Check the video above for a look at the slice-and-dice action, as well as a glimpse at my favorite new mode of transportation: the glider suit! Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts on the latest trailer, and stay tuned right here to the PlayStation.Blog for more sneak peeks and updates on all of the PS Vita titles from Namco Bandai Games through launch next month. Until then, watch your back for the blades of your enemies — they’re everywhere!

We’ve already been over how the new core gameplay mechanics will work: You’ll stretch and squeeze your katamari using the rear touchscreen, changing the shape of your rolly ball of fun to better maneuver around each level. What we haven’t yet shared is the story! Watch the prologue video below to get a look at the terrifying revelation uncovered by the King of All Cosmos at the beginning of our stretchy tale. Once the greatest in the universe, the king finds out that his level of cool is now only on par with something he simply won’t stand for… thus beginning a redemption tale for the ages!

Check the clip above and be sure to sound off in the comments. February 22nd will be here before you know it!

Hello again, PS Vita fans! Hoping you enjoyed our premiere of the first Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen details not long ago. As promised, I’m back to share a post with you from our friends on the development team ACQUIRE Corp. Our friend Toshiko Tazaki has more details to share on how they shaped the tension and atmosphere in their upcoming assassin-thriller. Have a look and a listen down below, and stay tuned to PlayStation.Blog as we lead up to the game’s launch on February 22nd for more in-depth looks at how the team brought this killer game together on the PS Vita.

Toshio Tazaki, Sound Artist, Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen (PSVita)

You may not think about it much when you are playing games, but creating tension and atmosphere takes a lot of work on the development side. I wanted to share with you a bit about how we did this in our game, Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen.

Music and sound production of Shinobido 2 was actually started with a mandate from our director, Abe-san, who asked us, “Why not enhance the melody and atmosphere on our music unlike any game we’ve done before?” Every day, I made considerable efforts to adjust the melody balance to make it better than the day before. Composers tend to be desperate to give their music something different when preparing soundtracks for a whole game.

When the project began, I aimed to produce a song each day…but sometimes I got stuck and more than a little bewildered! Once I finished half of the song writing, I came to realize more details of each character by checking each of the key event scenes in the game.

When I listened to the completed songs at first, I was very clear where they would be used in the game…but I sometimes changed my mind and replaced them with more suitable arrangements or created new songs for the parts that needed more emotion. It was quite enjoyable to produce the music for game events, and the more I thought about each character, the more inspired I was to really get the music right!

It is unusual for me to say this, but I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to keep composing and developing the sounds even after the project wrapped! I would like to thank the director for letting me take part in this title. :-) By the way, I’ll show you a photo related to the sound development here. Please have a look at this snap shot of music data displaying what it looks like when the main character is found by enemies in the game.

You may be asking yourself, “What in the world is this?” What looks like just a pattern of .wav files is actually the full song, which I’d love to share with you below. It’s called “Detection.”

Well, that’s it from me. We’ll be back to share more on the development of Shinobido 2, and we hope that you enjoy the sounds of assassination when our game launches this February in the US and Europe. I can’t wait until you can all hear the rest! If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know, and if I can’t respond immediately, our friend FilthieRich can chime in! See you soon!

We’re nearly two months away from the launch of the PS Vita here in North America and Europe on February 22nd, 2012 – and as many of you know NAMCO BANDAI Games will be bringing Acquire’s epic assassin tale of vengeance and betrayal to the PS Vita on DAY ONE! If you aren’t familiar with Acquire’s work, they have a killer pedigree having worked on series’ like Tenchu and Way of the Samurai, so you can bet your lucky ninja stars that their next epic will be impaling the competition on day one.

Let us know what you think of this first video in the comments section, and join me in my campaign in convincing the @PlayStation team to give me a PS Vita early. The teasing and taunting continues and I need one YESTERDAY. Also, keep your eyes right here to the PlayStation.Blog in the coming days and weeks when we kick off an exclusive series of blogs and info from the developers themselves. Get HYPED my friends, NAMCO BANDAI Games and PS Vita are going to be in full effect this February. Stay tuned!

Tekken Tag Tournament HD

This was a game-changer when it was released in 1999 for arcades, and the following year as a PlayStation 2 launch title. Let’s take all the characters In the Tekken franchise for two-on-two tag battles, throw in Tekken Bowl, which ended up being a fan-favorite mini-game, and have players go buck wild in extreme two-on-two matches. Tekken Tag Tournament gave players a new kind of freedom with the Tekken fighting engine. With the introduction of a partner tag system, players gained the ability to set up new combos and play styles, with teams rather than individual characters, enabling you to launch your opponent in the air and tag in your partner to continue the pain. Tekken Tag Tournament HD brings this revolutionary game to PS3 and makes it look even better with high-res graphics. And of course, you also get the fan-favorite Tekken Bowl! You can pick your character and compete against your friends in an intense ten frames at Mishima Lanes.

Tekken Blood Vengeance 3D

Tekken Blood Vengeance 3D takes everything you know and love about the Tekken universe; the characters, action and style, and packs it all into one kickass CG movie filled with legendary talent from the world of anime. You have an epic storyline penned by Dai Sato (Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), pulse pounding music from Hitoshi Sakimoto (Appleseed), and expertly directed by Yoichi Mouri. Plus, it’s all made possible by Digital Frontier, the animation studio that has created the awesome Tekken 6 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 CG intros. This is the Tekken you dream about in your sleep. Crazy, off-the-wall choreographed fight scenes, unbelievable visuals and Mokujins… well, I won’t spoil that part.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Prologue

The slice of the game everyone is hyped for! Yes, Western Tekken fans will be able to get their hands on the game that is sweeping Japanese arcades today. The Tekken Team wanted to give fans of the series a special gift to places where the arcade will not be officially available. With Prologue you will get four fighters; Ling Xiaoyu, Alisa Bosconovitch, Devil Jin, and Kazuya in his Devil state, all decked out in exclusive Tekken Blood Vengeance costumes. Rest assured, what you are getting with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Prologue is not stripped down in terms of gameplay. You are getting the full suite of gameplay features found in the current iteration of the arcade game.

And that’s everything. We made sure to pack as much as we could in there for all the loyal Tekken fans. And be sure to pick up that Limited Edition if you get the chance — that art book is something special and the Tekken Hybrid soundtrack is candy for your ears.

If you’re like me, then you’ve already whipped out your fat red marker and circled February 22nd, 2012 on your calendar the minute our friends at Sony Computer Entertainment announced the launch date of the PS Vita in North America. Last week we were able to reveal the name of Touch My Katamari, which will be hitting on launch day. Today, we’re back with more on another launch title from Namco Bandai.

While they still won’t let ME have a PS Vita yet, I do know at least one other person that does have one. That would be Mr. Kazuhiro Watanabe at famed studio Acquire in Japan. Known around the world for being among the best developers in the stealth action genre with their work on the Tenchu series, Mr. Watanabe’s team has been working non-stop on a PS Vita title that will be slicing the life out of enemies before they can even see what’s coming.

Previously teased during Tokyo Game Show under the subtitle “Tales of the Ninja,” the team has finalized the name of their upcoming assassin adventure, and has just revealed their brand-spanking new logo for Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. We here at Namco Bandai Games had a chance to catch up with Mr. Watanabe himself for a quick rundown of what the game is all about, and you can read it here first.

Questions for Mr. Watanabe

Fans of your work are very familiar the Shinobido games, but for those new to the series, what can you tell us about them?

Shinobido is an assassin-based stealth action game set against the backdrop of a war-torn land, where three opposing territorial forces fight for control. The player must choose which of these forces to support by taking on various missions. Depending on the player’s choices, the game’s “Harakiri Engine” will allow for a variety of outcomes and constantly changing missions. The player could choose to focus solely on one territorial force for a swift route through the game, but if he takes on missions from all three forces equally, it will prolong the story and allow for the character to develop further. This open-ended storyline, combined with a sandbox world to explore, various ninja tools and even alchemy, help to create a rich and diverse experience for any aspiring assassin.

We noticed that the new subtitle is ‘Revenge of Zen.’ What can you tell us about this ‘Zen’ character anyway? Will we be dead by the time we see him?

Our main character and hero, Zen, is fueled by revenge after his village is burned to the ground, and his beloved murdered before his eyes. He is steadfastly devoted to his missions, and does not kill without good reason. Dare to betray him, however, and he’ll kill you quickly and silently, so don’t bet on “seeing” him. Ha ha.

We’ve heard that the gameplay experience is much less about being a ninja, and more about being an assassin. Can you elaborate on what that means for players?

The element of “assassination” is not necessarily more important than any other part of the game. However, assassination missions will occur often as the three opposing territorial forces fight and attempt to weaken the other. Other missions include robbing the enemy’s provisions, kidnapping or protecting people of importance, and others.

What can players expect to see with this game on PlayStation Vita that won’t be seen on any other platform?

In addition to the two analog sticks and buttons, touch panel controls add a comfortable and intuitive feeling to gameplay. One important touch control feature is the Caution Icon, which helps you lock onto an enemy before being spotted. In addition, the Vita’s “near” function will be a special feature and we’ll have more details on how it will work very soon!

We’ve heard that the dead bodies of the assassinated enemies play a key role in the gamplay of Shinobido. Can you tell us more about how this will work?

When the enemy spots a dead body while scouting the area, they’ll become much more cautious. In some cases, they may even ring an alarm bell to call more enemies to them. Thus, it’s important to hide your slain victim from sight to complete missions more easily.

Lastly, do you have any advice for aspiring assassins getting ready to slice and dice their enemies this February?

Though the game contains some complex controls, if you just follow the tutorials and upgrade your character’s skills, you’ll soon be able to complete missions with ease. “Zankoku (Bullet-time)” delivers devastating slashes to the enemy in a flash. And where players could previously only jump or use the trusty Grapple Hook to get around, “Fukurou” now makes it possible for players to fly, which adds a whole new dimension of exploration. We can’t wait for everyone to try it out!

It’s a tale of souls and swords, eternally retold. And on January 31st, 2012, that tale comes full circle on the PS3 with Soulcalibur V. Set 17 years after the events of Soulcalibur IV, Soulcalibur V is a return to the fast, furious feel that marked earlier entries in the series. I was able to put a pre-release version of Soulcalibur V through its paces to get a feel for the new gameplay tweaks and refinements. After a few intense bouts, I noticed that Soulcalibur V moves at a slightly faster clip than SCIV, and that the Soul Gauge gem has evolved into a full-blown Edge meter that powers Brave Edge attack enhancers and the ultra-damaging Critical Edge finisher. I also spotted new defensive maneuvers, such as the Quick Step evasion and a Just Guard parry. The fighter roster is getting a shakeup as well, with a core group of classic characters being supplemented by a large cast of mysterious new combatants (read more here), headlined by guest character Ezio Auditore from Assassin’s Creed.

After going hands-on with the game, I discussed Soulcalibur V’s gameplay evolution with “Filthy” Rich Bantegui, community manager for Namco Bandai Games and a serious fighting game competitor in his own right. Read on for deeper details on how SCV is carving out its own niche in the crowded console fighting area.

And remember: Leave your questions in the comments!

PlayStation.Blog: How did Ezio Auditore from Assassin’s Creed find his way into the Soulcalibur universe?
Rich Bantegui: As far as the story goes, we haven’t revealed anything yet. In terms of his fighting style, his flow, and his weapons, Ezio fits in perfectly. Ezio should’ve been in this series a long, long time ago! In general, I think that guest characters have taken a bit longer to evolve in terms of gameplay; Darth Vader and Yoda took a little more time for players to master in a competitive setting. I don’t think you’ll see that with Ezio. He’s straightforward. You’ll be able to hop right into it, and he’s got one of the easier Brave Edges. And hey, he’s got a crossbow. You can’t beat that!

Our relationship with Ubisoft has been good; I’ve heard that they’re very happy with how he’s turned out. You’ve never seen him at this close a range with this many moves. Controlling him in Soulcalibur V lets you see him in a new light.

PSB: If you had to compare Ezio’s fighting style to an existing Soulcalibur character, who would it be?
RB: He’s very much his own character, but his closest comparison is probably Mitsurugi in terms of his range and his damage. He hits like a dump truck! He’s not a super fast character, though, so he’s not going to stand toe-to-toe with his opponents — you’ll want to space him out. He’s got cool techniques that enable him to sidestep around incoming attacks and manipulate 3D movement to evade his opponents. His ranged crossbow attacks are quite powerful as well.

PSB: Since Soulcalibur IV came out in 2008, there’s been something of a fighting game renaissance. Has SCV taken any cues or inspirations from the new generation of fighters?
RB: Absolutely. Things like Brave Edge and Critical Edge, the comeback system – these are really appealing to people who play fighting games. The fact that Soulcalibur is set on a 3D arena and it’s a weapon-based fighter…Soulcalibur is a game that everybody knows, but now they have all these new tools and more people to play with. We’re trying to keep our hardcore fans happy but also balance it for people who have never played Soulcalibur.

PSB: Speaking of Critical Edge, it seems to have a big impact on the flow of gameplay. How does this uber-attack change your tactics in a fight?
RB: You’re managing all these different things: Your life bar, your opponents’ life bar, and now your Critical Edge meter. You can divvy it up however you want: you can rush in and use half your bar to perform a Brave Edge attack, or save it up for one Critical Edge finisher. Everything that affects the Edge Meter is completely dependent on the player: The Guard Impact, Brave Edge, and Critical Edge all take away from it.

The Critical Edge and Brave Edge add to the diversity of the game. They let you develop habitual defensive patterns for when your opponent notices you’re conserving your Edge meter [in preparation for a Critical Edge or Brave Edge]. I think it’s really healthy for this series, even though it’s different from what Soulcalibur players are used to. But I know they’ll enjoy it because the depth of the game is going to be taken to a new level.

PSB: I noticed a major shift in Guard Impact from Soulcalibur V – the command has changed and it’s harder to perform. What sparked this change?
RB: We really want to test the guys who play these games in and out. You mentioned earlier that you were able to use Guard Impact in Soulcalibur III and SCIV to effortlessly parry blows. The more you play SCV, the more you’ll understand how to use Guard Impact and Just Guard. When you use Just Guard, you just tap block right before you get hit and you’ll parry the attack and you can interrupt your opponent.

The Guard Impact is more intended for somebody who’s newer to Soulcalibur. It’s the same concept, and you get guaranteed damage but it costs a bit of your Edge Meter. I think Guard Impact will help newcomers will work like a stepping stone to get them into the world of Just Guard.

PSB: Soulcalibur V is said to be the fastest game in the series. What inspired the faster speed?
RB: The EVO crowd and hardcore fans tend to prefer the faster pacing of the earlier games, which forced you to play at close range. SCIV played well, but we wanted to turn it up. Speed is only one element: you need to use your brain, too. There’s been a desire to return the pacing to the series’ roots and, with SCV, I’d say that the speed and pacing is closest to Soulcalibur II. But with the new Quick Step maneuvers, it’s its own beast. The Quick Step lets you sneak behind your opponent if you time it correctly, even moves that you can’t normally dodge using the sidestep or eight-way run.

PSB: I’m hearing that the Character Creator has gotten a massive overhaul for SCV. How does it enhance what we’ve seen before?
RB: You start by choosing which existing character’s move list you want to work with. You’re able to adjust a ton of new variables, including the size of your character’s limbs, physical height, voice, and gender. But those are just the base configurations in SCV. You can layer details on your character, and even completely change the appearance of items you’ve earned. You can really make your character your own. Even if you and your buddy both used “Pants Type B,” there’s absolutely no way that your pants will look alike.

The character creator is a great way to reach new fans, too, players who want to expand their creative mindset. According to the development team, we’ve increased the character creation options by 130% percent. We hope to see tons of crazy creations online when SCV hits this January!

PSB: There are an awful lot of empty slots on the current character select screen. Can you give us any hints?
RB: Absolutely…not! [laughs] It hurts to see the character list that we have internally and not be able to share. I’m so excited for the character roster that we’ll be releasing as time goes on. There are fan favorites in there but also characters that I don’t think anyone will expect. Stay with us! There’s always a lot of excitement over who will make the final character roster, and we don’t want to detract from that.

That said, we’re all about listening to our community. If you like or don’t like a particular character, we want to hear about it. Don’t push your thoughts under the rug. We’re working hard and we listen to our fans. If you have any suggestions, just let us know!

]]> http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/25/soulcalibur-v-interview-sharpening-the-blade/feed/ 38 http://blog.us.playstation.com/files/2011/10/6279521304_7986dd0d67_z.jpg 4.24Senior Social Media Specialist 38 7 http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/20/namco-bandai-games-inviting-fans-to-touch-my-katamari-this-february/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=namco-bandai-games-inviting-fans-to-touch-my-katamari-this-february http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/20/namco-bandai-games-inviting-fans-to-touch-my-katamari-this-february/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:00:13 +0000 "Filthie" Rich Bantegui http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=62250 @FilthieRich, Community Manager for NAMCO BANDAI Games America. This week was epic! The PlayStation Nation now has a final release date for when they can get their mitts on the PS Vita, and February 22nd couldn’t come soon enough! Why am I back today to steal the spotlight on the blog yet again? If you remember back during the Tokyo Game Show, I let all of you know that our team was producing a new Katamari game for the PS Vita, and I got to give you the first scoop on the news. Well, today NAMCO BANDAI is finally ready to reveal what that Katarmari game will officially be dubbed here in the US of A… and that name is…. TOUCH MY KATAMARI!]]> Hey guys! It’s me again, Rich Bantegui, aka @FilthieRich, Community Manager for NAMCO BANDAI Games America. This week was epic! The PlayStation Nation now has a final release date for when they can get their mitts on the PS Vita, and February 22nd couldn’t come soon enough!

Why am I back today to steal the spotlight on the blog yet again? If you remember back during the Tokyo Game Show, I let all of you know that our team was producing a new Katamari game for the PS Vita, and I got to give you the first scoop on the news. Well, today NAMCO BANDAI is finally ready to reveal what that Katarmari game will officially be dubbed here in the US of A… and that name is…. TOUCH MY KATAMARI!

The very best part of this aside from the giggle-inducing name? TOUCH MY KATAMARI is going to be available on February 22nd, 2012, day and date of the launch of the PS Vita! The King of All Cosmos has commanded it so!

I’ve been checking out the latest builds of the game since TGS, and the Prince’s next adventure is just as nonsensical as ever. Fans have been dying to have an on-the-go, two-analog stick version of Katamari for ages, and TOUCH MY KATAMARI does it right. In addition to the two sticks, players can also opt to use the front touch screen itself to control the ball, but what’s unique is what can be done with the rear touch panel….

Players use their fingers to stretch and squeeze the ball into oblong shapes that will help the Prince navigate under short passageways or into narrow crevasses. Just a quick tap of both fingers on the rear panel and *SPROOOIIING* – your Katamari is perfectly spherical again!

What’s that? You want more? Don’t worry, we’ll have more info to share on TOUCH MY KATAMARI very soon, and I’ll be back to dish more deets before you know it. In the meantime, remember that TOUCH MY KATAMARI is but only one of THREE new PS Vita titles from NAMCO BANDAI Games on February 22nd. The blisteringly fast online racer RIDGE RACER and the dead-by-the-time-you-see-them assassin-based action of SHINOBIDO 2: REVENGE OF ZEN will also be hitting on the PS Vita launch day this February.

Is it all going to rock? Yes. Will I be back with more info? Double yes. Will they let me take a PS Vita home with me yet? TRIPLE NO!!! February 22nd can’t come soon enough…

]]> http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/20/namco-bandai-games-inviting-fans-to-touch-my-katamari-this-february/feed/ 31 http://blog.us.playstation.com/files/2011/10/6263731683_d28ccc72d7_z.jpg 4.36NAMCO BANDAI Games Community Manager 31 6 http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/04/dark-souls-hits-ps3-today-meet-its-darkest-demons/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dark-souls-hits-ps3-today-meet-its-darkest-demons http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/04/dark-souls-hits-ps3-today-meet-its-darkest-demons/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:01:12 +0000 Sid Shuman http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=60774 Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls, are beautiful to me no matter how gruesome their appearance.” Dark Souls Director Hidetaka Miyazaki shared this bit of insight with me earlier this year in a PlayStation.Blog interview and the quote has bounced through my brain for more than six months. Since then, I’ve been wanting to get a closer look at the game’s stunning creature designs, all of which are plucked from the further reaches of Miyazaki’s fevered imagination. Luckily, today’s the day. For the viewing pleasure of PlayStation.Blog readers, From Software and Namco Bandai have collected a host of rare concept artwork accompanied by design notes from Miyazaki himself. Miyazaki also wanted to pass along a greeting just for PlayStation.Blog readers: “I am hoping all of you experience meaningful deaths many times in the game. I know that the game is challenging, but I want you to keep trying to overcome any difficulty you face in the game. And please feel a great sense of achievement when overcoming a difficulty!” ]]> “All the monsters I design, from Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls, are beautiful to me no matter how gruesome their appearance.” Dark Souls Director Hidetaka Miyazaki shared this bit of insight with me earlier this year in a PlayStation.Blog interview and the quote has bounced through my brain for more than six months. Since then, I’ve been wanting to get a closer look at the game’s stunning creature designs, all of which are plucked from the further reaches of Miyazaki’s fevered imagination.

Luckily, today’s the day. For the viewing pleasure of PlayStation.Blog readers, From Software and Namco Bandai have collected a host of rare concept artwork accompanied by design notes from Miyazaki himself. Miyazaki also wanted to pass along a greeting just for PlayStation.Blog readers: “I am hoping all of you experience meaningful deaths many times in the game. I know that the game is challenging, but I want you to keep trying to overcome any difficulty you face in the game. And please feel a great sense of achievement when overcoming a difficulty!”

Read on for the full gallery. If you do pick up Dark Souls, keep us updated with your character build, equipment, and winning strategies. I have a hunch we’ll be needing all the help we can get…

Hidetaka Miyazaki, Director, Dark Souls: These are the preliminary designs for the Gaping Dragon. The story goes that there were many ancient dragons in this world, and after many of them perished, the few survivors went mad. This is just one of the many designs we came up when discussing how they went mad.

This is the Snake Man. He was designed as another one of the “failed experiments” for obtaining the immortal scales of the albino dragon Seath the Scaleless. It’s referenced in the rings inside the game, but the image of a snake with scales that sheds its skin overlaps with the immortal ancient dragons. Compared to popular snake-human designs, its neck is much thicker, which I like.

This is the Crystal Undead. Like the Snake Soldiers, he was designed as one of the “failed experiments” for obtaining the immortal scales. Snake Soldiers were one of the earlier designs, so they (along with the Crystal series) embody the later designs in the game. Visual allusions to the dragon Seath and crystals are a major theme in the Duke’s Archive and Crystal Cavern.

This is the Sealer. This design was inspired by the theme of “mage of lost rituals.” In the end, it gained the role of sealer, and was assigned with the ritual of curse-breaking.

This is Havel’s Armor. His design came from the theme of “an ancient soldier of stone.” I particularly like his large crested helmet.

This is the Bell Gargoyle. This boss was designed after we decided to include a scene where you fight on a church rooftop. The gargoyle motif perfectly fit that situation, as well as what was required for the game. He’s one of the earlier bosses you’ll fight, but we wanted him to convey the ambiance of Anor London in that he’s the embodiment of the medieval ages in a world of knights and kings.

This is the Egg-Bearer. He came about during a flood of ideas with no one particular theme. His design is without a doubt shocking, and many more ideas came from him.

This is the Embraced Knight. The story went that this knight received divine protection from a goddess, but then we started to think about adding something twisted or unexpected to the design and that’s where we got the idea to have the embracing arms of the goddess designed right into his armor. His armor inspired the creation of the character Lautrec of Carim.

This is a Dragon Zombie. Like the Gaping Dragon, the story goes that after many of the ancient dragons died, the few survivors went mad. This is just one of the designs we came up when discussing how they went mad. We decided to go with the straightforward “descendant of dead dragons” design, but we also wanted to go with elements that felt almost metaphysical.

This is the Titanite Demon. He was the product of a lot of brainstorming when we weren’t able to narrow down the theme. From the game perspective, we needed “an ore demon that forges weapons,” and he was ultimately selected for that role.

The Black Knight. At first, he was designed to represent an evil spirit. We pictured it as the grudge of fallen soldiers amassed together to become the hollow Black Knight. That idea ultimately didn’t take shape, but it was such a cool idea that it we eventually tweaked it for King Gwyn’s knights.

This is the Gravelord Nito. He was designed with the theme of “Lord of Death.” I remember his first drafts being approved without many revisions. A rare treat!

]]> http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/10/04/dark-souls-hits-ps3-today-meet-its-darkest-demons/feed/ 49 http://blog.us.playstation.com/files/2011/10/6209115387_f40d0c05a5_o.jpg 4.63Senior Social Media Specialist 49 0 http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/09/15/all-new-katamari-damacy-game-rolling-onto-ps-vita-from-namco-bandai-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=all-new-katamari-damacy-game-rolling-onto-ps-vita-from-namco-bandai-games http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/09/15/all-new-katamari-damacy-game-rolling-onto-ps-vita-from-namco-bandai-games/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:03:51 +0000 "Filthie" Rich Bantegui http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=59401 @FilithieRich, Community Manager for Namco Bandai Games America. Many of you have been following me over the last year looking for the latest details on all of our games. This week, you may have also been listening into what we have happening on our Facebook and Twitter for news coming out of the Tokyo Game Show for big fan-favorite series like Tekken, Soulcalibur, Ace Combat and even the upcoming action-epic, Dark Souls. While there’s plenty of news flying about for all of our biggest titles, we wanted the PlayStation community to be among the first to get the scoop on the latest entry in a series that’s dear to all of our hearts, and one that features the tiniest of heroes.]]>

Hello everyone! This is Rich Bantegui, aka @FilithieRich, Community Manager for Namco Bandai Games America. Many of you have been following me over the last year looking for the latest details on all of our games. This week, you may have also been listening into what we have happening on our Facebook and Twitter for news coming out of the Tokyo Game Show for big fan-favorite series like Tekken, Soulcalibur, Ace Combat and even the upcoming action-epic, Dark Souls.

While there’s plenty of news flying about for all of our biggest titles, we wanted the PlayStation community to be among the first to get the scoop on the latest entry in a series that’s dear to all of our hearts, and one that features the tiniest of heroes.

Fresh from Tokyo Game Show, Namco Bandai has just announced that Katamari Damacy (working title) will be arriving soon for the PS Vita! Check out the fresh trailer above that we wanted to roll out to the fans here in North America.

You’re going to have to listen your old pop the King of All Cosmos once again as he commands you to roll up anything and everything in sight! One of the coolest new features is the ability to use the rear touch pad of the PS Vita to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and SQUEEZE that katamari both horizontally and vertically to pick the world around you in ways never before done in a Katamari game. You’ll be rolling up everything from the tiniest of ants to the enormous masses of Earth like Mount Fuji and BEYOND!

Now, if you’re a Katamari fan, we know what you’re thinking. New Katamari. WANT! PlayStation Vita. WANT! Trust me. I want it too, but they won’t let me have it, YET!

Namco Bandai Games will be launching more titles for the PS Vita as well, so for now, stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter account, as well as the PlayStation.Blog in the coming weeks and months for more details. Until then, I’m going to roll my way through the aisles over here at the Tokyo Game Show. I am in gamer heaven! *faints*

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