Every month, Sony offers a few PlayStation games at no additional cost to those subscribed to its PlayStation Plus service.
Now, the company has unveiled the three games hitting PS Plus in April.
First off, this month’s PS5 game is the third-person action multiplayer title Hood: Outlaws & Legends. The PS4 version is also free with PS Plus.
Meanwhile, the two free PS4 titles are the platformer SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated and roguelike deck builder Slay the Spire.
All three games will be free through PS Plus from April 5th to May 11th. In the meantime, March’s free PS Plus titles will remain available until April 4th.
A PlayStation Plus subscription costs $69.99/year in Canada.
In related news, PlayStation has finally unveiled its long-awaited expansion to the service, which will retain the PS Plus branding. Launching in June, the updated PS Plus will be broken into three tiers which offer game streaming, classic PS1/PS2/PSP titles, free game trials and more. Read a full breakdown here.
The update includes 4K visuals HDR and improved shadow/draw distances on current-gen consoles, but unfortunately, no 120hz refresh rate support — that feature is “coming in future updates.”
Support for the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller and its adaptive triggers and haptic feedback is also coming in a later update, alongside more visual improvements on the Series X and PS5. It’s also worth noting that the Xbox Series S version of the game is only updated with HDR support.
The Warriors Collection Event will bring next-gen versions of Apex Legends to PS5 and XSX!
PlayStation players: check out the info below to learn how to update your game 👇 Xbox players: no action is needed. Apex will update via Smart Delivery.
The update will arrive on the Xbox Series X/S via ‘Smart Delivery,’ so the latest version of the game should install automatically. On PS5, you need to navigate to ‘Your Collection’ under the Game Library on the console’s dashboard. Next, find Apex Legends, select it and download the next-gen version.
Alongside the update, Apex is also launching a new ‘Control’ limited-time event focused on its 9 vs. 9 game mode that launched back in February.
With Halo Infinite‘s relevance waning due to an extreme lack of new content, I’m strongly considering diving back into Apex, especially now that this new current-gen update has launched.
As I walk through the hauntingly empty and rain-soaked streets of modern Tokyo, which juxtapose nicely with the catchy jingles in the nearest convenience store, I find myself deeply engrossed in Ghostwire: Tokyo. Developer Tango Gameworks, which is based in Tokyo, has clearly recreated its city with loving reverence.
But it’s a feeling of immersion that doesn’t last. All too often, Ghostwire falls back on dated world design philosophies and repetitive combat. That’s a shame, because there’s quite a lot of potential here, and it’s only somewhat realized by the time the credits roll.
Monotonous magic
All of that is even more disappointing because Ghostwire has an exceptionally intriguing start. One day, the bustling streets of Tokyo are suddenly overrun by paranormal entities known as ‘Visitors,’ reducing the iconic city’s population by a staggering 99 percent. As this happens, a young man named Akito becomes possessed by a spirit detective named ‘KK,’ and together, the two must investigate the strange Visitor threat and save Akito’s sister, Mari. While some of these elements might seem spooky, this is not at all a horror game like Tango’s last two The Evil Within titles.
If anything, Ghostwire first comes off as a wickedly cool power fantasy. Thanks to KK, Akito — who you control in first-person — is granted some ethereal magic powers. These are called Weavings and they’re animated with such lively flair that they quickly become delightfully reminiscent of Aang’s bending skills from Avatar The Last Airbender or Dr. Strange’s spells from the Marvel films. Considering that most first-person action games involve guns, it’s commendable that Tango has taken such a novel, otherwordly approach. The problem, however, is that you quickly see that Ghostwire‘s magic is the epitome of style over substance.
Within the game’s first two hours, you acquire three spells — the single-shot, rapid-fire Wind Weaving, the explosive Fire Weaving and the wider-ranged Water Weaving — and these are the only three spells you’ll have for the 10-15 hour campaign. That wouldn’t be an issue in and of itself, except for the fact that the utility of the Weavings never really changes, and the types of enemies — as appreciably creepy as they can be — aren’t that varied. While the fairly basic XP-based progression system lets you improve the efficiency of these moves, their core “shoot ad nauseum” functionality remains frustratingly the same throughout. You do also have a bow and an instant-kill sneak attack, but the environments simply aren’t set up for stealth, so these don’t really prove to be meaningful additions to your arsenal.
What does somewhat elevate the dull combat is the finishers. Deal enough damage to an enemy and you expose its core, which you can latch onto with your “Ghostwire” to yank out. It’s in these moments where the PS5’s DualSense controller goes wild, delivering visceral vibrations as you pull harder. This, combined with the flashiness of your moves and conceptually unique take on first-person combat, made me lament the fact that fighting Visitors wasn’t anywhere near as fun as it looks.
Rewarding discovery… sometimes
Thankfully, Tango is overall fairly more successful with Ghostwire’s various other aspects, albeit with some key caveats. Interestingly, the game’s narrative has the inverse problem of the combat — it starts weak and picks up as you go along. Initially, Akito is a bland, personality-less hero who only talks about rescuing Mari, and because Ghostwire does nothing at first to develop Mari beyond a token damsel he must save, I found myself not caring at all about his quest. KK, at least, had a slightly more interesting backstory, which I enjoyed uncovering over time. And if nothing else, little bits of banter between Akito and KK, such as the former’s infatuation with dogs and the latter’s constant desire for a cigarette, help create an engaging, if superficial, core character dynamic.
Interestingly, though, Ghostwire becomes significantly more story-driven in the final few hours, bombarding you with flashbacks to Akito and Mari’s childhoods and a deepening of Akito and KK’s bond. On the one hand, these feel like “too little, too late,” but on the other, I appreciated the more methodical pacing for emotional moments. If more time was dedicated to fleshing out all of Ghostwire‘s narrative threads, especially its woefully underdeveloped villain, then more of an impact would have been had.
That said, Ghostwire‘s most well-realized character is named right in the title: Tokyo. Indeed, Ghostwire is at its best when you’re just roaming the stunningly detailed city and absorbing it all in. From towering neon skyscrapers and tranquil shrines to dense underground shopping areas and narrow alleyways, Tango’s fictionalized version of Tokyo feels meticulously crafted. You’ll eventually be able to zip up to buildings using winged creatures named Tengu, which hover in fixed locations and, when used in conjunction with your brief gliding ability, open up a nice degree of verticality to the city.
Some higher areas even require a bit of thought in how to ascend them; in one instance, I had to run through a little plaza to get close enough to jump onto a highway with an abandoned bus, which I could then jump off to reach a gondola to begin scaling my desired building.
Meanwhile, little collectibles that you can find, such as wayward souls speaking about their lives or discarded personal belongings, further help create the feeling that this was a city that was once lived in. Sidequests, too, are quite compelling. In addition to being satisfyingly short and sweet at around 20-30 minutes each, they’re also quite diverse in premise. In one instance, I chased a cackling demon through a multi-story complex to help out a grieving lover, while in another, I gave a moaning ghost some toilet paper. They’re by no means groundbreaking, but the way these quests vary in terms of tone, and the wells of fascinating Japanese folklore from which they draw, often made them more compelling than the main story.
If only Tango left you to your own devices during all of this; unfortunately, the developer has a frustrating tendency to stifle your exploration. The chief example of this is the way in which Ghostwire‘s world is structured. Each district of the map is covered in supernatural fog that you cannot pass, which can only be cleared by purifying sets of Torii Gates strewn about Tokyo. Not only is this an uninspired take on the trite “Ubisoft Towers,” but it’s one that frustratingly just makes you fight more waves enemies at each Gate.
Nowhere is this more egregious than in the late-game, in which you’re required to clear a set of one dozen consecutively to open up the final area. What’s more, you’re forced to watch after purifying Gates as the game automatically opens the map and adds markers for points of interest like sidequests, preventing you from naturally discovering these on your own even if you wanted to.
Given that Tango has created such a beautiful world containing surprisingly solid side content, it’s a shame that you weren’t given more freedom to explore. As mentioned before, Ghostwire is at its best when you’re just wandering the streets and picking up the last remnants of society. It’s an excellent sort of environmental storytelling in the vein of Gone Home or What Remains of Edith Finch, a rewarding and atmospheric way to allow you to piece things together yourself. But sadly, you can never fully do that when the game is constantly bombarding you with mandatory Torii Gates and resulting marker pop-ups.
A solid foundation
If I’ve sounded too harsh on Ghostwire, it’s mostly because I’m just disappointed with how Tango’s questionable design choices often do a disservice to its genuinely clever ones. Rarely have I seen such a unique and detailed open-world setting, nor have I come across sidequests that are well-paced and interwoven with rich and lovely folklore. Hopefully, Tango is able to make a sequel that can double down on all of that while providing a stronger narrative and deeper gameplay loop. For now, though, I wholly appreciate that the developer has taken a chance on a new IP, and it’s one that’s still worth playing, warts and all.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is now available on PlayStation 5 and PC to Deluxe Edition members, and will release for everyone on March 25th.
Warner Bros. has confirmed that its highly anticipated Hogwarts Legacy game will launch in holiday 2022.
The release window was given during a new PlayStation State of Play presentation, in which 14 minutes of new gameplay footage were revealed.
Developed by Avalanche Software, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world, action-RPG that lets players create their own wizard or witch, a fifth-year newcomer to Hogwarts in the 1800s. From there, you’ll get sorted into Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and attend various classes, including Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Herbology.
The larger story focuses on the player character, who holds mysterious magical abilities, as they work with Professor Fig to investigate a mounting goblin rebellion. Since the game is set in the 1800s, characters like Harry Potter won’t appear, although Avalanche promises some “familiar faces,” such as Nearly Headless Nick pre-head injury, will pop up.
Outside of all that, you’ll be able to explore Hogwarts’ grounds, including the castle and courtyards, as well as surrounding areas, like Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest. Brooms and Hippogriffs will be available to traverse the outdoor areas. As you explore, you’ll meet new students who can become Companions, who will teach you new spells and unlock their own story threads in a system that is reminiscent of Persona.
Gameplay-wise, Avalanche is promising “dozens” of spells, including Accio, Incendio, Confringo and Reparo. You can also use magical beasts in combat, such as a Mandrake to scream at enemies and stun them.
Outside of the gameplay footage, members of the Avalanche development team offered some commentary on their approach to the Wizarding World. You can see that towards the end of the State of Play.
Hogwarts Legacy is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles and PC.
After a few hours with Ghostwire: Tokyo‘s first two chapters, I’m happy to say the game is off to a pretty good start.
For those unfamiliar, the latest game from Tokyo-based Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within) tells the story of a modern-day Tokyo that sees most of its inhabitants mysteriously disappear as deadly spirits called “Visitors” take over. Amid the chaos, a young man named Akito is bonding with a spirit detective, KK, and together, the two set out to investigate.
So far, the plot itself is unfolding somewhat slowly, with many questions still remaining. All I really know so far is that Akito is looking for his ailing sister, who was kidnapped by the Visitors, while KK himself has a shady past he largely keeps to himself. What this means is that neither character is particularly interesting at the moment, and I don’t find myself yet invested in their personal goals. That said, there’s an admittedly amusing rapport between the two, especially as you explore the city. In one moment, Akito might scold KK for leaving his base messy, leading KK to dryly ask if he’d prefer to clean it instead. In another, KK expresses impatient frustration should Akito enthusiastically stop to pet a dog or shop. (And yes, there’s both English and Japanese audio, the latter of which I’d recommend for the most immersive experience.)
On a broader level, though, Ghostwire‘s setting feels like a character of its own, and its most deeply compelling one, at that. The bright lights of buildings, convenience stores and cars suggesting a lived-in city are brilliantly juxtaposed with the dreary, almost noir-esque rainy aesthetic, creating an engrossing atmosphere, especially in first-person. It’s often creepy, but it’s never outright horror, if you’re someone who gets spooked easily. While the actual graphical fidelity is underwhelming, especially for a PS5- and PC-only title, the universally strong art direction makes up for that. You’ll especially appreciate the views from rooftops, which you’ll eventually be able to access using winged spirits for a nice added layer of verticality.
That said, Tango’s Tokyo manages to be sizeable enough to encourage exploration but not so bloated as to feel overwhelming. Instead, Ghostwire is more so about creating an overall eerie vibe that’s bolstered by a detailed city and delightful collectibles to teach you about Japanese culture. As someone who was fortunate enough to travel to Tokyo for the first time right before the pandemic, I adore how true-to-life Ghostwire‘s rendition feels.
But even removing that, I’m enjoying the game’s approach to sidequests. Periodically, you’ll come across friendly spirits that require assistance, such as cleansing a haunted home or finding out what happened to someone’s sibling. What’s great about these is they’re effectively short stories — 30-minutes-or-less escapades which flesh out both the folklore-inspired supernatural world and Atiko and KK’s personalities. They also net you decent amounts of rewards put towards upgrading your abilities and buying items, which make them fulfilling from a progression standpoint, as well. Chief among these is your collection of displaced innocent souls, which can be converted into XP and money.
Now, if you’re wondering why I’ve spent this long talking about everything but the combat, that’s because it’s Ghostwire‘s weakest element so far. To be clear: it’s by no means bad. In fact, it’s even cool to a degree. Through KK, Akito can use different forms of elemental magic — known here as “Weavings” — to fight off the Visitors. The mix of hand animations and particle effects makes magic look wonderfully flashy, while the DualSense adds a layer of punchiness through satisfying vibrations. From a presentational level, at least, it’s pretty unique.
The problem, though, is that it’s otherwise just serviceable and lacking in depth at present. Sure, it’s neat how each spell so far has its own use case. Wind Weavings are your basic rapid-fire blasts, while Fire Weavings cause powerful concentrated explosions and Water Weavings cover a wider range. Deal enough damage and you’ll expose an enemy’s core, which you can target for instant execution. But as a whole, there hasn’t been much variety in how I actually approach encounters. The enemy types up until this point, while certainly effectively creepy in their demonic, Slender Man-esque appearances, don’t really require any kind of strategy beyond getting blasted with your Weavings. And while there’s a stealth system for quick takedowns when behind an enemy or from afar with a bow, it feels very rudimentary. Hopefully, something expands with the combat soon to give it some substance to go with its ample style.
Because otherwise, Ghostwire is proving quite enjoyable. The core dynamic between the leads is fun, the Tokyo setting is beautifully realized and the sidequests offer gratifying glimpses into a rich culture. Those are the reasons to play for now, rather than the supernatural battles.
I’ll have more on Ghostwire: Tokyo in the coming days ahead of its March 25th on PlayStation 5 and PC on March 25th. In the meantime, there’s a free KK-focused visual novel prequel available on the PlayStation Store.
The Electronic Arts’ studio also detailed how it’s improving original Dead Space’s already excellent audio, including the noise Isaac Clarke’s Plasma Cutter makes, and other notable features like his breathing and heart rate.
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Interestingly, Clarke’s dialogue will shift based on how tired the character is through a new ‘Intelligent Dialogue’ system that features three variations: ‘Normal,’ ‘Fatigued’ and ‘Injure.’
The remake of 2008’s Dead Space was announced last July. The survival horror title is regarded widely as one of the best titles released in the genre. It focuses Clarke’s fight to stay alive onboard a mysteriously empty mining starship called the USG Ishimura.
Though I played Dead Space on the Xbox 360 back when it was first released, beyond its absolutely terrifying enemies and spooky spaceship atmosphere, I remember very little about the title beyond the fact that I really enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to diving into this remake.
The Dead Space remake is set to come to Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC.
Sony’s next PlayStation ‘State of Play’ presentation will stream this Wednesday, March 9th at 5pm ET/2pm PT.
Though it’s unclear what we’ll see during the event, PlayStation mentions that the presentation will feature “new reveals and eye-catching updates for PS5 and PS4 titles.”
In a blog post surrounding the event, Sony says that the keynote will highlight “…great games coming from some of our beloved Japanese publishers, though we’ll have a few updates from other developers located around the world, too.”
Beyond this, Sony also mentions that we won’t see anything related to PlayStation VR2 titles during this particular State of Play.
Similar to past State of Play streams, you’ll be able to watch the presentation on Sony’s Twitch and YouTube channels. It’s likely the live stream will offer a look at Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 16.
Previous events have focused on Gran Turismo 7 and Ghostwire Tokyo.
MobileSyrup will have comprehensive coverage surrounding the event tomorrow evening.
To celebrate the launch of Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West, Sony Interactive Entertainment has set up a Clawstrider in Maple Leaf Square, Toronto. The installation will be set up until March 4.
In Horizon Forbidden West, players experience the latest journey of Aloy as she explores the post-apocalyptic west coast on a mission to save the remaining population. Along the way, Aloy encounters many dangerous machines, including the fast and deadly Clawstrider.
For the next two weeks, fans can travel down to Maple Leaf Square and check out the statue. It’s certainly not hard to miss as it stands at 11.5 feet tall.
The installation is quite fitting. Maple Leaf Square is colloquially referred to as Jurassic Park as it’s the home of the Toronto Raptors. Outside of the pandemic, hundreds of fans will commonly gather and cheer outside the Scotiabank Arena. Now, Jurassic Park is home to one of HEPHAESTUS’ creations.
If you’re unable to make it into Toronto to see the Horizon Forbidden West installation, PlayStation Canada’s Twitter account dropped a little video to check out.
Toronto isn’t the only location a Clawstrider has set up a temporary shop. In addition, Sony has delivered a statue in Dubai, Sydney Moscow, Seoul Warsaw, Madrid, Berlin, New York City, and San Francisco.
Horizon Forbidden West is currently available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. SIE is partnering with WWF-Canada and donating $1 from each copy sold in Canada.
Despite Cyberpunk 2077 being a near-absolute mess when it was first released back in 2022, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has continued to support the beleaguered open-world title with several patches.
However, the game’s anticipated current-gen Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 update hasn’t yet appeared, though it seems that might change soon.
So, choom, how 'bout a date? We'll talk things, y'know.
Back in October CDPR delayed all fixes and free DLC for Cyperpunk2077, stating that a “major update” would arrive in 2022 alongside its current-gen/next-gen “enhanced” update. Fast-forward to now and the developer revealed in a tweet that it’s set to make an announcement on Tuesday, February 15th at 10am ET/7am PT.
Adding to this rumour, Cyberpunk 2077 now shows up as “optimized” on the Xbox Series X/S, and a PS5 edition of the title appeared on Sony’s PlayStation Network back in January. The enhanced update also seems to already be hitting some players’ consoles.
Cyberpunk 2077's 40GB update for Xbox Series X/S already seems to be going live for some players.
While I've already snagged the 1000GS, I'm interested to jump back in and see how it'll run on my Series X. https://t.co/8MIDYPqPHy
The enhanced update will be free to anyone that already owns the Xbox One/PlayStation 4 version of the title. CDPR is also expected to release an upgraded version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for the Xbox Series X/PlaySation 5, though it likely won’t release until Q2 2022.
Microsoft has confirmed that it plans to continue developing Activision franchises for PlayStation platforms.
In a recent blog post focused on upcoming changes to its store likely tied to regulatory restrictions surrounding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the tech giant cites Call of Duty as an example of a series that will be on PlayStation “beyond the existing agreement and into the future.”
“To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision,” says Microsoft. “And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love. We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.”
Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s head of all things Xbox, has previously stated that the company will honour existing publishing agreements, but this is the first definitive information we’ve seen regarding future plans. Previously, there was a widespread belief that the series would go exclusive to Xbox and PC following 2023. Rumours surrounding the Call of Duty series indicate that Modern Warfare 2 will release in 2022, while Call of Duty: Warzone 2 a new unknown Call of Duty title will drop in 2023.
Microsoft also mentions that it plans to continue supporting Nintendo hardware, and says that it won’t force PC users to purchase games through its own app stores.
“While change is not easy, we believe it’s possible to adapt to new rules and innovate successfully. And we believe it’s possible for governments to adopt new tech regulation that promotes competition while also protecting fundamental values like privacy and national and cyber security,” writes Microsoft.
