Review Sacred Citadel (PlayStation 3)
Imitation is the sincerest form of splattery
News Sony Tells GameStop to Open the Floodgates on PS4 Pre-orders
Platform holder gets aggressive
News - 2013, Week 25
Saturday22nd Jun 2013
News Sony's Considering Multiple PS4 Hardware Packages
Value added
To date, Sony’s only really announced one version of the PlayStation 4. The competitively priced $399.99 option includes the console and a DualShock 4, but the platform holder is considering deploying some bigger bundles. In an interview with MCV, SCEE president Jim Ryan added that larger packages are something that the platform...
News Justin Bieber Lands the Role of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted Movie
Don't worry, it's just a joke
Naughty Dog’s known for packing its games full of Easter Eggs, and The Last of Us is no different. One keen Reddit user spotted this newspaper in the post-apocalyptic game, which reveals that Justin Bieber will assume the role of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted Movie. Thank goodness for fungal infections, huh? The real...
News Proposed PS4 Release Date Is Merely Speculation, Says Sony
Platform holder puts ice on rumours
Retailers around Europe started erecting 13th November release date banners for the PlayStation 4 this week, but the manufacturer has labelled the window as little more than “speculation”. German giant Media Markt was one of the first outlets to state the date, before being followed by
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Eight
Born to try
The pomp and circumstance of last week’s E3 2013 may have rained on our usual ‘What Are You Playing?’ parade, but now that the Los Angeles Convention Centre has been packed up, we’re back with our traditional weekend gaming schedule. Below you’ll find the PlayStation plans of several Push Square staff members, but don’t...
Friday21st Jun 2013
News Sony Tells GameStop to Open the Floodgates on PS4 Pre-orders
Platform holder gets aggressive
Sony seems to have some serious confidence in its production pipeline, as it has informed GameStop to accept “unlimited pre-orders” for the PlayStation 4. In a leaked memo sent to stores across North America, the retailer revealed that the platform holder has allowed it to open the floodgates on system reserves...
News You'll Be Able to Upload Your PS4 Videos Directly to YouTube
Broadcast yourself
Sony’s been a little cagey with regards to where you’ll actually be able to share your gameplay clips from the PlayStation 4, but system architect Mark Cerny virtually confirmed compatibility with YouTube on the Jimmy Fallon show earlier in the week. Explaining the console’s social features to the excitable host, the video...
First Impressions Dancing with Cat Ears in Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F
Big in Asia
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F is a very unique rhythm-based game. Inspired by the dominant Japanese Vocaloid craze – a piece of software that allows users to create songs – Hatsune Miku is a virtual anime-style Japanese idol and digital singer, with a vocaloid sound sampled from the voice of Japanese voice actress Fujita Saki. At a...
News Chew Your Nails Through Ten Minutes of Outlast Footage on PS4
Prepare to jump
Between the upcoming The Evil Within and Daylight, the PlayStation 4 is already shaping up to be a particularly petrifying haunted home for survival horror. Outlast – the upcoming scare ‘em up from Red Barrels – looks poised to add to that, serving up a terrifying first-person jaunt through an abandoned asylum. This gameplay...
First Impressions Turning the Pages of Wonderbook: Book of Potions
Brewing up a storm
Wonderbook may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for families, and those of an inquisitive nature, it offers a totally new way to play games. The only problem, up until recently, was that there was only one title that used the novel peripheral, Wonderbook: Book of Spells. Fortunately, last month saw the release of
News Hotline Miami Phones Home with Exclusive Raging Bull Mask
Indie hit coming to PS3 and Vita next week
If the brilliant Hotline Miami wasn’t already demented enough, developer Dennaton Games has added an exclusive mask to the impending PlayStation port of the cult hit. The appropriately named Russell the Raging Bull disguise will not only allow you to conceal yourself as a muscular bovine, but will also...
News Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Season Pass Plunders New Mate
Walk the plank
Those of you that choose to sail the seven seas in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag on the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 3 will not only be able to step into the baggy trousers and boots of Edward Kenway and Aveline de Grandpré – but also a new shipmate named Adewale. The last character will be available as part of the...
News PS3 Firmware Update v4.45 Fix Deploying on 27th June
Back in the game
Those of you caught off guard by this week’s fatal PlayStation 3 firmware update may be pleased to learn that a fix is on the way. A post on Sony’s official community forums explains that the company has found the issue with v4.45, and will deploy a solution on 27th June. Some users complained that the software refre
News Watch David Cage Talk Shenmue and Beyond: Two Souls with Yu Suzuki
When worlds collide
There’s no denying that Dreamcast classic Shenmue and Heavy Rain share similarities. While the two titles are set in completely different worlds, they both aspire to the same cinematic goals. As such, this interview conducted by Camouflaj developer Ryan Payton is particularly fascinating. In it, both SEGA legend Yu Suzuki and...
News Watch Dogs Multiplayer Enjoys a Futuristic Game of Cat and Mouse
Hack attack
The first multiplayer footage from upcoming PlayStation 4 launch title Watch Dogs has leaked. The component appears to take place solely in the game's open world, and sees you attempting to download data from a random target. Unfortunately, your subject will know that you’re trying to hack them, and will come looking for you the moment...
News Hotline Miami Probably Bludgeoning PlayStation Platforms Next Week
Miami vice
Hotly anticipated indie smash Hotline Miami may be calling the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita next week, according to developer Dennaton Games. The studio – which just announced Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number for the PC – didn’t seem sure about the release date, so don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t show up. For those out...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts Spooks Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Looks a bit woof
Jimmy Fallon’s video game week has continued with a brief look at Call of Duty: Ghosts. This is the same footage that was shown at E3, in which you get to take control of dog Riley via a remote video link. There are some pretty cool ideas on display – we especially like the way that you can bark to bring guards out into the...
Thursday20th Jun 2013
News Pre-order Allocations for PS4 Far Outstrip Xbox One
GameStop ceases accepting deposits for Microsoft's machine
Microsoft may have moseyed back into the console battlefield with last night’s announcements, but it could still struggle to satisfy demand at launch. Polygon reports that mega retailer GameStop has already fulfilled its allocation of pre-orders for the Xbox One, and has ceased accepting...
Reaction Microsoft May Have Reacted, But PS4 Is in Control
Follow the leader
Sony has been heavily criticised for being reactionary throughout the course of this generation. The platform holder that so confidently set the tone of the gaming landscape with the PSone and the PlayStation 2 was caught off guard by the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii, an oversight that prompted it to play catch-up in almost every...
Reaction E3 2013 Uncovers the Trends That Are Poised to Define PS4
Onwards and upwards
E3 2013 has come and gone, and while the stage has been once again dominated by the usual corporate chest puffing, there were also a number of new gaming trends on display. Accelerated by the introduction of new hardware, this year's show played host to a slew of fresh technological advancements, all of which look poised to...
News PS4 Doesn't Support Oculus Rift Right Now, But It May Do in the Future
Smiles all around
Oculus Rift is the future – at least, that’s what we’re told. The virtual reality headset allows you to explore three-dimensional worlds by looking around you – there’s even a racy role-playing game in production for the hardware. And the functionality could yet be coming to the PlayStation 4, if you read into the smiles...
News Analysts Believe That PS4 Is Still in the Driver's Seat
Microsoft's adapted policies won't change system showdown
The immediate question after Microsoft’s dramatic DRM u-turn last night revolved around what impact the reversal will have on the PlayStation 4. Sony milked its pro-consumer policies during E3 2013 last week, but now that the Redmond-based firm has responded, does that put the Japanese...
News Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Paints the Vita
Mouse magic
The most baffling port in PlayStation history is poised to pull out the Dulux and roller kits this week, as Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two embarks on an excursion to the PlayStation Vita. Sony’s promised a slew of enhancements for the portable platformer, including touch controls, tilt functionality, and co-op. Whether the...
News ZRun Laces Up and Sprints onto PlayStation Vita This Summer
Running rings
You’re surely not tired of zombies, are you? StarDrone: Extreme developer Beatshapers hopes to revisit a post-apocalyptic backdrop one more time with ZRun, a PlayStation Vita brawler that combines Canabalt with Streets of Rage. The game puts you in the Hi-Tops of a vacationing college student who’s tasked with escaping from the...
News Tap into a Few Minutes of Watch Dogs Footage on Jimmy Fallon
Security breach
Jimmy Fallon may have managed to wrap his head around Knack yesterday evening, but he was back to his worst during the latest episode of the Late Night Show. As part of the programme’s ongoing video games week, the host invited Ubisoft and Aisha Tyler onstage to demo Watch Dogs on the PlayStation 4 – and subsequently struggled to...
Wednesday19th Jun 2013
Talking Point What Does Microsoft's Massive Xbox One-Eighty Mean for PS4?
Round like a record
We didn’t expect Microsoft to stick with its digital rights management policies after the mauling that it faced from consumers and the media at E3 2013 last week, but even we’re a little stunned by the swiftness and scale of its turnaround. If you’ve been living under a rock, the Redmond-based firm has just revealed that...
Review Sacred Citadel (PlayStation 3)
Imitation is the sincerest form of splattery
A group of adventurers are attacked while relaxing in a tavern and must flee a town that has been set ablaze: does this sound familiar? Indeed, as the opening of Sacred Citadel mirrors the events of the first stage of Guardian Heroes, co-op brawler fans can look forward to a number of nods in reverence to...
News PlayStation Vita Mega Pack Bundles Outrageous Value
Pick up an 8GB memory card with 10 free games
We all know that the price of the PlayStation Vita’s memory cards is an enormous issue, but Sony is attempting to offset the problem by launching a new line of 8GB cards bundling ten downloadable titles. Due out on 21st June in Europe for €39.99, the tempting Mega Pack includes an empty storage stick...
E3 2013 Respawn Entertainment Not Ruling Out Titanfall for PS4
Rising expectations
Titanfall is definitely Microsoft’s big play at capturing the hardcore gaming audience. While exclusives such as Forza Motorsport 5 and Quantum Break look great, the new first-person shooter from Respawn Entertainment sounds like it’s shaping up to be something special. But despite being exclusive to the Xbox platforms and PC...
News Yoshinori Ono's Playing Deep Down on PS4 Right Now
Pictures prove it
Deep Down, the gorgeous medieval adventure teased by Capcom during Sony’s big PlayStation Meeting earlier in the year, didn’t appear at E3 in any form – but development legend Yoshinori Ono Tweeted earlier today that the title is making “steady progress”. The producer attached an image of what appears to be the first...
News PS3 Firmware Update v4.45 May Brick Your Machine, Avoid Like the Plague
Platform holder pulls borked stability upgrade
While new firmware updates for the PlayStation 3 are occassionally a source of excitement, v4.45 is proving to be nothing but a headache. The stability refresh which launched overnight – and has since been pulled – has caused a gaggle of console owners some serious problems, resulting in their...
Store Update 19th June 2013 (Europe)
OMG Edition
After a slow couple of weeks, the European PlayStation Store is back with a vengeance. This week’s update includes a wealth of content, spanning Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara HD, Thunder Wolves, and the Jak & Daxter Collection. The refresh also marks the arrival of OMG HD Zombies, which you can learn mor
News Battlefield 3 Deploys As Part of Bumper EU PlayStation Plus Update
Saints Row: The Third, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus, and more on offer
Sony may be about to start charging for online multiplayer, but it’s really hard to argue against the value of PlayStation Plus. The platform holder has just revealed the premium service’s European offering for July, and it includes a little release called Battlefield 3. You’ll...
Interview Painting the Town Red with OMG HD Zombies Developer Laughing Jackal
Redfield City's never been so dead
The original OMG-Z was a poorly named slice of corpse shuffling chaos; a masochistically moreish arcade puzzler that combined Chillingo’s cult mobile classic Sneezies with Silent Hill. Endowed with less ammo than a Survival run in The Last of Us, the title challenged you to dismantle as many of the undead as you...
News Sony's First-Party PlayStation 4 Games Won't Break the Bank
Tried and tested
Sony won’t charge you more to get your greasy mitts on first-party software for the PlayStation 4. In a brief exchange with Shacknews, a representative for the platform holder explained that all four of its impending launch window games will retail for $59.99, the same as on the PlayStation 3. Those titles include DriveClub,...
Store Update 18th June 2013 (North America)
Jak's back
There’s a ton of great content available as part of this week’s North American PlayStation Store refresh, including Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara HD and the intriguing Storm. The highlight, though, has to be the Jak & Daxter Collection, which is out now for the PlayStation Vita. PSN: Dungeons & Dragons...
News Evolution Studios Shooting for 60FPS in PS4 Racer DriveClub
No promises, though
DriveClub has had a bit of a strange E3 2013. While most of Sony’s launch window games got lengthy gameplay trailers, the latest racer from Evolution Studios has been restricted to off-screen footage. And that may be for good reason – the Runcorn-based developer was telling attendees at the show that the demo on display was...
News Jimmy Fallon Has a Knack for Playing, Er, Knack
Mark Cerny pops up on television
Late night TV host Jimmy Fallon may have struggled to get to grips with Killzone: Shadow Fall earlier in the year, but he definitely put in a much better performance with Knack overnight. As part of an ongoing video game week, Fallon invited PlayStation 4 system architect Mark Cerny onto the show to talk hardware and...
Tuesday18th Jun 2013
Five years in the pit lane
The racing genre is divided between arcade and simulation fans. While other genres have fairly interchangeable skill sets, what works in an arcade racer will send you straight to the hospital in a racing sim; the no holds barred action of Need for Speed caters to the former, while Gran Turismo appeals to the latter. But...
News Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Is Back with a Vengeance in New Map Pack
Lock and load
Call of Duty: Ghosts may be guzzling up Activision’s attention at the moment, but that doesn't mean that it's done with last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Following a string of leaks earlier today, the publisher has confirmed that the first-person shooter’s latest map pack Vengeance is on the way, and it includes four new...
Reaction PS4 Price Advantage Will Prove Pivotal in the Battle Against Xbox One
Every little helps
While much of the next generation narrative has been pointed purposefully at digital rights management and used games, arguably the biggest discussion thus far has been left untouched like the awful pizza at a Chinese buffet. SCEA executive Jack Tretton may have revelled in revealing the PlayStation 4’s pro-consumer plans during...
Blown it
For a game named Fuse, the latest title from Insomniac Games does fittingly merge a plethora of ideas to create a satisfactory experience – but we're not sure that such meek praise was on the developer's agenda when it embarked on its first multiplatform project. This is a competent third-person shooter that ticks every box in the...
News You Won't Need a PlayStation Plus Membership to Access PS4's Social Features
Auto-update will also be free
Sony won’t charge you to access the PlayStation 4’s wealth of social features, despite what we predicted earlier in the year. Back in April, we pondered whether the platform holder would lock access to functionality such as the ‘Share’ button behind a paywall. But despite confirming that the company is to start...
News Digital Extremes: PlayStation 4 Is a Dream to Work With, We Love It
Canadian outfit adores Sony's new system
The Darkness II developer Digital Extremes has only been working on the PlayStation 4 for about three months, but it’s already pieced together a build of its upcoming free-to-play shooter Warframe for the platform. It’s that kind of efficiency that’s prompted the studio to fall in love with the...
News You Won't Be Able to Pre-order a PS4 from This Particular Branch of GAME
Only people wearing green may enter
Much like GameStop in North America, GAME is the biggest specialist video game retailer in the UK, stocking a diverse range of software for all of the major consoles. However, you won’t be able to purchase PlayStation content at the giant’s latest branch in Shoreditch, London – because it will only stock...
E3 2013 Aban Hawkins and the 1,001 Spikes May Make You Mad
Hop, skip, and dead
If you’re the type of gamer that enjoys being punished, Nicalis’ upcoming PlayStation Vita platformer Aban Hawkins and the 1,001 Spikes may be right up your alley. The old-school title puts you inside the shoes of an intrepid adventurer armed with a pocketful of daggers and a rather fetching hat. With just 1,001 lives you...
E3 2013 Runner 2 Legs It to Vita Later This Year
Running rings
The PlayStation 3 version of BIT.TRIP Presents: Runner 2 – Future Legend of Rhythm Alien may still be stuck on the treadmill in Europe, but that’s not stopping the handheld port from crashing onto the PlayStation Vita. Developer Gaijin Games explained on the PlayStation Blog that it’s poured buckets of sweat into creating the...
Monday17th Jun 2013
News Cliff Bleszinski Reckons That Sony's Playing You for Publicity
Words of War
Former Gears of War front man Cliff Bleszinski loves to court controversy – and the ex-Epic Games employee has been having a field day at E3. Writing on his Twitter account last week, the luminary took the opportunity to slam Sony’s used games policies, insinuating that the c
News The Last of Us Thumped First Uncharted's Launch Sales by a Factor of Five
Ellie effect
We already know that The Last of Us has got off to a stellar start in the UK, but just how well did it sell during its first weekend on the market? Eurogamer.net reports that the title stomped the launch sales of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune by a whopp
Feature Push Square's E3 2013 PlayStation Game of the Show - Final Fantasy XV
Fabulous supernova
E3 is always a hotbed of ardently anticipated software, but this year had the added enthusiasm of new hardware in its favour. With the PlayStation 4 set to arrive on store shelves in less than six months’ time, 2013’s showing was awash with visual spectacles running on Sony’s supercharged machine. Alas, the winner of our...
E3 2013 Sony Warns That the War Against Xbox One Is Far from Over
PS4 is in a good position, but there's plenty of work ahead
Sony may have exited E3 2013 with a broader smile than Microsoft, but a smart Fergal Gara has warned that the console war is far from over yet. The executive – who’s responsible for SCEUK – explained in an interview with MCV that there’s still a long way to go before the PlayStation...
Feature Vote for Push Square's E3 2013 PlayStation Game of the Show
Difficult decision
Now that the sun has set on E3 2013, we figured that it would be fun to grill you on your game of the show. Embedded below you’ll find a shortlist of 20 of the biggest PS4, PS3, and Vita titles present at this year’s convention. These may not have all been playable on the showfloor, but they all contributed to the event in...
E3 2013 Drench Yourself in Watch Dogs' Glorious Next Generation Rain
Singing in the rain
Ever since the opening of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, rain has been used as a barometer to judge the quality of a new system’s visuals. Fortunately, upcoming PlayStation 4 release Watch Dogs looks like it’s more than up to the task, with this gameplay demo showing protagonist Aiden Pearce driving through Chicago...
E3 2013 Diablo III Will Include PlayStation Exclusive Items
Essential gear
One of the more muted announcements during Sony’s press conference, the platform holder quietly confirmed that the PlayStation versions of Diablo III will ship with some exclusive loot. But exactly what’s up for grabs? Well, speaking as part of a live interview with the PlayStation Blog, developer Blizzard spilled the beans. The...
E3 2013 Studio Japan Spent a Year Perfecting Puppeteer's Jump Mechanic
Practice makes perfect
Puppeteer is truly shaping up to be something of a dark horse. The moody Studio Japan platformer has been patiently sitting just outside of the spotlight since its announcement at GamesCom last year, but it looks like it’s finally ready to take centre stage. And judging by this live GameSpot demonstration, it’s poised to...
News UK Sales Charts: The Last of Us Sneaks to the Summit
It can't be for nothing
Launching new properties this late in the generation is always a risky proposition, but The Last of Us has overcome a variety of obstacles to top the UK sales charts. It represents Sony’s first number one since the release of Uncharted: Golden Abyss last year, and is the biggest selling new IP since L.A. Noire all the way...
E3 2013 Guerrilla Games Talks Vibrant Visuals in Killzone: Shadow Fall Video
Bright and breezy
This live Killzone: Shadow Fall demonstration may focus on the footage originally revealed in February, but it includes some great commentary from the developers at Guerrilla Games. In it, the title’s art directors discuss the decision behind returning to Vekta and creating such a colourful world. Is this game on your radar? Let...
News Hitman Developer Struck with Layoffs as Studio Refocuses on Franchise
Kane and Lynch keeping out of trouble
You can kiss goodbye to any hopes of a Mini Ninjas sequel. A spokesperson for Square Enix Europe has told Games Industry International that Danish developer IO Interactive has had all of its projects cancelled and its workforce cut in half as it refocuses on the Hitman franchise. In the process, former...
