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Bloodborne to tear up Japan in February 2015 [update: trailer]
From Software's Bloodborne will launch in Japan on February 5, 2015, Sony announced at this morning's pre-Tokyo Game Show conference. There's no further news as yet on when it will launch internationally. Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida revealed the game's limited edition will include an artbook and soundtrack over in Japan. For more on the new terror from the Demon's Souls and Dark Souls studio, check out our hands-on from Gamescom.
Dark Souls 2 DLC still locked for EU PS3 season pass holders [update]
Update: Perhaps we're a lucky charm. Shortly after this post went live, users on the game's Facebook page began reporting the DLC issues are now resolved, and PS3 pass holders in Europe can download the content for free. Bandai Namco's yet to confirm that officially. Original Story: European PS3 season pass holders for Dark Souls 2 are currently unable to unlock content they've already paid for, despite it being available for everyone else. The second of a trilogy of DLC, Crown of the Old Iron King, launched this week with no hitches on PC and Xbox 360, but for EU owners of the PS3 pass it shows up as requiring purchase. This may seem like another of the game's nefarious lateral challenges, but the only solution at present is to buy the DLC, which is a pretty terrible solution since you've already ponied up the cash. Bandai Namco apologized for the error and warned PS3 pass holders to not purchase the content while it tries to fix the problem.
Bloodborne has Dark Souls in its veins
When Sony showed us Bloodborne at E3, it was like that disconcertingly racy feeling of seeing someone you really like and then realizing it's their younger, even more attractive sibling. It looked like a Souls game, albeit one even deeper into a goth phase, but bits and pieces felt weirdly unfamiliar. After putting hundreds of hours into three such similar games, it was surreal to sense the shifts in something that clearly has its roots in the Souls series, even if it doesn't share a surname. I think what I needed was hands-on time, and that's what I got at Gamescom, even if it was for just 15 minutes. Once I picked up the DualShock and navigated the shadowy hero along the game's cobblestone alleys, things began to click. It was like stepping into a pair of your favorite shoes, but using them to ride a brand new bike. While wielding a shotgun.
Dark Souls 2 Crown of the Sunken King DLC floats new imagery
Publisher Bandai Namco has issued a deluge of new screens from the first chapter of From Software's planned Dark Souls 2 DLC trilogy, officially dubbed "Crown of the Sunken King." Though producer Takeshi Miyazoe originally claimed From had no plans for Dark Souls 2 downloadable additions, the developer changed course following the game's success at retail. When Crown of the Sunken King debuts on July 22, it will reportedly transport players to a wholly new realm "where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Each chapter of the DLC trilogy will be priced at $10 on release. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Going deeper underground with Dark Souls 2 DLC
If the opening half-hour is any indication, the Lost Crowns DLC takes what you learned in Dark Souls 2 and throws it back at you with a slight curveball spin. I'm loathe to spoil much - half the fun of a Souls game is discovering it for yourself - so I'll keep things brief. The E3 demo started me in Shulva, an underground, barren burgh seemingly just a bridge-suspended-over-an-abyss away from the dwarven mines of Moria. I had little time to appreciate the architecture because within seconds of descending the first rocky staircase I'd woken up a slumbering skeletal knight. He as a sole enemy wasn't tough to outflank and backstab. Of course, it's never that simple with Dark Souls 2.
Bloodborne is the PS4's darkest, bloodiest new game
Seeing Bloodborne behind closed doors, it was evidently clear this once beastly project has its roots in the developer's lauded Souls series. From Software may be approaching the PS4-exclusive action-RPG as an original property, but in that hands-off demo, differences and similarities were both patent. In short, Bloodborne felt both familiar and unfamiliar. For example, killing enemies produced a familiar sucking noise indicating something gained, but it wasn't shown if this was experience, souls, or whatever. There were glowing lights floating in their corpses, but it wasn't clear if these were items to be picked up. Entrances were engulfed in white light, enemies burst into view through barrels, the camera sat familiarly behind the hero - who's customizable, by the way - and the combat looked methodical and strategic. As director Hidetaka Miyazaki explained, the three major layers From wants in Bloodborne are exploration of the unknown, truly perilous combat, and a unique online concept. You could easily attribute those qualities to any Souls game.
Dark Souls studio cuts open a new, dark IP, 'Bloodborne' [Update: trailer]
Dark Souls studio From Software and director Hidetaka Miyazaki are working on Bloodborne, a dark fantasy game due out in 2015 and "only on PlayStation" according to the end of a trailer shown at Sony's E3 conference. The PS4 action-RPG appears to be Project Beast, a grisly long-rumored game that surfaced in video form late last month.
Dark Souls 2 kills you again with 'The Lost Crowns' DLC
The story of Dark Souls 2's 'The Lost Crowns' DLC couldn't be more suited to the franchise. Developer From Software started off by saying there wouldn't be any DLC, giving players a nice sense of security. Then, the studio backpedaled, hinting that DLC could happen, depending on fan feedback. And now, the DLC has jumped from the shadows to crush players not once, but three times in what Namco is calling a "DLC trilogy" slated for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. All told, players will be able to download three new chapters by the end of the summer and, yes, Namco is selling a season pass – starting today on Steam (and on PSN in Europe). The Lost Crowns will see players "on a journey to reclaim the crowns that Drangleic's King Vendrick once owned." The first chapter, "Crown of the Sunken King," drops on July 22, taking place in "an entirely different world within the Dark Souls 2 universe, where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Crown of the Sunken King will be followed by "Crown of the Old Iron King" on August 26 and "Crown of the Ivory King" on September 24. Separately, each chapter will run $10, while the $25 season pass will grant access to all three chapters as they are released. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Rumor: From Software's Project Beast emerges in video form
Speculation is mounting over a rumored From Software game codenamed Project Beast, after what appears to be gameplay footage hit the web today. The video, spread over four separate clips (combined into one above), tallies with screenshots posted a few weeks ago. The clips bear an obvious likeness to the studio's Souls games - minus the shotgun, that is - suggesting we could, perhaps, be looking at the next entry in the action-RPG series. However, From Software hasn't announced a new Souls game nor has it announced it's working on something called Project Beast. So far, the evidence for Project Beast remains limited to the clips and screens posted this month, so take what you're looking at with a great big grain of salt. Fans are clearly excited for a new Souls entry, and while we'd expect From to be working on one, this may not be it.
Demon's, Dark Souls director takes over as From Software president
From Software employees are pledging their souls to Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of the first two Souls games and now the studio's new president. Miyazaki, who only acted as a supervisor on Dark Souls 2, takes over from industry veteran Naotoshi Zin who in turn is taking on a new advisory role. While the exact reasoning for the reshuffle is unclear, it's probably tied to From Software's acquisition by Kadokawa Corporation last month, especially since the transfer was formally concluded today. Kadokawa's known in Japan for its extensive manga library but in recent years it's dipped further into the gaming market, publishing Suda51's Killer is Dead and Lollipop Chainsaw and developing games like Natural Doctrine and Demon Gaze. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 ships 1.2 million to West in first three weeks
Death factory Dark Souls 2 shipped out 1.2 million copies to North America and Europe in its three weeks at retail. From Software's action-RPG launched in early March, just ahead of Bandai Namco's fiscal year-end, so the shipping figures published today are as of March 31, 2014. That means they don't include last month's PC release, nor do they include sales in Japan because From self-published the game over there. With all that in mind, the third Souls game is showing good progress compared to its direct predecessor; Dark Souls took around a month to ship 1.5 million units worldwide. Around this time last year, From revealed total Dark Souls sales had risen to just under 2.4 million. Looking at Bandai's Namco's end-year report, Dark Souls 2 was Bandai Namco's strongest software performer across the 12 months, although Vita and PSP entry God Eater 2 proved a strong hit in Japan with 700,000 units shipped. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z shifted 620,000 units worldwide, while JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle hit 500,000 units ahead of its Western arrival last month. Bandai Namco's retail and arcade games contributed 155.5 billion yen to net sales, which converts to around $1.5 billion, and the company expects to hit similar numbers this fiscal year. Overall, Bandai Namco posted a net profit of 25 billion yen ($246 million), although that is down 22.6 percent year-on-year. However, the company expects that figure to rise by 11.8 percent for the coming fiscal year. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Joystiq Weekly: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Child Of Light, Xbox Originals and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. We'll be able to get a social-oriented sci-fi fix in Destiny later this year, complete with flashy superpowers and an arsenal of weaponry that further convinces us of how awesome the future will be. And with Mass Effect undoubtedly coming along and the whole Star Wars thing, it feels like a pretty great time to be a sci-fi fan. Whether you want to watch a saga play out or guide its progression, you'll probably have some great choices consuming your life in the near future. Of course, it's possible that the collective sci-fi genre bores you, which is why we brought you this fresh edition of the Joystiq Weekly. Yes, there's a slew of Destiny-flavored video content, but there's also a glimpse of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, reviews for Child of Light and Mario Golf: World Tour, and an exploration of Microsoft's original content plans for Xbox. You can read up on these stories and more after the break!
From Software acquired by Japanese publisher Kadokawa Corporation
Dark Souls and Armored Core developer From Software is to become a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, after the Japanese publisher announced its acquisition of the studio. According to a report by GameBiz.jp, Kadokawa will conclude the transfer of 80 percent of the company's shares from former shareholder Transcosmos on May 21. Kadokawa Corp. is best known in Japan for publishing manga for the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Mobile Suit Gundam. However, its Kadokawa Games subsidiary, formed in 2009, is a growing force in the Japanese gaming market. The studio published Suda51 titles Killer is Dead and Lollipop Chainsaw in Japan, and it also has a hand in development, most recently with RPGs Demon Gaze and Natural Doctrine. In a press release (translated by CVG), Kadokawa Corporation said, "We are planning to expand our position in this business with both Kadokawa Games and From Software. We have planned a series of discussions aimed at cooperation: expanding and developing both companies while taking advantage of their areas of expertise." As Gematsu notes, the publisher expects From Software and Kadokawa Games to benefit from the move, with the studios sharing expertise and resources to bolster development. It's too early to tell what the full implications of the acquisition will be for From Software, and for its headline series of Souls games. This time last year, the studio announced more than 2.3 million sales of Dark Souls, and it'll no doubt hope to better that number with the recent release of Dark Souls 2. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 PC trailer collects cutscenes, foreshadows your demise
A better looking and performing version of Dark Souls 2 arrives for PC users on April 25. The latest trailer collects moments from the game's cutscenes, giving you a taste of all the areas you'll likely die in.
UK boxed copies of Dark Souls 2 PC delayed by a week
Bandai Namco UK revealed it's pushed back the PC disc version of Dark Souls 2 to May 2, but the action-RPG will remain available to download in the territory starting April 25. In a statement provided to Joystiq, the publisher made it clear the delay only affects physical copies in the UK - don't worry, PC players elsewhere, you'll get to praise all the suns you want next week. "It will be delayed unfortunately and we apologize to UK customers," a Bandai Namco rep told Joystiq. "This is due to a manufacturing issue with packaging. To confirm, this will only affect the UK boxed launch." [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 players aren't dog people, 110 million 'stray hound' kills
The "Stray Hound" is the foe Dark Souls 2 players are murdering the most, as revealed by the new Enemy page on the game's Beyond the Bonfire stats site. Between them, Xbox 360 and PS3 players have to date felled just over 110 million of the vicious canines, while the various varieties of hollow and royal soldiers also rank highly on the Most Dead-ed list. If the soldiers were grouped together they'd no doubt place higher, but they're differentiated by the weapons they're wielding. The question is, who's died more: Stray Hounds or Dark Souls 2 players? It's not even a contest. Players deaths are now past the 248 million mark, just over a month after From's devilish action-RPG hit PS3 and Xbox 360. With the PC port due to arrive on April 25, the billion milestone for combined deaths can't be far away. So, who are the real stray hounds in Dark Souls 2: the dogs or the players, hmmmmmm? Well, it's the dogs. 'Cos they're dogs.
Dark Souls 2 PC: Dying often and leaving a prettier corpse
From Software's efforts to bring Dark Souls to PC in 2012 should have been met with excitement: A version of the cult hit for the "PC master race"? Praise the sun! Unfortunately, a combination of From Software's inexperience working on the platform and the game's last minute jump to PC led to an ugly port, which was devoid of even the simplest graphical customization options. It was a barebones port, which is all that Namco Bandai originally promised. For Dark Souls 2, Namco Bandai promised "increased texture resolution and an enhanced frame rate option." The details are included in the PC version, I learned after spending some time with the port this weekend. The video options don't dive as deep as PC gamers often desire, but the upcoming version of the game does offer increased stability. While textures look sharper, however, Dark Souls 2 for PC isn't a colossal graphical leap ahead of the console versions already available.
Titanfall helps the Xbox One almost double weekly sales in the UK
The Xbox One saw UK week-on-week sales jump by 96 percent alongside the arrival of Titanfall, with the game's bundle accounting for 70 percent of the hardware shifted. It's no surprise, then, that EA's multiplayer shooter went top of the country's sales charts, despite a valiant effort from Dark Souls 2. Namco brought Demon's Souls to Europe almost a year after Atlus released it North America, and it debuted sixth in the UK charts back in June 2010. A year later, Dark Souls landed in third, and its sequel went one better with a 20 percent rise in UK sales over its predecessor. Not a bad performance for the action-RPG series, especially since at one stage it looked uncertain to even reach Europe. Looking down the UK charts, a month that's been packed with new releases meant there wasn't enough space in the top ten for Yoshi's New Island. The 3DS game placed 12th. [Image: EA]
'Stiq Tips: A Dark Souls II guide
The Dark Souls franchise can be a very unwelcoming host. Although all of the tools are there for success, not everyone has the patience to truck through all of the horrors that await, or cope with bundles of lost experience points. But fear not -- you can make it with some help. [Warning: this guide contains light, non-story related spoilers regarding some of the early events in the game.] In addition to the spoiler warning, I really have to start with this caveat: I strongly encourage you to play as much as possible without the use of any reference materials, as part of the allure of these games is to discover and conquer everything on your own. That said, I'd rather bring people into the game than push them away by leaving them to their own frustration, so here are some strategies to help take some of the edge off your frustration.
Dark Souls 2 review: Death becomes you
While others punish mistakes with a wagged finger, the Souls games punch you in the ribs, rob you of your clothes and scamper cackling into the darkness. Making progress only to have it snatched from you, dying over and over, and a world teeming with despair and hopelessness – these are the things that define From Software's action-RPGs. While they combine into a fine form of sadomasochism, it's far from a simple one. There's more to Demon's and Dark Souls than tough enemies and a bleak landscape, and it's these subtle but sturdy foundations that make overcoming the games so satisfying. Dark Souls 2 underlines this, but not for all the right reasons. It tries harder than any Souls game before it to be inviting to new players while still appealing to veterans, and the end result is an adventure that's demanding, thrilling, and all-consuming, but always a shade short of special. The disappointment in Dark Souls 2 is relative, though, and there's enough here to satisfy players returning to die, if not truly satiate them.
