PlayStation Blogcast 203: Carry on my Wayward Sky

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In the wake of massive Final Fantasy XV news this week, Nick and Ryan record an intimate show with all the fixings: new releases, news you can use, 16 inch Iron Giant statues, and so much more. Special thanks to the minds behind Severed on PS Vita and Wayward Sky on PS VR for the incredible interviews featured on today’s program. So sit back, relax, and enjoy your sonic flight through the internet.

Stuff We Talked About

• Severed on PS Vita
• Wayward Sky on PS VR
• Final Fantasy XV
• Dead Star
• Enter the Gungeon
• Favorite PS Vita games
• Sid as a human Hot Shots Golf character
• Iron Giant
• Daredevil
• Kissin’

Recent Episodes

• 202: There’s No Time to Explain
• 201: Music, Magic, and Marvel
• 200: PS We Love You Too

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The Cast

Nick Suttner – Lead Account Manager, SCEA
Ryan Clements – Social Media Specialist, SCEA

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Send us questions and tips! blogcast@playstation.sony.com
Leave us a voicemail! (650) 288-6706

Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

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Axiom Verge Comes to PS Vita April 19

I’ve been looking forward to making this announcement for a long time. When I announced Axiom Verge for PlayStation 4, I also said that not only was it coming to PS Vita as well, but that it would be Cross Buy. It took far longer than I expected to make good on that commitment, but that day is finally near.

I’d like to give a little bit of context on what took so long. When I started development of Axiom Verge, I was using a development framework called XNA. Support for XNA was abandoned, so the community created an open source version of XNA called MonoGame. Sony told me they were working to get MonoGame supported on both PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. I knew that Axiom Verge would be great on a handheld, so I jumped at the opportunity.

Tom Spilman from Sickhead Games was in charge of the porting process. Porting an engine to a new platform is an incredibly complicated task, yet he was able to pull it off easily for PlayStation 4. After the PlayStation 4 version was done, however, porting it to Vita turned out to be a lot more challenging. Optimizing an engine is slow and painstaking work. As the months ticked by, Tom was feeling a great deal of pressure to get MonoGame working.

One analogy that I like to use when describing getting Axiom Verge working on PS Vita is that of a lightbulb. For months, Tom Spilman was putting in all of the wiring, but until it was fully connected, the light bulb just couldn’t turn on. And finally, about a month ago, Tom Spilman was able to make the final connection. The build went from not running at all on Vita to running almost perfectly. There were a few bugs here and there that needed to be tweaked, but most of that was fairly minor and easily handled.

We discussed with Sony, and we have settled on a launch date of April 19! And as promised since the beginning, it will be Cross Buy, so if you already own the PlayStation 4 version you’ll get the PS Vita version for free.

Oh, and one more thing – just to thank everyone for their support and patience, both versions will be 10% off for the first week after the PS Vita version launches.

Axiom Verge – 1 Year Later

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing one year ago today. I was sitting in my living room, continually logging into the PlayStation Store to see if it had refreshed, backing back out, and repeating. The reviews for Axiom Verge had come out the day before, and they surpassed all of my hopes. USgamer’s Jeremy Parish, whose writing I had followed for over a decade, called it the best game he’d played in years. Jeff Gerstmann, the famously tough critic from Giant Bomb, gave it his first 5/5 score in about 2 years. In all, I think it got about 25 separate review scores of 9/10 or better! And when I saw the Axiom Verge box art I had drawn up on my TV screen, I knew it was all real. (Well, to the extent there is such a thing as objective reality, but I suppose I digress.)

My life has changed quite a bit from that day, but not necessarily in the way that people might expect. The period leading up to and following Axiom Verge’s release was a challenge, starting with the loss of my longtime canine companion Max just days before launch. I had to sell my car to pay for his treatment, and losing him right before launch put a dark cloud over everything. My son Alastair was born after the game launched, but he was afflicted with a severe case of jaundice that may leave him permanently disabled.

The silver lining here is that, thanks to the success of Axiom Verge and the support of its fans, I’ll be able to be there for my family. I wrote more about Max and Alastair over at AxiomVerge.com, if you’d like to read more.

I know many people have been waiting a long time for the PS Vita version of Axiom Verge. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and support. It has meant the world to me and my family.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Eclipse DLC Map Pack on PS4 April 19

Get ready, PlayStation nation: the next DLC map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is called Eclipse* and it’s launching first on PS4 April 19. Eclipse will give you four new multiplayer maps to flex your skills on — including a modern reimagining of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai — as well as the next chapter in the Black Ops 3 Zombies saga: Zetsubou No Shima.

For multiplayer fans, Eclipse will introduce four new maps that cater to a variety of playstyles and transport you to new destinations. Here’s a quick rundown of what to look forward to on April 19:

Spire: Spire takes Multiplayer combat to a futuristic sub-orbital airport terminal set high in the clouds. Multiple levels and open areas promote intense, mid-range combat around a clean, high-tech civilian environment. Watch your step, because one wrong move could send you plummeting back through the stratosphere.

Rift: Head to the core of a harsh futuristic military complex, set high above an active caldera. Rift funnels and forces tight, intense engagements, where the only way through is forward. Utilize the unique core movement opportunities to outsmart and outplay enemies as you traverse the suspended rail system.

Knockout: Housed in a traditional Shaolin Temple with a retro twist, Knockout sets the stage for a bloody Kung Fu tournament. This mid-sized map showcases a sharp contrast between the mid-range engagements of the traditional exterior architecture and the tight close-quarters of an eclectic 1970’s-styled interior.

Verge: In this re-imagination of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai, Verge drops Multiplayer combat into the center of a distant post-apocalyptic future, where two warring factions are entrenched in constant battle. Take control of the key bridge, fortresses, tunnel systems and waterfalls as you engage in high-speed action through this medium-sized map.

If battling the undead is more of your thing, don’t worry; Zetsubou No Shima is sure to satisfy. Continuing their fight to stop the zombie apocalypse, Treyarch’s Origins characters will face new threats on a World War II-era Pacific island. But don’t let looks fool you — this is no tropical paradise. Experiments with Element 115 have had horrifying effects on human, animal, and plant biology, and you’ll have to fight them all. Zetsubou No Shima also introduces new transport mechanics, devastating traps, and classic Zombies side quests.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 — Eclipse will launch on April 19, but in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for more intel here on PlayStation.Blog and on the Activision Games Blog.

Until then, see you all online!

*Eclipse DLC content not available on PS3.

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Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X Coming West to PS4, PS Vita

Hatsune Miku is the world’s most famous digital singer, and now she’s coming back to PlayStation bigger and better than ever in Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X!

The core rhythm gameplay is back, but there’s a whole host of new additions to this game that separate it from previous Project Diva titles — if you’re new to Miku, it’s the best Project Diva game to get into yet. And if you’re a Miku veteran, there’s plenty of new content to keep you going through the game’s 30-song soundtrack!

First, Project Diva X is driven forward through a narrative which centers on Miku and her friends undertaking various requests as they explore the five Clouds that make up their world. Each Cloud has its own unique aura — Classic, Cool, Cute, Elegant, and Quirky — and everything from the songs to the modules (costumes) and accessories that Miku and her friends wear fit one of those auras!

Each of the Clouds has special requests that challenge players. And as a series first, modules will all have a random chance to drop during a song! Traditionally they were purchased with currency earned based on completing a song, but now they’re more similar to a random loot drop.

Second, the game now lets you interact with Miku and her friends as they discover what it’s like to live in the world of Project Diva X. Miku and her friends talk and forge relationships as the players progress through the game… and they may wind up revealing the secret of the eponymous “X”!

Finally, there’s the newly added Concert Editor, which lets players mix and match the game’s 30 new songs/arrangements and medleys, 300 modules, and accessories to produce custom live concerts starring Hatsune Miku and her friends!

The game is getting a physical and digital release in the Americas, and you’ll be able to play it on your PS4 and PS Vita this fall!

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Street Fighter Brings Pro Competitor and Game Creator Together

Hi PlayStation.Blog! This is Yoshinori Ono from Capcom. It’s been a busy month with the launch of Street Fighter V and the start of the 2016 Capcom Pro Tour season. A game without a community is a game that won’t last, and I’m always proud to tell people that Street Fighter has one of the most passionate communities out there. As a game creator, what we ultimately want is to see fans have a blast and enjoy the product that we pour our hearts and souls into.

I was very happy to be able to participate in the Makers & Gamers: Street Fighter documentary and feel it truly shows how the love for Street Fighter can bring together people from all different backgrounds around the world.

The director, Lucy Walker, demonstrated the pedigree she earned from working on other acclaimed documentaries, such as The Crash Reel and Waste Land, and has done a superb job of telling my story as a game creator, as well as Snake Eyez as a game player. Snake Eyez has an amazing story and his journey to overcome all the odds against him is truly inspiring.

As long as Street Fighter exists I look forward to seeing our community grow! Rise Up!

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A Beginner’s Guide to Stikbold, Out Next Week on PS4

Welcome to the world of Stikbold! It’s dodgeball with a dose of 70’s style and handsome moustaches and set in wild arenas where anything goes. Throw bees at your opponents, squish them with a whale, or pursue them with a minivan — it’s all allowed.

We’re pleased to tell you that Stikbold is coming to PS4 on April 5th. To prepare you for that special date we’re going to share some secrets with you. This info will not only let you get one up on your friends from launch, but it will also let you peek into the inner workings of our blazing-fast gameplay.

Throwing

Throwing is the most fundamental mechanic in Stikbold. It’s how you knock other players out of the game, and ultimately how you score points. Press and hold R2 to build up power, and release when the meter underneath your character is flashing to throw a power ball.

As your friends become familiar with the timing of the build-up, you will need to get more creative to avoid getting caught when attacking over longer distances. To mislead rivals try flicking the right stick immediately after releasing the ball. This puts a deceptive curving arc on your throw that can catch unsuspecting players off guard.

Bonus tip: Curving shots have a slightly higher chance of turning into a one-hit-kill critical hit (Stinger).

Catching

Diving out of harm’s way is your best chance to avoid getting tagged by the ball. There’s an old saying that “If you can dodge a wrench… yada yada yada.” However, as you gain experience and internalize the timing of the game, catching the ball instead becomes a reliable and powerful countermeasure.

Catching is performed automatically when a character is hit by the ball while dodging. However, you can’t hurl headlong at every ball. There’s is a slight delay after initiating the dodge before your player can successfully catch. You’ll need to anticipate your opponent’s attacks rather than just react to them if you want to catch like a Stikbold pro.

Bonus tip: After a successful catch, you can instantly throw a power ball without building up power by simply tapping R2.

Pushing

Sometimes offense is the best defence — if the player holding the ball gets close to you try knocking it out of their hands and stealing it for yourself. Pushing goes further than just ball stealing, though. Try shoving opponents into hazards or out of the arena entirely. Move quickly though — in Stikbold the tables can turn in the blink of an eye.

Bonus tip: With a little practice you can do a “secret” trick. Press R2 to initiate a push and then immediately press L2 to dodge. This will override the animation of the push, but not the underlying logic. The result is that your character will leap forward and immediately shove your opponent when they connect, effectively increasing the range of your push attack.

Take these tips and go forth on your very own dodgeball adventure. The world needs a Stikbold champion, and it could be you when we launch on April 5.

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Master Acrobatic Combat in Seraph on PS4

Hello PlayStation fans! My name is Daniel Leaver and I’m delighted to be posting here once again. You may have heard of Dreadbit’s previous game, Ironcast, but today I’m proud to announce something entirely different: Seraph, coming to PS4 in 2016.

Seraph is an acrobatic platforming shooter with a unique twist: all weapons are automatically aimed by Seraph, our title character!

That’s right, Seraph will aim at the demon-spawn of hell for you while you focus on snapping off controlled bursts of gunfire as you backflip from walls and tumble through the air. It’s high-octane platforming action without the limitations of aiming.

“But, Daniel, what is this madness? How can you possibly have a skill-based shooter without aiming?” I hear you cry. Well, having grown up with mind-blowing action films such as The Matrix, Christian Bale’s Equilibrium and, of course, anything directed by John Woo, I’ve always dreamt of playing a video game that could truly deliver on the promise of the player becoming a dual-handgun-wielding-badass! There have been some games that came close, but it always felt to me that the slick acrobatic choreography often came second to the player having to aim at the same time. A task made even more tricky if aiming two weapons at different enemies!

So, I thought, why not ditch the requirement for the player to aim altogether and instead let them focus 100% of their attention on acrobatic evasion and, of course, accurately landing Seraph’s divine special powers? Seraph effortlessly aims her dual pistols at the oncoming demon hordes while the player shoots, flips, and dodges the rapidly moving unholy spells and attacks. The thought turned into a playable prototype within a few days… and we were utterly convinced.

“But, Daniel, if you don’t aim isn’t the game just easy-mode-auto-win casual fodder?”

Another excellent question from our astute PlayStation fans! The answer is of course not. Because the player doesn’t have to aim we instead allow them to focus on all of the stuff that matters more: evading exploding pillars of flame, sliding down a wall firing an SMG one-handed, and cartwheeling over a boss whilst simultaneously unloading a shotgun shell into its demonic face. Because the player doesn’t have to aim we have room to make this kind of gameplay really challenging!

This is what playing Seraph is all about — looking and feeling amazing.

In addition, Seraph also features an on-screen, dynamically scaling difficulty rating, so it will always match your ability level. The better you play the harder the game becomes! But don’t worry, the higher the difficulty rating the greater the rewards dropped by slain demons for our crafting and upgrade systems.

There are tons of unlocks, daily challenge modes, and special Twitch streamer features we’d love to talk about more but I’m out of time.

Thanks for having me, PlayStation fans! Why not drop some questions in the comments section below and I’ll get right back to you?

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World of Tanks: Take to the Seas This Weekend

Hi Tankers! TJ here with an all-new game mode to try out on PS4 this weekend only. If you haven’t played World of Tanks — download the game today, it’s free with no PlayStation Plus account needed.

Although we frequently develop one-off events and game modes, we are doing something we have never done before in World of Tanks on any platform; we are launching tanks onto the water and heading to sea! For this weekend only, take one of the most well-known and loved armored vehicles in the game to the seas in the newest specialty game mode for World of Tanks: TOG Boat.

The illustrious and slow TOG II tank has been fully converted into the sea-ready HMS TOG II, an all-out assault tugboat unique to the TOG Boat game mode. The HMS TOG II is breaking waves in a special-event version of seven-on-seven ocean warfare. Fortified with the latest in tank floatation technology and tank-boat physics, the HMS TOG II* is equipped with AP and HE ammunition to ensure your TOG Boat can turn the tide against your opponent in a variety of enemy encounters.

The TOG II has been referred to as “The Boat” by World of Tanks players for years. We’re always looking for ways to give back to the community and turning the TOG II into the HMS TOG II and giving it a special game mode was an incredibly fun way to do that.

It’s also a nod to our sister studio in St. Petersburg who makes World of Warships. We actually imported some of their islands into our engine to create the map. The “Boat” physics were done with an incredibly cheap trick by one of the designers that really sells the HMS TOG II as a boat. We gave it a unique multi-shell gun and secondary firing mode reminiscent of the Artillery in World of Tanks to allow you to shoot over islands. I know the development team is looking forward to this weekend and playing many TOG Boat battles with you all.

The HMS TOG II will be embarking on its maiden voyage April 1 through April 3 only.

*The TOG will appear in your tank reel in a special garage dock automatically if you have ever played a battle — and if not, simply play a battle first, then you can head off to the high seas. Download World of Tanks now to join in on the tank… err, boat action!

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Final Fantasy XV Out 9/30, Feature Film and Anime Series Announced

Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV is a wrap! For months we’ve been teasing what we were going to do with a mysterious “March Event” with the hope that we would announce the release date for the next Final Fantasy.

With Final Fantasy XV we had to bundle things down into 15 items… so if you missed it, here’s the quickest recap of all time!

1. Hironobu Sakaguchi — the man, the myth, the legend — took center stage to open up the show to talk about how he’s looking forward to Final Fantasy XV becoming a challenger yet again.
2. A brand new trailer titled Reclaim Your Throne showed off new combat and a brand new rendition of the classic song Stand by Me, which is the theme song to Final Fantasy XV.
3. Yoshitaka Amano, legendary Final Fantasy artist, designed a brand new animated project titled Big Bang!
4. Stand by Me was revealed to be sung by none other than Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.
5. All-new gameplay was unveiled featuring chocobo riding, updated battle mechanics, magic, and how Titan is summoned.
6. World of Wonder: Environment Footage brought a soothing tone to showcase how vastly open-world the game is looking to be.

   

7. A brand new surprise, Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV was announced! A five part anime series telling the backstory of all of the friends — the announcement trailer and episode 1 are available to watch here.

   

8. Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy, a fully CG movie was announced! Blurring the lines between animation and reality, Kingsglaive tells the story of Nyx — a member of the elite armed forces, the Kingsglaive.
9. A partnership between Audi was uncovered to show a one of a kind, exclusive Audi R8, themed after the world of Kingsglaive .
10. An all-star voice cast for Kingsglaive was revealed! Aaron Paul, Lena Headey, and Sean Bean headline this star studded affair.
11. Justice Monsters Five, a brand new mobile game was showcased to the world for the first time — a brand new pinball mini-game will be available on smart phones later this year.

    

12. A completely free and quirky demo, Platinum Demo — Final Fantasy XV was shown. Set in a whimsical dreamscape, you play as a child Noctis traversing the world with your new pal, Carbuncle.

    

13. Two blockbuster editions were announced! The deluxe edition which contains both Final Fantasy XV and the Kingsglaive movie will be available in limited quantities. And in even more select quantities is the ultimate collector’s edition (which contains more content than this entire blog!) — pre-order your edition of choice here!

    

14. The release date was finally uncovered and confirmed! September 30, 2016 worldwide!
15. Lastly, the Uncovered Extended trailer debuted even more gameplay and dove deeper into the story.

We have a solid 6 months to make 2016 the year of Final Fantasy XV, so we hope you’re just as excited for Final Fantasy XV as we are!

Now more than ever, please be excited.

What were you most surprised by?

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PlayStation Plus: Free Games for April 2016

Hi everyone — we’re happy to announce the PS4 Plus games for April. Pilot a warship escaping from a dying star in Dead Star or survive a zombie-infested London in Zombi on PS4.

First up we have Dead Star, a team-based shooter with RPG influence that we are excited to have launch as a Plus game. Dreamed up by the folks at Armature Studio (Founded by key members of the Metroid Prime team!), Dead Star is the result of a “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” process that started with a space shooter foundation and includes elements of strategy and MOBA-like titles.

The result is a 20 player online experience that’s easy to pick up and play, but also offers a great deal of depth (skill trees, ship upgrades, team strategy, and more). Dead Star has been a big hit at shows like PlayStation Experience and PAX South where players are finding something really special.

The second PS4 game this month is Zombi, a first-person survival-horror experience. Zombi really was at the forefront of the resurgence we’ve seen in recent years of genuine survival-horror games. The London setting combined with well-paced gameplay sets Zombi apart from more action oriented titles. Add in the extra challenge of permadeath and it’s easy to see why this game became a cult hit.

In the last several years we’ve seen a lot of experimentation with the blending of genres. This month’s PS4 titles are shining examples of the kinds of mashups that create a lot of rich and layered gaming experiences.

So, in addition to your opinions on this month’s PS Plus titles, I’d also like to hear about your thoughts on game genres, what you find appealing, and why.

Full Lineup:

• A Virus Named Tom, PS Vita
• Dead Star, PS4
• I Am Alive, PS3
• Savage Moon, PS3
• Shutshimi, PS Vita
• Zombi, PS4

See you in the comments section. Enjoy.

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Shadow of the Beast Launching May 17th on PS4

We’ve finally reached a critical point in development and we’re excited to share some good news with our beloved PlayStation fans. Shadow of the Beast will launch in North America on May 17th, 2016! Please stay tuned for pre-order details.

Our small team has been using their time to the fullest and we’ve made significant changes in the last few months. Fans of the fighting genre will be excited to hear that we’re now targeting 60 frames per second and we’ve fine-tuned the combat experience from top to bottom, honing in on optimal response times.

And we haven’t forgotten about Aarbron! The game’s protagonist received upgrades to the full extent of his abilities and we’ve equipped him with some of the mystic artefacts that add much more depth to gameplay. Shadow of the Beast feels quite different to other combat-adventure games, but hopefully people will find it very rewarding!

And before we go we’d like to share a new screenshot from the game, one that reveals a feature we haven’t talked about yet — the gun!

The game will be available for pre-order soon in the US and Canada on PlayStation Store and will include a fantastic dynamic theme to let you fully immerse yourself in the world of Shadow of the Beast.

That’s all for now! Our team is busy making final tweaks to combat, ironing out a few bugs, and burying those Easter eggs for the most dedicated players. We can’t wait for launch in a couple of months.

All the best,
Matt and the Team at Heavy Spectrum

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Lovely Planet Launching on PS4 This Spring

Hidy ho, PS Bloggerinos! It’s Alex Nichiporchik here ready to tell you about yet another new tinyBuild game coming to PS4. We already told you about Party Hard and No Time to Explain, and now it’s time for Lovely Planet.

We know you love your first-person shooters on PlayStation (So do we!), so we’re excited to be bringing our own… unique brand of shooter.

What a lovely day!

Lovely Planet is what we describe as a first-person shooter gun ballet. Yes, you read that correctly. This planet may look lovely, with a colorful palette of bright, abstract shapes and sounds, but the inhabitants here are anything but.

In each of Lovely Planet’s fast-paced levels, your aim is to shoot all the nasty dudes, save the innocents, maybe defuse a bomb or two, and reach the goal in the fastest time possible.

Then you’ll notice that thousands of other players reached the goal before you on the leaderboards, and you’ll think “Okay, fine, I can do it quicker.” Then several hours later, when your eyeballs are dry and your knuckles are clenched, you’ll break down in tears, screaming about how it’s impossible that someone called “tehmast3r449” has managed to beat the level faster than you.

Welcome to Lovely Planet.

I’ve got a lovely bunch of bullets.

Here’s the thing about Lovely Planet: it’s a back-to-basics first-person shooter. There’s none of these fancy medpacks, or regenerating health, or gritty realism to be found here — you shoot, you jump, you get hit, you die, you try again.

And just to top it off, Lovely Planet is easily one of the trippiest first-person shooters you’ve ever played — don’t take our word for it, that’s what Kotaku called it!

In fact, one of my favorite descriptions of the game came from a writer at Gamasutra. They described Lovely Planet as “If Katamari creator Keita Takahashi made Turok.” We should hire that guy for marketing!

And you’ll be trippin’ for quite a while too, with 100 levels to master over five worlds and online leaderboards crammed into every single one. There are also tons of secrets to discover, stars to unlock, and a storyline so packed with subtlety that you’ll start to wonder whether it… doesn’t actually exist.

How lovely.

This is Lovely Planet, then: a trippy first-person shooter gun ballet with five worlds to explore, one hundred leaderboards to top, and an approach to shooters that will take you back to the golden days of classics like Doom and Wolfenstein. Except with less blood and more rainbows.

And if you thought this was all you’d see from tinyBuild, you’re so very wrong! You can expect to see a lot more from us in the coming months.

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Lumo Celebrates Old-school Gaming April 22nd on PS4, PS Vita

Hello there! I’m Gareth Noyce, the developer of Lumo. Lumo is an isometric arcade adventure game that’s coming soon to PS4 and PS Vita.

“Isometric arcade adventure game? What’s that, then?”

Well, I’m glad you asked! Back in the mid 80s — when computers made beeping sounds and color TVs were wheeled into your home — 3D was a bit tricky, so clever programmers used to fake it using isometric projection.

You’d explore their worlds room by room, completing the odd puzzle along the way and engaging in some proto-platforming gameplay. Simple stuff by today’s standards, but massively popular and often stunning to look at back then. In fact, the isometric craze spawned some stone cold classics — games that are fondly remembered to this day: Knight Lore, Head Over Heels, Amaurote, Chimera, Solstice & Equinox, to name just a few!

One of these games, Head Over Heels, was the first game that I ever owned. It had a massive effect on 10-year-old me, so much so that I used to scribble down ideas for new rooms on paper! In a sense, it started me down the path of becoming a game developer.

So when the opportunity to make my own game came around — spurred on by Ste Pickford, co-developer of some of the best isometric games ever made — it seemed like too good an idea to pass up!

If only I’d kept those scribbled room ideas from when I was a kid, though…

Lumo (Finnish for “enchantment”) isn’t a remake of those classic 8-bit games. Instead, it’s my attempt to answer the question: “What would those games be like today?” We can do things with physics, light, and sound that just weren’t possible back then, not to mention being able to auto save (!), so Lumo smooths off some of those old-school edges and brings the genre bang up-to-date.

It’s a much bigger game than its predecessors, clocking in at nearly 450 rooms split across four different zones, including secret paths, tons of hidden rooms, ducks to rescue, coins to collect and spend, and 6 mini-games to find and unlock!

It’s not just about getting from start to finish. Instead, it’s going to reward your exploration skills. Try and jump out of rooms and bend the game mechanics. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the first person to find all the cassettes and complete the mini-games? If you do, be sure to try it against the clock in Old School Mode, Lumo’s Time Trial setup.

I’ve had so much fun making Lumo over the last two years that it’s turned into a bit of a love letter to gaming in the 80s, capturing the feelings I had as a wide-eyed 10-year-old falling in love with his first computer game. Retro-gamers will chuckle at some of the references to 80s magazines and developers that I’ve snuck in (keep your eyes open), while players new to these games will be able to experience a fresh, modern take on a genre that’s just as fun today as it was 30 years ago. (But if you decide to scribble down your own ideas for new rooms, please take a photo of them and upload them to the cloud. You never know when they’ll come in handy!)

Lumo launches April 22nd on PS4 and PS Vita as a cross-buy title.

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