Game of the Year Best PlayStation Move Game of 2012
Motion in the ocean
Review The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series (PlayStation 3)
Everyday we're shufflin'
News - December, 2012
Monday31st Dec 2012
Game of the Year Best PlayStation 3 Game of 2012
Hit discs
For a year that promised so much from a retail perspective, 2012 was more of a letdown than adulthood. Multiple delays, mismanaged expectations, and some genuinely below-par blockbusters sucked the air out of the period more promptly than a perfectly positioned Whoopee Cushion. But while the past twelve months were defined by...
Store Update 31st December 2012 (North America)
Party poppers
Just before we trundle up to bed with long faces and our hot water bottles, we figured we should share with you the final North American PlayStation Store update of 2012. That’s dedication for you. As you’d expect, there’s not a whole lot worth getting excited about – but free copies of Jetpack Joyride for both PlayStation 3...
Rumour Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Starting a Revolution Soon
We all want to change the world
It looks like the first expansion pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 isn’t far away. Leaked promotional materials teasing an add-on called ‘Revolution’ suggest that the content is set to arrive on the Xbox 360 on 29th January. As always, PlayStation 3 owners will be made to wait at least a month due to...
News Square Enix Conjures New Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX Screenshots
Disney magic
Square Enix has revealed some brand new screenshots from the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. The remastered compilation – featuring Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Re:Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days – was announced back in September, and will include full Trophy sup
News NBA Jam: On Fire Edition Slam Dunks North American PS Plus
Hot shot
If you’re nursing a nasty bout of man flu this New Year’s Eve – the Push Square office is a bubbling pot of coughs, sneezes, and snot this evening – then at least you’ll be able to console your misery with a gallon of Lemsip and a complimentary copy of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. Sony has announced the next batch of PlayStation Plus...
News Destination PlayStation Pledges First Look at Sony's Upcoming Releases
Brace yourself
Sony’s set the date for its 13th annual Destination PlayStation event in North America. The retailer centric conference is scheduled to run between 25th and 28th February, promising plenty of “food, drink, and a first look at all the amazing new releases coming from Sony Computer Entertainment America in 2013”. We'll fetch our...
News UK Sales Charts: Far Cry 3 Finishes 2012 on a High
Leading from the front
Far Cry 3 couldn’t quite displace Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 in the penultimate UK sales chart of the year – but ongoing retailer promotions have propelled it to the summit of the final countdown of 2012. It was a huge week for Ubisoft in general, with both Assassin’s Creed III and Just Dance 4
Sunday30th Dec 2012
Game of the Year Best PSN Game of 2012
Divine downloads
The quality of the content available from the PlayStation Network has been growing faster than a lawn dressed in Miracle-Gro – but no year emphasised that better than 2012. Sony’s digital storefront was practically bursting with blockbuster titles this year, many of them pushing the boundaries of the medium itself. With so much...
News Aliens: Colonial Marines Story Trailer Flashes Its Teeth
Remember to floss
We reckon that a trip to the dentist is in order for some of the extraterrestrial beings in this Aliens: Colonial Marines story trailer. We understand that maintaining a nightmarish persona is time consuming work, but it’s hard to chew flesh without a well groomed set of gnashers. You'll be able to brave the bad breath from 12th...
Saturday29th Dec 2012
Game of the Year Best PlayStation Vita Game of 2012
Pocket rockets
Sony clearly intended for the PlayStation Vita to sprint out of the starting blocks quicker than Usain Bolt when it deployed the system in February. It didn’t. But by launching the platform alongside a star-studded software line-up, at least it ensured that we had plenty to play on the train this year. Best PlayStation Vita Game of...
News Deus Ex Developer Crafting Tomb Raider Multiplayer
Sticks and stones
As originally reported yesterday, Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming Tomb Raider reboot will be bolstered by an online multiplayer component. The mode – which was confirmed by, er, Official Xbox Magazine – is in development at Eidos Montreal, the team behind Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
Friday28th Dec 2012
Game of the Year Best PlayStation Move Game of 2012
Motion in the ocean
With new console launches hogging the headlines harder than Kristen Stewart and Harry Styles, the PlayStation Move was pushed to the sidelines slightly in 2012. But while the motion peripheral may have been left howling for attention louder than a member of The Wanted, it still managed to muster a selection box of software worth...
News Sony Ceases PlayStation 2 Shipments in Japan
End of an era
It’s the beginning of the end – but not in the way that the Mayans predicted. After almost 13 years on the market, the iconic PlayStation 2 is finally starting its transition into the console retirement home. Reports coming out of Famitsu magazine suggest that Sony has ceased shipping the system to Japanese retailers today, meaning...
Rumour Tomb Raider to Take the Fight for Survival Online
Tales from the crypt
Lara Croft’s desperate pursuit for survival may take a trip through Ethernet cables and routers, as UK retailer GAME appears to have leaked a top-secret multiplayer mode for Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming Tomb Raider reboot. The information – which has been hastily yanked – explained that you will be able to "play a variety...
Thursday27th Dec 2012
News PlayStation Home Arcade Brings More Mini-Games to Vita
Spare change
A new application that allows you to play PlayStation Home mini-games on the PlayStation Vita has been spotted in the European PlayStation Store. The free download – discovered by PS Vita Round Up – features playable versions of WipEout 2D, Ice Breaker, and Scribble Shooter. The latter is represented in demo form, but the full...
Game of the Year Best PlayStation Minis Game of 2012
Mini marvels
If this year proves to be the last for Sony’s short-lived PlayStation Minis initiative, then at least the platform holder can boast that the service bowed out with a bang. Sure, the selection of bite-sized blockbusters may have struggled to fill the bottom layer of a cheap box of chocolates, but slim pickings are satisfactory when...
News Japanese Sales Charts: PSP Topples Newer Sony Systems
You can’t keep a good platform down
The aging PlayStation Portable has reaffirmed its relevance by outselling the PlayStation 3 and Vita in the Japanese sales charts this week. Sony’s classic handheld sold 65,859 units during the tracked timeframe, and had two titles in the top five. Both One Piece: Romance Dawn and AKB1/149: Love Election sold...
News Dead Space 3 Demo Deploys the Horror from 22nd January
Death by dismemberment
A playable demo for Visceral Games’ upcoming space horror sequel Dead Space 3 will crawl onto the PlayStation Network from 22nd January, publisher EA Games has announced. The short sampler will allow you to get a taste for the title’s controversial co-op mode, thrusting you “into deep space terror unwilling hero –...
Wednesday26th Dec 2012
News Pick Up a 12GB PlayStation 3 Super Slim for Less Than £120
No excuse
If your wallet’s flush with festive cash, you might want to consider blowing it on a cut-price PlayStation 3 Super Slim this holiday. The UK branch of online mega retailer Amazon is currently selling 12GB iterations of Sony’s premium platform for just £119.99. If that sells out,
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Christmas?
Play another day
Now that the chaos of Christmas Day is finally over, you can lean into the most enjoyable part of the season: the aftermath. Assuming you’ve done the sensible thing and avoided the Boxing Day sales, you should have the rest of the week to sit back and enjoy some quality time with your PlayStation 3 and Vita. Before we ask what...
News Coconut Dodge Is Creeping onto the PlayStation Vita
We can't wait to crab a copy
Coconut Dodge, the time sapping PlayStation Mini from Velocity developer FuturLab, is following in its successor’s footsteps and getting a full PlayStation Vita re-release. “Special Christacean Message: Clawrence is also coming to Vita natively in 2013 with online scores, PSN Trophies, and HD coconuts,” the...
Tuesday25th Dec 2012
News We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Rockin' around the PS3
It’s only been Christmas for a few hours, but we suspect you’ve already witnessed a ferocious family feud over the dinner table. How do we know? Well, because it’s much the same scenario in our neck of the woods too. We never imagined that spilled gravy would lead to the equivalent of World War III. Still, while the...
Monday24th Dec 2012
News BioShock Infinite's Reverse Box Art Is Much Better
Drawn to life
Regular readers will recall the brouhaha surrounding BioShock Infinite’s atrocious box art. After admitting that the cover was chosen as bait for frat boys, Irrational Games' gaffer Ken Levine also revealed that the developer would be producing an alternative image for players with more refined tastes. And here it is. The art was...
News Grand Theft Auto V Goes Deep Sea Diving This Christmas
New screenshots plunge to uncharted depths
While you’ll certainly be spending plenty of time on dry land in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V, it also looks like you’ll be in for some aquatic activities, too. Rockstar Games has opted to celebrate the impending holidays with a batch of brand new screenshots focusing on a bathysphere and a great...
Round Table Time for a Festive Chat
Visiting the gaming ghosts of past, present and future
So this is Christmas, and we hope you have fun. That is the whole point of video games anyway, and we're sure that as Sony gamers you've had a rather good year. We've seen the release of the fabulous Vita which — despite disappointing sales — has redefined the power and multi-functionality...
News Guerrilla Gearing Up for Biggest Year Since First Killzone Launch
More details at a future date
Guerrilla Games has teased that it may have more titles on the horizon than the upcoming PlayStation Vita spin-off Killzone: Mercenary. In a Christmas themed PlayStation Blog post, community manager Victor Zuylen noted that “2013 is gearing up to be another big year” for the Dutch studio, and “quite possibly the...
Store Update 24th December 2012 (North America)
Christmas edition
T’was the night before Christmas, when everyone stressed – but Sony was still busy, ensuring the PlayStation Store refreshed. In truth, there’s very little worth mentioning on this week’s North American update aside from MotorStorm RC Complete Edition and a bunch of fresh festive discounts. You can read more about those...
News NA PS Plus Subscribers Nab Retro City Rampage
Someone notify The Grinch
You may have a large pile of presents neatly positioned beneath the Christmas tree, but that’s not all you’re getting this week. Assuming you’re a PlayStation Plus member, you’ll be able to download a complimentary copy of Retro City Rampage for both the PlayStation 3 and Vita later today. That's a $14.99 value made...
News Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Keeps UK Sales Charts Captive
Winter warmer
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 weathered a valiant assault from Far Cry 3 to steal the UK sales charts’ festive top spot this week. Despite seeing sales rise by 86 per cent after a slew of holiday discounts, Ubisoft’s tropical adventure couldn’t quite outpace Activision’s blockbuster, which became the first title in 2012 to top the...
Sunday23rd Dec 2012
News Who Fancies Some Free Festive PlayStation Minis?
Raises hand
Sony is giving away four – yes, four – PlayStation Minis to gamers who participate in a spot of viral marketing this holiday. In order to unwrap the goodies, all you need to do is visit the manufacturer’s Facebook page and follow the simple instructions. You'll need to bombard your friends with plenty of promotional material in the...
News Far Cry 3's Price Shot to Pieces in European Christmas Sale
Crackin' deal
If the relentless rain outside is getting you down, then you might be tempted by a trip to warmer climes this winter. Thankfully, Ubisoft has added Far Cry 3 to Sony's ongoing European Christmas countdown, allowing you to snap up the tropical adventure for just £24.99/€34.99. The title’s currently cheaper in retail outlets – but...
News We Don't Know What to Make of This Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Commercial
Fruit pie
Danica Patrick should not be in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed – but we suppose publisher SEGA may as well take advantage of her while she is. This commercial for the casual kart racer shows the Go Daddy girl racing against a couple of full grown adults dressed as Sonic the Hedgehog and AiAi from Super Monkey Ball. It’s the...
Saturday22nd Dec 2012
News New Resident Evil 6 Costumes Highlight Ada's Angles
Jill sandwich
You better hope that you’re secretly the master of unlocking, because these retro Resident Evil 6 costumes are worth shouting about. Arguably the best thing to come out of the disappointing sequel since the first screenshots of Leon S. Kennedy’s floppy hair, these amazing retro character costumes can be obtained by participating in...
News Milestone: No Plans for WRC Powerslide on PlayStation Vita
Up and go
Despite committing a number of its titles to the PlayStation Vita, Italian outfit Milestone has decided not to release its upcoming arcade racing spin-off WRC Powerslide on the handheld. Chatting to us overnight, the company revealed that the title will be coming to consoles only when it releases in early 2013. “We are working on a new...
News Free Your Frustration with Angry Birds Trilogy DLC
Fowl flingin'
If the PlayStation 3 version of the Angry Birds Trilogy wasn’t already expensive enough, publisher Activision has decided to inflate the package’s price with a brand new DLC pack. Like foie gras without the animal cruelty, you’ll be able to enlarge the retail release with 130 brand new levels courtesy of the Anger Management...
Friday21st Dec 2012
Talking Point Could 2013 Be the PlayStation 3's Biggest Year Yet?
On autopilot
It hasn’t exactly been a banner year for the PlayStation 3. The system’s trundled along, there’s no doubt about that – but from a first-party perspective, the past twelve months have been all about treading water. A quick glance at the console’s upcoming release schedule e
News Jetpack Joyride Flies to PS3 and Vita with Free Trophies
Merry Christmas
Beatshapers must be fuming. The developer has only just released its premium PlayStation Minis version of Jetpack Joyride – but now Australian outfit Big Ant Studios has followed up with a superior edition for the PlayStation 3 and Vita. The free-to-play title – available now in Europe and on 31st December in North America –...
Out Today Knytt Underground and Fuel Overdose (Europe)
Dark days before Christmas
Sony’s really getting into the swing of the festive season this week by pledging two European PlayStation Store updates. If you connect to the digital storefront later today, you’ll find a fresh helping of content to enjoy. Notable additions include Knytt Underground, Fuel Overdose, the Angry Birds Trilogy, and...
Rumour Ubisoft Could Publish the Next Saints Row Game
Assassin's greed
There’s just enough time for one more rumour before the games industry closes down for Christmas. According to sources close to MCV, Ubisoft is plotting a bid for THQ’s assets. If successful, the French company would control all of the struggling publisher’s studios and intellectual property, including franchises such as...
News Hitman Absolution Is the Latest Target in Sony's European Sale
Decisions, decisions
If we hadn’t successfully survived the end of the world last night, then we would have missed out on another cracking deal in Sony’s ongoing European Christmas countdown. Right now you can pick up the recently released Hitman Absolution for just £19.99/€29.99. That’s roughly the same price as the physical edition –...
Thursday20th Dec 2012
News Capcom Disappointed By Slouching Resident Evil 6 Sales
Zombie infection contained
Capcom has announced its latest financial earnings, stating that the disappointing sales of Resident Evil 6 have caused the company to lower its estimated profits for the year. While figures for the undead offering started well – shifting an amazing 634,000 units on the PlayStation 3 in its first week in Japan alone –...
News WRC Powerslide Drifts onto PlayStation Network Next Year
Slip slidin'
If your thumbs aren’t capable of controlling a rally car in Milestone’s annual WRC series, then perhaps the Italian outfit’s upcoming arcade spin-off will be more up your alley. Set to release in early 2013, WRC Powerslide will deliver a “frenetic” twist on the offroad motorsport, complete with arcade physics and a new...
News Dead or Alive 5 Plus Will Allow You to Poke Your Rivals
Not like that
Tecmo Koei has finally decided to furnish us with some screenshots of its upcoming PlayStation Vita fighter Dead or Alive 5 Plus. While the images look great, we can’t help but feel that they look a little too great. After all, it’s not like publishers are always honest about the appearance of their games. Alongside the suspicious...
News 2K Games Hunts Down Borderlands 2 DLC Release Date
Cabela's quivering in his boots
Loot lovers will get a third helping of Borderlands 2 action next month, when the recently revealed Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt expansion targets the PlayStation 3. North American players will be able to stalk the DLC from 15th January, while European gamers will have to wait an extra day. The content – which...
News Sony Slashes the Price of Critical Darlings in European PSN Sale
You know what you need to do
Drop everything, because Sony has chopped the price of two of its most popular downloadable titles on the European PlayStation Store. Right now you can purchase both Journey and The Unfinished Swan for just £9.99/€12.99. That represents a 50 per cent saving over the duo’s normal price point, with PlayStation Plus...
News Star Trek Sets Phasers to Fun from 23rd April
Spock long to wait
Namco Bandai will beam Digital Extreme’s co-operative Star Trek title onto store shelves from 23rd April in North America and 26th April in Europe. The game will be available both physically and from the PlayStation Store, with pre-orders opening at participating retailers from tomorrow. Those that register their interest in...
News Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable Invades Europe Next Month
All sorts of antics await
Forget about Mayan calendars and apocalyptic predictions – the insects are set to invade sooner than we expected. Namco Bandai has sent word that Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable – the PlayStation Vita port of Sandlot’s cult classic – will deploy in Europe on 16th January. Those of you lucky enough to live in North...
News Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII's First Trailer Strikes
Oh, and it lights up the night
If you’re still interested in Square Enix’s pretentiously dubbed Fabula Nova Crystallis plotline, then you’ll probably be eager to watch the first trailer for upcoming spin-off Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The video – which shows the titular heroine sporting a fetching new costume and a pair of...
News Inversion Developer Saber Switches on God Mode
Revengeance
Saber Interactive clearly believes that the world would benefit from another third-person shooter. The developer – responsible for Inversion and TimeShift – has announced God Mode, a brand new co-operative action game heading to the PlayStation Network next year. The title puts you in control of an ancient God who’s been stripped...
Wednesday19th Dec 2012
News There's Another PlayStation Vita Firmware Update On the Way
Oh, come on
Sony promised that firmware updates on the PlayStation Vita would be significantly less intrusive – but so far they’ve been a right pain. The platform holder has already had to fix last month’s massive update due to cloud save sync issues, and now it’s at it again. The official PlayStation Twitter account notes that v2.02
Store Update 19th December 2012 (Europe)
It's full of stars
There’s a lot to get through in this week’s European PlayStation Store update, so we’re not even going to waste our time on witty quips and puns. Highlights include: Fuel Overdose, Knytt Underground, Labyrinth Legends, and many more. It’s perhaps worth noting that a handful of the new arrivals won't actually release until...
News Would You Kindly Watch the Opening of BioShock Infinite?
Columbia, here we come
It’s our job to provide detailed analysis of everything that occurs in PlayStation, but sometimes we’re simply not able to. This is one of those occasions. Y'see, for some bizarre reason, Irrational Games has decided to release a video of BioShock Infinite's first five minutes. We don’t want to watch it. Why? Well,...
Store Update 18th December 2012 (North America)
Festive favourites
Remember when we hinted that Bully was coming to the PlayStation 3? Well, it’s here already. Publisher Rockstar Games has unceremoniously dropped a trio of PS2 Classics onto the North American PlayStation Store overnight, with Red Dead Revolver, Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition Remix, and the aforementioned high school adventure all...
News Uncharted 3 Unwraps Free Christmas Content
Gift bag
Naughty Dog has clearly been having plenty of fun in the run up to Christmas – and you’re all invited to join in on the frivolity. The award winning developer has produced a couple of seasonal avatar items for Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which will allow you to kit out your character with a “present” hat and a goofy t-shirt...
News THQ Selling Assets, Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Oh no
The writing’s been on the wall for a while, but publisher THQ has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today. The company’s currently in the process of selling all of its assets to Clearlake Capital Group, a private equity firm. Once complete, Clearlake will control “THQ's operating business, including THQ's four owned studios and games in...
News BioShock 2 Plunders the Depths of January's EU PS Plus Update
Plenty more to look forward to
Sony’s not even finished furnishing our hard drives with this month's European PlayStation Plus goodies – but it’s already turning its attention to 2013. Starting from 2nd January, you’ll be invited on an all expenses paid trip to Rapture, when BioShock 2 joins the Instant Game Collection. That should give you...
News PlayStation 3 Sales Surpass 30 Million Units in Europe
Untouchable
Europe has always been a stronghold for Sony, and that looks unlikely to change. The platform holder has announced that as of 17th December it has sold (not shipped) a whopping 30 million PlayStation 3s across the territory. It looks like that budget 12GB system is really starting to do the business. “This is a major milestone for us...
Tuesday18th Dec 2012
First Impressions LittleBigPlanet 2's Cross-Controller Expansion Actually Works
Second screen
LittleBigPlanet 2’s hotly anticipated cross-controller add-on launches later today in North America (tomorrow in Europe), and we’ve already been lucky enough to experience the content's first couple of stages. For those out of the loop, the $4.99/€4.99 expansion adds several new cross-controller levels to the PlayStation 3 game...
News Rockstar Games' Bully Is Picking a Fight with PlayStation 3
Existentialism on prom night
If the recent release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the PlayStation Network wasn’t enough to quench your thirst for classic Rockstar Games titles, then you’re probably already salivating over the prospect of Bully coming to the PlayStation 3 as a PS2 Classic. During their daily ESRB watch, the eagle-eyed...
News Hideo Kojima's Celebratory PS3 Lunchbox Will Turn Your Tummy
Don't play with your food
We always assumed that money hats came in briefcases packed with one hundred dollar bills, but Sony clearly has different ideas. At its Tokyo headquarters earlier today, the platform holder presented Hideo Kojima with a specially prepared PlayStation 3 bento box, designed to celebrate Metal Gear Solid's recent 25th...
News Sony Drops North American PSN Discounts Down the Chimney
Multiple titles take the plunge
Sony has announced the first set of titles available as part of its festive North American PlayStation Network sale. The listed releases can be purchased at 30 per cent off, though PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to up their savings to 50 per cent. Cut price gems include the trippy Dyad, which we awarded an...
News Insomniac Games Blows a Fuse with Brand New Trailer
Keep your beak out
We know people are eager to throw Insomniac Games’ upcoming Fuse under a bus, but we reckon that this brand new trailer is solid. It’s got guns, it’s got laughs, and it’s even got some daft facial expressions. We suppose the only thing that it hasn’t got it is that awesome original art direction everyone seemed to love...
News Ken Levine Isn’t Convinced You’ll Like BioShock Infinite’s Ending
BioWare understands
In an interview with Outside Xbox (sorry!), BioShock Infinite designer Ken Levine has revealed a tidbit about the ending of his upcoming title, describing it as "unique" and unlike anything you'll have "experienced in a video game before". Chatting to the show, he said: "The plot actually gets more interesting as it goes on. The...
News Lara Croft Sets Up Camp in New Tomb Raider Trailer
Cold as ice
There will be no toasted marshmallows for Lara Croft when she goes camping in Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming Tomb Raider reboot. Instead, the legendary heroine will be forced to use her base to manage experience points and combat upgrades. No, it doesn’t sound like any of the camping expeditions we've been on either – but it has been...
Monday17th Dec 2012
News PlayStation Vita Celebrates Its First Birthday in Japan
Reports claim D:ream performed at the party
Somewhere in the corner of Sony’s main Tokyo office are a gaggle of glum looking executives sat around a sombre looking PlayStation Vita cake. Exactly twelve months ago, the handheld released in the organisation’s home territory amidst much expectation. But despite a huge turnout at launch, sales have...
News Sony: Cross-Controller Gives Publishers More Options
Wii who?
LittleBigPlanet 2’s upcoming cross-controller patch will essentially transform the PlayStation 3 into a Wii U, allowing players to interact with the console using the PlayStation Vita as a rather costly controller. But that’s not where the publisher’s ambition for the technology ends. "We definitely need more than one game to flaunt...
News Kratos Once Sported a Rather Fetching Blue Tattoo
God of azure
Kratos’ trademark look may not have changed much over the years, but series creator David Jaffe has revealed that the fearsome antihero went through a big makeover shortly before the original God of War was revealed to the press. According to the outspoken developer, at one point the protagonist sported blue tribal tattoos – until...
News Dark Souls' Creator Is Working on a New Project
Not necessarily a new IP
Dark Souls creator and director Hidetaka Miyazaki has announced in an interview with EDGE magazine that he is currently working on a new project. As previously reported, Miyazaki has stepped away from Dark Souls 2 in order to focus his attention on the mysterious title. Despi
News Muramasa: The Demon Blade Stuns with Brief Vita Footage
Watch Momohime in action
Back in September we reported that critically acclaimed Nintendo Wii action RPG Muramasa: The Demon Blade would be coming to the PlayStation Vita after a surprise announcement at Sony's Tokyo Game Show press conference. Since then Marvellous AQL has released a brief, albeit beautiful, clip of the remake in action, along with...
News God of War: Ascension Demo Forces a Spot on Total Recall Blu-ray
There will only be chaos
Just like in North America, Sony has confirmed that a demo for God of War: Ascension will slash its way onto Blu-ray copies of Total Recall in Europe. Is that the movie that casts Kate Beckinsale as a semi-naked Medusa? Or was that just a dream we had? Assuming you pick up the Extended Cut Edition of the Colin Farrell...
News Knytt Underground Lowers Itself onto PSN This Week
No delays
Indie developer Nicklas ‘Nifflas’ Nygren’s latest platformer Knytt Underground will target the PlayStation 3 and Vita this week. North American gamers will get their hands on the attractive adventure from 18th December, while European users will have to wait until 21st December. In order to make up for the three day sabbatical, the...
News LittleBigPlanet Karting Parks in the European Christmas Sales
Sackboy racer
It may not be the most polished racer on the block, but at least you can now grab LittleBigPlanet Karting at a heavily discounted price. Sony has cut the cost of the whimsical karting adventure from £39.99/€49.99 to £19.99/€24.99 on the European PlayStation Store. Even better, PlayStation Plus subscribers can scoop an additional...
News Anomaly: Warzone Earth Targets North American PlayStation Plus
Discount world
There’s no sign of Batman: Arkham City in this week’s North American PlayStation Plus update – but at least you’ll be able to console yourself with a complimentary copy of Anomaly: Warzone Earth instead. Wait. In truth, the 11 Bit Studios developed tower offence title is one of the most popular entries in the genre, but we...
News UK Sales Charts: Black Ops 2 Closes Out a Fifth Week
Number one with a bullet
We suspect that there are going to be a fair few copies of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 stuffed beneath the Christmas tree next Tuesday. Activision’s commercial steamroller has secured a fifth week at the top of the UK sales charts, equalling LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes’ spell at the summit. Hitman: Absolution surged...
Sunday16th Dec 2012
News Dark Souls 2's Visuals Are Comparable to Watch Dogs
May skip 2013
Dark Souls 2 may have been announced as a PlayStation 3 title, but it sounds like the hotly anticipated sequel will arrive on next-generation consoles too. EDGE magazine – who were shown a ten-minute playthrough of the game – reports that the upcoming adventure will boast visuals that are on par with Ubisoft’s ambitious
News Flying Hamster HD Soars onto European Vitas Next Week
Cute and cuddly
Flying Hamster HD will glide onto the PlayStation Vita on 19th December in Europe. The former PlayStation Mini has been completely overhauled for Sony’s slick new handheld, and will boast online leaderboards, four control schemes, and 15 Trophies as a result. If you haven’t played the original version of The Game Atelier’s...
Saturday15th Dec 2012
Review Persona 4 Golden (PlayStation Vita)
Vita's Golden Hand
Persona 4 Golden is a stunning game that’s arguably the most essential release in the PlayStation Vita’s catalogue thus far. An upgrade of the already outstanding PlayStation 2 title, developer Atlus has extended the adventure with new content, characters, and story. This is the definitive version of an incredible RPG, and you...
News Metal Gear Rising's North American Box Art Is a Cut Above
Chop, chop
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance’s international box art is great – but clearly publisher Konami was concerned that North American consumers wouldn't take to the close-up of protagonist Raiden’s robot face. As such, the company has produced a brand new image showing the aforementioned cyborg slicing an adversary in half. We suppose...
News Life of Pixel Is a Platformer Set Inside Classic Computers
Way back machine
There have already been a handful of interesting ideas published as part of Sony’s cross-platform portable gaming initiative PlayStation Mobile – but Super Icon’s upcoming Life of Pixel is in a different league. The quirky release – which is currently in submission with Sony – promises to deliver a puzzle platformer set...
News Need for Speed: Most Wanted Swiftly Added to European Sale
Hard to beat
If the reality of finding an exotic car in your Christmas stocking is looking less likely, at least you can console yourself with a cut-price copy of Need for Speed: Most Wanted instead. Sony’s slashed the price of the critically acclaimed PlayStation 3 racer to just £23.99/€29.99 on the European PlayStation Store this weekend,...
Friday14th Dec 2012
Review Black Knight Sword (PlayStation 3)
Nightmare before Christmas
Black Knight Sword is a hard game to describe. Its gameplay is nothing new – it’s essentially a side scrolling action game mixed with a lot of platforming. But in motion, the title paints a completely different picture – this is the stuff of nightmares. Saying Black Knight Sword is creepy is an understatement. Its...
News Sony Invites European Warriors to God of War: Ascension Beta
Test your might
There may not be emails in Olympus, but it’s a good thing that they exist on Earth. Sony’s just sent us an invitation to participate in the God of War: Ascension beta after registrations opened last month. If you’re successful, you’ll have received a notification on the same email address that your PlayStation Network account...
News Sony Launches PlayStation Blog Game of the Year Vote
Who's your number one?
It’s ironic that just as we started planning our own game of the year festivities behind the scenes – more on that soon – the PlayStation Blog has launched its own celebratory poll. This is a community endeavour, and it allows you to vote for your favourite PlayStation releases across a slew of different categories...
News Dead or Alive 5 Plus Gets Jiggy on 19th March in North America
Shake it all about
Tecmo Koei may be doing little more than porting its console titles to PlayStation Vita, but at least it’s releasing something on the platform. Sadly, that’s more than we can say for most other third-parties at the moment. Speaking of which: the company’s just announced a 19th March release date for Dead or Alive 5 Plus in...
News Sleeping Dogs Expands with New Island DLC Next Week
Also, who wants to play more RAGE?
If you’ve already successfully collapsed Hong Kong’s corrupt triads and exorcised the nation from the undead, then you might be excited to learn that Sleeping Dogs is travelling to a new island next week. The recently announced Zodiac Tournament pack will
News escapeVektor Makes a Swift Exit on PlayStation Vita Next Week
Last in, first out
Forget about escapeVector, we’re more taken with Australian developer Nnooo’s name. Imagine trying to schedule a meeting at the bank with a title like that. It would be a disaster. “Could you please tell us the name of your company for the diary, sir?” the receptionist would ask. “Nnooo,” you’d respond. Everyone...
News Who Is The Last of Us' Latest Survivor?
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
There are plenty more people living in The Last of Us' post-apocalyptic world than main protagonists Joel and Ellie. As evidenced by the title’s recent story trailer, there are actually a whole slew of survivors – including newcomer, Tess. “Strong, smart, and street savvy, Tess is a pivotal character in the world of...
News Velocity Developer FuturLab Sure Loves to Tease
You definitely asked for it
We thought Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima was the master of the countdown clock, but he may just need to renounce his crown. It turns out that there’s a new contender to the teaser throne, and it belongs to Coconut Dodge developer FuturLab. Not content with dropping hints in press releases, launching s
News Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus Infiltrates Vita on 26th February
Prior warning
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus will scurry onto North American store shelves on 26th February in North America, publisher Tecmo Koei has announced. It’ll take protagonist Ryu Hayabusa and crew a little while longer reach Europe, where the title will emerge on 1st March. The portable port of the console port – think about it – will...
News Metal Gear Rising Readies Its Revengeance Next Month
Holding out for a hero
A super stylish demo for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will chop the PlayStation Network into pieces next month, publisher Konami has announced. The swashbuckling short is the same snippet that was included with copies of the Zone of the Enders HD Collection in November. The demo is already available in Japan, but is...
Thursday13th Dec 2012
Review Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (PlayStation 3)
The paint runs thin
The first thing you’ll notice about Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is how sterile everything looks. Gone are the murky, almost depressing locales from the Nintendo Wii original, replaced by wholesome environments, which – at most – feature a little bit of damage here and there. In terms of grunge, this is more Bon Jovi...
Review Skylanders Giants (PlayStation 3)
Bigger and better?
Considering the success of the original Skylanders, it's no surprise that a sequel has already hit store shelves. Activision's accessory-laden adventure game commanded eye-watering sales figures during its last term at retail. But can a series that’s so heavily dependent on peripheral purchases thrive in its second outing?...
Rumour Developers Have More Confidence in the Xbox 720 than the PS4
But we don't know why
Thus far, everything we’ve heard about the next-generation has been vague. Countless rumours have pegged Sony’s fourth home console for late 2013, but that opinion appears to be changing. In a speculative piece posted this evening, North American website Kotaku has suggested that
News Sir Hammerlock Goes Hunting in New Borderlands 2 DLC
Skag shootin'
An errant batch of Borderlands 2 trinkets have once again outed the title’s upcoming post-release plans. Attentive users of the game’s official forums spotted the addition of a new set of Trophies following the release of a fresh patch earlier today. Like previous add-ons, there are three new emblems up for grabs in t
News Dead or Alive 5 Plus Picks a Fight with Europe on 22nd March
Put 'em up
European gamers will be able to engage in a spot of first-person fighting next year, when Dead or Alive 5 Plus attacks store shelves on 22nd March. Thus far, we've seen very little of the handheld port – well, aside from a few off-screen photographs – which makes the impending release date somewhat surprising. Still, despite the...
News Steal a Glance at Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time's New Trailer
Robbed blind
“Sly’s uncatchable,” explains anthropomorphic hippo Murray in this brand new Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time story trailer. “Like a baseball – made of air.” We couldn't have put it any better ourselves. You’ll be able to retake control of the titular tea leaf from 5th February in North America. Meanwhile, you can read our...
News Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee HD Chomps PlayStation 3 Next Week
Mad land
Forget the festive season – this month’s been all about former Xbox exclusives finding a new home on PlayStation. Not content with the long overdue arrival of the original Mass Effect a few days ago, Sony’s also lined up the high-definition remake of Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee for PS3 next week. The downloadable classic will launch...
News Sony Slam Dunks NBA 2K13's Price for European Sale
Three pointer
As you may imagine, basketball isn’t particularly popular in Europe. The continent's ongoing love affair with football means that titles such as NBA 2K13 don’t always get the attention that they deserve. Sony’s aiming to change that over the next 48 hours, though, by crushing the price of the digital version of 2K Games' premium...
News Earth Defense Force 2025 Protects PlayStation 3 Next Year
Ant attack
Your home will become a breeding ground for killer creepy crawlies next year, when Earth Defense Force 2025 targets the PlayStation 3. Namco Bandai has just dropped word that the Sandlot-developed squash ‘em up will infiltrate Sony’s system in 2013 – and it will bring a bevy of over-the-top action with it. According to the company,...
News Square Enix Has Finally Confirmed the Hitman HD Trilogy
Dead man walking
After months of online drama – including Trophy leaks and rogue retail listings – Square Enix has finally responded to our plea and officially announced the Hitman HD Trilogy for the PlayStation 3. The compilation will launch on 29th January in North America and 1st February in Europe. In return for your $39.99 investment...
News New Dead Space 3 Trailer Shows Shared Scares
Calm down
We’re vehemently against the addition of co-operative action to Dead Space 3, but even we can’t deny the appeal of this brand new trailer. The video introduces the title’s ‘Two Ways to Play’ tagline, which is designed to highlight the differences between single-player and multiplayer gameplay. While you’ll be able to...
Wednesday12th Dec 2012
Review The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series (PlayStation 3)
Everyday we're shufflin'
Lee Everett’s failed the one golden rule of murdering folk: don’t get caught. As such, he's on his way to prison when civilisation collapses around him. It’s through Lee that you experience the harsh horrors of this new and unrecognisable world, and it’s not long before he, and by extension you, becomes responsible...
Review Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PlayStation 3)
Smiles prower
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed starts to make sense the moment that you reach the excellent Afterburner stage. Sumo Digital’s slick sequel initially introduces itself as yet another Mario Kart derivative – but it eventually blossoms into so much more. By fusing the best of Hydro Thunder, SkyDrift, and over two decades’...
News LittleBigPlanet 2 Does Its Best Wii U Impression Next Week
Anything you can do
LittleBigPlanet 2 will be the first title to demonstrate the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita’s in-game connectivity next week, when the platformer is augmented with its hotly anticipated cross-controller expansion pack. The add-on will essentially mimic the gameplay ideas explored with Nintendo’s Wii U console, allowing...
News Phew, Looks Like There May Be a PlayStation All-Stars Sequel
Celebrate good times
We’ve got to admit, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale’s seemingly poor sales had us worried for a moment. Developer SuperBot Entertainment has crafted such an excellent starting point, that it would be a real shame if the idea didn’t get fleshed out further in a sequel – but it looks like that’s exactly what’s on...
News Naughty Dog Refused to Push Ellie to the Back of The Last of Us' Box Art
Fight for your right
Considering Ken Levine’s recent comments about BioShock Infinite’s box art, we were surprised by the cover for Naughty Dog’s upcoming The Last of Us. The image places teenage protagonist Ellie at the focal point of the product, while Joel observes from the background. It’s a bold move
News Japanese Sales Charts: Yakuza 5 Conquers the Competition
Like a dragon
Yakuza 5 landed a devastating blow on all of the other new releases in Japan this week. The latest title in SEGA’s seedy series registered 356,757 sales, which was enough to score it a spot at the summit of the region's charts. The hotly anticipated sequel sold more than the combined total of the top three Wii U launch games – but...
News Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory Travels Through Time
Acceptable in the 80s
The third entry in NIS America’s incredibly niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series will get a North American release on 12th March. Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory will continue the bizarre console war narrative of the previous titles, by sending underdressed protagonist Neptune back in time. “This new dimension feels very...
News Fuel Overdose Could Be the Last Game You Ever Play
Armageddon
If the Mayans have their way, Fuel Overdose could be the very last game that you ever play. Independent developer I-Friqiya has reached out to us to confirm that a demo for its multifaceted racer will release on the European PlayStation Store later today, with the full title set to arrive on 21st December. “That’s the day of the...
News Famitsu Teases Surprising Metal Gear Solid Reveal
Phantom pain
Famous Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu is teasing that there will be “something surprising for Metal Gear Solid fans” in its next issue. The timing is obviously intriguing, considering the much discussed Phantom Pain trailer was released last week. Online sleuths managed to uncover a slew o
Store Update 11th December 2012 (North America)
Slowing down
After a barrage of beefy North American PlayStation Store updates, we’re sure you’ll appreciate some quiet time. This week’s refresh is headlined by the appearance of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but there’s also the arrival of Big Sky Infinity and Black Knight Sword to occupy your time. As always, let us know what you’re...
Store Update 12th December 2012 (Europe)
Greatest hits
Spyro the Dragon makes his long overdue debut on the European PlayStation Store this week. You’ll be able to snap up all three of Insomniac Games’ legendary platformers, alongside Konami classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. There’s also the arrival of Big Sky Infinity and Black Knight Sword to capture your attention...
News Hitman HD Trilogy Product Page Infiltrates Amazon
Silent but deadly
Will someone please announce the Hitman HD Trilogy? The compilation – featuring overhauled versions of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money – has been on the cards for what feels like an eternity, but still hasn’t been confirmed. That's not stopped it from popping up on
News God of War: Ascension Beta Rises for Worthy Warriors
State your claim
Those of you that have unlocked God of War: Ascension beta vouchers via the title’s online social game Rise of the Warriors will be able to download the client right now. The file weighs in at a whopping 1.4GB, so make sure you’ve got plenty of spare hard drive space. There’s currently no other way to access the trial, but...
Tuesday11th Dec 2012
Talking Point Should Sony Release Less Exclusive Games?
Attention seekers
If variety is the spice of life, then the PlayStation 3 is a particularly posh brand of pepper. Arguably more than any other platform holder over the past five years, Sony has provided its system with a stream of high quality content. From big-budget blockbusters like Heavy Rain and Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, to smaller...
News Phantasy Star Online 2 Will Render Fewer Foes on Vita
Shape shifter
Phantasy Star Online 2 is coming to both the PC and PlayStation Vita – but publisher SEGA has had to make some concessions in order to get the MMO running on Sony’s handheld. First and foremost, the portable version will render fewer enemies on screen than its static counterpart. In addition, map sizes will be reduced to...
News Is the PlayStation 4 Further Away Than We Think?
Difficult to forecast
One of the greatest assets of this industry is its unpredictability. Just when you think you’ve got it sussed – a rumour will throw you completely off base. Consider the ongoing discussion surrounding the PlayStation 4. We took The Last of Us’ spring release date as confirmation of the next-generation system’s imminent...
News Irrational Pulls the Trigger on New BioShock Infinite Trailer
Caught in the crossfire
Just as BioShock Infinite’s box art was designed to appeal to mainstream gamers, we suspect that the same mentality was adopted for this brand new gameplay trailer. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the video – it just seems to focus heavily on the action aspect of the title. Fortunately, sliding across sky rails...
News One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 Sails to Europe Next Summer
Yarrr
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 will embark on an aquatic adventure next summer, when the Omega Force developed sequel sails to European shores. The anticipated title was only announced in Japan last week, but Namco Bandai has already confirmed that the PlayStation 3 release will launch via the PlayStation Network overseas. Sadly, there was no...
News Square Enix: Sleeping Dogs Could Become One of Our Strongest Brands
Pork buns all around
Contrary to popular opinion, Square Enix’s excellent Asian crime drama Sleeping Dogs is selling very well. Speaking during a financial briefing earlier this week, the publisher’s president Yoichi Wada admitted that the company may have had unreasonably high expectations for the title – but that doesn’t mean that it's...
News Is FuturLab's Velocity Warping onto the PlayStation Vita?
You asked for it
Brighton-based developer FuturLab sure loves its quirky promotional schemes. Earlier today, the outfit issued a press release with a hidden message: “Fan powered flight”. We thought that the company was merely being cheeky, but it turns out that there’s a lot more to the developer’s tease than three little words. A teaser...
News Velocity Developer FuturLab Signs Landmark Deal with Sony
Fan powered flight
We have to admit, we’ve been expecting this. FuturLab, the award winning studio behind Velocity and Coconut Dodge, has signed a “groundbreaking” deal with Sony that will see the Brighton-based outfit focus on PlayStation Vita titles throughout 2013. The arrangement – which sounds a lot like an expansion of Sony’s popular...
News The Last of Us' Multiplayer Won't Have an Impact on the Campaign
Keep calm and carry on
Naughty Dog has insisted that the inclusion of multiplayer in its upcoming survival horror title The Last of Us will not have an impact on the game's solo experience. As with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves back in 2009, anticipant fans were nervous about the confirmation of an online component yesterday. But according to community...
News Medal of Honor: Warfighter Breaches European PSN Sale
Run for cover
Medal of Honor: Warfighter is the latest title to get its price slashed as part of Sony’s excellent European Christmas countdown. Between now and 23:59PM GMT on 12th December, you’ll be able to pick up the first-person shooter for just £29.99/€39.99. That represents a 50 per cent saving over its standard price of...
Monday10th Dec 2012
Review Mass Effect (PlayStation 3)
Back to the future
Launching five years after its original Xbox 360 debut, Mass Effect has finally landed on the PlayStation 3, completing the series' sci-fi trilogy on Sony's console. However, the title's late arrival places it in an awkward position, destined to be judged against the sequels it spawned. Has the classic aged gracefully? Not...
News Lara Croft Keeps Climbing in New Tomb Raider Trailer
Vertigo
It’s a good job that Lara Croft isn’t afraid of heights. In this brand new Tomb Raider trailer, the legendary protagonist is shown scaling a tower that extends far beyond the clouds. We’re assuming that she’s trying to better David Blaine’s insane New York stunt. All of those native folks with bow and arrows are merely obstructing...
News Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Hits the PSN This Week
Carl's comeback
Popular PlayStation 2 title Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will hit the North American PlayStation Store this week. The release date for the open world crime drama was first spotted on the Hong Kong arm of PlayStation.com, before being confirmed for the West via the PlayStation Blog. The game’s arrival will come as no surprise to...
News Why Is BioShock Infinite's Box Art So Bad?
It's for frat boys
BioShock Infinite’s box art is a travesty. You may not all agree – but series creator Ken Levine certainly does. Chatting with Wired about the abysmal cover image, the luminary compared the pack shot to salad dressing. Stick with us. “There are plenty of products that I buy that I don’t spend a lot of time thinking...
News The Last of Us Will Feature Multiplayer, Here's Its Box Art
Together in the dark
If this weekend’s incredible The Last of Us story trailer wasn’t enough to send you into a post-apocalyptic frenzy, developer Naughty Dog’s revealed a little more about the upcoming survival horror title. Posting on the PlayStation Blog, community strategist Arne Meyer not only confirmed the release's box a
News Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Trailer Plots Its Vengeance
Gorgeously gothic
There’s some stunning hair animation in this Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 trailer. In it, protagonist Gabriel Belmont reminisces about what used to be. According to game director Dave Cox, the footage is all in-game. “There was no CGI,” he boasted on Twitter. The previous title offered a surprisingly solid take on the God...
News Dark Souls 2 Will Be 'More Understandable' Than Its Predecessor
Click to win
In a single interview, director Tomohiro Shibuya has managed to sour the initial excitement surrounding Dark Souls 2. Chatting with EDGE magazine, the newcomer – who’s taking the reins from previous director Hidetaka Miyazaki – revealed that he intends to make the sequel less obtuse. While that sounds like a good thing to us, Dark...
News Super Street Fighter IV Punches North American PlayStation Plus
Hadouken
Following the addition of BioShock 2 last week, Sony has pledged another heavyweight freebie for North American PlayStation Plus subscribers. From tomorrow, premium members will be able to add Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition to their download list without needing to spend a penny. The genre defining brawler will be joined by...
News UK Sales Charts: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Shows Its Staying Power
Keep still
The winter weather has clearly had an impact on the UK sales charts, seeing as the season’s heavy hitters seem frozen in place. Indeed, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has continued its spell at the summit, holding off competition from Far Cry 3 and FIFA 13. Elsewhere, Assassin’s Creed III sloped into fifth, while
News Sportsfriends Sprints Past Its Kickstarter Target on Final Day
Marathon winner
Die Gute Fabrik’s innovative local multiplayer compendium Sportsfriends has crossed its Kickstarter target, meaning that it will release on PlayStation 3 next fall. With just four hours left to go, the title has earned $155,339 of its $150,000 target. The game will be marketed as part of Sony’s Pub Fund initiative – but the...
Sunday9th Dec 2012
Feature How a Picnic Shaped the Development of Sports Champions and Its Sequel
Motion in the ocean
Despite the device being on the market for over two years now, few developers have managed to get the same precision out of the PlayStation Move as Zindagi Games. The second-party studio – which is based in the heart of sunny California – describes itself as a motion control specialist, having already shipped three top titles...
News Awaken Your Wallet with Massive Sleeping Dogs Savings
European sale goes insane
There have been some good deals on the European PlayStation Network lately – but this latest Christmas cracker is a real humdinger. Between now and 23:59PM GMT on 10th December, you’ll be able to snap up Square Enix’s excellent open world crime drama Sleeping Dogs for just £15.99/€19.99. That represents an enormous...
Saturday8th Dec 2012
Reaction The Last of Us' Launch Date Points to the PlayStation 4's Imminent Arrival
Final countdown
Sony, like most other publishers, is not a massive fan of mid-year releases. The platform holder has had some success launching Sucker Punch’s two supercharged inFamous titles during the sunny window, but it typically reserves its heavy hitters for the start of the year or the festive period. It’s interesting, then, that the...
Talking Point What Went Wrong with PlayStation All-Stars?
Worse for wear
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is an excellent game. It may lack polish in areas – the menus in particular are some of the worst we’ve ever seen – but the core gameplay is superb. Developer SuperBot Entertainment clearly invested a lot of time into making each character’s fighting style unique, and it
News The Last of Us Terrifies the PlayStation 3 on 7th May
Dead rising
The Last of Us will send the PlayStation 3 off in style when it launches on 7th May. The date was announced at the end of a jaw dropping trailer which showed off friendly civilisation for the first time. It seems there are a fair few people at the end of the world. There are also horses. Don’t believe us? Check out the footage embedded...
News Yes, The Phantom Pain Is Almost Certainly Metal Gear Solid V
Standing ovation
During the early hours of this morning, we hypothesised that The Phantom Pain trailer debuted during the Spike VGAs probably had something to do with Metal Gear Solid. If nothing else, the trailer’s main character shared a striking resemblance to Snake, even down to scars and minor details. It turns out that there’s a lot more...
News King Washington Sure Knows How to Smirk in Assassin's Creed III
Evil tyrant
Ubisoft has released a trailer for Assassin’s Creed III’s upcoming Tyranny of King Washington DLC, and it shows the aforementioned monarch looking pretty pleased with himself. We suppose you would be stoked if you got to control a whole nation and feast on apple pie every day, too. We doubt he’s going to be smirking when he gets...
News Dark Souls 2 Will Make Your Life a Misery All Over Again
Praise the sun
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Alright, we’ll start with the good: Dark Souls 2 has been announced. And the bad: Dark Souls 2 has been announced. The sequel made a surprise appearance during the Spike VGAs, sending masochists all over the globe into an uncontrollable frenzy. We were too busy thinking about Jessica Alba...
News The Phantom Pain Quizzes the Spike VGAs
Great name
What is The Phantom Pain? Honestly, we’re not even sure developer Moby Dick Studio knows, seeing as its website focuses on wedding photography. Still, at least the title’s added some mystery to the typically predictable Spike VGAs. [Actually, it looks like this is Moby Dick Studio's website. Whoops. - Ed.] The trailer itself shows a...
News Digital Exclusives Highlight the Turning of the Tide at the VGAs
Living dead
Amongst classic Hideo Kojima mind tricks, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 commercials, and some lewd Samuel L. Jackson skits, this year’s Spike Video Game Awards also doled out a handful of gongs to the creators of 2012’s very best software. In the end, it turned out to be a banner year for downloadable titles, with both The Walking Dead...
Friday7th Dec 2012
Review Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse (PlayStation 3)
In what reality is this considered fun?
Games based on TV licenses don't have a great track record, but there's always the potential for something enjoyable to come out of them. Now it's Family Guy's turn, with the franchise's first PlayStation 3 title, Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse. Don't hold your breath for anything amazing, though. The...
News Now You Can Peruse the PS Store with Your Web Browser
Surprise
Sony’s launched a web-based version of the PlayStation Store which allows you to purchase games, movies, and TV content without ever needing to boot up your PS3. The wordy Sony Entertainment Network Store has been rumoured for years, but despite launching in Europe this morning, the company’s still yet to actually announce it. The...
News Ken Levine Backs Away from BioShock Vita
In the hands of 'business people'
Despite being announced over 18 months ago, BioShock Vita is still not in development. Chatting with Eurogamer in an exclusive interview, series creator Ken Levine has admitted that the portable spin-off is out of his hands. “Where the [PlayStation Vita game] stands right now, it's in the hands of the business...
News Sony's Shuhei Yoshida Reveals His True Passion via Wii U
Say it like you mean it
Remember when Sony Worldwide Studios gaffer Shuhei Yoshida purchased a Wii U? Well, he’s been using it quite a lot. The affable executive has been playing plenty of Nintendo Land – and sharing some brutally honest messages in the game’s Miiverse plaza. A recent post from the first-party president – picked up by Kotaku...
News Spyro the Dragon Is Flying onto the European PSN Next Week
At last
After many months of enthusiastic enquiries, Spyro the Dragon will finally land on the European PlayStation Store next week. The entire trilogy of PSone Classics will launch on the same day, providing you with ample platforming action to keep you engaged over the festive period. Better yet, they'll all be compatible with the PlayStation...
News 007 Legends Developer Eurocom Closes for Good
You only live twice
Blighted British developer Eurocom has been forced to close its doors just weeks after announcing huge redundancies. The Derby-based studio employed over 200 people prior to releasing 007 Legends earlier this year. It slashed that headcount to just 50 in November, before letting the remaining staff go earlier today. “Today...
News November NPD: Sales Drop, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Rocks
Bang on trend
The excellent hardware figures for Black Friday week weren’t enough to offset the North American video game industry’s continued decline in November. According to the NPD group, numbers for the period fell by 11 per cent year-over-year, with sales amounting to $2.55 billion, compared to $2.87 billion in 2011. Hardware sales were...
News BioShock Infinite Delayed Yet Again, Launches 26th March
Booker DeWhat?
Bad news: BioShock Infinite has been delayed yet again. The hotly anticipated first-person shooter will now launch on 26th March, as opposed to 26th February. Series creator Ken Levine confirmed the delay at a press event in North America earlier this week, noting that former Epic Games director Rod Fergusson planted the seeds for the...
Thursday6th Dec 2012
Review Worms: Revolution (PlayStation 3)
Wriggle room
There's always been a charm to destroying unfortunate invertebrates with outrageous weapons. As such, when Worms: Revolution debuted as a downloadable title on the PlayStation Network, we jumped at the chance to take up arms. It turns out that the tongue-in-cheek strategy game remains a great way to waste time, but not necessarily for...
Preview On the Rob with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Back to the Cooper
There’s more variety crammed into the opening chapter of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time than most games manage across an entire campaign. Within the first three hours of the PlayStation 3 sequel, you’ll have performed two heists, spent an afternoon fishing, and even completed a rhythm action mini-game in which an anthropomorphic...
News Dead or Alive 5 Plus Features a First-Person Mode
Up close and personal
Dead or Alive 5 Plus for the PlayStation Vita will boast a brand new first-person mode that will allow you to inspect your opponents with the system's accelerometer. The nifty feature will prompt you to hold the platform vertically in order to get a “full-screen view” of your foe. We can’t imagine why you’d possibly...
News Peter Molyneux Thought LittleBigPlanet Was Too Ambitious
Brain wave
Legendary game developer Peter Molyneux has pitched many preposterous ideas in his time, but even he was baffled by LittleBigPlanet. Chatting with EDGE magazine as part of a studio spotlight feature, Media Molecule’s Alex Evans has revealed that the Populous creator was one of the first people to sample the company’s customisable...
News Retro City Rampage Rolling Back the Clock in Europe Soon
Wayback machine
Retro City Rampage will party like it’s 1989 in Europe very soon. One-man developer Brian Provinciano has reached out to us to confirm that the international version of the critically acclaimed 8-bit adventure is in certification with SCEE right now. The title will boast a slew of improvements over its original North American...
News Need for Speed: Most Wanted Floors Ultimate Speed DLC
Pedal to the metal
Petrol heads will be able to accelerate their Need for Speed: Most Wanted experience later this month, when the title’s Ultimate Speed expansion pack drifts onto the PlayStation Store from 18th December. A press release from EA’s UK branch confirmed the add-on, which includes a selection of exotic new vehicles to drive and 25...
News Vicarious Visions Was Working on Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for Vita
Natural disaster
A portable version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was in development at Vicarious Visions, a report has revealed. According to Kotaku, publisher Activision had planned to release a scaled down version of Treyarch’s latest console shooter on the PlayStation Vita, before the “flawed” project was eventually canned and passed off to
News Journey Soundtrack Makes History with Grammy Nomination
Blimey
Clearly not content with the mass of awards that it’s already won, Journey has made history by becoming the first ever video game to be nominated for a Grammy award. The title’s scorching score – composed by Austin Wintory – is up for contention in the ‘Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media’ category. It’ll face off against...
News New Dishonored DLC Trailer Drops Some Different Beats
Rap master
Dishonored publisher Bethesda has clearly exhausted its reserve of creepy nursery rhymes, as it’s been forced to use a fan-made rap song for this debut Dunwall City Trials trailer. The video demonstrates the various deadly activities you can expect to occupy your time when the expansion launches next week. It’ll set you back...
News Fuel Overdose Gets Fired Up in Explosive New Trailer
Fan the flames
I-Friqiya has lavished its multifaceted car combat title Fuel Overdose with a brand new trailer. The footage focuses on the layered racer’s action elements, demonstrating the wealth of artillery you’ll have at your fingertips during an average sprint to the finish line. Weapons include standard machine guns, mines, and rocket...
News Crysis 3 Targets North American Store Shelves on 19th February
Cloaked approach
Crytek founder Cevat Yerli has augmented the company’s upcoming first-person shooter Crysis 3 with a 19th February release date in North America. The sci-fi adventure will fire into European stores a few days later on 22nd February. Last month, publisher EA Games revealed that pre-ordering the title at participating retailers...
Wednesday5th Dec 2012
News Analyst: Sony May Need to Cut the PS Vita's Price Drastically
All aboard
Despite the PlayStation Vita showing serious signs of life during Black Friday week, industry analyst Billy Pidgeon has admitted that Sony may need to “drastically” slash the price of the device in order to resurrect its fortunes. The pundit pointed to Nintendo’s 3DS price drop, adding that if “the [system's] install base remains...
News Ruffian Games Was Working on a Modern Streets of Rage
Blaze of glory
Crackdown developer Ruffian Games was working on a modern reimagining of classic arcade brawler Streets of Rage – and it looked awesome. A leaked video of the cancelled title was uploaded to Vimeo earlier this month, showcasing 90 seconds of rain-slicked footage. The project was supposedly intended for digital platforms such as the...
News Yes, Zindagi Has Considered Making a Standalone Table-Tennis Game
Ping pong
As far as we’re concerned, the table-tennis mini-game included as part of the original Sports Champions is the best example of motion control available on any platform. As such, we’ve always longed for a fleshed out version of the PlayStation Move-powered activity with online multiplayer and an in-depth career mode. But could it...
News One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 Punches PlayStation 3 and Vita
Heavy hitters
A sequel to Namco Bandai and Tecmo Koei’s anime tie-in One Piece: Pirate Warriors is coming to both the PlayStation 3 and Vita. The sequel – unsurprisingly named One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 – was announced in the latest issue of Japanese magazine Shonen Jump. The sequel will be set within the so-called ‘New World’ story arc,...
News Ragnarok Odyssey Warms European Vitas This Winter
It's getting hot in here
Game Arts’ decent PlayStation Vita role-playing game Ragnarok Odyssey will attack European consoles this winter, according to publisher GungHo Online Entertainment America. The title will be available as a digital exclusive, alongside undead puzzle platformer Dokuro. Both titles are already available in North America,...
Store Update 4th December 2012 (North America)
Top trumps
We hope you weren’t expecting a slow week on the North American PlayStation Store, because December’s inaugural update is brimming with tasty treats. Highlights include Far Cry 3, former Xbox 360 exclusive Mass Effect, and card-game spin-off Uncharted: Fight for Fortune. As always, let us know what you’re buying in the comments...
News Sony Unwraps Tokyo Jungle Discount on European PSN
It's an animal
If you haven’t experienced Sony’s utterly bonkers Tokyo Jungle yet, now’s your chance. As part of the platform holder’s ongoing European Christmas countdown, the company has cut the bizarre post-apocalyptic adventure’s price-tag down to Pomeranian dog size. For the next 48 hours, you’ll be able to pick up the mad wildlife...
Store Update 5th December 2012 (Europe)
Fight for fortune
It’s another bumper week on the European PlayStation Store, with plenty of goodies up for grabs. Highlights include Uncharted: Fight for Fortune, Rotastic, and the original Mass Effect. There’s also the unfortunate arrival of awful arcade brawler Sonic the Fighters, but we’ll try not to talk too much about that. We think
News GungHo Resurrects Forgotten PlayStation Classics for PSN
Weird and wonderful
The holiday period may be perfect for big retail releases, but sometimes you need something a little more niche. Thankfully, newcomer GungHo Online Entertainment America has stepped up to the plate – bringing a bevy of bizarre PSone classics to the North American PSN. The six new arrivals include shoot ‘em up compilation...
News Sony: We Haven't Announced a Release Date for The Last of Us
Walmart reckons it has
Naughty Dog’s been agonisingly quiet about The Last of Us’ release date up until now, but a photo of an errant Walmart pre-order card may have broken the silence for the award winning studio. The image shows a voucher for the post-apocalyptic adventure, complete with a tentative launch window of ‘Spring 2013’. With the...
News Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Earned $1 Billion in Just 15 Days
Back in black
There may be some debate over whether Call of Duty is still the juggernaut that it once was, but one thing’s for certain: most publishers would give their left arm for a franchise this successful. Activision has revealed that the latest instalment in its modern military series Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has grossed an eye-watering $1...
Tuesday4th Dec 2012
Review Chronovolt (PlayStation Vita)
Marble sadness
As part of the opening salvo for PlayStation Plus' expansion to the PlayStation Vita, Chronovolt received plenty of pre-release coverage. The lure of a modern take on the seminal Marble Madness, tailor-made from the ground up to show off the system's wealth of control schemes, was an attractive bait. Unfortunately, Chronovolt displays...
Review Planets Under Attack (PlayStation 3)
Space invading
Planets Under Attack is a space-warfare strategy game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Backed by cartoon visuals and comedic characters, the game attempts to mix accessibility with addictive, tactical gameplay. To an extent, Planets Under Attack succeeds in what it sets out to do. Its gameplay mechanics are easy to...
News Activision: PlayStation Vita Faces Challenges in Mobile Market
Classified information
Despite boasting a growing catalogue of outstanding exclusives, the PlayStation Vita hasn’t quite achieved the commercial success that many of us expected yet. The device is performing particularly poorly in Japan, where it can’t seem to get a foothold – but it’s not exactly setting the sales charts alight overseas...
News Special Metal Gear Rising PS3 Adds a Splash of Blue
Cut and take it
We think it’s safe to say that custom console redesigns just don’t work as well with the PlayStation 3 Super Slim. Previous hardware bundles for Yakuza 3 and Ni No Kuni have prompted stunning new styles – making this Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance tie-in look bland by comparison. The console – due out on 21st February in...
News Sony Executive Shuhei Yoshida Owns a Wii U
Testing it out
Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida is one of the most brazen executives in the gaming industry, so it’s no surprise to see the likable suit openly admit that he’s purchased a competitor’s system on Twitter. Here's the message: [tweet While we’ve no doubt that Yoshida’s purchase was partly motivated by...
News PlayStation All-Stars' Latest Level Fuses Heavenly Sword with WipEout
Asse-Kai
It’s only been a few weeks since Seth Killian shared the very first details about PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale’s DLC – but already developer SuperBot Entertainment has updated with some fresh information. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, game director
News PlayStation Vita v2.01 Fixes Cloud Save Sync Issues
Clear skies
A new firmware update is available for the PlayStation Vita. As promised, the hastily prepared refresh fixes issues pertaining to automatic cloud save syncing. The feature was introduced last month as part of PlayStation Plus’ expansion to the handheld. In addition to cloud saves,
News Far Cry 3 Raises the Stakes with Exclusive PlayStation 3 DLC
In too deep
Far Cry 3’s online experience will expand next year, when the title’s High Tides DLC washes up exclusively on PlayStation 3. The co-op expansion – which is due out in January – will add two new chapters to the existing campaign: Jailbreak and Redemption. These, according to Ubisoft Massive’s Meghan Watt, highlight “the hard...
News PlayStation 3 Is the Most Popular Platform for Netflix in the World
Connected consoles
More people stream Netflix to their televisions with the PlayStation 3 than any other device in the world, platform holder Sony has announced. Considering the sheer number of compatible gadgets and set-top boxes available, it's easy to understand why the company is shouting about the statistic. "PlayStation 3 is our largest...
News Sorry Europe, You're Not Getting BioShock with BioShock Infinite
Would you kindly add it in?
European gamers expecting to get a free copy of the original BioShock with upcoming sequel BioShock Infinite have had their hopes dashed by publisher 2K Games today. Chatting with Eurogamer, a company spokesperson explained that the offer applies to the North American region only. “I can confirm that the PS3 version of...
News Sound Shapes Drops Some Sweet New Beats This Week
Music to your ears
If you’ve already exhausted Sound Shapes’ existing audio toolbox, then you might be tempted by the three new sound packs drumming their way onto the PlayStation Store this week. Fresh sample sets include the Acoustics sound pack, Drum Kits sound pack, and 8-Bit sound pack. Each audio bundle will set you back $0.99, and will...
Monday3rd Dec 2012
News Soul Sacrifice Sets Up Major Clash with Monster Hunter 4
Fighting for the heavyweight title
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is either really brave or very stupid. The publisher has announced the Japanese release date for PlayStation Vita exclusive Soul Sacrifice – and it just so happens to fall in the same month as its main competitor Monster Hunter 4. The title's set to release on 7th March...
News Sony Debunks Beyond: Two Souls Release Date Rumours
Indigo prophecy
Sony has squashed rumours suggesting that Quantic Dream's upcoming PlayStation 3 adventure Beyond: Two Souls is set to release on 25th May in North America. The date was touted when a PlayStation.com page updated with the information, but the platform holder has since admitted that the details were added as a mistake. “We have not...
What a Piddy
The indie game market is saturated with 2D platformers. Ever since the runaway success of Braid, indie developers have been tripping over themselves to try and create the next big thing. Pid is the latest attempt – but does the puzzle platformer, from Swedish developer Might and Delight, add anything new to the medley? Thankfully,...
News Sony Celebrates Soul Sacrifice Release Date with Vita Bundle
Worth an arm and a leg
Soul Sacrifice is by far the PlayStation Vita’s most important exclusive in Japan. As such, it’s not especially surprising to see the platform holder lavish the title with its own hardware bundle. Announced alongside the title’s controversial release date, the special edition will include a gorgeous crimson console, a...
News Big Sky Infinity Blasts PS3 and Vita Next Week
Flying high
If you’ve already exhausted every last atom of gameplay from Super Stardust Delta, then Ripstone’s upcoming Big Sky Infinity deserves a spot right at the top of your most wanted list. The PlayStation 3 and Vita twin-stick shooter promises a “fast-paced” arcade experience with “several unique attributes that significantly...
News The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim DLC Spreads to PS3 in Early 2013
No, really
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s latest expansion pack Dragonborn will fly onto the PlayStation 3 in early 2013, publisher Bethesda has announced. The add-on is due out on the Xbox 360 tomorrow, but will officially spread to Sony’s system next year. It concludes almost a year of excuses from the developer, as content has frequently sk
News North American PS Plus Returns to Rapture with BioShock 2
Up and ADAM
PlayStation Plus subscribers in North America will be able to enjoy an all expenses paid trip to Rapture this month, when BioShock 2 joins the Instant Game Collection. The controversial sequel – which is a lot better than you may have heard – will be accompanied by a 10 per cent discount on the Rockstar Games Collection, which...
News New The Last of Us Video Draws a Sharp Blade
Hold still
Naughty Dog’s itching to tell you more about The Last of Us, but it’s going to make you wait a little bit longer. In the meantime, it’s prepared an agonisingly brief teaser trailer, which focuses on a man with a 70s haircut and a dude with a blood stained knife. It strikes us that the duo are planning an impromptu trim. After all,...
News Ni No Kuni Demo Travels to North American PSN This Week
Ocean drive
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch will endeavour to warm your cockles this week, when a demo for the delightful PlayStation 3 exclusive boards the North American PlayStation Store. The gameplay teaser was confirmed as part of a PlayStation Blog post, but there’s no word on whether the sampler will sail to European shores. We’ve...
News Battlefield 3's Price Crumbles with New European PSN Deal
Pew pew
Sony’s unwrapped another offer as part of its festive European PlayStation Network advent calendar. From now until 23:59PM on 4th December, you’ll be able to snuggle up with a digital copy of Battlefield 3 for just £29.99/€39.99. That represents a huge saving over the listed price of £59.99/€69.99, but it’s still cheaper to...
News Rotastic Is Stardrone But with Cartoon Characters
Like a record
What happens when you give a Viking a hookshot? No, there isn’t a punch line – this is the premise for Dancing Dots’ upcoming PlayStation Network arcade game, Rotastic. As the name so effortlessly illustrates, the downloadable title sees you snapping onto targets, and, er, rotating around them. This allows you to navigate a slew...
News Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Takes UK Sales Charts Hostage
The future's black
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 may not be selling as well as its predecessors, but it’s still utterly dominating the UK sales charts. The first-person shooter has held onto its position at the top of the best sellers list, forcing new release Far Cry 3 into second. That's despite the insanity simulator securing the ninth biggest...
Sunday2nd Dec 2012
News PlayStation All-Stars Patch Fixes Glitches, Adds New Item
Smashing stuff
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale’s latest patch will ensure that your selected fighter no longer gets swapped during online gameplay. It will also add a new item to the game: Medusa’s Gaze from God of War. Presumably that will stop opponents in their tracks, giving you the opportunity to unleash some deadly combos. Other...
News Dead or Alive 5 Plus Is Punching onto PlayStation Vita Next Year
Are you a fighter?
Tecmo Koei has already pledged plenty of support to the PlayStation Vita – but it’s not finished yet. Speaking at the IGN Pro League, Team Ninja gaffer Yosuke Hayashi has confirmed that Dead or Alive 5 Plus is punching its way onto the PlayStation Vita. Specific details are scarce right now, but Hayashi states that the title...
Saturday1st Dec 2012
News BioShock Infinite's Box Art Looks Really Bland
Cry for Columbia
There’s been a lot of talk about bad box art over the past couple of weeks, which makes the arrival of BioShock Infinite’s final cover timely to say the least. The wrapper – which leads prominently with protagonist Booker DeWitt – shows the lead character pouting with a shotgun nestled on his shoulder. There’s also a blimp...
News Sony Reduces PS Plus Price for First European Christmas Deal
Cost effective
Sony’s launched the first deal in its Christmas countdown promotion. European gamers will be able to secure a 90-day subscription to PlayStation Plus for just £7.99/€9.99. That represents a 33 per cent saving over the standard price, which is £11.99/€14.99. With the likes of Batman: Arkham City, Limbo, and Vanquish set to be
News Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD Baffles Vita on 18th December
Save your moolah
After what seems like an eternity, the bizarre Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD will finally assault the PlayStation Vita on 18th December in North America. A European date will follow in the coming days, as soon as developer Just Add Water has ironed out some final details with SCEE. According to the studio, the curious...
News Meet Another Member of The Last of Us' Cast at the VGAs
Survivor
The build up to the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards seems significantly more muted than previous years, but at least there’s a new The Last of Us trailer to look forward to. Hype man Geoff Keighley has taken to Twitter to reveal that a new member of the game's cast will debut at the show next week. We haven’t seen much of Naughty Dog’s...
