Before playing it, I had Nier pegged as a fun hack-and-slash game. What I didn't bargain for was an existential RPG that would soon have me questioning almost everything I saw. Featuring a gripping plot that tackles surprisingly hefty themes, its brilliant writing not only makes you think twice about your role in the game's world but occasionally even about your place in our world too. It's certainly not without its flaws, but regardless of your typical gaming preferences, you owe it to yourself to check this wonderfully weird experience out.
Eagle Flight isn't perfect then. It has some frustrating design elements, the online community is a bit of a ghost town and at times-it can very literally be a painful experience. Yet in spite of that, it's one that I can't stop returning to. The feeling of flying is so well implemented and the amount of content is so generous, that this is the VR experience you'll want to proudly show your friends. Eagle Flight is quite simply, one of the most joyous experiences you can have in gaming and an utterly essential PSVR title.
Virtual reality has given developers everywhere the greatest gift a creator can hope for – a new medium to explore. Without a design rule book to follow, Crytek have gleefully created a first person walking simulator that manages to feel completely unique. While many PSVR experiences claim to let you inhabit another world, Robinson: The Journey fully embraces the medium and in doing so comes the closest to actually delivering on that promise. It’s not without its flaws, but still manages to deliver an ambitious, narrative-led experience that offers the kind of immersive escapism the medium was made for. It may be overpriced and not much of a looker, but Crytek’s latest still sits comfortably as one of the most essential PSVR titles to date.
RIGS proves that a fast paced multiplayer FPS can be done in VR. It pushes graphical boundaries and creates an impressive sense of presence, in many ways, showcasing the medium’s glorious potential. It’s also a lot of fun to play, if your stomach can handle it.
Yet despite it’s problems World of Final Fantasy isn’t a bad game, just a frustrating one. There are some interesting ideas here and it’s undeniably charming but with just a few tweaks to the gameplay, a more imaginative story and greater variety to the dungeons, this could have been something truly great. While I’m sure die hard fans will find a lot to like, this is definitely a game that I think many will struggle to complete. If you’re desperate for a traditional RPG with cameos from some familiar faces, this will fit the bill. For everyone else, you’re better off picking up Dragon Quest Builders or waiting a bit longer for Final Fantasy 15.
Who knew Forza Horizon could get even better? Yet Playground Games has done it again. It's extremely hard to criticise Forza Horizon 3. Not only is it absolutely stunning, it's done a fantastic job of putting you at the centre of the racing in every way possible.
After a generation that brought us seven years of countless linear and identikit shooters, Watch Dogs is the open world adrenaline shot that fatigued gamers needed. While the story could have been better and Ubisoft have made a few questionable design choices, it's rare to see a big budget game that offers players freedom in almost every aspect of its design – and, more importantly, one that is this much fun while doing so.
Nintendo are famous for reinventing the wheel with their games, and throwing new ideas into old series that should have long become tired and repetitive but, sadly, Yoshi’s New Island just isn’t one of these titles. It’s enjoyable enough and has its own sense of atmosphere as well as a few unique ideas, but overall this actually feels like one of the decent but highly-iterative sequels that Nintendo is usually unfairly criticized for making. It is still fun, though, and while it may not innovate or be a classic, its joyous aesthetic and “pick up and play” nature make it at the very least a good choice for getting through the daily commute.
Garden Warfare is different enough to compliment those long sessions of other online shooters, and acts as a great palette cleanser in a genre dominated by greys and browns that often takes itself far too seriously. The inclusion of local multiplayer is also a huge plus and, depending on how often you play with family and friends, can add much to the value.