July's PS Plus Games Announced

July not only brings the 10th anniversary of PS Plus for Sony but also with it three titles for the month. These are as follows:

NBA2K20

With the release of NBA2k21 potentially on the horizon, for those excited at getting in on the latest release of the franchise they will be happy to know that it is free this July. The replay mode also allows you to take some brilliant photographs. Perhaps something a little different from your usual virtual photography habits. 

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider comes to us for free also this July. The second in the series of the Tomb Raider reboots. Getting high critical acclaim of 90% or over from a huge host of respectable reviewers, it is certainly worth a play from anyone who hasn't taken the time to already. 

Erica

The least known out of the three giveaway games, Erica takes place following the deaths of both her parents, she finds herself floating through life alone in an apartment as the world passes her by. Her repressed memories come in the form of nightmares that eventually lead to the reopening of the murder case.

The game is only two hours long and is entirely FMV. Players interact with the story through button prompts on screen. It received mostly very favourable reviews and is certainly going to be a different experience from what gamers are used to.

The Last of Us: Gamevnom

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

Despite being a relatively new account on Instagram, Gamevnom aka Sebastian pulls no punches. His shots are vivid, bright and full of impact. Even in a dark and sinister game like The Last of Us, he injects with life and colour, capturing the vibrancy of the game and yet retaining the gritty drama.

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

I recommend Sebastian's work for anyone who is into decent and diverse virtual photography. Having only started his account in May he is one to watch as I am sure we have plenty more beauty to come. Click here to see more on his account.

The Last of Us by Gamevnom

Cyber Punk 2077 Xbox One X

I am not normally sold on exclusive and limited edition versions of consoles. I also don't want to appear to look like a Cyberpunk 2077 fangirl. Yet this new Xbox One X limited console is a work of art. It even glows in the dark!

Ready At Dawn absorbed by Facebook

The creators of The Order: 1886, Ready At Dawn have now been absorbed into Facebook. Under the corporate giant they will work on virtual reality games for the Oculus VR platform.

“As part of the Oculus Studios team, Ready At Dawn will continue creating memorable, immersive, and innovative VR content for gamers around the world as an independently-operated studio,” Mike Verdu, head of VR content at Facebook, wrote in a press release. 

However they will continue working on Lone Echo II, which is due out later this year, and retain their current working environment. 

The Last of Us: Wolfwithashield

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

Known for her soft and dreamlike focus, Wolfwithashield's work is always distinguishable in the steady stream of virtual photography. 

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

No matter the game, setting or situation, her shots always have the atmosphere of a classical painting.  The softness, bold colours and often glassy eyed portraits create a homage to modern gaming and traditional art.

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

While these shots all focus on The Last of Us, her profile here, shows a wide range of games and genres, which I implore you to check out.

The Last of Us by Wolfwithashield

Samantha Vega x Pokemon

Japanese fashion brand Samantha Vega is teaming up with Pokémon for a line of purses and bags.

As seen on At Press, there are different themes in the collection watch the video to see more.

Game Release List: June - September

Despite the new generation of consoles being on the horizon, game releases on some fronts are not slowing down. Below is a list of all the announced titles from now until September.

Hopefully there are one or two releases on their way for everyone. 

June 30

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - Switch
July

Skater XL - PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

July 3

Iron Man VR - PS4

July 7

Catherine: Full Body - Switch

NASCAR Heat 5 Gold Edition - PC, PS4, Xbox One

July 9

CrossCode - Switch, Xbox One

July 10

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise - Switch

F1 2020 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

July 14

Death Stranding - PC

Rocket Arena - PC, PS4, Xbox One

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town - PC, Switch

void tRrLM(); //Void Terrarium - Switch

July 17

Ghost of Tsushima - PS4

Paper Mario: Origami King - Switch

void tRrLM(); //Void Terrarium - PS4

July 21

Rock of Ages III: Make & Break - PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One

July 23

Rogue Legacy 2 - PC (Early Access)

July 28

Destroy All Humans! Remastered - PC, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One

Megadimension Neptunia VII - Switch

July 30

Fight Crab - PC

Fairy Tail - PC, PS4, Switch

August

Baldur’s Gate - PC (Early Access)

August 7

Fast & Furious Crossroads - PC, PS4, Xbox One

August 21

PGA Tour 2K21 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

August 25

New World - PC

August 27

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered - Android, iOS, PS4, Switch

August 28

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions - PC, PS4, Switch

Madden NFL 21 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

Mafia Definitive Edition - PC, PS4, Xbox One

Project CARS 3 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

Wasteland 3 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

Windbound - PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One

September 1

Crusader Kings III - PC

Iron Harvest - PC, PS4, Xbox One

September 4

Marvel’s Avengers - PC, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 - PC, PS4, Xbox One

September 22

Destiny 2: Beyond Light - PC, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One

Plat Runner 05: Peasant Knight

I first purchased Peasant Knight when I bought my PS4 Pro. I wanted a swift easy platinum to get my collection started. My expectations were low and I had just finished My Name is Mayo. At first I was drawn in by its simplicity. Two buttons: Jump and stop are all that is required to play. The first few levels passed in mere seconds and then the real game started. 

As previously stated in my other articles I am a huge fan of indie gaming and spent most of my early days only playing Gameboy games and PC indie titles. Peasant Knight takes the runner genre of gaming and boils it down to its most basic form, then converts it into something else. Much like Zero Zero Zero Zero, the game has a perfect balance of frustration meets reward. The levels are no more than a few seconds and only 47 are required to gain the platinum.

The boss that I thought I could not beat, defeated.

Over on PSN Profiles the game is rated 2/10 for difficulty. I’m not sure why or how as the game is a challenge. On my initial purchase, I reached a point where I felt I couldn’t get any further and resigned myself to not getting the platinum. Yet, a few months later I picked it up and got that sweet reward and not only did I attain the trophy but I had a blast doing it.

Despite the games simplicity the constant introduction of new mechanics and hazards keeps you on your toes. The levels are short enough that you don’t have time to get bored. While not as hard going as Zero Zero Zero Zero it isn’t for the feint of heart or those with high blood pressure. You will die constantly. The more you die the more rewarding the victory will be.

All of the games trophies come through natural gameplay.

Out of all the Ratalaikia games I have purchased it took me the longest to finish in terms of start and end date. My friend tells me in the US it is currently on sale for $1. That’s a dollar well spent! 

Peasant Knight may not be the prettiest out of the companies releases, but it has an undeniable charm about it. For those into the gruelling punishment of games like Super Meat Boy, it’s a must play. A short sweet burst of arcade fun.

Tips and Tricks

• Persist you’ll get there

• You only have to do each level once

• It’s all in the timing. Learn how hazards work and adapt accordingly. 

• The moving platforms are a pain you have to stop in the air before you hit them. Otherwise you get left behind.

• The Platinum didn't pop for me but I had actually earned it, so don't panic!

That sweet Platinum Pop!

Rogue Legacy 2 Trailer

Rogue Legacy is by far one of my favourite indie titles of all time. Its rogue-like hack and slash, platforming perfection is as rewarding as it is brutal. Now after many moons, we get a sequel!

The Last of Us Showcase Month

The Last of Us shot by Wolfwithashield

After a bit of feedback from people I decided to hold off a little longer on the Last of Us Showcase Week. I have a host of content scheduled to upload, but people requested a little more time to get their shots in. 

Not wanting to make people feel pressured I have delayed the posts. Instead of an intensive week it will be stretched over the month. A Last of Us Showcase Month. 

If you have any content you would like to share. Please get in touch.

Cyberpunk 2077: New Trailer

Today marks the launch of the next trailer most of us were hyped to see. Regretfully I cannot imbed the video but you can CLICK HERE to see the whole thing on Youtube. 

Enjoy.

The Evolution of Chen San-yuan

Chen San-yuan back in 2018 featured on BBC News

I first heard about Chen San-yuan back in 2018. His obsession and innovation with Pokemon Go swept the globe. Now this Taiwanese man, who has been nicknamed Pokémon Grandpa, has affixed an array of 64 phones to his bike in order to play dozens of simultaneous games of Pokémon Go.

As the months have passed Chen San-yuan has gradually been adding to his invention and increasing the number of phones on his bike.

An ambitious 45 phones!

Now he rides with 64 phones attached to his bike all simultaneously playing Pokemon Go.

What a hero

If only he had speakers playing the TV show theme tune it would be perfect.

Photograph credit: Yanwu

July's Xbox Gold Games

As per usual next months PS Now games have not been announced, but as the  the Tenth Anniversary of the subscription’s launch next week, PS4 owners could be in for a treat.

Sony hasn’t confirmed celebrating the milestone, but they rarely confirm anything ahead of the official announcement. 

Meanwhile Xbox Gold users can snap up these games on their system in July:

Xbox One
WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship (July 1-31)
Dunk Lords (July 16-August 15)

Xbox 360 
Saints Row 2 (July 1-15)
Juju (July 16-31)