PlayStation Move Message Board older than one year ago

Grab your Celestial Brush! I’m pleased to confirm that this fall, gamers will be able to return to the land of Nippon in Okami HD, exclusively on the PS3 with PlayStation Move support. Initially released to critical acclaim on the PS2, Okami HD has the player take on the role of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess, who inhabits the form of a wolf. After a tyrannical monster, Orochi, turns the world into a ruined, colorless wasteland, Amaterasu must use her magical abilities to restore the land to its previous glory and defeat the demon in charge of the destruction.

Okami HD brings Amaterasu’s epic tale to the PS3 with fully integrated HD graphics and widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. I did not think it was possible to make the game look even better, but when I saw it for myself, I was a believer. The trademark sumi-e ink art style lends itself perfectly to HD, allowing players to experience more of the awe-inspiring world displayed in more detail than ever before.

To create an even more immersive experience, you can take your PlayStation Move motion controller and use it as your own Celestial Brush and naturally make brush strokes to defeat enemies and solve puzzles. That said, if you’re just in the mood to relive Okami in HD with the same controls as you had on your PS2, you can also play with your traditional PS3 controllers.

To top things off, we know everyone loves Trophies, so Okami HD will support PS3 Trophies, (including a Platinum) giving you new challenges to face and feats to complete. Okami HD will be available for download exclusively on PS3 in North America and Europe this fall.

Sony has announced that it's releasing an official, very nice looking racing wheel for the PlayStation Move later on this year - you may recall a patent surfacing online recently. The whole design, as you can see above, is much more active than motion controller wheels we've seen so far: It's got not only a motion controller mount, but full buttons and a D-pad, and even vibration feedback. The sticks on the sides can flip up to move into a motorcycle steering mode, and the controller is compatible with both current and future PS3 racing games.

Looks slick! The wheel will be out in the fall for an MSRP of $39.99.

#playstation It's either the cutest or the most ridiculous thing we'll see at this year's E3, but it's a thing: Sony has developed an interactive book. More »

Hey PlayStation fans, we hope you’re excited about all of the latest news and updates we unveiled just moments ago. We’re always striving to create new ways for you to enhance your PS3 gaming experiences and this year is no different as in addition to the news that we shared with you today at the press conference we would like to officially announce the availability of the all new PlayStation Move Racing Wheel, a brand new peripheral for PS3.

The all new PlayStation Move Racing Wheel transforms your PlayStation Move motion controller into the ultimate racing experience, supporting any vehicle you choose to drive.

Highlighted features include:

• Precise motion tracking for responsive handling of your vehicle
• An innovative folding grip design will allow you to switch between racing a sports bike to a high-octane supercar
• Feel the intense vibration feedback of your vehicle as you trade paint with the competition
• Experience realistic gameplay action using the race car paddle shifters and motorcycle twist throttle controls

Available this fall for $39.99 (MSRP), the PlayStation Move Racing Wheel will support upcoming racing games like Little Big Planet Karting, in addition to PS3 racing favorites like Gran Turismo 5, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, BurnOut Paradise, MotorStorm Apocalypse, and more.

Stay tuned for more details on PlayStation Move and the PlayStation Move Racing Wheel right here on the PlayStation Blog.

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve taken you through the controls and cross-platform features, so this time we’re going to dive into the multiplayer and single-player modes.

Real-world table football is the most fun when you play it with friends, and that’s something we definitely took into account when developing Foosball 2012. Up to four players can play locally at the same time, whether that’s two for each team or other combinations like 1 vs. 1 or 2 vs. AI or 2 vs. 1 and so forth. It’s also possible for some of the players to play with PlayStation Move and others with DualShock 3.

Online multiplayer is also present, of course. You can play alone, or join up with a friend locally and take on the world together. Every victory nets you experience points and boosts your global ranking, so be sure to check the leaderboards to see whether your friends are above or below you.

If you do prefer single player, the game’s World Tour mode lets you face off against 29 A.I. controller opponents. World Tour mode is where you can unlock all of the game’s tables, balls, and foosmen customisations, as well as the national flags and team banners that you can select to represent you. There are nine different table types, six ball types and each will affect the gameplay in a specific way. Keep an eye out for some of the crazier options like hotdog foosmen, or a snowball. ;-)

Foosball 2012 will be released soon on the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita and buying the game on one platform means that you get the other version for free.

For more information about the game, visit our official site, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for watching our Developer Diary videos. I’m looking forward to meeting you all online while playing Foosball 2012!

San Diego Studio and Zindagi Games were blown away by the success of the multi-million unit-seller Sports Champions and with the newly announced Sports Champions 2, we’re looking forward to providing new experiences for everyone to enjoy with an expanded sporting lineup featuring Skiing, Boxing, Tennis, Golf, Bowling, and a fully updated Archery experience.

Get a sneak peek in our newest trailer:

Sports Champions 2 revives favorite features, including the surprisingly deep and challenging single-player Cup Play and the customizable Free Play mode, plus fun arcade Challenge rounds for each event. We’ve made a ton of improvements, too: Three-point PS Move calibration is no longer required (and it won’t sacrifice gameplay; player avatars can be created and customized per event; a new profile system enables everyone in the house to play together with their own avatars and settings; and the photo booth is more customizable and easier to use.

There’s also an all-new Party Play mode that I can’t wait to show off because it’s the perfect way to play with your friends and family on game night. You can play matches from any combination of events, including Challenge Rounds, and add up your score to see who reigns as the party champion. You can create your own match playlist, see photos and voices from each player during the game, and draw something humiliating (or nice!) on the hapless loser.

We can’t wait to show more on Sports Champions 2, coming to PS3 this fall. Check back soon on PlayStation.Blog for more updates!

Well, it’s been a long time coming but today it’s finally here — Sorcery! PlayStation Move is a magic wand at last!

Sorcery is the first of its kind – a full-fledged action adventure created natively for the PlayStation Move motion controller. All of us at The Workshop feel tremendously privileged that we could bring this game to life.

Many of you have been following us since our first announcement back at E3 2010 and we have worked tirelessly since then to meet the expectations that arose from our on-stage presentation. It was a massive effort, and I cannot say enough about of the men and women who gave themselves so completely to the task. I also have to thank PlayStation for their profound commitment and willingness to believe in the vision, even when the road ahead was uncertain.

We all believe the result is truly something special – a timeless adventure and a genuinely new and immersive gaming experience. A real game that serious gamers can sink their teeth into, yet one that casual players can thoroughly enjoy as well, and a welcome addition to any PS Move owner’s library. If you don’t own a PS Move yet, Sorcery is a great reason to give one a try.

In honor of today’s release, take a look at our Sorcery launch trailer above. And for more info on Sorcery, visit the official website.

#sorcery Nearly two years ago at E3 2010, Sony showed off a game that demonstrated the true potential the PlayStation Move. Today it quietly slips onto retail shelves. Anyone excited for Sorcery? More »

In March, we announced our upcoming PS3 and PS Vita game Foosball 2012. And now we’ve returned to PlayStation.Blog to showcase a series of short developer diaries where we introduce you to some of the game’s coolest features, like PlayStation Move support, full cross-platform compatibility between PS3 and PS Vita and also the online multiplayer mode.

Our first video demonstrates Foosball 2012 and PlayStation Move motion controllers in action, showing that you can play this game exactly the way you are used from a real table football (“foosball”) game. Thanks to the precision and zero lag of PlayStation Move, even the slightest movements of your hands can be properly translated into the game, allowing you to precisely control the shot power, positions of your foosmen, and so on.

One or two PS Move controllers can be used by one player, or you can ignore motion controls and play with the time-tested DualShock 3 controller, where the left stick controls the poles and movements of the ball and the right stick is used to shoot, allowing you to accurately aim and control the shot power.

In our next video, we will show you how PS3-to-PS Vita crossplay and game continuation will work. Foosball 2012 will be released soon on the PlayStation Store, and both the PS3 and PS Vita versions will come together for a single price. If you want to know more about Foosball 2012, visit our official website here.

In this new behind-the-scenes video, our final installment of our four-part series detailing the making of Sorcery, we discuss what it took to create the game’s vast, magical universe. You’ll gain insight into the numerous creative decisions that we had to make, such as crafting the look and feel of the different environments — from The Realm of the Dead to the Faerie Forest — and the strange and dangerous beasts that inhabit them. You’ll hear from the development team on how we went about making a fantasy world feel otherworldly, details on the backstory behind places like the Endless Stair and the Faerie Forest, and some anecdotes on why the prettiest character in Sorcery is also one of the most dangerous!

Sorcery hits store shelves next week, Tuesday, May 22nd. For more info on this eagerly anticipated PlayStation Move title, visit our official site.

In this installment of our “Making of Sorcery” video series, we turn our attention to the music and sound design in this upcoming PlayStation Move title. It was very important to have a Celtic inspired score for this game, but we wanted to do something a bit unusual with Celtic music, almost stretching the use of the instruments where possible in an effort to give the world of Sorcery its own unique sound. As you’ll notice, we have drums, flutes, and other instruments that give the music somewhat of a medieval feel, but at the same time we didn’t want to be limited to that.

We wanted to bring in as many other sounds as possible to create a wider palette. The result is a fusion of traditional Celtic music with more contemporary instrumentation and sound effects that boost the feeling of immersion you get by casting spells with the PS Move controller. Here’s a look, and don’t forget Sorcery will hit stores in North America on Tuesday, May 22nd!

#speakuponkotaku In today's moving edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Aikage teases us all with stop motion porn. Oh, and he mentions the PlayStation Move controller as well. Which is more exciting? Both, probably. More »

Now that we’re a month out from the May 22nd launch of Sorcery, I’m pleased to show off our final box art, along a brand new trailer that dives in the story behind this much anticipated PlayStation Move title. Some elements of the story were remarkably consistent throughout development process, while some have changed quite dramatically. The two main characters – Finn, the sorcerer’s apprentice, and Erline, his magical cat – were there almost from the beginning. We always knew they were on a quest to reach the Slumbering Palace at the heart of the Faerie Realm. However, WHY they were on this quest, and WHO was trying to stop them kept shifting. Here’s a look…

A lot of the details of the story grew organically out of gameplay. The team would have a cool idea for an enemy or a puzzle or an encounter and I’d weave the rest of the narrative around it. For example, the civilization of the bogeys (an early-game enemy) is crude and brutal because that’s how they behave when they attack. And a lot of the mythology of the Faerie Forest had its roots in the boss battle you fight there. We wanted the player to feel like there was a tight link between the story and the gameplay. Everything you do and see in Sorcery ties into the world or narrative in some larger way.

As development progressed, the story became more streamlined. Finn’s backstory – where he came from, how he became an apprentice – was pared down because it was getting in the way of kicking off the action. There was a whole sub-plot about a guild of fame-hungry rival sorcerers that just got dropped. And, as other elements fell away, Finn and Erline’s relationship moved to center stage. At its heart, Sorcery is a road movie. You’ve got these two mismatched characters who’ve been thrown together on a quest to save the world and they’ve got to learn how to get along.

Stay tuned for more on Sorcery as we move towards our May 22, 2010 release.

#datura People do recreational drugs for a lot of reasons: addiction, boredom, energy, depression, relaxation. But there are just some drugs that no person would ever want to do, drugs that are outright unpleasant and dangerous. More »

At first glance, it looks like Sony's answer to the Wii Wheel. But the patent proposing the above device has one odd feature: controller grips on the side of the wheel, which houses a PlayStation Move, that extend outward.

The patent - it's described as "ornamental design for a video game controller peripheral" - was originally filed in April of last year and recently surfaced online. As is the case with many patents, this is less of a guaranteed product and more of snapshot of some of the ideas that went through a peripheral designer's head.

#huh? What the hell is this? A steering wheel? A jet fighter's yoke? It's certainly a peripheral for the PlayStation Move, with swing-wing handle grips out at the side. Why is that feature necessary? More »

This month’s episode features one of the most anticipated PlayStation Move titles, previews of two popular sequels, and a retrospective look at the series.

Jesse Blaze Snider wields a wand (aided by the Move controller) in Sorcery. As a young wizard’s apprentice, players easily learn how the wand enables magical game play in a mystical world. Summon fire, ice and magical bolt spells to take down huge ice trolls and evil monsters in this comprehensive preview!

Looks like the next step in modern warfare game play is coming from Ubisoft’s latest installment of the popular futuristic shooter Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. The Qore preview ‘de-cloaks’ the very cool stealth technology and almost infinite combinations of weapons that players can assemble.

Superpower shapeshifting is back with Prototype 2. With a new protagonist wielding some crazy powerful tendrils, this preview flies through the awesome powers available in the open world setting of a quarantined Manhattan.

This episode also features a retrospective look back at Qore’s nearly four years on PlayStation Network. As the first interactive digital magazine on a game console, Qore provided an innovative mix of quality HD video and interactive content covering over 160 new games. With this April episode, Qore concludes its run on the PlayStation Network. As a send off, the Qore team built one final DLC package: the Qore Ultimate Arcade features a compilation of 11 mini games offered throughout the series. Our thanks to all involved in the creation and production of Qore and to the many fans who regularly watched each month.

Hi everybody! This is Jakub from Grip Games, the folks who brought you The Impossible Game, MiniSquadron and One Epic Game. We are back to present you our newest creation – Foosball 2012 for PS3 and PS Vita.

As you have probably guessed – it is a table football (“foosball”) game. The very first one for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, so we made sure that we packed it up with lots of features and game modes, like various kinds of tables (American style, European style), customizations, ball types and trick shots to keep you entertained and experimenting for hours.

The World Tour single-player mode will let you travel across the globe and challenge AI opponents in nearly 30 locations. More social players can look forward to a local multiplayer for up to four and online multiplayer, where you can match against the rest of the world and rank up to become the table football champion.

PlayStation Move is also supported on PS3. If you own this magic wand, you can control Foosball 2012 exactly like you would control a real table football, with 1:1 movement precision. If you don’t own PS Move, DualShock 3 is also supported and, if you have ever played a football game before, the controls will feel immediately familiar. The PS Vita controls are the same as on the PS3 controller, thanks to the dual analog sticks and touch controls are also supported, if that is your thing.

Foosball 2012 is going to be a lot of fun for everyone – not just fans of table football. It is easy to jump into and enjoy instantaneously, but it also provides a lot of space to truly master your skills and rule the online leaderboards. If you are looking for a game that you won’t put away after a few hours, but a game that will motivate you to keep playing and get better, look no further. And I think that I even don’t have to mention just how fun this game can be when you have a few friends available for a local multiplayer. ;-)

Foosball 2012 will be released for both the PS3 and PS Vita as a downloadable game via the PlayStation Store, and will offer every single Cross Play feature between PS3 and PS Vita that you can think of.

First of all, the game supports cross-platform multiplayer – PS3 players can play against PS Vita players online, and vice versa. Secondly, if you own PS3 and PS Vita, the game automatically synchronizes your save data between both versions. You can start playing the game on your PS3 and then take it on the road with your PS Vita, and start exactly from where you left off.

And the best news of them all: if you buy the PS3 version of Foosball 2012 on either platform then you will be able to play on both platforms at no extra charge. The same applies for any additional purchasable content.

The release is planned for the end of this spring. In the meantime, you can follow the game on Twitter or visit the official website to get all the latest news and also keep checking back on the PlayStation.Blog. I hope to see you all soon online, playing Foosball 2012!

A new Sega arcade shooter comes home for the first time next month, when House of the Dead 4 hits PS3 on April 17, for $9.99.

House of the Dead 4 gains a few augmentations in its trip to PSN, including HD graphics, Move support, a slew of new Trophies to unlock and additional levels found in House of the Dead 4 Special. It's no Overkill, but it's a nice bonus for franchise fans who never tracked this one down in the arcade.

Straight out of the arcades in Japan, The House of the Dead 4 will be available exclusively on PlayStation Network on April 17th at a wallet friendly price of $9.99. This will be the first time this classic arcade light gun shooter is going to be available on a home console.

Your mission is simple: Play as AMS Agent James Taylor or Kate Green and save the world by fighting against an old enemy and hordes of unforgiving evil creatures. Use your gun and grenades to blast them away!

Here are the key features:

• PlayStation Move compatible
• Multiplayer mode
• Multiple paths
• Ranking and grading system to track your shot accuracy
• Additional levels from The House of the Dead 4 Special
• Bonus unlockable PlayStation Home item
• Original creator interview
• Trophies

We will be releasing an early demo on April 10th. This demo will be available for two weeks (4/10-4/24) exclusively to PlayStation Plus members. For a limited time only (4/17-5/1), Plus members will also have access to a 30% discount on the full game. What else? We will also be offering Plus members an exclusive PS3 dynamic theme and avatars to help set the mood.

For the first two weeks (4/17-5/1), we will also be offering an avatar as a gift with purchase store wide. Download the game this April and continue the adventure!

Take aim and relive Resident Evil history with the upcoming Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection! This two game bundle features both Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles in glorious high definition with PlayStation Move and trophy support. Play with a friend and survive the horrors of Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, 3, Code Veronica, and more!

Coming this June, the Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection will be available for download exclusively on PlayStation 3 in North America and Europe. The collection will initially be sold as a discounted two game bundle, but at a later date, each of the titles will be available for purchase separately.

Check out the brand new trailer to see the games in action!

#ps3 At GDC, Sony engineer Gabe Ahn proclaimed that 10 million PlayStation Move units have been shipped to retailers since the motion-control system was released in late 2010. More »

We are pleased to announce that one of the most highly anticipated titles for the PlayStation 3 home console and the PlayStation Move motion control peripheral, the fantasy spell-casting game Sorcery, will be available in stores in North America on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012. The game is an action packed magical adventure where the PlayStation Move is your magic wand and only you, a sorcerer’s young apprentice, can harness the true power of magic to save this mystical realm from the darkness of the Nightmare Queen.

Ready to get started? here’s a quick summary of the story from Brian Upton, Creative Director on Sorcery.

Finn is in trouble. First, he accidentally blew up his master’s alchemy lab. Then he’s let Erline, his master’s magical cat, talk him into trespassing in the realm of the dead. Now he’s unleashed an ancient universe-destroying evil that won’t stop until everything he cares about is utterly annihilated. It has not been a good day.

Even though he’s only an apprentice, Finn must find a way to defeat the Nightmare Queen before she destroys the human world. To do this he must plunge deep into the realm of faerie — the Endless Stair, the Faerie Forest, the Slumbering Palace. With Erline travelling at his side he must master powerful and arcane magical spells, and use them to overcome the strange and twisted servants of Nightmare. He must solve challenging puzzles, and decipher the mysteries of alchemy. He must discover the secrets of the Nightmare Queen’s power and undo the damage that she has wrought.

And, above all, he must earn the right to be called … sorcerer.

As the showcase title for motion-controlled gaming, Sorcery is a third-person action/adventure game in which players control the awesome power of magic by casting spells with their PS Move motion controller. To help tide you over, check out the all-new screenshots, environmental shots, and creature renders from the world of Sorcery!

Start The Party! Save the World launches today, exclusively for PS3 via PlayStation Network. The latest installment in PlayStation Move’s Start The Party! series, Save the World creates a fun-filled party experience for you and your friends while changing you into superheroes in an augmented-reality adventure. You’ll need to prove that you’ve got what it takes to save the world from Dr. Terrible while competing in 20 all-new mini-games. Check out the trailer above for a taste of the action.

Using the PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Eye camera, Start The Party! Save the World lets you see yourself right in the middle of the action as you battle mutant piranhas, deranged dinosaurs, invading aliens and more. On-screen, your Move controller instantly transforms into a hero’s arsenal of tools and gadgets to help you defeat Dr. Terrible’s minions.

Be sure to get your friends in on the fun by passing around the Move controller. For an extra bit of heroics, you can come to the rescue of other players by using a DualShock controller to help them complete their challenges. If you’re in a villainous mood, you can also use the DualShock to hinder their efforts. The choice is yours!

Login to PSN later this afternoon to download Start The Party! Save the World and get your party started!

Hi everyone! I’m Michal Staniszewski from Team Plastic (Plastic Studios) – yep, the same creators of Linger in Shadows. Two years ago, we were asked to closely investigate possibilities of the PlayStation Move motion controller, which was still deep in its prototype phase. Today, we are proud to present you with Datura, which uses the controller in a quite innovative way.

Finding yourself in a mysterious forest, you will navigate your way through the game by controlling your character’s hand using Playstation Move technology. From here, you are immersed into the game’s unique experimental narrative and original way of interaction, which enables you to experience the world not only visually, but also empirically — an illusion that you can actually touch trees, faces, and other objects.

While taking inspiration from film-like narratives, Datura is a story you get a chance to physically participate in. As you travel through the game, you will encounter choices and face your consequences. It is through these puzzles that Datura explores an element of anxiety: was it a right choice or a wrong choice?

Without going into further detail, I would like to let players have the opportunity to experience Datura as it will be available at the PlayStation booth at the Game Developers’ Conference beginning Wednesday, March 7 through the 9th.

Datura will be available exclusively on the PlayStation Network later this year. Please continue to check back on the PlayStation.Blog for more details. See you soon!

On March 6, we’re bringing PlayStation Move’s fun-filled Start The Party! franchise back for a brand new adventure with a heroic twist in Start The Party! Save the World. Available exclusively for PlayStation 3, this PSN downloadable title uses PlayStation Move and the latest augmented reality technology to turn you and up to three of your friends and family members into super heroes for the ultimate party experience.

It’s up to you to save the world by thwarting the unbearable Dr. Terrible and his evil schemes while competing in 20 madcap mini-games. Using the PlayStation Eye camera, you can snap a photo to put your face in the center of the action and then use your PlayStation Move motion controller to save stranded divers, defuse bombs before they explode, splat mutant piranhas, battle dangerous dinosaurs and zap abominable alien invaders!

It’s easy to keep the party going – just pass your Move controller to your friends to let them join the fun or have them simultaneously jump into gameplay using a DualShock controller to either help or hinder the exciting on-screen action!

Check out Start The Party! Save the World when it launches this March and see if you and your friends have what it takes to become the ultimate super heroes! Are you ready to Start The Party?

#houseofthedead Sega announced this morning that both House of the Dead 3 and House of the Dead 4 will be coming to the PS3 as downloadable titles on the PlayStation Network. Both will include Move support. More »

We hope you had a great time celebrating the holidays with family and friends. We have some great news to keep the holiday cheer coming. What better way to rejoice in the upcoming New Year than to get great deals on some of your favorite PS3 accessories? Starting today through January 21st, you can check out our new “Play Days” promotion at most of the major retailers. Play Days offers you significant savings on selected PS3 accessories at up to 50 percent off.

The PS3 system provides a great entertainment experience on its own, with high-definition gaming and other great features like video streaming and access to a huge library of movies, games, and shows via the PlayStation Network, but PS3 accessories add another great way to enhance your gaming and entertainment experience.

The following PS3 accessories will be available as part of the Play Days promotion:

PlayStation Move accessories that allow you to be part of the fun though a completely immersive and realistic motion gaming experience.

Regular MSRP Promotional MSRP Sports Champions and Deadmund’s Quest Bundle $99.99 $79.99 LittleBigPlanet Move Bundle $129.99 $99.99 PlayStation Move Motion Controller $49.99 $39.99 PlayStation Move Navigation Controller $29.99 $19.99 PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter $39.99 $19.99 PlayStation Move Charging Station $29.99 $19.99

Audio accessories that deliver explosive sound and crystal clear voice chat capabilities giving you an advantage in multiplayer games.

Regular MSRP Promotional MSRP Wireless Stereo Headset $99.99 $89.99 Bluetooth Headset – Black $49.99 $39.99

Accessories to enhance your 3D gaming and Blu-ray movie experience.

Regular MSRP Promotional MSRP Media/Blu-ray Disc Remote Control $24.99 $19.99 PlayStation 3D Glasses $69.99 $49.99 HDMI Cable – 6.5ft $29.99 $19.99

DualShock 3 accessories that keep your controllers ready for action and simplify text input.

Regular MSRP Promotional MSRP DualShock 3 Charging Station $24.99 $19.99 Wireless Keypad $69.99 $49.99

Below you will find a list of participating retailers:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Fred Meyer
• Fry’s
• Gamestop
• Kmart
• Sears
• Sony Retail Stores
  
• Target
• Toys R Us

We’re very excited to deliver even more savings to you this holiday season. Which accessory are you looking forward to playing with?

For exact promotional prices, please check at the participating retail stores.

One of the more memorable action games I’ve played this year is a game uses the PlayStation Move motion controller to paint a symphony of destruction. Last seen at the E3 2010 PlayStation press conference, Sorcery captured the imaginations of PS3 owners while remaining tantalizingly out of reach. At last week’s PlayStation media showcase in New York City, I was finally allowed to go hands-on with Sorcery and speak with its design director, Brian Upton, who stated that the game is on-track to release this spring.

Sorcery is running on a heavily modified version of the Unreal engine, and the art direction has progressed by leaps and bounds since its last showing. The game now skews a bit older, with nastier monster designs and edgier spellcasting combat. Watch the video, read our full Q&A, then let us know what you think of Sorcery in the comments!

PlayStation.Blog: I’ll cut to the chase: Why have we had to wait so long to see Sorcery again?
Brian Upton, design director, Sorcery: Coming out of E3, we knew there were some things we weren’t happy with. We really wanted to re-tool the game’s look, its world. We had the gameplay we wanted, but it just wasn’t ready for public consumption.

PSB: Tell me a bit about the character and quest. What’s changed since the original debut?
BU: The hero is Finn, he’s a sorcerer’s apprentice and a real hothead: he’s always trying to learn things he’s not ready to learn yet. When the game starts, your master’s magical talking cat, Erline, dares Finn into venturing into the realm of the dead. Finn, being the guy he is, can’t resist.

In the realm of the dead, you accidentally unleash something very, very bad. The consequences are dire for you and the entire world, so the quest is to undo the trouble you’ve caused. You also begin to realize the Erline is much more than a magical talking cat: she’s central to the whole problem that you’ve created. You’re cast somewhat in the role of Erline’s protector, you’re trying to get her from the human world to the heart of the faerie world to fix this problem.

PSB: Once I got my hands on Sorcery, I was particularly surprised by the intensity of the combat. What does spellcasting bring to combat?
BU: We noticed that with a lot of motion-controlled games, it works a bit like Simon Says: you’re told to do something and you do it. But that’s not how action games work. Action games let you be creative, to craft your own solutions to the problems you face. So we wanted a game that taught you easy gestures, which became tools that you can use in combat. You can use basic spells in a variety of ways, but you can also layer them on top of each other to create more complex and powerful spell effects.

PSB: I noticed that when I combined the cyclone spell with the fire wall…
BU: Yeah, the Firenado is great. It’s one of the more powerful spells in the game. But there are lots of clever ways to use it: you can pick an enemy up with a cyclone and push it through a campfire to create a Firenado. Or you can cast a fire wall, shoot arcane bolts through it to create fire bolts, and aim them at a whirlwind to suck your enemy in and incinerate him. There’s a whole array of ways to inflict damage in this game.

PSB: Tell me about Sorcery’s approach to motion controls. What’s your philosophy?
BU: We wanted something very accessible, something you can pick up quickly. The very first spell you learn, arcane bolt, is very simple to use because you just flick it forward. It’s like throwing stuff at your enemy. As you keep using it, you start to realize its depth: you can curve bolts and arc bolts around obstacles. When you start using ice magic, you can slow down enemies, or freeze them repeatedly and smash them with another spell.

PSB: How do the gesture-based puzzles fit into Sorcery?
BU: We don’t want you fighting all the time, partly because it’s a gesture-based game and you’d get tired. So we try to mix up the intense combat with puzzles to solve. The gestures are pretty simple: You mend things, move them around. It’s less a question of figuring out how to do something; you might see something you can get on top of, and you’ll wonder how you can get up there, what you can rearrange. They aren’t intense brainteasers, but it does change the pace in the overall game.

PSB: I noticed that Sorcery employs an automated camera, a bit like God of War. How does it work and why did you take this approach?
BU: We want to keep it simple: If you have to do camera maintenance all the time, it really sucks. We’re not a shooter, but we do learn a lot of lessons from shooters. In a shooter, on a basic level, you want to establish an interesting shooting gallery and let players be absorbed in it. When you encounter a new group of cameras, the auto-camera will shift to focus on them. It’s a function of trying to streamline the game as much as possible.

PSB: Will there be any RPG elements? Will Finn be able to upgrade his abilities over the course of the game?
BU: There’s an alchemy system. As you travel through the world, you’ll discover magical ingredients and you can use them to research new magical potions. There are roughly 56 magical potions in all, and every time you drink one, it gives you a permanent upgrade. You’ll have about a dozen opportunities to do it, so these potions basically become your build tree, your stats, the way you customize Finn. Do you boost your health or your ice powers? Or maybe make your shield bash more damaging?

PSB: Is Sorcery a shooter? And if not, what is it?
BU: As a designer, I used a lot of the principles of shooter design. I have a shooter background: I worked on Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon. Coming from that shooter background, I learned a lot of lessons about how to build an encounter. But Sorcery is not a shooter. Your fire rate is much lower, you have to deal with Mana limitations, you can curve and arc your shots…we used shooter gameplay as a touchstone, but then we took it way beyond what shooters do.

PSB: Earlier you mentioned a shift in the game’s tone since E3 2010. Could you shed any light on that?
BU: What we showed at E3 was largely organized around a dungeon crawl, and we realized we didn’t want that. We wanted a full-blown fantasy world, not a series of tunnels. A lot of our re-tooling involved moving the action gameplay into a more free-flowing space. The E3 version also had a much younger hero, and the enemies were a lot more cartoonish. We though, “you know, we have a game here that would appeal to a hardcore PlayStation gamer…and it looks a little bit like Spyro!” [laughs] We didn’t want people to get the wrong impression, so we wanted to bring the visuals in-line with the gameplay.

Around this time last year, Sony announced it had shipped just over 4 million units of its motion gaming peripheral, the PlayStation Move. And then in early April, about five months later, the company once again announced a new shipping number of around 8 million, doubling the original shipped number. Unfortunately for Sony, it seems the last seven months haven't maintained that momentum, with 1 million being added to the total shipped number (approximately 9 million in total), according to Industry Gamers.

As per usual, Sony isn't giving out hard numbers for units actually sold. It stands to reason, however, that if retailers have only ordered another 1 million units leading up to the holiday season, the peripheral likely isn't selling like, say, Walter White's crystal meth (hotcakes are so out of fashion).

Microsoft has been spinning a similar story with its own motion peripheral, the Kinect, holding to sales statements made last March (10 million sold -- not shipped) rather than offering new data. We're holding out hope that the two hardware companies are more vocal after the coming holiday sales bonanza, but we're not holding our breath either.