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A much more inventive and thoughtful affair than the duo's previous outing, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is the closest you'll get to Donkey Kong Country on PS4 and you should embrace it with the accordant warmth.
Tropico 6 is the city-builder series as satirical and silly as it's always been, but with a few new bells and whistles that improve the solid winning formula. It's a sideways step in many ways, but it's still a pretty confident one from the series' new developer.
Carly and the Reaperman is a PSVR title like no other. It encourages co-operation in a way I have not experienced before in VR. If you have another person to play it with you will have a lot of fun. It's a great experience that will bring you closer together and test your communication skills. It's attractive, well designed and a few niggling issues aside, a great experience. Get out there and save some souls.
Code Vein does a few things well, like the amount you can customize as well as how enjoyable it is to explore the world proper. However, combat lacks the kind of refinement needed for such a complicated battlefield, and companions prove either useless or render you useless. Code Vein features many heavy inconsistencies that hide away a few good ideas.
Jedi Outcast then is still capable of delivering modest morsels of Star Wars infused fun, it's just a shame that while the lack of effort which has been made with the port justifies its budget price, it does not make magically make a 2002 title equally as compelling in 2019. Here's hoping that next year's remaster of Star Wars Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy is better, because the force is not quite so strong with this one.
A beautifully made score chaser which has that rarest of things - a soul. Sayonara Wild Hearts isn't just a game, it's an emotional band aid that feels like a warm phantom embrace. Absolutely essential stuff.
The Surge 2 is a much better, engaging, and rewarding experience than the first game. Dozens of quality of life improvements, more interesting environments and characters, and the addition of parrying makes The Surge 2 a must-play for anyone who even slightly enjoyed their time with the first game. However, the game holds itself back from being an excellent souls-like with some poor lighting in areas, intense difficulty spikes, and a final area that is just plain unfun.
An enjoyably sedate outing around the suburbs, marred by the antiquated and dull visuals, Bus Simulator nonetheless provides a good chunk of all too real simulation of public transport.
Sublime physical football with a tactical brain sees PES 2020 bring a successful gameplay refresh, but far more needs to be done about the list of problems that have been left untouched for much of this generation.
The Sojourn is one of the best games of the year and one of the best puzzle games available, if not the best. Every single puzzle is meticulously designed and challenges you in satisfying ways, without ever feeling impossible. Carefully crafted, beautiful levels. An uplifting, philosophical story that asks you to reflect upon your actions and the world around you. All of these ingredients create an experience like no other and a game you will be thinking about even after the credits have rolled.
From start to finish Blasphemous kept me engaged. Even when I reached the end I just wanted the game to keep going. I'm not the biggest fan of its approach to storytelling but the combat and exploration borrows from the best the genre has to offer.
A dated and niche license receives the game that it deserves - shallow, simplistic and unsatisfying. Turn left before you get to the checkout.
Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is primarily a superb adventure game occasionally stymied by overly finicky – and at times outright broken – minigames. At most times a stellar lighthearted VR romp with some grand heartfelt moments, Groundhog Day's charm subsides at times as players are forced to do minigames over and over to succeed. The superior writing and structure shine through, but expect some moments of frustration.
A technical achievement to be sure, Battlewake succeeds in delivering accessible arcade-style naval battles. But underwhelming depth in the campaign, combined with broken matchmaking and a lack of cross-play with PC VR systems leaves the long-term prospects for Battlewake looking pretty grim.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series is the complete package. If you haven't yet experienced Clementine's genre-defining journey through the zombie apocalypse and fancy a few bonuses thrown in for good measure, then this is absolutely essential. Not to be missed.
One of the most gorgeous and timeless JRPGs of the last decade has now been resurrected on PS4, and if you missed it the first time around you really have no excuse now. This is how you pay tribute to a classic.
The Bard's Tale IV is a sometimes awkward, often charming and never less than a thoroughly enjoyable RPG that with cheeky wink and a swig of Elven Wine presents itself as one of the most surprising adventures of the year.
NHL 20 balances out the fun with the competitive better than any previous entry. It has some excellent modes in Ones and Threes, a staggering amount of content, and a solid set of mechanics. It does feel like multiplayer has received the lion's share of the attention, but there's still something enjoyable for all sorts of hockey fans.
GreedFall stands as Spiders' most successful game to day, bar none. Despite its issues, nothing gets in the way of this game's ambition and heart. Anyone looking for a standout, deep action-RPG will find it in GreedFall. With its different narrative paths and various ways to build your character, there are so many reasons to play through multiple times.
Risk of Rain 2 is fast, fluid and a lot of fun. This is amplified vastly in multiplayer, which works flawlessly and is very enjoyable. If you enjoy roguelikes you will enjoy Risk of Rain 2, even if you don't, you may want to try something that is quite different from what is currently on the market.