If you’re a newcomer or an existing Gen 4 fan, you’ll still have plenty of fun with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. There are noticeable quality-of-life improvements, the Grand Underground is enjoyable, battling against friends is always a joy and there remains an entertaining story. Personally, I just think there’s room for improvement.
There’s not significant variety across these extra modes — and no online multiplayer is unfortunate — though when the core gameplay is this good, it's not a major detractor. Yacht Club Games and VINE ultimately provide an excellent puzzle spin-off, one that’s accessible for all players that'll appeal to existing fans. You won’t necessarily be here for a long time, but it’s an addictive experience that’ll keep you coming back for more.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a uniquely enjoyable entry in Team Rainbow’s history, though the significant crossover with its predecessor makes me feel like Ubisoft could’ve opted for a Siege expansion instead. It's not a huge problem for Ubisoft+ or Game Pass subscribers, sure, but it's a steeper ask for everyone else.
Edge of Eternity offers a throwback to 90's JRPGs, though it doesn't nail the landing it seeks.
It won’t be to everyone’s tastes and combat’s trial-and-error nature might prove off-putting to some, but if you can look past that, you’ll find a highly engaging RPG worth exploring. As such, it comes strongly recommended.
If you’re seeking a JRPG with a more horrifying aesthetic, you’ll have fun if you can look past those flaws. Shin Megami Tensei fans will probably enjoy what’s offered but otherwise, I can only truly recommend this to the JRPG faithful.
Ultimax still packs a mean punch eight years later and even if you aren’t a hardcore Persona fan, it gets my recommendation.
Moss: Book 2 builds upon its predecessor nicely with a captivating world and entertaining platforming, let down primarily by the PSVR's aging tech.
Cities: VR presents a more streamlined experience than Cities: Skylines that's beginner friendly, adapting well to virtual reality with a few significant compromises.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a fun companion to Hundred Heroes, offering a bitesize action RPG that stands up on its own merits.
Kao the Kangaroo makes no secret of its inspirations and while this isn't the toughest platformer going, it's refreshingly straightforward.
I'll likely be playing Three Hopes for a long time to come - I've already begun my Black Eagles New Game+ run - and when I previously said this isn't just Dynasty Warriors with a Fire Emblem skin, I meant it. Three Hopes is genuinely impressive. It walks a fine line between freshness for existing fans and approachability for new players, and personally it's had me invested from the start. I'd love to see where Nintendo's musou spinoff concept goes next.
Multiplayer is undoubtedly the game's main draw. Supporting up to four players, you've got free-for-all, 2v2 team battles, while Mayhem Mode – which is sadly not available online – introduces minigames, including classics like The Floor is Lava and boss fights. Our personal favourite is Rampage, which sees players racing to destroy as many buildings as possible for points, though there’s plenty of other options. This all adds some necessary variety and if you can assemble three other players, GigaBash is a great time that comes recommended.
Red Matter 2 is one of VR's finest adventures yet. With an intriguing mystery, impressive graphics, and intuitive design, Vertical Robot's sequel pushes the Meta Quest 2 to its limits to nearly match the PCVR experience.
Characterful fighters, a good skill ceiling, and a co-op emphasis with real depth makes Warner Bros. MultiVersus a very pleasant surprise.
F1 Manager 2022 is a strong first entry in Frontier's new series, filling a niche that's been sorely lacking on PlayStation for years. Capturing the spirit of Formula 1 with its strong attention to detail, there's some thrilling races to be had and we're impressed by how well it handles race days with its 3D engine. As a management sim, it's a slow burner and we do wish you could create your own teams, but it still holds a distinct charm of its own. If you've got the patience for the long haul, F1 fans won't want to miss this.
Trails From Zero might be late to the scene but even now, Nihon Falcom's JRPG remains one of the best Trails games yet.
Among Us VR is a strong remake of Innersloth’s social deduction hit. While Schell Games’ take could do with extra content, it makes up for this with polished gameplay.
Nintendo's long-running fantasy series looks to its rich history for this smart, satisfying turn-based strategy game.
Forspoken takes it time to get over a wobbly start, but there's something worthwhile here amongst the noise.