Latest Features
Live Watch PlayStation's State of Play Livestream Right Here (30th May, 2024)
Astro Bot! Concord! More?
Looking to watch PlayStation’s State of Play livestream? This is the big one – apparently. Sony’s big summer showcase is upon us, although the days of glitzy 90-minute stage shows from the E3 era are long in the past. The Japanese giant will instead be conducting a tight, half-hour show with an emphasis on 14 upcoming...
Preview Trails through Daybreak Is Set to Push Falcom's Fantastic RPG Series Forward
Ad-Van-tage
It seems to be a universal rule that whenever we write about the Trails games, there's at least one person in the comments asking where they should begin with Falcom's long-running RPG series. Naturally, the ideal answer to this query is "with the first game", but not everyone has the time — or patience — to play through at least...
Guide What Time Is PlayStation's State of Play?
Dates, times, and what to expect
What time is Sony's State of Play livestream, and when and where can you watch it? State of Play is Sony's irregularly scheduled show for providing updates on the latest games coming to PS5, PS4, and PSVR2. Usually a little smaller in scale than a PlayStation Showcase, the State of Play will still be worth watching...
Talking Point State of Play May 2024 Predictions - What's Next for PS5?
Play it again
Bloody hell, it's finally happening. While it might not be a full-on PlayStation Showcase — as was rumoured — Sony is putting on a State of Play broadcast, which will be its first event since February. The 30-minute showing promises a look at 14 games, but what's actually in store for us starved PlayStation fans? We've gathered...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 530
Dragon balls
It’s been a lighter period for new releases, but as you’ll no doubt be aware, there’s tons and tons of titles to play across all PlayStation platforms. Here’s what’s keeping us busy. Aaron Bayne: I'm a bit all over the place this weekend. I'll likely sink a bit more time into XDefiant, chip away at Assassin's Creed Odyssey,...
Hands On Will Wuthering Waves Really Replace Genshin Impact on PS5, PS4?
A new challenger enters the arena
Wuthering Waves has released worldwide amid a global marketing campaign likely to have HoYoverse’s higher-ups in cold sweats. The game has seen wall-to-wall promotion here in Asia, where the release’s anime promotional material can be glimpsed in every baseball commercial break, inside most subway stations, and...
Poll Will the Rumoured PlayStation Showcase Be Announced Soon?
Put your rep on the line
Yep, it's that time of year, when the speculation flows and Geoff Keighley refuses to move away from the spotlight. And as per usual, we're sat here waiting on Sony to do something, anything. It's no secret that the Japanese giant holds its cards incredibly close to its chest these days, but now that the PS5's release...
Soapbox Once a PS4 Console Exclusive, PS5 Players Are Missing a Visual Stunner in Hellblade 2
Senua's saga continues elsewhere
Back when it was released on PS4 and PC back in 2017, we gave Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice an 8/10 in our review and highlighted that the way it uses the "unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health" is what "elevates this release beyond the sum of its parts". Since then, Microsoft has bought...
Feature Revisiting PlayStation Showcase 2023, an Event Sony Must Improve Upon
We go again
At the time of writing, we still don't know for sure if Sony is planning an imminent PlayStation Showcase. The rumours strongly suggest that it is happening, and that it is happening soon — but as we sit here twiddling our thumbs, waiting for PlayStation to (hopefully) deliver the goods, we thought it'd be fun to look back at Sony's...
Interview Capcom on Why Monster Hunter Stories Is Finally Coming to PS4
Stories to be told
Next month, two Monster Hunter spinoff games are coming to PlayStation for the first time. Both the original Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, are being ported to PS4 — but why now? We were lucky enough to ask producer Yoshihiro Akira this very question, while also getting the scoop...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for May 2024?
Plus or minus?
Another month, another selection of PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games that divides opinion. All available to download from next week, the initial reaction to the lineup announcement seemed to skew negatively, so now it's time to conduct the usual weekend Poll to get everyone's full thoughts. In case you need a reminder, the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 529
An odyssey
Gosh, the weekends come around quickly, don't they? That's not necessarily a bad thing when there's hours upon hours of gaming to be done, though. Here's what we're playing. Aaron Bayne: On top of wrapping up a game for review this weekend, I'll also take a trip to ancient Greece in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The Assassin's Creed Shadows...
All God of War games ranked and rated
What are the best God of War games? In the pantheon of popular PlayStation intellectual properties, God of War occupies the throne room alongside other household names like Uncharted and Gran Turismo. Developed (mostly) by Santa Monica Studio, the beloved series has evolved from its pure action game roots into a...
Reaction Why You Shouldn't Worry Too Much About PS5's Year-on-Year Decline
Context is key
The games industry is caught in a tidal wave of negativity, and if you pay attention to social media, you may be forgiven for thinking the sky is falling. Sony posted a pretty positive financial report earlier this week, but the headlines that have come out of it run counter to that: PS5 declined 29 per cent year-over-year, is...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 528
May this journey lead us starward
Another week has come to a premature conclusion, so it's time to discuss what we're playing this weekend. There's tons to choose from, so here's what's keeping us busy. Aaron Bayne: I'm on the final boss of Stellar Blade so the aim is to get through that. Hopefully with a bit more ease than the last couple of...
Poll Years Later, How Do You Feel About PlayStation's PC Strategy?
Mastering the master race
PlayStation has been porting its titles to PC for years now. The landscape has changed quite dramatically in the last decade or so, and companies like Sony have seen a need to expand their reach, even if it means sacrificing the more traditional concept of exclusive games. Even now, we're witnessing a significant shift in...
Hands On Stellar Blade Does PS5 New Game + the Right Way
A great reason to replay
Stellar Blade is a fantastic game that deserves your attention – but it actually got better after the review embargo lifted with the addition of New Game +. One of the only minor criticisms we had of the Shift Up title in our Stellar Blade PS5 review was that it felt like a game that deserved to be replayed, but during the...
Poll What Do You Think of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Ending?
Materia desires
Spoiler Warning: Naturally, this article contains major story spoilers for both the original Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It's been over two months since the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and so we think it's about time to try and discuss the game's ending. With Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Square Enix made it clear...
Talking Point Have Sony's Third-Party PS5 Deals Made Up for Its Lack of First-Party Games?
Deal or no deal
We can probably all agree that this current console generation has been a bit weird. Going by the data, the PS5 has been an obvious commercial success so far, but there's plenty of conversation surrounding the console's supposed lack of first-party blockbusters — true PS5 exclusives that really knock your socks off. What's become...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for May 2024?
Plus or minus?
Earlier this week, PlayStation confirmed May's PS Plus Essential update, and there are technically four games up for grabs. We say technically because one of them is an expansion in the form of Destiny 2: Lightfall. If you're looking to get into Bungie's live and ongoing shooter, then this could be the time, ahead of The Final Shape's...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 527
May day
It's been a couple of weeks since your humble host put together the week's WAYP, so it's finally time for yours truly to pull his weight. Without further ado, let's get into it. Aaron Bayne: It's a gaming buffet for me this weekend, which means I'll probably play next to none of them. Regardless though I'm relatively close to beating...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Stellar Blade?
Beginning to bel-Eve
Stellar Blade has been out for a week now, and so we're wondering what you think of this latest PS5 exclusive. South Korean developer Shift Up's first attempt at a console release, the blade-based action game was met with many a positive review score — and it seems to have pleased a lot of players, too. "Stellar Blade is a...
Feature Final Fantasy 16 Expansion Pass Review: Is It Worth Buying?
Final Fantasy 16's DLC offering reviewed
Final Fantasy 16 released on the 22nd June 2023, offering up an action-heavy RPG that greatly deviates from the more traditional blueprints of past Final Fantasy titles. Initially, Square Enix had no plans to expand the game with DLC, but several months after its launch, in September 2023, the publisher...
Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for May and June 2024
Dragon Ball! Elden Ring! SMTV!
On the hunt for some shiny new games for your PS5? Well, you're certainly in the right place! As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly noteworthy physical releases headed to PlayStation 5 over the next few weeks, as well as a larger selection of games that could well be worth a look too...
Poll Are You Playing Sea of Thieves on PS5?
Raise the sails
The highly rated co-op adventure that is Sea of Thieves has arrived on PS5, marking developer Rare's first ever release on PlayStation platforms, if you can believe it. The game first launched for Xbox One and PC back in 2018, and it's been heavily updated over the years, to the point where it's managed to maintain a very healthy...
Talking Point What's Next for Xbox Games on PS5, PS4?
Phase one complete
Following yesterday's launch of Sea of Thieves on PS5, Microsoft has now delivered on its initial multi-platform promise to bring some of its exclusive Xbox experiences to new consoles. Having made the surprise announcement in February, the firm has brought Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, and the aforementioned seafaring...
Preview Luna Abyss Is the Thrilling Bullet Hell Demonspawn of DOOM and Returnal
Bullet heaven
It feels like it's been a while since we've had an exciting new single-player FPS on PS5. Sure, there've been a few releases here and there, like last year's Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, but nothing has really had the same impact as when DOOM Eternal or Metro Exodus released. However, Luna Abyss could be that next game with its...
TV Show Review Knuckles - Fun, Lighthearted Spin-Off Eases the Wait for Sonic 3
Victory
Despite some early bumps in the road, Sonic the Hedgehog's live action movie adaptations have been a big success. A third film is due to arrive at the tail end of 2024, and if it's anything like its predecessors, it'll not only boom at the box office, but it'll also be another entertaining all-ages flick the whole family can enjoy. We have...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 526
All hallowed Eve
There's a big, new, shiny PS5 exclusive on the scene, and we expect it'll be a popular pick this weekend. Yes, Stellar Blade is here, and it's well worth checking out if you're in the mood for some good old-fashioned monster-murking action. There's lots of other stuff to play, though, as our team shows with an eclectic mix of PS5...
Hands On Fallout 4 Next-Gen Runs Great on PS5, But Some Old Problems Persist
Fall in, Fallout
Ah, the Commonwealth. A great example of dense open world design, Fallout 4 still has its charms almost a full decade after its original release in 2015. We've spent a good ten hours or so with the game's freshly launched PS5 version, and we're here to report on our findings with regards to technical performance. For the record,...
Poll Are You Playing Stellar Blade?
Parry time
Stellar Blade, the latest PS5 exclusive, is out now on Sony's current-gen console. This is a big budget, out-and-out action game — something of a rarity these days — and it's been met with a slew of high scoring reviews. Needless to say, a lot of PlayStation fans have been waiting for this one. We called it a "stellar PS5 debut" for...
Random I Met My Favourite Korean Cheerleader Because of Eve and Stellar Blade
To Dahye for
As the only British baseball fan on Planet Earth, I had one simple mission when I first arrived in Taipei: to choose a local team to support. Taiwan is infatuated with America’s former favourite pastime, and it’s even dedicated a spot on its $1,000 note to a celebrating squad. After much deliberation, I settled on the Rakuten...
Video Does Fallout 4 Look Better on PS5?
The nuclear fallout has never looked smoother
Fallout 4 has just received its long-awaited PS5 upgrade amidst the fervour conjured up by the Amazon Prime TV show. We’ve endured a little radiation to check out whether this native PS5 port has been worth the wait, and the results are mixed depending on who you ask. You can check out our...
Poll Are You Playing Fallout 4's Next-Gen Version?
Have you seen my son?
First announced in 2022, the next-gen version of Fallout 4 is finally here — and it's no coincidence that its release roughly aligns with the arrival of Amazon's Fallout series. The post-apocalyptic property is once again a big deal — almost a decade after Fallout 4's original release — and so we want to know if you're...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 525
And chill
The release calendar for major PS5, PS4 titles is still a little dry at the moment, so if you're anything like our editorial team and range of freelancers, you'll be diving into indie hits, catching up on your backlog, or enjoying the Fallout TV show. Here's what's occupying our time this weekend. Aaron Bayne: Although I'm currently...
Poll Are You Playing Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide?
Making waves
The second and final expansion for Final Fantasy 16, titled The Rising Tide, is out now on PS5 — and if you can believe it, we're fast approaching the base game's first anniversary. But such a realisation has made us wonder... Are you returning to Final Fantasy 16 in order to play through this new DLC? Or could it be that the...
Preview Tails of Iron 2 Adds Monster Hunting, Undead Bats in Scaled Up Sequel
Fight fur survival
The original Tails of Iron was quietly a big success for developer Odd Bug Studio. The action RPG about a kingdom of rats has drawn in a lot of fans thanks to its sketch-like art style, deliberate combat, and explorable world. We suppose the fact it's narrated by Doug Cockle — voice of Geralt in The Witcher series — may have...
Video Is Fallout 76 Worth Playing in 2024?
(Vault) dwelling in the past
If, like us, you’ve been watching the new Fallout show on Amazon Prime, then you’ve likely turned to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium to download or stream one of Bethesda’s iconic RPGs. For us, we skirted the mu
High tide
Final Fantasy 16 was one of our favourite games of 2023, and so we wanted to find out more about The Rising Tide — the title's second and final expansion — ahead of its release on the 18th April. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to land an interview with Takeo Kujiraoka — the veteran Square Enix dev who's actually the director of...
Interview Hangar 13 on TopSpin 2K25's Triumphant PS5 Return
A killer serve, 13 years in the making
TopSpin 2K25 is about to be served up on PS5, and after playing the game at a hands-on preview, it’s quietly become one of our most anticipated releases of the year. From top tennis talent to this long-dormant franchise getting the 2K treatment, there’s plenty of reason for us to be excited — but what...
Feature Push Square Readers' Top 10 PS5 Games of 2024 So Far
As voted by you
The first quarter of 2024 has been crazy, especially if you're a fan of Japanese games. The release schedule has been pretty much non-stop since January, and so earlier in the week, we asked the Push Square community to vote on their favourite titles of the last four months. Over 1,000 votes were cast, and users had to choose just...
Poll Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for April 2024?
Plus or minus?
16 more games are heading to PS Plus through the Extra and Premium tiers this month, and as is often the case, there's quite a lot of variety on show. April's offering is headlined by not one, not two, but three brand new releases on PS5 and PS4: the incredibly highly rated Dave the Diver, the promising
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 524
Must be Fate
The release schedule is really slow right now, after a mad dash to the end of the fiscal year. It means this is a good opportunity to catch up on titles from your backlog, or revisit a favourite from yesteryear. Aaron Bayne: On top of my continued Ghost of Tsushima playthrough, I'm considering dipping back into Destiny 2 this weekend...
No horsing around
We've always been massive fans of Vanillaware here at Push Square. The talented Japanese developer has been crafting bangers for decades now, and its latest release, a gorgeous strategy RPG called Unicorn Overlord, is arguably one of its best games to date. So, when we were handed the opportunity to interview someone who's worked...
TV Show Review Fallout - RPG Series Marks Another TV Triumph
There and back again
TV shows based on and inspired by video games are good now, so the weight of expectation upon Fallout's shoulders is heavier than what it would have been even just a few years ago. HBO and PlayStation Productions proved with The Last of Us that using a game as your source material doesn't necessarily spell disaster, then the...
Talking Point What's Your Favourite PS5 Game of 2024 So Far?
It's been a wild few months
And just like that, the first quarter of 2024 is over. Done. Finished. But what a quarter it's been! The release schedule had us scrambling to review a crazy number of high profile titles, but now that we've emerged victorious, we'd like to take a moment to reflect on our favourite PS5 games of the year... so far. Now...
Video Our Favourite PS5 Games of 2024 So Far
It's been a crazy few months
At the behest of our lovely video producer Aaron, we've taken a quick look back at the year so far, and decided on which PS5 games have impressed us the most. Granted, it's only early April, but 2024's schedule has been manic. Tekken 8, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, Dragon's...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 523
Ac!d test
Now everyone's hopefully over their Easter chocolate comas, it's time once again to play some flippin' video games. There are simply too many of them, and we all need to work together to conquer them all. Here's what's keeping us occupied this weekend. Aaron Bayne: After ripping my way through to Act 3 of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut...
Poll How Much Do You Care About 60fps on PS5?
Frame trapped
Ah, the great debate. Does 60 frames-per-second really make a difference? Well, yes, it objectively does, but do you personally care about having the option in current-gen games? That's what we're here to find out. Frame rates have long been a talking point when it comes to console gaming, but every now and then, the conversation...
Preview Sand Land Could Be a Surprise PS5 Hit, But the Grind Has to Be Good
Demonic influence
Sand Land, the open world adaptation of Akira Toriyama's standalone manga, has real potential. And honestly, that surprised us, because we had this game (perhaps unfairly) tagged as another somewhat underwhelming Bandai Namco tie-in. But now, having played through several hours of the adventure ourselves, we think this could be one...
