Hey, you. Is the joy of playing games not satisfying enough? Do you yearn something a little…more? Well, have I got just the thing for you! Achievements (or Trophies based on your current alignment).  Our upcoming co-op shooter Fuse has 40 of em’ and we have the details.

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Bronze

• Buddy System – Complete a single mission in co-op (2,3, or 4p) – 20G
• Perk-olated – Purchase a single Team Perk – 20G
• That’s a Lot of Dead Guys – Kill 2,500 enemies in Campaign and Echelon – 10G
• Killer Perk – Fully upgrade 1 perk in the Team Perks menu – 10G
• Unstoppable – Complete 6 waves on a single map with 2+ players – 10G
• Ain’t Got Time to Bleed – Complete 12 waves on a single map with 2+ players – 10G
• Let’s Go Shopping – Spend 100,000 Fuse Credits – 20G
• Echelon Specialist – Get 5 Stars on a single Echelon Map with 2+ players – 20G
• I’m Your Huckleberry – Kill 3 Leadfires, Leadfoots, or Leadshots using only your sidearm – 20G
• We’re Gonna Need a Mop – Eviscerate 3 enemies at once using the MagShield -20G
• Chain Gang (of Dead Guys) – Create a chain reaction that takes out 3 enemies at once – 20G
• Shots Fired! – Pin 3 enemies within a 10 second period – 20G
• The Geologist – Crystallize and kill 3 enemies at once – 20G
• Shh… Go to Sleep – Perform a stealth takedown on 2 enemies at once in a co-op game – 20G

Silver

• Overstrike – Complete all missions on normal difficulty – 50G
• The Merc – Get Dalton to max level – 25G
• The Assassin – Get Naya to max level – 25G
• The Detective – Get Jacob to max level – 25G
• The Hacker – Get Izzy to max level – 25G
• Group Hug – Complete all missions in co-op (2,3, or 4p) – 75G
• All Grown Up – Unlock 16 perks – 25G
• Dalton 2.0 – Upgrade Dalton’s entire skill tree – 25G
• Naya 2.0 – Upgrade Naya’s entire skill tree – 25G
• Izzy 2.0 – Upgrade Izzy’s entire skill tree – 25G
• Jacob 2.0 – Upgrade Jacob’s entire skill tree – 25G
• Echelon Agent – Get 5 Stars on all Echelon maps with 2+ players – 75G
• Ninja Style – Stealth takedown 4 enemies at once in a 4 player co-op game – 30G
• The Inspector – Collect every piece of Intel in the game – 30G

Gold

• Overstrike Elite – Complete all missions on Lethal – 75G
• Valued Customer – Full upgrade 16 perks in the Team Perks menu – 50G

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Be warned that there are spoilers in this next list. If you want to stay immaculate from a barrage of story plot-points – avert your eyes. Go look at something else. Like a tree. Or the sun (but not directly).

Silver

• Missing Persons – Complete Hyperion Base – 20G
• Cold Turkey – Defeat Ivan Solvenko – 20G
• Damaged Goods – Defeat Melin Mao – 20G
• Extraction Specialist – Complete Raven Facility – 20G
• Daddy Issues – Save Luther from the Order of Grigori – 20G
• What a Waste of a Space Station – Complete Grigori Station – 20G

Well, there you have it. 40 extra-curricular achievements for you to garner outside of your pure gameplay satisfaction. Yes, and for you PS3 users – there is a Platinum Trophy to be had, as well. We’ve made sure to provide fans with an Achievement set that takes dedication and skill to complete. No quick 1,000G’s in a few hours here.

So, buckle-up and get ready to watch those screen notifications pop-up when Fuse releases on May 28^th.

Who has two thumbs and is having a panel at PAX East this year? This company! Technically, we have over 400 thumbs, but you get the idea.

On Saturday, March 23^rd at 3 PM in the Phoenix Theatre, please join us for the “Fuse: The Sleeper Hit of 2013″ panel. Chat with Insomniac CEO Ted Price, Lead Gameplay Programmer Doug Sheahan and Designer Mark Stuart and learn about the game’s four elite agents, epic locations, secret alien tech and state-of-the-art weapons that help mold the story that is Fuse. That’s PR speak for “Come see an awesome exclusive, live-demo of the game plus more surprises and stuff!” It’ll also be a great opportunity to directly ask top leaders on the game your questions. QA session is a go.

Every great panel needs a great moderator, though, so we got a pretty okay one! Greg Miller, the PlayStation Executive Editor of IGN, will be guiding the panel through its hour of Fuse-based inquisitions. Thanks, Greg! Ted owes you a hug.

So, if you are trekking to Boston this year for PAX, be sure to slice a sliver of time out to come check out our Fuse panel. You’re not going to want to miss out on this. Let us know if you plan on attending in the comments below.

For full info check out the official description here: http://east.paxsite.com/schedule/panel/fuse-the-sleeper-hit-of-2013

P.S. – We didn’t make one “How can Insomniac make a Sleeper hit?” joke. Very proud of us.

A recent bevy of previews just dropped from our recent Fuse press tour. That’s always a tense moment. We are very proud of what we’ve done with Fuse, but at every new showing you’re always hoping the fresh eyes on the game see what you’ve been seeing for the past two years.

Across the board, previewers understood one of the core components of the game: lethal teamwork. They saw how we specifically tuned each character so that working together is not only satisfying – it’s sometimes necessary. Previewers got a “trial-by-fire” of this when they tried out Echelon.

Echelon is our wave-based objective mode. We know what you’re thinking – “Another defense mode where we fight over the same spot of the map?!?” Well, no, it’s not just another wave-based mode – it’s an evolution of that. Most of those modes are defensive, but in Echelon we always want the players to be active and many times, on offense.

A game of Echelon features 12 rounds. The sixth and twelfth rounds are bosses, but the other 10 rounds are randomized with various objectives, that can appear on various places around one of six varied maps. That rotating set of objectives will force you to maneuver around a large map and constantly alter your strategy. In truth, it’s a mode that feels like it’s been injected with the DNA of our popular Resistance 2 co-op mode. And, just like the campaign, it can be played with anywhere from one to four human players.

No matter how many times you play, it always manages to feel different. Depending on what character you are (which you can change on-the-fly with LEAP), which map you’re on, which objective you get and where it’s at on the map, there are tons of combinations and variety. On top of that, the round affects the objective as well by increasing the difficulty and enemy numbers and assortment.

When the journalist took the chance to rock the controller they found it really, really difficult; while still being fun.

Good! We want this game to be hard – Echelon especially so. However, difficulty is a very fine balance. On one hand, you want to challenge people so they feel as if they are accomplishing something. But on the other, you don’t want to frustrate players to the point of quitting. Things become trickier when you factor in co-op that can accommodate anywhere from one to four human players. Fun times.

But, that’s the challenge we’ve taken on. And the press tour players taught us that we were well on our way to finding that difficulty balance, but we weren’t quite there yet. In the past few weeks, we have tweaked Echelon to ensure that it’s just perfect for players to enjoy.

What are those tweaks?

• Guards (the most common enemies) were tuned to be on par with the campaigns “Hard” difficulty.
• Heavies (the mini-boss-esque enemies) were tuned to be on par with the campaign’s “Lethal” mode.
• Earlier waves of Echelon were toned down a bit: Mike Birkhead, one of our Designers, explains, “The early waves were really brutal for a long time. This was necessary because, as a general rule, you can always make something easier, but it can be very difficult (if not impossible) to make something harder. Once we were happy with how the latter waves were feeling, then it was just a matter of dialing it back.”

The result is baby bear’s porridge: Juuust right. The early rounds, while no cake walk, will ease you into the system before the later ones really test your teamwork capabilities. Believe us; Echelon will still heavily test your skills. You will need to understand the nuances of the game in order to get far. (Just ask all the journalists who failed to get past Wave 7.) But now we believe that it hits the right balance of engaging brutality that you expect from a hardcore game.

Till next time!

Where’s the best place to meet new people? Bars? Maybe. Salsa dance class? Probably. Ok Cupid? Definitely not.

Fortunately for you, there is no need to partake in any awkward social interaction to meet the 4 members of Overstrike 9 you will be playing as in Fuse. Each day this week, IGN will be dropping exclusive video previews detailing our maculate heroes and their exotic weaponry.

First up is Overstrike 9 squad leader Dalton Brooks, a former Raven mercenary thrust into the unique role of toppling his former employer. To help him, he commandeers the Magshield, which is a Fuse-powered xenotech weapon that creates a portable shield to block incoming projectiles. Offense is the best defense, though – which is why the Magshield can also project a deadly electromagnetic blast.

Take it away, IGN! Bestow us with your knowledge!

Next up is Naya Deveraux, the stealth and AoE expert of the bunch. While your father taught you how to ride a bike, Naya’s pops taught her how to kill. Now, he is captain of Raven, the organization Overstrike 9 has been sent to undermine. At least she’ll get to work through her daddy issues with a cloak and the Warp Rifle, a Xenotech weapon that creates singularities to tear apart groups of enemies.

Jacob Kimble is a former police detective whose idea of justice firmly sits in a moral grey area. Now he operates as the team’s long-range marksman and trap expert. To do this, he is equipped with the Arcshot, a liquid mercury infused Xenotech weapon that is able to melt away its target at the tap of a button. You know – for justice.

Izzy Sinclair isn’t really a people person. In fact, she’s lived out most of her life secluded as a hacker and intelligence broker. So, it might surprise you that she is the team’s support aficionado. Her Shattergun crystallizes enemies and lifts them up out of cover; while her Heal Beacon is able revive downed enemies from a distance. Seems pretty people persony.

First and foremost we wanted to let everyone know to tune in to www.twitch.tv/insomniacgames today at 2pm for a live stream of Echelon including a Q&A with Ted Price! We will be playing through the Echelon map that we showed during the recent press tour. It will be a great way to recover from your Valentine’s Day hangover and/or festivities.

You don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day at work. That would be weird and probably lead to a few lawsuits. So, no – there were no hearts and cupids fluttering around the halls of Insomniac. Sorry for the sudden shock if that image had been floating around your head.

However, that doesn’t mean love wasn’t brewing around the office yesterday. In fact – just the opposite. Not “like-like” love, but co-op love. Working together with your team to overcome obstacles. That’s a type of love. We promise. And we have spent our polish time making sure that co-op play in Fuse is as deep and rewarding as we know it can be.

What does that mean? More co-op combos! One aspect in particular has been getting a LOT of love lately:

Quick recap: In the game, you earn Fuse points that you can redeem for weapon and character upgrades. One of the most efficient ways to do this is by working as a team to discover unique combos to eliminate enemies. Simple example: Shooting through Dalton’s Magshield to take-down an enemy nets both you and Dalton bonus Fuse points.

Well, we had a solid number of unique combinations for y’all to discover, but lately we have really fleshed the system out. The designers got together and implemented a multitude more co-op combos to discover. Even Ted chimed in with some cool sequences he managed to pull off while playing. Did you manage to shoot an Archshot bolt through the Magshield and activate a wormhole from hitting a Warp-covered enemy? Congratulations. You just pulled off the “Heartcrush,” and will be handsomely rewarded for that.

That’s a lot more to love. Like a “Jerry Maguire monologue” amount of love. More challenge, combinations to discover, and rewards all form together to give the co-op experience of Fuse a new layer of depth. Thanks extra polish time!

P.S. Here are some bonus gifs from some new takedown moves we’ve created. They’re kind of like lethal hugs, so we guess they are Valentinesy?

Till next week!
<3, IG

Recently we completed a three week press tour for Fuse spanning Europe, Mexico City and New York City. It was an opportunity to get the media in front of the game and more importantly, get their hands on the game.

Below are some of their thoughts and interviews about what they saw and played. The trend seems to be, those who play Fuse, really enjoy it. Many left with a positive impression, especially when it comes to our Echelon mode, which adds a wrinkle to traditional horde-style modes.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another in-the-trenches Development Update from us and maybe a special surprise. We aren’t going to say “Live Stream with Q&A from Ted Price”, but we will say it MIGHT be a live stream with Q&A from Ted Price. Also included are some new screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

*This post will update as more previews go online.

Kotaku
“Horde modes have begun to wear on me, but Fuse’s was fun and new.”

“If gamers are willing to make the switch and embrace the mechanics Fuse has to offer, I think it has the potential to be a strong newcomer.”

Polygon
“Fuse, Insomniac Games’ upcoming cooperative shooter, mixes up gameplay with not just an intriguing set of bizarre weapons, but character-based gadgets and the ability to leap between characters on the fly.”

Destructoid
Interview with Ted Price

xbox360achievements.org
“Our second hands-on with Fuse is promising. Insomniac has taken on board the criticisms levelled at the game’s visual style and tone, tackling it head on, making the game closely resemble the original vision that Overstrike promised.”

“Echelon mode might just be the icing on the cake, and Fuse might just have the potential to be one of the best co-op shooters you’ll play this year.”

VG24/7
“After revisiting Fuse last month, I’m slowly beginning to understand its appeal. Most of this new-found enthusiasm comes from Echelon mode and yes, it’s another take on ‘Horde’.”

Co-Optimus
“The game is running on a proprietary engine, and graphically, it’s on par if not better than a lot of AAA titles out there. Vibrant colors, detailed environments, and plenty of effects.”

“With a few months to go to polish the game Fuse could easily be one of the best co-op games this year.”

Spong
Ted Price talks Echelon.

Strategy Informer
“There’s been an unfortunate trend of games ditching local co-op this generation in favour of improved online multiplayer support. Fortunately, Insomniac’s latest shooter provides support for both, but it’s the potential for couch-co-op capers that mark Fuse out as one to watch.”

STFUandPlay
“Fuse encourages cooperation and experimentation. The Fuse weapons, as their name implies, can be combined with each other to great and destructive effect.”

Official PlayStation Magazine UK
“Fuse’s killing tools are distinctly memorable in classic Insomniac fashion.”

onPause
“FUSE feels a lot like some of the best third person shooters we have played previously with less of a weighty approach and more of a quick and responsive feel. The unique weapons in FUSE felt accurate and had good kickback – making the game fun to play.”

Love isn’t blind. It’s surprisingly accurate when equipped with exotic xenotech weaponry. Hone in on your high-value-target with one of these cards and they won’t be able to re-Fuse you.

“If you found some nerf darts with black tips during the move, I’m still missing some.”

A lot of these e-mails have been circulating through the company this past week. Moving Day had taken a small toll on personal belongings (nerf gun darts being the most valuable, obviously), but it was otherwise a smooth transition. We didn’t move offices or anything – we just shifted teams around to more efficiently utilize space. It’s a normal thing to do towards the twilight of a project. Truth is: Fuse is just about done. A team is staying on to make sure it’s the best game possible, but the majority of the studio has started to work on what’s next.

So, what do you work on when the game releases in a few months? Well, a lot of things really. The game is completely playable and a full experience. However, with these few months we are going to make it better. Here’s a little slice of our game plan for you to chew on:

• Reduce enemy wave numbers: Sometimes, the game seemed to throw one too many enemy waves at you before you could move on. So, we’ve done a sweep and fixed some problematic areas. The result is a swifter experience that is still exciting and almost overwhelming, without bogging the players down.
• Splitting up the team: Up until now, Fuse always had all four characters stick together. No mas. We’ve added some sections where the team has to split into two separate groups. This should change up game play in those sections significantly. It’s already pretty radical to see huge sections of levels changed and adjusted, clearly for the better.
• Mini-Boss and Boss Behavior changes: In order to differentiate our big baddies more – we are giving them different attacks and more functions. This will set them apart from the rest of the crowd. New baddie who heals his brethren? Sure! Make the Leadfoots more threatening? Sounds good!

In other words: we are in the polish phase, which is actually a rarity to have time for at all in this industry. Normally, it’s a sprint right up till release, but with Fuse we have time to refine some of the trickier elements. That’s great for us, but more importantly it’s great for you. Ya know, if you like playing awesome games.

We’re at a transitional point at Insomniac, but through all the changes just know that Fuse is becoming even better every day. And, starting now we are going to open up about what you can expect when it releases. Backstories, livestreams, and blog posts, oh my!

Get ready!

P.S. – The nerf darts were fortunately found. I know some of you out there were worried.