News Sony Confirms That You Will Be Able to Talk to Your PS4
PlayStation Eye will enable voice recognition
News - 2013, Week 35
Sunday1st Sep 2013
News This PlayStation Plus Sizzle Reel Will Make You Feel Good
Lovin' every minute
Despite switching to a paid multiplayer model on the PlayStation 4, it’s pretty incredible how Sony has managed to keep any backlash to a minimum. PlayStation Plus is already such a stellar service that it feels like there’s been a shrug of the shoulders from the gaming community in general. It would be better if online play...
News VVVVVV Flips Gravity on PlayStation VVVVVVita
Head rush
Terry Cavanagh's awesome extraterrestrial romp VVVVVV is heading to the PlayStation Vita, platform holder Sony announced during a PAX Prime 2013 panel this weekend. The retro puzzle platformer is being published by Nicalis, and sees you navigating increasingly challenging Commodore 64-esque environments by turning gravity on its head. The...
Saturday31st Aug 2013
News You'll Be Able to Listen to Game Audio Through the PS4 Controller's Headphone Jack
Never stop playing
We’ve all been there: it’s late and everyone’s gone to bed, but you’re determined to keep playing. While you may have needed an expensive pair of cans in the past, though, the PlayStation 4 will allow you to plug a standard pair of iPod headphones into the DualShock 4 and stream full audio from the game that you’re...
News What Third-Party Games Do You Want on PlayStation? Tell Sony's New Division
The only place to play
Not content with the avalanche of titles currently confirmed for the various PlayStation platforms, Sony has established a brand new division dedicated to bringing third-party content to its consoles. Creatively dubbed Third-Party Production, the new unit will focus on porting and localising games for the PlayStation 4,...
Weirdness Sony's Latest Xbox One Dig Is Actually Really Rather Amusing
Lighthearted banter
Remember at E3 when Microsoft executive Phil Spencer kept switching his shirts? He started the company’s press conference donning a State of Decay tee, but went through more costume changes than Lady GaGa during the firm’s hour-long keynote in Los Angeles. Never one to miss an opportunity to turn the knife, Sony’s own
News Cosmic Star Heroine Is the Retro Sci-Fi RPG You've Been Waiting For
Shining light
If you’re reading this, then you’re doing it wrong. Skip through all of the text and just watch the awesome SEGA CD-inspired trailer below. Then try to tell us that you’re not excited for Cosmic Star Heroine, the upcoming sci-fi RPG love-letter in production at two-man development outfit Zeboyd Games. The title was confirmed for...
News Double Fine Developing Free DLC for The Playroom on PS4
Happy action theatre
Sony wasn’t messing around when it admitted that it wanted to expand bundled augmented reality technology demo The Playroom. Speaking at a PAX Prime 2013 panel overnight, Sony’s chief of publisher and developer relations Adam Boyes confirmed that Double Fine – the developer behind weird Kinect minigame compilation Happy...
News Octodad: Dadliest Catch Reels in PlayStation Move Support
Flop 'til you drop
Never one to miss out on an opportunity to announce tons and tons of stuff, Sony has made an assault on PAX Prime 2013 – just over a week after revealing over 50 games in Germany. Kicking off the announcements with a very floppy limb is the news that Octodad: Dadliest Catch will support PlayStation Move controls on the...
News Ellen Page Examines a Beautiful Drama in Beyond: Two Souls Trailer
Once more with feeling
There’s something quite unsettling about this Beyond: Two Souls trailer. We’re not quite sure if it’s the haunting background music or the fact that star Ellen Page constantly sounds like she’s on the verge of tears, but it’s all rather emotional. Then again, we suspect that that directive came directly from, er,...
Friday30th Aug 2013
News Sony Confirms That You Will Be Able to Talk to Your PS4
PlayStation Eye will enable voice recognition
You’re officially going to be able to talk to your PlayStation 4 console and get some kind of response. Following on from this morning’s reports, a Sony representative has told us that the next generation console will support voice recognition v
Review DuckTales: Remastered (PlayStation 3)
A-woo-hoo
The original DuckTales waddled onto the NES in 1989, and for over twenty years, it has been remembered fondly by those that played it. But it isn’t just the game that has lingered in the darkest recesses of a generation’s memories, as so too has the television show. From the infectious theme song to the original voice actors,...
News Here's Your Very First Official PlayStation 4 Hardware Bundle
Reasonably priced, too
You can already pick up a PlayStation 4 bundle if you look hard enough. Most retailers are creating custom packages in order to entice consumers, but nothing official has been announced. That hasn’t stopped Amazon France from leaking what appears to be the first Sony composed hardware bundle, though, which collates the...
Review Snowy: Treasure Hunter (PlayStation 3)
Snow laughing matter
Fresh off Beatshapers’ porting production line comes Snowy: Treasure Hunter, a title starring a polar bear with a passion for treasure thievery. But while Beatshapers' porting pedigree speaks for itself, are Snowy’s adventures really worth the £6.49 asking price? Presented from a side-on view, the goal of each level is to...
Talking Point What Are Your Thoughts on the PS4's Launch Lineup?
Yeah or meh
Nintendo of America’s outspoken (but still very likeable) president Reggie Fils-Aime expressed his distaste for the PlayStation 4’s launch lineup this week. In the wake of the Wii U’s price drop, the executive told
News Wait, the PS4's Camera Will Enable Navigational Voice Commands?
"PS4, play Killzone: Shadow Fall"
While we’re still not entirely comfortable with the idea of having conversations with our consoles, it sounds like Sony may actually be ripping a page out of Microsoft’s book. The product listing for the PlayStation 4’s enhanced PlayStation Eye camera on Amazon.com describes “navigational voice controls”...
Saturday31st Aug 2013
News Gaikai Streaming Is Totally Coming to PS3 and Vita, Too
Pretty soon in North America
It’s been a while since we heard, well, anything about Gaikai streaming. Sony rolled out Earthworm Jim creator Dave Perry during its PlayStation 4 unveiling press conference in February to touch upon the mythical service, but aside from confirming a 2014 launch at E3, it’s been pretty mute on the subject since...
Friday30th Aug 2013
News Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate Plans a Prison Break
Wentworth Miller missing in action
Outside of an off-screen gameplay video, we’ve seen very little of Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. Fortunately, publisher Warner Bros has finally remembered to release a trailer. The game’s premise will be familiar to fans of Batman: Arkham Asylum, as the goons of Gotham City take control of Blackgate...
News Sony Stopping PlayStation Home Content Deliveries in Japan
Ceasing support in September
If you’re a proponent of digital avatar dancing you may want to apply a moody expression to your PlayStation Home protagonist, as Sony has announced that it’s to stop updating the virtual world in Japan from September. While you’ll still be able to access the online application for the time being, there’ll be no...
News Glug Some Grog with the Cast of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Drunk on dialects
Our overseas readers will do well to study this brand new Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag video, as it very much provides a crash course on the various British accents. Acting as an introduction to the game’s main cast, the footage features an Englishman, a Scotsman, and a Welshman. All we need now is an Irishman, and we’ve...
Thursday29th Aug 2013
News Skype Eager to Arrange a Video Conference with PS4
Microsoft committed to cross-platform
Skype may be one of the Xbox One’s most prominent features, but that’s not stopping Microsoft from considering a PlayStation 4 version of the popular application. Chatting with the BBC as part of the video conferencing tool’s tenth anniversary, corporate vice president Mark Gillett explained that the...
News Tequila Works: RIME on PS4 Tells a Tale with No Words
Akira Yamaoka composing the soundtrack
RIME was one of the biggest highlights at this year’s GamesCom. The upcoming Tequila Works open world adventure is being published by Sony, and clearly hopes to revisit the emotions last felt in PlayStation classics such as ICO,
News Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime Not Very Impressed with the PS4's Launch Lineup
Meh
Reggie Fils-Aime’s body is not ready for the PlayStation 4. Chatting with IGN following the announcement of yesterday’s Wii U price cut, the outspoken Nintendo of America president described the impending console’s launch window offering as “meh”, de
News Ready at Dawn Emulating Lenses for The Order: 1886 on PS4
Eye for small details
Ready at Dawn’s upcoming historical adventure The Order: 1886 is certainly set to push the PlayStation 4 to its limits, but company co-founder Ru Weerasuriya doesn’t believe that higher polygon counts and image resolutions will be the highlight of the next generation. Instead, the studio head reckons that it’s more...
News Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus Floats into the Depths of Space
Looks like a crackin' time
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus may be struggling to attain much attention amid next generation fever, but the throwback platformer looks like it’s legitimately worth anticipating. Veteran developer Insomniac Games is done with the atypical adventures that have plagued the series of late, and is plumping up for a...
News Bound by Flame Unleashes Demonic Power on PS4
It's getting hot in here
Last week at GamesCom, a new RPG from Spiders Studio was revealed for the PlayStation 3. Today, it has been confirmed that the aforementioned RPG, Bound by Flame, will also be heating things up on Sony's next-gen platform, the PlayStation 4. The release is currently scheduled for an early 2014 launch. In Bound by Flame,...
First Impressions Skylanders: Swap Force Courts Core Gamers
Trading up
Being talked through a game by the developer and playing it at home is a very different experience. To close this “reality” gap, Family Gamer TV went solo with a full level from Skylanders: Swap Force on the PlayStation 4 at GamesCom. Let’s get the elephant out of the room straight away: jumping is not a big deal in the world of...
News Grand Theft Auto 5 Plots the Perfect Heist in New Trailer
High stakes
Unfazed by the spate of leaks that have affected its launch a little, Rockstar Games has deployed a brand new Grand Theft Auto V trailer. Unlike the recent gameplay videos, this is a purely cinematic short which will also air on television. Those of you that are fans of Breaking Bad will be able to catc
News In Case You Missed It, PS Vita Firmware v2.61 Is Out Now
More stable than a Totem pole
Sony’s deployed another one of those ambiguous software stability updates for the PlayStation Vita. The mandatory v2.61 patch is available now, and is required if you want to connect to the PlayStation Network. Remember, if you’re planning to play the portable at some point in the near future, save us all the...
News Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection Spooks NA PS Plus
ICO, Rayman Origins, and more up for grabs
PlayStation Plus subscribers are already enjoying September’s big update in Europe, but at least SCEA’s decided to pull back the curtain on its lineup a few days earlier than usual. As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, premium members in the New World will be able to scare themselves silly with lightgun...
News This Lovely Rayman Legends Trailer Will Bring You to Life
Whistling wonder
Few things in life are more utterly joyful than this Rayman Legends launch trailer. The video shows the legless hero running through a spate of different stages, and the colourful visuals and chirpy soundtrack will be certain to plaster a smile across your face. There’s even a mention of our sister site Nintendo Life – if you...
News The Last of Us' Multiplayer Would Like to Ask You a Few Questions
Latest patch adds Interrogation mode
While it hasn’t got anywhere near as much attention as the stellar single player campaign, The Last of Us’ multiplayer mode is exceptional. A clever blend of Counter Strike and SOCOM, the online extra sees you gathering up supplies and engaging in tense battles to feed and nurture your growing camp of...
Wednesday28th Aug 2013
Review Dragon's Crown (PlayStation Vita)
Worthy of the crown
It wasn't long ago now that Vanillaware released Muramasa Rebirth for the PlayStation Vita, and showed us exactly what it's capable of doing with an OLED screen. In an apparent effort to prove that it isn't done yet, the developer’s second game has already landed on the handheld in the form of Dragon's Crown. Though it may...
Feature Eight PS4 Titles That You'll Be Able to Play for Free This Year
Why pay more?
New console transitions are always expensive. Even with the PlayStation 4’s cheaper than expected recommended retail price, there’s still a lot to keep your credit card busy, with additional DualShock 4 controllers, charging docks, hardware stands, and plenty of retail releases to consider. Fortunately, for the first time in...
News PlayStation 4 Built Around Mark Cerny's Akihabara Test
Stop and stare
Even if you’ve never been to Japan, you’ll probably have some awareness of Akihabara. Literally the nation’s Electric Town, the district is famous for its abundance of gadgets and electrical goods. And according to lead architect Mark Cerny, the Tokyo-based shopping haven was one of the inspirations behind the design of the...
Review The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (PlayStation 3)
Should've remained classified
Serving as a prequel of sorts to the long-running XCOM series, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified attempts to fuse the strategic elements of turn-based tactical alien zap-em-up XCOM: Enemy Unknown with a third-person shooter. Unfortunately, while there are glimmers of entertainment, the concept doesn't quite coalesce into a...
News Sony Prefers to Partner with Third-Party Titles That Are 'New and Fresh'
The company's Destiny
Take a quick glance at the Xbox One’s lineup, and you’ll see timed exclusive content coming out of the console’s ears. Microsoft has partnered with titles such as Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, and Call of Duty: Ghosts, whereas Sony has been a little quieter in this department. That doesn’t mean that it’s not out striking...
Store Update 27th August 2013 (North America)
Games galore
There are so many new titles available as part of this week’s North American PlayStation Store update that we don’t really know where to start. In addition to a cavalcade of fresh retail releases – including Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Lost Planet 3, and Killer Is Dead – there are also some smaller titles vying for your...
News You'll Be Able to Purchase and Download PS4 Games Wherever You Are
Every little helps
While the act of actually booting up the PlayStation 3's store to purchase software has become increasingly convoluted over the past couple of years, the PlayStation 4 is going to make things really simple. Responding to a request on Twitter, likeable Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida explained that you won’t even need...
News Rayman Legends Winding Up a Little Later on PlayStation Vita
Land of the Livid
If you’d hoped to be playing the PlayStation Vita version of Ubisoft’s hotly anticipated Rayman Legends this week, you may want to put your Globox impersonations on ice. The French publisher has revealed that the handheld iteration of its colourful adventure will not deploy until 13th September in the UK. This is so that the...
Store Update 28th August 2013 (Europe)
Spelunky dunk
If you were eyeing North America’s excellent PlayStation Store update with envy, then know that this week’s European refresh is similarly stacked. In addition to the wealth of new PlayStation Plus riches – Assassin’s Creed III, Jak & Daxter Trilogy, and many more – t
Tuesday27th Aug 2013
Review Lost Planet 3 (PlayStation 3)
You know the drill
Lost Planet 3 is a far cry from its predecessor’s grind-heavy, co-op based campaign. It’s a linear adventure that’s driven by narrative, and the gameplay borrows elements from several different genres and other titles. It’s a game that plays it safe, and for that reason it feels inherently familiar. But that’s not...
Review Killer Is Dead (PlayStation 3)
Crud on the moon
Killer Is Dead is unashamedly stupid. Executive producer Goichi Suda – better known by his nickname Suda51 – has made a living out of his bonkers plots and premises, but the latest product to drop off Grasshopper Manufacture’s production line takes the nonsense of No More Heroes and kits it out in a straitjacket. This is a...
Review One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 (PlayStation 3)
Pieces of eight
Last month saw the release of Dynasty Warriors 8, the latest instalment in the seemingly never-ending hack and slash series. This month, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 arrives on Western shores, bringing with it more vast, hectic battles to sink your bloodied weapon of choice into. You’d be forgiven for being worn out on Warriors...
News Gran Turismo 6 Tough to Put into Gear on PlayStation Vita
Handheld doesn't have enough juice
Sony knows that to shift a few million PlayStation Vita consoles in Europe, all it needs to do is release a version of Gran Turismo on the device. The simulation series’ PlayStation Portable entry proved as much, as despite being questioned by critics, it went on to sell a decent number o
News No, Grand Theft Auto 5 Is Not Coming to the PS4 Yet
Sony forced to apologise again
It’s nice to know that Sony’s going out of its way to rebuild bridges with the undoubtedly irritated Rockstar Games. Not content with pushing out a hackable version of Grand Theft Auto V this week, the manufacturer has now set the web alight by hinting that the upcoming sandbox adventure’s coming to the...
News Lucky GameStop Managers Scoop a Free PS4 and Seven Games This November
Well jel
If there are any PlayStation 4 stock shortages this Christmas, then you’ll know who to blame: GameStop has announced that the managers at all 6,500 of its North American stores will receive a free PlayStation 4 this November. But that’s not all – lucky employees will also scoop an incredible seven games to play on it, as part of an...
News Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Brings War to the Water
Ocean commotion
Forget about all of that free-running nonsense, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag looks like it’s going to be at its best when you’re engaging in combat on the ocean. This brand new video shows piratical protagonist Edward Kenway enjoying a spot of water-based warfare, as he takes down a couple of enemy boats and a fortress in...
News UK Sales Charts: Saints Row IV Takes the Seat at the Summit
Inauguration station
Saints Row IV has been sworn in at the top of the UK sales charts, fending off strong competition from Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Ubisoft’s sneak-‘em-up settled its night vision goggles on second place, while pricey toy platform Disney Infinity finished in third. Isn’t it nice to be able to talk about some new games for a...
News Oh, There's a New Grand Theft Auto 5 Trailer Coming This Week
Just so you know
Rockstar Games is probably the only publisher in the world that can prompt reporters to write a full story about the fact that there’s a new trailer for one of its titles on the way. Other companies have to release teaser videos and screenshots to get the hype rolling, but not the firm behind Grand Theft Auto V – it didn’t...
Monday26th Aug 2013
News inFAMOUS: Second Son Clears the Smoke with Neon Powers
Ruby red and diamond white
Many assumed that the tease at the end of last week’s brand new inFAMOUS: Second Son trailer was pointing to familiar electrical powers, but developer Sucker Punch has clarified that Delsin Rowe will be dabbling with neon. Those of you that have been following the
News Music Unlimited Is Not Going to Be Totally Useless on PS4
Sony amplifying streaming application
Another announcement that got largely overlooked during Sony’s fruitful GamesCom 2013 press conference last week revolved around the improvements that the manufacturer’s making to its Music Unlimited application. While the service has garnered some popularity on the PlayStation 3 and Vita, it’s always been...
Round Up Here's Everything You Need to Know About PlayStation at GamesCom
Show's over
Following a record attendance of more than 340,000 visitors, the doors have now closed on GamesCom until next year. Sony enjoyed another fruitful spell in Cologne, reinforcing its indie message and consequentially keeping our fingers busy with plenty of fascinating PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Vita announcements. Don’t worry if...
News Level 5 Pings Wonder Flick onto PS4 and Vita Next Year
How fast can you flick?
If you were hoping that Level 5’s next release would be a Ni No Kuni sequel, you may want to temper your expectations a touch for the time being. The colossal Japanese developer has announced Wonder Flick, a bitesized fantasy RPG that aims to capture the feel of a sprawling adventure in short bursts. Clearly born out of...
Weirdness This Amazing Clicker Cosplay Will Chill Your Blood
Don't make a noise
Cosplay can be awesome – but sometimes it’s a little too awesome. Take, for instance, this unbelievable The Last of Us-inspired outfit modelled by DeviantArt user HAZENHYTE. The ambitious getup is based upon a Clicker from the post-apocalyptic game, and comes complete with fungal growths, washed out eyes, and lots and lots of...
News Oh Yeah, Twitch Is Totally Coming to the PS4
Stream demon
Sony may have glossed over the announcement during its GamesCom 2013 press conference last week, but Twitch is totally coming to the PlayStation 4. The popular streaming service – which many had assumed had been locked up by Microsoft – will allow you to broadcast gam
Most Read
News You'll Be Able to Listen to Game Audio Through the PS4 Controller's Head...
News Sony Confirms That You Will Be Able to Talk to Your PS4
News What Third-Party Games Do You Want on PlayStation? Tell Sony's New Division
Feature Eight PS4 Titles That You'll Be Able to Play for Free This Year
News Gran Turismo 6 Tough to Put into Gear on PlayStation Vita
