recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Resistance 3

***Resistance 3*** is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 console. It is the third and final installment of the *Resistance* trilogy, and the sequel to 2008's *Resistance 2*.

*Resistance 3* takes place in an alternate history in which the world fell to an alien invasion by a hostile species called the Chimera. The single-player campaign follows Joseph Capelli, a returning character from *Resistance 2* and previous protagonist Nathan Hale's subordinate, who journeys to New York in hopes of stopping the Chimeran threat once and for all in 1957, four years after the ending of *Resistance 2*. As a first-person shooter, *Resistance 3* retains much of its direct predecessor's mechanics while reintroducing features from 2006's *Resistance: Fall of Man* such as health bar and weapon wheel. In contrast to the first two installments and their military-themed aesthetics, *Resistance 3* places larger emphasis on post-apocalyptic and survival-horror themes and atmosphere.

Development of *Resistance 3* was influenced by the fan reception to *Resistance 2*, which Insomniac CEO Ted Price described as a "failure". The sequel was developed to serve as a middle point between *Fall of Man* and the second game, retrieving game mechanics that were dropped for *Resistance 2* while maintaining the technological innovations introduced by the latter title. Development for *Resistance 3* ran smoother than its predecessors thanks to much of the tools being already done for the second game. *Resistance 3* was officially announced in August 2010.

*Resistance 3* received generally positive reviews upon its release, with several gaming publications considering it to be the best in the *Resistance* series, though others expressed dissatisfaction with Insomniac's progress on the franchise. Reviews praised the horror-like atmosphere, visuals, multiplayer modes, controls and weapon selection, but criticized the conservative game design and aspects of the narrative and campaign pacing. The game was a commercial failure, with Insomniac expressing little interest in pursuing additional sequels.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.gamingunion.net/interviews/2011/resistance-3-interview
2. ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/games/resistance\_3/b/ps3/archive/2010/10/25/interview-ted-price-talks-resistance-3-juggling-genres-and-going-multiplatform.aspx
Farpoint

***Farpoint*** is a 2017 virtual reality first-person shooter video game developed by Impulse Gear and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4's PlayStation VR headset.

*Farpoint* puts players in the role of Grant Moon, the captain of an astronaut team to explore Jupiter. As they find themselves on a hostile alien planet after a rupture, Moon and his co-worker Eva Tyson have to survive the planet's various dangers and find a way back to earth. Gameplay is played from perspective, focusing on gunfights and puzzle solving. Aside from its single-player campaign, *Farpoint* also includes a multiplayer mode.

*Farpoint* was officially announced at E3 2016, having been developed for close to three years at that point. *Farpoint* is the first game developed by Impulse Gear, which was founded in 2013. It was advertised with the PS VR Aim Controller, which was released alongside *Farpoint* in bundles at launch; Impulse Gear was heavily involved in the Aim Controller's design.

Reception to *Farpoint* was mixed. Critics praised its musical score, its novelty as a VR game and the inclusion of the Aim Controller, but criticized its visuals as well as its gameplay and design, which were considered average. It received several end-year nominations and accolades.
Resistance: Retribution

***Resistance: Retribution*** is a 2009 third-person shooter video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable. It is a spin-off to Insomniac Games' *Resistance* series.

As with 2006's *Resistance: Fall of Man*, *Resistance: Retribution* is set in a world where humanity faces an invasive, parasitic alien species called the Chimera. *Retribution* takes place two months after *Fall of Man* and follows the story of James Grayson, a British soldier hired by French rebels in their attempt to secure strongholds in Western Europe. Unlike the Insomniac-developed *Resistance* trilogy, *Retribution* is presented from a third-person camera due to the PlayStation Portable's limitations. The game also included a multiplayer mode.

Development on *Retribution* spurred from developer bend Studio's desire to take a break from its flagship *Syphon Filter* series, which saw seven releases by 2007. Bend Studio presented an early demo of the game to series creator Insomniac Games, which approved of Bend's work. The game was officially announced at Sony's E3 conference in 2008.

*Resistance: Retribution* received generally positive reviews. It was praised for its graphics, multiplayer modes and amount of single-player and overall content, though the controls and story were met with mixed opinions.

## Cancelled sequel

In September 2011, Garvin revealed that Bend Studio tried to get a second *Resistance* title on the PSP greenlit. Garvin worked on an outline for the game for six weeks, and the studio created a demo to present to Sony, but the project never took off.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/09/08/from-syphon-filter-to-uncharted-sony-bends-story
2. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/09/07/the-resistance-game-that-never-was
Matthew Gallant

**Matthew Gallant** is an American video game designer and director. He is best known for his work at Naughty Dog, which he joined in 2012; prior to that, he was employed by LightBox Interactive between 2010 and 2012.

Gallant entered game development in 2010, and worked on *Starhawk* (2012). He later joined Naughty Dog in late 2012, and worked as game designer for *The Last of Us* (2013) and *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* (2016). He was promoted for *The Last of Us Part II* (2020), and was credited alongside Emilia Schatz for introducing accessibility options and design to the game's development. He was promoted to game director following the game's release, working with creative director Shaun Escayg on *The Last of Us Part I* (2022) - a remake of the 2013 game - and leading development on *The Last of Us Part II: Remastered*.

## Game credits

* *Starhawk* (2012) - Game designer
* *The Last of Us* (2013) - Game designer
* *The Last of Us: Left Behind* (2014) - Game designer
* *The Last of Us: Remastered* (2014) - Game designer
* *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* (2016) - Game designer
* *The Last of Us Part II* (2020)</smal> - Lead systems designer

* *The Last of Us Part I* (2022) - Game director

* *The Last of Us Part II: Remastered* (2024) - Game director

## References

1. ↑ https://www.inverse.com/gaming/naughty-dog-emilia-schatz-matthew-gallant-accessibility-luminaries-2022
Kurt Margenau

**Kurt Margenau** is an American game designer and director best known for his work at Naughty Dog on *Uncharted* and *The Last of Us*. He has worked as a game designer on 2009's *Uncharted 2: Among Thieves*, 2011's *Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception* and 2013's *The Last of Us*, lead game designer of 2016's *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End*, game director of 2017's *Uncharted: The Lost Legacy* and co-game director of 2020's *The Last of Us Part II*.

## Games worked on

* *Uncharted 2: Among Thieves* (2009) - game designer
* *Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception* (2011) - game designer
* *The Last of Us* (2013) - game designer
* *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* (2016) - lead game designer
* *Uncharted: The Lost Legacy* (2017) - game director
* *The Last of Us Part II* (2020) - co-game director
Ape Escape 2

***Ape Escape 2***, known in Japan as ***Saru! Get You! 2***, is a 2002 platformer video game developed by Japan Studio and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was later released digitally for the PlayStation 4 in 2016. It is the second main installment in the *Ape Escape* series, and a sequel to 1999's *Ape Escape*.

*Ape Escape 2* received generally positive reviews from publications. Praise was directed towards its art direction, controls, addicting gameplay, humor and soudntrack. Criticism was directed at a relative lack of innovation, the aging visuals and the difficulty, which was considered easy; critics largely agreed that while *Ape Escape 2* lacked innovation, it was a well-made platformer. A sequel, *Ape Escape 3*, was released in 2005.
God of War III

North American boxart, with a zoom-in of Kratos' eye

Wholesale Algorithms (PS4)

***God of War III*** is a 2010 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. A remastered version developed by Wholesale Algorithms, titled ***God of War III Remastered***, was released in 2015 for the PlayStation 4.

Loosely based on Greek mythology, *God of War III* is the sequel to 2007's *God of War II* and the third mainline installment of the *God of War* series. The game's story follows protagonist Kratos following his betrayal by his father, the Olympian God Zeus. Kratos reignites the ancient war between the Olympian Gods and the Titans as he climbs Mount Olympus to end the reign of the Gods for once and for all.

Played from a fixed-camera, third-person perspective, *God of War III* features a combo-based hack-and-slash gameplay similar to its predecessors, in which players control Kratos as he goes up against various creatures and beings from Greek mythology. A core aspect of the gameplay is the inclusion of quick-time events against enemies and bosses, used to deliver finishing attacks. *God of War III* includes a magic system and several unlockable weapons to use.

Existence of *God of War III* was acknowledged during the launch event of *God of War II*, and development on the game focused on taking full advantage of the PS3's capabilities, as well as intending it to finish the trilogy that began with 2005's *God of War*. *God of War II* director Cory Barlog aided during the game's early development before leaving the studio, and the director position was filled by the studio's art director Stig Asmussen for the rest of the game's development duration.

Formally announced at E3 2009, *God of War III* was widely anticipated prior to its release. It was released to universal acclaim, and was considered among 2010's best games. Critics praised its visuals, animations, combat system, art direction, level design and scale, though its story and characters - especially Kratos - received mixed reactions. The game became one of Sony's best-selling titles for the PS3, selling over 5 million copies by 2012. It was followed by a prequel, *God of War: Ascension*, in 2013. A narrative sequel simply titled *God of War* was released in 2018.
Gavin Moore

**Gavin Moore** is a British game designer, animator, artist and director. He formerly worked at Sony Interactive Entertainment between 1997 and 2021; among the studios he worked at were Team Soho between 1997 and 2003 and SIE Japan Studio between 2003 and 2021.

Moore is best known as the game director of the Bluepoint Games-developed remakes for *Shadow of the Colossus* and *Demon's Souls*, as well as 2013's *Puppeteer*. He also worked as an animator or artist on other Sony-published titles such as *The Getaway*, *This is Football* and the *Siren* series.

With the reconstruction of Japan Studio in April 2021, Moore announced his departure from Sony.

## Game credits

* *This is Football* (1999) - Animator
* *The Getaway* (2002) - Lead animator, artist
* *Siren* (2004) - Animator
* *Siren 2* (2006) - Senior animator, lead artist
* *Siren: Blood Curse* (2008) - Senior animator, lead artist
* *Puppeteer* (2013) - Game director, art director
* *Shadow of the Colossus* (2018) - Game director
* *Demon's Souls* (2020) - Game director

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/GavinmGavin/status/1377529267567816704
Iron Galaxy

**Iron Galaxy** is an independent American video game developer based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in August 2008, since 2016 the studio has been notably under the management of former Sony Interactive Entertainment executive Adam Boyes.

The studio has both developed original games and provided development support or work on ports for other companies. It developed the Xbox 360 version *Destiny* under Bungie and Activision. With Sony, Iron Galaxy worked on the PC versions of the Naughty Dog titles *Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection* and *The Last of Us Part I*.
Kazunori Yamauchi

**Kazunori Yamauchi** (born August 5, 1967) is a Japanese game producer, developer, director and designer, as well as a professional racing driver. A long-time employee of Sony Interactive Entertainment, he is the president of their first-party studio Polyphony Digital. He is best known for his work on the *Gran Turismo* series.
List of Uncharted characters

*Uncharted* is a franchise of action-adventure video games created by Amy Hennig and developed by Naughty Dog between the years 2005-2022. The series primarily follows the adventures of treasure hunter Nathan Drake and his various allies ranging from mentors to love interests and one-time companions. In each game, Drake and his associates face off an antagonist, usually accompanied by one or more henchmen factions as well as additional antagonists.

## Core cast

### Nathan Drake

*Main article*: Nathan Drake
**Nathan Drake**, known as **Nate** is the main protagonist of the four mainline titles developed by Naughty Dog, as well as the main protagonist of the Bend Studio-developed *Uncharted: Golden Abyss*.
LittleBigPlanet (series)

**Others**:
San Diego Studio
Tarsier Games
Fireproof Games
Firesprite

***LittleBigPlanet*** is a series of primarily platform and content creation video games published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and created and originally created by Media Molecule in 2008. Several studios worked on different installments in the series, including first-party teams Cambridge Studio and San Diego Studio, and third-party studios such as Supermassive Games and Sumo Digital.

The series mostly includes 2.5D puzzle-platform games starring Sackboy (later games also referring to him as Sackperson), a fabric-made humanoid creature. As the player's avatar, Sackboy can be customized with a variety of different clothes and assets, including cosmetics based on other Sony-owned or PlayStation-associated franchises. A core element of the series includes designing, creating and sharing new levels through the game's robust creation system and items they collected from the game's campaign mode or downloadable content.

The series was originally created by Media Molecule who began developing it in 2006; Media Molecule headed the first two numbered entries in the series, 2008's *LittleBigPlanet* and 2011's *LittleBigPlanet 2*, which released on the PlayStation 3; a third entry primarily developed Sumo Digital, *LittleBigPlanet 3*, was released in 2014. Two additional games in the mold of the main installments, 2009's *LittleBigPlanet* and 2012's *LittleBigPlanet PS Vita* were released on Sony's handheld consoles and were developed by other studios, with Media Molecule being directly involved in the former's development.

Outside the series' traditional user-created content/2D platform titles, *LittleBigPlanet* also expanded to *LittleBigPlanet Karting*, a 2012 racing game. Sumo Digital returned to develop a spin-off title/franchise with 2020's *Sackboy: A Big Adventure*, which features 3D platforming and lacks the series' content creation elements.

*LittleBigPlanet* received positive reactions from gaming publications, with its content creation elements receiving universal acclaim for their execution, scope and potential. Media Molecule's titles received universal acclaim for their novelty, while the handheld entries also received acclaim for faithfully recreating the gameplay of the main games. Later titles received lesser but still generally positive reviews, with praise directed at their design while criticism at technical issues or lack of innovation.

## Games

### Main series

* *LittleBigPlanet* (2008)
* *LittleBigPlanet 2* (2011)
* *LittleBigPlanet 3* (2014)
* *Sackboy: A Big Adventure* (2020)

### Side games

* *LittleBigPlanet PSP* (2009)
* *LittleBigPlanet PS Vita* (2012)
* *LittleBigPlanet Karting* (2012)

### Other titles

* *Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves* (2010)
* *Run Sackboy! Run!* (2014)
Aloy

**Aloy** is a fictional character created by Guerrilla Games and the main protagonist and playable character of Guerrilla's *Horizon* franchise. Within the series' narrative, Aloy is an outcast member of the Nora tribe, one of the many human communities living in a post-apocalyptic earth. Described as "No-Mother" by her fellow tribe members due to her mysterious birth, Aloy embarks on a journey to discover her true identity and uncover the secrets of the old world.

Aloy was introduced in 2017's *Horizon Zero Dawn*, which details her origins, tribulations and initial character development. The character will also serve as the main protagonist of the sequel, 2022's *Horizon Forbidden West*, which will showcase her journey to the titular landscapes as she pursues loose ends from her original quest. The character is also featured in a variety of related media, including comic books and supplamentary sources. The character is voiced by Ashly Burch.

Aloy was envisioned by Guerrilla Games as a strong female character, and the team took influence from *Terminator*' Sarah Connor, *Alien*'s Ellen Ripley and *Games of Thrones*' Ygritte as principal inspirations. Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment was initially wary of having a female protagonist as a lead, but relented after testing the character. A major aspect of Aloy's character was her red hair, which was preserved throughout the entirety of her development. Aloy's likeness was modeled after Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra.

Critical reception for Aloy has been highly positive, with critics praising her design, personality, character development and Burch's performance was widely acclaimed. The character quickly cemented herself as a major mascot for Sony and the PlayStation brand, and Aloy has since been featured in other titles outside the *Horizon* series.
SN Systems

**SN Systems** is a British software, programming tools and game development company based in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1990 by Andy Beveridge and Martin Day, and primarily specializing in Microsoft Windows-based development tools for software published for a variety of PlayStation products and previously to other consoles and gaming platforms. It is a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In its early years, SN Systems had a working relation with publisher and developer Psygnosis, which was acquired by Sony in 1994. Psygnosis introduced SN Systems to Sony's executives from Japan, who soon adapted SN Systems' development systems over their own in-house workstations. In 2005, Sony acquired SN Systems.

SN Systems has satellite offices in Campbell, California and Dublin, Ireland.
Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island

Promotional art depicting protagonist Jin Sakai at Iki Island's shores

***Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island*** is a 2021 expansion pack developed by Sucker Punch Productions for 2020's *Ghost of Tsushima*, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Set during the events of *Ghost of Tsushima*, *Iki Island* follows protagonist Jin Sakai as he travels to the eponymous island to deal with the Mongol threat that resides there; along the way, Jin has to confront his past and his father's legacy. *Iki Island* is the second major expansion to *Ghost of Tsushima*, following the free *Ghost of Tsushima: Legends* multiplayer mode. The expansion was announced in July 2021 as part of *Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut*, a re-release of the original game for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Reception to *Iki Island* was generally positive. Critics considered it to be the most notable addition out of the *Director's Cut*'s offerings, and praised Iki Island's design and the emphasis on Jin's character and development.

## Gameplay

Main: *Ghost of Tsushima*#Gameplay
As with the base game, *Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island* is an action-adventure video game played from third-person perspective and presents an open world environment for the player to explore. Players control protagonist Jin Sakai as he journeys through the eponymous Iki island.

## Reception

* MetaCritic: 84/100 (PS5; based on 7 reviews)
* GameSpot: 8/10
* IGN: 8/10
PlayStation 2

**PlayStation 2** is a home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the first PlayStation console (1994 - 2000) and part of the sixth generation of video game consoles. It was first released in 2000. As a sixth-generation console, it competed with Sega's Dreamcast, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoft's original Xbox.

Early development on the PlayStation 2 began as early as the launch of the original PlayStation in 1994, and was secretive in nature. It was developed with focus on backward compatibility with its predecessor and a built-in DVD player. While it was also backwards-compatible with the PlayStation's DualShock, the PlayStation 2 introduced a revision, the DualShock 2. Throughout its lifespan, the PlayStation 2 saw several revisions with slimmer designs and lower price points. Over that time, the PS2 saw over 3800 titles releasing on its hardware, including multiple first-party and third-party titles. Notable first-party releases included *Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec* and *Gran Turismo 4*, the *Jak and Daxter* and *Sly Cooper* trilogies, the *Ratchet & Clank* games, *God of War* and *God of War II*, the *SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs* series, *Ico* and *Shadow of the Colossus*.

The PlayStation 2 was widely acclaimed by gaming publications for its hardware, inclusion of a DVD player, backwards compatibility and library of video games, though it also received some criticism later in its lifespan for being the weakest console of its generation. It is the best selling home console of all time, with over 155 million units and 1.5 billion games sold. Sony maintained support for the PlayStation well into its successor's shelf life, with the console continuing production until 2013. Its successor, the PlayStation 3, was released in 2006.
Resistance 2

American boxart, depicting protagonist Nathan Hale mirrored against a Chimera infantry trooper

### Writer

Biran Hastings
TJ Fixman
Ted Price

### Release

November 4, 2008 (NA)
November 27, 2008 (EU & AU)

### Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

***Resistance 2*** is a 2008 first-person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 console. It is the second installment of the *Resistance* trilogy, and the sequel of 2006's *Resistance: Fall of Man*.

*Resistance 2* takes place in an alternate history in which Russia and Europe fell to an alien invasion by a hostile species called the Chimera. The single-player campaign takes place two years after *Fall of Man*, and focuses on returning protagonist Nathan Hale, now a member of a group of superhuman soldiers called the Sentinels, enhanced by the Chimeran virus. The story primarily focuses on the Sentinels' fight against the Chimeran invasion to the United States.

*Resistance 2* was developed with the intention to address several common complaints about *Fall of Man*, in particular the "lack of unification" the game's different player modes were considered to be. Insomniac Games also sought to improve the single-player campaign by creating faster-paced opening levels and focusing on Hale's character. *Resistance 2* was extensively marketed through viral campaigns. The game was officially revealed in February 2008 and held a beta for its multiplayer in October of the same year.

*Resistance 2* was well-received by critics upon its release. It received praise for its visuals, art direction, set-pieces, the scale of the single-player campaign's levels and the various multiplayer modes; in contrast, the narrative and characterization of the campaign received mixed reactions. The game's various changes from *Fall of Man* received polarized responses from critics and fans, with Insomniac noting that the game was considered "a failure" by a portion of its fanbase. *Resistance 2* was a moderate commercial success, selling over 800,000 by early 2009. A sequel, *Resistance 3*, was released in 2011.
PlayStation 4

The **PlayStation 4** is a home video game console produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the forth major home console in the PlayStation brand. It is the successor of the PlayStation 3 (2006 - 2013) and part of the eighth console generation. It was first released in November 2013.

Unlike its predecessors which were designed and planned by original PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi, the PlayStation 4 was designed by Mark Cerny. The console moves away from the Cell architecture of its direct predecessor, which was considered too complex; instead, the PS4 uses a more conventional x86-64 architecture to allow easier and quicker game development. Among the console features are emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services, including the ability to play games off-console on supported devices, and the ability to stream gameplay online. The PS4 also uses an overhauled DualShock controller called the DualShock 4.

The PlayStation 4 received critical acclaim, with gaming publications praising its more accessible design, adherence to consumer demands, price point and technical capabilities, though it also saw some criticism in its conservative and safe aspects. The PlayStation 4 was also highly praised for its list of acclaimed exclusive video games, including *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End*, *God of War*, *Bloodborne*, *Horizon Zero Dawn*, *Spider-Man*, *The Last of Us Part II* and *Ghost of Tsushima*. The PlayStation 4 enjoyed strong sales, quickly overshadowing its predecessors and eventually shipping over 116 million units as of 2021.
Keiichirō Toyama

**Keiichirō Toyama** (Japanese: 外山 圭一郎; born 1970) is a Japanese video game director, designer and writer best known for his work at Konami and Sony Interactive Entertainment. He is the creator of Konami's *Silent Hill* franchise of survival-horror video games, and is also known for his work on Sony's *Siren* and *Gravity Rush* franchises.

Toyama joined Konami in 1994, and was the director of 1999's *Silent Hill*, which was critically acclaimed for its psychological emphasis, atmosphere and narrative. After leaving Konami that year, Toyama joined Sony Computer Entertainment's Japan Studio. He led the internal team Project Siren (later renamed Team Gravity), which created the horror trilogy *Siren* and the open world action-adventure titles *Gravity Rush*.

Toyama left Sony in 2020 to found his own studio, Bokeh Game Studio.
Nate Fox

**Nate Fox** is an American game developer, director and writer who works at Sucker Punch Productions. Fox has served as creative director or co-director for all of Sucker Punch's games beginning with 2003's *Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus*, and has been involved in the inception of the *Infamous* franchise and *Ghost of Tsushima*.
The Getaway

***The Getaway*** is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Team Soho and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2.

Influenced by British gangster movies, *The Getaway* features a dual narrative focusing on a former bank robber called Mark Hammond and Flying Squad police detective Frank Carter. Both characters feature their own stories and supporting casts that gradually intersect with one another towards the game's closing act. *The Getaway* is set in an open world environment based on the City of London and Central London.

Development began in 1997 for the first PlayStation, following the success of *Porsche Challenge*. Director Brendan McNamara sought to make a free-roaming, open-ended title with vehicles as opposed to *Porsche Challenge*'s short-circuit design. The project eventually moved to the then-upcoming PlayStation 2 due to its scope and difficulties with the production. Sony ultimately delayed *The Getaway* for 27 months from its original 2000 release window.

*The Getaway* was released to mixed reception. It was praised for its writing, voice acting, cinematic flair, atmosphere and driving controls, but was criticized for its mission design, visuals, technical performances and unwieldy attention to realism. It has been retrospectively seen more favorably for its ambition, scope and style. *The Getaway* has been commercially successful, with over 1 million copies sold. It received a sequel, *The Getaway: Black Monday*, in 2004. A third entry was cancelled, but the game saw spiritual successors in 2006's *Gangs of London* and 2019's *Blood & Truth*.
Cory Barlog

**Cory Barlog** is an American game developer, director, artist, animator, writer and designer. He is best known for his work within the *God of War* series, which he helped co-creating. He is the creative director within SIE Santa Monica Studio, and previously also worked within Avalanche Studios and Crystal Dynamics.

Barlog joined Santa Monica Studio during the development of 2005's *God of War*, in whch he served as lead animator. He was later chosen to direct and write for the game's sequel, 2007's *God of War II*. He left Santa Monica Studio in 2010, but was also involved in the early development of 2010's *God of War III* and Ready at Dawn's *God of War: Chains of Olympus*.

Between 2010 and 2013, Barlog worked in studios such as Avalanche Studios and Crystal Dynamics. In 2013, he returned to Santa Monica Studio and was heavily involved in 2018's *God of War*, a re-imagining to the series.

## Game credits

* *God of War* (2005) - lead animator
* *God of War II* (2007) - game director, writer
* *God of War: Chains of Olympus* (2008) - writer
* *God of War III* (2010) - story layout, initial design
* *God of War: Ghost of Sparta* (2010) - writer
* *God of War* (2018) - game director, writer
* *God of War: Ragnarök* (2022) - producer
Square Enix

**Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.** is a Japanese multinational holding company, entertainment conglomerate and video game publisher. It was formed in 2003 from the merger between video game publishers **Square Co., Ltd.** (also known by its brand name **SquareSoft**) and **Enix Corporation**, with the latter as the surviving company.

Enix and Square, founded in 1975 and 1983 respectively, were both known for their significant contribution to the birth and growth of the role-playing game genre in Japan, and were considered to be rivals by both gaming publications and industry figures. The resulting Square Enix is best known for its extensive catalogue of role-playing video games both inherited from its predecessors and developed following the merger, including the highly popular *Final Fantasy*, *Dragon Quest* and *Kingdom Hearts* franchises.

As SquareSoft, Square Enix was credited for its importance in the commercial success of Sony's PlayStation brand, particularly for the release of the influential 1997 title *Final Fantasy VII*. Both Square and Enix continued to release exclusive titles for the console line during the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, with Sony Interactive Entertainment (then known as Sony Computer Entertainment) serving as a regional publisher for several of Enix and Square's releases between 1996 and 2004, as well as a publisher in Asian regions excluding Japan during the 2010s. Square Enix also served as the Japanese publisher for Sony titles such as Sony Online Entertainment's *EverQuest*.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.siliconera.com/final-fantasy-vi-staff-talk-about-the-rivalry-with-dragon-quest-that-helped-the-series-grow/
2. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/04/03/final-fantasy-7-legacy-creators/
3. ↑ https://www.sony.com/content/sony/en/en\_us/SCA/company-news/press-releases/sony-online-entertainment/2004/square-enix-to-publish-sony-online-entertainments-everquest-ii-in-japan.html
Visual Arts Service Group

**PlayStation Studios Visual Arts**, formerly **Visual Arts Service Group**, is an American animation and art production studio owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment and is part of PlayStation Studios' Creative Arts division. Based in San Diego, the company works with first-party game studios such as Naughty Dog, as well as third-party developers and publishers and non-video game entities, producing art, animation and technical support to video games, films and television series.
DualShock

The **DualShock** (originally **Dual Shock**; trademarked as **DUALSHOCK** or **DUAL SHOCK**; with the PlayStation 5 version named **DualSense**) is a line of gamepads with vibration-feedback and analog controls developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation family of systems. Introduced in November 1997, it was initially marketed as a secondary peripheral for the original PlayStation, with updated versions of the PlayStation console including the controller, Sony subsequently phased out the controller that was originally included with the console, called the PlayStation controller, as well as the Sony Dual Analog Controller. The DualShock is the best-selling gamepad of all time in terms of units sold, excluding bundled controllers.
Evolution Championship Series

The **Evolution Championship Series**, commonly known as **Evo**, is an annual esports event that focuses exclusively on fighting games. The event was first held in 1996 before changing its name to its current title in 2002. In 2021, the tournament was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment and the Endeavor esports venture RTS.
PlayStation VR

**PlayStation VR** is a virtual reality headset developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 game console. It was released worldwide in October 2016, almost three years into the PlayStation 4's lifespan, and is also forward compatible with its successor, the PlayStation 5.

Its features include a 5.7 inch OLED panel that has a display resolution of 1080p; a processor box for Social Screen video output and 3D audio effect; and compatibility with the DualShock 4 and PlayStation Move, as well as the PlayStation VR Aim.

The headset was known as **Project Morpheus** during development, and was first in 2014 at the Game Developers Conference. Reception to PlayStation VR was largely favorable for its affordable price for a virtual reality headset, though its also faced criticism for performance issues and lesser quality in comparison to computer-based VR headsets, as well as dwindling library in later years.

A successor, PlayStation VR2, was officially announced in 2022 for a 2023 release.
PlayStation PC

**PlayStation PC** is a publishing unit of Sony Interactive Entertainment founded in 2020. The publishing unit handles game publishing of PlayStation Studios titles on Microsoft Windows personal computers, as well as retroactively acting as the publisher for titles released before its formation.

PlayStation PC is not involved with PC ports of PlayStation Studios titles published by external companies such as *Journey* and *The Unfinished Swan* (both published by Annapurna Interactive), *Death Stranding* (published by 505 Games) or *Heavy Rain*, *Beyond: Two Souls* and *Detroit: Become Human* (all three published by original developer Quantic Dream).
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Boxart designed by Jake Kontou, depicting protagonists Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer and their respective supporting casts

### Developer

Naughty Dog
Iron Galaxy (PC)

### Writer

Josh Scherr
Neil Druckmann (*ATE*)
Shaun Escayg (*TLL*)

### Platforms

PlayStation 5
Microsoft Windows

### Release

**PlayStation 5**: January 21, 2022
**PC**: October 19, 2022

### Mode(s)

Single-player

***Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection*** is an upcoming 2022 compilation of remasters of 2016's *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* and 2017's *Uncharted: The Lost Legacy*, both originally developed by Naughty Dog. The games are remastered by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 5 and PC. The latter version is developed by Iron Galaxy.

The compilation includes the single-player campaigns of *A Thief's End* and *The Lost Legacy* with additional graphical options and improved performance. As with 2015's *Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection*, *Legacy of Thieves Collection* doesn't include the multiplayer portion of the original games. Owners of the original physical or digital releases of either game on the PlayStation 4 are able to upgrade to *Legacy of Thieves* at a lower cost.

*Legacy of Thieves Collection* is being developed by Naughty Dog, with Iron Galaxy brought aboard to port the title to personal computers. The collection marks the first time the *Uncharted* releases on personal computers, as part of Sony's efforts to bring their library to the platform.

*Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection* received critical acclaim upon release, with critics complimenting the graceful aging of both titles. Praise was pointed at the visual upgrades, performance options and the price point of the upgrade path, while criticism was directed at the package's overall worth for returning players and lack of inclusion of pre-*Uncharted 4* titles.
Activision

**Activision-Blizzard** is an American video game holding company based in Santa Monica, California. It is the parent company of publishers **Activision Publishing** (also known simply as **Activision**), **Blizzard Entertainment** and **King** among others. It was founded in 2008 through a merger of Activision and Vivendi Games.

Under its Activision arm, the company is best known for the best-selling first-person shooter franchise *Call of Duty* as well as the catalogue of commercially successful franchises from Blizzard Entertainment and *Candy Crash* by King. Since 2008, it also owns the rights to the *Crash Bandicoot* and *Spyro the Dragon* franchises, previously published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and developed by its eventual subsidiaries Naughty Dog and Insomniac Games.

From 2014 to 2019, Activision acted as the publisher for Bungie's *Destiny* franchise, following the two companies signing on a ten-year contract in 2010. In 2019, Bungie terminated its contract with Activision, and was acquired by Sony in 2022.

In relation to Sony and PlayStation, Activision has released multiple titles for PlayStation systems since the brand's inception. Through the eighth console generation and the early ninth generation, Activision signed several contracts with Sony for timed exclusive content and marketing rights for titles within the *Call of Duty*, *Destiny* and *Crash Bandicoot* . Sony was also the publisher of several of said titles in Japan.

In January 2022, Microsoft announced its intentions to acquire Activision-Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The acquisition was completed on October 13, 2023.
Neil Druckmann

**Neil Druckmann** is an Israeli-American video game writer, designer, programmer and creative director best known for his work with video game studio Naughty Dog. Since 2020 he serves as Naughty Dog's co-president alongside Evan Wells, and previously served as a lead game designer and later as vice president.

Druckmann is best known for his work on the *Uncharted* series and being one of the creators of *The Last of Us* alongside his former partner Bruce Straley. Druckmann served as a writer and designer on 2007's *Uncharted: Drake's Fortune* and *Uncharted 2: Among Thieves* before leading development on 2013's *The Last of Us*. He was also the creative director of 2016's *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* and *The Last of Us Part II*, the latter being his first project following Straley's departure from Naughty Dog.

Druckmann received considerable praise for his work, particularly for *The Last of Us* and *A Thief's End*. His work on *The Last of Us Part II* was also largely praised for its nuance and characterization, though also attracted polarized reactions regarding the themes and pacing.

## Games

* *Jak 3* (2004) - gameplay programmer
* *Jak X: Combat Racing* (2005) - gameplay programmer
* *Uncharted: Drake's Fortune* (2007) - game designer, co-writer
* *Uncharted 2: Among Thieves* (2009) - co-lead game designer, co-writer
* *The Last of Us* (2013) - creative director, writer
* *The Last of Us: Left Behind* (2014) - creative director, writer
* *Uncharted 4: A Thief's End* (2016) - creative director, lead co-writer
* *Uncharted: The Lost Legacy* (2017) - head of narrative development
* *The Last of Us Part II* (2020) - creative director, lead co-writner
* *The Last of Us Part I* (2022) - writer (original game)
Marvelous

**Marvelous Inc.** is a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Tokyo. It was founded in 2011 as **Marvelous AQL** as a result of a merger between **Marvelous Entertainment** with AQ Interactive, and Liveware. The company renamed itself to its current name in July 2014. The company also works in anime production.

In the early 2010s, Marvelous collaborated with Japan Studio and Comcept on the 2013 action role-playing video title *Soul Sacrifice*. The following year, the teams released an expanded version called *Soul Sacrifice Delta*; both versions released on the PlayStation Vita and were published by Sony Computer Entertainment.
Ken Kutaragi

**Ken Kutaragi** (Japanese: 久夛良木 健, *Kutaragi Ken*; born August 2, 1950) is a Japanese engineer, inventor, video game producer and businessman. He is best known for his work at Sony Corporation, which was his employer from the mid-1970s until 2007, most notably as the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. He is known as the **Father of PlayStation** due to his critical role in designing and overseeing the development and production of the PlayStation brand for its first two decades.
Jak II

North American box art, depicting a redesigned Jak with Daxter, as well as several gameplay features and characters from the game

### Programmer

Andy Gavin
Mark Cerny
Christophe Balestra
Christopher Christensen
Charlotte Francis

### Artist

Charles Zembillas
Bob Rafei
Bruce Straley
Erick Panglilinan
Josh Scherr

### Composer(s)

Josh Mancell
Larry Hopkins

### Release

NA: October 14, 2003
AU: October 15, 2003
EU: October 17, 2003

### Genre(s)

Platform
Third-person shooter

### Mode(s)

single-player

***Jak II***, also referred to as ***Jak 2*** and titled ***Jak II: Renegade*** in Europe and Oceania, is a 2003 action-adventure platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was remastered for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as part of the 2012 *Jak and Daxter Collection*, and was ported to the PlayStation 4 in 2017. It is the sequel to 2001's *Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy* and the second main installment of the *Jak and Daxter* series.

*Jak II* takes place 500 years after the events of the first game, in and around the dystopian settlement of Haven City. The story follows protagonists Jak and Daxter as they are thrust into the chaotic lifestyle of Haven City, and challenge its tyrannical ruler Baron Praxis. The game is notably darker and more story-focused than its predecessor, focusing on Jak's quest of vengeance against Praxis. *Jak II* is played from a third-person perspective in which players primarily control Jak. Jak can explore and navigate through Haven City, which functions as a hub world. In comparison to *The Precursor Legacy*, *Jak II* places a larger emphasis on combat and action, introducing new weapons and mechanics against enemy encounter.

*Jak II* began development shortly after the critical and commercial success of *The Precursor Legacy*. The game was influenced by the release of 2001's *Grand Theft Auto III*, which prompted Naughty Dog to include a darker and more mature story for *Jak II*, as well as character development and designing the game's map to be more akin to an urban open world environment.

*Jak II* received positive reviews. It was praised for its high production values, combat, world design and scope, while criticism was mostly directed at its increased emphasis on action, unwieldy checkpoint system and high difficulty. The story and characters received generally positive reactions, though the game's darker and more mature tone split critics, who appreciated its storytelling within the platformer genre but felt it harmed the game's cohesion. It was commercially successful, selling over 1.6 million copies by 2005. A sequel, *Jak 3*, was released in 2005.
MLB The Show 22

Cover art featuring Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani

***MLB The Show 22*** is a 2022 sports video game developed by San Diego Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Switch, which are co-published by MLB. It is the seventeenth entry in the *MLB: The Show* series based on the Major League Baseball, and the sequel to 2021's *MLB The Show 21*.

It was announced in February 2022, and is the second game in the series to be released on consoles outside of the PlayStation brand, and the first to launch on a Nintendo platform; this is following a new contract between Sony and MLB to make *MLB The Show* multiplatform. It features San Diego Padres shortstop Shohei Ohtani on its cover; Ohtani is the first Japanese baseball player to be featured on *MLB* game cover.

Reception to *MLB: The Show 22* was generally favorable, with praise directed towards its fundamental gameplay, audio design and accessibility for newcomers. Criticism was focused towards the graphics of the Switch version, lack of notable improvements and the Road to the Show mode. It is to be followed by *MLB The Show 23*.
Infamous 2

## *Infamous*

North American box art, depicting redesigned protagonist Cole MacGarth and his electrical superpowers

### Designer

Nate Fox
Joe Ishikura

### Composer(s)

James Dooley
Brain & Melissa
Galactic
Jonathan Mayer

### Release

NA: June 7, 2011
EU: June 8, 2011
AU: June 9, 2011
UK: June 10, 2011

### Mode(s)

Single-player

***Infamous 2*** (stylized as ***inFamous 2***) is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to 2009's *Infamous* and the second installment in the *Infamous* series.

*Infamous 2* is set in a world populated with Conduits, individuals who have awakened superpowers. Taking place shortly after the events of *Infamous*, *Infamous 2* follows protagonist Cole MacGrath in the city of New Marais, as he gets involved in the city's inner conflicts and trains to prepare himself for the Beast, a powerful Conduit bent on destroying humanity.

As a Conduit, Cole possesses electric-based superpowers. Played from third-person perspective, players can use Cole's powers for combat and traversal across the city. The game includes a Karma system that is influenced by the player's actions to use their powers for good or evil. Several sections in the game include moral choices which affect the story, Cole's personality and the city's reaction to him. Melee combat has been revamped to include the usage of the Amp, a constructed weapon which Cole channels his powers with.

Sucker Punch Productions commenced development on *Infamous 2* immediately after finishing the first game in 2009. The studio designed New Marais based on New Orleans, believing the city's architecture was suited for a superhero game. The team sought to take more advantage of the PS3's cell processor to render a larger, more detailed map and more NPCs in real-time. The core development team was comprised of 65-75 people.

*Infamous 2* received generally positive reviews. It was praised for the presentation and design of New Marais, the traversal mechanics and power-based combat system, while criticism was directed at the camera and aspects of the Karma System. The story received generally positive reactions, with particular praise towards its endings. The game received a stand-alone expansion, *Infamous: Festival of Blood* in the months after its release. A sequel titled *Infamous Second Son* was released in 2014.