Tag: Talking Point - Page 18
Talking Point Are We Starting to Expect Too Much from PlayStation Plus?
More, more, more
You can have too much of a good thing. Way back in 2010 when PlayStation Plus first launched, this editor greedily gobbled up the single free PlayStation Mini that was given away as part of the premium service every month. It was a real novelty when you got a full game – a selection of SEGA Mega Drive ports fleshed out the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 24
A little bit of this, a little bit of that...
... It started with a kiss, and now we’re up to bat. Still, this isn’t the time for Santana songs, as we’ve got another glorious edition of ‘What Are You Playing This Weekend?’ to compile. Your usual guide Katy Ellis is taking time out this week following the conclusion of her educational...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 23
Zombies ahoy
It's evident from the Push Square staff blurbs below that now is definitely a good time to be a PlayStation gamer. Whether you're an RPG, shooter, puzzle, visual novel, or action-adventure fan, there's something for everyone this weekend. Of course, this isn't a one way street, so don't forget to let us know which titles you'll be...
Talking Point Should Sony Respond to Microsoft's UK Xbox One Price Cut?
Incredible crisis
You’ve got to hand it to Microsoft, it knows how to react quickly. The Redmond-based manufacturer has been flip-flopping between Xbox One strategies faster than Usain Bolt in sandals, starting all the way back at E3 where the company controversially defended its abhorrent digital rights management policies – only to yank them...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 22
Back to school
Guess what? There are only 305 days until Christmas! More importantly, though, there are only ten days until everyone's favourite time of the year – Pancake Day. Here at Push Square, we're all about forward-thinking, and that's exactly why we're letting you in on our gaming plans for the weekend. But in between your sudden rush to...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 21
Saturday scares
While Valentine's Day may only be around the corner, some of our writers are more interested in scaring themselves silly than snuggling up with a romantic visual novel. Assuming that you're not too busy trying to track down roses or crying in a corner, though, do let us know which games you'll be gorging on this weekend. Go on, you...
Talking Point Is the Vita Really Dying a 'Slow, Painful Death'?
Last legs
Seasoned industry analyst Michael Pachter couldn’t possibly paint a bleaker picture of the future of Sony’s handheld gaming business. Speaking with Game Informer in a recent interview, the popular sales predictor noted that the platform holder “misjudged the market” with the PlayStation Vita, and hinted that it
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 20
Weekend wonders
Issue 20? Wow, time flies – it feels like only yesterday that we began this feature. Nevertheless, things haven't really changed much since then, as the majority of us here at Push Square towers will be once again using our weekends to start new adventures, continue old quests, and shoot stuff. Except one of our writers, who has...
Talking Point Do the December NPD Results Flag a Flaw in PS4's Strategy?
Chink in the armour
Isn’t it funny how your expectations can adapt in little to no time at all? This intrepid author has spent the past seven or so years scouring negative PlayStation 3 news, but within the span of a couple of months, the outlook of Sony’s home console market has significantly changed. Since its release late last year, the...
Talking Point Do Sony's Family Franchises Have a Future on PS4?
Eye to eye
Nintendo fans may try to convince you otherwise, but Sony was the first to unlock the casual game market. Its competitor may have found global success with the motion controlled Wii, but the Japanese giant had already spent several years marketing brands such as Buzz and EyeToy to a more mainstream audience by that point. However, with...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 19
Happy New Year
Christmas has passed, and the New Year is here – but that doesn't necessarily mean that the Push Square team has scaled back its PlayStation play time. Once again, we're bringing you the inside scoop on the gaming habits of our writers this weekend, but don't forget, this isn't a one-way affair – so feel free to let us know what...
Talking Point Will Someone Please Frag Online Exclusive Trophies
Trophy locked
We had hoped that the backlash to Tomb Raider’s undercooked (and unnecessary) multiplayer mode would have strong-armed adamant creator Crystal Dynamics into reconsidering the upcoming PlayStation 4 port’s Trophy roster, but a leaked list detailed late last week has confirm
Talking Point What New Year's Resolutions Should Sony Make in 2014?
Changing for the better
We’ve somehow lurched into 2014 without a nuclear disaster or some other life-ending apocalyptic event, so that means that it’s time to make resolutions for the future. While the majority of the planet ponders whether it should finally stump up for an expensive gym membership, the arrival of a New Year can also provide...
Talking Point Has Father Christmas Added to Your PlayStation Backlog?
Tell us about your gaming gifts
Christmas may be about a lot of different things, but we’d be lying if we said that we didn’t predominantly enjoy the gifts. In addition to gigantic roast dinners and terrible television shows, sharing presents has become a pivotal part of the festive experience – and we want to know whether you received any new...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This... Christmas?
One more sleep
We’ve all been forced to endure an avalanche of hype over the past couple of weeks, but as we frantically tap out this last-minute message, Christmas has virtually arrived. To be honest, we’re not overly fond of Brussels sprouts, charged family disputes, and terrible terrestrial television – but we are thrilled at the fact that...
Talking Point Should Sony Mirror Steam's Discount Strategy for PSN?
Door busters
Sales can actually be a pretty cunning strategy. Supermarkets are particularly good at them, lowering the cost of sought after goods in order to obtain publicity and drive foot traffic through their stores. It only takes one heavily discounted item to coerce thrifty shoppers into a cash splashing frenzy, and that allows retailers to...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 18
Snow isn't falling, all around us
The holidays are coming, and that can only mean one thing – it's time to grab your favourite Christmas sweater (you know, the one that your Nan knitted for you), hold a yummy mince pie in one hand, and pick up your DualShock with the other. This weekend, here at Push Square towers, we'll be busy Trophy hunting and...
Talking Point Is PlayStation Plus Helping or Hindering the PS Vita?
Playing the waiting game
Speculation seeping out of this week’s NPD sales report suggests that Media Molecule’s universally acclaimed PlayStation Vita exclusive Tearaway sold around 14,000 copies in North America during its release window. That number is heartbreaking for a title that not only came close to a 10/10 on this site, but also secured...
Talking Point Do the PS4 Controller's Gimmicks Add Anything Worthwhile?
Bright like a touch light
You’ve (hopefully) had the PlayStation 4 in your home for a few weeks now, meaning that you’ve had ample opportunity to test out all of the devices features and functions. We’ve already polled you on your overall impressions of the device, its
Talking Point Why the PS4 Is Well Set for Success
Perfect position
It’s amazing the difference that a generation makes. Sony sauntered into the PlayStation 3 era with an industry leading brand, lofty ambitions, and its eye off the ball. An embarrassing price tag, awkward architecture, and out-of-touch board of directors consigned the platf
Talking Point PS4 Proves That Consoles Are Alive and Kicking
On the pulse
We relish bad news like a kitten does catnip. As a species, it’s deep coded into our genetic makeup to pay utmost attention to the darkest parts of life and brush the positives under the carpet. Newspapers lead with murders rather than acts of bravery, television bulletins push cheerful clips to the tail-end of their schedules, and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - PS4 Special Part 2
Greatness revived
The time has come. The next-generation of PlayStation gaming has arrived, and its already busy consuming our weekends. In the last edition of 'What Are You Playing This Weekend', a few of our North American team members shared their exciting first steps into the world of the PlayStation 4, while the rest of the world moaned in the...
Talking Point Share Your European PS4 Launch Stories Here
Greatness comes to those that wait
The wait for the PlayStation 4 has been especially difficult for Europe. Those of you living in North America were able to snatch the next generation system two weeks ago, meaning that folks in the UK, France, and Germany have been left twiddling their thumbs for almost 14 days. No more, though, as the console...
Talking Point Is the PS4's Controller Pushing Your Buttons?
Perfect peripheral
There’s no doubt that the PlayStation 4 comes with a number of improvements over its current generation counterpart. The system’s user interface, for starters, is much slicker than its predecessor’s – despite the implementation of multiple new features such as game profiles and live streaming. Furthermore,
Talking Point Share Your Greatest PS4 Moments So Far
Show boat
Arguably the PlayStation 4’s neatest new feature is the ability to capture screenshots and video clips of whatever you’re playing at any time. While the lack of YouTube support makes it slightly more difficult to share gameplay footage at the moment, it’s significantly easier to post screenshots dem
Talking Point Is the PS4's Limited Launch Lineup a Problem?
Day none
Subtract resolution from the equation and the hottest topic of the past few days has pertained to launch lineups. With new consoles from both Sony and Microsoft prompting platform warriors to froth at the mouth, the weeks leading up to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One’s respective launches have been
Talking Point Are You a Fan of the PS4's Social Features?
Broadcast yourself
Game sharing is nothing new. While it’s never been this particular author’s cup of tea, numerous YouTube personalities have made a living out of uploading commentated footage of games, and the rise of social streaming services such as Twitch and Ustream have only increased the prestige of these online pundits. On the...
Talking Point What Are Your Thoughts on the PS4's User Interface?
The important link
There was a time when a console’s interface consisted of little more than a digital clock and a save data protocol, but the PlayStation 3 era changed all of that. Microsoft can be perhaps credited for the improvement, as the Xbox 360 deployed with a cavalcade of features as part of its classic ‘Blades’ hub – but Sony’s...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - PS4 Special
Greatness arrives
There’s not a whole lot of girth to this week’s edition of ‘What Are You Playing This Weekend’, we’re afraid. We wanted to put together a big PlayStation 4 launch special for you, but didn’t consider that most of our North American team would be too busy actually experiencing greatness to take part. As for our European...
Talking Point What Are Your First Impressions of the PS4?
Hot or not
You may be bleary eyed after an evening spent standing outside your local game store, but we daresay that Sony’s next generation system has managed to wash away some of your blues. While you may not have had ample time to sink your teeth into the PlayStation 4 yet – that’s what the weekend was invented for, after all – we want to...
Talking Point Share Your North American PS4 Launch Stories
Greatness beckons
The wait has almost come to an end. At the time of writing, we are mere hours away from the PlayStation 4’s launch in North America. It’s been a long journey since the next generation system’s exciting 20th February unveiling, but now you're moments away from getting your hands on the hotly anticipated hardware. We recently...
Talking Point How Have the First Reviews Affected Your Anticipation for PS4?
Changed perspective
If the impending next generation felt like a far away dream when you lurched out of bed this morning, then today’s initial roster of hardware and software reviews should have shaken you out of your slumber. Indeed, at the time of writing, Sony’s next generation console is mere hours away – but how have the first batch of...
Talking Point Is a Big Reveal Likely During Sony's PS4 Launch Livestream?
Dropping bombs
We’ve lost count of PlayStation press conferences this year. Ordinarily the platform holder commits three big events to the gaming calendar – E3, GamesCom, and TGS, of course – but this year it’s eschewed that trend in favour of quite literally a half-dozen media briefings or more. The latest in its long line of livestreams is
Talking Point Are You Upgrading Your Television in Preparation for PS4?
Different device, different display
Resolution has been the most popular point of video game discourse over the past few days. With the expiration of several next generation embargoes, pivotal multiplatform products such as Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4 have been compared and contrasted across various consoles. But with
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 17
Turn around
Well, this is your last chance. The next time that we post a ‘What Are You Playing This Weekend?’ article, the PlayStation 4 will be available in North America. That means that this is your final opportunity to clear out your backlog before the next generation officially begins. In order to celebrate the occasion, we’ve compiled a...
Talking Point Which PlayStation Game Gives You the Goosebumps?
Reader beware
Boo! Apologies, it’s Hallowe’en, so we couldn’t resist sending a shiver down your spine. With the spookiest day in the Gregorian calendar very much upon us, we figured that it was a perfect opportunity to position the courageous Push Square team around a fierce camp fire, and force them to share some short stories regarding their...
Talking Point How Much Do Format Face-Offs Really Matter?
Counting pixels
If there’s one thing that we’ve learned from the abundance of animated Ron Paul images being posted around the web today, it’s that it’s most definitely happening. The expiration of Battlefield 4’s next generation review embargo inevitably brought with it more drama than a daytime soap opera overnight, with epic
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 16
Doom and gloom
Sadness has befallen Push Square towers. Not only has it been a disappointing week full of game delays, but Christmas songs are already playing on the radio. It's mid-October! To make matters worse, head honcho Sammy Barker hasn't contributed to this article – the swine. But don't worry, you need not fall into a pit of depression,...
Talking Point How Have This Week's Delays Affected Your Anticipation for PS4?
Hype killer
It’s ironic that the week that Sony opted to launch its Perfect Day commercial, the PlayStation 4 has suffered its most Imperfect Week since its announcement. It’s perhaps a testament to the Japanese giant’s flawless approach to the next generation that the setbacks have taken so long to materialise, but
Talking Point How Much Game Does a Video Game Need?
Push square to win
There was a time when video games were easy to define. You’d pop a quarter into a lively looking cabinet, shoot some aliens, and try to set a high score. The rules established by the early generation of arcade hits throughout the 1970s have long since dictated what we’ve come to expect from interactive entertainment, but as...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 15
Let the cops chase us around
Time flies when you’re having fun. It doesn’t feel like a day since we started our ‘What Are You Playing This Weekend’ series, but it’s been almost eight months. While the past few editions have been a teensy bit slow due to the sunny summer weeks, though, we suspect that proceedings are about to get a smidgen...
Talking Point When Will Be the Right Time to Reintroduce The Last Guardian?
Birds of delay
Four years. It’s been four years since The Last Guardian was officially announced for the PlayStation 3. A leaked video had revealed the project a few weeks earlier, but it wasn’t acknowledged by Sony until the platform holder’s press conference at E3 2009. That early glimpse – a four-and-a-half minute trailer – remains the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 14
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Unsurprisingly, this edition of What Are You Playing This Weekend has turned into a bit of a Grand Theft Auto V special, with the majority of the staff here at Push Square towers far too busy terrorising the streets of Los Santos to worry about the dull weather outside. As always, feel free to let us know whether...
Talking Point Are You in Tune with Sony's Multifunctional PS Vita TV?
Mixed reception
Who would have thought that a PlayStation Vita without a screen could be so curiously compelling? You wouldn’t have got very good odds on PS Vita TV being announced before Sony’s surprise pre-Tokyo Game Show press conference earlier in the month, but it’s quickly gone on to establish itself as one of the most in-demand...
Talking Point Is Grand Theft Auto V Living Up to Your Expectations?
Lofty as the Los Santos dream
Rockstar Games may have nurtured one of the largest entertainment franchises on the planet over the past 15 or so years, but such desirable territory comes with unrivalled pressures. While the company will no doubt be readying a press release regarding Grand Theft Auto V’s record breaking sales as we type, such high...
Talking Point Would You Buy a Virtual Reality Headset for Your PS4?
Oculus shift
Sony’s clearly enjoying itself in interviews at the moment. Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has been dropping hints regarding a hypothetical PlayStation 4 headset harder than the beats in a Skrillex song, but no one appears to have read too deeply into the comments. “We’ve got a couple of [Oculus Rift] development...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 13
Ready for the weekend
It's that glorious time again where we round up as many staff members as possible and ask them to detail what wonderful gaming delights they have in store this weekend. In this edition, Push Square's head honcho Sammy Barker also unveils his not-so-secret obsession with a certain pop star. While we don't expect you to follow...
Talking Point What Are Your Thoughts on the PS4's Launch Lineup?
Yeah or meh
Nintendo of America’s outspoken (but still very likeable) president Reggie Fils-Aime expressed his distaste for the PlayStation 4’s launch lineup this week. In the wake of the Wii U’s price drop, the executive told
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Twelve
Relax, don't do it
It’s been a flat out week here at Push Square towers, which means that we’re all looking forward to a spot of video game respite. And as has become a bi-weekly tradition, we’ve gathered together as many team members as we could find to talk about what’s on our gaming agenda this Bank Holiday weekend. But as you should know...
Talking Point Is the PlayStation 4 Launching Too Late?
Not what we expected
There were plenty of shock announcements during Sony’s big GamesCom press conference earlier today, but the PlayStation 4’s release date certainly rubbed against our expectations. We were confident that the system would deploy in late October, as p
