PS3, PS Vita Features

Moving in a new direction

Subtract the upcoming God of War: Ascension and The Last of Us from the equation, and 2012 is looking like PS3’s most mainstream year yet. Sure, the likes of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale have crossover appeal (they are evidently designed with nostalgia in mind) but

PSN SRPG chit chat

Rainbow Moon is a new RPG from the team behind Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype and the gloriously named Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer, set to hit PSN in the coming weeks. We spoke to Marcus Pukropski from developer SideQuest Studios about turns-based battles, Vita and the prospect of a 60-hour download game. Push Square: Hi, thanks...

Sonic, Deus Ex and Velocity

A strong week for Europe, with good content for PS3 owners across all PlayStation generations. Let's get stuck in, shall we? PlayStation Network New Content: PS3 Games: PixelJunk 4am (Trial available)Become a headline act in a global musical phenomenon with PlayStation®Move.Mix your own tracks in front of a live audience...

Sonic, PixelJunk and massive Ubi sale

A couple of long-awaited PSN titles come to PS3 today and Ubisoft drops prices across two dozen downloads. Read on and make an informed buying choice. PlayStation Plus: Rock of Ages — 100% discount GoldenEye 007: Reloaded — $29.99 (50% discount) Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood complete — $14.99 (40%...

Hold your horses

The video game industry has a very selective memory. With each new platform launch we're inundated with the same old comments regarding software library, price and more. Indeed, the current reaction to the PlayStation Vita’s not-stellar-but-not-terrible launch sales figures is reminiscent of conversation from 12 months ago. Back...

Datura and Binary Domain

Like the North American Store Update, intriguing PSN Move adventure Datura takes centre stage but there are some good deals to be had elsewhere. Here's what's up today. PlayStation Network New Content: PS Plus: Binary Domain – 15% Discount for Two Weeks

Datura is here

A bit of a short week for North America this time around, with one new game for PS3 owners and no new titles for Vita fans. Here's what's available this week. PlayStation Plus: Full Game Trials:Saints Row The Third — Saints Row The Third reviewNeed for Speed The Run —

Cutting deeper for a better understanding

Ninja Gaiden III recently sliced its way to store shelves with much hype and anticipation from long-time fans, but developer Team Ninja’s hopes to release a Ninja Gaiden title with mass market appeal unintentionally cut right through the hearts of its core fanbase that’s supported the studio for nearly a...

Awesomenauts, Skullgirls and free Frobisher Says! included

It's PSN update day here in Europe with a lot of content for your consideration, some of it free. Let's get started. PS3 Games: Awesomenauts (Trial also available)It’s the year 3587; conflict spans the stars. Huge robot armies are locked in an enduring stalemate. In their bid for galactic...

Awesomenauts, Mortal Kombat, Max Payne and more

It's time for another PSN Store update, North America, and it's a typically eclectic mix of fun, light-hearted titles alongside grizzly, violent classics. Without further delay, let's get into it. PlayStation Plus: Early Access:Pixel Junk 4am Closed Viewer BetaVelocity (Free PS mini)Free Downloads:Aw

The early bird gets the worm

There’s little doubt that E3 is the most important date in the gaming calendar. The trade show plays host to the industry’s biggest announcements on an annual basis, and its importance continues to grow with the introduction of live streaming technologies and up-to-the-minute online coverage. But for all its...

Playing favourites

The existence of a mascot mash-up featuring characters from the PlayStation universe was always going to be controversial. Let's not be coy about it: this is a concept that Nintendo's already perfected across numerous iterations of the Super Smash Bros. series. Add to that the simple fact that characters such as Sweet Tooth and...

Killing in the name

We didn't know much about Dishonored, Arkane Studios’ new game, until its first promotional trailer landed a week ago, sending the cyber-masses into feverish speculation. A few things about its concept and storyline could be gleaned from the teaser film: players will assume the role of Corvo, an Imperial bodyguard accused of...

Mismatch

Online multiplayer has become a key component of gaming over the past ten years. Social platforms such as PlayStation Network have paved the way for connected experiences impossible on systems of old, and driven emerging brands such as Call of Duty to the top of the charts. And yet, while those experiences have thrived on static platforms...

Jewels, zombies, paintball and more

Plenty of good things to download this week including Skype for Vita, the Dragon's Dogma demo and more. There's also some God of War discounts in celebration of the announcement of God of War: Ascension. Here's what's up for European PSN fans. PS3 Games: Bejeweled 3 (Released Friday 27th) The biggest, brightest...

Skype, Walking Dead, Dragon's Dogma demo and more

This week's new PSN content is available in North America, so here's what's on offer. Vita owners, you get add-on content and Skype but no games — sorry. PlayStation Plus: Full Game Trials:The Cursed CrusadeBattlefield 3 — Battlefield 3 reviewDiscounts:

Suitable for broadcast

The video game industry has been infatuated with cinema for years. The obsession stretches back to the late 1980s, if not earlier. Titles like Prince of Persia scattered cinematic setpieces throughout: leaps of faith into nothingness, climactic battles upon crumbling bridges. There was delight when SEGA's Mega CD allowed the...

Blast from the past or best left unearthed?

If anyone stands a chance at a Double Dragon revival, the 2D maestros over at WayForward are the most likely to pull it off in a convincing way. Between beloved revivals of Contra and A Boy and His Blob under their belt, new takes on BloodRayne and Batman and side-scrolling classics like

Bang, you're dead

As far as we’re concerned, sniper rifles have always been the most satisfying weapons in games. There’s something rewarding and morally profound about picking off an unsuspecting target from long-range distance, and the original Sniper Elite on PS2 captured that sentiment spectacularly. Since Rebellion’s original stealth...

Undead houses and toasted sandwiches

The wide variety of experiences on PSN continues this week: shooters, puzzle games and chess all appear for download. Here's what's vying for your money. PlayStation Plus: House of the Dead 4: Extended Cut – 30% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 Dynamic Theme – 100% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 James, Kate and...

The House of the Dead opens its doors again

Two games and a new app for Vita and a Move-enabled shooter are the highlights of this week's PS update for North America. Let's dive right in. PlayStation Plus: Free Downloads: Frogger ReturnsFull Game Trials: Dead Rising 2: Off the RecordNHL 12Free Avatars and Themes: THE

Write off

Given the affection PlayStation fans still have for Destruction Derby, it’s surprising no one’s attempted to recreate the smash-heavy vehicular formula on PS3. It may be late to the party, but DiRT Showdown is exactly that: a game that can’t be pitched without referencing Psygnosis’ 1995 hit, like its inspiration it’s hard to...

It's got scale

You'd think there'd be more excitement for Dragon's Dogma. Headed by staff responsible for Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, and with interest in RPGs at an all-time high thanks to Skyrim, the upcoming action RPG has generated very little heat in the past year: the game's official Twitter account has around 700 followers, and if not...

End of the line

Spec Ops: The Line owes a lot to the Uncharted series — and not just because Nolan North lends his voice to the game’s gruff protagonist Captain Martin Walker. The combat – which takes place from a third-person perspective – is hugely derivative of Nathan Drake’s series, as you meander between conveniently placed vehicles...