Push Rewind: Journey PS4, Firmware Updates, and Tomb Raider

Wander wonder

by Sammy Barker Mon 27th Jul 2015

Yet again, it's that time of the week where we recap all of PlayStation's hottest news. The problem is that, for the fourth Push Rewind running, there's not really an enormous amount to say. Yes, there was a new PlayStation 4 firmware update, but it offered little other than the usual stability guff. We suppose that Rise of the Tomb Raider's release window was big news – it's not like there was much else.

Reviews

Journey - 10/10

Journey remains one of the most cohesive titles to grace PlayStation. A sumptuous art style and a stunning soundtrack fuse to create an experience that's flawless from start to finish. Its story never utters a word, yet it has more to say than most scripts, and its handling of social interaction eschews tradition in favour of eye-opening anonymous bonding. Enhanced visuals and a silky smooth framerate made possible courtesy of the PS4's power make this the definitive edition of the release, and put simply, Journey is still one of the greatest games ever made.

Hatoful Boyfriend - 7/10

In simple terms, Hatoful Boyfriend is an infectiously bizarre dating simulator about choosing a partner from a particularly fanciful flock of pigeons. But when all the birds come home to roost, your enjoyment of this comical curio is almost entirely dependent on your ability to truck with its utterly insane premise. Indeed, if you don't take umbrage with a bit of pigeon-on-human romance, you're likely to be taken on a riotous and remarkable romp.

Other Reviews

Tembo the Badass Elephant - 5/10
Game of Thrones: Episode 5 - A Nest of Vipers - 5/10
Onechanbara Z2: Chaos - 5/10

Features

Feature: The Best Games on PS4 - 2015 Edition

With the champagne on ice ahead of the PlayStation 4's second birthday, we figured that it was high time that we took a look at the system's top twenty titles to date. Because of the ever-changing nature of the glorious games industry, we'll be updating this feature annually, rotating releases and no doubt adding new ones. As such, this should be taken as a snapshot of the swishest software on Sony's supercharged new-gen system as it stands this summer. On with the show...

Interview: Blowing Battlezone's PS4 Reboot Wide Open

Even in an industry obsessed with reboots and remasters, Battlezone is the last brand that we'd expect to be making a comeback. And yet the timing is practically perfect: Atari's iconic upright arcade cabinet embodied virtual reality in the 1980s, and now with Project Morpheus poised to introduce a new era of PlayStation 4 gamers to the beauty of crude, colourful headsets, Rebellion has acquired the rights to the dormant tank destroying simulation. We recently caught up with the British-based studio's CEO Jason Kingsley and the all-new entry's lead game designer Steve Bristow to chat American auction houses, motion sickness, and a whole lot more.

Other Features

News

Rise of the Tomb Raider Officially Announced for PS4

You'll have a Lara time to prepare for Rise of the Tomb Raider, as Square Enix has finally confirmed that the title will plunge the depths of Sony's new-gen system next year. The game will explore the Xbox One and Xbox 360 on 10th November, and will then trek to the PS4 a year later. The title will launch on the PC in Early 2016.

PS4 Firmware Update 2.57 Is Out Now

Has your PlayStation 4 been feeling a little unstable of late? Good news, Sony's released a new firmware update for the new-gen format, pledging improvements "during the use of some features". Sorry, there's no word on what those actually are. This is an optional download, though, so we're assuming that it's not an especially big deal.

It Looks Like Dragon Quest XI Will Almost Certainly Be Announced Very Soon

As expected, it seems as though Square Enix is going to announce Dragon Quest XI on the 28th July during a Japanese presentation. The next instalment in Japan's favourite role-playing franchise was teased in a recent issue of Jump Magazine, and now Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki has reinforced expectations via a tweet.

Silent Hills' Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro Working on a New Title

Silent Hills is as dead as a doornail, but that doesn't mean that game directors Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro won't be working together anymore. In fact, the two are already sharing ideas and planning a new game.

Dying Light to Be Resurrected with Major PS4 Expansion

Dying Light has been one of the surprise successes of the year, and its popularity has been prolonged by some outstanding post-release support by Polish developer Techland. But despite expanding the escapade with over six months of free and premium content, the studio is now teasing the biggest addition to the undead affair yet. And it'll be shown to the press at Gamescom 2015 next month.

Other Noteworthy News

Video of the Week

Watch the Crash Bandicoot Cartoon That Never Was

Crash Bandicoot turned out to be one of the biggest brands of the 90s, but Universal Interactive Studios had even bigger plans for the property before Sony licensed it for its legendary PSone platforming trilogy. During the early days of development, the publisher was knocking around the idea of an Animaniacs-inspired cartoon spin-off – and here's your first look at a prototype that was produced.