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Sony's latest free PlayStation games include 'The Witness'
Just like what Sony promised back in February, it's giving away more PlayStation games this month as part of its Play At Home program — and yes, you still don't need a PS Plus subscription to get them.
Sony is giving away 'Horizon Zero Dawn' and nine other great games
The Play at Home program is ramping up in the coming weeks.
Underwater adventure game 'Abzû' is coming to the Nintendo Switch
Abzû, the award-winning underground aventure game from Giant Squid Studios, is making its way to the Nintendo Switch. The game will be available on the platform starting November 29th. It will sell for $19.99, but you can save 10 percent off by pre-ordering it.
Log off now before today’s Steam’s summer sale leaves you broke
Your wallet is about to get a bit lighter. Or, if you lack self-control, a lot lighter. That's because over the next 13 days games on Steam will be marked down dramatically during this year's summer sale. The first crop includes up to half off the Final Fantasy franchise and 70 percent off underwater indie charmer Abzu. Hyper Light Drifter has been discounted by half as well, and if you wanted to explore Mafia III's version of the Luisiana bayou, now it'll only cost you around $15.
Ocean adventure 'Abzû' gets a glow-in-the-dark vinyl soundtrack
After the recent announcement that soothing underwater adventure Abzû will be heading to Xbox One, fans will soon be able to own its soundtrack too. Composed by Austin Wintory, the man who wrote the music for Journey and The Banner Saga, Abzû's entrancing score will be available to order as a double LP, exclusively through iam8bit.
Abzû's deep sea adventure is coming to Xbox One
Abzû, the best game about exploring the depths of the ocean (sorry Ecco the Dolphin), will get a physical release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this January. It's a beautiful and relaxing adventure, focused on a deep sea diver as he tries to learn more about the world and its complex ecology. The short, atmospheric title is already available through Steam and the PSN store; the big news, therefore, is its debut on Xbox hardware. The game was developed by Giant Squid, a new studio founded by Flower and Journey art director Matt Nava. Consequently, the art direction is stunning -- if you like taking beautiful screenshots, this is the game for you.
Pick up 'Inversus' and other new PS4 indies this August
August is shaping up to be a big month for indie gaming for PlayStation 4 owners, with a smattering of titles hitting next month, like the creative puzzler Inversus. It's headed for the PlayStation Store on August 16th in all its monochromatic glory.
'Abzu': a scuba diving game that's part Zen, part 'Journey'
Abzû, the debut game from game development house Giant Squid, may as well have the subtitle Journey 2 or maybe even Flower 3. Studio founder Matt Nava, the former thatgamecompany art director of those aforementioned art house gaming touchstones, is making yet another emotionally bald, deeply pretty game about communing with nature through fluid controls here. In playing Abzû, though, any cynicism born out of its similarity to Nava's past work floats away like so much foam on a wave. This undersea adventure is immediately familiar, clearly of a piece with Journey's nomadic wandering and Flower's breezy environmentalism. Even in just a brief demo session, though, Abzû is equally transcendent. Of all the games from E3 2015 I got to play at early events, Abzû is the one I didn't want to stop playing. Even in a pre-alpha state, Giant Squid's game makes you feel like you're somewhere else.
Journey composer says new AFM contract won't solve 'intimidation-based culture'
Earlier this week, the American Federation of Musicians threatened Journey composer Austin Wintory with a $50,000 fine for creating music for a video game. Wintory's actions were allegedly in violation of a contract enacted in October 2012, but a new agreement between the AFM and Microsoft is changing the rules, at least for the house that Bill Gates built. Variety reports that effective immediately and until December 2016, Microsoft will be able to use composers who belong to the AFM, so long as they adhere to a scale wage agreement of $300 per musician for a three-hour session. According to AFM president Ray Hair, the new contract "allows the game publisher to record a track, use it for that video game, throughout the franchise and across all platforms for that franchise." Wintory expressed his thoughts on the new contract via Twitter, stating that, "There are DEFINITE problems with this contract but if even ONE session emerges from [the contract] it's a substantial step up from the last two years." Wintory also believes that the contract will not get rid of the "threat and intimidation-based culture within the union." You can listen to the theme Wintory has composed for the upcoming Abzu via SoundCloud. [Image: American Federation of Musicians]
Dive into ex-Journey art director's new game Abzu, only on PS4 [Update: Trailer]
Development studio Giant Squid and publisher 505 Games will take players on a journey underwater for their first game, Abzu. Get it? Journey? Because Giant Squid is the studio formed by Matt Nava, the art director for PS3 hit, Journey. Abzu will arrive exclusively on PS4. The game will also feature the talents and music of Austin Wintory, whose score for Journey earned him a Grammy nod. Update: 505 Games clarified in a subsequent press release, found after the break, that Abzu will launch in 2016.
