Latest Previews
July2024
Preview The Outlast Trials Proves It's a Live Service Gem in First Content Update
Going bonkers with Bambino
Four months since its release, The Outlast Trials is getting its first dose of post-launch content in the form of Project Lupara. This co-op take on the traditionally single-player horror series is a surprisingly fun time with friends but with its first seasonal update since its launch, is it doing enough to keep players...
June2024
Hands On Valorant's PS5 Beta Is Impressive and Unlike Anything Else on Console
Riot has pulled off a pretty tall order
For years, Valorant has been huge on PC, becoming a streaming hit, hosting massive esports tournaments, and inspiring tons of fan art and cosplay. After many job listings revealed the game could be heading to consoles over the last few years, Riot has finally brought the game to PS5 in beta form, and it's an...
Preview Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Is a Beguiling Mix of Strategy and Action
Hack-and-strat
Capcom's been doing such a brilliant job with its long-established franchises, but it's refreshing to see the publisher take a gamble on some brand new ideas, too. One such example is Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, something we've been intrigued by since its debut trailer last year. After getting some hands-on time with it, we can...
Round Up All of Our PS5 Previews from Summer Game Fest 2024
Big previews for big PS5 games
Summer Game Fest has come to a close, and now it's time to reflect on everything that we've seen. Push Square's ever-intrepid assistant editor Stephen Tailby was shipped off to Los Angeles in order to cover Geoff's big event in person, and the lucky git got to go hands on with a whole bunch of blockbuster games...
Preview Tales of the Shire Lets You Live a Homely Hobbit Life Set Before Lord of the Rings
Cosy little hobbitses
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are grand fantasy adventures laced with intense action, dramatic moments, and complex characters. When it comes to video game adaptations, most try to capture the feel of the films, or riff on the war at the centre of Tolkien's works. But what if we did away with all of that, and just...
Preview Hello Kitty Island Adventure Could Be the Best Alternative to Animal Crossing on PS5, PS4
A new horizon
The likes of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have ushered in a new era of the life sim, thanks to their low-pressure gameplay and seemingly unending content. While PlayStation has seen a fair few examples of these cosy titles the last few years, there aren't too many standouts, with ConcernedApe's influential indie...
Preview Black Myth: Wukong Could Finally Be the Game Journey to the West Deserves
Monkeying around
Developed by Chinese studio Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong has garnered a lot of attention since its unveiling back in 2020. After years of unbelievable trailers and gameplay footage, it's now just a couple of months away. Such is the excitement around this title that, after emailing the team as soon as we were able about a...
Preview Playing Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero with Zero Knowledge of the Series
Oh, you played Dragon Ball? Do Gohan
This author has to be straight up with you: he’s never engaged with Dragon Ball in any real way. Playing Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero at Summer Game Fest Play Days is the most he’s ever interacted with the iconic franchise, and that’ll certainly be heresy to some. However, before you crucify the poor guy...
Preview New World: Aeternum Gets a Fresh Start on PS5, But Can It Stand Out?
A whole new New World
With New World: Aeternum, Amazon Games is bringing its action RPG MMO to consoles after several years exclusively on PC. This new version of the game is essentially a relaunch for the title, making many quality-of-life improvements and including a brand new onboarding process, ensuring new players get off on the right foot. At...
Preview Star Wars Outlaws on PS5 Has a World of Possibilities, But Is Let Down by a Rough Demo
It's easy mm'kay
Despite the overabundance of Star Wars in the last few years thanks to all of those middle-of-the-road Disney+ shows, there’s always been a bit of a white whale for those old enough to remember the pre-Disney era — that being LucasArts’ cancelled Star Wars 1313. While we have an endless number of games where you play as...
Preview LEGO Horizon Adventures Is an Unexpected But Very Pleasant Surprise
The building blocks of civilisation
LEGO Horizon Adventures is a fascinating project from Studio Gobo and Guerrilla Games. As the latter developer's narrative director, James Windeler, recalls, "conversations about the game began around the same time" as the LEGO Tallneck set. Apparently, a lot of the senior staff at Guerrilla are huge LEGO fans,...
Preview Astro Bot on PS5 Could Be the Best 3D Platformer This Side of Nintendo
Robot rock(s)
As we grabbed an Astro blue mocktail and ventured down into Sony's basement dwelling at Summer Game Fest Play Days, Astro Bot came into view, and we immediately knew we were in for a good time. Team Asobi's cutesy robot hero is finally getting the full-length, full-fat platforming game he deserves, and even just the artwork adorning...
Preview Monster Hunter Wilds on PS5 Is Everything We Expected and We Couldn't Be Happier
Keep it up, Capgod
Of all the games we saw at Summer Game Fest Play Days, we were probably most confident in Capcom's hotly anticipated action RPG, Monster Hunter Wilds, and it didn't disappoint. We were led into a viewing room with an enormous screen, showing the game off in a way the franchise deserves. What we saw of Wilds — about 30 minutes of...
Preview Assassin's Creed Shadows' Two Characters Will Satisfy Both Old and New Fans on PS5
Action or stealth?
The Assassin's Creed series got its start with a heavy emphasis on stealth, and while it stuck with that formula for many games, it eventually pivoted to a full-on action RPG. Whether you're into the earlier titles, the larger-scale RPGs, or both, this shift has resulted in a somewhat split fanbase. Assassin's Creed Shadows, with...
Preview Dragon Age: The Veilguard Leans Hard into Companions, Choices, and Consequences
Decisions, decisions
Companions and choices have always been at the heart of Dragon Age, and that looks to be no different in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In fact, the game recently picked up its new subtitle in order to emphasise how important your party of pals will be during the adventure. From what we saw at Summer Game Fest Play Days — hosted...
Hands On They're Rough Around the Edges, But It's Awesome to Have PS2 Games Back on PS5, PS4
Retro revival
Let’s try this again, eh? Sony originally released a batch of PS2 games on the PS4, but they were buggy, performed poorly, and lacked quality of life features. Now, with its well-established PS1 and PSP emulator, it’s giving the strategy another go – and including the releases in its PS Plus Premium subscription. But how are its...
Preview Unknown 9: Awakening Shows Real Promise, Once the Story's Out of the Way
Stepping up
As we entered the furthest corner of Bandai Namco's space at Summer Game Fest Play Days, we were introduced to the world of Unknown 9, a multimedia story spanning comics, novels, podcasts, and soon, a video game. It's a super ambitious project, and admirable effort has gone into building this intriguing universe, but it's once all the...
Preview Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Slashes Through Soulslike Tropes for Pure, Cutthroat Action
Devil may die
Action games in the mould of Devil May Cry are becoming rarer in this age of the Soulslike, but developer S-GAME is bringing them back with real style. Phantom Blade Zero is one of our favourite games we played during Summer Game Fest Play Days, and that's thanks to its refreshingly expressive battles — despite what it looks like...
Preview Metaphor: ReFantazio Is Already a Contender for RPG of the Year
No metaphors here
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a lot. We were only allowed to spend around an hour with Atlus’ upcoming RPG at this years’ Summer Game Fest, but in that time, we ran into egg enemies wearing boots; we acted like an ass to our other party members; we made kebabs with one of or companions; we also fought squid Jesus which had a heart...
Preview Marvel Rivals Is Overwatch with Superheroes, But Can It Live Up to Either?
Our thoughts after getting hands-on
Marvel Rivals feels like it should be the most sure-fire success in the current gaming landscape. It stars just under 20 heroes and villains (at launch, anyway) from the comic book house's extensive roster, and they're thrown together into a free-to-play third-person shooter that, despite the perspective change,...
Preview Elden Ring Promises a DLC Masterclass in Shadow of the Erdtree
Our three-hour journey to The Land of Shadow
They say it's possible to have too much of a good thing, but nobody knew of Elden Ring when they coined the phrase all those centuries ago. An outstanding winner of copious Game of the Year accolades, the experience remains relevant to this day — and that's even without this month's huge Shadow of the...
Preview Gran Turismo Meets NFS in Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
Two hours spent racing across Hong Kong
Gran Turismo and Need for Speed are two opposing extremes of a spectrum that, on the whole, isn't that wide. Yet, Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown appears to have found a pleasing middle ground between the two. The first series entry in 13 years, the upcoming open world game blends a fairly arcadey approach...
May2024
Preview Trails through Daybreak Is Set to Push Falcom's Fantastic RPG Series Forward
Ad-Van-tage
It seems to be a universal rule that whenever we write about the Trails games, there's at least one person in the comments asking where they should begin with Falcom's long-running RPG series. Naturally, the ideal answer to this query is "with the first game", but not everyone has the time — or patience — to play through at least...
Hands On Will Wuthering Waves Really Replace Genshin Impact on PS5, PS4?
A new challenger enters the arena
Wuthering Waves has released worldwide amid a global marketing campaign likely to have HoYoverse’s higher-ups in cold sweats. The game has seen wall-to-wall promotion here in Asia, where the release’s anime promotional material can be glimpsed in every baseball commercial break, inside most subway stations, and...
Hands On Stellar Blade Does PS5 New Game + the Right Way
A great reason to replay
Stellar Blade is a fantastic game that deserves your attention – but it actually got better after the review embargo lifted with the addition of New Game +. One of the only minor criticisms we had of the Shift Up title in our Stellar Blade PS5 review was that it felt like a game that deserved to be replayed, but during the...
April2024
Preview Luna Abyss Is the Thrilling Bullet Hell Demonspawn of DOOM and Returnal
Bullet heaven
It feels like it's been a while since we've had an exciting new single-player FPS on PS5. Sure, there've been a few releases here and there, like last year's Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, but nothing has really had the same impact as when DOOM Eternal or Metro Exodus released. However, Luna Abyss could be that next game with its...
Hands On Fallout 4 Next-Gen Runs Great on PS5, But Some Old Problems Persist
Fall in, Fallout
Ah, the Commonwealth. A great example of dense open world design, Fallout 4 still has its charms almost a full decade after its original release in 2015. We've spent a good ten hours or so with the game's freshly launched PS5 version, and we're here to report on our findings with regards to technical performance. For the record,...
Preview Tails of Iron 2 Adds Monster Hunting, Undead Bats in Scaled Up Sequel
Fight fur survival
The original Tails of Iron was quietly a big success for developer Odd Bug Studio. The action RPG about a kingdom of rats has drawn in a lot of fans thanks to its sketch-like art style, deliberate combat, and explorable world. We suppose the fact it's narrated by Doug Cockle — voice of Geralt in The Witcher series — may have...
Preview Sand Land Could Be a Surprise PS5 Hit, But the Grind Has to Be Good
Demonic influence
Sand Land, the open world adaptation of Akira Toriyama's standalone manga, has real potential. And honestly, that surprised us, because we had this game (perhaps unfairly) tagged as another somewhat underwhelming Bandai Namco tie-in. But now, having played through several hours of the adventure ourselves, we think this could be one...
Preview MechWarrior 5: Clans Wants to Make the Hardcore Series More Accessible Than Ever on PS5
Mech it happen
Targeting a PS5 release at some point this year, MechWarrior 5: Clans has a clear goal in mind: to expand its audience beyond the hardcore fans of this long-running series. Indeed, MechWarrior has always been a fairly demanding franchise — which has largely stuck to PC — but Clans is built to be the most accessible entry to date...
March2024
Hands On Dragon's Dogma 2 Update Improves Frame Rate on PS5 at the Cost of Ray Tracing
30fps option feels pointless, though
Dragon's Dogma 2 has been blessed with some notable improvements via its first post-launch update. With patch 1.050, Capcom has implemented several graphics settings on PS5, and we're happy to report that the open world RPG has taken a decent step in the right direction. To start with, let's go over the options...
Preview Stellar Blade Is the PS5 Exclusive Enthusiasts Have Been Praying For
Finally some good f*cking food
If you were raised on a diet of Japan Studio oddities and quirky PlayStation published exclusives, then Stellar Blade is the game you’ve been praying for. Developed by Korean studio Shift Up – the infamous outfit behind the wildly popular smartphone shooter NIKKE: Goddess of Victory – this single player PS5...
Preview TopSpin 2K25 Might Be Worth the 13-Year Wait
We (40) Love this game
It’s been over a decade since we last smashed a killer serve in the TopSpin series, but 2024 will see the confident re-debut of TopSpin 2K25. This is a bombastic return that easily stands alongside its 2K brethren with a flashy, fun, and packed experience that has steadily become our most anticipated sports title of 2024 —...
Preview Rise of the Ronin Shows Promise, But It's No Showstopper Yet
Our thoughts after four hours of play
After honing its craft across the Ninja Gaiden series, two Nioh games, and the recent Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, you can hardly call Rise of the Ronin a coming-out party for Team Ninja. This is a vastly experienced developer that knows what it's doing, and has done so to good success for almost 30 years. The...
February2024
Hands On Unicorn Overlord Has the Potential to Be One of 2024's Best RPGs
Vanillaware doesn't miss
Look, at this point, we're automatically sold on anything Vanillaware does. The Japanese studio has an incredible track record stretching back to the PS2, and although it's an eternity away from being the most well-known developer in the world, there's simply no denying the quality of its output — especially in recent...
Hands On Honkai: Star Rail's Huge PS5 Update Brings Big BioShock Vibes
The city that always sleeps
The advantage of single player live service games like Honkai: Star Rail, for all the criticism they receive from enthusiasts, is that the action never ends. That makes updates like the enormous v2.0, which takes the Trailblazer to a new planet named Penacony, possible – and this is Chinese developer HoYoverse at its...
Preview Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Feels Like a Strong Step Forward from Remake
Kalming influence
"How did it feel being back up there? I don't know... nostalgic, I guess?" Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth summarised our feelings with one simple question. We love the original game but when Final Fantasy 7 Remake opened the door to some dramatic changes, nothing was guaranteed moving forward. Thankfully, Rebirth feels like a natural...
Preview Helldivers 2 Utterly Revels in Its Chaotic Bug Battles
Hands on with Sony's new shooter
The jury's still out on whether Sony's live-service push will prove fruitful or not, but Helldivers 2 at least gets it off on the front foot. The satisfying addictiveness of the Arrowhead Game Studios follow-up will see it fit perfectly in a rotation of other online and single player titles, circumventing the pull of...
January2024
Hands On Suicide Squad Takes a Lot of Getting Used to, and It May Not Be Worth It
Our thoughts after three hours of play
If making you feel like a speedrunner was Rocksteady's intention as it put together the opening hours of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, then it at least nailed that aspect. Forcing one slapdash mission after another onto your HUD, the story introduction is told at such a breakneck pace that it can be...
Preview Animal Crossing on PS5, PS4 Made a Reality in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
We pay a visit to Dondoko Island
From serving noodles in Yakuza 5 to the go-kart races of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series has always been one of the leaders in the "games within a game" space. Effectively producing miniature titles that wouldn't look out of place if sold standalone on the PS Store, they provide engaging,...
Preview Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Is the First PS5 Must-Play of 2024
Our thoughts after four hours of play
Is there a better way to start the year than playing a new Yakuza / Like a Dragon game? It was Yakuza 0 that fronted the first few months of a memorable 2017 for Japanese gaming fans, and now Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is primed and ready to begin another hot streak for the country's developers seven years...
December2023
Preview Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Brings Back the Series with Style
Here today, Sargon tomorrow
Recently we went hands-on with Ubisoft's upcoming Metroidvania, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. It's slashing its way onto PS5 and PS4 in January, bringing the series back to PlayStation for the first time since 2010. But after all this time, how is this latest adventure shaping up? And will it be worth that 14-year...
Hands On Rocket Racing Is a Super Fun Drive Yet to Meet Its Full Potential
Drives me up the wall
To put it lightly, arcade racers struggle to succeed in this day and age. Big budget attempts are almost extinct, and indie efforts unfortunately rarely make an impact, regardless of quality. What's the answer, then? How can drift-obsessed, arcade racing, petrolheads get their over-the-top kicks? Well, here's one answer —...
Preview Tekken 8 Could Be One of the Best Tekken Games Ever
Serious Heat
We were lucky enough to spend close to an entire day with Tekken 8 at a recent Bandai Namco press event — and we walked away from the experience thoroughly impressed. We've had high hopes for the long-running series' latest instalment for quite some time — especially since we're such big fans of Tekken 7 — but going hands-on with...
Hands On Fortnite Festival Rekindles Fond Memories of a Forgotten PSP Favourite
Unplugged
You won’t find Rock Band Unplugged at the top of many Best PSP Games lists, but the Harmonix spin-off – released during the peak of plastic peripheral popularity – was one of the finest games you could find on Sony’s handheld during its pre-PS Vita renaissance circa-2009. A stripped-back version of the main console games, this...
Preview Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Is More Brilliantly Bonkers Courtroom Drama
And that's probably enough
The Ace Attorney series is a relatively new one for us on Planet PlayStation (can we bring that back?), with the original three games launching on PS4 in 2019 — long after they first arrived on western shores. We're now fully acquainted with the Phoenix Wright trilogy, but what happened next? While there have been a fair...
Hands On The Finals Is One of the Most Exciting New Online Shooters in Years
Frenetic team shooter has a ton of promise
If you’re wondering what confidence feels like, try releasing your free-to-play shooter with no warning during The Game Awards, two days after CoD: Warzone's biggest free update in a year. That’s exactly what Embark Studios did at the end of last week with The Finals, and it’s fairly remarkable...
October2023
Preview Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Elevates the Ubisoft Formula with a Stellar Setting
We're not in Kansas anymore
We're in a room lined with a dozen PCs and a handful of press, just about to start our extended hands-on session with Ubisoft's upcoming Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. It's hard to say if anyone else is particularly excited to try out the game, but we are. Immediate reactions to its gameplay reveal earlier this year judged...
Hands On Genki ShadowCast 2 Pro - A Seriously Powerful Capture Card
Perfect for your PS5
Via its growing stable of products, hardware maker Human Things is slowly but surely changing the landscape of gaming tech. It all began with the Genki wireless USB adapter for Switch, which was supplanted by the Waveform wireless earbuds. Then, the firm expanded into the realm of Switch docks with the
Preview Arizona Sunshine 2 Could Be the Next PSVR2 Must-Buy
PSVR2 is about to get bloody
Ask anyone that has a PSVR2 and they’ll likely tell you that the tech is great, but the library is lacking. Outside of No Man's Sky or Resident Evil Village, there are very few games that truly revel in the format of VR. However, a recent visit to Vertigo Games’ HQ in Rotterdam proved that VR is in the blood of the...
September2023
Preview EA Sports WRC Combines Codemasters Pedigree with Authentic Rally Racing
A rally good match
Codemasters knows rally. It's been making rally racing games since 1998, with the original Colin McRae Rally on PS1 being a hugely formative title for the studio. The series evolved into the DiRT games, which itself branched into two — numbered sequels with a more arcade-like nature, and DiRT Rally, a more serious, simulation...
Preview Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 Really Does Feel Like a Turbocharged Sequel
On course
Hot Wheels Unleashed was a distinctly pleasant surprise when it launched a couple of years ago, marking a much-needed departure for put-upon motorcycle developer Milestone. While the game handled like a dream – and had some stunningly rendered toy car models, particularly on the PS5 – it lacked variety and had a strange post-release...
Preview Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail Dev Has Quietly Become a PS5, PS4 Powerhouse
HoYoverse's meteoric rise continues
In the opening hall of the Makuhari Messe this Tokyo Game Show was an enormous, monolithic tribute to HoYoverse, a company fast becoming one of PlayStation’s most important developers. While the juggernaut Chinese studio may not get the same recognition as the likes of Naughty Dog or FromSoftware, its games are...
Preview Dragon's Dogma 2 Feels Like a Remake of the First Game, in a Good Way
Heartfelt
Dragon's Dogma 2 sticks with the Dark Arisen template to a pleasant but almost surprising degree. Sequels often walk a fine balancing act as significant departures can alienate existing fans, whereas repeating the established gameplay often feels too safe. Capcom's anticipated sequel easily falls into the latter category but when the...
Preview Bandai Namco Is a Publisher Quietly on the Up
More like Funco, eh?
No one really talks about Bandai Namco, but the publisher’s doing a bang-up job. Last year it released Elden Ring, which not only proved a critical darling but also a break-out commercial hit. The action RPG ended up becoming a cultural touchstone for 2022, and it helped underline a really impressive run for the Pac-Man maker...
Preview Legendary Developer Level-5 Has Risen from the Dead
Two new PS5, PS4 titles show promise
Level-5 has an enormous booth at the Tokyo Game Show this year, rivalling titans like SEGA, Konami, and Capcom. This is significant because the iconic Japanese developer hasn’t really released a noteworthy game since Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom. Admittedly, it has kept the lights on with a number of...
Preview Like a Dragon, SEGA's Once Embattled Yakuza Series, Has Never Been Better
Or stranger
If you’ve been listening to the clacking of leather shoes in SEGA’s glamorous – but often oddball – Yakuza series since the late PS2 days, you’ll know the franchise hasn’t always been in this position. For years a PlayStation exclusive, there was a point where Sony was reeled in to localise the release of PS3 late-comer...
Preview Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Has a Playable Sephiroth
Our PS5 impressions from a hands on event
After the love-it-or-loathe-it ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake subverted fan expectations for what Square Enix could be planning as it brings Cloud Strife and pals back into the modern era, it was anyone's guess what the publisher might have to show during a recent preview event. Case in point: Sephiroth...
Hands On Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Update Is an Outstanding, Game-Changing Overhaul
Chippin' back in
Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long, long, long way since we gave the initial PS4 version the most disappointing 3/10 review this website has ever seen back in 2020. We'd go as far to say it's been a great game since its release on PS5, and now, having spent over 50 hours with the title's highly anticipated 2.0 update (prior to its...
Preview Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Plays Like PS5 Superhero Perfection
Our thoughts after three hours of play
Given the presumably mammoth sales projections Sony has for PS5 exclusive Marvel's Spider-Man 2, playing too fast and loose with the open world formula at Insomniac Games was probably out of the question. This is a franchise that shifts hardware, and after a year slightly lighter on PlayStation Studios content...
Preview The First Descendant Could Be a Decent Destiny-Like Co-Op Shooter on PS5
First!
Having spent a good few hours with The First Descendant on PS5 — ahead of its open beta release later this month — we're happy to report that this free-to-play shooter seems to have a solid base to build upon. Very reminiscent of Destiny in terms of structure, we didn't quite have time to dig into finer details, but the gameplay clicked...
August2023
Preview Like a Dragon Gaiden Feels Like an Evolution of the Yakuza Franchise
Erase everything, build it again, better
We’ve seen glimpses of Kiryu since his reported death in 2018 — his appearance in Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a perfect passing of the torch for the series, we reacquainted ourselves with the eerily similar looking Ryōma this year in Like A Dragon Ishin!, and the Judgment series has continued Ryu Ga...
Preview Persona 5 Tactica Is Shaping Up to Be More Than Just a Tired Strategy Spin-Off
Take your time
We've accepted the Phantom Thieves aren't disappearing anytime soon and Persona 5 Tactica reaffirms why that isn't a bad thing. Much like Persona 4, Atlus' phenomenal RPG took on a life of its own and since 2016, we've seen our favourite Phantom Thieves investigating jails, crawling through dungeons and
Preview Persona 3 Reload Shows So Much Promise Despite Missing Features
SEESing the moment
Persona 3 remains a groundbreaking RPG but we were slightly worried if Persona 3 Reload would live up to its legacy. It's been 16 years since the original game first appeared, introducing life simulation mechanics and a considerably darker storyline than its successors. As the game that reshaped Atlus' popular series, expectations...
Preview The RPG High Will Endure in Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Our first impressions of the PS5 demo
With Baldur's Gate 3, Final Fantasy XVI, and next month's Starfield in its back pocket, the RPG genre is on something of a tear at the moment. Enthusiast gamers could be losing 100 hours of their free time to a number of different universes right now, and the best part is there's always another enticing...
Hands On Red Dead Redemption PS4 Port Seems Solid, But Should Be So Much More
A remaster, but only just
The source of much criticism since its announcement, Red Dead Redemption — the freshly released PS4 port — admittedly isn't as half-arsed as we feared it would be. But at the same time, it's far from the remaster that such a beloved PS3 classic deserves. We've ran through the open world epic's opening hours in order to...
Preview Duelling Worlds Set Lords of the Fallen Apart from Other Souls-Likes
Our thoughts after three hours of play
FromSoftware is almost certainly waiting until next year now to release Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, so in the meantime, how about a more traditional take on the Dark Souls formula? Developer Hexworks is resurrecting the Lords of the Fallen IP following its forgotten 2014 instalment with a bigger and...
July2023
Hands On The Expanse: A Telltale Series PS5, PS4 Gets Off to a Strong Start
Kowlting gut, bosmang
The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a newly-reanimated Telltale Games' first outing since filing for bankruptcy in 2018, before reviving a year later under LCG Entertainment. Now, with many of the studio's original staff having returned in a freelance capacity, the first episode (of five) is available, and we were eager to dive...
Preview Sony's Next Great First-Party Game Is Media Molecule's Tren, Made in Dreams
All aboard the hype Tren
Media Molecule might be taking a step back from Dreams in the near future, but it's going out on a high note. One of the team's last major contributions to its community-driven platform is Tren, a game about a wooden train set that packs the same warmth, whimsy, and charm as any of its previous works. Spearheaded by...
Preview Armored Core 6 Could Give Newer FromSoftware Fans Whiplash
Our findings after three hours of play
After gaining absurd popularity in the hardcore space with its Dark Souls series and then capitalising on that with Elden Ring sales up the wazoo, FromSoftware had the Monty Python's Flying Circus thought process: "And now for something completely different." With five mainline instalments under its belt, the...
Preview Blue Protocol Might Be the Competition Genshin Impact Needs
We go hands on with Bandai Namco's online RPG
For as unfathomably popular Genshin Impact has been all these years, you could argue it's always had things a bit easy. There is nothing else quite like it on consoles, and consistent content updates along with new waifus to metaphorically marry every other month have turned a lot of fans' free time into...
Preview Tekken 8's Hyper Aggressive Gameplay Has Glorious Potential
Feeling the Heat
We only got to play it for a weekend, but the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test has us drooling over the potential of Bandai Namco's heavy hitting fighter. This sequel has been a long time coming — it's easy to forget that Tekken 7, although still quite popular, is over six years old on PS4 — and at first glance, the eighth...
Preview The Crew Motorfest Finally Hands PS5 Some Proper Arcade Racing
A new Horizon for PlayStation racers
The Crew Motorfest races onto PlayStation this September, and recently we were lucky enough to get extensive hands-on time with a PC build of the game. With an expansive Hawaiian archipelago to explore, various racing playlists to drift through, and plenty of sweet new rides to test out, The Crew Motorfest is...
Preview Everything You Need to Know About EA Sports FC 24
New name, same game?
EA Sports FC 24 represents a new era for one of gaming’s biggest brands. While this year’s release iterates on decades of investment into the flagship football franchise, it also ushers in a soft reset for the series, with a new name, branding, and goals. We were lucky enough to get the inside scoop on the soccer sim during...
Hands On Exoprimal PS5, PS4 Shows Early Promise, But May Not Have Staying Power
Dino crisis
Capcom has been on a winning run with critically acclaimed releases like Street Fighter 6 and the recent Resident Evil 4 remake. Oddball dinosaur shooter Exoprimal always looked like a risk to its unflinching reputation, however: the publisher doesn’t have the best track-record with online shooters – just look at the dour Resident...
