News - 2013, Week 47

Sunday24th Nov 2013

  • Review Valhalla Knights 3 (PlayStation Vita)

    This ain't heaven

    With such a miserable and lacklustre franchise history, you’d be forgiven for expecting Valhalla Knights 3 to fall short of almost all expectations, and unfortunately, you’d probably be right. Where does this apparently doomed franchise keep making wrong turns – and has anything improved over the three years since the last...

Saturday23rd Nov 2013

Sunday24th Nov 2013

Saturday23rd Nov 2013

  • Guide How to Turn the PS4 Controller On and Off

    Let there be light on the DualShock 4

    What good are games without a controller? Unless you’ve been spending too much time with a certain other console’s hands-free capabilities, you’re going to need to hook up the DualShock 4 to actually play some games on your PlayStation 4. But how do you turn the device on and off? Well, it’s quite...

  • Review WWE 2K14 (PlayStation 3)

    Laying the Smackdown

    An orphan of THQ’s unfortunate demise at the beginning of this year, the WWE videogame license was quickly snapped up by 2K, and while its role appears to have been limited to simply overseeing WWE 2K14’s completion, the final product is the most comprehensive wrestling package yet. As the 30th anniversary of WrestleMania...

  • Guide How to Save the PS4 Controller's Battery

    Prolonging the life of the DualShock 4

    While you’ll need your PlayStation 4 controller switched on during furious game sessions, you may not want it illuminated and using up battery while you’re away from the console or watching a movie. There’s a simple solution for this that can be automated by the console, allowing you to extend the life of...

  • Talking Point Is the PS4's Controller Pushing Your Buttons?

    Perfect peripheral

    There’s no doubt that the PlayStation 4 comes with a number of improvements over its current generation counterpart. The system’s user interface, for starters, is much slicker than its predecessor’s – despite the implementation of multiple new features such as game profiles and live streaming. Furthermore,

  • Guide How to Enable PS4 Power Saving Settings

    Environment friendly

    If you’re the type of person that would forget your own head if it wasn’t already screwed on, you may occasionally leave your system powered up while you’re not playing. This is fine, but can be costly – not to mention bad for the planet. Fortunately, the PlayStation 4 comes with a set of nifty power saving features to...

  • News Graphics Coder Corrinne Yu Dumps Microsoft for Naughty Dog

    Already loving PS4

    Programmers rarely ever take centre stage in the games industry, but Corrinne Yu has enormous pedigree behind the scenes. Having cut her teeth as an elite programmer on the classic adventure title King’s Quest for the Apple II, she adopted many game development roles before eventually winding up as the Director of Technology at...

  • News PS4's UK Digital Prices Will Stretch Your Wallet Pretty Wide

    Shop around

    The price of PlayStation 4 titles in the UK is a topic that hasn’t really been touched on a whole lot in the lead up to launch. We’ve avoided the subject largely because we expected things to settle down shortly before release, but it looks like that’s not going to be the case, and we’re going to be charged a hefty premium at...

  • News Activision Crushes Crash Bandicoot Dream, Still Owns Character

    You'll find us sobbing into our Wumpa pudding

    Despite a cyclone of rumours to the contrary, Activision has labelled speculation suggesting that Sony has reacquired the Crash Bandicoot brand as unadulterated twinsanity. A teaser in a PlayStation 4 advertisement had hinted that the Japanese giant had bought back the platforming property, but the Call...

  • Talking Point Share Your Greatest PS4 Moments So Far

    Show boat

    Arguably the PlayStation 4’s neatest new feature is the ability to capture screenshots and video clips of whatever you’re playing at any time. While the lack of YouTube support makes it slightly more difficult to share gameplay footage at the moment, it’s significantly easier to post screenshots dem

  • News PS4 Ad Campaign Set to Air on Channel 4 in the Lead Up to UK Launch

    Fusion of fours

    If you happen to spot a clip of Killzone: Shadow Fall while watching Hollyoaks next week know that it’s part of a massive promotional campaign Sony’s running on Channel 4 in the build up to the PlayStation 4’s UK launch. The Drum reports that the platform holder has teamed up with the broadcaster to create a sequence of short...

  • News Tiny Brains Won't Be Testing You for a Few More Weeks

    Rats

    Co-operative puzzler Tiny Brains remains one of the more intriguing titles launching alongside the PlayStation 4. The game, which makes extensive use of the DualShock 4's built in gimmickry, sees you play as four lab animals attempting to escape from a confounding research facility. Each of the four playable characters has a unique ability that...

Friday22nd Nov 2013

  • Guide How to Change the PS4 Controller's Volume

    Silencing the DualShock 4

    The PlayStation 4’s controller ships with a slew of new features, but one of the more noticeable additions is the ability for games to output audio through an onboard speaker. This creates some nifty surround sound effects in titles such as Killzone: Shadow Fall and Resogun, but isn’t ideal for late night gaming...

  • Review Rocksmith 2014 Edition (PlayStation 3)

    It's a long way to the top (if you wanna rock 'n' roll)

    Let's cut to the chase: Rocksmith 2014 Edition will not miraculously teach you how to play guitar like Slash in 24 hours. Learning the guitar or bass takes years of dedicated practice, repetition, self-motivation, and real technique. That doesn't necessarily mean that Rocksmith is useless –...

  • Talking Point Is the PS4's Limited Launch Lineup a Problem?

    Day none

    Subtract resolution from the equation and the hottest topic of the past few days has pertained to launch lineups. With new consoles from both Sony and Microsoft prompting platform warriors to froth at the mouth, the weeks leading up to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One’s respective launches have been

  • Weirdness Giant PS4 Controller Tries to Gate Crash Xbox One Launch

    Pushes the share button

    This video isn’t quite as funny as the headline may make it sound, but you’ve got to give this YouTube user credit for creating an insanely accurate DualShock 4 costume. The clip shows a cosplayer dressed as a gigantic PlayStation 4 peripheral trying to gain access to last night’s Xbox One launch event. He isn’t...

  • News Activision Spin Kicks Crash Bandicoot Off Its Website

    Sony suggests that it hasn't acquired the character, though

    You may have thought that we were high on Wumpa Fruit when we recently reported that Crash Bandicoot could be making a comeback on the PlayStation 4, but Activision has added more fuel to the throwback fire by removing any references to the PSone mascot from its official website. For those...

  • News Shuhei Yoshida Reveals His Top Ten Games of the Generation

    Our love for this man knows no bounds

    In a recent episode of the PlayStation Blogcast, Sony's official brand mascot – and Worldwide Studios president – Shuhei Yoshida revealed his top ten games of the generation. The list, unsurprisingly, is exclusively populated with the platform holder's titles: 1. Journey 2. Demon’s Souls/Dark S

Thursday21st Nov 2013

Friday22nd Nov 2013

Thursday21st Nov 2013

  • News Ninja Theory Has Not Enslaved Itself to Mobile Development

    Heavenly sigh of relief

    Keep harbouring those thoughts of Trip’s great comeback, as Ninja Theory – the developer behind Enslaved: Odyssey to the West – has denied reports that it’s abandoning console development. Rumours today suggested that the Cambridge-based studio best known for Heavenly Sword could be turning its attention solely to the

Friday22nd Nov 2013

Thursday21st Nov 2013

  • Review Trine 2: Complete Story (PlayStation 4)

    A dreamy journey

    How would you sum up a typical children’s fantasy story? Perhaps words like whimsical, imaginative, and magical come to mind. For some reason, fairy tales have this strange ability to captivate the minds of not just children, but adults as well, because they bring out feelings of wonder and longing for adventure. Trine 2: Complete...

  • Weirdness Sony Won't Replace Your PS4 if It's Infested with Insects

    You better bee careful

    The PlayStation 4 has had a pretty smooth launch, all things considered. A few technical hiccups have been well and truly masked by the system's impressive sales figures. But one crucial question remains unanswered: will Sony replace a PS4 that has been infested with insects? The short answer is no, it won't. Twitter user...

  • Review Resogun (PlayStation 4)

    Scoring points

    From the makers of the fantastic Super Stardust HD, Resogun offers a twist on classic twin-stick shooters by adopting a cylindrical field of play. The narrative is based upon an alien race called the Keepers, who are imprisoning humans. It’s your goal, then, to destroy any and everything that you see, while snatching up any...

  • News Don't Worry if Your PlayStation Network Password's Been Reset

    Sony's just keeping you safe

    Don’t panic if you’ve had your PlayStation Network password reset – this was just a precautionary measure initiated by Sony’s European branch in order to keep you safe. As one company representative pointed out on the platform holder’s official forums, “We monitor PSN account for any irregular activity. If...

  • News Gran Turismo 6 Lets You Race in Your Very Own Street

    Just Gran-d

    Polyphony Digital's PlayStation 3 swansong Gran Turismo 6 is racing onto store shelves very soon, and to celebrate, the Japanese studio has released a trailer detailing the game's GPS visualiser mode. For the uninformed, this mode allows you to save your real world racing data to a USB and then compare it to your in-game performance...

Wednesday20th Nov 2013

Thursday21st Nov 2013

  • News PS4 Dungeon Crawler Deep Down Gets All Emotional

    Is that you David?

    It's unhealthy to keep all of your feelings buried deep down inside of you, so that's why Capcom's free-to-play dungeon-exploring romp - er, Deep Down, will alter its atmospheric locations based on emotion. For those of you out of the loop, the stunning looking title dishes out weekly updates on its Japanese Facebook page, and...

  • News You've Spent Too Much Time Playing PS4 Games Already

    Take a break

    Sony’s next generation console has only been out for a few days, but that hasn’t stopped you from logging an incredible 2.3 million hours of gameplay in various EA titles. Yesterday, an executive at the North American publisher pointed out that one-third of launch games purchased for the PlayStation 4 were developed by

  • News Get Your First Glimpse of Freedom Wars' Gameplay Here

    What you'd expect

    With God Eater 2 making waves in Japan, hope for Sony's portable console is at a high in its home territory right now. Helping matters further is this intriguing gameplay trailer for Freedom Wars – a title that's also partly from God Eater studio Shift. While the video doesn't show too much, it does give a decent look at what...

  • News Wait, Just What Is Lara Croft: Reflections Exactly?

    Through the mirror of the mind

    Square Enix can’t seem to keep anything Tomb Raider related under wraps at the moment. Not content with accidentally unearthing confirmation of a PlayStation 4 version of this year’s excellent series reboot, the publisher has now

  • News What Are the Names of Call of Duty: Ghosts' Map Packs?

    You can probably guess

    Don’t worry if you’ve exhausted all of Call of Duty: Ghosts’ on-board maps, as there’ll be plenty to sink your teeth into over the coming months. Activision has accidentally revealed the names of four care packages heading to the first-person shooter in the future, which each combine to spell out the word ‘ODIN’,...

Wednesday20th Nov 2013

  • Review Tearaway (PlayStation Vita)

    Royal mail

    It's been over five years since LittleBigPlanet made a huge impact on the gaming scene – its 'Play, Create, Share' slogan paving the way for what was almost a new genre entirely. With developer Media Molecule's latest title Tearaway we find a smaller but much more focused adventure that's delightfully charming, accessible, and...

  • News PS4 Firmware Update v1.51 Arrives in North America

    Balancing things out

    While the PlayStation 4 hasn't been available in North America for a week yet, it's already facing a second firmware update. As reported prior to launch, the previous update added many new features – including Remote Play and facial recognition – but this new refresh is not quite as flashy. According to the PlayStation Blog,...

  • Weirdness So, What Happens When You Plug a PS4 into the Xbox One?

    Well, the world doesn't end

    It’s a mystery more puzzling than the meaning of life: what happens when you plug a PlayStation 4 directly into an Xbox One? Microsoft admitted earlier in the year that its next generation console’s HDMI input could be used to connect a competing console, and now the embargo has lifted on the Redmond-based firm’s...

  • News You Really Should Pay Attention to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

    Flashes of brilliance

    Don’t pack up your PlayStation 3 just yet, as Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII continues to look like a title worth buying. No, we’re not playing some kind of sick prank – check out the ten minutes of gameplay footage embedded below to see what we mean. The clip shows pink-haired protagonist Lightning running through...

  • News Japanese Sales Charts: God Eater 2 Bursts onto the Scene with PS Vita TV

    Tuned in

    You may be forgiven for thinking that the PlayStation 4 was the only new gaming hardware launch last week – but you’d be wrong. While our friends in Japan are forced to wait until February to get their hands on the next generation console, they at least have a new toy to fill the time in the form of the PS Vita TV. The diminutive device...

  • News Wonderbook's No Longer Extinct with Book of Potions and Walking with Dinosaurs

    Ice page

    They may have got lost amid the excitement surrounding the PlayStation 4, but Sony turned the pages on two new Wonderbook titles last week. Building on the success of Wonderbook: Book of Spells, both Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs and Wonderbook: Book of Potions hope to convince you to dust off your hardback-based peripheral and worm...

  • News Yes, Lara Croft's Uncomfortable Crusade Will Continue on PS4

    "No, not again"

    A sprightly Lara Croft is about to have the stuffing kicked out of her feeble frame yet again, as Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is almost definitely coming to the PlayStation 4. Responding to rumours that washed up earlier in the week, Square Enix has hinted that the re-release will be announced during next month’s VGX Awards...

  • News Don't Worry, It's Just the First Titanfall That's Not Coming to PS4

    Well, unless Microsoft opens its cheque book again

    For a game that so few seem to be able to coherently explain why it's so fun, Titanfall sure has rocketed in importance since it was announced earlier in the year. Originally thought to be a timed exclusive for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC, publisher EA Games recently an

  • News Sony Swapping Faulty PS4s As Fast As Physically Possible

    Beep, beep

    Sony doesn’t want you twiddling your thumbs while you stare at the dreaded ‘Blue Light of Death’, and so it’s committed to swapping faulty PlayStation 4 systems faster than The Road Runner from classic cartoon fame. Perhaps in an effort to subdue any mounting social network backlash, the company has confirmed that anyone unlucky...

  • News Could Sony Santa Monica's First PS4 Project Be Open World?

    Space to breathe

    Sony Santa Monica may be stepping away from the blood stained corridors of God of War and opting for something a little more open on the PlayStation 4. That’s assuming an official job listing contains accurate information on the first-party outfit's long rumoured next generation game, which seeks a level designer with experience...

  • News Whoa, One Third of PS4 Games Sold Are Developed by EA

    Slam dunk

    We all know that the PlayStation 4 is selling like hotcakes, but a recent report from Electronic Arts' chief financial officer Blake J. Jorgensen reveals that the AAA publisher hasn't done too badly itself. "We had a great weekend of sales relative to the console that looks like the average consumer tie ratio is about three pieces of...

  • News Tearaway Launch Trailer Tears onto the Scene

    Paper, Please

    Charming PlayStation Vita exclusive Tearaway is almost here, and those mischievous geniuses over at Media Molecule have graced us with an adorable launch trailer to keep the hype rolling. The video shows off the game's striking visuals as well as its inventive controls that make full use of the handheld's hardware. In further...

Tuesday19th Nov 2013

  • Review Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW! (PlayStation 3)

    We can't recommend a reason either

    Adventure Time is ridiculously exuberant. Its characters are eccentric and weird, its storylines are convoluted and odd, and its humour is a mix of silly, low brow, and exceptionally well timed. It's a show of complexity and deep lore based on the insane. Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW!...

  • Review Killzone: Shadow Fall (PlayStation 4)

    For the glory of next-gen

    Killzone: Shadow Fall takes place shortly after the events of PlayStation 3 exclusive Killzone 3, as the ISA and Helghast are forced to co-inhabit the planet Vekta. Living together in peace is not on the agenda for either faction, however, as the Helghast fight to push the humans out of their own home. This location has...

  • Review Madden NFL 25 (PlayStation 4)

    Doesn't quite drop the ball

    Madden NFL 25 is a celebration of one of gaming's most iconic franchises – and on its silver anniversary, EA Sports delivers a decent experience that will get fans chanting. This is a largely lifelike release with real drama, energy, pain, and sweet victories – and the power of the PlayStation 4 boosts the release by...

  • Review Contrast (PlayStation 4)

    If it's broke, fix it

    Contrast is the first game by indie developer Compulsion Games. It, along with Resogun, shares the distinction of being the one of the first free PlayStation Plus giveaways on the PlayStation 4. The title follows a young girl named Didi, who works to reunite her estranged parents with the help of her imaginary friend Dawn (the...

  • News A Tornado May Have Taken This Man's Home, But It Spared His PS4

    System shock

    There are often scant silver linings when a fierce tornado cruelly destroys your home and all of your worldly belongings, but one Washington dweller found a single reason to smile this week – his brand new PlayStation 4 weathered the storm. The above image – shared on Reddit yesterday – shows an optimistic home owner holding onto...

  • News Get Hot and Bothered with These Thermal Images of the PS4

    Pretty cool

    Perhaps the most glaring oversight in the PlayStation 4's design is its inability to withstand shots from a sniper rifle. However, if this shocking omission is forcing you to reconsider your pre-order, we have some good news for you. We're happy to report that, barring any heavy military intervention, your shiny new system isn't likely...

Monday18th Nov 2013

  • Rumour Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Washes Up on PS4

    Capsizing on a new console

    Poor ol’ Lara Croft’s holiday from Hell looks set to continue on the PlayStation 4, as Amazon Italy has uploaded a rogue product page suggesting that Crystal Dynamics’ critically acclaimed Tomb Raider reboot is firing onto the next generation format. Dubbed the ‘Definitive Version’, the re-release will supposedly...

Tuesday19th Nov 2013

  • News PS4 Smashes Canadian Launch Sales Records

    Platform holder now looking to the future

    Sony has claimed that the PlayStation 4 enjoyed the biggest Canadian launch in gaming history – and given last week’s incredible sell-through tally, we don't think that it's exaggerating at all. Speaking with our friends over at

  • Poll How Would You Rate Your First Weekend with the PS4?

    Snap judgement

    There’s always a sense of deflation when you anticipate a moment for so long that it passes in the blink of an eye. We’ve spent the past nine months or so building up to the PlayStation 4’s launch, and now it’s already gone in North America. While there’s still the excitement of the European release to come, we hope that the...

  • News You May Be Sharing the Animus in Future Assassin's Creed Titles

    "Wait, where did you come from?"

    Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag looks absolutely stunning on the PlayStation 4, but the seafaring escapade was not built with the next generation console in mind. Throughout development, publisher Ubisoft had to wrestle with changing specifications, and that’s resulted in the release not quite taking full...

  • News Still Desperate to Play The Last Guardian? Fumito Ueda's Terribly Sorry

    In a flap

    Team ICO founder Fumito Ueda’s feathers seem well and truly ruffled. The legendary game developer – responsible for the creation of iconic PlayStation 2 titles ICO and Shadow of the Colossus – has told EDGE magazine that he’s “terribly sorry” for the delays that have kept

  • News Sony: PS4 Launch Is Just the Beginning for the Console

    The game is just the start

    Don’t go thinking that on the back of unprecedented first day sales Sony is going to slip into its old arrogant persona, as SCEA marketing executive Jon Koller has told GamesBeat that the PlayStation 4 is just the beginning for the next generation console. Speaking as part of the system’s launch event in New York City,...

  • News Pimp Your Ride with Gran Turismo 6's Credits System

    Splash the cash

    Racing games fit the format of microtransactions better than most, so it’s not entirely surprising that the upcoming Gran Turismo 6 is getting an in-game purchase system. While you’ll no doubt be able to earn credits by completing license tests and winning races, publisher Sony has also announced that you’ll be able to snag...

Monday18th Nov 2013

  • News Want to Play Killzone: Shadow Fall in 3D? Sorry, Remove Your Stereoscopic Goggles

    Guerrilla Games flattens hopes

    Cast your mind back to the three-dimensional days of 2011 and you may recall Killzone 3 comprising a sizeable portion of platform holder Sony’s stereoscopic push on the PlayStation 3. Guerrilla Games worked hard to implement the hardware intensive technology, and it ended up being a real showpiece for the feature...

  • Review Super Motherload (PlayStation 4)

    Digging into a new world

    Super Motherload is the latest game from indie developer XGen Studios, and is the sequel to a well-loved, free PC title named Motherload. Deployed alongside the PlayStation 4 in North America, the title plots the escapades of the Solarus Corporation, which discovers vast reserves of ore and gems beneath the surface of Mars...

  • Weirdness Prince William Wants a PS4, Fears Kate Middleton's Reaction

    Sony recruits a royal fan

    What do you buy a member of the Royal Family for Christmas? Well, in the case of Prince William, he’s quite keen on a PlayStation 4 – even if he is a little worried that wife Kate Middleton may not take too kindly to the addictive addition to the family. The modern monarch revealed the tidbit as part of an appearance in...

  • News No Fix for the PS4's 'Blue Light of Death' in Sight

    "Have you tried turning it on and off again?"

    While the PlayStation 4's launch seems to have run fairly smoothly, there are still some isolated issues plaguing the system. The first reported problems were related to faults with the machine's HDMI ports, but these seem to have been cleared up relatively quickly. What continues to rear its ugly head,...

  • Rumour PS4 Production Impaired by Poorly Treated Employees

    So says one forum poster

    If you’ve ever purchased an electronics product, chances are you own something that was manufactured by Foxconn. The colossal Taiwanese electronics giant employs over one million people, and has clients including Apple, Nintendo, and Sony. One of its current contracts includes the PlayStation 4, a product an intern has...

  • Weirdness Saucy Site Expands Upon PS4's, Er, Entertainment Options

    Rough and ready

    Sony may not have touted the PlayStation 4 as a media juggernaut in quite the same way as the Xbox One – but the next generation console does now have access to all of the adult entertainment that you could ever need. Stimulating hotspot Pornhub has announced that it’s the first saucy site to fully support the Japanese giant’s...

  • News Fallout 4 Trademark Steps Out of Bethesda's Legal Vault

    Boston dead sox

    Steel yourself for a nuclear bomb, as it sounds like Bethesda is ready to pull the irradiated wrapping off the rumoured Fallout 4. A trademark registration for the unannounced release – which has been the source of copious speculation over the past twelve months – has just popped up on a European classifications website, pouring...

  • News Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster Dries Its Eyes Until March

    Busy playing blitzball

    Japan may be psyching itself for a festive return to Spira, but the long overdue Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster will not deploy in Europe until 21st March. The PlayStation 3 remake – which was announced right around the time of the Ice Age – collates Square Enix’s popular PlayStation 2 role-playing games, and spruces...