QUICKLINKS:
PlayStation Network Reviews A -Z | PlayStation Classics Reviews A - Z
Our PlayStation Network ratings system
We've given every game a 'buy' rating of 'Yes', 'Maybe', or 'No'
Yes means this is a very high quality game, and we have no problem recommending it to anyone as long as they like the genre.
Maybe means we think the game is good, but not necessarily for everyone. If you know the game or like the sound of the description, go for it
No means that we don't recommend the title at all.
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Games listed in alphabetical order
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Aqua Vita (PSEye Only)
Price: $4.95
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
Aqua Vita isn't so much a game, but an experiment for the PSEye camera. It's difficult to review the title, except to say that if it's like a pretty fish tank where you can interact with the water on your TV screen. It's more of a fancy screen-saver than anything else, and as such, would be recommended only if it was free. Unfortunately, it'll set you back nearly $5, and so should only be purchased if you're really starved for new PSN content.
Worth buying? No
Blast Factor / Blast Factor Advanced Research
Price: $13.45 | PALGN Review
Blast Factor is a shooter where the left analog stick controls movement and the right analog stick controls shooting. The new expansion packs do improve the game considerably, but with other better shooters on the PlayStation Store this game is really only recommended if you've played the others and are after a new experience.
Worth buying? Maybe
Calling All Cars!
Price: $12.95
If crazy multiplayer fun is what you're after, then look no further than Calling All Cars! Competitive cops and robbers style gameplay with very effective cell shading makes for a very attractive package, and at the price it is truly a bargain. With a variety of game-modes and the option to play the game online with your friends, this one could last you a very long time. One of the more light-hearted and entertaining options on the PSN.
Worth buying? Yes
Dark Mist
Price: $12.95
With a series of dungeons and a heap of mystical enemies to hack, slash and shoot your way through with a variety of magical powers, Dark Mist feels a lot like a modernised version of the popular classic Smash TV. The game certainly looks pretty and is very 'pick-up-and-play' friendly with very basic yet addictive game mechanics. That being said, you'll know by now if this top-down style of gameplay progressing from level to level is your style, and while the game is initially fun, the core gameplay remains the same and can get monotonous over time. If you like the magical dungeon type of genre that it's firmly placed in though, you may find it worth the money.
Worth buying? Maybe
EyeCreate (PSEye Only)
Price: Free
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
EyeCreate is a simple piece of software which allows the user to capture audio, video and photos of themselves and then manipulate them in a variety of ways including colour distortion, slow motion and other effects. If you spend some time with the software, you can create some interesting little mini-movie experiments, but it's not something that everyone will enjoy and it is also fairly limited in terms of options. It's a free download however, so if you have any interest at all in this type of thing, then go for it.
Worth downloading? Maybe
Feel Ski
Price: $12.95 | PALGN Review
Feel Ski is sadly the PSN game that gets our lowest recommendation. Don't let the idea of skiing with six-axis controls fool you into thinking this game is decent - there is an obvious lack of game modes, the whole thing looks extremely average and you'll find yourself bored after about 20 minutes. This should have been a free download, so add in the ultimate slap in the face of $12.95 and tell us how you feel after that.
Worth buying? No
flOw
Price: $13.45 | PALGN Review
Easily one of the most relaxing experiences available in all of video-gaming, flOw is a unique experience that is incomparable to anything else on the PSN. Guiding a little fish-like creature through different areas, eating other little fish-like creatures of different varieties causing you to grow and transform in visually interesting ways might not sound like your cup of tea, but honestly there's nothing better after a long day of work than to sit down for a few minutes with this obscure title.
Worth buying? Yes
Go! Puzzle
Price: $9.95 (For all levels)
Go! Puzzle is three puzzle games in one, including clearing the screen of sinking mines in 'Aquatica', rotating multi-coloured squares to try and match them and blow them up in 'Swizzle Blocks', and guiding a character up several challenging towers in 'Skyscraper'. Go! Puzzle features competitive online modes and the games themselves can be fun and addictive, but they're certainly not going to change your life. You can also purchase each game seperately for $4.95 if you wish. It really depends on whether the games are interesting to you or not, so give them a try and decide whether they're worth the cash.
Worth buying? Maybe
Go! Sudoku
Price: $13.45
Sudoku has been the biggest puzzle phenomenon of the past few years. If you've jumped on the bandwagon and become an addict like many others, then you may see the value in playing the game competitively online with others via the PlayStation Network. Everybody else should probably just let this title pass you on by. It's not that Go! Sudoku is a terribly made title... it's just that it's Sudoku, and that's all you'll be getting when you fork out the money. At least it's available in numerous smaller packs for cheaper prices if you don't want to make the full leap straight away.
Worth buying? Maybe
Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
Price: $59.95
The second fully-fledged online game on the PlayStation Network since Warhawk was released last year, GT5: Prologue is easy to recommend. The Gran Turismo series has consistently proven itself as the best, the most stylish and the most graphically impressive driving simulator on the market, and this is no exception. With the proper Gran Turismo 5 still not due until 2009, Prologue will easily tide you over until then, with more to do than some full-priced retail releases. The only reason not to buy this would be if you'd rather have the physical disc instead.
Worth buying? Yes
Gripshift
Price: $16.71 | PALGN Review
If you took Super Monkey Ball and mixed it with The Matrix and some kind of mini car game you would end up with Gripshift. The game is full of challenges, with some you will need to race around a track extremely fast, with others you will need to collect a specific number of tokens. All in all Gripshift is a featured packed game that is highly recommended, three omissions from the PSP version are disappointing but there is still a solid game here.
Worth buying? Yes
GT HD Concept
Price: Free
Available as a free download from day one on the PlayStation Network, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't play this game. Gran Turismo is one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful driving simulators of all time, and this is just a small taste of what a PS3 version of the franchise would look like. Although you're of course limited to a miniscule selection of cars and tracks, it is free, so stop complaining!
Worth downloading? Yes
High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition
Price: $12.95
It seems that every platform, whether it is a console or a handheld needs a poker game and here is the obligatory PlayStation 3 version. High Stakes on the Vegas Strip includes several different poker variants, but Texas Hold 'Em will probably be the most popular version. If you like poker and haven't played any of the other poker games then this is worth you time and money, if you have played the other poker games then steer clear, there is nothing in this game to differentiate it from other poker titles out there.
Worth buying? Maybe
High Velocity Bowling
Price: $12.95
We were always of the opinion that bowling games probably shouldn't exist; after all, why not just go bowling in real life and have a much better time? Well, Wii Sports Bowling made us think twice, and High Velocity Bowling is making us rethink a little bit as well. Using the Sixaxis to replicate a bowling swing, there are a number of characters and different game modes including one reserved for trick shots. There is multiplayer, so if you have some friends that are into this sort of thing, there is some definite fun to be had; but it is still bowling, and not everyone likes bowling. If you didn't like it before, this probably won't change your mind.
Worth buying? Maybe
Lemmings
Price: $13.45
Lemmings are back once again, this time in HD! Sony must be enjoying the license a lot after releasing the EyeToy version of the game and then following it up with this shiny PSN version of it. With 40 new levels, some new items to use within puzzles and online rankings, this Lemmings is a worthy addition to the Lemmings franchise. Just like the old days, try to direct the odd little creatures to the finish line without killing them in a number of puzzling maps. It's the same game with a new coat of paint - not necessarily a bad thing, but it's certainly not original.
Worth buying? Maybe
LocoRoco Cocoreccho
Price: $4.95
Not really a game, LocoRoco Cocoreccho can be described as an interactive screensaver, whereby you can use the sixaxis to collect as many LocoRoco as possible and lead them to the goal of the level. Platforms and branches are moved by tilting the controller and the creatures bounce around a lot making it an entertaining distraction. It's also extremely colourful, and addictive for that very reason. There are a couple of mini-games included in the package, but in the end it really is just a distraction. Not bad by any means, but it probably won't last you very long.
Worth buying? Maybe
Mesmerize: Distort (PSEye Only)
Price: $4.95
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
Want to experiment some more with your PSEye? Mesmerize: Distort has some stylistic visual effects that react to your movement and the sounds that you make. Think like a warped music video from the 80's. As soon as you move or make noise, the colours and shapes on the screen change and transform before your very eyes, with 5 different specific 'experiences' included in the package. We're not sure if it's worth purchasing unless this kind of visual eye-candy really interests you, but it can be fun after a few drinks to see what oddness you can create.
Worth buying? Maybe
Nucleus
Price: $13.45
Much like the arcades of yesteryear dual joystick shooters are still extremely popular on digital download services, including of course the PlayStation Store, Nucleus is very similar to Blast Factor except with different enemies. A game like Super Stardust HD is easier to recommend than Nucleus but if for some reason your shooter fix hasn't been fulfilled Nucleus may be worth your time.
Worth buying? Maybe
Operation Creature Feature (PSEye Only)
Price: $8.45
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
Another attempt to bring life into the PSEye which is currently lacking playable content, Operation Creature Feature is a short and simple puzzle game which has you guiding little creatures known as Blurbs through a series of mazes. The little creatures are attracted to motion, so it's kind of like a hands-on Lemmings in the end. The game doesn't have too many puzzles to be completed, and is a little more pricey than some of the other PSEye content available, but if you have the spare cash in your PlayStation Wallet, then this could be worth your time.
Worth buying? Maybe
Pain
Price: $12.95
It's certainly an interesting idea for a game. Place yourself into an oversized slingshot and shoot yourself towards all sorts of painful and hilarious objects to try and get the highest score possible. The more you hurt, the bigger the points. Pain is a lot of fun, to be sure, but it's short lived, with only one level and a couple of characters available. Sure, you can download other characters to fling into the sky for a couple of dollars each, and there are a bunch of trophies to collect for doing particularly insane things; but given that the game still won't last you very long, you may want to decide just how much fun you can really have repeatedly pummeling your in-game persona.
Worth buying? Maybe
Pixeljunk Monsters
Price: $12.95 | PALGN Review
Pixeljunk Monsters is a fantastic strategy tower defense title that is remarkably simple too pick up and a difficult game to put down. With a large selection of towers and a heck of a lot of levels Pixeljunk Monsters is highly recommended.
Worth buying? Yes
Pixeljunk Racers
Price: $12.95 | PALGN Review
Pixeljunk Racers is a top down racer where you take control of a car on a slot car track, this means you only really need to worry about getting into the correct lane and maintaining speed. The game is ultimately just a little bit too dull and isn't worth the cash.
Worth buying? No
Piyotama
Price: $8.45
Piyotama is a puzzle game where the idea is to match up several of the same coloured eggs, to hatch them. The game features time and un-timed play and high scores can also be uploaded to a leaderboard. The gameplay is simple, but remains fun which means Piyotama is surprisingly addictive and easily one of the most addictive puzzle games on the service.
Worth buying? Yes
Riff: Everyday Shooter
Price: $12.95
Riff: Everyday Shooter is a top-down shooter for certain, but there is so much more to it than just that. Apart from its cell-shaded graphics which simply ooze style, everything you shoot creates a sort of smooth guitar melody which goes with the background music, making the game both a visual and aural package that's almost unmatched. Though there are lots of shooters on the market already, Everyday Shooter has enough unique qualities to warrant a purchase and is one of the stronger titles available on the PlayStation Network.
Worth buying? Yes
Sky Diving
Price: $8.45
There are some real-life hobbies that simply don't translate well into video games - and Sky Diving is one of them. Although it may be the cheapest way to jump out of a plane, this title from the makers of the similarly awful Feel Ski simply doesn't replicate the feeling of sky diving. At all. Sure, you'll jump out of a plane, do a couple of cool things in the air before eventually landing safely on the ground - but the gameplay is terribly shallow, and could only be seriously considered as a download if it was free.
Worth buying? No
Snakeball
Price: $12.95
Snakeball puts you in control of a hoversnake while you have to try and collect colourful balls to score points. It's a funky game which lets you use your tail against your opponents, if you prefer to get a little more dangerous then you can also use weapons. The game also supports the PlayStation Eye, so you can take a picture of yourself and put it on your hoversnake. We love it here at PALGN HQ and heartily recommend a purchase.
Worth buying? Yes
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Price: $15.95
Released onto the Xbox Live Arcade many months ago now, Super Puzzle Fighter II finally makes its presence felt on the PlayStation Network. Featuring an addictive block-stacking puzzle element combined with special attacks and characters plucked straight out of the Street Fighter series, this game is an absolute blast and will last you a very long time after purchasing. If playing offline against the computer wasn't enough, you'll also be able to go online and compete with friends and other players around the world, meaning that if you get as addicted to Puzzle Fighter as we are, you could essentially be playing it forever.
Worth buying? Yes
Super Stardust HD
Price: $13.45
At such a cheap price we have no hesitation in recommending Super Stardust HD, a next generation remake of Super Stardust. The game is a dual analog shooter but has a decent amount of depth because of some special weapons which can destroy everything in their path. The game starts off relatively basic but in five minutes you will be blasting away space junk and absolutely loving it. This is one of the best games on the PlayStation Network and just as enjoyable as Geometry Wars, but with more depth. The recently released free upgrade contains a few tweaks as well, making the game even more enjoyable.
Worth buying? Yes
Super Rub a Dub
Price: $13.45
Super Rub a Dub was one of the first PlayStation Network titles to take advantage of the Sixaxis. Players take control of a sink and need to move the Sixaxis to navigate the rubber ducks into the plug hole. It's a novel idea, but doesn't have much depth and most players will probably be over the novelty rather quickly.
Worth buying? No
Tekken: Dark Resurrection Online
Price: $29.95 | PALGN Review
If you like fighting games and you enjoy competing online, you could do a lot worse for $30 than Tekken: Dark Resurrection Online. Despite having a few less features than what you may be used to with the Tekken franchise, the price-point more than makes up for this. If you didn't like Tekken before this certainly won't change your mind, but you won't find much better value on the PSN than this.
Worth buying? Yes
Tori Emaki (PSEye Only)
Price: $4.95
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
Tori Emaki is another one of those unique 'experiences' available for use with the PSEye, which isn't really focused on gameplay, but rather the idea of guiding a group of birds through a living artwork that takes up the screen. Moving your body in different ways changes the speed and direction of where the birds fly, and if they fly past certain parts of the image, you can see different things depending on the artwork. It's interesting, it's unique - it's certainly not for everyone. Not a bad little piece of software for $4.95 though.
Worth buying? Maybe
Toy Home
Price: $12.95
Toy Home is a racing game with a twist. The game takes place in (believe it or not) a Toy Home and the vehicle you take control of in the game is a tiny car. The game includes eight race tracks all set near the toy box and also includes support for the Sixaxis and the Dual Shock. Some of the environments in the game are remarkably clever but the online play is laggy and the game does feel a little restrictive at times.
Worth buying? Maybe
Trials of Topoq (PSEye Only)
Price: $4.95
Extras: PSEye/Eyetoy Compatible
Trials of Topoq is easily the most interesting PSEye-specific title available on the PSN, as it tries to do something different to anything else available. Guiding an orb through several different levels by pushing tiles up and down and all around (your image is actually 'beneath' the tiles, which is where you control them.) It's not a bad puzzler, but it's definitely not for everyone, and can be fairly frustrating for those that don't have the patience for it. If you're looking for something different for your PSEye though, this will do nicely.
Worth buying? Maybe
Warhawk
Price: $49.95 | PALGN Review
The multiplayer-only experience known as Warhawk has been one of the biggest success stories of the PS3, available both in physical retail form bundled with a headset as well as being available for a much more appealing price on the PlayStation Network. Given the cheaper price of the title on the PSN, it's very easy to recommend this very fun shooter which allows you to take to the skies with a variety of flying vehicles as well as battle it out with tanks and weaponry on the ground, allowing for a near infinite amount of unique battles. The most expensive title on the PSN is also easily the best.
Worth buying? Yes
Retro Titles:
Championship Sprint
Price: $8.45
Championship Sprint is a top down racer which has been replicated several times (even by Pixeljunk Racers, another game on the PlayStation Store). At the time of release Championship Sprint was the pinnacle of the genre, but now it just comes off as a dull top-down racer with a poor sense of speed.
Worth buying? No
Gauntlet II
Price: $8.45
Gauntlet II is another game that has been ported to several platforms. In the game players have to go move through mazes and collect treasure. While Gauntlet II may have been enjoyable when it was first released, now it just feels old and dated, much like an old date.
Worth buying? No
Joust
Price: $8.45
Based on the old-school Midway classic, Joust allows players to mount their noble feathered steed (a weird flying ostrich type bird) and ride into battle against enemy knight where the objective is to pummel into your enemy until he keels over. While the game is presented in high-definition with a bunch of new backgrounds, the gameplay sticks to the same addictive formula that has made Joust an arcade favourite for over twenty years and makes the game an easy recommendation.
Worth buying? Yes
Mortal Kombat II
Price: $8.45
Paying under $10 for a basically arcade perfect conversion of Mortal Kombat II is what we call one of the best deals going around. Back in the 90's people probably spent many times this amount in the arcades. While Mortal Kombat II isn't the best fighting game on the store (see Tekken) it is still a solid old-school brawler and is a lot of fun online.
Worth buying? Yes
Q*Bert
Price: $8.45
By now everyone has probably played Q*Bert, the game set on an isometric pyramid where the goal is to try and touch squares and change them to a seperate colour. Q*Bert is still an okay game, but at $8.45 it isn't quite as budget priced as we hoped it would be.
Worth buying? Maybe
Rampage World Tour
Price: $8.45
When Rampage World Tour was released it was criticised for its shallow, boring gameplay. Years later we have to agree with the complaints, Rampage is a game that was fun back in the past, but now it just feels dated, when there are games like The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction out there, there is little to no reason to play this game.
Worth buying? No
Rampart
Price: $8.45
Rampart is a shooter and puzzle game in one. It is an okay game that sort of broke the mold when it was released in 1990, but the game has been ported to so many different platforms now that anyone half interested in the game would have already played it several times over.
Worth buying? No
This article features contributions from Luke Mitchell.
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