God of War takes a classic franchise and reshapes it into the modern fold. The end result is a dramatic, polished, visually impressive and somewhat by-the-numbers PS4 blockbuster that slots along nicely beside the other exclusives in the console's library. It has plenty of content and fairly robust combat to entertain newcomers, while fans of the original games will likely enjoy the second half of the adventure a bit more.
Umiro makes for a relatively straightforward trial and error puzzle game, and if that piques your interest and you can ignore the frustrations of repetitive gameplay, it's worth a look.
Far Cry 5 manages to deliver some satisfying open world action with a focus on co-operative play, but a few poor design choices, disappointing story and occasional bugs hamper the overall impression.
Surviving Mars has the interplanetary foundations of a good strategy game, but it gets bogged down in its own complexity, micromanagement, and a surprisingly bland setting.
Distortions adopts the negative connotations of its own name by offering an overpriced mix of poor storytelling, bad gameplay, lack of polish, and an outdated presentation.
Metal Gear Survive is an enticing, challenging, polished and occasionally frustrating spinoff that doesn't devalue the reputation of the franchise, and offers a unique standalone experience that fans of survival games should enjoy getting stuck into.
Strikers Edge has some decent mechanics at its core, but a lack of gameplay modes, short campaign and deserted online scene make this essentially a barebones local multiplayer title with a high asking price.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is an excellent representation of the source material it is based on, with solid mechanics and plenty of variety, and offers just the sort of over-the-top mayhem that fans of the franchise should thoroughly enjoy.
InnerSpace features a unique game world with some nice moments of quaint exploration and set pieces, but on the whole it's a bit too cramped and pricey to truly soar.
Finding Paradise is a great sequel that, while perhaps unable to reach the extremely high emotional bar set by its predecessor, manages to be entertaining and heartfelt all on its own. It's an original and engaging world, supported by tight writing and excellent soundtrack, that is well worth experiencing.
Reigns: Her Majesty is a solid sequel if you enjoyed the original, but it suffers from many of the same issues such as repetition, being at the mercy of the deck, and not really offering role playing choice but rather making you micromanage happiness meters. The low price point helps offset some of the annoyances, though.
Gear.Club Unlimited may be the only racing car game on the Nintendo Switch for the moment, but it squanders this early lead on a repetitive career, underwhelming presentation and functional, but uninspired gameplay with a price that feels too high.
Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection is a solid management game. It has lots of content, solid mechanics to satisfy tycoon fans, and apart from a few gameplay and control issues, should please aspiring moguls and animal lovers alike.
Need for Speed Payback squanders its open world on races against rubberbanding AI, linear escapes from a timer instead of the cops, and a broken economy that will leave you grinding for far too long. Throw in a bland story and unlikable characters, and you've got a franchise on a serious downward trend.
Super Lucky's Tale looks and sounds pleasant, and its charming world and characters will appeal to younger audiences. However, despite getting the basics right, some gameplay and overall design concerns lead the game down a few wrong foxholes.
Assassin's Creed Origins does enough things differently to warrant a look, but there is still something left to be desired. It's a lengthy game in a huge and varied open world that provides a foundation for what's to come, but it doesn't quite offer the breakthrough that the series was probably looking for.
Gran Turismo Sport debuts on the PS4 without a number in its name, signaling a shift for this long running car racing franchise. While the simulation is still very good, and the presentation is top notch, the lack of content in both single player and online modes will leave most participants unsatisfied. With a full asking price and always-online design, all but the most hardcore fans should approach with caution.
FIFA 18 is a solid continuation of this authentic and highly polished sports franchise that still manages to make meaningful strides forward.
Forza Motorsport 7 has the largest car roster out there, great track simulation racing, and impressive presentation. But as great as the gameplay is, critical changes to the career mode, economy balance, and the new homologation system deflate this typically great franchise a bit.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game will provide some fun for fans of the film and the characters, but its high asking price and relative lack of content may underwhelm those who enjoy the typically better LEGO titles.