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On the title's tenth anniversary, Burnout Paradise Remastered is a timely reminder that – like Avril Lavigne – this arcade racer can still do it better than all of its contemporaries. Seriously, there's no other like it, so when's it going to sink in? The only real downside is that the pricing's stupid – what the hell is EA thinkin'?
Octahedron is an unconventional 2D platformer with clever level design centred around an innovative core idea. The controls are very simple but can take some adjusting, especially when your allowance of platforms changes from level to level. However, the stages introduce some great mechanics that make you use your platforms for more than just makeshift floors. If you're looking for a platformer with a difference, Octahedron offers up an accessible, intelligent, and challenging game with more ups than downs.
A relentlessly entertaining experience with energy to spare, Tesla vs Lovecraft takes a comedic premise and crafts an addictive ride, filled with variety. Despite some sporadic difficulty spikes, this stands shoulder to shoulder with PS4s best arcade shooters.
The Devil May Cry HD Collection on PS4 may essentially be a straight port of the PS3 version that released in 2012, but ultimately, that doesn't detract from the overall experience. The original Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 3 still stand strong, and while the second game is easily the weakest of the three, there's still some enjoyment to be had at the very least. If you've already played through the collection on PS3 then the value of this port is undoubtedly diminished, but for everyone else - newcomers included - this is a fine way to get acquainted with Dante.
Beast Quest feels unfinished. Its graphical presentation is put to shame by many PS3 titles, and we're absolutely baffled how the experience doesn't even manage to run at a consistent framerate on the PS4 Pro. But even if these two aspects were up to snuff, the gameplay and plot are still below average. Beast Quest has very little to offer to even the most die-hard fans of the book series, and everyone else is advised to steer well clear.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life tells a truly gripping tale – a story that blows most games out of the water. Combine that with a refined combat system and a new engine capable of making the game's world feel more alive than ever, and you've got a stellar Yakuza title. Although the experience does feel a little stunted in places outside of the main plot, this is still a fitting final chapter. Yakuza 6 is a gloriously dramatic send off for one of the greatest characters in modern gaming.
Attack on Titan 2 is a much improved sequel and such a vast game - you can spend hours playing and it feels like there's still so much to do. Alongside some really solid gameplay, fans of the series will enjoy interacting with beloved characters, and while the storyline isn't going to offer anything new, you'll feel like a valued part of the fight against the giant menace.
A dearth of tutorials and a lack of consistent narrative can hamper the early stages of Surviving Mars. But have patience and this city builder emerges as an entertaining and addictive experience with tons of replay value and a dark streak of humour.
QUBE 2 is an outstanding and enjoyable puzzle game that builds upon its predecessor in all the right ways, with a lengthier run-time, more complex puzzles, new elements and gorgeous visuals. Although not as innovative as Portal, QUBE 2 is a step above the rest in both quality and quantity and should not be overlooked.
The Council has impressive ambitions – even if its execution is not up to scratch. You'll already know whether its alternate history backdrop appeals to you, but it's the RPG elements that threaten to disrupt the narrative genre. We already like what this series is doing, but the writing and voice acting leaves a little to be desired. That said, this is a solid start, even if it is a bit too early to come to any conclusions about the overall story just yet.
Scribblenauts Showdown is an agreeable party game that applies the playful vocabulary-stretching gameplay well enough to entertain you and some friends for a while. Unfortunately, the numerous minigames are all pretty shallow, the Showdown mode can grow tiresome, and the appeal of the Sandbox levels only lasts for so long. This will certainly make for an amusing evening with family and friends, but it's not likely to be a title you'll come back to more than a couple of times.
Way of the Passive Fist starts out strong with an interesting concept, but that interest soon wears off thanks to poor execution. Once you've played the first chapter you've pretty much played all 10 as there is never any variation on offer. Combine this with the fundamental flaws of basing the gameplay purely around blocking and dodging and you have a recipe for a promising and unique but ultimately disappointing game.
Containing an impressive adaptation of the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course, TT Isle of Man Racing: Ride on the Edge will be attractive to motorcycle nuts looking for a new experience. But its high asking price, repetitive career mode, and lack of any online community means that everyone else can simply pass this by.
Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms offers a very satisfying conclusion to the Hakuoki tale. Boasting a fascinating narrative filled with bloody battles and political intrigue that's topped off with plenty of alluring characters and romances that feel deep and meaningful, this is an easy game to recommend to those who love a good story.
VRFC is not a good representation of football, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Like the table-top variety, it doesn't need to be accurate to be entertaining, and once you embrace the insanity there's fun to be had. VRFC is flawed and disconnected, but also spontaneous, amusing, challenging, and fun. At this budget price, we can think of worse ways to spend a weekend.
With the online being a bit of a bust and the single player modes failing to really showcase the game's strengths, it's difficult to recommend Slice, Dice & Rice. Against a human opponent, the title's interesting and entertaining on a fundamental level, but as an overall fighting game package, it's found lacking.
This is a Farewell for Life Is Strange fans, but Deck Nine once again does an outstanding job of telling a heart-wrenching tale within what is, effectively, someone else's story. DONTNOD may be the creators of this wonderful slice of life series, but the American developer's done an impressive job of furthering the fiction with Before the Storm – and this episode ties a big fat bow around Max and Chloe's yarn for good. Now, what's next?
Blasters of the Universe is an absolute blast to play with silky smooth motion control and headset tracking that allows for precise shots to be pulled off with ease. The 80s cartoon style visuals, combined with the trance music, create a charmingly frantic environment for a bullet hell shooter to be set. Although its runtime is short lived, the quality of its gameplay makes Blasters of the Universe a very worthwhile venture.
It might not be too innovative, but Frantics provides an enjoyable party experience that Sony's PlayLink service has been lacking. It certainly isn't a killer app, but the fun variety of minigames and its (mostly) responsive controls show how much of a good time PlayLink can provide when it's properly used.
Bravo Team's tactical combat is a good fit for virtual reality, and it's exciting peeking out of cover in order to take pot shots.