PlayStation.Blog |
- Auto Chess Season 12 arrives May 31, with new Chess Pieces, 4v4, and more
- Share of the Week: Challenges
- Returnal: the making of that unforgettable Hyperion fight
- Weaving replayable tales in the Griftlands, out on PS4 June 4
- How co-op came to Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, out on PS4 June 1
- How Han Solo’s adventures were adapted into Star Wars Pinball VR’s newest table
- Genshin Impact Version 1.6: Go wild in a midsummer adventure
| Auto Chess Season 12 arrives May 31, with new Chess Pieces, 4v4, and more Posted: 28 May 2021 09:30 AM PDT Get ready to make your move. Auto Chess Season 12 arrives May 31, along with new Chess Pieces, a new Race, and optimized PlayStation controls. You'll be able to control the cursor anywhere in the UI, speeding up gameplay so you can focus on the exciting battles.  Introducing Horn, a brand-new raceHorn are northern nomads who worship the power of nature through their totems. The Horn are natural warriors who thrive in the frozen plains of the north, making them especially cold-resistant and physically strong. Siblings Sunchaser Servant and Sunchaser Shaman grew up as poor orphans in the Horn tribe, taking care of each other to survive their tough childhood. Their fate changed when Sunchaser Shaman inherited the Sunchaser Totem and was chosen as the heir to the Great Shaman. Her brother trained hard as an elite warrior and was selected to become one of the Great Shaman's guards earning the name, Sunchaser Servant. They have each other's back both on and off the battlefield and have never lost a match yet.  Medal SystemYou can now earn medals to boast your achievements with the Medal System. Equip them to your personal information  4v4 team modeReady to dig into some multiplayer battles? Get ready for the new 4v4 team mode. Eight players are divided into two teams of four, and the team with the most points wins. Players earn match points based on their ranking, and team points are the sum of all members’ match points. Make sure not to get knocked out – if all your team members get eliminated, you lose!  Season 12 Chess Pass and Senior PassS12 kicks off with the introduction of an all new theme: Sleepless Night. Open the Sleepless Cube for the chance to get the Purple Skin Dark Musician or Orange Skin Rhythm Musician. Plus, you'll unlock the new player Calamity when you reach Rook Rank. Purchase Senior Pass
 Download TodayWith Season 12 gearing up to be the best one yet, there's never been a better time to get into the game and join the battle. Be one of the first to experience an all-new way to play and Download Auto Chess today.   |
| Posted: 28 May 2021 09:00 AM PDT Last week, we asked you to take on a challenge, and face off against some of tough enemies in the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. From otherworldly foes to oversized monstrosities, here are this week's challenging highlights:
AscensionDawn shares Aloy facing down a Stormbird in Horizon Zero Dawn.
GameonFocus shares Amicia going against a whirling swarm of rats in this A Plague Tale: Innocence moment.
justinphotomode faces an oversized foe in this Demon's Souls share.
tlou_captures shares a harrowing moment Abby faces in The Last of Us Part II.
AlfredoVasini shares this monstrosity from The Evil Within 2.
JRPyznar shares Selene facing down Nemesis in Returnal. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week's theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Resident Evil Village SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on June 2 Next week, we're stepping in Ethan Winters' shoes and facing our fears in Resident Evil Village. Share your most terrifying moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.   |
| Returnal: the making of that unforgettable Hyperion fight Posted: 28 May 2021 08:31 AM PDT Hey everyone, we've been very happy to see Returnal resonating so strongly with players, and this time we wanted to do a deep dive into one of our Bosses. In general, Boss battles have always been an essential test of skill for players in action games, and of course they've been a strong staple of the Housemarque formula in our past titles as well. With Returnal we really wanted to dedicate some time to create something special for our Boss encounters, and provide players with some powerful and memorable moments. We've been thrilled to see that players have been enjoying our Bosses so far, and today we wanted to share some notes on Hyperion, who seems to have quickly become a favorite among players! SPOILER WARNING: this piece contains spoilers about the story of Returnal. It's generally recommended that you read this only after defeating Hyperion, and ideally have seen credits roll. The inspirationFrom the very beginning, our goal with the story of Returnal was to haunt the player. On a personal level, many special and haunting moments I've experienced in games and film have often been accompanied by powerful music. In many cases I feel that music can be single-handedly responsible for creating the emotional impact and mood of a scene. This ability of music itself to express very complex, raw emotions in a unique way – to express the intangible – was the initial seed of inspiration here. This importance of music was also directly woven into our story, along with our other central elements and themes early on. It started by envisioning our key story beats (beginning, middle and especially our end), and then consciously working backwards from there: identifying which puzzle pieces we would seed throughout the experience to get under the player's skin, and create the feeling of an overarching, layered mystery for players to solve. One of the crucial puzzle pieces was intended to be a specific piece of music, and throughout the game there are multiple clues that a particular melody is very important to Selene. (Note that I'm being intentionally vague to avoid spoiling too much here!) In parallel, we also knew that we'd want to have some epic bosses in the game. These would need to be memorable highlights that would provide a challenge for players and serve as milestones of progress, but they would also need strongly resonate with players emotionally and be thematically tied to our story as well. In addition to the harsh, dark sci-fi elements of Returnal, we also wanted to explore some more psychological/surreal themes with our story. Our Bosses would serve as climactic manifestations of those themes. So from very early on we knew that we'd have one Boss that would play with this theme of musicality. This boss was simply codenamed "The Musician" internally, eventually this became Hyperion. The idea for the Musician came first, and then the rest of the Echoing Ruins was built around it to support its presence. "The Musician's" visual designThere were some keywords we used to guide our initial concepting for Hypersion: unsettling, musicality, tragic, dramatic, theatricality. Much like our other Bosses, we wanted to make this encounter feel majestic. And what could possibly be more majestic than using an alien Church Organ? I've always found the church organ to be one of my favorite instruments (and has been tied to many of my favorite Boss battles in games), and its ability to express grandeur is simply unmatched. It's also a very beautiful organ in itself, and there was a lot of inspiration drawn from researching large Cathedral church organs. Their massive scale, how they utilize air to practically "breathe" life into melodies, and how their range can express both extremely delicate sounds but also be very imposing and bombastic when… It feels alive and powerful – the perfect fit for Returnal. The Musician himself was envisioned mostly as a tragic figure: a creature that is bound to this otherworldly organ through multiple organic vines and tentacles, fused in a nightmarish, symbiotic relationship. The Musician is clearly obsessed with playing this haunting melody repeatedly – much like Selene is also haunted by it – and now that it's bound to the organ it's destined to be trapped there playing this melody forever. The hunched over look was inspired by virtuoso pianists, who often appear to be in a meditative trance when playing their tunes. Musician, instrument and music are one and inseparable. From the early stages we also had the idea of making the back of the boss appear like it could also be its front. We wanted to combine the imagery of the Musician’s back piece being forcibly bound (almost in a ritualistic manner) to the organ via the organic vines, while also keeping his arms free to play the instrument in the front as well. We also added some subtle facial characteristics on its back, to make the encounter feel slightly more unsettling and also give the player something more recognizable to shoot at (as otherwise its thin silhouette would also get lost amongst the vines and details). Now let's look at how we built towards the encounter between Selene and Hyperion in-game, as well as the design of the battle itself. Extra insight comes from Returnal's Principal Music Producer Joe Thwaites and Senior Game Designer John Hollingworth. Act I – Failed escape and the song's setupRight before Selene reaches the Echoing Ruins, she experiences our "Failed Escape" ending. In this cinematic, Selene returns to Earth and finds herself haunted by many memories and she tries to resume a normal life. One of these haunting memories seems strongly tied to this particular melody, which just pours out when she sits in front of a piano again. She doesn't remember exactly why it's important yet, only that it is. She'll become obsessed with this melody for the rest of her life. The cinematic ends with her – now aged – hands playing it one last time. She takes the mystery of the music with her to her grave. Act II – The Cycle continues and the ascensionSelene dies, and reawakens on Atropos. One of the first things she notices is that same melody playing, as if the planet is using it to torment her further. Joe Thwaites: "The key objective [of the Echoing Ruins] is to find the source. This melody floats in and out of the ambient, environmental music: if you stop to listen, you can hear the distant sounds of the alien organ float in the wind. We used 3D audio capabilities* to position the melody in the environment. As you move through the level, the melody will play from the direction of the Echoing Vault, helping to lead the player to the source of the music. Pass through the Echoing Vault and you entire the spire… Hyperion's resting ground.  As you explore the Echoing Ruins, you encounter various hollow plants that seem to be playing the same melody. They all seem to suggest that there's a central source of this music – an extra riddle for Selene to solve. "As you stand at the bottom of the spire, the arpeggiated organ tune that you have been following echoes through the environment, giving the sense that you are standing inside a cathedral. As you climb the spire, the clearer that music becomes. We wanted to create the feeling of moving towards the objective. We used the distance from the top of the spire as a parameter to add new layers and feed intensity into the music. We also add layers of saturation as you approach the top, giving the sense that the alien organ is so loud that it's distorting." When you work your way to the top, you're confronted with a surreal sight: this huge creature obsessively – yet serenely – playing an organic church-like organ. Joe Thwaites: "Once the player steps into the arena the mood changes and the pace picks up." Act III – The Bullet BalletFor our boss battle, we wanted The Musician to utilize the organ. It would demonstrate its mastery of the organ (and attached vines/tentacles) to attack Selene with a cacophony of bullets and a cosmic symphony of explosions. There would be multiple attack types that would resemble spores to tie into the organic nature of the organ, and lots of bullet hell patterns to drive our avoidance gameplay. Joe Thwaites: "The tune that you have been following is now played at a much faster tempo and in conjunction with Bobby Krilic's much more intense boss fight score. As the fight plays out, the music intensifies with each phase, introducing more elements, fuller percussion, and thicker harmonic textures." John Hollington: “The objective of the combat design was to mirror the dominating, escalating soundtrack. With each passing phase the difficulty and intensity increases, Hyperion plays the Organ near the end of each phase to unleash new chords of destruction at the player." Joe Thwaites: "Hyperion's obsession with the tune and the repetitive nature of this arpeggio creates a relentless wall of sound that accompanies the barrage of projectiles that emanate from the organ. The organ sound itself is made-up of a combination of real and synthetic organs put through some processing to make the sound aggressive and alien. This sits really nicely with Bobby Krilic's percussive and synth-driven score which kicks in when the combat starts." John Hollington: "Similar to a single musical note, each attack from the barrel of the organ doesn’t provide much on it’s own, but when they all come together in sequence it provides a challenging bullet hell symphony which forces the player to keep moving until it is silenced. "Every pattern was carefully balanced and tweaked from countless amounts of testing. As a team we were always pushing for bigger attacks, more bullets and impressive chaotic patterns, particularly for the Organ. However, we were very cautious of difficulty and readability. The visual language of the projectiles play an enormous role in that. By contrasting them clearly against each other it allows the player to quickly and easily identify the patterns and react to the attacks. "The colour of projectiles used represent the style of attack. Green is commonly used for more random, non-direct clusters (Low reaction response from the player). Orange is reserved for slower moving non-targeting shapes that consume space (Medium player reaction) and blue projectiles are for Hyperion’s main attacks, they are often direct and require the player to quickly respond to the threat (High reaction). These consistent colour-coordinated layers work together and overlap to create a truly chaotic scene, but one which allows the player to work around, read the threats clearly and slip through the designed gaps. The attacks need to present themselves so even if the player is completely overwhelmed at first, after time, practice and experience the boss could be defeated without the player taking a single hit of damage. This was something we would have to prove before we submitted each iteration." Throughout the battle the vines are progressively broken and detached from its back piece, unknowingly “liberating” the Musician from the clutches of the organ. Yet even without this constraint, the Musician still returns to the solace of the organ for one final time as he senses his end drawing near in the final phase. This draws further symmetry with Selene’s story in the Failed Escape, where Selene is also seen repeatedly playing this melody just moments before her death as well. Act IV – The silenceJust like many encounters in Returnal, the Musician also plays an important role in Selene's story. Defeating Hyperion marks a bittersweet moment in Selene's journey: although she silences the song, the haunting melody still lingers in her mind as she keeps exploring its significance. Along with the players sharing her journey, they will discover the significance of this song (and much more) later in the game together. Thanks so much for reading about the origins of Hyperion, and thanks to players who have stepped in the haunting world of Atropos. Returnal is available now on PS5. *3D audio requires stereo headphones (analogue or USB).   |
| Weaving replayable tales in the Griftlands, out on PS4 June 4 Posted: 28 May 2021 08:15 AM PDT Hey everyone, my name is Kevin and I'm a designer at Klei Entertainment. I'm really excited to give everyone a look at Griftlands which launches June 4 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 backwards compatibility. Griftlands is a narrative RPG featuring multiple branching stories to experience based on your actions and choices. It’s also a deck-building card game with deep interlocking systems driving both combat and negotiation through card mechanics. We think players are going to have a lot of fun fighting, lying, cheating, bribing, and smooth-talking their way to victory. Let's dive in. There are three main characters in Griftlands, each with their own problem to solve. Sal the bounty hunter wants revenge. Rook the spy is working on a mysterious contract. Smith is trying to collect his inheritance, and have a good time doing it. Those high-level goals are the same every time you play, but the day-to-day obstacles that you overcome in their pursuit vary wildly. Different subplots and events get drawn from a pool each time. The cast of characters shifts as different NPCs get cast in different roles and react to your choices. Your friend in one playthrough, with their unique mechanical strengths and weaknesses, may be your enemy in the next. We even switch up the boss fights that you encounter at the end of each day, to keep things fresh. Most problems in Havaria can be solved either with your words or with your fists. However, in Griftlands both are driven with unique card deck gameplay mechanics. You play out both physical and verbal battles by playing cards! Playing cards make them stronger each time they're played and picking one deck over another will give you the option of adding a new card to it at the end of successful encounters. Succeeding comes down to having the right cards and playing them correctly in each situation. But you can’t always do exactly what you want – context matters. Your decks get stronger with use, so it’s important to balance your use of each, lest one of your skills falls behind and you get caught off guard by a powerful opponent. NPCs will also notice everything that you do and treat you accordingly. Saving someone from wild animals will earn their respect but killing someone’s best friend for example will have them seeking revenge and actively working against you. Here’s a concrete example, featuring Rook: Rook’s employer gives him a choice of jobs at the start of day two. He chooses to collect a debt from Ionis. On the way to find her, Rook encounters a stranger being attacked by wild animals. It’s early on the second day of Rook’s story, so he has a relatively strong combat deck. He chooses to fight the beasts. He wins at the cost of a little health and also gets to pick a new combat card to add to his deck. After the fight, we discover the stranger's name is Wade, and she offers to give Rook a reward. Rook refuses the reward, instead earning Wade’s gratitude. This gives him a passive bonus based on Wade’s character class. Also, Wade promises to help him in the future if she is able. Rook continues to the job. He intimidates Ionis and collects the debt. This angers Ionis, who vows revenge. This gives Rook an ongoing, passive penalty, which makes completing his second job that day more difficult. At the end of the day, Rook returns to the inn where he’s staying. By happenstance, both Ionis and Wade are there. This is Rook’s opportunity to finally do something about that pesky penalty. Rook tries to provoke Ionis with a negotiation. Wade rushes to help her friend, making the negotiation much easier than it would otherwise be. Rook succeeds. Enraged at being outtalked, a now hot-headed Ionis challenges him to a duel and attacks. Rook’s upgraded combat deck makes short work of his foe, and both Ionis and her penalty die on the dirt-encrusted floor of the inn. Rook recovers some lost resolve by sharing some refreshments with his best friend Wade before continuing to the day’s boss fight. Every run through Griftlands weaves these narratives seamlessly through the main plot. You will have different allies and enemies each time, and the relative strengths of your two decks will present you with new and interesting challenges. Story-rich gameplay and replayability may seem like opposing goals, but we hope Griftlands shows that sometimes, they can work together. Out June 4 on PS4.   |
| How co-op came to Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, out on PS4 June 1 Posted: 28 May 2021 07:00 AM PDT Get ready to challenge again! The noble knight Arthur sets out on a new adventure to rescue the princess from the Demon Realm in Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, coming to PlayStation 4 (and backwards compatible with PlayStation 5) on June 1. Some 35 years ago, the first Ghosts 'n Goblins made its grand debut in arcades. Few players knew what would await them as they dropped that first quarter into the machine, and fewer still could have guessed that beating the game would set them up for a ghoulish surprise; the game wasn't over until you completed it a second time after a brutal second loop of the game. The hard-as-nails legacy of Ghosts 'n Goblins has earned the franchise a reputation for its difficulty over the years but for this entry, we've kept the challenge while making the game far more accessible. Not only are there multiple difficulty modes that cater to players of all skill levels, we've also included a series first: two-player local co-op. To shine a light on the decision to give this traditionally single-player experience a two-player twist, we spoke with the game's Chief Producer, Yoshiaki Hirabayashi (a.k.a. "H"). Best known for his work on the Resident Evil franchise, H was kind enough to speak with us about how this mode came to be. "The local co-op mode was an idea that existed from the earliest stages of the development phase, and was brought up by Director Tokuro Fujiwara," says Mr. Hirabayashi. Long-time Capcom fans may recognize that name – Mr. Fujiwara was also the director of the original Ghosts 'n Goblins, and returned to direct Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, as well. "The first time the format and goals of this mode were presented by Director Fujiwara, I felt that it was spectacular and I wanted to make it happen, " says Mr. Hirabayashi. When you consider how long the franchise has been a strictly single-player affair, it raises the question: What made this the right time to add co-op? "This IP has been loved by many players for over 35 years, and those who played the earlier titles may now have kids of their own," explains Mr. Hirabayashi. Mr. Hirabayashi recalls that the entire dev team was excited by the idea of co-op mode, hoping this addition would allow the game to transcend generations and offer a great way for long-time fans to share this arcade-style experience with their kids or even family and friends who may be new to platformers. "Of course, it was a challenge for us to prepare this mode, as we knew there were going to be certain expectations since this is the first title within the series that supports this kind of gameplay," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "Overcoming the difficulty the game provides while having fun playing and communicating with your friend or loved one is a brand new concept, and we weren't sure how players were going to react to this."  Despite these concerns, Mr. Fujiwara seemed confident in its inclusion and the joy it would bring to players both young and old. "When Director Fujiwara first explained the concept of this co-op mode to me, I remember imagining how much fun it would be to enjoy this game with my child," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "I was very excited about it!" Of course, Ghosts 'n Goblins is known for its difficulty more than most other games of its time (and even games today), and the team considered that factor, too. "From the beginning, the concept of the co-op mode was to provide a brand new experience unique from the single-player mode so there wasn't a strong need for it to be balanced in comparison to the difficulty of the standard experience," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "The aim of this mode is to get two players to have fun cooperating together to overcome a challenge, and the balancing of the difficulty was not a big priority." In other words, the goal for this mode was not to create an experience that would be challenging for two players, but rather to make the game fun for two people to enjoy it together. It brings a different feel to the game while not taking away from the solo challenge that it offers. "With this in mind, we designed the support characters to be flexible in terms of their functionality, and helpful when it comes to assisting Arthur," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "We hope that when players experience this mode, they can loosen up and have a fun time talking and working together." Speaking of those support characters, there's three in total: Barry, Kerry, and Archie. As their names might suggest, these spirited assistants each serve a different purpose when it comes to aiding Arthur. However, they aren't just helpers – there's a bit of story there, too. "The Three Wise Guys are Arthur's ancestors, and, considering their role of being assistants who helps him, we thought this was the most appropriate way to include them," says Mr. Hirabayashi. Considering they're his ancestors, you might want to take a closer look at their mannerisms. "Each Wise Guy has their own unique design, but if you look at them carefully, don't you think they look a bit like Arthur?," asks Mr. Hirabayashi.  Aside from their designs, special attention was also paid to how each one plays. Each of Arthur's ancestors boasts their own unique skills, adding a new layer to co-op gameplay. "An important thing to note is that the functionality of the Three Wise Guys are different from what Arthur is capable of doing," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "Our intention was to provide a brand new experience that the single player mode can't deliver on, and give the players a way to expand on the fun ideas that are only available in co-op mode." Funnily enough, Mr. Fujiwara seems to still have a bit of a mischievous approach when it comes to game design – even for elements of the game that should be friendly in the hands of two players playing side-by-side. "From the beginning, we've been talking about this as a co-op mode, but the Director has always been expecting there to be certain players who will think of fun ways to play this mode that aren't necessarily 'cooperative'," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "For example, Kerry is a character who literally carries Arthur around, but that doesn't always mean he's going to place Arthur on solid ground. A co-op partner with a mischievous spirit may ultimately become a hindrance, making the game feel more like a single-player mode with another troublesome enemy that gets in your way!"  True to Ghosts 'n Goblins, even having someone else join you in co-op can still be part of the challenge. Turns out there are some things worse than a Red Arremer, and they might be sitting right next to you on the couch. Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Hirabayashi envisions people finding their own ways to enjoy co-op in unexpected ways. "We designed the support characters this way on purpose," says Mr. Hirabayashi. "A fun way we thought players could enjoy the game is for players controlling Arthur to try to complete a stage under a certain amount of time, and for the 'support' character to keep him from accomplishing his goal." For seasoned veterans playing with newly christened knights, coming up with unique ways to use the co-op mode is a great way to find new and fun ways to enjoy the game together. I'd like to provide a huge thank you to Mr. Hirabayashi for taking the time to answer our questions about the co-op mod.! And co-op isn't the only way to enjoy the game. With multiple difficulty modes, you'll be able to enjoy the game at a pace that's right for you and explore everything that Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection has to offer. After all, it wouldn't be a GnG game if the game ended after the first playthrough, right? Be sure to grab your throwing lance and a co-op buddy to play with – or against – and get ready to challenge again when Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection launches on PS4 June 1!   |
| How Han Solo’s adventures were adapted into Star Wars Pinball VR’s newest table Posted: 28 May 2021 06:30 AM PDT Today, we at Zen Studios could not be happier than to announce free DLC for Star Wars Pinball VR right here on PlayStation Blog. The classic Han Solo table from the Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within pack, enters the game as the ninth amazing table, joining the likes of Classic Trilogy tables, Rogue One, The Mandalorian and more. But what goes into creating a table like Han Solo? If you haven’t already run off to download it (and I really can’t blame you for that), let’s take a look behind the curtain. 1. Picking the theme First, we have to figure out our topic — something we work very closely with Lucasfilm Games to decide. Sometimes the topic ends up being a show like Star Wars Rebels, sometimes it’s a general theme like Jedi versus Sith in Masters of the Force; in this table’s case, it’s a wisecracking Correllian smuggler. Han Solo was a natural fit to get his own board, as his life is filled with funny shenanigans, exciting moments, plus he flies the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. 2. Pinball table layout Once we agree on the topic, that's where things get technical. As pinball legend Roger Sharpe, famous for lifting the ban on pinball in New York City in 1976, told Vox, "Each game is different — each game has different geometry, each game has different rules." This means we need a strong base of lanes, rails, sinkholes, and everything else you might recognize on any machine. This gives you the main gameplay layer, where a satisfying ramp shot can make or break a table, whatever theme you put over it. 3. Translating iconic moments to missions Once we've nailed the concepts, that's when we turn on the pizzazz! All the different rules, multiballs, lamps and animated characters come into play. This is where we have to nail the best moments and translate them to pinball form. For Han Solo, our design team got together and created an extensive list from the classic-era happenings involving our favorite nerf herder — and his loyal copilot.  The different "modes" (which are missions on a pinball table, each needing you to shoot a different part of the table, or a combination) will take you back to epic moments like freeing Princess Leia from the Death Star in A New Hope, navigating the asteroid field from Empire Strikes Back, and escaping from Jabba in Return of the Jedi. If you complete all of Han's adventures, it all culminates in what we call the 'Wizard mode' (anyone like The Who?) named General Solo. This is an epic mode where four balls are let into play and a huge jackpot activates – a hard to achieve but infinitely rewarding mission to reward you for your efforts.  I urge you to put yourself in Total Immersion mode — something only VR can pull off — where you will be roughly the size of the ball and look closely at all the pieces of Han's life. Like the Carbonite chamber (you can lock three balls in there and start a multiball!) or the Space Slug to the right of the table which – just like in the film – has a great big maw to swallow up your pinballs and reward you later. You can put what we learned here to good use — and sooner than you think. The Han Solo pinball table is available for Star Wars Pinball VR right now. There's plenty of jackpots to be had and high scores to break, but just remember: Don't get cocky, kid!   |
| Genshin Impact Version 1.6: Go wild in a midsummer adventure Posted: 28 May 2021 06:00 AM PDT Hello, Travelers! Your Genshin Impact dev team is back once again, bringing you details for Version 1.6 coming on June 9. As the world of Teyvat enters the hot summer season, in the upcoming update we’ve prepared for you tailor-made summer outfits and a brand-new series of sea and island adventures to refresh everyone from the heat. Meanwhile, Kaedehara Kazuha, the first new playable character from Inazuma, will join in and lead the Archon Quest to a new chapter.  Travelers who’ve completed the main storyline in Liyue will be able to move onto the new Archon Quest with Kazuha. You may also spend some of your splendid summertime in Teyvat in an uncharted sea area for a limited time during Version 1.6. Midsummer Island AdventureIf you’re fond of sailing, exploring, and fighting, we may have something for you in Version 1.6’s main seasonal event: Midsummer Island Adventure. The story begins when Klee receives a mysterious letter from a Dodo-King threatening to take Dodoco away from her. To help Klee and Dodoco, the Traveler will sail on a boat called a Waverider and explore a secluded archipelago scattered over a remote sea area. The Midsummer Island Adventure main event will be divided into four stages, each featuring unique gameplay. In the first stage, players need to sail on the Waverider and destroy enemy floating towers and encampments, either through firing your boat’s cannon or in close combat. In the next stage, players will be challenged in a race that combines both sailing and flying. The third stage will put your combat skills to test with the new opponent, Maguu Kenki. And finally, players will be asked to clear out nearby monster encampments with the aid of three kinds of Harpastum Bombs. We also want to introduce a bit more about the new monster mentioned earlier, Maguu Kenki. With its unique Inazuma-style aesthetic, Maguu Kenki also has its own attack style. When Maguu Kenki’s health falls below a certain amount, it will summon phantoms and can deal both Anemo and Cryo damage against players. In addition, any ranged attack will be blocked if Maguu Kenki is not engaged in close-range battle, forcing players to confront it face-to-face. Bountiful rewards also await you in the Event Shop. By completing the main event challenges mentioned earlier, you can obtain two event currencies, Shiny Flotsam and Mini Harpastum, which can be used to exchange for various resources and items, as well as the new four-star catalyst Dodoco Tales up to maximum refinement. Dress up for the summerNo summer vacation is complete without cool summer clothes. Therefore, we’ve designed summer-themed outfits for Jean and Barbara, providing you the first-ever chance to dress them up with alternate outfits. Jean’s outfit Sea Breeze Dandelion will be available for purchase in the in-game Shop at a limited-time discount. Barbara’s outfit Summertime Sparkle will be free to claim by participating in the Echoing Tales event. During the Echoing Tales event, items called Echoing Conches can be found all over the archipelago. By collecting the Echoing Conches, not only can you listen to some interesting stories and tales, but you can also get Barbara’s new outfit if you accumulate enough Conches. We’ve also prepared other events full of fun games and challenges on the archipelago. So be sure to check out this limited-time new area during Version 1.6. One step closer to InazumaKaedehara Kazuha, the first playable character from Inazuma, will officially join the game during Version 1.6. Wielding an Anemo Vision and a sword, Kazuha not only boasts a versatile combat style, but also provides buffs to his teammates under certain circumstances. Kazuha’s Elemental Skill Chihayaburu will release a rushing wind current that pulls objects and opponents towards his current position before launching nearby opponents, dealing Anemo damage and lifting Kazuha into the air. When Kazuha is in mid-air from the effects of Chihayaburu, he can unleash a special Plunging Attack, “Midare Ranzan,” dealing Anemo damage and creating a miniature wind tunnel that sucks in surrounding objects and opponents. His Elemental Burst Kazuha Slash will attack the enemies with Anemo AoE damage in a single strike, and leave behind a storm field that deals Anemo AoE damage at set intervals to all opponents within. To make Kazuha even more powerful, both his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst can deal additional elemental damage if they come into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro. Kazuha also provides additional buffs to the team, making him a great choice for your party and team. Upon triggering a Swirl reaction, Kazuha can grant his teammates an elemental damage bonus for their corresponding element. One of his other Passive Talents can decrease sprinting stamina consumption for your own party members. In the latest Archon Quest, Kazuha will also provide clues about the way to the closed-off Inazuma. For some reason, this wandering samurai is wanted by the Inazuma Shogunate and now traveling with Beidou’s Crux Fleet. The Crux Clash, a grand martial arts tournament, will be held there. Other improvements and moreAs always, in the end we’d like to share some adjustments our team has decided on to improve the current gameplay based on serious considerations and player feedback! Some of you might have already noticed a patch released shortly after Version 1.5 went live. The patch aims to improve performance from several perspectives, including a steady rise in frame rate on PS5 and PS4. With Version 1.6, if you’re fond of the Serenitea Pot we introduced earlier, you will also be able to invite characters you own to reside in your realm. Characters in your realm will gradually accumulate Character Companionship Experience over time, and this rate of increase will grow faster with a higher Adeptal Energy Rank. And that’s all we’d like to share ahead of the Version 1.6 release on June 9! We hope you have a wonderful summer on the sea and islands in the world of Teyvat!   |
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