Update: we're expecting more stock to go live at Tesco Direct overnightLast night a section of the internet went into a mini meltdown as Tesco Direct, John Lewis and a few other stores released PS4 deals from £149.That's cheaper than anything we've ever seen since the console launched for £349 three years ago. It was very clearly a ploy to shift the remaining stock of the original PS4 SKU to make way for the new Slim model.Stock ran out in the early hours of the morning before being replenished at one or two places. They then sold out again by 11am. And right now they're going in and out of stock fairly frequently - we think it's because the volume of traffic to the retailers means they're trying to validate sales in batches before releasing more stock. The upshot of this is that you might need to be persistent to get one of these consoles.We're listing all of the deals below - needless to say if you spot something that's in stock, grab it straight away!PS4 500GB with LEGO Star Wars and The Force Awakens on Blu-ray for £149This was the deal that was most recently in stock at Tesco Direct.
It's a truly stunning deal, definitely the cheapest the console has ever been and probably as cheap as anything you're likely to see on Black Friday. This deal is/was available at the following places:Argos | AmazonPS4 500GB with FIFA 17 for £149If you're a football/FIFA fan then this is/was also an incredible deal. Given that FIFA 17 costs £50 on its own you're effectively getting the PS4 for £100 which is bonkers. It was most recently in stock at Smyths, though that was via a click and collect policy. It may or may not become available for home delivery - your best bet is to keep checking. AmazonPS4 1TB with FIFA 17 for £179For the more hardcore gamer, the 1TB PS4 is always going to be a better bet, offering as it does double the storage for downloaded/installed games. It was most recently in stock at Tesco Direct but it did seem to sell out pretty quick and we're not sure if it'll be back. AmazonPS4 1TB with LEGO Star Wars and The Force Awakens on Blu-ray for £179And finally, a 1TB PS4 with LEGO Star Wars and the most recent Star Wars movie on Blu-ray.
This deal was most recently available at Tesco Direct but it sold out pretty quickly. No word on whether it'll back.AmazonIf you were thinking of waiting until Black Friday to grab yourself a hot PS4 deal, you may want to re-evaluate your gameplan.Tesco Direct, John Lewis, Smyths and others last night launched a range of PS4 deals that are cheaper than anything we've ever seen since the console launched for £349 three years ago. It's very clearly a ploy to shift the remaining stock of the original PS4 SKU to make way for the new Slim model.Tesco sent us details of these deals late last night and we really have no idea how long they will last for - our guess is that they'll go quite quickly.If you shop around at the moment, you'll struggle to find any PS4 deals for less than £220. However, Tesco, John Lewis and Smyths didn't get that memo as they're all running headline deals for a PS4 and FIFA 17 for just £149. The Force Awakens must be magic. First it reinvigorated Star Wars after a string of duds, and now it’s given the slumping LEGO games the same shot in the arm.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most creative, well-paced, and fun LEGO game in years. Developer Traveler's Tales always displays a keen love and affection for its source material, but with this take on the most recent Star Wars movie, it tells an entertaining story that pays wonderful tribute to Episode VII through a slew of smart puzzles and unique characters. Unlike the disjointed storytelling in the disappointing LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, The Force Awakens uses dialogue from the film effectively. The story of Rey, Finn, and company follows the same path as the movie, while also throwing in a bunch of really clever gags and goofs. Wandering through the ruins of Maz Kanada’s castle, overhearing some weird creatures talk about where they’re going to drink next, and having one of them suggest his old watering hole on Tatooine left a big dumb grin on my face. It even handles heavy events, like that Big Spoilery Thing™ with a solid dose of humor and charm. I loved scouring each level for all of their secrets.
Each level in the eight-hour campaign does a great job of spreading out puzzle solutions between multiple characters and their unique abilities. Unlike LEGO Avengers, where the second player oftentimes found themselves bored, here you’ll need each character’s inherent abilities to make it through a level. Plus, the abilities are generally fun to use -- Rey’s agility creates some great platforming segments, while BB-8’s ability to jack into any electrical outlet allows you to fiddle around and manipulate platforms and other objects in the world. Whether I was playing by myself or alongside a pal, I really enjoyed scouring each level for all of their secrets. That said, certain puzzle mechanics are dull and used a bit too often. For example, playing as Finn and having to line up the head and torsos of a holographic Stormtrooper to enter a First Order door quickly transforms from a light challenge into a chore. While the destroy, build, and collect mechanics are familiar to anyone who has played a LEGO game, The Force Awakens tosses in some new and unique scenarios that surprised me with how fun they were.
Specifically, cover-based shootouts that feel like “My First Gears of War.” These sections were totally unexpected, but really helped deliver some diversity to the familiar gameplay loop. Add in the fact that each character has a special meter that allows you to destroy the battlefield with a cool-looking unique attack, and Force Awakens has the best-feeling action of any LEGO game yet. Flying levels are fun, frantic, and more entertaining than this year’s Star Fox Zero. Likewise, the flying sections -- both the on-rails and open-air dogfights -- are fun, frantic, and honestly more entertaining than this year’s Star Fox Zero. Whether I was jetting through an asteroid field, gunning down TIE Fighters on my way off of Jakku, or saving the Resistance as Poe on the shores of Takodana, I looked forward to every scene where I got to hop into the cockpit of a ship. I couldn’t help but imagine what Travelers Tales would do with a full-on Rogue Squadron game. While I love the individual levels, I’m a bit disappointment by the hub worlds.
Unlike the awesome, interconnected core of LEGO Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, this series of small hubs here are disjointed and require fairly lengthy load screens to pop between them. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it adds some frustration when you want to check out a bunch of different challenges and worlds. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is also filled with cute, smart nods that Star Wars nuts are going to love. Scouring the galaxy for slabs of carbonite that unlock characters from the original trilogy and the prequels is a blast. Likewise, there are rad secret missions that fill in the gaps of certain events left out of the film, with one of the more memorable ones featuring Poe on his rescue mission to snatch Admiral Ackbar. All of this constantly compelled to keep playing on my mission to 100% it. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most gaming fun I’ve had with either series in years. The story is great, the levels are dense with fun puzzles, and unlocking all of the secrets is a blast.