Retro - News
October2023
News Iconic NES Platformer A Boy and His Blob Scoffs Magical Beans on PS5, PS4 This Month
Bean there, done that
After the obvious outings, like Super Mario Bros 3 and Kirby’s Adventure, the one NES game this author remembers most vividly is A Boy and His Blob. Famously designed by Pitfall programmer David Crane, the release sees you employing magical beans to transform the eponymous blob into all sorts of useful utilities, suc
April2023
Random This YouTube Account Has Gone Viral for Unsealing Old PlayStation Games
Unwrapped
OpenGame, a new YouTube account which is blowing up at the moment, owes a lot of its success to the TheRelaxingEnd. The formula is very similar: a pair of gloved hands unseals old games with a fancy knife, but the account’s focus on entire franchises appears to be pleasing Google’s algorithm. Take, for example, this video on every...
March2023
Review Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) - The Pinnacle of PS1 Ridge Racer Games
I want to be R4-ever young
Republished on Saturday, 18th March, 2023: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of March 2023's PS Plus line up. The original text follows. Push Square has pondered the infancy of 3D console graphics during the 32-bit era, and reflected that the ageing process was not always...
News PS Plus Premium Subs Treated to a Trio of Retro Treats Next Week
Emulated action
There’s no doubt about it: PS Plus has improved dramatically across all three tiers this year. Sony revealed the full lineup of games for PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium subscribers earlier, with members of the latter getting treated to a trio of tasty retro releases –
Review The Legend of Dragoon (PS1) - A Flawed But Charismatic Classic
The legend lives on
For many, the PS1 was defined by the global recognition of Japanese role-playing games. Final Fantasy VII obviously led the charge in this regard, but it was flanked by now legendary properties like Breath of Fire, Wild Arms, and Suikoden. It's easy to see the impact that the JRPG boom had on the gaming landscape of the late 90s...
February2023
News Dude! Bill & Ted's Excellent Retro Collection Is Out on PS5, PS4 Now
Not bogus
We’re getting a lot of retro compilations on PS5 and PS4 right now, but Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection may be one of the weirder ones. Featuring LJN’s critically maligned Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure – originally released in 1991 on the NES – and its Game Boy counterpart, the home console version...
January2023
Mini Review Ridge Racer 2 (PSP) - A Greatest Hits Album for Arcade Racing Royalty
Now that's what I call drifting
The original release of PSP's Ridge Racer 2 could be criticised for being almost exactly the same game as its predecessor, only with a few more tracks and modes. However, that doesn't really matter today, especially now it's one of the rare Ridge Racer titles playable on modern consoles. With its one blemish now moot,...
December2022
Soapbox More Publishers, Including PlayStation, Should Celebrate Their Catalogues Like Atari 50
Rose tinted glasses
I’ve always enjoyed retro games, but I don’t think I ever considered myself a Retro Gamer™ until this year. At just 34-years-old, I’m certainly not old – but I am getting older, and I’m beginning to appreciate how this shapes my perspective. For example, I was around for the entirety of the PS1 era – I even attended...
Mini Review Pinball Heroes (PSP) - First-Party PlayStation Time Capsule in Pinball Form
Ball saver
Pinball Heroes feels like a strange snapshot of time, and we mean that in the best possible way. Originally released for the PSP in 2009 as eight digitally downloadable tables, it launched just prior to PlayStation rediscovering its mojo. The context is key here: the PS3 was getting its butt stomped by the Xbox 360, and PS Studios was...
News Obscure PS1 Deep Sea Diving Game B.L.U.E. Legend of Water Now Patched to Play in English
Befriend a dolphin in archaeology adventure
Fans of underwater adventures like Aquanaut’s Holiday and Endless Ocean may be interested in learning more about Hudson Soft’s obscure PS1 deep sea diving game B.L.U.E. Legend of Water, which has now received a full English fan translation patch courtesy of Hilltop. The game, originally released in...
October2022
News These Could Be All the Atari Anniversary Collection Games on PS5, PS4
There's a lot
One of the neat things about owning a PS5 or PS4 these days is that you can legitimately build a fairly large compilation of great retro games, as publishers have been pretty proactive porting old favourites in recent years. One upcoming collection that’s on our radar is Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, which will include more...
August2022
Random Can Sony Topple SEGA and Nintendo? Classic BBC Report Investigates
It'll never catch on
If you’re not subscribed to BBC Archives on YouTube, we recommend you do so. The broadcaster is unearthing oodles of classic news reports, many of which pertain to home computing. It’s really fascinating seeing common contemporary technologies, like email and the Internet, presented as ground-breaking in these old television...
July2022
News Time Extension! Meet Our New Website for Reflective, Retro-Ish Gaming
A site this good takes AGES
We’re all about the next big thing here at Push Square. Whether it’s exciting sequels like God of War Ragnarok, promising new hardware platforms like PSVR2, or even entirely new services like PS Stars – there’s so much to look forward to, it’s rare we ever get the time to look back. That’s where
Review Syphon Filter (PS1) - Espionage and Intrigue Abounds in This Scruffy Cinematic Shooter
Gabe over
Game developers were still figuring out 3D controls when Syphon Filter released in 1999. Bend Studio, then known as Eidetic, were bruised by the critical reception to 1996’s PS1 platformer Bubsy 3D – and wanted to create something truly groundbreaking. Ultimately, both Metal Gear Solid and GoldenEye 007 deployed during the super-spy...
News Play Sony's Long-Lost PS1 Point-and-Click Survival Aconcagua in English at Last
Descenders
Aconcagua, a forgotten PS1 point-and-click game developed and published by Sony, launched in 2000 in Japan. The politically charged title saw you controlling a journalist in a fictional reimagining of Argentina’s Mendoza province, and tasked you with helping a group of survivors descend a mountain after a terrorist attack...
Review Ape Escape (PS1) - Monkeying Around in 3D Platforming Pioneer Is Still a Blast
You're good
Video games went through a super exciting period in the late 90s. The introduction of a third dimension, championed by the PS1, presented a broad new challenge for designers. How can you comfortably control a character in 3D? It's widely recognised that Super Mario 64 pretty much nailed it first try, but there are other games from that...
Review Hot Shots Tennis (PS2) - Bare Bones and Bettered By Its PSP Successor
You cannot be serious
Having taken control of the Hot Shot Golf franchise from Camelot in 1999, developer Clap Hanz proceeded to create five different instalments in the series – six, in fact, if you include the Japan exclusive Hot Shots Golf Online, which was used as a means to help flog the PS2’s Network Adapter domestically. Thus, in 2006,...
Review Hot Shots Golf (PS1) - Utterly Iconic Arcade Golf
Our cup of tee
Japanese studio Clap Hanz may be the developer best associated with the Hot Shots Golf series, which is also known as Everybody’s Golf in Europe. However, it was Camelot Software Planning that teed off the original entry on PS1 back in 1997. That team – having helmed the Shining Force series for SEGA throughout early 90s under the...
June2022
Review Wild Arms (PS1) - Distinctly 90s JRPG Still Sparks the Spirit of Adventure
A man and his rat walk into a ruin
Wild Arms is a classic Japanese RPG — a PS1 release from when the console was at the height of its popularity. Unfortunately, at least here in the West, Wild Arms was overshadowed by a little game called Final Fantasy VII, and the property — which would go on to spawn four somewhat divisive sequels and a couple...
Review Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (PS1) - Dark, Bizarre, and Packed with Personality
Slimy, yet satisfying
Republished on Sunday, 25th June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Tuesday, 6th November, 2018: True to its name, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is one of the oddest games ever created, with...
Review Resident Evil: Director's Cut (PS1) - Iconic Survival Horror
Jill sandwich, please, petrified with mixed herbs
Republished on Thursday, 23rd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Resident Evil: Director's Cut's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Sunday, 25th November, 2018: Spencer Mansion, set deep in Raccoon Forest, looming...
Mini Review Tekken 2 (PS1) - Broken and Awkward, But Still a Classic Fighter
Tekken it to the next level
The original Tekken was Namco's first attempt at a 3D fighting game, and boy did it show. There was undeniable potential at the 1995 title's core, but the game as a whole was incredibly raw, both on a visual and mechanical level. It wasn't until Tekken 2 that the now record-breaking franchise would find its footing. The...
Review Jumping Flash! (PS1) - Unique 90s Platforming from a First-Person Perspective
Buy it, don't Robbit
Republished on Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Jumping Flash!'s inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Sunday, 4th November, 2018: The 16-bit console wars were merciless. During the early concept stage of the PlayStation...
Review Intelligent Qube (PS1) - An Iconic PS1 Puzzler
Blockstar
Republished on Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Intelligent Qube's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Monday, 3rd December, 2018: You run around on a floating platform in the middle of a void, swallowing cubes into the ground one-by-one...
January2021
Random The 25-Year-Old PS1 Demo Disc Cheat You Never Knew About
Total WipEout
Picture the scene: it’s January 1996 – an eye-rolling 25-years ago – and you’re gawking at the non-interactive WipEout demo included with the first copy of The Official PlayStation Magazine. The so-called “rolling demo” technically wasn’t playable – but what if we told you there actually was a way to commandeer those...
May2020
Review Mafia II - Stunning Period Setting Undone Only by Restrictive Open World
Godfatherly love
Republished on Tuesday, 19th May, 2020: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of Mafia II: Definitive Edition. The original text follows. Protagonist Vito Scaletta is a typical mobster: he's a criminal, a low-life, and a murderer -- but you can't help but fall in love with him. Despite being...
January2020
Random Royal Mail Celebrates British Video Games with Awesome Retro Stamp Collection
Pixelated postage
If you're a lover of both retro video games and postage stamps, then we have some good news for you. The UK's Royal Mail has just announced a new collection of stamps featuring various titles from the 80s and 90s developed right here in Blighty, and it's honestly pretty cool. This special run of stamps includes games such as...
December2019
News PSone's Iconic Startup Sound Was Designed to Detect if the Console Could Read Your Disc
The more you know
PSone’s iconic startup sound is arguably one of the most recognisable audio sequences in all of games, but did you know it was designed specifically to detect issues with the console’s CD drive? “The function of this sound is to tell the user that the hardware is running like it is supposed to, and that the disc has...
November2019
"It was the dog’s bollocks"
The original 32-bit PlayStation was a game-changer, but Sony's follow up was even more successful, eventually selling over 155 million units worldwide. Powered by "The Emotion Engine" CPU – developed and manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba – the PS2 is officially the most successful video games...
June2019
Review Crash Team Racing - Naughty Dog Created the Best Kart Racer on PSone
Bandicoot power slide
Start your engines, and fasten your seatbelts for another Naughty Dog creation. In this case it's CTR: Crash Team Racing from 1999, which also happens to be the greatest kart racing game on the PSone. Released in the same year as Speed Freaks, and colourful mascot racers like Bomberman Fantasy Race on PSone, Crash Team Racing...
December2018
Guide Where to Buy the PlayStation Classic Mini Console
There's still plenty of them around
Sony announced the PlayStation Classic earlier in the year, a pint-sized PSone console with a bunch of games pre-loaded. The mini machine is available right now, and you can get it from various retailers across the web. But where can you buy the PlayStation Classic? Here's a quick guide on the mini machine and how...
Review Rayman - An 'Armless PSone Platforming Treat
Ray-manifestation of UbiArt
Even twenty years ago, any love felt towards PSone Rayman's luscious art style could quickly turn into hate due to its spikily relentless difficulty barrier, but a cathartic sense of satisfaction could also be found by perseverant gamers who endured to conquer all eighteen of its levels. As a December 1995 EU launch...
Review Battle Arena Toshinden - Significant But Not Special
Not quite a load of old Tosh-inden
"Play History. Make History." The marketing tagline for the 2018 release of the PlayStation Classic highlights an added attribute of the miniature console in the sense that all 20 games included may not actually be classic PSone games, yet even the less worthy inclusions provide gamers with a snapshot of playing...
November2018
Review Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six - Not a PS Classic, But Interesting Nonetheless
Back to basics
Believe it or not, but there was a time when the Tom Clancy game franchise that haemorrhaged titles in the 2000s was actually less popular than the legendary novelist himself. Even by the late 90s, only a handful of games based on his books had come out – most of them Hunt for the Red October submarine sims. That all changed in...
Review Metal Gear Solid - An All-Time Classic
Liquid gold
You’ve just infiltrated a highly secure enemy base using only your cunning and the scant equipment that you happened to find on your way. After rendezvousing with your hostage, you’re showered with a stirring speech on the importance of global nuclear disarmament, as well as the horrific impact of an increasingly militarised world...
Review Spyro the Dragon - The Classic Collectathon That Put Insomniac on the Map
Don't Gnorc it
While Insomniac Games has become one of PlayStation's most recognised developers, it cut its teeth with the little known PSone first-person shooter Disruptor, which launched in 1996. It was a DOOM clone among many others that populated the gaming landscape at the time, but there were aspects to it that made it stand out among the...
September2018
News PlayStation Classic Games Lineup Will Differ Between Japanese and Western Versions
Apart from the five announced
So far, we only know about a quarter of the titles that are set to feature on Sony's PlayStation Classic mini console, but depending on where you buy it, the rest of the lineup could be quite different. The five currently announced will feature on the machine in Japan and the West, but the other titles will vary by...
Guide The Best PSone Games We Want on a PlayStation Classic Mini
The king's classics
Update, 19th September 2018, 8am BST: This article has been republished following Sony's announcement of the PlayStation Classic. There’s no doubting that the PSone is one of the greatest video game consoles of all time. The plethora of brand new IP, quality RPGs, and game-changing releases that landed on Sony’s debut...
July2018
Feature Spider-Man 2 - Does It Still Hold Up Today?
"I lost my balloon!"
Insomniac's imminent superhero blockbuster, Spider-Man, has looked increasingly promising since its announcement all the way back at E3 2016. We've yet to try the game out for ourselves, but based on what...
September2017
Review Final Fantasy IX (PSone)
I want to be your canary
Republished on Tuesday 19th September 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the game's remastered release on PlayStation 4. The original text follows. As far as Final Fantasy games go, Final Fantasy IX is one of the most cohesive, charming entries in Square Enix's beloved series. It marked the...
June2017
Review Tokyo Jungle (PlayStation 3)
Primal rage
Republished on Wednesday, 28th June 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July 2017's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. In an industry which is seemingly obsessed with burly soldiers packing massive machine guns and other associated heavy ordinance, it’s...
Review Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (PS4 / PS2)
The last hope?
You know you’re playing an older game when you’re forced to use the shoulder buttons to turn the camera. There’s no option to change it to the right analogue stick, either, presumably because that would have meant extra work. It’s a sure-fire sign that Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is just an emulated upscale of the...
March2017
Review Journey (PlayStation 3)
The road less travelled
Update (14th March, 2017): To celebrate the five year anniversary of Journey's release, we're bringing our original review back from the archives for one day only. A seminal moment in PlayStation history. Enjoy! Originally published (1st March, 2017): Journey is a seminal release; the kind of title that comes once in a...
October2016
News We Got Up Close and Personal with the Nintendo PlayStation
Alternate universe
On display at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this weekend was a real treasure: the Nintendo PlayStation. The disc-based edition of the Super Nintendo system was produced by Sony in collaboration with the House of Mario, but never saw the light of day after the two Japanese giants had a difference of opinion. A prototype unit did,...
July2016
Video We Unboxed a Brand New PocketStation
Because why not?
With our attempts at creating meaningful YouTube content either drawing indifference or ire, we figured that we'd do something really dumb today – like, unbox a brand new Sony PocketStation dumb. Your humble host snagged this on eBay a few years ago, and it's been sitting in its packet ever since. Why? Because… Well, that...
Feature The Making of Cancelled PS2 Sci-Fi Shooter EXO
The story of Sheffield's most ambitious undertaking
Scheduled 60 years in the future where a ruthless corporation and its cyber terrorists hold a city to ransom, EXO pushed the creativity and technological innovation of a Sheffield company to the limit and promised to be a blockbusting, game-changer for the PlayStation 2. Creative supremo Glyn...
February2016
News Watch Five Seconds of Every PSone Game Released in the US
Are you sitting comfortably?
How's this for a trip down memory lane? To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of PlayStation – a celebration that we must stress seems to be lasting a decade – Game Rave TV has compiled five seconds of footage from every PSone game released at US retail. It's a gigantic hunk of a video weighing in at over two hours, so...
Long time coming
The Summon Night series has a bit of a niche following in the strategy role-playing game genre. To the surprise of many, it was announced that a localized version of Summon Night 5 would not only get to launch on the PlayStation Network, but would also nab a physical release here in the West. So, is it worth dusting off the ol'...
Feature A Brief History of Virtual Reality
Alex Boz tours the '90s VR graveyard
With the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR well and truly on the way to our living rooms, virtual reality (VR) is the biggest news in gaming right now. But let's rewind the clock some two and a half decades, back when Sony was working on the Nintendo Play Station and the inventor of the Oculus Rift, Palmer Luckey,...
December2015
Gangster's paradise
Should the long awaited Yakuza 5 prove to be the PlayStation 3's swan song, there couldn't be a more fitting release. Like the last-gen system itself, the latest instalment in SEGA's seedy soap opera is occasionally convoluted and slow to get started, but it's deeply entertaining all the same. It may have taken series protagonist...
November2015
Review Eiyuu Senki - The World Conquest (PS3)
Girl fight
Eiyuu Senki - The World Conquest started life as an "adult game" for PC, before being cleaned up and ported to the PlayStation 3. You only need to look at a screenshot to see evidence of this, but beyond all of the fan service, is this a game worth playing? The premise is relatively simple: you control a nameless protagonist, who is...
A pair of 2.5Determined magical hoppers
How could a developer solve a problem like a desire to build a side-scrolling platformer in a 1996 3D graphics obsessed world? The answer was to find a middle ground, which we affectionately refer to as 2.5D today. Published by Crystal Dynamics and created by Toys for Bob in Novato, California close to the...
October2015
GEX-sticulates yelling '90s pop culture quips
A game can be an interesting representation of its generation without being beautiful, timeless, and artistically ageless. Released on the EU's PSone in April 1996, GEX was loud, brash, and in-your-face, but so were films like Point Break and ska-punk bands such as Assorted Jelly Beans during the 1990s...
Review Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax (PS3)
Anticlimax
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax has made the leap West. Released for the Vita and PlayStation 3 eleven months ago in Japan, the assist-based 2D fighter brings together characters from the Dengeki Bunko portfolio in a Sega-themed world to battle against a mysterious, evil force. Featuring 14 playable characters and 23 more cameo...
Review Mickey's Wild Adventure (PSone)
Traveller's tenaciously timeless theatrical tales
Every gaming generation has a few genre styles that are dominant, and in the early 1990s scrolling shmups, brawlers, and cutesy mascot platformers were the most prevalent titles on a game shop's shelves. Julian 'Jaz' Rignall was prophetic in his editorial for the February 1991 issue five of Mean...
September2015
FEISARis, not Surfaris
Republished on Tuesday, 29th September 2015: We're bringing this review back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary in Europe today. The original text follows. Originally published on Saturday, 12th October 2013: When the magazine reviews of WipEout landed a month after its September 1995 release,...
Feature The Making of the Sony PlayStation
Investigating the birth of a legend
Republished on Tuesday, 29th September 2015: We're bringing this article back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary in Europe today. The original text follows. Originally published on Thursday, 9th August 2012: It's almost impossible to conceive it now but prior to the 32-bit...
April2015
Review Gundam: Battle Assault 2 (PSone)
Gundam fight!
Not many Japanese developed games are released only in the West, but this was the case with Gundam: Battle Assault 2 – at least before it was re-released as two separate budget titles in its homeland. Much like its predecessor, Gundam: Battle Assault, the follow-up was launched in an attempt to capitalise on the franchise's overseas...
Review Gundam: Battle Assault (PSone)
You need more practice
If you were into Mobile Suit Gundam Wing back when it aired in the 1990s, then you may have heard of or even played Gundam: Battle Assault on the PSone. In an attempt to capitalise on the aforementioned anime's popularity, publisher Bandai decided to localise the 2D fighter, which was called Gundam: The Battle Master 2 in its...
March2015
Review 5 Star Wrestling (PlayStation 3)
Lie, cheat, steal
After the latest disappointment in the colossal WWE series, wrestling game fans may have found solace in the knowledge that a fresh contender was on the way to challenge for the genre's crown. Pitched as the wrestling equivalent of Pro Evolution Soccer, Serious Parody's 5 Star Wrestling intended to offer a fun alternative to...
Review Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters (PlayStation 3)
Scooby Doo, my waifu
One of the really great things about visual novels as a format is the utter lack of effort that you have to exert in order to make the most of them. While games packed full of stressful situations and an immersive, highly tactile experience are brilliant, sometimes that's just a little too much. You want to relax,...
Review The Awakened Fate Ultimatum (PlayStation 3)
Fateful random encounters
The conflict between Heaven and Hell is a theme often explored in video games. Is Heaven really made up of pure righteousness, and conversely is Hell really founded solely on black malefic intent? The eternal struggle of good and evil, polar opposites clashing against one another in a battle to the death – it can all be...
Review Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (PlayStation 3)
Back to basics
This author has been lucky enough to see the Atelier franchise slowly evolve over the past five years. With each PlayStation 3 title, new mechanics have been introduced, scrapping those that didn't previously work and improving on those that did. Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea is the biggest improvement yet, though, as it...
February2015
Review Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late (PlayStation 3)
Better late than never
You'd be forgiven for being under the impression that Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late – the clear forerunner for 2015's most pointlessly long video game title – is nothing more than another uninspired 2D anime fighting game. It certainly gives off an initial "I should probably be playing BlazBlue instead" vibe. Developer...
Review Hyper Void (PlayStation 3)
Black hole sun
In an industry where literally anyone can decide to make a video game, it's almost instinctive to overlook something like Hyper Void. Created by two brothers with a passion for old-school space shooters, this three-dimensional take on the genre has its fair share of shortcomings – but we still think that those interested should at...
January2015
Review Brandish: The Dark Revenant (PlayStation Portable)
Resurrect an old friend
Brandish: The Dark Revenant was originally released on the Super Nintendo in 1991. Despite its rocky reception, it was eventually ported to the PlayStation Portable in 2009 in Japan. And, after six years, it's finally travelled overseas, with a full English localisation. The big question is: has it been worth the wait? The...
December2014
Review Cosmophony (PlayStation 3)
Hell in a halfpipe
Cosmophony is a rhythmic shooter for the PlayStation 3 which has you guiding a craft as it flies through a wire frame halfpipe packed full of geometric shapes. These are either obstacles to avoid or targets to blast and each of the five stages available are set to a thumping drum and bass soundtrack from French producer and DJ,...
Review Syberia (PlayStation 3)
Clickbait
Originally released in 2002, Syberia is one of the most fondly remembered examples of the point and click adventure game genre. With a clever story, and equally ingenious puzzles, it remains as relevant today as the day that it was released. But while the title itself makes a strong case for the revival of this antiquated style of...
Review Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom (PlayStation 3)
It's dangerous to go alone
WayForward has been toying with the Adventure Time property in games for a while now, and hasn’t quite managed to merge the show’s wacky personality with a compatible interactive experience up to this point. Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom finally gets the pairing right, and while it’s not without...
Review BlazeRush (PlayStation 3)
Blaze of glory
Missiles and bullets flying past cars; monster trucks and flying saucers whizzing down tracks; collisions, crashes, and that all-important final lap overtake – this is BlazeRush, a brand new PlayStation 3 racer from Russian developer Targem Games. This drive-‘em-up offers a short story about underground racing and your...
Dan, Dan, you’re decomposing, man
Republished on Thursday, 4th December 2014: We're bringing this review back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary this week. The original text follows. Originally published on Saturday, 19th October 2013: It can be a tough life being a PSone retro game. After all, you were fresh and...
The pig-eating caveboy gets a second chance
Republished on Wednesday, 3rd December 2014: We're bringing this review back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary this week. The original text follows. Originally published on Monday, 12th November 2012: While many retro enthusiasts will grumble endlessly about how digital...
Review Crash Bandicoot (PSone)
Marsupial madness
At one time, Crash Bandicoot was the face of the PlayStation brand, but through licensing headaches and the creation of other characters, the spunky star hasn’t quite gone on to fill the role of Nintendo’s Mario or Microsoft’s Master Chief. However, the hero’s titular game remains a signature PlayStation classic that served...
Reflections in your rear-view mirror
Before Driver rolled onto the PSone in 1999, developer Reflections Interactive had already delivered two enjoyable driving experiences, in the form of the Destruction Derby games on Sony’s first console. With a physics engine that delivered a fun drive, and destructible vehicles that had debris flying off their...
Review Digimon All-Star Rumble (PlayStation 3)
Digivolve into average
Back in the 90s when Pokémon and Digimon fought for the money of the young, the digital creatures managed to win over many would-be monster trainers thanks to a decent television series, but flash forward two decades, and Digimon has long since past its prime, while Nintendo's catch-'em-up continues to dominate the handheld...
Feature The Third Place - A Brief History of PlayStation Hardware Marketing
Live in your world, play in ours
Republished on Tuesday, 2nd December 2014: We're bringing this article back from the archives to celebrate the PSone's big 20th Anniversary this week. The original feature follows. Originally published on Saturday, 26th October 2013: With the PlayStation 4 now mere weeks away from release, Sony is starting to oil...
Review Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F 2nd (PlayStation 3)
Dancing queen
The musical maven of the digital world returns with the release of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F 2nd – the second coming of the leading lady and her motley crew in SEGA’s fast-paced, rhythm series. Featuring even more music created through the character’s very own virtual vocals suite, does this sequel hit a high – or a bum...
Review Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX (PlayStation 3)
Sora sensational
Square Enix may not know how to do release dates, press conferences, or reasonable haircuts, but it's an expert at HD Collections. The firm's Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster was at least half a masterpiece, and the original Kingdom Hearts collection has become the only proper way to start the franchise. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX...
November2014
Review Blood of the Werewolf (PlayStation 3)
The wolf among us
Some people just don’t have any luck. As though transforming into a hairy, blood-thirsty bipedal wolf every month isn’t a tad inconvenient, then someone has to come and murder your husband, burn down your gothic home, and take your son. Thankfully, the only thing between you and him is a series of impractically designed...
Review Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops (PlayStation 3)
Military mishap
Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops combines the best features and missions from its mobile counterparts, packaging the popular smartphone series’ first two titles together for PlayStation platforms. Does this port march onto Sony’s systems with success, though – or is it an overpriced clone doing the console rounds? The game definitely...
Review Assassin's Creed Rogue (PlayStation 3)
A touch of frost
You’d be forgiven for branding Assassin’s Creed Rogue an afterthought, as its next-gen brother, Assassin’s Creed Unity, overshadowed its release. Although appearing as a cash-in for those still waiting to upgrade their PlayStation 3s, though, this is actually a solid instalment in Ubisoft’s historical franchise, bringing...
Review Snark Busters: High Society (PlayStation 3)
Who you gonna call?
A game sporting a name like Snark Busters: High Society should be enough to perk the interest of pretty much anyone – you can’t help but let it spark question after question in your mind. What the hell’s a Snark, why does it need busting, and most importantly, will there be top hats? Should all of these questions push your...
Review Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (PlayStation 3)
Pill popper
Pac-Man is a classic video game character, recognised alongside other greats such as Mario, Sonic, and Donkey Kong. The origins of these heroes have all helped to shape the gaming world as we know it today – but how is Bandai Namco’s famous bubble biter remaining relevant in this day and age? Well, after sprouting arms and legs, the...
Review WWE 2K15 (PlayStation 3)
Low blow
If you’re a wrestling fan, it’s been hard to ignore 2K Sports’ constant bragging about just how revolutionary WWE 2K15 is going to be. However, while this certainly looks to be true with the PlayStation 4 version, the recycled gameplay and samey ideas present in the last-gen effort leave a lot to be desired. When booting up the game...
Review Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis (PlayStation 3)
Heart breaker
This writer’s reputation for revelling in mediocre games is well regarded around the Push Square office, and Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis is another one of those middling titles that’s ingratiated itself to this strange scribe. An updated version of last year’s Xbox 360 and PC release, this Indiana Jones-inspired romp...
Review Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (PlayStation 3)
You don’t know Jack
The first two Borderlands games brought loot to first person shooters in a huge way, and in the process, proved to be massive hits with gamers. Now, with the arrival of Borderlands: The Pre Sequel, original developer Gearbox Software have taken a backseat, allowing 2K Australia to fire up the gun generator for another outing,...
October2014
Review Jet Car Stunts (PlayStation 3)
Trials and error
Jet Car Stunts’ arrival on the PlayStation 3 and Vita marks the popular mobile game’s first foray onto consoles. Historically, adapted smartphone titles end up feeling a little, well, off when they’re converted to consoles – but there are exceptions. The big question, then, is whether Grip Games has managed to make True...
Review F1 2014 (PlayStation 3)
Stuck in the past
One of the hardest things to achieve in a yearly franchise is a hook to keep people coming back. It’s true of not only sports games, but the sports themselves – after all, no one wants to invest time into something that stays the same every year. For Formula 1, the answer has been the biggest shake-up in a generation, with new...
Review Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star (PlayStation 3)
Lost in Space
In a world where songs can kill and chatting with semi-naked girls in bathtubs is part of a sacred ceremony, a religious war has split two factions in half. Propaganda and aggression have kept these two groups separate for long enough that neither realises one simple truth: that there are real people on both sides. Ar Nosurge: Ode to...
Review Slender: The Arrival (PlayStation 3)
A walk in the woods
The mythos of Slenderman shouldn’t be much of a mystery anymore. The abnormally tall creature with no discernible facial features and a rockin’ tuxedo has blown up in popularity these past couple of years. This is mostly due to popular web series Marble Hornets, but another thing that added to the creepy character’s...
September2014
Review Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution (PlayStation 3)
Ninja stars shine so bright
The Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series has been a rock for Japanese developer CyberConnect2. A franchise which began back in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, there have been numerous entries since, and it's impressive to think that not a single one has been overly disappointing. In fact, the series has only gotten better as the...
Review Fairy Fencer F (PlayStation 3)
Caught off-garde
Sometimes the best way to succeed is to stick to the bread and butter of the genre, rather than mess about with weird gimmicks. In Fairy Fencer F, developed by Compile Heart, it aims to do just that in using fairies, furies, and fencers. Upon overhearing a rumour, our hungry hero Fang removes the sword in the stone to get his one...
August2014
Review The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 5 - No Going Back (PlayStation 3)
The long and winding road
Back in July, when Telltale’s critically acclaimed The Wolf Among Us wrapped up its first season, The Walking Dead was only at its halfway point – but the developer has raced to Season Two’s finale since then. As those of you that are familiar with the series will already know, this second set of episodes puts you...
Review Tales of Xillia 2 (PlayStation 3)
Cat scratch Ludger
Tales of Xillia 2 is the sequel to last year's successful Tales of Xillia on the PlayStation 3. Much like the previous game, it’s charming, wonderful, and rewarding all at the same time. The worlds of Rieze Maxia and Elympios return as well as most of the gameplay from the original, and being the 14th title in the Tales series,...
Review Risen 3: Titan Lords (PlayStation 3)
Roll with it
For any series to make it to a third entry is quite an achievement, especially when it’s a perennial underachiever like the Risen games. After leaning heavily into the more piratical aspects for its first sequel, developer Piranha Bytes has doubled down on this approach for Risen 3: Titan Lords, letting you once again sail the high...
Review Sacred 3 (PlayStation 3)
Nothing is sacred
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, while not what you’d call a big success, still managed to garner quite a following among a certain set of gamers, even in spite of a few rough edges. Those that did end up sinking hour after hour into the action role playing game really appreciated its massive open world, extensive loot system, and huge...
Review El Chavo Kart (PlayStation 3)
Chilli con carnage
Many game developers have tried to enter the kart racing genre, but all with the exception of Crash Bandicoot have failed to score a podium place next to Super Mario. Efecto Studios is the latest outfit to have a pop with El Chavo Kart – a title based upon the apparently popular Mexican cartoon, El Chavo: The Animated Series. As...
July2014
Review Might & Magic: Duel of Champions - Forgotten Wars (PlayStation 3)
Pay £7.99 for tagline
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Might & Magic: Duel of Champions - Forgotten Wars is some kind of trading card video game, but that’s short-sighted. No, it’s an investment opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to hand out huge amounts of money in return for digital versions of cards that your other half probably...
Review The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 4 - Amid the Ruins (PlayStation 3)
The penultimate peril
The next to last episode of the second season of Telltale Games’ episodic The Walking Dead adaptation is an unsurprisingly gripping experience. Following in the footsteps of arguably the best instalment that Telltale Games has released to date, the fourth entry, Amid the Ruins, has an awful lot to live up to. And live up to...
Review Sacra Terra: Kiss of Death (PlayStation 3)
Love island
What’s a girl to do? Her man’s taking his sweet time proposing to her, and she’s getting bored of waiting for him. You could probably think of any number of sensible courses of action in this situation, none of which involve picking up a book on witchcraft so that you can perform a love spell. Still, in PlayStation 3 puzzler Sacra...
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