Author Profile

Robert (or Rob if you're lazy) is an assistant editor of Push Square, and has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his fighting games seriously, but RPGs are his true passion. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he's played 'em all. A little too much, some might say.

I grew up reading gaming magazines, and always wanted to write my own reviews about the games I loved. I got a chance to do just that while I was a college student, writing for several small gaming blogs in my spare time. I was also an avid reader of Push Square back when it was just Sammy. When the site came looking for new writers, I jumped at the chance. The rest is (ancient) history.

Experience

Robert began his games journalism career in 2012 as a freelance reviewer. In 2013 he joined Push Square as a Staff Writer, before moving into his current role as Deputy Editor in 2016.

In this role, Robert continues to write across the website covering news, reviews, guides and features.

More than anything, I just enjoy writing about games that resonate with me. There’s great satisfaction to be found in sharing your passion with a willing audience.

Timeline

  • 2012: Begins his career as a freelance reviewer
  • 2013: Joins Push Square as a Staff Writer
  • 2016: Becomes Deputy Editor of Push Square

Expertise

The first console Robert ever owned was the PlayStation 1, followed by a suitably long list of PlayStations! He’s also owned all of the main Nintendo handheld and home consoles from the mid 1990s onwards.

He chose the PlayStation 4 as his favourite console of all time, simply because so many of its games went on to become some of his absolute favourites.

RPGs are my favourite genre, because they tend to focus on characters and world building, which immerse me more than anything.

Robert’s Favourite Games

From the Archive

We asked Robert to pick out his three favourite pieces of work from across his personal archive, and tell us why he picked them!

The Witcher 3: Best Character Builds

My most-read article ever is a character builds guide for The Witcher 3, which I slaved over back when the game was brand new. I thoroughly enjoyed putting it together, and it was amazing to see it perform so well over the years.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review

Mass Effect is my favourite trilogy in gaming, and I like to think I did the games justice by writing an in-depth review of the Legendary Edition, which basically encapsulated a decade's worth of my thoughts and feelings.

Interview: Falcom Boss Talks Everything Trails, Reverie, Importance of Western Fans, and More

As a big fan of the Trails series, interviewing Falcom's president was a big deal for me. This interview from 2023 is my favourite to date, thanks to some fantastic answers.

Username
ShogunRok
Articles
11,155 (454 reviews)
First Article
Wed 21st, November 2012
Avg. Review Score
7.2
Find Them On
Muck Rack
  • News You're Getting a New Yu-Gi-Oh! Game on PS4 Later This Year

    By the Blue Eyes

    Who's up for some more Yu-Gi-Oh!, then? Konami's announced that a new duel monsters based video game will be launching worldwide near the end of 2016, but there aren't really any concrete details to go on just yet. The working title for the PlayStation 4 release is Yu-Gi-Oh! Online Game, which obviously suggests that it'll have a...

  • News Japanese Sales Charts: PS4 and Vita Continue Strong Seasonal Performance

    Brothers in arms

    The latest sales charts from the East are in, confirming that the last seven days have once again been pretty darn solid for the Japanese market. As expected of the season, hardware figures continued to enjoy a healthy boost, as PlayStation 4 sales increased to 65,427 units, while Vita managed a very respectable 63,811 units...

  • News Don't Expect Any More Street Fighters in Tekken 7

    That'd be Tekken the p*ss

    In case you haven't heard, Akuma is going to be in Tekken 7. The intimidating Street Fighter character certainly looks the part in his reveal trailer, but does his inclusion mean that we might see other cameos in Namco's upcoming brawler? Apparently not, according to senior game designer Michael Murray. In an interview...

  • News Mass Effect: Andromeda Is in a Playable Form Right Now

    Still on target for late 2016

    We'll be the first to admit that this isn't a huge slice of news - especially when it originates from a series of BioWare employee tweets - but it would appear that Mass Effect: Andromeda is now playable, at least to some degree. In other words, the game's development cycle is supposedly going smoothly. "Just finished...

  • News Naruto Storm 4's Latest Gameplay Trailer Makes Way for a New Generation

    Kids these days

    The introduction of new generations and the responsibility of passing knowledge down to them has always been a key theme of Naruto, and we suppose that's what Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4's latest trailer is all about. The video's only a short one, but we get to see newcomers Boruto and Sarada in action as they beat the...

  • Feature 20 Japanese PS4 Games to Watch in 2016

    Beasts from the East

    At this point in the PlayStation 3's life, many disgruntled gamers would have told you that Japan's software outlook was bleak. Sony's homeland was struggling to adapt to the new high definition era, with developers seemingly unable to get a firm grip on working with fresh hardware. It was a tough time to be a fan of Japanese...

  • News Your January PlayStation Plus Games Are Available to Download Now

    Don't all rush

    The PlayStation Network went down yesterday for a rather lengthy 12 or so hours, but it's now back online, and it's brought your PlayStation Plus offering for January along with it. Good news, we suppose. In case you've been left out of the loop, this month's games include the brand new Hardware: Rivals and fantastic Grim Fandango...

  • News PSN Down Just Days into 2016

    That was fast

    Oh dear, and there we were praising the PlayStation Network for its stability over the holidays. Sony's online service is currently down for us here in the UK, and we're now getting reports that it's offline for many of you Americans, too. Follow us on Twitter for PSN updates At the time of writing, we can't even sign in, and Sony...

  • News Final Fantasy XV Is 'Not Going to Be a Love Story'

    Stop the sop

    Mainline Final Fantasy games have always been emotionally charged - even if they're a little heavy handed at times - and Final Fantasy XV will likely be no different. However, speaking with Examiner, ever-talkative director Hajime Tabata has stated that the upcoming role-playing release is "not going to be a love story". "That's not...

  • News Key BioWare Developer Leaves Mass Effect: Andromeda

    Making sense of the stars

    Chris Wynn, otherwise known as Mass Effect: Andromeda's senior development director, has ended his career at BioWare. Wynn was originally taken on by the developer in 2013 to help with the upcoming sci-fi project. So, what does this mean for the highly anticipated role-playing release? Thankfully, according to the Canadian...

  • News 2016 Is the Year of VR, Says Sony London Producer

    Sink or swim

    With PlayStation VR still set to release at some point during the first half of this year, it's safe to assume that Sony's currently gearing up for a big marketing push in the near future. It's still unclear whether or not the PS4 headset will actually be a hit with consumers - as is the case with virtual reality in general - but that...

  • News You're Getting Free Stuff in Destiny Later This Week

    Xurtainly something

    Stash of Strange Coins running a bit low? Need a few more Motes of Light? Nah, who are we kidding, no one needs more Motes of Light - but Bungie's giving them away all the same. On the 7th January, the developer's dishing out some goodies in Destiny to celebrate the new year. You'll be able to gather your 15 Strange Coins and 15...

  • News Infinity Ward Sounds Excited for Its Turn with Call of Duty in 2016

    Duty calls

    Phwoar, there's nothing like a vague tweet to get you hyped for an upcoming release. This time around, veteran Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward is hitting the hype train, writing that 2016 "is going to be incredible". For those out of the loop, this year should mark Infinity Ward's turn with Activision's mega franchise. The series is...

  • News Dynasty Warriors 9 Will Probably Be Announced This Year

    Here we go again

    Dynasty Warriors 8, the last main Dynasty Warriors title, released back in 2013, but even though its core has been expanded upon with the likes of Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Compete Edition on PlayStation 4 and Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires, we honestly thought that we'd see an official reveal for the inevitable Dynasty...

  • Game of the Year Robert's Personal PlayStation Picks

    #4TheRolePlayers

    Every year the Push Square Team gets together to vote for the site's PlayStation Game of the Year. While we usually keep these polls secret, we're putting the spotlight on some of our authors this holiday so that they can highlight some of their personal favourites from 2015. Today we'll be delving into the role-playing addled mind...

  • Game of the Year #3 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4)

    Monstrous

    It's been an amazing year for Geralt of Rivia - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's grizzled lead. The final instalment in CD Projekt Red's gritty trilogy deserves to be right up near the top of any Game of the Year list, and not just because of its overall quality; this is a title that's practically bursting with passion from a truly committed...

  • Soapbox Why I Love Strategy Guides

    A game's best friend

    Republished on Tuesday, 29th December 2015: We're bringing this article back from the archives as we look back at some of Push Square's features from 2015. The original text follows. Originally published on Monday, 3rd August 2015: Sometimes I think that strategy guides are a little bit misunderstood. I understand that spoilers...

  • Game of the Year #4 - Fallout 4 (PS4)

    Fall in

    Fallout 4 was easily one of the most anticipated releases of 2015, and it didn't disappoint. Without having to worry about squeezing its trademark open world formula onto last-gen consoles, Bethesda was able to craft a title that felt as though it wasn't limited by older hardware. Its latest vision of a post-apocalyptic North America is...

  • Feature Why The Witcher 3's CD Projekt Red Is the Best Developer of 2015

    The professional

    2015 has been a pretty good year for gaming in terms of pure entertainment, but it's often been soured by news of some very questionable business practices. Whether it was simple stuff like Star Wars Battlefront's preposterous $50 season pass or Deus Ex: Mankind Divided's deservedly canned pre-order strategy, there's been plenty to...

  • News Uncharted 4's Been Delayed Yet Again on PS4

    Crap crap crap

    Here's a nice Christmas gift for you: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has been delayed yet again on the PlayStation 4. The exclusive was originally meant to release in late 2015 before it was pushed into 2016, and now it's been knocked back even further. The upcoming blockbuster had previously been pegged with an 18th March 2016 launch...

  • Hardware Review The Perfect PS4 Hard Drive Upgrade Kit for the Clueless

    We take a look at Oyen Digital's 1TB option

    Let's cut right to the chase: if you're anything like us, that 500GB hard drive that's sat inside of your PlayStation 4 since launch is becoming a growing hassle. You're probably having to delete older games so that you can install new ones, and every time that there's a hefty patch to download, you get...

  • Feature 10 PlayStation Games from 2015 to Get Lost in Over the Holidays

    Play in our world

    Ah, the holidays are finally here. Whether you're just beginning your Christmas break from education or you're enjoying some much needed time off work, the holidays tend to represent an important period for those invested in video games – a time when you can afford to sink deep into a hefty adventure and make some real progress,...

  • News One Piece: Burning Blood Looks Like the Fighting Game Fans Have Been Waiting For

    Burn on

    One Piece: Burning Blood looks just about as mental as expected judging from this new five minute gameplay trailer. Featuring a load of characters who haven't appeared in a One Piece game before, the brawler's set to have a pretty decent roster of playable pirates. Indeed, if the footage is anything to go by, then the title's going to boast...

  • Review Final Fantasy VII (PS4)

    All 7 fever

    The game that made Final Fantasy a household name, Final Fantasy VII is now available on the PlayStation 4. Originally released in 1997, this is a straight port of the enhanced PC version, which boasts slightly better visuals and some tweaked dialogue. What's more, the title's return to PlayStation allows for full Trophy support, and...