First Impressions Could the PS4 Controller Be Gaming's Greatest Ever Input Device?
We wrap our eager fingers around the DualShock 4
News There Are 80 People Working on PS4 Exclusive The Order: 1886
Back to the workhouse
News - July, 2013
Wednesday31st Jul 2013
News Check Your Inboxes, Killzone: Mercenary Beta Codes Are Go
Keep calm and slaughter some Higs
If you’re reading this, you’re doing it wrong. We’re all for decreasing so-called bounce rates and increasing reader retention (those of you in the business will understand), but right now the only thing on your screen should be your email inbox. Sony has confirmed that it’s currently deploying Killzone:...
News Capcom's Not Totally Against the Idea of Monster Hunter on Sony Systems
Giant killer
For many people, Monster Hunter is the series that Sony needs to save the PlayStation Vita. Despite finding success on the PlayStation Portable, publisher Capcom has been reluctant to shift the franchise to the Japanese giant’s next generation handheld, opting to back the Nintendo 3DS instead. That said, the publisher is clearly not...
Rumour If You Don't Pre-Order Your PS4 Soon, You May Miss Out
Sony to introduce deadline in the UK
Sony is set to introduce a pre-order deadline for the PlayStation 4 in the UK, according to retail sources speaking with CVG. The site reports that any purchases placed beyond 5th August may not secure you a system at launch. If accurate, it means that you’ve got less than a week to put a deposit down on your...
Talking Point Do Single Player Focused Games Really Need Multiplayer?
Connected components
Publishers don’t want you to sell your games, and they’ll do almost anything to stop you. For primarily single player focused releases like God of War: Ascension and Tomb Raider, that means implementing online multiplayer in the hope of extending the title’s lifespan beyond its comparatively slender single player campaign...
News Watch Dogs Looks a Bit Woof in Aisha Tyler Trailer
You may want to secure that PS4 pre-order after all
How do you shed your status as one of the most visually impressive titles in production? Ask French publisher Ubisoft, who deployed this disastrous Watch Dogs footage overnight. The short snippet – presumably produced as a bit fun to show off actress Aisha Tyler’s inclusion in the game –...
News Bully Trademark Renews Hope for Sordid PS4 Sequel
Avoiding the sophomore slump
Few games surpass Grand Theft Auto’s quick-witted brilliance, but Bully is one of them. Rockstar Vancouver’s brilliant high school-‘em-up was a tapestry of cliques, clichés, and chemistry classes. And the cult classic could be about to make a comeback, if a trademark filed by laidback parent company Take-Two
News Batman: Arkham Origins Takes the Battle for Gotham Online
Splash Damage steps out of the shadows
Batman may be a loner at the best of times, but even he’s willing to prove that life is a lot more fun with friends. Warner Bros has unmasked an unexpected multiplayer component for Batman: Arkham Origins, which will see you duking it out on the streets of Gotham in eight-player deathmatches. But there’s a...
Weirdness Dark Souls Looks Even Harder in First-Person
Are you crying yet?
We’ve already established that only masochists enjoy From Software’s rage inducing Dark Souls series – but this first-person mod is custom created for the type of people that enjoy putting pegs on their face. The footage – captured by Soul Slasher – shows the opening moments of the critically acclaimed campaign, but...
Store Update 30th July 2013 (North America)
Dance with death
Sony’s hoping to brighten up your week with a couple of doozies as part of the latest North American PlayStation Store refresh. Cloudberry Kingdom and PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD both scored highly in our reviews, meaning that there’s no excuse for not adding the titles to your PSN basket as we type. It’s also worth noting...
Tuesday30th Jul 2013
Review Cloudberry Kingdom (PlayStation 3)
Hop, skip, and jetpack
Cloudberry Kingdom sounds a bit like one of those free-to-play cutesy-looking titles that you’d usually find on Facebook – probably having something to do with trading fruit to friends while maintaining a happy little kingdom full of poorly illustrated, smiling animals. Thankfully, hidden under the game’s somewhat...
Opinion Sony Must Refresh the PS4's Momentum at GamesCom
Scrapping for the spotlight
Ever since Jack Tretton and company dropped the microphone at E3 2013, quite a lot has changed about the impending next generation arms race. The advantages that the platform holder engineered for the PlayStation 4 –
News Killzone: Shadow Fall Pre-Orders Strong, Knack Stomping Beyond: Two Souls
PlayStation 4 exclusives performing well post E3
Killzone: Shadow Fall is the most pre-ordered PlayStation 4 exclusive, according to retail research by analysts Cowen and Co. The firm – which compiles data based on NPD sales statistics and Amazon.com bestseller information – found Guerrilla Games’ first-person shooter to be the fifth most...
News Sony Wants You to Be Able to Store 300GB of Data on a Disc
Lots of spin
Blu-ray is officially old news, as Sony has announced plans to introduce a higher-capacity physical storage format by the end of 2015. According to the BBC, the Japanese giant has teamed up with Panasonic to produce a new breed of optical discs that could store up to 300GB of data. For comparative purposes, existing double-layer...
News Real Boxing Steps into the PS Vita Arena on 27th August
Let the bodies hit the floor
Bloodied noses and bruised cheekbones will occupy your PlayStation Vita’s delicious OLED screen from 27th August in North America, as Vivid Games has confirmed that Real Boxing is mere weeks away from release. European fighters will have to wait an extra day to step into the ring, as the simulation is set to hold back...
News BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Returns to the Watery Grave of Rapture
Beneath the ocean
BioShock Infinite’s first proper DLC pack – dubbed Clash in the Clouds, if you’re curious – may be a disappointing arena-based combat affair, but publisher 2K Games has softened the blow by revealing the title’s two-part story expansion Burial at Sea, which will take you back to the depths of Rapture later this year. The...
News BioShock Infinite Picks a Fight in the Sky in Clash in the Clouds
Arena add-on out today
The combat sections may have been the weakest part of BioShock Infinite, but Clash in the Clouds hopes to keep you high on Irrational Games’ adventure until proper expansion Burial at Sea sinks to new depths later this year. The combat-focused content sees you taking on a wealth of foes from the main campaign in waves of...
Monday29th Jul 2013
Weirdness Soul Sacrifice Creator Keiji Inafune Stars in PSP Dating Game
Mega man
Japanese games can be strange at the best of times, but Aksys’ upcoming dating title Sweet Fuse: At Your Side really takes the cookie. The release – which is due out on the PlayStation Portable next month – sees you assume the role of legendary developer Keiji Inafune’s niece. Having got out of the video game business, the Mega Man...
Talking Point Should All PSN Games Include a Platinum Trophy?
Bright pots
“Does it have a Platinum Trophy?” is probably the most asked question on the PlayStation Blog. Studios taking to the official publication to promote their wares are frequently forced to field the asinine query, which perhaps detracts from the content in question. We’re sure that developers would rather discuss the mechanics behind...
News PS4 Will Let You Add an Enormous 2,000 Friends
People person
You’ll be able to befriend an incredible 2,000 people on the PlayStation 4. Sony confirmed the snippet at part of a PlayStation Access video published earlier this afternoon, which also detailed other topics such as party chat, 3D, and more. You can watch the full Q&A in the space below. Currently, the PlayStation 3 allows you...
DLC Review Feeling the Heat of El Diablo's Domain in Guacamelee!
Deliciously painful
So, you've conquered the great evil. You've bested the best of the best demonic fighters, and defeated all of the gruelling physical trials that the big, bad boss managed to throw at you. Well, it's time to put down that afternoon tequila, slip into your wrestling pants, dust off your magical mask, and jump into the ultimate test...
News PS4 to Take Centre Stage During Sony's GamesCom Showcase
On the red carpet
In news one notch less predictable than water being wet, Sony has hinted that it will make the poor PlayStation 4 squint by shining a spotlight on the system during its imminent GamesCom press conference. Writing on the firm’s official Facebook page, an eager corporate scribe noted that the next generation console and its games...
Tuesday30th Jul 2013
News Party Chat Won't Cost You a Penny on PlayStation 4
Gift of the gab
If you absolutely must update your friends on your non-existent social life while you’re beavering away in Watch Dogs, platform holder Sony has confirmed that Party Chat will be available for free on the PlayStation 4. The snippet was confirmed as part of a PlayStation Access video, which also revealed the system’s gigantic...
Monday29th Jul 2013
News UK Sales Charts: Minecraft Chucks a Brick at The Last of Us
Stairway to seven smashed
After an impressive six weeks at the top of the charts, The Last of Us has finally been stopped in its tracks by, er, Minecraft. The boxed version of Mojang’s indie hit did its best Clicker impression, and shuffled straight to the summit of the best-sellers list. New release
News Ashes Cricket 2013 Rained Off Until November Due to Quality Issues
Game was not good enough
Much like the sport that it’s based upon, Ashes Cricket 2013 will be standing around in its whites for a few more months. 505 Games has decided to hold back the sleepy simulator until November, due to the title not meeting quality expectations. It will now deploy alongside the second Ashes series, which is set to be played...
News New Screens Show Grand Theft Auto 5 Living Life in the Fast Lane
The three stooges
Rockstar Games’ bandwidth busting ways hit a climax today, as the firm decided to deploy an avalanche of Grand Theft Auto 5 screenshots. The images show everything from sun loungers and shades, to Love Fist shirts and quad bikes. There are also pictures of a couple of strippers, military helicopters, and sick (probably stolen)...
News Tearaway Ripped Off the Release Schedule Until 22nd November
Doesn't matter one Iota
Media Molecule has screwed up Tearaway’s original 22nd October release date, and tossed it in the trash bin. As part of a candid post on the PlayStation Blog, creative lead Rex Crowle revealed that the developer’s keeping the game folded up for an extra month, while it pulls out the glitter pen and polishes the platformer...
Sunday28th Jul 2013
News There Are 80 People Working on PS4 Exclusive The Order: 1886
Back to the workhouse
Ready at Dawn’s upcoming alternate-history PlayStation 4 exclusive The Order: 1886 is already shaping up to be one of the prettiest titles in the next generation platform’s pipeline, but it’s not being constructed by an enormous team. While it’s normal for franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty to...
Rumour Football Manager 2014 Substituting PSP for Vita
Soccer strategy simulation could be sprinting onto Sony's latest system
If you prefer your footie games to be riddled with statistics rather than bicycle kicks, you may already be doing a Mourinho over the rumours that Football Manager 2014 could be picking sides with the PlayStation Vita. Online retailer ShopTo.net listed the title for the handheld...
Round Up We've Played a Ton of PS4 Games, Read Our Thoughts
Rewind theatre
While you may still be awaiting your first chance to get to grips with the DualShock 4, we’ve been greedily getting hands-on time with a bunch of the PlayStation 4’s biggest games. Assuming that you’ve been visiting the site on a daily basis – and there are no excuses for not doing so – then you’ll already know that...
News You Should Probably Be Excited for Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Caped crusader
We already know that Killzone: Mercenary and Tearaway are set to be this year’s biggest PlayStation Vita games, but what of Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate? The spin-off has been swooping under the radar a little recently, perhaps because handheld tie-ins don’t necessarily have the best track record. But based on this footage of...
Weirdness These FuturLab-Inspired Painted Nails Are Too Cool
Designs for Hotline Miami, Farming Simulator, and more also showcased
Want to know an oddly specific secret? This author hates painted nails. There’s something creepy about the act of colouring your fingers different hues – and don’t even mention toe nails. Still, for this particular story, we’re making an exception, because this is just too...
Saturday27th Jul 2013
Review PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD (PlayStation Vita)
Tiki-tastic
If you thought that you'd saved the Tiki tribe from the perilous monster hoards attacking your settlements, then think again. Waves of vicious beasts still roam the wilderness, and Tikiman still only has one defence. It's time to construct towers augmented with powerful weapons and once again protect your kin from being gobbled up in...
News So, That PlayStation 4 RAM Saga Is Still Rolling
Paracetamol recommended
Does anyone have a headache yet? We feel like we’ve been ten rounds with Mike Tyson, and then forced to sit an advanced mathematics class at Oxford University. We succinctly summarised yesterday’s next generation RAM saga in a post late last night, but the details have changed ever so slightly today. Strap yourselves in...
Sunday28th Jul 2013
News Sony to Hog the GamesCom Spotlight on 20th August
Platform holder dates next big press conference
People may be panicking about the PlayStation 4’s complicated innards right now, but we suspect that that’ll be the last topic of conversation come 20th August. As usual, the Japanese giant has confirmed that it will be holding a press conference at this year’s GamesCom, which is set to take...
Saturday27th Jul 2013
News PS3 Exclusive Puppeteer Loses Its Head, Finds a New One
Tête-à-tête
Japan Studio’s stunning PlayStation 3 exclusive Puppeteer may be sitting outside of the spotlight, but the snippets that we’ve seen suggest that it deserves a nudge into the centre of the stage. The imminent side-scroller sees you take control of Kutaro, a wooden hero without a head. Fortunately, the protagonist can collect...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Ten
Bring us back together
Our bi-weekly weekend gaming discussion may be hitting the airwaves a little later than expected, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t time for us to disclose all of our delicious gaming plans. As always, this isn’t a one-way affair – we want to know what you’re playing, too. Don’t forget to let us know what’s...
Friday26th Jul 2013
Reaction Why You Should Stop Bleating About the PS4's RAM
Everyone's gone baa-rmy
While the topic has quietened down a little over the past couple of years, cross-game chat was just one of the many failings of the PlayStation 3. For years it was touted as a reason to purchase the Xbox 360 over Sony’s flagship machine, and even used as a justification for the premium price attached to Microsoft’s online...
News PS4 Offers 5.5GB GDDR5 RAM to Developers, But Don't Lose Your Mind
New information about Sony's system isn't the end of the world
The winning streak had to come to a climax at some point, and many are pulling out their pitchforks in anticipation of that this evening. There were some mumblings on NeoGAF overnight regarding an imminent “console memory drama”, and that manifested itself earlier today in the form...
Thursday25th Jul 2013
News Sony's Loaning PS4 Development Kits to Indie Studios for Free
Keeping costs down
Microsoft’s latest Xbox One-Eighty has changed the conversation yet again. Overnight, the firm confirmed that it will allow self-publishing on its next generation platform within the system’s first year on the market. That puts the console in line with the PlayStation 4, but the Redmond-based organisation’s trump card is...
News Unprecedented Number of Developers Working on PS4, PS3, and Vita
"We've never seen anything like this"
As the war for developer support rages on between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, the PlayStation maker has admitted that it’s seeing an unprecedented level of interest in its platforms. Speaking with Develop, SCEE account manager Agostino Simonetta noted that after four years in the job, the current surge of...
First Impressions Stepping into the Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Use your illusion
Disney has been investing a significant amount of effort in recent years to put the quality back into its video game franchises and reach out to more adult gamers. With the Epic Mickey series adopting a somewhat darker tone, and the forthcoming classic remake of DuckTales: Remastered, it’s obvious that the media giant has been...
News Battlefield 4 Proves That One Screen Is Never Enough
You'll get square eyes
If you’re the type of person that shuts off your laptop, tablet, and smartphone while you’re sitting down for a quiet session with your favourite PlayStation platform, then you’re totally doing it wrong. Battlefield 4 wants you to have every gadget that you own sitting in front of you, running maps, geolocation...
News Liege Smashes Stretch Goal, Marches onto PS4 and Vita
Check, mate
Liege, the beautiful adult RPG by Coda Games, has smashed its Kickstarter stretch goal, meaning that the fascinating adventure will release on the PlayStation 4 and Vita in the near future. The title – which looks prettier than Rachel Bilson in a rose garden – needed to raise $48,000 in order to guarantee the console release, but...
Interview BreakQuest: Extra Evolution Developer on Braving the Free-to-Play Frontier
Breaking barriers
We loved BreakQuest: Extra Evolution in its initial guise. The colourful Arkanoid-esque excursion earned a respectable 9/10 in our PlayStation Minis review, and now it’s smashing back into the spotlight courtesy of a spangly new PlayStation Vita port. But rather than adopt the same model as its predecessor, Ukrainian developer...
Wednesday24th Jul 2013
First Impressions Killzone: Mercenary Is the Vita Shooter That You've Been Waiting For
Pride and Pyrrhus
Ever since we first nestled our thumbs on the PlayStation Vita’s petite but precise analogue sticks, we’ve been gunning for a good first-person shooter. Nihilistic Software did the best that it could with a bad hand, deploying Resistance: Burning Skies and Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified into a regrettable crossfire of...
Thursday25th Jul 2013
Reaction Microsoft's Stopped the Xbox One Rot, But PS4 Is a Step Ahead
Manufacturer is still clutching at straws
Vision is a word that Microsoft likes to use a lot. "Our vision is that every person can be a creator," said corporate vice president Marc Whitten earlier today, following the platform holder’s second massive Xbox One-Eighty in as many months. After a unanimous panning from pretty much the entirety of the...
Wednesday24th Jul 2013
News Killzone: Mercenary Looks the Business, We Can Prove It
Rad-ec
We’ve paid Killzone: Mercenary a fair amount of attention over the past few days – and have been itching to give you a closer look at the game. If you haven’t read our hands-on preview just yet, divert your orange peepers through here, and then shimmy back to this page for a brand new batch of screens captured directly from our...
News Tekken Revolution's New Fighter Couldn't Be More Predictable
The blood is the life
The path to success apparently includes underdressed females with fangs. We’re not prudes, but we can’t help but feel let down by Tekken Revolution’s latest fighter. The character – the culmination of a poll on the franchise’s Facebook page – is currently dubbed ‘Female Vampire’, and represents a lady with roses...
Talking Point Are We Neglecting the Strength of the Vita's Lineup?
There's plenty to smile about
When the PlayStation 3 was at its lowest, you couldn’t move for criticism. Every announcement, news story, and trailer was accompanied by a heated discussion; each unfortunate exclusive was forced to carry the weight of the entire machine. As the flagship format settled – its commercial fortunes reversed and...
News Quick, the PS4 Is Back in Stock at Amazon.com
What are you waiting for?
PlayStation 4 pre-order slots have become rarer than a smile from Kristen Stewart in recent weeks. As such, it’s with hurried excitement that we must inform you that there are launch day bundles back in stock at Amazon.com. Right now, you can snatch a system alongside Battlefield 4, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack,
News Beyond: Two Souls Looks Great, But How Do You Actually Play It?
Lingering questions
“Is it just an interactive movie?” is probably the most common question attached to Beyond: Two Souls. The upcoming Ellen Page-‘em-up certainly looks the part, but do you actually play it? In a brand new behind-the-scenes trailer, Parisian developer Quantic Dream has delved into a topic that it doesn’t usually explore:...
Store Update 23rd July 2013 (North America)
Nice shot
The sun may be extracting every ounce of liquid from your body, but that’s not stopping Sony from pumping out some refreshment in the form of several new PlayStation 3 and Vita games. The real highlights this week include the excellent Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark, Zeno Clash 2, and the console re-release of Hot Shots Golf: W
News Be a Ghost, a Panther, or a Maniac in Splinter Cell: Blacklist
However you like it
Sam Fisher's doing a decent job of remaining undetected leading up to the launch of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, as this newest trailer almost slipped us by. Detailing the three different play styles that are open to you during missions, the video is keen to show off just how varied each approach can be. Taking the Ghost route,...
News Atomic Ninjas Battle on PS3 and Vita Later This Year
Shinobi in space
Few things are cooler than ninjas, but Atomic Ninjas rank among them. While we’ll never get the opportunity to practice our Ninjutsu poses in space, at least the fine folks at Grip Games are giving us the next best thing. The studio’s upcoming PlayStation 3 and Vita brawler – a tantalising marriage between Crash Commando and...
News Unleash Your Inner Masochist with This Cloudberry Kingdom Trailer
Time Bob
Releasing on 30th July in North America (and a day later in Europe), Cloudberry Kingdom is an insanely fast-paced platformer that's sure to reduce even the most experienced of players to tears with its relentless brutality. Take a gander at the newest trailer below and you'll see that we're not joking. But it's not all doom and gloom –...
News Floating Cloud God Saves the Pilgrims in HD on 7th August
Welsh developer done with port
Dakko Dakko’s ostentatiously dubbed Floating Cloud God Saves the Pilgrims in HD will take to the skies on 7th August in Europe. The title will set you back just £2.99, which, as David Dickinson would say, is cheap as chips. The title follows in the footsteps of the similarly inexpensive The HD Adventures of Rotating...
Tuesday23rd Jul 2013
News Mark Cerny Wasn't Joking When He Said the PS4 Won't Overheat
Cold as ice
“Sony knows how to design the PlayStation 4 so that it won’t overheat,” noted a confident Mark Cerny earlier in the year. Turns out that the lead architect – who’s also working on launch title Knack – was not telling porkies either, as the next generation system will actually run at a cooler temperature than the existing...
Review Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark (PlayStation 3)
Out of sight
Fresh from a successful period on the PC – with a name too crude to be published here – Curve Studios has transposed its undercover espionage excursion to the PlayStation 3 and Vita. However, while its title may be slightly less colourful, Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark retains the assets that made its computer counterpart great:...
News This Is How the PS4's Interface Looks Nearer to Launch
Don't get too excited
Who left the PlayStation 4 news tap on? As we edge ever closer to the launch of Sony’s next generation system, today seems to be dripping snippets about the impending hardware. The latest tidbit comes courtesy of Gematsu, who managed to get their greedy mitts on a handful of updated user interfa
News Rockstar Games' Undercover Agent Could Infiltrate PS4
Company renews trademark registrations for sneaky title
Remember when L.A. Noire virtually fell off the face of the Earth for several years, before making a prompt comeback and releasing not long after? Well, it looks like Rockstar Games could be applying the same covert treatment to Agent, the former PlayStation 3 exclusive that’s been shrouded...
News So, the PS4 Is Ready for Retail in North America
System motors through FCC approval process
When will the PlayStation 4 launch? Well, that sooner-than-expected October release is beginning to look like it’s more on than, er, that anthropomorphic primate with a tie. The final version of Sony’s next generation dream machine has
News Analyst: There'll Be More Xbox Ones Available at Launch Than PS4
Oh, really?
While it’s widely rumoured that Microsoft may be having some manufacturing issues with the Xbox One, Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian stated in a recent investor’s note that he believes that the Redmond-based manufacturer’s system will be readily available this Christmas. In fact, the financial forecaster stressed that the...
News What if Final Fantasy VII Was a Live-Action Web Series?
Now you can find out
No matter how much you love Final Fantasy VII, we’re guessing that you don’t love it quite as much as Italian director Gionata Medeot. Having produced the live-action trailer embedded below, the London-based media mogul has been recruited by North American upstart Shinra Productions to produce a full web series inspired by...
News Explore the Caribbean with 13 Minutes of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Ocean's thirteen
Not content with the numerous Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag trailers that we've already been inundated with thus far, Ubisoft has released thirteen whole minutes of open world gameplay, which details everything from assassinations to whale scouting on the open seas. Surprisingly, it looks like deadly tropical storms will be one...
Monday22nd Jul 2013
Talking Point What Does the Future Hold for HD Re-Releases on PS4?
Bringing clarity to the classics
The humble high-definition remaster proved a popular revenue stream for publishers on the PlayStation 3. Starting with the excellent God of War Collection, and spawning several retail compilations thereafter – including Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, and more – the
News The PS4 Definitely Records Your Last 15 Minutes of Gameplay
Sharing saga
It’s probably a testament to Sony’s successes with the PlayStation 4 that the length of the system’s record function sparked a bit of a heated debate today. Speaking at the Develop conference earlier this month, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s head of research and development Mark Brown said that the console could store the...
News Ratchet & Clank Writer Goes Commando, Departs Insomniac Games
Into the nexus
In an announcement that would make Captain Qwark cry, legendary writer TJ Fixman has confirmed that he’s set to depart Insomniac Games. The voice behind seven of the Ratchet & Clank titles has been lured away from game development by his screenwriter ambitions – but insists that he’ll continue to play a key role in Sony’s...
News PlayStation All-Stars Wanted to Take You on a Tour of Hekseville
Gravity Rush and Journey arena leaked
Sony was planning a Gravity Rush-inspired stage for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The cut arena – spotted on the portfolio of ex-SuperBot Entertainment artist Ky Bui – intended to mash-up the colourful city of
News BreakQuest: Extra Evolution Bouncing onto PS Vita on 7th August
PlayStation Minis port will be free-to-play
We’ve been badgering Ukrainian indie Beatshapers about its PlayStation Vita port of the awesome BreakQuest: Extra Evolution for some time, but finally the studio has managed to supply us with a date. The title – which crashed onto the PlayStation Minis platform last year – is set to batter some b
News UK Sales Charts: The Last of Us Shuffles to a Sixth Week at the Summit
Still life in Naughty Dog's adventure
The Last of Us has fought off a calculated attack from Dynasty Warriors 8, leaving it standing at the top of the UK sales charts for a sixth consecutive week. The previous titles to achieve this feat were Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and
Sunday21st Jul 2013
Opinion The Problem with Knack, the PS4 Title That's Punching Above Its Weight
Monster problems
After somewhat slipping into irrelevancy throughout much of the PlayStation 3 era, Sony’s own Japan Studio is enjoying something of a renaissance at the minute. The first-party workshop – previously responsible for classics such as Ape Escape and Shadow of the Colossus – is
Monday22nd Jul 2013
News Compulsion Games Scratching Its Head Over PS4's Power
Sony's system providing new challenges
While the PlayStation 3 was a beast to develop for, the PlayStation 4 is proving a much simpler option. However, the console’s horsepower is prompting some headaches among developers – as studios agonise over the best ways to employ all of the platform’s added performance. One such outfit is Compulsion...
Sunday21st Jul 2013
News Sony to Improve PlayStation Vita Sales with Hardware Initiatives
The only way is up
While the PlayStation Vita may still be struggling to make a commercial impact in many regions across the globe, the system is really maturing into an extremely attractive device. Removed from the software drought that plagued the platform at launch, there’s now plenty to play on the handheld, including some stellar indie...
News Someone Purchased a PS4 Pre-Order for Over $850
And so it begins
While pre-orders for the PlayStation 4 are still readily available from most retailers, GameStop recently sounded an availability alarm by shutting down sales for the next generation system – despite Sony telling the North American giant to open the floodgates earlier in the year. Now it seems that we could be heading towards a...
News This Is What Kaz Hirai's Been Up to Over the Past 12 Months
Smiles and suits
Since stepping into the big office at Sony Corp, Kaz Hirai’s presence has been diminished across the gaming division. The former PlayStation president now has much bigger fish to fry than petty console disputes, such as the health of a stumbling corporation. Fortunately, the executive’s not been wasting his time playing Rid
Saturday20th Jul 2013
News Here's What the Oculus Rift Could Look Like on PS4
Living in the future
Sony’s a fan of making you look like a loon. After all, who could forget the fairly recent HMZ-T1 headset? We’ve still got neck ache from testing it out. As such, it’s little surprise that the company’s a fan of Oculus Rift technology, as evidenced by Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida. “We’ve got a couple of...
News Strider Cutting PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 Next Year
No, really
Not content with resurrecting Killer Instinct for the Xbox One, Californian outfit Double Helix is also hard at work on a Strider reboot for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. The revamp of the beloved Capcom action game will check all of the latest buzzwords, serving up a Metroidvania-inspired experience in a 2.5D world. Despite the...
News The Crew Designed with PS4's 'Play as You Download' Feature in Mind
Convenience content
For corridor conflicts like Call of Duty: Ghosts, the PlayStation 4’s ambitious ‘Play as You Download’ feature is unlikely to prove a problem. Developers can easily arrange data so that the first level of the campaign is pulled off the server first, followed by the second, third, and so on. But for open world games such as...
News Evolution Studios Putting DriveClub into Gear at GamesCom
Time to shine
While there’s plenty of promise in DriveClub’s social features, the PlayStation 4 launch title hasn’t quite lived up to the quality of its initial unveiling just yet. The demo on offer at last month’s E3 was just 35 per cent complete, leaving the visuals looking more Smart car than high-performance sports car. Still, developer...
Friday19th Jul 2013
Review Total Recoil (PlayStation Vita)
Grind-o-rama
The way that an individual perceives video games as an endeavour, not just in regard to their favourite genre, but their attitude and approach to this fine pastime, determines their entire gaming experience. For example, ask a retro gamer which game they first think of when you mention Naughty Dog and they may answer Crash Bandicoot,...
Review Painkiller: Hell & Damnation (PlayStation 3)
Damn it all to Hell
Developers have a nasty habit of referring to their games as ‘old school’ when they know that they may not be very good by modern standards. Pitched as a nostalgic trip down memory lane, and designed to serve as both a remake and a sequel to 2004’s Painkiller, does Painkiller: Hell & Damnation dance with the devil or...
News The Crew Was Ported to PS4 by Just Two to Three People
Times are changing
At this point prior to the PlayStation 3’s release, we were starting to hear whispers about the console’s complex architecture. Third-party studios were really struggling to get to grips with the system, and that was evidenced by the slew of shoddy ports that plagued the platform for years after its arrival. Fortunately, the...
Talking Point Is Free-to-Play the Future for PlayStation 4?
Thinking different
In theory, you won’t need to spend a penny on software when you pick up your shiny new PlayStation 4 on launch day. While there will be boxed blockbusters vying for your attention, all flaunting familiar price stickers – unless the executives at EA get their way – the console will also be complemented by a handful of...
News Battlestar Galactica Writer Penning Sony Santa Monica's PS4 Project
Secret title is not related to God of War
We’ve known for several years that Sony Santa Monica is working on a new title for the PlayStation 4, but the platform holder has kept the release secret during that time. However, the San Diego Comic-Con has provided us with our first hint at the project’s progress, as legendary screenwriter Michael...
News June NPD: The Last of Us Conquers Charts, Sneaks Up on God of War III's Record
Ellie of a performance
Naughty Dog has well and truly hammered a nail in the coffin of comments suggesting that new franchises struggle at the end of a generation. First-party favourite The Last of Us topped the North American sales charts for June, securing the third largest launch in the month since NPD started tracking data in 1995. The...
News Ace Combat: Infinity Swoops onto PlayStation 3
Teaser trailer exits the runway
Ace Combat: Infinity, the next entry in Namco Bandai’s popular air combat series, will take flight exclusively on the PlayStation 3, according to the teaser trailer embedded below. In addition to the sound of a giggling schoolgirl, the footage includes the quote: “That day our sky fell, the heavens split to create...
News Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Putts PlayStation 3 Next Week
Hole in one
Just in time to celebrate the Open – and Rory McIlroy’s confidence crisis – Sony has announced that it’s bringing the PlayStation 3 version of Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational to Europe and North America next week. The arcade golf game – which struck an albatross on the PlayStation
Saturday20th Jul 2013
News SoulCalibur II HD Online Picks a Fight with PlayStation 3
Two souls, fiercely entangled
SoulCalibur II HD Online, an enhanced re-release of the brawler that single-handedly consumed our school days, is set to enter the ring on the PlayStation 3 this fall. As the name hints, the high-definition upgrade of the PlayStation 2 classic will regale its eternal tale with online multiplayer in tow. Console...
Friday19th Jul 2013
News Tom Clancy's The Division Video Delves Behind-the-Scenes
The final countdown
Tom Clancy’s The Division was easily one of the hottest games revealed at this year’s E3, and Ubisoft has deployed a brand new video detailing the build-up to the next generation title’s big announcement. In it, an awkwardly dressed Justin Levy talks to a handful of the major players at developer Massive about pre-show...
Thursday18th Jul 2013
News Your Existing PS3 Wireless Headsets Will Work with PS4
Find a Pulse
Sony’s not going to force you to splash out on an expensive new headset for the PlayStation 4. Chatting with Polygon at the San Diego Comic-Con, a company representative confirmed that PlayStation 3 wireless headsets will be compatible with the next generation console. That includes the platform holder’s own pricey – but awesome...
Review Tokyo Jungle Mobile (PlayStation Mobile)
Beast wars
You might be kidded into thinking that there'd be some modicum of peace on Earth if the human race, along with its wide range of squabbles and skirmishes, evaporated one day. The Tokyo Jungle series disagrees. After society collapses, humans go bye-bye and cities become overgrown concrete jungles, the conflicts of the animal kingdom rage...
News PlayStation's Bid for Greatness Campaign Tarnished by Cheaters
Hackers abuse system
This is why we can’t have nice things. Sony’s clever Bid for Greatness campaign was accompanied by an appropriately positive response earlier this week. The endeavour – which transforms your earned Trophies into a digital currency – augments you with the ability to compete for various props and items from the platfo
News Angry Birds: Star Wars Finds the Force on PlayStation 3 and Vita
Luke Flywalker
Angry Birds: Star Wars, Rovio and LucasArts’ license to print money, is set to step away from the Pork Side of mobiles and tablets, and fly onto the PlayStation 3 and Vita this fall. The title – which popped up on Amazon overnight – will catapult its way onto a console near you on 29th October in North America and 1st November...
News Sucker Punch: Impossible Dreams Are Now Possible on PS4
Seattle studio thinking big with inFAMOUS: Second Son
The power of the PlayStation 4 has cleared the fog on inFAMOUS: Second Son developer Sucker Punch’s dreams, according to co-founder Brian Fleming. Speaking as part of Sony’s ongoing ‘Conversations with Creators’ video series, the studio gaffer admitted that the console transition has...
News No Plans for Ultra Street Fighter IV to Dragon Punch PS4
Capcom admits that there's lots of anticipation for a Vita version, though
Series producer Yoshinori Ono has KO’d any hopes of the recently announced Ultra Street Fighter IV punching its way onto the PlayStation 4. In a series of Tweets, the Capcom legend admitted that the publisher has no plans to release the title on any platforms beyond current...
News Level-5: PS4 Price Proves Sony Is Serious About Next Generation
Akihiro Hino impressed with platform holder's strategy
The next generation may not have started yet, but Sony’s already ensured a strong start for the PlayStation 4. The system’s used game policies and competitive price point have propelled the platform to
News Ubisoft: PS4 Pre-Orders Double Those of PS3 Prior to Launch
Money, money, money
While analysts obsess over the health of the dedicated video game market in a post-smartphone climate, it seems unlikely that Sony or Microsoft will be losing any sleep. According to Ubisoft overlord Yves Guillemot, pre-orders for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are roughly “two times” the level of their predecessors at...
News Dragon's Crown Is Questing to Europe Later This Year
Worldwide looting
A European release for Atlus' highly anticipated action RPG Dragon's Crown was beginning to look quite sketchy, but today the title was confirmed to be making the journey by publisher NIS America. Although no solid release date was given, Europe is to expect the game sometime in the Autumn. Sporting a fantastic art style, chaotic...
News DriveClub Will Evolve with Brand New Content Beyond Launch
Back for a second lap
Evolution Studios does not intend to keep DriveClub parked up once the PlayStation 4 launch title is on store shelves. Chatting with VG247, director Col Rodgers explained that the company considers the next generation racer a service, which it intends to lavish with new content over time. “Ultimately, the game that you buy...
News PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD Lays a Trap on 30th July
Somewhere over the rainbow
Double Eleven’s delicious high-definition port of PlayStation Network classic PixelJunk Monsters will crash like a cannonball onto the PlayStation Vita later this month. The British developer has confirmed that the tastefully titled PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD will strut onto Sony’s slick handheld on 30th July in...
Wednesday17th Jul 2013
Talking Point When Will the PlayStation 4 Release?
Speed dating
Sony has few battles left to win in the build-up to the PlayStation 4’s launch. It’s already outmanoeuvred Microsoft on price and policies, and it’s reaping the rewards in pre-order numbers as a result. However, while the platform holder is riding high on
News Sony's Indie Support 'Lives Up to the Hype, and Then Some'
Liege developer impressed with platform holder
Sony’s aggressive pursuit of indie outfits has been in force for some time now, and the positive word of mouth surrounding the platform holder is beginning to encourage some smaller studios to actively approach the Japanese giant. One such developer is John Rhee, who decided to reach out to the...
Interview Checking in with Liege's John Rhee, the Mind Behind PS4 and Vita's Next Best Adventure
Once u-pawn a time
Few could argue that Liege looks the part. The fantasy excursion – inspired by classics such as Final Fantasy Tactics, Suikoden, and, er, chess – is the product of one-man development shop Coda Games, and could yet be spreading its vibr
News Sony Sidelines MAG, SOCOM 4, and SOCOM: Confrontation
Platform holder pulling the plug in January
Zipper Interactive’s lasting legacy will be powered down next year, as Sony has announced that the online components for MAG, SOCOM Confrontation, and SOCOM 4 will all be switched off on 28th January. Of the three games, only the latter has a single player campaign, mean
News Need for Speed: Most Wanted Leads High-Octane EU PS Plus Refresh
Lineup includes Mafia II, Spec Ops: The Line, and more
The sun is certainly shining, but that’s not stopping Sony from waving the chequered flag on another insane European PlayStation Plus offering. Starting from 31st July, you’ll be able to burn rubber in Need for Speed: Most Wanted, all without needing to worry about the price of petrol. But...
News Johnny Gat Is Back with a Vengeance in Saints Row IV
Here's Johnny
Much to the disappointment and rage of many, Volition decided to kill off fan favourite character Johnny Gat during the opening hour of Saints Row: The Third. Despite reappearing as a zombie later in the game, and as a giant mutant in the 'The Trouble with Clones' DLC, these cameos weren't really enough to appease the disgruntled...
Store Update 17th July 2013 (Europe)
Nothing to see here
We were hoping that this week’s European PlayStation Store update would offer something of merit after last week’s shambles, but it turns out that the games industry really is on vacation. We suppose that there’s The Smurfs 2 to keep you entertained. Urgh, forget it – we’re going outside to eat a Calippo. PS3 Games:...
Store Update 16th July 2013 (North America)
PLAYtime
The lineup of this year’s PlayStation Store PLAY promotion takes centre stage in North America this week, with all four titles available for pre-order. However, the platform holder’s latest digital initiative is not the only highlight, with Dynasty Warriors 8, Doodle God, and Kung Fu Rabbit also fleshing out a surprisingl
Tuesday16th Jul 2013
Review Dynasty Warriors 8 (PlayStation 3)
Xiahou done
There comes a time when you begin to ask yourself why you’re still playing a series of games that has somehow spawned eight main iterations and countless spin-offs while retelling the same old story over and over again. What could possibly be keeping your interest in a franchise that has done almost nothing but stick to its guns for...
Review International Snooker (PlayStation Vita)
Match ball?
British developer Big Head Games racked up International Snooker on various other formats prior to this high-definition PlayStation Vita port, and generally to favourable reviews. So, given the handheld's repertoire of quality controls and processing power, does this enhanced version of the title build a big break, or sink the white on...
News PS4 Will Push the Vita's LiveArea Interface Much, Much Further
Keeping connected
LiveArea is arguably one of the most underrated elements of the PlayStation Vita’s operating system. While it’s not been used to its full potential by most developers, the landing screen system – which can display important game data, links, statistics, and messages from developers – is an undeniably nifty idea. As such,...
Wednesday17th Jul 2013
News PS4's Ace Augmented Reality Demo May Grow Before Launch
You're probably going to want a PlayStation Eye
Sony didn’t intend to release The Playroom. The absolutely incredible augmented reality showcase – which we recently got to check out firsthand – was designed as a collaborative effort between the platform holder’s hardware and software teams in order to better understand the new control...
Tuesday16th Jul 2013
News Count Up Those Gold Trophies, You're Going to Need Them
Bid for greatness
Those that dismiss the Trophy metagame often question its worth in the real world. After all, what’s the point in spending several hours scooping up feathers in Assassin’s Creed II when your efforts are rewarded with little more than a tiny PNG image and a sense of satisfaction? Well, Sony hopes to answer that question with its...
News The LEGO Movie Videogame Assembles on PS4, PS3, and Vita
Flicks based on bricks
Just when you thought that you were safe from block-building action, Warner Bros has announced another LEGO title, this time designed to tie into the popular toy’s imminent big screen debut. Due out in 2014 on the – wait for it – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita, The LEGO Movie Videogame will depict the...
News Sony Designed the DualShock 4 with First-Person Shooters in Mind
Call of Duty a key inspiration
As far as we’re concerned, the PlayStation 3 controller is easily the most versatile peripheral on the market. It suits sports games, platformers, and more. However, some would argue that the device is not compatible with first-person shooters, and while it’s not a sentiment that we necessarily agree with, it’s...
News Liege Expands to PlayStation 4 and Vita with Your Help
Developer needs additional funding to realise dream
Much like Disastercake’s recent Kickstarter campaign for RPG throwback Soul Saga, Coda Games' upcoming Liege is inspired by countless PlayStation classics. Fortunately, the tactical title – which aims to blend an adult narrative with dense strategic gameplay –
News Hatsune Miku Project Diva F Could Be Dancing onto Your Vita, Too
Strut your stuff
We already know that Hatsune Miku Project Diva F is pulling some shapes on the PlayStation 3 later this year, but the curious vocaloid popstar could also be strutting onto the PlayStation Vita as well. The ESRB – North America’s chief video game classifications board – has
News Survey Finds PS4 the Most Attractive Console for European Developers
Sony's system won't be short of support
If you’re worried that the PlayStation 4 may struggle to cultivate a compelling catalogue of content in the months directly following its launch, then you may want to put those concerns out in the cold for the time being. A developer survey has revealed that Sony’s next generation system is more appealing...
News VidZone Starts a Music Video Streaming Party in North America
Just dance
VidZone has been a mainstay of the European PlayStation 3 experience for eons, cranking out killer tunes since before Lady GaGa was hip. But now, much like Spotify before it, the service is set to play catch up in North America, allowing residents of the new world to stream the hits of Hanson until their heart’s content. Mmmbop. The...
News Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches Stirs Up August Release
Toil and trouble
French developer Arkane Studios will conclude Dishonored’s post-release strategy with a third DLC pack named ‘The Brigmore Witches’. The expansion – which is due out on 13th August in North America and 14th August in Europe – will pick up where ‘The Knife of Dunwall’ left off, directly after antagonist Daud’s...
News Diablo III Deploying in 2014 on the PlayStation 4
Fire and brimstone
While you’ll be able to cruise through Diablo III's underworld on the PlayStation 3 from 3rd September, you’ll have to wait until 2014 to rummage through the adventure on your PlayStation 4. Despite being announced during Sony’s next generation coming out party in February, Blizzard has admitted that it's only just got...
Preview Hopping Away from The Evil Within, the Scariest Game on PS4
Lopped legs
Despite what the developers may tell you, survival horror is as dead as the butchered corpses that once tormented the genre. Franchises that founded the format – the likes of Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and, to a lesser extent, Alone in the Dark – have gradually shed their endurance aspects, favouring rote supernatural shootouts in...
Monday15th Jul 2013
News Sony Fires Off Five Scorching inFAMOUS: Second Son Screens
Smokin' hot
If the summer weather has left you melting like a Popsicle in a microwave, then we recommend steering well clear of these smouldering inFAMOUS: Second Son screens. The images, which publisher Sony coughed up earlier today, show puerile protagonist Delsin Rowe unloading a handful of, er, fiery firepower on a selection of unsuspecting DUP...
News The Last of Us Limping Towards Black Ops II Record in the UK
Sweet six
Assuming that The Last of Us can survive another week at the top of the UK sales charts, it will match a record held by Call of Duty: Black Ops II and FIFA 12. Both of the aforementioned titles managed to sit at the summit for a whopping six consecutive weeks. Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed opus is now at five weeks, with
News Disgaea 4: Return Makes a Promise with PS Vita Next Year
Criminal Girls inviting your attention, too
Fans of exceptionally long adventures will get their money’s worth next year, as Nippon Ichi has announced that Disgaea 4: Return is in active production for the PlayStation Vita. The port of the PlayStation 3 favourite Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten was announced during an anniversary event in...
News PlayStation Store PLAY 2013 Saves You Money This Summer
Top titles featured in PSN promotion
Sony’s answer to the uber-popular Xbox Live Summer of Arcade initiative, PlayStation Store PLAY, is back for another term, this time bringing with it four farm-fresh PlayStation Network titles for you to harvest. The games featured in this year’s lineup include Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark (23rd July),...
News Avalanche Pulls the Trigger on Mad Max Footage
Soul of a man
Swedish outfit Avalanche Studios has put its foot down on the first in-engine footage of Mad Max. The title – which is set to shoot up the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 – will depict the eponymous hero’s plight, as he attempts to recover his lost vehicle, the Interceptor, from a barren desert wasteland. Despite being dubbed a...
News Ultra Street Fighter IV Throws a Few Fireballs Next Year
Hadouken
Capcom’s not done re-releasing Street Fighter IV just yet. During a panel at the EVO Championships this weekend, the publisher announced Ultra Street Fighter IV, a brand new expansion pack featuring five new characters, six stages, and rebalanced gameplay based entirely on fan feedback. The add-on’s due out early next year as an £11.99...
News PS3 Rules UK Retail in June, Commands 40 Per Cent Software Share
The Last of Us fronts positive period for Sony's system
While the PlayStation 3 is generally the platform of choice in Europe, it’s forced to sit behind the Xbox 360 in the UK. A strong marketing presence from Microsoft means that, while still popular, Sony’s system is regularly treated as second-best in the region. Despite this, though, the...
News UK Sales Charts: The Last of Us Survives a Fifth Week at the Top
Nothing's gonna stop us now
This is fairly unprecedented for a PlayStation 3 exclusive: The Last of Us has managed a fifth week at the top of the UK sales charts. Granted, there’s very little software deploying at the moment, but that’s still a seriously impressive feat for Naughty Dog’s survival horror excursion. There’s a chance that it...
Sunday14th Jul 2013
News Xbox One Developer Concedes That PS4 Is More Powerful
Specifications show superiority
As part of a question and answer session on Reddit, an Xbox One developer has admitted that the PlayStation 4 is more powerful than Microsoft’s machine. Despite this, the operating system engineer noted that the size of the gulf in performance is still up for debate, and that the games on the Redmond-based...
News Sony Almost Included Sweat Sensors on the PS4 Controller
Something to get your juices flowing
As we mentioned in our recent hands-on article, the PlayStation 4's controller is an outstanding refinement over the DualShock 3. However, platform holder Sony trialled a number of ideas before settling upon the current configuration – including a device that detected your stress levels based on how much...
News Ubisoft Investing Heavily in Open World, Far Cry 4 Details Coming Soon
Vaas the way we like it
The surprise success of Far Cry 3 has prompted Ubisoft to commit to a successor. Speaking with GameSpot last week, senior vice president of marketing and sales Tony Key admitted that the French publisher is “clearly going to make another one”, and that the company will have “more on that soon”. “We’re totally...
News Television Stars Sign Up for Roles in Killzone: Shadow Fall
Bringing out the big guns
Ever since its inception, the Killzone franchise has threatened to deliver a compelling narrative. Sadly, developer Guerrilla Games has gone out of its way to ignore the legitimately fascinating lore that it conceived, focusing instead on dreary characters and some genuinely atrocious writing. However, the Dutch...
News BioShock Vita Still a Topic of Conversation Between Sony and 2K Games
Would you kindly give it a rest?
BioShock Vita, the game that was announced over two years ago but hasn’t even entered development yet, is still a topic of conversation between Sony and 2K Games. Asked about the project on Twitter over the weekend, series creator Ken Levine revealed that he “talked about the title” with the aforementioned...
News Cerny Simulated Gameplay as an Eight-Year-Old to Aid Knack
Nutty professor
Everything that industry legend Mark Cerny has described about the PlayStation 4’s production process has been relatively orthodox thus far. The company maintained close contact with its first-party teams throughout production, collaborated with third-parties to properly understand their requirements, and kept the system’s...
News F1 2013 Is Pulling Out of the Pit Stop Tomorrow
Codemasters set to announce annual update
Sebastian Vettel may be running away with this year's championship, but that’s not stopping Codemasters from readying F1 2013 for release. The title – which will almost certainly launch later this year – is set to be officially unveiled tomorrow, as teased by an image posted on the franchise’s...
News Sony Drops Data Loss Appeal, Will Have to Pay £250k Fine
Chunk of change
Remember when the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK fined Sony a whopping £250,000 for the PlayStation Network hack in 2011? At the time, the platform holder said that it planned to fight the charges – but it’s since dropped the case, meaning that the firm will be forced to cough up the extortionate sum. "After...
First Impressions Brash Is Back in Wolfenstein: The New Order on PS4
Reich for the stars
Wolfenstein: The New Order is unashamedly old-school. The product of Swedish upstart Machine Games – a new outfit comprised of Starbreeze veterans – the revamp endeavours to ditch the conventions that have consumed the first-person genre over the course of the current generation, evangelising classic staples such as medkits,...
Saturday13th Jul 2013
News Gran Turismo 6 Garners Goodwill with Goodwood Hill Climb Course
Moving through the gears
Gran Turismo 6 will ship with a vast array of physics improvements over its processor, but that’s not the only enhancement that it will launch alongside. Polyphony Digital has been busy building some brand new tracks for the title – and among those fresh additions is the Goodwood Hill Climb course. Central to the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Nine
Hot in here
The sun may be shining for what feels like the first time in months, but that shouldn’t stop you from shutting the curtains and settling down with some good old video games. We’re definitely in a bit of a summer lull right now, which means that there’s plenty of opportunity to catch up on the hits that you may have missed. The...
News Forget the Comics, Sony Is Taking the PS4 to Comic-Con
Pssht, books
Batman, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four – those guys are old hat. You see, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con is not going to be about Linda Le’s latest cosplay, but a certain console that’s set to deploy later this year. Writing on the PlayStation Blog, platform holder Sony has confirmed that you’ll be able to get your hands...
News Divekick Outwits PS3 and Vita on 20th August in North America
Flying through the air
Iron Galaxy’s fascinating indie brawler Divekick – which augments you with just two attack options – is set to launch on 20th August in North America for $9.99. The PlayStation 3 and Vita release will be fully cross-buy compatible, meaning that you’ll only need to purchase the title once to enjoy it across both...
Friday12th Jul 2013
News Sony Almost Joined Forces with SEGA for the PlayStation
Alternate history
It’s a well-known fact that the PlayStation started life as an add-on for the Super NES. Sony and Nintendo didn’t see eye-to-eye, though, and the latter stabbed its would-be ally in the back by announcing a partnership with Philips. However, before opting to go it alone, the manufacturer actually tried to strike a deal with...
News Don't Worry, the PlayStation 4 Probably Won't Overheat
Phew, that's a relief
We’re suffering an uncharacteristic heat wave here in the UK at the moment, and that’s raised some questions about the PlayStation 4’s ability to efficiently cool itself. While the console has been lauded for its slender design, any kind of hardware hiccups could instantly undo all of the goodwill that the...
News Want to Play Puppeteer on Vita? Ask Shuhei Yoshida
Pocketable puppet show
Puppeteer may be in full costume ahead of its September curtain call, but many are hoping that the PlayStation 3 release is merely a dress rehearsal for a subsequent PlayStation Vita version. However, according to the game’s creative director Gavin Moore, that’s a request that you should be making to the top brass at Sony...
Saturday13th Jul 2013
Preview Sending Smoke Signals in inFAMOUS: Second Son, the Hottest Exclusive on PS4
Turning up the temperature
Despite a stellar track record, there’s still an air of scepticism surrounding Sucker Punch. The small Seattle-based studio – which was officially inaugurated into the Sony Worldwide Studios family in 2011 – has fashioned some stellar software over the years, but it’s yet to land a smash hit on the scale of...
Friday12th Jul 2013
Feature How a Jaded Child Set the Stage for PS3 Exclusive Puppeteer
Curtain call
Children are honest souls, augmented with an innocence that evaporates with the steady infiltration of adulthood. It was a sharp bite of sincerity from the son of creative director Gavin Moore that gave birth to Puppeteer, a twisted platformer with a co-operative focus from Sony’s very own Japan Studio, the home of hits such as Ape...
Review Deadpool (PlayStation 3)
Chimichangas!
Juvenile quips, over-the-top gore, fourth wall breaking referential humour, and excursions into insanity all paint the picture of the perfect Deadpool game, and in some ways this is it. You'll laugh wholeheartedly at the jokes and ridiculous scenes, but despite the excellent realisation of the character, the highly repetitive and...
News PaRappa the Rapper Is Making a Clothing Comeback
You gotta believe it
Fashion label Insert Coin recently announced a partnership with PlayStation – and it’s launching the initiative with a fresh selection of threads based on PSone classic PaRappa the Rapper. You’ll be able to show your fondness for the freestyling hound with a replica of
News Here's 20 Things That You May Not Know About the PS4
In the loop
If you haven’t already noticed, the PlayStation 4 is a hot topic of conversation at the moment. In fact, the only time that we're not thinking about Sony’s next generation console is when we’re asleep – and even then we’re probably having sordid dreams about the DualShock 4’s touchpad being rubbed seductively by the cast of...
News Media Molecule Blows Shuhei Yoshida's Mind with PS4 Project
But what is it?
While we continue to chew over that strange sculpting demo that Media Molecule presented during February’s big PlayStation 4 unveiling, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has been offered a closer look. As part of his trip to the Develop Conference in Brighton this week, the developer got a chance to catch up
News Sony Needs Soldiers to Aid Its Killzone: Mercenary Beta Effort
Stand to attention
Look sharp budding militant: Sony is searching for a slew of eager recruits to take part in the upcoming Killzone: Mercenary multiplayer beta. To participate, all you’ll need to do is fill out this simple survey in North America, or login through here in Europe. You’ll have until 14:00PM PDT/22:00PM BST on 17th July to...
News Killzone: Shadow Fall Keeps Things Current with Pre-Order Bonuses
Behind enemy lines
Killzone: Shadow Fall may be the showcase title for the PlayStation 4, but it’s hardly reinventing the wheel when it comes to pre-order bonuses. Picking up the surprisingly dense first-person shooter at participating retailers will reward you with the Shadow Pack, an exclusive offering that includes a handful of
Thursday11th Jul 2013
News The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Will Play Like a Dream on PS Vita
Developer working on 'flexible' control systems
Outside of camera-heavy titles, you’ll be able to enjoy every PlayStation 4 release on your PlayStation Vita. That includes sprawling epics such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – and fortunately, developer CD Projekt Red is working hard to ensure that the adventure plays perfectly on Sony’s portable...
News Grand Theft Auto 5's Recent Trailer Was Running on PS3
Sony's system powering sandbox smash
We were too busy being bowled over by the promise of the BAWSAQ stock exchange in Grand Theft Auto V’s recent trailer to look for button prompts, but fortunately Rockstar Games has revealed that the footage was captured entirely from the PlayStation 3 vers
News Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus Crashes onto PS3 This Year
And it's not a spin-off
Just when you thought that this year’s gigantic PlayStation 3 lineup couldn’t possibly get any bigger, Insomniac Games has announced that it’s working on a brand new title for the current generation console. Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus – which has been the subject of much teasing over the past few days – is...
News Get Tactical with Eight Minutes of Killzone: Shadow Fall
OWL power
Killzone: Shadow Fall just keeps looking better and better every time that we see it – and this newly published gameplay trailer is no exception. Originally shown at E3, this Helghast-infested video has blasted its way online, eager to show off the OWL drone which will accompany you throughout the game. And it's certainly a helpful...
News Settle Down for PlayStation Story Time with Mark Cerny
Are you sitting comfortably?
Once upon a time, PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny was actually a children’s narrator for the BBC. Now he occupies his time with projects such as Knack – but the luminary has reprised his former role to recount his history with the PlayStation brand. We can already feel the wonderful world of nod beckoning...
Store Update 10th July 2013 (Europe)
The one that nearly got away
It’s been an incredible year for gaming thus far, but we’ve definitely hit the summer lull. As such, you could probably forgive us for skipping this week’s European PlayStation Store update entirely – and we nearly did. Still, we’ve managed to engineer a spare minute or two, so here’s the latest content vying...
News Thomas Was Alone Found More Friends Through PS Plus
Keeping company
Thomas Was Alone, but now he’s the talk of the town – and according to indie developer Mike Bithell, Sony’s excellent PlayStation Plus initiative is partly responsible for the forlorn rectangle's new-found fame. Chatting with Joystiq, the creator explained that the uptake has been “ridiculous” and “amazing” through the...
Wednesday10th Jul 2013
Hardware Review Oyen Digital U32 Shadow 500GB External Hard Drive for PS3
Backup plan
Data is quickly becoming the digital thorn in our sides. As technology continues to integrate itself into our day-to-day lives, it’s becoming increasingly important to have a sequence of fail safes in place should something go wrong. But while the art of backing up is now a common practice in the office and home, it’s less commonly...
News Cerny: PS4 Will Fundamentally Alter the Landscape of Gaming
Sony wants to recapture the variety of the PSone
While it’s always easy to look back on the past with fondness, the PSone really was a special time for gaming. Development budgets were relatively manageable, so publishers could get away with launching titles such as Incredible Crisis, No One Can Stop Mr. Domino, and Vib Ribbon on the machine. Such...
News When Worlds Collide, We'll Be Playing Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
Insomniac Games' next PlayStation 3 project all but confirmed
Insomniac Games may be soaking up Sunset Overdrive’s rays over on the Xbox One, but that doesn’t mean that it’s done with the PlayStation 3 just yet. Yesterday’s mysterious promotional poster has been updated, including a link to Insomniac G
News Sony: We're in a Much Better Position with PS4 than with PS3
Company is confident coming out of E3
Sony’s been eager to iterate in recent weeks that it’s still got its work cut out with the PlayStation 4, but in the wake of sell outs at North American retailer GameStop, the company is understandably feeling pretty bullish about its next generation console. Speaking candidly with
News Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Plunders a Giant Map in New Trailer
Holiday by the sea
Hot off the heels of yesterday's lengthy Grand Theft Auto V gameplay trailer, Ubisoft have gone one step further, bringing us an even longer video that details the swashbuckling, adventurous life that comes with being a pirate. At over seven minutes long, there's plenty to point your spyglass at over the duration. From treasure...
News David Cage Details the Death That Shaped Beyond: Two Souls
Quiet contemplation
Every blockbuster demands a documentary video series, and Sony has kickstarted Beyond: Two Souls’ behind the scenes promotional campaign with this clip starring divisive director David Cage. In it, the luminary reveals that the inspiration behind the title was triggered by a death in his family. “I was confronted with a loss...
News PS4 Will Make Playing Your Digital Titles Anywhere a Lot Easier
Every little helps
PlayStation 4 isn’t reinventing the wheel with regards to digital downloads, but it is going to make it a lot easier for you to play your PlayStation Network games on different systems. Chatting with Official PlayStation Magazine at the Develop conference in Brighton, Sony research and development boffin Neil Brown explained...
Store Update 9th July 2013 (North America)
Alphabetical animals
Quick, someone give the studio behind Aabs Animals a copy of Letterland – doesn't the developer know that it goes Annie Apple, then Bouncy Ben, then Clever Cat? We’re waffling in order to fill out words because there’s nothing really of note in this week’s North American PlayStation Store update. We suppose that Coconut...
News Grand Theft Auto V Will Feature Over 1,000 Vehicle Modifications
Pimp your ride
There was a massive hint towards car customisation in yesterday’s gigantic Grand Theft Auto V gameplay trailer, but in typical Rockstar Games fashion, the options run deeper than yesterday’s footage. According to producer and lead mission designer Imran Sarwar, there’ll be approximately 1,000 modifications in the full game...
Tuesday9th Jul 2013
Review Strength of the Sword 3 (PlayStation 3)
One knight stand
The ambitious creation of the talented twosome at Ivent Games, Strength of the Sword 3 isn’t actually the third in a series, but rather a standalone title. Peculiar naming tactics aside, it does do a lot to impress despite its developer's diminutive size. As is often the way with budget fantasy titles, a hellish army is marching...
News You May Need to Open Your Wallet Wider for EA's PS4 Games
Prices could be going up
We’re very much still in the PlayStation 4’s honeymoon period. Typically, the bubble would have burst by now – but Sony is doing a fantastic job of ensuring that the public perception surrounding its next generation console remains predominantly positive. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t bad news around...
News Could Injustice: Gods Among Us Pummel the PlayStation Vita?
Caped crusader
Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios is no stranger to the PlayStation Vita, having already ported its bloody brawler to the portable platform. Now it looks like Injustice: Gods Among Us could be plotting the same path, having popped up on an Amazon France
News Razer's Boss Cuts PS3 to Shreds, Explains Lack of Support
Hardware manufacturer skips system because it's not a fan
If you’re hoping to snap up some Razer accessories for your PlayStation 3, then you’re bang out of luck – the third-party manufacturer doesn’t support Sony’s console because its gaffer isn’t a fan of the platform. Writing on Twitter earlier in the week, Min-Liang Tan explained...
News Worry Not, Developers Can Switch Off the DualShock 4's Light Bar
Let there be no light
Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has put the boot in light bar-gate before it’s really got started. Over the weekend, some of you were disappointed to learn that the illuminated strip on the DualShock 4 cannot be switched off at a system level – but the likeable executive has now
News Here's the Grand Theft Auto V Gameplay Trailer You've Been Waiting For
Rockstar shows off the game that will dominate your life come September
As we reported yesterday, Rockstar has released the first gameplay trailer for Grand Theft Auto V. The new trailer shows off some of the activities you'll be able to indulge in when the game finally launches, as well as some of the vehicles you can "borrow". You can gorge your...
News Worlds Collide in Mysterious PlayStation Promotion
Here we go again
You step out of the office for five seconds and Sony starts teasing cataclysmic events. The company has deployed the embedded image on its various social network channels, hinting at an impending planetary collision. But what does it mean? We legitimately don’t know, but we do have a couple of theories. The image appears to...
News The Last of Us Trots Past 3.4 Million Sales Globally
Look out for a sequel, then
Who says that you can’t launch new properties at the end of a generation? Sony has revealed that The Last of Us has sneaked past 3.4 million sales after just three weeks on the market. The figure comprises worldwide Blu-ray disc sell-in numbers and digital downloads. The press release adds that the title has...
News Stealth Inc Steps Out of the Shadows on 23rd July
Hide and seek
Curve Studios’ intriguing PlayStation 3 and Vita sneak-‘em-up Stealth Inc will no longer be a clone in the dark come 23rd July, as that’s when the sly title’s set to deploy on Sony’s systems in North America. Europeans will have to remain hidden for an extra day, as the title’s not due out until 24th July overseas...
News Ninja Theory Searching for Protégés, Working on Blockbuster Game
DmC developer's latest is probably for PS4
Fresh from irritating the entirety of the Internet with its reimagining of Devil May Cry, divisive developer Ninja Theory is recruiting for a brand new blockbuster project. Last week, the Cambridge-based outfit revealed that it was on the lookout for fresh blood, and it’s since followed up with a slew of...
Monday8th Jul 2013
First Impressions Killzone: Shadow Fall May Be the Most Strategic Shooter on PS4
Helgasp
Killzone: Shadow Fall is the release that will make you believe in the benefits of next generation hardware. Guerrilla Games’ first-person launch title shoots down any questions regarding the PlayStation 4’s ability to impress visually, responding emphatically with elegant dappled lighting and richer textures than a mercenary’s bank...
News You May Be Able to Play Battlefield 4 with a Mouse and Keyboard on PS4
Next generation, classic controls
Sony’s impressively ergonomic DualShock 4 controller may be snugger than a Cheryl Cole branded onesie, but it’s still unlikely to appeal to elitists. Those gamers that would rather play with rusty chainsaws than dual analogue sticks are much more likely to be wooed by WASD support – and Battlefield 4 on the...
Review Pinball Heroes: Complete (PlayStation Vita)
Flippin' heck
If there’s one area that the PlayStation Vita is not underrepresented, it’s the simulation pinball genre. While the fledgling handheld may have struggled to trigger the multiball on big blockbuster releases, the console already plays host to two flippin’ good bumper-based affairs in both Zen Pinball 2 and the Pinball Arcade. Sony...
News PS4 Pre-Orders Ceased at GameStop, Sony Shuts the Floodgates
Were you quick enough?
Having informed North American retailer GameStop to open the floodgates on PlayStation 4 pre-orders earlier in the year, Sony has now slammed shut sales of its next generation console. The giant’s website lists the vanilla ed
News Grand Theft Auto 5 Gameplay Footage Dropping, Er, Tomorrow
Inject it into our eyeballs
That Grand Theft Auto V gameplay footage that Rockstar Games recently teased isn’t far away – in fact, it’s probably being uploaded to a secure server as we type. The publisher – that simply can’t stand to do things the conventional way – has confirmed that we’ll get our first proper look at the open world...
News UK Sales Charts: The Last of Us Lives at the Summit
Can't stop clicking
It looks like it’s going to take something bigger than a Bloater to knock The Last of Us off its perch atop the UK sales charts. The title has retained its place at the best-sellers summit for a fourth consecutive week, proving that new properties can succeed at the end of a generation. It’s the first chart-topper of the year...
Sunday7th Jul 2013
News PlayStation TV Trademark Suggests That Sony's Got Square Eyes, Too
Microsoft's not the only platform holder looking at the bigger picture
Sony’s kept its messaging regarding the PlayStation 4 fairly restricted to games since the console’s initial unveiling. It’s been the right strategy – unlike Microsoft, the company seems to understand that it needs to capture the enthusiasm of its hardcore fanbase before...
News So, Atlus' Parent Company Just Registered a Persona 5 Domain
But which platform will it launch on?
Persona 5 is a game that’s been on the tip of most gamers’ tongues for eons, but now there’s reason to believe that it could be right around the corner. Atlus’ admittedly troubled parent company Index Corporation registered a domain for the hotly anticipated follow-up on 25th June. Cue throngs of excited...
Saturday6th Jul 2013
News This Is What the PlayStation 4 Will Look Like in Shops
Feeling blue
Retail presence may be the unsung element of video game marketing, but it’s massively important. Any system that occupies the dusty corner of your local electronics store is unlikely to make the best first impression – just talk to the PlayStation Vita about that. Fortunately, platform holder Sony has bigger plans for the...
First Impressions Behind the Wheel with DriveClub, the PS4 Racer That Wants to Keep You on the Road
Team pursuit
Evolution Studios does not consider PlayStation 4 launch title DriveClub to be just another racing game. The talented Runcorn-based outfit sees its latest vehicular outing as more of a social service – a hub that will keep you hooked by allowing you to interact with friends, recruit your own personal team, and sit in the cockpit of...
Sunday7th Jul 2013
News The Pinball Arcade Will Employ Cross-Discount on PS4
Price of previously purchased tables slashed
If you’ve developed an unhealthy obsession with The Pinball Arcade over the past few months – this particularly author is writing from experience – then you may be wondering what will happen to all of your previous purchases come the release of the PlayStation 4 version later in the year. Currently,...
Saturday6th Jul 2013
News Expect Plenty More PlayStation 4 Announcements at GamesCom
Sony teases impending information
The season of industry events and press conferences is only just getting started. Last month’s E3 was more or less the dress rehearsal for GamesCom, Tokyo Game Show, PAX, and the Eurogamer Expo – and unsurprisingly, there’s still plenty of information about the PlayStation 4 to be revealed in the run up to...
News Sony: PS4 Is Ahead, But We're Playing the Long Game
Platform holder staying sharp
Few would argue that the PlayStation 4 is enjoying an incredible build up to launch. The platform hasn’t really put a foot out of place since its announcement in February, and the mounting excitement surrounding the system is being reflected by positive pre-order numbers. Those figures, according to SCEUK boss Fergal...
News No, You Can't Turn Off the DualShock 4's Light Bar
Caught in headlights
The light bar on the top of the DualShock 4 is easily one of the device’s neatest features. It gives the unit a futuristic quality, and is also used for some pretty impressive PlayStation Move-esque motion tracking in technology demo The Playroom. However, its inclusion has us a l
News Tales of Xillia 2 Confirmed for European Release
Should be with us next year
Tales of Xillia has been available in Japan since 2011, and will finally be unleashed in the West next month. However, the game already has a sequel in the land of the rising sun – and it's now been confirmed that it too will be making its way to European shores. The announcement was made by Namco Bandai at the Japan...
Friday5th Jul 2013
First Impressions Could the PS4 Controller Be Gaming's Greatest Ever Input Device?
We wrap our eager fingers around the DualShock 4
It’s been almost 16 years since the PlayStation’s primary input device last demanded real scrutiny. The introduction of the DualShock in late 1997 ushered a new standard for video game control that hasn’t changed a whole lot over the past decade and a half. Sure, the peripheral has been host to...
First Impressions The Playroom May Be the Most Impressive Use of PS4 Yet
Minigame compilation makes us believers
Expectations can be curious things. If you’re already extremely excited for something, it can be hard for that unfortunate entity to live up to the standards that you’ve assigned to it. As a consequence, it’s easier to be surprised when your anticipation at rock bottom. And that’s exactly what happened...
Review Kung Fu Rabbit (PlayStation Vita)
Carrot-y chop
Adding to the slew of mobile-developed indie games that are finding their way onto Sony’s portable console, Kung Fu Rabbit brings basic yet addictive platforming to the table. It’s a title that won’t win any awards for originality, but its neat presentation and simple charm ensure that it’s a difficult game to put down. As you...
News Farming Simulator Trailer Grows an Oat to Joy
No foaling around
Farming Simulator , the most exciting release in the PlayStation 3’s pipeline barn none, has a brand gnu trailer – and this one’s packed with slap bass lines, licensed gear, and lots of action shots from life’s most high-thresher job. It certainly looks like publisher Focus Home Interactive’s in on the joke, which has us...
News Guacamelee's Price Temporarily Pinned in Europe
Cross-buy platformer gets cheaper
Canadian outfit Drinkbox Studios has wrestled with the price of Guacamelee in Europe, bringing the lovely luchador adventure’s point of entry down to just £7.99/€9.99. The offer will be valid until 17th July, after which it will reapply its mask, and reset its cost back to £9.99/€12.99. You know what you...
Thursday4th Jul 2013
News You'll Totally Get a Free Game Pre-Installed on Your PS4
Power of play
There may be a wealth of free-to-play content already in the pipeline for the PlayStation 4, but there’s one game that Sony wants you to sample out of the box. The Playroom, the platform holder’s augmented reality technology demo, will come pre-loaded with every machine, allowing you to experience virtual pong in your living room...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts Comes Crashing Down with Pre-Order Bonus
Free fallin'
Firm footing is not guaranteed in Call of Duty: Ghosts’ bonus ‘Free Fall’ map. The dilapidated arena – available alongside pre-orders for the impending first-person shooter – will drop you “into a shattered skyscraper on the brink of collapse”. As you play, the building will crumble in real-time, showcasing one of the...
Store Update 3rd July 2013 (Europe)
Time and time again
PlayStation Plus gets its monthly refresh in Europe this week, bringing with it a bevy of complimentary content for you to enjoy. Outside of the freebies, this week’s PlayStation Store update isn’t exactly bulging with new releases, but there are a few PlayStation Vita games vying for your attention, including Total Recoil...
News Destiny Gameplay Demo Dropped into the Wild
Halo developer plots debut on PS4
Bungie’s upcoming online first-person shooter Destiny was easily one of the biggest title’s at E3 2013, making this high-definition footage of the game totally worth your attention. It’s the same sequence that was originally shown during Sony’s press conference – complete with irritating developer...
News One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 Weighs Anchor with New Story Trailer
Gum-Gum get hype
Namco Bandai released a rather rousing trailer for its upcoming seafaring brawler earlier today, complete with cheesy rock music and a surprising amount of explosions. We also get a quick glimpse of newly introduced playable characters and the game's original plot. If nothing else, the title looks to be a nice chunk of mayhem for...
News Get your Daily Dose of Nonsense with Another Lightning Returns Trailer
Here we go again
Just when you thought that Lightning couldn't get any more melodramatic this week, Square Enix has released yet another trailer – this time in an attempt to detail some of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII's spiralling story arc. Keep your eyes peeled and you'll see cameos from some of your favourite – or not so favourite...
Rumour Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster Adds a Little Drama
Re-release to boast an additional 30 minutes
If you weren’t satisfied with the levels of nonsense in the Final Fantasy X story arc, then you may be elated to learn that Square Enix is aiming to sate your questionable cravings with an additional 30 minute drama added to the end of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster’s credits. According to Jump...
Wednesday3rd Jul 2013
Talking Point Sony's Slow and Steady PS4 Reveal Strategy Will Pay Off
Stockpiling ammunition
There’s a perception that Sony’s on top in the next generation race. The company’s adopting a humble approach in interviews, but it must be buzzing behind closed doors. Retailer charts place the PlayStation 4 in the driver's seat – even in the wake of Microsoft’
News Japanese Sales Charts: Toukiden Prompts Vita to Surge
System shoots up the hardware charts
PlayStation Vita sales have been steady if unspectacular in Japan since the system’s surprise price drop earlier in the year, but the release of Monster Hunter-esque action game Toukiden really gave the console a jolt of energy in the region this week. Hardware sales more than doubled, resulting in an...
Interview Jenova Chen Outlines the Challenges of Life After Journey
Company is still in pre-production on next game
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since PlayStation Network exclusive Journey launched to overwhelming critical acclaim. The spiritual adventure – which scooped our Game of the Year gong – fulfilled an exclusivity contract between developer thatgamecompany and platform holder...
News It Looks Like Halfbrick Is Squeezing Fruit Ninja onto the Vita
Strawberries and dreams
Fresh from the success of the freemium version of Jetpack Joyride on the PlayStation Vita, it looks like Australian indie Halfbrick Studios is lining up another conversion of one of its smartphone favourites. This week’s European PlayStation Store update lists a slew of microtra
Store Update 2nd July 2013 (North America)
It's getting hot in here
Sony’s really turning up the temperature on the North American PlayStation Store this week, with the Summer Blast sale bringing with it a bevy of sweat-inducing discounts. Other highlights include the release of Velocity Ultra, Pinball Heroes: Complete, and Farming Simulator on
News Tokyo Jungle Mobile Makes a Mess on PSM in North America Next Week
Woof stuff
Tokyo Jungle Mobile will be taking a trip overseas next week, according to a post by our friends over at PSNStores. The game – which was announced for Japan in Famitsu magazine earlier today – will stalk Sony’s fledgling PlayStation Mobile platform from 10th July. It’ll cost y
News Sony Confirms That Cross-Play Title Warrior's Lair Is Dead
Ruinous
Warrior's Lair, the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita cross-play title formerly known as Ruin, has been officially canned. The Diablo-esque dungeon crawler had a troubled development, as it was passed from Idol Minds to Sony San Diego in April 2012, nearly a year after it garnered rapturous applause during Sony's press conference at E3 in...
News Killer Is Dead Dons Its Gigolo Glasses on 27th August
Bundled with a bevy of goodies
Grasshopper Manufacture’s latest eyebrow-raising endeavour Killer Is Dead will flirt with store shelves on 27th August in North America, publisher XSEED Games has announced. All launch editions of the bloodthirsty outing will be bundled with an 80-page hardcover art book, a soundtrack featuring 25 songs produced by...
News Tokyo Jungle Mates with PlayStation Mobile on 10th July
Wild thing
Ace side-scrolling animal simulation Tokyo Jungle is set to get a PlayStation Mobile spin-off in Japan later this month, reports Siliconera. The farm-fresh digital download – teased in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine – will supposedly adopt an isometric perspective, and will subsequently play differently to its PlayStation 3...
News Lovefilm Breaks UK Gamers' Hearts from 8th August
Rental giant cans video games
Despite its name, Lovefilm is actually the best (and biggest) video game rental service in the UK. At least it was: the Amazon-owned giant has confirmed that it will cease distributing software to existing customers on 8th August. Yesterday, it revealed that it had axed game rentals for new members, prompting many to...
News Saints Row IV Declares Its Independence with Ridiculous New Trailer
"Welcome to Earth!"
As if we needed any further convincing that the Saints Row franchise has gone completely insane, this new Independence Day trailer for Saints Row IV is probably the most ridiculous promotion that we've seen for the upcoming release thus far. Characteristically full of swearing, stupid dialogue, and explosions, our latest glimpse...
Tuesday2nd Jul 2013
Review Arcania: The Complete Tale (PlayStation 3)
Arrow to the GPU
A great fantasy RPG should immerse you completely into its virtual world, making you truly believe in the mysterious realms around you. A great fantasy RPG should compel you to the point that you want to speak to every character in order to learn intricate secrets both pivotal and unrelated to the game's plot, and should encourage...
Review Hotline Miami (PlayStation Vita)
Do you like hurting other people?
Like the Hollywood classic Drive which provided a large helping of inspiration during development, Hotline Miami is a visceral assault on the senses which often leaves you breathless and sweaty-palmed, but also isn’t afraid to offer up moments of shocking frustration. Part action game, part puzzle title, part...
Interview Soul Saga's Mike Gale on Realising a Real Fantasy on PS4 and Vita
Cloud and strife
It would have been a real injustice if Soul Saga didn’t make it onto a PlayStation platform. The brainchild of former Microsoft employee Mike Gale is pitched as a love letter to the PSone JRPG era, but was originally only confirmed for the PC, Mac, and Linux. Fortunately, the success of the title’s Kickstarte
News Tretton: PlayStation Vita's Got a Dedicated Fanbase, It's Just Not Big Enough
Growing pains
While it’s now host to a pretty strong selection of games, the PlayStation Vita is still struggling to garner the commercial success that it probably deserves. Hardware numbers are catastrophically low, and it’s failing to secure big third-party brands as a result. Despite this, SCEA president Jack Tretton believes that there’s...
News EDGE Magazine Backs PS4 in Next Generation Special
Picking sides
Multiformat publications tend to sit on the fence for obvious reasons, but popular British magazine EDGE has pulled no punches with its latest issue. The next generation special runs with the headline, “This is your next console,” and includes a picture of the PlayStation 4 hardware. It continues that Sony’s system is the “only...
Wednesday3rd Jul 2013
News Nolan North Doesn't Know Anything About Uncharted 4
Yeah, and we're the offspring of Sir Francis Drake
Naughty Dog may have only just finished lapping up the plaudits for its latest release The Last of Us, but already the industry’s attention is turning to its next title. And given that it’s been almost two years since Nathan Drake’s last globe-trotting adventure, it's commonly accepted that...
Tuesday2nd Jul 2013
News PS4 Nominated Best of Show in E3 2013 Game Critics Awards
But misses out to Titanfall
Sony may be eager to not get too excited about its E3 2013 performance, but the PlayStation 4 has already scooped one major victory over the Xbox One. The console has been nominated ‘Best of Show’ in the E3 2013 Game Critics Awards, alongside the
News You'll Need 8GB of Free Space on Your PS3 to Play Grand Theft Auto V
First gameplay footage and multiplayer details on the way
Industry giant Rockstar Games is aiming to deliver the biggest open world in its history with Grand Theft Auto V, so it’s not particularly surprising that the impending sequel will consume a sizeable chunk of your console’s hard drive. Writing on its official website, the developer...
News PS4's Price Was Not a Reaction to Xbox One's, States Tretton
How low can you go?
Microsoft may have reversed some of its policies over the past couple of weeks, but it’s still hard to forget the series of sucker punches that Sony landed on its competitor during E3. It got consumers on its side by announcing that the PlayStation 4 will support used games, and then landed a killer blow by
News This Cloud Strife Costume Makes Lightning Even Moodier
Power of the cloud
Final Fantasy VII is finally entering the HD era – well, sort of. By pre-ordering Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, you'll snag a SOLDIER uniform that's more than a little reminiscent of Cloud Strife's original attire, along with his iconic Buster Sword. The final chapter in Lightning's tale was recently delayed until next...
Video Watch Us Put the Pedal to the Metal in Gran Turismo 6
Rolling start
Gran Turismo 6’s refreshingly early demo strapped itself into the PlayStation Store today, and we persuaded video boffin Rory Cocker to don his best leather gloves and take the title for a test drive. The gameplay teaser – which is available as part of the annual GT Academy competition – allows you to sample a handful of courses...
News Battlefield 3 Fires onto North American PlayStation Plus
Jet Set Radio, Dokuro, and more all up for grabs
Sony’s set to start the summer in spectacular fashion, with a bumper North American PlayStation Plus update that includes Battlefield 3. From today, you’ll be able to download DICE’s chunky first-person shooter for free, which should get you in the mood for the title’s big-budget sequel later
News Pinball Heroes: Complete Bumps into PlayStation Vita This Week
About flippin' time
As previously teased, Pinball Heroes: Complete is set to step up to the, er, table on the PlayStation Vita this week. The revamped PlayStation Portable title – which re-imagines a slew of PlayStation properties as pinball arenas – is due out later today in North America and tomorrow in Europe. It will set you back $5.99 in...
Monday1st Jul 2013
News There's a Secret Room Inside Naughty Dog That's As Cold As ICE
The department that makes PlayStation's first-party tick
Sony’s fabled ICE Team has always remained something of a mystery. While the platform holder’s acknowledged the existence of the technology-focused unit in the past, it’s never been entirely clear about how the Naughty Dog-based department came to exist. However, speaking as part of a...
Review Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (PlayStation Vita)
Icky mouse
It’s ironic that the latest blockbuster starring Walt Disney’s most iconic cartoon creation is a bit of a Mickey Mouse affair. Last year’s PlayStation 3 release of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, the sequel to development juggernaut Warren Spector’s popular Nintendo Wii game, fell flat on its button nose due to shoddy...
Review OMG HD Zombies! (PlayStation Vita)
Do you have the deadication?
After some zombie target practice as a PlayStation Minis title, the addictive OMG-Z is back as a full PlayStation Vita game, with Trophies, leaderboards, and a fresh lick of paint. OMG HD Zombies takes the original release's compelling mechanics, and gives them a good old polish, prompting you to venture deeper down the...
News Mark Cerny Reveals the Cheers and Jeers That Shaped PS4
Luminary opens the book on his career and Sony's latest console
Marble Madness creator Mark Cerny is the last person that you’d ever expect to get heckled, but the PlayStation 4 system architect has revealed that some jeers helped to shape Sony’s next generation console. Speaking candidly about his career and his involvement with the evolution...
News The Legend of Dragoon's Dart Almost Fought in PlayStation All-Stars
Here comes a new challenger
We thought that the roster in mascot mash-up PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale was fine, but it could have used a few more niche names. While we were always personally gunning for the mannequin from Echochrome, it turns out that Dart, the protagonist from PSone classic The Legend of Dragoon, was in production as DLC at...
News Hyperdimension Neptunia Dresses Up on PS Vita in Japan
It's raining, er, girls
Compile Heart is whipping out the hair straighteners and short skirts yet again, confirming that the original Hyperdimension Neptunia is set to strut its way onto the PlayStation Vita in Japan this October. The game – memorably dubbed Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 – will feature the enhanced visuals and combat system...
Game of the Month June 2013 - The Last of Us
It wasn't for nothing
Who wants to know a little secret? Ordinarily we run an internal poll for these Game of the Month posts, but on this occasion we didn’t bother. Anyone that dared to vote against Naughty Dog’s incredible opus The Last of Us was going to be forced to spend the week shamefully sat on the step outside of our big cheese’s...
News The Walking Dead: 400 Days Debuts, Er, Tomorrow in North America
Surprise, surprise
The hotly anticipated add-on chapter for Telltale Games’ award-winning The Walking Dead episodic series will shuffle onto the PlayStation Network tomorrow in North America. Those of you in Europe will have to wait until 10th July to get your hands on the expansion, which will retail for $4.99 in the land of the free. The...
News UK Sales Charts: The Last of Us Keeps Clicking at the Summit
The sky has turned grey
While we appreciate that we’re in the midst of the slow summer season, it’s pretty unprecedented for a PlayStation 3 exclusive to cling onto the UK sales charts top spot for longer than a week. But despite a slew of bad press over the past few days, The Last of Us has managed to do just that, holding onto its place atop...
News Curve Studios Converts Proteus for PlayStation 3 and Vita
Kaleidoscope eyes
Aren’t you a crafty bunch, Curve Studios? In an interview published over the weekend, the London-based outfit’s managing director Jason Perkins teased an indie project that it was working on behind-the-scenes, but it failed to give us the scoop. Now it’s confirmed on the PlayStation Blog that the title in question is...
News Whoa, There Are Now Eight Million Levels in LittleBigPlanet
More content than you could ever want
If, like this flustered author, you don’t have time to play half of the games that you own, then you may want to steer clear of LittleBigPlanet. While we’d recommend all of the entries in the whimsical do-it-yourself franchise, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. And the fact that the series is...
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