PlayStation News Message Board older than one year ago

Reports are surfacing that actress Lindsay Lohan is preparing to sue Rockstar over the use of her image in GTA 5.

PS4 gets off to a record-breaking start in the UK. Knack also beats Mario 3D World in the charts.

One IGN editor waxes lyrical on her favorite moment in Sony's celebrated game.

We are aware that users are experiencing some disruption to the PSN service. To minimize the inconvenience we have suspended the “redeem voucher” functionality while we investigate further. Unfortunately this means that money cards, product vouchers, PlayStation Plus vouchers, PS3-PS4 upgrade vouchers and any other vouchers for digital content are not redeemable at this time. Other PSN features such as log in, online multiplayer gaming, PlayStation Plus trials, PlayStation Store (excluding voucher redemption), Trophies, messages, friends, etc are all available.

We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide an update soon.

Readers are having funny dreams about the IGN UK Podcast. Yeah, things get weird on this week's show.

PS4 released in North America on November 15th, and it was wonderful to see the response! We sold over a million units in the first day, which set a record for any console in the PlayStation family.

Knack released alongside PS4, which was also very nice and a culmination of a lot of hard work! We’re excited to have the game out in the wild, so to speak. Now that it’s out there, we wanted to take a little time to explain how having friends on PlayStation Network can enhance the game by boosting the number of gadgets you can collect.

There are over sixty secret rooms in Knack, and contained within these rooms are treasure chests – when Knack opens a chest, a random item pops out. Most of these items are parts of gadgets that will help Knack in his quest. There are eight gadgets in all, and they vary greatly in their difficulty to construct. Simpler gadgets are made of three parts, and the tougher gadgets are made of up to seven parts.

However, you have help! If any of your friends have found this same secret room, you can see the item that they found there. If you’d prefer the item that a friend found – perhaps it’s the final part of a gadget you’re trying to complete – you can choose that instead. So if you have a friend or two playing Knack, it becomes much easier to construct and use these gadgets. It’s a huge boost when you’re looking for the final part to complete a set. Simply put, if you’re playing by yourself, you’ll probably only pick up one or two gadgets on your first playthrough – but with friends, you will be able to build and use almost all of them!

You can also collect these parts while you’re on the go. Knack’s Quest is a free downloadable game for iOS devices (Android version coming soon), where you can also unlock gadget parts and rare Relics for use in the full Knack game on PS4. Knack’s Quest is a standalone three-in-a-row jewel game featuring Knack himself. Gather parts to help Knack grow before the time runs out to clear the level. Unlock endless mode by beating all levels, and post your scores in global and friend rankings.

One of the most useful gadgets is the Combo Meter, which is made out of seven parts. That’s quite a few, but if you’re playing with friends, it’s not too hard to collect all of them. Once you’ve built it and equipped it, Knack will have a new ability – the more times he damages an enemy, the stronger his attacks get. In the screenshot above, he’s managed to hit his enemies 24 times!

Another extremely useful gadget is the Secret Detector. You need to collect sets of parts in order to build the gadgets, and the parts are all in treasure chests in hidden rooms, right? If you have the Secret Detector, you are alerted whenever you are near one of these rooms – so you’ll be picking up collectibles much faster.

You can also build a Relic Detector. Whenever you are near relics, it flashes. This means that you’ll never walk by a source of relics again without knowing it. Here you can see Knack in Viktor’s palace… did you know that there are relics in the floor waxers?

The Time Dilator takes a bit of effort to master, but it can also be very useful. When it is equipped, time slows down if Knack damages a number of enemies in succession within a short time period. The more enemies Knack hits, the slower time gets – so you’ll have more time to strategize about which enemy to attack (and how to attack it) in order to keep the chain going. Getting hit will end the chain, though, so be careful to dodge enemy counter-attacks!

There are two gadgets that boost Knack’s special moves. The Sunstone Battery is pretty simple – it allows Knack to store an additional super move’s worth of energy. The Double Battery is much tougher to construct (some of the parts are very rare), but it allows Knack to accumulate twice as much sunstone energy and then release it with much stronger super moves. There are very, very few enemies in the game that can survive the Shockwave super move if Knack has equipped the Double Battery and then filled up the sunstone gauge.

The final two gadgets are the Transmuter and the Harvester. The Transmuter really comes in handy in a pinch – when Knack is low on health and breaks sunstones, the Transmuter uses the sunstone energy to heal Knack.

The Harvester is quite different – when Knack defeats enemies, they release sunstones. It may not seem as if Knack is picking up much energy from the defeated enemies, but over the course of a level it adds up! Knack can do quite a few more super moves with the Harvester equipped.

So those are the eight gadgets in the game! If you have friends playing Knack, you can really take advantage of that when building the gadgets — it’s almost like trading with them. If you don’t have any friends and you’d like to see all of the gadgets, what you need to do is load an already completed game and then select “continue.” You’ll start the game at the beginning, but you’ll keep all of the items you already picked up. You should be able to have all gadgets collected by the middle of your second playthrough – and you’ll have likely unlocked Vampire Knack as well. But that’s a subject for another post!

From Oculus Rift to omnidirectional treadmills, here’s how virtual reality will change your gaming life.

Sony has registered a pair of movie domains that are sure to get the rumour mill churning.

Greetings from HumaNature Studios, the creators of the soon-to-be-released Doki Doki Universe. In the spirit of this year’s Thanksgiving holiday, we thought we’d share a preview of one of the stories in our upcoming game. This one is particularly relevant to the themes and spirit of Thanksgiving — odd as this may seem, as there are no pilgrims or turkeys to be seen.

This story takes place on a Japanese planet called “Suteki”. On this planet, a little sushi named Ebi-Sushi has run away and hidden, because she has discovered the shocking truth: Sushi is food! She fears she will be eaten by the hungry Sumo wrestler, so she and her two friends Maki-Sushi and Wasabi-Sushi become distrustful and afraid of all humans.

As QT3, you help Ebi-Sushi and her friends learn to trust humans again, and you help her see how they are loved and valued by Sumo-san and the others. Finally, Ebi-Sushi and her friends find out that Sumo-san is sick, and end up offering to make the ultimate sacrifice for him. (You can probably tell what this is from the screenshots in this post).

Thanksgiving is all about appreciating those around us, and about giving with a loving, grateful heart. It’s also about sharing great food with the people we love, and taking time out from our busy lives to let them know how much we value them.

From all of us here at HumaNature Studios, and from the folks at PlayStation, we wish you a warm and wonderful, relaxed Thanksgiving holiday.

PlayStation Plus' Instant Game Collection gets four new additions in December, including a beloved shooter.

IGN is coming to your next-gen console in the next 24 hours.

If a new trademark filing is any indication, old-school PlayStation JRPG series Arc the Lad may be making a comeback.

Toukiden sold almost a half a million copies in Japan, and now it's finally coming to PS Vita in the west... and sooner than you think.

On November 2nd, 2013, thousands of PlayStation community members helped raise more than $4,000,000 for sick and injured kids at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across North America. Together with gamers from around the world, we successfully raised more funds for these kids with Extra Life in 2013, than in the entire five-year history of the event COMBINED.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit association that organizes Extra Life, has been working with children’s hospitals across the country for the past 30 years. Older generations will remember the telethons and fundraising drives that attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood to help raise money for this cause. In recent years, Extra Life has become a rising force for this cause and people are beginning to see that gamers’ passion is more than just for playing games; it’s a shared bond through gaming. And when we all see an opportunity to help raise money for a cause, we as the gaming community step right up and knock it out of the park!

We’re blown away when we think about what the Extra Life community has accomplished in the past six years; doubling their size and funds raised for children’s hospitals year after year. What started as a gathering of local gamers in Texas has grown into an international movement that is changing kids lives from all around the world.

So, on behalf of the more than 62 kids that enter our hospitals every minute and their grateful families; on behalf of the doctors, nurses, Child Life Specialists, and staff at our 170 local Children’s hospitals; and in memory of Victoria Jo Enmon (Tori) in whose memory Extra Life was created… thank you.

This, my friends, is what Greatness looks like to me. It looks like the PlayStation community. It looks like you. Thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts.

The final total for Extra Life will not be known until shortly after the New Year. However, gamers can still sign up and raise funds until Dec. 31st. If you’d like to make a direct donation to your local hospital and have your greatness counted in this year’s amazing total, please visit http://extra-life.org/donate today to select your hospital and make your gift.

Thanks again; you guys freakin’ rock.

The 15th game in the core Tales JRPG franchise is about to be announced. But what could it be... and what platform will it come to?

The end of the year is almost here, and we’re in a festive mood. Starting today, we will be giving away 10 free games (two each week for five weeks) to all PS Mobile gamers.

Between November 27th and December 18th of 2013, and then from January 8th through January 22nd of 2014, you can download two PS Mobile games to play on your PlayStation Certified smartphone, tablet, or PS Vita for free!

Every week, during the promotional period, we will announce which two games will be free on PlayStation.Blog. Keep checking back with us over the holiday season to find out what the next games in the Festive Giveaway will be.

The first two games, available later today, will be Passing Time and Rymdkapsel.

Passing Time by Honeyslug

Passing Time is a touch controlled football game from the developer behind Frobisher Says! on the PS Vita. Pass the ball and burn the opposition with a blistering fireball, prove your slow motion skills by mastering the rock ball and show off your one touch finesse with the explosive bomb ball.

Rymdkapsel by Martin Jonasson

Rymdkapsel is a relaxing, meditative strategy game set in the depths of space. It builds upon the legacy of Martin’s earlier games by requiring minimal user input, while needing highly strategic thinking to progress. You’re tasked with building the best possible space station by commanding your minions to collect and utilize the different resources at your disposal.

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

Delayed game quietly released on Steam and yanked just days later, consoles versions MIA.

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

This week on the PSN, there are a slew of discounts, a new free game for PS+, and some new games. But the biggest news? Ys is here.

PS3 Pre-Orders Gran Turismo 6($59.99) The next stage in the evolution of the world’s most popular and comprehensive racing simulator is upon us. Gran Turismo 6, the latest installment in the highest-selling series, will reach stores this Holiday season. Known for blurring the lines between virtual and reality, the Gran Turismo series has revolutionized the racing genre in the last 15 years, allowing fans to drive the most prolific collection of cars on the world’s most legendary racetracks. Gran Turismo 6 takes the real driving simulator experience to a whole new level. PS3 Games Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory($39.99) Join Neptune as she is thrust out of the peaceful Gamindustri she loves to be lazy in and finds herself in an alternate dimension—the Gamindustri of the 80′s! Fast-paced combat, several dozen dungeons to explore, and improved battle mechanics, oh my! Complete unique Challenges to boost stats, or call on Scouts to seek out new dungeons for you! Help Neptune get home in this over-the-top comedy RPG! Painkiller Hell & Damnation($29.99) Heaven’s Hitman is back… With a Vengeance! Demonic powers are manifesting, fighting over the fates of imprisoned souls caught in Purgatory. Once again, Daniel Garner, the Curse of Darkness and the Toy of Light, has to fight his way past hordes of demons. Can he stop the powerful creatures that stand in his way? Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers($59.99) The ultimate Saint Seiya fighting game! Battle your way through 3 famous Chapters (Sanctuary, Poseidon and Hades) with over 50 playable fighters. Discover the most complete Saints experience with character customization, new battle systems and 3 online modes to fight against players all over the world. Save Athena, Save the World! Super Motherload($14.99, Cross-Buy) Set on Mars in an alternate Cold-War era, Super Motherload is a 1 to 4-player couch co-op digging adventure with branching storyline choices, a fully voiced cast of Soviet and American characters, and a procedurally-generated world that changes each time you play. Purchasing this content entitles you to both the PS3 and PS4 versions! PS Vita Games Ys: Memories of Celceta($39.99) World-famous adventurer Adol Christin awakens in the land of Celceta, remembering only his own name. Eager to unravel the mystery of his past and the cause of his predicament, he sets off to map the uncharted wilderness that claimed his memories in this latest action RPG offering from Nihon Falcom. Join Adol as he traverses the largest overworld in the series with many new friends at his side! PS One Classics (playable on PS3) Metal Gear Solid VR Missions($5.99) Metal Gear Solid is one of the most successful, and maybe one of the best, PlayStation games ever. These virtual reality missions expand on the training of the special forces unit your character in MGS came from. Oddworld Abe Boxx($9.99)

Hey, remember that quirky demo that came with your original PlayStation®, something about an alien escaping a factory? Did you never get the chance to finish that tough-as-nails game or its sequel? Now’s your chance to play Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and continue the story in Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus.

Run, jump and possess your way across seven levels of legendary platforming action in the first Oddworld game, freeing 99 of your fellow Mudokons. Then join Abe again in taking down SoulStorm Brewery across eight even bigger levels, and free another 300 Mudokons from a life of gruelling “employment”.

PS3 App Qello HD Concerts Qello is the world’s leading on-demand streaming service for HD concert films and music documentaries with members in over 40 countries enjoying more than 100,000 hours of HD video every month. Qello’s library of concert films and documentaries span nearly a hundred years of music history. From Frank Sinatra to Jay-Z Qello is the ultimate source for the live music experience. With Qello music enthusiasts can relive the concerts they loved, see the shows they always wanted to experience, and discover artists they might never have seen. PlayStation Store Highlights

The newest installment of the world’s most popular racing simulator will be out soon, so prepare for the launch of Gran Turismo 6 by pre-ordering the game now! PS4 also gets some PS3 & PS Vita favorites this week, with Escape Plan & flOw. Super Motherload is out now on PS3 (joining its PS4 counterpart), and there are a couple new PSone classics for PS3 owners to enjoy. If you have a PS Vita and enjoy JRPGs, Ys: Memories of Celceta is available for download now.

PlayStation Plus

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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.

Soul Sacrifice

Free for PlayStation Plus Members

Game Title Sale Price Regular Price Dynasty Warriors 6 $11.99 $19.99 Dynasty Warriors 7 $19.99 $29.99 Demos

• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (PS4)
• PAYDAY 2 (PS3)

Price Changes Game Title New Price Original Price Escapevektor $6.99 $9.99 Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus $5.99 $9.99 Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee $5.99 $9.99 Sales

• Alien Breed (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Alien Breed 2: Assault Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
• Alien Breed 3: Descent Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
• Alien Breed Trilogy Sale Price: $7.89 Original Price: $22.99
• Alien Breed: Impact Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
• Atomic Ninjas (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $7.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Dragon’s Crown Sale Price: $29.99 Original Price: $49.99
• Dragon’s Crown – Into The Labyrinth Theme Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
• Dragon’s Crown Ps Vita – Storyteller Voice Pack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
• Dragon’s Crown Ps3 – Storyteller Voice Pack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
• Dragon’s Crown Vita Sale Price: $29.99 Original Price: $39.99
• Dynasty Warriors 6 Sale Price: $14.99 Original Price: $19.99
• Dynasty Warriors 7 Sale Price: $24.99 Original Price: $29.99
• Foosball 2012 (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $7.99
• Game Of Thrones Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $19.99
• God Mode Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Kung Fu Rabbit Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
• Magic 2014: Duels Of The Planeswalkers Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Nun Attack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Odin Sphere Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Persona 4 Arena Sale Price: $14.99 Original Price: $29.99
• Persona 4 Arena Ultimate Edition Sale Price: $22.49 Original Price: $44.99
• Persona 4: Golden Sale Price: $19.99 Original Price: $29.99
• Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Full Pack Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $5.99
• Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #1 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #2 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #3 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #4 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Glasses Full Pack Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $5.99
• Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #1 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #2 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #3 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #4 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #1 (Teddie) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #2 (Yosuke) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #3 (Mitsuru) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #4 (Aigis) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #5 (Fuuka) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Persona4 Arena – Navigation #6 (Nanako) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
• Puddle Sale Price: $3.99 Original Price: $7.99
• R.I.P.D. Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Stella Deus Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Superfrog HD (Cross Buy & Cross Play) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• The Cursed Crusade Sale Price: $9.99 Original Price: $19.99
• The Impossible Game – Minis Sale Price: $1.99 Original Price: $2.99
• The Testament Of Sherlock Holmes Sale Price: $19.99 Original Price: $29.99
• Trine 2 Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $14.99
• Worms Sale Price: $3.29 Original Price: $12.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Sale Price: $5.19 Original Price: $14.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Battle Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Forts Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Puzzle Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Retro Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Time Attack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Crazy Golf Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $9.99
• Worms Revolution Sale Price: $7.59 Original Price: $14.99
• Worms Revolution Extreme Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
• Worms Revolution: Worms Revolution Funfair Pack Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Revolution: Worms Revolution Mars Pack Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Revolution: Worms? Revolution Medieval Tales Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem Sale Price: $5.19 Original Price: $14.99
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Customization Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Multi-Player Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Single-Player Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
• Worms: Battle Islands Sale Price: $3.79 Original Price: $14.99
• Young Thor – Minis Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
• Ys: I & Ii Chronicles Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
• Ys: Seven Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
• Ys: The Oath In Felghana Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
• Zeno Clash 2 Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $14.99
• Zombie Tycoon – Minis Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
• Zombie Tycoon II: Brainhov’s Revenge (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
• Zombie Tycoon II: Brainhov’s Revenge Vita (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99

PS4 Add-ons The Playroom

• Toy Maker (Free)

Just Dance 2014

• Austin Mahone – What About Love ($2.99)
• AVICII Ft. Aloe Blacc — Wake Me Up ($2.99)
• Bonnie McKee – American Girl ($2.99)
• LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It ($2.99)
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Ft. Ray Dalton – Can’t Hold Us ($2.99)
• Nicki Minaj – Pound The Alarm – Extreme ($1.99)
• One Direction – One Way Or Another ($2.99)
• Robin Thicke Ft. Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines – Extreme ($1.99)

PS3 Add-ons Batman Arkham Origins

• Supply Drop ($2.99)
• Black Mask Challenge ($1.99)
• Infinite Earths Skins Pack ($4.99, Free for Season Pass)

Borderlands 2

• Wattle Gobbler ($2.99)

CastleStorm

• From Outcast to Savior ($2.99)
• The Warrior Queen ($2.99)

Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Core Fighters

• Bass Sports Gear ($1.99)
• Bayman Sports Gear ($1.99)
• Leon Sports Gear ($1.99)
• Rachel Sports Gear ($1.99)
• Tina Sports Gear ($1.99)
• Zack Sports Gear ($1.99)

Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness

• Alex ($2.99)
• Pram ($2.99)
• Zetta ($2.99)

Dynasty Warriors 8

• Base Theme 4 ($1.99)
• New Stage & BGM Pack 5 ($2.99)
• Old Costume Pack 3 ($2.99)
• Weapon System Pack 3 ($3.99)

Just Dance 2014

• Austin Mahone – What About Love ($2.99)
• Bonnie McKee – American Girl ($2.99)
• LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It ($2.99)
• One Direction – One Way Or Another ($2.99)
• Robin Thicke Ft. Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines – Extreme ($1.99)

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

• Asgard Pack ($1.99)
• Super Pack ($4.99)

Rocksmith 2014

• Radiohead – Creep ($2.99)
• Radiohead – Just ($2.99)
• Radiohead – Karma Police ($2.99)
• Radiohead – My Iron Lung ($2.99)
• Radiohead – Optimistic ($2.99)
• Radiohead – Song Pack ($11.99)

Saint Seiya Brave Soldiers

• Brave Soldiers Leo Ikki ($1.99)
• Bronze Power of Gold Set ($3.99)
• Greece Costumes Set ($2.99)

Saints Row IV

• Element of Destruction Pack ($2.99)
• Zinyak Attack Pack ($1.99)

Tales of Xillia

• Alvin’s Santa Costume ($2.99)
• Elize’s Santa Costume ($2.99)
• Jude’s Santa Costume ($2.99)
• Leia’s Santa Costume ($2.99)
• Millia’s Santa Costume ($2.99)
• Rowen’s Santa Costume ($2.99)

PS Vita Add-ons CastleStorm

• From Outcast to Savior ($2.99)
• The Warrior Queen ($2.99)

Valhalla Knights 3

• Foreigners No.4 ($1.99)
• Foreigners No.5 ($1.99)

PS3 Avatars

• New Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Avatars – ($0.49)
• New Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatars – Guan Yinping ($0.49)
• New Ethan: Meteor Hunter Avatars ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Avatars Bundle – Townsfolk (New) $1.99
• New Guacamelee! Avatars ($0.49)
• New NBA 2K14 Avatars ($0.49)

PS3 Themes

• Archangel’s Sword Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow – Mirror Of Fate HD Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Digital Blasphemy Jelly Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Hexagon Wall Static Theme ($1.49)
• New NFL Team Static Themes ($1.99)

The gaming gods have smiled upon you, Vita gamers. An upcoming patch for Killzone: Mercenary will slice the patch's humongous size down significantly.

Ever want to wear a set of armor made of dozens of moogles? Well, prepare yourself...

Curt Schilling holds his original development team in high regard, and has bold claims about what might happen if they'd be reunited.

In an ongoing strategy to buy back its shares," the parent company of Rockstar Games has spent more than $203 million on its future.

It’s here! Ys: Memories of Celceta, the latest installment in Nihon Falcom’s storied Ys series, is out today for PS Vita. It’s $39.99 for the digital or physical standard edition, and $59.99 for the swanky Silver Anniversary Edition. The Silver Edition comes with a 130-page “Travel Journal” full of art, maps, and strategies, a cloth map depicting the lands of Celceta, a three CD compilation of original and arranged music, and a logo-emblazoned compass.

Last time on the blog, I spoke of Celceta’s myriad features, its basic premise, and the history of the many games called “Ys IV,” but one question I kept hearing was, “Is this a good place to start if I’ve never played an Ys game before?”

And while I did my best to reassure you all that you’ll be just fine starting your adventure here in Celceta, I thought it might be prudent to go into a little more detail on what the series is, how it’s changed over the years, and just how accessible its games really are.

So… let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

The Ys series debuted in 1987 on various Japanese computer systems, and was an instant hit due to its fast-paced action, its exquisitely ’80s, glam-rock soundtrack, and its unexpected plot twists (particularly for the time). The primary key to its success, though, lay in its combat, often referred to as the “bump system.”

Essentially, combat required the use of no buttons beyond standard movement controls, as attacks were performed simply by ramming your character sprite into the opponent’s, with effectiveness determined by the angle and trajectory of impact. It may sound a bit silly, but as anyone who’s played Ys I & II Chronicles can attest, it works surprisingly well; perhaps because it’s a battle system that encourages you to keep moving, backed by a soundtrack full of speed-metal beats and shred guitar. A friend of mine once said it felt like playing a Rocky training montage, and I think that about sums up the experience rather nicely.

Ys I & II are very much products of their time, however, and thus may not be the best Ys titles to start with unless you’re a retro gamer at heart. It’s better to save them for after you’ve already familiarized yourself with what Ys has to offer through one of its more modern installments.

And the reason that’s so key here is because the Ys franchise, as a whole, is constantly changing. While the bump system was revisited once more in the original release of Ys IV, every other title in the series went in a completely different direction. Ys III: Wanderers From Ys, for example, was a side-scrolling platformer RPG. Meanwhile, the latest numbered Ys title, Ys SEVEN, was developed exclusively for the PSP and features a party system with complex skill and dodging mechanics, multiple weapon types, and more.

Perhaps because the series kept reinventing itself from one installment to the next, it also adopted an episodic approach to storytelling. Rather than each sequel picking up where the previous one left off and continuing an overarching storyline, we’re instead treated to a new and unique tale from the many heroic chronicles of red-haired swordsman Adol Christin.

Generally, every Ys game opens with Adol arriving in some new land to find it plagued by evil, and ends with him setting sail for his next adventure after successfully saving the day. There are recurring characters and themes from time to time, but they’re typically utilized in such a way that you can play the series in any order of your choosing without confusion.

So with every game presenting a unique experience and an original tale of adventure in a new land, how does Ys: Memories of Celceta measure up? Well… it’s a game developed to mark the series’ 25th anniversary, so as you might imagine, it does its job rather nicely. Although the land of Celceta was visited previously in Ys IV, Memories of Celceta serves more or less as a replacement for that title, reinventing the land and its people.

This makes Ys: Memories of Celceta an absolutely ideal starting point for those who’ve never played an Ys game before. Modern mechanics and visuals mix with new arrangements of classic music and themes to create a game that truly showcases what’s kept this series going strong for over a quarter of a century.

There are a lot of Ys titles to choose from, and there’s not a bad game to be found in the bunch… but if you’re looking to jump in somewhere, why not start with Celceta? Come join the silver anniversary celebration, and see why this is a series worth remembering.

Want to turn your living room into a concert? Now you can. Your PS3 has just been upgraded with Qello, the world’s largest collection of full-length HD concerts and music documentaries on demand. And we’re coming to PS4 and PS Vita, too!

Qello (pronounced Kwello) has concerts for all music lovers to enjoy any time – from Beyonce and Madonna, to Jay-Z and Tupac, to the The Doors, Eric Clapton, Radiohead, Coldplay, One Direction, Blake Shelton, Queen, a ton of new indie bands, and so much more.

Thanks to deals with all the major labels and a host of other content providers, Qello’s catalog spans the spectrum of music genres from the ‘20s to today. And it’s constantly growing!

To celebrate Qello’s launch on PS3 – and soon on PS Vita – we’re giving away one PS Vita every week for 4 weeks. Every time you log into Qello on your PS3, you’ll be entered to win a PS Vita!

Qello is also giving all PlayStation users a free All-Access Pass (subscription) for the first 15 days after you sign up. Then, for $4.99/month, subscribers get unlimited access to the entire catalog – every full-length HD concert and music documentary – to watch anytime on any device. You can also purchase an annual subscription with a 25 percent discount.

All-Access members also get access to create their own Setlists, a very cool feature that lets you design your dream concerts.

You can find Qello in the “What’s New” and “TV/Video Services” sections on the PS3 XMB, as well as in the “Apps” section of PlayStation Store later on today. The PS Vita version, when available, can be found in the Apps subsection of the PS Vita store. Check back in the coming weeks for an announcement related to the availability of the PS Vita version.

Follow Qello on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our blog Inside the Q to learn about all our new releases and other news.

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