Bugsnax is out and free to download if you have PlayStation Plus, link here!

The first ever PlayStation Plus title for PlayStation 5, Bugsnax, is now available for download on the PlayStation Store, and it seems to be worldwide so if you are in the U.K. you can queue the game up ready for when you get your PlayStation 5 console next week.

Here are the links for the US and the UK.

The game has scored well in reviews including our own as we gave it a magnificent 9/10. "Bugsnax is a unique and wonderful experience, and a must-play for anyone who can get their hands on it," said Nic. "If you're lucky enough to have secured a PS5, make sure you make the most of PlayStation Plus and pick up your free copy while it lasts. If not, this game is still well worth your hard-earned cash."

You can read the full review of the game here. Bugsnax will available for free on PlayStation 5 to PlayStation Plus subscribers at no extra cost until January 4th, 2021. This will be an addition to the month's PS4 games, Shadow of Mordor and Hollow Knight.

Bugsnax was the real breakout surprise from the PlayStation 5 reveal event back in June, capturing the imaginations of many viewers with its maddeningly catchy music – provided by Kero Kero Bonito – not to mention its weird and wonderful world, in which you are what you eat, and what you eat are the living food items known as Bugsnax, which can only be found on Snacktooth Island.

We spoke to Young Horses shortly after the game's announcement, diving into the music partnership, the iterative process that led to the game's form, and more. Check out the full interview here.

If you don't have PlayStation Plus then Bugsnax will be priced at $24.99 USD, and is also available on the Epic Games Store.

What are the best PS5 games at launch?

Living in the UK is awesome. We have fish and chips; we have the NHS and we have the Great British Bake Off.

Sadly, we also have to wait a week for the release of the Playstation 5. So, if, like me, you're patiently waiting for your big shiny new toy to arrive in the post, you're probably scrolling through a list of games, wondering what to pick up and play first,  or perhaps if you're in the US you've got one of these shiny new beasts sat in front of you and you're doing the exact same thing.

Well, luckily for you, I was sitting here earlier, asking those hard-hitting questions: what are the best PS5 games at launch? What PS5 game should I play first? And, most importantly, what PS5 games are free at launch? Also luckily, we've had Tef and Jim hard at work over these past few weeks, reviewing everything they can get their hands on. Coupled with the games which have already been released on PS4, we have quite a healthy catalogue of games to look at already. Here they are, listed by review score, with a couple of notes against each one. Don't worry, the full review is linked below if you want to get a more rounded picture of the full game.

What are the best PS5 games at launch?

Although we do give games 10/10 from time to time, new consoles are always full of hiccups, and no new game on a new console is ever perfect. We have, however, given a fair few the almost perfect score of 9/10, and a couple of clunkers the dubious honour of 6/10. Here they are, ranked by score (and then alphabetically for fairness), complete with trailers and our final thoughts.

Bugsnax – 9/10

Bugsnax was one of the games which really caught my eye when it was first revealed. A photojournalist running around doing Pokémon things? Sign me up.  This is what I said in my review:

Bugsnax is a unique and wonderful experience, and a must-play for anyone who can get their hands on it. If you're lucky enough to have secured a PS5, make sure you make the most of PlayStation Plus and pick up your free copy while it lasts. If not, this game is still well worth your hard-earned cash.

You can read the full Bugnsax review here.

Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition – 9/10

Sibling rivalry never changes: Dante and Vergil will always have a rivalry and a new Playstation will always have a Devil May Cry game.

Or to quote Tef:

DMC5 Special Edition for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S builds on the excellence of the original release. It's not the most essential purchase, since you will soon be able to buy Vergil as DLC for the original release, but with some new game modes like Legendary Dark Knight difficulty and the new graphical options making the game smoother/prettier than ever before, it's sure to be tempting for fans of the series.

We kept the original review score of 9 for this game, but you can read the full review for this special edition release here.

The Pathless – 9/10

The Pathless is another great addition in the BotW-like genre. Linklike? I'm not quite sure what to call it, other than a bloody good game.

A larger more ambitious game from Giant Squid that shares influences with Breath of the Wild only to subvert it in clever ways: retooling a bow as an ingenious mode of traversal and puzzle solving, an open world with no map, and a shooter where you don't have to aim. It's an accessible and streamlined approach making for an unmissable adventure to lose yourself in.

Read Alan's review of The Pathless here.

Planet Coaster: Console Edition – 9/10

Not all rollercoaster sims are good. The VR one which made you shoot things as you went almost had me vomiting in the corner of the room. This one, however, embraces all that is good about this genre, ramps up the saturation (and the sugar) and Dom absolutely loved it.

Joy, wonder and engrossing park management come together to spectacular effect in Planet Coaster: Console Edition. Frontier are masters of the park building art, and as we enter a new console generation that's never been clearer.

Read Dom's full Planet Coaster review here.

Astro's Playroom – 8/10

I reckon that if TSA were to have a mascot, it would probably be Astro. Not only does this cute little robot match our logo, colour for colour, their first game was a rounding success — we all absolutely loved it. And it's not just us who would use him as a mascot either:

Astro cements himself as the PlayStation 5's mascot with a celebration of all things PlayStation that also showcases the full potential of the immersive new DualSense controller. Astro's Playroom is the first thing you should play on PlayStation 5.

Read Tef's full thoughts on Astro's Playroom here.

Dirt 5 – 8/10

Our first racing game of the list, DIRT 5 is a big, bold over-the-top arcade racer. It's far from perfect, but if this looks like your bag, why not give it a shot?

DIRT 5 strips away the more serious elements of the franchise and puts all its eggs in one, arcade cabinet shaped, basket. At times a riot, in other areas a little repetitive and lacking in finesse, it nevertheless delivers on the concept of an adrenaline-fueled off-road racer. It's a game that makes you sit forward in your seat and savour the joys of jumping a Dakar Rally Peugeot 3008 over a ravine.

You can read more of Thomas's thoughts on DIRT 5 here.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales – 8/10

Onto the one everyone is probably waiting for, not only building on the resounding success of the first game, but doing so from the perspective of Miles Morales — a decision which made a lot of fans very happy.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales feels like more of a sequel than it is a stopgap, entangling players within its web of cleverly refined mechanics while delivering some familiar web-slinging thrills. A heroic technical showcase for PS5 owners picking up their consoles on day one, this meaty side story in the Spider-Man saga has us even more excited than before to see what Insomniac Games have planned next.

You can find out why Jim gave it 8/10 here.

Watch Dogs: Legion – 8/10

Ubisoft's latest installment in it's Watch Dogs franchise is, fittingly, a Marmite game, with people falling very much into one of two camps. Personally, I'm just hoping the PS5 version fixes the awful load times I've had on the PS4.

Watch Dogs Legion is a different type of sequel to Watch Dogs 2, contrasting in its approach to creating a hackable open world playground, but with no less impressive results. Playing as any citizen in London leads to some less-than-engaging story moments, but the web of relationships and activities that crop up as a result of the systemic design is mind-blowing. I rarely did the same thing twice in Watch Dogs Legion, and if I did, I wasn't doing it the same way twice. Watch Dogs Legion truly feels like a living, breathing world, and it's a world that I plan to revisit often, even though I've seen the credits on the main story roll.

You can read Miguel's thoughts here.

WRC 9 – 8/10

WRC is the official World Rally Championship racing franchise. Much like our last racer, it's not perfect, but this is a game that fans are going to love. Something tells me that this could feel pretty good with the new Dualshock, but we haven't tested it with the adaptive triggers.

With driving that is now on par with the competition, WRC 9 will keep sucking rally fans back in for more. Elements around the core rallying action could still do with some added finesse, but when the basic premise is so solid, those issues fade into the background. At last, Kylotonn has delivered on the promise of authentic driving experience, and for a rallying game, I think that is the single most important element.

You can find Thomas's full WRC 9 review here.

Marvel's Avengers – 7/10

If you're looking for a superhero smackdown, Marvel's Avengers is likely your first port of call.

Marvel's Avengers offers a new approach for a superhero video game, yet one that still feels all too familiar for anyone who's played Destiny, The Division, or Anthem. It's eye-popping in its technical prowess as well as how much it leans on live service hooks, anticipating players will come back day after day. And a lot of players definitely will, especially if they can squad up with friends. Past its flaws and behind the grind, Marvel's Avengers is still a fun superhero brawler that has plenty of room to grow in the coming months.

You can read Jim's thoughts on the latest Marvel game here.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure – 7/10

Another Playstation flagship franchise, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is going to be one of those games that fans gravitate towards. Unfortunately, it's a little slow-moving, but it's still worth your time if you're curious what Sackboy (specifically not Sackgirl) has been up to.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure starts off slow, feeling like a hollow reflection of the franchise, but eventually grows into its new 3D platforming elements. It's at its best when it blends the new with the old, when there's power-ups, side-scrolling and a meaningful challenge, but it takes a bit too long to get it together.

Read Tef's thoughts on this flagship game here.

Madden 21 – 6/10

Dom wasn't impressed with Madden 21. Hopefully, its PS5 release will iron out the bugs which made this such a mission on current-gen consoles

Madden 21 has the components to be a solid, if utterly by-the-numbers entry in the franchise. However, a raft of bugs and glitches serve to undo the game's atmosphere at every turn.

Read the full Madden 21 review here.

Unrated/Review in progress

Sadly, we haven't had time to fully play and review everything. Where possible, we've given our thoughts on the game's opening, with more thoughts to come. If you're curious and want an early peak at how we feel these games are shaping up, take a look at our reviews in progress here:

What PS5 game should I play first?

Astro Boy, apparently — Tef's full review was titled "Astro's Playroom Review – The first game you should play on PlayStation 5". That answers that question pretty well, doesn't it?

And, most importantly, what PS5 games are free at launch?

First and foremost, anyone with a Playstation Plus subscription gets free access to Bugsnax this month — and the game is stellar so make sure you pick up a copy.

On top of that, PS5 owners with a this subscription will also have access to the brand new PS Plus Collection: a collection of games free to play if you have Playstation Plus. The name is pretty on the nose, if you ask me…

Anyway, the first batch of games you can pick up are as follows, with more inevitably to come as Sony expands the collection. Where we've only reviewed the base game, the review for that is provided:

Demon's Souls Review in Progress – a PS5 must-play, but something is missing

Eleven years ago, if you had told me Demon's Souls would be one of the most anticipated PlayStation 5 launch titles, I wouldn't have believed you. Having seen the occasional glimpse of this mysterious RPG in magazines and message boards, I quickly caved and imported a copy from Hong Kong which luckily played in English.

There's something so jarring about Demon's Souls even today, having been modernised on PS5 by the talented developers at Bluepoint Games, their recent work including the incredible Shadow of the Colossus and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection.

The ample hand-holding we typically get in most games now, even those considered highly skilled-based or hardcore, is completely missing. This isn't a case of the original creators, FromSoftware, wanting to kick away your crutches. The one-two Demon's Souls' punch of barely explaining anything, coupled with its sheer brutality, continue to make this one of the most beguiling entries in the roleplaying genre to date.

Demon's Souls – best starting class to choose on PS5

At the time, there was nothing else like it – little did we know that Demon's Souls would actually become the template for a hugely popular series (Dark Souls, followed by Bloodborne and Sekiro) while influencing the design of countless other games. We only need to look elsewhere in the PS5 launch lineup, specifically Godfall and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, both of which borrow similar combat systems, to see how wide-ranging the approach has become.

So what exactly have Bluepoint Games done here? Demon's Souls on PS5 has been totally rebuilt from the ground up, though its gameplay and foggy RPG trappings remain as they were in 2009, completely untouched.

At its core, Demon's Souls is a combat heavy action RPG in which you go from realm to realm, each one capped with an infamously tough boss battle. On top of that there are countless enemies and traps to watch out for, the game revelling in catching its players unaware. Persevere and you'll see your adventurer go from punching bag to… well, a slightly tougher punching bag.

Trudging through the game's prologue, it was the deliberate feel of sword strokes, dodges, and parries that imbued me with a sense of nostalgia, not so much the visuals. This PS5 remake of Demon's Souls is likely to divide the original game's fanbase in how its aesthetics have been modernised with environments and character models having undergone a major makeover.

It looks far more detailed while leaning further into its dark fantasy theme, though purists will claim that something crucial has been lost here. The plain, statuesque look of some enemies, as well as the game's brutish architecture, has been partially lost, though Demon's Souls is still a treat for the eyes even with that chip on your shoulder.

Stepping foot inside The Nexus and then Boletarian Palace, everything will come rushing back to those who braved this adventure on PlayStation 3. Even the weakest of grunts, garbed in nothing but rags, can take you down in a few measly hits. The further you press on, the more souls you will collect though dying will forfeit these – unless you recover them from where you were last killed. However, if slain during this risky rescue mission, those souls are gone for good.

Mastering the finesse of combat in Demon's Souls is only part of the appeal, as are the nail-biting boss battles. There's a much deeper layer to the game when it comes to character progression and understanding those crucial mechanics that simply aren't explained to you. The simple act of being able to level up requires you to find and kill the first boss, then navigate The Nexus for an unassuming NPC tucked away on one of the upper floors.

After seeing what Bluepoint did with Shadow of the Colossus on PS4 back in 2018, we had hoped Demon's Souls would be equally as faithful in terms of art direction. It's certainly lost some of that unique style but it's still a remake well worth playing. We just hope those picking up a copy with their PS5 on launch day know what they're getting into.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla – how to upgrade from PS4 to PS5 for free

Ubisoft recently announced that several of its games launching from now into 2021 will be eligible for a free next generation upgrade on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It's a smart initiative and one that deals with the financial burden of making that leap to new hardware.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is one of the games that is eligible. Available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia, and Xbox Series X|S, it will finally be joining the PlayStation 5 line-up when Sony's shiny new console launches on November 19th here in the UK.

We've been testing the PS5's games and features for the past couple of weeks now and while there's a lot to love, some features don't come tagged with explainers or are hidden away in submenus. This guide will quickly show you how to upgrade your existing copy of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla from PS4 to PS5.

First, you're going to actually need a copy of the game, whether you purchased Assassin's Creed: Valhalla via the PlayStation Store digitally or got yourself the physical version.

Once you've set up your PlayStation 5 and signed into the PSN profile used to originally buy Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, go into the PlayStation Store and look for the game. If it does not appear on the main store page along with other new releases then use the search function in the top right corner.

Even when you locate the page for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, you may miss where to upgrade to PS5. If you press download then you'll likely end up installing the PS4 version instead. When on the store page, look to the right side and you'll see an icon for the PS5 upgrade (it's sitting just above the trophies tab). We've attached a screenshot below so you know where to look.

Naturally, the PS5 version offers several advantages with Ubisoft making the use of Sony's next-gen tech. Expect improved loading times, enhanced visuals, and DualSense integration. The trade-off here is that the files size will be considerably larger than Valhalla on PS4. At the time of writing, the Viking era sequel weighs in at a hefty 84.55GB.

If you're already well into Eivor's journey on PS4 then there are a couple of things you should take into consideration. If you've logged into Ubisoft Connect via the game's menu then you can carry your save data over to PS5 and pick up where you left. Of course, make sure you have a copy of your save file also backed up on a console of USB just in case there's an error.

One thing that doesn't carry over however is your trophy progress. Booting up Valhall on PS5 for the first time will present an identical list of trophies that won't unlock retroactively.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Monster Prom XXL Review

Look, calm down, it's okay, you just read the title wrong. It's easy to do but this game is actually called Monster Prom XXL. Whilst it certainly attempts to be sexy in places, it is, thankfully, far from being pornographic. It's also part of a niche genre, within a niche genre, within a niche genre. Genre inception if you will. I've no idea what a one-to-four player competitive dating sim is, let alone how one plays. Let's find out together, shall we?

Monster Prom XXL is ostensibly a party game; one that's framed around a high school dating sim. It has the style and narrative drive of a visual novel and the structure of a board game. It also has elements of roleplay bolted to it, as well as a virtual Dungeon Master who creates new stories for you on the fly. It's a hodgepodge, it's a bit of a mess, it's certainly not for everyone, but it's also oddly compelling and often very very funny.

You and up to three pals take on the role of one of four charmingly illustrated high school Monsters. Your challenge? To land yourself a date for the high school prom, it's that simple. Monster Prom is wonderfully inclusive in it's dating and its choice of pronouns, anyone – regardless of sexuality, gender, species, appearance or the fact they are already dead – can date anyone. There's a number of candidates to impress, each unique in appearance and temperance.

Perhaps you'll set your sights on a feisty and furious demon called Damien, who just wants to punch the world in the face – repeatedly. Or maybe you'll endeavour to woo Polly, the party loving Ghost with the most. If you've any sense though, then you'll be getting to know Calculester better. Why? Calculester is a "library computer who had become a sentient robot ready to experience life to its fullest." This living computer also happens to have the most hilarious lines – and rude selection of emoticons – in the entire game. Which, seeing as the the standard of humour is impressively high here, is certainly saying something.

Humour really is the secret weapon of Monster Prom. The script writing is regularly sublime; fast, funny, full of character and deliciously meta. This is a game that isn't afraid to poke fun at the player, at itself, or even at its developers. There's so many cultural references, sly digs and exasperated nods that it's nearly impossible to keep track of them all. Instead, just go with it and have a good laugh. Though one aspect of the script that does fall short is its attempts at adult humour.

Swear words are, in my opinion, overused and unwarranted, while references to sexual acts and the inclusion of overt sexual innuendo just feels plain awkward. Is a sentient robot really going to be interested in a blowjob? Surely a defrag would be more desirable? On the plus side, you can ignore these clangers by skipping through them and admiring the art style instead, Monster Prom's comic worthy illustrations are gorgeous throughout.

What of the gameplay then? This aspect of the game is a little hit and miss for me. The story takes place over the course of a three week – or two week in the shorter gameplay mode – run-up to the high school prom. Each player answers a silly quiz that provides their character with stats in various attributes (boldness, creativity, fun etc) and a prospective date that best suits them.

This is where the board game similarities come in: players take it in turns to visit certain areas of the school, each time triggering a different event. They'll meet a selection of characters ensconced in different scenarios and then be given a number of – usually ridiculous – choices to make and actions to take by the virtual DM. Make the right choice and you'll be awarded a stat boost and develop your relationship with a specific monster. Make the wrong choice and your stats will take a dip whilst your beloved will show you the hard shoulder – or hard tentacle in some cases.

If I'm honest the changes to your stats felt arbitrary and made little sense – they certainly appeared to play no part in whether or not I was successful in getting a date for the prom. The game also suffers from quickly becoming repetitious. Whilst there's hundreds of possible scenarios to experience, the board game structure remains unchanging: visit an area of the school, choose a table to sit at in the canteen, visit a couple more areas before moving on to the next week and doing it all again.

This tedium is exacerbated by a very limited cast of monsters during any one run through. Despite the story and script work regularly surprising then, the actual gameplay quickly becomes formulaic. It's a shame that Monster Prom doesn't vary its own structure, perhaps by putting more events in one week and less in another, or by having a large group of characters involved in a scenario, rather than just two or three. Either way, it would certainly have benefited from a couple of extra game modes or activities to shake things up a bit.

Local play is, of course, the best way to play the game – putting a wrecking ball to a friend's blossoming relationship by spreading slanderous rumours never gets old. Though playing together in the same room is oddly hampered by a curious mechanic that seeks to encourage 'real world' debate to decide which player goes first at the start of every turn. Players are asked to choose an object, animal, brand or similar and then are given a crazy criteria. A debate must then ensue as to whose choice is better suited to fulfil the criteria, the winner getting to go first.

There's nothing wrong with a party game that encourages social interaction – that's the whole point, right? The problem is that for a game that aims for accessibility, the questions asked are far too niche and not applicable to a wide audience – leading to some members of the family feeling left out and unable to contribute to the discussion.

Well this is going swimmingly, now Walmart Canada are delaying PS5 deliveries

The last few days have seen many Xbox Series X|S pre-orders delayed across the globe and it looks the the PlayStation 5 may also be in trouble. With just hours to go before delivery, Walmart Canada has told customers that their new consoles will be arriving 2-3 days later than expected.

However, the 2-3 day delay is nowhere near as bad as what some Xbox Series X customers face in the United States where Amazon are suggesting the console might not arrive until the start of 2021.

We're contacting you with an update regarding your order of Xbox Series X. We expect to ship your console in the coming weeks as we receive more inventory in November and December. At this time, we anticipate that you will receive your Xbox Series X by 12/31 or before. We are making every effort to get it to you as soon as possible and apologize for any inconvenience

Microsoft spokesperson gave the follwing statement to GamesIndustry.biz

We have seen overwhelming global demand from our fans for the next generation of Xbox and are working tirelessly with our retail partners to replenish Xbox hardware as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile over the UK, many people including myself and other TSA staff, are faced with prospect of having a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller and PS5 games, but no console to play them on, as Sony moved the release date of the games and accessories to today, but not the PS5 itself.

It seems many retailers have been surprised by the size and number of consoles they have top move, this seems ridiculous when pre-orders have been closed for weeks and warehouses have been full of consoles for days. The PlayStation 5 launch will be even bigger here in the UK where PlayStation has been the dominate console for quite a few years. Let's hope Amazon UK and the other retailers have got their act together by next Thursday.

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

Source: Twitter

It's a bear necessity that you check out the dev diary for Bear & Breakfast

"Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities, forget about your worries and your strife" could well be the kind of song lyric and attitude we need to get to the end of 2020. While it's been a fair old dumpster-fire of a year, there are some lovely games being released and developed that help staying indoors forever more just that little bit more acceptable. Well, you can add Bear & Breakfast to that list, a joyful-looking bear 'em up featuring a big old bear called Hank.

It's sold by the devs as a laid-back management adventure game, and from the looks of the video you're going to be sorting out Hank's living arrangements in particular detail so he remains a happy bear, while heading off into the woods. Presumably there'll be some doofering of the kinds of things that bears do, like looking for food, stealing picnics and maybe rubbing their back against a tree, but this is all purely based on my extensive knowledge of cartoon bears.

Developer Gummy Cat – an excellent developer name that creates some truly evocative imagery – actually have Bear & Breakfast as a management adventure game where Hank is attempting to set up his own Bed & Breakfast in the woods. The gameplay sits somewhere in the Theme Hospital wheelhouse, but with a stronger narrative pull taking you through all of the very important room and building design.

The developer diary gives you a glimpse of what they're working on as well as showing you the true life of a developer, and a picture of their home nation of Romania. I'd go so far as to say it's one of the best video diaries we've seen – more of this please.

Bear & Breakfast is due for release in 2021 on Nintendo Switch and PC. It certainly looks like it'll help you to forget your worries, and your strife.

Demon's Souls – best starting class to choose on PS5

Like many roleplaying games, Demon's Souls on PS5 presents you with a character creation screen before starting out. Like us, you'll no doubt spend several minutes tweaking the appearance of your warrior, cycling through the various skin tones, hair styles, and facial proportions to make something truly garish.

One choice that you'll want to pay particularly close attention to is your starting class in Demon's Souls. Just like FromSoftware's original RPG, you'll have ten classes to choose from though it's not exactly clear which one is best.

The ten starting classes are defined not only by their attributes (which will affect health, stamina, damage, and other stats) but also the equipment they start off with. Some will have immediate access to spells or ranged weapons while others come decked out in heavier armour.

Which class you choose will have a huge impact on those opening hours of Demon's Souls. However, it's important to remember that these are only templates – archetypes that can be modified later into the game to suit your playstyle as you progress.

Without bombarding you with a wall of text explaining the finer systems and trappings of Demon's Souls, here's a quick guide on the best starting classes to choose, with a couple of extra pointers.

This guide is ideal for those wanting to ease themselves into Demon's Souls with as little pushback as possible. You're still going to die – a lot – and will need to get a grip on combat skills, though this should at least give you a decent head start.

Out of all ten starting classes, the two deemed most powerful (and therefore suitable for newcomers) are the Temple Knight and Royalty classes.

Demon's Souls – best starting class to choose on PS5

The Temple Knight combines hard-hitting melee attacks with good health and stamina reserves. What also sets this starting class rise to the top is their initial loadout which includes the best starting shield, heavy armour, and a healing spell.

While not as strong as or well suited for melee as the Temple Knight, the Royalty class is another great option for beginners, as well a favourite for those wanting to play Demon's Souls as magic caster. You immediately start with the Soul Arrow spell which can take down most grunts in one or two hits from afar. Their Fragrant Ring also means they will constantly regenerate MP, the rapier/buckler weapon combo offering both speed and precision.

After defeating Phalanx and clearing Boletarian Palace, you can start spending souls on increasing your stats. This gives you the freedom to morph any of the starting classes in Demon's Souls into something that suits your own preferred playstyle.

With that said, there are some helpful tips to keep in mind. Luck is pretty much useless so avoid wasting points on that, investing them elsewhere. Vitality and Endurance will increase your health and stamina respectively with Strength and Dexterity boosting your damage and allowing you to use specific weapons and armour. Intelligence will raise your MP and when combined with Magic and Faith it will also unlock news spells such as elemental projectiles, weapon buffs, and healing.

For more on Demon's Souls, you can read our initial impressions of the remake via our review in progress.

Microsoft warn people not to blow vape smoke in to their Xbox Series X

Microsoft were rather surprised to find that they have to warn people not to blow vape smoke in to their new Xbox Series X consoles. Yes, that's a thing stupid people are doing and posting on Twitter.

The warning follows a number of tweets claiming their Xbox Series X consoles were smoking, they were not, people were inhaling from their vape and then blowing it in to the console to make it look like it was on fire.

Vape smoke is not actually smoke, it's a mix of propylene glycol, glycerine, nicotine, flavourings, and a hint of metal nanoparticles, all of which should be kept away from the insides of a new console.

Another bunch of tweets suggested that the fan on the Xbox Series X was so powerful you could float a ping-pong ball over the console, but that has also been debunked. Sorry everyone, all the Xbox Series X is going to do is sit in your lounge and look ominous like the monolith from 2001.

Here's what we said in our review of the console, you can read the full review here.

The Xbox Series X is the continuity candidate. It's built on the foundations of familiar system software and comprehensive backward compatibility that actively enhances everything you want to play on it (within limits) and it's effectively silent no matter how hard we've pushed it. At this time we're still on the outer threshold of what it can offer for the next gen gaming, but we'll explore that over the coming days, weeks and months. What's certain is that you'll want a high-end TV or monitor to get the very best out of it, and that if you're coming from a base PS4 or Xbox One in particular, this will be a huge step forward.

Source: Twitter

Glorious GMMK Full Size Keyboard Review

As much as I love the world of PC gaming, complete with upgrades, settings tinkering, and all, I do find some of the branding at odds with the inclusivity and flexibility of the platform. The excessive RGB, aggressive names that sound like deodorants, and unironic use of superlatives just feels like posturing to me. It was with some trepidation, then, that I unboxed the GMMK with its 'Glorious PC Gaming Race' logo. Though not as bad as the 'PC Master Race' label (which needs to just end, tbh), the inbox mission statement reads like a love letter to some of the worst excesses of the system and its fans. Fortunately, though, once you get past all of that, the keyboard itself proves utterly worthy of the hype.

GMMK stands for 'Glorious Mechanical Modular Keyboard' with the unique selling point being that this is the 'world's first mechanical keyboard featuring hot-swappable switches for Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh branded switches'. I'll freely admit to not being an expert on all things key-switch related but the manufacturer's website offers an accessible overview of the varying options and their features. I opted for a multi-purpose Gateron Brown set that is well suited for both typing and gaming, offering the feel of real mechanical keys without the associated volume. The more adventurous or single-purposed amongst you can always go for a more focused approach as the boards are fully customisable.

Coming from a massive Roccat Aimo 121, I was first struck by the compact nature of the GMMK. I opted for a full-size as I am old-fashioned like that but even then there is little wasted space here. This means that the RGB doesn't have the surface area to shine as intrusively as some media keyboards so if you're just after the visual effect then this may not be the 'board for you. For those of you who, like me, have a desktop where space is at a premium, the relatively small footprint is a real plus.  The Gateron Brown keys are smooth and responsive, providing a satisfying 'finger-feel' with lightning fast response rate and an audible but not excessive click.

The board itself is fantastically put together. Made from sandblasted aluminium (actually spelled right in the American specs) it is a hefty 953g. This obviously means it is designed to stay in place rather than offer portability but then this is no surprise as it is wired. The 6ft braided cable is long enough for almost all desktop setups and the RGB lighting is clear but not obtrusive. As is standard for lit keyboards, downloading the relevant software from the manufacturer's website enables you to configure the 16.8 million colours and 18 patterns although who's counting at this point? The raised key design is great for both cleaning purposes and allowing the light to shine, creating a nice ambient glow for those late-night gaming – or all-nighter deadline-meeting writing – sessions.

So, in terms of basic functionality, the GMMK is a great piece of kit. Sturdy, responsive, unobtrusive, and refreshingly compact, it certainly ticks all the boxes for a keyboard. Where it really stands out, though, and more importantly justifies its £150 RRP (for its pre-built version), is in how easy it makes swapping keys. This may well be a niche market but the benefits of mechanical keyboards in terms of responsiveness and feel are well documented.

The GMMK offers the ability to customise the keys to suit your purpose without having to buy another whole keyboard – a saving on both cost and waste. There is a handy key-swapping tool included in the box and it is a simple process to pop one cap off and replace it with another. The prebuilt edition comes with a bright red 'Ascend' button where ESC normally lives but a more traditional cap is also in the box. This serves as a perfect introduction to key swapping, although I actually returned to the ludicrous red cap for reasons that are unclear even to me.

No More Heroes 1 on Switch is a blood-drenched trip down memory lane

I'm a simple man. I love No More Heroes, and I've wanted it on Nintendo Switch ever since I got my hands on the hybrid-handheld console three years ago. I've been craving a proper sequel to the hyperviolent Suda 51 directed saga of No More Heroes for even longer, and while a third mainline entry is coming next year, I've been itching for a more polished way to re-experience my favorite Nintendo Wii games. Imagine my surprise when, on my literal birthday, Nintendo decides to stealth release HD ports of No More Heroes 1 and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle onto the Nintendo Switch eShop. With zero build-up and hardly any fanfare, Nintendo has casually dropped the best versions of these games onto their latest console for newcomers and Suda 51 die-hards alike to dig into.

The premise of No More Heroes 1, for the uninitiated, is brutally simple and instantly charming. A dorky anime and wrestling obsessed dude named Travis Touchdown happens to blow all of his cash winning a lightsaber on an online auction site. Soon after, he runs into a gorgeous woman named Sylvia at his local bar in Santa Destroy, and she instantly charms him into a nutso side-hustle: use that new sword of his to murder the top 10 ranked assassins in the city, becoming number 1 and raking in oodles of cash in the process.

It shouldn't be any surprise, but plenty of blood is spilled in Travis Touchdown's quest to reach number 1. For some players, this port will be the first time they're seeing all that blood, as the original game was heavily censored in some regions. There are a lot of other technical improvements in this port, too, like near instant load times that turn the creative and lengthy loading-screens of the original game into nothing more than brief scene transitions.

The game also spits out a resolution of 720p, which looks way clearer than it did on the Nintendo Wii. The game shoots for 60FPS, too, and it achieves it…for the most part. You'll get minor slowdown in battles where there are hordes of goons onscreen at once, but while you're driving your motorcycle around town to find your next mission or dig t-shirts out of trash cans the framerate will flip-flop between 30fps and 60fps pretty regularly.

One of the best parts of this port is the updated control options for the game. The original Nintendo Wii release of No More Heroes 1 employed a fusion of motion controls and button-inputs as you hacked and slashed and suplexed your way through suited hitmen and wild ranked assassins. Those motion controls return on the Nintendo Switch, as the game lets you use dual Joy-Con input to play.

Pressing buttons to attack and block while you wave your Joy-Con to switch sword stances, deal finishing blows, and recharge your beam katana with that all-too-iconic jerk-off motion is a delight. If you decide to disable motion-controls, though, you'll find that a lot of the combat systems feel a lot faster. You're able to chain together high and low katana attacks like you never could with motion controls, and recharging your beam katana by waggling the right-stick, while way less goofy, is also way faster. Both methods are viable, and both are fun as hell.

Now, this isn't the first time No More Heroes has been ported to a different console. The game saw a PS3 re-release titled No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise. Among many fans of the series and even series director Suda 51, though, this port gets a bad rap. While it boasts some nice depth-of-field and sharper textures, it also alters the art-style and inky shading of the original game in a way that many people didn't appreciate. Plus, it had a rough as hell framerate. While those issues are a disappointment, the PS3 port had a lot of quality-of-life improvements, and added content only served to enhance the experience. New mini-games, a new difficulty mode, and a handful of new combat features would have all been great additions to this Nintendo Switch port.

There are very few autuer directors in the video game industry, which makes it all the more impressive when a video game director does end up achieving that status. Suda 51, without a doubt, is one of the most talented and expressive game developers out there, and the No More Heroes series is a perfect expression of what makes his work so memorable. Western and Eastern culture is tossed into a blender full of blood and rock music, and the result is one of the most iconic games of the Nintendo Wii era.

Here's how Warhammer: Chaosbane has upgraded for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

We didn't have to wait long for a Warhammer game to arrive on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, did we? After its launch last year, Warhammer: Chaosbane has come barrelling in, planting its flag as the first dungeon crawler for a new generation of home consoles.

The freshly enhanced Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition has been amped up to make the most of Sony and Microsoft's shiny new hardware while also cramming in the free and paid DLC that has followed in the months since its original launch.

For those completely new to the game, Chaosbane is a top-down action RPG that leans heavily on its frenzied hack n' slash combat. As one of six classes (including the recently added Witch Hunter) you can roll through dungeons with up to three other players, unlocking new powers and hoarding treasures along the way.

Warhammer Chaosbane PS5 and Xbox Series X|S improvements

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition lets you do all this in 4K at 60FPS. It certainly runs smoother than its last-gen counterparts, though the difference isn't night and day. Chaosbane already impressed us with what it could do on PS4 and Xbox One, filling the screen with hordes of enemies, visual effects, and a constant spew of popping damage numbers.

The game's visual fidelity has also been dialled up though it's not immediately noticeable. As a dungeon crawler, you haven't exactly got your nose pressed to the screen, the wider perspective obscuring the finer details found in environments and character models.

On PlayStation 5, developer Eko Software have made some specific enhancements for Sony's new console. The DualSense controller will let off a satisfying rumble when attacks land, gently massaging your palms as you mow down countless cultists, beastmen and demons. We also get to see those adaptive triggers in action – well, one of them. A bit. While your ultimate power is on cooldown, the R2 button will be harder to push down. It's a very minor touch, but it's a nice detail.

Loading times are almost non-existent in Chaosbane Slayer Edition, taking only a couple of seconds to kickstart the campaign. As for some of the PS5's other features, when hovering over Warhammer: Chaosbane on your PS5 home menu you can dive into the game via three Activity Cards, choosing one of the three current campaigns. When playing, these cards will display your progress through each chapter.

Is there a free next-gen upgrade for Chaosbane owners?

The trailer for Slayer Edition mentions that adventurers can continue their journey as they leap from Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S though this is a feature we haven't been able to test first-hand.

In the build up to launch, Eko Software and publisher Nacon haven't been clear in communicating whether current Warhammer: Chaosbane owners on PS4 and Xbox One can upgrade for free on next-gen consoles. We reached out to them directly and they have confirmed that this is a separate paid-for release and not a free upgrade as we've seen with other games. They also revealed that there is no cross-play, whether that's between generations or across the platform divide. So, no cross-play between PlayStation and Xbox, nor cross-play between PS4 and PS5 (the same goes for Xbox One and Series X|S).

With multiple editions and a season pass under its belt, this latest Chaosbane incarnation packs in every bit of the previous content (including the Tomb Kings campaign and Keela) as well as the Witch Hunter (shown in the trailer above). A popular character archetype in the Warhammer universe, this versatile warrior can swap between his blade and dual pistols on the fly, making him one of the quickest, deadliest characters the game has to offer.

It's a shame that existing owners aren't able to upgrade for free or even at a discounted price, and the lack of cross-play options seems counterintuitive to Eko's current-gen ambitions for their game. That said, Warhammer: Chaosbane is still a fun fantasy romp for those craving this kind of RPG on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, even if it is creeping in the shadow of Diablo III.

Deathloop's May 2021 release date revealed by PlayStation New Zealand

As everyone knows, Kiwis and Aussies live in the future. So far in the future are they that delivery fans filled with PS5s will soon be leaving the depots to deliver next-gen gaming to eager fans. Since it's launch day over there, the PlayStation site in New Zealand and Australia has been updated with some fresh details about upcoming games for the next-gen machine.

In particular, the website states that Arkane Studios' time-looping shooter Deathloop will release on 20th May 2021.

The game will be coming to PlayStation 5 and PC, but is a timed PlayStation console exclusive from Arkane Studios, the company behind Dishonored and Prey, and publisher Bethesda. The game was originally intended for release at the end of 2020, but the usual complications led to it being pushed back to 2021.

May 2021 is also right around the time that Microsoft expect to be closing their deal to acquire Bethesda via parent company ZeniMax. I'm sure Bethesda are pushing to get the game out just before that acquisition is completed, though Microsoft have hardly been shy about buying game companies and letting them complete their cross-platform projects with other developers.

Deathloop is set on the island of Blackreef, with protagonist Colt trapped here in a mysterious Groundhog Day-style timeloop. Instead of trying to find love, he's trying to take out eight targets across Blackreef before midnight. It seems simple enough except Blackreef has its own guard, Julianna and she enjoys killing Colt over and over again.

Colt appears to have various abilities including the Blink ability from the Dishonored games allowing him to teleport around Blackreef. Another ability allows him to flick enemies away, including out of windows. Players will have to learn the patterns of Blackreef and discover different paths to work out how to best move forward. There will be a lot of dying but each death will bring knowledge.

Deathloop does mix the singleplayer and multiplayer. While players experience the story of Colt others can take control of Julianna to hunt Colt through Blackreef and stop his progress. It is an optional choice as players can keep it so Julianna remains AI controlled instead of player controlled.

Source: PS Store NZ, Nibel

Sackboy: A Big Adventure Review

Sackboy's latest adventure will probably sound familiar to you. The happy-go-lucky home of Sackboy and all his chums has been torn asunder, and they're off to save the day, guided as ever by a charmingly voiced cast of supported characters.

The big difference is that this isn't LittleBigPlanet, it's Sackboy: A Big Adventure, taking MediaMolecule's beloved franchise and morphing it into a 3D platformer. There's no creation here – though you can still style it up with collectable costumes – with the focus instead on co-op play that you can see through all the levels.

The big bad this time around is the Vex. Sorry, not the Vex of Destiny milky robot fame, but Vex, the maniacal Jester that seems to have watched the Sideshow Bob episodes of The Simpsons on a loop for the last decade. He scoops up all the sack-people of Craftworld and starts putting them to work, with only Sackboy able to escape, snatching his plans and heading off in a rocket to try and put an end to them. Right away, Scarlet, an old adventuring Sackgirl, steps in to guide and mentor your journey.

You have to dive into level after level across five worlds from the Imagisphere, and not just make it through to the end, but find all the secrets and cubby holes where Dreamer Orbs have been tucked away. It's these that unlock the boss battles at the end of each world and let you fly on to the next.

It's all nicely put together. The game looks fantastic on PlayStation 5, taking the style of the LittleBigPlanet series and fleshing it out to feature 3D platforming. With four player co-op in mind, theres similarities and parallels that can be drawn here to Super Mario 3D World. There's multiple paths to take through many areas, arena-like spaces where you'll do battle with cutesy Uproar monsters, and also plenty of opportunity to slap anyone you happen to be playing with.

The problem is… it's just a bit dull for a long stretch at the beginning. That's certainly accentuated by playing solo, but even grabbing a partner to play with you feels bland. Better, but bland. The story takes a very hands off approach as Scarlet and other characters only rarely interject, so there's barely any drama to keep you engaged. Again, it's pretty, but there's not quite enough to keep you hooked through the first few worlds.

Some of that, I think, comes from the music. Sumo break out a contemporary The Go! Team track for an early level, but the level as a whole is quiet, muted, like a ray traced reflection of the iconic Get It Together track from the original game. The first level I truly enjoyed saw the game really embrace a licensed track, having the whole level bouncing and bopping along to the tempo and refrains of Uptown Funk in a joyous fashion, but that contrasts to all the levels which aren't as vibrant and are backed by Muzak soundalikes of popular tunes – it goes so far as to have a not-quite-Futurama tune for a sci-fi level. The game pulls that same trick a few more times – David Bowie's Let's Dance was another highlight – but even that starts to wear a little thin as you realise the level is constantly waiting for the music before it can progress.

The wider level design that's intended to accommodate four players means that difficulty starts low and only very gradually picks up. It's also quite forgiving – getting hit once by an enemy won't send you back to a checkpoint, but a second hit will. There is a turning point as levels start to use more and more power-ups after the second world – around a third or half the way through the campaign.

The first sign of this comes with orange gloop that lets you run up walls, later getting your hands on Iron Man-style hover boots and pew-pew hands and the LittleBigPlanet 2 grappling hook. It's here that the game makes the most sense, when it's pulling the same kind of side-scrolling platforming tricks as classic LittleBigPlanet 2 with bounce pads and grapple points combining for some high-intensity sections and lightning fields and spikes to avoid, but then throwing in moments where 3D can come to the fore. By the end, the difficulty has been ramped up pretty high, evoking the kind of challenge that the original LittleBigPlanet games managed, and further challenge awaits after beating Vex for the final time, with more levels to tackle and a drive to collect more and more of the Dreamer Orbs to unlock them.

An extra disappointment is that you are Sackboy and only ever Sackboy, despite Scarlet being a Sackgirl. Of course you can play dress up through the game, with some of the earliest costumes to unlock or buy being for Red Riding Hood and a punk rocker girl in a tartan skirt. We're at a point now where girls, women and non-binary people should be able to choose to be referred to as Sackgirl, Sackling, Sackthing or a handful of other options in the cutscene dialogue, but there's no option, and it leaves Sackboy: A Big Adventure feeling a bit behind the times.

Update: We have locked the comments section of this review due to some overly toxic and inflammatory comments. These comments will also be moderated over the next 24 hours.

The Last of Us 2 enhanced on PS5 with Adaptive Triggers

It appears that Naughty Dog have quietly enhanced The Last of Us: Part II on PlayStation 5. In the lead up to the PS5 launch we've heard from developers offering free next-gen upgrades as well as performance boosting updates for backwards compatible PS4 games.

However, we hadn't heard anything from Naughty Dog specifically regarding The Last of Us: Part II. With that said, those who were lucky enough to gain access to a PS5 ahead of its initial launch tomorrow have been booting up a selection of PS4 games to catch any hidden next-gen quirks.

The fine folks over at GamesRadar have tested The Last of Us: Part II on their PlayStation 5 review units and have found that the gritty sequel supports Sony's new DualSense controller. Here's what they had to say from their playtest:

The difference is immediately apparent when compared to the PS4 version. In combat, you can feel the tension in the DualSense adaptive triggers when you draw the string back on the bow, while every shot you fire on a weapon will also result in a feeling in the controller and it feels amazing.

They noted feedback from the DualSense during other parts of the game including motorboat sections where you can feel the rumble as you fire up the engine and bash into obstacles.

In our review of The Last of Us: Part II we scored the game a triumphant 10 out of 10, call it "a remorseless epic delivering in its masterful storytelling, nail-biting gameplay and unrivalled production values. "

Source: GamesRadar

The Last of Us: Part II Guides from TheSixthAxis

Dead By Daylight "A Binding of Kin" Chapter reveals new Killer

Dead By Daylight will be getting not one, but two killers in its upcoming Chapter content update dubbed "A Binding of Kin".

Well, sort of. You see, newcomers Charlotte and Victor Deshayes have a somewhat… intimate bond. Otherwise known as "The Twins", the cinematic teaser below depicts their gruesome symbiotic relationship, Victor crawling from the chest cavity of his hook-wielding older sister to stalk the Realms of Dead By Daylight for Survivors.

It appears as though Victor can move around the map and attack players, or at least pin and incapacitate them. Charlotte can then come striding in with deathly strokes of her cruel sickle to deliver a killing blow.

The Twins will be headlining the latest Dead By Daylight Chapter, A Binding of Kin. Like previous Dead By Daylight expansions, this will like be a mix of paid and free content with The Twins and new Survivor Elodie Rakoto tucked behind the game's paywall, any new features and maps being available to all players.

They will join a growing cast of terrifying faces including The Blight, Dead By Daylight most recent Killer. Since launch, the game has played hosted to horror icons including Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and Michael Myers (Halloween) among other appearances such as The Demogorgon (Stranger Things) and our personal favourite, Pyramid Head.

Will Dead By Daylight get bots on PC & consoles?

We've yet to see the new Killer in action with no gameplay shown. Behaviour Interactive haven't confirmed a release date, the trailer ending with an obligatory "coming soon".

We recently re-reviewed the game for 2020, bumping up its original score:

Dead By Daylight has evolved into somewhat of a phenomenon, proving that the often maligned games-as-a-service model produces more than just cookie cutter loot shooters. It's still an acquired taste and a bit rough around the edges though stands out as one of the most unique ongoing multiplayer games of the generation.

Those who currently own a copy of Dead By Daylight on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will be able to upgrade for free on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S respectively, carrying over their progress. We'll be playing this next-gen version when it becomes available and will report on any major upgrades.

Source: Twitter (@DeadByBHVR)

PS5 Guide – How to use external drives with PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 is a fantastic machine, partly thanks to its ultra-speedy built in SSD, but there's a problem: The SSD is only 825GB in size, it only gives you 667.2GB of space to install games to. You've got two options for expanding your console's storage, but with Sony not enabling internal expansion until sometime after launch,  we'll only be talking about external HDD drives for this guide.

Contents for this guide:

  • What can I use an external drive for on PS5?
  • What external HDDs are compatible with PS5?
  • Can I use my PS4's external drive?
  • Can I install PS5 games to my external drive?
  • How to use an external drive with PS5
  • How to move games between Internal and External storage
  • How to safely remove external storage on PS5

What can I use an external drive for on PS5?

External drives can be used with PlayStation 5 to store and play PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR games via backward compatibility. PlayStation 5 games, on the other hand, have to be installed to internal storage to make use of the SSD's speed.

If you've got a huge back catalogue of PS4 and PSVR titles that you want to revisit, you'll likely want to keep those games on an external drive, even if you lose out on having a boost to loading times from the PS5.

What external HDDs will work with PS5?

The requirements for an external drive on PS5 are exactly the same as on PS4. The drive must be at least 250GB in size, with a maximum size of 8TB, and the drives have to be USB 3.0 or newer.

These can be traditional kinetic HDDs or an external SSD, though these will still be restricted to only supporting PS4 and PSVR games.

Can I reuse my external drive from PS4?

Yes! In fact, this is probably the best and fastest way of transferring your PS4 game collection to the PS5. All you need to do is safely remove the drive from your PS4 via the console's quick menu, and then plug it into your PS5. The new console will immediately recognise all the games that are installed and show them in your game library, ready for you to play.

You can also use the external drive between multiple consoles, taking your library of downloaded PS4 and PSVR games with you.

Can I install PS5 games to my external drive?

Sadly not. Sony have confirmed that PS5 games can only be installed to the internal SSD

How to use an external drive with PS5

Here's the step by step of what you need to do and know to use an external drive with PS5:

  • Turn on the PS5.
  • Plug the USB external drive into the rear USB-A ports or front USB-C port – Note the front USB-A port is only for charging and non-gaming storage.
  • (Optional) If the drive has not been used with a PlayStation before, you'll need to format it for game storage. From the main PS5 menu, head to Settings (the cog in the upper right corner) then Storage > Extended Storage and select the option to format the drive.
  • (Optional) Ensure that 'Always Install PS4 Games to Extended Storage' is selected to reserve PS5 internal storage for PS5 games.

How to move games between Internal and External storage

You can move games PS4 and PSVR games between internal and external storage by heading to Settings > Storage and then either Console Storage or Extended Storage depending on where the game is installed. Select Games and Apps and then Items You Can Move, which will show you a list of games that can be moved to the other storage.

Can I move PS5 games to my external drive?

Sadly not. Sony have confirmed that PS5 games can only be installed to the internal SSD and cannot be moved to an external drive. This means you cannot even archive and backup a PS5 game as a way to clear space on the internal SSD.

This is something that might change in future, Sony have said, but for now, external drives are only for PS4 games.

How to safely remove external storage on PS5

This used to be an easy to find option in the PS4 quick menu, but is hidden away on PS5. To safely remove storage on PS5, you need to go to Settings > Storage > Extended Storage and then select Safely Remove from PS5.

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

PS5 Guide – Every PlayStation Plus Collection game listed

If you were hoping to escape your backlog by grabbing yourself a PS5, we have some bad news. Well actually, it's pretty good news, especially if you're completely new to the PlayStation family or missed out on some of those gems from the PS4 library.

Anyone with an active PlayStation Plus subscription will be able to access a top flight collection of PlayStation 4 titles, downloaded directly to your PS5. As these games are backwards compatible, you can play them on your shiny new console. Accessing them is as simple as finding the PS+ section on your home menu.

There's an additional sweetener for those hanging onto their old PS4, maybe as a machine for your kids. Once these games have been added to your account, you can then go back to the PS4 and play them there as well!

There's a terrific mix of Sony first party titles here as well as third party additions from publishers such as EA, Activision, Warner Bros., and Square Enix. Needless to say, there's plenty to keep your thumbs busy while you wait for more PS5 games to launch in the coming months.

We've created a handy table below, listing all of the games currently confirmed for the PlayStation Plus Collection. Sony haven't said when they'll be expanding this list or if games will be removed over time, but some are being updated with PS5 enhancements. Days Gone now runs at 60 FPS on the new machine.

You may have seen online that The Last Guardian runs in 60 FPS too though this applies only to the unpatched disc version which doesn't have a framerate cap.

PS5 PlayStation Plus Collection Games List

Game Name PS5 Enhanced? Release Date
Batman: Arkham Knight No 23/06/2015 Review
Battlefield 1 No 21/10/2016 Review
Bloodborne Yes 25/03/2015 Review
Call of Duty: Black Ops III No 06/11/2015 Review
Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy No 30/06/2017 Review
Days Gone Yes 26/04/2019 Review
Detroit: Become Human No 25/05/2018 Review
Fallout 4 No 10/11/2015 Review
Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition No 29/11/2016 Review
God of War Yes 20/04/2018 Review
Infamous: Second Son No 21/03/2014 Review
Monster Hunter: World No 26/01/2018 Review
Mortal Kombat X No 14/04/2015 Review
Persona 5 No 04/04/2017 Review
Ratchet and Clank No 20/04/2016 Review
Resident Evil 7 No 24/01/2017 Review
The Last Guardian Kind of 07/12/2016 Review
The Last of Us Remastered A little bit 30/07/2014 Review
Until Dawn No 26/08/2015 Review
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End No 10/05/2016 Review

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

PS5 Trophy Guide – What new trophy features have Sony added?

Since trophies were first introduced on PlayStation 3 back in 2008, trophy hunting has become a popular pursuit for hardcore gamers. Of course, Sony weren't first to the punch here; Microsoft's revolutionary achievement system was one facet of Xbox Live and the Xbox 360 that had them whooping the PS3 when both platforms first launched.

On PS5, trophies are back and Sony have made some noticeable changes. But first some of you may be wondering: will my PlayStation trophies carry over from the PS3, PS4, and even PS Vita? Of course they do! If you were in that first vanguard of trophy hunters blasting away at Super Stardust HD, those (star)dusty accolades are still accounted for.

If the PS5 is your first PlayStation console in a while, then here's a super quick primer on trophies. Each game will have a shopping list of challenges to cross off, each one bagging you a bronze, silver, or gold trophy depending on their difficulty. Most games will reward you a platinum trophy once you've earned all the others in a game's list.

It's not surprise that PS5 trophies use this same template. Not only do your unlocked trophies appear in a list, each one will also funnel into an overall level that appears on your PSN profile. When flicking through player IDs, it's an easy way of seeing how experienced they are – or how much time they have on their hands! Sony recently rolled out a trophy update that increased this level cap from 100 to 999.

So, what else has changed about trophies with the PS5? On a system level, trophies no longer have their own menu icon – they're tucked away within your player profile, as well as in the hub section for each individual game. From here you can view a trophy list, though the individual cards for each one are bigger and slightly more awkward to navigate through thanks to a new horizontal scrolling layout.

At the same time, individual trophies are made more visible thanks to the PS5's Activity Cards. When browsing through your game collection, most will present cards tied to trophies you may be close to unlocking, or simply ones you haven't collected yet.

As for the actual trophies themselves, they've undergone a bit of a redesign. In truth, there's not a huge amount of difference, though purists may prefer the chunkier original trophies. As if that wasn't enough to rile them up, Sony has only gone and changed the classic "ping" for something more inline with the PS5 UI's more subtle sound effects.

One new PS5 feature that is sure to please trophy hunters is Game Help. This is an extension to the Activity Cards system and one that can attach helpful tips, images, and videos to cards to help PS5 players complete certain in-game objectives. Sony first showed off this feature with Sackboy: A Big Adventure, showing Game Help pop open a collectable guide video for a specific stage. However well and often we see this implemented will rely on developers – hopefully it's not just first party games that make use of it.

Also, if you're someone that just wants the trophies and isn't fussed about spoilers? Well, hidden trophies can now be unveiled. Select a hidden trophy from a game's list, open it up with a tap of the cross button, then press Options and choose to Show Hidden Information.

Rounding out our PS5 trophy guide, let's talk about rewards. Sony have yet to confirm this, though it was recently reported that earning trophies can unlock in-game content. In Destruction AllStars (which will now be launching next year as a PlayStation Plus freebie) you can unlock cosmetic items by popping specific bronze and gold trophies.

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

PS5 Activity Cards and how they work

Fire up your new PlayStation 5 console for the first time and you'll notice that Sony have completely done away with its previous main menu.

It can take a little time to get your head around the overall PS5 layout and some of the finer changes with some options now tucked away or hidden in the setting menu.

However, there are a slew of new features too, Activity Cards being one of the key highlights Sony showed off with their PS5 UI presentation. This guide will talk you through what they do and how different PlayStation games treat them.

PS5 Activity Cards – How do they work?

Sony's PS5 Activity Cards are an effective way of breaking games down into chunks, or activities. The idea here is that you can hover over a game's icon on the home menu, then dive right into a specific stage, match, location, or moment, with as few button presses possible.

As you play games in your PS5 library and progress through them, their associated Activity Cards will change to reflect this. For example, after playing Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales for a little while, the cards display information such as how many of a certain collectable I had found, or the completion percentage of my current mission.

Not only do these cards present useful stats via the PS5 system instead of the game itself, some will have shortcuts taking you to specific parts of the game, as previously mentioned. Again, using Miles Morales as an example, whether playing the game or not, I could pop open the Activity Cards, then click on the Stealth Challenge 2.0 card to magically teleport Spidey to that moment. It takes just a few seconds to load, as well!

It's great for saving time while also being the springboard for another PS5 feature: Game Help. We've only seen this implemented in Sackboy: A Big Adventure so far, expanding on Activity Cards by loading them with more detailed information, such as a level's side objectives, and potential unlocks. What's particularly impressive is how you can click on these menu items to pop open tips and even videos to help guide you to collectables. Again, the idea here is convenience, Sony wanting your eyes locked on the TV screen instead of reaching for your phone to Google game-related questions.

Do Activity Cards work with PS4 games?

Something you may be wondering is whether Activity Cards work for older PS4 games. In a nutshell, yes they do, though they only show you cards for the trophies you've yet to unlock. Pop open these cards and you won't get the same detailed breakdown of how close you are to achieving that trophy. This also applies to those select PS4 games which have been optimised for PS5 via updates, such as Days Gone and Ghost of Tsushima.

PS5 Activity Card game examples

With our PS5 software library starting to grow ahead of launch, we've been able to explore how Activity Cards are being used across different games.

Everyone will be able to see this feature in action when they boot up Astro's Playroom. Here, cards can be used to travel to any available stage.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales has shortcuts to both main and side missions with progress indicators as well as collectable trackers.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat offers a quick launch card for 4 player versus and another for continuing the game's story missions.

Warhammer: Chaosbane – Slayer Edition doesn't have too many options, though there are cards for quickly launching into one of the three available campaigns.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure provides more detailed cards, breaking down each stage as you progress with extra built-in guidance via the PS5's Game Help feature. Clever!

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

PS5 Guide – What are Accolades and how to earn them

As we've seen throughout our extensive PS5 coverage, Sony's dominant position in the market have allowed them to take some fairly unexpected risks, pushing the boundaries of gaming with the DualSense controller, superfast SSD, and an overhauled user experience have helped this generational leap feel more dynamic than the previous one.

 

We've discussed some of the PS5's new and revised features already including Activity Cards, and PlayStation trophies, but one area that hasn't been discussed is the Accolades system.

Power on your PS5 console, sign into the PlayStation Network, and you'll be able to see an Accolades section on your player profile – select your player icon from the top right corner, then select Profile and you'll find accolades in the cards alongside trophies, your full game collection and friends list. This will presumably be visible to other PSN users, so long as your privacy settings are relatively open.

So what does this do? Luckily, Sony have provided a handy explainer on exactly what this new feature entails:

What are Accolades?

Sony explain:

You'll meet players who contribute to the community and embody PlayStation's ideals. To help encourage our best members and recognise positive influences, you can anonymously give someone an accolade after an online match. The accolades you receive are displayed on your profile.

Accolades come in three variations including Helpful, Welcoming, and Good Sport.

How to earn Accolades?

In online matches with random matchmaking:

  • You can give one accolade per match.
  • You can only give accolades to players who aren't your friends.
  • You can only give one accolade to the same player within 12 hours.

With many online PS5 games not yet live or lacking players, we've yet to fully test this feature and so can't see how Accolades will actually appear on your profile.

Sony are definitely attempting to make the PlayStation Network a friendlier space for gamers, but are also taking precautions to prevent the Accolades system from being abused. On one hand, this could mean that they simply see there being a value to earning Accolades, or maybe those who have enough of them will be entitled to certain rewards…

We'll be updating this guide during the PS5 launch week with our findings.

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

PS5 Guide – how to copy videos and screenshots to a USB drive

One of the features that defined the previous console generation was the ability to seamlessly snap screenshots and video clips of your favourite games to share with the world. It was great for up-and-coming content creators as well as those simply wanting to archive those epic gaming moments.

On PS5, pressing the Create button on your DualSense controller (this has replaced the DualShock 4's Share button) will let you do the same, saving screenshots and gameplay footage of whatever you're playing.

Much like the PlayStation 4, there are options to share images and video via social media (including Twitter) though some users will want to store their media on a USB stick, letting you transport them to various devices to edit and publish elsewhere.

The PS5 allows this through the Media Gallery app. You can either find this app in the list of games and apps found on the home page or, if you've not used it recently, scroll right to the Game Library and scroll down in the Installed section of this list. Alternatively, head to Settings (the cog icon along the top of the home menu) > Storage > Console Storage and select Media Gallery.

From here you'll get to see all your captured screenshots and videos. Copying to an external drive is relatively simple, but there's still a couple quirks.

You can navigate them by using the tabs along the top marked "favourites", "trophies", "albums", and "USB", which lets you curate your media to easily find what you're looking for in future.

Two buttons on the left side can also be used, one of them sorting creations by date as well as applying specific filters. The other button will let you select captures in a group instead of one at a time. Once you've marked which ones you wish to transfer from your PS5 console, click the […] option at the bottom of the right-hand side menu which will give you the additional choice to transfer them onto a USB. And there you have it.

There are few points definitely worth mentioning about captured screenshots and video. The PS5 allows you to create HDR enabled images as well as footage that can be recorded at 3840 x 2160 in either WebM (most efficient) or MP4 (most compatible) formats. Typically, higher quality media will be weightier in terms of data usage.

You can modify those options in Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Captures and then select Screenshot Format or Video Clip Format for more.

If you're trigger happy with the DualSense Create button you could be eating up valuable storage space on your PS5's 800GB (well, 670ish GB) HDD, and the console will default to capturing a little 15 second video for trophies that you ear as well. It's worth visiting this menu from time to time, transferring media to external devices then deleting them to free up space on your PlayStation 5.

PlayStation 5 Guides and more from TheSixthAxis

Can the PS5 download and play P.T.?

Even now, many years after the debut of Konami's playable teaser for the cancelled Silent Hills, there's an ongoing fascination with 2014's "P.T.".

Whether it's the story behind P.T.'s short yet troubled development or the supposed layers of hidden secrets and symbology players are still trying to decipher, it easily ranks among the most talked about games… well, pieces of software released for the PlayStation 4.

Naturally, with Sony having recently outlined its plans to support just about every PS4 title on PS4 via backwards compatibility, Silent Hill fans want to know whether P.T. will follow suit. The short answer? No.

P.T. wasn't specifically mentioned in the shortlist of games which Sony announced would not make the next-gen jump to PlayStation 5. However, there was uncertainty as to whether PS4 demos and certain apps would be made backwards compatible, P.T. Naturally, we fired up our PS5s when they arrived in search of the answer.

From the home screen, you can quickly zip to your full game library. This lists all of the games you've either purchased or had previously installed (including disc-based versions of PlayStation 4 titles). Presented in a stylish grid of icons, these can be arranged in alphabetical order as well as from most recently purchased to oldest, also listing any demos and betas you've downloaded.

The icon for P.T. does actually appear in the game library. Hovering over the game will pop open a menu complete with its artwork though the icon is darkened out with an unavailable symbol in the corner. When you press the Cross button on P.T. you get the following messages:

"Error CE-107064-7: Something went wrong" or "Error E2-82304F81: Can't find what you're looking for".

So there you have it. P.T. is not playable on your PlayStation 5 console, and has been reportedly blocked on the servers by Konami and Sony. It should come as no surprise, really. Alongside P.T. there are a number of PS4 demos you can't download and play on your PS5. Resident Evil 3, Disaster Report 4, and Disintegration being a few recent demos/betas we saw greyed out.

If you're absolutely gagging to play P.T. then you can still do so on PlayStation 4. In the meantime, here's a list of horror alternatives (and adjacent games) that will work on your shiny new PS5 console:

We recently reported on how P.T. wasn't just a Silent Hills demo, it was a direct middle finger from Hideo Kojima to publisher Konami.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales – all Suits, Mods, and how to unlock them

One of our favourite features from Insomniac's original Spider-Man video game was the option to dress the webslinger up in a variety of unlockable costumes. Sure enough, similar to Peter Parker, Miles Morales has a wardrobe of suits to choose from.

More costumes will become available as you progress through the story and level up. Some will automatically be added to your collection after completing certain main story missions though other optional suits will need to be purchased using Activity Tokens and Tech Parts. Activity Tokens are handed out for completing side activities, completing FNSM requests, and responding to crimes. Meanwhile, Tech Parts can be looted from Underground caches scattered throughout the city. As you explore New York, make sure you use the scan feature to highlight caches and other points of interest.

Developer Insomniac Games have made one crucial adjustment in Spider-Man: Miles Morales fans will definitely appreciate. Each costume in the original Spider-Man on PlayStation 4 came tagged with its own unique power though you had to be wearing the suit in question to unlock this. In Miles Morales, all suit powers become mods which can then be worn by any costume. MORE ON MODS

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Suits

Name How to unlock Mods
Sportswear Suit Story N/A
Great Responsibility Suit Story N/A
Homemade Suit 8 Activity Tokens, 1 Tech Parts Power Pitcher – Increases the damage of thrown objects.
T.R.A.C.K Suit 10 Activity Tokens, 1 Tech Parts Untrackable – Decreases damage from ranged attack by 25%.
Animated Suit Level 7, 20 Activity Tokens, 4 Tech Parts Stronger Webs – Enemies take longer to break out of webs.
Brooklyn Visions Academy Suit 12 Activity Tokens, 1 Tech Parts
Trick Master – Gain bonus Power Power for performing Air Tricks.
Crimson Cowl Suit 14 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Ghost Strike – Enemies can no longer hear Web-Strike Takedowns while Camouflaged.
S.T.R.I.K.E Suit Level 10, 16 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts
Venom Overclock – Venom Power generation increases as health drops.
The End Suit 16 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Steady Focus – Slows the rate that Camouflage drains when moving.
Miles Morales 2099 Suit 14 Activity Tokens, 3 Tech Parts Venom Suppression Resistance – Reduces the length of Roxxon Venom Suppression. Activate Camouflage to instantly remove Roxxon bolas.
Into The Spider-Verse Suit Level 13, 18 Activity Tokens, 4 Tech Parts
Vibe The Verse – Use this mod to leap into the Spider-Verse and cause the attached suit to mimic the aesthetic of a different Earth!
Classic Suit
Zap Slap – Creates a concussive force when Underground weapons are shattered.
Uptown Pride Suit Complete all FNSM app activities N/A
Winter Suit
Complete the "We've Got a Lead!" side mission.
N/A
Miles Morales 2020 Suit Complete all Spider-Training Challenges and the "Final Test" side mission. N/A
Programmable Matter Suit Complete all Underground Hideouts, Roxxon Labs, and the "Matter Up" side mission to unlock this suit. N/A
Purple Reign Suit Collects all Sound Sample and complete the Back to the Beginning side mission to unlock this suit.
Reclaimer – Replenishes 1 gadget ammo when performing a melee Stealth Takedown on an enemy.
Bodega Cat Suit
Finish the campaign and complete the "Cat's Pyjamas" side mission.
N/A
Spider-Training Suit Unlocked in New Game+ Power Transfer

Below we have listed the different mods available. You will eventually be able to equip two of each type, giving Miles Morales up to four gameplay perks that help you in combat or stealth sections. Which ones you decide to slot depend on the difficulty setting you have selected as well as your own personal playstyle. Increases your damage resistance will help you stay in the fight longer, though amping up your Venom abilities could just as easily help you finish battles quicker.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Visor Mods

Name Cost Description
Optic Triangulation 8 Activity Tokens
On scan, marks enemies through walls and keeps them marked as long as stealth mode remains active.
Perfect Sight 14 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Increases the window for perfect dodging.
An Eye For Supplies 10 Activity Tokens, 1 Tech Parts Increases the drop rate for gadget ammo.
Eyes On Target 10 Activity Tokens On scan, connects a line from an enemy to all other enemies that can currently see them.
Residual Venom 11 Activity Tokens
Energy left behind after a successful Venom attack becomes visible and can be absorbed on contact to generate more Venom Power.
Eyes In The Back Of My Head 14 Activity Tokens, 3 Tech Parts Auto-activates Camouflage immediately before detection during stealth encounters.
Trick Master Brookylyn Visions Acadmey Suit Gain bonus Venom Power for performing Air Tricks.
Untrackable T.R.A.C.K Suit Decreases damage from ranged attacks by 25%.
Ghost Strike Crimson Cowl Suit Enemies can no longer hear Web-Strike Takedowns while Camouflaged.
Reclaimer Purple Reign Suit Replenishes 1 gadget ammo when performing a melee Stealth Takedown on an enemy.
Venom Overclock S.T.R.I.K.E Suit Venom Power generation increases as health drops.
Bam! Pow! Wham! Into the Spider-Verse Suit
Use this mode to peer into the Spider-Verse and visualise combat sound effects as they appear on a different Earth!
Threat Sensors New Game+ Temporarily slows time after a Perfect DOdge.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Suit Mods

Name Cost Description
Unbreakable 3 Activity Tokens Decreases damage from melee attacks by 25%.
Untouchable 8 Activity Tokens Attacks after a Perfect Dodge do 50% more damage for 5 seconds.
Induction Mesh 10 Activity Tokens, 1 Tech Parts Generates a small amount of health per hit on Venom Stunned enemies.
Venom Momentum 12 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Every 6th hit in a Combo applies a Venom Stun to the enemy.
Hidden Fury 10 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Melee attacks generate bonus Camouflage Time per hit.
Deep Pockets 14 Activity Tokens, 2 Tech Parts Increases all gadget ammo by 1.
Zap Slap Classic Suit Creates a concussive force when Underground weapons are shattered.
Power Pitcher Homemade Suit Increases the damage of thrown objects.
Venom Suppression Resistance Miles Morales 2099 Suit Reduces the length of Roxxon Venom Suppression. Activate Camouflage to instantly remove Roxxon bolas.
Steady Focus The End Suit Slows the rate that Camouflage drains when moving.
Stronger Webs Animated Suit Enemies take longer to break out of webs.
Power Transfer Spider-Training Suit Turn off Camouflage early to transfer a portion of the unused Camouflage Energy to Venom Power.
Vibe The Verse Into the Spider-Verse Suit Use this mod to leap into the Spider-Verse and cause the attached suit to mimic the aesthetic of a different Earth!
Venom Shield New Game+
Spending a full Venom bar to heal triggeres Venom Shield, which last 5 seconds, blocks all damage, and Venom Stuns melee attackers.

It's well worth experiment with the different suits and mods available. Another cool revision Insomniac have made can be found in the Spider-Man: Miles Morales photo mode – there's an option there to seamlessly change Spidey's costume without needing to dig into menus.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales – best Skills and how to unlock them

With great power comes great responsibility – and a big ol' skill tree. Much like Insomniac's original game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales features a web of superhero skills that can be unlocked as you level up, progress through the story, and explore more of Manhattan.

Just a brief heads-up: if you're wanting wanting to completely avoid gameplay spoilers then we'd advise giving this guide a miss. One of the skills trees in Spider-Man: Miles Morales directly links to a new power some players may not want to know about before starting a playthrough, even if it has little relevance to the story.

This semi-sequel sports an entirely new range of skills. Instead of Peter Parker's Innovator, Defender, and Webslinger paths, you will get to peruse a list of Combat, Venom, and Camouflage skills that gradually reveal themselves the more you play. There are also nine "Challenge Skills" up for grabs which can be unlocked just a little way into the game. These are directly tied to challenge missions and don't have a level requirement or skill point cost.

You should be able to unlock of Miles's skills by the time you've hit level 20 and completed the story. The main missions alone won't pay out enough experience points to reach this level so you'll need to cross off some side activities. The lists below show all of the available skills and what they do. Note that some of the best skills can only be accessed when playing Spider-Man: Miles Morales in New Game+ mode.

Venom Skills

Name Level Cost Description
Venom Smash 1 1
Press L1 + Square + Cross to perform a Venom Smash that will damage and Venom Stun surrounding enemies
Venom Jump 3 1
Pressing L1 + Cross launches nearby enemies into the air, disarming and Venom Stunning them.
Synaptic Breakdown 4 1 Doubles the length of time enemies are Venom Stunned.
Floodgate 5 1
Increases the range of Venom Punch splash damage, which allows more enemies to be Venom Stunned on impact.
Miles Smash! 9 1 Increases Venom Smash's area of effect.
Venom Rocket 16 1
Off The Wall attacks cause Venom Stun on impact. This can happen only once every 5 seconds.
Venom Dash Launcher 11 1 Press Cross when landing on an enemy during Venom Dash to perform a free Venom Jump, launching enemies into the air.
Bio-Electric Instincts New Game+ N/A Mega Venom Blast automatically triggers before a fatal hit at no cost. Can happen only once per combat encounter.

 

Combat Skills

Name Level Cost Description
Energy Syphon 3 1
Increase the rate of Bio-Electric Power generation from attacking and dodging, raising the amount in the Venom Bar.
Web Yank Opportunist 4 1
Hold Triangle to perform a Venom Yank attack after sending an enemy flying from a Melee Combo or Venom Attack.
In For A Shock 5 1 Venom Stunned enemies take 50% more damage from basic attacks.
Spread The Love 6 1 Venom Stunned enemies knocked into other enemies will transfer their Venom Stun.
Trained Technique 8 1
Allows a second Finisher to be banked. Reduces Combo requirement for a second finisher to 10. Special enemies can be defeated with 2 Finishers.
Gunslinger 10 1
Hold Triangle to yank and throw guns imbued with Bio-Electric Power. They will explode on impact, Venom Stunning and knocking enemies down.
Final Countdown 15 1 Finishers generate 40% of a Venom bar.
Let's Go! New Game+ N/A Allows a third Finisher to be banked.

Camouflage Skills

Name Level Cost Description
Concealed Presence 7 1 Camouflage Energy refills 20% faster.
Measured Response 7 1 Attacking while Camouflaged costs less Camouflage Energy.
Unseen Strike 8 1
When defeating an enemy with Venom attacks, the final blow doesn't cost Camouflage Energy.
Never See It Coming 11 1 Venom Punch does bonus damage when used while Camouflaged.
Patient Spider 12 1
Increases the maximum amount of Camouflage Energy, allowing you to remain invisible longer.
Web Cocoon Bomb 13 1
Hold L1 + R1 to yank down stealth cocooned enemies, causing them to impact the ground and web up nearby enemies.
Blinding Light 14 1
Prss L3 + R3 while Camouflaged to trigger a blinding flash of light that reveals you and stuns surrounding enemies.
Unseen Force New Game+ N/A
While Camouflaged, the Combo counter no longer resets, and a bonus Combo point is generated per attack.

 

Challenge Skill

Name Challenge Description
Spin Cycle Combat Challenge 1.0
When throwing an enemy, rapidly press Triangle during the throw to continue spinning them.
Point Launch Boost Traversal Challenge 1.0 Press Cross on contact when zipping to a point to massively boost Point Launch distance.
Silent Step Stealth Challenge 1.0 Enemies take longer to detect you in stealth.
Payback Combat Challenge 2.0 Press Triangle after a Perfect Dodge against rifle and pistol shots for an instant Takedown.
Quick Recovery Traversal Challenge 2.0 After landing, press Cross during a roll to launch back into the air.
Scare Tactics Stealth Challenge 2.0 Stealth Takedowns generate more Venom.
Air Marshal Combat Challenge 3.0 Air attacks deal additional damage and generate more Venom.
Quick Zip Traversal Challenge 3.0 Web Zip with Cross a second time without losing altitude.
Surprise Attack Stealth Challenge 3.0 Upgrades Web-Strike Takedowns so nearby enemies are knocked back.

The rate at which new skills become available means that you'll rarely be forced to choose between two when spending skill points.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Best Skills

In terms of which skills are best hinges on whether you're more of a combat or stealth player. However, everyone can agree that the three traversal challenge skills – Quick Zip, Quick Recovery, and Point Launch Boost – are all must-haves in terms of keeping Miles mobile as he explores New York.

On higher difficulty settings you'll want to leverage those Venom powers as much as you can. Synaptic Breakdown, Floodgate, and Venom Rocket, can be combined with In For A Shock and Spread The Love to keep entire waves of enemies stunned and therefore prone to more damage.

Camouflage will likely be underused by most players, even during stealth segments. If you want to play as silently as possible, you should look at equipping suitable mods instead including Ghost Strike, Optical Triangulation, Eyes On Target, and Eyes In The Back Of My Head. Read our Spider-Man: Miles Morales suits guide for a more details breakdown.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Spider-Man: Miles Morales New Game Plus mode explained

One feature that has become increasingly popular in video games is the option to wind back to the beginning while keeping all of your powers, items, and unlocks. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the latest PlayStation exclusive to offer a New Game+ mode similar to some of Sony's other big hits from the past few years including God of War, The Last of Us: Part II, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Thankfully, unlike the original Marvel's Spider-Man, you won't have to wait to access New Game+ as part of a future update. It's there from day one, allowing you to restart Miles's journey once you've watched the credit roll.

New Game+ is a great way to refamiliarize yourself with a game months or years after your original playthrough, without having to fuss around with collectibles, customising loadouts, or filling out skill trees. However, Insomniac have worked in some additional perks and features to encourage players back for a second helping.

Firstly there's the bonus Ultimate difficulty setting, ideal for those mega fans and completionists seeking the game's toughest challenge. This will dial up your vulnerability to attacks while also making enemies more aggressive in the combat and stealth sections of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

New Game+ also packs in a fair number of Spidey upgrades that can only be accessed when you start over. We've listed them below.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales New Game+ Unlocks

Spider-Training Suit  (with Power Transfer Mod) – Turn off Camouflage early to transfer a portion of the unused Camouflage Energy to Venom Power.

Threat Sensors Visor Mod – Temporarily slows time after a Perfect Dodge.

Venom Shield Suit Mod – Spending a full Venom bar to heal triggeres Venom Shield, which last 5 seconds, blocks all damage, and Venom Stuns melee attackers.

Let's Go! (Combat Skill) – Allows a third Finisher to be banked.

Unseen Force (Camouflage Skill) – While Camouflaged, the Combo counter no longer resets, and a bonus Combo point is generated per attack.

Bio-Electric Instincts (Venom Skill) – Mega Venom Blast automatically triggers before a fatal hit at no cost. Can happen only once per combat encounter.

Web-Shooters Gadget Upgrade – Increases max Web-Shooter ammo capacity by 2.

Holo-Drone Gadget Upgrade – Holo-Drone explodes when it deactivates, knocking enemies back.

Remote Mines Gadget Upgrade – Gain Venom when standing in a Remote Mine's area of effect as it explodes.

Gravity Well Gadget Upgrade – Increases the Gravity Well's area of effect.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales ending gives us more sequel clues

As you might have expected, those players who finish Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be given a glimpse at what's coming next for Insomniac's superhero series.

Although we can technically call Spider-Man: Miles Morales a sequel to the original game, it's clear that there's a Spider-Man 2 coming, this PS5 launch title serving as more of a meaty side chapter.

Obviously, there are spoilers ahead for both Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales so look away if you want to experience these games without revealing any key plot points.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales picks up after the events of that first game in which our titular teen hero gets his power after being bitten by a radioactive spider. Original, right? Although fans of the Spider-Man comics will have known this was coming the moment Miles first appeared on screen, having two protagonists with identical powers left us on an interesting cliffhanger.

As the name might suggest, Spider-Man: Miles Morales almost exclusively focuses on our new friendly neighbourhood webslinger. However, after saving New York from Roxxon and Underground (the latest pair of warring factions) players are reminded of where the original Marvel's Spider-Man left us.

We're treated to a new scene, hinting at where Insomniac Games are going with Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Set in one of Oscorp's secret laboratories, this brief clip is in first person – presumably from the perspective of Harry Osborn. His father, Norman, berates a nearby scientist before approaching the tank where the black, web-like substance inside reacts to him.

Sadly, that's all we get. Although it's heavily implied that Symbiotes and Green Goblin will play a key role in the story of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, we've still yet to get a proper look at them.

For those who remember, Harry Osborn is suffering from Oshtoran Syndrome, Norman hoping that a new treatment will save him from the same condition that killed his mother. It appears as though he has acquired an alien Symbiote lifeform which looks to have bonded with Harry.

As comic fans will know, Symbiotes attach themselves to hosts and imbue them with superhuman powers. However, their parasitic nature has a corrupting influence as we see in Spider-Man supervillains Venom and Carnage.

Neither of these characters have been referenced in the Spider-Man games as of yet so they could be making their debut in Spider-Man 2. However, with the name "Venom" having already been used by Insomniac Games as a label for Miles's bio-electric powers, there's a chance that the Venom character may not make an appearance.

These clues point towards Harry becoming the sequel's antagonist, though there's still a chance we'll see Norman Osborn don the Green Goblin mantle in some capacity. Either way, we're excited to see where this story goes next, even if we likely have to wait a couple of years to get our first glimpse of Spider-Man 2.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales Into the Spider-Verse Suit guide

Besides swinging through New York City and beating down thugs, one of our parts of the original Marvel's Spider-Man was unlocking various costumes to dress Peter Parker up in.

Naturally, Insomniac Games have returned with a fresh wardrobe of costumes in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, giving the Spidey apprentice a neat range of suits inspired by various Marvel comics.

There's one inspired by a fan-favourite Spider-Man film, too. It wouldn't be a Miles Morales video game if we couldn't unlock his costume from the incredible Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Not only can you cop this look for Miles, it comes tagged with a brilliant pair of suit mods which we'll touch on later.

Firstly, there may be some confusion as to how you can get your hands on this Into the Spider-Verse skin for Spider-Man. This comes from pre-release media and promotions stating that both this costume, as well as the T.R.A.C.K suit would be pre-order bonuses along with the Gravity Well gadget.

Thankfully these are not exclusive for those who pre-order or buy Spider-Man: Miles Morales on day one. You'll only unlock them earlier in the game than everyone else though they're still easily obtainable.

Several story missions into the game, both the T.R.A.C.K and Into the Spider-Verse suits will be automatically added to your wardrobe along with their mods. For more information on every suit and mod available in the game, you can read our handy guide.

Unlock the Into the Spider-Verse Suit

In Spider-Man: Miles Morales, you will need to hit level 13 for the Into the Spider-Verse suit as well as 18 Activity Tokens and 4 Tech Parts. These can be collected by finding Underground caches and completely side activities. The suit will come with two mods which can then be attached to any costume in the game. These are:

Vibe The Verse – Use this mod to leap into the Spider-Verse and cause the attached suit to mimic the aesthetic of a different Earth!

Bam! Pow! Wham! – Use this mode to peer into the Spider-Verse and visualise combat sound effects as they appear on a different Earth!

Neither of these mods offer any gameplay advantages. Instead they add some amazing visual flare, copying the same style of animation used in 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. You will notice that Miles's movements will appear choppy compared to the world moving around him. Comic-style bubbles will light up the screen during combat sequences too for that extra bit of flare.

It's a gorgeous bit of fan service. When choosing a costume for Miles, there will no doubt be a toss up by his Into the Spider-Verse attire and the Bodega Cat Suit.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales Photo Mode guide and new features

Marvel's Spider-Man was by no means the first game to get a fully integrated photo mode though definitely helped it become a standard, almost mandatory, feature for PlayStation exclusive titles.

Those stunning visuals, combined with Spidey's silky smooth moves, had players and comic book fans hammering away at the Share button on their DualShock 4 controllers, bombarding social media and message boards with their favourite in-game shots.

Insomniac Games would lean into this further with more photo mode options down the line. Naturally, photo mode makes a return here in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and comes tagged with some great bonus features.

A quick tip before we get started: even if you aren't constantly taking screenshots, it's worth mapping photo mode to one of the two shortcut buttons (left and right on the d-pad). This can be done in the settings menu and saves you having to pause the game then selecting photo mode manually each time you need to use it.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales ticks off all those essential features when it comes to having smooth camera controls and advanced sliders for field of view, focus, and aperture. As we mentioned in our photo mode guide for The Last of Us: Part II, it would be great to see more developers include an auto-focus tool similar to that in Days Gone.

That said, being able to add light sources in Spider-Man: Miles Morales elevates this to photo mode 2.0, giving you an excellent, easy to use tool to perfect your virtual photography.

Here's how it works: you can add three light sources to any scene and these can either be spheres or spotlights. As their names suggest, spheres give off a glow in all directions while spotlights give you a focused cone of light. Both have advanced options such as being able to adjust their hue and vibrancy, allowing you to be as subtle or abstract as you want.

Once selected, you can change the position and angle of your light sources – however, while doing so you won't be able to zoom or rotate your view of the scene. Getting the hang of how to use lighting can be finicky at first but is essential for capturing those truly spectacular shots.

Another handy feature worth mentioning is being able to swap costumes while in the photo mode menu. Again, it's a simple touch though certainly a game changer when it comes to experimenting with different environments and times of day, dressing Miles up for exactly the right occasion.

Once you've aligned and adjusted your shot, you can then fiddle with effects and frames, as well as stickers. We can't wait to see what the game's community comes up with when Spider-Man: Miles Morales hits PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on November 12th.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales Guide – 10 essential tips & tricks

With Spider-Man: Miles Morales finally here and ready to kick off a new console generation, there's a good chance many of you PS5 owners out there are picking up a copy on day one to show off your shiny new console.

This follow-up to the power-selling PlayStation juggernaut is more of a sequel rather than just a chunky slab of DLC. Scoring a spectacular 8 out of 10 in our review, Spider-Man: Miles Morales offers more web-slinging thrills while making smart refinements and additions to the existing gameplay.

Having completed the game and the majority of its side content, we've come up with a handy list of tips to help you on your own superhero journey.

1. One of the first things you should do is dive into the settings menu and assign shortcuts to both the left and right buttons on the d-pad. Insomniac Games have allowed players to remap these unused buttons to perform a variety of functions from quickly accessing menus to triggering attacks. We'd recommend slotting photo mode and gadget select.

2. A little way into the story, you'll get access to Miles's skill tree. You should take some time to check out this menu (we have a handy guide here listing every skill) while also taking note of the Challenge Skills. Split between combat, stealth, and traversal, there are three missions in each category that unlock one after the next. We'd advise blitzing through these asap, especially the traversal challenges. Quick Zip, Quick Recovery, and Point Launch Boost are essential when navigating New York.

3. Click R3 to scan your environment as often as you can. It's particularly useful during stealth encounters, highlighting enemies in red, though you should follow this up by holding L2 and marking each target individually to mark their locations. You should also scan while exploring the city and moving between missions – it will highlight any nearby collectables or side missions.

4. In Spider-Man: Miles Morales you can perform tricks while airborne by holding Square and a direction on the left stick. This is mostly for show, allowing you to add a little flare as you move from A to B. However, it also gives you a bit of XP for every successful trick and combo, filling your Venom power bars too.

5. The biggest new addition in Spider-Man: Miles Morales is his newly acquired bio-electric powers, or "Venom" powers. By holding L1, some of your actions will become supercharged, Venom Punch being the first you unlock. Miles will generate Venom energy during combat, these special moves being primarily used to stun targets. Knowing how to use Venom will allow you to completely shut down groups of enemies and can be improved further by unlocking skills, Suits, and Mods.

6. Miles's Venom powers can also be used outside of combat. Using Venom Jump (press L1 and Cross) and Venom Dash (press L1 and Triangle) can give you a sudden burst in height and speed as you swing.

7. It's tempting to mainline the story missions first, though we'd advise taking some time to explore New York when playing Spider-Man: Miles Morales. By completing side missions and gathering collectables such as Time Capsules and Sound Samples, you'll learn more about the game's characters and their stories. Most side content also rewards you with XP, Activity Tokens, and Tech Parts which can be spent on upgrades.

8. Photo mode returns in Spider-Man: Miles Morales and it's even more robust than before. Insomniac Games have improved this fan favourite feature with new tools for capturing some sensational Daily Bugle-worthy shots. We've put together a photo mode guide and for those wanting to share gameplay clips and screenshots on PS5, we have some pointers for that too.

9. The way Spider-Man can seamlessly traverse New York feels empowering though you may be missing an important trick during stealth sections. By aiming manually with L2, then tapping R2, you can stick to walls and ceilings. Doing so will let you quietly eliminate enemies when they come within close proximity. With certain milestones and trophies attached to wall and ceiling takedowns, you'll want to work them into your stealth routine.

10. Don't forget about Gadgets. While it's easy to focus on melee combos, Venom attacks, and finishers, these high tech toys present even more opportunities to bash and beguile Spidey's opponents. Aside from his trusty Web-Shooters, Miles has Holo-Drones which create friendly holograms, Remote Mines that can electrocute, and a Gravity Well. This last gadget sucks in groups of thugs, leaving them perfectly exposed to a devastating Venom Punch or Venom Smash. For more on Gadgets and all their available upgrades, see our guide.

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