The developers should be commended on their efforts here, and I’m excited to see how much further the Switch can be pushed.
Hades takes the hated cycle of retrying the same checkpoint over and over again, flips it on its head with rewarding progression, and makes the player genuinely look forward to starting anew. Gods, it’s impressive!
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is the first PS5 exclusive that I can recommend everyone go out and buy. It’s a cutting-edge masterclass of what the PS5 is capable of, but with the soul of the original R&C games, packaged with a comprehensive set of accessibility options.
It’s an easy flex for PS5, but that doesn’t make it any less of a must-play for those who missed out on the last-gen launch, or hardcore fans who want to scrutinize every pore on Nate and friends’ higher-resolution faces.
With Sifu, developer Sloclap is asking a lot from players. From the punishingly difficult combat that takes hours to learn and tens of hours to master, to the need to repeat and near-perfect levels to lower your starting age, this fighter can be an absolute slog. However, for those who can grit their teeth through the losses and frustration, you’ll come out smiling on the other side having played one of the best games of the year.
It’s tough enough to make a game that targets one genre, let alone two, but rather than a lamb to the slaughter, Cult of the Lamb commands ownership of both with a hellish ambition that sees it become one of the best games of the year.
With the Spider-Man Remastered PC version, gamers are getting the smoothest edition of the web-slinger complete with a comprehensive suite of graphical settings. This is exactly what we need from PlayStation games making their way to PC!
Thanks to a recent patch that fixed the majority of performance issues that I was having, I can happily call Returnal on PC the “definitive version.” It has the looks, the performance, and the best controls, ready to reward those who waited for the PS5’s timed-exclusivity period to end with a compelling, mysterious story and top-tier bullet hell gameplay.
While there are some small niggles that I would have loved to see perfected, this remake exceeds expectations, perfectly balancing the action with the horror and cementing Resident Evil 4 as my favorite game in the series.
If you can fling yourself over the price hurdle, The Last of Us Part 1 is absolutely the best version of the single-player game.
While God of War Ragnarok manages to "be better" with its presentation, combat, and exploration, its story falls a little flat with too many should-be standout moments failing to land. However, for those who can focus on the near-perfect journey rather than becoming all-consumed by the disappointing destination, Ragnarok delivers an epic sequel that is better in almost every way, further bolstering the catalog of must-play exclusives wielded by PlayStation.
While the value proposition is up for debate, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Ghost of Tsushima has evolved beyond anything we had expected. From the post-launch patches that included improvements based on community feedback, to the full-fledged online co-op mode that was released at no extra cost and with free updates, Ghost of Tsushima is a prime example of how video games should be launched and supported after release. It launched in an already superb state and now it is even better and bolder.
“Why pay $4.99 on Steam for something that’s free on your browser?” is a common question that’s popping up. For me, Cloud Save alone is worth the price of admission, as I no longer have to worry about cookies (the other type) and backing up my saves manually. This combined with the music from C418 and support for Steam Achievements makes Cookie Clicker Steam the definitive version that’s worth paying for.
Though the “1” in its name may officially stand for the Great War, it could also represent the rebirth of a franchise that took a bit of a beating with Battlefield 4, went down an awkward path with Hardline, before finally rising as the Battlefield title that simply all shooter fans must buy.
With all things considered, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 achieves its score with room to improve… or plummet.
Ultimately, The Division 2 is a safe sequel for Massive Entertainment to have made and is a safe purchase for anyone looking to grind for loot in a well-paced, co-op experience set within a gorgeous open world.
If you’re any kind of shooter fan, this game has earned your attention.
Ghost of Tsushima is a worthy addition to the roster of must-play PS4 exclusives that have kept players loyal to the console.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a 2017 Game of the Year contender that is still well worth playing in 2020.
For $50, players are getting 7-9 hours of story missions, combined with the optional 10+ hours of side content, much of which is collectible hunting. That doesn’t strike me as a great deal at launch, but the free upgrade from PS4 to PS5 does help soften the blow. When the price is right for you, this PlayStation exclusive comes with my recommendation, as it further bolsters Sony’s arsenal as we enter the next generation and beyond.