Free Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 Theme Is Now On PSN

If you just can’t wait until Cyberpunk 2077 arrives next year, you can now keep the hype alive with a free skin for your PS4 user interface, available now in the PlayStation Store. “Mercenary of the Dark Future” takes inspiration from CD Projekt Red’s upcoming open-world RPG to upgrade your PlayStation’s backgrounds, icons, sounds, and music. The icons have that classic, blue, wireframe look of sci-fi UIs, evoking a netrunner’s rig in the game. Check it out below.

Cyberpunk 2077 is CD Projekt Red’s hugely-anticipated follow-up to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is based on Mike Pondsmith’s seminal tabletop RPG, Cyberpunk 2020. Keanu Reeves was revealed to be a major character during Microsoft’s recent E3 presentation. The open-world RPG launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.

You can pre-order Cyberpunk 2077 now on your preferred platform, including various pre-order goodies and special editions. There’s also a great deal over on GOG to pre-order it for PC and add the entire Witcher franchise for very little additional cost.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-cyberpunk-2077-ps4-theme-is-now-on-psn/1100-6468055/

Project Sakura Wars sees the return of Sumire Kanzaki along with more new characters

Project Sakura Wars sees the return of Sumire Kanzaki along with more new characters

Now the general commander of the Imperial Revue, Sumire headhunted Seijuro to lead the new team.

source /news/8667-project-sakura-wars-sees-the-return-of-sumire-kanzaki-along-with-more-new-characters

The Alliance Alive HD Remastered for Switch and PS4 set to release in October; comparison trailer

The Alliance Alive HD Remastered for Switch and PS4 set to release in October; comparison trailer

The PC version’s release date will be announced later.

source /news/8666-the-alliance-alive-hd-remastered-for-switch-and-ps4-set-to-release-in-october-comparison-trailer

Luigi’s Mansion 3: Nintendo Discusses Whether Luigi Will Stop Being A Coward

While Luigi will no doubt remain in the shadow of his spotlight-hogging brother, Mario, the little-plumber-that-occasionally-could has had something of an increase in popularity of late. Given that there was an entire year of Nintendo games and marketing dedicated to him in 2013, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but he’s also become a bit bolder as a character recently–who can forget the gifs of him giving dagger eyes to fellow racers as he passed them by in Mario Kart 8?

Luigi’s Mansion 3 allows the lanky green boy to continue his side-hustle as an exorcist and ghost hunter but puts him up against his greatest challenge yet: an entire hotel full of ghouls to be vacuumed and vanquished. This time Mario and the gang have been captured, and it’s up to him to free them and save the day. This will require bravery the likes of which Luigi has never shown before, so could it also be a turning point in his life? Will we get a self-assured, composed Luigi on the other side?

That’s one of the questions we posed to Kensuke Tanabe, producer of Luigi’s Mansion 3, and the game’s supervisor, Yoshihito Ikebata. We also discussed the surprising popularity of the character and what distinguishes him from Mario, as well as how moving to a hotel changes the ghost hunting experience, and Nintendo’s thinking on DLC for the game.

GameSpot: During the presentation, you mentioned the Luigi’s Mansion games have done really well. Was that a surprise to you?

Tanabe: I was genuinely surprised to see so many people so excited about this game. There was a very long gap in the time between the first and second game coming out, but the fact that the third one came out pretty much right away must have something to do with the fact that it was so popular. So, right now we’re talking to [Luigi’s Mansion 3 developer] Next Level Games, trying to get more out of the game; creating a more fun game featuring Luigi.

Do you think that Luigi as a character is now more relatable to the common person? Everyone loves Mario but he’s a hero beyond reach. He rescued the princess many times, he’s been to outer space, and done all sorts of wild stuff. Luigi is still just the scared younger brother. Would you say that Luigi’s more popular and relatable than Mario?

Tanabe: Yeah, we agree with you exactly. Mario is just basically the hero, someone to look up to, an inspiration. Whereas Luigi is someone who [people can feel] closer to and I think that’s a part of his charm.

How does that translate to designing a game? In a lot of games, you want to fulfill the fantasy of being a hero, but Luigi is scared a lot of time. And he achieves things, but he rarely has the same kind of triumph moment.

Tanabe: Were you able to play the game?

Yeah, I played it.

Tanabe: So you saw things like [the] slam?

[Editor’s note: The slam is an ability Luigi has that allows him to grab enemy ghosts, wrangle them, and then slam them into the ground to do damage.]

Yeah. But when he does it, he seems like he’s kind of terrified the entire time and scared of doing it. He never quite looks confident–even three games in.

Tanabe: Well, that’s exactly it. In terms of the gameplay and how it feels like to the user, that’s something we really focus on [to] let the player feel good when they play the game. So, in animating Luigi himself, we want to keep it very Luigi-like. Even if Luigi’s terrified, if the player can [be] satisfied by doing these actions, I think they will feel satisfied.

What was it about a hotel setting that intrigued you?

Tanabe: Simply put, I just really wanted a different atmosphere. In addition to that, structurally speaking, in Luigi’s Mansion, I really wanted a bunch of the rooms to be interconnected with each other and then have the users visualize that in their minds and make that into a game plan in itself. But, when that’s kind of stacked up vertically, it becomes kind of difficult to make that very clear.

But, when it’s a hotel, it’s very obvious, very easy to visualize. The other thing we wanted to do was to give it a different theme and atmosphere for each of the floors and that’s what was facilitated by choosing this.

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Do you find it harder to create a consistent atmosphere? Because, as you go from levels that are drastically different in theme, you’re almost resetting everything. How do you approach making sure that it’s still spooky throughout while also having to start over each time you move up a floor?

Ikebata: Actually, because it’s a hotel, it was very easy to come up with completely different atmospheres for each floor. We always had a thing from the perspective of the user, for the players who are going to play it, it’s like, “How can we surprise them, how can we keep them kind of anticipating something new each time?” It’s really all about the art style. So, by unifying the artistic look and feel of the entire thing, you’re able to kind of maintain that same feel.

Did you do any actual research to go to spooky, haunted hotels? There’s a few in LA. Did you try any of them? Because the Ghostbusters hotel is down the road, The Millennium Biltmore.

Tanabe: Oh man! Had we known about that haunted house, we totally would have gone. Unfortunately, we didn’t think to do that.

Randomizing levels in multiplayer is interesting. What was the thinking behind that?

Tanabe: Because you can play with a lot of people, say four, they can all be in the same room at once if they want to, but it does kind of slow down the pace. Whereas everyone can be dispersed but then they also need to be able to come back together. They’re about to battle a bunch of ghosts.

With that in mind, even though the rooms are randomly generated, we want to make sure people are able to come back together if they have to. Just making the layout so that it facilitates that was something I had in mind so we were sure to let Next Level Games know that was something that needs to happen.

Could this game be a moment of decisive change for Luigi as a character? Because Mario is trapped and all of their friends are trapped. We’ve got a game where Luigi rescues Mario, and if that is the case, is there a chance that he perhaps becomes more self-assured as a character? I think a lot of Luigi fans want to see that, if only for their own confidence.

Tanabe: That’s a great observation because that is exactly the reason why we wanted to have the whole gang in there. He’s going to rescue Mario. It’s good.

I think it’s time Luigi was no longer a coward and I think he’s proved himself enough times that he should get a little bit of a confidence level up.

Tanabe: Sure. But, he’s scared still.

A couple of years ago we had gifs of Luigi in Mario Kart looking at everyone very angrily and it seems like everything’s building for him to finally push Mario out of the way.

Tanabe: [Laughs] I think Mario is a traditional hero type whereas Luigi is Luigi. We think that, regardless, he’ll go in his own direction.

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It was also mentioned during the presentation that Luigi as a character, and also his games as a whole, appeal to a much broader audience than you’d expect. Specifically, women were mentioned as liking Luigi more than Mario. Why do you think that is?

Tanabe: Well, I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s what we said earlier about the fact that he’s not a traditional hero and is [therefore] a little bit closer to us, and I think the fact that you can kind of empathize with him might be what it is.

Structurally, how many levels can we expect the hotel to have and is there room to expand that later on? Are you looking at this hotel format as something you can build upon?

Tanabe: Are you speaking of the single-player?

Single-player and multiplayer, if that’s something that you can add to later on. Is that something you want to do?

Ikebata: Right now there are 17 floors [in single-player].

Tanabe: Because like you said, it’s a hotel structure with multiple floors, I think it would have been possible to add even more floors. But, I think the hardest part of that is not necessarily the act of adding floors, but it’s like … the story is done, so by adding [more floors], how are we going to expand that aspect? Because I want to experience completing the whole hotel and just feel satisfied that it’s done. Adding on new stuff is not really something that gives us that.

What about introducing new elements in multiplayer? Now, when people design games, they don’t want others to play it, be done, and move on. Instead, they want people to keep coming back. Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate do well with additional multiplayer options. Is that something you’re thinking about with Luigi’s Mansion?

Tanabe: This is a pretty important point, but trying to continue to add onto things that are already completed keeps the development team working on that project. What we really want to do is focus on the next thing, it keeps us moving onto new things. I personally don’t have that kind of endurance.

That’s interesting to hear since much of the industry’s going the opposite direction. People spend a lot of time and money creating one thing and then they want to get as much out of it as possible to the point where it can be kind of exhausting for them and the player. What are your thoughts on that trend of people spending years and years and years making the same game? How do you feel about that from a creative standpoint?

Tanabe: Of course, we have titles like that in Nintendo too. Personally, I think there’s got to be a couple of content updates over time because it’s really fun. But I don’t feel like we need to necessarily do that with all of our titles. So, this is entirely based on my personality, but I’m someone who likes to finish something and then move on.

As a player, I like to finish a game and then move on. It’s good to hear that Luigi’s Mansion has a finishing point.

Tanabe: Of course, there are games like that for those types of people who want to keep playing that type of game, and fans like you who wants to finish a game and move on, so I think it’s great that there’s a variety of different types of games.

For sure. And moving on helps creators channel that creativity and also get their ideas flowing. Is that something that you actively encourage while making games like Luigi’s Mansion–or people to start thinking of the next thing?

Tanabe: I, myself, am like that. Even when I’m creating something I’m constantly thinking of the next thing. Even as we’re wrapping up the development of Luigi Mansion 3, Next Level Games is like, what about [Luigi’s Mansion 4]? What’s going to come after a hotel?

No Caption Provided

How do you feel about that? Where you have wrapped up [development] and you’re in the mindset of wanting to finish the game, and then someone comes along and says, “What about the fourth one?” Are you like, “Let me do something else first,” or are you like, “I’m ready, I’ve got another idea, I want to go now, let’s do the next one now?”

Tanabe: So, I personally work on multiple titles at the same time, not just one. When someone approaches me with a new idea, I have no issues. But on the other hand, if you try to make three of the same type of title, sometimes the staff will become exhausted. So, if the same team has worked on the same game three times, I try to make sure they get to work on something else.

Nintendo was a company that made games internally and was very careful about who creates its games. More recently, we’ve seen Nintendo partnering with other developers, whether it’s Japanese companies like Bandai Namco or others like Next Level Games or Retro. What’s it been like to have that shift?

Tanabe: I personally have been working since the ’90s with external companies. The one thing I always think about is not just letting anyone make our games. We always work with someone who understands the way Nintendo games are. Another reason is that now that a lot of things are in HD and the quality is very high, it’s really hard for us to just make everything on our own, so we do have to rely on other companies that understand the way things are made at Nintendo to make this together.

Do you find that these outside studios will bring in ideas that Nintendo wouldn’t think of? When that happens, how do you weigh up taking on new ideas that are unexpected with what your fans expect from a Nintendo game?

Tanabe: Nintendo traditionally doesn’t do a lot of things that are really grotesque or violent, for example. Our priority is doing something that is [uniquely] Nintendo. So, when people come up with ideas that we don’t agree with and they’re like, “In our culture, we make it like this.” We, in turn, ask them, “Have you made a Nintendo game?” I turn it around and say, “I probably know more about making a Nintendo game than you do. So, how about I tell you how to work together on this?”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/luigis-mansion-3-nintendo-discusses-whether-luigi-/1100-6468046/

Ex-Call Of Duty Director Joins PUBG Studio

Call of Duty developer and Sledgehammer Games founder Glen Schofield left Activision at the end of 2018, and we now know what he’s working on next. PUBG Corp. has announced Schofield has joined the company to work on the next Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds game.

The industry veteran, who was instrumental in the creation of Dead Space before his work on Call of Duty, has founded a new studio named Striking Distance, which is wholly owned by the PUBG publisher.

“Throughout my career, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to make some remarkable games that tell incredible stories, and each of them has meant something special to me,” said Schofield. “But now, those learnings will help me build a AAA team that can explore new designs and concepts at Striking Distance.

“As a creative, the freedom to explore the PUBG universe has me excited about the possibilities, which I view as beyond the battle royale genre. Today represents a special moment for me and I’m so thankful to be taking this journey with the team at PUBG Corporation.”

Striking Distance is developing the next game in the PUBG universe, though it won’t be a sequel. Judging from Schofield’s statement, it sounds as if the game won’t be a battle royale title. Little else is known about the game at present.

Before founding Striking Distance, Schofield worked extensively on the Call of Duty franchise. His work spanned Modern Warfare 3, Advanced Warfare, and WWII. Before that, he was at Visceral Games and EA, while his past employers include Crystal Dynamics and the now-defunct Absolute Entertainment.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ex-call-of-duty-director-joins-pubg-studio/1100-6468050/

Win Free Games With Steam Summer Sale Grand Prix Minigame

The Steam Summer Sale has revved up its engines, offering a truckload of discounts on PC games. The store has paired its annual promotion with another minigame this year, and if you’re on one of the winning teams you could score some free games.

The Steam Grand Prix pits players from different teams in a virtual race. You build up your “Boost Meter” by completing quests, and then you can hit the boost to help your team. Teams are split into Pig, Hare, Corgi, Cockatiel, and Tortoise. At the conclusion of each day’s race, random members of the three winning teams will earn free games. Steam notes that you should make sure to update your wish list, since that will determine the free games.

Aside from free games, you can also trade in your race tokens for personal prizes at the “Pit Stop.” Those include cosmetics like emoticons, profile backgrounds, as well as store coupons for further discounts.

Meanwhile, the Steam Summer Sale is worth visiting just to get your hands on some cheap games. Some notable deals include Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for $48, Devil May Cry 5 for $40, and Dead Cells for $17. Check out our Steam Summer Sale roundup for our picks of the best deals the event has to offer.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/win-free-games-with-steam-summer-sale-grand-prix-m/1100-6468049/

New PUBG Game Announced

The next Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds game is in development, the game’s publisher has announced. The as yet untitled game is being made by a new studio named Striking Distance, which has appointed ex-Call of Duty and Dead Space developer Glen Schofield as CEO.

The project is seemingly in its infancy, so little is known about the game at present. PUBG Corp.’s press release states the game is an “original narrative experience within the PUBG universe,” while Schofield hints the game might not be a battle royale title. He said: “As a creative, the freedom to explore the PUBG universe has me excited about the possibilities, which I view as beyond the battle royale genre.” Schofield went on to tweet that the new game is not a sequel to PUBG.

PUBG began life as an Arma 2 mod, before being spun off into its own battle royale title–in early access on PC–in early 2017. It later came to both Xbox One and PS4.

PUBG has also been one of the most influential games of the 21st century. It remains a huge game in its own right, but it has also inspired and influenced what is possibly the industry’s biggest trend right now in the battle royale genre, including successful titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-pubg-game-announced/1100-6468048/

Free Samurai Shodown Season Pass Available Now–Even If You Don’t Own The Game (US)

If you have even the slightest inkling that you might ever want to play the newly-revived Samurai Shodown fighting game, head over to the US PlayStation Store: this week anyone can get the season one DLC pass for free, even if they don’t yet own the game itself. Normally $20, the season one pass is free from now through 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET on July 2. If you’re then eager to see those weapons clashing, you can save $10 when you buy the game itself from Amazon US.

Get the Samurai Shodown season 1 pass on PS4 for free »

Just released on June 25, Samurai Shodown is actually the 12th main entry in the eponymous fighting game series from Japanese developer SNK. The games have released on a variety of platforms, but most iconically on SNK’s own Neo Geo. The series traditionally simplifies the often-complex combo-focused dueling of other fighting games into an accessible, but nuanced system of timing and anticipation. This latest iteration is no different, refreshing the still-solid basic mechanics with vivid graphics that are reminiscent of Street Fighter V.

If you’re looking for more great PlayStation deals, check out the latest sale and weekly deals on US PSN. There’s also a sale on MassGenie for one year of PS Plus for just $36. Amazon Prime Day is also right around the corner, so expect more great discounts on PS4 games and gear in the coming weeks.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-samurai-shodown-season-pass-available-now-eve/1100-6468047/

Super Mario Maker 2 Review Roundup–Here Are All The Scores

Super Mario Maker 2’s release date is fast approaching. The game launches for Nintendo Switch in just a few days, and now reviews for the platforming game have started to hit the internet.

GameSpot’s Super Mario Maker 2 review-in-progress awards the game an 8/10, with Peter Brown stating “the Mario series is worth all the admiration it gets.” You can check out much more on the game in the selection of reviews below. Alternatively, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic for a wider view on the game’s critical reception.

  • Game: Super Mario Maker 2
  • Developer / Publisher: Nintendo
  • Platform: Nintendo Switch
  • Release date: June 28
  • Price: $60 / £60 / AU $80

GameSpot — 8/10 (Review-In-Progress)

“With the story mode and dozens of custom-built stages under my belt, I’m anxiously waiting for the floodgates to open upon Mario Maker’s 2 release. What I’ve played so far has proven, once again, that the Mario series is worth all the admiration it gets, and Mario Maker 2 is an excellent tool for picking it apart by pushing its enemies, mechanisms, and Mario, to their limit. I’ve yet to make a stage of my own that I think is worthy of sending out to other players, but I’m committed to getting there. Whether exploring the full potential of a single element or throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, I’ve got the itch to join the creator’s club. And thankfully, even if you aren’t an instant success (like me), Mario Maker 2 makes the learning process intuitive and enjoyable.” — Peter Brown [Full review-in-progress]

IGN — 9.5/10

“Super Mario Maker 2 is the most accessible game design tool ever created, and that core is just one part of a greater whole. I spent hours building levels, testing them, and starting over again, and I feel like I’ve only barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. The Story Mode has a basic story, sure, but it’s still a great excuse to introduce hundreds of novel, professionally made levels to play. Its design tutorials are so much more in depth than they ever needed to be, and you can take them or leave them as you see fit. Super Mario Maker 2 affords so much freedom in how you play, how you make, and even how you learn, it’s astonishing how incredibly well it’s all held together in one cohesive package.” — Seth G Macy [Full review]

Eurogamer — Recommended

“Like the first game, this is a warm bubble bath to settle into, or an afternoon on the sofa with the Sunday papers and nothing else in the diary. Has it changed? Not too much. But it is wonderfully soothing to have it back.” — Christian Donlan [Full review]

Game Informer — 8.75/10

“Super Mario Maker 2 is not a radical reinvention of the original Mario Maker, but it earns the “2” in its title with a story mode full of great Mario levels, worthwhile additions to the creation toolset, and new options for playing and creating cooperatively. The future is bright for Super Mario Maker 2, and I can’t wait to see what the community makes with it. But even at this starting line, I had plenty of Mario to play and enjoy.” — Kyle Hilliard [Full review]

US Gamer — 4.5/5

“Players now have the chance to make their own hellish, evil Mario levels on Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Maker 2 starts with the foundation established in the first game, and adds new themes, new game styles, and new items. It falters due to the loss of the second screen of the Wii U and 3DS iterations, and the lack of Amiibo costumes hurt, but this is still a fantastic package for a Mario fan or budding lever designer.” — Mike Williams [Full review]

Video Games Chronicle — 5/5

“For 2D Mario fans, Super Mario Maker 2 is a classic in the making. There’s already a consistently surprising and delightful offering at launch for creators and non-creators alike, but we suspect this sequel will continue to impress–and improve–well into the future.” — Andy Robinson [Full review]

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-mario-maker-2-review-roundup-here-are-all-th/1100-6468045/

Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers Patch Notes Revealed–Here’s What The 5.0 Update Includes

Final Fantasy XIV‘s Shadowbringers expansion launches for PS4 and PC in just a few days, and developer Square Enix has now revealed the expansion’s full patch notes for the accompanying 5.0 update.

The update will add two new cities, The Crystarium and Eulmore, as well as new field areas Lakeland, Kholusia, Amh Araeng, Il Mheg, and The Rak’tika Greatwood. Main scenario quests will of course be included, along with “myriad” side quests. Notably, those side quests will utilize a new “automatic level adjust system known as quest sync.” Square Enix says the new side quests “will have their difficulty and EXP rewards adjusted to match your current level.”

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Plenty more content will be added in the 5.0 update, though Square Enix says some Shadowbringers features are being withheld until future patches. The Eden’s Gate raid will be added in version 5.01, for example, while a New Game+ mode will land in update “5.1 or later.”

For the full patch notes, you can check out the Final Fantasy XIV blog. You can also take a look at our list of Shadowbringers’ biggest changes for FFXIV. Also bear in mind you can grab a previous Final Fantasy XIV expansion for free right now. That promotion is to celebrate the impending release of Shadowbringers, which launches on July 2 and enters early access on June 28 for those who pre-order. On PS4, the expansion costs $40 / £37 / AU $68, while PC players will need to fork out $40 / £30 / AU $60 for the standard edition.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-14-shadowbringers-patch-notes-reveal/1100-6468044/