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The DualShock is dead as Sony unveils brand new DualSense controller for PS5

Sony has flirted with discontinuing the venerable DualShock line of controllers before, most notably when the PS3 made its public debut alongside the “Boomerang” controller. But despite occasionally stepping towards the road not taken, the consolemaker has always turned back towards the DualShock design.

But there’s a first time for everything, so say hello to the DualSense, the official controller for the PS5.

Tossing aside the DualShock design for something that should look more familiar to Xbox One players, the DualSense has been rebuilt to feature adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and a two-tone color scheme:

After thoughtful consideration, we decided to keep much of what gamers love about DualShock 4 intact, while also adding new functionality and refining the design. Based on our discussions with developers, we concluded that the sense of touch within gameplay, much like audio, hasn’t been a big focus for many games. We had a great opportunity with PS5 to innovate by offering game creators the ability to explore how they can heighten that feeling of immersion through our new controller. This is why we adopted haptic feedback, which adds a variety of powerful sensations you’ll feel when you play, such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud. We also incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of DualSense so you can truly feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.

This provided us with an exciting challenge to design a new controller that builds off of the current generation, while taking into account the new features we were adding. For example, with adaptive triggers, we had to consider how the components would fit into the hardware, without giving it a bulky feeling. Our design team worked closely with our hardware engineers to place the triggers and actuators. The designers were then able to draw the lines of how the exterior of the controller would look and feel, with a challenge of making the controller feel smaller than it really looks. In the end, we changed the angle of the hand triggers and also made some subtle updates to the grip. We also took thoughtful consideration into ways to maintain a strong battery life for DualSense’s rechargeable battery, and to lessen the weight of the controller as much as possible as new features were added.

Slightly less noticeable is the repositioned Light Bar (it now sits under the Touchpad on the front of the controller) and the renamed Share button (the three lines symbolize that it’s the Create button now).

You can learn more about the DualSense controller at the PlayStation Blog.

Posted in News, PS5 |

HyperParasite is an 80s-set overhead shooter where you play as a body-snatching alien

If cinema has taught us anything, it’s that the body-snatching alien is always the bad guy. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about John Carpenter’s The Thing, Philip Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty, or dozens of other films, the slimy alien must be destroyed.

But what if we’re all wrong? What if this body snatcher is actually just fighting to survive? That’s the premise behind Troglobytes Games’s HyperParasite, an overhead shooter that drops an alien who can jump bodies into a punk-infused version of the 1980s.

In addition to giving the President an eye patch, HyperParasite will feature more than 60 playable characters, as well as a procedurally-generated world spread out over five Acts:

A rogue-lite twin-stick shooter/brawler that never plays the same twice. Collect and control 60 different characters as the body-snatching alien Parasite with a grudge against humanity. Fight to the top of the food chain: possess the President, push the Big Red Button and one-up the human race.

OK, so the Parasite doesn’t exactly sound like a good guy, but it is the star of HyperParasite, which is now available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. And you can sneak a peek at its neon-infused visuals in the brand new Launch Trailer embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One |

Viz Media will publish Super Mario Bros. Manga Mania compilation in Late 2020

Viz Media and Nintendo are teaming up to release the Super Mario-Kun manga series in the US for the first time.

Published in Japan’s CoroCoro Comics magazine since 1991, Super Mario-Kun will make its stateside debut as part of Super Mario Bros. Manga Mania, a 160-page compilation of “handpicked” story arcs from throughout its 30-year run:

Experience the zany world of Super Mario Bros. through manga!

Join Mario and pals in crazy adventures inspired by the hit video games! This collection of short stories showcases the fan-favorite characters of the Super Mario Bros. world in new, unconventional and hilarious ways. Handpicked from years of Mario comics in Japan, this compilation has never been available in English—until now!

Writing on Twitter, a spokesperson for Viz Media said that Super Mario Bros. Manga Mania would be available in Late 2020.

Posted in Etcetera, News, Retro | Tagged

The Last of Us Part II and Iron Man VR have been delayed indefinitely

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II was already hit with a pretty significant delay once before (it was moved from February to May late last year), but now it’s been delayed again.

This time, publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment announced (via Twitter) that the game won’t be available as planned, and no new release date will be announced for the time being because “the global crisis is preventing us from providing the launch experience our players deserve.”

A followup message from Naughty Dog (also posted to Twitter) elaborated somewhat on Sony’s decision, stating that the delay is due to “logistics beyond our control.”

While neither entity is being particularly straightforward, the likeliest explanation is that coronavirus-fueled shipping disruptions and store closures have made it impossible to predict when enough copies of The Last of Us Part II can be delivered to meet the sure-to-be-massive demand.

In the same announcement, Sony confirmed that the slightly-lower-profile Iron Man VR will also miss its previously-announced Launch date of May 15. Like The Last of Us Part II, it too has been delayed indefinitely.

Posted in News, PS4 | Tagged

The Outer Worlds is coming to the Switch on June 5

The Switch debut of Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds was one of the first games whose development was disrupted by the pandemic currently gripping the globe. Publisher Private Division had recruited Virtuous to bring the game to Nintendo’s console, but back in February, they temporarily shut down operations to protect their employees from possible exposure.

That brings us to today, and Obsidian has announced (via their official website) that The Outer Worlds will be released for the Switch on June 5:

We wanted to share an exciting update that we plan on launching The Outer Worlds for the Nintendo Switch on June 5th, 2020. As we prepare for another arrival of new colonists, we have some very important information for those making this journey, specifically for you colonists who prefer your goods in physical form: The retail version The Outer Worlds comes on a physical cartridge, and it will be accompanied by a day one patch that could be up to 6 GB. This patch will optimize gameplay, provide additional hi-res textures, and include other fixes to provide the employees of Halcyon with the best gameplay experience. Please ensure you have planned accordingly and have available space necessary for the patch.

In the same announcement, it appears that players who opt to purchase the Retail Edition of The Outer Worlds will need to download an additional patch to optimize the game on the Switch.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered is now available to download for the PS4

Chatter about the looming launch of the heavily-rumored Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered has been steadily making its way around the Internet this past week. Originally released in 2009, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the franchise’s most-celebrated entries, so fans were decidedly excited about the news.

So rather than make them wait any longer, Activision pulled the trigger this morning and announced that Modern Warfare 2 Remastered is now available to download for the PS4. PC and Xbox One owners will get their chance to begin playing the re-release on April 30.

Developed by Beenox, fans can now experience Modern Warfare 2’s Campaign with some very modern graphical upgrades, including support for HDR and up to 4K resolution:

Published by Activision, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered features improved texture resolution and detail, revamped animation, remastered audio, and much more.

In this famed experience, originally developed by Infinity Ward and now re-mastered by Beenox, players enlist as members of Task Force 141 and Tier 1 Operatives in a breathtaking series of missions to save the world from destruction. “Cliffhanger,” “Takedown, “No Russian,” and more all return in this intense story experience.

“Modern Warfare 2 campaign was incredible. We all remember the lasting impression the story left upon us. This campaign was very special and we thank Infinity Ward for creating such an amazing experience,” said Thomas Wilson, the Co-Studio Head at Beenox. “Restoring and remastering this campaign for a new generation of players was a labor of love for our team. We wanted to make sure that the feelings and power of the story was accurately represented with full high-definition visuals and the latest audio fidelity.”

A Launch Trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered has been embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Minecraft Dungeons will launch a little later than expected on May 26

Mojang has announced (via Twitter) that Minecraft Dungeons will miss its previously-announced April 2020 release date. But fans won’t have to wait too much longer to play it, as the developer later penciled the dungeon-crawler in for a May 26th launch on the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

Minecraft Dungeons will be available in a game-only edition ($19.99), as well as a special Hero Edition ($29.99) that includes a few extra in-game goodies (a Hero Cape, two additional Player Skins, a and Chicken Pet). The Hero Edition will also come packed with the Hero Pass, which will give players access to two post-launch expansions when they’re ready.

Fight your way through an all-new action-adventure game, inspired by classic dungeon crawlers and set in the Minecraft universe! Brave the dungeons alone, or team up with friends! Up to four players can battle together through action-packed, treasure-stuffed, wildly varied levels – all in an epic quest to save the villagers and take down the evil Arch-Illager!

Minecraft Dungeons will also be available to download through Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription on both the PC and Xbox One at launch.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged

Square Enix is working on an “upgraded version” of Nier for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Square Enix’s Nier is nearing its tenth anniversary, and the publisher has decided to celebrate by announcing that an “upgraded version” of the action RPG is currently in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

The re-release will be developed by Toylogic and fans will be happy to learn that it won’t stray too far from the franchise’s trademark sense of weirdness, as it’ll officially be known as Nier Replicant Version 1.22474487139… (and yes, the ellipsis is part of the title). Yoko Taro will return to direct the upgrade, and he’ll be joined by producer Yosuke Saito and composer Keiichi Okabe:

Nier Replicant is the prequel of the critically acclaimed success NieR:Automata.

Nier Replicant Version 1.22474487139… invites players into a dark, apocalyptic world as they join a brother’s captivating quest to cure his sister of a deadly disease – a quest which will in turn make them question everything.

Square Enix made some changes to Nier when it was originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 back in 2010, swapping out the game’s teenage protagonist for an older man and changing the relationship between the two characters at it’s center from brother/sister to father/daughter. But with Nier Replicant Version 1.22474487139…, it looks like we’ll finally get the chance to experience the game as the developers originally intended.

We don’t yet know when Nier Replicant Version 1.22474487139… will be released, but a 2020 launch seems likely.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One |