PlayStation News Message Board older than one year ago

Persona 4 Golden was so popular on PS Vita, Atlus thought it'd bring a rhythm P4 game to PS Vita.

Tonight, Atlus revealed an all new Persona 4 Arena game with a rather unusual title.

So it isn’t likely that you’ll recognize my name in the byline, as this is my first post for the PlayStation.Blog, but I’m a gamer much like everyone who frequents this site, and a member of the PlayStation MVP program.

A couple of weeks ago, I was presented with a chance to attend the NYC PlayStation launch event due to my involvement in the MVP program, and of course jumped at the opportunity — seriously, who wouldn’t? So on Wednesday, I traveled by train from Boston down to NYC, and what followed was honestly an experience of a lifetime.

My first night in NYC was somewhat low-key and involved meeting up with Paul Sullivan (one of the PlayStation Digital Platforms Community Managers who made my trip possible) and two other PlayStation MVPs. We checked out the venue where various PS4 games were being broadcast onto the sides of rental trucks and buildings, and stumbled upon Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony’s Worldwide Studios, interacting with a real-time art installation that made use of The Standard, High Line Hotel.

Thursday, to borrow a phrase from Sony’s marketing, really was the “Perfect Day.” Sony had a mini-E3 set up in the Bier Garten venue that would later transform into the set for Spike TV’s PS4: All Access launch special. This was my first time experiencing PS4 in person, and the gameplay and graphics looked stunning for every game they had on display. I particularly loved getting the opportunity to play the various unreleased games, such as Thief and Octodad.

At around 4:00 PM, the other two MVPs and I were given complimentary PS4s, an array of games, and other gear to take back to our hotel and play. Before heading back, we got to meet Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes and had them sign our consoles. Then, once back at the hotel, I fired up the PS4, and — after a short mesmerization with the new user interface — I quickly jumped into Resogun. I followed that up with Knack, tried out the social features using the Share button, and spent the next few hours entirely immersed in gameplay.

Later that night, I headed over to Spike TV’s PS4: All Access launch event with the other two MVPs and our PS4s. We were fortunate enough to watch the live broadcast from the media pit, and while the announcements were great and I particularly can’t wait to get my hands on Destiny, the highlight of my night was meeting Guy Longworth, Jack Tretton, and Andrew House, and getting them to sign my PS4.

After midnight arrived, it was back to the hotel to pack everything up in preparation for the journey home. While I very much enjoyed NYC, I ended up catching an early train back to Boston, because three fewer hours spent in Penn Station meant three more with my console at home.

In the end, I got more out of this trip than I ever expected. It was great meeting some of my fellow PlayStation gamers, such as the two PlayStation MVPs who I got to share the experience with, and the many others willing to wait it out to be among the first to buy PS4 at launch. It was also great to see how passionate everyone at PlayStation is about what they do — not just their jobs and how the products they make influence others, but the games as well, because at their core they’re gamers too.

I realize that my PS4 launch experience is about as glitzy as they get, but a couple of weeks ago I was planning on staring down a clock and waiting for an Amazon shipment to arrive, so I would love for you to share your launch experiences in the comments, below.

Hi! It’s Simon from Spearhead Games, here again to talk about our upcoming PS4 co-op puzzler Tiny Brains. We finished our very last updates earlier this week, and we’re finally done — it feels so weird to write that after Tiny Brains consumed my entire life for more than a year, but it’s true. The whole team is incredibly proud to be bringing Tiny Brains to PS4 on December 3rd. Thanks to PlayStation’s support of indies, we were given the option to be featured on PlayStation Plus for the launch — it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up!

So look out for Tiny Brains soon, and in the meantime, I wanted to share our brand new launch trailer, and tell you a bit about how we’re trying to get you back in the living room for some old school co-op with a next-gen twist.

When I was a kid, one of the best feelings in the world was getting a new game and rushing home to call my friends to come over and play. Crowded together in front of the screen, all excited to game late into the night; elbowing for room on the couch, gloating and swapping tips — these things are what gave me a lifelong love of video games.

The launch of the PS4 marks the beginning of an exciting time for gaming, with new technology letting us play with more people, more often. It hearkens back to those “good old days” when you had new technology to show friends, and everyone wanted to come to your house to play. We’re incredibly happy that our first game, Tiny Brains, is a part of that. With it, I feel that we’re bridging the old and the new of multiplayer, co-operative gaming.

Let me take a few steps back. I’m Simon Darveau, formerly at Ubisoft and now co-founder at Spearhead Games. Tiny Brains is a quirky, social, cooperative, action puzzler. Beyond that, it’s our baby — the game many of us left our jobs at AAA studios to make. It’s a game that’s been in our heads for a long time, all the way back from when one of my co-founders Malik and I were just kids playing games together.

We both made it into the industry and eventually decided we couldn’t make the innovative types of games we wanted to make while at big companies. The process began with me sleeping on Malik’s couch (where I was nick-named his house cat), playing games together every night, and thinking about what we could do to make the ultimate social, cooperative gaming experience — something where we had to work together toward one goal rather than try to kill each other on the same screen.

Fast-forward a year and a few months, and Tiny Brains has become a reality, coming out on the most cutting-edge gaming console of the new generation!

Tiny Brains is everything that the team originally wanted from a co-op game. It follows four tiny lab animals — a rabbit, a mouse, a hamster, and a bat — each of whom has been so extensively experimented on as to develop cool psychic abilities. The bat can channel his voice to force-push objects away from him; the rabbit uses an electric charge generated by his huge floppy ears to pull objects towards him. The hamster can create a solid chunk of ice out of thin air, and the mouse can swap his position with that of another object at will.

Each of these powers is useful, but no one power can solve the puzzles alone. In order to progress through the mad scientist’s diabolical laboratory, all four critters must work together. This means a lot of shouting, a lot of communication, a lot of chaos, and a hell of a lot of fun.

Of course, you don’t have to have three friends and four controllers to get in on the action. With the power of PS4, an indie like Tiny Brains can still feature online drop-in/drop-out multiplayer, and even a single-player mode in which the levels adapt to become solvable by one player. But to experience the game at its best, we highly encourage you to rally your friends, hop on the couch, and dive in together. We think you’ll like the way this old school gaming-inspired indie leverages the capabilities of the PS4.

I’m stoked for the launch of Tiny Brains, and can’t wait to see if anyone can beat our developer high scores in the challenge modes. Have you been practicing your multiplayer skills? What PS4 game have you been playing the most with friends at home or online?

It seems that Sony is planning a PS4/Vita bundle in the UK. But will it be released elsewhere?

November has been a huge month for PlayStation, and there’s never been a better time to join PlayStation Nation. We’ve got some incredible Black Friday deals for PS3, PS Vita, PS Plus and more, to keep November going strong.

PS3

We’re putting two of the most popular PS3 titles of 2013 together to bring you the PS3 Black Friday Bundle for only $199 (MSRP). This bundle includes a 250GB PS3, Batman Arkham Origins, and The Last of Us — one of the highest-rated games of the year. That’s $165 worth of savings.

So Black Friday is the perfect time to pick up a PS3, and we’re continuing to bring you great content on the platform. Gran Turismo 6, the latest entry in one of the most popular franchises in PlayStation history, will launch exclusively on PS3 on December 6th. Not to mention blockbusters like Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Battlefield 4…

PS Vita

It’s also a great time to pick up a PS Vita, so you can play Tearaway — which launched today to stellar reviews — and recent hits like Killzone Mercenary, Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition, and Spelunky.

PS Vita is the ultimate companion device for PS4 through key features like Remote Play, letting gamers play most PS4 titles on their PS Vita via Wi-Fi on their home network, freeing up the television for other uses. Check out the various deals below:

• Best Buy — All PS Vita systems available (11/24 – 11/28) — $169.99
• GameStop — PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Bundle (11/29 – 12/1) — $179.99
• Target — All PS Vita systems available (11/28 – 11/30) — $179.99
• Toys R Us — All PS Vita systems available (11/28 – 11/29) — $179.99
• Walmart.com — All PS Vita systems available (11/28 – 11/29) — $179.99

PS Plus

There will also be a special Black Friday deal for PlayStation Plus at select retailers nationwide. Pick up 1 year of PS Plus for only $29.99* — that’s 40% off the regular price of $49.99. With PS Plus, you’ll get new games every month with Instant Game Collection. You’ll also get access to online multiplayer on the PS4 system. Best of all, one membership will cover you across your PS4, PS3, and PS Vita… for just $29.99* on Black Friday only.

*Limit 2 per person, per purchase. Offer valid 11/29/13 only, while supplies last.

Games

Black Friday is a huge day to pick up games at great prices. First-party games like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls will be available for $39.99 each (additional days and savings at some retailers). Check your local retailers for additional deals on more than 20 first-party titles.

There will also be special pricing available for DualShock 3 wireless controllers at select retailers nationwide. Check your local retailers for pricing and availability.

These deals won’t be around for long, so mark your calendar for next Friday and get ready to rake in the savings. Have a happy holiday, PlayStation Nation!

Featured New Releases

Check out what’s new on the Music Unlimited service this week! Read the highlights and browse new albums below.

Highlights

• The official soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (almost as anticipated as the movie itself) featuring songs from Coldplay, Lorde, The Lumineers & more.

The 2nd volume of the Five Finger Death Punch’s The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell double album after the first released this past July.

Memphis rapper Yo Gotti’s latest studio album, which features appearances by J. Cole, Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Wale, T.I, Meek Mill & more.

Daughtry’s 4th album, a genre shift & softening to his usual hard rock that made him one of the most successful American Idol contestants of all time.

New Albums Available This Week, 11/19/13

Various Artists – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Five Finger Death Punch – The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2

Yo Gotti – I AM

Daughtry – Baptized

AWOLNATION – Megalithic Symphony Deluxe

A Perfect Circle – Three Sixty

Polica – Shulamith

M83 – You And The Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Jake Bugg – Shangri La

Nickelback – The Best of Nickelback Vol. 1

Phillip Phillips – The World From The Side Of The Moon [New Deluxe Edition]

Umphrey’s McGee – Death By Stereo

Death Grips – No Love Deep Web

Delta Rae – Chasing Twisters

Rush – Clockwork Angels Tour

Ghost B.C. – If You Have Ghost

Cody Simpson – The Acoustic Sessions

Sammy Adams – Homecoming

Matthew Morrison – A Classic Christmas

Reggie & the Full Effect – No Country for Old Musicians

Webbie – Savage Life 4

New Singles Available This Week, 11/19/13

Busta Rhymes – “Thank You (Feat. Q-Tip/Kanye West/Lil Wayne)”

Ariana Grande – “Last Christmas”

Lily Allen – “Hard Out Here”

Babyface & Toni Braxton – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

Christina Perri – “Human”

Marco Antonio Solís & David Bisbal – “Historia De Un Amor” [Actuación En La Voz]”

This week’s New Release Recap is stocked to the brim! The team returns in the latest fast-paced, heart-pumping, nitrous filled chapter — Fast & Furious 6 (Extended Version). Plus, Hugh Jackman returns to the big screen as The Wolverine in the new The Wolverine (Extended Edition). Check out these titles and more below.

They’re back and just as fierce as ever! Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and Michelle Rodriguez return in the explosive, adrenaline pumping Fast & Furious 6 (Extended Version). Hobbs (Johnson) has been tracking a group of lethally skilled drivers, whose mastermind is aided by the love Dom (Diesel) thought was dead, Letty (Rodriguez). Knowing the only way to stop them from stealing a top secret weapon is to outmatch them on the streets; Hobbs comes to Dom and his elite team for help. In return for their service – full pardons for all of them and a chance to start over.

Hugh Jackman returns to the big screen as The Wolverine and faces his ultimate nemesis in a thrilling life-or-death battle that takes him to modern day Japan. Vulnerable for the first time, Logan confronts samurai steel and his inner struggle against his own immortality — an epic battle that will leave him forever changed. As a special bonus to Video Unlimited users, for a limited time, when you purchase the The Wolverine (Extended Edition) you’ll receive a FREE comic book! See http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/WolverineComic for more details.

Grab the kids and get ready for family movie night with Disney’s high-flying animated comedy, Planes. Join Dusty, a crop duster with sky-high dreams and an once-in-a-lifetime chance to take on the world’s fastest flyers, in the greatest air race ever. His courage is put to the ultimate test as this unlikely hero aims higher than he ever imagined.

Getaway is a gritty, heart-pounding action thriller packed with an all-star cast including Ethan Hawke, actress and international music sensation Selena Gomez, and Academy Award winner Jon Voight. Former race car driver Brent Magna (Hawke) is pitted against the clock, as he desperately tries to save the life of his kidnapped wife. He commandeers a custom Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake, taking it and its unwitting owner (Gomez) on a high-speed race against time!

[Getaway Image]

Based on the best-selling book series by Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments hits the PlayStation Store this week. Clary’s life is turned upside down after her mother is kidnapped and she discovers that she and her mother are both actually shadowhunters — billed with protecting the world from downworlders like vampires, werewolves and demons. Introduced into a whole new world, Clary must discover her talents quickly in order to save her mother.

The Smurfs are smurfing up the PlayStation Store this week with the release of The Smurfs 2! The Evil wizard Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette so he can force her to share the secret of the magical Smurf-essence — the only thing that can turn his mischievous Smurf-like Naughties into real Smurfs. It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy and Vanity to reunite with their human friends, Patrick and Grace Winslow, to travel to Paris and rescue her!

The two most powerful tech billionaires in the world (Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman) are bitter rivals with a complicated past, and they’ll stop at nothing to destroy each other. Seduced by the unlimited wealth and power, a young superstar (Liam Hemsworth) falls between them. Trapped in the middle of the twists and turns of their life-and-death game of corporate espionage, he realizes too late that he is in far too deep and knows far too much for them to just let him walk away. Watch this new high stakes thriller, Paranoia, as it takes us deep behind the scenes of global success to a deadly world of greed and deception.

Don’t miss a single episode from Season 1 of the brand new action-packed series Almost Human, from executive producers J.J. Abrams (Lost, Revolution) and J.H. Wyman (Fringe). Set in 2048, a worse-for-wear cop (Star Trek’s Karl Urban) teams up with a second-hand synthetic android (Michael Ealy) to fight an evolved strain of urban crime.

Make sure to visit the video store on your Sony Entertainment Network compatible devices, or simply visit the Sony Entertainment Network web store to see all the latest new releases in movies and TV.

Tearaway is out today!

You can buy it from your local store, or download it straight to your PS Vita from PlayStation Store — the choice is yours. There’s also a free trial available to download, leaving you Vita owners no excuse to miss out on the fun.

For the last few weeks, the game has been in the hands of reviewers, and they seem to have enjoyed it. We’ve poured so much of ourselves into this game, so we really hope you enjoy it. We’re especially excited about seeing your photos and papercraft on Tearaway.me!

In case you missed it earlier in the week, we put together a special launch trailer…

If you’re waiting for your download to finish, or just want to know more about the making of Tearaway, check out this series of behind-the-scenes videos.

The Story Trailer
The Paper Trailer
The Music Trailer
The Vita Trailer
The Media Molecule Trailer

We really hope you love Tearaway. Grab the game (or the free trial), and see you over on Tearaway.me!

The President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide has revealed that From Software's game inspired much of the PlayStation 4's design.

A 2014 next-gen debut for the genre-defining series is the “best-case scenario”, says creator.

Every day, in addition to The Daily Fix, we list off the day's biggest stories in this simple and easy to read format.

Maybe it's a coincidence, but things are happening that indicate that Crash Bandicoot may be on its way back to the PlayStation family.

PlayStation 4 launch title Super Motherload will take its multiplayer drill-'em-up stylings to the PlayStation 3 next week as a Cross-Buy release, developer XGen Studios announced.

An upgraded version of a popular 2004 Flash game, Super Motherload premiered on the day the PlayStation 4 hit store shelves, joining day-one digital standouts like Resogun and Contrast. The PlayStation 3 version will feature all content found in the PS4 release, including its unique "co-petitive" multiplayer mode in which up to four players dig for big-money mineral combos.

The PlayStation 3 version of Super Motherload will launch via the PlayStation Store on November 26 in North America. A European release is set for November 27.

Next month, Sorcery Saga comes to PS Vita, and it may just bring the quirky roguelike sub-genre to a new level.

Subscribe via iTunes or RSS, or download here

Today’s show is momentous! With PS4 in the wild in North America, we take a look back at the best of a generation. Two PlayStation legends, Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida and Worldwide Studios America Senior Vice President Scott Rhohde, name their 10 favorite games of the PS3 generation! Plus: New releases for November 26th, a slew of listener letters, and more.

Stuff We Talked About

• Shuhei Yoshida and Scott Rohde’s 10 favorite PS3 games
• Favorite PS4 features
• inFAMOUS Second Son
• Battlefield 4 (PS4)
• NBA 2K14 (PS4)
• Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag (PS4)
• Resogun (PS4)

Recent Episodes

• Episode 098: Greatness Awaits
• Episode 097: Sweeper Hit
• Episode 096: Extra Lives

Send us questions and tips: blogcast@playstation.sony.com or leave a voice message! 650-288-6706 The Cast

• Sid Shuman – PlayStation Social Media Manager
• Nick Suttner – PlayStation Account Support Manager
• Ryan Clements – PlayStation Social Media Specialist
• Scott Rohde – SVP of Product Development, Worldwide Studios America
• Shuhei Yoshida – President, SCE Worldwide Studios

[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.]

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

Hi, I’m Maciej Jamrozik, the Lead Technical Artist at Techland, developer of the upcoming first-person, action survival-horror game Dying Light.

Light and shadow play a crucial role in Dying Light. They affect not only the gameplay and its day-and-night cycle, but also the visuals.

This video illustrates how the game uses a physically-based lighting system, which means that light is generated in accordance to the actual laws of physics. This in turn assures that lighting looks convincing and cohesive, regardless of the conditions and surroundings. It’s especially important as Dying Light features a variety of locations and environments, from open spaces to claustrophobic rooms, as well as a range of weather conditions and changing time of day.

One of the most important parameters of indirect lighting is “roughness,” which defines the level of smoothness and dullness of a surface. Implementing our new physics model eliminated the limitation of using only preset groups of materials, which translates to much more varied and faithful representations of materials in the game. Our artists now have full freedom over the level of roughness on objects, and can save the result in a form of texture.

On PS4, we use the console’s additional horsepower to generate dynamic reflections. Similarly, they make use of the “roughness” to diffuse and reduce the impact of the specular reflection. It helps render the given material in the most realistic way possible.

Dying Light boasts a dynamic weather system, together with a real-time passage of time. That’s why indirect lighting data, which is stored in so called environment light probes, has to change according to the current weather and the time of day. These two factors can change independently. That’s why we compute the Spherical Harmonix function offline for all weather conditions and times of day, and then it is dynamically interpolated in the game.

The physically based lighting model influenced what all wet surfaces look like. When it’s raining, wet surfaces get increasingly shiny through the modification of the roughness parameter. We emphasize that weather conditions, like time of day, change gradually, and it applies also to all wet surfaces. As a result, a surface becomes wet only if it is actually exposed to rain.

Another field directly improved by the new physics model is water. It’s a crucial feature, since Dying Light allows the player to swim and dive. Water in the game can have varied levels of transparency, which affects light diffusion. Moreover, water has an effect on all objects immersed in it. We modify the parameter of roughness so that they look wet, but only to the point of immersion. The rest above the water level remains dry.

All the above improvements, and many other changes, are to make sure that Dying Light will deliver an unprecedented visual fidelity that will surprise you with its level of realism. Next year, when you’re leaping between roofs and trying to lose the zombie horde behind you, take a moment to appreciate all the great lighting effects around you.

Just don’t stop for too long — zombie bites hurt!

VidZone is gearing up for the Holiday Season, but before we jump right into the holiday spirit we have some great music treats for you! We have awarded Justin Timberlake the coveted Artist of the Week title and we are showcasing Linkin Park’s latest remix venture. There is yet ANOTHER Miley Cyrus collaboration and a fiery new release from the Avenged Sevenfold camp.

Artist Of The Week: Justin Timberlake

It’s safe to say that it’s been Mr JT’s year. And so VidZone felt it only right that he be made Artist of the Week. Check out the brand new video ‘TKO’ which features none other than Elvis Presley’s grand-daughter Riley Keough, plus all his other hits within his Featured Playlist.

Taken from their new remix album, Recharged, Linkin Park has collaborated with award-winning electro-house DJ Steve Aoki for their new single “A Light That Never Comes.” Check out the awesome and futuristic new video now!

Hip-Hop Zone

Nayvadius D. Wilburn, aka Future, has teamed up with Miley Cyrus and British singer-songwriter, Mr. Hudson in his new video “Real and True.” Check out the sci-fi themed video as well as the Hip-Hop star’s previous videos.

Metal Zone

Avenged Sevenfold came back with an almighty bang this year with their latest album, Hail to the King. Continuing their reign, the Huntington Beach rockers have a brand new video for “Shepherd Of Fire” which you can check out now!

• Avenged Sevenfold – Must See Video

Latest Videos

Check out our other great selections this week…

• Eminem – Survival (Hip-Hop) EXPLICIT
• Avicii – You Make Me (Dance)
• One Direction – Story of My Life (Pop)
• Janelle Monáe – Primetime (RnB)
• Linkin Park – A Light That Never Comes (Rock)
• Avenged Sevenfold – Shepherd Of Fire (Metal)
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Foxey Lady (Live)

VidZone brings you a world of music videos tailored completely for you. Download it now for free from PlayStation Store under the Apps category. As always, please keep in touch on Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Facebook. We read everything and love your comments, so don’t be shy! Got any requests for VidZone? Let us know!

It appears that Activision has accidentally leaked the names of Call of…

The auction for assets pertaining to the Amalur universe has several potential bidders.

Square Enix has trademarked an unannounced game titled Lara Croft: Reflections in both the United States and Europe.

Hey, everyone! It’s Derek once again. First off, thank you for your tremendous support of Spelunky on PS3 and PS Vita. You’ve made it clear that it was the right choice bringing the game to PlayStation! We’re really happy about how the game has been received (generally with much glee, followed by screams of anguish, followed by more glee).

But I’m really here to talk about our first update, which is out now. Of course, every game launches with some number of bugs, and Blitworks has been working hard to fix as many of those as possible. The slowdown in certain areas of the game was probably the biggest issue, and that’s been addressed. They also fixed a bug that was preventing certain Trophies from being earned.

Also, if you’ve been watching streams of people playing Spelunky on PC, you may have noticed that that version of the game has a unique feature called the Daily Challenge, where each day a set of levels is generated that has the same seed for everyone playing it. If you get a high score on the Daily Challenge, you can really attribute it to your skill and knowledge of the game, rather than the luck of the draw (i.e. serious bragging rights).

On top of that, you only get one chance to play the Daily — if you die, you gotta wait until the next day to try again! So yeah, somehow we managed to crank up the tension of playing Spelunky even higher… and PC players seem to really like it!

When Blit heard about this new mode, they couldn’t wait to implement it on PSN. That’s one of the great things about working with them — they love their work and relish the technical challenges of doing an awesome port. It’s right in line with the spirit of Spelunky and the spirit of the Daily, which, as you may have guessed, you can now play on PSN as part of this update.

So enjoy the Daily Challenge. Enjoy the bug fixes and optimizations. Enjoy life. (Enjoy death, too.) Just enjoy.

(And special thanks to Doug Wilson and Zach Gage. They gave us the idea for the Daily Challenge in the first place and have been great friends and supporters for a long time. You guys are the best.)

Every Tuesday, there are new games, apps and updates added to PlayStation Mobile. Trucks and Skulls, our featured game of the week, and Vacation Vexation were released this week. We also have an update to Aqua Kitty, Cytus Lambda and Forevolution. We even have price changes for Magic Planet Snack Deluxe and Brg.

Also, don’t forget that you still have time to pick up either an Xperia Z smartphone or tablet to get 10 free PlayStation Mobile games, a 60 day trial of Music Unlimited and six free movies (including Elysium). Click here for details.

New Releases

Trucks and Skulls by Appy Entertainment ($3.49, in-app purchases range from $2.79 – $21.99)

Demolish skull fortifications on Hell’s Highway, The Haunted Wastelands, Industrial Armageddon, Demon Town, Iceopolis, and the airless wastes of the Moon! Rev up your engines to launch your trucks, then tap to make them pull stunts and EXPLODE as they crash into buildings and fortresses to destroy lurking, leering skulls. It’s a heavy metal, post-apocalyptic, shovel-load of outrageous FUN! Chat with the developer on Twitter and Facebook.

Vacation Vexation by Nostatic Software ($1.99)

Ah, the family seaside vacation. Sun, sand and…annoyances galore. Explore, solve puzzles and play arcade mini-games in this sequel to “Quiet, Please!” Chat with the developer on Twitter and Facebook.

Updates

Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender by Tikipod Limited ($3.49, DLC $0.49)
Cytus Lambda by Rayark (Free to demo, full game $11.99)

• Updated to version 3.0
• Added “Chapter S: Symphony” with ten new songs

Forevolution by Pygmy Studio Co., Ltd ($5.49)

Price Changes

Magic Planet Snack Deluxe by Wolfgame (Originally $4.29, now $0.79)
Brg by Kay Hermann (Originally $2.29, now $5.99)

PS Vita owners can download these games from the PlayStation Mobile section of PlayStation Store; Owners of PlayStation-certified devices such as the Sony Xperia Z smartphone, Wikipad or Sony Xperia Z tablet, can obtain them through the PlayStation Mobile Store for the same price.

Click here for a full list of the certified devices or here for installation instructions.

An unforgettable joy from start to finish, Tearaway showcases what the Vita is really capable of.

Gearbox reveals the first details about Borderlands 2’s upcoming second Headhunter pack, The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler.

Every day, in addition to The Daily Fix, we list off the day's biggest stories in this simple and easy to read format.

Later today, the next system software update for PlayStation 4 (version 1.51) will be available. With this minor required update, stability of system software has been improved. In addition, minor refinements to elements of the system UI (such as clearly indicating when a user downloads a game and a game patch at the same time) have been introduced.

In the North American region, automatic downloads for system and game updates are enabled by default when PS4 is in stand-by mode. Once system software update 1.51 is available later tonight, your PS4 will automatically download it, enabling you to update quickly and easily.

How Media Molecule's upcoming Vita platformer opens on all the right notes.

This is the very first edition of This Week on the PSN with PlayStation 4 content! Also, new PS+ freebies and tons of new PS3 games.

PS3 Pre-Order The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC($14.99) Pre-Order The Last of Us: Left Behind. A familiar face returns as new light is shed on an essential relationship in the story of The Last of Us. Naughty Dog continues to explore the themes of survival, loyalty, and love in their first ever single player DLC with The Last of Us: Left Behind.

Pre-Ordering The Last of Us: Left Behind also includes the following content:
- The Last of Us Ellie Dynamic Theme
- The Last of Us American Dreams Issue #1 digital download code from Dark Horse Comics.

PS4 Full Games NBA Live 14($59.99) Powered by EA SPORTS IGNITE NBA LIVE 14 delivers the ultimate on court control, combining the art of basketball with the science of next generation technology. bounceTek, fueled by next-gen visual fidelity and up to 8x the processing power, unlocks a revolutionary new, physics-based dribbling system. Players perform more like their real-life counterparts than ever before, informed by 70+ stats and tendencies, updated not monthly, weekly or daily, but within 1-hr of every NBA game. With fresh content and challenges on a daily basis, NBA LIVE 14 delivers the pulse of the NBA…24/7/365. PS3 Full Games Farming Simulator($29.99) Welcome to the largest and most exciting farming simulator ever made!
Farming Simulator will challenge you to take on the role of a modern day farmer. Animal husbandry, crops, sales… It’s up to you to manage and grow your own farm in two huge environments: typical European and American environments. Need for Speed Rivals($59.99) Welcome to Redview County, where a street-racing rivalry between cops and racers never stops as both sides compete in an all-out war featuring the fastest cars, mods and technology in a gritty open road environment. Play as either a cop or racer, where each side of the law has its own set of high stakes challenges, rewards and consequences. Risk everything in the ultimate high stakes rivalry. Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don’t Know($39.99) Princess Bubblegum summons Finn and Jake to investigate a rash of thefts and kidnappings that have plagued the Candy Kingdom. She thinks the cause lies within her Secret Royal Dungeon, where only the nastiest monsters and criminals are locked up. If they’ve found a way to escape, the Land of Ooo will be in danger! Show creator Pendleton Ward teams up again with developer WayForward in an all-new action game! Select from fan favorite characters from the show, including Finn, Jake, and many more, and team up with your friends in four-player co-operative multiplayer as the Adventure Time world comes to life through beautiful pixel animations, and voiceover from the original cast. Air Conflicts: Vietnam($29.99) Air Conflicts: Vietnam is an arcade-styled air-combat game that immerses players in the harrowing skies over Vietnam. Take to the air in screaming fighter jets or grab the controls of devastating helicopter gunships as you shatter enemy encampments with explosive ordinance, decimate North Vietnamese fighter squadrons, and deliver troops to the ever-changing front lines of the vicious battlefield. Aquapazza($29.99) What is AquaPazza? Legend speaks of an amazing magical power that would grant its controllers’ desires, but what happens when such an influential power is misused? Choose from 13 main characters and 13 support characters to fight in a world corrupted by powerful magic in this uniquely illustrated, wildly entertaining, all-out fighting game. Use flashy combos, partner attacks, and high emotion to restore balance to the world! Arcania The Complete Tale($29.99) Decide the battle for the future of Argaan! The empire of Myrtana is in turmoil: The power-mad king has set out to conquer the southern islands – no matter the cost. In these troubled times you suddenly find yourself in the middle of civil unrest and war – all centered around a mysterious, ancient power. Through turn of fate you have been granted the first insights into the source of this power… but what to do now? Blood Knights($14.99) Confront the enemy’s superior strength and regain your honor after you, the glorious vampire hunter, have been turned into a vampire yourself. Launch devastating attacks by combining your vampire skills with the powerful strikes of your swords. Dynasty Warriors 6($19.99) The Dynasty Warriors series is reborn. The power of the next gen consoles is used to create the look and feel of a modern kung fu action film. Battle against thousands of soldiers in more immersive environments where players can swim, climb and use the landscape to make a raid on the hordes of soldiers swarming the battlefield with innovative and unpredictable Tactical Action objectives blend seamlessly fast and intuitive melee combat to become history’s greatest warrior. Young Justice: Legacy($39.99) Experience Young Justice like never before. The creative forces behind the smash hit TV series have joined forces with Little Orbit to bring the ultimate in fan service – an interactive bridge for Seasons 1 & 2. Find out what happened during the missing years and be a part of the story in the action packed, RPG styled game. Assemble your team, level up and take on cunning villains in Young Justice: Legacy! PSN Games Contrast($14.99 CONTRAST is a platform/puzzle game where you can move between a fantastic 3D world and a mysterious shadowy universe in 2D. You play Dawn, the imaginary friend of a young girl named Didi. Together, they will delve into a dreamlike and surreal 1920s world, inspired by the performance art world of vaudeville and film noir, and cradled by a jazzy atmosphere. Stick It To the Man($12.99) On an ordinary day, hard hat tester Ray has a bizarre accident and wakes up with a giant pink spaghetti arm sticking out of his brain, giving him extraordinary mind-reading powers. Ray can suddenly change the world with stickers, transforming his paper universe by tearing it, folding it and using the crazy stickers he finds (along with his awesome new powers) to solve mind-boggling puzzles! Sadly, Ray doesn’t have much time to get to grips with his new-fangled psychic abilities. Instead, he’s on the run from ‘The Man’ for a crime he didn’t commit. Can you help Ray out of this sticky situation? SoulCalibur II HD Online($19.99) The Legend will never die. Heralded as one of the best fighting games of all-time, SOULCALIBUR®II returns to consoles with crisp new high definition graphics and all-new online modes in celebration of its 10 year anniversary. PS Vita Games The Amazing Spider-Man($39.99) Set shortly after the events of Columbia Pictures’ new film, The Amazing Spider-Man throws New York City’s brand new hero back into free-roaming, web-slinging action, as he protects the Big Apple from a deluge of unimaginable threats. Demos

• Blood Knights (PS3)
• NBA Live 14 (PS4)

PlayStation Store Highlights

Excited by The Last of Us Story DLC announcement last week? Well now you can pre-order “Left Behind” so you’ll be all set when the content releases later this year. There’s also a few new games on the market to pick up like NBA Live 14 on PlayStation 4 and Need for Speed Rivals on PlayStation 3. There are plenty of other PS3 titles as well, including Contrast, Soulcalibur II HD Online, Stick It To the Man, and Young Justice: Legacy.

Our partners, EPIX, are offering a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. Visit: www.epix.com/freetrial–ps4 for more details. Get access to blockbuster hits like: Skyfall, Jack Reacher, Flight, Red Dawn, Dredd, Marvel’s The Avengers, The Hunger Games, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

PlayStation Plus

Become a PlayStation Plus member

Learn more and purchase online, or activate instantly on PlayStation Store. To learn more about this week’s Plus offerings, check out this week’s PS Plus post.

Instant Game Collection

Binary Domain (PS3)
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath (PS Vita)

Discounts

Worms 2: Armageddon – $4.50 for PS Plus, Normally $14.99

Weekly Deals Game Title Sale Price Regular Price Disgaea: Hour of Darkness $4.99 $9.99 Persona 3 FES $4.99 $9.99 Demon’s Souls $13.39 $19.99 Droplitz $0.99 $4.99 Price Drops Game Title New Price Original Price Dead Island Riptide $39.99 $59.99 Lost Planet 3 $39.99 $59.99 Metro: Last Light 49.99 59.99 Remember Me 39.99 59.99 Resident Evil Revelations 39.99 49.99 Okami HD $13.99 $19.99 Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward $24.99 $34.99 PS4 Add-ons Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

• Crusader & Florentine ($1.99, Free with Season Pass)

Just Dance 2014

• Katy Perry: Roar (Free)

Sound Shapes

• Sound Shapes City Art Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Old School Sound Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Vocoder Sound Pack ($0.99)

PS3 Add-ons Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate

• Complete Casual Collection Vol. 1 ($10.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Akira ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Ayane ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Eliot ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Hayate ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Hitomi ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Jacky ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Mila ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Momiji ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Pai ($1.99)
• Casual Collection Vol. 1 – Sarah ($1.99)
• Costume Catalog 06 (Free)

F1 2013

• Classic Edition ($14.99)

Need for Speed: Rivals

• Timesaver Pack ($9.99)

Rocksmith 2014

• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains Song Pack ($11.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: B’z Song Pack ($7.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Green Day Song Pack ($7.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains – Check My Brain ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains – Hollow ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains – Man In The Box ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains – Them Bones ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Alice In Chains – Would? ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: B’z – Easy Come Easy Go! ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: B’z – Giri Giri Chop ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: B’z – Juice ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Green Day – American Idiot ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Green Day – Basket Case ($2.99)
• Rocksmith 2014: Green Day – Oh Love ($2.99)

Sound Shapes

• Sound Shapes City Art Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Old School Sound Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Vocoder Sound Pack ($0.99)

The Bureau XCOM Declassified

• Hangar 6 R&D ($4.99)

The Last of Us

• The Last Of Us Army Helmet ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Bike Cop Helmet ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Desert Camo Helmet ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Flight Cap ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Government Issue Bundle ($8.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Heavy Helmet ($1.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Helicopter Helmet ($1.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Police Cap ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)
• The Last Of Us Tanker Helmet ($1.99, Free for Season Pass)

PS Vita Add-ons Sound Shapes

• Sound Shapes City Art Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Old School Sound Pack ($0.99)
• Sound Shapes Vocoder Sound Pack ($0.99)

Valhalla Knights 3

• Amazon Card ($1.49)
• Bp Backer ($1.99)
• Calavera Set ($1.99)
• Class Change Card Set ($5.99)
• Congratulotion ($1.99)
• High Witch’s Set ($1.99)
• Lv. Up Medicine ($0.99)
• Lv. Up Medicine ($0.69)
• Merchant Card ($1.49)
• Ninja Card ($1.49)
• Platinum Chunk ($2.99)
• Samurai Card ($1.49)
• Sbp Up Medicine ($2.99)
• Sbp Up Medicine ($1.49)
• Shaman Card ($1.49)
• Soldier Card ($1.49)
• Survibration ($1.99)
• Tough Weapon Set 1 ($2.99)
• Tough Weapon Set 2 ($2.49)
• Val Shard X1 ($0.49)
• Comrades Set ($2.99)
• Foreigners No. 3 ($1.99)

PS3 Avatars

• Binary Domain Avatars ($0.49 each)

PS3 Themes

• Aiko Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Amazon Huntress Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Digital Blasphemy Cave of Arches Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Horror High Theme ($2.99)
• NBA: 76ers Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Bobcats Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Bucks Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Bulls Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Cavs Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Celtics Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Clippers Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Grizzlies Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Hawks Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Heat Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Jazz Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Kings Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Knicks Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Lakers Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Magic Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Mavericks Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Nets Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Nuggets Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Pacers Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Pistons Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Raptors Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Rockets Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Spurs Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Suns Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Thunder Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Timberwolves Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Trail Blazers Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Warriors Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• NBA: Wizards Game Time Dynamic ($2.99)
• Okami Custom Dynamic Theme 2 ($2.99)
• Okami Custom Dynamic Theme 3 ($2.99)
• Okami Custom Dynamic Theme 4 ($2.99)
• Okami Dynamic Theme Bundle ($4.99)
• Retro Textures Static Theme ($1.49)
• Siberian Zephyr Theme ($2.99)
• Tiled Patterns Static Theme ($1.49)
• World Series Champions 2013 Static Theme ($1.99)

On the other side of the PS4 launch, the boys talk Fallout rumors, PS4's shortcomings, and what The Last of Us DLC means for Ellie's combat.