Push Rewind

We've been swigging the fantasy Kool-Aid this week, as our attention has been laser focused on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. In addition to reviewing CD Projekt Red's latest, we've also written a handful of guides, and kept you up to date with all of the post-launch news. Elsewhere, the new Need for Speed was announced, we caught our first hint at the PlayStation 5 [Yeah, you read that right – Ed], and we've been trying to predict June's PlayStation Plus lineup. A busy one, then.

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Reviews

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - 10/10

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sets a new standard for open world RPGs. Its shockingly cohesive world is as beautiful as it is demanding, and it's packed full of mature content that throws you from one emotional response to the next. Its storytelling is superb, its combat is grippingly refined, and its often unforgiving nature only lends itself to a brilliantly rewarding experience. In an industry that's flooded with so many by-the-book open world titles, Wild Hunt stands out as a true labour of love from a developer that's uncompromisingly passionate about its creative freedom. Geralt's incredible adventure is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Farming Simulator 15 - 6/10

You'll need to be willing to get your hands dirty to get anything out of Farming Simulator 15, but if you can cope with a slow start, then the game gets pretty compelling once you've got a production pipeline in place. It's never going to be everyone's cup of canola, but the name probably gives that away. With several new tasks and a couple of unique locations to conquer, though, this release is outstanding in its field.

Other Reviews

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Features

Guide: Which Skills Should You Pick in The Witcher 3 on PS4?

There are a lot of skills to choose from in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. While it's perfectly possible to forge your own path through the many available options, it can be daunting at first. As such, we've put together what will hopefully be a helpful skill guide, briefly explaining what each skill is and what we make of it. By no means, however, is this a walkthrough of how to build an optimal character – we're just trying to point you in the right direction.

Talking Point: What Freebies Would You Like in June's PlayStation Plus Update?

If all goes to plan, June's big PlayStation Plus update should be announced at some point next week. Indeed, the content will likely roll out on 2nd June in North America and 3rd June in Europe, so we'd expect Sony to outline the offering on this coming Wednesday or Thursday – although it has left things until the last minute in the past.

Other Features

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News

So, Looks Like Sony's Already Working on the PS5

While the PlayStation 4 is likely to be around for many years yet, we'd expect Sony to be starting to think about the future right about now. It's already set out its stall with the likes of PlayStation Now, but with Internet infrastructure not quite up to speed, we suspect that there'll be at least one more traditional console before we're all gaming in the cloud. And the platform holder may have dropped a hint regarding the production of its next platform in a job listing.

You'll Get Your First Pieces of Free The Witcher 3 DLC Tomorrow

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an epic fantasy adventure that's already consumed associate editor Robert Ramsey's entire soul – seriously, he rocked up to work today with a white ponytail wielding a sword – but there'll be even more for you to sink your teeth into on launch day. Community lead Marcin Momot has confirmed that the first of the title's free DLC add-ons will be available from tomorrow on the PlayStation Store.

The New Need for Speed Is Called Need for Speed

Need for Speed is getting a complete reboot to the point where it will be ditching recycled subtitles. Indeed, the new game – due out on the PlayStation 4 later this year – will be named Need for Speed. No, there's nothing after that – it's literally just called Need for Speed. Oh, and it's not to be confused with last year's movie, which was also called Need for Speed.

Shuhei Yoshida Confirms Bloodborne Expansion DLC Is in the Works

Bloodborne is a good game. A really, really good game, as we're sure that you've heard from the constant coverage that we gave the masterful hit a couple of months ago. While the release has a breadth of meaningful content to explore, even with massive areas you may miss during your first playthrough, many a Hunter have wondered since the game's release if they will be able to return to Yharnam with more nightmares to expel in DLC. Fortunately, the great Shuhei Yoshida-san has confirmed that the Night of the Hunt will resume.

Japanese Game Sales Hit a Whole New Low Last Week

Japan may be responsible for our love affair with video games, but the country is quickly going off the consoles that it helped to popularise. You may remember the dire Media Create figures that we posted earlier in the week – well, they are worse than you think. Much worse. According to the organisation, last week's software sales were the worst that the Japanese industry has seen since 2001.

Other Noteworthy News

Video of the Week

Here's Your First Look at DOOM on PS4

It's finally that time of the year where publishers start dropping 10 second trailers and describing them as E3 2015 teasers. The long overdue DOOM is the first to get the blink-and-you'll-miss-it treatment, as we're entitled to a very brief look at a double-barrel shotgun and a beast from beyond. There's also some industrial music to get you in the mood.