In God of War, story and gameplay unite for a gripping, memorable journey with unerring focus. Kratos' new beginning is masterfully written, emotionally resonant, and a thrilling challenge.
The Frozen Wilds extends the already fantastic Horizon experience into a region worth exploring, but uneven difficulty and only a few surprises await.
Songbringer is a coda of the past that retro-inclined gamers will want to leave on repeat. Others may want to skip to a different song.
Beyond its central conceit of virtual-reality shooting, Farpoint is the very definition of mediocre. But that shooting--especially in Cooperative Mode--is compelling, well-executed, and undeniably fun.
Kingdom Hearts gets a robust, satisfying collection, with the definitive versions of four great games on offer. It’s a perfect entry point and a welcome moment of cohesion for the series.
Andromeda’s first adventure is plagued by frustrations. But memorable characters, a satisfying story, and deep RPG systems ultimately win the day.
Horizon Zero Dawn reinvigorates open-world RPGs with an excellent story, creative science fiction, and demanding gameplay. Aloy’s debut is one of PS4’s greatest games.
Despite colossal expectations, The Last Guardian is a triumph. The tale of Trico and the boy is profound—a beautiful, affecting journey grounded by their relationship.
Brilliantly accessible with sufficient difficulty and depth, Rez Infinite is the next evolution of the arcade shooter. This cult classic is made better and more beautiful by VR.
A brief delight with satisfying gameplay and irreverent charm, Job Simulator is an early standout on PlayStation VR.
There’s little value and almost no substance in Harmonix Music VR. Its drab modes and environments fail to add anything interesting to the music listening experience.
In Arkham VR, you are Batman like never before, thanks to Rocksteady’s convincing virtual reality and an involving story full of satisfying moments.
Bound is a vague but undeniably powerful game. Its sweeping environments and spellbinding aesthetic invite you to look closer, appreciate its story, and find meaning through your own interpretation. The gameplay beneath is pleasant (if unremarkable) and dutifully supports the greater aim of giving the player something to reflect on. If that level of engagement suits you, Bound is one of PS4’s best games. If not, there’s still a resonant message to take away, though its brief journey left me pining for more time with the dancer in her beautiful, strange world.
The element of disguise makes Chambara surprisingly deep, though its shallow content leaves nothing for gamers uninterested in local multiplayer.
As a story, Zero Time Dilemma matches up to the ambition of its predecessors, with some missteps. As a game, it’s significantly less polished, with ideas and changes that nearly always step backward.
Uncharted 4 is the ultimate video game adventure, a visual masterpiece, and a heartfelt, triumphant conclusion for a PlayStation icon.
Not every part of the Ratchet & Clank formula still shines, but this PS4 reboot is gold. Updated controls are the perfect way to experience bombastic, addictive firefights with awesome weaponry.
The Nathan Drake Collection presents a trilogy of single-player adventures at their technical best, but the value proposition will depend on series experience and a few matters of preference.
Dancing All Night is a joy to play and a powerful nostalgia trip for Persona 4 fans, but it’s slim on content in a way that could limit universal appeal.
A great platformer in its own right, Tearaway Unfolded doesn't quite capture the revelatory magic of its Vita predecessor, partly because the gameplay and scope remain limited next to sophisticated, inventive controls.