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Destiny tops PS4 downloads in 2014
Bungie's Destiny topped the PlayStation Store's PS4 best-sellers list for all of 2014, Sony revealed today. The store's top sellers on the current-generation console don't include many surprises; Grand Theft Auto 5 took the second spot, followed by Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Minecraft and The Last of Us Remastered to round out the top five. GTA 5 was the most purchased PS4 game in the month of December. As for PS3 games, Minecraft led all purchases on the system in 2014 on the PS Store, followed by GTA 5, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Destiny and Battlefield 4. Likewise, the list of top-selling PS4 and PS3 add-ons are a mix of Destiny, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC for the most part; Battlefield 4 Premium and The Last of Us' Left Behind DLC swooped in to the third spot in the PS4 and PS3 lists, respectively. Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment was the highest-selling game last year on the PlayStation Store for Vita. The Bandai Namco RPG was trailed on the handheld system by Minecraft, Killzone: Mercenary, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. [Image: Activision]
The Last of Us: Remastered now bundled with PlayStation 4
The 500 GB PlayStation 4 will now include The Last of Us: Remastered at no additional cost in the States, the PlayStation Blog announced this morning. The new bundle is priced at the console's regular price of $399.99 and it will begin appearing at retail this week. And, yes, The Last of Us: Remastered is excellent, including the Left Behind DLC. The Last of Us also won our Game of the Year award for 2013.
The Last of Us gets weapons, skills, gear in new DLC
Naughty Dog launched add-ons for The Last of Us' online multiplayer Factions mode this week, each piece available for purchase individually or in convenient bundles. The game's new Tactical Weapons bundle ($2.99) features a tactical shotgun, burst pistol, frontier rifle and crossbow, each available for $0.99 separately. The Last of Us' Misfit Head Item pack costs $6.99 and includes eight clothing and gear options for players such as ski goggles and a viking hat, each available at varying prices individually. Likewise, the Risk Management Survival Skills pack ($3.99) includes five new skills that are otherwise $0.99 each. Lone Wolf boosts players that separate from their team, Second Chance grants a bonus health kit to those in danger, Jack of All Trades boosts grab-bag level one skills, Lucky Break increases supply box hauls and the special execution-improving Lethal Efficiency skill. Speaking of which, the game's Special Executions pack costs $2.99 and offers new animation sets for takedowns across nine weapon categories, each one costing $0.99 on their own. Lastly, Naughty Dog introduced two new gestures packs for $2.49 each, with individual gestures going for, you guessed it, $0.99. The developer noted that some of the special execution animations didn't make the cut for the game's PS3 version due to the system's memory constraints. [Image: SCEA]
Sony celebrates Black Friday with GTA5, Batman PS4 bundles
Assuming you're willing to brave Black Friday crowds, the PlayStation Blog has detailed two new PS4 bundles that should help you unwind over the holidays. Both $399.99 bundles include 500 GB PS4s, with their differences lying in included games – the first offers a disc-based copy of Grand Theft Auto 5 and a download voucher for The Last Of Us: Remastered, while the second includes a physical copy of LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and a voucher for LittleBigPlanet 3. The PS Blog notes that both bundles won't be offered for long, so you might have to face that frenzied Black Friday horde if you'd like to pick up either version. [Image: PlayStation]
The Last of Us' GOTY edition hits European PS3s next month
Those that have yet to tag along with Joel and Ellie and would prefer to do so on PS3 will have a fresh opportunity to bash bricks on the skulls of clickers, presuming they live in Europe: PlayStation Blog Europe has revealed that The Last Of Us: Game of the Year Edition will be priced at 39.99 when it arrives on November 11. Game of the Year Edition will include the base game, its Left Behind DLC, eight extra multiplayer maps and Grounded Mode, a single-player difficulty setting that strengthens enemies, removes the HUD and strips the ability to track enemies by sound. There's currently no word on a comparable release reaching North American PS3s, but there's always The Last Of Us: Remastered for PS4. Survival might be gruesome and bleak in The Last Of Us, but Naughty Dog's emotional tale had nothing to cry about during last year's Game of the Year season, where it bested The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons to take home Joystiq's top honors. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us Remastered update adds new weapons, multiplayer battlegrounds
Naughty Dog will launch a title update for the upgraded PlayStation 4 version of The Last of Us today, adding a batch of new content to the game's Factions online multiplayer mode. Patch 1.08 for The Last of Us Remastered introduces the Variable, Scoped Semi-Auto, Scoped Full-Auto, and Scoped Burst rifles, along with a collection of loadout presets and weapon-specific missions. The update additionally lays the groundwork for two new Factions maps premiering later this week. The PlayStation 3 version of The Last of Us will also see a new patch implementing a long list of fixes and balance tweaks, bringing it up to speed with the PlayStation 4 port. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us picks up two new, free maps
Naughty Dog is handing out two new maps for the Factions multiplayer mode in The Last of Us on both PS3 and PS4, the developer announced today. The maps will be distributed for free "in appreciation for all of your continued patience" in regards to issues plaguing the game's online matchmaking. "We know this can be frustrating and the team here at Naughty Dog wants everyone in our community to know that working on this issue continues to be our number one priority," a post from Naughty Dog's Arne Meyer reads on the developer's blog. A release date for the free maps has not been revealed. Although improvements have been made to the matchmaking process in The Last of Us, Naughty Dog says there is still work to be done. Utilizing teams "inside and outside of the studio," the developer anticipates new updates to alleviate further issues will be rolling out "on the short side of weeks, rather than months." A specific date has not been solidified, the blog post notes. "In the meantime, if you find yourself waiting to get into a match, the best thing you can do is exit matchmaking and select 'Find Match' again," Naughty Dog suggests. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us still the remaster of the UK house
Apparently not contented by its six-week run as the UK No. 1 last year, The Last of Us is now halfway to repeating that success in its PS4 guise. Again, in terms of new releases there's little opposition to really strain The Last of Us: Remastered, but three weeks on the trot isn't to be sneezed at, particularly with all those spores about Despite the quiet state of the summer, fantasy action-RPG Risen 3 failed to break the top 40 in its debut week. As such, this week's UK top ten is a very familiar read for regular purveyors of the charts, with Lego, FIFA, Minecraft, Call of Duty, GTA and Battlefield all in the mix. That said, we may see a new No. 1 next week if Diablo 3 catches hellfire on PS4 and Xbox One in the new Ultimate Evil Edition.
July NPD: PS4 leads hardware, Last of Us returns to top software
July 2014 continues the trend of rising hardware sales and declining software sales, according to the NPD, though the software sales charts have seen a shakeup thanks to Sony's Last of Us re-release. "Hardware sales doubled in July 2014 (vs. July 2013), stemming from growth in eighth generation console sales which offset declines in seventh generation console and portable hardware," states analyst Liam Callahan in the latest NPD report. Callahan adds that combined sales of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 after nine months of availability are now nearly 80 percent higher than prior generation consoles. The PlayStation 4 continues to be the top-selling new-generation console for the seventh month in a row. [Image: Sony]
The Last of Us Remastered's Photo Mode helps spawn a beautiful trailer
The Last of Us Remastered's Photo Mode isn't just useful for capturing those little moments of perfectly-framed opportunity, you know. When used to string together a series of 3D portraits set against the game's haunting guitar theme, it can help make a pretty darn good trailer for the game. Thankfully, the situation we've just described isn't hypothetical; YouTube user Grant Voegtle has done precisely that, and you can see the results above. As beautiful as the trailer is, you might want to hold off on watching if you haven't yet played Naughty Dog's romp through post-fungal-pocalypse America, as there are plenty of major spoilers shown. Of course, even if you have played through The Last of Us and know what's coming, sometimes it's worth it to take another trip. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us: Remastered spores big on UK charts
The Last of Us: Remastered, the PS4 re-release of Joystiq's Game of the Year 2013, did exceptionally well in its debut week on the UK charts. Not only was the tale of what happens when athlete's foot goes unchecked the top selling game of the week, but it was also the fifth biggest launch of the year and fourth largest for the PS4 ever, according to Chart-Track. Chart-Track also notes now that school break is in full swing, game sales are up across the board. The top ten remains relatively unchanged, but the Lego Movie Videogame and Minecraft for Xbox 360 and PS3 both saw double-digit sales increases. The top ten can be found after the break.
The Last of Us Revisited: Hearts of darkness
If you're experienced, playing The Last of Us again is not easy. For any PlayStation 3 owners who already marched through the dark recesses of Naughty Dog's post-civilization adventure, you know just how hard it is to play. Ellie and Joel's journey across America, chasing a faint hope for a cure to a decades-old mushroom-zombie epidemic, cannot be described as happy fun times. The peaks and valleys of their friendship are Naughty Dog's most affecting story beats, its desperation-inflected combat and exploration expert lessons in linear game making, but all its many pleasures don't change the fact that The Last of Us is relentlessly grim. Darkness, ugliness, and authentic brutality haunt every hour of the game Joystiq dubbed its favorite of 2013. If you've already played The Last of Us and its downloadable chapter "Left Behind," it's not an essential purchase on PlayStation 4, though it does have its merits. If, however, you're among those newfound PS4 owners who skipped out on PS3 and you're willing to brave an emotional abyss in search of catharsis: The Last of Us: Remastered is the best game playable on the console for a variety of reasons.
PSN Tuesday: The Last of Us: Remastered, Rogue Legacy
The Last of Us: Remastered is out now on PS4, meaning your tears are finally in 1080p (that's how this works, right?). Rogue Legacy is also out on PSN today as a three-way Cross-Buy, making it a one-time purchase of $17 to get it across PS3, PS4 and Vita. Pure Pool is on PS4 as well. Pre-orders for Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition are live now across PS4 and PS3, as are PS4 pre-orders for Madden NFL 15. Vita and PS3 get WRC 4 – FIA World Rally Championship, while Vita picks up Ratchet & Clank Collection, Lego Ninjago: Nindroids and a free game, Treasures of Montezuma: Arena. Persona 4: Arena and a ton of its DLC is on sale, along with Rock of Ages, Zeno Clash 2 and some orbs for Destiny of Spirits. [Image: Sony]
The Last of Us Remastered PS4 bundle headed to Canada
Our brothers and sisters to the north will soon have extra incentive to pick up a PlayStation 4, as Sony announced that it will ship a The Last of Us Remastered-themed PS4 hardware bundle in Canada this week. The package includes a PlayStation 4 console, a DualShock 4 controller, and a digital copy of The Last of Us Remastered for $449.99 CAD. Non-bundled PlayStation 4 consoles retail for $449.99 CAD following a region-wide price increase earlier this year, giving the bundle added value over a standalone console purchase. The Last of Us Remastered PS4 hardware bundle will hit Canadian retailers on July 29. A similar bundle is also slated to launch in Europe and Japan. [Image: Sony]
Watch The Last of Us' Ellie reminisce about pushing around another Joel
Sony's pumping out the promos ahead of The Last of Us: Remastered's launch this week, but a new interview between actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) covers some interesting ground. The best bit is when Johnson talks about recording a heated scene with a different actor going up for the Joel part, giving us a glimpse into how motion-capture can get emotional, and quick. The video also touches on the very enjoyable "alternate" ending - if you've not seen that in full, that footage is waiting for you below the break. The Last of Us: Remastered hits PS4 on July 29 in North America and August 1 in Europe.
Take the shot with The Last Of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode
When things get frantic in action games, the tension can make it tough to appreciate the scene unfolding at our command. The PS4's Share button has helped players capture moments in snapshots for a while, but The Last Of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode will offer extra filters and camera controls so players can really explore a moment and get the perspective they're most interested in. Once the feature is turned on in Remastered's pause menu, Photo Mode can be toggled with a click of L3. In the video demonstration above, the narrator explains that players can "enter Photo Mode any time other than a cutscene, though sometimes you'll be restricted from moving the camera." While repositioning the camera might not always be possible, there are still options to adjust a shot's depth of field, brightness, surrounding frame or color. Vignettes and film grains can be laid over photos as well, to help emphasize the desired sort of mood. Once a composition is complete, tapping the Share button will share the snapshot as normal, with another tap of L3 returning players to actively dealing with Remastered's Clicker problem. Maybe you can grab an exquisitely-gruesome frame of your future brick-on-the-head kills, or catch Joel mid eye roll as Ellie shares another kneeslapper from her joke book. Either way, you can give the photojournalist thing a go when Remastered ventures onto the PS4 on July 29. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Joystiq Weekly: Battlefield delay, Dark Souls 2 DLC review, Dragon Age preview 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. This week hosted a smattering of high-profile release date changes. You thought you'd be playing Dragon Age: Inquisition in October? Nope! Figured you'd prowl through Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor on that same day? Wrooong. What about upholding the law in Battlefield: Hardline sometime in October? Sorry, criminals will go unchecked until next year. We suppose we'll persevere through the frightening uncertainty that is this dose of video game release dates, but we're not sure our frail hearts can handle any more excitement in this crazy life. Actually, we're fairly certain that frailty would combust into a five-story blaze if Destiny or Super Smash Bros. slip out of 2014. There was plenty more to this week than release-date musical chairs, though! There's details on how to get The Last Of Us: Remastered for cheap, when we can next expect Sonic Boom to break our hearts go fast, a review for Dark Souls 2's first bout of DLC, a video preview for DA: Inquisition and much more, all waiting for you after the break!
GameStop offering 50% off The Last of Us Remastered with PS3 copy trade-in
Starting next week, GameStop shoppers can get a steep discount on The Last of Us Remastered for the PlayStation 4 by trading in a copy of the 2013 PS3 edition alongside a pre-order or purchase. Between July 27 and August 2, customers who trade in a PS3 copy of The Last of Us at GameStop will get 50 percent off of The Last of Us Remastered, dropping it to $25 at launch. The Last of Us Remastered includes all content from last year's PS3 version, upgrading the core campaign with a 1080p presentation and bundling a collection of post-release DLC, including the "Left Behind" expansion. The Last of Us Remastered launches on July 29. [Image: Sony / GameStop]
Joystiq Weekly: Doom reboot, Microsoft's layoffs, Sunless Sea 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're happy to hear that Doom is still brewing in the depths of iD Software, but if we're getting spoiled with updates to classics, we wonder if we could get anything else revived if we stir up enough demand. Remember how awesome Bubsy was? What about taking another crack at Altered Beast? What's that, you say? "No and your picks are garbage"? Well then. Lucky for you, this edition of the Joystiq Weekly carries no news of reboots for either series. It does offer a recap of the week's biggest non-fictional stories though, from Microsoft's plans to dismiss 18,000 workers to the latest fighters to take up arms in Super Smash Bros. There are also reviews for the stealth-focused Light and a spooky, exploration-driven journey on a boat called Sunless Sea, plus a WildStar postcard that digs into the MMO's PvP modes. It's all arranged neat and orderly-like for you after the break!
The Last of Us: Remastered includes optional 30fps lockdown [update]
Update: Asked on Twitter if the 30 frames per second (fps) lock indicated any fluctuations from the regular 60fps, Naughty Dog Co-President Evan Wells said, "Not at all. We included it at the request of the purists who wanted the experience as close to the original (PS3) as possible." Original story: Reports this morning confirm new details for PS4 revamp The Last of Us: Remastered, including an option to lock framerate at 30 frames per second. As the PlayStation Blog notes, the polished-up PS4 version of Naughty Dog's 2013 game runs regularly at 60fps and 1080p resolution. Sony's Sid Shuman said he suspects choosing between framerates will "boil down to personal preference," while Eurogamer speculates the option may indicate there's some judder at regular settings. A Game Informer hands-on preview doesn't note whether there are any significant drops. The Game Informer preview provides several other new details. For one, saves won't carry over from the PS3 game to the remastered PS4 version. Similarly, the trophy set is entirely separate, even though the trophies themselves are identical to the original ones on PS3. DLC, however, does carry over to the new version. As revealed previously, the three major released DLC packs - that's Abandoned Territories, Reclaimed Territories and Left Behind - all come as standard with the $50 PS4 game. But Game Informer notes you'll also be able to grab other DLC that you purchased on PS3 and use it in the new PS4 version too.
