News:: Destiny's December event looks bigger than last year's

In December of 2015, Bungie shook its loot-shooter Destiny up with Sparrow Racing League (SRL), a three-week event that had Guardians hanging up their weapons for a bit to careen their hoverbikes down a couple of treacherous courses.

It was a fun little free activity, if a bit shallow. It featured only two courses, one each on Venus and Mars. There were a few short quests attached to it and some cosmetic gear, but not much else. Another common complaint with the event was that it offered nothing for players who don't care about racing.

The Dawning seeks to address both of those issues. SRL is coming back for three weeks again, with two new tracks (one on Earth and one on Mercury), doubling the total number of tracks. For those who would rather stick to shooting aliens in their stupid alien faces, The Dawning is also debuting Strike Scoring, which brings an arcade scoring system to Destiny's beefier missions, almost in the same way it updated 2015's Prison of Elders with the Challenge of the Elders in 2016.

Unlike SRL 2015, this year's activities will be available after the event ends, via the recently added private matches in Rise of Iron.

The Dawning will be free (with cosmetic microtransactions) to owners of Rise of Iron. Guardians with The Taken King but not Rise of Iron will still get to race Sparrows, but only on the original two tracks.

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News:: Review in Progress: Let it Die

Well, that was unexpected!

Let it Die is out on PS4 right now, as revealed at the PSX conference earlier today. While some of us expected this free-to-play joint to be delayed it's very real, and yes, it's very Suda.

I mean, right at the start a grim reaper named Uncle Death rides up to you on a skateboard and calls you senpai. Good start!

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News:: Resident Evil 7 demo updated with new content, PlayStation VR and Pro support

How many times can Capcom get me to play that same Resident Evil 7 demo? I'm afraid to answer. Whatever number I come up with will be too low. This time, however, a revisit is warranted.

We're headed back to the same old house for the "Midnight" update, but with new areas opened up, a gun available to use against a monstrous creature, and multiple endings to parse. Better yet, if you own a PS4 Pro or a PlayStation VR headset, both are supported. I've yet to go hands-on (you know how PSN download speeds are), but I've watched some livestreamed playthroughs and I'm dying to dig in.

Capcom is finally throwing PC and Xbox One players a bone, which, it's about dang time. The demo will slink out on December 9 for Xbox One and December 19 for PC. I wonder if there will be any secrets left unsolved by then. Probably few if any, knowing the dedication of the Resident Evil community.

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News:: All the reveals from PlayStation Experience 2016

It definitely feels like Sony showed off more games during the PlayStation Experience keynote today than it did at E3. Which is pretty impressive, when you think about it. The show started out with a glimpse at the next chapter of the Uncharted saga and ended with, well, the next chapter in the The Last of Us.

Both were extremely unexpected treats from developer Naughty Dog, but in between those bookends were a ton of other teases and announcements from the company's 20-plus years of gaming history. If you wanted fresh versions of Parappa the Rapper and WipeOut, or even an updated take on the obscure WIndjammers, you're all set. Oh, and how about the next game from Housemarque, the Robotron-esque Nex Machina? Now, let's get to the videos.

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News:: Akuma kicks off the Season 2 roster of Street Fighter V on Dec. 20

Although we already knew the mighty Akuma would end up in Street Fighter V sooner than later, one question lingered in my mind: what would his hair look like? It flows. Oh how it flows! That answer and a few others surfaced today at PlayStation Experience 2016, along with this full-reveal trailer.

Akuma joins the game on December 20, 2016 and he's kicking off the second-season cast (try to guess who else is on the way based on the silhouettes below!). The 2017 Character Pass, available the same day, will cost $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99 with access to Akuma and five upcoming combatants plus costumes. Holiday outfits and B-Boy Ryu and B-Girl Chun-Li are also dropping Dec. 20.

Capcom has a more specific look at Akuma's moveset over here.

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News:: PS4 and Vita owners can Windjam online in early 2017

Windjammers is a sports arcade game originally released in 1994 on Neo Geo by Data East. It was ported to the Wii Virtual Console in Japan only, back in 2010, so in early 2017 western PlayStation 4 and PS Vita owners will for the first time be able to windjam online. That is since Gyrodisc Super League is not an official Windjammers game. Apparently "windjammer" is a word since I didn't get red squiggly lines under it, but unfortunately it does not mean "wear cool shades and play extreme Frisbee like a badass," but rather a type of "merchant sailing ship." Lame.

If you are wondering why anyone would port an old Neo Geo game to modern consoles then I probably haven't made it clear enough: this is the raddest, baddest '80s thing you've seen since Top Gun. Not even Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is as '80s as this, nor anywhere near as fun. Part of the resurging interest in this game is no doubt due in part to Giant Bomb playing and admiring it so much in recent years. The game really is that cool though and I can't wait to jam.

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News:: Danganronpa V3 is heading to the West for PS4 and Vita

That dastardly Monokuma just can't leave enough alone. It looks like he'll be tormenting more super models in the upcoming Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, which just got a confirmation for the West. The title features an all-new cast and story that focuses on a more deadly group of students. The game doesn't have a definitive release date yet, but we will be seeing the title before the end of 2017.

I'm just happy we'll be getting more Monokuma. I'm almost at the end of the first one and his constant banter is just outstanding. The way he antagonizes and tortures the students of Hope's Peak is so fiendish that I can't help but love it. I really like how, during the mid-point of the game, he starts talking with emoticons. The fourth wall doesn't exist, so it would seem.

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News:: NieR: Automata finally has a western release date: March 7, 2017

NieR: Automata was originally slated for late 2016, but was delayed until early 2017. The release date was finally announced today at PlayStation Experience: March 7, 2017, 12 days after the February 23 release in Japan. You can pre-order the Day One Edition for a reversible cover and DLC. The sequel to the cult hit Nier, a spin-off of the Drakengard series, is being developed by Platinum Games. 

I watched some videos of the original Nier and wasn't too impressed, but I'm going to play it sometime before the release of NieR: Automata, which I'm more optimistic about from not only the eye test but due to the developer. Cavia made the first Nier as well as the first two Drakengard games, but its next biggest work is probably Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. While I'm not as high on Platinum Games as most are, I'd play a Platinum game over a Cavia one any day of the week.

The only Drakengard game I enjoyed was Drakengard 3, made by Access Games, which now that I think about it explains some of the craziness in that title. People don't like Zero for how mean and ruthless she is, but I love her for that very reason. Not only do I just love mean girls like her and Emily from Until Dawn, but I like the idea of playing someone who isn't a goody two-shoes fighting for justice (which is what perturbs me about Hitman). I hope this new chick is more like Zero, or that Zero makes an appearance. 

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News:: The follow-up to 'Resogun' is a Hail Mary for arcade shooters

Housemarque, the Finnish developer behind Resogun and Dead Nation, hasn't had the best year.

I visited its Helsinki headquarters back in September to see how the studio was following up Resogun, the surprise hit of the PlayStation 4 launch. What I found was a unique company struggling to hold on to the identity it believes in.

Housemarque made its name with Stardust. Originally released for the Amiga in the early '90s, the series rose to prominence with the digital release of Super Stardust HD on the PlayStation 3. The studio has since become a specialist in digital-only games, almost all of which can trace their lineage back to the arcade.

The isometric shooter Dead Nation was the studio's next big hit, going on to become one of the bestselling digital-only titles for PlayStation 3, while the Ikaruga-meets-Metroid platformer Outland was critically acclaimed. But it was during the launch of the PlayStation 4 that Housemarque would make the biggest impact.

Resogun took the basic premise behind the arcade classic Defender and turned it into a modern shooter. With cylindrical stages and a custom voxel-based engine, the game was by far the strongest PlayStation 4 exclusive of its time, and one of scant few highlights of the console's November 2013 launch.

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News:: Here's everything that happened at The PlayStation Experience (PSX) 2016

I was sitting in my basement watching Green Room for the first time (real good flick), and my alarm went off. Uh, PSX is starting! I considered not jumping on, but ultimately my curiosity gave in and I'm glad I did. Because uh, there's a lot to take in.

Among some general fanfare for the PS4, Vita, and PSVR, there were things announced that were out today -- a PaRappa remastered demo, Let it Die, and Lara Croft Go. On top of that, we're getting a new Housemarque shooter, as well as a new Uncharted 4 chapter, and sequels for Knack, and Last of Us.

Not half bad for a side event on a weekend like PSX!

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News:: Ellie is all grown up in 'The Last of Us: Part II'

Sony closed out its PlayStation Experience keynote with the first trailer for The Last of Us: Part II, the sequel to Naughty Dog's breakout 2013 shooter. The stars of the original game, Joel and Ellie, return in Part II, older and apparently filled with a desire for vengeance. In the trailer, after strumming a guitar and singing for a while, Ellie tells Joel, "I'm gonna find, and I'm gonna kill, every last one of them." And it looks like she means it.

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News:: Last of Us Part II closes out the first day of the PlayStation Experience

Looks like there won't be anymore rumors or slip-ups during livestreams; Sony has finally unveiled the trailer for The Last of Us Part II and it features all of the cinematic bravado you'd expect from NaughtyDog. It also looks like it takes a decent chunk of time after the first game, since Ellie has aged a bit.

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News:: Nex Machina: Death Machine looks like a pretty metal top-down shooter

New Machina: Death Machine, a new top-down shooter from Eugene Jarvis (of Atari fame), is in the works. It was revealed today at PSX with a new trailer, showcasing vibrant graphics along with some high-octane dash-heavy gameplay, and light bullet hell elements. It's from Housemarque, and was originally known as "Project Jarvis."

Say no more! I'm in.

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News:: MLB The Show 17 is getting a retro mode

So we knew that Ken Griffey Jr. would grace the cover of MLB The Show 17, but today at PSX, Sony announced that the March 28, 2017 bound baseball game would get a "retro mode."

It's just as obvious as it sounds, essentially low-fi-ing (is that a verb?) the experience into a grainier version. I mean, it's not as retro as Bad News Baseball, but it's something!

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News:: New Horizon Zero Dawn story trailer shown at PlayStation Experience

Horizon Zero Dawn, the highly anticipated action RPG from Guerrilla Games aka that company who makes Killzone, got a new trailer at PlayStation Experience today. Horizon Zero Dawn releases on February 28, 2017 in North America, March 1, 2017 in Europe, and March 3, 2017 in the UK.

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News:: Starblood Arena is heading to PSVR in Spring 2017

With such a misleading title, I thought Starblood Arena was something in the vein of Deathrow on the original Xbox. I was looking forward to having a first-person brawler with an emphasis on killing your opponents to get out of jail. Alas, that is not to be, as we're getting some strange Descent type clone.

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News:: Lara Croft Go is coming to PS4 and Vita...today

It was probably the worst kept secret of PSX, but Lara Croft Go is coming to PS4 and Vita later today. Originally released back in August of 2015 on iOS and Android, it took them long enough, but it's here, and will join Hitman Go as another widely released Go series game.

Don't knock it! This sub-franchise is actually pretty good. I'm also keen on trying it out if/when it comes to the VR arena.

 

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News:: Grasshopper's Let it Die is available today, for free, on PS4

The latest game from Grasshopper Studios and Goichi Suda aka Suda 51, Let It Die finally has a release date: TODAY.

Grasshopper promised it would release sometime before the end of the year and it looks like they just kept its promise. Let It Die is a free-to-play exclusive for PlayStation 4.

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News:: Vane gets an extended trailer

Vane is a game I know very little about. Apparently it was announced two years ago at the Tokyo Game Show with a full trailer. Color me surprised, because this is the first time I'm learning anything about the title.

The trailer shown at the PlayStation Experience is...um...well, just take a look.

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News:: Ni No Kuni 2 makes an appearance and looks awesome

Fans of the Studio Ghibli-produced RPG have a lot of be happy. Ni No Kuni 2 made an appearance at the PlayStation Experience and was given a nice trailer. None of that industry fluff nonsense, just a lot of gameplay and some cutscenes.

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News:: New Gran Turismo Sport trailer at PlayStation Experience 2016

Gran Turismo games are infamous for taking a while to come out and Gran Turismo Sport is no different. We have a shiny new trailer to get excited about, but still no specific release date. It is currently slated to release worldwide sometime in 2017 for PS4.

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News:: Raven will be playable in Gravity Rush 2

As a "one more thing" before he left the stage at PSX just moments ago, Sony boss Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that Raven will be playable in Gravity Rush 2 with her own little side story.

Previously she was confirmed as an AI-controlled entity, but Yoshida noted that because of fan demand, she will be playable. It's out in January 2017 so we'll find out soon enough for ourselves just how deep that rabbit hole goes!

It feels like I've been waiting forever for this game, but it's nearly here.

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News:: Knack 2 gets a quick announcement, co-op

In an unexpected move, Sony has announced a sequel to Knack. Simply titled Knack 2, it looks like the next adventure for the plucky, Pixar-esque creature will have an emphasis on co-op play. I'm not sure if anyone really cares, but the few fans of the original at least have something to look forward to.

There was no release date or mention of PS4 Pro support, but I would assume the new console has full functionality.

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News:: Ace Combat 7 still exists, here's a new trailer to prove it

Ace Combat 7 was revealed last year at the second PlayStation Experience event, so it's only fitting that we'd get a development update of sorts this year at PSX.

During the event, Sony showed off footage of Bandai Namco's Ace Combat 7, which is still on track as a PlayStation 4 exclusive, with PlayStation VR support. It's a direct sequel to Ace Combat 6, and you can get a look at how the game is progressing in the trailer below.

All told it looks cool! I hope they really drive the VR part home, as EVE Valkyrie was really fun to play in the first-person flight sim view.

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News:: PaRappa the Rapper, LocoRoco, and Patapon remastered for PS4

That PaRappa game that was rated in Korea has been revealed as a remaster of the original game for PlayStation 4. LocoRoco and Patapon will also be getting PS4 remasters, as announced today at PSX.

All three will play natively in 4k, and the demo for PaRappa is out today.

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News:: Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy gets a name, gameplay

That remake of the first three Crash Bandicoot games (Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped) has a name, Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy, and it looks pretty neat. I've been meaning to play through these games and now I'll have a good reason to.

Definitely want to play the old ones first though.

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