With the E3 workload approaching like a runaway freight train, we were hoping for a quiet week here at Push Square towers. Sadly, while Camp PlayStation remained quite sleepy over the past seven days, Microsoft was clearly feeling restless, announcing a handful of Xbox One reversals that change the next-gen game. In addition to those, this week also saw the surprise announcement of Far Cry 4, as well as comments that intensified the rumours regarding a Grand Theft Auto V port for the PlayStation 4.
Reviews
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 5/10
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is stuck so far in the shadow of better superhero games that it’s difficult to see anything which makes it stand out from the crowd. While the traversal of the open world remains really enjoyable – in spite of some shortcomings – the rest of the release comes off as an inferior copy. While there’s nothing horribly wrong with the experience, there’s just not enough here to recommend it, especially when there are more engaging and polished experiences readily available.
Sparkle 2 - 8/10
Puzzle fans beware: Sparkle 2 will have you glued to your console – especially if you attempt the addictive Endless mode. This is an entertaining distraction at a decent price, and is definitely deserving of an ever ready spot on your device.
Other Reviews
- Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi - 7/10
- Cabela's Big Game Hunter Pro Hunts - 5/10
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 3 - In Harm's Way - 9/10
Features
Reaction: Xbox One's PS4 Impersonation Improves with Kinect Reversal
Microsoft successfully completed its transformation of the Xbox One into the PlayStation 4 today, announcing that the system will soon be sold without a Kinect camera included. This likely represents the last reversal in a throng of backtracks, and the decision has presumably been made in response to the device’s disappointing sales figures, which have seen it slump behind Sony’s system in recent months. As of 1st April, the Redmond-based firm had shipped five million units, whereas its Japanese sparring partner had sold a significantly more impressive seven million units. It’s almost certain that that gap has grown even larger over the past month or so.
Feature: Five Ways PS4 Can Keep the Lead in the Next-Gen Console Clash
Microsoft’s latest Xbox One backtrack may have stripped the console of its original identity, but it puts the platform at price parity with the PlayStation 4 – and will once again heat up the console war. While Sony’s black behemoth has burst into the lead over the past six or so months since release, it’s done so at a much cheaper asking fee. However, following its competitor’s decision to unbundle the controversial Kinect camera, the Japanese giant will now be forced to compete on a much flatter playing field. What, then, does the organisation need to do to maintain its next-gen lead?
Other Features
- First Impressions: PS4 Puzzler MouseCraft Whiffs of Tetris, Lemmings, and Mature Cheddar
- Out This Week: Soul Sacrifice Delta, Borderlands 2 Vita, Minecraft
- Who Would Win Wednesdays: Edward Kenway vs. Cervantes de Leon
- Soapbox: For the Love of DualShocks, Quit with the Button Bashing QTEs
- Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 27
News
Is Grand Theft Auto V Carjacking PS4? Rockstar Is Plotting a Next-Gen Release
Grand Theft Auto V may make its debut on the PlayStation 4 imminently after all, as Take-Two has revealed that subsidiary Rockstar Games will release a “next-gen” title before the end of March 2015. While the firm failed to indicate which of its critically acclaimed franchises this outing will belong to, it did indicate that it expects the Red Dead Redemption maker to account for 45 per cent of its total revenue for the coming year, suggesting that it will be a major game.
Far Cry 4 Heads to the Himalayas on PS4, PS3 This November
It seems that the days of announcing titles years in advance are long gone, as Ubisoft has just confirmed that Far Cry 4 will release on 18th November in North America and 21st November in Europe. The first-person shooter – which has been rumoured in the past – will release on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, and will aim to build upon the somewhat unexpected success of 2012’s open world outing Far Cry 3.
PS4 Powers Perfect Eyebrows in New Batman: Arkham Knight Screenshots
Gotham goth Harley Quinn has continued her curious evolution in Batman: Arkham Knight, opting for a bust enhancing corset and an unflatteringly frilly skirt. The villain – who has gone through a series of changes throughout the duration of British developer Rocksteady’s trilogy – now also sports the most perfectly plucked eyebrows that you're ever likely to see. It’s only been six months since release, but the PlayStation 4 is already starting to flex its muscles.
This Slick PS4 Controller Is for Professional Players Only
Transitioning to a new generation is never easy – and first-party powerhouse Naughty Dog has admitted that porting The Last of Us to the PlayStation 4 was Hell at first. Speaking as part of an interview with EDGE magazine, creative director Neil Druckmann explained that merely getting an image on the screen required plenty of blood, sweat, and tears from the studio’s award-winning engineering team – and that was just the first stage in The Last of Us Remastered's long and arduous production process.
Naughty Dog May Be Graphical Wizards, But It Was Hell Getting The Last of Us on PS4
Transitioning to a new generation is never easy – and first-party powerhouse Naughty Dog has admitted that porting The Last of Us to the PlayStation 4 was Hell at first. Speaking as part of an interview with EDGE magazine, creative director Neil Druckmann explained that merely getting an image on the screen required plenty of blood, sweat, and tears from the studio’s award-winning engineering team – and that was just the first stage in The Last of Us Remastered's long and arduous production process.
Other Noteworthy News
- April NPD: PS4 Outsells Xbox One for Fourth Consecutive Month
- Microsoft: PS4 Is Outperforming Xbox One Because PS3 Didn't Satisfy Consumers
- PS4 Shooter Tom Clancy's The Division Stockpiled Until 2015
- PS4 Shooter Killzone: Shadow Fall Unloads the Info on its Co-op Component
- Minecraft: PS4 Edition Will Let You See Much More Than PS3
Video of the Week
DriveClub's Newest PS4 Footage Looks Just About as Realistic as Games Get
The recent news that DriveClub was to stick to 30 frames-per-second may have put a bit of a dampener on the gasoline-soaked party for some, but it's hard not to think that the decision has certainly benefited the game's visuals – especially after witnessing this newest chunk of pure gameplay.
Comments 3
Haha Instead of calling it the Xbone I'm going to start calling it the Xb180!
@RawWilson1
Except it's after doing about three 180s so that would make it a 540
Far Cry 4 was a nice announcement but I'm a little bitter towards Ubi over the way a lot of things have happened with Watch Dogs so I'm waiting to see how that hyped up game turned out overall and for more about FC 4 to be revealed at E3 before I decide if I want to pre-order the game or not. Normally it's an announcement I'd have been as hyped for as I was when a game like The Witcher 3 was announced but Ubi is either hit or miss and the Far Cry series itself has missed the mark more often than not. 3 and Blood Dragon are the only entries I really enjoyed.
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