The PS5 Pro Design may have just been teased by Sony
Today, Sony announced its plans to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary and they may have teased what the PS5 Pro will look like. In the graphic for the PlayStation anniversary, there are designs of the old consoles, controllers, and other iconic symbols. Fans have already noticed what could likely be the design of the PlayStation 5 Pro and it matches a recent leak from Dealabs. It has three stripes in the middle of the console with the cover plates in between. Thanks to Wario64 for sharing the image. It also has been reported that a State of Play will be held by the end of September which is expected to announce the PS5 Pro. The powerful PlayStation 5 console is still expected to arrive this Holiday. Source: PlayStation Blog
Internal Testing For Fairgame$ Reported To Be Favored, But Is That Enough After Concord?
History took place upon PlayStation recently. For those out of the loop, Sony’s first major in-house live-service title Concord launched and did not take long to be shut down. After only selling 25,000 units across console & PC, Sony decided to shutdown its lobbies come Friday September 6th. What’s more interesting is that PlayStation still has more plans for this business model moving forward. Although efforts like Naughty Dog’s Factions II is no more, Bungie is currently occupied with Marathon. Being an established IP decades before, many anticipate the new project to be more welcomed than Concord. However, Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios is also working on its next game as well – Fairgame$. Similar to Marathon, the game since its announcement only shared a cinematic trailer with no revealing information on the gameplay. And now amid the questioning direction PlayStation is heading from what occurred for Concord, how will Fairgame$ perform? Well, at least internally, it is showing to be a fond experience from those that played so far. According to gamesindustry.biz head Chris Dring, Raymond’s first PlayStation exclusive is showing to be in the right direction. “I’ve heard good things about Jade Raymond’s game, is it Fairgame$, I’ve heard good things about that,” Dring said. “So there’s a few, I know people who are a bit skeptical about the trailer, but I’ve heard internal chatter is very positive about it. So there are these other projects that I assume that the ones that they’re focusing on are the ones that they’re going to go for. They’re going to put out there, they’re going to support, and try and make work.” Gathered from Raymond’s past, she has shown to offer successful projects when at other companies. With her time at both Ubisoft as well as Electronic Arts, Raymond delivered Assassin’s Creed & Watch Dogs alongside Star Wars Battlefront II respectively. And although she did earn a leading role at Stadia, that was short lived before being a PlayStation Studio in 2021. But the elephant in the room is how will this be different from Concord? Although retention never kicked off for the hero shooter, there was praise in how the game played even during its beta. Our review for Concord mentioned “the core mechanics are solid, and when played with a well-coordinated team, the game can deliver satisfying tactical moments.” Truly, that will be seen with how Sony decides to offer Fairgame$ to its platform. Most notably about Concord was its initial presentation. With a cryptic teaser cinematic, it was followed-up with a reveal years later with a small window to its release. Offering little to engage users nor propping any unique characteristics left the game with the fate we know now. Are you confident in Fairgame$ or is it too late? Source: ResetEra
Review: Astro Bot
Developer – Team Asobi Publisher – Sony Interactive Entertainment Platforms – PlayStation 5 (reviewed) Review copy given by publisher One of the standout PlayStation 5 launch titles was none other than Astro’s Playroom, a cute action platformer that came installed on every PS5 and acted as a tech demo for the then new DualSense controller. Fast forward 4 years and we now have a full-fledged sequel titled Astro Bot. Sony and PlayStation aren’t really known for their platformers like Nintendo is with their Mario franchise, but this might all change now because Astro Bot is an absolute blast to play. The narrative here is simple yet effective. You follow Astro as he travels on his trusty DualSense rocket ship through space to rescue his lost bot buddies. Each galaxy presents a new challenge and a new environment, keeping the story fresh and engaging. You could argue the story lacks the depth and complexity found in some other platformers, but the lightheartedness of it all makes the game just as enjoyable. Astro’s core move set is identical to how it is in previous titles, so he retains his ability to jump, hover, punch, and spin attack, like many other platformers. Astro can also swim so don’t be afraid to get wet! Collecting puzzles unlocks different vendors and activities at the Crash Site, such as the Gatcha Lab, where you can spend your hard-earned coins to pull for collectibles at the cost of 100 coins per pull. Finding all bots and saving them in each level allows them to help you reach previously unreachable areas in the main hub. And with a total of 300 bots to find in the game, you’d better be ready to search every nook and cranny! At launch, there are a total of 80 levels across 6 main galaxies, with different themed stages within each. But that’s not all, as there are hidden secret levels waiting for you to discover as well, which I won’t spoil here. Every single level is pleasantly designed and hand-crafted, each filled with hidden bots, puzzle pieces, and boss battles. They keep you engaged at all times, with a mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving. And even if you fail, the checkpoint system is more than generous. My favorite is probably the one dedicated entirely to the recent God of War games, where Astro takes control of Krato’s Leviathan Axe and is able to throw it and freeze enemies! The best part of gameplay is the game’s effortless integration with the PS5’s DualSense controller with a blend of traditional 3D platforming elements. Astro Bot heavily relies on the controller’s haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and gyroscope to create an immersive experience. For instance, walking over different surfaces like glass or metal makes the controller rumble in sync with Astro’s steps. In addition, you can expect new power-ups that are specific to a level such as the new dog-like backpack that propels Astro forward or the frog arms that allow Astro to punch! Astro Bot clocks in at a hefty 37.64 GB on the PlayStation 5. Keep in mind Astro’s Playroom was only around 11 GB in size. Performance is excellent, which is to be expected coming from a Sony 1st party title. It takes around 3-4 seconds to load in from the main menu whereas loading into a level is almost seamless and instantaneous. You can also enjoy the entire experience in flawless 60 frames per second in native 4K resolution. Chef’s kiss in terms of performance here. There aren’t a lot of settings to tweak around with, given the game’s simplicity. You have a few accessibility options, including controller tilt, which replaces the motion sensor function with the left stick, visual aid cues, and camera assist that recenters the camera angle. Of course, you have your general HDR and audio settings as well. Astro Bot offers only one set difficulty, but the game isn’t too hard, and is, for the most part, family-friendly. You can have up to 3 save slots at once, so you and your kids can all play. Visually, Astro Bot is a feast for the eyes. The game boasts vibrant and colorful environments that are both whimsical and detailed. If you grew up playing PlayStation titles, then the dozens of easter eggs and cameos from different PlayStation franchises will surely make you smile and feel nostalgic, from the more recent Kratos to old-school classics like Ape Escape. All of the character designs are equally charming, with Astro and his bot buddies exuding personality and charm. The audio design is another standout feature as Astro Bot uses 3D audio to create an immersive soundscape, making players feel like they are truly part of Astro’s world. The sound effects are crisp and varied, from the clinking of coins to the zapping of enemies. The music is upbeat and catchy, perfectly complementing the game’s playful tone. I see Astro Bot as a family friendly game that is playable by players of all ages, which is why one area the game could improve on is its difficulty balance. While the game is generally accessible, some sections can be unexpectedly challenging, which might frustrate less experienced players. Offering adjustable difficulty settings could make the game more inclusive and enjoyable for a wider audience. Team ASOBI did an outstanding job with Astro Bot, a delightful yet playful platformer that is sure to capture the hearts of many gamers and one that I found difficult to put down once I started playing. Its innovative use of the DualSense controller, stunning visual design, engaging audio, and charming narrative make it pure bliss to play and most definitely give Nintendo a run for their money!
