As 2012 draws to a close, we look back at an eventful year for Guerrilla and the Killzone series. In February we released Killzone 3 Multiplayer, a standalone version of Killzone 3’s online mode and DLC maps, on the PlayStation Store. In August we announced a new handheld title for PlayStation Vita called Killzone: Mercenary, which sees its protagonist fight on both sides of the ISA-Helghast conflict. And in October we simultaneously released Killzone Trilogy, a bundle containing all three first-person shooters in the Killzone series, and Killzone HD, a high-definition remaster of our original Killzone game.

In addition to these planned events, there were also a few surprises along the way. In early November we were wowed by a 15-minute fan-made live action film called Killzone Intercept, which even blew our own live action trailer for Killzone: Mercenary out of the water.

Director Brian Curtin had been in touch with Guerrilla about his ambitious plans for a short Killzone movie, but we were still unprepared for the level of awesomeness he’d bring to the project. The end result is a testament to the sheer creativity of our fans, and we feel very blessed to have such dedicated followers.

But the biggest highlight of the year was being able to welcome SCE Cambridge Studio into our fold. We’ve officially become a multi-studio company! Guerrilla Cambridge — as our new sister studio is known — is working hard to ensure that Killzone: Mercenary will be the ultimate handheld first-person shooter experience when it launches for PlayStation Vita in 2013.

The team is intimately familiar with handheld game development, having previously worked on titles such as LittleBigPlanet for PSP, and they’ve done a phenomenal job adapting the Killzone 3 engine to the PS Vita platform.

2013 is gearing up to be another big year for Guerrilla – quite possibly the biggest since we released the original Killzone way back in 2004. We’ll have more details for you at a future date, but until then we hope you share a wonderful holiday with your loved ones, and we’ll see you in 2013.

We interrupt your regular scheduled blog content with a gentle reminder from Helghast Autarch Scolar Visari:

You heard the man! The Killzone Trilogy bundle is now available in stores for $39.99; Killzone HD is also separately available from the PlayStation Store for $14.99. The Double XP Weekend starts on Friday, October 26th at 9:30pm Pacific, so make sure you mark it on your calendar. You wouldn’t want to upset the Autarch…

PS3 Full Games

Medal of Honor Warfighter ($59.99)

MEDAL OF HONOR WARFIGHTER is a first-person shooter featuring covert Tier 1 military operative combat. The game is a sequel to the 2010 release, Medal of Honor, which moved the long-running game series from its roots in WWII based gameplay, into modern warfare scenarios and true-to-life conflicts.
ESRB: M – Mature // File Size: 12 GB

The Darkness II ($39.99)

The Darkness II is an intense first person shooter that puts you in the role of Jackie Estacado, don of a NY crime family and wielder of an ancient supernatural force of chaos known as The Darkness.
ESRB: M– Mature // File Size: 5.8 GB

Betas

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Beta ($0.00)

Who’s really the best? Find out for yourself! Get a taste of the full game, with 2v2 and 4-player online tournaments. Play as Kratos, Sweet Tooth, Radec, Sly, PaRappa and Fat Princess as you battle in Metropolis or Hades, and check out the Cross Play action for yourself. This code works for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems. This Beta ends on October 30th at 11:59pm Pacific, but you can experience even more when the full game launches on November 20th, 2012.

PSN Games

The Unfinished Swan ($14.99)

Enter the surreal world of The Unfinished Swan and explore a mysterious, hidden kingdom. Your journey will be led by a runaway swan who guides you through strange levels filled with bizarre creatures. Discover the land through innovative new game mechanics such as splatting paint on a white surface to uncover your surroundings. Each level will bring new twists, challenges, and puzzles until you eventually come face-to-face with the eccentric King that built this realm.
ESRB: E – Everyone // File Size: 1.48 GB

Killzone HD ($14.99)

Relive the original Killzone experience in high-definition 720p and new Trophy support. Originally released for PlayStation 2 in 2004, Killzone tells the story of Jan Templar, an ISA Captain whose home planet comes under attack from a Helghast invasion army. Together with a hot-headed sergeant named Rico, a deadly Shadow Marshal known as Luger, and the half-human, half-Helghast spy Hakha, Templar must attempt to reactivate the Orbital Defense Platform and drive the invading forces from his planet Vekta.
ESRB: M – Mature // File Size: 3 GB

Starhawk (Single Player Only) ($19.99)

Experience Emmett Graves’s quest for revenge in the Starhawk Single Player campaign. Called back to protect his home town of White Sands, hired gun Emmett Graves must rely on an arsenal of weapons and a little luck to fight off hordes of raiding Outcast and bring their leader, the ruthless outlaw, to justice.
ESRB: T– Teen // File Size: 9.2 GB

PS Vita

Street Fighter X Tekken ($39.99)

A dream collaboration between the two biggest fighting game franchises is now a reality! A deluge of highly demanded characters join the fray in this tag team-based game! The second round of this war begins now!
ESRB: T – Teen // File Size: 2.1 GB

Frobisher Says! ($0.00)

Compatible with PlayStation Vita only. Enjoy hilarious mini-games and interact with your PS Vita in just about every way possible. In Frobisher Says! – an exclusive app for PS Vita – enter Frobisher’s colourful world and prepare to face the weirdest, funniest and most addictive gaming experience of your life.
ESRB: E10+ – Everyone 10+ // File Size: 465 MB

Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz ($29.99)

Experience Super Monkey Ball™ as you’ve never seen it before! With local and Online Multi-player, custom level creation using the PlayStation®Vita System Rear Camera, 8 Mini-games and over 100 unique challenges, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz™ takes the platforming / puzzle genre to new heights!
ESRB: E – Everyone // File Size: 807 MB

Orgarhythm ($29.99)

Music and strategy unite in perfect harmony in this unique rhythm game. Set in a world of light and dark, two gods embodying the creative and destructive forces of the universe meet in furious orchestral battle. Utilize the touchscreen to direct your warriors and tap-tap-tap your way to victory by keeping the beat. Unlock new skills, unleash new attacks, track your stats on the online ranking system or go head-to-head in 2 player Ad Hoc mode.
ESRB: E10+ – Everyone 10+ // File Size: 1.2 GB

Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward ($34.99)

Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward is a suspense-driven visual novel/puzzle game and spiritual sequel to the hit, 999. Zero has kidnapped nine people and placed them in a warehouse to play the deadly Nonary Game. Play as Sigma and decide who among the eight others to trust and who to betray in this plot twisting visual novel! With fully voiced dual language support, new puzzles and more, solve the mystery that is Zero!
ESRB: M – Mature // File Size: 1.3 GB

Added to PS Vita Store

• Final Fantasy III (PSP game)
• Pong (PSone Classic)
• Centipede (PSone Classic)
• Missile Command (PSone Classic)
• Virtual Pool (PSone Classic)

PS2 Classics

Winback: Covert Operations ($9.99)

The first blast wiped out your Space Center. In just 3 hours, the high-tech weapons satellite will strike again…It’s your job to make sure that it doesn’t.
ESRB: T – Teen // File Size: 642 MB

Bundles

Naughty Bear Double Trouble ($19.99)

The bears had a party and Naughty Bear wasn’t invited. Now they will pay… with their lives. All the fun of the original but with 3 new episodes, 3 new weapons and kills and 12 new costumes. Includes Naughty Bear Gold and Panic in Paradise. Naught Bear Gold also contains 4 new Multiplayer Modes.
ESRB: T – Teen // File Size: 2.3 GB

PlayStation Store Highlights

Our Day 1 Digital program continues this week with Medal of Honor Warfighter, sequel to 2010’s Medal of Honor. The Darkness II also makes its way onto the store this week, along with the single-player campaign of Starhawk. If you do end up purchasing Starhawk’s single-player campaign and decide you want in on the multiplayer action, please purchase the separate multiplayer item in the store, not the online pass.

Another highly anticipated release this week is The Unfinished Swan. This artistic game is receiving positive reviews, so check it out. Killzone HD joins The Unfinished Swan as a PSN release this week, so if you’ve been itching to replay it with trophies, here’s your chance.

Finally, there’s a bunch of new releases on PS Vita. Street Fighter X Tekken hits the platform, along with a plethora of downloadable content. Costume changes, free gems and more await you. Of course, if you don’t like fighters, there’s the new free app, Frobisher Says! that you can play around with. Rounding out the PS Vita offerings are Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz, Orgarhythm, and Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward. Oh, and if you want to download Final Fantasy III directly on your PS Vita, you can now do so.

As always, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. You can also chat about this update in the PlayStation Community Forums.

PlayStation Plus

Click here to learn more and purchase online or go to the PlayStation Store to activate instantly.

Exclusive Timed Trial	Medal of Honor Warfighter
Discounts	Hell Yeah! Add-On: Pimp My Rabbit (20%) – PS Plus Price: $3.99 Hell Yeah! Add-On: Virtual Rabbit Missions (20%) – PS Plus Price: $2.39 Wonder Boy in Monster Land (80%) – PS Plus Price: $1.00
Last Chance (Leaving on 10/30)	Pre-Order – Need for Speed Most Wanted Discount – Wonder Boy in Monster Land Discount – Costume Quest Discount – Dead Nation Discount – Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime Discount – inFAMOUS Festival of Blood Discount – AMY Discount – Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection Content Pack Discount – Dead Space 2 Discount – Plants vs. Zombies Discount – Plants vs. Zombies PS Vita Discount – Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack Discount – The House of the Dead Overkill Bundle Discount – Dead Rising 2 Off The Record Discount – Zen Pinball 2 Monsters Bundle (Vita & PS3 Cross-Entitled) Discount – Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City

PS3 Game Demos (Free)

Sports Champions 2 (Move & PS Eye Required)

Try your hand at skiing, golf, and tennis in this demo for Sports Champions 2. PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Eye camera required. This demo is playable in 2D or 3D. To enjoy stereoscopic 3D features, you will require a 3D TV that supports 3D stereoscopic display and 3D compatible glasses.
ESRB: E10+ – Everyone // File Size: 1.3 GB

Wheel of Fortune

Spin the wheel along with Pat Sajak and Vanna White on the virtual version of America’s Game!
ESRB: E– Everyone // File Size: 975 MB

Jeopardy!

Join Alex Trebek and play as a contestant on ‘America’s Favorite Quiz Show!” Test your knowledge to make it to Final Jeopardy! and the coveted Winner’s Circle!
ESRB: E– Everyone // File Size: 1.5 GB

PS Vita Game Demos (Free)

Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz

Experience Super Monkey Ball as you’ve never seen it before! With local and Online Multi-player, custom level creation using PS Vita’s Camera, eight mini-games and over 100 unique challenges, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz takes the platforming / puzzle genre to new heights!
ESRB: E– Everyone // File Size: 270 MB

Soundtracks

• The Unfinished Swan – $9.99
• Pure Chess OST— $6.49

Price Change

• God of War: Origins Collection – PS3 Game (now: $19.99 original price: $39.99)
• Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley – PSP Game (now: $19.99 original price: $39.99)
• Order Up! – PS3 Game (now: $9.99 original price: $14.99)

Sales

• Corpse Party – PSP Game (now: $9.99 original price: $19.99)
• Fast Draw Showdown – PS3 Game (now: $4.99 original price: $9.99)
• Kenka Bancho – PSP Game (now: $7.49 original price: $14.99)
• Smash Cars – PS3 Game (now: $7.49 original price: $14.99)
• Halloween Dynamic Theme (now: free original price: $2.99

Street Fighter X Tekken Add-On Sale

All DLC purchased on the PS3 version can be used on the PS Vita version, and vice versa.

• DLC Character Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Game Add-On (now: $2.99 original price: $5.99)
• SF DLC Char Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Game Add-On (now: $1.99 original price: $3.99)
• SF DLC Char Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $1.99 original price: $3.99)
• SF Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Game Add-On (now: $6.49 original price: $12.49)
• SF/TK Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Game Add-On (now: $8.49 original price: $17.99)
• TK DLC Character Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Add-On (now: $1.99 original price: $3.99)
• TK Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS Vita Game Add-On (now: $6.49 original price: $12.49)
• DLC Character Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $2.99 original price: $5.99)
• SF Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $6.49 original price: $12.49)
• SF/TK Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $8.49 original price: $17.99)
• TK DLC Character Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $1.99 original price: $3.99)
• TK Swap Costume Complete Pack – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $6.49 original price: $12.49)

PS Vita Add-ons

Street Fighter X Tekken PS Vita

All DLC purchased on the PS3 version can be used on the PS Vita version, and vice versa.

• Color Palette Add-Ons (Free) – Color packs (each color pack contains 4-color sets) for character color customization. Special Color Palettes also available.
• Boost Gem Trial Packs (Free) – Each Boost Gem Trial Pack contains a total of 3 Boost Gems that all characters can use. NOTE: Only visible to those who are entitled to the PS3 version of these packs.
• Preset Combo Packs (Free) – Each Pack adds a Preset Combo to the default 2 slots!
• Special Gem Packs (Free) – Each Special Gem Pack contains a total of 3 Boost Gems that all characters can use. NOTE: Only visible to those who are entitled to the PS3 version of these packs.
• Combo Editor ($2.99) – Enables use of the Combo Editor for all characters. Create your own custom combo for each character!
• SF Boost Gem Packs ($0.99 each) – 10 Boost Gems exclusively for Street Fighter characters. Each Boost Gem Pack activates upon a different condition.
• TK Boost Gem Packs ($0.99 each) – 10 Boost Gems exclusively for Tekken characters. Each Boost Gem Pack activates upon a different condition.
• SF/TK Shared Assist Gem Pack 4 ($1.99) – This 4 Gem pack is great for battle veterans. These Assist Gems can be used by all characters. Note: If you would like to see the effects of the Gems individually before purchase, please use the Store from the game’s Main Menu. The effects of the Gems may be subject to change.
• SF DLC Char Swap Costume Complete Pack ($3.99) – A pack featuring the swap costumes for the 6 Street Fighter DLC characters. The SF cast take on the look of Tekken characters with these new outfits. Characters Included: Sakura, Blanka, Guy, Cody, Elena, Dudley Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• SF Swap Costume Complete Pack ($12.99) – A pack featuring the swap costumes for the 19 Street Fighter characters. The SF cast take on the look of Tekken characters with these new outfits. Characters Included: Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Cammy, Guile, Abel, Dhalsim, Sagat, Rolento, Ibuki, Poison, Hugo, Rufus, Zangief, Vega, Balrog, Bison, Juri, Akuma Note: Please be careful not to purchase the same costume twice.
• TK DLC Char Swap Costume Complete Pack ($3.99) – A pack featuring the swap costumes for the 6 Tekken DLC characters. The TK cast takes on the look of the Street Fighter characters with these new outfits. Characters Included: Lars, Alisa, JACK-X, Bryan, Christie, Lei. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• TK Swap Costume Complete Pack ($12.99) – A pack featuring the swap costumes for the 19 Tekken characters. The TK cast takes on the look of the Street Fighter characters with these new outfits. Characters Included: Kazuya, Nina, Asuka, Lili, Heihachi, Kuma, Paul, Law, King, Marduk, Hwoarang, Steve, Bob, Julia, Yoshimitsu, Raven, Jin, Xiaoyu, Ogre.
• SF/TK Swap Costume Complete Pack ($17.99) – This pack features the swap costumes for the Street Fighter and Tekken characters. The costumes for the 38 regular characters are included in this pack.
• DLC Char Swap Costume Complete Pack ($5.99) – This pack features the swap costumes for the Street Fighter and Tekken DLC characters. Characters Included: Sakura, Blanka, Guy, Cody, Elena, Dudley, Lars, Alisa, JACK-X, Bryan, Christie, Lei Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Kuma (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Word on the street is that Kuma has joined R.Mika’s wrestling league. Apparently this was the only costume they had that would fit him!
• Abel (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that in the hopes of one day stepping into the ring with Armor King, Abel puts in a special order for a new costume.
• Akuma (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – While training under a waterfall, Akuma somehow takes on the appearance of Heihachi.
• Alisa (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after hearing that Juri is working together with M.Bison, Alisa disguised herself as Juri in the hopes of getting to the bottom of Shadaloo’s recent activities. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Asuka (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – For a work-study program at school, Asuka was sent to a certain ninja village. Does Asuka have what it takes to learn the ninja arts from Ibuki?!
• Balrog (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after defeating Steve in a fight, Balrog decided to dress up as him to further mock his fallen adversary.
• Blanka (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – After a fight with Hwoarang, the two become friends. Rumor has it that Blanka decided to get some matching clothes as a token of appreciation. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Bob (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Bob was impressed by Ryu’s never-ending dedication to the fight. He decided to pay the original world warrior homage with a special outfit.
• Bryan (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that with his powers and abilities being recognized by Urien, the second in command of a mysterious organization, Bryan is brought into their ranks. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Cammy (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Cammy shows off her love of cats with this leopard motif costume. It would seem that Cammy has become one of King’s fans…
• Christie (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Brainwashed by M.Bison, the leader of Shadaloo, Christie becomes a member of Bison’s special bodyguard unit, The Dolls… Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Chun-Li (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – The First Lady of Fighting shows off a softer side with this adorable panda outfit. Fans of Chun-Li and pandas won’t want to miss out!
• Cody (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Cody beat Paul in a money match, but after Paul came up short on funds he was forced to pay with the shirt off his back. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Dhalism (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that the spirit of Heihachi’s father, Jinpachi Mishima, reaches out to Dhalsim. Dhalsim himself undergoes a transformation as he channels the legendary warrior.
• Dudley (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that this was a present from a certain dancing Tiger. Dudley was reluctant, but it would be rude not to accept such a thoughtful gift. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Elena (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Elena met Julia during the latter’s reforestation activities. The two became good friends, and Julia gave Elena these clothes as a present. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Guile (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it the military has been working together with the G Corporation to develop a stronger, faster Guile based on JACK-X…?!
• Guy (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Guy disguised himself as Kazuya in order to infiltrate the G Corporation. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Heihachi (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Heihachi taught Sodom, formerly of the Mad Gear Gang, how to truly appreciate Japanese culture. As a sign of thanks, Sodom sent him this outfit.
• Hugo (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that during a recent trip to Japan, Hugo became friends with the retired sumo wrestler Ganryu. Hugo decided to give sumo a try, and this is his wrestling outfit. Check out Hugo’s new hairstyle!
• Hwoarang (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after listening to Dee Jay’s newest single, Hwoarang has become a big fan. He gets the clothes and the hair to match!
• Ibuki (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Ibuki’s latest assignment has her joining the Manji Clan. She’s added an accessory to the outfit to remind her of Don-chan.
• JACK-X (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that to gain more information about the sumo style of fighting, JACK-X decides to enter the sumo world. He tries to dress for the part, but somehow this makes him even more conspicuous! Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Jin (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that the mysterious agent C.Viper was investigating the Mishima Zaibatsu when she was captured. Jin took an interest in her battle suit and had the Mishima Zaibatsu fashion one for his personal use.
• Julia (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Julia and Chun-Li became friends through studying Chinese kempo together. Chun-Li gave Julia these clothes as a gift.
• Juri (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after defeating Zafina who was sent to assassinate her, Juri took on her appearance in order to infiltrate the enemy camp.
• Kazuya (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that in order to discover Guile’s secrets, Kazuya plotted to take over a certain country’s air force. However, things didn’t quite go as planned as he ended up becoming a regular soldier.
• Ken (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Ken dresses up as his son’s favorite Super Hero, Bokori Man. But there’s a striking resemblance to Lars…?!
• King (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that while teaming up with the up and coming martial artist Alex, King put in a special order for some new threads.
• Lars (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after defeating a ninja named Geki who had come to take his life, Lars decided to don his outfit and try to infiltrate his organization. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Law (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that with Law’s restaurant engaged in a bitter rivalry with El Fuerte’s, Law decided to up the ante by becoming the Masked Chinese Martial Artist Chef!
• Lei (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Upon hearing about the activities of a suspicious individual, apparently Lei disguised himself as that man in order to sneak into his Hong Kong dojo. …The pink unexpectedly suits him. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Lili (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that In order to avoid her father’s vigilant surveillance, Lili took on a different look. However, she’s taken a liking to this outfit… which bears a striking resemblance to Poison.
• M. Bison (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Bison became intrigued by Bryan’s unique abilities. Taking over his body, the result is…?!
• Marduk (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that while teaming up with Hugo, Marduk decided a slight wardrobe change was in order.
• Nina (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Nina might be working for… Rolento’s army?!
• Ogre (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Ogre obtained power from Gill, the leader of a secret organization. The power has transformed him…
• Paul (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Paul became friends with Rufus due to their love of motorcycles. Rufus gave him these clothes for his next ride.
• Poison (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – A transformation brought about by the Devil Gene has lured out Poison’s wild side.
• Raven (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Raven impersonated Guy in order to infiltrate the Bushinryu dojo and learn its secrets.
• Rolento (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that as a first step to creating his utopia, Rolento planned a takeover of Raven’s organization. Although he was successful, a subsequent restructuring resulted in Rolento becoming a minor agent.
• Rufus (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Somewhere within a dream, Rufus dances with the angels among the clouds…
• Ryu (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after becoming drenched in blood during a fight with Devil Jin, Ryu is transformed by the Devil Gene.
• Sagat (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that Sagat defeated Dragunov, who had come to assassinate him. Sagat took his uniform as a token of his victory.
• Sakura (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – In order to attend a cultural festival at Asuka’s school, Sakura borrows one of their uniforms. Note: This add-on content can only be used if the additional character pack has been purchased.
• Steve (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after a bout a few years ago, Steve received a present from a friend of Guile’s who was deeply impressed with his boxing style.
• Vega (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Vega, interested in Japan, the birthplace of the ninja, fashioned himself a new mask based on the Manji Clan. Of course, he also had to come up with some new threads to match.
• Xiaoyu (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that when Chun-Li came to arrest Jin, Xiaoyu felt jealous and insecure compared to the more mature Chun-Li. She took on a new look to prove that she can be just as appealing as the Interpol detective.
• Yoshimitsu (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Rumor has it that after defeating Bison in a fight, Yoshimitsu took the Psycho Power as his own.
• Zangief (Swap Costume) ($0.99) – Many people didn’t believe Zangief when he said he trained by wrestling bears. He made this outfit to prove them wrong.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz

• Complete DLC Bundle ($1.99) – All eight pieces of DLC for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz in a single bundle! Each DLC pack enhances and adds to the custom Level Creator, allowing you to create all-new maps like never before. From super-challenging level pieces to giant Sonic statues, and even including a SEGA Genesis for the truly old school gamers, this bundle is the ultimate collection for fans of Super Monkey Ball!

New Little King’s Story

• Angel & Demon Set ($0.99) – Download the ‘Angel & Demon Set’ and unlock the following items to help you along your journey: Angel Bow (Attack +4), Angel Halo and Angel Clothes (rejuvenates life), Devil Spear (raises Attack and Power), Devil Horn (raises Attack Power), and the Devil Outfit (raises Attack Power)!
• Animal Set ($1.99) – Download the ‘Animal Set’ to get a variety of wild costumes that will increase Life, cure, and add defense against winds! This includes animals such as the Bear, Polar Bear, Panda, and Pancho!
• Princess Battle Outfit Set 1 ($2.99) – Download the ‘Princess Battle Outfit Set 1′ to unlock different Armor sets for each of the princesses, including princess Apricot, Sakura, Amabile, and Verde!
• Supreme Ruler Dragon Set ($0.99) – Download the ‘Supreme Ruler Dragon Set’ to receive more Life, Attack, and flame damage! This includes the Ruler’s Dragon Helmet, Chainmail, and Lance!

Pure Chess

• Halloween Chess Set ($2.49) – What better way to enjoy this spooky time of year than with the Pure Chess Halloween game pack! Inspired by fearsome fright night icons this beautifully rendered, mesmerizingly detailed pewter chess set will have you quaking in your boots! And it’s not just for Halloween – it can be used all year round…You’ll have a frighteningly good time playing Pure Chess with this ghoulish set. Download it – if you dare!

PS3 Add-ons

Dark Souls

• Artorias of the Abyss ($14.99) – Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss DLC will include all-new content from an untold chapter in the world of Lordran. Sent back to the past, the player will discover the story when Knight Artorias still lived.

Dead or Alive 5

• Round 2 Costumes – Full Set ($12.99) – Get the entire second round of costumes in one pack. All costumes from Kitty Pack, What a Character, and Special Set are included in this package. Twelve costumes in all!

Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit

• Pimp My Rabbit Pack ($2.99) – Unlocks 58 new masks and 11 new driller skins, some of which based on classic SEGA franchises such as Shinobi, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi and more!
• Virtual Rabbit Missions ($4.99) – 50 new missions, adding more than 3 hours of gameplay, to be played in a brand new Virtual Reality world!

Just Dance 4

• Katy Perry – Part of Me ($2.99) – The world’s 1 dance game brand is back with Just Dance 4! Download Katy Perry’s Part of Me and keep the party going!

Mugen Souls

• Flashy Coordination (Free) – Here is a set of equippable items! Train one at a time or many at once! Create a party that is unique to you!
• Undisputed God Prudence Pack 2 (Free) – This a set of usable items for all you mid-level ultimate gods out there! The set includes, healing, revival and hot spring use items.
• G Up Pack 2 (Free) – I want to upgrade my items, but I just don’t have the points… Here is a present just for you with the points that are necessary to upgrade items, G Up!
• Point Pack 2 (Free) – I just can’t seem to get enough points… For those of you who feel this way, here is a currency boost containing G and a character strengthening boost containing Mugen Points.
• Jiggly Transmission and Equipment Pack 2 (Free) – Thank you for using the Jiggly Transmission!
• Here is a set of equippable items that will aid you on your adventure! This time, please find: gloves, a spear, a scythe, Dual Long and Short Blades and defense items!

One Piece Pirate Warriors

• DLC Pack ($14.99) – Continue Luffy’s journey to become the Pirate King with this exciting DLC bundle featuring special costumes and additional scenarios.

Pure Chess

• Halloween Chess Set ($2.49) – What better way to enjoy this spooky time of year than with the Pure Chess Halloween game pack! Inspired by fearsome fright night icons this beautifully rendered, mesmerizingly detailed pewter chess set will have you quaking in your boots! And it’s not just for Halloween – it can be used all year round…You’ll have a frighteningly good time playing Pure Chess with this ghoulish set. Download it – if you dare!

Rock Band 3 – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing song game tracks. For music credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• Brains Out ($0.99) – RIBS
• Break Free From Your Life ($1.99) – Design the Skyline
• Feelin’ Stronger Every Day ($1.99) – Chicago
• Make Me Smile ($1.99) – Chicago
• If You Leave Me Now ($1.99) – Chicago
• Chicago Pack 01 ($5.49) – This pack includes ‘Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,’ ‘If You Leave Me Now,’ and ‘Make Me Smile’
• Ode to a Centipede ($1.99) – Buckner & Garcia
• Slander ($1.99) – Dr. Acula
• Galileo ($0.99) – We Are The Storm

Sleeping Dogs

• Screen Legends Pack ($1.99) – Two legendary outfits combined in one pack, with a new buff and an exclusive weapon.
• SWAT Pack ($3.99) – 20 all-new and replayable ‘Cop Job’ missions, featuring a unique SWAT outfit & SWAT van.

Saints Row: The Third

• Tricks and Treats Pack ($3.99) – Horror? Bloodsucking? Witches AND Wieners? This Halloween season, Saints Row: The Third has you covered. We’re bundling our most frightening DLC packs into one low-priced super pack that will have you burning at the stake with glee. Trick or treat? We say, why not both?

Tekken Tag Tournament 2

• Bonus Movies Packs ($2.49 – $5.99) – Each pack contains a collection of movies taken from Tekken, Tekken 2, Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag.
• Bonus Track Packs ($2.49 – $4.49) – Each pack contains a various number of tracks taken from Tekken 4, Tekken 5 and Tekken 6.

Tokyo Jungle

• Animal Character Bundle 3 ($2.49) – Download this Animal Character Bundle 3 to play as the Homo Erectus, Businessman, Saber-toothed Tiger and ERC-X in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Complete Animal Character Bundle ($6.99) – Download this Complete Animal Character Bundle to play as the Black Pomeranian, White Pomeranian, Silky Terrier, Fat Cat, Kangaroo, Giraffe, Panda, Crocodile, Homo Erectus, Businessman, Saber-toothed Tiger and ERC-X.
• Mawashi Costume (Free) – Download this costume and dress up your character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Famitsu Swag Costume (Free) – Download this costume and dress up your character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Pipo Helmet Costume (Free) – Download this costume and dress up your character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• ERC-X Character ($0.99) – Download this character to play as the ERC-X Character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Saber-toothed Tiger Character ($0.99) – Download this character to play as the Saber-toothed Tiger Character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Businessman Character ($0.99) – Download this character to play as the Businessman Character in TOKYO JUNGLE.
• Homo Erectus Character ($0.99) – Download this character to play as the Homo Erectus Character in TOKYO JUNGLE.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

• Various Multiplayer Taunts ($0.99 each) – Customize your multiplayer experience by downloading one of these new taunts: The Point, The Dougie, The Carlton 2, Stepdance, Skippy Dance, Ride It, Jump Freeze, Cossack, Cheerleader, Champion and Cabbage Patch.

Worms Revolution

• Funfair Pack ($4.99) – Roll up, roll up. Enjoy all the fun of the fair with these 5 new puzzles and theme. Experience new puzzles, weapons, customization and more.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

• Elite Soldier Pack ($4.99) – Customize your squad with three new bonus items. Instantly unlock a new recruit in your barracks inspired by the original X-COM: UFO Defense. Outfit your soldiers with specialized armor upgrades including the new Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kits. Customize your soldiers’ appearances with a variety of colors and tints for all armor sets.

Game Videos (Free)

• BORDERLANDS 2 COME AND GET ME TRAILER
• BORDERLANDS 2 LAUNCH TRAILER
• DOUBLE DRAGON NEON OFFICIAL TRAILER
• FAR CRY 3 THE SAVAGES TRAILER
• JET SET RADIO PREVIEW TRAILER
• NAUGHTY BEAR PANIC IN PARADISE HIT LIST VIDEO 5
• NAUGHTY BEAR PANIC IN PARADISE HIT LIST VIDEO 6
• NAUGHTY BEAR PANIC IN PARADISE VIDEO 8
• NBA 2K13 OFFICIAL TRAILER
• SONIC ADVENTURE 2 LAUNCH TRAILER

PS3 Avatars

• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – ATASATA AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – CARPENTER AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – MOUNTEBANK AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – NIGHT STALKER AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – THE COMMANDER AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – THE LADY MAVERICK AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III – THE ROBBER AVATAR — $0.49
• ASSASSIN’S CREED III ALSOOMSE AVATAR — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Avatar Bundle 3 — $1.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Avatar Bundle 4 — $1.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Bones Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE ERC-003 Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Fat Cat Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Giraffe Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Homo Erectus Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Lion Boss Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Panda — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Saber-toothed Tiger Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Silky Terrier Avatar — $0.49
• TOKYO JUNGLE Tiger Avatar — $0.49

PS3 Themes

• Anne Stokes: Blood Moon Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Anne Stokes: Dragon’s Fury Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Anne Stokes: Immortal Flight Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Digital Blasphemy: Accelerator Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Digital Blasphemy: Octopus Garden Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Digital Blasphemy: Phraxis Dynamic Theme — $2.99
• Digital Blasphemy: Poseidon Dynamic Theme — $2.99

Available In-Game Only (Not on PlayStation Store)

Rock Band 3

• Make Me Smile ($0.99) – Pro Guitar (In Game Only) – Chicago

Assassin’s Creed 3

• Assassin’s Creed III UPlay Passport – ($9.99)
• Assassin’s Creed III 155 Erudito Pack – ($4.99)
• Assassin’s Creed III 20 Erudito Pack – ($0.99)
• Assassin’s Creed III 380 Erudito Pack – ($9.99)
• Assassin’s Creed III 50 Erudito Pack – ($1.99)
• Assassin’s Creed III 925 Erudito Pack – ($19.99)

Victor Zuylen: Last week you explained how you retrieved the code and assets for the original Killzone. What happened once you handed them over to the conversion team?
Michiel van der Leeuw, Technical Director: That’s where the real fun began! There were corruptions and missing bits in the exported data, which caused all kinds of weird artifacts like polygons shooting through the game world. For the conversion team, the first order of business was to go in and fix all that.

Frank Compagner, Senior Programmer: Our old exporters no longer functioned, so the conversion team rather ingeniously re-used portions of the Killzone 3 pipeline with some manual hacks to convert the data back to Killzone 1 format.

ML: Yes, they really went above and beyond the call of duty. The team even solved a few bugs we hadn’t discovered when the original Killzone went to gold master.

VZ: Can you give an example?
ML: The Offices level from chapter 2 is a good example. In the original, there were a couple of pillars that the player could just walk right through. The bug slipped by us due to a very, very late change to the content.

FC: I remember how [Killzone 3 producer] Seb Downie really despaired over that one. He was our QA Manager back then, and the poor fellow discovered the bug right after Killzone had gone to gold master, so there wasn’t any time left to fix it.

ML: The Killzone HD conversion team solved the problem by painstakingly recreating the physics mesh and merging it back into the game. When I showed the fixed version to Seb the other day his response was, “Now I can die with honor.”

VZ: Aside from fixed bugs, what else has been improved for the HD version?
FC: Where possible, the Killzone assets we retrieved have been resampled or recreated at a higher resolution. Textures, for instance, were originally designed at twice the required size and then downscaled to fit into PlayStation 2 memory. For PlayStation 3 that’s no longer a concern, so the game uses the full-sized textures. Similarly, the menus and HUD-elements have all been upscaled and reworked to look good in 720p.

ML: A lot of the improvements to the game have been facilitated by switching to the more powerful PlayStation 3 hardware. The frame rate is smoother, the shaders are of a better quality, the LOD settings have been tweaked to nearly always show the highest level of detail, and the engine now applies MSAA filtering – which, by the way, looks really sharp on a lower-polygon title like Killzone.

FC: The conversion team also introduced trophy support and an updated control scheme, to bring the game in line with modern PlayStation 3 shooters. I believe [Killzone 2 and 3 game director] Mathijs de Jonge helped out with the controls?

ML: Yes, he did. The difference between PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 controller sensitivity meant that the controls required tweaking anyway, so Mathijs used the opportunity to change them to something more familiar to players of Killzone 2 and 3.

VZ: Does that mean there is now a ‘jump’ button in Killzone HD?
FC: No, something like that would require extensive changes to the levels, to prevent players from climbing out of the geometry.
ML: More importantly, it would run counter to what we were trying to do with Killzone. The omission of the ‘jump’ button was a very deliberate design decision, almost like a statement against other shooters of the time. We wanted players to have a visceral, realistic experience, and that meant preventing them from traversing our game by bunny-hopping or rocket-jumping. Even when we re-introduced jumps for the obstacle-heavy terrains in Killzone 2, they were ‘weighty’ jumps – not perfect parabolic arcs, but the sort of short leaps a heavily packed soldier would make.

FC: It’s interesting to see how many of the features and design decisions that shaped the sequels – things like weightiness, hit response systems, brutal melee moves, and elaborate reload animations – all evolved from that early desire for visceral realism. Guerrilla always tried its best not to make players feel like disembodied guns floating through a level.

VZ: What do you hope players will get out of Killzone HD?
FC: Killzone HD will obviously have nostalgic value for fans who’ve played it on PlayStation 2, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well most of it holds up after eight years. If you liked Killzone 2 or 3, or even if you’re just interested in the Killzone universe, Killzone HD will be a lot of fun.

ML: It’s a chance to see where it all began and play a unique entry in the Killzone trilogy. Killzone HD doesn’t just differ from its successors because the game takes place on Vekta instead of Helghan, it also has a very different approach to the way it presents its characters. You can play as Templar, Luger, Rico or Hakha, and use different abilities, weapons and tactics depending on who you choose. It’s the only Killzone title to do so, and I think players will enjoy it a lot.

VZ: Thanks for the interview, guys.
FC: Our pleasure!

Killzone HD will be released as part of the Killzone Trilogy bundle on October 24th. A standalone version will hit the PlayStation Store on the same date for $14.99. Stay tuned to Killzone.com and PlayStation.Blog for more Killzone Trilogy and Killzone HD news!

Victor Zuylen: What prompted the HD remaster of Killzone?

Michiel van der Leeuw, Technical Director, Guerrilla: It was an idea whose time had come. Internally we had talked about bringing Killzone to PlayStation 3 before – Killzone fans frequently asked us about it, and we knew from other developers that such projects could be a lot of fun.

VZ: How many of the original team were involved?

ML: A number of developers who worked on the original Killzone for PlayStation 2 helped get this project off the ground, including Guerrilla’s main producer, Angie Smets, who first started producing on Killzone; producer Sebastian ‘MotherH’ Downie, who served as a QA Manager and community liaison back then; art director Jan-Bart van Beek, who was the Lead Artist on Killzone; myself, as the lead coder of the original game.

Frank Compagner, Senior Programmer, Guerrilla: I mainly worked on another Guerrilla title called ShellShock: Nam ’67 at the time.

VZ: Frank, how did you get involved with Killzone HD?

FC: I was asked to dig up the source code and the original assets for the game – things like models, textures and sounds. Guerrilla used a completely different versioning system in 2004, so we knew direct retrieval of the assets was going to be tricky. By comparison, obtaining the source code was slightly easier, because we found a copy in our current CVS.

ML: Frank performed an amazing feat of software archeology.

VZ: Software archeology?

ML: It’s a programming term. The biggest challenge we faced with regard to obtaining the assets was that Guerrilla’s whole way of working was different back then. The assets had been backed up to tape at one point, but that was almost eight years and two tape robots ago. So we needed an archeologist, someone to dig into the depths of our backup archives and unearth whatever they could.

FC: It was quite an interesting challenge. The first issue we ran into was that we no longer had a machine to read most of the tapes. And the second issue was that the tapes were stored, uh, offsite…

ML: Go ahead, you can say it.

FC: By which I mean, in a shoebox in the cellar of one of our IT support staff members, without a list of contents of any kind.

VZ: In a shoebox?

FC: Like I said, we were young and we used to do things differently back in those days.

VZ: So how did you know which tapes to use?

ML: We eventually found a document with tape numbers and backup dates that seemed to match the ones in the shoebox.

FC: Yeah, I spent days poring over the list to get an idea of the data contained on the tapes, and to see whether any of the tapes might possibly contain Killzone 1 assets. In the end I narrowed it down to three or four likely candidate tapes that I asked our IT support staff to procure for me.

ML: Luckily, two of the tapes turned out to be from a previous tape robot that was still in working order, so IT support was able to transfer the contents for us.

VZ: You mentioned that you found the source code separately?

FC: Yes, someone had remembered to store a copy in our current CVS. The challenge there was getting the source code to compile. Owing to the different standards and naming conventions we followed back in those days, that was quite a puzzle in and of itself.

ML: We really had to rack our brains to remember why things were set up the way they were.

VZ: Can you give us an example?

F: A simple example would be the code and header files pertaining to Rico Velasquez; most of them referred to him by a different name, because he started out as an Asian character during development and we never got around to changing it to Rico in the source code.

ML: I had completely forgotten about that.

FC: Me too. At first I wondered why I could only find code for three of the four main characters.

VZ: What happened once you got the code to compile?

FC: From there the team that did the actual conversion took over, working off of the PC development build of Killzone to produce a version that would run well and look good on PlayStation 3.

VZ: What do you think of the end result?

ML: I think the conversion team did a terrific job. The original Killzone was a product of Guerrilla’s high ambitions and youthful enthusiasm, but at the time we didn’t quite have the experience to pack all of those ambitions into the space provided by the PlayStation 2 platform. The conversion team has gone in and made sure everything fits and runs smoothly this time, fully realizing Guerrilla’s original vision for the game. This is Killzone as it was meant to be played.

VZ: Thanks for your time, guys.

FC: Our pleasure!

Join us next week for the second part of the Killzone HD (Re-)Developer Interview, in which Michiel van der Leeuw and Frank Companger talk about the enhancements made to Killzone HD.

Announced last week, the Killzone Trilogy box set combines Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 with a high-definition PS3 remaster of the original Killzone. Today we take a closer look at Killzone HD, and the challenging new trophy set that comes with it.

Originally released for PlayStation 2 in 2004, Killzone tells the story of Jan Templar, an ISA Captain whose home planet comes under attack from a Helghast invasion army. Together with a hot-headed sergeant named Rico, a deadly Shadow Marshal known as Luger, and the half-human, half-Helghast spy Hakha, Templar must attempt to reactivate the Orbital Defense Platform and drive the invading forces from his planet Vekta.

This rip-roaring introduction to the Killzone universe has been remastered in HD for inclusion with the Killzone Trilogy bundle. Featuring a single-player campaign with four playable characters and an offline multiplayer mode against AI opponents, Killzone HD has received a thorough audiovisual overhaul: the game boasts 720p graphics at a steady 30fps, with MSAA filtering, sharper textures and higher quality sound effects. But don’t take our word for it – check out these crisp HD screenshots:

In addition to these improvements, Killzone HD has been enhanced with a full set of trophies. The trophy list is detailed below (beware of spoilers if you’ve never played the original Killzone).

Killzone HD will be released as part of the Killzone Trilogy bundle on October 23rd. A standalone version will hit PlayStation Store on the same day for $14.99. Stay tuned to Killzone.com for more Killzone Trilogy and Killzone HD news, including a giveaway promo and a Double XP Weekend!