Mike Mason

Author

Username: Mason
Articles: 96 (46 reviews)
First Article: Thu 30th, September 2010
Avg. Review Score: 7.0
Find Them On: Twitter/X

3
Review Tokyo Jungle Mobile (PlayStation Mobile)

Beast wars
You might be kidded into thinking that there'd be some modicum of peace on Earth if the human race, along with its wide range of squabbles and skirmishes, evaporated one day. The Tokyo Jungle series disagrees. After society collapses, humans go bye-bye and cities become overgrown concrete jungles, the conflicts of the animal kingdom rage...
- Thu 18th Jul 2013
- Reviews
- PSM
- PS Vita
- Sony
- Action
3
Review Velocity Ultra (PlayStation Vita)

Starship super
One year ago, FuturLab's Velocity was released on the PlayStation Minis label and flew right into a meteor shower of praise. At a glance a vertical shoot 'em up, it excelled above this label, wonderfully welding smart puzzle elements to speedy, frantic laser-play. If you were foolish enough to ignore it when it was originally...
- Thu 30th May 2013
- Reviews
- PS Vita
- FuturLab
- Shooter
10
Review Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut (PlayStation 3)

Sinner's software
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut feels like a relic of the PlayStation 2 era, as if it was long forgotten and recently recovered from an old box within a developer's dusty archives. It's decidedly lo-fi, with a framerate that frequently sputters for dear life, regular pop-in, droning, repetitive sound effects, enemies that...
- Wed 8th May 2013
- Reviews
- PS3
- Rising Star Games
- Adventure
- Retro
6
Review Orgarhythm (PlayStation Vita)

Beat it
A little music can be a powerful thing. A blast of a favourite track can give us a burst of energy to complete a gruelling gym session; it can give us the strength needed to battle back against the monotony of another dreary work day. An impassioned chant, or the beat of a drum, can lend us the resolve to overcome a foe, whether it's on the...
- Mon 25th Feb 2013
- Reviews
3
Review Samurai Beatdown (PlayStation Mobile)

Sword dance
A samurai swiping down monsters in time to a beat – why, it sounds just like a mini-game in Nintendo's Rhythm Heaven series. Samurai Beatdown's endless runner-style approach differs, however, as your noble warrior dashes through brightly coloured, detailed environments that benefit immensely from the PlayStation Vita's screen. Both...
- Tue 15th Jan 2013
- Reviews
1
Review Super Crate Box (PlayStation Mobile)

In the box seat
Super Crate Box is a dangerous game. Previously released on Flash, iOS, and Steam, it's a twitch platformer-cum-shooter that preys on compulsion. If you dare to open the box on a lazy day, don't expect to close it again for an hour. And developer Vlambeer knows it. You run about a single screen level trying to grab as many crates as...
- Thu 10th Jan 2013
- Reviews
3
Review Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender (PlayStation Mobile)

Make mine milk
Well, our knowledge of the origins of milk has been put out to pasteurise. It turns out that it doesn't just come from mammals; it's also a resource that swirls around deep inside Earth, as precious as – but presumably twice as tasty as – oil. Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender has you descend deep below the sea to defend the brave...
- Thu 10th Jan 2013
- Reviews
14
Review Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (PlayStation 3)

Future warfare
Following the incredible performance of Call of Duty: Black Ops was always going to be a challenge. One of the most popular games in the series, it pulled the story to interesting new places and built upon the ever-great multiplayer; arguably, Treyarch out-did Infinity Ward at its own game. Direct sequel Call of Duty: Black Ops 2...
- Fri 23rd Nov 2012
- Reviews
- Retro
10
Review Assassin's Creed III (PlayStation 3)

Talkin' 'bout a Revolution
The Assassin's Creed franchise has taken us to a lot of places – Jerusalem, Istanbul and much of Italy for some — but it's only in the fifth mainline entry and PS Vita spin-off Assassin's Creed III: Liberation that Ubisoft has ventured to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and breached North American shores. Neatly...
- Mon 12th Nov 2012
- Reviews
- Retro
0
Review FIFA 13 (PlayStation 3)

Champions League
Compared to reality, FIFA 13 is pure; an uncompromised look at all the thrills that football entails, wrapped in a stylish package that wouldn't look out of place on television. Mercifully it remains focused on the core of football, free of the scandal that so often overshadows the sport presently. There are no faked injuries or...
- Fri 12th Oct 2012
- Reviews
- Retro

1
Interview Vigil Games - Darksiders II

Straight from the Horseman's mouth
Darksiders II is mounting up to charge onto PlayStation 3 next month. Before the Horsemen are upon us once more, Push Square caught up with Vigil Games' Haydn Dalton, lead designer on the game, at Manchester MCM Expo to speak about Darksiders II's new systems, how new character Death differs to War and the...
- Mon 23rd Jul 2012
- Upcoming Releases
- PS3
- Interviews
- Features
5
Reaction No Show For PlayStation Streaming

Clear skies
According to rumours over the last week or so, Sony was getting ready to brew up a storm at E3. Several publications reported that Sony was to take a cloud gaming service under its wing to boost the PlayStation brand, yet its E3 conference passed by without mention of anything of the sort. So just what were all those rumours about? And...
- Tue 5th Jun 2012
- E3 2012
- Features
- PS3
- PS Vita
12
Feature How Sony Can Win E3

Game changers
Sony finds itself in an awkward position going into E3 2012. PlayStation 3 is going strong, its line-up ever-improving, but that's juxtaposed with the company's overall financial trauma and the woeful performance of PS Vita despite the positive critical reaction to its launch. The handheld is now suffering dramatically slowing sales,...
- Sat 2nd Jun 2012
- Features
- E3 2012
- PS3
- PS Vita
8
Feature Should Games Find Inspiration in Television?

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...
- Tue 24th Apr 2012
- Features
- Talking Point
0
Interview Canabalt (PlayStation Minis)

Don't stop moving
What do you do when aliens invade your planet? Run. Canabalt is the simple tale of one man's escape from destruction and world domination, a dash across roof tops as a city crumbles around him. Obstacles pepper his path, and with well-timed button presses you must avoid them so as to gather speed and get as far away as possible...
- Tue 27th Mar 2012
- News
- Interviews
- PS Minis
- Beatshapers
- Features
25
Feature PlayStation 3's Best Games

The best of the best
PlayStation 3 reaches its fifth birthday in Europe this week, where it finally released on 23rd March 2007 after a lengthy delay. In that time the system has been through highs and lows, but ultimately has proven to be a dominant beast in the living room, embracing multimedia such as TV and film streaming services, Blu-rays and...
- Thu 22nd Mar 2012
- Features
- PS3
- Anniversaries
5
Interview thatgamecompany - Journey

An emotional trip
The long-awaited release date of thatgamecompany's Journey was finally announced recently. Before the follow up to flower trots onto PlayStation Network next month — 13th March for North America, 14th March for Europe and 15th March for Japan — Push Square spoke to Jenova Chen, co-founder and creative director of...
- Mon 27th Feb 2012
- News
- Interviews
- Features
- Exclusives
- PS3
4
Talking Point What Has Sony Learnt for Vita's Launch?

Alright on launch night?
The last time Sony launched a console, it didn’t quite go as swimmingly as desired. Now more than ever, with overall company losses of €2.2bn predicted for the latest financial year and a recent downgrading of its credit rating from financial agency Standards & Poor to BBB+, the Tokyo-based company needs to pull...
- Thu 23rd Feb 2012
- Sony
- PS Vita
- Features
- Talking Point
24
Feature The Positives and Negatives of PS Vita

Good news, bad news
PS Vita is nearly upon us, and we couldn’t be more excited. Here at Push Square we've decided to pick our most anticipated elements of Sony’s new handheld baby before it hits stores, from new online approaches to all those control methods, plus more. We've also bashed out a few of our quibbles and concerns, too. Which parts...
- Sat 11th Feb 2012
- Sony
- PS Vita
- Features
13
Feature Must-Have PlayStation 3 Games - Mike's Picks

Flowers with portals
To introduce you to the team we've put together here at Push Square, we asked each team member for two PS3 games they considered absolutely essential. Here, assistant editor Mike Mason tackles interdimensional portals and an indescribable PSN classic. Portal 2: Portal 2 takes the innovative puzzle mechanic from the first...
- Mon 6th Feb 2012
- Features
- PS3
- PSN

3
News New Resident Evil 6 Demo Shuffling Out 18th September

Itchy taster
Not seen enough of Resident Evil 6 before release yet? Then you'll be pleased to hear that there's a brand new demo coming to the PlayStation Store on 18th September. The trial will give you a little taste of each of the game's three main campaigns, and each level can be played in either single player or online co-op. You'll be able to...
- Tue 4th Sep 2012
- PS3
- Upcoming Releases
- Capcom
9
News NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure 2 Go HD in October

Sweet dreams
SEGA classics NiGHTS into Dreams and Sonic Adventure 2 are escaping the confines of standard definition and jumping onto PlayStation Network in fabulous HD next month. Under the SEGA Heritage label, the duo will be revitalised alongside Jet Set Radio, which is skating its way onto the PlayStation Store in September. We don't hav
- Mon 3rd Sep 2012
- SEGA
- Upcoming Releases
- PSN
- PS3
- Sonic
3
News Don't Mix Up Project Ogre and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

Two different beasts
Project Ogre and the recently revealed Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes are two entirely different projects — and don't let Hideo Kojima hear you say otherwise. Metal Gear's main man huffed on Twitter that he was "sick and tired" of people asking if the games are one and the same during PAX Prime. We gues
- Mon 3rd Sep 2012
- PS3
- Upcoming Releases
- Konami
- Hideo Kojima
- Kojima Productions
0
News Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 Regroups as a New IP

Change of command
We hope you've not been anticipating the next Brothers in Arms game too much — the title once known as Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 will now be released as a new IP separate to the series. At PAX Prime, Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford told attendees of his Inside Gearbox Software panel that the game, originally...
- Mon 3rd Sep 2012
- PS3
- Upcoming Releases
- Gearbox
- PAX
6
News Wonderbook is Sony's Big Christmas Focus

Spellbinding
Sony are hoping that its exclusive Harry Potter spin-off Wonderbook: Book of Spells will cast some serious magic over the holiday season — so much so that it's been pegged internally as PlayStation 3's big Christmas seller. In an interview with MCV, Sony Computer Entertainment UK boss Fergal Gara held Wonderbook up as one of the most...
- Thu 2nd Aug 2012
- PS3
- Sony
- Upcoming Releases
3
News Easy Mode Swoops into Dragon's Dogma

Dragon tamer
Been having a bit of trouble with Dragon's Dogma? Are those direwolves proving a little too vicious? If so, don't worry — Capcom is releasing a patch that adds in an easier difficulty setting. On 6th August — in Japan at least — a title update will drop an easy mode into the options menu. It'll be accessible at any time, so don't...
- Wed 1st Aug 2012
- PS3
- Capcom
- Patches
2
News Mystery Dungeon Shiren 4 Wanders onto PSP

What a rogue
Chunsoft's roguelike dungeon RPG Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 4 is making the trip over to PSP in Japan this October. The game originally came out on Nintendo DS a couple of years ago, but now it's coming over to Sony's handheld as Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 4+. That all-important extra symbol is for the three new...
- Tue 24th Jul 2012
- PSP
- Japan
- Upcoming Releases
- Its Nice To Want Things
1
News Awesomenauts Patch Touches Down

Naut holding back
The promised patch for Awesomenauts has landed on PlayStation Network, bringing gameplay tweaks and new characters along with it. The update is intended to adjust the balance of the game, bumping up the abilities of some characters while pulling others down a peg or two. Connection and leaderboard issues have also been addressed...
- Mon 23rd Jul 2012
- PS3
- PSN
- Ronimo Games
0
News EA Canada Gets to Work on EA Sports UFC

Fight club
EA Canada, known for its work on the Fight Night series, will be behind EA Sports' new licensed UFC game. It's provisionally known as EA Sports UFC. A new 'Fighting Team' has also been created at EA because of the UFC licence acquisition. Fight Night Round 3 and Fight Night Champion gameplay design lead Brian Hayes has taken up the role...
- Thu 19th Jul 2012
- EA
- EA Sports
- Upcoming Releases
0
News Go Behind the Scenes with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Behind developer lines
Treyarch has pulled back the curtain on some of its Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 experiences, including working with Hollywood writers and big name musicians. Predictably, there's high praise a-plenty. Screenwriter David S. Goyer, who worked on Batman Begins and Blade, is involved in writing Black Ops 2's story. Goyer describes...
- Thu 19th Jul 2012
- PS3
- Activision
- Treyarch
- Upcoming Releases

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