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.
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.
Judgment on the new generation of consoles might not be a must-play for anyone who already enjoyed it on the PS4, but it's absolutely the best way to play the game and still represents a fantastic jumping off point for anyone keen to dip their toes into the Yakuza franchise. Playing as Yagami feels better than ever at 60FPS, and Kamurocho and its many faces come alive with improved detail and a fantastic new lighting treatment. There's no argument here: Judgment is a winner, case closed.
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut and in particular the Iki Island expansion does a great job at giving players more of what made the game's original release special. The brisk new adventure takes Jin Sakai on a journey of reflection and reconciliation that contains plenty of beautiful, memorable moments and some very cool new gear to play with. The updates made for its native PS5 release do feel a touch slim given that they come at an added cost, but they do go a long way to refining and enhancing the experience. A great game made better, then, and a fantastic excuse to spend dozens more hours in Photo Mode.
It's not often that a game grabs me in quite the way Citizen Sleeper has. By stripping a video game adventure to its barest components and then manipulating those components to create just the right balance of hope and despair it successfully conveys the drama and danger of its small slice of sci-fi storytelling. Top-notch writing, impeccable narrative design and inviting tabletop mechanics accompanied by gorgeous art and music serve only to elevate it even more. Play this bloody game.
Stray is a brisk and relentlessly charming adventure that offers a very unique window into a gorgeous sci-fi world. It won't challenge your mind or your reflexes too much but it'll absolutely delight your senses. Importantly, it's a video game with a dedicated 'meow' button, and what could possibly be better than that?
Not quite a remake, but well beyond what's expected of a remaster, Crisis Core Reunion is exactly the kind of reverent and carefully-considered re-release that fans of the original deserve. Not everything from the 2008 iteration holds up equally, but the updates are plentiful enough that it hardly matters. Whether you managed to catch it on the PSP or you're diving in for the first time – this is without a doubt the definitive way to experience the excellent prequel to Final Fantasy VII.
There’s so much more to talk about when it comes to this hugely comprehensive upgrade to The Witcher 3, and probably a lot I’m yet to see first-hand in the gargantuan game, but I’m confident enough already to say that what you’re getting here is a lot for free. Even if you’re new, the game now comes with all of the excellent expansion content and improvements made to the game in the years since its original release, so it represents great value for money even before the new-gen upgrades. Without a doubt, if you’ve been on the fence about giving The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt another go around or dipping your toes in for the first time – now is your moment.
All that said, if you’ve played and enjoyed GRIS in the past – let it be known that this is undeniably the same game. While I’d enthusiastically advocate a replay to anyone, I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the 4K120 presentation is reason enough to double-dip in place of any of the many other compelling indie releases of 2022. If you’re fresh to the experience, don’t hesitate a second, but otherwise consider whether you possess the technology to get the most out of this new port and/or whether you’ve had your fill of what GRIS has to offer before now.
SEASON: A letter to the future is the perfect example of art that could only exist within the confines of a video game, using player agency to convey its themes in ways that at times feel genuinely enlightening. It's a game that only gives as much as you deem to take, and only asks as much as you have to give. An instant classic.
I’m sure serious rally-heads have had plenty of video game content to chew on that I’d never thought to dabble in, but I’m glad I got the chance to experience it in Forza Horizon 5, and I’m certain Rally Adventure will capture both diehards and newcomers like myself with the sheer exhilaration of its races and the franchise’s continued penchant for spectacle and accessibility.
It's not often that a game grabs me in quite the way Citizen Sleeper has. By stripping a video game adventure to its barest components and then manipulating those components to create just the right balance of hope and despair it successfully conveys the drama and danger of its small slice of sci-fi storytelling. Top-notch writing, impeccable narrative design and inviting tabletop mechanics accompanied by gorgeous art and music serve only to elevate it even more. Play this bloody game.
Goodbye Volcano High is something truly special. It takes a well-conceived gameplay idea, drops it into an immensely unique and superbly crafted world and marries it with sharp writing and wonderful tunes to produce something unmatched. More than just an experiment in adding rhythm gameplay to a narrative experience, it's an earnest, mature, queer, warm and heartbreaking invitation to the end of the world.
Saltsea Chronicles is unequivocal proof that Die Gute Fabrik is an unstoppable force in the industry. A team blazing brand new trails, wholly their own, with stories that are radical and thoughtful in equal measure and told in unexplored ways that only video games could deliver.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 cleverly pairs its added width and breadth with more depth and meaningful new gameplay and story opportunities. There's rarely a moment here that doesn't feel thrilling, enchanting, heartbreaking, awe-inspiring or some combination of it all. Beyond untangling the finer threads of its design or narrative ambitions though, it's genuinely just the most fun, gorgeous open world superhero game out there.
Infinite Wealth is a stellar follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon in just about every way. It's bigger, bolder and with some smart tweaks to combat it's a significantly better turn-based RPG. Series fans have a ton to look forward to in the larger-than-life story and emotional character moments, and though there are some glaring issues with its dungeons and post-game offerings, the end result is the franchise's best entry yet.
It might not come as a surprise, but Dave the Diver is just as good on PlayStation as it is elsewhere. If you're yet to experience this intoxicating combination of scuba, sushi and silly mini-games, there's really never been a better time – especially because you can snag it as part of a PlayStation Plus Extra subscription.
A near-perfectly executed remaster of a contentious-but-stellar classic that manages to feel more modern and relevant than ever
A trip to the Mushroom Kingdom by way of Ubisoft and the Rabbids, this risky move pays off with an addictive and challenging turn-based strategy RPG full of great fan service and more than a few laughs
With less content and gameplay depth, how could this sixth entry in the long-running franchise possibly hold up against its predecessors? Quite well, as it turns out