Later today, the Dead Space development team will be bringing an all-new experience to your PS3 with Dead Space 2: Severed! Dead Space 2: Severed will follow the story of Gabe Weller, one of the characters from Dead Space: Extraction, as he travels through the Sprawl on a mission to find and rescue his wife, Lexine. Gabe, who is a security officer by trade, will fight his way through the Titan Mines and the Hospital in a journey that will offer lots of new and exciting game-play for the Dead Space community.

Given that Gabe Weller is a security officer by trade, we wanted to create an experience that focused on his skill-set through pacing, game-play mechanics, as well as combat & level design. Gabe Weller will start off with a Pulse Rifle and a Seeker Rifle as his default weapons which will give players a new way to approach combat – he’s equipped to take the action to the Necromorph forces. From the beginning of the Severed experience players should notice the difference in game-play, and there will definitely be a number of curve balls for players throughout the chapters. One of the most exciting additions to the game is the “Twitcher” which was a character from the original Dead Space game who has returned in Severed – he’s extremely fast, eerie, sporadic, and difficult to dismember.

The development team has definitely worked long and hard on Severed in order to create an experience that’s frightening, packed full of action, and a ton of fun to play. We really hope that you enjoy playing Severed, and we’re looking forward to seeing how many people can earn all of the new Trophies within Severed!

Thank you for your continued support!

Dead Space 2 gets an afterlife tomorrow with the PSN release of Dead Space 2: Severed. This downloadable expansion picks up where PlayStation Move-enabled shooter Dead Space: Extraction left off, with (spoiler!) the escape of security officer Gabe Weller and surveyor Lexine Murdoch from the doomed colony of Aegis VII. Fate ultimately brings the pair to another very bad place: the Sprawl, otherwise known as the source of Dead Space 2’s Necromorph outbreak. While Issac Clarke is busy tracking down the Marker and battling his inner demons, Gabe is pursuing a more personal objective – locating Lexine, who’s been abandoned somewhere in the dark recesses of the station. Played through Gabe’s eyes, Severed brings a different perspective to the events of Dead Space 2 and fleshes out the backstory of both characters, complete with a few twists and turns for good measure.

I went hands-on with the first chapter of Severed in a guided tour narrated by Dead Space 2 Producer Scott Probst and Executive Producer Steve Papoutsis. Decked out in high-tech armor and packing a suped-up pulse rifle and ultra-precise Seeker Rifle, Gabe Weller is a bit more battle-ready than series everyman Issac Clarke. “We tailored the level layout and combat design around the fact that Gabe is a security officer,” Producer Scott Probst explains, “which makes Severed somewhat more action-focused.” Severed’s faster, more aggressive pacing is noted in its hair-raising battle sequences, and accelerated even further with the addition of a new Necromorph breed: the Twitcher.

Twitchers were introduced in the original Dead Space, and their blistering speed and spastic movements quickly made them among the game’s most-feared enemies. “Twitchers became fused with a Stasis module and it had an adverse effect,” Executive Producer Steve Papoutsis recalls. “Rather than slowing them down, it sped them up.” Though Twitchers were conspicuously absent in Dead Space 2, Severed drags these terrors back into the spotlight. The Twitchers in Severed live up to their name, bobbing and weaving around shots with unnerving ease. Combined with the brisker combat pacing, the Twitchers help give Severed a steeper difficulty that will keep Dead Space 2 veterans on their toes. “You’re getting a challenge, but you’re also getting a different experience,” Probst adds. “We wanted to offer something new and cool from a gameplay perspective.”

While the stronger action hook is a welcome change of pace, I suspect many players will ultimately play Severed to learn what happened to Gabe and Lexine after the events of Dead Space: Extraction. “It’s definitely worth playing Extraction before playing Severed,” Papoutsis notes. “But it’s not required. This story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.” Of course, PS3 owners have no excuses – Extraction is included with the limited edition of Dead Space 2. Whether Dead Space 2 will see further downloadable episodes that will expand the Dead Space fiction in other ways remains an open question. “We’ll see what people want,” Papoutsis says. “It depends on people’s appetite.”

Dead Space 2: Severed hits the PlayStation Store tomorrow for $6.99 with two new single-player chapters and new Trophies.

I’m happy to announce we will be doing a PlayStation 3 Dead Space 2 Game with Developers session on Saturday, February 12th starting at 3pm PST (RSVP here)! So far, the reaction to Dead Space 2’s multiplayer has been mixed — some people really love it, others have yet to discover how much fun it can be. The best thing I can tell folks is to play as a team and communicate. Dead Space 2’s MP was designed around both cooperation and competition; if you run off like some Space Marine Bozo, you will get TORN UP. Work with your teammates, coordinate as you move towards your objectives, and remember: A team that plays together will generally win.

I’m excited about this weekend since the team and I will be getting a chance to play with people on the PS3. Not only do I hope that we can help people understand the best strategies for success, but we will also have a few cool goodies for those people who are dedicated to playing MP.

The team and I will be wearing two all-new Viral Suits during this Saturday’s session RSVP here: 1. White Tiger Stripe 2. Viral Blue. The idea here is that if people manage to kill the developers they will unlock one or both of these suits. The best part is that after someone gets the suit it goes “viral,” meaning that anyone who kills a person wearing one of the suit will also unlock it. So anyone who gets that suit will have a big bulls-eye on their back!

In addition to this weekend’s multiplayer session, the team (as well as myself) hops online from time to time for impromptu game sessions. If you’re interested in keeping up to date on when we may be playing, or to see if we have any other neat tricks up our sleeves, please follow me on Twitter. Leveluptime is also my PSN ID!

If you want to keep fully up to date on all things Dead Space, please follow @DeadSpace on Twitter.

One last thing: if you want to make sure to be a part of the Game with Developers session this Saturday, please RSVP here.

Thanks a ton for supporting the Dead Space 2 team and Visceral Games. I look forward to playing and meeting you all this weekend.

The PlayStation Home elite will get an opportunity to expand their territory when the newest addition to the mega-popular Mansion personal space releases this Thursday. Available from the Estates store in the PlayStation Home Mall, this expansion pack includes an infinity pool, a million dollar view, and six exclusive clothing and furniture rewards for owners and visitors alike. Check out this video for a guided tour courtesy of our resident business guru, Magnus Keynes.

What’s in that box? Who knows – but one thing is for sure: it has some truly unique moves. The “Thing in a Box” is amongst the coolest companions to be released in PlayStation Home. Watch the video and let us know what you think lives in the box in the comments section. Then be sure to pick yours up from the Exclusives store in the PlayStation Home Mall when it releases this Thursday.

The courageous and the mighty can add the Silver Warrior and Claudia costume sets to their collection come this Thursday when the latest batch of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow items release in PlayStation Home. That’s not all – this week Konami also releases a line of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow furniture items including Lycan, Vampire and Pan figurines. Check ‘em out!

The PlayStation Home Community Theater receives yet another update this week with the latest edition of GamerIndepth’s “ShoutOuts” videocast, which features an interview with Jet Set Games (the developers behind the PlayStation Home-exclusive action/espionage game Conspiracy). To celebrate the premier of this episode, the Jet Set Games team will be on-hand in the Community Theater for a live Q&A session. The party starts at 6:00pm PST (9:00pm EST) and will last until 8:00pm PST (11:00pm EST) so mark your calendars and set your alarms, because this is one event you won’t want to miss.

Speaking of the Community Theater, we’d like to take this moment to welcome our newest addition to the line of regular contributors – the one and only LittleBigPodcast!

Also releasing this week are a slew of Valentine’s Day items for the Lockwood Gift Machine (including jewelry and furniture items), male and female versions of the Dead Space 2 Advanced Prototype Protective Suit, a slew of new active items (everything from indoor waterfalls to Tesla coils), tons of new furniture items for the Loot Amaterasu yacht, new costumes, and enormous chess pieces to decorate your personal space.

See you in Home!

The Dead Space 2 team and I are super stoked that Dead Space 2 is now finally out and people are getting to play it. We have been anxiously awaiting this day to hear what gamers think of what we have been working on. The PS3 Limited Edition version of Dead Space 2 is crazy — it not only includes Dead Space 2, but it also has Dead Space Extraction. That means you can get your MOVE ON with Dead Space Extraction, and you can play it solo or in co-op as well.

Making Dead Space 2 has been a blast, getting to see everyone’s speculation on what the game was going to be about, if we lost our minds and cut out the horror, or if we were making some sort of ninja-puzzle-adventure game. Now is the time to see what the final version Dead Space 2 is all about.

From my perspective, the team did a fantastic job. This is the game I’m most proud of being a part of. The game feels better, looks better, has bigger moments, and even includes multiplayer for the first time. I really hope you like it!

Head out now to your local game store and get a copy of the Collector’s Edition — if you can still find it — or the Limited Edition and start dismembering Necromorphs today. If you want to keep up on the game and maybe get your multiplayer on, follow me on Twitter: @leveluptime.

Thanks again and please let us know what you think of the game.

Today’s the day all our amazing PlayStation 3 fans can get their hands on Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. This expansion pack to Battlefield: Bad Company 2 adds new maps, weapons, vehicles and trophies, all set to a two hour soundtrack of period-typical songs, making for one dynamic tour of duty.

Along with all of this great content comes a challenge to you, our PS3 audience, directly from Battlefield developer DICE called The Battle for Hastings. This challenge asks players to complete 69 million support actions within Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam, which will unlock the fifth map to be found in the expansion, Operation Hastings.

Get ready to do your part in The Battle for Hastings and download Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for the PS3 today! And while you’re at it, take advantage of our newly dropped prices on Onslaught (now $4.99), Shortcut Kit ($14.99), and in case you haven’t picked up the variety of free multiplayer maps through our VIP Pass, you can now pick that up for just $9.99.

Dead Space 2 Demo Infests PSN Today

by Jay Frechette, Community Manager, Visceral Games

Hello Dead Space fans! Today the single player demo for Dead Space 2 is available on the PlayStation Store! We can’t wait for you guys to play it and wanted to share a couple details of what to expect.

In the Dead Space 2 demo, you will take engineer Isaac Clarke on a terrifying adventure through the Church of Unitology, what appears to be a sanctuary quickly turns dangerous and deadly, during the Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl. You’ll have access to a variety of new tools, including the new Javelin gun that has an electrifying secondary attack, the updated stasis recharge mechanic and enhanced telekinesis ability. Don’t forget to stop at the Store to change into the advanced suit, equipped with jets that will allow Isaac full 360-degree control in zero-g space! We hope you enjoy it and pick up Dead Space 2 when it’s released on 1/25/2011.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Super Sports Pack hits PSN today

by Spenser Norrish, Community Coordinator, EA

One of the fastest street legal race cars ever manufactured has joined the pursuit! The GUMPERT Apollo S—as well as the equally awesome Porsche 911 GT2 RS and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport—is now available in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit via the Super Sports Pack. This DLC (available for $6.99) also brings 13 new events and 11 new Trophies into the fray.

Mass Effect 2 PS3 demo arrives today on PSN

by Jarrett Lee

Today marks the first time PlayStation 3 gamers will be able to experience the Mass Effect universe. The demo for Mass Effect 2 has arrived, allowing players to experiment with character creation (which will you chose: play as the iconic John Shepard or your own customized Commander Shepard?), play through the opening levels of the game, and even jump to an area further into the game to try out some of the more intense combat areas and see the kinds of amazing locations that can be visited throughout the story.

Mass Effect 2 for the PS3 is the most advanced Unreal Engine game shipped to date, and makes full use of the PS3’s hardware to bring this BioWare-created universe to life in spectacular detail. In fact, it was built on the same engine being used to build the recently announced Mass Effect 3! Here’s your chance to see it for yourself – and don’t forget that after the holiday the full game arrives on PS3 January 18th – including six hours of bonus missions, and an interactive digital comic designed by BioWare and Dark Horse Comics to introduce new players to the franchise. The digital comic allows players to make key choices about their back-story that will be reflected during their game.

And that’s not all!

Starting today, EA is happy to offer you the following add-ons for some of your favorite games at a lower price!

• Dante’s Inferno – Trials of St. Lucia, $4.99
• Burnout Paradise add-on content
• Big Surf Island, $6.99
• Legendary Cars Collection, $4.99
• Cops & Robbers, $4.99
• Boost Specials Collection, $4.99
• Party Pack, $4.99
• Toy Collection, $6.99
• Toy Car Collection 1, $4.99
• Toy Car Collection 2, $4.99

December’s episode of Qore features highly anticipated games that span a wide range of video game genres. From the extensive new playground that is LittleBigPlanet 2 to strategic dismemberment of Dead Space 2, December’s Episode 31 is stuffed with hit titles for your holiday enjoyment presented in full 720p.

Spanning the Globe

An extensive tour of LittleBigPlanet 2 leads off Episode 31. The developers at Media Molecule have filled the LBP2 sandbox full of lots of sweet new toys and Veronica takes a close up look at several of our favorites. Watch. Enjoy. Repeat.

Freaking Veronica

Veronica is so not a fan of survival horror. That’s why the Qore team sent her to cover Dead Space 2 because nothing is more fun than watching your host get creeped out by just the idea of Necromorphs. DS2 Art Director Ian Milham dissects the gory details behind their ever-evolving technique to find new ways to shock and horrify Ms. Belmont (and the rest of us).

Cliffy B’s Reign

Crazy guns, a high tech lasso and extra style points for creative kills make Bulletstorm a must-play choice for folks who like their shooters on the extreme side. Along with sweet-looking gameplay, Epic Games’ Design Director Cliff Bleszinski talks about “putting the fun back into the first person shooter.”

Chase ‘em Down

Audrey Cleo takes us through Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. The Electronic Arts racer returns with the cops geared up in exotic high-performance rides to chase down the speedsters in Seacrest County.

As for DLC, we were hoping to announce a highly anticipated demo in time for this week’s episode release, but we are not able to reveal this yet. We’ll have more details later this month, sorry for the delay.

Look for Episode 31 later today.

When we created Dead Space we wanted to establish a living, breathing, and terrifying universe. As we built this universe, we used the comic series and animated feature to expand the core story from the game. We’re taking this to the next level with Dead Space Ignition.

We’re excited about Dead Space Ignition because it brings the franchise to downloadable arcade games for the very first time, with a completely new experience. By combining interactive comic storytelling with three unique arcade games, we can tell a new Dead Space story in a fast-paced, accessible manner.

Before Isaac Clarke begins his adventure on The Sprawl in Dead Space 2, a Necromorph outbreak occurs, and Dead Space Ignition lets you witness the horror first-hand. And you’ll be able to choose your own adventure along the way, as Ignition offers four unique endings.

You’ll play as Franco Delille, an Engineer on The Sprawl. Along with his partner Sarah Andarsyn, he’ll travel to multiple locations trying to contain and survive the Necromorph outbreak. At the end of each story segment you’ll need to complete one of three different hacking games in order to progress.

These three games are called Hardware crack, System Override and Trace Route. Hardware Crack is a puzzler where you must align lasers to complete circuits on a grid, using items such as reflectors and projectors in order to crack through broken control panels. System Override turns tower-defense games on their head, and places you on the offensive. Send your viruses into the system to override the core, timing your attacks to defeat the antivirus and take control of the system. Finally, Trace Route is a sidescrolling race where you run your electrical signal through the system, avoiding security hazards and racing against countermeasures to access the core.

By playing Ignition, you’ll be rewarded with unlocks in Dead Space 2, so you can give Isaac a bit of an edge – and trust me, he’s going to need it. In addition to several helpful items, you’ll unlock the exclusive Hacker suit and a matching Hacker weapon skin for Isaac.

The story, the hacking games, and the exclusive unlocks for Isaac make Ignition a great way to experience the events leading up to Dead Space 2. However, as I mentioned earlier, the most exciting news about Dead Space Ignition is that we are offering the entire game for free to anyone who pre-orders Dead Space 2. So if you are a Dead Space fan, it’s pretty much a no-brainer.

Dead Space Ignition is available tomorrow on the PlayStation Network. We’re really excited to see what all of you think!

That’s right, Dead Space 2 will offer its own unique take on multiplayer, which is intensely gruesome and completely grounded in the Dead Space universe and fiction. Dead Space 2 will feature four-versus-four gameplay with an objective based multiplayer, across five unique locations throughout the Sprawl.

Not only will players have the chance to play as the Sprawl Security Team, but they will have a chance to see the other side of the coin and play as the evil Necromorph forces. Players will be able to play as four different Necromorph characters, each with its own unique gameplay style: The Pack, The Lurker, The Spitter, and the newly famous Puker.

In DS2 MP, the Sprawl Security Team will have specific, unique objectives across five different maps which will be focused on eradicating the Necromorph forces and restoring safety across the Sprawl. On the other hand, the Necromorphs must stalk, trap, and devour the Sprawl Security Team and prevent them from completing their mission.

Dead Space 2 multiplayer will also feature an entire level progression metagame in which players will unlock new weapons, suit skins, weapon upgrades, as well as gameplay characteristics that will build on the core mechanics of each Necromorph.

The Dead Space 2 team is hard at work right now, and we’re focused on shipping a phenomenal multiplayer experience for all of the fans. We’re really looking forward to getting it in your hands on the 25th of January!

Thanks for your support!

Like most of you, the US PlayStation.Blog team has never attended gamescom. We thought we’d let James tell us what it’s like, from the major game announcements to the gaming culture to the restrooms (no joke). Let’s listen in…

For those that have never been to gamescom, I’d describe it as a mixture of E3 and PAX, although I’ve never had the opportunity to visit Seattle.

You’ve got your SCEE press conference, where we try our best to come up with big game announcements and — for me, most importantly — you have thousands of gamers in the beautiful city of Cologne, pulled together in celebration of that shared passion. There to meet them are the fruits of a great deal of imagination and hard work from the German PlayStation team. If you haven’t seen the PlayStation gamescom booth, then check it out via my video tour:

The biggest announcements of the week came from Insomniac Games, who announced both Ratchet & Clank All 4 One and Resistance 3. Insomniac’s President, Ted Price, joined the SCEE President Andrew House on-stage to lift the lid on two brand new PS3 games and I was lucky enough to interview him afterwards.

Another huge PlayStation story landed even before the SCEE press conference had begun, with EA announcing that Mass Effect 2 is coming to PS3, and that the special editions of Dead Space 2 and Medal of Honor will include HD versions of Dead Space Extraction and Medal of Honor Frontlines respectively.

PlayStation Move was everywhere at gamescom and one of the most enduring images I have is gazing across the booth at the masses of glowing spheres of all colours. I’d say that Sports Champions was the most popular title, with SingStar Dance proving popular with those brave enough to play it. I’ll tell you one thing about German gamers: they love their SingStar.

Also extremely popular were the the 3D TVs scattered across the show floor with Killzone 3, MotorStorm Apocalypse, Gran Turismo 5, The Fight and many more all playable in stereoscopic 3D. Glasses have never been so fashionable.

However, despite all the announcements and the games, my favourite part of gamescom is the atmosphere. Cologne is a densely packed city and the close proximity of the Koelnmesse Convention Centre, and it really makes you feel close to the people behind your favourite games.

I have to tell you, standing next to Kazunori Yamauchi at a urinal while Evolution Studios’ Matt Southern washes his hands is a weird experience for any gamer.