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PSN Store Update: Final Fantasy 14, Trials Fusion, FIFA World Cup
It's football, fantasy, and FMX in this week's line-up of PlayStation Store additions for North America, starting with the full launch of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn. PS4 players can hook up with the subscription MMO for $40, or $60 if they fancy some in-game items from the Collector's Edition. You can also transfer a PS3 copy across to PS4 - Amazon has the PS3 version going for $25. Next it's FMX: RedLynx's next attempt to break your controllers is Trials Fusion, and it's the first in the series to arrive on PlayStation. The PS4 game - also available on Xbox One, 360, and PC - adds freestyle tricks to the trademark mix of motocross and puzzle-platforming. The regular game is $20 but if you're wheelie keen for the upcoming DLC, a Deluxe Edition is $40 and comes with the season pass. Speaking of puzzles, the PS4 also gets a few brainteasers this week. Pure Chess and Backgammon Blitz are $8 each - you can get a game-pack stuffed Deluxe Edition of Pure Chess for $15 - and finally, That Trivia Game will set you back That Ten Dollars. Onto to PS3, and football - the rounder, kickier kind. The catchily titled 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is only on PS3 and Xbox 360, and you can score it as a $60 download on the former. Meanwhile, Beyond: Two Souls has been out for a while, but it's also now on PSN as a $60 download. Don't forget, this week's PS Plus freebie is the new Castle of Illusion, and that comes bundled with the Genesis original as a nostalgic bonus. Finally, the Vita has plenty of new releases including Conception 2 ($40, also out on 3DS) and Cross-Buy portable versions of Dead Nation ($8) and Ethan: Meteor Hunter ($10). For the full list of new releases, sales, and Plus discounts, head over to the PlayStation Blog. [Image: Ubisoft]
Dead Nation's zombie hordes take a bite out of the Vita on April 15
Following a 2010 PlayStation 3 debut and a recent PlayStation 4 release, Dead Nation will complete the Sony trifecta by reaching the Vita handheld on April 15. Originally developed by Housemarque (the studio responsible for Joystiq-favorite shooter Resogun), Dead Nation drops players into an ongoing zombie apocalypse. From a top-down perspective, would-be survivors navigate a decrepit city, blasting hordes of ambulatory corpses while collecting health packs, explosives and cash useful for upgrading both guns and a player's armor. Despite the zombies, Dead Nation is best described as an arcade shooter, rather than a horror game, though players should expect to see lots of gore and ominous shadows. On debut, the Vita version of Dead Nation will be available from the PlayStation Network Store at a price of $8, while the game's Road To Devastation DLC will feature a $4 price tag. If you already own the PlayStation 3 version of Dead Nation, you will be able to download the Vita game for free. [Image: Housemarque]
Hinder or help in Dead Nation PS4 streams
The PS4 port of Housemarque's top-down arcade shooter, Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition, will have an interesting feature called "Broadcast+," where streamers can have viewers directly affect their game through a voting mechanic. During certain sections, democracy will be triggered and viewers on PS4 or through Twitch's web site can aid survivors with things like additional ammo or up the difficulty by spawning more zombies. The full "Road of Devastation" expansion, with its supplemental Arcade and Endless game modes, will be included in Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition. A "challenge" mechanic will allow players to set scores and dare their friends to surpass them. Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition sports improved, full 1080p graphics and both local and online co-op. Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition will be a free download for PS Plus members on March 4 and a $14.99 download for basic PSN users. A PS Vita port of the original game is also in the works at an unnamed third-party studio.
March's PlayStation Plus freebies are Tomb Raider, Thomas Was Alone, more
PlayStation Plus subscribers have six free games to look forward to across Sony's three current platforms as part of its Instant Game Collection program. PS4 owners signed up to PS Plus will receive arcade shooter Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition for free this coming month. Three more games will be free on PS3 in March: Tomb Raider, Thomas Was Alone and Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut. Lastly, Vita players will get to add military shooter Unit 13 and beast-slayer Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite to their download queues. Those with copies of Monster Hunter Freedom 2 can transfer their data to Freedom Unite to continue progressing their characters. Penny-pinchers would also be wise to remember the Back to 2013 and Vita anniversary sales Sony is hosting at the moment. The sales offer discounts on games like Hotline Miami, Escape Plan, Flower, Killzone Mercenary, Tales of Xillia, Dragon's Crown, Ni no Kuni and more. [Image: SCEA]
Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition listed for PS4 by SCE Asia
Housemarque is bringing the twin-stick zombie massacre of Dead Nation to the PS4, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Asia. The Hong Kong PlayStation Blog lists the top-down shooter in a new Apocalypse Edition for the PS4, and says it'll be part of March's PlayStation Plus' freebies for the region. Housemarque announced an outsourced Vita port of the PS3 game last year, but this is the first word of it coming to the PS4. Interestingly, Korea's classification board published new Dead Nation ratings today for PS4 and Vita, suggesting the two versions could be released side-by-side. We've reached out to Housemarque to find out what's up. The PS4 launch saw the Finnish studio bring its intense brand of twin-stick action to the new console with Resogun - a PS Plus game itself - but another offering wouldn't hurt. Well, it would hurt the zombies, but they deserve it. Back in 2010, former Joystiq-er Andrew Yoon shelled out a perfect five stars to Dead Nation, lauding its "suffocatingly dense" swarms of undead and its strategically sound local and online co-op. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Dead Nation's expansion gets an expansion today with 'Arcade'
Dead Nation's expansion pack, "Road of Devastation," is about to get a bit less devastating with the addition of the "Arcade" game mode. As the "Road of Devastation" was about surviving against impossible, zombie-filled odds, "Arcade" is about modifying those odds in your favor. That plays out in-game via checkpoint-based revival and the ability to choose a difficulty level (other than "devastating," of course).The Arcade modification appears to be a free update to Dead Nation, but we won't be sure until PlayStation Network updates later today and the content goes live. The "Road of Devastation" content, however, costs $3.99.
Take a stroll down Dead Nation's 'Road of Devastation' today
Housemarque is capitalizing on the audience boost Dead Nation got as a "Welcome Back" game, offering a new DLC package to the recently teeming millions of people who have picked up the top-down zombie shooter. The "Road to Devastation" DLC pack will be out sometime this afternoon (for $3.99) as part of the weekly PSN update. It puts the player in the role of a genetically engineered zombie killing machine at a literal crossroads. "Before long," designer Petteri Putkonen says on the PlayStation Blog, "you'll find your choices have great meaning, you just might find yourself at the crossroads again, but, that time the road you took has been closed, so you'll make a new decision based on the new weapons, items, money and armor (or perhaps score) you'll have by then." With the new environment comes some new environmental hazards you can use against zombies. Industrial saws, pools of water that can be electrified, electric fences, and even automatic turrets can be used to make the undead hordes into un-undead hordes.
Dead Nation welcomes you back with 'Road of Devastation' DLC
Thanks to Sony's post-PSNocalypse "Welcome Back" program, Dead Nation went from being a well-reviewed game (we awarded it a 5/5) to a staple in many PS3 gamer's libraries, with "over 3.8 million" players mowing down "over 11,700,000,000" zombies. So while we're nearly a year past this downloadable shooter's release, there's no better time to announce some DLC. "Road of Devastation" promises "a variety of new tools and equipment" which you'll need to tackle the "new enemies and obstacles you'll encounter in unique new environments." While that all sounds like the usual DLC fare, developer Housemarque teases that Road of Devastation will continue where the original left off ("or, is it actually the other way around ...") -- you wake up in a lab as a product of genetic modification to create the ultimate soldier. Outside the lab you find "a crossroads leading to three different paths, each with their own unique environments, challenges and enemies waiting for you." Only after all that will you "make a startling revelation ..." We'll be honest, all these elipses have us unsettled. What does it all mean? Is this a prequel in which we discover that humanity's been the cause of the zombie outbreak this whole time? Actually, yeah ... we're pretty sure that's what it is.%Gallery-132782%
European PSN releases for July 13
We're going to be straight with you guys: It's not the best week for European PSN releases. There's a trial version of Dead Nation and a demo for PixelJunk Shooter 2, while the poor PSP only gets a handful of Minis. The real highlight of the week is the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII costumes for LittleBigPlanet 2, which should provide you with adequate hours of enjoyment to last you until next week. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Sony's 'Welcome Back' campaign apologizes to distraught PSN users with free games, good vibes
Remember the recent PlayStation Network outage? You know the one, right? It started in late-April and lasted up through this weekend's phased restoration (and continues on for many un-phased users). Well, Sony would like to sincerely apologize for the whole thing the best way it knows how: free video games. The company today announced its "Welcome Back" program, which is letting all existing PSN and Qriocity users in North America pick two of the following games: Dead Nation, inFAMOUS, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust HD, and Wipeout HD + Fury. PSP users, meanwhile, can chose two from LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers, Pursuit Force, and Kill Liberation. You can claim the games at some point in the next 30 days, and once you've downloaded, they're yours to keep. The gesture may well prove too little, too late for many disgruntled users -- but even they'll likely have trouble staying angry at Sackboy's adorable little dirt-stained mug.
Castle Crashers, Dead Nation and more discounted for PSN Spring Fever
PlayStation Network users recently had the opportunity to vote on their favorite of the platform's offerings as part of the PSN Gamers' Choice Awards -- the winners of which would be up for a 30 percent discount (50 percent for PlayStation Plus members). The winners were recently revealed: Best PS3 Downloadable Game -- Castle Crashers (Sale price $10.49, Plus price $7.50) Best PSP Downloadable Game -- God of War: Ghost of Sparta (Sale price $27.99, Plus price $20.00) Best PS3/PSP mini -- Age of Zombies (Sale price $3.49, Plus price $2.50) Best PlayStation Network Exclusive Game -- Dead Nation (Sale price $10.49, Plus price $7.50) The offers go into effect today to kick off the PSN Spring Fever promotion, and will be available until March 14. Other games will be marked down in the following weeks as the promotion continues -- we'll make sure to let you know when another price gets unceremoniously slashed!
Dead Nation patch coming next week, adds voice chat and checkpoint saves
Dead Nation is terrific, but it has one shortcoming that many have considered a deal breaker: It lacks voice chat for online co-op play. That issue will be addressed in a new patch, to be deployed next Tuesday, March 7. The title update will not only add voice chat, but a few other features, including the abilities to save at checkpoints (which should make those challenging final levels a little easier) and to copy save files to back them up. In its post on PlayStation Blog, Housemarque teases "further surprises" will be included, as well.
Dead Nation voice chat coming 'soon'
Saying that the developer "sincerely apologise that voice chat is not available in Dead Nation's online co-op mode," Housemarque CEO and co-founder Ilari Kuittinen writes on the EU PlayStation Blog that the zombie-filled, twin-stick shooter will be updated with the feature "soon," with the team "currently working intensely to introduce it as quickly as possible." While Kuittinen admits in his post that the lack of voice chat is "a major issue for some players," he goes on to say, "we think that releasing Dead Nation has been the right decision as the game is still great fun." We'd have to agree with that last part -- about it being great fun -- but have to wonder how much shipping without such a integral element to online co-op was worth compared to missing out on holiday sales.
European PSN releases for December 1
It's the first day of December, and people across the globe are preparing themselves for holiday festivities. Why not get yourself in the spirit of the season with a few selections from today's PSN update, like Dead Nation? Oh, no, wait. That won't do. What about that demo for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Fatal Conspiracy? Hm, that's not particularly cheerful either, is it? How about you blow up some more dudes in new in interesting ways with that Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage DLC? This ... this is going to be a weird month. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Dead Nation review: It's dangerous to go alone
Twelve hours and 15,000 dead zombies later, I finished Dead Nation. Did I feel accomplished? Yeah, sure. But the feeling that I couldn't shake? Relief. Housemarque's long-awaited follow-up to Super Stardust HD is exhausting, in more ways than one. The body count should be a clue: Dead Nation is suffocatingly dense, truly embodying the term "sensory overload." Zombies will swarm you by the hundreds, and once you've disposed of them -- with bullets, explosives, fire and a giant projectile blade-thing -- their ever-present remains ... remain, serving to remind of the havoc you've wreaked. There's some spectacular tech powering the experience: atmospheric lighting, uncomfortably realistic audio and a subtle attention to detail that's difficult to encapsulate. But, I doubt you'll stop to soak it all in. In fact, you'll be lucky if you can manage a mumbled "wow," as you try to catch your breath after each level. %Gallery-70357%
Super Stardust HD 'pro' joins Housemarque, gets to work on Dead Nation
Described as a Super Stardust "pro," the phenom known as Tlo-Mek has joined Housemarque's team on account of "his gaming prowess." Sony announced the new hire alongside this gameplay footage of Tlo-Mek straight killing Housemarque's impending PSN release, Dead Nation. That's some way to land a job!
Dead Nation debuts on PSN Nov. 30
Dear PlayStation, It has come to my attention that you intend to launch a new downloadable PlayStation 3 game, dubbed "Dead Nation," on Tuesday, November 30 in North America (and December 1 in Europe). Based on what I have read on various video game blogs and e-podiums, the Housemarque-developed game offers the opportunity to annihilate necrotic ne'er-do-wells in a collapsed and imbalanced society. Since this video game has not yet launched, I'm sure there's time yet for you to examine my exciting proposal! Indeed, I hope to correct the imbalance within our own society caused by the cultural overexposure of the living dead, who are now present in television shows, novels, comic books, talk shows and a handful of video games. Isn't it about time you challenged gamers with a worthy foe, and one that doesn't simply covet brains for its nutritional benefits? I'm talking about The B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative (T.B.R.I.). Why pander to your players with pale, unintelligible humans -- with whom they are intimately familiar with! -- when you could send in the: Bugs! Equipped with monstrous mandibles, thrilling thoraxes and loads of legs! Extraterrestrials! They came to boil our oceans, disintegrate our cities and zap our way of life! Aliens! I guess we covered this one! Nazis! History's most hated villains and most reliable, no-strings-attached targets for unrepentant violence! As you can see, the classic monsters have a lot of life left in them, which is more than you can say for zombies, because they aren't alive at all. With your cooperation, we can put them back in the spotlight. If you'd like, I'd be more than willing to consult on your enemy replacement initiative. Everyone at the B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative would be more than happy to introduce bugs into your game, or help German-ate your assets. Kind regards, Leonard K. Trubb -- Outreach Manager The B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative (T.B.R.I.)
Use your braiiiins, watch this Dead Nation upgrades trailer
One of our favorite features of Dead Nation is easily the weapon upgrade system, which helps separate the game from the many zombie shooters on the market these days. See it in action in this latest trailer, which highlights the various ways players can steel themselves before the undead hordes.
Dead Nation preview: Not another generic zombie game
After spending countless hours playing the excellent Super Stardust HD, I was totally excited for developer Housemarque's next PSN title -- until I learned what it was. Dead Nation looked and sounded utterly generic. "Ugh -- yet another top-down zombie blasting game?" I lamented. With Burn Zombie Burn and Zombie Apocalypse already available on PSN, and countless other zombie-themed games and add-ons flooding the market, I begrudgingly dismissed Housemarque's new effort. Having played the first third of the game in two-player co-op, however, I can admit to being wrong. %Gallery-70357%
Dead Nation promises online co-op at launch
Tackling an inexhaustible undead force all by yourself just isn't a wise endeavor. Super Stardust developer Housemarque has announced that its PSN top-down scourge shooter, Dead Nation, will let two players meet in the place where barely human husks lunge violently at any signs of intelligence -- you may know it as the internet. "Originally, online co-op wasn't going to be included as a launch feature, as the schedule and resources didn't allow it," Housemarque CEO Ilari Kuittinen wrote on the PlayStation Blog. "However, after many late night play-testing sessions and long talks with Sony Computer Entertainment, we decided that this was a must-have feature and it would be unfair to you if we launched without it!" You see, Ms. Croft? It's not that hard. "At this point, our coders went from working 12-hour days to working 16-hour days, as well as weekends!" Oh ... well, uh ... this is awkward. Housemarque has yet to announce Dead Nation's launch date, though we know that it will cost $14.99.
