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Push Rewind is back from the dead ready to haunt you ahead of Hallowe’en. Actually, this editor was simply too busy to put together this regular feature last week, so unfortunately it had to lay low for a few days. Thankfully, we’re back with a vengeance this time – and with more reviews and features than you can shake a poltergeist at. Let's get down to business, shall we?

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Reviews

The Evil Within - 7/10

At its controller clutching best, The Evil Within evokes memories of Silent Hill’s high points – but it’s the Resident Evil comparisons that are most consistent throughout. Unfair difficulty spikes swap out the title’s pervading sense of fear for outright frustration at times, while technical issues undo the developer’s outstanding art direction. Thankfully, legendary director Shinji Mikami doesn’t disappoint in the gameplay department, forcing you to get creative with your plentiful combat options due to an unending absence of resources. It’s here that developer Tango Gameworks finds the breathless brilliance within.

F1 2014 - 5/10

Yearly franchises always have an element of similarity to them, but with F1 undergoing such seismic technical changes, it feels strange that F1 2014 is so firmly stuck in the past. Underdeveloped, most likely due to the next-gen version coming soon, this game is almost the very definition of a roster update. While it does offer new tracks and successfully replicates the modern F1 experience faithfully, the familiarity and evident lack of fresh ideas is jarring. Simply put, there is very little to recommend in this year’s game. With fewer modes than F1 2013, and with next year’s big update mere months away, this entry finds itself very much stuck on the grid.

Other Reviews

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Features

Feature: What's New in PS4 Firmware Update 2.00?

Well, that was a short evening. This editor was just about to put his feet up, but Sony has released details regarding the PlayStation 4’s hotly anticipated firmware update v2.00 – and let us tell you, this is a real humdinger. It may be months in the making, but the software refresh – which was originally announced at Gamescom 2014 all the way back in August – comes packing a plethora of fan demanded features, including USB music playback, themes, and much more. Let’s take a look at what’s new...

Guide: Everything You Need to Know About PlayStation TV

We didn’t think that we’d be reporting on another hardware launch so soon after the PlayStation 4, but Sony likes to keep us on our toes. Announced to a standing ovation in Japan last year, the PlayStation TV – also known as the PS Vita TV overseas – is due out this holiday in Europe and North America, complete with a snappier name – and a jet black exterior. The diminutive device, which has a handful of functions as outlined below, has been designed as a new contender in the emerging set-top box market, which already hosts household names such as Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. The twist here, however, is that the Japanese giant’s solution can, of course, play games – over 700 of them. Here’s everything that you need to know about the magnificent microconsole.

Other Features

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News

September NPD: Sony Silences Analysts as PS4 Sales Surge

Michael Pachter appears to enjoy pushing gamers’ buttons, so we doubt that he’ll care too much about the egg on his face right now; either way, his prediction that the PlayStation 4’s winning streak would end in September was, well, wrong. Sony actually managed a ninth month atop the NPD sales charts, with Destiny prompting sales of its next-gen super machine to almost triple over the previous month.

Yes, Sony's Readying an Official Grand Theft Auto V PS4 Bundle

Even the most ardent fan would find it hard to argue with the momentum that Microsoft seemingly has in November, between co-marketing deals on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Assassin’s Creed Unity, as well as its own exclusive games. However, there was always going to be one wildcard in the pre-Christmas battle: Grand Theft Auto V.

When Will DriveClub: PS Plus Edition Release on PS4?

In a period where PlayStation Plus has come under more criticism than ever before, DriveClub was supposed to be the sweetener that got everyone back on board. Sony revealed a cut down version of Evolution Studios’ exclusive PlayStation 4 racer at E3 2013, but the title’s delay meant that it was eventually replaced. However, after a year of waiting, the spruced up sampler was finally supposed to launch earlier this month – so where is it?

Sony: We Don't Want You to Play the Biggest Games without the Biggest Firmware Update

One glaring omission from Sony’s big PlayStation 4 firmware update v2.00 reveal last night was the lack of a timeframe. The software refresh – which will include features such as Share Play, YouTube, and themes – was always set to arrive at the end of the year, but the platform holder’s yet to release a firm date for the download. Sadly, it’s still keeping its cards close to its chest – but it has hinted at approximately when we can expect it.

You Won't Be Doing Much Video Streaming on PlayStation TV

Sony may want to check that it’s not breaking any advertising standards here, as the PlayStation TV seems like a pretty poor video streaming system. Back at E3 2014 earlier in the year, a laborious Shawn Layden monologue mentioned that the diminutive device would host plenty of “video and music streaming services”. As it turns out, it hardly has any.

Other Noteworthy News

Video of the Week

Video: Watch As We Recap September's Best PlayStation Games

Thank Taffin – the Internet works. Can you imagine a world without underwater cats, Pierce Brosnan, and adult actresses doing really weird things with Bounty bars? Well, that’s exactly what this Video Editor has experienced – and it was awful. BT’s finally fixed your humble host’s busted broadband connection, though, so that means that Game of the Month is back by popular demand. Roll the tape...