PlayStation Blog - Asia | Thailand

Contrast on PS4: Is There Truth in the Shadows?

guillaumep@hoge.com — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:16:36 GMT

I can attest that some of what you’re about to read is actually true, but how can a developer who has spent so much time hiding in the shadows be trusted to write a traditional blog post?

Indeed. He can’t. But I digress. You want to know more about Contrast, and I want to shed light on a few topics of my own. Did you know that Contrast, in its initial concept, was set in a cyberpunk virtual world? We thought that related well with the Film Noir and Burlesque eras, too. Have you heard tell of the international slumber party work week before Compulsion found an office? When we started working on the game, the team was spread out across four continents!

Being an indie game developer is no easy ride, but all those tuna-salad days have helped fuel something amazing – as we all clung to that early magical love affair with an idea so fascinating that it just HAD to become something special.

You see, at Compulsion, we have the benefit of a small but capable team. I’d call them talented, but they let the smallest compliments go to their heads. Have I told you about the overt and subtle themes found in our second act? Trust me; it just gets better and better. You see, eventually Dawn finds herself at a circus where she needs to help out a bit to ensure the attractions are ready for opening day. But personally, I had my own misgivings about such a location. Suffering from a longtime–and somewhat debilitating–fear of clowns, I had to initially pretend to be cool with it. After all, the set pieces with regards to story-telling and shadow play were absolutely inspired, but no way was I putting any clowns in my game.

No, sir. I’d come too far and worked too hard to make a game I was afraid to play.

Of course the team always listens to everything I say, so in our second round of brainstorming, Joshua suggested a clown car shadow puzzle. Every time the player jumped on the car, another clown would get out, and the players could then hop on the shadows of the balloons they were carrying. To better illustrate the puzzle surrounding this astounding show of multiplicity, Whitney made for the white board, sketching quick thumbnails with as many clowns and balloons as she could muster. I won’t lie. They terrified me. Without saying a word, I got up and erased her entire sketch.

Our concept artist looked at me like “what the hell?” To which I responded: “Look: I really, really, really hate clowns.”

Of course, none of this is true. What kind of team sits around just drawing clowns all day? After all, brilliant poster concepts are so easy to come by.

There are a lot of innovative game-play ideas hovering in the indie game community today. But we’re not just delivering a new game idea, we’re carefully weaving a story, world, and aesthetic around it to make something really special and unique. Come check out the coverage of this year’s E3 to see why it’s different!

And, just think, it’s practically 100% clown-free.

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.

Special offer only for Gran Turismo®5 users!

psn@sceh.sony.com.hk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:04:52 GMT

In celebration of Gran Turismo®5's 15th Anniversary, we've bundled together all existing GT5 DLC to date and offer you a 50% discount on thisPromotional Content Pack (THB490 @PS Store) from 19th June to 3rd July.

This pack contains the Complete Pack (Car Pack, Course Pack, Special Paint Pack, Racing Gear Pack), Car Pack 2, Car Pack 3 and Speed Test Pack, as well as Twinring Motegi Pack for the Asia Version and more:

1. Complete Pack

This DLC contains the Racing Car Pack, Racing Gear Pack, Paint Pack and Course Pack for Gran Turismo 5.

Racing Car Pack (15 Cars)

Red Bull X2011 Prototype
Dodge Challenger SRT8 Touring Car
Honda CR-Z Touring Car
Mazda Roadster (MX-5/Miata) Touring Car
Mazda RX-7 Touring Car
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Touring Car
Nissan GT-R R35 Touring Car
Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 Touring Car
Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 Touring Car
Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 Touring Car
Subaru Impreza Touring Car
Toyota Prius Touring Car
Gran Turismo Racing Kart Jr.
Gran Turismo Racing Kart 100
Gran Turismo Racing Kart 125

Course Pack (2 tracks, 5 layouts)

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Kart Space I/II

Paint Pack (100 colours)

Racing Gear Pack (90 items)

2. Car Pack 2 (4 Cars)

Four new cars are available, including the new and improved R35 GT-R 2012 Black Edition.

Mini MINI COOPER S '11
Nissan GT-R Black edition '12
Volkswagen Golf VI R '10
Volkswagen Scirocco R '10

3. Car Pack 3 (6 Cars)

Includes six unique cars from the past and present, including Lamborghini's newest flagship model Aventador as well as cars like the '66 Volkswagen 1200.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage '10
Jaguar XJR-9 LM Race Car '88
Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 '11
MINI MINI COOPER S Countryman '11
Nissan Leaf G '11
Volkswagen Volkswagen 1200 '66

4. Speed Test Pack

This test pack includes acceleration and top speed tests, making it possible to measure the acceleration time, section time, top speed, and a variety of stats for your cars.

5. NISSAN GT-R N24 GT Academy '12

This DLC adds the Nissan GT-R N24 GT Academy '12 to Gran Turismo 5, a car that achieved a SP8T class victory in the 2012 Nürburgring 24 hour race. Relive the victory at the Nürburgring with this new downloadable content!

6. Twin Ring Motegi Pack (Asia version)

This item adds multiple layouts of the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit to GT5 - the Road Course, Super Speedway, and East and West Courses.

7. Free DLC

2014 Corvette Stingray Final Prototype, Corvette C7 Test Prototype'12, Gran Turismo Scion FR-SS'12

PSN Top PS3™ and PS Vita Games in May

psn@sceh.sony.com.hk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:02:23 GMT

The ranking of the Top 10 PlayStation®Store downloads in May is out! Staying tuned with our monthly ranking is a great way to be in the know and avoid missing the titles popular among fellow gamers.

PlayStation®3 kick-Ass cyber shooter title “Far Cry® 3: Blood Dragon full game” topped the list of PS3™ games in May. Set in the year of 2007 and in an 80’s VHS vision of the future, players take on the role of Sargent Rex Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando who’s fighting against a cyborg army gone rouge. The mission is just simple: get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world. But players must go head-to-head against cyborgs, blood dragons, mutants and Michael Biehn (who has starred in “Terminator”, “Aliens” and “Navy Seals”)….

One feature is that this is a standalone expansion to the universe of “Far Cry® 3”, so even if you haven’t got the title and wish to dive into this retro-futuristic world, nothing is in your way.

Top 10 Best Selling Games in May – PS3™

1	Far Cry® 3: Blood Dragon full game
2	Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen full game
3	SOULCALIBUR™V full game
4	NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor's Edge full game
5	Sports Champions 2 full game
6	Injustice: Gods Among Us Video Game full game
7	Journey full game
8	RED DEAD REDEMPTION full game
9	Call of Duty®: Black Ops II full game
10	Guacamelee! full game

Top 10 Best Selling Games in May – PS Vita

1	SOUL SACRIFICE full game
2	Guacamelee! full game
3	Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery full game
4	Ragnarok Odyssey PlayStation®Vita the Best
5	Machinarium full game
6	Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention PlayStation®Vita the Best
7	GRAVITY RUSH PlayStation®Vita the Best
8	Persona 4 The GOLDEN full game
9	Senran Kagura SHINOVI VERSUS full game
10	Draw Slasher full game

What's on PSN This Week - 18th June

psn@sceh.sony.com.hk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:57:37 GMT

This week on PlayStation®Store we see some great offers for you to enjoy good deals for shopping … and a GREAT title coming out in Chinese!

Add-ons in a Deal - GRAN TURISMO® 5 Promotional Content Pack

In celebration of Gran Turismo®5's 15th Anniversary, we've bundled together all existing GT5 DLC to date for GT5 users and will offer you a 50% discount (THB490 @PS Store) on this pack from June 19th to July 3rd. This pack contains the Complete Pack (Car Pack, Course Pack, Special Paint Pack, Racing Gear Pack), Car Pack 2, Car Pack 3 and Speed Test Pack, as well as Twinring Motegi Pack for the Asia Version and more. Time is all that matters for promotion offers, in the same way when you are racing on tracks!

Click here for more details.

14-day Free Trial & Bonus Membership Giveaway on PS Plus 3rd Birthday

PS Plus is celebrating its 3^rd birthday by giving away free trial membership for Sony Entertainment Network members who have never signed up to PS Plus and up to 60-day bonus membership or “LittleBigPlanet™ Special Limited Theme” if you subscribe to or renew your membership on or before 8^th July! Don’t miss this special campaign to enjoy more by paying less! Find out more about it here.

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Recommended Content:

	2nd Round of Games Discount from Ubisoft Entertainment(50% off): Assassin's Creed® III Liberation full game Michael Jackson The Experience full game
	Release Date:	20 June
	Platform:	PS Vita
	SRP:	THB605/ THB573
	>More Details will be released on 20 June<

	ULTRADIMENSION IDOL NEPTUNE PERFECT PRODUCER full game
	Release Date:	20 June
	Platform:	PS Vita
	SRP:	THB1330
	>More Details will be released on 20 June<

	Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara full game
	Release Date:	19 June
	Platform:	PS3™
	SRP:	THB460
	>More Details<

	Mountain Crime: Requital full game & demo
	Release Date:	20 June
	Platform:	PS3™
	SRP:	THB460/ Free
	>More Details will be released on 20 June<

	SOUL SACRIFICE (Asian Japanese Version)/ SOUL SACRIFICE (English Ver.) add-ons
	Release Date:	20 June/ 18 June
	Platform:	PS Vita
	SRP:	Free
	>More Details< Asian Japanese Version – Additional Quest "Brotherly and Artists" (more Details will be released on 20 June) English Ver. – Additional Quest "Drunkards and Chef"

For more PlayStation®Store updated news, please visit Sony Entertainment Network online store or Official PlayStation® website.

DUALSHOCK 4: Hands-on Impressions from E3

sids@hoge.com — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:21:24 GMT

Following its debut at PlayStation’s February 20th event in New York City, DualShock 4 has emerged at E3 in near-final form. Though DualShock 3 has proven to be a capable and dependable wireless controller for years with PlayStation 3, the PS4’s new weapon of choice is a clear improvement across the board. Here are some quick E3 2013 impressions.

For me, DualShock 4’s most impactful new feature is a subtle but shockingly satisfying detail: A glossy cross-hatched texture that wraps around the larger handles. This texture provides a snug, more comfortable grip on the device compared to DualShock 3’s slipperier feel. This is one of those things you’ll need to try for yourself to truly understand, but once you experience it there’s no going back. It’s a delight.

Then there are the redesigned and retuned analog sticks, which now boast a concave surface and slightly stiffer deadzone that makes it easier to maneuver the camera using small, precise movements. The surface is also more tactile, but not so much that it impedes your thumb’s ability to glide around the inner rim as your make subtle adjustments to your aiming reticule in shooters like Blacklight: Retribution. Much like DualShock 4’s new textured grips, the revamped analog sticks are a clear improvement to the classic design sported by DualShock 2 and DualShock 3. It’s no contest.

The directional pad — always a strength on PlayStation controllers — also impressed. It boasts a unified design that reminded me of PS Vita’s well-liked pad, only oversized and sporting a slightly more tactile finish. The depth and response of the pad felt just right: Not too clicky, not too mushy; not too deep, not too shallow. Meanwhile, the new Share and Options buttons that have replaced Start and Select were unobtrusively placed and felt satisfyingly clicky — appropriate for buttons you’ll use less frequently.

Finally, the new L2 and R2 triggers are exactly what you would hope for and expect. Featuring a slightly “hooked” design and less pressure resistance, these puppies are a perfect fit for your itchy trigger finger. I was also pleased to find that DualShock 4’s L1 and R1 buttons feel almost identical to those on PS3. Why fix what ain’t broken, right? It will be interesting to see if developers of PlayStation 4 shooters enable the player to swap the firing buttons between R2 and R1 like they often do on PS3, or if R2 becomes the universal standard going forward.

I didn’t get a chance to try out any titles that made use of DualShock 4’s new lightbar, touch pad, integrated speaker, or the mono earbud that enables online voice chat out of the box. But those will surely come in time. For now, I’m pleased to report that DualShock 4 is hands-down the best, most comfortable console controller I’ve used.

Dragon Fantasy Book II Comes to E3

bryans@hoge.com — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:03:12 GMT

Since we announced Dragon Fantasy Book II on the Playstation.Blog back in August, we’ve had a very, very busy year. Our little 16-bit RPG that could has grown into quite a beefy project! Most of the game is now complete, with big chunks of the game tuned and fully playable. We’ve got some big ol’ bosses in there ready to stomp on people. We’ve beefed the engine up quite a bit from the SNES-like roots we were originally targeting, using way more layers, sprites, and rotation and scaling effects than that console was ever capable of. We’ve travelled to two PAXes and a GDC, showing the game to everyone we could – and losing our voices several times in the process. And we even spent a good chunk of time and brought Dragon Fantasy Book I over to PSN as well, thanks pretty much entirely to the comments on this blog!

Most recently, we’ve added area-of-effect attacks to Book II. Getting attacked by a cluster of rowdy rock monsters is now no big deal when you can hit all of them at once with a well-placed spin attack! Many magic spells have AoE effects as well, such as Freezios, which now freezes all the enemies in a straight line between you and your target. And you’ll need all of those attacks, because while Book I never had more than 3 monsters in a battle, Book II has no limit. We’ve got battles where you face a dozen or more enemies at once! And just for good measure, many enemies can also perform AoE attacks on your teammates. So get ready, because the battles in Book II can get totally crazy!

We’re really excited to get a chance to show the new AoE and swarming enemies to you guys for the first time at E3 this year, where we’ll be showing the game in Sony’s booth. We’ve all been to E3 over a dozen times, and this is the 7th for Muteki Corporation, but it’s the first time we’ve ever been an exhibitor, so many, many thanks to Sony for inviting us to show Dragon Fantasy Book II! We can’t wait to get this game in front of more people.

And for the all-necessary plugs, if you want to keep up to date even more on the game, follow us on twitter @mutekicorp or Like Us on Facebook.

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.

1001 Spikes on PS Vita: A Game for the Masochistic Gamer

tyroner@hoge.com — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:49:33 GMT

What if you had 1,001 lives in your favorite 2D platformer? Think you could beat the game? That’s 1001 Spikes.

1001 Spikes will likely be the most challenging game to come to the Vita this year. In developing the game, we looked to classic games such as the original 8-bit Spelunker and Hudson’s Famicom game Challenger as inspiration. Aside from utilizing a truly 8-bit art style, in developing 1001 Spikes, we’ve focused on making an incredibly difficult platformer with very precise controls requiring pixel-perfect inputs.

On the surface, the short levels seem minimalistic, but at the core, they’re loaded with strategically placed obstacles hidden to the naked eye. The designers have spent countless hours fine tuning placement of every obstacle and item in the game, literally every detail of the game was meticulously planned and thought out, tested, tuned and retested.

Broken down to its most basic design, the goal in 1001 Spikes is to find the key to open the door to the next level. Each level will present a different challenge both in the procurement of the key and then making it to the door alive. Although some levels look impossible at first, the determined gamer will prevail.

The main character, Aban Hawkins, wields unlimited throwing daggers to fight off anything he may encounter in the deadly ruins. Like classic 2D platformers, 1001 Spikes’ controls are simple: throw daggers, short jump, and high jump. There are very specific times when the high jump may or may not have the advantage, leaving you with using the short jump to progress through the level. In fact, there are areas where you’ll have to use one jump versus the other to advance.

Content-wise, there are six worlds with multiple levels each that lead to more than one finale. Additionally, 1001 Spikes will feature unlockable guest characters and authentic 8-bit style cutscenes! For anyone who doesn’t want to go on the experience alone, we’ve included three multiplayer modes. Multiplayer is both co-op and versus, but we all know that almost every co-op game will eventually turn into a versus match anyway.

We know our game is cruel, and know that the players of today are up for the challenge. With many games purposefully made to be easy and accessible, 1001 Spikes was an opportunity to make a game that is anything but that, yet still make it fun and meaningful. Gamers have to be comfortable with the idea of dying… a lot. What will happen when all your 1001 lives run out? That’s for you to find out! We can’t wait to see what you think when it releases later this year.

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.

Pickles in your Pocket: Bringing Runner2 to PS Vita

dantr@hoge.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:13:10 GMT

Adapting a console game for a mobile platform is no walk in the Welcome Park. The reasons for this are numerous, but it ultimately boils down to an issue of faithfulness. We can’t speak for other developers – though we imagine they would agree – but we wanted our game, BIT.TRIP Presents…Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, to feel the same on the Vita as it does on the rest of its platforms. Furthermore, we wanted to provide players everywhere with the chance to carry Unkle Dill around wherever they go. Though we’ve not yet finished our development of the Vita version, we’re confident we’ve succeeded on both fronts.

For those unaware, Runner2 is a 2D platformer featuring vibrant worlds, unique characters, challenging (and rewarding!) gameplay, and the vocal stylings of Charles Martinet. From the early planning stages to the finished product, our goal was to create a game that made people happy. If it just so happens that you’re someone who likes to be happy, chances are good you’ll enjoy it immensely.

Now, with the elevator pitch out of the way, here’s some insight into why we’re bringing the game to Vita, and why we think you’re going to love it:

I don’t think it’s going to rock the boat any if I say that the video game industry is in a strange place at the moment. Not bad, mind you – just strange. If you’ll allow the pun, one could argue the industry is diving headfirst into Uncharted territory (Sony said they’d pay us $50,000 if we mentioned a PS3 game in this post). One of the most prominent changes is that of player choice. Where once you could count the amount of modern gaming platforms on a single hand, it would now take both hands, both feet, and possibly an additional appendage gained through surgery. From a developer perspective, that’s pretty exciting. We can release our games on a bunch of platforms, and then brag about it to our parents.

This is where the Vita comes in. We’re excited to bring Runner2 to the platform because A) we want as many people as possible to play our game, and B) we want those people to have a choice about where they play it. We’re a busy species, and not everyone has time to play games from the comfort of their home. Some have no choice but to play on the bus; others must resort to playing on the toilet at work. The more synergistic of us likely play on the toilet on the bus, but that’s a story for another day.

To summarize, players can expect Runner2 on the Vita to be a delightful port of the original. Actually, “delightful” sounds a little antiquated. How about this: Runner2 on the Vita will be super tubular.

If you have any questions about Runner2 or its forthcoming Vita release (we’re planning to release it sometime between mid-July and mid-August), let us know in the comments! We will also field any and all questions about cool stuff like Bigfoot and marbled polecats

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.

Ray’s the Dead is Brought to Life on PS4

chriscobb@hoge.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:32:33 GMT

This is Chris from Ragtag Studio, a small indie game developer out of Chicago. We are giving life to a new game called Ray’s the Dead! Ray’s the Dead is an action adventure game where you are the leader of a zombie army. We are excited to announce that Ray’s the Dead will be available as a downloadable title on PlayStation 4!

Ray’s the Dead stars Raymond La Morte, a newly resurrected zombie on a quest to find out how he was killed, who killed him, and most curiously, why is there a strange light bulb sticking out of his head? In this ‘80s-inspired romp, you’ll get to experience the two unique stories of Ray intertwined by fate. As you terrorize American suburbia with your zombie army, you’ll also uncover playable memories from Ray’s life. You’ll be able to experience the events that led to his untimely demise first hand!

Sounds cool, but how does it play? A bolt of lightning activates the bulb lodged into Ray’s brain, giving him the power to convert and command the recently deceased into zombie minions! One by one you add to your numbers by pulling zombies out of their graves, or converting fallen foes. You can then use your new buddies to accomplish a variety of different goals, including overcoming obstacles, navigating the environment, and solving puzzles. If you’re a fan of Pikmin or Overlord, you will feel right at home.

The land of the living is a tough place to be if you’re a zombie. It’s full of angry people that just want to make you more dead. They’re armed and dangerous, so you’ll have to use your zombies to do what zombies do best: command them to jump out from the dark forest, crash through windows, and come streaming out of buildings to surprise and overwhelm the enemy. On your quest you’ll meet new types of zombies with the unique abilities you’ll need to accomplish your goals. For every human type you meet, there is a corresponding zombie waiting to be added to your army. You’ll have to use all of your brains to figure out which zombie is right for each challenge that Ray will face on his epic journey!

Ray’s the Dead has been a labor of love for the three of us at Ragtag, and we are thrilled out of our brains to be bringing it to PS4. With Sony’s focus on releasing games that deliver unique and refreshing experiences, PS4 became the natural choice for our game.

We hope you are as excited about Ray’s the Dead coming to life as we are! Please stay tuned over the coming months as we reveal more exciting information about the game. For now, I’ll see you in the comments!

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.

New Trailer: FPS + F2P + PS4 = Blacklight Retribution

collinm@hoge.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:20:21 GMT

When we announced Blacklight: Retribution on PS4 a couple months ago, we knew we had to be on the E3 show floor. We instantly set a goal to get the game running and be ready for E3. After a number of long weeks, lots of dinners in the office, and a new coffee machine, we are thrilled to have Blacklight: Retribution playable for everyone in attendance

For those unfamiliar with Blacklight: Retribution, it’s an action-packed free-to-play first-person shooter that allows you to customize your character in millions of ways. You can change every aspect of your weapon from the barrel, scope, muzzle, and receiver. Want to make your character feel like your character? Alter them anyway you want, swapping out everything from individual pieces of armor to their accessories to cosmetic items that show your elite status.

Customizing your loadout also changes the gameplay and what items you have access to during a match. Perhaps you want to deploy a hardsuit – our huge mech with a chaingun and plasma rifle attached to its arms. Or, for those who want to give a bit of sass, how about a custom taunt? In Blacklight: Retribution we let you control how you want to look, play, and show off.

In the coming months we plan on giving you more updates on Blacklight: Retribution on PS4 and some of the new features and changes that are currently in the works. For the latest news be sure to check out http://www.playblrps4.com and be part of our growing community.

*The release in Asia has not yet been confirmed.