News - 2015, Week 40

Sunday4th Oct 2015

Saturday3rd Oct 2015

  • News Microsoft Just Bought the Tech Powering a Ton of PS4 Games

    But there's nothing to worry about

    We're going to assume that the majority of you reading this article have heard of Havok. Even if you don't know what the mysterious technology does, its logo has appeared during the boot sequence of so many titles that we'd be shocked if you haven't seen it before. In the simplest of terms, the engine essentially...

  • Review Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 (PS4)

    Sick

    The Tony Hawk series has been around for over 15 years, and in that time introduced a new genre in gaming. The fluidity of pulling off crazy street and vert tricks, the stunning soundtracks, inventive levels, and rich mechanics made it a true standout franchise. However, like most series, the franchise started to lose steam, with developer...

  • Video Top 4 PlayStation Games - September 2015

    Paper, boy

    Nothing hacks this video editor off more than preparing for a Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain victory – only for Tearaway: Unfolded to come out of nowhere with its cardboard cuteness and snatch the Game of the Month win. Fortunately, your humble host improvised – stay tuned for footage of Push Square's very own paper-based...

  • Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 87

    Take your pick

    It's surely not the weekend again? The weeks seem to fly by of late – but perhaps that's because we're having so much fun. There have been tons of new releases recently, keeping our team appropriately busy. Here's everything that we're playing right now, but do chip in with your own selections in the comments section below. Robert...

  • Round Up Push Square's September 2015 Reviews

    Showtime

    September seemed to race by, and not just because we abandoned our posts to play some games at EGX 2015, either. As they say, time flies when you're having fun, and there was certainly some enjoyment to be had with last month's release schedule. Packed with a few heavy AAA hitters and a slew of solid, smaller titles, here at Push Square we...

Friday2nd Oct 2015

  • Review Bombing Busters (PS4)

    Busting your bombs

    If you've played Bomberman, whether it was Bomberman II on NES or Bomberman Touch on iOS, you've played Bombing Busters. This Bomberman clone won't seduce you with good looks, a catchy soundtrack, or an engaging story. In fact, Bombing Busters doesn't have much going for it at all. But it plays a lot like Bomberman, so at least...

  • Review Samurai Warriors 4-II (PS4)

    Blade running

    Stuck in a strange realm somewhere between a sequel and an expansion, Samurai Warriors 4-II is, in many ways, a follow up to last year's superb Samurai Warriors 4 – but it's certainly not the inevitable Samurai Warriors 5. It borrows characters, stages, music, mechanics, voice acting, and even artwork from 2015's historical hack and...

  • First Impressions Shadow of the Beast Is Bloody Brilliant on PS4

    Stepping out of the shadows

    One of the quieter demo stations that we saw this year at EGX was for the reboot of eighties gaming classic, Shadow of the Beast. Now, this wasn't much of a surprise, especially since its announcement a couple of years ago at Gamescom was met with a resounding "huh, never heard of it" from anyone under the age of...

  • News Dinosaurs Are Being Revived on PS4 with Primal Carnage: Extinction

    And it's out this month

    Much like a raptor springs from the long grass to get the jump on its prey, Primal Carnage on PlayStation 4 has finally clawed its way back into existence. If you've been keeping up, then you'll know that a title of the same name was originally on display during Sony's GDC 2013 show, but after going dark for some time, the...

  • News At Least PS4 Firmware Update 3.00 Appears to Have Boosted Download Speeds

    Silver lining

    We were rather critical of PlayStation 4 firmware update v3.00 in our feature earlier today, but one positive that appears to be doing the rounds is that the system software refresh has boosted download speeds. Slow downloads have been a constant criticism on Sony's new-gen console of late, perhaps suggesting that it was a bug rather...

  • News Laura Lays the Smackdown on PS4 Exclusive Street Fighter V

    Bloody Laura

    Following in the footsteps of beefcake Zangief yesterday, Famitsu magazine has leaked the latest fighter to enter the Street Fighter V fray: Laura. This all-new challenger appears to be from Brazil, and comes with a vibrant outfit and cornrows. Judging by producer Yoshinori Ono's Twitter account, the character was set to be revealed at...

  • News Persona 5 Has Some Absolutely Incredible Persona Designs

    Personal taste

    It's safe to say that without its incredible art direction, the Persona series wouldn't be quite as memorable as it is. Whether it's the characters, the environments, or even the menu screens, this is a franchise that's absolutely dripping with style - and Persona 5 will be no different. Five main party members have been detailed so...

  • Review Overruled! (PS4)

    Case dismissed

    Overruled! is a frantic, diverse brawler in which yourself and three other players compete against each other in order to amass points, with the highest total winning the match. Your score is determined by your performance in a selection of objectives, as well through more conventional means, like attacking your opponents – but...

  • Game of the Month Top 4 PlayStation Games of September 2015

    Espionage, paper cuts, time travel, and destined comebacks

    Phwoar, September was a pretty great month for PlayStation gaming, and the internal staff vote to find a worthy winner of our Game of the Month crown was a tight affair indeed. We reckon that it's been the closest competition this year, and with more blockbuster releases looming on the...

Thursday1st Oct 2015

  • Opinion PS4 Firmware Update 3.00 Is One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

    Making a mess

    Sony often gets criticised for being slow to update its console in comparison to the competition, but the reality is that the PlayStation 4 launched in a much better place than people give it credit for. There are obvious tweaks that still need to be made to the user interface to improve it – folders, friends notifications, and so...

  • News PS4 Communities Are Already Walking on the Wild Side

    Not safe for work

    We're quite fond of the PlayStation 4's new Communities feature – you can find out how to join the Push Square page through here – but Sony might have known that it wouldn't take long for the addition to be, ahem, corrupted. While there are plenty of legit groups built around forums, favourite bands, and football teams – we...

  • News What's Hideo Kojima Doing with PS4 Maker Mark Cerny?

    All smiles

    Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is finished, and if you believe industry gossip, series creator Hideo Kojima is soon to be a free agent. This photograph of the legend posing with PlayStation 4 architect Mark Cerny was certain to draw attention, then. The picture was posted on Twitter earlier today, though the meeting does seem pretty...

  • Poll FIFA 16 Versus PES 2016 - Which Footy Sim Has Rocketed Into Your Top Corner?

    What a fixture

    It's been a while since FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer have clashed on what feels like relatively equal ground, yet here we are, with many footy fans demanding that PES 2016 be recognised as this year's champion. Meanwhile, FIFA 16 enthusiasts are being quick to point out its various improvements over its predecessors. You can read...

  • Site News Join the Push Square Community on PS4

    Forever friends

    Now there's an easier way for you to hook up with other Push Square members to play your games – courtesy of the PlayStation 4's brand new Communities feature. Alright, a lack of foresight on Sony's part means that it's actually not all that easy to join in on the fun, but we've spent the day figuring out a handful of ways that you...

  • News Sony: We Want to Continue Working with From Software

    Praise the moon

    Bloodborne is without doubt one of the best games of the year, and its forthcoming expansion is one of this author's most anticipated holiday releases. From Software, however, is a very busy organisation, so what are the chances of Sony teaming up with the company again to create a sequel or some kind of new game? Worldwide Studios...

  • News Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Cancels Its Stupid Pre-Order Strategy

    Fight the power

    Right, so remember back in August when Square Enix revealed the ridiculous pre-order strategy for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided? And then later in the month, its YouTube presence was torn to shreds by unhappy internet people? Yeah, well it turns out that too much bad publicity can have a negative effect on ho

  • News PlayStation's Just Renamed a Theatre in Times Square

    New York, New York

    Could this generation be any more different to the last one? There were times during the PlayStation 3 era where Sony's flagship gaming brand felt like it'd been pushed into the background, but you can't avoid it these days. Case in point: the platform holder's just renamed Times Square's gigantic 2,150-capicity concert venue to...

  • Store Update 30th September 2015 (Europe)

    Epic bail

    Sony puts less effort into these European PlayStation Store update posts with each passing week – but then we suppose it is a thankless task, seeing as they're always followed by a stream of frustrating comments. Either way, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 is the biggie this week. It apparently sucks. PS4 Games: Arcade Archives Moon...

  • News Of Course Assassin's Creed Syndicate's Got Microtransactions, You Plum

    Cor blimey, they're 'avin a larf

    'ere mate, we've got some bleedin' obvious news for you on this lavely London afternoon: Assassin's Creed Syndicate's got bits in the game that you can nab wiv real cash, and just the thought of it's got us up the bloody wall. According to the title's director, Francois Pelland, these in-game purchases can be used...

  • News Call of Duty: Black Ops III's Campaign Can't Help But Curse

    Swear jarhead

    There'll be no campaign for you if you choose to play Call of Duty: Black Ops III on the PlayStation 3, but anyone that opts for the PlayStation 4 version will be able to enjoy the full story experience. And according to Treyarch's boss Mark Lamia, it's the "most ambitious" that the team has ever undertaken – heck, that's evidenced...

  • Store Update 29th September 2015 (North America)

    Pull shapes

    It's not the most impressive week on the North American PlayStation Store when the broken Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 is the biggest highlight, but then we suppose specific audiences would shout that NBA 2K16 or Persona 4 Dancing All Night deserve the recognition. Whatever your poison, make sure you let us know in the comments section...

  • News Zangief Griefs Street Fighter V on PlayStation 4

    Human hurricane

    Street Fighter mainstay Zangief's bringing his bright red briefs and distinguished chest carpet to the PlayStation 4 in Street Fighter V, publisher Capcom announced in Russia earlier today. Unlike his peers, the so-called Iron Cyclone doesn't appear to have gone through too many cosmetic changes, and thus looks much like you'll...

Wednesday30th Sep 2015

Tuesday29th Sep 2015

  • Feature The Making of the Sony PlayStation

    Investigating the birth of a legend

    Republished on Tuesday, 29th September 2015: We're bringing this article back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary in Europe today. The original text follows. Originally published on Thursday, 9th August 2012: It's almost impossible to conceive it now but prior to the 32-bit...

  • Review WipEout (PSone)

    FEISARis, not Surfaris

    Republished on Tuesday, 29th September 2015: We're bringing this review back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary in Europe today. The original text follows. Originally published on Saturday, 12th October 2013: When the magazine reviews of WipEout landed a month after its September 1995 release,...

  • Feature The 10 Best Worst PSone Covers

    The bad, the ugly, and the beautifully bad

    Box art today is not usually all that interesting. You go to the shop to pick up your copy of Call of Battlefield: War with Guns and the cover art is usually a grizzled white guy walking away from the camera, surrounded with brown and more brown – well, unless you're Battlefield, which uses nothing but...

  • News Sony Really Needs to Stop Teasing Crash Bandicoot's Return

    You can't have your cake and eat it

    Look at that cake. Just look at the bloody thing. Celebrating PlayStation's 20th anniversary in Europe, Sony's had the delightful desert whipped up in celebration - but did it really have to sit Crash Bandicoot on top of the edible consoles? PlayStation's original orange mascot is now owned by Activision, but...

  • News PS4 Firmware Update 3.00 Rolls Out Tomorrow

    PlayStation Plus cloud storage increased and more

    Firmware update days have become significant events in the PlayStation Nation, with big refreshes attracting significant attention to the system. Brace yourself for 30th September, then, as after an extensive beta testing period, Sony has announced that system software v3.00 – codenamed 'Kenshin'...

  • News Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 Breaks Its Neck on PS4

    Bail out

    As expected, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 on the PlayStation 4 is f***ed. Activision's been reluctant to send us – or anyone else – review code, and judging by this Eurogamer.net hands-on with the final version, it's easy to see why. In the clip we see the Birdman bugging out in a variety of ways – be it clipping through geometry or...

  • News October PlayStation Plus Games to Be Revealed Very Soon

    What could possibly await us?

    Can you believe that we're only a day away from October? Despairing at how fast life passes us by aside, we've usually had confirmation of next month's PlayStation Plus games by now, but there's been no word of what's on the menu yet. Of course, Sony's never been one to stick to particular dates, so it's no surprise...

  • News Hitman PS4 Just Got Even More Needlessly Complex

    Two versions of the same game announced

    At this point, Hitman's model is so convoluted that we're struggling to think of where to begin with this article. For those out of the loop, the already confusingly named Hitman on PlayStation 4 will launch in an 'unfinished' state. However, the term 'unfinished', according to Square Enix, doesn't describe...

  • Poll Do You Actually Use the PS4's Social Features?

    Share the love

    Since the PlayStation 4's launch, Sony's clearly been trying its best to turn the new-gen console into a social hub, allowing you to interact with other users in numerous different ways. With firmware update v3.00 just around the corner, these features are being expanded upon even further, with additions like creating your own...

  • News Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 Has a PS4 Patch Bigger Than the Game

    Shove it

    Patches have reached a new peak with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5, as Activision's upcoming sequel has an update larger than the release itself. According to The Games Cabin, the title – which has been available to pre-load on the PlayStation 4 since last night – weighs in at just 4.6GB, but you'll need to download a 7.7GB patch to get it...

  • Feature A Very Happy 20th Birthday to PlayStation

    Birthday bashings

    Pull out your party poppers, put on a paper hat, and pick out your best retro game tee – the PSone turns 20 today. Yes, we know that your attention just turned to a certain The Smiths song, but we're confident that this neverending anniversary is finally coming to a close. All the way back on 29th September, 1995, the original...

  • News Your First Look at Yakuza 6 on PS4 Is Impressive

    Gangster's paradise

    Yakuza 6 is being built exclusively for the PlayStation 4, and boy does it show in this first ever video. SEGA debuted the footage during a NicoNico livestream yesterday, and it shows Japanese actor Beat Takeshi's character in all of his new-gen glory. The facial modelling has always been good in the Yakuza games, but this is...

  • News PS4 Exclusive Dragon Quest Heroes' Best Trailer Tells You Everything About the Game

    Details characters, RPG elements, and story

    We can say with confidence that this is Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below's best trailer yet. Clocking in at about five minutes, it's informative, entertaining, and full of gameplay. Plus, you've just got to love King Doric's rousing narration. Detailing all of the playable...

  • News You Owe It to Yourself to Spin This Free WipEout Record Today

    Groove jet

    As any of you that have had a cursory glance at the Push Square homepage will know: today is PlayStation's big 20th anniversary in Europe. Of course, this means that it's also WipEout's birthday, as the first entry in Psygnosis' high-octane series deployed alongside the PSone all the way back on 29th September, 1995. And what better way...

Monday28th Sep 2015