Retro Reviews
Review Catherine (PlayStation 3)
Heartbreaker
Catherine is a unique proposition that frustrates partially because of its potential. Cumbersome gameplay design, a hokey save system and a rotten narrative twist detract from the intelligent storyline that's at the centre of its premise. The game's originality makes it worthwhile, but expect it to try your patience. With the budgets of...
Review God of War Collection: Volume II (PlayStation 3)
Fit for a god
Existing fans will lap up the technical proficiency of God of War Collection: Volume II, but those new to Ready At Dawn's work will also find a thoughtful empathy towards the franchise's anti-hero, Kratos, contextualising some of the aggression found later in the series. For our money, Ghost of Sparta is the best game in the series...
Review God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PlayStation Portable)
Mini massacre
While we're huge fans of Kratos here in the Push Square office, not every PlayStation fan shares our affection. The spartan warrior's constant anger grates with many followers, so much so that they are unable to look past the character in order to enjoy the game. Despite slotting awkwardly between the first and second God of War...
Review Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PlayStation 3)
Drake's delightful
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception realises what we dreamed video games would one day become. "All men dream: but not equally." Nathan Drake utters T.E. Lawrence's poignant phrase as the curtain raises on Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Like others, we dared to dream. For 20 years we longed for a cinematic interactive...
Review Vanquish (PlayStation 3)
Rocket fuelled
As Japan tries to tune its output towards Western tastes, many traditionalists, like ourselves, are worrying that the classic style of Japanese gameplay is prone to change. We've enough Western developed third- and first-person shooters to play — the last thing we need is for the Japanese to try their hand at a game of...
Review God of War III (PlayStation 3)
God of awe
It’s no surprise that God of War III should end up representing PlayStation at its very finest. The previous entries in the mythological series achieved things seemingly impossible on the PlayStation 2, and God of War III extends on that prowess. From the rip-roaring spectacle of the opening 60 minutes right through to the ultra-stylish...
Review Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PlayStation 3)
King of thieves
The follow-up to Naughty Dog's often overlooked cinematic gem Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves plots the path of Nathan Drake once again as he follows the trail of Marco Polo and a legendary gem known as the Cintamani stone. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves sees some growth to the game's cast, with both Elena and...
Review SoulCalibur V (PlayStation 3)
You'd sell your soul for this game
Even though fighting games are enjoying a new renaissance of popularity — a "second coming," if you will — updating a popular franchise still carries a healthy amount of risk. Change too much and risk alienating your loyal fanbase; change too little and you're mid-90s Capcom, famous for pseudo-sequels...
Review Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PlayStation 3)
!
After years of begging, Konami answered fan requests by repacking some of the most iconic Metal Gear Solid games for PS3. Even years after their original releases, the Metal Gear Solid series still has some of the most well written and deep storylines to date and Metal Gear Solid HD Collection allows the current generation of gamers to experience...
Review Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PlayStation Portable)
Amazement in a moment
The first few hours of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker are a little muted — you're being eased into the experience and you're playing it on the PSP so, naturally, control issues are a concern. But slowly, the problems fade away. The plot picks up pace, the controls sink in, and the sheer ambition of the title grabs you by the...
Review ICO & Shadow Of The Colossus Collection (PlayStation 3)
ICOnic
An impeccable, provocative and emotional affair, ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection makes a strong argument in favour of interactive art, and does so with such a matter of fact, effortless mentality that it's impossible not to fall in love with the experience. Despite being heralded as two of the finest games ever created, there's an...
Review Final Fantasy XIII (PlayStation 3)
Lightning strike
Final Fantasy XIII is unmistakably a Final Fantasy game. It's set in a rich universe, with a cast of clashing personalities who ultimately unite to save the world. Nothing new there. Set in the outlandish futuristic universe of Cocoon, a host of gadding personalities are sewn together through crossing fates — they are branded the...
Review Zack Zero (PlayStation 3)
Short on new ideas but strong in execution
Zack Zero is a robust platformer that's let-down by a low-budget art aesthetic and some cheap presentation. It reinforces the idea that appearances can be deceptive; what initially presents itself as a low-budget Cartoon Network tie-in actually emerges as a robust platformer with some strong combat...
Review Stick Man Rescue (PlayStation Minis)
Looks like an amateur product, but has some decent gameplay mechanics within
As far as game titles go, Stick Man Rescue couldn't be closer to the point. This is a simple, basically styled, erm, rescue game, in which you save a group of helpless stick men. We told you it was a good name. Its reasonable level design and a moreish campaign elevate the...
AMY is an ambitious idea squandered by poor execution
Unintuitive level design and unresponsive controls headline the game's problems, but it's the utterly reprehensible save and checkpoint system that damages AMY the most. Squint and you can see what developer VectorCell was trying to achieve with AMY. Survival horror has been a heavily...
Review Daytona USA (PlayStation 3)
Revving restoration
We should be able to pin-point the exact moment we first played Daytona USA, but we can't. Our memory is hazy and imprecise, sending us mixed messages. It was probably in Blackpool, in the corner of a grotty arcade, with stained 70s carpet beneath our feet. Or was it at home, in the cold confines of our games room, with the glow...
Review Trailblazer (PlayStation Minis)
A stellar reboot of a forgotten classic; Trailblazer's a fast-paced arcade game with a rich, vibrant style
It's become all too common for PlayStation Minis to drop onto Sony's digital storefront with little fanfare, but Trailblazer sets a whole new precedent. While developers such as Laughing Jackal, Futurlab and Mediatonic have actively coveted...
Review Cabela's Adventure Camp (PlayStation 3)
Cheaper than sending your little ones to camp
Each year, as school comes to an end, children across the world start getting excited. Not only is it a time of freedom, but for many it means that it’s almost time to go off to summer camp. Cabela’s Adventure Camp brings home many of the fun outdoor activities enjoyed at camp and with PlayStation...
Review Beat Hazard Ultra (PlayStation 3)
Beat Hazard Ultra never lives up to the promise of its potential, but it's still a decent twin-stick shooter
Twin-stick shooters are dime-a-dozen these days. Ever since Super Stardust HD kicked off a downloadable revolution on the PS3, we've spent a good chunk of our time testing out the latest analogue-controlled blaster to launch on the...
Review All Zombies Must Die (PlayStation 3)
A playful take on the dual joystick shooter
All Zombies Must Die augments some interesting RPG elements to distance itself from the throngs of similar experiences available on PlayStation 3. But while the game initially succeeds, the repetition of its samey mission structure sets in quickly — even when experienced in multiplayer. Borderlands...
Review Just Dance 3 (PlayStation 3)
Late to the party?
Now into its third main entry, Ubisoft’s Just Dance series has finally shimmied its way onto PlayStation 3 with Just Dance 3, albeit a couple of months later than Just Dance 3 on Wii and Just Dance 3 on Kinect. Does Ubisoft’s key title do enough to stand out amongst PlayStation Move’s already crowded dance game line-up?...
Review Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD (PlayStation 3)
Oddly compelling
Developer Just Add Water's done an outstanding job of making the XBOX original look and feel relevant on PlayStation 3, allowing the game's bizarre mix of stealth and shooting to stand up on its own. Some irritating voice acting and offensive difficulty spikes harm the game's appeal, but Stranger's Wrath HD is still a curiously...
Review Disney Universe (PlayStation 3)
When you wish upon a star
The team at Eurocom has done a fine job crafting a surprisingly engaging objective-based adventure with Disney Universe, lifting several ideas from the LEGO games of recent years while mixing in a smattering of fresh concepts and a hearty four-player option Developer Eurocom will always have a special place in the hearts of...
Review Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai (PlayStation 3)
Trekking into Uncharted territory
Since Move released last September, the Cabela’s team has brought two of its quirky hunting titles to the motion controller: Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 and Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012. Both surprised us with an entertaining story creatively crafted upon the quirky FPS/hunting gameplay style that...
Review Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny (PlayStation 3)
Making waves?
The newest edition of the Rune Factory saga finally makes it's début on the PlayStation 3. Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny starts the story off without much explanation or details; all you know is somehow two friends, Aden and Sonja, have become trapped in the same body in an odd parallel world. With plenty of help from the friendly...
Review Wanted Corp (PlayStation 3)
Move over dual analogue controls
Swarms of mini-robots continue their attacks as two enormous cyborg monkeys furiously charge onto the screen, while two bounty hunters try to evade a robed wizard’s constant onslaught of deadly purple energy balls. The powerful walking mech is closing in; its massive destructive power will hopefully ensure...
Review Just Dance Kids 2 (PlayStation 3)
Child's play
Why should adults should get all the fun? Ubisoft’s Just Dance franchise has been selling like the X-Factor winner’s single at Christmas since its first days on Wii, becoming one of the system’s biggest third party sellers in the process. The series has now spread across multiple formats, and with the French publisher’s musical...
Review Orbit (PlayStation Minis)
As with all of Laughing Jackal's releases, Orbit is easy to pick up but impossible to put down
Laughing Jackal is the master of carrot dangling. Its previous PlayStation Mini — the gloriously stylish OMG-Z — hooked you into its underlying "one more go" philosophy by rewarding you with new upgrades at every opportunity. The British...
Review Move Fitness (PlayStation 3)
Boxing clever?
Swedish company Coldwood Interactive released The Fight: Lights Out back at the end of 2010 to mainly negative reviews, with many disappointed by the overall quality after seeing such massive potential in early previews, citing poor motion controls and a lack of variety as a couple of reasons for its downfall. A year later, Coldwood...
Review Happy Feet Two: The Video Game (PlayStation 3)
Let's tap
Packed with wholesome fun for all the family, Happy Feet Two: The Video Game proves to be far more than any old run-of-the-mill movie tie-in, offering thrills, spills, and more than a modicum of outright fun that may even appeal to the inner child of adults, not merely youngsters alone How often do truly great video games based on movies...
