Share of the Week: Assassin’s Creed Shadows https://ift.tt/kLivwOJ
Last week, we asked you to take a leap into Assassin’s Creed Shadows and share epic moments of dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
TakaSanGamesshares Naoe in traditional Assassin white, in front of the Hidden Ones symbol
Evo_Pixelshares Yasuke striking with his katana in the rain
Yuric83shares Yasuke in ornamental armor emerging from shadows
calisarah1998shares Naoe approaching a large red gate
Milz_VPshares Yasuke wearing a samurai mask in the morning fog
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?
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THEME: Assassin’s Creed Shadows – Landscapes
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on April 2, 2025
Next week, we’re focusing on the beautiful environments of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Share landscapes across the seasons of Japan using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Baby Steps was first revealed to the world in June 2023, and upon first viewing it, I didn’t know what to think. Surprises are few and far between when you have been gaming for over 30 years, but the reveal trailer left me with perplexing emotions. I was in a mental tug-of-war between, ‘I’ve never quite seen something quite like this’ and, ‘Does this concept really have a leg to stand on?’ Well, after about an hour of playing the game, I was ten toes down.
The game starts with a snippet of exposition. You’re a grown man named Nate living at home, and without warning, you’re thrown into the game world. You’re taught how to walk and tasked with making it out of a cave that serves as the tutorial area, and then you take the first steps into the open world, with one goal in mind: make it to the mountain in the far off distance.
To the ends of the earth
This wasn’t a mountain separated by cut-scenes and different hub areas, but a specific geographical goal I would have to advance to in real-time, creeping closer with every step. This realization swept me off my feet.
“It started on a much smaller course,” Said Bennett Foddy, one of the creators of Baby Steps. “But just as a test, I made a level that was 100 meters wide, and it was immediately clear to us that that was going to make for much more interesting gameplay, involving strategic route-finding as well as tactical foot placement. And surely it wouldn’t be that hard to make an open-world game!”
Step-by-step
Once the shock of the world’s scope wore off, I instantly bypassed the direct route for something more interesting that caught my eye and headed for what appeared to be a carousel in the distance. Since there is no map or waypoints here, where you go depends on you as the player. With campfires in the distance serving as markers for the ‘true’ direction you should head toward. As I walked through mud, puddles, sticks, and stones, the DualSense controller features began to shine, as every texture was met with the appropriate sensation and the oddly satisfying crunch of the earth and other material under my feet.
“There’s a cutting-edge experimental music system that works in sync with the walking sim,” Foddy said. “I think we’ve woven a pretty thought-provoking story from Nate’s situation as well. And the game is packed full of other surprises.”
Since I breezed through the earlier tutorial and started making tracks through a bizarre, seemingly desolate carnival, I spied a mysterious object atop the carousel, which led me to my first challenge: conquering medium—to medium-high ledges and slippery surfaces.
The object called me like a moth to a flame, and I spent some time figuring out how to raise my knees high enough for a step big enough to clear the ledge and how wide of a step to take to complete the motion without falling over. Though it was only a minute or two, I felt like I had conquered a tough boss battle. What awaited me at the top of the spiral slope? A hat.
A simple hat, yes, but one that held surprises, that I’ll let you discover for yourself. Baby Steps has dozens upon dozens of collectibles to find, and the purpose they serve is part of the journey. Though none of them will help you walk better – that’s always in your hands (or rather, feet).
But don’t worry—the devs assured me the game is something to enjoy for players of all skill levels. That’s the beauty of the open world. If you fail or fall, you can always head toward another point of interest or stumble upon the unexpected.
“I have had a pretty good time in the past putting out difficult games and not turning too many players away,” Foddy said. “But we’ve tried pretty hard to make a game that looks hard but plays pretty chill. Probably we’ve made it too easy.”
Break a leg
There are no checkpoints, you can’t die, and no fast travel. The only change is your ability to walk up straight and the terrain. While there is a story and a definitive end to the narrative, you can explore and see what you can find after the credits roll.
Like many open-world games, how much you’re willing to learn about the world and Nate will depend on the player. I saw Nate as nothing more than a vehicle to experience the world, but after a few discoveries and a cryptic note or two, my desire to find out the who, what, where, when, and why of his strange predicament became my first priority.
While my time was brief, it was still enough to meet a handful of supporting characters, some of whom can be completely missed. There was always a new thread to follow and the proverbial/literal mountain to climb. I asked the team if Nate’s journey had some grander subtext, or if he was just a guy with an objective to complete.
“Everyone has days where they’re feeling a little awkward,” said Foddy. “A little clumsy, maybe a little lost and confused. I think we can all relate a little. But as for his glutes, that’s a power I could only dream of having.”
I didn’t expect to be so enamored with a game where every step you take can be challenging, but I was. I was willing to spend ten minutes or an hour to get that item slightly out of reach or to find out what that out-of-place structure was in the distance. While I have no idea what’s out there in Baby Steps, I’m looking forward to seeing where my feet will take me.
Masters of Light: Hand Tracking update available now on PS VR2 https://ift.tt/QsKYBxy
The wait is over! Masters of Light is now one of the first games to introduce full hand tracking on PlayStation VR2, pushing the boundaries of immersive gameplay like never before. As the creator of Masters of Light and co-founder of Coven, I’m beyond excited to bring this revolutionary update to PlayStation fans.
Learn specific gestures to teleport, block meteors and fight!
Harness magic with your own hands
Imagine stepping into the world of Masters of Light and casting spells with nothing but your hands—no controllers needed. This is the power of PS VR2’s new hand tracking technology, allowing you to unleash beams of light, summon shields, and control energy like a true celestial warrior. Every flick of your wrist, every precise movement, translates into real-time spellcasting, making battles feel more intuitive, immersive, and exhilarating than ever.
Masters of Light features high energy first person combat where focus, timing and strategy are keys to victory.
A new standard for immersion
When we first envisioned Masters of Light, our goal was to make players feel truly empowered. From the very beginning, we built our combat system around fluid, natural gestures—inspired by self defense moves. Now, thanks to PlayStation VR2’s advanced tracking capabilities, players can experience the game as we originally imagined: with pure hand movement, free from controllers.
Frantic hand tracking moves will keep you physically engaged in the fights. You WILL break a sweat!
The evolution of Hand Tracking in VR
At Coven, we’ve been developing hand-tracking games for years, pushing the technology forward with every project. Bringing this feature to PS VR2 was an incredible challenge, but also a dream come true. This would have not been possible without the support of our incredible porting team, VR Monkey. Here is what they have to say:
“Implementing the hand tracking in two and a half months was a challenge, since officially Unity hasn’t added PS VR2’s hand tracking support. So one of our developers (Thanks Eric Gregory) created an in-house plugin that took advantage of Sony’s new state of the art tracking system to make hand tracking run at 60 frames per second (currently the highest available on the market).
After that, we could harness the powerful gesture detection system of the PlayStation 5 to recreate all of the game’s powers and interactions in a week’s work.
We’ve refined the system to make sure every motion is responsive, every action feels powerful, and every battle is a seamless blend of strategy and skill.“
New enemies and superpowers are unlocked as players progress in the game, climaxing in insane battles that will leave you breathless.
Play your way
With this new update, Masters of Light now offers multiple control options:
Hand tracking mode – No controllers, just pure hand movements for spellcasting and navigation.
PS VR2 Sense controller mode – Experience the game with the precision and feedback of adaptive triggers and haptics.
Whether you prefer the tactile power of controllers or the freedom of true hand-tracked gameplay, the choice is yours.
Use the “shockwave” gesture to push away all the enemies at once. Reactivate ancient crystals with your inner light to open Gates to other constellations.
A galactic battle awaits
If you haven’t joined the fight yet, now is the perfect time. Step into the role of The Wanderer, a being of light battling against the encroaching darkness. Travel across stunning cosmic landscapes, uncover ancient secrets, and challenge the black hole’s core in a fight to save the galaxy. With 36 action-packed levels, leaderboards, and the intense Grand Master difficulty mode, there’s always a new challenge to conquer.
Hidden in the 36 levels are ancient ruins that can be reactivated by the player to unlock pieces of the lore.
Join the revolution
Hand tracking on PS VR2 marks a huge leap forward for virtual reality, and we’re honored to be among the first to bring it to PlayStation fans. Whether you’re a longtime VR player or diving in for the first time, Masters of Light delivers an experience that’s intuitive, thrilling, and truly next-gen.
Are you ready to wield the power of light with your own hands? Masters of Light is available now on PlayStation VR2—download the update and step into a new era of VR gaming today!
Into Black announced for PS VR2 https://ift.tt/18lSweZ
Picture yourself stranded alone on an alien planet. With no-one around to help, and no-one coming to the rescue, your only salvation lies in the endless darkness of a sprawling cave system. Would you dare face the dangers that lurk in the dark?
Welcome to the world of Into Black, a VR action/exploration game about a deep space scavenger trying to repair his ship and escape a mysterious alien planet. You scour the caves for resources to upgrade your gear and rebuild your ship, all while fighting off hordes of deadly alien creatures.
And while the game features a fully voice-acted story campaign, playable solo or in co-op with up to 3 friends, as well as a standalone battle royale mode, the true heart of Into Black is the sense of exploration as you navigate the darkness and uncover wonders and dangers beyond reckoning.
PS VR2 owners will soon get to experience this sense of exploration first hand, but rest assured, this is no mere port. By utilising the power of the PS VR2 hardware, we’ve been able to reshape the world of Into Black into something truly next level.
Let there be light
As the name implies, so much of Into Black is about the interplay of light and dark as they explore the underground expanse, so much so that one of the first items we give players is a torch. That exploration is now much more vivid and alive with the use of real-time shadows.
Sweep your torch over a prowling insectoid grunt, and see its spider-like silhouette thrown up against the cave wall behind it. Observe inadvertent puppet shows as your co-op crewmates dash around, each with their own torch throwing its own shadows. The immersive feel of shadows stretching out and parallaxing along the ground as you pass by cave openings, swinging your torch side to side as you look for valuable resources, is second to none.
And of course, the other side of this equation is the darkness itself. New HDR lighting and volumetric effects, as well as the deeper blacks of the PS VR2 OLEDs, adds a richer sense of foreboding to the depths of the caves, and makes exploring them a true journey into the unknown.
The Devil is in the details
But what is the point of ultra-realistic lighting if there’s nothing to see when lit? That’s why the world of Into Black has also been given a full visual overhaul.
We’ve rebuilt the cave environments with a much higher geometric density, giving them gorgeous new depth and complexity, especially when seen in tandem with the improved lighting. We’ve also enhanced the textures and detail maps, to give increased fidelity to the visuals.
We also wanted to enhance the feeling of life in the caves, so we used some of the new processing power to dramatically increase the amount of atmospheric flora and fauna in the caves. Whether it be unidentified airborne creatures circling high overhead amongst the stalactites, fields of grass, or swarms of alien fish swimming through massive coral structures, the caves you are exploring are not only full of danger and treasure, but also life.
Combine all this with higher resolution, eye-tracked foveation, and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, and you have the cleanest, most striking version of Into Black yet.
Once more, with feeling
Sure, visuals are great and all, but there’s more to a game than just how it looks. All new headset haptics, and, most importantly, adaptive triggers of the Playstation VR Sense controllers offer a whole slew of new immersive capabilities for Into Black.
Feel the impact of every pickaxe swing, and the kick of the shotgun blast. Get rocked by a swipe from a colossal rock golem, or by the errant throw of a buddy’s grenade. We all know the magic of VR is in the immersion, and with so many tactile feedback options now at our disposal, that feeling of being there is deeper than ever before.
A little about us
As a veteran VR studio, The Binary Mill takes pride and joy in bringing fun and exciting experiences such as Rush, Mini Motor Racing X and Gun Club VR to enthusiasts of all types. Our previous game, the award-winning Resist (available on PS VR2 April 10) will also give PS VR2 players the ability to swing through a dystopian city and battle for the fate of humanity like never before.
With Into Black we wanted to allow our players to feel the thrill of discovery. And with Into Black on PS VR2, we feel like we’ve truly delivered on that promise, and we hope you’ll join us on this journey into the unknown.
You can wishlist Into Black today and be ready to descend into the depths when it launches on PlayStation VR2 soon!
Pac-Man-inspired action platformer Shadow Labyrinth launches July 18 on PS5 https://ift.tt/DoxWg4s
Shadow Labyrinth is the forthcoming 2D action platformer from our team at Bandai Namco Studios where players will control Swordsman No.8, summoned to a mysterious planet by the enigmatic Puck to complete a mission where others have failed. The two will discover secrets and battle huge bosses in their struggle to survive. The concept of a dark Pac-Man game is bold new ground for the brand, delivering a unique experience that existing and new PAC players will be excited to dig into. Shadow Labyrinth emerges from the darkness on July 18.
Gamers may have noticed that Puck looks quite a bit like Pac-Man, and there’s the amazing visual of a huge foreboding and dark Pac-Man chomping down on the body of a downed foe. But Shadow Labyrinth’s inspiration from Pac-Man is more than skin deep, our team worked to build from the ground up with careful consideration of what it means to be a Pac-Man game.
The iconic maze is second only to Pac-Man himself when considering the core factors of a Pac game. We wanted to apply that principle to our game where the characters are just as important as the place where we find them. Arcade Pac-Man’s maze is immersive, and we wanted to bring that to life on a broader scale. The map of this mysterious planet when viewed zoomed out is itself a massive maze, and like the original Pac-Man, you must get familiar with the maze to best your enemies. The original arcade game’s maze was set upon a background of darkness, Shadow Labyrinth takes this one step further by having our story take place in the depths of outer space on a dark and mysterious planet where survival means tougher challenges in deeper levels. You either reach the end or are consumed trying.
When you approach a Pac-Man arcade machine you are greeted by a joystick, so we thought, controlling Pac-Man is quite simple, right? It’s just a joystick. But as you progress through each level the on-screen action of dodging Ghosts gets intense. Shadow Labyrinth gives players a variety of actions and weapons to use, but we wanted the player inputs to feel natural, not overwhelming – like that simple joystick. We also wanted to give the player as much choice as possible, letting them choose which direction they would like to explore first. Like original arcade Pac-Man, the action in Shadow Labyrinth gets seriously intense and we felt that an approachable control scheme and the flexibility to explore the directions they’re curious about would help deepen player immersion similar to the original arcade game.
There are in fact 3 modes of play in Shadow Labyrinth. Controlling Swordsman No.8 is all about weapon use and artfully dodging, and Mini Puck mode is all about exploring hidden and out of reach pathways. These in themselves feel very Pac-Man, but the 3rd mode of play is effectively Shadow Labyrinth’s version of a Power Pellet: GAIA, the robotic giant with devastating force. Using GAIA, players can damage enemies that might have otherwise been too strong, break through barriers (a reference to the arcade game Super Pac-Man), and actually eat enemies. But just like a Power Pellet, this power is not endless, and must be used strategically to, as Pac-Man fans say, “turn the tables” on your enemies.
Pac-Man is always eating Dots, Power Pellets, and Ghosts to level up and keep going. We wanted to expand on the core concept of consuming in Shadow Labyrinth to include eating to defeat foes but also eating as a means of powering up. In the game, you can choose to eat enemies instead of slashing them until defeated.
If you do choose to eat them then you’ll gain different resources depending on the enemy you’ve eaten. These resources can then be used to acquire and upgrade your abilities. So, in Shadow Labyrinth too you must eat to progress, not only to get further but also to grow from prey to the apex predator.
But where are the Ghosts? We didn’t forget them. In Shadow Labyrinth, amongst many of the vile creatures you must destroy or be haunted by are the G-Hosts: parasitic organisms that have taken over monsters and machines of the planet to create something new and terrifying. These encounters serve as formidable boss battles fitting for the primary antagonists of the arcade original. You’ll encounter the G-Hosts based upon Pac-Man Ghosts such as Pinky, never revealed until now, as twisted boss battles.
Shadow Labyrinth takes inspiration from the legacy of games in the genre as well as being built using the DNA of Pac-Man. But eagle-eyed gamers have already started to notice clues that Shadow Labyrinth takes place in the larger chronology of the UGSF (United Galaxy Space Force) timeline: a shared universe that connects many of Bandai Namco’s space-themed games. As players explore the massive map of Shadow Labyrinth’s world, they’ll encounter some familiar looking enemies like those from the Dig Dug series, Bosconian, and more.
Shadow Labyrinth comes to PlayStation 5 on July 18!
Verdansk returns in Season 3 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone on April 2 https://ift.tt/BOj5ExI
The Battle Royale map that started it all is back! Prepare to drop into Verdansk in a huge launch event celebrating the return of the map. Featuring authentic, back-to-basics gameplay with the latest in fan-favorite mechanics, there’s a wide variety of features coming to the game.
Season 3 begins on PS4 and PS5 with Multiplayer and Zombies content coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on April 2 at 9AM PT, followed by the launch of Verdansk in Call of Duty: Warzone 24 hours later on April 3 at 9AM PT.
Verdansk, rebuilt from the ground up
Like we never left: 150 players. The original announcer. Shooting during freefall. Original Infil cinematics. All before you hit the ground running.
Original game mechanics: Original Supply Boxes, Floating Loot, Armor Satchels and Buy Station menus, coupled with current Loadouts and Perks, with High Value Loot Zones across the map where some premium loot resides.
QOL updates: A variety of quality-of-life updates also hits Call of Duty: Warzone, including Squad Redeploys at Buy Stations, Attachment descriptions during Weapon Inspects, detailed death recaps in game, a HUD flag so you know exactly when your Loadout is available to buy, and more.
Game modes, events, rewards
Game modes
Play a variety of modes including returning favorites and new ones:
Battle Royale
Plunder Quads
Bootcamp
Plus, get in on the brand-new Battle Royale Casual playlist at launch, featuring 28 players and up to 120 bots, the perfect arena to warm up before the main event.
Return to Verdansk launch event
Reassemble the Squad and drop back into your former stomping grounds for an exciting homecoming. The Return to Verdansk Event takes the form of a series of challenges scattered across 12 distinct zones within Verdansk. Crack all 12 safes to earn the infamous Kali Sticks melee weapon.
Login, Get the Kilo 141
The Kilo 141 Assault Rifle is back and ready to tear it up across Verdansk for old times’ sake. Players will automatically unlock the Kilo 141 for use in Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone after logging in to Call of Duty: Warzone following the launch of Season 3 on April 2.
More Verdansk-era Weapons: In addition to the Kali Sticks and Kilo 141, players can earn two more classic Verdansk-era weapons. Get the CR-56 AMAX Assault Rifle and HDR Sniper Rifle, both earnable in the Season 3 Battle Pass.
New multiplayer, Zombies content
Don’t miss out on the Season 3 content coming to Black Ops 6 on April 2. Play multiplayer maps including a remaster of Firing Range and modes like Demolition and Sharpshooter. Plus, explore a diabolical mansion in the woods in the new Zombies map, Shattered Veil.
Season 3 launch intel, Black Ops 6 free trial
Black Ops 6 Multiplayer, Zombies, and General game content drops a day early on Wednesday April 2, 9AM PT. Call of Duty: Warzone content launches across all platforms 24 hours later, on Thursday April 3, 9AM PT.
Free trial: Play all of Black Ops 6 during 24-Hour countdown
Pre-load the game, then access Black Ops 6 as a premium player or via a Free Trial with the entire Season 3 premium game accessible for 24 hours, allowing you to grind out some of the new weapons, including the Kilo 141, CR-56 AMAX, and HDR. Season 3 launches April 2.
PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April: RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory https://ift.tt/ENMrw42
Protect the streets of Detroit, survive a family of horror icons, and turn digital detective with April’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup. RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory will be available to PlayStation Plus members from April 1.
Let’s take a closer look at the games.
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RoboCop: Rogue City | PS5
Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. With your powerful Auto-9 or one of a range of weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities can be upgraded as you progress, to make you an even more formidable law enforcement officer.
Explore open areas and complete your objectives according to your own sense of justice. Finding evidence, interrogating suspects and maintaining public order are just some of your daily tasks as a police officer. But don’t take decisions lightly: your choices can determine the fate of citizens and the result of your mission. Your investigation leads you right into the heart of a shadowy conspiracy in an original story that takes place between RoboCop 2 and 3, with striking locations to explore and familiar faces to meet. Peter Weller, the original RoboCop actor, is even back on duty to voice the cybercop.
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | PS4, PS5
Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. As a victim you must use your wits and stealth to stay out of the Family’s reach and find the tools you need to lead to your eventual freedom. Slaughter Family players must seek out, track down, and stop their guests from escaping. Players of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can finally find out if they have what it takes to survive.
After being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Keisuke Amazawa has no choice but to dive into the Digital World and investigate to prove his innocence. Even if that means joining a group of hackers and helping them to solve the troubles threatening this mysterious universe. Discover the mysterious backstory to the events that happened in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth as you dive into a deeper and darker adventure, at crossroads between real and digital and experience the perfect mix between Adventure, Raising and Battle with over 320 Digimon to discover.
All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on April 1 until May 5.
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Last chance to download March’s games
PlayStation Plus members have until March 31 to add Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sonic Colors: Ultimate and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection to their game library.
