The real world’s not looking so hot right now. COVID cases are on the rise, and many parts of the UK are either already in, or heading towards, another lockdown. Good luck wherever you may be, and hopefully we’ll get through this.

Thankfully it’s much more exciting in the gaming world, we had our first glimpse at the new PS5 interface, plus loads of other news with the launch now only a few weeks away!

In the News This Week

• Get a first look at the PlayStation 5 user experience – Activities, Trophy tracking, Parties, Create & more revealed
• Sony announce brand-new PlayStation Store for web and mobile – PS3, PSP, PS Vita & more content to be hidden
• Loads of free PSN avatars added ahead of PS5 launch
• PlayStation 4 system update 8.00 tweaks parties, messages & security – then apologise for not being clearer
• Microsoft releases list of 30 games that will be optimised for Xbox Series X|S on launch day
• The New Xbox Experience update is now live on Xbox One, ahead of Xbox Series X|S launch
• The Xbox Series X|S SSD Expansion Card teardown reveals 4D NAND and Phison E19T chipset
• Fallout 4 runs at 60fps on Xbox Series S with advanced backward compatibility techniques
• GameStop to get a cut of any DLC bought via any Xbox Series X|S they have sold
• Sega celebrate 60th anniversary with 60 Days of Sega event
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has gone gold, Ubisoft announces

Games in Review

Here’s how this weeks games under the microscope did, will you be picking anything up?

• The Jackbox Party Pack 7 – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC, Linux, Mac, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV– 8/10
• Age of Empires III Definitive Edition – PC – 8/10
• Cake Bash – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC, Stadia – 8/10
• Foregone – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 8/10
• Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 7/10
• Ring of Pain – NSW, PC – 7/10
• Pendragon – PC, Mac – 7/10
• Monster Truck Championship – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 6/10
• MX vs ATV All Out – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 4/10

And a variety of hardware reviews too:

• Oculus Quest 2 VR Headset – 9/10
• HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Headset – 9/10
• Corsair K60 RGB Pro Keyboard – 9/10

Featured Articles

From the previews, Stefan launched into the week with a look at King Arthur: Knight’s Tale, which he described as a “dark fantasy tactical RPG” with similar combat to XCOM but more RPG-like character development. Kicking it up a gear, he then went hands on with Planet Coaster: Console Edition to see how the next-gen launch title is shaping up as it prepares for a release as a next-gen launch title.

Meanwhile, Jim looked at Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, a rhythm action adventure with ‘plenty of fan service to go around’ as Thomas looked at the peculiar Cloud Gardens. This game, if you can call it that, is best described as a “mix between gardening and creating a diorama with an added post-apocalyptic aesthetic”.

Ade dug into more Norse mythology to theorise about what we might see in the next God of War game, which we all expect to be called God of War: Ragnarok.

Finally, What We Played featured Genshin Impact, Hades & a revisit of Forza Horizon 4.

Trailer Park

Get a first look at the PlayStation 5 user experience – Activities, Trophy tracking, Parties, Create & more revealed

The Monster Hunter movie trailer had landed

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

Your Achievements

Here’s what you in our community has been up to this week:

• Ron_mcphatty plans to finish off the story to Star Wars Squadrons this weekend, and so far loves flying the TIE Bombers.
  
• Bloodborne, No Man’s Sky and Days Gone were what TSBonyman played this week, with the later likely being the focus for a potential lockdown.
• Horizon Zero Dawn is feeling a bit overwhelming for hornet1990, who will be looking for a more a more linear experience for their next game!
• MrYd‘s been busy as usual, grinding more of Genshin Impact and loving Squadrons in VR.

Have a good weekend and I’ll see you again soon!