PS3

The Last of Us Development Series Ep. 3: ‘Death and Choices’

ericm@hoge.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:56:12 GMT

We took a look at the Infected in our first video in The Last of Us Development series. We then explored the game world and nature’s reclamation of civilization as we know it in our second video, Wasteland Beautiful. Our third video, Death and Choices, investigates what it means to be a survivor in the world of The Last of Us and how Joel and Ellie cope with the harsh realities of post-pandemic society.

Survival is moment to moment in the world of The Last of Us. There are stark consequences to every decision that’s made and if Joel and Ellie want to survive they’ll need to scavenge the environment for every possible advantage. Learning to craft more potent weapons from makeshift materials or take defensive precautions using found objects will be critical to their continued survival.

Up next, our penultimate video in the series will spotlight the combat mechanics and the intimate nature of conflict in The Last of Us. The in-depth documentary we have been creating grew so large that we are currently seeking a unique way to distribute it. We’ll have details about how you can get the feature-length documentary of the making of The Last of Us in the coming months. The Last of Us will be available 14th June 2013.

“The Last of Us™” & Various Limited Edition Collection Packs to be Released Globally on 14th June (Friday)

raze.lok@sceh.sony.com.hk — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:07 GMT

Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited (SCEH) announced that various limited edition collection packs of PlayStation®3 (PS3™) exclusive title The Last of Us™ (English & Chinese Version) will be released globally along with the software on 14th June 2013 (Friday). Limited edition collection packs include “Steelbook Edition”, “Special Edition” and “Collector’s Edition”, which come with various limited premiums including a special steel box, DUALSHOCK®3 original sticker, comic, artbook and 12 inch premium statue. Customers who pre-order any of these packs at any PlayStation®Platinum Shops from 24th May will receive a limited edition umbrella. For those who pre-order “Collector’s Edition”, can get an extra limited edition T-shirt, while stocks last.

“The Last of Us™” is the newest title from the developer of the highly-acclaimed “Uncharted” series, Naughty Dog Interactive (NDI). Further exceeding the cinematic storytelling and production values NDI is known for, a tense, emotional narrative has been crafted:

“Abandoned cities reclaimed by nature. A population decimated by a modern plague. Survivors are killing each other for food, weapons; whatever they can get their hands on. Joel, a brutal survivor, and Ellie, a brave young teenage girl who is wise beyond her years, must work together if they hope to survive their journey across the US.”

Contents included in Limited Bundle Pack

The Last of Us™ STEELBOOK EDITION
	SRP: HK$388
	Contents: - The Last of Us™ Steelbook - Naughty Dog Interactive sticker sheet

The Last of Us™ SPECIAL EDITION
	SRP: HK$528
	Contents: - The Last of Us™ Steelbook - The Last of Us™ Mini Artbook - The Last of Us™ Mini Comic (American Dreams #1) - The Last of Us™ WIRELESS CONTROLLER (DUALSHOCK®3) ORIGINAL SKIN - The Last of Us™ Limited Edition Postcard Set - Naughty Dog Interactive Sticker Sheet - The Last of Us™ Sights and Sounds DLC Pack - LittleBigPlanet™ Joel and Ellie Sackboy™ Costumes

The Last of Us™ COLLECTOR’S EDITION
	SRP: HK$1,288
	Contents: - The Last of Us™ Steelbook - 12 Inch Premium Statue by Project Triforce - The Last of Us™ Full-size Hardcover Artbook - The Last of Us™ Full-size Comic (American Dreams #1) - The Last of Us™ WIRELESS CONTROLLER (DUALSHOCK®3) ORIGINAL SKIN - The Last of Us™ Limited Edition Postcard Set - Naughty Dog Interactive Sticker Sheet - The Last of Us™ Sights and Sounds DLC Pack - The Last of Us™ Survival DLC Pack - LittleBigPlanet™ Joel and Ellie Sackboy™ Costumes

*The above images are for reference only.

Gran Turismo 6 Unveiled, Out This Holiday on PS3

penroset@hoge.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:42:16 GMT

Greetings PlayStation.Blog. Today we’re really excited to announce that Gran Turismo 6 will be released Holiday 2013. The news was revealed today by legendary GT creator Kazunori Yamauchi himself at our Silverstone event held to celebrate 15 years of the 70-million-selling series.

GT6 for PlayStation 3 will see many enhancements, improvements and additions to the game. bringing new levels of authenticity to ‘the Real Driving Simulator’. Features revealed today include stunning new tracks and cars and an overhauled user interface. There’s also a new engine, which will improve game operation. Meanwhile, we are set for expanded connectivity with other devices, and increased social and community functions.

The cars and tracks from Gran Turismo 5 -- which has now sold over 10 million copies since launching in 2010 -- will return in GT6, but notable new additions will bring the car lineup to over 1,200. Players will also be able to customize their rides to a greater extent than ever before.

Amongst the track line-up, the UK’s famous Silverstone Circuit will be just one of seven new locations in Gran Turismo 6, taking the total to 33, with 71 different layouts available -- 19 of them brand new. This already impressive lineup of cars and tracks will be added to by future DLC drops beginning after launch.

Enhancements and improvements also extend to a much-improved course maker function, which will provide several kilometers of gorgeous scenery, including the magnificent backdrop of Andalucía. The course maker will also include a new GPS data feature, which will increase the freedom of track creation in the game.

“It is amazing to think that it is 15 years since we first released Gran Turismo,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, during the announcement at Silverstone Circuit. “Things have changed a lot since then and now Gran Turismo 6 is a further evolution of my dream. We’re pleased to deliver GT 6 to PlayStation 3 as we have a very loyal community on that platform. However, we have refactored the game to make it very flexible and expandable, with a view to making many future developments.

“I am very pleased with everything about the new game and the new additions, but the launch will only be the beginning for GT6. The game will continue to develop throughout its life. I already have many ideas for things I want to achieve in the next 15 years of Gran Turismo!”

Further news about Gran Turismo 6 will be revealed at the forthcoming E3 and Gamescom events, and on www.gran-turismo.com.

Register The Last of Us™ First-hand Information & Get Special DLC

raze.lok@sceh.sony.com.hk — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:56:50 GMT

The Last of Us™ is a genre-defining experience blending survival and action elements to tell a character driven story about a population decimated by a modern plague. 20 years after a pandemic has radically changed known civilization, cities are abandoned and being reclaimed by nature, infected humans run wild and survivors are killing each other for food, weapons; whatever they can get their hands on.

Developed by Naughty Dog, creators of the critically acclaimed UNCHARTED franchise, The Last of Us™ is being made exclusively for the PlayStation®3 system.

The Asian release date is June 14th (simultaneous with US and EU regions). Do you want to take the lead in knowing the first-hand game news and Asian pre-order information?

Starting from today till May 15th, you can register online to receive the most up-to-date game information in advance, plus a special DLC* for free!

* For details about the delivery date and methods of the free DLC, please refer to the Terms & Conditions on the online registration form

The Last of Us: Meet the Infected

sids@hoge.com — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:22:23 GMT

I’m ready for “The Last of Us”. This morally grey gem from the brilliant minds at Naughty Dog combines exploration, scavenging, and brutal hide-and-seek combat against hordes of deadly Infected that prowl the remains of a ravaged United States. June 14th can’t come soon enough!

Not long ago, we asked “The Last of Us” Creative Director Neil Druckmann and Game Director Bruce Straley to give us an intimate tour of the game’s sights and sounds. Among many other topics, our new interview details the disturbing origins of the game’s Infected, an idea which sprouted from nature documentaries. Our discussion also plunges deeper into the turbulent but vital relationship between Joel and Ellie, as unlikely a pair of game protagonists as you’re likely to find.

Please watch, and then leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Dust 514：Skill System Changes in Uprising Update

ccpc@hoge.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:47:28 GMT

The DUST 514 Journey Continues

We have learned a great deal throughout last year, both from the perspective of what works and what does not with regards to the progression system itself and more importantly how you are using the items to advance through the game. This is all thanks to the terrific amount of player feedback we’ve received during the beta period.

As we started re-aligning the progression tree we realized that trying to map the new skills, bonuses and requirements to your existing items was not only complicated on the technical side, but also likely unfair to you, in that you may have committed to a certain play style, and with the new layout and skills you may find yourself regretting some of your prior choices. We have thus decided that it is far better to re-spec not only the skills but items as well. In short, you will get your skill points (SP) back and the ISK and AUR (in-game currencies) value of any item that is removed from your inventory. Below are more details on how this works.

Simpler. Deeper. More powerful.

We have removed the secondary and tertiary skill requirement from all skills. This means that while skills may have multiple parent skills in a linear succession, they will not have multiple direct prerequisite skills. We are also introducing a brand new node based view of the skill tree, and you are able to upgrade a skill multiple levels at a time provided you have the skill points to do so. This is a major improvement from the old list approach. We are retaining the list view in another section of the menu, for the nostalgia and for those that simply like lists (you know who you are).

How Will it Work?

When the upcoming Uprising build is released on May 6, your character(s) will be reimbursed all the skill points that they have earned and used to date, for redistribution under the new schema.

Note that this re-spec only applies to your current skills, and items that you have in your inventory. The refund value of ISK and AUR items will be based on the market value at the time of the re-spec.

Details on the specifics of what the changes will be are covered in a separate dev blog and will contain a list of changes expected, as well as additional info about the revamped tech tree and a full list of in-game items for the Uprising update.

More to Come

Along with the skill tree layout changes, we are constantly balancing items based on your feedback and our own findings from our captures and databases. You will notice that some items have changed attributes, including removal or change in color schemes of certain drop-suits and other items.

In addition to this skill system evolution, the Uprising release will bring many more upgrades, advances and balances. In short, you can expect a lot more new content to play with. We are very excited and proud of the Uprising release and we couldn’t have done it without our dedicated beta testers. With all the improvements and new things coming with our next release, there is no better time than now to join DUST 514 and experience the immersive world of New Eden.

CCP Praetorian

The Last of Us development series episode 2: Wasteland Beautiful

ericm@hoge.com — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:02:02 GMT

In our first video in “The Last of Us” development series we took a look at the Infected. We explored their unpredictable nature, what the Cordyceps fungus has done to these humans, and how we as developers worked some plausible science about infection into the game.

Area 5 returned to the studio to discover how we created the game world. The second video in the series looks at what went into the concept and design of the world and its environments in “The Last of Us”. Check it out:

The key word for the development of every aspect in “The Last of Us” is contrast. There’s a counterpoint to nearly every detail in the game and we strive to show as much beauty as the ugly, brutal realities of the world allow. We think you’ll find our wasteland beautiful once you get into the game world in just a couple months.

Our next video in the series will explore the crafting and scavenging gameplay mechanics. An in-depth documentary on the game disc will contain an expanded look at all the content in these videos. “The Last of Us” will be available on PlayStation®3 from 14th June 2013.

“God of War: Ascension” - The online multiplayer mode that offers strategic and exhilarating online battles

raze.lok@sceh.sony.com.hk — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:05:22 GMT

If you have already opened “God of War: Ascension” and are playing hard, have you ever wondered the identity of the mysterious man in jail seen by Kratos when he broke out of a cell in the beginning of the game? After this man was attacked, why did he cry out “Glory be to Olympus!” in a handsome manner and then vanished in a beam of light? Well, you may still be wondering about the identity of this man but let’s now jump to the online multiplayer! Now you know it, don’t you? Right, this man is no other person, but the playable character in the multiplayer online mode!

If you are captivated by the story and battle system of “God of War: Ascension”, then you should never miss the online multiplayer mode. Without the burden of the story setting of the single player mode, the online multiplayer mode comes with a condensed battle system concept. It realizes an impressive and exhilarating multiplayer gaming experience through an interactive cooperation or slaughter among players.

If you want to play the multiplayer mode, find the ““God of War: Ascension” Online Pass” on the back of the user manual inside the package game, select “Multiplayer” inside the main game menu and you will be asked to enter your online pass code. Enter the alphabets printed on the manual correctly, making no mistakes of spacing and capital letters, then choose “accept” and download the online pass on the download screen, go to the next page to return to the main game menu to access Multiplayer.

The online mode is nothing simple at all but is comprehensive. It offers a series of game modes playable with different number of players, including “Favor of the Gods”, “Capture the Flag” , “Match of Champions” and “Trial of the Gods”, allowing a minimum of 1 player and up to 8 players, as well as 2v2 and 4v4 team play.

As the core of the online multiplayer mode, you will have to select which god you would like to pledge your loyalty to when you first enter this mode. The “specialties” of the four Olympian Gods can be grouped briefly as Physical Power (Ares), Stealth (Hades), Magic (Zeus) and Support (Poseidon).

If you immediately go online to study which skill gives you an edge as you finished reading this line, no worries, different allegiance offers different set of stats, magic and abilities, but you can change your allegiance whenever you want later. Each allegiance allows you to accumulate different XP, unlock various skills and equipment. The choice is yours. Points obtained from supporting the allegiance can be used to unlock and enhance exclusive magic, items and relics of that particular allegiance. What you need to note is that weapons and items under the name of the four Gods cannot be used for other allegiance and should be taken into consideration when you level up the weapons.

You can choose to equip whatever skills you like, as well as customize your character with different helmet, upper armor, lower armor and weapon. Apart from the equipments available at the beginning, you will need to find special chests or achieve certain conditions in the game to unlock the others. While equipping your character is important, if you can time well when unleashing different kinds of attacks, you still have a chance to take the risk to become a heartless character that deserves no underestimation.

The stages of the Multiplayer Mode are hidden with ingenious ideas of the development team, such as the teleport locations, traps that can be used as an attacking point when everyone is caught up in a fight; as well as the heavy weapons used for defense in “Capture the Flag” or the floor that falls apart all of a sudden in a certain maps.

Because of the bountiful map elements, even if your battle ability is average, unexpectedly excellent performance is not impossible as long as you make a grasp of the characteristics of the map. In the same way, even if you are not good at close-range battles, but if you manage to take yourself away from the confusion and obtain items such as the Chalice that earns you favour (score) and appears at irregular times; you have the chance to win over and make good scores.

Also, apart from the stages that focus on multiplayer competition, the single play “Trial of the Gods” is highly recommended for those who prefer going solo or want to challenge one’s own limits. Within the time limit of less than 2 minutes at the beginning of the fight, you will have to rely on your own to take down waves of enemies that come in your way to win more battle time, at the same time scratch your head to make good use of items in the stage for a chance to survive. Seeing the character taking on solo brutal battles, unleashing exhilarating and deadly techniques, Champions, if you want to rise and prove yourselves, grab the controller and delve into the multiplayer mode of “God of War: Ascension” now!

More information:

Digital Manual of "God of War: Ascension"

Frequently asked questions on the Multiplayer mode

Dust 514：EQUIPMENT IS YOUR FRIEND

ccpc@hoge.com — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:20:00 GMT

Success on the battlegrounds of “DUST 514” is about more than just who has the biggest gun. Equipment plays a vital part in defining the role you play on the battlefield. Fit a nanite injector to your assault type II dropsuit and you’re a front line medic, resurrecting your fallen team mates. Fit a repair tool and you become a combat engineer, repairing damaged dropsuits and vehicles as well as giving your squad active armour repair during a firefight.

The fondly nicknamed ‘logibro’ logistics dropsuits are of course the kings of battlefield equipment usage. With more equipment slots than any other dropsuit class they can carry multiple equipment types making them incredible useful squad mates. A Logistics A-Series can for example, resupply his squad with nanohives, provide tactical spawn locations with drop uplinks and keep them fighting fit with a repair tool.

It’s been really interesting to see what types of equipment have been the most popular during the Beta so far. In first place we have the ever popular Nano Hive with an epic 106,537,393 units purchased for ISK! Following this we then have repair tools, remote explosives and lastly drop uplinks, but even together they couldn’t topple the mighty Nano Hive having collectively sold 104,913,684 units. If you check out the graph below you can see the relative popularity as well as the massive spike when we opened up the Beta floodgates.

So you know that there are a bunch of new weapons rolling off the New Eden production lines in the next update but what about equipment? Well, we’re planning on reintroducing the Active Scanner. Some of the veteran Beta players may remember it’s rather buggy first appearance (followed by rapid disappearance) last year during the closed testing. We’ve taken some time to retool it’s functionality, add new HUD elements and feedback mechanisms so soon it will be back, new and improved! The scanner is a powerful squad support tool, your enemies will have nowhere to hide as you scan and transmit their positions to your squad mates. I expect to see a rise in the popularity of profile dampener modules once the new scanners roll out as people try to mask their signals.

A-45 Linear Active Scanner

Sending out a triggered pulse of high-frequency magnetometric waves and interpreting the results with an uplinked onboard computer, the Active Scanner gives ground units a snapshot of enemy positions. Projection nodes set at specific angles on the hand-held device, generate a vectored impulse capable of extracting objects from high-noise environments. Feedback from the pulse is filtered to reduce ambient clutter and pinpoint targets lacking IFF signals.

Though the amount of energy required to produce the blast is much greater than its on-board power source can readily generate, the Active Scanner makes use of redundant J-24 micro-capacitors to circulate and build the charge up to the required output. The resulting delay between activations is a small price to pay for the enormous tactical advantage the device provides its user, even considering that the amount of sensor backscatter generated reveals the user to all nearby enemies at the same time it is detecting their positions.

Layered hybrid steel casing prevents atmospheric matter and hostile electronic effects from hampering functionality
Recursive capacitors rapidly transition a small amount of initial charge into the much larger pulse required for scanning
Wireless uplink sends feedback data directly to the TACNET, instantly updating the heads-up-display with enemy positions

So that’s what you can expect in the next update, but what about beyond that? There are two equipment items on the top of our list that we want to get in to the game as soon as we can. The first is a Shield Generator. Ever wished for some cover where there isn’t any? Wish no more, with the shield generator you’ll be able to deploy your own personal static shield bubble. Pretty handy when a ship is dropping bombs on your head from orbit or you’ve been caught in the open by an enemy trying to melt you with a laser rifle.

The second item is a Cloaking Field. This sneaky bit of kit will not only make you (almost) invisible to other combatants, it will also blind turret AI targeting systems. It isn’t perfect invisibility, scanners will still pick you up if you haven’t masked your signal well enough, motion will disrupt the field to some extent and weapon fire will cause the field to shut down. This means it will take some skill to use to its maximum potential. This item is going to be a real game changer, particularly for Scout dropsuits which have been screaming out for stealth gear.

There are quite a few more items on our list as always (one begins with a w) but I think that’s all we’ll be revealing for now.

CCP Wolfman

BEYOND: Official Selection by Tribeca Film Festival

dereko@hoge.com — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 02:30:41 GMT

Two weeks ago, Oscar-nominee Willem Dafoe was added to the cast of “BEYOND: Two Souls”, and we announced pre-order bonuses for North America. Today, we’re talking about how “BEYOND” is blurring the lines between film and gaming – “BEYOND” has been chosen as an Official Selection by Tribeca Film Festival, the first such selection of this kind for a video game.

On April 27th, we will be hosting a screening at the festival where we’ll show a new one-hour scene from the game, debuting a major trailer and a new behind-the-scenes look, alongside a Q&A panel with Ellen Page and director David Cage discussing the way “BEYOND” is pushing the boundaries of storytelling. The entire team here is hugely excited that Tribeca is recognizing the powerful story of “BEYOND”, its star-studded cast, and the stunning visual technology that have contributed to the game’s uniquely cinematic experience. We’ll also be live-streaming the event right here on PlayStation.Blog (US PS Blog).

Earlier this week, 100 journalists from around the world visited Quantic Dream’s studio in Paris for an exclusive “BEYOND” event. In the surrounds of the very motion capture room where Ellen’s and Willem’s performances were recorded, writer and director David Cage showcased several new scenes from the game, featuring both the Jodie and entity gameplay.

Press were shown the Aiden entity gameplay in a scene featuring a young Jodie taking part in a scientific experiment under the watchful eye of her mentor Nathan Dawkins (Willem Dafoe). And then they were treated to a full playthrough of what promises to be one of the most powerful scenes in gaming, which sees Jodie living on the streets, fighting for her life and those of the homeless people around her. David Cage also unveiled the brand new in-game user interface, which provides an even more immersive and seamless experience than the game’s predecessor “Heavy Rain”.

The new user interface allows for promptless contextual control in both general navigation and action sequence controls, while increasing the level of direct control the user has and opening the door for far more exploration than players experienced in “Heavy Rain”. To end the day, press were invited to be the first to play the game, and try out the new UI and gameplay for themselves.

All of the press write-ups should be going live, so keep an eye on the web for their reactions to “Beyond”’s new gameplay from this event.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge coming soon to PlayStation 3

chinss@hoge.com — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 06:53:56 GMT

Today, we are happy to announce that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, the latest chapter in the famous action series, is coming to PlayStation®3, packed with new features, brutally tough challenges, additional playable characters and bonus content!

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge features additional playable characters, a new gameplay mode, a redesigned battle system with enhanced enemy AI, a robust Ninja Skills upgrade system, expanded online features including bonus content, and a host of other features.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge was designed from the ground up to satisfy core action fans with a redesigned battle system, improved enemy AI, the removal of interactive QTE scenes, and the return of dismemberment. Even with severed arms or legs, enemies will fight on and players will find they have to change attacks on the fly to win brutally tough battles - the challenge level leaves little room for error.

The Ninja Skills systems lets players use Karma earned in combat to freely purchase weapon and Ninpo upgrades, feats, and costumes. Adding to the variety of gameplay, Kasumi, Ayane, and Momiji all join Hayabusa as playable characters. Ayane will get her own story mode while all three female characters can be played in the new Chapter Challenge mode and Ninja Trials co-op play with multiple costume options.

Chapter Challenge mode is available with 10 new chapters including all-new Ayane stages. In this mode, players will compete for the highest score possible in each chapter of the story. Six brutal weapons are available throughout the game, including the new Jinran-Maru & Blade of the Archfiend dual swords, Lunar Staff, and Kusari-gama. Additionally, Inferno, Wind Blades, and Piercing Void have been added as deadly new Ninpo.

In the new Tests of Valor challenge, players who find Crystal Skulls hidden in each level will be transported to face off in skill-testing battles with familiar bosses from the NINJA GAIDEN series.

The online features in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge have been greatly expanded, with all the previously paid DLC from Ninja Gaiden 3 available as a bonus. The Ninja Skills upgrade system works online to let players use Karma to purchase 64 customizable features for the Unknown Ninja used in multiplayer Clan Battles.

Supporting up to eight players, five brand new Clan Battle stages have been added. Players can use all of Hayabusa’s weapons and Ninpo in Clan Battles, giving them access to their favorite methods of attack. The number of missions in Ninja Trials has been tripled to a total of 100, and all four playable characters - Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji, and Kasumi - can be used in this co-op mode.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is scheduled to launch at retail on 2^nd April 2013. Stay tuned as we have more information coming soon!

Willem Dafoe to star alongside Ellen Page in BEYOND: Two Souls

rossa@hoge.com — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:12:56 GMT

Last year at E3 we announced the much anticipated title from Quantic Dream, the makers of “Heavy Rain”. “BEYOND: Two Souls” is a psychological action thriller starring Oscar nominee Ellen Page (“Inception”, “Juno”) in the lead role of Jodie Holmes.

“BEYOND” tells the story of Jodie, a young woman who’s known since birth that she is different from everyone else. She possesses supernatural powers through her psychic link to an invisible entity she calls Aiden, and this gift has changed her life forever. In ”BEYOND” you’ll play through 15 years of Jodie’s story, experiencing the most striking moments of her life, in what promises to be one of the most thrilling and emotional journeys on PlayStation®3.

Today we’re very pleased to announce that Ellen will be joined by another Oscar nominee in Willem Dafoe (“Platoon”, “Spider-Man”) who will star as Nathan Dawkins, a government scientist who works with Jodie to analyse her powers.

At a later stage we’ll have lots more to reveal on the interplay between Nathan and Jodie in the game (no spoilers today!), but suffice to say they form a compelling bond and together deliver some of the most unique and powerful scenes yet seen in gaming.

We’ve got a gameplay trailer for you today showcasing an early scene from the game in which Nathan first meets a young Jodie (played by a child actress, not Ellen), and including some sneak peeks at other scenes from the game:

And we’ve got an interview with Willem talking about his role in the game:

Willem’s exciting inclusion in the cast is just the tip of the iceberg for our announcements today though, as we are also pleased to announce that “BEYOND” will be coming to PS3™ October 2013. So we’ll have plenty of news and videos to share with you in the coming weeks and months.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time – Bentley loses it in new trailer

martab@hoge.com — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:29:10 GMT

Our latest Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time trailer sees poor old Bentley losing his marbles. Take a look:

Greetings PlayStation®Blog. We’re only one month away from “Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time”’s 29th March release in Europe. To help you with the wait, developer Sanzaru has put together a fun introduction to the brainiac of Sly’s motley crew - Bentley!

He’s a skilled strategist and tactician, with an uncanny ability to build intriguing gadgets but even Bentley can come unstuck and require assistance.

It seems in his quest to build a time machine - a vital tool to travel back in time and uncover the mystery of the disappearing Thievius Raccoonus and save Sly’s ancestors - Bentley has had to resort to a helpline.

With a phone robot to contend with who knows what will come of the time machine and the fate of the Cooper family’s ancient book of master thievery.

Check out this video to find out more…

The Last of Us Development Series Episode 1: Hush

ericm@hoge.com — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:04:54 GMT

A few weeks ago we revealed the Infected and let select media get some hands-on time against these unpredictable, fungus-infested humans. The responses were tension-filled and fantastic. We’re excited to share more information with you about The Last of Us and the Infected.

Starting with this video we’re kicking off a series that will pull back the curtain on our design, our technology, and our ideas that shape The Last of Us. We want to give you a straightforward look at our development process and the work we do here at Naughty dog. We invited Area 5 to visit the studio and capture the development process. Along the way we’ll be unpacking the many different aspects of the game and its development with a documentarian’s approach.

This first video is just a taste of what’s upcoming. Extended cuts of these videos will be available via the game disc. We’ll have more behind-the-scenes access and content as we march toward June 14 and the launch of The Last of Us.

Hands-on: The Last of Us

sids@hoge.com — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:20:52 GMT

I’ve finally played a chapter from Naughty Dog’s eagerly awaited post-pandemic survival tale, and the first thing I want to say is this: “The Last of Us” is not a shooter. Well, not exactly. Though Joel packs a pistol, you’ll count yourself lucky to be holding more than 10 bullets at any one time. Most times you’ll want to avoid fights by sneaking and hiding. In other, more desperate times you’ll pull the trigger with a feeling of great reluctance -- all the while praying that you don’t miss. The ultra-tight ammo supply imbues the game with a primal, high-stakes tension that brings uncertainty to every decision you make. One thing’s for sure: this is one mess you won’t be able to shoot your way out of.

"”The Last of Us” is not a shooter."

As I guided Joel’s group around the dilapidated fringes of post-pandemic Boston, I saw constant reminders of Naughty Dog’s legendary attention to detail. Step under a trickle of water and Joel will raise his hand to keep his head dry; knock an enemy near a wall and Joel will pin him there to deliver a staggering punch. The environments also bristle with detail. Peer through a derelict car’s filthy window and you’ll see an interior modeled down to the steering wheel and gearshift knob. Shine a flashlight in a dark room and you’ll project your companions’ shadows softly and realistically against the wall and floor. Peek around a corner and you might spy a mouldering poster for “Fever Dream," one of several fictional movie references dotted throughout the world.

With Tess and Ellie taking up the rear, I quietly entered a sagging skyscraper, my exploration accompanied by the ominous groans of tortured steel and a series of unsettling chirps. That’s when I spotted my first Clicker, a late-stage infected human with obscene fungal growths sprouting from its eye sockets. The Clicker is one of the deadliest enemies you’ll face, but it’s functionally blind, relying on a form of echolocation to navigate and hunt its prey. I hurled a glass bottle to distract the monster, then quietly guided Ellie and Tess further into the building, scooping up ammo and supplies along the way.

"Crafting is a necessity, not an optional sidequest."

You'll quickly learn that crafting is a necessity, not an optional sidequest. As you collect spare parts in order to craft gear and weapons, you’ll face tough choices on where to allocate scarce resources. Use a rag now to make a much-needed medkit, or save it for a molotov cocktail -- just in case? You can also combine blades and bindings with improvised weapons (pipes, two-by-fours) to craft a powerful anti-crowd weapon. Or you can opt to make a short-range shiv that can instantly and silently dispatch one enemy. Whichever you choose, the game’s crafting interface provides a wealth of information in a lightweight and accessible UI. Despite the range of options I was able to find and craft anything I needed quickly and efficiently.

Based on the chapter I played, Naughty Dog doesn’t seem to be leaning on jump scares, fakeouts, or cheap tricks to gin up fear. Instead, “The Last of Us” develops a deeper, more oppressive dread by surrounding you with palpable decay and loneliness, turning off the lights and bombarding you with amygdalae-melting audio effects. Creeping through the filth-streaked corridors scrounging for scissors and tape didn’t make me feel like an all-powerful supersoldier, only a desperate survivor fighting to draw another breath. That bleakness permeates and propels the gameplay: No matter how bad it gets, you’re always worried that it’s about to get much, much worse.

Visually, the game is a knockout. The intensely detailed interior nooks and crannies contrast vividly with the massive scale of the outdoor scenes, such as the vine-choked skyscrapers of an abandoned Boston. The control scheme felt natural and intuitive, and Ellie and Tess felt less like advanced NPCs with great A.I. and more like companions on a dark, desolate journey.