When Nihilistic first sat down and thought about creating a downloadable title, we immediately wanted to do it in the horror genre. We’ve got a lot of zombie and horror fans here. Not to mention some hardcore fans of old-school shooters. Combining the two felt logical and Zombie Apocalypse was born.

Thematic inspiration was drawn primarily from classic zombie films of the 70s and 80s. Two films in particular are ZOMBIE (aka Zombi 2) by Lucio Fulci, and Nightmare City by Umberto Lenzi. The first level in Zombie Apocalypse is set in an airport which is a homage to Nightmare City. If you haven’t heard of either of these films and don’t mind some bad acting they are both incredible zombie gore fests. They are definitely not for the squeamish!

The game design was inspired primarily by two old-school shooters. The first was Robotron, a classic and innovator in the dual-stick shooter genre. In fact, the internal codename for Zombie Apocalypse during development was “Zombitron”. At the beginning of Zombie Apocalypse’s development, we held an internal Robotron tournament to get prepared. The second was gamer favorite Smash TV. We built upon the gore and arena combat of Smash TV by adding environmental hazards into our arenas that will tear zombies to shreds, blow them up, or light them on fire when you blast zombies into them.

Zombie Apocalypse is all about survival and scoring big. When playing with friends either on the same console or online, the team is working toward a shared score. So to do well and hit the top of the leaderboards you’ve got to work together. Here are three PlayStation Blog-exclusive tips for hitting as high of a score as possible, applicable to either single or multiplayer:

• The survivor characters all have chainsaws that you can pull out at any time. Use the chainsaw to grapple by pressing and holding the L1 button to score an instant kill on a zombie and to increase your score multiplier by three. Just be careful to not use the attack in the middle of a group of zombies, as it leaves you vulnerable for a moment as it ends. Try to lead a lone zombie away from the group then chainsaw them in half.
• Make use of the environmental hazards. For example, blast zombies with your shotgun into the wood chipper in the Logging Camp level. Each hazard kill gives you an additional 5,000 points on top of the points you would have scored otherwise.
• Use the zombie bait grenade not just to kill a bunch of zombies but to lead them to environmental hazards to score more points. In the Graveyard level you can throw the bait into the open grave and then shoot zombies directly into it to put them back to rest and get your hazard bonus.

If you reach the point where you think you can easily handle a Zombie Apocalypse and want an even bigger challenge be sure to unlock Hardcore Mode, one of our six unlockable game modes. Hardcore Mode restricts each survivor to starting with just one life and no extra lives are granted. That means you’ve only got one chance to try to score big on the special Hardcore Mode leaderboard. To unlock Hardcore Mode, complete seven consecutive days (missions) in the normal game mode without dying. Additional unlockable modes include Blackout Mode, where all the lights turn off except for one small light per player, and 7 Days of Hell Mode, where the survivors are tasked to survive through a week of sepia toned zombie mayhem.

So hit the store later today and get Zombie Apocalypse for PS3! But we are not just developers — we’re givers too! So to celebrate the launch of Zombie Apocalypse we will be giving away 25 codes for the game on the PlayStation Twitter feed. But make sure you’ve read this post, as there might be little pop quiz via Twitter! So keep your eyes peeled to Twitter later today after our PlayStation Store Update goes live!

Hope to see you online fighting back the zombie invasion with me!

As part of what is included in SCENE, you can acquire three new Skills.

The First of these is CQC (Close Quarters Combat) EX. In order to obtain this skill, you have to execute a CQC maneuver 200 times with CQC Mastery Lv3 equipped. Once you have this skill, your character will automatically counter an opponent’s CQC attack.

You can also gain Toughness, by receiving a knockback, knockdown, or blow away type attack 100 times. Once you have this Skill, your character will be able to endure knockdown attacks and recover time will be decreased.

The third Skill you can gain is Charm, by getting distracted by a magazine 100 times. It’s similar to Mei-Ling’s special skill, where holding the salute pose will have the same distracting effect as a magazine. The salute motion will also change to one of three different exclusive random animations.

There will also be some new Top Elite emblems in the SCENE Expansion. If you earn the emblems, you’ll receive a free in-game t-shirt! Here are two to check out, the Fighting Fish, which you can unlock by playing a series of Death matches, and Arctic Skua, which you can unlock by playing through a series of Solo Capture missions.

I also have some detailed overviews of the new maps included in SCENE: Hazard House, Outer Outlet, and Ravaged Riverfront.

Hazard House

Basement

1st Floor

2nd Floor

Duct Area

Outer Outlet

Basement

1st Floor

2nd Floor

Ravaged Riverfront

Basement

Waterway

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

Just looking at those maps, I can already see some intense battles playing out in a few key areas. Where do you think the most action will be?

SCENE comes out tomorrow, March 17, 2009, don’t miss out on the latest Metal Gear Online expansion pack for the ultimate squad-based, tactical shooter based on the Metal Gear Solid franchise!

All players who pre-order SCENE will receive the special “cardboard man” head gear for free, so don’t wait to jump on these great deals!

Only one week left until SCENE is released, but there’s even more cool stuff yet to be revealed, so stay tuned!

I know many of you are curious to know each of the new special character’s (Raiden and Vamp) weapons and abilities, as both characters display incredible talents in the Metal Gear Solid 4 single player campaign. You’ll be happy to know that many of their same abilities will be available in Metal Gear Online.

Raiden is quite agile, can run very fast and uses a High Frequency Blade. Much like in the single player campaign, he is best at close-range hand-to-hand combat. He will be able to jump to high places where ordinary soldiers would need a co-op boost, and can also fall from high places and land without taking damage. Naturally, he can use his High Frequency Blade, which can be used to deflect frontal attacks when drawn, in addition to attacks. He can also choose to use it in a non-lethal mode, by using the back of the blade. He also will have Throwing Knives available, and can headshot other players by using them. He also has a special VISOR that, when in the closed position, will be able to detect traps. As he does not have nano-machines implanted into his body, he will be unable to use the SOP Link, SOP Destabilizer and the SOP system information gathering skills such as scanning, etc. All SOP related abilities and affects are therefore nullified when using this character.

Vamp, master of knives, is agile, runs incredibly fast and excels at close-range hand-to-hand combat, especially when using his Combat Knife and Throwing Knife, which he can use to headshot other players, like Raiden. He will be able to jump to hard-to-reach places, fall from high places without taking damage – but will be able to utilize the SOP system and fall victim to it, unlike Raiden. His unique nano-machines will also make him seem immortal, every time he is defeated during the game, he will be resurrected in the same location.

There will also be a new game type opened to all MGO players: Solo Capture (SCAP). SCAP is a FREE-FOR-ALL Match with no team divisions. Capturing the Kerotan frog will make that player’s timer begin to decrease. The player who can keep possession of the Kerotan frog the longest, and allows their timer to reach zero first, will be the winner. If a player who isn’t holding the Kerotan is killed, no points will be awarded, but that player’s timer will be reduced.

Also included in SCENE is a great deal of new gear that you can use to customize your character, including the Bikini Outfit, Clown Face Paint, Haven Trooper Uniform Set, Resistance Uniform Set, Hockey Mask, Mohawk Wig, Short Cut Wig, Shirtless, and Robbie (Silent Hill character).

There’s still a lot more cool stuff in SCENE yet to be revealed, stay tuned to the PlayStation.Blog for more updates in the coming weeks!

You can also download this trailer for free from the PlayStation Store later today. Remember to stay tuned here in the coming weeks, there’s more cool stuff on the way!

First, I’m excited to announce that now, in order to make the SCENE Expansion more accessible, players will be able to use their PayPal account, along with their PlayStation Network Wallet, if they so choose, to purchase the SCENE Expansion.

For those players that want to get a head start on the action and pre-order SCENE through Metal Gear Online’s in-game shop or Konami’s shop, there’s a special gift in store. Once the pre-order period starts, one week before the release date, all players who pre-order SCENE will receive a special “cardboard man” head gear for free. It should definitely provide ample cover for any bad hair day.

Now for the stuff I know you all are most excited about, the new maps and characters!

The first new map is Outer Outlet, an all new environment that takes place in a commercial mall area made up of lots of buildings and subterranean areas. Multiple floors with openings onto the areas above and below will offer many unique vantage points from which to stage the action, while the décor will provide plenty of unexpected places to seek cover. It should be ideal for medium to long range battles.

Second is Hazard House, set in a huge three story mansion – a take on the one seen from Act II of the MGS4 single player game. Lots of doors, hallways, and blind corners, will make for intense claustrophobic combat.

Third is Ravaged Riverfront – a take on the Eastern European environment from Act III of the MGS4 single player game – with a large clock tower surrounded by lots of underground and underwater areas. Lots of clear space, perfect for long range attacks.

SCENE will also bring two long awaited, much requested, special characters to MGO – Raiden and Vamp, both with impressive special abilities and offensive power to spare! First is Vamp, knife-expert extraordinaire. You may be able to defeat him once, but that’s no guarantee he won’t be back for more! Second is Raiden, whose appearance belies his extraordinary skill and agility in combat. They are formidable opponents, or one of them can be a great ally to have on your team. Yes, you will indeed be able to have a multiplayer battle between Raiden and Vamp, which is a fun as it looks! More specifics about their abilities will be revealed soon!

Next week, we will be releasing a trailer for SCENE on the PlayStation Network and the PlayStation Blog, so please look out for that. There’s even more on the way with the SCENE Expansion – stay tuned to the PlayStation Blog in the coming weeks for more details!

For the past several months, we have been working closely with Neversoft and Activision, Harmonix and Konami to ensure that PlayStation 3 guitars and drum sets will all feature a basic level of gameplay compatibility.

For the most part, this means that the titles with musical peripherals will work with the other’s software. A few specific examples include: Guitar Hero: World Tour’s guitars and drums will work with Rock Band 2 and Konami’s Rock Revolution software.

And yes, you guessed it, Rock Band 2’s guitar and drum set will work with Guitar Hero: World Tour and with Rock Revolution.

Conversely, Rock Revolution’s drum set will work with both Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Band 2.

In addition, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Band 2 will both support the SingStar microphones.

We’re still working hard to ensure compatibility between the Guitar Hero and Rock Band titles currently on the market, and we hope to have an announcement on that shortly.

Of course each of these great games have their own specific cool features that may not be compatible with the other controllers, but this is our first big step in bringing a level of compatibility to music games that is sure to benefit PlayStation 3 consumers.

Keep an eye out here for more information in the future.

As Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots inches closer to its release date on 06.12.2008, the media pours in…

From our recent Konami Gamer’s Night, in case you missed it, we are happy to present this stunning “movie-style” Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots cinematic trailer. It has the “movie guy” voice and everything!

Also, we’ve released a bunch of new screenshots from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots that reveal new locations, and much more. WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Many more here.

With just a couple of weeks left until launch of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, things are going to heat up even more! Stay tuned right here on the PS Blog and at Konami.com!

Once again, happy holiday!

As many of you know, the MGO Beta came to a close late last night, and we would like to extend our most sincere thanks to all of you who participated, for your time and efforts to play and give us feedback on MGO. We had a great time, and we hope you did too!

Last Wednesday as announced here on the PS Blog, before the end of the MGO Beta we sent out a challenge to the top ranked clans in the MGO Beta to play vs our Kojima Productions/Konami team. Many thanks to the clans who participated, and all of the clans that wrote in to try to play. We truly wish we could spend all day playing, and fit everybody in, but we had very limited time – and we appreciate your patience and understanding. If you enjoyed playing, would have liked to participate, or would love more organized MGO competitions in any case, fret not – this is only the tip of the iceberg, and we have lots planned following the launch of MGS4/MGO…

I would like to extend a special thanks to the clan leaders who quickly rushed to organize and confirm their rosters for the competition: Nozdeuce of NeoGaf, Paradox Bat of W.O.L.F., THE-BIGGER-BOSS of Venom, Solid Tanuki of CheapAssGamer, and SwiftFox of SpecialOpsGroup – and, once again, all the clan leaders I chatted with who were interested to play.

Every match was an absolute blast for us to play, and for the most part, every round was extremely close. We had an amazing time chatting and playing, everyone was incredibly skilled, and really nice. NeoGaf clan member Freeman did a great job capturing and posting some videos from the NeoGaf vs KP/Konami match. Freeman has a tremendous opening from our first round of the first match, quickly laying waste to a few of our KP/Konami team members…

You can catch Freeman’s other video from the match here, where extensive use of Night Vision is employed.

Full match results after the jump.

Next, I’d like to call out that GameTrailers has posted the first installment of their incredible Metal Gear video retrospective. Be warned, it covers the whole series history in extreme detail, and contains MAJOR SPOILERS!

Lastly, in case you didn’t know, Wednesday night is Konami’s “Gamer’s Night” in SF – an event where we invite the press to come and check out Konami’s product lineup. There will be many long awaited and surprise announcements, special guests, and much more. Stay tuned right here on the PS Blog and at Konami.com!!!

Match 1
Map: Blood Bath
Type: Team Death Match
Length: 4 mins.
Rounds: 2
20 Tickets

Match 2
Map: Midtown Maelstrom
Type: Base
Length: 5 mins.
Rounds: 2

7:00 PM – Clan: NeoGaf

Match 1
R1: Konami
R2: NeoGaf

Match 2
R1: NeoGaf
R2: Konami

7:25 PM – Clan: W.O.L.F.

Match 1
R1: W.O.L.F.
R2: W.O.L.F.

Match 2
R1: W.O.L.F.
R2: Konami

7:50 PM – Clan: Venom

Match 1
R1: Konami
R2: Konami

Match 2
R1: Konami
R2: Konami

8:15 PM – Clan: CheapAssGamer

Match 1
R1: CheapAssGamer
R2: Konami

Match 2
R1: CheapAssGamer
R2: CheapAssGamer

8:40 PM – Clan: SpecialOpsGroup

Match 1
R1: SpecialOpsGroup
R2: Konami

Match 2
R1: Konami
R2: Konami

A select number of top clans will receive an invite to play the MGO Beta competitively against the Konami team. The invites will start going out tonight (Wednesday May 7, 2008) through tomorrow morning, via the MGO Beta in-game mail system, to the selected clan leaders. If you receive an invite, Konami will communicate with you regarding your entry status, steps to participate, and scheduling of the match should your clan be selected. Invites will be coming from me personally, my character, named simply, “Brandon”. Do not communicate with or provide any information to anyone else who may claim to be representing Konami.

The matches will take place tomorrow night Thursday May 8, 2008 starting at 7pm PST. If you qualify for entry, your clan will be given a time slot between 7pm PST and 9pm PST. We will also provide match details in advance. Matches will be 5v5, 5 on the Konami team, so if your clan has more than 5 members, you will need to select and coordinate who will be playing.

Please stay tuned to the MGO Beta site for all the latest news on this special MGO Beta Competition!