Interview Goichi Suda - Grasshopper Manufacture
Suda51 talks Lollipop Chainsaw, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and what "punk" means to his studio
News - April, 2012
Monday30th Apr 2012
Review Prototype 2 (PlayStation 3)
Heller good?
Prototype 2 is anything but subtle. The follow-up to Radical Entertainment’s 2009 murder simulator rarely gives you a moment to breathe without gunfire, rockets and tendrils of errant intestines bursting from the screen. Its anarchic approach to gameplay can grate on you, but without a meaty plot to hang its crimson hat on, it’s...
News God of War: Ascension Single-Player a "Little Shorter" Than Previous Titles
Less time to rage
Following on from the revelation that Sony Santa Monica’s upcoming God of War: Ascension will feature eight-player multiplayer, director Todd Papy has revealed that the game’s single-player will be a “little shorter” than previous titles in the franchise. Speaking with Eurogamer.net, he said: We've mapped o
News Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Transfars onto Vita in June
Snaaake!
Konami is allowing a whole new generation of gamers to get worked up over Metal Gear Solid 2’s infamous Raiden bait-and-switch this June, when the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection launches on PlayStation Vita. The portable version of the compilation will include a remastered user interface and Transfarring functionality, allowing you to...
News God of War: Ascension Has 8-Player Multiplayer
You are not alone
God of War: Ascension will be the first multiplayer God of War title, Sony's revealed. The PS3-exclusive will offer online and offline multiplayer modes for up to eight players. We'll see more in a few hours during the God of War: Ascension live stream at the PlayStation Blog. Are you happy GoW is joining the online realm or is it...
News Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transforms to PS3 & Vita
Get ready to race
IGN's lifted the lid on SEGA's next character crossover, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. The mouthful of a title is coming to PS3 and Vita later this year. The transformed of the title refers to the vehicles' ability to transform into cars, boats and planes, but also the course's tendency to change and morph over time:...
News Feast Your Eyes on the First God of War: Ascension Multiplayer Footage
Brutal
The first God of War: Ascension multiplayer footage has charged its way online. The video — which comes courtesy of GamesRadar — shows two teams of four players duking it out in traditional God of War style while a gigantic Cyclops wriggles in the background. Upon capturing a point on the map, one of the teams is given the option to take...
News Prototype 2 Conquers UK Sales Charts
Consumes the competition
Activision’s angry open-world adventure Prototype 2 has shot straight to the top of the UK sales charts. However, despite its position, it failed to outperform the first week sales of its predecessor which launched back in June 2009. The rest of the chart paints a familiar picture, with EA’s FIFA Street, FIFA 12 and Mass...
Rumour SEGA Has Cancelled Bayonetta Sequel
Don't shoot the messenger
It sounds like SEGA has canned the sequel to Platinum Games' much loved character action title, Bayonetta. A report on Spong notes that the successor was culled as part of the publisher’s major restructuring plans. The website reports that the sequel was set to include “a new character, in the form of a member of the US...
News Don't Worry, Awesomenauts is Still Coming to PSN This Week
Naut but good news
Ronimo’s brilliant looking Awesomenauts will still launch on the PlayStation Network this week as planned. The game’s status was thrust into mystery when German publisher dtp Entertainment filed for insolvency earlier today. However, Sony’s confirmed on Twitter that the title will indeed release as part of this week’s...
News Eve Online FanFest Attendees to Scoop DUST 514 Beta Access
Front of the queue
Those that attended the recent Eve Online FanFest event in Iceland will be amongst the first external players to get beta access to CCP’s uber-ambitious free-to-play downloadable shooter DUST 514. Currently the only people with access to the title are internal Sony testers. FanFest attendees are set to be invited soon, with an...
News Get Your First Look at God of War: Ascension Today
Live stream incoming
Sony will show off God of War: Ascension in a live stream later today. Game director Todd Papy will be talking you through the PS3 exclusive over at the PlayStation Blog from 4pm UK time today. That's 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific and 5pm Central European Time. We can't wait.
News Richard Lemarchand Leaves Naughty Dog
Takes teaching role
Naughty Dog’s lead game designer Richard Lemarchand has exited the company in order to accept a position at the University of Southern California. The Uncharted man – who played a pivotal part in the franchise’s rise to success – will join the school’s Interactive Media Division. Previous students include...
Sunday29th Apr 2012
Rumour Snow Elves to Feature in New Skyrim DLC
The lion, the witch and the wardrobe
Gamers are an intelligent bunch. When they’re not hunting for domain name registrations or poring over employee CVs, they’re picking apart game code to find references to future content. That’s exactly what one devoted Bethesda forum poster did with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s most recent patch — and...
Saturday28th Apr 2012
News Mortal Kombat Girls Flaunt Their Vita Exclusive Glad Rags
Dressed to kill
We already know about the plethora of new outfits being added to the wardrobes of the male ninjas in Mortal Kombat Vita, but what of the ladies? Publisher Warner Bros has released a brand new trailer showing off the additional exclusive clobber available for Mileena and Skarlet. The former will get to don her leotard getup from...
Rumour Presentation Hints at Metal Gear Rising for Vita
Portable chops
The questionably titled Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance could be slashing its way onto Vita if a corporate presentation slide is to be believed. The Platinum Games developed action title was spotted amongst a list of other upcoming Vita titles on a slide used during the AT&T Developer Summit earlier in the year. The slide shows the...
Rumour Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Releases 13th November
Plug the holes
It's not particularly surprising to learn that Activision is readying a direct sequel to 2010's pretty good Call of Duty: Black Ops. The title has been heavily rumoured for months now, but was finally confirmed overnight via a sneaky photograph of a Target pre-order token posted on IGN. The card clearly shows the game’s logo, in...
Friday27th Apr 2012
News PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is Real, This Trailer Proves It
PaRappa!
Sony's finally confirmed what we've all known for months — PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is real, and it's coming to PS3 later this year. SuperBot took to the PlayStation Blog to discuss its new brawler, an "accessible yet deep" fighter it hopes will bring all PlayStation fans together. It's only a quick taster, with the...
Feature Why We're Excited About PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
Playing favourites
The existence of a mascot mash-up featuring characters from the PlayStation universe was always going to be controversial. Let's not be coy about it: this is a concept that Nintendo's already perfected across numerous iterations of the Super Smash Bros. series. Add to that the simple fact that characters such as Sweet Tooth and...
News Wrap Your Head Around These Tokyo Jungle Plot Details
Deer versus dinosaur
Those of you that have been following PlayStation closely will already know about the upcoming Tokyo Jungle. The baffling PSN exclusive follows the adventures of a menagerie of common animals, who find themselves fighting for survival in a post apocalyptic Tokyo. One of those animals is the humble Pomeranian, who, upon...
News Dead or Alive 5 Trailer Shows You Where Not to Have a Fight
Sparzone
Of all the places to engage in one-on-one combat, the middle of a warzone rates amongst the worse. This Dead or Alive 5 trailer proves as much by showcasing the potential hazards. You might get targeted by an errant RPG for example, or come close to getting hit by a crash-landing helicopter. The message is clear folks: if you’ve...
News PlayStation 3 Leads European Hardware Market
Through the keyhole
There’s a myth on various forums and websites that the PlayStation 3 is unpopular and the poorest performer of the current generation consoles. It stems from years of disappointing NPD reports, where Sony’s home console has spent the generation lagging behind the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 in North America. But overseas,...
News Irrational Games Focusing on BioShock Infinite, Not Vita
Nothing to say
When Ken Levine announced BioShock Vita at Sony’s E3 press conference last year, it was clear that the project was nothing but an idea. Fast-forward a year and not much has changed, with Levine’s studio, Irrational Games, opting to focus its attention on the upcoming BioShock Infinite. In an interview with Wired, the studio lead...
News Multiplayer Events Finally Fire into Mass Effect 3 on PS3
Omni-tool up
“It’s no secret that the Reaper War has had its fair share of logistical SNAFUs,” said Admiral Hackett in a post published on the BioWare Blog this evening. The ordinarily stern military commander was taking time out from the Reaper invasion to make a joke about the PlayStation 3’s lack of Mass Effect 3 multiplayer events...
News The Unfinished Swan Takes a Step Closer to Completion
Abstract adventure
If you were offended by the conclusion to the so-called NeverEnding Story, then you might want to hit your browser’s back button before reading anymore of this article. It appears that development on Giant Sparrow’s intriguing PSN collaboration with Sony Santa Monica, The Unfinished Swan, might be heading towards a close. A...
News Crytek: TimeSplitters 4 is Not in Development
Monkey business
Despite rumours to the contrary, Crytek has denied that it is currently developing a fourth entry in the TimeSplitters series. The company joked in a statement to CVG that it had attempted to employ the infinite monkey theorem to develop the game, but ran over budget after purchasing seven monkeys. The developer continued that thus...
News New Datura Footage Touches Down
Reaching out
Plastic’s released a brand new trailer for its intriguing Move powered interpretative adventure title, Datura. The ambiguous short highlights the variety players can expect from the motion enhanced game, including a driving section and a World War-esque shooting range. These kind of off-the-wall interactive experiences are amongst our...
Thursday26th Apr 2012
News PSone Compatibility Imminent on Vita
Buzzing
Clever Vita owners have managed to get a first glimpse at how legacy PSone software will be presented on Sony’s new handheld. NeoGAF users discovered that this week’s PSone Classic, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, could be copied to the shiny new system without an error. While the game itself doesn’t run on Vita, the content does boast...
Preview Dishonored Could Be PS3's Darkest Adventure Yet
Killing in the name
We didn't know much about Dishonored, Arkane Studios’ new game, until its first promotional trailer landed a week ago, sending the cyber-masses into feverish speculation. A few things about its concept and storyline could be gleaned from the teaser film: players will assume the role of Corvo, an Imperial bodyguard accused of...
News Shinji Mikami: Zwei Will Be a True Survival Horror Game
Hide behind the sofa
Zwei, the next project by Resisdent Evil creator Shinji Mikami, will be a “pure” survival horror title, according to a statement released by publisher Bethesda this morning. The game – which was officially announced yesterday – intends to “push the limits of fear and exhilaration”. Mikami elaborated: A true...
News Metal Gear Rising Teaser Gets Cryptic
Snake it right
This live-action Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance trailer has it all: blood, intrigue and injections. The teaser appears to show a man in military uniform being questioned and subsequently killed. Pretty brutally, we hasten to add. It concludes with the date 30th April. While our attention has certainly been piqued, this is far from a...
News Become the Ultimate Ninja with Free Ninja Gaiden III DLC
Masochist
Ninja Gaiden III is so easy that our own blade-wielding beast Christopher Ingram managed to play through the game with his eyes closed. Or so we’re told. That’s not exactly a glowing endorsement for a franchise that prides itself on its difficulty, and so publisher Tecmo Koei has taken steps to rectify that issue. Now available for...
News Konami Preparing Downpour of Updates for Silent Hill Duo
Raining ones and zeros
It’s not often we get to report on simultaneous patch announcements for two different titles, so we’re going to savour this moment. Konami has announced that it will shortly release new updates for Silent Hill: Downpour and Silent Hill HD Collection with the intent of fixing audio synch and auto save issues present in the...
News Skullgirls Fights Its Way to Europe on 2nd May
Better late than never
Reverge Labs’ gorgeous downloadable brawler Skullgirls will finally punch its way onto the European PlayStation Store next week. The fighter has been available in North America since 10th April. If you can’t wait for the slick scrapper to arrive, you’ll be able to sate your anticipation with the game’s official...
News Domain Registrations Tease Legendary New Rayman Game
Ray of sunshine
Update: It's real — our friends at Nintendo Life have the Rayman Legends Wii U trailer. Remember our recent report regarding the possibility of a Rayman Origins sequel? Looks like it might be happening. Internet sleuths have uncovered Ubisoft website domain registrations for RaymanLegends.com and Rayman-Legend
News Battlefield Developer Working on New IP
Faith no more
Battlefield 3 and Mirror’s Edge developer DICE has started work on a new IP. That’s according to the CV of script writer Adrian Vershinin, who previously worked at new Sony studio Superbot Entertainment. The EA owned outfit has been pretty quiet since the release of Battlefield 3 last year, opting to focus its attention on new DLC...
News PixelJunk 4am Public Beta Hits the Stage
Turn it up
PlayStation Plus subscribers will find a nice surprise tucked away under the premium compartment of the PlayStation Store this evening. Developer Q-Games has released the public beta for its brilliant Move powered music endeavour, PixelJunk 4am. The trial appears to be exclusive to European users at the moment, with North America set to...
Wednesday25th Apr 2012
News Move Stripping Game Dancing Eyes Canned
For shame
What do you get when you combine PlayStation Move, tiny monkeys and stripping? Dancing Eyes is the answer — or, at least, it was. Famitsu (via Andriasang) reports the game is now cancelled and won't see the light of day. Namco Bandai hasn't given any reason for the cancellation, but we imagine it's something to do with the tiny monkeys...
Talking Point Does Vita Really Need Online Multiplayer Games?
Mismatch
Online multiplayer has become a key component of gaming over the past ten years. Social platforms such as PlayStation Network have paved the way for connected experiences impossible on systems of old, and driven emerging brands such as Call of Duty to the top of the charts. And yet, while those experiences have thrived on static platforms...
News Japanese Sales Charts: Vita Stagnates
A familiar story
This week’s Japanese sales charts prove the nation is gripped in 3DS fever. After enduring a tepid start, Nintendo’s handheld has become something of an unstoppable force, dominating the software and hardware sales charts alike. Meanwhile, the Vita continues to lurk beneath the decisive 10k units mark, selling 44 consoles less...
News Resistance Trilogy Getting Bundled Up
Catch up
Amazon France has outed the existence of a Resistance Trilogy bundle for PlayStation 3. The platinum re-release includes all three original PS3 Resistance titles, collated into one value package. It’ll set you back a reasonable €59.99. The listing notes that the bundle is due for release on 16th May. Expect Sony to make a full...
Store Update 25th April 2012 (Europe)
Jewels, zombies, paintball and more
Plenty of good things to download this week including Skype for Vita, the Dragon's Dogma demo and more. There's also some God of War discounts in celebration of the announcement of God of War: Ascension. Here's what's up for European PSN fans. PS3 Games: Bejeweled 3 (Released Friday 27th) The biggest, brightest...
News DJ Max Technika Tune Scratches onto Vita This Summer
DJ, put it back on
Ace Korean rhythm game DJ Max Technika Tune is to dance its way onto North American Vitas this summer, developer Pentavision has announced. The arcade adaptation promises a familiar blend of touch-based rhythm gameplay, taking advantage of the Vita’s front and rear screens. It’ll boast a bigger soundtrack than previous titles,...
Store Update 24th April 2012 (North America)
Skype, Walking Dead, Dragon's Dogma demo and more
This week's new PSN content is available in North America, so here's what's on offer. Vita owners, you get add-on content and Skype but no games — sorry. PlayStation Plus: Full Game Trials:The Cursed CrusadeBattlefield 3 — Battlefield 3 reviewDiscounts:
News Scratch Your Head over Monster Hunter Puzzle Spin-Off
For PSP
When Capcom teased last week that it was going to reveal a new game in the next issue of Famitsu magazine, the Internet was sent into a predictable frenzy. Could it be the long awaited Monster Hunter title for Vita? Well, it is a new title in the Monster Hunter series – just a puzzle spin-off for PSP. Disappointment aside, the game...
News Online Resume Lists Unannounced EA Titles
Bring on E3
Before we get down to business, let’s spare a thought for Jeremie Benhamou, who’s probably sitting looking sheepish in an EA office as we type. The game designer’s online resume has added credence to mounting rumours regarding the development of new Dead Space and Army of Two sequels. It’s not the first we’ve heard of either...
News PlayStation Home Upgrades to Version 1.65
Splash of paint
Sony’s divisive virtual world PlayStation Home is set to get a few upgrades this week. Version 1.65 brings with it a new user interface and speed improvements – making it even easier to stalk avatars wearing nothing but swimwear. Tweaks include a new menu screen, personal voice chat and more intelligent use of furniture slots...
News StarDrone Extreme Scraps Premium Level Skip DLC
Extremely generous
Cast your mind back to our StarDrone Extreme review and you may recall us being a bit miffed at the game’s implementation of DLC. The Vita puzzle title essentially allowed you to skip difficult stages for £0.79 — an additional cost that felt a bit forced. Thankfully, developer Beatshapers has responded to the criticism and...
News Get Your First Look at Shinji Mikami's Next Project
Zwei to go
If you’re still salivating over the prospect of Shinji Mikami’s upcoming survival horror project Zwei, perhaps we could tempt you with our very first look at the game. The sneak peek comes courtesy of a single piece of concept art uploaded to developer Tango Gameworks’ website, and shows a suitably macabre scene. Specific details...
News Starhawk Takes You on a Trip to the Wild West
Space saloon
Lightbox Interactive’s upcoming PS3 exclusive Starhawk may primarily be a multiplayer focused affair, but the game will also boast a comprehensive single-player campaign to boot. The plot follows the adventure of Emmett Graves, a miner infected by valuable rift energy. We love the look of the game’s comic book cut-scenes, but...
News Resident Evil Creator Working on New Survival Horror Game
Act surprised
Survival horror’s been a pretty under represented genre this generation. Other than the brilliant Siren: Blood Curse, there’s been a real dearth of truly frightening content. As such, it’s up to Shinji Mikami – the creator of the Resident Evil franchise – to resurrect the dying genre. According to the latest issue of Famitsu...
Tuesday24th Apr 2012
News First Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Details Dribble Online
No Vita version
We’ll get to dissecting Pro Evolution Soccer 2013’s actual announcement in a moment, but first let’s deal with the gigantic elephant in the room. Despite launching on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2, there will not be a Vita version of PES 2013. We suppose that could change as the game’s autumn release...
News PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale to Debut This Week
Promo trailer practically confirms it
We’ll finally get our first look at gameplay footage from Sony’s heavily rumoured mascot mash-up PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale this Thursday. Host Geoff Keighley prompted speculation when he teased a massive “PS3 exclusive” would debut on this week’s episode of GTTV – but the announcement has...
News Kat Dresses Up for Gravity Rush Pre-Order DLC
A lady in uniform
Those that pre-order Sony’s upcoming topsy-turvy Vita exclusive Gravity Rush from “participating retailers” will get their hands on an extra ration of DLC for the main game. The Military Mission pack – which launched separately in Japan earlier in the year – includes a slick sergeant major costume for protagonist Kat, in...
News Test Your Might with Klassic Mortal Kombat Vita Kostumes
Killer threads
Mortal Kombat Vita will not only ship with the full original game and DLC shrunken down to pocket size – it’ll also add some, ahem, exclusive kontent of its own. Extras include Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 outfits for Ermac, Noob Saibot, Rain, Reptile, Smoke, Scorpion and Sub-Zero. There’ll also be some Mortal Kombat 2 themed...
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...
News PlayStation Plus Update: May 2012 (Europe)
Awesomeness in store
The European PlayStation Blog has revealed the goodies PlayStation Plus subscribers can expect next month. Here's the breakdown of what will be made available to you Plus members from 2nd May onward. Free Games — PS3: Awesomenauts – saving £7.99/€9.99 Hamsterball – free until July 4th, saving £7.99/€9.99 Wakeboarding...
News PlayStation Plus Update: May 2012 (North America)
Trine 2, Castlevania and Pixel Junk
PlayStation Plus subscribers in North America, here's what you can look forward to downloading after May's first update next Tuesday. Plus Exclusive Early Access: PixelJunk 4am Closed Viewer Beta — 1st May Velocity (Free PS mini) – 1st May Free Games — PS3: Awesomenauts — 1st May
News Uncharted Series Surpasses 17 Million Sales
Priceless treasure
Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series has officially entered the pantheon of great PlayStation sellers, with Sony announcing this evening that the franchise has surpassed 17 million sales globally since its debut in 2007. The numbers account for the PS3 trilogy and Sony Bend’s recently released Vita spin-off. To celebrate the news,...
News Skype Calls on PlayStation Vita This Week
Who's there?
Popular internet phone service Skype comes to PlayStation Vita this week as a free app. The app lands in North America today and Europe tomorrow, with support for both 3G and Wi-fi models. You can use Vita's rear or front-facing cameras to make video calls, plus have the app running in the background while you play, so you need never...
News Sony Pulls Exploited Super Collapse 3 from PSN
Play a different brick game
Mere days after restoring two hacked PSP titles to the PlayStation Network, Sony has had to yank another one. Super Collapse 3 is the latest release to be completely removed from the company’s digital storefront, after hackers found a way to run unsigned code through an exploit in the software. Homebrew junkie Wololo...
News Sackboy Plans an Escape on PSN This Week
On the road to freedom
Sackboy’s cross-marketing potential continues to lavish us with outstandingly adorable costumes this week, as new Escape Plan and Journey outfits are added to the animated hero’s LittleBigPlanet 2 wardrobe. If you pick up the Journey costume you’ll also score a themed sticker pack to go with it, allowing you to create...
News Swap Blocks with Bejeweled 3 on PSN Today
Sparkling sequel
We're onto Bejeweled 3 already? How much mileage is developer Popcap going to get out of a simple game of match three? Quite a lot, we suspect, because we know you’re going to buy this game like the hopeless sheep you are. It’s more Bejeweled – and who doesn’t want to play more Bejeweled? The latest version includes a better...
Rumour Marketing Survey Teases Rayman Origins Sequel
Born again
When Rayman Origins appeared to struggle at retail late last year, many thought it was game over for Ubisoft’s stout nosed mascot. But alas, dreams can come true, as a marketing survey sent out by Arkenford on the French publisher’s behalf has hinted at the possibility of a sequel. The survey – discovered by Kotaku – notes that...
Monday23rd Apr 2012
News Sony Registers PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Domain
Mounting evidence
Sony’s heavily rumoured crossover brawler PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale took a step closer to confirmation this weekend, as cyber snoops uncovered a website domain registration for the title filed by SCEA. The name was previously mentioned in a PlayStation survey, and seems to be pretty legit at this point. The game itself...
News Harley Quinn Gets Her Revenge Next Month in Arkham City
"Time to die, B-man"
Harley Quinn isn’t particularly happy about... Wait, that’s probably a spoiler isn’t it? If you’ve already played Batman: Arkham City, then we probably don’t need to tell you what Harley Quinn’s upset about. What we do need to tell you is that she’ll get her revenge on 29th May, when Batman: Arkham City is updated...
Preview Double Dragon Neon (PSN)
Blast from the past or best left unearthed?
If anyone stands a chance at a Double Dragon revival, the 2D maestros over at WayForward are the most likely to pull it off in a convincing way. Between beloved revivals of Contra and A Boy and His Blob under their belt, new takes on BloodRayne and Batman and side-scrolling classics like
News Geoff Keighley: Huge New PS3 Exclusive Reveal This Week
Announcement extravaganza
It’s going to be a “good week for PlayStation fans” according to GameTrailers hype-man Geoff Keighley. The industry legend teased over the weekend that a “huge new PS3 exclusive” will be revealed on GTTV this Thursday, with the first in-game footage on display. While it’s unclear what the title will be,...
Rumour Sony Cut Heavenly Sword Sequel in 2008
Ninja theory
The original Heavenly Sword wasn’t quite the breakout success Sony expected it to be, but there was still a sequel in the works. The CV of former Sony Cambridge staffer Martin Binfield has revealed that a sequel to the action title was in development in 2008 before being cancelled. An animation reel by the same developer also offers...
News New Call of Duty to Debut Next Week
Back ops
It’s time to plot your pursuit of prestige all over again, as Activision readies the announcement of another Call of Duty title. As previously speculated, all will be revealed on 1st May. A countdown on CallofDuty.com notes that the title will be showcased during the basketball playoffs on US cable channel TNT. Seems like an appropriate...
News Try to Survive in Resistance: Burning Skies
Last man standing
When Nihilistic Software lifted the lid on Resistance: Burning Skies’ multiplayer, it primarily focused on the game’s Deathmatch variants. Now it has revealed the Vita exclusive’s third and final multiplayer mode: Survival. The mode works a little like a deadly game of Tag. The eight-player playlist puts six players in charge...
News Twisted Metal Derails Outside North America
Unplayable online
For a game that’s designed around multiplayer, Twisted Metal has some seriously problematic connectivity issues. But at least it was actually playable up until the weekend. Indeed, players outside of the US are now complaining that the game won’t even load into the main menu unless you sign out of the PlayStation Network. While...
News The Walking Dead Shuffles onto PSN This Week
Brrrains
Telltale’s latest episodic offering is to begin its amble onto the PlayStation Network this week. The first episode of its new The Walking Dead series will kick off on 24th April in North America and 25th April in Europe. Episodes will be available individually for $4.99/£3.99, or as part of a season pass for $19.99/£15.99. Plump up for...
Sunday22nd Apr 2012
News Meet Lollipop Chainsaw's Starling Sisters
Co-Starlings
Warner Bros has released a brand new trailer introducing Juliet Starling’s zombie-slaying siblings in Lollipop Chainsaw. We'll be honest, if the footage has taught us anything, it’s that girls prefer guys when they’re just a head. Bear with us while we go and find the rickety old saw in our tools shed – we have a few, er,...
News Hacked PSP Titles Return to PSN
Perfect storm
Popular PSP titles MotorStorm: Arctic Edge and Everybody’s Tennis are now available from the PlayStation Store again. The games were removed from the digital storefront after hackers found a way to run exploits through the PSP emulator on Vita. If you’ve already purchased the titles, they should now be accessible from your download...
Saturday21st Apr 2012
News Get Your Work Preserved in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Loot lover
With Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time’s Fall release date edging closer by the day, Sony’s announced a competition to help you get your work in the game. As in previous releases, Sly will happen upon various treasures throughout the course of Thieves in Time, and developer Sanzaru Games wants you to help design some of those unlockable...
News God of War Developer Hiring for New Shooter IP
Another one?
God of War: Ascension may be Sony Santa Monica’s current top priority, but that’s not stopping the studio from staffing up for a new IP. According to a job listing on Gamasutra, the studio is on the lookout for a senior combat designer to help work on an unannounced project. The advertisement asks for experience on both first-person...
News 2K Fires New Spec Ops: The Line Multiplayer Footage Online
Sand master
At first glance, this Spec Ops: The Line multiplayer trailer looks frightfully familiar. We’re not going to deny that the eight-player class-based competitive combat looks fun, but we’ve seen it all before. Where the game’s online component finds an identity, however, is in its implementation of sand. Like the single-player...
News Risen 2 Sets Sail Later Than Expected on PS3
Shiver me timbers
Publisher Deep Silver still has some last minute preparations to make before its fantasy RPG Risen 2: Dark Waters sets sail on PS3. As such, the publisher has announced that it has delayed the title’s maiden voyage from its original late May release window until 31st July in North America and 3rd August in Europe. To compensate...
Friday20th Apr 2012
Preview Sniper Elite V2 May Have PS3's Most Satisfying Kills
Bang, you're dead
As far as we’re concerned, sniper rifles have always been the most satisfying weapons in games. There’s something rewarding and morally profound about picking off an unsuspecting target from long-range distance, and the original Sniper Elite on PS2 captured that sentiment spectacularly. Since Rebellion’s original stealth...
News Soul Sacrifice Introduces a True Fantasy on Vita
Once upon a monster
For a game we know next to nothing about, Soul Sacrifice is beginning to seem like a big deal. The PlayStation Vita exclusive – revealed in Famitsu magazine earlier in the week – has now been granted a fairly high-budget teaser website, showing off some concept art from the game. Set to a thumping drum-beat and images of...
News Earn Trophies for Getting Out Of Bed with Wake-Up Club
The ultimate incentive
You know, the last thing we want to do when we oversleep is deal with a dozen angry clouds – but that’s exactly what Vita’s upcoming Wake-Up Club involves. The free application — which transforms your expensive handheld into a glorified alarm clock — is designed around the creepy concept of “encouraging others to...
News Rocksteady Teases New Batman: Arkham City DLC
These boots are made for walkin'
Rocksteady’s teased the imminent announcement of new Batman: Arkham City DLC with an image of Harley Quinn’s boots. Content starring the sultry jester has been rumoured for weeks after trophies for the expansion leaked online. We’re always ready for more Harley Quinn. Always.
News GameStop Knocks $50 Off PS3's Price
Now $199
GameStop’s currently selling the 160GB version of the PS3 for a wallet-friendly $199. That’s $50 less than the recommended retail price. As Joystiq notes, hardware doesn’t often go on sale, so it’s possible the reduction could be related to future announcements. Either way, there’s never been a better time to pick up a new PS3...
News Sony Patents Bizarre Move Controller Holder
Reinventing the wheel
Sony hasn't released quite as many plastic add-ons for the Move controller as some may have expected, but according to a patent found by PlayStation Lifestyle it could yet release a very versatile-looking plastic shell. The patent shows a plastic housing into which the Move controller would slot, but with handles and face...
News Dragon's Crown Shifts to Atlus, Due Out in 2013
Info for the fangs
Vanillaware's hotly anticipated Dragon's Crown for Vita and PS3 will reach the West in 2013. The gorgeous hand-drawn action RPG has switched publishers from UTV Ignition to Atlus, which seems a better fit to us: Atlus published previous Vanillaware title Odin Sphere on PS2, and that turned out all right. Last month we heard...
News Sony Aiming to Bring ME3 Multiplayer Events to PS3
EDI peasy
Up until now, Mass Effect 3 multiplayer events have been exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the intergalactic RPG. But following some public finger-pointing from developer BioWare, Sony has said it is working hard to get the promotional weekends approved on PS3 too. A spokesperson told Shacknews: We are currently working togethe
News Take a Shot with Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 in August
In range
City Interactive’s attached a 21st August release date to its scoped first-person shooter Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2. The original title proved a massive success on PS3 due to its low price-point and decent gunplay. Ghost Warrior 2 hopes to better its predecessor by implementing CryEngine 3 support, enhanced AI and “unprecedented” bullet...
News Activision Deploys "Content Collection #1" for MW3
Patience is a virtue
PlayStation 3 players without Call of Duty: Elite subscriptions can finally indulge in the first DLC drop for Modern Warfare 3. The drearily dubbed “Content Collection #1” is available now from the PlayStation Store for an eye-watering $14.99. To its credit the content does collate six new multiplayer maps and a pair of Spec...
News Payday: The Heist Sequel in Development
Bank managers beware
Payday: The Heist developer Overkill Software didn’t need to stage a bank robbery in order to score an impressive haul, as it’s revealed that its downloadable PSN and PC shooter has sold over 400k copies since its release in October last year. That success has prompted the studio to start work on a sequel, which it will...
News Sony's Move-Exclusive Datura Dated
Out in May
Time to pick up that Move controller again — Sony's launching Datura on 9th May. The Move-exclusive action adventure is joint venture between Sony Santa Monica and Polish developer Plastic. It's billed as a "unique, interactive art experience", so don't expect God of War Move, but we're always up for unique and interactive art...
Rumour Contract Negotiations Halted Prey 2's Development
Pray tell
Bethesda announced yesterday that the promising looking Prey 2 had been delayed beyond its original 2012 release window due to development on the title not progressing at a “satisfactory” rate. Turns out the game hasn’t been worked on since November 2011, due to developer Human Head Studios trying to negotiate better contract terms...
News PixelJunk 4am Dances onto PSN in May
Midnight fever
Q-Games’ stellar looking Move powered music tool PixelJunk 4am is set to release on the PlayStation Network on 15th May. It’ll launch alongside a free application allowing you to tune into other players’ live performances. The final game will feature five songs comprising four different tracks: drums, bass, rhythm and synth...
Thursday19th Apr 2012
News PlayStation 3D Display Finally Reaches the UK
£449 for you
Sony's PlayStation-branded 3D display is available to buy in the UK at long last. Amazon has the 24" screen on sale for £449.99, complete with two sets of 3D glasses and copies of Killzone 3 and Gran Turismo 5. As well as offering 3D visuals, the screen has a feature called SimulView which allows two players to play...
News London 2012 Sprints onto PS3 in June
Gold standard
Fans of broken controllers and Jessica Ennis will be excited to learn that SEGA’s attached a 29th June release date to its upcoming tournament tie-in London 2012. The game will feature 45 Olympic events including cycling, diving and more. Some of the events – such as the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol – will feature PlayStation Move...
News Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Nabs a Limited Retail Release
Dalektable
If we watched Doctor Who like the rest of the world, you could guarantee this article would be packed to the brim with puns and self-referential jokes. Trouble is: we don’t, and we’ve used up our one and only pun in the sub-headline. Oh well. In that case, we’re going to jump straight to the point: the BBC’s announced a limited...
News Lumines Producer: Major Vita Games on the Way
Stop worrying
With the impressive launch line-up now a distant memory, many new Vita adopters are beginning to ponder what’s next for the powerful handheld. Well, according to James Mielke, the producer of Lumines Electronic Symphony, there’s a lot of new games in development to look forward to. In an interview with 1UP, he revealed: The only...
News Amazon Leaks God of War: Ascension
Update: Sony responds
Update: A post on the Official PlayStation Blog confirms the game. The best part? The cheeky "As most of you were recently made aware, God of War: Ascension will be coming exclusively to PlayStation 3" nod to Amazon's leak. Sony tells us we'll get more information on 30th April at 8am Pacific time. That mysterious...
News PlayStation Suite Open Beta Starts Today
Do it yourself
Sony's just launched the open beta for its Vita development programme PlayStation Suite. Interested users can download an SDK and start creating software for Vita and other PlayStation-certified mobile devices. It's free during the open beta period, but once it ends you'll have to pay $99 a year to keep using it. That $99 fee also...
News Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Flexes Its Commercial Muscles
Cash is king
New intellectual properties have it tough in today’s video game market, so it’s refreshing to see a title like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning post impressive US sales. The EA published action RPG has sold 410k units since its launch in February, with a sizeable chunk of those sales coming from the month of March. NPD’s David Riley...
News Get the Lowdown on Resistance: Burning Skies' Multiplayer
Connected chaos
Resistance: Burning Skies doesn’t appear to be particularly ambitious – but as the first fully featured handheld multiplayer shooter, competence should prove more than enough. In this brand new PlayStation Blog interview, producer Craig Phillips has provided a full run-down of the multiplayer component’s primary features. Modes...
News Grimlock Takes Centre Stage in New Fall of Cybertron Footage
"Me Grimlock no bozo. Me king!"
Grimlock might not be known for his brainpower, but the Dinobot commander is well regarded for his strength in battle – a trait which the upcoming Transformers: Fall of Cybertron appears to capture quite well. This brand new trailer shows off the dim-witted warrior in action, demonstrating his range of melee attacks...
News DiRT Showdown Collides with 25th May Release Date
Hooning is not a crime
Those of you obsessed with bent bumpers and scratched paint work will probably want to pick up a copy of DiRT Showdown when it releases on 25th May in the UK and 29th May in the US. The title steers the traditionally serious rallying series in a more raucous direction, focusing on arcade thrills and vehicle wrecking spills. If...
News Starbreeze to Acquire Payday: The Heist Developer
Hostile takeover?
The real world of business is nothing like Starbreeze’s Syndicate – if it was, Overkill Software would probably find itself six-feet under by now. But thankfully for the Payday: The Heist developer, that’s not quite how takeovers work in 2012. Instead, Starbreeze has announced its intention to acquire the Stockholm-based...
News ToeJam & Earl Creator Hiring for New PlayStation Game
Hope you like jammin' too
Greg Johnson, the creator of classic Mega Drive title ToeJam & Earl, is hiring for a new Sony-exclusive title. The legendary developer, now in charge of HumaNature Studios, announced the partnership in a listing on Gamasutra’s job board and the Tech-Artists forum. The game is described as "cute and filled with...
News Prey 2 Not Cancelled, Delayed Beyond 2012
The good with the bad
Despite a spate of rumours to the contrary, Bethesda has confirmed that it has not cancelled Prey 2. Instead the game has been delayed beyond its 2012 release date due to the title not yet meeting the publisher’s “quality standards”. We're resisting the temptation to make a snarky comment about Skyrim's state on PS3. The...
Wednesday18th Apr 2012
Rumour Sony Developing Monster Hunter Clone for Vita
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
With Capcom remaining tight-lipped about the future of Monster Hunter on PlayStation Vita, it seems as though Sony itself is looking to fill the gigantic void. Reliable Japanese retail blogger Sinobi has raised the curtain on an announcement event for an exclusive Vita title called Soul Sacrifice on 10th...
News SingStar Dad Raises £2,800 for Hospital, Breaks World Record
A song to remember
Earlier this year we brought you news about Julian Hill, a Dad who was planning to complete a 24-hour SingStar challenge for charity, specifically raising money for London's Great Ormond Street Hospital as a thanks for the life-saving operation provided to his baby daughter. The great news is that this challenge has now been...
News Japanese Sales Charts: Vita Continues Its Decline
How low can you go?
Whatever Soul Sacrifice is, it can’t come soon enough. With no new releases to speak of, the Vita continued its decline in Japan this week, selling a paltry 8,250 units. To its credit, it wasn’t the only system to decline. Only the DSi LL managed to post an improved figure, beating its previous tally by a measly seven units...
News James Bond Returns in 007 Legends This Fall
Shaken, not stirred
As James Bond’s 50th anniversary nears, Activision has announced plans to celebrate the suave spy’s illustrious history with 007 Legends this Fall. The title — which is in development at GoldenEye 007: Reloaded studio Eurocom — aims to pull together missions from six classic Bond movies and fuse them into an “original...
News Pick Up a Bargain with Massive PSP Discounts
Have a (jungle) party
The PlayStation Vita might be the hot new handheld on the block, but that’s not stopping Sony from giving the PSP some love. The platform holder’s taken to the PlayStation Blog to announce an extensive list of discounts spanning some of the portable’s most well loved games. Favourites such as Patapon 3 and God of War:...
News Axel Wheeled Out To All Twisted Metal Owners
An Axel to grind
Those of you still engaged in vehicular combat will be pleased to learn that Sony’s adding a new set of wheels to Twisted Metal’s garage today. Axel, the former pre-order bonus, will be available to everyone that updates the game to its latest version. The two-wheeled motorised menace – which has become a fond favourite of...
News Starlight Inception Gets World of Warcraft Composer
Music to our ears
Escape Hatch Entertainment has just released some new information on their upcoming Vita release Starlight Inception, including a brand new trailer for the game. The developer has also announced that they've acquired the services of grammy-nominated music composer David Arkenstone, best known for his work on the hugely-popular...
Store Update 18th April 2012 (Europe)
Undead houses and toasted sandwiches
The wide variety of experiences on PSN continues this week: shooters, puzzle games and chess all appear for download. Here's what's vying for your money. PlayStation Plus: House of the Dead 4: Extended Cut – 30% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 Dynamic Theme – 100% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 James, Kate and...
Store Update 17th April 2012 (North America)
The House of the Dead opens its doors again
Two games and a new app for Vita and a Move-enabled shooter are the highlights of this week's PS update for North America. Let's dive right in. PlayStation Plus: Free Downloads: Frogger ReturnsFull Game Trials: Dead Rising 2: Off the RecordNHL 12Free Avatars and Themes: THE
News Switch Things Up with New Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Trailer
Tag, you're it
Namco Bandai announced a September release date for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 last week – but it’s sealed the deal today with a brand new trailer featuring Kanye West. How original. The trailer bangs on about the Tekken franchise’s accomplishments, but sneaks in a fistful of gameplay footage for good measure. Spoilers: it looks a...
News The Game Atelier's SunFlowers Grows onto Vita
Bloomin' great
Those with a PSP will already be familiar with indie developer The Game Atelier’s charming visual style – the studio previously released the adorable Flying Hamster through the PlayStation Minis platform. Now it is preparing its debut Vita offering, the equally lovely SunFlowers. The game plays from a vertical perspective, and...
News Super Monkey Ball Vita Demo Rolls into Japan Tomorrow
Do the splitz
In news that should have fans of encased primates doing the monkey for the remainder of the day, SEGA has confirmed that a demo for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz will release on the Japanese PlayStation Store tomorrow. The full game will be a mixture of the familiar and the new, allowing players to roll their way through a fresh...
News Darksiders II Staying in the Shadows until August
Die another day
THQ’s delayed the release of Darksiders II until August. The game was originally scheduled to release on PS3 in late June, but the publisher has decided to hold the sequel back in order to ensure it meets the “high quality bar the team is targeting”. Developer Vigil Games added in an FAQ that the delay has nothing to do with...
Tuesday17th Apr 2012
Review Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention (PlayStation Vita)
No absence of depth
The Disgaea series has surged in popularity in recent years, mainly due to its nearly limitless degree of combat depth and heaped amounts of content. Disgaea 3 was originally released on PS3, along with a vast selection of downloadable content, so rather than create a brand new game for Vita from scratch Nippon Ichi decided to...
Review Defenders of the Mystic Garden (PlayStation Minis)
Gnome mercy
Defenders of the Mystic Garden (DotMG) takes elements from the tower defence genre and tweaks a few aspects to help differentiate it from others. Like most entries in the genre, you’ll control a limited number of units to fight against hordes of incoming enemies, but DotMG has movement on its side. Instead of units remaining...
Review StarDrone Extreme (PlayStation Vita)
Spinster
StarDrone Extreme should be a mess: the game has a longer list of influences than an experimental electronica band. But somehow developers Beatshapers and Orb Games have managed to fuse the title’s extensive list of disparate inspirations into a cohesive package, and against all odds produced a tremendously enjoyable action puzzle...
Preview DiRT Showdown - Destruction Derby Returns
Write off
Given the affection PlayStation fans still have for Destruction Derby, it’s surprising no one’s attempted to recreate the smash-heavy vehicular formula on PS3. It may be late to the party, but DiRT Showdown is exactly that: a game that can’t be pitched without referencing Psygnosis’ 1995 hit, like its inspiration it’s hard to put...
News Debut Dishonored Trailer Stabs You in the Back
A pleasant surprise
Who knew video game marketing was so simple? In the span of a short five minute CGI trailer, publisher Bethesda’s managed to shoot Arkane Studios’ upcoming steam punk action title Dishonored straight to the top of our wishlist. The game casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. After being framed for the murder...
News Sony Announces Nasne for Japan
Compatible with PS3 and Vita
Sony’s PS3-based DVR technology Torne proved a massive hit in Japan when it launched in 2010. Now the platform holder is aiming to level-up its domestic entertainment support with Nasne, a network recorder and media storage device that features a built-in tuner and 500GB hard-drive disc. The biggest difference between...
News French Website Teases "Major PS3 Exclusive" Announcement
Hype get
T’is the season for PS3 announcements it seems. Last week Sony held a hush-hush showcase for North American press in New York, and it appears all of the talking-points from that event are gradually going to trickle online in the coming weeks. You should already expect a God of War related announcement in just a few days, but the fun and...
News Paint Park Transforms Vita into an Expensive Colouring Book
Draw something
Sony’s announced a trio of new applications for the PlayStation Vita today, starting with the complimentary Paint Park. Available this week for the grand sum of nothing, the sketch-pad app will transform your Vita into a high-tech colouring book. You’ll be able to use the various touch interfaces to draw and paint, and even...
News deadmau5 Shows Off His Sound Shapes
A little oblique
Sound Shapes, the musical driven Vita exclusive by Queasy Games, needs no introduction. The quirky audio experience remains one of the most exciting prospects in the platform’s upcoming line-up, and gameplay videos such as this only serve to enhance our anticipation for the game's eventual release. This brand new footage focuses...
News Tony Hawk Pitched HD Remake Years Ago
Savvy skateboarder
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk pitched the idea of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD years ago, but publisher Activision turned the concept down. In an interview with IGN, the trickster revealed that the publisher felt it “wasn’t the right time” for an HD remake. It’s obviously changed its tune a lot since, with the classic...
News First SSX DLC Gets Tricky on 1st May
Run DLC
EA is pushing the deadly descents of its PS3 SSX reboot to the background, as it prepares a new batch of DLC based on 2001’s SSX Tricky. Due for release on 1st May, the "Mt. Eddie & Classic Characters Bundle Pack" will feature a new ultra-long course inspired by the “huge kickers” and “ridiculous grinds” of classic...
News Gravity Rush Demo Floats Onto PSN in Late May
Topsy turvy
As speculated, Sony has confirmed that a demo for the hotly anticipated Vita action platformer Gravity Rush will drop onto the PSN on 29th May in North America and 30th May in Europe. That should give you roughly two weeks to decide whether you want to purchase the full title ahead of its release in mid-June. Spoilers: you will.
Monday16th Apr 2012
Review LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (PlayStation Vita)
Block-tastically magical
There’s no question that Vita's gaming experience can be called “magical,” but with the release of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, the enchanting experiences of the final films in Harry Potter’s epic adventures are charmingly downsized LEGO-style and placed right upon your fingertips, allowing the magical series to...
News FIFA Street Bounces Back to Top of UK Charts
Back of the net
As the Premier League season dribbles to its conclusion in predictable and conveniently tense fashion, FIFA Street has casually returned to the summit of the UK sales charts after a week or two floundering outside of the top three. It was another good week for publisher EA, with the brilliant (but controversial) Mass Effect 3 sitting...
News CCP Teases Vita Controller Support for DUST 514
Wii too
CCP’s free-to-play PSN exclusive DUST 514 is already aiming to reinvent cross-platform compatibility with its hooks into PC MMO Eve Online, but it appears its list of innovative features will not end there. Chatting on the latest episode of the PlayStation Blogcast, CCP’s David Reid teased that the game may take advantage of the Vita as...
Preview Dragon's Dogma - The Sleeper Hit of 2012?
It's got scale
You'd think there'd be more excitement for Dragon's Dogma. Headed by staff responsible for Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, and with interest in RPGs at an all-time high thanks to Skyrim, the upcoming action RPG has generated very little heat in the past year: the game's official Twitter account has around 700 followers, and if not...
News Sony's E3 Press Conference to Drop Bombs on 4th June
Stock up on coffee
It’s that time of the year again: Sony’s just confirmed that its E3 2012 press conference will kick off at 18:00PST on Monday, 4th June. Unfortunately, that’s translates to a yawn-inducing 02:00BST the following day in the UK. It’s going to be a late one, folks. Last year’s press conference was packed to the rafters with...
News Dragon's Dogma Demo to Spread Its Wings Next Week
Feel the heat
Is Capcom’s mysterious open-world RPG the sleeper hit of 2012 like our Dragon’s Dogma preview pondered earlier today? You’ll be able to formulate your own opinion next week, when a downloadable demo for the fantasy title launches on the PlayStation Store. Due for release on 24th April (and a day later in Europe), the demo will...
News Analyst: PS4 Must Launch First to "Remain Competitive"
Timing is everything
With the next generation of consoles supposedly looming, Sony finds itself in an interesting place. The PlayStation 3 has only really recently hit its stride, with its life-cycle likely to be extended later this year when it inevitably reaches $199. As such, the Japanese giant could do with holding off the next generation for...
News New Sorcery Story Trailer Apparates Online
Enchanting
Sorcery, the most anticipated title in the PlayStation Move’s relatively brief history, is just over a month away from release — and in order to celebrate, Sony’s cast a brand new story trailer for the magic 'em up online. The cinematic short – narrated by the definitely-not-elderly wizard Dash – introduces us to apprentice Finn...
News GT Academy 2012 Hits the Track on 1st May
Floor it
If you fancy yourself a budding race-car driver then you’ll probably already know about Sony’s innovative GT Academy programme – a competition which aims to find the best Gran Turismo players in the world and transform them into real life racers through vigorous training exercises. The competition – which is already in its fourth...
News Crysis 3 Stomps onto PS3 Next Spring
Act surprised
The worst kept secret in games is a secret no more: EA has confirmed today that Crysis 3 will release on PS3 next spring. The game – touted as the “first blockbuster shooter of 2013” – is set to take place in New York once again. The plot will see the Prophet from Crysis 2 return to the North American city only to find it...
News Call of Duty Sales Run into Resistance
Series on a slippery slope
Call of Duty isn't quite the infallible mega franchise it’s made out to be. Don’t worry, the series is still selling a ridiculous number of copies with each new iteration – but it appears its success has peaked. That’s according to analyst firm Macquire Equities, who believe that sales for the most recent outing...
News PSN Going Under the Knife Today
Maintenance watch
PlayStation Network maintenance periods are always given plenty of publicity around the web, but we rarely find it interrupts our playing schedule. Regardless, it’s out duty as your reliable source of daily PlayStation news to inform you that Sony’s preparing 13 hours of PSN repairs from 2PM BST (9AM EST) today. During that...
Sunday15th Apr 2012
Review Floating Cloud God Saves the Pilgrims (PlayStation Minis)
Keep the faith
You get lots of things if you're a cloud god. Your very own personal, environmentally friendly air transportation, the power to smite the mightiest of demons with only the tips of your fingers and the undying devotion of as many little old men as you like. It's not all lounging on beds of water vapour and gobbling grapes, though...
News Mass Effect 3 Sales Eclipse 1.3 Million in North America
Geth a load of that
Mass Effect 3 sold 1.3 million copies across multiple platforms in North America last month, the NPD has confirmed. The figure covers retail releases only, so digital downloads on the PlayStation Network (and EA’s own Origin) are not counted. As such, it’s safe to assume the true, ahem, Tali is significantly higher. To put...
Saturday14th Apr 2012
News Binary Domain Sold Just 20k Units in March
Bad news
Binary Domain is a rare gem. Sure, it gets a bit repetitive in places, but it’s uncommon to find a new IP with a genuinely intriguing universe and likable cast. It’s just a shame the general public didn’t agree. According to this month’s NPD report, the Yakuza Studio developed third-person shooter sold just 20k copies in North...
News Resident Evil 6 to Reload Mercenaries Mode
Popping heads
As if there was any doubt about its inclusion, Capcom has revealed a bunch of Resident Evil 6 pre-order bonuses which confirm the return of the brilliant score-attack mode, Mercenaries. There’ll be three additional maps available for those that pre-order, including the Rail Yard, Catacombs and High Seas Fortress. Unfortunately, each...
News Take to the Track with F1 2011 Vita Discount
Race for life
In order to celebrate this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, Codemasters has announced that it is temporarily slashing the price of the Vita version of F1 2011 to an affordable £19.99. The discount is scheduled for this weekend only, so you’ll need to be nimble like a race car to take advantage of the reduction. For more information...
News EA Hoping to Put Need for Speed Movie on the Starting Line
Start your engines
EA believes Need for Speed has the potential to be more than just a popular racing game, as it’s shopping around a script for a movie based on the high-speed franchise. Writing duo George and John Gatins are said to have penned the plot, which has supposedly got Paramount, Warner Bros and Sony interested in stumping up the cash...
Friday13th Apr 2012
First Impressions Spec Ops: The Line
End of the line
Spec Ops: The Line owes a lot to the Uncharted series — and not just because Nolan North lends his voice to the game’s gruff protagonist Captain Martin Walker. The combat – which takes place from a third-person perspective – is hugely derivative of Nathan Drake’s series, as you meander between conveniently placed vehicles...
News Vita Firmware V1.67 Launches, Doesn't Do Much
Optional stability
Shortly before the PlayStation Vita launched, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida stated that firmware updates on the handheld platform would be much less intrusive than on PS3. That's not quite been the case yet, as we queue up the system’s third update in less than 10 days. To be fair, version 1.67 (available now)...
News Sony Sneakily Announces Red PS3 for the UK
Captain scarlet
If the basic black exterior of the current PS3 is putting you off purchasing Sony’s current console, perhaps you might be tempted by the curvaceous red system instead. The former Japan exclusive has started popping up on UK websites this afternoon, with Amazon revealing a 27th April release date and
News 24-Hour SingStar Marathon Kicks Off Today
Wish him well
Julian Hill's SingStar endurance challenge starts today in London, with the dedicated dad raising money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital by playing the karaoke game for 24 hours straight. At the Ambassador's Bloomsbury Hotel in London, Hill will make his way through every song in the SingStar series over the next 24 hours...
News Gravity Rush Demo Drops Onto Vita on 30th May
Gravitational pull
If that mid-June release date for PlayStation Vita exclusive Gravity Rush still seems too far away, then perhaps you might be reassured by the news that a demo is set to float onto the PlayStation Store on 30th May. Resurrected UK retailer GAME revealed the good news on its Twitter account earlier today. We were actually lucky...
News Crysis 3 to Switch Off Its Invisibility Cloak on 16th April
Stepping out of the shadows
After a series of leaks, EA has decided to stop being coy about the existence of Crysis 3. It sarcastically noted in a statement to Joystiq overnight: The best kept secret in shooters just can't be contained. Stay tuned for more information on April 16. Like its predecessor, the game will supposedly take place in New...
News Sleeping Dogs Awaken on 14th August
Woof woof
There may be numerous rumours swirling about the release date of Grand Theft Auto V, but nothing is set in stone just yet. We imagine Square Enix is hoping it stays that way, as it readies Sleeping Dogs for release on 14th August in North America. Don’t worry Europe – you’ll get your hands on the game a few days later on 17th August...
News March NPD: Mass Effect 3 Takes Off While Overall Sales Decline
Not especially pretty
Despite the arrival of several massive new releases, software and hardware sales continued their decline in North America for the month of March 2012. The latest NPD report shows that the month brought in $1.1billion in revenue, a whopping 25 percent less than the same period in 2011. Hardware, software and accessory sales were...
News MotorStorm RC Proves Popular Amongst PSN Players
Little treasure
Sony’s furnished us with some fascinating statistics pertaining to the popular PSN downloadable MotorStorm RC today. According to the publisher, the title is downloaded 19 times every minute, with new events kick-started every second. Every minute sees a new PSN friendship formed, and eight trophies earned. We’d like to see...
Thursday12th Apr 2012
Interview Gaijin Games - RUNNER 2
Future of rhythm gameplay
Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP series started life on WiiWare, spread onto Steam and then got the compilation treatment for Wii and 3DS, hitting retail in 2011. BIT.TRIP Presents Runner2 is the series' first step onto PS3, so we cornered Gaijin Games co-founders Alex Neuse and Mike Roush at PAX East to get the scoop on BIT.TRIP's...
News Kaz Hirai Reveals "One Sony" Rescue Strategy
Promises change
As promised, former PlayStation president and new Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has revealed his rescue strategy designed to resurrect the ailing Japanese giant. The likable executive’s speech hinged on the idea of change and unification – something Sony has been striving towards with little success for years. In his presentation, Hirai...
News Just Add Water Teases Oddworld: Hand of Odd
Flinch if you're English
We can’t be certain, but we don’t think Just Add Water’s latest project Oddworld: Hand of Odd has anything to do with Diego Maradona’s famous goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. Instead, it sounds like a brand new entry in the recently rejuvenated Oddworld series. There’s not much to go on...
News New Max Payne 3 Trailer Composes a Symphony of Death
High drama
Bullet Time has appeared in numerous first and third-person shooters since the original Max Payne released on PlayStation 2 back in 2002. But the upcoming Max Payne 3 hopes to make the aged mechanic feel fresh again thanks to improvements in physics, control and AI technology. As this video demonstrates, it’s the same ability you...
News Ni No Kuni Goes into Hiding until Q1 2013
"Ready or not, here I come!"
Namco Bandai’s delayed the North American release of Level-5 and Studio Ghibli’s ultra-pretty PS3 exclusive RPG Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch until next year. The altered Q1 2013 release puts the title in line with its previously announced European date. To prove that the game isn’t vapourware, Namco Bandai...
News Sony Deploys First Resistance: Burning Skies Multiplayer Details
Eight-player frag fest
The PlayStation Vita will finally get its first taste of competitive FPS action next month, when Resistance: Burning Skies launches worldwide. Following a slight hiccup on the official PlayStation website earlier in the month, Sony’s finally raised the curtain on the spin-off shooter’s multiplayer component in a
News Demon's Souls to Be Plunged into Darkness on 31st May
Going underground
After several extended runs, Atlus has announced that it is pulling the North American servers for cult hit Demon’s Souls offline. This will obviously not affect single-player gameplay, but will prevent players from leaving notes and appearing as ghosts in other games. Boo. The publisher has promised to hold two World Tendency...
News Bring Friends for a Ghost Recon Future Soldier Multiplayer Vid
Kill confirmed
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier might have taken its time getting here, but if you like loud bangs and big guns the trailer below will make up for the wait. The latest multiplayer trailer from Ubisoft shows all kinds of futuristic tech, from camouflage suits to stealthy hacking, as well as fulfilling your recommended daily...
News Buddy Up for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 This September
Bro fist
Start getting your thumb muscles in shape, because Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is swapping onto PlayStation 3 sooner than expected. Namco Bandai announced a September release date for the hotly anticipated brawler sequel overnight, which is significantly earlier than the publisher’s original “Holiday 2012” forecast. The console version of...
News One Piece: Pirate Warriors Sails to the West This Year
Hot export
Namco Bandai has announced that its crossover brawler featuring the characters of anime One Piece and the gameplay of Dynasty Warriors is heading to the West. Try to sound excited, won’t you? One Piece: Pirate Warriors puts you in control of popular characters from the manga and sees you fighting thousands of enemies in true,...
News Sony Teases Mysterious April Reveal
Cryptic clues
The official PlayStation Facebook page is asking the cryptic question: “Will vengeance bring redemption?” We’ve no idea – but it looks like we’ll find out on 19th April. Sony’s staying tight lipped about the mysterious tease which appeared this morning – but we’d bet the bank on it being an announcement for the heavily...
News Witness Multiple Explosions in New MoH Warfighter Trailer
Boom
Medal of Honor Warfighter’s not going to be quite as subtle as its predecessor if this brand new trailer’s anything to go by. The footage features plenty of gameplay from the main campaign, and mixes in a handful of explosions to keep you entertained. One thing’s for certain: it looks super pretty. The game’s running on DICE’s...
Wednesday11th Apr 2012
News Resident Evil 6's Premium Edition Costs a Whopping $1300
Sell your grandma
Video game collector’s editions have gradually got more elaborate (and expensive) over the past five years — but Resident Evil 6’s Japan-only Premium Edition sets a whole new precedent. The limited edition pack will set you back a staggering ¥105,000, which translates to about $1300. In exchange for your hard-earned cash,...
News Resident Evil 6's Campaign Is About 30 Hours Long
Get comfortable
Capcom might be craftily eyeing the commercial success of Call of Duty with the upcoming Resident Evil 6, but there’s one area where the two titles will almost certainly differ: length. Speaking in an interview with NowGamer, director Eiichiro Sasaki revealed that he expects the game to be about 30 hours long once fi
News Japanese Sales Charts: Vita Dips Below 10k Units
The end is nigh
A lot of industry conscious gamers hold a significant amount of faith in Japan’s weekly sales figures. It’s those same commentators that invented the so-called "10k units rule". The fabricated philosophy states that if a system’s sales are above 10k units a week, it’s “alive”. But should the unthinkable happen...
Interview Beatshapers - StarDrone Extreme
"My God, it's full of stars!"
StarDrone was one of last year’s better PlayStation Network titles. The game’s furious blend of disparate game mechanics culminated in one of the most memorable puzzle titles of 2011, earning it a convincing 7/10 score in our StarDrone review. Today’s European PlayStation Store update sees the pinball-hybrid find...
Store Update 11th April 2012 (Europe)
Your move, StarDrone
Here's what's up this week in Europe. PlayStation Network New Content: PlayStation Plus: Silent Hill (PSone) – 100% discount, Until May 9thPure Chess — 20% discount, 2 weeks onlyPure Chess – Park Pack – 100% discount, 2 weeks only PS3 Games:
News Extended Mortal Kombat Vita Trailer Sets the Scene
Kombat evolved
We’ve already seen a glimpse of this live-action Mortal Kombat video, but the full version is arguably the best Vita commercial we’ve seen. Not only does the 60 second short perfectly set the scene for the title’s portability, but it’s also stylish, edgy and attention grabbing. Apparently, there’s still plenty for...
News Exclusive StarDrone Extreme Vita Trailers Shoot In
Feast your eyes
Intrigued by Beatshapers' PS Vita download StarDrone Extreme, but want to see it in action before taking the plunge? Come right this way. We've teamed up with Beatshapers to bring you two exclusive videos of the game in action, plus screenshots you won't find anywhere else. We've also got an interview with the studio lined up to...
Store Update 10th April 2012 (North America)
Skullgirls, Pinball and more
Much-anticipated PSN title Skullgirls hits the North American store alongside a true PS2 classic and more. Here's what's on for you North American shoppers this week. PlayStation Plus: Exclusives: The House of the Dead 4 Demo Minis: Canabalt Defenders Of The Mystic Garden Full Game Trials
News The Legend of Dragoon Spreads Its Wings on PSN in May
Flap flap
Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has taken to the US PlayStation Blog this evening to announce the release of PSone cult classic The Legend of Dragoon for PSN. In his post, Yoshida-san reveals that a sequel to the ambitious RPG was in development at Sony’s Japan Studio, but it later got cancelled for “unknown reasons”...
News Sony Shuts Down PSN Video Magazine Qore
Cor, blimey
It seems Sony has finally realised that Qore without Veronica Belmont is like peanut butter without jelly. The platform holder has announced on the US PlayStation Blog that the digital video magazine – which recently got a new host – is no more. It’s latest (and final) issue covering the month of April will feature a celebration of...
News Epic: We'd Love to Do a Bulletstorm Sequel
Nothing to announce yet
A sequel to last year’s adventurous first-person shooter Bulletstorm was in the works at one point, Epic Games’ Mike Capps has announced. Sadly, the follow-up was canned when the company found a project that was considered to be a “better fit” for original developer People Can Fly. What could possibly be better than...
News Hitman: Absolution Dresses Up for Professional Edition
Sharp shooter
You’ll be able to show your appreciation of Agent 47’s suave sense of style later this year, when Square Enix releases the Professional Edition for Hitman: Absolution. The dapper European retail release will not only earn you access to a bevy of new in-game weapons via the bundled Agency Gun Pack, but will also spruce up your copy...
News Crysis 3 Announcement Evidence Exposed
Broken invisibility cloak
The video game sleuths are at it again – but this time it isn’t a publisher or loose-lipped employee at fault. Instead it’s Swedish magazine GameReactor, who’s somehow managed to let the cover of its upcoming issue slip out into the wild. While the cover’s not especially upfront about its contents, a series of...
Tuesday10th Apr 2012
Interview Goichi Suda - Grasshopper Manufacture
Suda51 talks Lollipop Chainsaw, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and what "punk" means to his studio
There's crazy, and then there's Japanese studio Grasshopper Manufacture's particular brand of bonkers, which positively oozes from its upcoming title Lollipop Chainsaw. As the developer braces itself for the June release of its over-the-top teenage bubblegum...
News Pachter: PS3 Price Cut "Likely" At E3
Peering into the crystal ball
Seasoned video game industry analyst Michael Pachter believes a PlayStation 3 price cut will be announced at this year’s E3. Sony’s primary home console is a cut away from the magic $199 mark in the US – a price-point which prompted PS2 sales to catapult last generation. Speaking ahead of this week’s March NPD...
News New DmC Devil May Cry Trailer Brings the Pain
It's also very loud
Details of the most recent Capcom 'Captivate' event are doing the rounds, including a brand new trailer for DmC: Devil May Cry. At the event itself members of the development team unveiled a new level that takes place at a carnival: it involves Dante facing off against a demon, which isn't surprising. The trailer is below and...
News It's Raining Phantoms and Ogres in Dragon's Dogma Trailer
Beats cats and dogs anyway
Capcom's next big release, Dragon's Dogma, is an action RPG set in a fantasy land. You know what that means? Ogres. Not just ogres, but phantoms, archers, magic, warriors, wizards and warlocks. You'll get your fill of all these things in the new trailer below, revealed at Captivate 2012, which shows off the game's AI...
News Lock-On to a Metal Sonic 4: Episode II Trailer
Back in time
Remember the Lock-On function of Sonic & Knuckles on the Mega Drive? It's making a resurgence in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2, as the trailer below shows. Anyone who owns Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I and the follow-up will be able to access four exclusive Metal Sonic levels that span the gap between Sonic CD and Sonic 4,...
News Sony Preparing for Biggest Annual Loss in a Decade
The numbers aren't red enough
We find it hard to believe there’s been a smile on new Sony CEO Kaz Hirai’s face since he started his new high-power role just over a week ago. One look at the company’s balance sheet would be enough to plant a permanent frown on even the most jubilant of personalities. Indeed, Sony has warned investors today...
News Suda 51: "Not All Craziness is Good"
Just most of it
Goichi "Suda51" Suda is a man known for doing his own thing. From otaku assassin Travis Touchdown in No More Heroes to the multiple personalities of Killer7's Harman Smith, Suda's characters have always been off the wall, and his latest creation, Lollipop Chainsaw's zombie-culling cheerleader Juliet Starling, is no...
News Street Fighter X Tekken Vita Gets PS3 Cross-Platform Play
Take the fight to the streets
Capcom's portable scrapper Street Fighter X Tekken will let Vita owners face off against PS3 players, as the publisher has confirmed cross platform multiplayer for its upcoming title. The best part is the multiplayer supports 3G communications, so you can get involved in a good scrap wherever you are — as long as...
News Zen Pinball 2 Rolls Out on PS3 and Vita This Spring
Zensational
If the recently announced Pinball Arcade wasn’t enough to wet your flip-happy whistle, then you might be excited (and somewhat surprised) to learn that Zen Pinball 2 is on the way too. Developer Zen Studios announced the PS3 and PS Vita follow-up overnight, meaning, like the Pinball Arcade, you’ll now be able to challenge your...
News Work Up a Sweat with New Lollipop Chainsaw Footage
Give me an "L"
This might not be the greatest video in the world (it’s completely missing music for starters) but it at least provides a good indication of the type of combat variety you can expect when Grasshopper’s zany zombie brawler Lollipop Chainsaw launches on PS3 later this year. Swiftly smash the “Play” button below and you’ll be...
News Lost Planet 3 Revealed, Due for 2013 Release
Ahead of the game
The embargo on information from Capcom's recent Captivate 2012 hasn't even ended yet and we already know there'll be a Lost Planet 3 coming to PS3 in 2013. The game is being developed by Spark Unlimited, the team responsible for Turning Point: Fall of Liberty and Legendary. It might not have the best pedigree, but Blue Castle Games...
News Your First Official Look at Lost Planet 3
All guns blazing
The mecha-cat may have got out of the frosty bag earlier today, but here's your first official look at Lost Planet 3. Well, your first look at some CGI footage setting the scene, anyway. The game's not due out until early next year, so there's plenty of time to wait and see what it looks like. Lost Planet 3 is under development at...
News Resident Evil 6 Shuffles Forward to October Release
Cites "tasty autumn brains"
Zombies don't like fire, but they're not too fond of the cold either, which could go some way to explaining why Capcom's brought its big Christmas title Resident Evil 6 forward by nearly two months to early October. Previously set for release in late November, the game's now due for 2nd October, meaning it'll be among the...
Monday9th Apr 2012
Review EA Sports FIFA Football (PlayStation Vita)
Transfer listed
The portable FIFA titles have come a long way since the days of Game Boy Advance, when pitched down versions were the norm. These days EA takes the portable market a little more seriously, going on PlayStation Vita from day one and launching FIFA Football alongside the new system. If you've played a home console FIFA title in the...
Review BlazBlue: Continuum Shift EXTEND (PlayStation Vita)
The deep end of the pool
After the original BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger wowed fighting game fans with its amazing depth and character variety, developer Arc System Works took things a step or two further with its follow-up, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift. Not only did the follow-up continue the in-depth fighting experience of the first release, it also...
First Impressions Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
Cycle shattered
Well, it looks like SEGA got the abysmal message about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and actually did something about it. We're happy to report that, based on our time with two zones of the game at PAX East, the long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 plays a lot closer to how our nostalgic hearts remember the series before...
Rumour Latest Call of Duty to Step Out of the Shadows in April
Black Ops 2 in the works
It’s about time major publishers learned: video game sleuths are really good at what they do. The latest accidental reveal comes courtesy of a group of Call of Duty fans, who decided it was time Activision told us a little something about 2012’s inevitable entry in the massively popular series. They found the image...
Rumour Sony to Cut 10,000 Jobs Before Year's End
Hirai making his mark
Sony’s financial troubles are well documented. If you’re not up to speed, then know this: the company is expected to report a whopping £2.1billion loss in its latest financial report. That’s not particularly healthy. Of course, that’s also the reason that former SCE president – and lifetime Ridge Racer fanboy – Kaz...
News Grit Your Teeth Through Free RE: Operation Raccoon City DLC
There's a catch
As our Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review established last month, Slant Six’s squad-based spin-off isn’t exactly the most polished entry in Capcom’s traditionally high-quality horror series. But if you’re enjoying the title regardless, you might be, ahem, thrilled to learn that there’s some free DLC on the way...
Rumour Rockstar Employee's CV Dates GTAV for October
Whoops
We’ve got a sneaking suspicion that Rockstar North employee Alex O’Dwyer is not having a particularly happy Easter. The character animator updated his CV and LinkedIn profile over the bank holiday weekend, pledging an October release date to the anticipated crime thriller Grand Theft Auto V. It’s the first we’ve heard of it. Adding...
Sunday8th Apr 2012
News Feast Your Eyes on Some of Twisted Metal's Cut Content
Chase to Vegas
It’s rare for those of us on the outside to get an inside peek into the game development process, but that’s what makes videos like this all the more fascinating. Twisted Metal co-director David Jaffe has uploaded a ten-minute “greenlight” video to his YouTube channel, which was originally produced to update Sony executives on...
News Skullgirls Picks a Fight with PSN on 10th April
Put 'em up
The release date for Reverge Labs’ super promising PlayStation Network brawler Skullgirls is no longer a mystery – well, not if you’re in North America anyway. The uber-pretty punch ‘em up will launch on Sony’s digital storefront on 10th April for $14.99. Sadly, the game’s European release remains in limbo. As you were, then.
News Mass Effect 3 Resurges with Free DLC on 10th April
Reaper the rewards
Conversation may be fixated on Mass Effect 3’s controversial conclusion, but that’s not stopped BioWare from unveiling the title’s first multiplayer DLC. The Resurgence Pack – set for release on 10th April in North America and 11th April overseas – will inject a handful of new online content into the critically acclaimed...
News Mass Effect 3 Patch Helps You to Reconnect with Old Friends
Face it
Commander Shepard will look like his (or her) old self next week when BioWare flips the switch on a new patch designed to fix Mass Effect 3’s curious face import issues. The patch – scheduled to take-off on 10th April – will also squash several game-crashing bugs and improve the overall online experience. You can peruse the full...
News Sonic 4: Episode II Makes a Date with PSN on 15th May
Open your heart
If you’ve already read our Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II First Impressions, then you’ll probably be wondering when you can take the blue blur for a spin yourself. Well, there’s good news ahead, because SEGA has confirmed that Sonic’s latest adventure will kick off on 15th May in North America. There’s no word on a...
Saturday7th Apr 2012
Review Supremacy MMA: Unrestricted (PlayStation Vita)
Breakin’ bones and genres
Modern fighting bouts are glamorous events these days, but it hasn’t always been this way. Fighting for honour, societal positioning or for the unadulterated brutality and adrenaline rush, the warriors of Supremacy MMA: Unrestricted are so highly trained in the art of fighting that their bare hands are lethal weapons...
News Compete with Thousands in New PS3 MMO Defiance
When it rains, it pours
The PlayStation 3’s no slouch when it comes to ambitious multiplayer endeavours, with titles such as DUST 514 promising extraordinary things in the crowded shooter space. But finally it has some competition, and that comes in the form of the recently announced Defiance – a shooter-hybrid set in a persistent online world...
News Cage: Open-World Games Can Look As Good As Kara
Mind-blowing
Quantic Dream’s recent Kara tech demonstration was seriously impressive, but many sceptics criticised that the visuals only looked so good because of the confined nature of the environment it was set in. That’s not true according to gaffer David Cage, who claims that the visual fidelity of the demo could be maintained on a much...
News Don't Break the Bank with Free Payday: The Heist Update
Handouts
Payday: The Heist developer Overkill Software doesn’t want you to engage in illegal activity in order to afford the latest content for its co-operative PlayStation Network shooter. Instead it’s announced a free update, bundling presidential masks, an Overkill difficulty, and various other enhancements. The Clinton mask alone looks like...
News Journey is March's Best Selling PSN Game
Act surprised
Seeing as Sony recently declared thatgamecompany’s Journey to be the fastest selling PlayStation Network title of all time, it shouldn't come as a surprise to see the innovative opus at the top of the PSN charts for the month of March. The evocative quest fought off strong competition from PSN’s previous fastest seller, inFamous:...
Friday6th Apr 2012
Review Rayman 3 HD (PlayStation 3)
'Armless fun
With his goofy haircut, non-existent limbs and a nose that threatens to eclipse the remainder of his face, Rayman's popularity is pretty surprising. After being sidelined in favour of screaming leporids for the last few years, the Glade of Dream's number one hero burst back in vogue after the exceptional Rayman Origins. Taking advantage...
News Deal Death Differently in Skyrim Version 1.5
Fly swat
There are numerous minor bug fixes in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s latest software update, but the most notable improvements come in the form of new kill cameras for projectile weapons and fresh animations for melee attacks. Anyone that’s spent more than 20 hours traipsing the city of Winterhold will know how repetitive the combat in...
News Warm Up Your Flipper Fingers with The Pinball Arcade
Buy one, get one free
The PlayStation 3 and PS Vita get an extra dose of flip-heavy action next week, with the release of The Pinball Arcade on 10th April. As with other cross-compatible titles, you’ll get the console and handheld versions for a single price. Similarly, you’ll only need to purchase DLC once to access it on both consoles. The...
News Take-Two: "THQ Won't Be Around in Six Months"
Laying it bare
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn’t foresee much longevity for troubled publisher THQ – the gaffer told an audience at the MIT Business in Gaming Conference that he believes the firm will be fully shuttered in six months time. Zelnick expanded that he believes the publisher’s biggest mistake was working with licensed...
News Starlight Inception Announced for Vita
Ex-LucasArts developer returns
Escape Hatch Entertainment has just announced its brand new space combat title Starlight Inception for PlayStation Vita. Fans of the Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds titles will likely be familiar with developer Garry Gaber from his time at LucasArts. The developer will also be kicking off a Kickstarter campaign to...
News Sonic 4: Episode II Japan-Bound on 16th May
Spinteresting
SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 just got its first official release date: 16th May in Japan. The second episode of the retro reboot will cost ¥1,500 — that's about £11.49 or $18, but expect Western prices to be much lower: the original was $14.99 before dropping to $9.99 after a few months. There's also a special bonus for...
News Indulge in Over 180 Seconds of Sleeping Dogs Gameplay
Kung-fu fighting
Releasing a game set in Hong Kong without hefty helpings of kung-fu would be like eating crispy duck without oodles of hoisin sauce. Thankfully, as this gameplay trailer proves, Square Enix and United Front Games’ upcoming open-world epic Sleeping Dogs is brimming with fisticuffs. You do like seeing goons being tossed inside the...
News Fight for Your Life in New Uncharted 3 DLC
Brand new battlefields
If you’re a fan of Uncharted 3’s multiplayer offering, then this is probably the DLC you’ve been waiting for. While decent value, the Fortune Hunters’ Club has been padded out with some pretty uninspired content – but Naughty Dog’s ensuring that the season pass ends with a bang. The developer’s taken to the...
News Confront the Sand in New Spec Ops: The Line Trailer
Bucket and spade
We’ve all spent trips to the seaside playing in the sand, but Spec Ops: The Line doesn’t look quite so innocent. The Yager developed shooter sees the typically tranquil Dubai coated in more sand than the Sahara desert. It doesn't help that there's a number of shady folks hanging around either. The good news is that you play as a...
News Latest Starhawk Footage Takes You for a Ride
Hop on
Starhawk may be a third-person shooter with strategy elements bolted on, but it’s also host to an intriguing array of vehicular combat too. This brand new trailer highlights all of the game’s petroleum powered combat options, from nimble jet bikes right through to deadly tanks. If you ask us, it's all looking rather swell. Will you be...
Thursday5th Apr 2012
Review I Am Alive (PlayStation 3)
Survivor
I Am Alive's road to release was as troubled as the journey of its protagonist Adam. Originally announced at E3 back in 2008, the project was passed between numerous developers before settling in East Asia at Ubisoft Shanghai. During its transitional years the game's changed a lot, switching distribution platforms from physical to digital...
News Ubisoft: Ancient Egypt Too "Boring" for Assassin's Creed III
For Farouk's sake
Ancient Egypt was an amazing time. People wore more make-up than a modern day super model. Slaves dragged huge hunks of rock across the sand to build elaborate tombs the size of housing estates. And everyone totally loved cats. But, sadly, none of that was enough to convince Ubisoft that the mysterious time period was perfect for...
Review Wheels of Destruction (PlayStation 3)
Crash course
Between Twisted Metal, Smash ‘N’ Survive and the upcoming Fuel Overdose, PS3 has the monopoly on car combat. Gelid Games’ PSN exclusive Wheels of Destruction is yet another entry vying for attention in the crowded bracket, and it hopes to win over players with its budget price point and high-octane multiplayer. But does it...
News Kaz Hirai to Reveal Sony Rescue Strategy This Month
No time for jokes
Expect to see the hairs on newly appointed Sony CEO Kaz Hirai’s head gently transition to a subtle shade of silver over the coming months. The fresh faced executive has announced a conference for 12th April where he’s expected to reveal his strategy to turn the troubled Japanese manufacturer around. With Sony predicted to lose...
News Mortal Kombat Vita Gets Classy with Live Action Kitana Trailer
Fight anywhere
Considering the concept could have turned out crass, publisher Warner Bros deserves kudos for making this live-action Mortal Kombat Vita trailer seem fairly classy. The short – which features a lady dressed as Kitana posing on top of a skyscraper – is designed to highlight the portability of NetherRealm’s latest release. Admire...
Rumour Early Orbis Tech Specs Leaked
IGN strikes again
If PlayStation 4 really is codenamed Orbis, here's an idea of what Sony might be packing inside the hardware. IGN claims the machine uses AMD chips based on the A8-3859 APU (accelerated processing unit) and Radeon HD 7670 GPU. The APU harbours an on-board quad-core processor with integrated graphics chip; teaming this up with the...
News Become a Future Soldier with Custom Ghost Recon Controls
Step your game up
We know what you’re thinking: “How am I supposed to feel like a Future Soldier with a bog-standard DualShock 3?” We totally agree, that controller is so 2008. Alas, what you need is a custom Mad Catz controller designed specifically for Ubisoft’s upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Due out in May, the Pro GamePad will...
News Killer is Dead Concept Art is... Alive
Worldwide release planned
As promised, Japanese gaming bible Famitsu has released the very first images of Grasshopper Manufacture’s new PlayStation 3 title Killer is Dead. The concept shots focus on a futuristic city and an alarmingly tidy office. Seriously, how do people cope with such cleanliness? It makes our skin crawl. Posting in the...
News Japanese Sales Charts: Baseball Spirits Hits a Home Run
Minor boost for Vita
There was a Mickey Mouse-shaped cloud raining over the Japanese sales charts this week, as Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance cooed its way to the top spot. It was joined by numerous iterations of Konami’s Pro Baseball Spirits series, as the PS3, PSP and PS Vita versions of the latest bat-and-ball entry all...
News Channel Your Rage with World War Hulk Pinball Trailer
"You wouldn't like me when I'm angry"
While a spot of casual nudging is accepted when you’re playing pinball, we're not sure the table's owners would be too impressed if you opted for a full-on Hulk smash. The green giant is renowned for his destructive temper, as evidenced by this trailer for the World War Hulk table heading to Marvel Pinball...
News Extended Cut Brings Clarity to Mass Effect 3's Conclusion
For free
The “content initiatives” outlined in BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka’s online outpouring have manifested themselves as the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, due for release this Summer on PlayStation 3. The content – which pledges to bring clarity to the sequel’s controversial conclusion – will be available for free to everybody that...
News Sink Your Teeth into New Amalur DLC This Month
Tasty
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is to get its second full expansion pack this month. Entitled the “Teeth of Naros” (really!), the additional content will see players exploring the titular realm where they will "encounter the Kollossae, a devout race of giants, and uncover the mysteries of their faith”. The DLC will feature a brand new...
Wednesday4th Apr 2012
News Double Dragon: Neon Lights Up the PSN This Summer
Blast from the past
Pull out your Dad’s favourite 80s hair metal LPs and squeeze into your Mum’s leopard skin pants – because Double Dragon is making a comeback. Publisher Majesco announced the exciting news this evening, confirming that 2D masters WayForward Technologies are handling the long overdue makeover. Double Dragon: Neon – due out...
News Vita Firmware V1.66 Hits with New Features
You want more?
Yesterday's Vita firmware v1.65 was removed due to a mysterious "technical fault", but its big brother is back and ready to upgrade the stuffing out of your Vita. Here's what's available in v1.66, out now: The [System Music] setting in Settings > [Sound & Display] now affects BGM in PS Store, near and Sign-Up screens...
Rumour Sony Fighter is PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
This one just won't die
The ever-persistent rumour about a Smash Bros. for PlayStation-style experience has reared its head again, with PlayStation Lifestyle claiming to have acquired a survey pointing towards the name PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The last we heard, the game was working under the name Title Fight
News Idol Minds Feels the Pain of Sony's Shutdowns
Slippery slope
Idol Minds, the developer behind PSN’s well-supported arcade ache ‘em up Pain, has had a whopping four titles cancelled by long-term partner Sony over the past couple of years. While the studio is currently working on the Ratchet & Clank HD Collection, cyber snoop Superannuation reports that the developer has had multiple...
Store Update 4th April 2012 (Europe)
Alive!
Like the Store Update for North America, there are no new Vita games this week so you'll have to make do with gaming on your PS3 if you want to experience something new. Here's what's up this week. PlayStation Network New Content: I Am Alive – (Trial also available [excl. Germany]) One year after the Event, a worldwide cataclysmic event...
News The Killer is Dead in New Grasshopper Game
Not a sequel to Killer 7
Grasshopper Manufacture may be hard at work putting the finishing touches to bonkers high-school zombie slasher Lollipop Chainsaw, but that’s not stopping the utterly insane studio from raising the curtain on its next project. Entitled Killer is Dead, the title promises to blend the gameplay of Killer 7 and No More Heroes...
News Warren Spector: PS3 Version of Epic Mickey 2 "Isn't Just Up-Rezzed"
Not just a HD port
The news that Warren Spector's Junction Point was focused on the Wii version of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, with PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions being developed by UK-based Blitz Games, may have led to worries that PS3 could see a bare-boned HD port. As Spector explained to Eurogamer.net, however, a 'virtual team'...
News Rock Band Blitz Looks a Little Bit Like This
Drumroll, please
Now you know about Rock Band Blitz, we bet you’re biting your nails in anticipation for some footage of the game in action aren’t you? Well, stop. Look, like we told you – the PSN download’s a lot like Frequency and Amplitude. This trailer pretty much proves it, with plenty of note highways and instrument blocks on display...
Store Update 3rd April 2012 (North America)
I Am Alive and more
Vita owners go home empty-handed today, with no new games or demos on the portable storefront, but there's plenty of DLC and a few much-anticipated games for PS3 owners to sink their teeth into. PlayStation Plus: Free Games: Shank 2Shift 2 UnleashedCanabalt (PS mini)Farm Frenzy 2 (PS mini)Silent Hill (
News Ubisoft: Expect Lots More Desmond in Assassin's Creed III
Keeping Nolan North in work
Love him or loathe him, Desmond is an important part of Assassin’s Creed lore. The modern day bartender is a conduit for the historical franchise’s time-travelling narrative, with his complex genes allowing him to experience the lives of his predecessors via the Animus. While much of Assassin’s Creed III’s media...
News Follow the Way of the Samurai on PlayStation 3
Giant enemy crabs
North American gamers need no longer be jealous of Way of the Samurai 4’s confirmation for Europe, because XSEED has just announced that the PS3 exclusive is headed to USA too. There’s still no date or price attached to the sandbox samurai period drama, but the confirmation alone should be enough to get you to dust off your...
News Dante Does His Thing in Devil May Cry HD Launch Trailer
Bleached bombshell
We don’t advise Dante loyalists watch this Devil May Cry HD Collection launch trailer. The mere sight of the white-haired protagonist acting like an utter bad-ass might well be enough to send you into an uncontrollable frenzy. If you do choose to watch it — and you do so at your own peril — can we please insist one thing:...
News Rock Band Blitz Unplugs for PlayStation Network
Not a plastic peripheral in sight
Before there was Guitar Hero and Rock Band, there was a brilliant PS2 title named Frequency. The rhythm game served as a precursor for the plastic peripheral revolution that dominated the early days of PS3, challenging you to beat match using the DualShock controller. Frequency made a return on PSP in 2009, under...
News Spring Fever Kontinues with Mortal Kombat Kutbacks
Sorry
The PSN’s Spring Fever promotion was set to expire last week – but Sony’s had such success with the campaign that it’s decided to extend the celebrations by an additional week. Joining the festivities are combative racer Wheels of Destruction and more Mortal Kombat discounts than you can shake a dismembered limb at. First and foremost,...
Tuesday3rd Apr 2012
News Sony Pulls Latest PS Vita Update Due to "Technical Fault"
As you were
We know you were chomping at the bit to download PS Vita’s latest firmware update and unlock access to anticipated features such as caps lock – but it looks like you’ll have to wait a little bit longer. Sony has pulled the firmware from its servers citing a technical fault with the update. Product manager Adam Grant explained: PS...
News Dispatch Hordes of Extraterrestrials in Alien Fear
Another sci-fi shooter
You know what this industry always needed: another sci-fi themed first-person shooter. Of course, we’re being facetious, but that’s not stopped Sniper: Ghost Warrior developer City Interactive from announcing Alien Fear for the PlayStation Network. The downloadable FPS will be powered by Unreal Engine 3, and will have an...
News New Arkham City DLC Focuses on Robin and Harley Quinn
Our favourite clown cosplay
We’d pay good money to spend an extra couple of hours, er, investigating Batman: Arkham City’s interpretation of Harley Quinn. As such, we’re pretty excited to learn that developer Rocksteady has more DLC on the cards. While the content has yet to be confirmed by publisher Warner Bros, trophies for the pack have...
News Caps Lock and Power Saving In Vita Firmware v.1.65
Excitement
Ready to power up your Vita to the next level? Sony's detailed the next system software update — v1.65, fans — and its admittedly 'minor enhancements'. The PlayStation Blog states the update includes: A “Notification Alert” option will be added to Settings, so you can toggle alerts on or off “After 10 minutes” will be added...
News Sony Reveals Multiplayer Details for Resistance: Burning Skies
Competitive gunplay for up to eight players
If there’s one thing missing from the PlayStation Vita’s current software offering, it’s a competitive first-person shooter. Thankfully it looks like Nihilistic Software’s Resistance: Burning Skies is set to fill that void in May. The spin-off shooter’s website has been updated with some new...
News Avalanche: Just Cause is "Perfect" for PlayStation 4
Thinking ahead
Avalanche Studios may well be hard at work on a top-secret licensed project, but that’s not stopping the Swedish studio from thinking ahead. In a recent interview with Eurogamer.net, company gaffer Christofer Sundberg admitted that the Just Cause series would be a perfect fit for future consoles – including the PlayStation 4. He...
News Sony Dismisses Speculation Regarding Warrior's Lair
Not cancelled, the publisher ensures
PlayStation 3 and PS Vita dungeon crawler Warrior’s Lair — formerly known as Ruin — has not been cancelled, Sony has confirmed. There was speculation surrounding the fate of the cross-compatible title last week after forum mumblings claimed a chunk of the staff at developer Idol Minds had been let go...
News Travel Down the Rabbit Hole with Wonderland DLC for LBP
Curiouser and curiouser
Sackboy’s wardrobe is soon to extend to quaint Victorian attire, as costumes based on Tim Burton’s 2010 Alice in Wonderland reboot make a very important date with LittleBigPlanet 2. The new DLC pack will include outfits for Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen, allowing you to create a perfectly mad...
News Amazon Instant Video Sneaks onto PlayStation 3
Out of nowhere
Last week’s official PlayStation Blogcast teased the arrival of a new on-demand video service for PlayStation 3, and, after much speculation, that feature has sneaked its way onto the system’s XMB today. Those in North America will find a new icon under the PS3’s TV heading, unlocking access to Amazon Instant Video. From there...
News Conquer the Carnival with New MotorStorm RC DLC
Roll up, roll up
Have your remote controlled cars at the ready, because the carnival is coming to town. Evolution Studios has lifted the lid on MotorStorm RC’s latest expansion pack, which brings with it a slew of new festival themed tracks and a whopping 24 events for you to test your skills against. The pack bundles six new tracks in total, each...
News EA Kicks Off Euro 2012 with New Trailer
All for one
EA’s booted up the first footage of its licensed UEFA Euro 2012 expansion pack for FIFA 12. The content – set for release on 24th April for £15.99 – will see EA’s club-focused soccer sim transformed into a patriotic party, with all of the international teams from the summer tournament included, in addition to a host of new modes...
Monday2nd Apr 2012
Review Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 (PlayStation 3)
Out of the woods
It’s been a year now since the publicity surrounding Tiger Woods’ marital mishaps forced any real acknowledgement of the star to be removed from EA’s premium golf series. But time is a great healer, and, heading into the Masters, last year’s laughing stock is now the one to watch. That change in attitude is reflected...
News Take Three Dragon's Dogma Pre-Order Packs into Battle
All with one pre-order
Capcom's big money blockbuster Dragon's Dogma is starting to rise over the horizon, and the publisher is hoping to entice you into a pre-order with some extra upgrades when you put down money at Blockbuster or ShopTo. UK customers can take home three extra upgrade packs from the retailers designed to give them a leg-up on the...
Rumour Sony "Confident" PS4 Can Beat Next Xbox to Market
It's getting hot in here
In case you hadn’t noticed, the next-generation rumour rollercoaster is in full swing. Following on from last week’s Orbis rumours, VG247 has posted a report that claims Sony is “confident” its next platform will beat the Xbox 360’s successor to market. According to the website, the “design goalposts” for the...
News WRC 3 Wants to Get Vita Muddy in October
Drive
Vita gets its first real taste of rallying in October with WRC 3 from Black Bean and Milestone. The game's built on a brand new graphics and game engine, and features fully licensed teams and drivers from the 2012 WRC season. It's coming to PS Vita and PS3, but developer Milestone hasn't said anything about cross platform play, so keep those...
Game of the Month March 2012 - Journey
Of course
There's only one game we could possibly choose as the best of March: thatgamecompany's superlative Journey. In fact, not only is it the best game on PlayStation in the last calendar month, we named it the Best PlayStation 3 game in our recent staff poll. As our Journey review put it: Journey is a seminal release; the kind of title that...
News Sony Stumps Up £1.5 Million for Easter Vita Push
Sadly not hiring the Easter bunny, though
With the PlayStation Vita now firmly established on retail store shelves, Sony is turning its attention to ensuring there is long-term enthusiasm in the platform. In the UK it intends to achieve that by pumping a whopping £1.5 million into a fresh Easter promotional push. The new campaign will see the PS...
News Skullgirls Release Date in Limbo
Probably out 10th April?
Gorgeous 2D brawler Skullgirls is due out on 11th April on XBOX 360, but a PlayStation Network release date is still unconfirmed. Reverge Labs’ community manager Peter Bartholow triumphantly touted the date on NeoGAF, but warned that a PSN release had not been finalised. He speculated that an 10th April launch is probable...
News Spector: Take a "Chill Pill" Over Musical Mickey
Raised eyebrows
Junction Point gaffer Warren Spector has hit back at critics scoffing at the recently announced Epic Mickey 2’s inclusion of musicals. The video game luminary said in an interview with Eurogamer: When we announced the game, I sort of threw it out there, because I'm so proud and so happy. I saw the look of fear in people's eyes...
News Sony Tempts Japanese Gamers With Free 4GB Vita Memory Card
Sweetening the deal
While positive noises have been made about the Vita's early sales in North America and Europe, there's been little hiding the fact that it's enduring a tough spell in Japan. It seems that gamers in Sony's homeland are happier to buy a PSP or, in even greater numbers, a 3DS. Despite this, it can't be said that Sony isn't trying...
News Extend the Adventure of Escape Plan with Free DLC
Vita's top title expands
The escapades of Lil and Laarg are far from over. Sony has announced on the PlayStation Blog that Escape Plan will get its first content expansion on 10th April – and the content will be free. The downloadable pack, entitled Bakuki’s Lair, will add 19 new prequel levels to the touch intensive head scratcher that will...
News FIFA Street Enjoys Third Week Atop UK Charts
Urban chaos
EA’s maintained its grip on the UK sales charts, occupying four of the top five spots for the week ending 31st March. Streetwise soccer sim FIFA Street held onto its place in the top spot, and was joined by Mass Effect 3, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 and FIFA 12. Slant Six’s tactical shooter,
Rumour FEAR Developer Working on Hobbit Movie Tie-Ins
Letting the cat out of the Baggins
FEAR developer Monolith may be working on a Hobbit title to tie-in with Peter Jackson’s upcoming film. Whistle blower Superannuation has the scoop, claiming on Twitter: As to what Monolith/Warner Bros. Games Seattle is up to now - pretty sure it is a little fantasy action RPG-lite called The Hobbit: Part One...
News GAME Exits Administration, Stores to Remain Open
Good news, everyone
GAME Group's out of administration less than a week after it entered. Investment group OpCapita and Baker Acquisitions Limited negotiated a deal that will see all remaining stores continue to trade, securing the jobs of some 3,200 staff. Here's hoping this signals the start of an upswing for the chain.
Sunday1st Apr 2012
News Prepare Yourself for War with Sniper Elite V2's Demo
Pull the trigger
Publisher 505 Games has confirmed that it will release a demo for Rebellion’s upcoming Sniper Elite V2. The short sampler will launch at some point this month ahead of the game’s full release in May. It’s unclear what the demo will include, but we’re expecting a mission or two from the final game. Remember, if you pre-order...
