Greg Giddens
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition still has flaws – a boneheaded narrative, minor framerate hiccups, and an inventory system that lacks the elegance of its PC counterpart – but these small niggles fail to dent what is an otherwise exceptional experience. It's a bit mindless, yes, but collecting loot and slaying enemies is seldom as sweet as it is here. Quite simply, this is an excellent action RPG.
While it lacks the endearing appeal of some of its older siblings, The LEGO Movie Videogame is still a strong cinematic tie-in that serves as a perfect accompaniment to the big screen blockbuster – even if you should ensure that you visit the theatre first. It's never going to set your next-gen system alight, but there's a kind of enjoyable comfort food here that makes for a familiar but thoroughly entertaining romp.
NBA Live 14 doesn't drop the ball entirely, as the aforementioned arcade mechanics can make for some tolerable head-to-head matches in multiplayer, where the artificial intelligence is less of an issue. However, unavoidable comparisons to the infinitely superior NBA 2K14 make this look like a bit of a mess. The gameplay's poor, the modes are predictable and shallow, and it's aesthetically extremely underwhelming. Don't even consider giving this a shot unless you find it very, very cheap.
Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition is packed to the brim with content, and subsequently earns its name with ease. While there's plenty for hardcore fighting fans to etch out of the release, it's still not quite as deep as the likes of Street Fighter – but anything that it lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in accessibility. It doesn't make as much use of the PS4's added horsepower as it probably should, but if you missed out on the original – or really enjoyed the title first time around – then this will prove a heroic addition to your new console's collection.
NBA 2K14 on the PS4 is a stunning digital facsimile of basketball. The title's visually jaw dropping, technically stunning, and represents a whole different ball game to its PS3 counterpart. The new My Career and My GM campaigns don't always score a slam dunk, but they're engaging enough to dribble your way through, making this is a top option if you're eager to shoot some hoops on Sony's next generation console.
Need for Speed: Rivals is a terrific entry in the series, taking the strongest elements of its predecessors to build something familiar but with its sights clearly on the future with regards to online integration. The lighting and weather effects look fantastic thanks to the next generation hardware and the sense of speed is as exhilarating as ever. The six player restriction is a tad disappointing, and minor issues such as the uninspired narrative and the frequent disorientation after resetting from a crash eat away at the experience slightly, but otherwise Rivals is a top notch racer you really shouldn't let pass you by.
Despite the uninspired side missions, Dead Rising 3 is a highly accessible and enjoyable zombie maiming thrill ride.
Killer Instinct is an incredible fast paced, technical fighter with plenty of Evo tournament potential and ideal for those looking for a combo-centric challenge to master. For the more casual fighting game player it's hard to master and the basics aren't going to cut it once you come face to face with the ridiculous combos that can be unleashed against you.
Rome wasn't built in a day but you'll easily complete Ryse inside of one - but you'll also enjoy the adventure whilst it lasts.
For those yet to experience this brilliant 2D horror title, we can’t recommend it enough – but there’s absolutely no reason to double dip if you’ve already got it on the PS3 or Vita. It’s still a remarkably well produced experience, but if you’ve already played it, spend your money on one of the myriad other horror titles on the PS4 instead.