Review Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PlayStation 3)
Crikey! This game is flippin' tidy, mun!
News - 2013, Week 06
Sunday10th Feb 2013
News Evolution Studios Counting Down to PlayStation Meeting
Well, probably
Evolution Studios employee Paul Rustchynsky is pretty excited about 20th February. The game director – who previously worked on MotorStorm RC – expressed his enthusiasm in a straightforward Twitter message posted earlier this evening, counting down to the aforementioned date. While the developer could be referring to anything, we...
News Oh, There's a New Assassin's Creed Game in Development
Surprise, surprise
Buried amongst business terms, Ubisoft confirmed that a new Assassin’s Creed game is in development during its earnings call earlier this week. The title will supposedly star a new protagonist and will be set in a fresh time period – but, unsurprisingly, additional details are scarce. Development is being led by a different...
News Dead Space 3 Resource Farming Glitch Won't Be Patched
Dry paint
Dead Space 3 allows you to spend real money to upgrade your weapons – but you don’t necessarily need to engage in the shady practice to unlock the ultimate Plasma Cutter. An exploit discovered by the fine folks at GameFront allows you to farm as many resources as you like – and it’s unlikely to get patched, according to publisher...
Saturday9th Feb 2013
News Aliens: Colonial Marines Goes on a Bug Hunt in March
Squelch
Aliens: Colonial Marines will allow you to relive your youth next month. However, this time you won’t be burning ants with a magnifying glass – you’ll be pumping giant insects full of lead. SEGA has revealed that the first of Gearbox’s imminent extraterrestrial eviscerator’s expansion packs, ‘Bug Hunt’, will deploy in March,...
Sunday10th Feb 2013
News So, What Does PixelJunk Mean Anyway?
Unearthed secrets
We already know that PixelJunk is the name of one of the PlayStation Network’s most popular brands, but where did it get its title from? Developer Q-Games has laid out the reasoning in a brand new FAQ, which tackles pretty much everything you could ever want to know about the Kyoto-based developer. According to the document,...
Saturday9th Feb 2013
Review Sumioni: Demon Arts (PlayStation Vita)
Not worth the Monet
Sumi-e is a form of ‘ink wash painting’ popularised in Asia approximately 1,400 years ago. It’s a striking art form that aims to capture the soul of its subject rather than attempt photo-realism and has been used to great effect in videogames before, with Okami being a notable example. Developers are always looking for...
Friday8th Feb 2013
Rumour PlayStation 4 Will Ship with an Upgraded EyeToy
Big brother
According to prolific rumourmonger VGLeaks, the impending PlayStation 4 will be accompanied by an upgraded EyeToy that will keep tabs on you while you play. The so-called ‘Dual Camera’ – which has also been hinted at in a series of EDGE reports – will apparently feature a pair of wide-angle lenses, each boasting a resolution of...
Saturday9th Feb 2013
News God of War: Ascension Documentary Details the Birth of Kratos
And his Spartan army
How much make-up is required to transform a real man into Kratos? A lot, if this behind the scenes documentary is anything to go by. The video details the production of God of War: Ascension’s recent live action trailer, which was aired during the online stream of the Super Bowl last weekend. It’s incredible just how closely...
News Journey Is Not Just a Great Game, It's a Life Changer
Dry your eyes
Many of us can point to a piece of media that has helped us through a difficult time. For some it may be a song, others a book – but for Sophia, a 15-year-old gamer, it's Journey. Speaking during a panel at DICE earlier this week, thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen read aloud a letter that the company had received from the...
News Soul Sacrifice's Scorching Soundtrack Is Suitably Epic
Kitchen sink
Soul Sacrifice is a pretty bonkers game. The title – designed to capitalise on the Monster Hunter craze – sees you forgoing body parts in exchange for more powerful weapons. With that premise in mind, the release always demanded a crazy soundtrack – and publisher Sony turned to one of the best composers in the business to make...
News Solving the Mystery of Square Enix's Murdered: Soul Suspect
Follow the breadcrumbs
Those of you keeping tabs on the fast moving world of Twitter yesterday afternoon may have caught wind of a mysterious alternate reality game doing the rounds. The case was solved within hours, revealing a brand new PlayStation 3 title from Square Enix named Murdered: Soul Suspect. As you’d expect, additional details are...
Friday8th Feb 2013
News Journey Sweeps DICE Awards, Scoops Eight Gongs
On top of the world
Journey got no less than eight honours caught up in its scarf at the DICE awards last night. The stunning PlayStation Network exclusive swept up accolades for sound design, innovation, and online gameplay. It also floated away with the coveted ‘Game of the Year’ gong. Telltale's excellent The Walking Dead came closest to...
Opinion Why The Last Guardian Will Be a PlayStation 4 Game
Blooming great
While the PlayStation 3 has played host to its fair share of genre defining titles, it’s hard to shake the feeling that it’s still missing its most important release. The hotly anticipated Team ICO title The Last Guardian was officially announced almost four years ago, but despite receiving a release date in 2010, its troubled...
News Sony Honours Dedicated Trophy Hunters with Congratulations
It's a hard life
Committing your life to collecting digital trinkets can be a real chore. Not only are you forced to sit through inane difficulty tiers, assemble sizeable bounties of feathers, and grind you way through hundreds of multiplayer levels with strangers, but it’s also relatively unappreciated work. Who gives you a pat on the back for...
News Watch Kevin Spacey Get to Grips with a PlayStation Vita
Buying one for the car
Sony is no stranger to product placement, but this scene from Netflix exclusive show 'House of Cards' really takes the biscuit. In it, Kevin Spacey randomly picks up a PlayStation Vita and talks about buying one for his car. It's unbelievably awkward, but we suppose it's nice to see the console finally getting some...
Thursday7th Feb 2013
News Sony: "We Have to Do a Better Job of Promoting the PS Vita"
Well, duh
Sony slashed the PlayStation Vita’s sales forecast for the fourth time earlier today, announcing that it expects the recently released handheld and its predecessor to sell a combined 7 million units by the end of the current fiscal year. It had originally predicted that the console would surpass 16 million units during the same period,...
Friday8th Feb 2013
Rumour Killzone 4 Targeting PlayStation 4 in 2013
Vekta of the Gods
We always assumed that Guerrilla Games’ in-development fantasy title would debut alongside the PlayStation 4, but it looks like the company could be readying Killzone 4 instead. VideoGamer.com reports that the Dutch developer is currently applying the finishing touches to the next-generation first-person shooter, which could...
News New Velocity Ultra Screenshots Light Up the Night Sky
Like fireworks, only better
As an award winner and an all-around high-flier, FuturLab must have faced a few headaches when it decided to remake the excellent Velocity for PlayStation Vita. “How can we possibly improve upon perfection?” is a question that we imagine got tossed about a lot during early brainstorming sessions. Thankfully, it...
News Ex-Microsoft Executive Details Heated Relationship with Sony
Furrowed brows
Xbox only exists because of Microsoft and Sony’s heated relationship. That’s according to former executive Joachim Kempin, who was vice president of Windows Sales at the firm. Chatting with IGN, the outspoken suit explained that the computing company wanted to tackle PlayStation head-on due to the bad blood between the...
Thursday7th Feb 2013
News Feast Your Eyes on The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
Dead wood
For a game that’s less than two months away, it’s telling that Activision has only just released the first trailer for The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Sure, we got that rough footage earlier in the year, but believe it or not, that was fan-made. Thankfully, this new trailer is official, even if it still doesn’t look very good...
Friday8th Feb 2013
News Tomb Raider's Journey Concludes, Reboot Goes Gold
Beside the seaside
You'll be able to protect vulnerable heroine Lara Croft for yourself in just a few short weeks, as developer Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that its upcoming Tomb Raider reboot has finally gone gold. The title will sail, crash, and wash up on store shelves on 5th March in North America and Europe. You can’t beat a nice...
Thursday7th Feb 2013
News Assassin's Creed III: Liberation's Sales Near 600,000 Units
Not too shabby
Ubisoft’s likeable PlayStation Vita spin-off Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation has snuck up on a brand new milestone, selling “close to 600,000 units”. The publisher announced the statistic as part of a post-earnings financial call earlier today, though its terminology was mixed throughout. As such, it’s not entirely clear if...
Opinion How LiveArea Could Be Enhanced for PlayStation 4
The circle of life
According to a wealth of recent rumours, the PlayStation 4 will be much more community driven than its predecessors. Trusted Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported earlier today that the console will “be furnished with the ability to exchange opinions amongst one's friends while playing games”. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal...
News Gift Yourself This Gorgeous God of War: Ascension Controller
Worth sacrificing a kidney over
Sony has confirmed that you will be able to purchase this gorgeous golden God of War: Ascension controller as a standalone goodie in the UK. The delicious DualShock 3 was revealed as part of the prequel’s British bundle yesterday, but it wasn't clear if it would be available separately. However, the company has now...
News Sony Cuts Losses, PlayStation Sales Tumble
Ups and downs
It looks like the appointment of Kaz Hirai has worked wonders for Sony. The recently recruited president promised to decrease losses when he took over the role in April last year, and he’s done a decent job. The company as a whole recorded a net loss of ¥10.8 billion ($115 million) for its fiscal third quarter ending 31st December,
Rumour Sumo Digital Knitting New LittleBigPlanet Game
Probably for PlayStation 3
Here’s a surprising one to warm your cockles on this freezing Thursday afternoon: Sumo Digital is rumoured to be working on a brand new LittleBigPlanet game. The report comes courtesy of online aggregate site VG247, which claims to have heard from insiders that the Sheffield-based studio is deep in development on the...
Wednesday6th Feb 2013
News Tecmo Koei Unsheathes Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge for PS3
Just not into U
How could you Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge? You could have waited until after Valentine’s Day to end your cosy little exclusivity arrangement with the Wii U. You promised that you were going to kit Ayane out in that skimpy little outfit too. Hang your head in shame, you dirty little cheat. Of course, Nintendo’s loss is...
Thursday7th Feb 2013
News Rayman Legends Leaping onto PlayStation 3 in September
Legless
Rayman Legends will get its invisible limbs in a twist on PlayStation 3 this September, publisher Ubisoft has announced. The former Wii U exclusive was due out later this month, but has now been pushed back, presumably to accommodate the multiplatform launch. The news will come as a big blow to Nintendo, as the title had previously been...
News Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault Vita Delayed Until Spring
Clock blockers
Sony has finally broken its silence on the PlayStation Vita version of Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault. The title – which had been set to release in January – will now arrive in the spring. Writing on the
Rumour PlayStation 4 Will Retail for $399.99
Magic number
Sony seems to have learned its lesson about insane price points. According to GamesIndustry.biz, the manufacturer is planning to sell its next console for around $399.99. The figure comes courtesy of Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which understands that the console will cost ¥40,000 in its home region. That translates to about $427...
News Capcom Arcade Cabinet Sucks Your Coins from 19th February
Retro revival
Put your carefully collected stock of quarters to one side, because you may have a use for them in a few short weeks. The recently revealed Capcom Arcade Cabinet will debut on 19th February, bringing 15 classic titles with it. These releases will be rolled out on a regular basis until 21st May, and buying them all will add two free...
Wednesday6th Feb 2013
News Assassin's Creed III Ends King Washington's Reign in April
Maniacal monarch
King Washington’s tyrannically reign will come to a climatic conclusion in time for summer, publisher Ubisoft has confirmed. The final episode in the tantalising trilogy of Assassin’s Creed III add-on packs will arrive on 23rd April, with the second entry launching on 19th March. As previously confirmed, the debut pack will...
Thursday7th Feb 2013
News New Aliens: Colonial Marines Trailer Slow Dances with Death
One, two, three, and four
Don’t let the mellow piano melody fool you – Aliens: Colonial Marines does not require you to excel at the foxtrot. Instead, it demands big biceps, a steady aim, and a strong stomach. Don’t believe us? Check out the title’s excellent launch trailer below to see what we’re talking about. The game's due out next...
Wednesday6th Feb 2013
Talking Point What's the Problem with PlayStation Marketing?
Creating buzz
Everything seems to go wrong when you’re going through a rough patch. Sony learned this lesson in the hardest way possible with the launch of the PlayStation 3. “The next-generation doesn’t start until we say so,” former PlayStation president Kaz Hirai declared. But the promise of great things wasn’t enough to make up for the...
Review Dokuro (PlayStation Vita)
Undead good
Are you itching for a smart and interesting puzzle platformer? One with an undead theme and a hero faced with the challenge of rescuing a princess from his evil master? Then Dokuro's got you covered. Having witnessed the Dark Lord capture a beautiful blonde monarch, your envy and renewed moral standing compels you, a mere skeleton...
Store Update 5th February 2013 (North America)
Real steal
There are three new retail releases available as part of this week’s North American PlayStation Store update – and they’re all heavy hitters. New arrivals include Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, Dead Space 3, and Fist of the North Star 2: Ken’s Rage. We hope that you’ve been saving up, because this is going to be an expensive week...
News Yes, Bentley's Hackpack Does Include Trophies
Binary bling
Seeing as the mini-games from the recently revealed Bentley’s Hackpack are already included on the full retail release of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, we encouraged you to exercise caution before picking up the cheap and cheerful title yesterday. But product manager Cristian Cardona has now
Rumour Evolution and Guerrilla to Debut PS4 Projects on 20th February
Exercise caution
You see that big rumour tag at the top of your screen? Colour it in with a shocking pink marker pen and set it on fire, because this is the very definition of a speculative piece. Still, we couldn’t resist sharing the latest gossip regarding Sony’s rapidly approaching 20th February press conference, and we think that you’ll...
News Kratos Will Kill a Kitten If You Ignore This God of War Bundle
Think about it
Wannabe deities will be able to augment their shrines with a limited edition God of War: Ascension hardware bundle this March. The package – currently only announced for British-based worshippers – includes a 500GB Classic White PlayStation 3, a copy of the game, and a limited edition DualShock 3. The controller sports the same...
Store Update 6th February 2013 (Europe)
Alien greed
It’s been a quiet couple of months on the European PlayStation Store, but there are signs that things are starting to pick up this week. In addition to the likes of Dead Space 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, there’s also the arrival of Alien Breed, Wake-Up Club, and Bent
News Dead Island Shuffles Past the 5 Million Sales Milestone
Deadly proportions
Who would have thought that one trailer could make such a difference? Dead Island, the janky co-operative zombie slayer from Deep Silver, has officially surpassed 5 million sales since its release in 2011, which is nothing short of a small miracle considering how broken the game was at launch. The publisher – which now owns the...
Tuesday5th Feb 2013
News Alien Breed Stalks the European PlayStation Store This Week
Showing its teeth
Team 17 will pay homage to James Cameron all over again this week, when its Amiga classic Alien Breed fires onto the PlayStation 3 and Vita in Europe. The top-down blaster will set you back just £6.49 for both versions, and will be buoyed by a further 20 per cent discount for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Those of you in North...
News Bentley's Hackpack Breaks Out Sly Cooper's Mini-Games
Turtle target practice
One of the best things about Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time – as evidenced in our recent preview – is the title’s constant desire for variety. The campaign is practically bursting with different gameplay mechanics, and you’ll be able to sample some of those for yourself courtesy of a new cross-platform application...
News Sony Hires Google Chrome Marketers, Dumps Deutsch
Advertising overhaul
The timing couldn’t be more perfect. As the industry erupts with concerns regarding the commercial prominence of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time – out today in North America in case you’d forgotten – Sony has announced that it has ditched its existing advertising agency and hired the firm responsible for Google Chrome’s...
News Celebrate PS Vita's Birthday in Style with European Sale
This is living
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since the PlayStation Vita first hit store shelves. In honesty, it’s been a turbulent 12 months for the platform, but there’s been no shortage of great games. In order to celebrate the system’s growth, Sony has announced a brand new European sale, set to run for a period of...
News Insert Coins into the PlayStation Home Arcade App This Week
Retro games on the go
As spotted late last year, a new application is heading to the PlayStation Vita that will allow you to take your PlayStation Home arcade cabinets out and about with you. The free download – set to release in both Europe and North America this week – features full cross-buy compatibility, meaning that any titles you’ve...
News Skylanders Swap Force Goes Mix and Match Mad This Autumn
Switching things up
Guess what? The toys are back in town. Activision has announced that it will release a new iteration of Skylanders this autumn, with development headed up by Vicarious Visions. According to the publisher, the change in personnel will give series creator Toys for Bob time to come up with the next big thing. With the significantly...
News Zen Pinball 2 Finds the Force, Loses It Again
Into the garbage chute
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, developer Zen Studios revealed that it was working on a new batch of Star Wars themed tables for its free PlayStation 3 and Vita application Zen Pinball 2 – but the announcement was yanked faster than the Millennium Falcon in hyperspace. Still, there’s nothing stopping us from...
News Dead Space 3 Awakens with Post-Release DLC
One eye open
Dead Space 3 has barely had time to spook the store shelves it's sitting on, but that’s not stopped publisher EA Games from announcing that there’s more content lurking on the horizon. Following on from last week’s tease, the company has confirmed that the ‘Awakened’ DLC pack will haunt the PlayStation Store next month...
News Konami Augmenting Metal Gear Rising with Exclusive DLC
Virtual reality
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance may be steering Konami’s classic stealth series in a more action oriented direction, but it refuses to overlook the mainstays from the legendary franchise. As such, the publisher has confirmed that, like its predecessors, the title will boast a slew of VR missions – and many of these will be...
Monday4th Feb 2013
News Guardians of Middle-Earth Free for NA PS Plus Subscribers
Irkwood
North America’s slightly less exciting PlayStation Plus offering continues to play catch up to its infinitely superior European counterpart this week with the addition of Guardians of Middle-Earth, the Monolith developed MOBA that stars characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s dreary universe. Maybe if you pretend that you're excited about this,...
News The Last of Us' Clickers Make the Most Terrifying Noises Ever
Tick tock
It turns out that there is a sound that topples One Direction’s latest record in the awful audio stakes. Sony has released a brand new two minute gameplay video from The Last of Us, which introduces a fresh enemy type known as Clickers, advanced infected beings which are blind and basically bloody terrifying. They use echo location...
Review Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PlayStation 3)
Crikey! This game is flippin' tidy, mun!
Nowadays, large-scale RPGs seem to be everywhere, and with such a rich choice of games available, it’s hard to discern the classics from the rabble. It can also be easy to exaggerate the quality of the very best in the genre, due to long development processes and the length of the adventures on offer. But...
Review Beats Trellis (PlayStation Mobile)
Pocket producer
Beats Trellis may sound like the name of a hip rhythm action game, but it’s actually a barebones digital audio workstation. Designed by Sony Computer Entertainment’s research and development department, the digital download allows you to compose simple audio motifs on the move. It’s designed in the style of Ableton and Reason,...
Review Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (PlayStation Portable)
Shock till you drop
With a title like Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, it’s immediately clear that you’re going to be in for a bumpy ride. The sequel continues the sadistic, horribly twisted atmosphere of the first game perfectly well – but it doesn’t bring much new to the table. It’s admittedly more of an expansion to the first game than a...
News Sony Severs Ties with PlayStation All-Stars Developer
Walking away
Despite the likelihood of a sequel seeming fairly high, Sony has confirmed that it has ended its relationship with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale developer SuperBot Entertainment. The platform holder confirmed the news in a press release earlier this evening, adding that its Santa Monica studio will continue to support the release...
News Latest PlayStation Vita Colour Is As Cold As Ice
Not willing to sacrifice, though
Sony’s trotting out another new PlayStation Vita colour in Asia next month. The chilly ‘Ice Silver’ design is set to release on 28th February in Hong Kong, with additional regions nabbing the hue in early March. “By continually releasing a vast library of exciting and attractive software titles, SCE is also...
News UK Sales Charts: Ni No Kuni Summons a Spot at the Top
Magic master
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has ventured to the top of the UK sales charts, conjuring itself into first position for the week. The striking Level-5 and Studio Ghibli collaboration wrapped its wand around the back of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s head, pushing the popular first-person shooter into third position. Last week’s...
News Capcom Cuts DmC: Devil May Cry's Forecasts Down to Size
Fallen angel
You can’t blame Capcom for having high expectations – it’s just a shame that the publisher can’t seem to achieve them. After shipping one million copies of DmC: Devil May Cry across multiple platforms in January, the company has decided to slash its overall sales estimates for the reboot. It now expects the release to shift 1.2...
News Dead Space 3's Demo Has Been Dismembered Two Million Times
Must be something in the air
It looks like that blast of Phil Collins has done the trick for Dead Space 3. Chuffed publisher EA Games has announced that the title’s recently released demo has already been downloaded by almost two million people across multiple platforms, which represents a ten per cent increase over
