The original Dragon’s Dogma, released in 2012, gained popularity as a one-of-a-kind, open-world action RPG. It delivered a polished combat experience and the freedom to explore a truly immersive, classic fantasy world. Its Pawn system – support NPCs that’d join adventurers on their quests – meant you never ventured forth alone. Its RE Engine-powered PS5 sequel, due out next year, follows in those footsteps.

At last week’s Tokyo Game Show, I sat down with a playable demo. Here’s what I found out.

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Pick your vocation and Pawn

In the demo, I was given a choice of three vocations: Fighter, Thief, or Archer. The Thief deals rapid consecutive attacks with daggers in both hands, while the Archer specializes in long-range combat using a bow and arrows. All three were excellent choices, but I decided to go with the Fighter, who was my go-to in the first Dragon’s Dogma. The Fighter wields a sword and shield, and excels in melee combat.

Once in the field, a pre-arranged party was already waiting for me. Dragon’s Dogma 2 sees the series’ Pawn system return, as players can create a party consisting of up to four members, which includes your main Pawn, as well as up to two additional Pawns from other players through the network.

Combat options

Diverse monsters inhabit this world and are all ready to attack the Arisen (me) and its party (Pawns). Smaller monsters are not a threat, but the larger ones can be challenging and intriguing. I encountered a one-eyed giant, the Cyclops, who wields a club and performs hip slams.

Since I chose Fighter as my vocation, my role is to engage first and lead the charge with melee. I used my shield to block incoming attacks while pressing the Square button for Light Attacks, and Triangle button for Heavy Attacks. The combination of the L1 button and attack buttons allow the player to use Custom Skills, including some familiar ones such as Empale and Compass Slash. These attacks feel great and deal a lot of damage.

Also, when fighting large monsters, you can hang onto the enemies and scale their massive bodies to hit their weak spots. For example, you can jump and leap onto the back of a Cyclops, and once you reach its head, you can deal direct hits to its singular eyeball.

The behaviors of the accompanying Pawns are controlled by AI, and they fight automatically based on their own judgment. Pawn Commands allow you to take control of the Pawns’ actions to a certain extent, such as having them move closer to you, spread out to fight, or prioritize recovery and support. However, letting Pawns make their own decisions – and seeing the resultant successes of doing so – gives Dragon’s Dogma the vibe of a multiplayer experience.

The enhanced AI of Dragon’s Dogma 2 makes the Pawns even more intelligent. The Pawns react more quickly to the actions of the Arisen, such as using enchantments to enhance the Arisen’s attacks, leveraging magic to attack flying enemies that Fighters cannot reach, and scaling the Cyclops together with the Arisen. Also, the game seems to have added elements that make players feel a deeper connection to their Pawns, like communicating and providing advice during combat and high-fiving the Arisen after a victory.

Explore, discover, fight

The RE Engine once again showcases its qualities in its rendering of a richly detailed open world, full of lush landscapes and epic mountains. Gazing into the distance teases potential paths and sights to explore. Similar to the first game, deep water is infested with Brine, emphasizing the need to keep to dry land.

As you explore, you will meet and talk with travelers and Pawns. If you speak to Pawns, you can invite them to join your party as ‘support Pawns’.. Pawns talk a lot during combat, but they also like to converse with you during your journey. In addition to commentary about the scenery and warning you about monsters, Pawns who possess a deep knowledge of the area may hint at the locations of treasure chests and help lead you to where they are. 

Monsters do not just aimlessly roam around, but they will pounce at you from shrubs, or you may come across them attacking other travelers. Monsters have their own strategies and behavioral principles. In the vast world, I encountered surprises everywhere, and it truly felt like the people and monsters were alive in this world.

The main focus of this demo was to experience exploration and combat, so overall, everything felt familiar to me since I’ve played the first Dragon’s Dogma. At the same time, the beautiful open world and the Pawns’ more refined behavior prove that the game has evolved and been thoroughly polished. As a fan of the series who has been waiting for the sequel, I cannot wait to see how the new story surrounding the Dragon and the Arisen will unfold.

The Last of Us celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year, and to keep the festivities going throughout 2023, we’re delighted to reveal a host of new and restocked collectibles for fans of Naughty Dog’s hit franchise.

In honor of TLOU Day and the series’ milestone anniversary, we’re bringing fans new ways to show their love for The Last of Us, including a replica of Ellie’s backpack that will suit any needs, whether you’re traveling across the country on a perilous journey…or just heading out to work for the day. We’re also delighted to offer a poster of The Last of Us Part I’s beautiful key art, a meticulously crafted deluxe stationery box set inspired by The Last of Us Part II, and much more.

Before we dive in, a message from the Naughty Dog team:

“We here at Naughty Dog are so honored to celebrate 10 years of The Last of Us Day with you, the fans! It’s been an incredible decade, and your support for our studio and work has meant so much to every one of us. To find out more about how we celebrated The Last of Us Day 2023, be sure to head over to the Naughty Dog blog for looks at new merch, ongoing activations, the results of our latest Photo Mode challenge, and more. Thank you for 10 amazing years, for sharing how much it’s meant to so many of you, and for showing your love and support for our games.“

– Naughty Dog team

Now let’s take a look at all the items available now and for pre-order from the PlayStation Gear Store. 

The Last of Us Part II Ellie Collage T-Shirt

Embrace the complexity of Ellie’s character with this unique black t-shirt, featuring a collage of images that intricately come together to form her visage from The Last of Us Part II, a wearable tribute to her unforgettable journey.

The Last of Us Part II Floral Hoodie

Wrap yourself in nature’s embrace with this light gray hoodie, adorned with delicate fern leaves cascading along the sleeves and a floral rendition of The Last of Us Part II logo on the chest, seamlessly blending The Last of Us’ overgrown world with a touch of elegance.

Cook & Becker The Last of Us Part II Notebook Set

Immerse yourself in the world of The Last of Us Part II with this meticulously crafted deluxe stationery box set, developed in collaboration with Naughty Dog studio, renowned creators of the acclaimed video game series. Designed to capture the essence of the game’s universe, this limited-edition notebook set is a must-have for fans.

Expected to ship October 2023

Ellie’s Backpack Replica – Full Set Bundle

The perfect bundle for The Last of Us fans, collectors, and cosplayers alike! Embrace the spirit of survival with this meticulously crafted replica, an homage to Ellie’s iconic backpack from The Last of Us Part I, designed to evoke the gritty charm of a post-pandemic world while providing modern functionality for your everyday adventures. This bundle also includes the iconic Monster Plush Keychain and Pilot Wing Pin as seen on Ellie’s backpack throughout the game!

Bundle includes:

Ellie’s Backpack Replica
Monster Plush Keychain
Pilot Wing Pin
Items packaged separately

Expected to ship Fall 2023

Ellie’s Backpack Replica

Embrace the spirit of survival with this meticulously crafted replica, an homage to Ellie’s iconic backpack from The Last of Us Part I, designed to evoke the gritty charm of a post-pandemic world while providing modern functionality for your everyday adventures.

Monster Plush Keychain and Pilot Wing Pin not included (sold separately)

Expected to ship Fall 2023

Monster Plush Keychain

Carry a piece of gaming history wherever you go with this adorable plush keychain, faithfully recreating the purple monster plush from Ellie’s backpack in The Last of Us Part I, a must-have accessory for fans to showcase their love for the game.

Expected to ship Fall 2023

Pilot Wing Pin

Capture the essence of Ellie’s daring spirit with this Pilot Wing Pin, carefully designed to replicate the iconic accessory seen on Ellie’s backpack in The Last of Us Part I, and add a touch of flair to any outfit.

Expected to ship Fall 2023

The Last of Us Part I Poster

Surround yourself with the emotional story of The Last of Us Part I with this captivating movie-style poster, beautifully showcasing the key art that captures the essence of Joel and Ellie’s unforgettable journey through a post-pandemic world.

Poster dimensions: 18 x 24 inches
Poster material: print 4/0 100# Gloss Text
Poster comes packed in rolled tube

Expected to ship October 2023

The Last of Us Part II Camp Hat

Elevate your outdoor style with this sleek black camper hat, accentuated by a distinguished leather patch on the front panel showcasing The Last of Us logo, allowing you to embody the game’s adventurous spirit wherever you roam.

Expected to ship October 2023

Resident Evil 4 VR Mode invites players to dive into the world of Resident Evil 4 and directly step into Leon’s shoes to take on grueling survival missions in the ultimate immersive experience. Offered as a free DLC for the PlayStation 5 version of the game and releasing this winter, this will allow you to experience Leon’s full story campaign in VR. At last week’s Tokyo Game Show, we slipped on a PS VR2 headset, donned our Sense controllers and plunged into the dark heart of survival horror.

The demo kicked off at the game’s beginning, where players first take control of Leon. Although we’ve played this section many times before in the regular non-VR mode, the first-person view adds to the intensity of those early minutes, evoking more dread as we look around our forest surroundings, the oppressive darkness so vivid on the PS VR2 headset’s 4K HDR display. We’re hesitant to take our first steps or investigate the cow carcasses on the road, so realistic do they look.

The PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller is a major highlight for VR Mode. The controllers allow the players to wield and control Leon’s iconic knife and various arsenals by actually swinging their hands around.

The thrill of parrying an enemy attack with the knife

You can equip the knife by placing either of your hands close to the left side of your chest and pressing the controller’s L1 or R1 button. Then you can deliver an attack by swinging the hand holding the knife. If you press the controller’s L2 or R2 button while holding it, you can switch to a reverse grip.

By timing your knife swing to certain enemy attacks, you can execute a parry.  Because the size of the enemies you face in VR are so realistic and overwhelming, parrying head-on with a knife feels like an impossible task at the beginning, but if you overcome your fear and take on the challenge, you’ll find the move to be surprisingly easy to pull off. Once an enemy becomes disoriented, you can follow up with a melee attack by pressing the X button. It’s fun how a predicament can be instantly turned to your advantage. If you pay attention to the enemies’ attacks and make sure to match your knife’s trajectory to that attack, it’s easier to execute a successful parry. Once you get the hang of it, the maneuver becomes quite addicting.

Reloading evolves into a truly immersive experience with VR

Handguns are equipped on the right side of the player’s waist and can be held by bringing either hand close to the waist and pressing the L1 or R1 button. You can fire the handgun by aiming with the controller and pressing the L2 or R2 button. To reload, you’ll first need to eject the magazine by pressing the Circle or Triangle button. Next, by using your hand that’s not holding the gun, you can pull out a spare magazine from your left hip and insert the magazine by moving it close to the handgun. Then, with the same hand, you grasp the slide on top of the handgun and cock it to complete the reload.

It’s a reloading method that’ll be familiar to players of Resident Evil Village’s VR Mode on PS5. What was once a cool preset animation on a flatscreen brings additional tension (and an extra dimension) to combat encounters. Learning to perfect your ammo grab and execute a reload flawlessly is a unique aspect to VR Mode that’s worth experiencing.

As the TGS demo previewed the game’s opening sections only, enemy attacks weren’t too daunting, but the fresh experience of tackling familiar haunts in a new way meant I’m already excited to see how later scenarios feel like and play. Resident Evil 4 VR Mode may be the perfect way to revisit the remade classic when it launches later this year.

Hello everyone! My name is Eric Chahi, and I’m the creative director at Pixel Reef. For the upcoming release of our game, Paper Beast Enhanced Edition on PS5 and PS VR2, I wanted to share with you the game’s evolution compared to the original version released on PS4 in 2020.

Paper Beast is one of those unique games that have left an unforgettable mark in the memory of players, largely because of the bonds and connections they formed with the creatures. Cooperation is essential to confront the dangers of the game’s harsh and often surreal environments, while terraforming and manipulating the environment plays a significant role. Exploring this raw and unique wilderness exudes a fascinating aura of mystery, where the intrigue is heightened by the absence of UI and dialogue. With the release of the PS VR2, and thanks largely to the power of the PS5, the opportunity to renew Paper Beast was an opportunity we didn’t want to miss. This new VR platform brings fresh new features and unrivaled rendering that we wanted to explore. Better yet, this edition of Paper Beast can also be played without VR.

First, let’s talk about visual improvements.

Dynamic textures for water and sand

Paper Beast is now in 4K and offers superb sharpness and we have increased the resolution of textures and shadows. Players can now see the shimmering details on paper or the animals’ carapace. The most impressive thing is the sand grain; it’s precise, while the animated texture follows the unique simulations. You can see the sand flowing at grain level, it’s very beautiful in VR. The same goes for the water; you can see the current in motion.

Atmospheric lighting

Bright lights now illuminate the atmosphere, a feature that François Sahy, the rendering programmer, was very keen on, and we were also able to integrate it thanks to the power of the PS5 and his persistence in optimizing the code! You can see rays of light filtering through and these light rays give a striking impression of volume in VR, making the game’s atmosphere tangible. Furthermore, the image has been adjusted for the PS VR2’s HDR. Essentially, colors are both more vibrant and softer. Each level has been finely tuned directly with the PS VR2 on the eyes.

But it’s not just the visuals that got a boost. The gameplay has also evolved!

Continuous locomotion to enjoy an enhanced immersion

This is a very important improvement. In addition to teleportation, you can now move smoothly and continuously: it’s much more immersive. Approaching the game’s living beings with precision strengthens the emotional connection with the animals, and it’s an aspect of the game that is central to the adventure. Playing in this way also allows for more precise manipulation of entities.

An expanded sandbox

The sandbox of Paper Beast has also evolved. The terrain is larger, the total number of entities has been significantly increased. Further, entities that impact the terrain are more numerous, with more combinations to play with. A major novelty is that trees and plants beautify over time, with vegetation specific to the present ecosystem. For example, when predators reproduce around a tree, the vegetation will take on their visual signature.

We hope you’ll be eager to play Paper Beast and explore its mysterious universe, with or without VR.

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Last week, we asked you share which companions make your heart sing in Baldur’s Gate 3 using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: 

BosrelsHotTakes shares Shadowheart with a glowing weapon at night

i3ecci_ shares Lae’zel wearing clown makeup

4mllr shares a portrait of Karlach smiling

blackcatvp shares Astarion giving some side-eye

x___stardust_gaming___x shares a player’s hero character petting Scratch the dog

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:  Moonlight

SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 27, 2023

Next week, we’re basking in the moonlight. Share moonlight moments from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Get ready to rumble. The time has come again for the students of U.A. High School to push their Quirks to the limit and show off what they’re made of – now including heroes in training Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, and Ibara Shiozaki. Go Plus Ultra! with these characters and more in My Hero Ultra Rumble, coming free to play on September 28.

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With our release just around the corner with this free-to-play battle royale coming to PS4, we’re excited to give the PlayStation community a deep dive into the newly-announced characters. These three heroes in training have incredible Quirks and playstyles, so check them out below to see how they will change the battlefield alongside your squad.

Eijiro Kirishima, hero name Red Riot, is skilled in both offense and defense through his body-hardening Quirk, and he is most ready to take out all his opponents at close range. His Special Action activates his Quirk by increasing his defense and preventing him from flinching from his opponents’ attacks. If charging into the fray and creating space for your team to help them perform their roles is your preferred playstyle, Red Riot may be the hero for you.

Momo Yaoyorozu, hero name Creati, can create anything out of thin air except for living things. True to her hero name, Momo can create weapons and items and support your allies by whipping up the right equipment for the right moment.

Her Quirk Skills can create blunt weapons she can attack her enemies with, shields to protect herself and her allies, or even a cannon that shoots explosive rounds. Her Special Action Skill, Yaoyorozu’s Lucky Bag, allows her to create a bag that holds a random item, which may synergize well with her support role if you obtain a Recovery Item. If you’re the type of player who enjoys monitoring the battlefield, and having an array of abilities to prepare for any situation you may find yourself in, be sure to keep an eye out for Momo.

Finally, Ibara Shiozaki, hero name Vine, is another support role member who can manipulate her vine-line hair at will and use tricky attacks to ensnare and restrict her opponents’ movements while staying safely at range. Her binding Quirk skill immobilizes enemies, so her teammates can unload their attacks on their helpless opponent, and she can also revive her downed allies using her Special Action.

Want to lock down your enemies and revive your allies? Check out Ibara Shiozaki when she launches alongside My Hero Ultra Rumble on September 28.

Exclusive first look at new costumes

We’re also excited to show you how to freshen up the fashion for your favorite characters. Get a chance to unlock casual costumes for Midoriya Izuku and Bakugo Katsuki.

To give you some additional insight into the creation of these costumes, here’s what the producer, Aoba Miyazaki, has shared about the development process:

“When creating costumes, we try to minimize the number of fluttering objects (such as the fluttering of cloth) so that they do not interfere with the character model during the battle.  However, we have made exceptions and challenged ourselves to implement costumes with coats and capes that we feel are essential to the character. If you see a costume with dynamic movement of the cloth during a battle, we hope you will feel our commitment to the design.

We have prepared five types of costume designs to enhance the characters in the game. The coloring variations are designed to stand out from the regular My Hero costumes even from a distance, so please look forward to color variations as well.”

• Hero/Villain Style
• Heat
• Combat
• Fancy
• Dangerous

How to get these costumes

Looking forward to collecting all of the costumes and going Plus Ultra style?

Players can get these outfits from Roll pulls by using Roll Tickets or Hero Crystals (in-game currency). Both can be obtained by completing in-game missions, rewards for logging in, or in-game purchases. Once you’ve got enough Roll Tickets or Hero Crystals, try your luck at unlocking the costumes.

These costumes will also have a higher chance of dropping when first released. So, if you have that one character you love, keep an eye out for new releases, as they will be your best shot at picking them up.

Be sure to start playing My Hero Ultra Rumble when the game launches on September 28 for more chances to get all the outfits and demolish your opponents with your favorite Quirks and characters.

Star Ocean The Second Story R brings classic RPG action to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 2. This is a complete remake of the RPG Star Ocean the Second Story (SO2), which was released on the original PlayStation in 1998, critically acclaimed for its Dual Protagonist system, 3D combat, deep skill systems, Private Actions, multiple endings, and much more.

In this remake, the game’s visuals and playability have been further refined while retaining the excitement and charm of the original release, complete with beloved 2D pixel character sprites roaming through the stunning fields and dungeons in full 3D. The exhilarating real-time action combat system is designed to be easy for anyone to pick up and is enhanced by additional new features.

I had a chance to play the PS5 version of the game ahead of Tokyo Game Show 2023. 

An epic remake of the beloved RPG after 25 years

For the hands-on preview, we were able to experience the exploration and combat in the Lasgus Mountains and Hoffman Ruins. I was most interested in how the 2D pixel characters and the 3D environment/dungeons were fused together. 

Before playing, I imagined it would feel strange to see 2D pixel characters roaming around in a high-res 3D environment, rendered using the latest graphics technology. However, I was surprised that it felt much more natural than I expected. The lighting on the characters changes according to the situation and environment, such as the difference between brightly lit and darker areas, so the characters do not appear out of place.

For those who played the original PS version of SO2 or the PSP version of Star Ocean Second Evolution, the familiar pixel characters may bring back memories and nostalgia. We could only experience the Lasgus Mountains and the Hoffman Ruins this time, but we are excited to explore the lively towns and lush green fields in the full version of the game.

The new break and assault action features delivery exhilarating and flashy combat 

The basic controls for combat were: Circle button for normal attack; X button for backstep; Triangle button to bring up the battle menu; Square button to change orders; L1/R1 shoulder buttons to activate techniques; L2 trigger + left analog stick to switch targets; R2 trigger + left analog stick to switch controlling characters; and the d-pad for the new Assault Action feature.

In this game, battles begin when players encounter enemies in the overworld or dungeons. The controls are fairly simple, with the player launching a series of normal attacks by mashing the circle button and activating special moves or Symbologies by pressing the L1 and R1 buttons. Allies you’re not currently controlling will automatically move based on your strategy.

Most of these elements are familiar to those who have played the original SO2. Still, Star Ocean The Second Story R has evolved to feature more strategic and dynamic battles with a variety of brand-new additions.

If you perform a well-timed backstep with the X button when the enemy attacks, a flashy lightning bolt effect will occur. You will then automatically evade the attack and, move behind the enemy and be given the opportunity to deliver a hit. If you succeed, your MP will be restored, making it easier to use your skills. When it’s the enemy’s turn to strike, there are warning signs, like their body beginning to glow red. If you don’t miss those, this maneuver is relatively easy to pull off.

In addition, enemies now have a Shield Value, and when this gauge Breaks with an attack, the enemies stop in their tracks. While the enemies are temporarily incapacitated, the amount of damage dealt increases, providing you with an opportunity to strike at once and deal massive damage. Each character possesses various skills, and Claude, the main protagonist in the demo, uses the Head Splitter skill, which is effective at breaking enemy shields. Throughout the game, the main tactic will be to use character skills to trigger the Break feature. When the leader of an enemy group breaks, other enemies will break in a chain. It is thrilling to see the word “Break” appear across the screen one after another, combined with flashy effects.

Another key combat element is the new Assault Action feature. Although only four battle members can participate in a battle, Assault Action also brings in other allies to attack. In the lower-left corner of the screen, an Assault Gauge corresponds to the non-active characters, which increases as time passes. When the gauge becomes full, pressing the corresponding directional key activates the Assault Action. This will be useful in a variety of situations, such as when you are striking an enemy whose shield has been broken, or when you are in a pinch when your character has been incapacitated, and you need help. The Assault Gauge fills up faster than you might expect, so you want to take advantage of it as much as possible.

The already delightful combat of the original SO2 is enhanced with new mechanics and strategic components in this remake. However, if you are not careful, one of your characters could be targeted and killed instantly. Paying attention to your party members’ health, distance from enemies, and standing position is always a good idea. The explosive combat and simple controls are major elements that define this game. 

The effects and animations of the various skills have also been revamped, making them even more spectacular. The new slick effects are sure to liven up the battles even more. It is also nice to know that animations for Symbology skills, like Shadow Flare, are now skippable with the Options button. 

I cannot wait to set off on an adventure in the ocean of stars, and take my time to enjoy the stunning, exhilarating, and fast-paced battles that are accessible for all levels of players. Star Ocean The Second Story R hits PS5 and PS4 on November 2.

Unlocking new powers is something the developers of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have in common with their web-slinging protagonists. Insomniac Games is unleashing the power of PlayStation 5 in the upcoming sequel with two playable Super Heroes wielding new abilities, a gallery of menacing Super Villains, a city nearly doubled in size, and a host of other immersive enhancements.

I recently had a chance to play through several hours of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and was on the lookout for examples of the PS5’s power at work. Let’s swing into a few exciting examples:

Haptics and cinematic immersion

The preview opens with Peter in his new BlackSuit facing off against Kraven amidst church rafters. A massive bell tolls, sending impactful, reverberating ripples through the DualSense controller haptics. The resonant haptic sensation sells the bell’s disruptive effect on the twitching Black Suit. Cutscenes with the massive stampeding Lizard are also accented by intense haptic pulses, emulating the nerve-jangling might of the mutating Super Villain.

Particle colliding with adaptive triggers

One moment early in the preview tasks Peter with helping Harry Osborn align a particle collider’s beam emitters. A brief minigame appears when Spider-Man webs the emitters. I enjoyed carefully pressing the adaptive triggers with asymmetrical levels of pressure and watching on-screen prompts to correctly lock them into place. It’s a satisfying, novel example of the triggers’ accuracy and tactile feedback.

Web Wings and SSD unlock speedy Spidey flight

Web Wings give players a new option to soar over the city. The power of PS5 allows Marvel’s New York City to load in faster than previous titles. This translates to speedier movement through the city, including boosting along wind tunnel routes at impressive speeds using the new Web Wings. Spidey’s tried-and-true web-swinging is also faster and feels as joyful as ever. Weaving together the traditional web-swinging with the new Web Wings gliding created  an empowering and buttery smooth way to traverse the city.

Iconic characters with deep emotion

Facial performances unite with enhanced character model detail to deliver new levels of expression. For example, a heart-to-heart between Miles and Rio wordlessly showcases the concern and love his mother holds for him – it’s all in the eyes. Realistic levels of ocular detail heighten expression, like visible capillaries, moistened eyelids, minute eye movements, and nuanced lighting. Emotionally intense scenes benefit from the upgraded facial enhancements as well. Just take one look at Kraven’s expressive face as he battles against Spidey, his eyes wide and piercing as his face contorts in intense cunning…

Quickly swapping between Peter and Miles

Players have two Spideys at their fingertips in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and swapping between them is a snap. The game zooms far above to a bird’s eye view of Marvel’s New York City when switching between the two Heroes, then zooms back in on the newly selected Spider-Man elsewhere in the city. It’s a seamless and muscular demonstration of the PS5’s ultra-fast SSD.

Rippling musculature

Speaking of, Insomniac is upping the realism of their character models with simulated musculature. This subtle enhancement makes character movement look more natural to the eye, similar to the improvements in facial capture. For example, you’ll see arm muscles bulge or stretch beneath the Super Heroes’ skin-tight suits or the jaw muscles of Lizard flex convincingly when bellowing a roar.

Double the city

Spider-Man’s turf extends beyond Manhattan to include Brooklyn and Queens in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. In previous Marvel’s Spider-Man games, these areas weren’t accessible and were simply low-poly representations of the wider city. The sequel’s doubled map size is possible in part due to the PS5, as is the game’s ability to render the sprawling metropolis at a greater distance. Standing atop a Manhattan skyscraper you can clearly see the shapes and colors of Brooklyn’s traversable skyline. 

Spectacular Ray Tracing

Both Performance and Fidelity modes feature Ray Tracing in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 thanks to the title launching exclusively on PS5. The effect is immediately apparent when swinging or gliding across the water. One beautiful moment involved traversing over the East River with the setting sun casting a warm glow over the water, including the reflection of the Brooklyn skyline and a splash of hazy red from one of its large neon signs.

Bustling city life

Spider-Man is nothing without a city to protect, and Marvel’s New York is livelier than ever. New York pedestrians are represented by a more diverse array of body types, and enter and exit buildings. They drive down streets in vehicles that display the subtle, authentic bobbing motion of automotive suspension systems. In past Marvel’s Spider-Man titles, players could peep into building windows for a glimpse at decorated interiors – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 heightens the detail with actual occupants. These small details help build a rich city backdrop that feels alive.

Listen up with 3D audio

Insomniac’s audio team implements 3D audio in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 with impressive attention to detail. The immersive effects are omnipresent, but two specific sequences stood out to me. A massive bell tolls during a sequence where a Black Suit-clad Peter squares off with Kraven in a church. The resonant frequency of the bell hits with a convincing punch. Another other moment is more gameplay focused, with the player crawling after Lizard through New York’s sewers. The claustrophobic sequence is heightened by a 360-degree range of sounds, including creaky pipes, crumbling rubble, and the occasional skittering of Lizard himself.

These are just a few colorful examples of how Insomniac’s stunner of a sequel is shaping up to take full advantage of PS5. Discover the full scope for yourself when Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 hits PS5 on October 20.

More on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: New Story Trailer 

First Look: PS5 Console – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Bundle

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 arrives only on PS5 October 20, Collector’s & Digital Deluxe Editions detailed

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gameplay revealed

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 prequel comic announced for Free Comic Book Day

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine revealed