With its automation, friendlier UI, and fleshed out playstyles outside of expansion, it’s a grand strategy game that is innately fun, endlessly engaging, and worth the decade’s wait.

Ratchet & Clank on the PS4 might not be an entirely new game given that it's based on the 2002 version, but Insomniac has done such a masterful job modernizing an already classic game that I would consider it one of the best releases of this console generation.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is an imperfect, flawed, and splendid game where the highs ultimately outshine the lows. A few seemingly minor iterations go a long way in adding a fresh layer on top of the existing battle system — which was already one of the more innovative hybrids of real-time and turn-based tactical gameplay found in any modern strategy game. Valkyria Chronicles has always been about managing risks and rewards, and it’s at its best in Valkyria Chronicles 4. And even despite some inefficiencies in plot delivery, it still manages to deliver a resonant payload through a series of small character moments, slow-building tension, and decisive moments. Also, there’s a dog with a hat.

At its core, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is an inventory management game. The more you play, the more freedom you have to do things with that inventory. You can help others. You can hurt others. You can save citizens. You can kill them. You can grow your world. You can destroy it. Regardless of your decision, DSDC is a game unlike others in that your assumptions about core gameplay loops and storytelling are pushed aside in favor of exploring a disconnected future. For those who have yet to play DS, DSDC is clearly the iteration of DS that is worthy of your time given its iterations that are increasingly respectful of your time and patience while also giving you additional creative outlets to muck about. For those of you who were unable to get hooked into this game, then DSDC may not be the answer you seek in a cinematic experience. Give it a shot, though; I’d love to be proven wrong.

A straight-forward port would have gone over well enough, but NetherRealm went the extra mile and made this a standout, compelling release that I'm happy to recommend.

Far Cry 4 is radiant with opportunities to both seize and indulge in its power. This speaks to its fondness for connected progression systems, an insistence on emblazoning its geography with scores of content, and meaningful improvements to the blueprint laid out by Far Cry 3.

Trine 2 thrives on its ability to properly behave in a solo or cooperative environment, but it will undoubtedly be remembered for its breathtaking art direction.

Under the Island, from developer Slime King Games, gives a firm tip-of-the-hat with its design and execution to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island contains good action, sometimes difficult puzzles, and a hefty amount of exploration to keep one’s attention firmly locked into the gameplay. The difficulty of some of the puzzles might feel a bit unbalanced and heavy, in comparison to the action, but the payoff feels worth that trouble.

A tiny mouse is an unassuming heroine, dioramas are inconspicuous puzzle boxes, and virtual reality often prefers exhilaration to gratification. Moss erases these assumptions and projects its bold ambition across a gorgeous procession of puzzles and platforming. In a medium consumed by flash and artificiality, Moss presents a mature and genuine alternative.

I got to a point where I was not enjoying playing Death Stranding, but I was enjoying watching Death Stranding to see what happened. For me, it would have been better, probably, if the game were much shorter, because I got to where I wanted to experience the story without having to deal with the gameplay. I rarely find myself in that situation! Even still, I recognize the sheer quality and accomplishment Death Stranding is, and the value the Director’s Cut offers, so I find myself still recommending this game. If you are at all curious, you owe it to yourself to try it out, and odds are, you’re going to enjoy it more than not.

Definitely the best version of Tomb Raider and it shows exactly what the new generation of consoles has in store for us in the very near future.

Whether you have played the other Devil May Cry games or not, DmC is a lot of fun and well worth the investment.

Pyre understands the primal thrill behind executing a dangerous slam dunk and the dueling probabilities of luck and dexterity necessary to make it happen. With Pyre, Supergiant Games' passion for systems-driven trials of skill and fondness for vibrant, wistful fantasy converge in the Mutant League NBA Jam daydream role-playing game I never knew I always wanted.

Outer Wilds' compact clockwork universe does more with twenty-two minutes than its spacefaring peers can imagine in a lifetime. It treats curiosity as a Möbius strip and trusts its network of divine secrets will drive the player toward a reasoned conclusion. By turning away from the zeitgeist, Outer Wilds' sublime presence can only be defined as otherworldly.

The Meta Quest 2 release of Iron Man VR shows that Camouflaj is expanding and enhancing the VR experience as the hardware capabilities improve. The game feels like what you would expect from an Iron Man experience and without all the wires to gum up the perceived reality it’s trying to deliver. The game works better, feels better, and looks better than its previous release. You shouldn’t pass it up.

Papers, Please is a game about beating the system. Or subverting the system. Or submitting to the system. Or maybe ignoring the system. In any approach, it forces the player to consider conflict as a multifaceted condition tied to its narrative and design, and it doesn't much care if you judge its sum-total as traditionally fun. Papers, Please has something to say, and it makes it very clear at almost every instance.

DiRT Rally was the entry point, the entrée if you will, ahead of the main course of DiRT 4. While sim die-hards may still prefer the former it’s hard for me to go back given everything on offer here. The simulation underpinnings are still there and the cars will still spit you off if you go over the edge but everything is much more pliable and far friendlier to those of us driving on a gamepad. There’s more to see, more to do and more importantly, it’s much more fun!

At the end of the day, whether you’re taking a nostalgia trip back in time to revisit this classic or if you find yourself in Historia for the first time, it’s definitely worth playing.

After playing SWTOR for, well longer than I am willing to admit, I was really impressed with the quality and play style that SWTOR brings to the MMORPG market. The feel of the game, along with the content and canon of being Star Wars will, be able to appeal to many people, not just the hardcore MMO gamers. That being said, SWTOR focuses on role-playing gameplay, rather than the massively multi-player one. Because of this, if you are not in to role-playing, then you will not get the most out of SWTOR. The game is slow to get started, but once it does, there is a lot to draw your attention.

Crash 4 is an enjoyable experience that will entice new and old to the series. The gameplay loop has been designed elegantly so that levels never feel taxing, but rather feels refreshing. No level makes you do the same thing over and over again, there is a wonderful mixture of features. This includes adding new masks and playable characters that break up the monotony of playing as regular Crash. The level design and graphics alone, are enough to leave you in awe. The pros of It's About Time by far outweigh the cons making it one of the best Crash adventures.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a triumph that successfully blends JRPG with components of kingdom building, third person action, and real-time strategy. It tells an interesting story with intriguing characters and the presentation quality from the in-game visuals, cutscenes, soundtrack, even the menus, are masterfully done. Whether you played the original NNK or not, Revenant Kingdom is highly recommended.

Project Cars 2 final offers a real alternative to console racing fans and brings to the table a fantastic roster of cars and tracks. Combined with an excellent simulation of track and weather conditions Project Cars 2 is pretty much the pinnacle of racing on console.

While Valkyria Chronicles always had presence of a seminal classic, its latest remaster on PlayStation 4 sets it up for a wider embrace. This is the advantage of being favorably advanced or, at least, distant from genre contemporaries; no matter when or where Valkyria Chronicles is found, it can create personal definition on its own beautiful terms.

Do I recommend the set for any longtime fan of the series? If you hadn’t picked up the individual 1.5 and 2.5 collections on PS3 back in the day, now is the perfect time to catch up on the series ahead of Kingdom Hearts 3. Actually, the real benefit I found playing this collection on PS4 as opposed to PS3 was using the Dualshock 4, which is inherently more comfortable to use. But if you’re a first time player of the series wanting to know what all the fuss is about, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 ReMIX is the perfect place to jump in; even if you’re only going to play the two main games.

Most people will talk about how pretty the visuals are in Crysis 2, and that's fine. Don't discount the rest of the game while you're enjoying the scenery, as it sports balanced level design, smart enemy A.I. and a good amount of weapons (and customization) that make the overall package deep. It's not a completely perfect game, but it's damn close.

Ultimax could have slammed the gas pedal in one direction and been fine, instead it takes its time to stop and make sure the view is great, too.

Rare Replay is loaded with gems and classics that by and large have stood the test of time. Modern tweaks and goodies make it all the more worthwhile. It's the best value in gaming, and sets the bar for any compilation going forward.

Hitman 3 is about the highest bar IO Interactive could set with the franchise. This is a universe the developer has lovingly crafted over the years and a perfect opportunity to let Agent 47 rest awhile. Hitman‘s laughable dark humor is here in spades, as the community devises weird challenges for each other that were never part of IO Interactive’s original plan. There are flaws–one’s that haven’t changed since 2016–but they are merely quirks that fans have embraced and come to terms with. As Escalations, Contracts, and new content trickles out over the months to come, Hitman 3 will continue to delight in its murderous, unique intent. Though 47 will eventually be traded for 007, it would be foolish to not recognize IO Interactive as an accomplished developer, responsible for an incredible game.