Category Archives: Platforms

Action, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Review)

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Way short of the full Belmonty

Hundreds of years after Gabriel Belmont’s journey began; we’re here to witness the grand finale as we see him return as Dracula, to take on Satan and his acolytes one last time in the hope of finally finding peace and an escape from his immortal torment.

If the events of the original Lords of Shadow, the expansion DLC and Mirror of Fate are a little faded in your memory, there’s a summative cutscene early on to bring you back up to speed. Robert Carlyle and Patrick Stewart reprise their roles from the first game, attempting to add as much brooding and grandiosity respectively as possible. And lots of hammy dialogue so cringe worthy, it’ll give you a sore neck.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Review) →

Features, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Tekken X Street Fighter: Going Next-Gen or Cancelled?

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Where is Tekken X Street Fighter? That’s the question many of us fight fans have been wondering recently. Nobody has even seen a screenshot of the game, and yet it has been two years since Capcom released Street Fighter X Tekken. Namco’s return effort was set to give the Street Fightercharacters a Tekken-style makeover, but it’s been a notorious no-show for years now.

Recently, we were sent a UK release schedule from Bandai Namco (they changed their name around, remember) and thankfully the game was still on there, but the date was only down as TBC. More interestingly, the formats no longer read PS3/360, instead they’ve also been replaced with TBC. The optimists inside us are hoping this means that we could be seeing the game on PS4 and Xbox One -two consoles desperately in need of a decent fighting game. With a relatively small install-base for the new consoles though, we’d still expect the PS3 and 360 (and probably the Vita) to see the game too.

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Action, Platformer, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews

Legend of Kay Review – This kitty has claws

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Looking at gaming’s release schedule, you may notice one genre in particular doesn’t seem to have anything on the horizon – the action platformer. Has the flop of Knack on the PS4 put developers off making new ones? Until someone says otherwise, it would seem that the best way to get our fix is to look backwards.

Fortunately, I’ve been saved a visit to my local preowned store and plugging my PS2 into a modern TV (scart lead consoles on HD TV’s look horrendous) thanks to PS2 title, Legend of Kay being released in digital form on PS3. This isn’t an HD remake, but to be honest, time has been kind to the game and it still looks good today. Widescreen and 60Hz support helps too. Continue reading Legend of Kay Review – This kitty has claws →

First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PS4, Reviews, Xbox One

Battlefield 4 (PS4 Review)

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With the Christmas release schedule being so packed, some games slips through the cracks. But here at Dealspwn it’s never too late to give you a verdict on a game. After all, in these modern times developers are able to add patches to their games to fix issues that may have been around at launch. The next-gen launch versions of Battlefield 4 on PS4 and Xbox One had a few teething issues, so maybe time (and a few patches) have proved to be a great healer. I’m about to find out as I dive into Battlefield 4 on the PS4.

Let’s get straight to it. Battlefield 4’s single player campaign is better than Battlefield 3’s, but still way behind the Bad Company games. For those of you kind enough not to have scrolled down to the multiplayer part of the review already, I’ll tell you why.

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Platforms, PlayStation 3, Puzzle, Reviews

Adam’s Venture Chronicles Review

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Sometimes you need to take a break from all the cover shooters, the chequered flag chasing and alien blasting to exercise the old grey matter with some puzzles for a change. PSN has been a bit bare of late for head-scratching titles, which is why we’re so keen to give Adam’s Venture Chronicles a go.

The name may sound familiar to PC gamers as the game was originally released in episodic chunks in 2009 through 2012. So, while not exactly fresh, it’s nice to see the game eventually reach another platform. Continue reading Adam’s Venture Chronicles Review →

Action, Platforms, PS4, Reviews, Xbox One

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4 Review)

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With the PS3/360 generation of gaming pumping out some excellent games right up to the release of the new generation of gaming consoles, there was always going to be the question of whether some of these games should have waited for the new hardware.

That said we were blown away by what our old machines were capable of with the likes of Beyond: Two Souls (visually at least), Bioshock infinite, The Last of Us, and of course Tomb Raider. So how much do we really need a re-release of a game that’s not even a year old? I admit I was sceptical, but as a fan of the game and a visuals enthusiast (my new name for ‘graphics whore’), there was no denying I’d struggle to pretend a PS4 version wasn’t of interest.

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Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Are Game Development Costs Set to Spiral out of Control?

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Last week we learned via a Eurogamer interview, that 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot only started to make a profit nine months after its March release date, despite selling 3.4 million copies in its first three weeks. If it takes that long for a game that good that sold that well to actually make money, how long can companies afford to make similar blockbuster big-budget games?

Tomb Raider’s budget was reportedly around £60 million ($100 million), which is probably why Square Enix set their sales targets so high (5 million units) in the first month,  which would have seem them move into the black straight away. Continue reading Are Game Development Costs Set to Spiral out of Control? →

Action, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (Review)

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Releasing at the busiest time of year, Liberation went largely unnoticed when it released towards the back end of 2012 on the PS Vita. So when Ubisoft announced they would be polishing it up for a downloadable release on PSN and XBLA it was collective high fives all-round. Sorry Vita, but the big TV wins again.

So often, I cringe when I see the prices of digital games or HD remakes, but Liberation’s £15.99 asking price is very reasonable. Mainly because the original Vita version costs more and the visual upgrade is huge. Some of you may be disappointed to hear that the multiplayer options have been ditched, but this makes sense really. Why would Ubisoft want to dedicate resources to keeping more servers alive when they know most fans will be enjoying the superior multiplayer offerings of Assassin’s Creed IV?

Continue reading Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (Review) →

Features, Platforms, PS4

Sony Coy On Western DriveClub Release. But Why?

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The PS4 and Sony really need a racing game. And we should have one on the horizon. But earlier this week, when I asked Sony’s UK PR team for a release date or even a rough release period for DriveClub, they were only able to say, “I’m afraid we don’t have any info on the release date for DriveClub at the moment.”

Originally planned as a launch title in the West, the game was delayed into 2014, with a general understanding it would be arriving on PS Plus in January or February. Instead, an announcement was made that next month’s free PS4 game would be the horror title, Outlast (which we can’t wait for by the way) and there was no mention of DriveClub at all. Continue reading Sony Coy On Western DriveClub Release. But Why? →

Platforms, PlayStation 3, Previews, Video, Xbox 360

Opening Scenes | Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD – First 20 Mins

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Opening Scenes | Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD - First 20 Mins

Thanks to my recent acquisition of a Hauppauge capture device, I’m able to bring you an Opening Scenes video for Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD, the new HD port of the 2012 Vita game. I’ll be bringing you a review very soon, but if you’re eager to see what the opening twenty minutes hold, then marvel at my restraint as I avoid succumbing to collecting all the shiny things instead of doing actual missions.

Instead of playing an Assassin’s game like my usual obsessive-compulsive (but very stabby) magpie, this playthrough video will show you cutscenes, climbing, fighting, costume changes, mistimed jumps and some ruddy vicious looking machetes. I’ve put a few hours into the game since recording this footage and am pleased to say it’s going well so far. Aveline is a delightful character and the story is shaping up to be better than most Assassin’s games. Stay tuned for that review. Continue reading Opening Scenes | Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD – First 20 Mins →

Features, Platforms, Previews, PS4, Video

Don’t Starve – PS4 Gameplay

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Dealspwn Playthrough | Don't Starve - PS4 Gameplay

Our new playthrough video is a 12 minute glimpse at the world of Don’t Starve, the latest free PS4 game to land on the PS Plus service. The game’s similarities to the likes of Minecraft, or more specifically Terraria, are there for all the indie-PC crowd to see. But how will such a niche survival-style title fare on the PS4?

Sony has been keen to show off their indie credentials with the PS4, but have they perhaps made a rare miss-calculation by having this as the first free PS Plus title since Contrast and Resogun back at launch last year? I’m very much a console gamer, but I managed to get into Terraria when I covered it on the 360 elsewhere last year. But Don’t Starve is a different sort of beast with its aggressive one-life policy making it hard to stomach, especially given the lack of any tangible rewards for the time required to put in. That said, I’ve only played the game for about two hours so far. Continue reading Don’t Starve – PS4 Gameplay →

Features, Platforms, PS4

Top Ten Tuesdays | New Year Resolutions for the PS4 to Win 2014

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This time last year, I wrote some New Year Resolutions that we gamers should take to get the most from gaming and many of those points still stand today. Tempting as it was to adjust that article for 2014, I thought I’d set some resolutions for the Sony’s PlayStation 4 so it can have the best year possible.

It’s not going to be easy, especially with a resurgent Microsoft seemingly overcoming shooting themselves in the foot for most of 2013. Sony has a narrow lead right now, but here are 10 Resolutions to make sure they stay in front throughout 2014. Continue reading Top Ten Tuesdays | New Year Resolutions for the PS4 to Win 2014 →

Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PS4, PSN (PlayStation Store), XBLA, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Consoles Doomed to Pay High Digital Prices Forever?

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For years, PSN and XBLA gamers have been enviously staring at the generous offerings PC gamers can gorge themselves on via sites like Steam, GOG and Green Man Gaming. The ever-increasing number of sites sees regular price war over these digital titles, leaving PC gamers the clear winners for cheap games.

For console gamers, it’s been a very different story as PlayStation and Xbox gamers have been left with one first-party option for a digital game store on their console. With only one option available, this has of course meant that there is no need for competitive prices or discounts bar the odd sale.

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Action, Platforms, PS4, Reviews, Video, Xbox One

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4 Review)

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If you’re a late comer to the Assassin’s Creed series, or your interest for it has waned in recent years, this is the game for you. It’s also an essential purchase for any graphics-devouring next-gen console owners out there, as it’s a visual powerhouse from start to finish.

The story sees you essentially playing a game, within a game. You’re some sort of beta tester at Abstergo Entertainment, using the DNA-memory technology seen in the series beforehand to relive the memories of a famous line of Assassin’s. Rather than trying to save the world from Templars as Desmond Miles, this time you’re running through the life events of one Caribbean-based, Welsh pirate, Edward Kenway, to create a video game. It’s very Meta and inside knowledge of past events is handy for the little snippets of information you may find, but newcomers shouldn’t feel left out. There’s always a quick glance at Wikipedia if you need to catch up on the finale of the previous game(s).

Continue reading Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4 Review) →

Features, PS4, Xbox One

Are Next-Gen Re-Releases Like Tomb Raider A Bad Idea?

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Last week at the VGX Awards, Square Enix finally admitted they would be re-releasing Tomb Raider on the PS4 and Xbox One. This ‘Definitive Edition’ comes with a handful of visual upgrades including TressFX technology for Lara’s hair (like the original PC version), a remodelling for Lara’s face and better leaves and branches on the trees. And presumably better explosions, because that’s the next-gen dream right?

It will also include the previous pre-order incentive Tomb of the Lost Adventurer and there will be some unique touches that are only possible on next-gen machines. The Xbone version will include Kinect voice controls for weapon selection and the PS4’s DualShock light will light up when Lara’s lights a touch.

There’s even more packed in though! Like the extra skins, weapons and eight DLC maps for the multiplayer that everyone plays so much! Making of documentaries that you’d otherwise have to look for on YouTube! That really shitty digital prologue comic! And there’s an extra artbook in the Special Edition of the Definitive Edition for those of you wanting more than the Standard Edition of the Definitive Edition! What!

Continue reading Are Next-Gen Re-Releases Like Tomb Raider A Bad Idea? →

Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, RPG, XBLA, Xbox 360

How to Survive (Review)

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Bring duct tape.

Like any good zombie attack, you never see it coming and How to Survive will sink its teeth into your nights if you let your guard down while patiently awaiting the arrival of your shiny next-gen console.

EKO Software’s game is a top-down action-RPG that can be loosely compared with the likes of Diablo III or Dead Nation. After crash landing on a zombie-infested tropical island, you’ll need to scavenge for salvage and build weapons and armour to hold off the infected masses. The overall aim is to make a series of vehicle repairs via completing fetch quests. Ok, so not exactly a revolution of new ideas, but once How to Survive gets going, it’s hard to put down.

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Features, Platforms, PS4

The Sunday Seven: Survival Tips for Killzone: Shadow Fall Multiplayer

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Tried out Killzone: Shadow Fall’s multiplayer yet? Pretty mean isn’t it? Don’t go running back to the warm embrace of Call of Duty just yet soldier. Man up, and check out our Sunday Seven Survival Tips to leave behind your days as a snivelling recruit and be reborn as a feared harbinger of doom. Failing that, maybe we can make that kill/death ratio a little less pitiful.

Continue reading The Sunday Seven: Survival Tips for Killzone: Shadow Fall Multiplayer →

PC, Platformer, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Contrast (PS4 Review)

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Shadow Starlets

Contrast has been thrust into the limelight of the PS4’s launch thanks to its inclusion as a free game for all PS+ subscribers. And given that said subscription is required to play the PS4 online, it may be getting a bigger audience than it expected on opening night. No pressure then.

The game’s setup is an unusual one from the start as you control the odd pairing of Didi -the young girl- and Dawn, a female stage performer. More unusually, the other characters in the game don’t seem to see Dawn, and they only appear as shadows. This is the norm though as we see Didi talk with her parents in their shadow form throughout.

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