Retro News
September2010
Review Pinball Heroes: Fat Princess (PlayStation Portable)
The Fat Princess table in Pinball Heroes depicts the chaos of a stalemate in its source material, but it leads to a busy and complicated experience
One thing Pinball Heroes is good at is providing a pinball experience similar to the source material it's based on. The Fat Princess table carries over virtually every element you'd expect it to. Caught...
Review Pinball Heroes: Wipeout HD Fury (PlayStation Portable)
Pinball Heroes' Wipeout HD table is probably the most accessible of the bunch and it also happens to look fantastic
Wipeout HD is a game that's inherently pretty. Pinball Heroes' Wipeout table therefore, is similarly dreamy. Staying true to the source material, the Wipeout table in Pinball Heroes is all about large blocks of colour. Taking the...
Review Pinball Heroes: MotorStorm (PlayStation Portable)
MotorStorm might be one of the more plain Pinball Heroes' tables, but some great artwork makes up for the limited number of on-screen objects
Many of Pinball Heroes tables opt for complicated, detailed stages with numerous objects from their source material. The MotorStorm table is not like that. There's a truck placed in the mid-section of the...
August2010
Clearly inspired by the catalogue of Robert Rodriguez and Streets Of Rage, Shank is a gritty yet childish beat-'em-up romp through 2D plains
The story - which is told through a sequence of flash-backs - is merely justification for the violence; but this is a revenge tale. It's an angry, messy game set to the visual style of a children's cartoon, and...
Review Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (PlayStation 3)
The polarizing rag-tag duo Kane and Lynch return for a notably low-brow outing in Shanghai
Teaming up for a final "smuggling operation", events turn decidedly sour when Kane unwittingly takes out the daughter of a corrupt government official, Shangsi. The plot is littered with some pretty uncomfortable moments, but it primarily takes a...
Review Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter (PlayStation Minis)
Those who persevere with Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter will be rewarded with a satisfying experience, but the methodical pacing and lack of variety will not be to everyone's liking
Originally released for the PC in the last 1990's, Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter cashed in on the burgeoning hunting genre that was exploding at the time. Opting to meander...
Review Fly Fu (PlayStation Minis)
There's a bizarre and creepy charm to Fly Fu's presentation, but repetitive gameplay takes much of the sheen off the game's novelty
Fly Fu is weird. Invictus' side-scrolling brawler uses a combination of doodles and dead flies to make up its graphical style. It's certainly makes for a unique look, and it works better than you might think. Being...
Review PixelJunk Racers: 2nd Lap (PlayStation 3)
By focusing on the underlying competitive nature of PixelJunk Racers, 2nd Lap is worthy add-on that will bring newcomers and veterans alike back to the PixelJunk franchise's roots
Being an early PlayStation Network release, and the first in the PixelJunk franchise, a large proportion of the PlayStation 3's user-base are unlikely to have experienced...
Review Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (PlayStation 3)
Boy meets girl
Boy falls in love with girl. So far, so cliche? Not quite — see, there's a twist to Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers' burgeoning relationship; Scott must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to go on a date with her. Thus ensues the perfect set-up for a seven-stage beat 'em up game moulded around classics such as Final...
Review Earthworm Jim HD (PlayStation 3)
Essentially a re-release of the Mega Drive (/Genesis) version of Earthworm Jim with pretty visuals and a few bells and whistles; Earthworm Jim HD is extremely faithful to its original 16-bit counter-part
Sadly, the original game wasn't brilliant even in its day. The platforming and level design remain second-fiddle, with the game's focus being on...
July2010
Review Arcade Darts (PlayStation Minis)
Arcade Darts lacks the tactile response of arrow-throwing that's become a standard on touch screen platforms; but it works with the hardware it's got
You end up with an intuitive arcade sports title with plenty of replay value, even if the learning curve is a bit steep at first. Darts games are hard to make. If you give the player a cursor, they can...
Review Young Thor (PlayStation Minis)
Young Thor's another PlayStation Mini that transcends the quality of its peers
The game's relatively short, and the controls can be fiddly and unresponsive — but the action's rewarding enough to warrant the asking price more than twice over. Playing as Thor, the God of Thunder, you're tasked with the rescue mission of three Norn maidens who have...
Review DeathSpank (PlayStation 3)
Loosely tied together by a plot about as thin as its titular heroes' thong, DeathSpank is a hack-and-slash title written by legendary industry comic, Ron Gilbert
DeathSpank spreads its plot pretty thin, sending you on a lengthy quest in order to recover a mysterious object known as The Artifact. What ensues is a series of fetch quests in which you...
Review Star Hammer Tactics (PlayStation Minis)
Star Hammer Tactics does its best Advance Wars impression with mixed results
The gameplay is solid, but the lack of variety and a downright depressing visual style detract from the overarching experience. Clearly inspired by Nintendo's own flag-ship strategy title, Advance Wars, Star Hammer Tactics is a simple turn-based title for the PlayStation...
Review 5-In-1 Arcade Hits (PlayStation Minis)
5-In-1 Arcade Hits stretches the definition of "arcade hits", but offers enough content to make it an enjoyable way to pass the time
5-In-1 Arcade Hits is not a compilation of Time Crisis, Crazy Taxi, WrestleMania, House Of The Dead 2 and OutRun. Sadly not. It's more a classic games compilation — meh, whatever, semantics. We could get caught up...
Review Everybody's Tennis (PlayStation Portable)
If you've ever wished for an old-school RPG where the battle system's replaced by smashes and strawberries and cream, then Everybody's Tennis will be a dream come true
This is a fun (and surprisingly deep) sports game dressed in an uber-cutesy Japanese exterior. The Everybody's (or Hot Shots if you're an American type) franchise has always been...
Review Singularity (PlayStation 3)
As Captain Renko, a modern-day military operative, you're sent by the US to investigate an unusual Russian Cold War-era research island known as Katorga-12
It's clear bad stuff is going down there, because after a pretty brutal helicopter crash, you find yourself warped from the ruined propaganda-laden halls of the island in the present day, to the...
June2010
Review Naughty Bear (PlayStation 3)
Naughty Bear's probably the best PlayStation anti-hero since the God Of War himself, Kratos
The mis-understood plushy just wants to be everybody's friend. But he's constantly ignored by the other bears of Paradise Island, who'd rather laugh at him than invite him to groovy birthday bashes. Naturally, this all results in the scorned super-ted turning...
Review Transformers: War For Cybertron (PlayStation 3)
Transformers: War For Cybertron is set years before the events of the original cartoon series, commonly referred to as Generation One
Fans of the franchise will know that it's at the start of said series where the Transformers take their fight away from their native land of Cybertron to the energy-ridden plains of Earth. War For Cybertron, as the...
Review Sam & Max Episode 302: The Tomb Of Sammun-Mak (PlayStation 3)
Sam & Max: The Tomb Of Sammun-Mak is a clever follow-up to the sometimes formulaic events of the Episode One
The clever story-telling mechanics and challenging puzzles make this episode a solid entry in the season. While the escapades of evil space gorilla Skunka'pe made for a solid return for crime-fighting duo Sam & Max, The Tomb Of...
Review Vibes (PlayStation Minis)
Vibes is a competent rythmn game with a great visual style and a pretty varied track-listing
It's unlikely to hold your attention for longer than five minutes at a time, but afterall, this is what PlayStation Minis were designed for. Our favourite thing about Vibes is likely to be everyone else's least favourite: the tracklisting. This isn't a...
Review Sam & Max Episode 301: The Penal Zone (PlayStation 3)
Ultimately, it's clever story-telling and interesting puzzles that are going to make you want to check out Sam & Max's third season debut, The Penal Zone, even if the episode does overstay its welcome
Providing a story more mind-boggling than the sheer fact that Telltale are able to churn out these adventure games at such an alarming rate, Sam...
Review Tehra Dark Warrior (PlayStation Minis)
Tehra Dark Warrior does its best God Of War impression to admirable effect
It's not the instant classic you'd expect from an outing with Kratos himself, but the mechanics and ambition are enough to make it a viable distraction from all the Greek God murdering. The moment you see a needless dragon roaring upon a fortress wall, you realise Tehra Dark...
Review Joe Danger (PlayStation 3)
Formed by four legendary Guildford developers, Joe Danger is the fruit of new studio up-start Hello Games
Based around the concept that jumping off ramps is fun (it is!), Joe Danger is a combination of influences. Clearly inspired by Nintendo's overlooked Excite Bike franchise, Joe Danger's a 2D motorcycle side-scroller, in which your objective is...
Review Green Day: Rock Band (PlayStation 3)
There's perhaps no game quite as subjective as Green Day: Rock Band
In all honesty, your purchasing intent should depend on one factor only: how much do you like Green Day? As a reviewer, it doesn't really get easier than this. Green Day: Rock Band is a package so firmly routed in subjectivity, that it's impossible for us to educate you as to...
Review UFC Undisputed 2010 (PlayStation 3)
The sequel to last-year's surprise hit, UFC Undisputed 2010 tunes all that was in the 2009 version and turns it up to eleven
Naturally the roster has been beefed up, with now over one-hundred fighters to choose from. The gameplay's also been tweaked, with defensive sways now added to heighten the countering strategy during gameplay. It's the career...
Blur is the sum of a combination of games
At its very core it is Project Gotham Racing: take to the circuit with semi-sim, semi-arcade car handling and earn "fans" (as opposed to kudos) by racing creatively. But there's much more to Blur than its PGR inspired core. The power-up racing concept is very much a Mario Kart staple, though here...
May2010
Review Split/Second: Velocity (PlayStation 3)
Split/Second's a game which puts its best foot forward first
The first few races you'll experience are among some of the most exciting moments in video games. The premise is simple - you're part of a mad futuristic game-show, in which competitors race around an ever-changing track rigged to the teeth with explosives. Ambitious driving will reward...
Review Coconut Dodge (PlayStation Minis)
Like its name, Coconut Dodge is simplistic as it gets: dodge the coconuts, collect the treasure
The key to its success, therefore, is its bold simplicity — after all, this is what Minis were made for, right? We have the utmost respect for Coconut Dodge's developers, FuturLab. Their website notes a torrid tale in which the recognised Flash studio...
Review Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (PlayStation 3)
Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands takes the PoP franchise back to its Playstation 2 heyday
Set some time after the events of the infamous Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time (and sometime before the not-so infamous Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within), this is a return to the franchise's glory. And when we say "return" we mean return. The...
Review Anarchy: Rush Hour (PlayStation 3)
Anarchy: Rush Hour tries hard to be the sum of one too many popular arcade racers, and as such loses a chunk of its own identity
But hidden beneath the game's meandering plot of stolen girlfriends and souped up supercars is a decent, if unoriginal, racing experience. And at £5/$8 a pop, it's hard to really deny the value in Gaijin Entertainment's...
Review Lost Planet 2 (PlayStation 3)
Capcom should be kicking themselves right now
Lost Planet 2 is a very good game, held back by some rudimentary and bizarre design choices. The game's essentially a four-player co-op shooter, in which you play as a series of factions in the varied and artistically interesting world of EDN-III. The game's narrative is revealed through the eyes of...
Review Iron Man 2: The Video Game (PlayStation 3)
Released just in time to coincide with the big budget summer movie of the same name, Iron Man 2 sees protagonist Tony Stark don his steel suit once more
This time he's alongside his companion War Machine, for a fight that picks up almost directly after the events of the original Iron Man. The story's fairly well told during missions and cut-scenes,...
Review Stellar Attack (PlayStation Minis)
Stellar Attack is the latest in a growing line of Minis to get its controls wrong
Which is a shame, because the actual gameplay's a clever puzzle based twist on classic arcade shooters. And the soundtrack's bangin'. Shall we deal with the bad first? There's a lot we like about Stellar Attack but there's one crippling problem that has hindered...
April2010
Review Lead & Gold: Gangs Of The Wild West (PlayStation 3)
It's certainly a competent online third-person shooter, and the Western twist is strong enough to give the game some personality
Sadly, Lead & Gold: Gangs Of The Wild West lacks the staying power that it'll need to maintain a fan-base post Red Dead Redemption. Wild west games lie fondly in our hearts. This is a statement from the same...
Review Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess (PlayStation Minis)
Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess defines the Playstation Minis service in a way that no release before it has managed
The underlying gameplay is simplistic enough to fit the micro-game service's ethos, while the production values feel whole-heartedly Playstation. An important release. The build-up to Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess...
Review 2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa (PlayStation 3)
The improvements to the actual gameplay may only be subtle, but improvements to the way information is presented and some good online implementation make 2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa the best football game on the market
Until FIFA 11 comes out anyway. The stop-gap summer cash-in with a heart - for years people have questioned the relevance of...
Review After Burner Climax (PlayStation 3)
It's After Burner
Originally released in the arcades in 2006, After Burner Climax is the sequel (sort of) to the classic After Burner games of old. In simple - you fly an awesomely kitted out plane through interchanging zones blasting bad guys with rockets. The loose terrorist plot serves only as a means of justification as you fly ridiculously fast...
Review Freekscape: Escape From Hell (PlayStation Minis)
Freekscape: Escape From Hell is never particularly astounding, but the platforming action is solid and varied enough to keep you interested throughout the game's duration
Hell's not a nice place. Not even if you're a demon. Take little Freek - a friendly little demon who hates the company in Hell. He wants to chill with the nice dude's in Heaven...
Review Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (PlayStation 3)
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City is the combination of last year's XBOX 360 "exclusive" downloadable content campaigns finally available on the Playstation 3
The episodes, The Lost & Damned and The Ballad Of Gay Tony, both offer complete campaigns from some of Grand Theft Auto IV's "blink and you'll miss them" cameo...
Review Hysteria Project (PlayStation Minis)
As an interactive experience, Hysteria Project is an interesting experiment
There's not really any gameplay worthy of discussion, so the product demands an open-mind. But with a price-tag no more expensive than a bottle of Dr. Pepper, those seeking something a little "different" might welcome the punt. Hysteria Project is a unique nod to...
Review Final Fight: Double Impact (PlayStation 3)
Final Fight: Double Impact's a loving re-release of the definitive late-80's arcade brawler Final Fight - with lesser known Magic Sword thrown in for good measure
Double Impact ups the nostalgia to eleven, bringing the shady streets of Metro City to the HD generation complete with grimy scan lines and the bulge of glass. This is classic arcade...
Review Age of Hammer Wars (PlayStation Minis)
There's a definite charm to Hammer Wars' industrious Verne-esque presentation, but any hint of satisfaction is killed dead by the game's innovative but heavily flawed control mechanics
Still, developers iSquared should be acknowledged for their attempt. After several minutes with British developer iSquared's Hammer Wars, there's yet another strong...
Review BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (PlayStation 3)
Developed by Guilty Gear's Arc System Works, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is a fresh break for the company after countless re-releases of the fighting franchise they're best known for
It's a 2D beat 'em up, released on the backfoot of the genre's re-emergence, and it feels fresh. With a 12-character strong roster, each with their own unique fighting...
Review Namco Museum Essentials (PlayStation 3)
Namco Museum Essentials is a beautifully presented trip down memory lane that's worth an hour or so of anyone's time
Packing five classic Namco arcade titles (and one "new" game), it's hard to argue that Namco Museum Essentials goes below the call of duty for its sub-£10 price-tag. But some glorious presentation and procedural unlocks...
Review Pinball Heroes: PAIN (PlayStation Portable)
PAIN's Pinball Heroes table really doesn't stack up next to the quality of the rest of the package, with basic visuals and a lack of ideas
It's probably coincidence that PAIN's Pinball Heroes table is a bit rubbish - the PSN title it's based on is certainly not one of our favourites in the PushSquare office, so there's no real love lost here. When...
Review Pinball Heroes: High Velocity Bowling (PlayStation Portable)
Clever use of the bowling mechanic makes High Velocity Bowling's table one of the more interesting choices from Pinball Heroes' selection
High Velocity Bowling's Pinball Heroes table is based on the aesthetic of the PSN game of the same name. That means there's a faux mid-50's vibe to the cabinet's aesthetic, with a huge ten-pin bowling graphic...
Review Pinball Heroes: Uncharted Drake's Fortune (PlayStation Portable)
The Uncharted aesthetic is very pleasing, but the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Pinball Heroes table lacks the imagination of its counter-parts
Based on the huge Playstation 3 hit from Naughty Dog, the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Pinball Heroes table is a competent but simplistic experience. It's an aesthetically pleasing table, with the plane crash...
Review Just Cause 2 (PlayStation 3)
Honestly, who cares? The game's too badly written and voiced to give any sane player a semblance of interest
But that's kind of the point — Just Cause 2 is a sandbox where the crux of the experience depends on exploration and making your own fun. The B-movie type plot shoots for a James Bond under-cover agent style motive that attempts to justify...
March2010
Review Pinball Heroes: Everybody's Golf (PlayStation Portable)
Easily the best of the Pinball Heroes tables, the Everybody's Golf pinball cabinet is a delightful recreation of Clap Hanz's super-accessible golf franchise
Based on Clap Hanz's Playstation golf franchise, the Everbody's Golf table in Pinball Heroes is a loving recreation of some of the game's concepts. Working with the golf theme, the Everybody's...
Review Prison Break: The Conspiracy (PlayStation 3)
Fans of the American TV show will be right at home with Prison Break: The Conspiracy's storyline
It's based around the events of the first season, with Lincoln Burrows wrongly committed of a crime he didn't conduct. You play as Tom Paxton, an undercover agent sent by "the Company" into Fox River Penitentiary to keep an eye on Burrow's...
Review Wakeboarding HD (PlayStation 3)
Wakeboarding HD is exactly what it says it is: it's Wakeboarding in HD
Players will choose from a numerous list of events and take to the water in order to score ridiculous combos and meet a variety of objectives. For those unfamiliar, Wakeboarding is a sport in which you are placed on a board and pulled forward by a speedboat. The speed of the...
Review NormalTanks (PlayStation Minis)
It can take a while before you get a feel for NormalTanks' control setup, but once you do you'll find a solid, action-oriented old-school shooter with some great feeling weapons, plenty of variety and pretty visuals
The first thing we noticed about NormalTanks is the sense of impact you get from shooting an enemy. This game is from BeatShapers, the...
Review Mega Man 10 (PlayStation 3)
Few franchises can stand the test of time quite like Mega Man
Despite being the second NosCon Mega Man title to release on Playstation Network, Mega Man 10's retro-stylings and razor-sharp MIDIs are as engaging as they've ever been. Factor in the new "Easy" mode that makes the game actually beatable and you have an old-school package that...
Review Yakuza 3 (PlayStation 3)
Yakuza 3 once again focuses on the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, Kazuma Kiryu
The slow paced opening has Kazuma running an orphanage in Okinawa. However, a series of shootings and the overbearing polictical activity taking place in Tokyo sees Kazuma return to Kamurocho in search of a traitor within the Tojo Clan. Yakuza 3's main storyline will...
Review Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PlayStation 3)
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is darker and more mature than its predecessor
That's not to say it's without its own unique brand of goofiness though; the Bad Company are as ridiculous as ever. The plot revolves around a Japanese secret weapon that dates back to World War II, something which is detailed in a moody flashback mission. Fast-forwarding back...
Review Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PlayStation 2)
Essentially a remake of the original game, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories puts you in the unfortunate shoes of Harry Mason - a father who's experienced a car-crash during a particularly heavy bout of severe weather
When he comes around, Harry realises his daughter Cheryl is nowhere to be seen, and thus enters the town of Silent Hill for...
Review Greed Corp (PlayStation 3)
It'll take a while before you feel comfortable playing Greed Corp, but once it clicks there's plenty of fun to be had, particularly in multiplayer
Greed Corp is essentially a strategy board-game based in the fantasy world of Mistbound. The game's main focus - aside from staples such as building and development - is sweet, sweet destruction, and some...
Review Switchball (PlayStation 3)
If you're itching for an HD version of Marble Madness, you'll probably be super stoked to play Switchball
For everyone else, this is something that'll divert your attention for the odd five minutes. Switchball's kind of an old game. It launched on XBOX Live Arcade a few years ago, and was probably pretty neat in those earlier days of the digital...
Review Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (PlayStation 3)
It's Mario Kart with Sonic
Really. Developed by Outrun's Sumo Digital, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is a marriage of all things SEGA in the guise of a really simple racing game. There's drifting, power-ups and tons of SEGA heritage in a neat little package of nostalgia. What's great about Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is that it'll appeal...
Review SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 (PlayStation Portable)
If you're looking for a multiplayer shooter on your Playstation Portable, SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 is probably the best you're going to get
It's a pretty staggering technical achievement, providing all the staples you'd expect from a standard console multiplayer shooter, on a system that fits inside your pocket. The campaign is fine, but it's the...
February2010
Review Half-Minute Hero (PlayStation Portable)
Half-Minute Hero is an innovative, self-referential, comic gem, that just so happens to double as one of the best Playstation Portable titles of all time
Yes, it really is that good. If we were to review Half-Minute Hero in one word, we'd probably write something like: buy. And really, that's all you need to say about Opus' latest PSP gem. It's a...
Review Aliens vs Predator (PlayStation 3)
Aliens vs Predator is an exciting prospect
It sees original UK-based developers Rebellion return to the franchise that made them known in the first-place. Aliens vs Predator was a massive hit when it launched on the Atari Jaguar - and later the PC - in the mid-late 1990's. With three completely separate single-player campaigns, Aliens vs Predator...
Review BioShock 2 (PlayStation 3)
Set some ten years after the original Bioshock, Rapture is now being led by the menacing Sofia Lamb
Assuming the position of Subject Delta, you awaken in the search for your bonded Little Sister, Eleanor Lamb, who curiously ends up being the biological daughter of Bioshock 2's tyrant. The game is set-out in pretty much the same way as the original...
Review Dante's Inferno (PlayStation 3)
Loosely based on the medieval poet, Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy provides the basis for Visceral's latest release
Essentially lifting the structure popularised by the God Of War franchise, Dante's Inferno combines elements of hack-and-slash, puzzle and platforming gameplay from a fixed camera perspective. The game - adapted from the original poem...
Review Dracula: Undead Awakening (PlayStation Minis)
Dracula: Undead Awakening is a respectable nod towards classics like SmashTV, but the awkward controls cause some issues in this Minis release
With plenty of progression options, some fantastic graphics and a host of modes, you'd be forgiven for thinking Dracula: Undead Awakening was an essential Minis release. As it happens it comes agonisingly...
January2010
Review Dark Void (PlayStation 3)
Nathan Drake wannabe Will is a pilot, flying to somewhere or other with British cutie Ava
Just as you're getting a sense of history between the pairing, the couple are sucked into the Bermuda triangle, where Dark Void's goofy, yet endearing sci-fi plot begins to take hold. Playing as Will, Dark Void is structured into three main gameplay elements;...
Review Army Of Two: The 40th Day (PlayStation 3)
The loud-mouthed American frat-boys Rios and Salem are back, this time in Shanghai
Army Of Two: The 40th Day plots the events of the bustling US-marines over a few short days, as the world around them comes crashing down. There's an almost Cloverfield-like approach to the pacing in The 40th Day; you're never quite sure what's going on, but you know...
Review Cubixx (PlayStation Minis)
Cubixx is a surprisingly brilliant reworking of the 80's classic Qix
The presentation and soundtrack make for an intense, futuristic experience that can be enjoyed in short, sporadic bursts. As the name hints, Cubixx's twist on the classic Qix formula, is to have you cutting out the surface of pulsating polygonal cube. The cube pounds with the beat...
Review Vancouver 2010 (PlayStation 3)
Very much what it says on the tin, Vancouver 2010 is the sports-game tie-in to the upcoming Winter Olympics
Featuring a range of snow-based sporting activities, Vancouver 2010 is a simplistically presented package with a rather sparse feel. There's no career mode here, Vancouver 2010 is all about pushing for perfection against an ever-improving...
Review Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond (PlayStation 3)
Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond is self-aware enough to be comical, and its gameplay is superior to its balding protagonist's last romp; but you can't help but feel the whole experience needed one more sheen of polish to reach its full potential
Taking the sarcastic video game satire fiction from the first Matt Hazard title, Eat Lead, Matt...
Review Bayonetta (PlayStation 3)
Wicked witch of the "wha?"
Bayonetta's an extremely self-indulgent tale about nothing in particular. The constant waffling from the game's mish-mash of characters is wholly Japanese, but filled with subtle nods at both Western and Eastern popular culture that almost serves as a Michael Bay constructed satire rather than a video game plot. Abundant...
Review LEGO Rock Band (PlayStation 3)
LEGO Rock Band sounded ridiculous when it was announced, and playing the game has failed to convince us it's anything otherwise
But at the same time: it's absolutely not terrible. The song listing's fine, the LEGO angle injects humour, and the Rock Band gameplay is still as stellar - if not quite as original - as ever. LEGO Rock Band is exactly what...
Review Borderlands (PlayStation 3)
Good question, yo
What is Borderlands all about? Something to do with a Vault and bi-century openings and keys and Skags. Yes, lots of Skags. Look, Borderlands is a co-operative "RPS" (that's Role Playing Shooter if you've been following trends), in which you control one of four character types in a heavily stylised world. Choosing between...
December2009
Braid is special from start-to-finish
Wonderful visuals, stunning audio design, and some clever mechanics make it a must-play. Lovely. It's the word that probably best describes Braid, an arthouse platformer that depicts the tale of protagonist Tim's retrieval mission. At its surface, Braid is about love. As Tim haplessly seeks out the Princess he's...
Review Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines (PlayStation Portable)
Set in Cyprus shortly after the events of the first Assassin's Creed, Bloodlines attempts to bridge the gap between the first and second game, progressing anti-hero Altair's pursuit of the Templars, and tracking his relationship with kidnapped love-interest Maria
It's a decent tale that fans of the franchise will love, but some poor voice-acting can...
Review Circles, Circles, Circles (PlayStation Minis)
Circles is a brain-bending little puzzle-title that requires the application of simple mathematics to provide a deviously challenging experience
Fans of Sudoku are likely to fall in love with Circles pretty quickly. Like the popular commuter's past-time, Circles is very much inherent with the basic principles of maths. By rotating wheels of four...
Review D-Cube Planet (PlayStation Minis)
Despite some attractive presentation, D-Cube Planet is about as simple and old-school as gaming gets
Archaic puzzling aside though, there's certainly fun to be had here. D-Cube Planet is a neat little polygonal-puzzler that has you shuffling the placement of bricks around a maze, so that a hapless alien (we'll call him "Jeremy") can...
Review Avatar: The Game (PlayStation 3)
Even if you've lived under a rock for the past 12 months, you should at least have the slightest awareness of James Cameron's latest movie, Avatar
Billed as a visual showpiece, Avatar's cost an extortionate amount of money to make. Naturally, with every movie blockbuster cometh the video game; something that James Cameron was keen to talk (and talk)...
Review PixelJunk Shooter (PlayStation 3)
On the surface, PixelJunk Shooter looks like "just-another" dual-stick shooter
But, like the other games in the franchise, Shooter has a twist. In fact while initial impressions may lead you to believe you're going to get a dual-stick shooter, Q-Games' latest has more in common with adventure and puzzle-solving. Shooter is all about physics. And not...
Review Planet 51: The Game (PlayStation 3)
The problem with Planet 51: The Game is that, although it's not bad, it's just straight-up boring
Licensed game reviews usually start with the word "terrible." But Planet 51: The Game is not offensive enough to warrant the word "terrible." In fact, for what it does, it fares adequately. The problem is, when an entire game is as...
Review The Saboteur (PlayStation 3)
Despite being set during the second World War, The Saboteur is not a war game of the traditional sense
The World War II setting is merely window-dressing for the revenge story of Sean Devlin, a bitter Irish mechanic who has watched his friends fall in front of him. Sean Devlin is a potty-mouthed, chain smoking, bad-ass, who is able to carry The...
Review Echoes (PlayStation Minis)
Echoes is a deceptively simple, yet deviously difficult release, that will have you hooked for a few hours before you exhaust its lot
We really like Echoes. It's such a simple concept, that's been beautifully realised by developers Halfbrick. In essence, you control a hat and collect jewels. Well, that's what the perspective would have you believe...
Review Pinball Dreams (PlayStation Minis)
Pinball Dreams is exactly 3
2674% more awesome than the already excellent Pinball Fantasies. If you're already done fantasising over pinball, then perhaps it's time you started dreaming about it. This follow-up port of the classic Amiga pinball title, Pinball Dreams, is every inch as awesome as the 4/4 scoring Pinball Fantasies. In fact, we think...
November2009
Review Critter Crunch (PlayStation 3)
With bearded fluff-balls, rainbow-tinged vomit, and a parachuting professor; it's hard not to recommend Critter Crunch
Before we even jump into the gameplay, let us say right out of the gate that Critter Crunch is probably one of the most beautiful games on the Playstation Network. The hand-drawn sprites provide a wonderful cartoon aesthetic that...
The beauty of SAW is just how closely it sticks to the source material
Playing as Detective David Tapp, you're thrown into series anti-hero Jigsaw's "game" with little to no understanding of the events leading up to your capture. The game does an excellent job drip-feeding you information, as you navigate Jigsaw's warped world, escaping...
Review Gravity Crash (PlayStation 3)
Just Add Water's Gravity Crash is a retro-inspired dual-joystick shooter with a tinge of Sony's "Play Create Share" genre thrown in
The shooter includes a complete level editor, allowing you to create entire levels and share them online with other players. Gravity Crash takes a futuristic, neon spin on the retro-space shooters of old, setting you...
Review Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier (PlayStation Portable)
Jaked Up
After a short hiatus, the double-jumping Playstation powerhouses known as Jak & Daxter are back in full force with their eco-sage hottie friend Keira along for the journey. The world is low on eco, and is tearing itself apart as a result. Of course, as the platforming duo you'll have to double jump your way through the game's...
Review Assassin's Creed II (PlayStation 3)
It's quickly apparent playing Assassin's Creed II just how close the first game was to being exceptional
The core gameplay remains unchanged in ACII - you're still a parkour free-runner navigating an historical environment, assassinating historical figures that get in your way. That's the franchise's formula, and that's what was best about the first...
Review LittleBigPlanet (PlayStation Portable)
Material world
In many ways LittleBigPlanet PSP is a direct port of Media Molecule's PlayStation 3 monster. Visually, tonally and mechanically the games are close to identical; Studio Cambridge do an outstanding job of recreating Media Molecule's vision on a portable system. The single player campaign is new however, sending Sackboy (or Sackgirl) on...
Review Buzz!: Quiz World (PlayStation 3)
The third Buzz
title to hit the Playstation 3, Quiz World focuses on improving the familiar Buzz! gameplay by adding much more variety and upping the sense of big game show occasion. The game requires the Buzz! Buzzers to play, and can be enjoyed by up to four players locally. Online options allow you to once again create your own quizzes and play...
Review SingStar: Take That (PlayStation 3)
The price is right and the song selection is solid, thus Take That nuts will find it rather difficult to be displeased with SingStar: Take That
In all honesty, we could write this review with just a few words: Do you like Take That? Do you like karaoke? If yes then buy, buy, buy. See, we told you. But we're "professionals" so we best drag...
Review Football Manager Handheld 2010 (PlayStation Portable)
Football Manager Handheld 2010 is the best game of its kind
The updates on last year's game are minimal, but the core concept is still engaging if management is your cup of tea. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, Football Manager Handheld 2010 is a game where you manage football teams in the palm of your hand. On your PSP to be more precise...
Review Tekken 6 (PlayStation 3)
Continuing the outrageous story-arc of the Tekken franchise, Tekken 6 opens to a lengthy introduction reminding you all the events of the King Of Iron Fist tournament thus far
The drill remains pretty familiar in Tekken 6: corporations rule the world, with many clashing along their relevant paths. With the bad blood already flowing through the...
Review DJ Hero (PlayStation 3)
Covering the electro, hip-hop, pop and dance arm of Activision's massive "Hero" franchise, DJ Hero puts you behind the decks as a master DJ, cutting and scratching yourself between tracks to make interesting mash-ups
DJ Hero comes with a great controller, which represents the turntable and mixer of a real DJ's set-up. The turntable is topped with...
Review NBA 2K10 (PlayStation 3)
NBA 2K10 may be plagued by a choppy framerate and numerous bugs, but it still holds together to provide an explosive representation of basketball
The greatest strength in NBA 2K10's arsenal is the real upbeat, fast paced sense of occasion that NBA Live 2010 didn't deliver. NBA 2K10 is frenetic, and often break-neck. It's hardly realistic, but it's...
October2009
Review Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (PlayStation Portable)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is an enhanced port of the Nintendo DS game that debuted to critical acclaim earlier in the year
The plot is much more tongue-in-cheek than in the relatively dark Grand Theft Auto IV. You play Huang Lee, the son of murdered crime-lord looking to avenge the death of his father. Unfortunately, Huang's arrival sees him...
Review LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival (PlayStation Portable)
LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival may not be a full-on sequel, but it's still all-singing, all dancing fun
It's outrageously good value for money too. LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival is still as boisterous as you might expect. The dastardly BuiBui from the previous two games have returned and kidnapped the sleeping LocoRoco. If they can escape the hazardous...
Sent on a rich safari working for clients such as National Geographic, Afrika is a photography simulator in which you scope landscapes for the best possible wildlife photographs
You'll unlock varying equipment along the way, allowing you to take better photographs and learn new techniques. Afrika is a fairly large game, with plenty of environments...
Review Fairytale Fights (PlayStation 3)
In a twisted sub-universe, the heros and heroines of some of our most favourite fairytales aren't happy
Cue Fairytale Fights, a heavily violent take on the often sweet and innocent world of children's literature. Here, Little Red Riding Hood chops the limbs from lumberjacks and the heads off gingerbread men. Fairytale Fights is a bleak game set in a...
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