Category: PlayStation

The Mortal Kombat series recently hit the big 3-0. And what a long, bloody trip it’s been: Eleven mainline games over six console generations and somewhere between 75 and 80+ characters, depending on how and where you want to count them.

And now Mortal Kombat 1, which is looking to open the floodgates on that rich, gory history while serving as a chapter-one reset. It’s a reintroduction of the entire IP, with one big, big gameplay twist.

Kameos in the Spotlight

While the visuals look stupendous, and the core fighting feels as tight as ever, the Kameo fighters are easily the star of this show. Using a combination of directional inputs and the R1 button, you can command your Kameo partner to bash an airborne enemy, juggle them, zap them from afar, throw them, execute a combo breaker… even perform a fatality. 

• But you need to be strategic. Kameo fighters come with a cooldown, so you can’t spam your opponent with a barrage of incoming attacks. They work best as a combo extender or as a way to build momentum on your opponent — if you’ve played Tekken Tag Tournament, you’ll have a decent idea how Kameo fighters will fit into this mix. 
• Kameo fighters were a combination of two ideas. Early in MK1’s development, the design team proposed adding unique modifiers to each fighter, such as giving Sonya a drone that could augment her attacks. “But it was specific to each character. And I kind of pushed back,” Boon explained. “I think we should do something everybody can share.” Then there was the question of the 2v2 Tag mode, not seen since 2011’s Mortal Kombat. “We loved it, and a lot of people loved it,” Boon explained, “but it wasn’t a much-played feature.” Enter Kameo fighters, which seemed to solve two different needs. “This kind of simplified thing, [activated] with a button push… that to me felt like the sweet spot.” 
• More Kameos are coming, and every retro MK character is on the table for consideration. Boon expects that MK1 will include between 15 and 20 Kameo fighters on day one, but more will be on the way. “We have some ridiculous ones that are gonna be coming later,” Boon teased, “like, you know… how do they even remember that character?!” 

Ed Boon speaks

• The premise. So is MK1 a reboot, a remake? “I think it could be in the category of a reboot.” Boon explained that the team at NetherRealm wanted to include key existing characters but tell a brand-new story. And the canonical ending of 2019’s MK11 made for a perfect springboard, with series mainstay-turned-fire-god Liu Kang in control of the flow of time and effectively resetting the universe. “And then, obviously,” Boon said, “something goes wrong.” The results will be familiar characters who may be in very, very different circumstances. 
• Who’s the villain? While Boon confirmed that “a number of” classic Mortal Kombat villains would be returning in some way, he wouldn’t spell out who the big bad was. “Just like with the heroes, the villains will start completely different…they’ll go down different paths and have different relationships with each other.” If you’re well-versed in MK lore, expect to encounter some twists.
• New modes? Boon remained tight-lipped on online play details. But he did confirm that the team is working on a replacement for the Krypt mode seen in the past six MK games. “We have a whoooole new system,” Boon teased. “I can tell you it’s not the Krypt. But we’re gonna have a whole new system for unlocks.”
• New-gen benefits. Boon appreciates many things about the PS5 generation — “it’s obviously crazy powerful.” But his biggest appreciation? The superfast SSD. “We can load in these crazy detailed backgrounds that before would have taken so long to upload.”
• Some fatalities DO get rejected. Over the years, NetherRealm has established a sort of “fatality committee” that weighs in on pitches for the series’ iconic finishing moves. Ideas come in from around the company, but Boon has the final say. “Yeah, there’s a line, you know… there have been plenty that I’ve sent back and said, ‘no, that’s just crossing the line. We’re not doing stuff like that.’ And then they would get disappointed. But enough get through that they’re good.”
• Boon is a bit behind on his games. With MK1 only three months from launch, Boon’s eager to catch up on some recent hits. “I’m definitely going to get Street Fighter 6, I’ve always been a fan,” Boon said. “I haven’t even had a chance to play God of War Ragnarök. And I’ve never played Diablo, but I’m really curious about Diablo IV.”

So that’s it… for now, at least. Based on my 30-minute play session, MK1 is a major series shakeup in more ways than one. With just three months to go, expect a steady stream of announces and reveals leading up to its September 19 launch on PS5.

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Hey y’all! This week the team chats with Thea Trinidad (aka WWE Superstar Zelina Vega) about her role as guest commentator in Street Fighter 6 and her connection to the classic franchise. Plus the team talks more Street Fighter 6 and gets into a spoiler-free discussion of Spider-Man: Across the Multiverse.

Stuff We Talked About

• Top Downloads for May
• Diablo IV Devs Favorite Builds Blog
• Synapse Preview Hands-on PS VR2
• AK-xolotl Gameplay & Abilities Deep Dive Blog
• Interview with Thea Trinidad (starts at 11:10)
• Street Fighter 6
• Humanity
• Spoiler-free Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse talk

The Cast

View and download image

Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

O’Dell Harmon, Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Last week, we asked you to travel to tropical landscapes from the game of your choice, sharing using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: 

MdeavorVP shares Aloy laying on a palm tree in Horizon Forbidden West.

M_Joe_Hort shares a sunset view from GTA Online.

record_photo shares Kratos approaching Freya in a plant-filled Vanaheim in God of War Ragnarök.

UVioletra shares Dani riding away on a jet ski into the sunset in Far Cry 6.

arashiyama_24 shares Crash running through a tropical map in Crash Bandicoot.

call_me_xavii shares Tchia sailing towards the shore in Tchia.

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: Shiny
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 14, 2023

Next week, we’re looking for things that shine bright. Share something shiny from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Discover the mystery of the Wilds in Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 4 Season 3. A hidden jungle, along with ancient secrets, have been uncovered after the collapse of the Island’s center. Use the new environment to your advantage: slide in the mud for camouflage, or ascend to the canopies above to get the jump on your opponents in this new Battle Royale Season!

Use your surroundings

The “high ground” doesn’t always mean the ground. Ascend to the jungle’s canopies and attack foes from above.

When you get back on the ground, slide in the mud for more speed than regular sliding… and gain camouflage in the process!

Sliding in the mud can help you make a clean getaway (figuratively speaking).

Speaking of mobility, ride the jungle’s vines (called grind vines) to get from place to place faster. You can even use your weapons while you ride.

Wild weaponry

A new weapon from ancient times, strategically hurl a Kinetic Boomerang and hit enemies in its flight and return paths. Miss your shot? No problem –- recall your trusty boomerang to trigger a small explosion then try again!

There’s the ancient Kinetic Boomerang – and there’s also a modern weapon. Grab the Flapjack Rifle, a high capacity, heavy-hitting weapon that deals high structure damage. The Flapjack Rifle is useful on opponents as well.

The Flapjack Rifle features a spinning magazine — watch it go as you take down fortresses and foes.

Also a modern weapon, take up the Thermal DMR and detect the heat of your enemies. Just watch out for enemies with mud camouflage, as they’ll be hidden from thermal detection.

Ferocious flora and fauna

The jungle is dangerous, yet full of advantages to gain the edge on your opponents. Shoot a Bomb Flower to create an explosion, or shoot a Stink Flower to unleash toxic gas on nearby enemies. Not all the vegetation is harmful — destroy Slurp Plants to heal you and your team.

What about the animal life? Raptors run wild in the jungle – take command of one by jumping on top of it. As you ride, you’ll be able to use your arsenal and jump super high.

A hostile insect species known as Wildwasps also inhabit the jungle, preferring to swarm around certain plants. Gather them in a jar to throw at enemies! (If someone throws a Wildwasp Jar at you, jump in water or cover yourself in mud to get the Wildwasps off your tail.)

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Chapter 4 Season 3 Battle Pass

Explore the Island in style with the Chapter 4 Season 3 Battle Pass. Upon purchasing the Battle Pass, you’ll auto-unlock Era of the new “Ancestral Era” Set.

As you progress through the Battle Pass, you’ll unlock Outfits like rock ranger Rian and even Autobot leader Optimus Prime. Later in the Season, wild-time-haver Purradise Meowscles will become available to unlock in the Battle Pass!

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH for PlayStation®5 is the second entry in the FINAL FANTASY VII remake project, following FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE released in April 2020. A new trailer was unveiled today at Summer Game Fest 2023, on 9th June.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – Summer Game Fest 2023 Trailer

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About FINAL FANTASY VII

First released in 1997 on the PlayStation® computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY VII celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2022. The game is universally regarded as a hallmark title of the RPG genre. The original title received high praise for its epic storyline, unique characters, and movie sequences that utilized the most cutting-edge technology of the time. Since then, the game has sold over 13.9 million copies worldwide and continues to receive widespread acclaim from critics and fans around the world. The popular game has even expanded into spin-offs, films, and merchandise.

The first game of the FINAL FANTASY VII remake trilogy project, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, released in 2020, has been praised by both players and critics across the globe, earning more than 20 perfect scores from media, and was selected as a PlayStation® “Editor’s Choice” pick. The game also became the highest-selling digital release on the PlayStation® platform in SQUARE ENIX’s history, exceeding more than five million shipments and digital sales worldwide since its release. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, the second game in the trilogy, is now in development and will be available worldwide in early 2024 for the PS5.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
・Publisher：SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
・Format：PlayStation 5
・Genre：RPG
・Release Date：Early 2023
・SRP：TBD

© SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA/ROBERTO FERRARI
LOGO ILLUSTRATION:© 1997 YOSHITAKA AMANO

Welcome back, survivors, and prepare to embark on a thrilling journey filled with intense combat, strategic decision-making, and unyielding teamwork! Remnant II will be available on July 25, 2023 on PlayStation 5. Sequel to the third-person action-survival shooter Remnant: From the Ashes, Remnant II builds upon the foundations of its predecessor, offering an enhanced cooperative experience that will test your mettle like never before. Join forces with friends or meet fellow adventurers online as you navigate a dynamically designed world ravaged by otherworldly forces.

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Core gameplay and mechanics

Remnant II immerses players in a seamless blend of fast-paced third person shooting, strategic character customization, and deep exploration. As you venture through dynamically generated environments, you’ll encounter hordes of terrifying and brutal enemies. Your goal is to survive the onslaught while uncovering the secrets behind the relentless invasion of the Root.

The game presents an arsenal of diverse weapons, each with their unique playstyle and devastating powers. Whether you prefer the precision of long-range rifles, the brute force of heavy weaponry, or the agility of close-quarters combat, there’s a weapon to suit every survivor’s style. Mastering the art of gunplay and adapting your loadout to different encounters is key to overcoming the challenging adversaries that lie ahead.

Remnant II embraces a robust character progression system that grants you the freedom to customize your abilities and playstyle. Choose from a variety of archetypes, each with its unique set of skills and perks, allowing you to tailor your character to fit your preferred combat approach. Unleash powerful abilities, harness mystical arts, and experiment with different synergies to create a formidable survivor capable of facing any obstacle.

Cooperative gameplay

Remnant II thrives on cooperative experience, encouraging players to team up and tackle the Root’s onslaught together. Whether you prefer playing with a close group of friends or teaming up with fellow survivors online, the game seamlessly integrates cooperative play into its core mechanics.

Coordinated teamwork becomes essential as you face daunting bosses and navigate treacherous environments. Strategize with your teammates, combine your unique abilities, and cover each other’s backs to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. Communication and cooperation are key, as the game rewards players who work together seamlessly, offering enhanced tactical possibilities and shared rewards.

Level design and multiplayer integration

In Remnant II, level design takes multiplayer into account, providing an exciting world that reacts to the presence of multiple players. Each area is dynamically generated to offer a balanced and engaging experience, regardless of the number of players in your party.

The game intelligently adjusts enemy difficulty and spawn rates based on the number of players, ensuring a challenging but fair cooperative experience. Whether you’re exploring eerie ruins, navigating through dense forests, or infiltrating haunting gothic complexes, the levels offer a mix of verticality, hidden pathways, and environmental hazards that demand coordination and adaptability from your team.

Furthermore, Remnant II introduces unique multiplayer events and encounters, encouraging players to join forces and tackle exclusive challenges together. These events may range from intense boss battles to objective-based puzzles, adding a layer of excitement and camaraderie to your cooperative journey.

Pre-orders are available starting today. Fans who digitally purchase the Remnant II Ultimate Edition will also receive early access to Remnant II on July 21^st, three days before its official launch date. In addition, if players pre-order any digital edition, they will also get early unlock to the Gunslinger Archetype Class.

Choose from three options when digitally pre-ordering Remnant II:

Standard Edition – $49.99

• Base Game – Enjoy Remnant II when it releases on July 25

Deluxe Edition – $59.99

• Standard Edition content
• Three Remnant: From the Ashes armor sets Elder, Void, and Radiant armor sets

Ultimate Edition – $69.99

• Deluxe Edition content
• Early Access – Start playing Remnant II on July 21 ahead of the official launch of the game
• Survival Pack – Start the game with a variety of expendable items to get a leg up against powerful foes
• DLC Bundle – Receive three DLC packs for Remnant II. More details regarding the DLC packs will be announced at a later date. All DLC is expected to be available within one year of launch.

Are you ready to lie or die? I hope so! I’m Ji Won Choi, project director for Lies of P which will be launching onto PS4 and PS5 on September 19. We quickly amassed a large community of fans after announcing the title and we’re so excited they can finally get a taste of the adventure that awaits them in Krat in the Lies of P demo.

You may know that Lies of P is an action Souls-like game inspired by the tale of everyone’s favorite liar Pinochio, set in a dark Belle Époque world. But, do you know how to “lie” your way through the first two chapters of the game? I’m not going to tell you a step-by-step guide and take away from the experience but I’ll be your “blue fairy” of sorts with pointers you won’t get anywhere else!

But before I begin, here’s what you can expect from the demo:

Explore Krat

This demo gives you just a glimpse of what’s explorable in Krat but there’s lots to discover! So, make sure you explore locations as you make your way to Hotel Krat. You just may uncover secrets that help P grow stronger and additional background information.  

Weapon assemble/ weapon combination

Create unique weapons by taking some handles and blades to merge them into something new for all new attributes and styles. After meeting with Gepgetto, you can begin experimenting by speaking to Eugenie in Hotel Krat or by finding a stargazer.

Fable Arts 

Each weapon has two Fable Arts – one for the blade and one for the handle. Fable Arts have a wide-range of uses, including bolstering your defense or dealing damage in spectacular fashion

Legion Arm loadouts 

There are three available in the demo, each with a unique purpose so you can customize to fit your playstyle and weapon. Go to the Venigni Craft Machine in Hotel Krat to change your Legion Arm.

Improving P

Increase all your attributes in exchange for Ergo by speaking to Sophia in Hotel Krat. The higher your attributes increase, the greater the Ergo cost. What will you improve first? You’ll be able to improve P via Stargazer before meeting with Sophia in this demo.

Stargazers/ Stargazers

Using a Stargazer will replenish your health, but enemies also respawn so only use them if you really need to. 

Groggy & Fatal Attacks

When attacking enemies, they’ll become Groggy (see white outline around health bar). After stunning a groggy enemy, use a Fatal Attack to punish them during this window. 

Before you take on the Parade Master 

Purchase Throwing Cells from the Wandering Merchant located directly outside the boss encounter. They’re a particularly effective throwable object for this boss. They deal shock damage from a distance and make the boss more susceptible to damage from melee attacks for a short period.

Be sure to upgrade P from the Stargazer outside Krat Hotel before taking on the Parade Master. 

Scrapping with the Scrapped Watchman 

Use a Star Fragment to summon a Specter outside the boss room to aid you in this encounter.

It will use electric elemental attack in the second phase, therefore it is recommended to use parts with electric damage reduction.

Electric shock status will cause more damage from this boss. Make sure to use Attribute Purification Ampoule to prevent it from happening.

Feedback, please

The Lies of P developers have been hard at work to deliver a demo they’re proud of. But none of that means a thing unless you, the community, feel the same. Please share your feedback with us and we’ll release the very best Lies of P experience possible this September 19.

Hello wanderers, I’m Gwen, co-founder and director at SOS. We are very happy to welcome you to Viewfinder, our first game as a studio. In it you, the player, can reshape reality with photographs, found objects, and a camera. That may sound confusing, but I’ve always found that the best way to explain the gameplay of Viewfinder is to experience it. For this reason, we are proud to reveal that you can do so today, in the new Viewfinder demo at PlayStation Store for PlayStation 5!

When we were first developing the placing photos mechanic, we focused on what felt good and fun. Having a camera, taking photos, and placing things randomly in space to alter reality is very exciting and amusing. But we were very mindful that placing found objects in new spaces also meant destroying what was previously there. Things can get complicated and confusing, especially if you accidentally delete something, like a teleporter, as these mark the end point of each puzzle and take you to the next challenge or even to the end of the level. We wouldn’t want that. This would mean dead ends and as much as the core mechanic is interesting, it limits the things we wanted to do and would be an unpleasant experience for anybody.

Sometimes playing games can feel like work and resetting a whole level’s progress can be discouraging, especially when the solution is at the tip of your tongue. How could we give players the freedom to explore the world we’ve built without fear of consequences? So we thought of what else we can pair with this camera mechanic so that it doesn’t punish, but actually encourages trial and error for people figuring out ways to move forward.

The answer is Rewind.

We wanted to encourage experimentation and remove the fear of failure. Now when you stumble upon something that would have otherwise been game breaking, you can just turn back time and try again! It is very important that people play the game at their own pace and discover things in their own way. It doesn’t matter how you play the game, as long as you have fun along the way. After that, the game felt way fuller and concrete.

In the words of the Cheshire Cat, “Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality.” Viewfinder gameplay became this unique experience that can only exist in the video game medium. Because it is so absurd, weird and far removed from reality, we wanted to ground it with things from the real world. The space you’re exploring should feel lived in and real. Instead of trying to make something wholly original, we did our best to figure out how we can bring who we are, and what makes us happy into the game. Like sitting, we really like sitting down.

Adding in elements that are so closely tied to who we are as people can be complicated and scary. It takes a lot of hard work and vulnerability to translate feelings into a video game and hope people resonate with them. But it turns out that this was the best part of making this game.

We’ve put in a robot vacuum cleaner and some of the places and paintings we love. There’s a bonsai mango. There’s a watermelon with a headset. Guitars. Electric guitars. Plants. Tea cups. The evil eye. Bread. A photocopier. What happens when you put the impossible triangle in 3D space? Does it go on forever? What will “The Scream” painting sound like? What’s inside a child-like house drawing? Do blocks fall when you place a picture of them in the sky? Is it a stair or is it just lines on the wall?

This is why we have a cat in-game. CAIT will be your companion as you learn more about the world we’ve built. And if you ever feel frustrated at a level, we encourage you to pet the cat. Now cats growl when they’re pleased, some people might call it purring, and some might call it growling. But yes, pet the cat.

So you get to rewind time and pet a cat.

Creating is freedom, but at what cost? You can learn more about this when you play Viewfinder. The demo will be permanently available on PlayStation 5. And we are very excited to release the full game on July 18. We hope you love the game just as much as we do.

AK-xolotl is the cutest, deadliest and only top-down roguelike shooter featuring AK-wielding axolotls. Blast your way through the animal kingdom with an arsenal of powerful guns, mighty power-ups and even raise an army of trigger-happy baby axolotls.

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After showing off some gameplay in an explosive trailer earlier this year, the team is delighted to present some more of the roguelite (or roguelotl, as we call it) gameplay elements of our game AK-xolotl.

For these axolotls, the food chain is merely a suggestion and the line between prey and predator can easily be erased with an AK-47. Your enemies however, will not go down without a fight. Especially in the beginning, you’ll be outnumbered and outgunned.

As the old saying kinda goes, “Anything that actually kills us, makes us stronger.” For axolotls and their amazing regenerative abilities, this is undeniably true. In your quest for revenge and snacks (more on the story later) you’ll be faced with many challenging adversaries. As shown in the trailer, dying is part of the gameplay loop and players should be prepared to die…a lotl.

Luckily, our main Axolotl doesn’t have to face all this violence alone. During each run, new Axolittles can be unlocked, each with unique traits and skills. With a little love (and food) these Axolittles will soon grow into a bunch of trigger-happy little maniacs, eager to mow down their enemies.

In the trailer, we are showing off some of the unique abilities your Axolittles can inherit, ranging from a quick self heal to destroying all your enemies in the ultimate sacrifice.

Snack

Beginning players might appreciate the standard healing ability early on. While you are still learning the ropes and expanding your arsenal, being able to heal yourself will come in clutch during that first boss fight. You’ll still have to manage and plan your heals as the ability, like all abilities, requires a certain amount of damage dealt to enemies before you can use it again.

Summon

More experienced players might be more inclined to max out their special items by embracing their inner Greed Demon, an ability that allows them to summon power-ups from the netherrealms. Don’t expect to spam this ability though. The more you use it, the longer it will take to charge.

Lotzilla

When collecting certain materials from specific biomes, sometimes you just want to be able to stomp your enemies and get it over with. In those cases, nothing beats the Lotzilla skill. You think an axolotl with a gun is a problem? Try facing a giant axolotl with a giant gun!

Faith

The powerful  “all or nothing” ability Faith should be reserved for only the fiercest players. When death is imminent, this type of axolotl can go full Super Saiy…lotl and overcharge their killing power to destroy everything on screen, including themselves. Why would anyone do that? Well, remember the regenerative power of the axolotls. Everytime they burn it all down, there is a small chance of surviving the explosion. A great way to either get out of a terrible situation, or go out in style.

But wait, there’s more!

Along the way you’ll be able to collect ingredients to cook hearty meals for your Axolittles, helping them grow and nurture their violent tendencies. Don’t get too attached to the little ones though. Somewhere in a forbidden corner of the pond lurks an ancient evil with an offer that is hard to refuse. Let’s just say that survival of the fittest sometimes means making some hard, dark choices…

AK-xolotl is coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 this fall.