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The Elder Scrolls Online developer reveals the Arcanist class’ new skill lines

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Arriving June 20 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom introduces a brand-new way to play with the introduction of the Arcanist class. Boasting three unique skill lines and an all-new combat mechanic called the Crux system, Arcanists wield the eldritch powers of Apocrypha to obliterate their foes and protect their allies.

Get the inside scoop on each of the Arcanist’s three new skill lines from Brian Wheeler, Lead Combat Designer for ZeniMax Online Studios, and discover the arcane powers you can wield when exploring the Telvanni Peninsula and worlds beyond.

Herald of the Tome

“The Herald of the Tome skill line is designed mostly around dealing damage to your enemies,” explains Wheeler. “There’s a wide variety of abilities here too, with some dishing out area-based effects while others focus on specific targets. There’s versatility in how you want to inflict pain on your enemies.”

When in design, the team knew the Arcanist had to stand out, so they focused on themes of cosmic horror and Hermaeus Mora’s Black Books, opening an eldritch portal to a wide selection of powers.

“Some abilities have a very crisp and precise look, while others are more chaotic and visceral,” says Wheeler. “In our testing, we saw players load up their entire action bar with Arcanist abilities, so we wanted to ensure that this skill line had a wide breadth of supporting visuals.”

If any one ability captures the feel of the Herald of the Tome skill line, it is Fatecarver, which makes powerful use of the class’s new combat mechanic.

“We wanted players to channel pure arcane energy into a beam they could aim anywhere without requiring a target while also interacting with our new Crux system,” explains Wheeler. 

“The more Crux you have, the harder the beam hits when you cast it.”

Curative Runeforms

“Curative Runeforms adds healing and support to the Arcanist suite of abilities,” says Wheeler. 

“Like the Herald of the Tome line, you can find some good synergies here blending single-target and area-based healing along with some new toys like Apocryphal Gate, granting mobility via a pair of portals.”

Being able to quickly identify what heals and what hurts is vitally important in the heat of battle, so the team made sure that despite having shared origins in Apocrypha, the damaging and healing skill lines appeared distinct.  

“This skill line has less ‘brutal chaotic’ looks to it, and we leaned into some of the watery or inky feel of Apocrypha,” says Wheeler. “For example, Arcanist Domain has a watery edge around its ability while also showing a cool animation as you fling out runes.” 

Soldier of Apocrypha

“The Soldier of Apocrypha skill line is focused mostly on taking damage and surviving,” explains Wheeler. “But there’s also some u

MLB The Show 23 brings Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and June live content info

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MLB The Show 23 introduced a new game experience celebrating the rich history of the Negro Leagues called Storylines. We couldn’t be happier with the overwhelmingly positive response to this new game experience passion project for the development team. Storylines wouldn’t have been remotely possible without the amazing partnership with the Nego Leagues Baseball Museum and its President, Bob Kendrick.  

A few short weeks ago, plans to build a brand-new museum were announced. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America.  

In partnership with Major League Baseball, The Players Association, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  

MLB The Show 23 brings Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and June live content info

From today through June 30, only on US digital platform stores where MLB The Show is sold, you can purchase the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Charity Pack ($4.99 USD). PlayStation and San Diego Studio will donate 100% of the proceeds* from this pack after store platform fee deductions are applied to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  

Your purchase of the Negro L

4 new PS VR2 games announced – Tiger Blade, Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, Pixel Ripped 1995, The 7th Guest VR

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Today, we’re happy to announce four new titles making their way onto PS VR2 in the near future. Below you can enjoy the reveal trailers plus additional details about new games such as Pixel Ripped 1995, Tiger Blade and 7th Guest VR, plus get the first look at the PS VR2 debut of the critically acclaimed Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate.

These four join the ever growing PS VR2 lineup, which includes games like recently launched action rhythm title Beat Saber and upcoming games like mind-bending sci-fi shooter Synapse, horror-fueled Resident Evil 4 VR, and other new additions announced at last month’s PlayStation Showcase.

Unsure what to play next? Remember there are many demos and trials of games on PlayStation Store, including
Horizon Call of The Mountain, Resident Evil Village, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge and more*.

Without further ado, let’s introduce the new games and let their creators share more details:

4 new PS VR2 games announced – Tiger Blade, Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, Pixel Ripped 1995, The 7th Guest VR

Tiger Blade

Tiger Blade brings all the stylish, adrenaline-soaked combat of the very best of Korean neo-noir action cinema to PS VR2. Slash and blast your way through ranks of hoodlums in a high stakes chase through the atmospheric and meticulously recreated marketplaces, docks, alleys, and streets of Sewoon. Set in an alternate Korea, you take the role of the deadliest assassin working for the Horangi chapter of the Tiger Clans. Ordered to steal a mysterious package from a rival chapter, you are shocked to find the object of the heist is, in fact, a tiger cub – thought extinct for a hundred years, the mythical creature is now desired by every gang in the city.

Tiger Blade is designed to be highly replayable, with a scoring and ranking system, online leaderboards, and speedrunning, and secondary objectives. The heart-pounding, non-stop action is further intensified thanks to haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and headset rumble. To complete the Korean influence that runs through Tiger Blade, the action will be played to the beat of original Korean Hip-Hop. If you enjoyed the music for the trailer – ‘Seat Belt’ by SINCE

Rogue Legacy 2 comes to PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on June 20

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Rogue Legacy 2 is landing on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on June 20. What’s more, it will be launching straight into the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, so Extra and Premium members can download it straightaway and jump in! We’re going all-out by releasing RL2 with full cross-buy support for the PS4 to PS5. The game also includes the latest free content updates, the Fabled Heroes and the Swan Song, which are packed with additional challenges and exciting new game modes.

The original Rogue Legacy was released nearly a decade ago, and it’s incredible to think back on how it helped popularize roguelites on PlayStation. The community’s support for our little indie dream was nothing short of impossible. We were expecting a few hundred thousand players at best, but somehow ended up with more that 3.5 million across all PlayStation platforms. To say we were overwhelmed is an understatement.

With the upcoming aunch of Rogue Legacy 2 we’re excited to see if history will repeat itself. And to celebrate, Cellar Door Games is taking a look at some of our favourite roguelikes/lites (that aren’t Rogue Legacy) on PlayStation, and I’m giving some personal insight on what made them so great.

Rogue Legacy 2 comes to PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on June 20

Slay the Spire

What it is: A deckbuilding roguelike where you slowly build your own deck as you ascend a tower.

What We Liked: One of the first deckbuilding roguelikes that truly capitalized on the “one more run” addiction. You can tell that the developers had a deep understanding of deck-building mechanics because of how well the cards synergize with one another. The balance and tempo throughout every run is also impeccable, both on the micro (enemy encounter length) and macro scale (time it takes to curate your final deck).

Aside from being incredibly solid and consistently fun, the map progression system is one of those things that had a real impact on the roguelike genre as a whole. Since the release of Slay the Spire, the ‘tower path’ progress format has been copied endlessly, because it’s just ridiculously elegant and simple.

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for June + PS5 Game Streaming news update for Premium members

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A year has flown by so quickly since we rolled out our new PlayStation Plus tiered plans, ushering in new benefits to the service such as our Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, along with Game Trials for blockbuster titles. Whether you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra or Premium/Deluxe, it’s been great to see the positive feedback we’ve gotten from  players around the world for the quality titles that we offer monthly. 

Today, we’re celebrating this wonderful milestone with 10 days of activities for the PlayStation community. It’s also our way of saying thanks to players everywhere for supporting us in this new era for PlayStation Plus.  

First off, we have very exciting news for PlayStation Plus Premium members. We’re currently testing cloud streaming for supported PS5 games – this includes PS5 titles from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Game Trials, as well as supported digital PS5 titles that players own. When this feature launches, cloud game streaming for supported PS5 titles will be available for  use directly on your PS5 console. That means as a Premium member, it’ll be easier to jump into your favorite games without downloading them first onto your PS5 console. Our goal is to add this as an additional benefit to PlayStation Plus Premium as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the value of PlayStation Plus.  

We think it’s important for Premium members to be able to enjoy as many games as possible via cloud streaming. As more games continue to launch on the PS5 console, we look forward to adding cloud streaming capability for PS5 titles in addition to the PS3, PS4 and classic titles that are already available for Premium members to stream. We’re in the early stages right now, and we can’t wait to share more details when we’re ready, including a launch time frame. Stay tuned! 

Now, here are some of the games joining the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog next week: 

● Far Cry 6 (PS4/PS5) 

● Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (PS4/PS5) 

● Rogue Legacy 2 (PS4/PS5) 

● Inscryption (PS4/PS5) 

● Soulstice (PS5) 

● Tacoma (PS4) 

● Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4)

● Killing Floor 2 (PS4) 

Game Trial for WWE2K23 (PS4), will also be available on June 20. 

Sonic Superstars modernizes a classic formula – hands-on gameplay report

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Sonic is back and in a very familiar way. Sonic Superstars returns the speedy blue hedgehog to his 2D retro roots, complete with playable appearances from some of his best friends to defeat Doctor Eggman again (or Robotnik, if you’re feeling super nostalgic). But don’t let the classic exterior fool you. Superstars is here to show that an old hedgehog can still learn new tricks.

Sonic Superstars modernizes a classic formula – hands-on gameplay report

Four playable characters

Like most classic Sonic titles, Sonic Superstars features more than just the headlining hedgehog as a playable character. This time around, there are four heroes to choose from, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles ‘Tails’ Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, and sporting her original Sonic CD outfit, Amy Rose.

In the retro Sonic spirit, each of these characters has their own abilities that make them perfect for different playstyles and types of playthroughs. Sonic has the speed, Tails has his high flying, Knuckles can glide horizontal distances and climb up structures, and Amy has her hammer, which can break walls and allows her to double jump with the widest damage radius of each character. These characters alone are reason enough to revisit the game more than once, but they aren’t the only thing that will keep you playing.

Four-player simultaneous co-op

For the first time in the series, four players can venture through the world of Sonic at the same time. You and your squad can pick from the four selectable characters and work together to collect the Chaos Emeralds and save the innocent animals from the mechanical clutches of Eggman.

Zones full of fresh air

Sonic Superstars harkens back to the series’ 2D origins, but there is nothing but all-new zones here. That means new-level themes, new setpieces, and a lot of new eye candy while you roll around at the speed of sound. These include things like a foggy jungle, a forest full of natural rail grinding, bungee jumping vines, and much more. It’s visually rich and contemporary but in keeping with the classic series vibe. But you better keep your eyes off the scenery and focus on where your feet are going…

A new roboticized rogues’ gallery

Summer Game Fest 2023: Hands-on highlights with 8 upcoming PlayStation titles

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This year’s Summer Game Fest hosted tons of new gaming faces. Between all the familiar friends and new arrivals showcased, there’s almost an overwhelming amount of new titles to be excited about coming to PlayStation. Whether you’re looking for an indie fix or a new spin on an old icon of the industry, here are some of the games we got our hands on that you’ll want to keep an eye out for.

Summer Game Fest 2023: Hands-on highlights with 8 upcoming PlayStation titles

Viewfinder

A picture is worth a thousand words and may just be the doorway to even more paths. In Viewfinder, you find yourself in a mysterious world with nothing but pictures found and taken along the way to guide you. But these pictures have properties allowing them to be placed anywhere and traversed through. You’ll be tasked with using the images to make your way through various puzzles in ways that only your mind can limit you.

Take an image of a hallway and place it on the roof to have items fall on top of you. Or maybe take an image of a building and place it sideways to make a bridge across a fatal pit. And with so many art styles spanning a simple child’s crayon drawing to classic pixel art, there’s tons of eye candy to take in and use to your heart and eyes’ content. Arm yourself with your camera on July 18, 2023.

Capcom Showcase recap: Pragmata, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Exoprimal and more

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A varied lineup of exciting games coming to PlayStation was revealed in the Capcom Showcase livestream! From a new look at the highly anticipated Dragon’s Dogma 2, to the reveal of the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, we featured games for all types of players.

Ascend, Arisen, and slay the dragon

The Capcom Showcase dove deeper into Dragon’s Dogma 2, which made its grand unveiling just a few weeks ago at the PlayStation Showcase. The game’s director, Hideaki Itsuno, explained a few of the game’s core elements, and revealed a bit about how the sequel is upping the ante on PlayStation 5.

At the heart of Dragon’s Dogma are two key features: the Pawn system, and best-in-class action-RPG combat. Pawns are AI controlled companions that join you on your adventures. You’ll take a main Pawn with you that can be customized to your heart’s content, and two others that can be hired from other players. With your party of up to four, you’ll enjoy companionship and camaraderie on your adventures.

Dragon’s Dogma 2’s action is all about choice. Wield swords, bows, or magick, it’s all up to you. Your chosen vocation determines how your Arisen plays in combat, and there’s a wide variety to choose from. Choice is also a key part of combat scenarios. You’ll constantly be challenged to try and take on situations in your own way, whether it’s seeing what happens when you destroy a bridge or toppling a monster over by pulling their leg. 

Dragon’s Dogma 2 leverages Capcom’s RE Engine, resulting in a densely populated world about four times the size of the original, woven with the latest graphical technology, physics technology and character AI to immerse you in its fantasy world.

Two important characters that are featured in the key art will play an important role in the Arisen’s journey. UIrika, a woman who wields a bow and has a deep connection to the Arisen, and Nadinia, a high priestess of the new beastren race, will impact the Arisen’s destiny and help shape their fate.

A trio of Ace Attorney Games take the stand

Take that! Court is back in session with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy.

How Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora immerses players in Pandora, launching December 7

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Hi PlayStation Blog readers! Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora debuted a bunch of new gameplay in today’s Ubisoft Forward. Here at Ubisoft, we’re thrilled to bring you a little more insight into the world of Pandora and the Western Frontier directly from the game’s creators.  

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will launch on PlayStation 5 on December 7, and PlayStation players will receive the Aranahe Warrior Pack for free, which grants them exclusive character and weapon cosmetic sets. Developed by Massive Entertainment – a Ubisoft Studio in collaboration with James Cameron’s production company Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora lets players take on the role of a Na’vi who awakens on Pandora years after being abducted as a child and raised by the Resources Development Administration (RDA), a human militaristic corporation.  Now a stranger on Pandora, you must learn what it means to be a Na’vi while reckoning with the RDA and the threat they pose to the birthplace you are only just becoming familiar with.    

How Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora immerses players in Pandora, launching December 7

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Creative Director Magnus Jansén explains that this push-and-pull between two different worlds shapes the heart of the game. “This character has never connected with Pandora,” he says. “You’ve never set foot there. You don’t know the ways of the Na’vi. You must learn how to become Na’vi, and that is what a big part of this journey is about.”  

Being a child of two worlds has its practical uses, too, and your knowledge of humans uniquely positions you to combat the RDA. “You know how humans think,” says Jansén. “You know their gear, you know their tech, and that gives you an enormous advantage.”    

A new world 

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an expansion of the Avatar lore, and as a result Jansén and his team at Massive were afforded an exciting sense of freedom, one they wanted the game itself to reflect.   

“It brought me great joy very early on in the project when it was clear that Lightstorm didn’t want a game that repeated events that you see in the movies,” says Jansén. “In the world of Avatar, the joy comes from discovering and seeing mind-blowing new stuff.”   

With this in mind, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora takes place on a never-before-seen region of Pandora: the Western Frontier. “The Western Frontier hasn’t been explored in any other media, and we’re excited to take players on an all-new adventure,” explains Jansén.   

How Santa Monica Studio evolved Atreus’ bow wielding in God of War Ragnarök

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Creating a character from the ground up can be daunting, but developing a character’s growth through progressive storylines is a raging beast of a task in itself. Santa Monica Studio took on this challenge through its comprehensive development of the beloved Atreus, son of Kratos in God of War Ragnarök, where the main focus was to shape shift Atreus from “boy into a young man” with his own unique motivations.

A new God of War Ragnarök deep-dive featuring perspectives from developers at Santa Monica Studio details the journey of Atreus’ character development, specifically turning him into a playable character and narrative driving-force. One fascinating facet of Atreus covered is the story behind Atreus’ weapon choice in God of War Ragnarök.

Fans may be surprised to hear that while brainstorming ideas for Atreus’ weapons there were other options considered along with the bow, which ultimately became the focus.

“There was a lot of talk early on about whether we should give Atreus a sword or a knife, but we didn’t want to overload players and wanted to leave room for Atreus to grow” says Bruno Velasquez, animation director at Santa Monica Studio.

The decision to not overload players with weapon choices gave developers a chance to flesh out the bow and how it can be used in diverse ways, considering ranged and melee attacks, as well as simple tasks like prying open chests to gather items.

More than just how he uses it, honing in on the bow presented the opportunity to explore why Atreus uses the bow and his connection to it.  

Atreus’ mother Faye gave him the weapon and taught him how to use it, making it much more than a tool. The bow is a small piece of her that he carries with him, as well as an extension of himself, as we see in the multitude of ways he uses it to interact with the world. 

“We want players to understand that the bow is part of him – he’s always using it, he’s always thinking about it” says Grace Pan, animator at Santa Monica Studio.


Check out the full article for more on the journey of Atreus’ development in God of War Ragnarök.

For those just beginning their adventure, God of War Ragnarök is part of the Days of Play sale on PlayStation Store*. Learn more here.  


*The Days of Play sale is available on PlayStation Store until June 12, 2023 at 11:59pm local time.

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