Latest Features - Page 5
Spilled drinks! Shady CD-ROMS! Secrets
It’s funny how you don’t realise the significance of things until you look back on them. On a grungy Tuesday in the mid-90s, I was on a train to Birmingham with my family. Hopping on the whirring Class 323s was a regular occurrence for us in those days, as Brum – grimy as it was in that era – was our...
A medal of honor
PlayStation has been such a major component in my life for decades. When I was a kid, I learned pretty early that I was into video games. Back then, I mostly played on PC, and it was never anything too crazy, just Star Wars games here and there. Then I had a sleepover with a few of my friends, and the friend who was hosting...
Final Fantasy 8 forever
I've had a love for words as long as I can remember. According to Adam family legend, this stems from my childhood, where I was impatient to play my older brothers' video games and taught myself to read at an impressively young age (the specifics are lost to time). I have strong memories of him playing JRPGs, first on SNES...
Confessions of an ex-SEGA kid
I was a teenager in the middle of the nineties and like any other teenage boy in the middle of the nineties I cared about just one thing and it was f****** disgusting — Sonic the Hedgehog. Yes, it’s confession time, oh readers of Push Square. Growing up I was a SEGA kid which is probably the root cause of around 85%...
Feature Happy 30th Birthday to PlayStation
Long live play
Today is an incredibly important milestone for PlayStation, as it represents the 30th anniversary of the console we love. It doesn’t take a genius to realise Push Square wouldn’t exist if Ken Kutaragi hadn’t convinced Sony president Norio Ohga to take a risk three decades ago. Originally announced as a CD-based extension for...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for December 2024?
Plus or minus?
2024 is drawing to a sudden close, and Sony's revealed the games that are coming to PS Plus Essential in December. As per usual, we want to know your thoughts on the latest lineup. To kick things off, we've got Hazelight smash hit It Takes Two, which, following its original PS4 launch in 2021, has really solidified a reputation as...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 557
A very thankful edition
It’s the last weekend of December, which means, somehow, we’ve almost reached the end of the year. How the heck did that happen, huh? Strangely, this year’s release schedule kicks up a notch next week, so there’s no rest for the wicked here at Push Square Towers. Robert Ramsey: I've been replaying Trails through...
Quiz How Well Do You Know Yakuza / Like a Dragon?
Kamurocho's calling
How well do you know the Yakuza / Like a Dragon games? SEGA's crime drama series has been rolling since the days of the PS2, but it really hit the bigtime with the release of Yakuza 0 — especially outside of its native Japan. With so many titles to draw from, an in-depth quiz seemed like a great idea — and so we've put...
Talking Point What Do You Think of the PS5 Pro, Three Weeks Later?
Pro-fessional opinions
The PS5 Pro is almost three weeks old at the time of writing this article, having released on the 7th November — and we think it's time to weigh up our early thoughts on Sony's supercharged system. At $700 / £700, the Pro's pricing still makes our eyes water, even though we've been playing games on the thing for the best...
Site News Write to Us About Your PS5 Game of the Year for 2024
And be featured in our GOTY coverage
We're fast approaching the end of 2024, if you can believe it — but this is always an exciting time for our industry, since everyone's focus shifts towards the all-important Game of the Year discussion. Here on Push Square, we have a long history of extensive Game of the Year coverage, as we simply love to...
Quiz Test Your PlayStation General Knowledge - Issue 30
It's time to PlayStation
How much do you know about PlayStation and the gaming industry that surrounds it? If you fancy yourself a walking PlayStation encyclopaedia, then why not put your brain to the test with our PlayStation General Knowledge Quiz? This is Issue 30 of our PlayStation General Knowledge Quiz. You can have a crack at our previous...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 556
Rebirthed
Gee whiz have the cold winter nights arrived! It's freaking freezing in the UK this week, so we hope the temperatures are a little more positive wherever in the world you are. Let's warm up with some video games, shall we? Aaron Bayne: We're in the final three weeks of The Finals Season 4 and that Emerald tier ranking in World Tour is...
Poll Rate Your Favourite PS1 Games
Build our best PS1 games list
Ah, the PS1. The original PlayStation console. The system that started it all. Released in 1994 in Japan, and then heading West in 1995, the PS1 is widely regarded as one of the most important — and successful — consoles of all time, shaping the industry that we know today. But as is the case with any truly great...
Talking Point Would You Want a Steam Deck-Like Portable PlayStation?
All hands on deck
Portable gaming devices are coming back into fashion. The Nintendo Switch has played a substantial part in that, providing users with the choice to play on a TV or untethered, if they prefer. Of course, mobile is an enormous part of the puzzle too, with very capable smartphones in the palms of millions around the world. Sony and...
Opinion The Game Awards' Persona 3 Reload Disrespect Is Crazy
Left in the Dark Hour
The original Persona 3 altered my perspective of what a game could be. When I first played the title as a teenager all those years ago, its outstanding sense of style, iconic soundtrack, and brooding tone made it a truly unique experience. It remains one of my all-time favourites. When Persona 3 Reload released earlier this...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give LEGO Horizon Adventures?
Hey ho LEGO
It's been out for a full week now on PS5 (and Nintendo Switch!), and so we want to know what you think of LEGO Horizon Adventures. When this block-based excursion was first announced, opinions were divided. On one side of the coin, Horizon seemed like a great fit for LEGO in general, with its carefully constructed robot dinosaurs just...
Hands On PS Plus Cloud Streaming Is a Game Changer for PS Portal
Sony's surprisingly successful PS5 handheld gets even better
Sony made a surprise update to the PS Portal today, enabling PS Plus Premium cloud streaming on the device. <related ids="158279,174730"> This effectively transforms the Remote Play peripheral into a full-blown handheld, although it comes with some caveats. First, you’ll obv
Feature Why Would Sony Want to Buy Kadokawa?
We explore why alleged talks may be taking place
Sony is in talks to acquire media conglomerate Kadokawa, an enormous corporation made up of many subsidiaries across gaming, manga, and anime. The buyout – which, according to Reuters, could be completed in a matter of weeks – would significantly bolster the Japanese giant’s entertainment...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for November 2024?
Plus or minus?
November's PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium selection is bound to divide opinion. On the one hand, Extra's got some potential bangers in the form of Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and the vastly improved Dying Light 2. Oh, and there's a little game called Grand Theft Auto 5 — but who hasn't played Rockstar's eternal open worlder at this...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 555
Play on
It feels like we've reached that point of the year now where all the heavy hitters are out, and it's just a case of making the most of them. There are still some cool games to come, of course: Infinity Nikki, Marvel Rivals, and Power Rangers. But generally, we suspect WAYP is going to be mainly backlog stuff through to January now. Jade...
Hands On Spider-Man 2 All in on Ray Tracing for PS5 Pro
Fidelity Pro vs Performance Pro
Given that Insomniac Games only just released Marvel's Spider-Man 2 one year ago with fantastic graphics and options for frame rate enthusiasts, the chances the studio would be able to tap into an entirely new level of visual quality on PS5 Pro were slim. Therefore, it has taken a different route as it looks to...
Hands On PS5 Pro Injects More Magic into Hogwarts Legacy
Ray tracing the star of PS5 Pro update
Due to the sheer amount of content open world titles generally have to render at any one time, it's a lot more difficult for them to be deemed visually spectacular. Many on PS5 are more than competent, but pit them against the linear, story-focused experiences of Sony's first-party teams and they will almost...
Hands On The Last of Us 2 Marries Visuals and Frame Rate in PS5 Pro Game Changer
Best of both worlds on offer
The very first game Sony chose to market its upgraded PS5 Pro console alongside during its short reveal video was The Last of Us Part II Remastered, which at the time, felt like a double-edged sword. Its outstanding quality means hardcore PS5 owners are always open to a replay of the Naughty Dog game, but from a visual...
Quiz Test Your PlayStation General Knowledge - PlayStation Console Special
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
How much do you know about PlayStation and the gaming industry that surrounds it? If you fancy yourself a walking PlayStation encyclopaedia, then why not put your brain to the test with our PlayStation General Knowledge Quiz? But of course, this is not one of our ordinary PlayStation quizzes. The PS5 Pro has just released, and since...
Hands On The Crew Motorfest Has Never Looked Better Thanks to the PS5 Pro
The Fast and the Glorious
We’re big fans of The Crew Motorfest here, so we were pleased to see a PS5 Pro Enhanced version announced alongside Sony’s new console. With the Pro finally here, we took to the well worn roads of Hawaii to see if the upgrade was up to much. Ubisoft’s racer was already a looker on the base PS5, but it asked the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 554
The professionals
It's a big weekend for PS5 players, as the PS5 Pro is available now. Obviously not all of you will be playing on Sony's spangly new system, but we're sure many of you will be. Here's what's keeping us occupied. Aaron Bayne: With the PS5 Pro finally here this weekend is dedicated to testing out all those sweet Pro Enhanced games,...
Hands On Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 16, and Metaphor: ReFantazio All Get a Boost on PS5 Pro
Frame raters
We've spent the last couple of days putting games like Dragon's Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth through their paces on PS5 Pro. Those titles have been handed dedicated updates so that they can take advantage of Sony's supercharged system — but what about popular PS5 games that haven't been Pro-patched? In theory, unpatched titles...
Hands On Serious Pop-In the Only Problem with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Massive PS5 Pro Boost
Cloud nine
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was plagued by an astoundingly blurry performance mode when it first released on PS5 in February of this year. Obvious graphical limitations were put in place so that the RPG could run at 60 frames-per-second; it played just fine, but it could look rough outside of cutscenes. With the PS5 Pro, Rebirth has gained...
Hands On $700 Later and Dragon's Dogma 2 PS5 Pro Performance Is Still Far from Perfect
The cycle continues
Touted as a game that could greatly benefit from the PS5 Pro's arrival, Dragon's Dogma 2 takes advantage of Sony's new system through several graphics settings that were recently added via an update. Those familiar with Capcom's open world RPG will know that the title has struggled to attain smooth technical performance since...
Trust the Pro-cess
Well, here we are. Today marks the launch of a new PlayStation console — a mid-gen upgrade in the form of PS5 Pro. Boasting more capable internals and touting Sony's AI-powered PSSR, the angle is that the Pro will let you run PS5 games at higher resolutions without sacrificing performance. The best of both worlds, you could say,...
Out Today PS5 Pro, the Most Powerful Console Ever
A new era begins
Ever since the PS5 released, fans had been pondering whether a PS5 Pro would follow. We didn’t find out officially until 10th September, when the system was announced alongside its unprecedented $700/£700 price point. Reaction has largely been mixed since then. While the reviews have largely been positive, and tech experts...
Round Up PS5 Pro Reviews Love New Tech and Its Glimpse of PS6 Potential
The future is now
With the launch of the PS5 Pro now just one day away, Sony has lifted the embargo on hardware reviews of its new and upgraded console. Below you'll find a selection of verdicts from reputable and trusted outlets, all sharing their thoughts on the PS5 Pro. The general verdict is positive, with reviewers praising the console's new...
Poll What Did You Think of the Monster Hunter Wilds Beta?
No Seikrets here
The Monster Hunter Wilds beta was open to all over the weekend, attracting an awful lot of attention from old and new players alike. The test was hugely popular on PC — going by Steam user data — and so it's fair to assume that it was also a big hit on PS5, where it was available a few days earlier through PS Plus subscriptions...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for November 2024?
Plus or minus?
While we're still struggling to believe that the penultimate month of 2024 is somehow upon us, Sony has spilled the beans on November's PS Plus Essential games. As per usual, subscribers are getting three PS5 and PS4 titles as part of the base tier. So what's in store this time around? Well, we've got a brand new release in the form...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 553
You're a firework
It’ll be a noisy weekend here in the UK, as we celebrate Guy Fawkes’ failed attempted attack on parliament – for some reason. Anyway, the fireworks will be flying, rekindling fond memories of PS2 launch title, FantaVision. What a game! Khayl Adam: I’m not reviewing anything at the moment, but I am 40 hours into Metaphor:...
Interview Metal Gear Would Be 'Too Much Pressure' for Vampire Survivors Maker
"I'd rather do something very obscure"
Vampire Survivors needs no introduction. The bullet hell-esque roguelike RPG is a phenomenon, and extended its unstoppable run to PS5 and PS4 earlier this year, where it’s inevitably proven an enormous success. Earlier this week, developer Poncle released its Ode to Castlevania expansion, an add-on which...
Video Horizon Zero Dawn's PS5 Remaster Is a Massive Upgrade
Spot the difference
Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the best looking games on the PS4, and it runs fairly flawlessly at 60fps on the PS5 in backwards compatibility. Many felt developer Nixxes was wasting its time remastering the game natively for Sony’s new-gen console, then. The truth, however, is that it’s done an extraordinary job – as these...
Poll Are You Playing the Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta?
Let's get Wilds
The Monster Hunter Wilds beta is available to download and play now on PS5 — but only if you're a PS Plus subscriber. It's open to everyone from the 31st October, but before then, we want to know if you're already beating down giant beasties with your favourite grossly oversized weapons. Wilds is set to release next year, on the...
Feature Here Are 10 Great PS5 Horror Games to Play This Halloween
Player beware, you're in for a scare
Halloween is almost upon us, and that makes it the perfect time to dig into some PS5 horror. It’s never been a better time to be a fan of spooky gaming, with Sony’s console host to dozens of highly recommended fright-fests, as detailed in our definitive list of the Best Horror Games on PS5. With so many...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 552
The numbers, Mason
We’re still in the midst of the storm of new releases, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel now. Here’s what we’re playing this weekend. Aaron Bayne: I'm playing a couple of secret games this weekend, but on top of that I'll likely check out Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Echo Apsey: My entire weekend is going to be...
Why so serious?
If you’re a long-time Yakuza fan like this author, it’s worth remembering just how far the franchise now known as Like a Dragon has come. SEGA had once famously given up on the series outside of Japan, leaving Yakuza 5’s localisation duties to Sony. A little less than a decade later, it finds itself the subject of a...
Live Watch the Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase Right Here (23rd October, 2024)
Wild thing
Want to watch the Monster Hunter Wilds showcase? At just a little over 10 minutes in length, we’re not expecting an enormous amount from this broadcast, but producer Ryozo Tsujimoto will be on hand to provide new details about the anticipated upcoming release. You can tune in live from 7AM PDT / 3PM BST. Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase...
Video 2025 Is Shaping Up to Be PS5's Best Year Yet
We look at 30 awesome upcoming games
Contrary to common opinion, it’s been a quietly superb year for PS5 in 2024. While it’s been a little different for platform holder Sony, with a unique slate of titles to usual, it’s been excellent: from Stellar Blade to Black Myth: Wukong to Astro Bot to Silent Hill 2 and everything in between, we’ve...
Preview LEGO Horizon Adventures Is Looking Like the Best LEGO Game Yet
A-toy
LEGO, the versatile Danish toy, has been converted into dozens of great games. Most recently, we’ve enjoyed LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and the Minecraft-inspired LEGO Fortnite. But if we’re being brutally honest, after just shy of 90 minutes of play, LEGO Horizon Adventures is already looking like a standout for the blocky brand...
Poll One Year Later, How Would You Rate Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PS5?
Double trouble
It's been one whole year since the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 as a PS5 exclusive. The much-hyped sequel had big shoes to fill given how beloved its predecessor was, and for the most part, it seemed to match expectations. Reviews were incredibly positive, and the title ended up winning some Game of the Year awards a couple of...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 551
The onslaught continues
The games are literally coming out of our ears at this point; while it's generally been a lighter year for new releases, we haven't had a holiday quite like this for a while. The next few weeks are insane. Echo Apsey: I'm going to be playing through A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead for a review here on Push Square soon and I...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero?
Is it... Perfect?
To say the latest Dragon Ball game is popular would be a severe understatement. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero absolutely exploded onto the scene last week, and it's been racking up massive player counts ever since. Fuelled by nostalgia for the old Budokai Tenkaichi games, Dragon Ball fans seem to be loving every minute of this arena...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Metaphor: ReFantazio?
RPG royalty?
The latest title from RPG powerhouse Atlus, Metaphor: ReFantazio has been making big waves since its release last week. The fantasy adventure was met with near universal praise before that, racking up the kind of review scores that would suggest it's a candidate for Game of the Year. The bottom line is that everyone seems to think it's...
Poll Are You Using the PS5's New Welcome Hub?
Welcome one and all
Most PS5 users should now have access to the 'Welcome' hub — a customisable screen that sits on your console's home menu, which basically just gives you a bunch of PS5 features at a glance. You can choose to see your friends list, your friends' recent game-related activities, your Trophy count, your controller's battery...
Taking a (Day)break
With the release of Trails through Daybreak earlier this year, Ys X: Nordics fast approaching, and Trails through Daybreak 2 arriving in February, we once again got to catch up with Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo at a recent UK press event. We asked Kondo-san all sorts of questions about the Trails series in particular,...
