With franchise revival Onimusha: Way of the Sword in active development, there’s been a resurgence of interest in the PlayStation 2 Onimusha series. While a remaster of the original Onimusha: Warlords has been available for quite some time, it was only recently that Capcom announced that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny would also be getting a remaster, due out on May 23.
Fans of the series rejoiced at the news, and for good reason. Onimusha 2 is a fan favorite, with a unique style and gameplay elements that make it a true standout among the series.
We had the opportunity to interview Motohide Eshiro, the original game director and longtime Capcom veteran, about what players old and new can expect from Onimusha 2’s remaster.
Making friends and influencing people
What did the team learn from the original Onimusha remaster?
We learned that we could make the controls more comfortable. Onimusha 2 originally only had ‘tank controls.’ We carried over the revised controls from the previous remaster to Onimusha 2 smoothly.
Would these modernized controls affect the difficulty?
No, it’s more about minimizing frustration. Classic fans can choose tank controls if they prefer, but modern players can more easily get into the game this way. As far as combat goes, we faithfully carried over the Issen critical system from the original game. It won’t be any easier to perform critical attacks, since we think the critical system was really finely balanced in the original game.
Can you elaborate on one of the game’s defining features: the ally system?
It’s one of the defining elements of Onimusha 2. You can give gifts to other characters and form relationships with them. In return, they’ll help out Jubei in battles. Sometimes, you can control these characters, as well.
Was anything altered for this system in the remaster?
Like Issen, I think the ally system was well-balanced, so I didn’t have to make any tweaks or drastic changes. We considered adding a gauge over the characters’ heads to indicate your relationship status, but that wouldn’t express the depth of the characters. So you need to judge, through their reaction, the facial expressions, the comments they give you, how they feel about the gift.
Heaven or Hell?
What are your thoughts on the new optional Hell difficulty where any hit means instant death?
It’s definitely not for all players. This is something like a challenge from the developers, especially for those players who brag about their skills. We really want players to experience epic sword battles full of tension.
I haven’t been able to complete this mode yet, but we figured that if even one person in the world can complete this game, that will be OK. Another team member has been able to complete this new hell mode, so we know it’s not impossible. So I hope that players, especially those who have confidence in their skills, will play it. Even if you don’t, you can progress a little at a time by frequently saving. Of course, if you complete it, that’ll be amazing!
Can you tell us about the additions of mini-games like The Man in Black, Team Oni, and Puzzle Phantom Realm?
Team Oni is a game where you go through stages, not just with Jubei but with your allies, and you can switch between them. It’s crucial to switch in allies and use items strategically. Puzzle Phantom Realm is a sequence of puzzles to solve. You’ll encounter puzzle sections in the normal game, but this is just back-to-back puzzles, testing your solving skills. Lastly, there’s ‘The Man in Black.’ Jubei has a special outfit where he’s dressed in black, head to toe. Instead of battling enemies, the goal is to collect films at various locations. These all have a different vibe from the main game, and are fun in distinct ways.
Enduring Legacies
Onimusha 2 involved many big names in Japanese entertainment in its creation: longtime TV and game scriptwriter Noboru Sugimura, famed artist and special effects director Keita Amemiya, and the likeness of legendary actor Yusaku Matsuda. How did this ensemble come together?
We wanted the world to be a blend of Japanese and Western taste. Sugimura really had a deep knowledge and respect for the era of Japanese history this game takes place. He came up with so many great ideas for the ally characters. When Sugimura and I were discussing what kind of character design we wanted, he came up with the idea of having Keita Amemiya as the main artist of the game. He made really distinctive and compelling character designs, shaping the visuals of Onimusha 2. You’ll be able to see a lot of his work in the new Gallery mode.
When we were finalizing the base model for Jubei, Miyuki Matsuda, the widow of Yusaku Matsuda, came to the Capcom office to guide the team. She was hands-on in guiding us on how to tweak the face model, so it would look just like Matsuda. I felt all the passion and love Miyuki still had toward Yusaku. That was really something memorable.
Any final thoughts about the game?
Onimusha 2 was the first title I directed, and I’m glad I could return to the remaster as a director again. We hope new players will enjoy all the quality-of-life features, which make it easier to get into this game. I hope you enjoy it, even if you haven’t played an Onimusha game before.
Onimusha 2 Samurai’s Destiny launches on PlayStation May 23.
With the launch of Days Gone Remastered for PlayStation 5 just around the corner, we’re excited to spotlight our expanded suite of accessibility features. Taking the foundation of our baseline list from Days Gone in 2019, we made it a priority to evolve and improve accessibility to make the player’s experience more accessible and customizable when hitting the Broken Road on April 25. Let’s dive right in!
Visual features
Subtitle customization is now vaster than ever before in Days Gone. We added a total of 11 subtitle colors for you to choose based on your preference, which can also be used for the speaker’s name. Want to mix and match? No problem! Choose the subtitle text to be one color and the speaker’s name to be another color. On top of color customization, we also expanded the options for subtitle background. Originally, this could only be toggled on or off. Now, you can select between default (transparent), darkened, light, and black.
One of the biggest accessibility expansions coming to Days Gone Remastered is a fully customizable High Contrast Mode. This pairs with our High Contrast HUD that was implemented in the original game to assist with easier navigation and visibility. With High Contrast Mode, you can quickly apply predefined settings with two preset options – Primary and Secondary. However, you can also customize it to your preferences by setting the hero, friendly NPC, enemy, and interactable colors based on the 11 total color choices you also have with the subtitle settings. These contrast options are designed to increase visibility for the player during gameplay.
Subtitles and High Contrast Mode, along with other commonly used settings, can be accessible to select before even entering the game with our new Initial Setup screen as you boot up Days Gone Remastered for the first time. Further adjustments can be made in the Accessibility tab via the Options selection on the main menu, which also received an uplift providing real-time preview panels to display your chosen settings without going in-game.
Audio features
Including a fully revised and improved audio mix in Days Gone Remastered, two new audio accessibility options make their debut in Days Gone for the first time – UI Narration and Collectible Audio Cues.
UI Narration activates audio descriptions for the user interface reading out key information to aid players in navigating on-screen items such as all menu options and in-game Touchpad options including Inventory, Skills, and Storylines. This setting will be set to ‘ON’ as default when booting up Days Gone Remastered for the first time and can be toggled ‘OFF’ if you prefer from the Initial Setup screen.
With 240 collectibles scattered across the sprawling Pacific Northwest open world, we’ve added the option to turn Collectible Audio Cues on to sound notifications to help locate collectible objects more easily. Whether you’re playing through the Story or cleaning up open world activities, this distinct sound will help you track down those hard-to-find collectibles. In addition, you will feel increased haptic feedback through your DualSense controller mimicking the sound as you get closer to the collectible.
Gameplay features
Fighting hordes, riding your Drifter bike, and sneaking through ambush camps calls for more accessibility features for you to enjoy the game at your own pace and in your own way. Take on the brutal and dynamic world of Days Gone with Customized Controls! The power is now in your hands to customize your playstyle any way you like with fully remappable controls with your DualSense controller. This is also compatible with the fully functional PlayStation Access controller.
Another exciting feature coming to Days Gone Remastered is Game Speed. Game Speed determines the speed of gameplay ranging from 100% to 75%, 50%, and 25%. Game Speed is ideal for players who might feel overwhelmed in certain situations or have difficulty with various inputs in high pressure moments, specifically fighting off hordes of Freakers. Hordes are a pillar in Days Gone gameplay and with our new Horde Assault mode arriving in the remaster, we wanted to make this unique combat experience more accessible to our players.
Additional features coming to Days Gone Remastered include Recenter Camera on Attack, Haptic vibration intensity sliders, Field of View, and Persistent Center Dot. We also made a quality-of-life change to our auto-complete QTE feature. Before, it was only usable on Easy difficulty. Now, you can turn on this setting in any difficulty from Easy to Survival II.
Most new accessibility features are coming to Days Gone on PC as well.*
At Bend Studio, we strive to create experiences that leave a lasting impact on our players. The pursuit of allowing players of all abilities to share our joy of play together inspires our work every day. We hope you enjoy the definitive version of our open world epic, and we can’t wait to see you hop on the Drifter bike and experience all Days Gone Remastered has to offer on April 25, 2025.
*Update to version higher than Build ID 10034136 via Patch 1.08 required. UI Narration is not supported for Broken Road DLC on PC. Compatible controller required for haptic feedback and customized controls. For DualSense controller, wired connection required to experience the full range of in-game controller features.
Hi everyone, I’m Yasuyuki Oda, the producer of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The dev team and I wanted to bring you an overview of how you can utilize the REV System to your advantage to tackle even your most formidable foes and opponents. We’ll also cover some flashy combos you can pull off and our roadmap for the Season 1 Pass DLC characters as well. Now without further ado, let’s get you all trained up and ready to jump into the world of Fatal Fury!
Use the REV System to get a leg up on the competition
The key to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is proper utilization of the REV System. REV Arts allow you to power up your special moves, whereas REV Accel is a great way to create flashy combos and pressure your opponent. The REV System can also be used defensively by using the REV Guard button (R1) to help keep your opponent at bay and increase your chance of securing the win. REV Guard can be performed by pressing just one button so it’s a good strategy to use when you think your opponent is going to go in for a cross-up. Some moves this works well against are Kain’s Schwarzes Rondo setups or attacks made after B. Jenet breaks her Gulf Tomahawk. REV Guard also allows you to input other actions while it’s being pressed, so you can hold down the button and use your grab to break out of an opponent’s oncoming grab attempt or use a hop to strategically maneuver your way out of a sticky situation. Try to make it a habit of holding REV Guard on wakeup to help protect yourself in battle.
The REV System can allow you to create a wide variety of different sick combos
What better way to introduce some of the coolest combos in the game than our flagship returning characters, Mai Shiranui, Rock Howard, and Terry Bogard! Follow each character’s step-by-step guide to perform high-level combos you can use against your friends or online against opponents from all around the globe.
Mai Shiranui
(Close) Neutral HK > Feint > (Close) Neutral HP > HP Hana Arashi (braking) > REV Ryuuenbu ～ REV Sayo Chidori > HK Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi (braking) > REV Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi ～ REV Hana Arashi (braking) > Kagerou no Mai
Rock Howard
(Close) Neutral HK > →+Feint > ↓HP > REV Hard Edge ～ REV Rage Run Type: Layup > HP Rising Tackle (braking) > HP Reppuu Ken > REV Rising Tackle ～ REV Shippuu Ken > Raging Storm
Terry Bogard
(Close) Neutral HP・→ HP > →+Feint > (Far) Neutral HP > REV Burning Knuckle > REV Crack Shoot > HK Power Dunk (braking) > REV Power Charge > REV Burning Wave > REV Power Dunk > (perform in air right before landing) REV Blow > Cosmic Strike Geyser
Season Pass 1 includes 5 additional characters
To start off the Season 1 Pass, Terry Bogard’s brother, Andy Bogard, makes his triumphant return, utilizing a combination of Koppo and ninjutsu to take down his opponents. Hokutomaru shares some moves with Andy so anyone looking to play the younger of the Bogard brothers can start out training with Hokutomaru to get ready for when Andy will become playable later this year.
Joe Higashi is a Muay Thai master and is well known for being both friendly yet hot blooded in the heat of battle. Joe, Terry, and Andy make up the legendary group of three friends that represent the Fatal Fury series, so when Joe returns this Fall, it will be a momentous occasion for fans of this legendary fighting game series.
One of the major antagonists from the Art of Fighting series, the big boss man himself, Mr. Big, also makes his devious return. He utilizes bojutsu and street fighting techniques to take on the other fighters of South Town.
Last but not least, we are proud to have two characters from the Street Fighter series make their appearance in the world of Fatal Fury as guest characters: Ken and Chun-Li. Look forward to when worlds collide in this legendary collaboration.
PlayStation 5 Pro console — the most innovative PlayStation console to date — elevates gaming experiences to the next level with features like upgraded GPU, advanced ray tracing, and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) – an AI-driven upscaling that delivers super sharp image clarity with high framerate gameplay. Today we’re providing a closer look at the console’s internal architecture, as Sony Interactive Entertainment engineers Shinya Tsuchida, PS5 Pro Mechanical Design Lead and Shinya Hiromitsu, PS5 Pro Electrical Design Lead, provide a deep-dive into the console’s innovative technology and design philosophy.
*In this article, we refer to the PlayStation 5 model released in 2020 as the “original PS5,” the PS5 released in 2023 as the “current PS5,” and the PS5 Pro released in 2024 as the “PS5 Pro.”
*Do not try this at home. Risk of fires, and exposure to electric shock or other injuries. Disassembling your console will invalidate your manufacturer’s guarantee.
Name: Shinya Tsuchida (PS5 Pro Mechanical Design Lead) (Right of photo) Name: Shinya Hiromitsu (PS5 Pro Electrical Design Lead) (Left of photo)
An exterior design featuring three distinct horizontal lines
Tsuchida: Before we begin the teardown, I’ll start by going over the PS5 Pro’s exterior design. PS5 Pro is a high performing console, so it requires more air to cool it down. The distinctive three slits are new airflow paths that were not present in the original PS5, or the current PS5. This design was conceived through extensive discussions between the engineers and designers, and we refer to them as ‘blades’ within the engineering team. The slits enhance airflow while also acting as a design element.
Exterior design comparison between the original PS5 (left), the current PS5 (center) and PS5 Pro (right). PS5 Pro is slightly smaller in size compared to the original PS5.
While the look of the PS5 Pro is consistent with the rest of the PS5 family of products, it features three distinct blades that contribute to improved ventilation.
‘Louvers’ between the main unit and cover help to make the console quieter
Tsuchida: Inside the PS5 Pro, there is a structure called a “louver” that sits between the main unit and cover, which looks like a series of slats or fins. While it’s part of the design, it also prevents some of the fan noise from escaping the console towards the front direction. Since most users will play games while facing the front of the console, we intentionally designed the system to make it harder for players to hear the fan.
Rear changes for more efficient airflow
Tsuchida: Next, let’s take a look at the back of the console. We place importance on the types and arrangement of the input/output ports. Since the power button is something everyone uses, there’s been a shared understanding among our successive design teams that it’s better to have it positioned at the bottom rather than the top when the console is placed vertically. On the other hand, the positions of the HDMI, LAN, and USB ports are placed slightly higher compared to the current PS5. This is because the PS5 Pro’s mainboard features a high-density circuit design, and the port placement has been adjusted to accommodate the change.
The vent (exhaust vent) surface is also larger compared to other PS5 models, and air is taken in and exhausted from the rear and bottom surfaces. The size of the intake and exhaust vents is important for better ventilation, and we knew from preliminary research that they needed to be larger than the current PS5, so we decided on the size after discussing with the design team.
The teardown begins
Tsuchida: Let’s start the teardown. On the top side, just like in previous PS5 models, a dust catcher is provided for cleaning purposes. On the bottom side, there is an M.2 SSD slot, a disc drive connector, and a hatch for inserting a coin cell battery.
Tsuchida:The screw holding the battery is intentionally designed to stay attached to the battery cover, preventing it from being lost or accidentally swallowed—a thoughtful safety feature.
A new fan that quietly increases air flow
Tsuchida: After disconnecting the fan cables, we can now remove the blades and inner shell. I’m also removing the fan itself. Like I mentioned earlier, the PS5 Pro requires more air for cooling, and the fan is designed to generate airflow more efficiently. The overall size of the fan is larger than the current PS5 model’s as well.
Comparison of the PS5 Pro’s fan (left) and the current PS5 model’s fan (right)
Tsuchida: The two fans have the same number of blades, but our teams re-designed the blade shape for further optimization. If you look closely, you can see that there are even smaller blades in between each blade. Generally speaking, if a fan has good airflow efficiency, it’s considered better and higher performing. However, we designed our fans to be more than that — we wanted our fans to produce more air “quietly.” It may be generally acceptable for fans to be louder as long as it’s creating more airflow, but this isn’t the case for game consoles as it can disrupt the gameplay experience. I think this specific design philosophy is unique to PlayStation consoles.
Screws to suppress electromagnetic noise
Tsuchida: Now let’s remove the metal shield located further inside the cabinet. The shield is secured to the mainboard with a large number of screws—and there’s a reason for that. Most components on the mainboard generate electromagnetic noise. Since this noise can interfere with nearby electronic devices, such as smartphones, and potentially disrupt their operation, we must suppress the amount of electromagnetic emissions to be kept below a certain threshold. The screws securing the shield are strategically placed to reduce electromagnetic interference.
An evolved motherboard that achieves heightened gameplay
Tsuchida: Once we remove the top and bottom shields, you’ll reach the PS5 Pro’s motherboard. One characteristic of PS5 consoles is that they leverage liquid metal with excellent thermal conductivity for the TIM (Thermal Interface Material) of its main processor. Before we get into details, I’ll provide some explanation using a board before the liquid metal is applied.
PS5 Pro’s motherboard is larger than that of the current PS5. The current PS5 model’s board is curved where the fan sits, but the PS5 Pro has a larger board due to the increased number of circuits required to achieve PS5 Pro’s enhanced performance, which changed the position of the fan. As I mentioned earlier, you’ll notice the location of the input and output ports on the back of the unit is different as well.
The top side of PS5 Pro’s motherboard.
The top side of current PS5 model’s motherboard.
Hiromitsu: The SoC (System-on-a-Chip) is the large chip you see on the center of the board. This chip handles the rendering of high-resolution, high-frame-rate graphics, including the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), which uses AI-enhanced resolution for ultra-high-definition gameplay. To maximize the performance of the SoC, the power delivery lines have also been enhanced compared to the current PS5.
In addition, PS5 Pro’s board has more layers compared to the current PS5. If you look closely at the surface of the current PS5 model’s motherboard, you can see the traces that connect the SoC and RAM. However, on the PS5 Pro’s board, the traces are barely visible on the surface. This is because the PS5 Pro’s motherboard was designed with additional internal layers, which allows signal traces to be routed more efficiently through the inner layers achieving even faster memory performance.
Now let’s compare the back side of the motherboards. The main visible difference is that the number of RAMs placed around the SoC has increased from eight to nine. All PS5 consoles up to the current PS5 were equipped with eight chips of high-speed GDDR6 memory, which handled high-speed rendering for games as well as low-speed processing for the rest of the OS. In the PS5 Pro, we added a ninth DDR5 memory which is dedicated to the slower processing, while the remaining eight GDDR6 memories handle all the high-speed rendering required for gameplay. The GDDR6 RAMs themselves have also been improved and are faster than those equipped on the previous PS5 models as well.
The back side of PS5 Pro’s motherboard. A ninth DDR5 memory chip was added to the upper right corner (circled in red in the photo), in addition to the eight GDDR6 laid out in a circle.
The back side of the current PS5 model’s motherboard.
The innovative use of liquid metal became an integral piece of technology that has been carried over to successive PS5 models.
Tsuchida: Using liquid metal as the TIM in the original PS5 was quite challenging at the time. Since liquid metal has far superior cooling capabilities compared to conventional TIMs, we adopted it after conducting various tests to ensure its safety.
We spent quite some time conducting research on insulation when we were designing the original PS5. The basic structure remains the same in the PS5 Pro, but we made some improvements by adding fine grooves where the liquid metal is applied, so that the cooling effect is more stable. When we were doing research for the original PS5, we anticipated that semiconductors would continue to advance and become much denser, so we believed liquid metal technology would become crucial. It turns out we were right, and it was integral when designing the PS5 Pro.
For more stable cooling, grooves have been added where the liquid metal is applied.
Developing a larger power supply unit with higher output
Hiromitsu: This is the power supply unit. The PS5 Pro outputs about 48W more compared to the current PS5 and is also larger in size. The curved power supply units are meticulously designed for each PS5 iteration, so that it fits perfectly into the chassis. Fun fact, the unit has “Sony Interactive Entertainment” engraved near the bottom, so it’s easy to tell which side is the top or bottom. This obviously isn’t immediately visible to the consumer, but it is a small detail that indicates the correct orientation when the console is placed vertically.
A perfectly placed heat sink
Tsuchida:The heat pipes are made of copper. The silver components of the heat sink are made of aluminum to dissipate heat, and the rest of the gray parts are made of steel.
PS5 Pro’s heat sink has more heat pipes, as the console requires a more powerful heat sink to support its high performance. The heat pipes are located next to the SoC, and the fins that transfer heat from the heat pipes are divided into two sections. A heat sink’s cooling capabilities vary greatly depending on its placement, so we put a lot of effort into finding the perfect layout.
Adopting Wi-Fi 7 for even faster connectivity
Hiromitsu: On the top side of the mainboard, you’ll find the Wi-Fi 7 module. Wi-Fi 7 is a new standard released in 2024, and we chose to adopt it for the PS5 Pro based on its high performance and future potential.
During the development of the PS5 Pro, Wi-Fi 7 had not yet been officially released, which made the validation process quite challenging. But we were glad we were able to become early adopters for a gaming console when we got it certified in time for launch in regions that supported Wi-Fi 7.
The white section visible at the bottom right of the top side of the board is the Wi-Fi 7 module. An antenna is also located just beneath it.
And that’s a wrap! We hope you enjoyed getting an inside look at the internal architecture of the PS5 Pro. Each component works together in harmony to realize the console’s innovative features, like stunning graphics and smooth gameplay.
Last week, we asked you embark on Joel, Ellie, and Abby’s full journey in The Last of Us Complete using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
Wulfsychicshares Joel walking away from the guitar, in focus in the foreground
FranTGPshares a detailed shot of Ellie’s iconic tshirt
PattyGnandshares Ellie making funny faces at Joel in the mirror
ipecartsshares older Ellie staring down heavily at a gun in her hand
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: Nature SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on April 23, 2025
Next week, we’re feeling earthy. Share plants, trees, and all things nature from the game of your choice using #PSShare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Hello everyone! On behalf of The Game Kitchen, in collaboration with Dotemu, Koei Tecmo Games, and Team Ninja, we’re incredibly excited to reveal a brand-new addition to Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound: a second, fully original playable character from the Hayabusa Clan’s long-standing rivals: the legendary Black Spider Clan.
In this post, we’d like to take you behind the scenes of how this idea came to life, what you can expect from this new character, and some gameplay details we’re especially thrilled to share.
When we first began designing new characters for Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, one question sparked our imagination: Wouldn’t it be amazing to play as a member of an enemy faction? It’s something we always dream of in our favorite franchises, those rare moments when a game lets you get to step into the shoes of someone from the other side. The Black Spider Clan, a central presence in the 3D Ninja Gaiden installments, has always intrigued us with its fierce style and unforgettable characters. So we asked ourselves: Why not bring them back in a whole new way? That’s how the idea of Kumori was born.
Kumori is a proud kunoichi of the Black Spider Clan and serves as a compelling counterpart to Kenji, the game’s other protagonist. While Kenji is still learning under the guidance of his master, Ryu Hayabusa, Kumori has already earned her place as the top fighter in her clan. Following a near-collapse of the Black Spider Clan, she carries the burden of rebuilding and protecting their future. Ruthless and pragmatic, Kumori fights without restraint and embraces modern weaponry, enemy techniques, and even demonic powers to fulfill her mission. She follows no traditional code, only the path that leads to victory.
Unlike Kenji, who fights with a katana and focuses on close-range combat, Kumori wields kunai, granting her high range, rapid attack speed, and the ability to strike from nearly any position or surface. Her agility and adaptability make her an exceptional fighter, especially when engaging enemies in hard-to-reach areas or chaotic encounters.
Despite their differences, Kenji and Kumori share common values: they are both driven by loyalty, honor, and a fierce sense of duty to their clans. Though they come from opposing sides, they represent a new generation of warriors shaped by legacy but not bound by the past. Their paths intertwine in a pivotal moment when they face a powerful demonic threat, trapping both in the demon world. Faced with annihilation, they make an unthinkable choice: to merge their strength, knowing full well their clans would never accept such an alliance. This unholy alliance is both a blessing and a curse: a necessary bond that will forever alter their destinies.
As fused warriors, players gain access to the best of both characters, combining their weapons, abilities, and a new energy source: Ki. As players harvest Ki from enemies, Kumori’s spirit can summon powerful Spider Weapons, such as a Kama or a Chakram, capable of slicing through walls and enemies alike, unlocking new ranges, and delivering massive damage.
Their combined rage also fuels devastating attacks. Every time an enemy is defeated with a Hypercharged attack, their fury grows. Once their rage reaches a peak, players can unleash a screen-clearing attack, a spectacular display of vengeance and power. True to the spirit of Ninja Gaiden, the gameplay remains fast, fluid, and relentless. All weapons and techniques are seamlessly integrated and there’s no need to stop to switch characters. Combat flows naturally, keeping the adrenaline high and the action nonstop.
Equipping your characters also plays a crucial role. Players can collect Golden Scarabs to unlock new upgrades, talismans, and techniques. Kenji’s talismans focus on passive enhancements, such as boosting melee damage, improving defenses, or enhancing Hypercharge effects. Kumori, on the other hand, brings a unique twist with her Shadow Arts, unlocking new Spider Weapons and powerful Ragebound Arts tailored to different playstyles and tactical approaches.
Since Kumori’s physical body remains trapped in the demon world, only her spirit travels with Kenji, but through Demonic Altars, she can temporarily return to her corporeal form. These moments allow her to interact with an alternate demonic dimension, revealing hidden paths invisible to human eyes. However, her time in this state is limited, forcing players to think fast, solve puzzling situations, and overcome intense challenges before time runs out. These segments offer thrilling platforming sequences, strategic combat scenarios, and unique exploration opportunities that are designed to add to the game’s rhythm and depth.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this first look at Kumori. We can’t wait for you to experience both the path of the Hayabusa Ninja and the path of the Black Spider Ninja in this exciting new chapter of the Ninja Gaiden legacy.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound will be available for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 Summer 2025.
Welcome home, PlayStation 5 players! I’m excited to share some news about our cozy fantasy life-sim adventure, Palia. First and foremost, we’re bringing Palia’s enchanting world to the PS5 on May 13 – complete with all the bells and whistles that only Sony’s hardware can deliver. I have a lot to share with you, so let’s get right into it!
Palia has more than 6 million players, which means that some of you are already familiar with our game. For those who aren’t, Palia is a stress-free refuge where you and your friends can unwind together and explore a gorgeous fantasy world at your own pace. It’s filled with crafting opportunities, customization options, and plenty of exploration to keep you busy for years to come. We know that self-expression is one of the cool things that makes us human, and we’ve extended that into our little corner of the virtual world.
Every Palia resident can design and decorate their own home to perfectly suit their individual tastes. Want to live in a cozy cabin and bask in the glow of a crackling fireplace? Go for it! Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more stately. How about an upscale Tudor Revival-inspired mansion (la di dah!)? Or maybe all you need is a place to store your loot and you couldn’t give a rip about aesthetics. I’m not here to judge, you absolute monster (jk, hehe! We’re all about letting you put your unique stamp on the world – and in the lives of our cast of charming (and romanceable!) Villagers.
The PlayStation 5 launch is timed around Palia’s most ambitious updates to date, the long-awaited Elderwood expansion. This drop provides all players a massive new location to explore, Elderwood. What a coincidence! This ancient overgrown forest is brimming with magical essence, some of which has been spreading in the shadows beneath its leafy canopy. You’ll be able to investigate the mysteries behind this stunning new Adventure Zone through an engaging line of story quests that will have you exploring the deepest cave to the tallest tree. During your adventures, you’ll face a variety of fierce(ish) new magical creatures… this is a cozy game after all! Don’t worry, though: You’ll be able to harness the power of the all-new Relic system, which grants buffs for your entire party.
At Singularity 6, we’ve been fans of the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller from the moment we first held one. Our team has worked hard to fully integrate the DualSense’s one-of-a-kind suite of cool features in Palia, and we think you’ll love what we’ve been able to do with it.
The Light Bar changes color based on what skill is currently in use, such as fishing, hunting, mining, and more. It also flashes gold when you make a Guild Store purchase or sale with in-game gold – ka-ching! Adaptive Triggers are tied to in-game skills, providing real-time feedback while hunting, choppin’ down trees, and performing other in-game skills. When you hook a shark on your fishing line (yes, we have sharks), you’ll definitely know! These features are all incorporated on PlayStation Portal, too, in case you want to tuck in and get really cozy.
Palia was designed with online multiplayer and community in mind, and we fully support cross-play multiplayer across PlayStation 5, PC, and additional consoles. The Elderwood Expansion is a particularly exciting moment for our community because everyone will be experiencing it together for the first time on May 13. While this is the first time all you people have the chance to kick back and relax with Palia on PlayStation 5, we’ve been busy delivering monthly game updates and seasonal content to keep the game fresh since we first released it in late 2023. It truly is a great time to join our friendly and helpful community and carve out your own little cozy space in Palia’s charming world.
Hello fellow precision platform junkies! I’m Juhana, the Creative Director of Bionic Bay – my most ambitious project yet. Bionic Bay is a precision-puzzle platformer set in an ancient bio-mechanical world, hand-crafted pixel by pixel to create a high-fidelity, atmospheric environment.
Bionic Bay started as a chance meeting between me (Mureena) and Psychoflow studio, on a Reddit post showcasing their swap mechanic. We soon began to collaborate, merging their technical expertise with my experience in level design and art direction from previous titles such as Badland 1 and 2.
Creating Bionic Bay: One pixel at a time
The humble swap mechanic remains a central gameplay mechanic, but Bionic Bay has seen incredible growth since we started. We knew early on that the biggest hurdle would be to create environments which provided a challenge without becoming frustrating. In addition, this balanced challenge would be hosted within intricately detailed and hand-crafted pixel-art environments, taking significant time to create.
We approached these development challenges with a simple two-part solution. Firstly, I would focus on level design and art, and Psychoflow would work on the technical solution to make sure our mechanics looked great and worked well.
Perhaps more important, we agreed that we would all regularly jump in and play each level, experiencing it just as a player would. We have carried this on all the way to release, and this has helped us to ensure great balance, and that we understand the player journey through Bionic Bay.
We all love a precision platformer, but we also wanted to make sure that Bionic Bay provides a unique and worthwhile experience, and that comes down to the game’s core mechanics.
This began with the swap feature which first brought Mureena and Psychoflow together – allowing players to switch places with objects within each level. This was soon joined by more tools, with each undergoing regular playthrough testing:
ChronoLag, our time dilation technology which allows players to slow down time for a short period. As well as allowing players to navigate through fast-moving areas, it’s also a great way of getting speed boosts to help you get faster times in our ghost data racing mode.
Power Fist, providing the opportunity to launch objects across the environment. As well as clearing space in the solo story, used in conjunction with ChronoLag has led to some imaginative puzzle solving to speed up your journey
Gravity Manipulation, allowing players to bend the very forces of reality. This can help to clear paths, or help find new paths. It’s important to be careful, however, as this new gravitational direction will also affect loose objects on the level which can lead to… unintended cessation of all life signs.
Of course, players will be introduced to these mechanics as you progress through Bionic Bay’s ancient bio-mechanical world. Some you’ll be able to use together, and players will often need to combine these tools (as well as quick thinking and precise controls) in order to overcome the challenges you’ll face.
As well as using these within our narrative single-player adventure, players can also find our dedicated online challenge mode with Bionic Bay Online. Bionic Bay Online allows players to compete for the fastest time on a course, racing against other players’ data ghosts – something which should speak to those of us racing on PlayStation in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.
To compete in Bionic Bay Online, players will need to use all of the tools at your disposal, and find creative solutions to take the top spot on the leaderboard. We will also be adding special post-launch content for Bionic Bay, including dedicated time challenge levels to allow you to showcase your skills to the world.
A legendary PlayStation collaboration
We are ecstatic to announce that Bionic Bay also has a collaboration with one of our biggest fans – PlayStation legend Shuhei Yoshida. We’ll be implementing a special level just for Shu within the online challenge mode following Bionic Bay’s launch on April 17. If you take part and beat Shu’s score, you can even unlock our Shu skin, allowing you to customize the look of your scientist for our online leaderboards.
As well as Shu’s own player skin, we’re also bringing you a Deluxe edition of Bionic Bay – with our Classic Monster skin pack. This includes eight costumes inspired by vintage horror (a personal favourite genre of mine), with an alien, a werewolf and more. The Classic Monster pack allows players to unleash a little frightful charm and really sink your fangs into the online leaderboards.
The bio-mechanical world of Bionic Bay opens up on PlayStation 5 this Thursday – April 17, and is available to wishlist now!
The first episode of Don’t Nod’s narrative adventure, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, ended with a hell of a cliffhanger: a massive discovery of something unknown, possibly malevolent, and a devastating revelation about one of the story’s central figures. As the second episode, or tape, of this player-choice-driven, nostalgia-powered story aims to draw things to their conclusion when Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 launches April 15 day one into the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, players have been left wondering what to expect.
To dig deeper into the game’s ambitions and get some further insight on what to expect from Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat’s next escapade, we sat down for a chat with Michel Koch, Creative Director at Don’t Nod’s Montreal studio.
You Oughta Know
Koch was eager to tell us how this experience would differ from the first. “The first Tape, ‘Bloom’, is the nice and sunny part of the beginning of the summer, of you meeting and bonding with those girls. The second half is called ‘Rage’, which is mostly the aftermath of the cliffhanger at the end of Tape 1. We wanted Tape 1 to let the player find their own space within the group of friends, getting a feeling of a summer where you meet friends, but also giving hints of weird things. They’re finding the clearing. They’re finding the abyss. It’s a very natural story of four girls having a fun summer together before Swann moves away.”
“But Tape 2 will focus more on this weirder part of the story. We know what happened at the end of the summer. We still don’t know why, but we know that they promise not to see each other again. We know about the weird box, we know about Kat, but we don’t know the consequences of this revelation. How do you continue to have a normal summer with your friends? And, of course, the continuation of what’s happening with those weird things they found in the forest.
Those supernatural elements will be more important. Personally, I love trying to blend supernatural things and surrealism revolving around the story of our characters. You can create a darker, weirder mood while still focusing on the characters and then adding the characters. We create this vibe, and it will get stronger and play a huge part of the story’s resolution.”
The pacing in this follow-up will be more brisk, as well. “Tape 2 definitely picks up the pace,” he continues. “We saw what happened with Kat and the end of the concert, and Tape 2 will start the next day with Swann having to face kind of the guilt, even if it’s not our fault, of putting friends in danger. We’ll advance through the month of August up to the end events. So yes, it’s faster paced, with higher stakes.”
Koch also emphasized that players will see more of how their choices in tape one affect the overall narrative. “We had a lot of choices. Who you are talking to, who you are getting closest to, all those interpersonal relationships with the girls, and so on. What was the choice you made during the ritual? What did you do at the abyss? How did you react to Corey and Dylan in the times you were with them? Are you behaving in a more violent or unlawful way, or are you sometimes taking the route to be cautious? A lot of those will change the course of what’s happening in Tape 2.”
Girls on Film
One of the most interesting features of tape one was the camcorder, which protagonist Swann carries with her everywhere to chronicle her life in Velvet Cove, Michigan. Players could tape objects of interest as in-game collectibles or just film whatever and edit it together to make mini-movies. However, the camcorder becomes a crucial plot and gameplay element at several points.
We asked Koch about the role the camcorder will play in Tape 2. “We are expanding it a bit. We wanted to give you a tool that’s Swann’s ‘weapon’ or ‘shield.’ She’s filming people, but she’s also hiding behind the camcorder. We wanted to make it fun in a way that’s engaging like it was to film things in the 90s. We wanted to use these mechanics to link a lot of other mechanics of the game.
So, in Tape 2, there will be a few more exotic moments: unlocking a puzzle or finding a solution to a clue or something you have to do. There is a twist with the camcorder and your videos that I don’t want to spoil, that hopefully will resonate with players. It will be the way you film the game that will be important at a point story-wise, and hopefully, there will be a strong connection between those pictures and your own journey.”
Will Tape 2 also include more puzzles than the handful seen in the first half? Koch says yes. “There are puzzles that I really like in Tape 2. One is more like a narrative puzzle that’s still a blend of interaction, moving around, and dialogue. I think it’s very interesting because it uses all our narrative design elements, dialog options, and your knowledge about the characters to unlock situations, not just by finding objects but also by really knowing someone and using your main tools of dialogue and the camcorder.”
Tonight, Tonight
What about the other half of the narrative, the friends reuniting in a bar again 27 years later? “That part will still take place mostly in the bar,” says Koch. “We still need to finish remembering the past. We need to open the box, which will be an important scene. We have four different main endings at the end of the present-day portion, with variations on those endings based on your choices. During those endings, we will get out of the bar. You might discover a bit more of how the town is today, 27 years later.”
The bar, he explains, is what the game’s whole concept was built around originally. “Our pitch was a story where we were trying to convey the feeling of meeting again with old friends you haven’t seen for a long time, having a discussion with them, where you would be remembering your past and seeing if you can reconnect with them today. I thought of having a moment in a bar, in a restaurant, or a room where you start to connect again, and sometimes you reconnect perfectly. Sometimes, it’s iffy, and you don’t know if you can still be friends. That was the interesting part for me, the narrative aspect. Within these walls, you’re forced to talk. You’re facing each other, so you are obliged to remember the past.”
We asked Koch if he had any closing comments for fans. “I would say to the players, thanks for playing Tape 1, and I hope that Tape 2 will fulfill their hope of where the game goes. I also hope that Tape 2 will surprise them where the game goes, and that they enjoy seeing how relationship choice and morality choices they made in tape one play out. What will happen in Tape 2 will surprise, but also hopefully satisfy them, and they will love the end of the journey. For new players, I hope that they will love the characters, interacting with those girls, and engaging with this story, with us, with the summer.”
What happened to the ghost colony on Tau Ceti IV and the infamous Marathon ship that started it all? Decades after the original Marathon trilogy, the Bungie development team is ready to dive back into the world of Tau Ceti IV in their upcoming team-based extraction shooter, Marathon. The game launches on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on September 24.
Today we’ll be covering some of the highlights from the live Marathon Gameplay Reveal Showcase. For all the details, you can watch the livestream here.
A deadly competition
In Marathon, players work together in crews of three to scavenge the remnants of the lost colony on Tau Ceti IV. In their search for the powerful weapons and equipment left behind, they’ll face AI security forces, otherworldly threats, and rival Runner teams competing for loot.
Death is part of the journey—it’s a cutthroat world, and it’s not possible to survive every expedition. But every time you make it out alive, you get to keep everything you scavenged, which means you’ll grow in power and fill your vault across matches.
You’re only ever one run away from your next big score.
For your first look at gameplay, check out the Gameplay Reveal Trailer debuted in today’s livestream.
Enjoy your new shell
At the heart of Marathon are Runners.
Runners are cybernetic mercenaries who’ve given up their human form for biosynthetic shells. They’ve sacrificed a piece of their humanity for a slice of immortality that allows their consciousness to be transferred upon death. In Marathon, you’ll choose from a roster of Runners with unique abilities, stats, and styles. While each Runner brings their own flare, they’re also a foundation for you to customize your playstyle. To do so, you’ll collect implants and other equipment during your runs that you can use to augment your Runner and dial them into how you want to play.
“For example, Glitch is all about agility, movement, and going fast. You can lean into this style harder by stacking implants and upgrades that reduce heat build-up and allow you to keep running, jumping, and sliding longer before having to cool down,” says Kevin Yanes, Senior Design Lead.
“There are also rare items that can really push the boundaries like Prestige Cores. Glitch has one that will upgrade her double jump to a triple jump, giving you a lot of maneuverability in the air.”
Combined with Bungie’s best-in-class gunplay and a wide range of weapons to loot, you can flex your Runner into multiple different playstyles.
Learn more about Runners (and more) in the new Gameplay Overview Trailer.
Returning to Tau Ceti
The original Marathon series released in the 1990s established a foundation for experiential storytelling that’s become a hallmark for Bungie games.
“The interweaving of narratives, events, and characters in the original trilogy delivered a world of discovery, wonder, and misdirection,” says Narrative Leader Jonathan Goff.
Players were challenged to engage with the stories they encountered on their own terms, either as passive observers or active investigators into computer terminal tidbits and other environmental clues.
“We’re embracing this approach to expand and explore what’s known about the worlds of Marathon through a new lens—the eyes of Runners, who are stepping into the world of Tau Ceti IV and Marathon to uncover the secrets hidden in the wake of the original trilogy’s events,” says Goff.
How and where Marathon overlaps, and sometimes clashes, with the original games is a story that’ll unfold over time. And just like those classic games, the truths, lies, and consequences of Tau Ceti’s mysteries will be placed in the hands of players to own, consider, and debate.
“At the end of the day, our goal with Marathon is not to tell a story, but to build worlds in which stories can and will unfold,” says Goff.
Experience the world of Tau Ceti for yourself in the cinematic short debuted as a final surprise in today’s showcase. Written and directed by the award-winning Alberto Mielgo, director of the “The Witness” and “Jibaro” in Love, Death & Robots.
Shape the future of Marathon
Bungie has been working with players and creators since early in Marathon’s development—the earliest Bungie has ever invited players into a game. Even before entering production, players were testing early prototypes and providing feedback that shaped the next builds.
Hearing player’s thoughts early and often has made Marathon better in ways big and small.
“When we first started playtesting, maps acted more like a persistent world,” says Game Director Joe Ziegler. “So you could drop in and out of the same map server instance multiple times. But we heard this made matches feel unfair and unpredictable, like someone could just be camping spawns forever, or the loot you were going for could’ve already been taken.”
“After hearing this feedback, we moved to the design we have today, where each match is a fresh start for everyone. This consistent starting point means you and your teammates can better strategize before each run, and then you can race enemy teams to fight for the loot you’re looking for,” says Ziegler.
With Marathon now revealed, it’s time to expand playtests so Bungie can continue development alongside players’ feedback.
“We’re beyond excited to invite more players into Marathon and to hear what they think,” says Ziegler. “Plus we have so much more to share in the weeks and months ahead. The journey is really just getting started.”
You can sign up for your chance to play in this month’s Closed Alpha Test by joining the community Discord.
Marathon launches September 24 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S.
