Strange refereeing aside, PES 2017 is a wonderful football game that just begs to be played. It just wouldn't be PES if it was perfect.
Forza Horizon 3 is a beautiful, immensely entertaining, joyous arcade racer that successfully builds on Playground Games' already tremendous formula.
EA introduces FIFA's best new mode in years and delivers an excellent game on the pitch. The Journey may well bring back lapsed fans.
An awesome adventure that delivers an epic sense of discovery. On PS4 Rise of the Tomb Raider is just as gorgeous as ever and packed full with some excellent bonus content.
DriveClub VR has lost the stunning visuals of the original game, but it remains a brilliant racer to play. The immersion offered by VR is superb, making this an essential launch title.
Gears of War 4 had a lot to live up to, but The Coalition has delivered a visually stunning and thrilling campaign, plus top notch multiplayer modes. One of the Xbox One's very best titles, and the PC version is excellent too.
Arkham Asylum and Arkham City are two superb action games that are essential for Batman fans. The ports in Return to Arkham have good intentions but fall short of the greatness required.
Lots of tractors. Hens. Trailers. People driving tractors. Combine harvesters. No train on train track.
Super Mario Maker for 3DS is a perfect fit for the handheld, with loads of content and excellent creation tools, but why can't you share levels online? That decision is baffling.
For some The Last Guardian's iffy controls, awkward camera, and glitches might be hard to overcome. Others won't care as they experience one of the most incredible relationships in video game history.
For Honor is a real surprise. In terms of gameplay mechanics it's top-notch, visually it's excellent, and there's a decent if fairly formulaic campaign to play through. It's in For Honor's multifaceted multiplayer, however, where Ubisoft has has struck gold. Testing your combat knowledge against real players, either in one-on-one duels or in large conquest-style battles, is both thrilling and unique in the action genre.
As a collection it’s hard to fault the amount of content you get in Mario Sports Superstars. However, all five sports are lacking in key areas. Accept these for what they are and you'll find it easy to pump numerous hours into this package, but go in with hopes of this 3DS title rekindling the glory days of Mario sports titles and, sadly, you’ll be disappointed.
FIFA 19's headline new feature, the Champions League, adds to an already slick and fine tuned package, but it's the subtle gameplay tweaks that have made EA's latest such a big success. On the pitch FIFA offers more control than ever before, finally making for a game that isn't just about showing off to mates.
Crackdown 3 isn't an instant hit, but after a slow start it rapidly builds into an action-packed shooter with brilliant character control and movement. While orb collecting is the key for prolonged play, the campaign in Crackdown 3 is always entertaining and visually there's a lot to appreciate if you look at the bigger picture. Crackdown is back. Shame about the multiplayer Wrecking Zone, though.
I’m a big fan of Dirt 5. It’s not going to garner the praise of a Gran Turismo or a Forza, but it’s exactly the kind of game I was after. It’s fun, easy to get into, full of variety, looks pretty, and features cars that slide beautifully around corners. Dirt 5 is a feel-good game at feel-bad time, which is about the best time for it to exist.
I’ve been going back to Astro every now and again during my time with the PS5, the quick loading and options to launch to certain zones from the system’s main menu making it easy to spend a few minutes hunting down missing collectibles. But my main takeaway is that I really hope the DualSense is used properly for the life of the console and not just by Sony. I’m sure a lot of the third-party launch window titles will make decent use of its features, but if pushed properly this controller could be a huge selling point for Sony. The HD Rumble on Switch Joy-Cons was used well during the console’s early days, but has now seemingly fallen way down the list of developer priorities.
I hope it’s clear that I really enjoyed The Pathless, a game that prior to playing hadn’t really caught my eye. I hope it isn’t lost amongst the PS5’s bigger, noisier releases, as it’s something different and uplifting. It’s rare to find such tension and threat in a game that’s also so peaceful, but Giant Squid has managed it. In truth we could all do with a bit of light in our lives at the moment.
Sony is on a roll with the PS5, with Sackboy: A Big Adventure being yet another title PS5 buyers should seriously consider adding to their collection.
No, this isn’t a production up to the level you might expect from Naughty Dog or The Coalition. This is an indie game that’s performing on the biggest stage, and for the most part it’s put on quite the show.
Little Nightmares 2 is a superb sequel that carries on the impressive tone of the original, but improves in all key areas. This isn’t explosive horror, there’s no gore or torture, and for the most part you’re jumping onto levers, solving puzzles, and climbing up furniture, but that doesn’t mean Tarsier hasn’t created a standout horror experience.