it impacts? Well, whatever your fancy, Armored Core VI has a loadout for every occasion. With as many combinations as Dolly Parton’s wardrobe, it’s almost a scandal to equip the same gear twice.
As a longtime Pokémon fan, visiting the place where they design the Pokémon Trading Card Game has long been a childhood dream of mine, and it finally came true when I visited Japan to cover the 2023 Pokémon World Championships. This is the first time Worlds has been hosted in Japan, the birthplace of Pokémon, so to mark this momentous occasion, The Pokémon Company International brought a group of press to the Tokyo office of Creatures for a tour.
As Pokémon fans know, Creatures is one of the owners of the Pokémon brand and is best known for producing the Pokémon TCG. We walked through Creatures’ incredible reception area, saw the common area, talked to the art team, did a hands-on art project, watched a playtest demo, and spoke to the lead game designer. Here’s all the juicy Pokémon trivia we learned along the way.
The Creatures Lobby Is the Stuff of Pokémon Dreams
Walking into the Creatures lobby is a bit of a disorienting experience. I expected it to be full of colorful creatures, characters, and places from the world of Pokémon, but instead it’s a completely white room.
The Creatures logo is softly glowing on the wall, and then as the wall continues, small, white metal Pokémon cards start to appear, until the whole wall is made up of nothing but thousands of them. The walls start to bend and bulge and curve around, like an ocean wave of Pokémon cards. As you can imagine, it’s a bit trippy walking around inside.
The best part of the lobby is the three massive stone tablets carved into Pokémon cards hanging on the walls. There’s the iconic Pokémon PokeBall card back and the original Charizard and Blastoise cards from Base Set. (Venusaur’s absence is a crushing blow to us Grass Starter Enjoyers.) They’re intricately detailed and impressively sculpted, paying tribute to the classic cards that started it all. Each of the stone cards is cracked and broken in various places, and out of those crevices, various crystals and precious metals are sprouting out. I feel like I’m in an ancient temple, a white void where the Pokémon card creative process begins.
We’re told that among the thousands of little Pokémon cards on the wall, there are nine Energy cards hidden among them, so we set out like kids on an Easter egg hunt trying to find them. In the end, I only managed to find Water (next to the Blastoise card), Fire (next to the Charizard card), Darkness, Metal, Fighting, and Fairy. Given that Fairy-Type cards were removed from the TCG a few years ago, I’m touched to see that Fairy is still remembered in this way here at Pokémon TCG HQ.
Creatures Has a Great Place to Kick Back and Relax
Next, we went downstairs to the Creatures “relaxation zone,” but we weren’t allowed to use our cameras because it’s next to the desks where they’re actively developing new secret Pokémon stuff.
The area is a space where Creatures employees can come to relax, eat lunch, and play games. There are several tables, a TV with a Switch and PS5 hooked up, and a coffee bar designed to look like the Hi-Hat Cafe from the Pokémon Detective Pikachu movie, complete with a furry Pikachu maquette sitting on the bar. There’s also a glowing neon sign of the movie logo.
Best of all, there’s all sorts of Pokémon hidden around the area, like a Snivy and Alolan Sandshrew hiding in the planters.
Not so hidden is the giant, life-size Snorlax plush laying on its back, with a Poké Flute resting on its tummy. Our tour guide encouraged us to pet the Snorlax, and it’s quite soft and comfy. I don’t know if naps are allowed here, but if they are, I know where I’d curl up.
Meeting the Illustrators Who Bring Pokémon Cards to Life
We sat down for a Q&A with some folks from the Illustration Team at Creatures, which included Illustration Director Haru Saito and artists Yuka Morii, GIDORA, and Teeziro. We were given an ear piece to wear so we could hear their answers in real-time in Japanese.
The artists talked about what kinds of Pokémon cards they draw. Teeziro said she loves drawing giant monsters, so they always assign her those kinds of Pokémon, like the colossal, UFO-esque Orbeetle VMAX abducting a poor kid.
GIDORA said he’s become known for showing aggressive Pokémon, such as Raichu and Lurcario preparing to launch into battle.
Conversely, Morii said it’s her job to make the Pokémon look cute. She’s known for her signature clay models that are photographed to make Pokémon card art. I’m a big fan of her work, which indeed is super cute.
Creating My Own Pokémon Model… With Questionable Success
Artist Yuka Morii prepared a very special activity for our group – making our very own clay model of the Pokémon Magnemite, just like she did for the new Magnemite card from the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—151 expansion.
We were given a kit including different colored clays and an assortment of Magnemite’s various magnets and screws.
She showed us how to mix the colors to achieve Magnemite’s signature blue-gray metal color, then work the clay into a ball and create an expressive eyeball. I accidentally handled the clay too much and dried it out, so I decided to play into my Magnemite’s cracks and dents and make its eye look a bit sad and depressed.
To finish it off, we’re instructed to insert the screws and magnets, making sure to have the red and blue magnet ends on the right way, just like in the picture. Everyone else in the group made really good, expressive Magnemites, so maybe mine won’t be so depressed once he makes friends with theirs.
The Philosophy Behind Pokémon Card Design
Our next Q&A is with Atsushi Nagashima, Director at Creatures. As lead designer, it’s his job to oversee developing mechanics, game development, and art. My big takeaway from our talk was how impressive it is that he puts so much thought into making sure the game as a whole captures the fantasy of being a Pokémon trainer. I’m a competitive player who has competed at Worlds and only focuses on the best meta cards, but he says his job isn’t necessarily to make cards that help you win, but to create an environment where you can have fun. He said he always imagines the Pokémon on the cards battling in a big stadium, and creating that feeling is always at the forefront of his design decisions, so all aspects of a card from HP to attacks are done in service of attaining that exciting vision.
On the subject of the metagame, he said that they introduce strong cards on purpose and pretty much design what the metagame will be and aren’t often surprised. That said, there was one card that caught him off guard, Mega Audino EX, which was used by Japanese player Shinatro Ito to win the 2016 World Championship.
Most players considered it useless, and it clearly wasn’t designed to be that good, but a creative player found a way to use it in an unexpected way. I remember being in the crowd watching that happen, so it’s nice to know the game designers were just as shocked as we were.
Achieving Balance in the Pokémon TCG
So, whose job is it to ensure Pokémon cards are balanced? The Pokémon TCG playtesters, which sounds like a dream job if I’ve ever heard it. We went into a new room where they showed us the proxy cards they use to test new cards. They print out the cards on paper and glue it to a real card, not unlike I would do at home, but theirs look way better.
Satoru Inoue, Manager of the Game Design Team at Creatures, showed us an example of how they balance cards by setting up a scenario with three Venusaur-ex that have a healing ability. They had to adjust the amount it heals to ensure it would offer adequate healing (60 HP) but not create a squad of immortal Venusaurs.
They said an important skill playtesters need to have is the ability to come up with weird board states like that to really explore what a card can do, which is a lot different from the skills that make a good competitive player, and that’s when I realized, I would be terrible at this job.
Finally, they tell us they have a play-testing room where their group of 18 playtesters play the game seven hours a day, and in that room are all these filing cabinets containing a copy of every single card ever created. I’d always dreamed of what this place would be like, and I suddenly felt a bit emotional, like Charlie walking into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory… but with fewer death traps.
Ending the Creatures Tour
That wraps up my visit to creatures. To say I had the time of my life is an understatement. I never wanted to leave! But seeing how much security they had around that place, it’s probably best I left of my own accord. Getting a look behind the scenes at how they make the Pokémon TCG gave me a new appreciation for the game I love so much, and at the very least, it showed me I’ll always have a career as a clay model artist waiting for me, should I choose to pursue it.
We speak to Arnie Jorgensen, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Stoic, about Towerborne, and players getting to experience the game in person for the first time.
Towerborne is a brawler-style action role playing game (ARPG) that’s easy to learn, fun to master, and supports a single player and up to 4-player co-op experience.
Coming to PC (Windows and Steam) and Xbox Series X|S in 20024, plus it will be available with Game Pass on day one.
For the first time since hearing the iconic “World Premiere” catchphrase at the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, thousands of fans attending this year’s gamescom will have a unique opportunity to experience Towerbornefirsthand. Even though I won’t be attending the show in person, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a build like what fans will be playing, and then chat with Arnie Jorgensen, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Stoic, about the game’s development and what players can expect.
“Gamescom is giving us creative energy and we’re psyched for people to see what we’ve been working on. Players will be battling through a tight experience focused on defeating a titanic enemy who resides deep in the heart of an ancient mycelium forest. Weapon combos and abilities will be honed on the way to this boss by brawling with lesser denizens’ intent on defending their master,” Jorgensen says. “I hope players come away from this experience with a thrilling glimpse into the exciting combat and stunning world that Towerborne has to offer.”
I hope players come away from this experience with a thrilling glimpse into the exciting combat and stunning world that Towerborne has to offer.
Beacon of Hope
If you read a description of Towerborne, you will discover that, “The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers…” Ruins of humanity? That sounds a bit dark and foreboding, but the first thing I noticed about Towerborne is how beautiful the game is. Even with homes burning in the background and death lingering in the air, it’s bright and cheery atmosphere coupled with a delightful and uplifting music score that shifts in tempo depending on whether you’re in the safety of the Belfry or on the battlefield surrounded by enemies truly embodies this message of a beacon of hope. Instead of seeing a world in ruins, the audio and visual design of the game left me feeling optimistic for the City of Numbers.
I asked Jorgensen about Towerborne’s creative style. “We began the art direction by leaning into what we’ve done previously on Banner Saga, meaning that Towerborne should look like you’re playing in a beautifully animated feature film,” explains Jorgensen. “Using Unreal Engine on this title has enabled us to go further and lean into a more updated and modern look, which suits the Towerborne worldbuilding perfectly. It’s simply better than anything I had hoped for in my mind at the start.”
Mash Buttons, Get Loot
Admittedly, I am terrible at games that force me to remember complicated combat maneuvers to chain combos together or pull off a flashy finishing move. But the joy of Towerborne’s combat design is you don’t have to be a pro to feel like one. I can button mash and still have fun, or I can be a bit more tactical with my attacks and dodges and be strategic when deciding to use my special attacks. Either play style you choose – the game is just fun. I asked Jorgensen how they created a game with a combat mechanic that is completely different than all their previous games and made it so enjoyable.
The game is easy to pick up and dive into, and even better with friends…it’s just a good time.
“The game is simply easy to pick up and dive into, and even better with friends. Anyone can grab a controller and have fun mashing buttons and getting loot to improve your character with. The combat is bouncy, and accessible to a wide range of people,” he says. “As you play more and go deeper with the weapon specific combos and abilities, you realize the combat is far deeper than you first thought. You see a boss enemy’s head sticking out of the clouds up ahead on the world map and have a new goal to shoot for, but to defeat it may require reforging your Warclub and leveling up some gear… the game just pulls you in and it’s not a stress simulator, it’s just a good time.”
A Focus on Fun
To gain further understanding of how the game delivers on being one that is easy to learn, fun to master, Jorgensen taps Isaac Torres, the senior combat designer, to dive deeper into the core combat mechanics. “A good portion of the combat team is composed of designers and animators that have worked on action games, beat ‘em ups, and fighting games where this sort of feel is a top priority,” states Torres. “We also have designers that have worked on a large variety of other genres, too, like RPGs and MMOs. It is this sort of team diversity that has allowed us to take inspiration from tons of games while also creating our own identity.”
He continues, “From a gameplay perspective, we made sure that Light Attacks and Heavy Attacks can be used interchangeably no matter which button you use first. If you hit a button, you’re going to do something cool no matter your skill level. Once you find button combinations or moves that you like doing, you will naturally start forming strategies around them.”
Torres closes with, “It’s important to reward you through exploration and discovery, and the combat system is designed with that in mind. Umbra, for example, provides abilities that amplify your combat to do things that aren’t normally possible. Maybe it’s something that holds an enemy in place, something that makes juggling easier, or maybe it’s an Umbra that fires a long-range projectile. Figuring out what each ability does is part of the fun and makes combat feel unique and expansive.”
Adventure Together
I know I just said combat was fun, but don’t be fooled into thinking fun means easy, or that the game’s cute little enemy soldiers aren’t dangerous. Oh sure, you can power through one or two of them at a time, but when you’re trying to defend an objective, like a wagon, and there is half a dozen or more enemies on the battlefield, it can get overwhelming. The big boss battles, even more so. That’s where having a trusty companion comes in handy, and Towerborne achieves this in the form of Umbra. I asked Jorgensen about them since they feel like such an important part of the game. “The Umbra are small spirit beings, each with their own motivations and personalities. In battle they provide you aid by adding stats and abilities to your combat kit,” Jorgensen states. “One may call down spirit energy to smash the ground in front of you with area damage and another may project blistering damage across the screen. You need to seek them out by exploring the world map and in doing so, you will assemble several of them, then choose which will make the best addition to your loadout for the coming battle.”
Home Sweet Home
The Belfry is a hub where you will link up with friends and companions to plan your next adventure, but it’s also home to several interesting non-player characters. I met several of them in my limited playtime but didn’t have the opportunity to learn much about them. I asked Jorgensen if he could share any details about a few of the more popular ones you’ll interact with regularly. “The characters of Towerborne are intended to be exclusive to this particular unfolding storyline and will help give you focus, motivation, and context in the world,” he mentions. “The stalwart Paloma who pulls you back from the Ebb into new life again; Krafft, the no-nonsense military commander; Courage, an Umbra spirit, who will teach you how to use your own fighting spirit. Bumble and Blundt build masterpiece weapons and gear, and Ryx, an Ace who’s died one too many times, intimately understands the spirits of the Ebb, just to name a few.”
Cartography – the Art of Making and Using Maps
I love maps and charts in general, so map functionality is something I always notice in games I play. Towerborne’s map is not only functional and easy to use, but it’s also just as beautiful as the game and an important element of the adventure. I express my adoration on the brilliant map design with Jorgensen.
The map is designed to be a candy shop full of tasty treats for you to enjoy.
“The map is your way of exploring the world of Towerborne. You will battle out from the safety of the Belfry, hex by hex into the wilds to encounter discovery, story, enemy cluster, boss missions and more,” he states. “You will find chests of precious items, seek out Umbra spirits, and unlock pathways to more dangerous areas through Danger License missions. The map is designed to be a candy shop full of tasty treats for you to enjoy.”
From the Makers of Banner Saga
Towerborne is being developed by Stoic, the studio best known for their award-winning tactical role-playing game series, Banner Saga. Towerborne plays completely differently yet shares some subtle parallels. “The largest similarity is the base visual target both share, which is the look of an animated feature film. In the early days of development, the game also was much more of a left to right layout for combat, like Banner Saga travel scenes, but now it’s got a lot more movement and directions to engage with. It also used to be completely 2D, like Banner Saga, but we quickly pivoted to lean into what the Unreal Engine does well, which is 3D,” Jorgensen describes. “So now we get a similar look with a cel shader on the characters and hand painted environments for them to exist on. It has wonderfully designed worldbuilding and characters and is far more optimistic and uplifting than Banner Saga.”
Conclusion
Towerborne reminds me of a few games I’ve played recently, including Tunic, Planet of Lana, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Immortals Fenyx Rising – NOT because they are necessarily similar in gameplay, rather, because they are just beautiful, and fun, and everything you want in a great game. Towerborne is all of these things!
“With Towerborne we really wanted to lean more into a fast-paced combat-based game that was accessible enough to play with your kids but didn’t talk down to adults either. We felt that a brawler style battle system was a great fit as a base that we could then twist into something larger and more modern to excite the current gaming community,” Jorgensen says. “We coupled this base with deep ARPG mechanics, a cool loot system, Stoic worldbuilding, and all wrapped up in a persistent world. We’re adding a lot of new to the genre, but the secret sauce is the world map which is also something players will find new and refreshing.”
Before letting Jorgensen go, so he could focus on gamescom and sharing Towerborne with the fans, I had one personal parting question about games he’s currently playing, which I always find interesting to hear what game developers are playing. “When I have time to actually play a game these days it’s Pillars of Eternity or Songs of Conquest on the PC,” he says. “And the last two I played and finished are the Untitled Goose Game and It Takes Two with my son. Oh, and Clash Royale on the phone of course.”
Towerborne is coming in 2024 to PC and Xbox Series X|S, plus it will be available day one on Game Pass. For more information about Towerborne, check out the official website and follow @Towerborne on Twitter, and check out our exclusive interview with the team from the Xbox Games Showcase.
Denuvo protection software is now available to game developers creating games for the Nintendo Switch via Nintendo’s Developer Portal. Cybersecurity company Irdeto announced the news at Gamescom 2023, with the “authorised Nintendo Switch middleware” now available (via VGC).
Denuvo says it is the first security partner available on the Developer Portal, following on from last year’s ‘Switch Emulation protection’ reveal. Designed to prevent “unauthorized emulations on PC”, the tech is now easily available to all developers working on Switch titles, and this has stirred up a rather passionate response from the community.
Today PlayStation players received big updates on a trio of exciting upcoming devices: the PlayStation Portal remote player, the PlayStation Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, and the newly revealed PlayStation Pulse Elite wireless headset. In addition to a PS Blog article detailing the products, pricing, and more, I also had the opportunity to get my hands on the in-development devices and test-drive them. Read on for details on new upcoming ways to experience your favorite PlayStation 5 games.
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PlayStation Portal remote player
Formerly codenamed Project Q, this is PlayStation’s new option for fans who want more ways to play their PS5 library. Imagine a DualSense wireless controller split down the middle with a high-definition LCD display inserted in the middle, and you’re halfway there.
DualSense controller experience
The PlayStation Portal remote player spares no expense delivering the true DualSense controller experience. Everything from the grippy texture of the sticks to the throw of the triggers felt like home. I trotted through Cooling Springs in Astro Bot’s Playroom, feeling the familiar crunchy grit of a sandy beach with the haptics and adaptive trigger tension of a spring-fired jumping suit. Your hours of muscle memory playing with the DualSense controller will translate one-to-one with PlayStation Portal.
High-definition display
The device boasts a sizable 8-inch LCD 1080p display running at 60hz for up to 60fps gaming. During my hands-on session, PS5 hits like Astro Bot’s Playroom, God of War Ragnarök, and Returnal looked crystal clear on the screen. No detail was lost, from the dark alien ruins of Returnal to the bubblegum-bright, cheerful tech-platforming stages of Astro’s Playroom. The generous size of the screen also made in-game UI and menu text legible at a comfortable arm’s length distance.
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Touchscreen touchpad
PlayStation Portal has a screen where the DualSense controller’s touchpad usually lives, but the device still supports similar functionality thanks to touch-responsive areas of the screen. Extending your thumbs towards the bottom corners of the display brings up two transluscent rectangles onscreen, representing a virtual touchpad. One moment in Astro Bot’s Playroom requires players to “zip” up a suit with a swipe up on the touchpad – the new virtual version makes this feel like second nature.
Impressive performance
During my demo with the PlayStation Portal remote player, I was impressed by the responsive and smooth gameplay from the very first seconds. Precision platforming felt tight and responsive in Astro’s Playroom, as did landing critical shots and dodging enemy projectiles in Returnal. Tapping the PlayStation button and navigating to the PS5’s home menu provided the exact same intuitive experience we’ve come to know and love, and it looked clean and clear on the 8-inch display.
(Additional context: PlayStation Portal was connected to the same local wi-fi network on the 5GHz band channel, but other wi-fi channels work too. A wired ethernet connection from the PS5 to your wireless router is recommended.)
Button setup
Your fingers will naturally find most of the DualSense controller buttons in the places you’d expect (e.g. face buttons, shoulder buttons, triggers, Options, Create button, etc. A couple of notable changes include the PS button found on the left side of the device and the mute microphone button on the right.
PlayStation Portal boasts extra functions, so some additional buttons are in the mix. Volume buttons are located at the top right, and the power button on the top left. The PlayStation Link button, used to connect the device to a Pulse Elite or Pulse Explore is on the left.
3.5MM audio output/input
Have a different pair of wired headphones you want to use? If they’ve got a 3.5MM jack you can plug it into the bottom of PlayStation Portal.
Good news today for audiophiles, as we have the first details and hands-on (ears-on?) report for a duo of new wireless audio devices. Before diving into the robust features that make each unique, let’s dig into their shared functions.
Immersive audio quality
Both the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds and Pulse Elite headset take PlayStation audio quality up a big notch. Both devices sport planar magnetic drivers, which are more commonly found in the high-quality headsets game audio engineers use. Put simply, unlike typical cone-shaped drivers, these flat (planar) drivers convey a wider range of nuanced sounds. Combine this with PlayStation’s potent 3D audio and players are in for a crisp, immersive experience.
PlayStation Link wireless technology
A fourth announcement was PlayStation Link wireless technology. This new tech allows the PS5 console, PlayStation Portal, Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, and Pulse Elite headset to achieve low-latency, lossless audio. The vision is to enable players to bounce between devices at home, freely swapping between their PS5 and PlayStation Portal to play games and bringing their audio devices along for the jump.
Both the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds and Pulse Elite headset come with a PlayStation Link USB adapter, which plugs into your PS5 or PC for low latency, lossless audio.
Bluetooth compatibility
Both the Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite also support Bluetooth audio, allowing users to enjoy a rich audio experience with a wide range of devices.
Pairing and using multiple devices
One unexpected benefit of this new function will allow players to pair and listen to multiple devices in a single session. For example, I experienced a demonstration that involved receiving a phone call while playing God of War Ragnarök on the PS5 console. The Pulse Elite headset was paired to the PS5 console through the PlayStation Link USB adapter, while the phone was paired through Bluetooth – so I heard the phone ringing through my Pulse Elite headset. After answering the call, the call audio seamlessly mixed with the game audio, allowing me to continue playing uninterrupted while chatting. This is great news for anybody who loves to use alternative voice chat platforms or multitask by watching their favorite show or content creator on another device.
AI-enhanced microphone noise reduction
Ever been “that person” toggling the mute button in party chat as you munch your favorite snack? Or worse, been on the receiving end of a friend chewing their food with abandon? Thankfully Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite come equipped with AI-enhanced microphone noise reduction to smooth away repetitive background noise like loud munching, noisy traffic, vacuum cleaners, and the like. The example I experienced involved my caller loudly crumpling a piece of paper near their phone’s mic, which the AI-enhanced noise reduction quickly muffled.
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Pulse Explore earbuds hands-on
Charging case
The black and white charging case sports a similar futuristic aesthetic to the PS5 itself. When closed, the compact curved design features a USB-C port on one side, allowing you to charge the earbuds. The white cover can be slid back to reveal the earbuds themselves. Notably, the magnetic sliding action of the cover has a satisfying click to it when opening and closing – I couldn’t stop playing with it. The earbuds are magnetically attracted to small contacts within the case, ready to be popped off for use.
Equipping the wireless earbuds
The uniquely designed earbuds come with four ear tip sizes to help users find the right size for their ears. From there, the Pulse Explore earbuds are inserted into each ear with a slight twist motion, resting with the PlayStation logo upright. The Pulse Explore wireless earbuds feel secure and light, allowing you to stay focused on the game as the crisp audio immerses you in the game.
Volume and Link buttons
Players can adjust the volume with up / down buttons on each earbud. Each also has a Link button, which can be used to reconnect and switch to paired devices. Finding the buttons by feel and adjusting the volume is an intuitive and quick experience.
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Pulse Elite wireless headset hands-on
Premium over-ear form factor
The new wireless headset sports a comfortable fit with a flexible band that stretches across the top of the head. The earpads cup the ears with a perfect balance between luxurious softness and secure firmness. The headset has a lightweight feel and any awareness of them being atop the head melts away after diving into gameplay.
Clever microphone storage
The Pulse Elite wireless headset has a microphone built into it, which can be extended with a simple pull of the mic’s tip. This allows for more precise mic placement with a simple motion. Muting the mic is as simple as pressing its button, which activates an orange indicator light visible in the periphery.
Storage with built-in charging
The Pulse Elite wireless headset comes with a charging hanger to hang your headset in a convenient location of your choosing. A power cable can be routed into the hanger which charges the headset through contacts located inside the headband.
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Takeaways
I walked into my hands-on time unsure of what to expect from this new selection of liberating PlayStation products, and stepped away excited to fit the devices into my daily gaming experience. The Pulse Elite wireless headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds deliver new levels of immersive 3D audio and user-friendly functions that make them worthy additions for PlayStation fans. My mind continues to race with possible new applications for the PlayStation Portal remote player around the home, enabling me to play my favorite PS5 games off the couch.
Stay tuned for more info on pre-order details and availability for the PlayStation Portal remote player and Pulse Elite wireless headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds.
After teasing the device at the last State of Play showcase, Sony officially announced its handheld device’s new name, previously codenamed Project Q.
The PlayStation Portal (yes, really) is a “remote player” with an 8-inch LCD screen with up to 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second and a 3.5mm audio jack. Outside of what the device would do, the other underlying question was how much the device would cost. Sony confirmed that the PlayStation Portal will retail for $199.99, with a release date slated for later this year.
The name of the PlayStation Portal is interesting as its abbreviation is “PSP,” the same as the PlayStation Portable, Sony’s handheld game console first released in 2004. While the PSP was a dedicated game console, the Portal is designed to allow PS5 players to play their favorite games from the palm of their hand.
PlayStation Portal is an extension of the remote play feature Sony previouslyrolled out, allowing you to use your smart device to play your PS4 or PS5 games on the go. Though the most common way to use remote play was the remote play app via your smartphone, though connecting it was cumbersome when trying to leave your house and was better suited for playing at home.
