A fun, gorgeous platforming romp that makes great use of its split screen-only twist in both gameplay and narrative. Hazelight proves that co-op lightning can definitely strike twice.
A unique, thoughtful narrative puzzler with a mind-bending recursive twist that succeeds by focusing more on evoking its themes than unpacking them. Some minor lapses in polish aside it's a short, sharp hit of emotion and wonder that should be on every indie puzzler fan's list.
Without straying too far from the formula set by its predecessors, Bravely Default II proves there's still life left in old-school JRPG ideals with challenging and addictive combat and some beautiful sights and sounds. Its punishing nature might put some players off, but the satisfaction of mastering its systems is well worth the time and effort.
Playing Persona 5 Strikers is like being blessed with a reunion special of a beloved series that ended years ago. It feels different, perhaps through a new lens or just more timely, but the characters you grew to cherish are all back for one last, terrific adventure. Omega Force's influence is clear, but the game walks a confident line between the traditional Persona format and a musou spin-off. If you're a fan, do yourself a favour and don't sleep on this – Strikers is one hell of a road trip that deserves to be considered a proper sequel.
Little Nightmares II doesn't break the mould established by its predecessor but it improves on it in a number of small ways while introducing fans to a new cast of creepy characters to be kept up at night by
As a next-gen update then, Control does a decent job of taking advantage of both the power and unique features of the new generation of consoles, especially if you happen to be playing on a PlayStation 5. While the ray-traced effects might not make this a must-replay, it’s still a far better and (crucially) more stable experience than the game has ever been on consoles, not to mention the joy of playing with the 60fps option instead. At the end of the day Control is a game worth checking out for the first or fifth time, so now’s a better time than ever to get on that.
This sequel to an already-decent entry in the Atelier franchise makes improvements in just about every area, giving fans good reason to reunite with Ryza and pals for another alchemy-filled adventure
I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy the majority of my time in Night City but for every step forward, the game takes one or two back. And then clips through the floor, and blames it on a woman. And then crashes.
Immortals is more than just a fun open-world with slick combat and massive Breath of the Wild vibes, it's also a superbly written and legitimately funny take on Greek mythology. This is one of Ubisoft's best games in years
If you never got to experience DropMix, this is an even better extension of Harmonix' incredible mixing technology, just be prepared to invest serious time and dollars to get the full experience
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the hessian hero's best outing yet. Tighter platforming controls and a fresh perspective go a long way to reinvigorating the franchise, and it helps that the whole thing is positively stuffed with charm from beginning to end. Levels that feel lonely when played solo, and worse, levels that aren't accessible at all in single player dampen the experience, but not enough for platforming fans to dismiss it. If you've just brought home a shiny new PlayStation 5 there's also a lot here to showcase what the console is capable of in both visuals and the user experience, making it well worth considering as part of your launch library. Viva la Sackboy!
More than a tech demo or a fleeting curiosity, Astro's Playroom is a phenomenal game in its own right that paints a bright future for both the PlayStation 5 and Astro himself
The Pathless is the next great indie adventure. Whether the joy you take from it is in its unique and super-slick traversal mechanics, or the arresting world and faultless artistry, there's no denying that Giant Squid has absolutely nailed it. If I could somehow travel back in time and get lost in this game all over again, I would. While I can't speak to the experience on Windows or Apple devices, I believe this is one for the PlayStation 5 players most of all. This world needs to be taken in at its most visually rich, and the unique properties of the DualSense heighten its gameplay even further. If you only pick one, non-AAA exclusive for your next-gen PlayStation, pick this one.
Miles Morales is a worthy standalone addition to Insomniac's excellent Spider-Man game and a compelling part of the PlayStation 5 launch lineup, even if it does seem a little pricey
Yakuza Like a Dragon is both a fresh start and a shot in the arm that caters to series veterans and newcomers like. It bears all the hallmarks of a great Yakuza game, while making a damned good case for its revamped battle system. After Yakuza 6 topped the rest of the franchise with a matured and succinct focus it feels even more exciting to see the whole thing blown wide open again and have Ryu ga Gotoku just run wild. Kudos is deserved at Sega of America for their commitment to the game's localization as well, which is incredibly considered and comprehensive. I think I've found a new favourite Yakuza game.
It can be a frustrating bloody thing at times, but when it picks up steam Ghostrunner is a balls-to-the-wall thrill ride that delivers on its cyberpunk stylings and repays patience with a dystopia-grade injection of dopamine
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is both a successful celebration of the original trilogy as well as a worthy follow-up. Toys For Bob has taken the essence of what fans loved about the classics, distilled and bottled it and then shaken it up. Some old issues rear their heads, and there are definitely some dud levels and boss fights, but it's a package so chock-full of content that the good far outweighs the small amount of bad. Anyone hankering for some old-school Crash Bandicoot action will find exactly that and more, and all wrapped up in one of the most gorgeous platformers I've ever seen.
This from-the-ground-up remake takes a certified classic and makes it even better with a thoughtful modern update that absolutely nails the storytelling and atmosphere of great mafia fiction
It's hard to fault a collection of three absolute classics like these, but this particular package feels surprisingly unceremonious
Windbound throws a wide net of ideas in the hopes of catching something magical but a lack of depth leaves it high and dry