Latest Previews - Page 11

April2012

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

February2012

  • First Impressions Twisted Metal

    Carnage

    Twisted Metal is an important brand for PlayStation veterans. Many will have fond memories of weekends spent with turbo-charged cars and homing missiles, settling disputes between friends and family. It’s a franchise that, like WipEout and Gran Turismo, is an important part of PlayStation’s iconography. And if a short hands-on with Eat...

January2012

  • First Impressions Escape Plan on PlayStation Vita

    When Sony debuted Escape Plan at GamesCom last year, we were so infatuated with the game's Tim Burton-esque artstyle that we failed to pay attention to its actual gameplay

    It was only when we attended a PlayStation Vita preview event at the tail-end of last year, that we really got a feel for the mechanics behind the Fun Bits Interactive developed...

  • First Impressions MotorStorm RC

    MicroStorm

    When you think MotorStorm you think big cars, off-road mayhem and more collisions than an engine can rev at. Peep in the direction of Evolution Studios’ PS Vita/PlayStation Network title, however, and something far different than expected can be found. Sure, there’s the occasional bump, and driving definitely takes place off-road...

  • First Impressions Welcome Park

    Let’s get it started

    Gaze upon the launch spread of PS Vita — WipEout 2048, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and those cheeky Little Deviants to name but a few — and it’s easy to overlook the system’s in-built software. Stop salivating over Nathan Drake for ten seconds, though, and flicking around Vita’s bubbly operating system uncovers a pile of...

  • First Impressions WipEout 2048

    Wow-pEout

    PS Vita’s launch line-up is crammed full of quality, yet WipEout 2048 looks to rocket past many of its competitors right out of the gate. Set before the other games in the franchise, 2048 takes fans back to the start of the anti-gravity racing league and gives SCE Studio Liverpool ample opportunity to experiment with its high-speed baby...

  • First Impressions Gravity Rush

    Floaty

    The presence of Keiichiro Toyama, famous for his work on the Silent Hill and Siren franchises, is welcome in the launch window of PS Vita. Seemingly breaking away from his horror roots, Tomaya serves as creative director on Gravity Rush, a game that allows players to reject the rules of gravity itself in the palms of their hands. Kat awakes...

  • First Impressions Grand Slam Tennis 2

    The latest tennis contender

    The recent Grand Slam Tennis 2 demo on PlayStation Network supports PlayStation Move, so we got to grips with its motion controls to see how it shapes up. Ever since Sports Champions redefined motion controls with its table tennis mode, we’ve longed for a similarly accurate tennis game. Both Top Spin 4 and Virtua Tennis...

  • First Impressions Grand Slam Tennis 2 on PS3

    Skill based control has become a foundation of EA Sports' output this generation

    Tiger Woods, Skate and Fight Night have all experimented with right analogue stick inputs, bringing a new level of fidelity to traditionally arcadey experiences. Grand Slam Tennis 2 mimics EA Sports' ambition, bringing a new level of shot precision to the game of...

  • First Impressions Hustle Kings

    Hustle and flow

    Hustle Kings knows it’s up against a tough crowd. Like the similarly styled Top Darts, it’s vying for attention against Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipEout 2048 in the PlayStation Vita’s launch line-up. What chance does a pub game simulation have against such blockbuster names? At first glance, not a whole lot — but Hustle...

  • First Impressions Hustle Kings on PlayStation Vita

    Hustle Kings knows it's up against a tough crowd

    Like the similarly styled Top Darts, it's vying for attention against Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipEout 2048 in the PlayStation Vita's launch line-up. What chance does a pub game simulation have against such blockbuster names? At first glance, not a whole lot — but Hustle Kings has the last laugh...

  • First Impressions Reality Fighters

    Hard to beat?

    Novarama’s one of the few developers that’s actively pushed the potential of augmented reality. Alongside Sony Studio London, the Spanish developer has been instrumental in driving camera-based experiences on the PlayStation Portable — conjuring up the inspired, but flawed, Invizimals series. While the Pokémon-inspired franchise...

  • First Impressions Reality Fighters on PlayStation Vita

    Novarama's one of the few developers that's actively pushed the potential of augmented reality

    Alongside Sony Studio London, the Spanish developer has been instrumental in driving camera-based experiences on the PlayStation Portable — conjuring up the inspired, but flawed, Invizimals series. While the Pokemon inspired franchise has struggled to...

December2011

November2011

  • First Impressions Top Darts

    Double-top?

    Darts games never really worked until the advent of motion controls and touch screens. Tossing tungsten just never quite felt right with an analogue stick and buttons. Developers tried everything, from wobbly hands to ripping off Hot Shots Golf’s three-click aiming system, but nothing ever really replicated the actual act of playing...

  • First Impressions Top Darts on PlayStation Vita

    Darts games never really worked until the advent of motion controls and touch screens

    Tossing tungsten just never quite felt right with an analogue stick and buttons. Developers tried everything, from wobbly hands to ripping off Hot Shots Golf's three-click aiming system, but nothing ever really replicated the actual act of playing arrows until...

  • First Impressions Super Stardust Delta

    Blast from the future

    There’s no bigger advocate for the PlayStation Vita’s dual analogue sticks than Super Stardust Delta. Housemarque’s intergalactic shooter series has been a poster child for the PlayStation Network for years, and on PlayStation Vita it is no less important. The game offers a smattering of play options, divided between...

  • First Impressions Super Stardust Delta on PS Vita

    There's no bigger advocate for the PlayStation Vita's dual-analogue sticks than Super Stardust Delta

    Housemarque's intergalactic shooter series has been a poster child for the PlayStation Network for years, and on PlayStation Vita it is no less important. The game offers a smattering of play options, divided between traditional and modern controls...

October2011

September2011

August2011

July2011

June2011

  • First Impressions Little Deviants

    More than mindless mini-games

    Once I arrived in Los Angeles for E3 2011, one thing I knew for certain - I had to get my hands on Sony's upcoming PSVita system while I had the chance. And while the games I had on my list of must-see titles mostly involved games like Hot Shots Golf and LittleBigPlanet, it was actually a title I hadn't given a lot of...

  • First Impressions PlayStation Vita

    We take Vita for a spin

    After staring at photos of Sony's upcoming Playstation Vita system for the past few months, there was a certain level of excited anticipation at the prospect of actually getting some hands-on time with the unit at this year's E3 show in Los Angeles. And while I had a wealth of questions about how the unit would feel and...

  • First Impressions ModNation Racers on PlayStation Vita

    One of our favourite games on PlayStation 3 last year was ModNation Racers

    In our line of work, we're constantly moving on to the next thing. But ModNation Racers was one of those titles that never fell too low down our stack of PS3 games. We'd pull it out every rainy Sunday or slow afternoon, just to browse the game's latest creations, or race a...

  • First Impressions Hustle Kings on NGP

    No-one in their right mind should get excited over a pool game

    Considering the NGP's stunning line-up, Hustle Kings should be the game that gets easily overlooked. But with the promise of a new interface and intriguing new multiplayer options, Hustle Kings is an important component of the NGP's line-up in spite of its dry subject matter. Touch...

  • First Impressions Wipeout 2048 on NGP

    While Uncharted undoubtedly rules the roost when it comes to PlayStation content in 2011, Wipeout has been quietly defining the brand throughout its entire life-span

    Studio Liverpool's club-culture inspired racer was a smash on the original PlayStation, and hasn't looked back since. The most recent entry, Wipeout HD on PlayStation 3, is probably the...

  • First Impressions Uncharted: Golden Abyss on NGP

    Uncharted is arguably the most important franchise in Sony's roster at the moment

    Not only is it a critical and commercial success for the platform holder, the franchise is also an industry leader. Uncharted is continuously setting a precedent for other developers to follow — it's influential. Uncharted: Golden Abyss aims to take that influence...

April2011

  • First Impressions Virtua Tennis 4 on PlayStation 3

    Stop worrying: Virtua Tennis 4 plays exactly how you'd expect it to with the PlayStation Move

    While a little forgiving, SEGA's anticipated tennis sequel provides the intricate motion control many of us have been dreaming of since first experiencing Sports Champions' excellent table-tennis mode. The publisher really deserves kudos for unlocking the...

March2011

January2011

October2010

September2010