Velocity 2X is everything that a game should be. Requiring skill and dedication, it's been built for core gamers ready to challenge themselves; for people who desperately miss the likes of Contra and R-Type. Don't be fooled, though, this isn't a throwback or even a celebration – this is a modern game done right, and the new standard for which indies have to aim on PlayStation.
With Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Naughty Dog have created their very best game and one of the best titles of this entire generation. If you own a PlayStation 4, you simply need to play it and if you don't, this is certainly a good reason to purchase the console.
Child of Light has a few flaws, but these don't prevent it from being an instant classic. A lot like Braid in 2008, this will be a title that comes to represent a whole new generation of 'artsy' affairs, and while its running time leans a little on the short side, its excellent battle system and outstanding art style will ensure that you enjoy every minute while it lasts. If you're looking for something a little different for your PS4 – or you just want to reward the poor writer who had to spend months slumped over a rhyming dictionary in order to concoct the cunningly clever plot – then this is very much a must buy.
Trials Fusion is one of the best games on the PlayStation 4, there's no doubt about that. Convince your friends to get it, and established relationships will turn sour faster than an Evel Knievel-esque stunt. Challenging, funny, and exciting – gaming rarely gets any better than this.
This is how racing games should be - plenty to see, plenty to do and plenty to crash into. If you have any interest in the racing genre, if you remember the quality Codemasters games of the past or if you like titles that provide more than their fair share of value, Dirt Rally deserves to be on your watch list.
Episode 2 is excellent, exactly as Hitman should be. Plenty to see, plenty to do and a wide variety of fun to be had.
Resident Evil has small issues here and there, and the silly writing and survival gameplay have never been for everybody, but these negatives don't change the fact that this is a fantastic release. The REmake is as enjoyable as ever, enhanced by small improvements that make it that much more playable, and the whole experience hints at just how great a new "classic" Resident Evil could be with today's technology behind it.
Stick It to the Man will make you laugh, and then it'll be gone. The game's short story and lack of additional content mean that this is a trip that you can take in a single evening – but its originality makes it more than worth the ride. Indeed, while this zany affair may be fleeting, its characters and dialogue will stick with you long after the credits roll, and that's reason enough to engross yourself in its wacky world.
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is everything that you could hope for from a remake: old issues have been resolved, the levels now flow much more naturally, and the world has never looked better. It does run into a few niggling problems along the way, but this is the beginning of a brand new Oddworld – and that's a prospect that becomes increasingly exciting with every Mudokon mutilated.
Puzzle fans beware: Sparkle 2 will have you glued to your console – especially if you attempt the addictive Endless mode. This is an entertaining distraction at a decent price, and is definitely deserving of an ever ready spot on your device.
If the quality of the output remains this good, Advanced Warfare may be the first Call of Duty in years to actually deserve the purchase of the Season Pass. It adds some key stuff, including zombies, which will no doubt tempt even the stingiest of DLC shoppers. Whatever you're willing to pay for it, you won't be disappointed when you finally pull the trigger.
Buy it at the right time and you won't be disappointed, especially if you're a completionist. This is Hitman done right.
A fantastic episodic adventure with only a few shallow pitfalls to knock the experience. Comedy gaming done oh so right.
UFC fans won't be disappointed with the amount of value on offer here, and its hard to think the franchise isn't going in the right direction. Minor issues do nothing to distract from the overall quality.
Addictive, deep, and just a little bit crazy, Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited is the perfect companion for someone looking for some on-the-move RPG greatness. Few people are ever going to see it all — a fact made truer by the often vague introduction of features — but what they do see is going to knock them over. Either that, or give them a very real addiction to sardines.
In short, Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a great addition to the franchise despite minor problems that might annoy new players or those that are playing for the source material. It won't convince anybody that has hated the many, many games up until this point, but it doesn't really even need to.
There are people that say that Battlefield Hardline is just a DLC pack disguised as a new release, but that's not quite true. It feels familiar in terms of gameplay, but fresh enough in theme and heavy enough in content that it's worth its own release. It's a decent game that gets points for originality of concept, but how much value it has is down to how much you enjoyed previous entries in the franchise, and how much you'd like to see the Cop FPS genre become a thing.
As this is an indie title closely aligned with Sony's PlayStation Plus programme, Road Not Taken has its work cut out right from the very start of its arduous journey. Taken on its own merits, however, it offers an enjoyable ride for the five to ten hours that it lasts. Niggling performance issues aside, it's hard not to enjoy being the star of your very own fairy tale world – even if that fictional realm has a particularly odd approach to infant safety.
Sportsfriends is a party game for the type of people that appear in Nintendo Wii commercials – but real-life is never quite that perfect. As such, this is a fun package, but one that will rely on the right kind of investment from your buddies if it's to become the life and soul of your social gathering. With a low price, it may be worth splitting the cost between close pals for an evening's worth of entertainment – just make sure that you know what you're getting into first.
The return of zombies was an exciting part of the previous release, but the continuation of that and the lack of any standout maps makes Ascendance a less interesting prospect than its predecessor. That doesn't mean that it's bad, though, and fans will lap up the fresh environments. However, the next pack will need to go above and beyond if it wants to keep people excited ahead of Black Ops 3 in November.