Latest Features
Feature Happy New Year from the Push Square Team
Onwards and upwards
As one unusual year comes to a close, another begins. The world is a strange place at the moment, and it doesn't look like we'll be getting back to normality any time soon. One more year we are happy to see the back of, it seems. At least we were kept occupied by PlayStation 5. Sony is selling the console as quickly as it can...
Game of the Year Sammy's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Sporty spice
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of editor Sammy Barker. 5. FIFA 22: Oh no, Sammy! Oh no, oh no, oh no-no-no-no! How could you possibly pick FIFA 22 as one of your five favourite Games of the Year? Look, the issues...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - New Year Edition
Welcome to 2022
Would you look at this? The Calendar Gods really were kind. Not only did we have an extra special Xmas Edition of WAYP last week, but now we've got a New Year one as well. With the arrival of 2022 comes optimism, ambitions, and, of course, lots of games. Better get that backlog cleared, folks — February is looking insane. Sammy...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 RPG of 2021
Masterworks all
2021 was yet another good year for role-playing games on PlayStation. Granted, a lot of them were actually PS5 re-releases, but there were still plenty of top quality titles to go around. As decided by the Push Square editorial team, these are the best RPGs of 2021. Bronze Trophy: Persona 5 Strikers: Persona 5 Strikers is often...
Guide Upcoming PS5, PS4 Games for January and February 2022
Uncharted! Horizon! Elden Ring!
Happy new year, everyone! We're at the very start of 2022, which is shaping up to be a killer year for video games. Whether you have a PlayStation 5, PS4, or both, there's a whole host of big titles on the way, and some of them very soon indeed. January has one or two highlights, but February — at the time of...
Game of the Year #2 - Returnal
Helios abandoned
In one of the closest Game of the Year results we've ever had, Returnal takes a well-earned second place spot in our countdown. This is a notable release for many reasons; it's Housemarque's biggest and most ambitious game to date, it's one of only a few true PlayStation 5 exclusives, and it's the first proper attempt at a triple-A...
Game of the Year Robert's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Smelling the game
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of deputy editor Robert Ramsey. 5. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut: I had reasonably high expectations for Disco Elysium: The Final Cut after watching the game receive so much...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 Art Direction of 2021
Fit for a gallery
Gee whiz, 2021 brought us some visually stunning video games. As such, we wanted to highlight the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 titles that truly widened our eyes over the last 12 months. Selected by the Push Square editorial team, these are our picks for the best overall art direction of 2021 — taking art style, animation,...
Soapbox Sony's First-Party Exclusives Will Shine Once Again in 2022
Horizon! God of War! Gran Turismo! More?
I imagine everyone at PlayStation is proud of how it’s navigated the pandemic, but there must be a degree of disappointment within top brass walls. Sony planned for this generation probably better than any before it, and it had talked about transitioning players at record pace. The fact that it rounded out...
Game of the Year #3 - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Riveting
Critics and fans tend to subscribe to the mindset that the Game of the Year needs to be a trailblazer: innovative, original, unique. In reality, it just needs to be good. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, to its credit, is very good – and it flexes every last sinew of developer Insomniac Games’ technical prowess in the process. This is...
Game of the Year Video Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Open up
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of freelance video editor Liam Richardson. 5. It Takes Two: It Takes Two felt like it arrived completely out of left field. I wasn't a huge fan of A Way Out — feeling it bit off slightly...
Game of the Year Top 10 PS5, PS4 Soundtracks of 2021
Play it again, Sam
If there’s one thing to always look forward to at the end of the year, it’s lists. As sure a thing as death and taxes, countdown lists may just be one of the most fun inevitabilities out there. The one offer this time is a glimpse at some of the best PlayStation music we heard in 2021. While it’s impossible to touch upon...
Soapbox Vermintide 2 Might Be My Game of the Year (But It Released in 2018)
Rats!
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a brilliant game. I bought it in a PlayStation Store sale ages ago, but a combination of home network issues and choppy PS4 performance made me drop it a lot sooner than I would have liked. Fast forward a couple of years or so, and I can't stop playing the bloody thing on PS5 (where it runs at a silky smooth 60...
Game of the Year #4 - Hitman 3
Good work, 47
Here’s the thing: you can’t detach Hitman 3 from the World of Assassination Trilogy as a whole. IO Interactive has created something unprecedented across two console generations here: a collection of stealth playgrounds, each intricately designed and brimming with murderous potential. Not getting caught has never felt this good –...
Game of the Year Jamie's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Memories make me want to go back there
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of retro specialist Jamie O'Neill. 5. Turrican Flashback: Like in the Weezer lyrics, whenever I replay the first two Euro-style 2D run-and-gun Turrican games...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 FPS Game of 2021
Loop the loop
In what feels like a bit of an off-year for the FPS genre, the field of nominees for this year's instalment of the best PS5, PS4 FPS game of 2021 doesn't feel quite as strong. Nevertheless, we've still whittled down the best of the best to a top four. Selected by the Push Square editorial team, these are our picks for the best...
Soapbox How Discord Will Change the Way We Play PS5, PS4 Together in 2022
We're all connected
One of the bigger stories of 2021 came when Sony announced it had invested in Discord and was working on full integration with the PlayStation Network. The news emerged shortly after Microsoft withdrew from a rumoured $10 billion buyout of the social network, making for a nice juxtaposition among those who follow the industry...
Game of the Year #5 - Psychonauts 2
All in the mind
No matter how much of a cult status the original Psychonauts holds, releasing a direct sequel more than 16 years later was always going to be a daunting prospect. Thank god Double Fine didn’t cave to those fears then because Psychonauts 2 is another game with creativity up the wazoo. Raz returns to work out who the double agent...
Game of the Year Brett's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Castle crasher
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of reviewer Brett Posner-Ferdman. 5. Persona 5 Strikers: The Phantom Thieves of Hearts are back, and better than ever! Going into 2021, Persona 5 Strikers was easily one of my most...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 Story or Writing of 2021
Penned in
Stories, characters, and the writing that brings them all together are elements of video games that many (including ourselves) would consider hugely important. There's nothing quite like a gripping plot, so we wanted to highlight the games that held a particularly tight grip on our attention through high quality writing. As chosen by the...
Soapbox Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, the Most Relaxing RPG I've Ever Played
Yoko Taro's latest is super chill, says Stephen
By all accounts, I shouldn't really like Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars. As a rule, I shy away from JRPGs, because I often find them to be too complicated, too long, too insane, or some combination of the three. I've certainly tried to get into the genre, and my longstanding attachment to...
Heavenly hell
While it's true Hades initially launched last year, it only came to PlayStation platforms a few months ago, and by the gods, it was worth the wait. It's no real surprise why the game scooped up so many awards 12 months ago; it's about as good as rogue-likes get, thanks to some slick gameplay and innovative storytelling. With the...
Game of the Year Graham's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Wake up
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of reviewer Graham Banas. 5. Deathloop: I love Arkane. Everything they make just has this certain vibe that no one else in the industry can touch. Their latest is no exception. I was...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 Remake, Remaster, or Re-Release of 2021
Worth a revisit
2021 will be remembered as a brilliant year for remakes, remasters, and enhanced PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5 ports. Since a lot of these games tend to get overlooked for Game of the Year awards in favour of brand new titles, we thought it would be fitting to highlight our favourites. As selected by the Push Square editorial team,...
Soapbox PS5's Next-Gen PSVR Headset Is Going to Drop Jaws in 2022
A reality
Gamers can be a strange breed, you know? This is an industry that’s founded on technological innovation: it’s a beautiful blend of computing and entertainment. I don’t know about you, but I love this hobby because it never stands still: the games we play, the consoles we use – they’re always evolving. Compare the original...
Game of the Year #7 - It Takes Two
Together forever
Hardcore gamers generally don’t like playing with anyone but themselves, so when It Takes Two comes along and demands a second player be part of the fun just to start the game, it was always facing an uphill battle. Good job many overcame those fears of interacting with another person, though, because Hazelight Studios’...
Game of the Year Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
The good lady Dimitrescu
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of assistant editor Liam Croft. 5. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: It may only be fifth on my personal list, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was probably the...
Feature We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Compliments of the season to you
We feel like we could copy and paste the opening sentence from our 2020 Merry Christmas message and nobody would be none the wiser: "We’re hesitant to mention it, but it’s been a strange old year, hasn’t it?" Yes, for the second full year in a row, the world hasn't quite been its normal self. Thankfully, in...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Xmas Edition
Ho ho ho
Morning everyone, and a very Merry Christmas to all of you! The dates have fallen perfectly this year, meaning we can convene for our regularly scheduled WAYP on Xmas Day — thank the Calendar Gods for such a convenience. We've got a bumper issue lined up today, so let's get to it. Sammy Barker, Editor: Merry Christmas! I'm fighting the...
Soapbox EA Originals Was the Publisher's Secret Weapon in 2021
EA's indie push is where it's at, says Stephen
Electronic Arts gets a very bad rap these days. While I'd agree that the publisher isn't quite what it once was — and it certainly has made a bundle of mistakes over the last five years or so — it isn't quite as negative as all that. I'm not here to defend it for any missteps or misfires; that's a...
Game of the Year #8 - Knockout City
Ballin'
This will probably wind up being a contentious inclusion in our Game of the Year countdown, but it really shouldn't. Knockout City is an online-only multiplayer game with broad appeal, fuelled by frequent post-launch updates and battle pass-style progression. While many will condemn it for those reasons, we strongly believe that this title...
Game of the Year Stephen's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Going rogue
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of associate editor Stephen Tailby. 5. Death's Door: For me, the year has been peppered with several smaller games, and most of them have been very good, but I think Death's Door does...
Guide 10 PS5 Things You Should Do First This Christmas
Tips and tricks to getting started with PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has been here for a year, but if you were lucky enough to find PS5 stock and got a spangly new console for Christmas, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed right now. Obviously, you’ve been waiting patiently for the new-gen platform, but with so much on offer out of the box, you...
Game of the Year Best PS5, PS4 Indie Game of 2021
Treasure trove
Every year sees the release of hundreds of indie games on PlayStation 5 and PS4, but there are always some true standouts. Of course, 2021 has been no different, with many excellent smaller titles hitting both consoles. The below are our picks for the best indie games of the year, with the Push Square editorial team selecting their...
Game of the Year #9 - Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Case closed
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut isn't for everyone. Its unapologetically mature storytelling and methodical pacing can make it a tough nut to crack, but with a bit of patience and willingness to let yourself get lost in its dilapidated world, you'll find a gripping RPG. Playing as a middle aged detective who's suffering from a severe case...
Game of the Year Stuart's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
No Kid A-ing
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of reviewer Stuart Gipp. 5. Resident Evil Village: After the much purer horror experience of Resident Evil 7, some fans must have been disappointed by Village’s hard swerve into...
Guide Best PS4 Single Player Story Games
The best campaigns to play solo
What are the best PS4 single player story games? Playing games with others is a lot of fun, but sometimes you just want to go it alone and immerse yourself in a single player game with a decent story. Often lengthy, deep, and rich with narrative, single player adventures offer some of the best experiences and best...
The scariest PlayStation 4 games
What are the best PS4 horror games? The good news (or the terrifying news for the scaredy-cats among you) is that the PlayStation 4 is home to a wealth of creepy releases, from blockbuster franchises like Resident Evil through to psychological indie adventures such as Inside. We’ve put together a list of the best...
Game of the Year #10 - Guilty Gear Strive
Blame the beasts
Games that push an entire genre forward are a rarity, but that's what Guilty Gear Strive has done for fighting games. It may not be as mainstream as Street Fighter, Tekken, or Mortal Kombat, but in its visuals and its online netcode, Strive has set the bar for all future brawlers. Developer Arc System Works has been hitting home...
Game of the Year John's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2021
Point of no Returnal
Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2021. Today, it's the turn of reviewer John Cal McCormick. 5. F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch: Oh baby, you had me at steampunk-metroidvania-starring-an-anthropomorphic-bunny-with-a-giant-metal-fist. I...
Top PlayStation 4 games for children
What are the best PS4 kids games? When most people talk about PlayStation 4, they're thinking about its (brilliant) range of games aimed at an older audience. However, what's somewhat overlooked is the console's extensive variety of games for children. There are just as many games for youngsters as there are for...
Guide Best Short Games on PS4 You Can Beat in a Day
Shortest games on PlayStation 4
What are some of the best short games on PS4? The PlayStation 4 has lots of short games available, and while some of them probably aren't worth your time, there are plenty that are. In this list, we'll go through some of the shortest games you can play on PS4 — but first, some ground rules. For starters, all the...
Talking Point What PS Plus Games for January 2022 Do You Want?
When will January 2022's PS Plus lineup be announced?
What are the January 2022 PS Plus games for PS5 and PS4 and when will the January 2022 PS Plus games be announced? It's the beginning of a New Year, and one where PlayStation is purportedly planning to overhaul its subscription services. For this first instalment, it'll be business as usual, but...
Video Reboot, Remaster and Remake - What’s the Difference?
Blurred lines
It’s a question as old as time, but one that a lot of players still can’t seem to agree upon: what is the difference between a reboot, remaster, and remake? Whenever a classic PlayStation game is revived in some way, the cultural conversation surrounding it always begins by trying to determine what level of new treatment the...
Feature Our PS5, PS4 Predictions for 2021 - How Did We Do?
Guesswork
And that's your lot for 2021. Barring any unusual PR decisions to make an announcement during the Xmas holidays, it's going to be a "SlOw NeWs DaY" right until mid-January now. We're winding down now as our Game of the Year content soon takes over, but there's still something we need to address: our 2021 predictions. At the start of the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 407
One week to go
Wow! Is there really only a week until Christmas? It felt like it was ages away and now suddenly here it is, right on top of us, like a New York Yankees baseball cap or something. This author only just got around to opening the first window on his advent calendar yesterday, so you know what that means: a hearty helping of Dairy Milk...
Video The State of PlayStation VR in 2021
A different reality
The PlayStation 5 might be shiny and all, but another piece of important Sony tech still making waves (just about) is, of course, PSVR. The original headset launched in 2016, having recently celebrated its fifth anniversary on the market. As such, we found ourselves wondering: where does Sony’s take on virtual reality currently...
Guide Best PS4 Family Games to Play Together At Christmas
PS4 games for families to play at home together
What are the best PS4 games for families to play together? The PlayStation 4's vast library of titles caters to every type of genre and video game player imaginable. From RPGs and first-person shooters through to driving simulators, it really does have the lot. However, occasionally you'll want to bond...
Feature Assassin's Creed Valhalla Season Pass Review - Is It Worth Buying?
A look at all the DLC
The Assassin's Creed Valhalla season pass was first detailed back in October 2020, before the game itself had launched. Following on from the success of Assassin's Creed Odyssey and its extensive post-launch support, Ubisoft was keen to repeat the cycle — but does Valhalla's season pass measure up to its predecessor's? Is...
Video Is KartRider: Drift PlayStation's Answer to Mario Kart?
Boosting out of the Beta
Kart racing games certainly aren't as affluent as they used to be, but that hasn't stopped a slew of third-party developers from trying to capture the genre's magic. The latest attempt on PlayStation comes from Nexon, which is set to fully launch its free-to-play live service platform sometime in 2022. But does KartRider:...
