Last week, we asked you share gaming characters getting to work using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
MrioMoreno5 shares Lake protagonist Meredith delivering mail and package in her hometown.
snejku23 shares Rivet grabbing a selfie with some industrial workers in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
juniaxe shares Ada showing off her credentials in Resident Evil 2 Remake.
fsantos1697 shares Sam Bridges pausing to collect himself while delivering things in Death Stranding.
call_me_xavii shares Alan staring down writer’s block (or worse) in Alan Wake 2.
SeeyoulaterHihi shares Judy hard at work editing brain dances in Cyberpunk 2077.
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: Astro Bot SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 11, 2024
Next week, Astro Bot’s off on his next big mission! Share adorable and adventurous moments with the titular bot and his many rescued friends using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Hello PlayStation fans! As we celebrate this Friday’s upcoming release of Astro Bot, Team Asobi’s tribute to 30 years of iconic PlayStation characters, stories, and magical moments, we want to thank you for the love and passion you’ve shown for PlayStation. Your enduring support has made these past three decades possible. While PlayStation’s 30th anniversary is still a few months away, today we’re delighted to share some of the ways we’ll be commemorating this milestone with all of you.
Explore a nostalgic homage to the original Gran Turismo, enjoy digital soundtracks from classic PlayStation games, and create fun moments with our new “Shapes of Play” collection – these are just a few of the ways we’re inviting you to join our community celebration, which starts this month.
And for everyone excited to jump into Astro Bot, we’re pleased to share a first look at a 30th anniversary photo opportunity located in the game’s central hub where Bots you’ve saved throughout your spacefaring adventures will hang out, ready to dance along with your stylish moves.
An early look at what’s ahead
My First GT. This holiday, look forward to a free trial version designed to attract a diverse players of all skill levels to the globally acclaimed Gran Turismo 7. This upcoming release will include some of the favorite cars, tracks, and race events that evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the very first GT experience. Look out for more details on My First GT, available to all PS5 and PS4 players this holiday.
Download the image
Digital game soundtracks. In collaboration with Sony Music, each month from October through January, we’ll release for the first time on Spotify a set of digital soundtracks from fan-favorite PlayStation franchises. You’ll be able to stream the following game soundtracks on Spotify or purchase them on various digital music storefronts, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and participating music retailers:
God of War
God of War II
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Twisted Metal
Starhawk
Unit 13
Download the image
Download the image
Download the image
Download the image
Download the image
Download the image
You can also vibe to our specially curated PlayStation 30th Anniversary playlist on Spotify, available to stream today. We’ll have more to share on the upcoming digital soundtrack releases, which will be added to this playlist over time, so stay tuned!
Shapes of Play. A new collection of products called “Shapes of Play,” crafted by the team behind the design of PlayStation consoles, gives you opportunities to create fun moments with our iconic shapes:
Shapes of Play: Battle is a board game where you can challenge a friend to line up four different shapes of the same color on the board to win.
Shapes of Play: Create is a set of magnetic blocks that you can position in any direction to create fun shapes.
Shapes of Play: Recharge lets you experience a new way to recharge between games, especially after that tough boss battle.
Shapes of Play will launch in December 2024, exclusively through direct.playstation.com in the US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Benelux. Preorders start later today exclusively through direct.playstation.com.
Download the image
Free online multiplayer weekend and esports tournaments. Join us later this month for a free online multiplayer weekend and exciting esports tournaments! To celebrate the fantastic online games and communities on PlayStation, we’re hosting a free online multiplayer weekend on Sept. 21 and 22.* During those days, you can enjoy online multiplayer for games you own without having a PlayStation Plus membership, on PS5 and PS4 consoles.
Download the image
During the same weekend, we’ll host a series of PS5 esports tournaments, featuring titles like NBA 2K24, NBA 2K25, Madden NFL 24, MLB The Show 24, EA UFC 5, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive. If you own any of these games and qualify, you can compete on Sept 21 and 22 to win a special 30th anniversary-themed avatar and other game-specific prizes. Players on PS5 can sign up via the Game Hub or the in-game PlayStation Tournaments button. Keep an eye on compete.playstation.com for all the upcoming tournament details.
Download the image
Download the image
Image of the PlayStation avatars players will receive for participating in any of the Sept. 21 – 22 esports tournaments.
As we celebrate 30 years of play, these upcoming activities and releases are just a taste of what’s to come. Be on the lookout for more announcements in the near future!
*Available for PS5 and PS4 games with online mode. Internet connection and account for PlayStation Network required.
Authenticity and style are hallmarks of EA Sports FC’s take on the beautiful game, and there’s no denying that comes through in EA Sports FC 25, which is warming up for a September 27 launch (with early access from September 20 for those that pre-order the Ultimate Edition).
I had a chance to examine the studs of this latest footballing signing with some time on its pristine new pitch, testing its new tactical options and the enticingly fresh Rush 5v5 experience.
Polish and improvements across the presentation
The gloss expected of EA Sports FC is fully present, with some tweaks made to the TV-style presentation, as well as the style of its matches. The referee and player point-of-view camera for replays and stoppages is used more, offering an up close and personal first-person perspective on goals. The player walkouts have returned to pre-match cutscenes, too, and there are nice little extra in-game details like increased animation on the players’ shirts.
There are also some classic elements that have stayed. DualSense controller feedback is responsive enough to not feel overwhelming when reacting to fouls and shots, while its built-in speaker still captures referee whistles and the oh-so satisfying rustle of the ball hitting the net.
Further to that, many clubs keep some of their highlight chants, whether it’s Manchester City’s Blue Moon, I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles for West Ham (and yes, the actual bubbles floating around the pitch have returned, too) or Allez, Allez, Allez from the stands of Villa Park.
Meanwhile, the emphasis on statistics is as impressive as always, with on-pitch overlays popping up to show details such as shots taken in and around the box, and who are the most fatigued players. As before, they remain informative and – most importantly – unobtrusive to the action.
The gameplay and tactical flow feel good
One of the big things EA is highlighting in EA Sports FC 25 is FC IQ, which tackles the tactical and moment-to-moment elements of the game. Player Roles give each footballer a wider array of on and off the ball behavior, with proficiencies dictating how they act when placed in different positions. In short, it’s even more important to understand a player’s strengths. So you might well have an outstanding goal poacher, but putting them in a false 9 position will only minimize their efficacy.
Which means there’s a greater emphasis on tactical diversity. It’s even more important to ensure you’re harmoniously crafting tactics which suit your players and their familiarity with the Role you’ve given them, handily indicated with a detailed breakdown of each, and a + indicating a proficiency and ++ indicating them being world class.
So to stay on top of an ever changing match, tactical suggestions and pre-sets are now available to select during dead ball moments or pauses such as replays and celebrations. Players move around to their new positions in real time, with a zoomed-in ‘chalkboard’ preview available to see how your team’s shape is affected.
Making quickfire manual or suggested substitutions and tactics in the game is extremely easy, with my changes feeling noticeable both from a visual and gameplay perspective, and even the match commentators noting significant tweaks to my team. EA Sports FC 25 requires less reliance on defensive AI, meaning midfield transitions are even more important and mistakes are more punishable.
A squad of game modes, and more options for women’s football
Traditional game modes from Cup Finals to the match stipulation changing House Rules are all present, including the world dominating Ultimate Team and all-engrossing Player and Manager Career modes. The latter two are also now available for the women’s teams too, with the WSL, NWSL, D1 Féminine, Liga F and Frauen-Bundesliga all playable, as well as the women’s Champions League.
It’s an important and welcome addition to EA Sports FC, bringing valuable parity across all modes, with the level of detail afforded in the men’s league managers, financial models, player likeness and more being given to the women’s options.
Running the Rush mode
Another big inclusion to EA Sports FC 25 is the 5v5 Rush experience, integrated across all core game modes, which I can see becoming a fan-favorite for those wanting a quick kickabout with a different level of pomp and flavor. Essentially professional five-a-side football with polished, neon green-hued presentation and even more energetic commentators, Rush is EA Sports FC, arcade style.
In Kick off, you pick a squad from your favorite side, dropped onto a smaller pitch and go for goals. To reflect these changes to the norm, you will be presented to a completely different kick off experience where all players race to the ball when it is launched from the side of the pitch. There are no red cards, those being replaced by a blue card that leads to 1 min off pitch punishment to the player. And offsides are also different, instead of being called starting from the halfway line, they are called from the new attacking third line. Aside from that you still have access to all of your skills and techniques from 11 a side. However, the gameplay is so fast, compact and intense that pulling them off is trickier… and thus more rewarding.
Replays are kept to goals rather than highlights, and everything moves at a pace which is refreshingly brisk and engaging. It’s reminiscent of playground ‘attack, attack, attack’ football where you can go solo instead of passing it around your team, but where’s the fun in that? Not to mention that constructing snappy and successful team moves across the smaller pitch dimensions is even more gratifying…
With the option to play via Ultimate Team, Clubs, Kick Off and Career mode, the Rush experience could be an instant classic with some like-minded friends – but either way there’s even more in EA Sports FC 25’s locker that you’ll be able to unleash on the pitch when it all kicks off later this month on September 27.
August was packed with plenty of summer gaming with titles that hit almost every genre in the medium. What did you enjoy most about last month’s title lineup?
How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog.
What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake.
How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll.
Produced and written by the legendary Hironobu Sakaguchi, and accompanied by a mesmerizing score from Nobuo Uematsu, Fantasian: Neo Dimension’s release on PS5 is set to enchant both new players and long-time Final Fantasy fans alike. Despite being originally designed for mobile in 2021, Fantasian is a full-scale JRPG with undeniable charm. I recently had the chance to dive into an early preview through the Ancient Hill area with Leo, Kina and Cheryl in my party. This segment included a few voiced cutscenes, a small area to explore, and a handful of fights, including an enigmatic special encounter and a classic boss battle. Here’s what stood out.
What’s new in this version
Fantasian: Neo Dimension brings several exciting upgrades with its release on PS5. The most noticeable is the stunning 4K resolution, which makes every detail of the meticulously crafted world pop with breathtaking clarity. Another welcome addition is the dual-language voice acting. Whether you prefer the authenticity of Japanese dialogue or the accessibility of English, Fantasian: Neo Dimension offers a fully voiced experience that brings its cast to life. Finally, the addition of an easier difficulty option means those who are new to the genre will get an easier time going through the title despite its classic JRPG difficulty.
One of the most intriguing new features is the ability to customize your soundtrack. For battles, players can choose between the original music composed for Fantasian —which is obviously excellent considering its author— or mix it up with iconic tracks from a selection of older Final Fantasy titles. You can choose a particular title, or use the random option to get a surprise soundtrack to play over each fight.
A unique art direction
The art direction of Fantasian: Neo Dimension is nothing short of extraordinary. The game’s world is built entirely from hand-crafted dioramas, which have been digitally recreated using drones equipped with 3D scanning technology. This meticulous process resulted in over 150 dioramas that form the game’s various environments, each one brimming with hand painted details.
The dioramas are crafted with an unparalleled level of care, with contributions from notable artists, including Akira Toriyama, the mastermind behind Dragon Ball, and veterans from Japan’s Tokusatsu industry, known for their work on practical effects in films and television.
Exploring these diorama-based environments feels like stepping into a work of art, with layers of textures and intricate details I wished I could simply reach through the screen and touch. The physical craftsmanship creates a visual experience that is entirely unique to the title.
Merging legacy with innovation
One of the most remarkable aspects of Fantasian: Neo Dimension is how it masterfully combines classic JRPG elements with some innovative gameplay mechanics. Fans of traditional JRPGs will find comfort in the familiar turn-based combat system, complete with elemental weaknesses and your classic spells. However, the game introduces a simple twist by allowing players to manually aim the trajectory of attacks and spells, enabling them to ricochet off multiple enemies. Some of these attacks will be your classic area-of-effect spell or single-target slash, but other attacks will pass through enemies and you can manually adjust the curve of the spell to hit specific enemies in its path. This added layer of strategy is super satisfying, particularly during large-scale battles.
And to boot, larger scale battles are guaranteed by the Dimengeon system, a feature that addresses perhaps one of the most common criticisms of traditional JRPGs: the sometimes repetitive random encounters. Instead of regularly battling the same enemies in the overworld, Fantasian allows you to store these encounters in the Dimengeon, an alternate dimension where you can tackle them all at once. A couple caveats to this: any enemy you haven’t encountered yet will still trigger an instant battle, and you can only store a certain number of enemies before you’ll have to dip your toes in the Dimengeon and clear the queue.
This system not only streamlines gameplay, allowing you some lovely uninterrupted exploration phases, but also allows for some excellent fights. When you enter the Dimengeon, you’ll find various bonuses scattered throughout letting you steal an enemy’s turn or buff your party’s attacks. Picking these up by aiming your attacks through the bonuses turns these mass battles into thrilling, high-stakes encounters. I found this system particularly enjoyable, as it allowed for more creative approaches in combat. The sheer number of enemies in these Dimengeon battles – which caps at 30 in a single fight – gave me the opportunity to experiment with different spells and strategies, making each encounter fresh and exciting.
Fantasian: Neo Dimension is a beautifully crafted love letter to the JRPGs of old, enriched with modern enhancements that make it feel fresh and innovative. The combination of stunning handcrafted diorama environments, classic gameplay elements, and new mechanics like the Dimengeon system creates an experience that is both nostalgic and novel. As a fan of the genre, my time with Fantasian: Neo Dimension definitely left me eager for the full release.
If you’re an RPG fan, you probably need no introduction to Dragon Quest III. This RPG is one of those rare, precious games that captured the imagination of players, critics, and creators alike, and changed the genre. If you’ve ever played a Japanese RPG, it likely owes a debt to Dragon Quest III.
So, it’s pretty exciting that this legendary game is making a return as Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. The new game reimagines this classic adventure from the ground up, bringing its world and characters to life in the vibrant HD-2D visual style made famous by games like Octopath Traveler I and II and Live A Live.
But Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake doesn’t just look to recreate the past – it builds on it. The game includes new features that make the game feel fresh, modern, and deeper.
We’re excited to reveal just a few of these new additions.
New party customization
In Dragon Quest III HD-2D, you play as a young hero sent on a quest to do what your father could not: defeat the Archfiend Baramos. It’s not an easy task, but fortunately, you can get some backup to help you out.
You can form a team of up to four characters, including your hero, near the start of the game by visiting Patty’s Party Planning Place. In the original game, you could simply choose their vocation, which determines their role and skills in battle. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, however, gives you a lot more options.
For example, you can now change up how they look…
… with fourteen different hair colors to choose from.
You’ll also get to select what kind of voice they have – their appearance won’t limit the voice types you can give them.
Combined with the many different personalities, which affect characters’ strengths and weaknesses, it lets you create a party that’s easier to become attached to – after all, they’re distinctly yours.
Friends forever
What if you create your perfect party member? Once your adventure is done, is that bold recruit lost forever?
Not in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake! The new game lets you register a volunteer so you can use them in another playthrough on the same account. They’ll even keep the attributes, level, and equipment they had when you registered them!
Meet the Monster Wrangler
Everyone in the party, your protagonist included, has a vocation. This determines what spells and abilities they’re capable of learning, how their stats will increase and the equipment they can use.
There are multiple vocations in the game, including classics like Warrior and Mage, but this remake adds a brand-new addition: Monster Wrangler!
Dragon Quest III features some of the most charming and iconic adversaries in gaming – even those new to the series will likely recognize the humble Slime, for example. Monster Wranglers know more than most about the world’s monsters and will help you befriend any creatures you find who looks lonesome.
They can also do battle with an array of monstrous abilities, from awesome attacks that hit multiple enemies at once, to helpful heals that can bring your party back from the brink.
Master the Monster Arenas
As you play through the adventure, you may encounter monsters of a kinder disposition to those you take on in battle. They’re hidden all over the world – in towns, dungeons, and even secret areas on the world map.
If you scout these monsters, you can use them in another new addition to this remake: Monster Arenas.
You can use a team of three monsters in various arenas around the world, pitting their battle skills against those of other trainers. You can’t control monsters directly, but you can set their tactics to influence how they act. Each tournament has its own rank, so you’ll need a good team and a good strategy to overcome the tougher challenges.
It’s well worth it, as you’ll be richly rewarded with gold and other prizes!
That’s just a few of the new features coming in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. Of course, there’s plenty more to discover, including new voiceovers, illustrations and more. And, of course, that HD-2D visual style makes it all look positively gorgeous.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D launches for PS5 on November 14, 2024. Preorder now to enjoy the following in-game bonus items:
Equipment: Elevating Shoes – gain XP with each step!
Consumable: Seed of Strength x3 – permanently raises strength attribute
Consumable: Seed of Defence x3 – permanently raises defence attribute
Consumable: Seed of Agility x3 – permanently raises Agility attribute
Consumable: Seed of Life x3 – permanently raises HP
Consumable: Seed of Magic x3 – permanently raises MP
Concord fans — we’ve been listening closely to your feedback since the launch of Concord on PlayStation 5 and PC and want to thank everyone who has joined the journey aboard the Northstar. Your support and the passionate community that has grown around the game has meant the world to us.
However, while many qualities of the experience resonated with players, we also recognize that other aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended. Therefore, at this time, we have decided to take the game offline beginning September 6, 2024, and explore options, including those that will better reach our players.
While we determine the best path ahead, Concord sales will cease immediately and we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game for PS5 or PC. If you purchased the game for PlayStation 5 from the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct, a refund will be issued back to your original payment method.
Customers who purchased from other digital storefronts will also be refunded. More information about refunds from Steam and Epic can be found below:
SteamStore – Steam Store will refund players who bought the game over the coming days. Steam will send confirmation of the refund once it has been processed.
Epic Games Store – Epic Games Store will refund players who bought the game over the coming days and will contact each customer directly to confirm that the refund has been processed.
Other retailer refunds – For customers who have purchased a physical copy at a retailer location outside of PlayStation directly, please refer to the refund process of the retailer you purchased it from to obtain your refund.
Once refunded, players will no longer have access to the game.
We’ll keep you updated and thank you again to all the Freegunners who have joined us in the Concord galaxy.
* Refunds for PlayStation Store and PlayStation Direct purchases may take 30-60 days to appear on your bank statement. If your original payment source was unavailable, the purchase amount will be refunded to your PSN wallet.
Hey folks! The PlayStation Podcast crew punches in a quick episode covering this week’s gaming news and upcoming releases. Plus discussions on Astro Bot, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure.
Stuff We Talked About
Upcoming releases:
Astro Bot | PS5
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions | PS5, PS4
PlayStation Monthly Games for September:
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
MLB The Show 24
Little Nightmares II
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Gameplay Blog
Astro Bot Character Design Blog
Hands-on reports:
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
NBA 2K25
Monster Hunter Wilds
Black Myth: Wukong
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
The Cast
Download the image
Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, 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.]
Hi there, PlayStation community! We’re Monster Couch, and we make digital board game adaptations. Our digital version of Wingspan—one of the most acclaimed tabletop games of recent years—will be available on PS5 and PS4 on October 11.
We’re excited to tell you about it – let’s start with the basics.
Wingspan, at its heart, is a strategy card game in which every card is a bird you place into one of the three habitats of your portfolio – wetlands, grasslands and forest. Sounds easy, right? It is! But the devil’s in the details, as each habitat has its specific purpose, and every card you place has its own cost and unique abilities you can make use of. By thinking strategically and smartly combining the birds’ abilities, you’ll create satisfying combinations, chains, and engines that will net you victory points, and by scoring more than your opponents, you’ll win the game.
At the same time, the game offers a cozy, relaxing escape. You’ll be placing your birds on idyllic preserve backdrops, listening to their chirps and the game’s serene soundtrack. It’s a change of pace compared to the breakneck tempo of some of the other games on the market. That’s because we wanted Wingspan to be something you can play to unwind, and the visuals and music were created with this in mind.
Let’s talk about game modes for a second. Whether you’re a solo player and want to test your skills against AI opponents or the Automa (which is a specifically designed artificial opponent governed by a deck of cards, which works a bit differently to AI players), or play multiplayer with your friends or family locally, you can do that in Wingspan. You can also hop online to join match-made games with birders from all over the world. There are even weekly challenges for those who really want to show off their competitive spirit. There’s something here for every type of player!
What sets Wingspan apart from similar titles is that it’s not just a bunch of mechanics with a slapped-on theme. It’s a charming little preserve full of beautiful birds you create each game you play, in which the birds’ abilities correspond to their real-life counterparts. For example, your hawks will hunt, your pelicans will fish, and your geese will form a flock. You’ll be able to get to know interesting tidbits about your preserve’s inhabitants from the cards, too.
What’s cool is that when Wingspan launches on October 11, it’s not just the base game that will be available. We’re bringing the entire flock of expansions and decorative content to the PlayStation consoles! These include two big expansions released up to this point – European and Oceania – with all kinds of new birds from the respective continents and new gameplay elements. In addition to that, two decorative packs are coming, with new backgrounds and avatars you can use to customize your in-game profile.
Last, but not least – Wingspan will also launch physically simultaneously, thanks to the fantastic team over at Merge Games. The Special Edition box will include the following:
The base game
European and Oceania expansions
Seasonal Decorative Pack
If you’re one of the gamers who would like to show off your shelf collection, the Special Edition is for you.
Hopefully, the above gives you an idea of Wingspan. In this post, we reflected on the game’s core gameplay aspects and relaxing nature (pun intended). We can’t wait to see you in the game on October 11.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on PlayStation 5 is a stunning game, filled with jaw-dropping action sequences, breathtaking environments, and intense battles that are perfect for capturing glorious screenshots. With the Swarm Engine taking full advantage of the PlayStation 5 hardware, pushing it to its limits to display hundreds of enemies and rich sceneries all at once, you’ll experience what it means to be a soldier in the galactic war that is Warhammer 40,000 like never before.
Capture yourself shredding Tyranids as towering structures fall in the background. Fight alongside the relentlessly courageous Imperial Guard as they defend the Recidious solar system. The Warhammer universe has never looked so rich. Whether you’re looking to immortalize a perfectly executed move or showcase the intricate details of your armor, Photo Mode is here to make it happen.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to become a master photographer in the grim darkness of the far future.Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s PlayStation 5 Photo Mode is more than just a tool—it’s your canvas to create epic, dramatic, and awe-inspiring images. Start your journey as a Warhammer photographer!
Getting started with Photo Mode
You can enter Photo Mode directly from the pause screen during any single-player session. All you need to do is press the Square button and the game will automatically stop, giving you all the time you need to frame the perfect shot. Keep in mind that Photo Mode cannot be accessed during CGI or pre-calculated cutscenes, ensuring you don’t miss any crucial moments in the narrative.
Photo Mode offers a suite of intuitive tools to help you capture the perfect image, and it starts with the ways you can customize your Space Marines (and companions) to set them up just right before the money shot:
Character Visibility: Celebrating the sheer power and determination of Lieutenant Titus can sometimes require him to be the only subject of your screenshots, so you can choose to show or hide your AI companions with the Character Visibility function. That’s also true for Titus himself, if you’re looking to capture his battle-brothers Chairon and/or Gadriel.
Helmet Visibility: Some Space Marines among you like to feel the last breaths of their enemies on their skin during combat while others prefer the extra safety and the fierce look of a Primaris Marine’s helmet. Choose whether or not to equip it in your shots with the Helmet Visibility function.
Facial Expressions: Add some personality to all the Space Marines in your shots with customizable facial expressions. Along with the standard Default, Helmet, and a range of intense emotions like an angry stare, a satisfied grin and more are available for you to play with.
Camera controls
Mastering the camera is key to creating stunning images:
Free Camera Movement: Move the camera freely on all axes, but note that it cannot stray more than 10 meters from your character or clip through walls.
Rotation: Rotate the camera to find the perfect angle.
Vertical Movement: Adjust the camera height to get the best perspective.
Camera Roll: Turn the camera from -90 to +90 degrees around your characters.
Hide UI: Temporarily hide the Photo Mode interface for an unobstructed view.
If you’d like to revert all the changes and adjustments you made since entering Photo Mode, you may press Reset Changes to return to your original framing. When everything is to your taste, all you’ll have to do to snap your picture is hit the Share button and save it using the PlayStation 5 interface you know so well.
Lens adjustments
To achieve the cinematic look you’re after, Photo Mode includes several lens options:
Field of View (FOV): Adjust the FOV from 50 to 115 degrees. The default in-game setting is 73.7, but you can experiment with the full range to dramatically change the feel of your shot.
Depth of Field (DOF): Control the distance between the closest and furthest objects in focus, ranging from 0.3 to 50.0 (default is 5.0). This setting is crucial for creating those dreamy, blurred backgrounds.
Focus Distance: Set the distance at which objects are in sharp focus. The range is from 0.3 to 25.0, with the default set at 3.0.
Blur Intensity: Control the intensity of blur for out-of-focus objects, from 0% to 100%, with a default setting of 15%.
Image effects
Fine-tune the mood and style of your screenshots with a variety of effects. For those who may be new to Virtual Photography, there are a few important subtleties we’d like to explain to let you take full advantage of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Photo Mode.
Brightness will control the overall brightness of the picture, meaning that all colors are affected at once as you brighten or darken your shot. On the contrary, Exposure will only affect the amount of light shining on your subjects and retain the colors’ true tones. Contrast allows you to increase or lower the colors’ sharpness of your shots, with either a clear difference between the bright light tones and deep dark ones or very little. Tweaking your screenshots’ Saturation setting lets you take a different approach. As with Exposure, you will be retaining the true nature of the colors and be able to play with their intensity, but an easy way to think about it is this: the more saturation you have, the less grey is in your colors and the more intense they’ll look. The less you have, the more colors will look faded and grey-ish versions of themselves.
You can also play with Bloom to blend colors at the edges of your characters and decor to obtain a blurry effect affecting your whole picture, making it distinct from the depth of field that really controls where you decide you set your primary focus and how deep you want it. Think of Bloom as how greasy do you want your camera’s lens to be Let’s close this section with the Hue, Vignette and Film Grain settings. The first will allow you to shift all the colors in your shot at once while retaining their relative positions on the color spectrum. Your screenshots may look very different color-wise but all details will be kept. The second simply lets you add a dark tone at the edges of your picture that creeps inwards as you increase it. It’s a great way to focus people’s attention on the center of your frame while hiding some of the less interesting details around the sides. Finally, the last lets you add that authentic grainy look that you may know so well if you ever watch old motion pictures shot on film.
Filters and Overlays
In addition to the lens setting, the PlayStation 5 Photo Mode comes with a set of pre-set filters and customizable overlays:
Filters: Choose from Default, Monochrome, Sepia, Cold, or Warm filters to change the overall tone of your image.
Frames: Select from various frames like Letterbox, Bloody or Toxic to add a dramatic border to your shot.
Logos: Proudly display the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 or the Saber Interactive logos.
Saving Your Presets
Once you’ve found the perfect combination of settings, don’t worry about losing them. Photo Mode automatically saves your adjustments within the same game session. So you can exit and re-enter without losing your hard work.
When your screenshots are ready
Share your screenshots of the 41st millennium with your PlayStation friends or show your undying bravery to the world by sharing your bloodiest, most gruesome executions with the Share button on your DualSense controller. You may even post your creations directly to your social media accounts for all of the Space Marine 2 community to see! Once you’re back in the action, enjoy stunning 4K resolution at locked 30 frames per second with Space Marine 2’s Quality Mode or opt for a smooth 60 frames per second with our Performance Mode. This combination of visual fidelity and fluid performance not only enhances the gameplay experience but also elevates the potential of Photo Mode, as you may switch between the two to increase the level of detail and overall quality.
We can’t wait to see what creations you’ll come up with, Astartes.
For the Emperor!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 releases on PlayStation 5 on September 9. Pre-order the Gold or Ultra Editions to play up to 4 days early and receive new cosmetics after release by purchasing the game’s Season Pass.
