If you plan on tanking through and have the chops to get it done, I still feel the $20 price more than worth it to get some new weapons and clothing to carry into your NGP.

That doesn't mean the online play is perfect. In fact, many people have reported matchmaking issues and assorted glitches. Matchmaking shouldn't be a problem when playing with friends via invites (on either PSN or XBL), but when playing random players it's a mixed bag.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Pragmata. It does a great job of breathing fresh air into the third-person shooter genre, while offering up an interesting story, great lead characters, and some fantastic looking designs throughout. I certainly hope to see more from the Pragmata universe in the future, as it seems like there’d be plenty of room for a sequel down the road, and I think players will really have a great time with this one when it launches at the end of the week. Definitely check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Honestly, I don’t know what else there is to say about Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut other than that it’s a must-play. That was true of the game last year when it first came out, and it’s just as true now that they’ve refined and perfected it on PS5.

The game suffers from some obvious bugs here and there, but the enthralling single-player missions and addictive online multi-player modes offset the problems to an extent. The game absolutely has to be experienced with the USB headset for full effect.

It’s such a blast to play, and I could easily see DOOM showing up on a number of top ten lists at the end of the year, just for the campaign alone.

BlazBlue's online system puts titles like Street Fighter IV to shame, and the overall beauty of high-def 2D sprites put it at the top of the graphics department as well.

It's also fun and offers excellent competition – practice and skill pay off – making it as addicting as it is beautiful.

Obviously, if you’ve played Quake at any point in the last 25 years, there’s probably not a pressing need for you to pick it up on current-gen systems — it’s basically the same game here that you could’ve played at any time in the last few decades. But if you want to see a seminal first-person shooter that’s aged surprisingly well, be sure to hunt this one out.

Overall Nioh and its sequel are a worthy additions to the Soulslike genre, both games are fun and incredibly challenging and the Yokai look every bit the part of a Japanese demon. The biggest issue with this collection is the popup on the original Nioh, though aside from this it is a good collection. Also if you already own Nioh on the PS4, make sure you are playing the PS5 version by clicking on the options button and selecting the PS5 version (the first time I launched Nioh on PS5, I was playing the PS4 version). Also, of note, if you have the PS4 version of Nioh 2, you can upgrade that to the PS5 version for free, but the original game you will have to purchase in order to get the remastered edition.

So yeah, I really found myself loving Final Fantasy VII Remake, to a degree that I’m likely going to go back through it on Hard mode (which unlocks post-game) and try to platinum it if I can find the time. Even after 40 hours spent with it I’m finding it hard to pull myself away from the game, and I think there’s a good chance you’ll feel the same way too.

This is a must have for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption. In case you are wondering, yes it is worth it even if you don't play multiplayer.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies is an epic game that will keep most players enthralled for hours on end.

Forget "Lemans," forget "Ferrari F355," forget "Gran Turismo 2," and forget "Ridge Racer V," this is the new king of racers.

That Studio MDHR were able to make an aesthetic that’s nearly a century old seem fresh and new at the same time as they made an enjoyable game is just a bonus.

The game is a must have for fans of the genre; it's very good looking, the music is excellent, and the game is just all around fun. Make sure you pick this one up to save France... again.

With visuals that could easily be mixed in with a dozen of modern-day cartoons, Drinkbox's magnanimous initiative to maintain a level of artistic fidelity in a 2D action-platformer has been whittled down to core values of new, shiny, and fun. Best of all, it works wonderfully and leaves us wanting simply more to do.

I know that it’s weird to rave about a game without actually saying what it’s about, or what happens in it, or what you do. But as I said, the joy of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is simply playing it, and watching as everything unfolds…and unfolds again…and then folds up and starts anew. It takes you in all kinds of unexpected directions with every playthrough, and you absolutely need to play it to fully understand what makes it great.

I have to give Astral Chain a lot of respect. It’s a concept, a theme, and a design philosophy that feel a little dated–but are delivered really well. A rare breed, and one that’s welcome.

By far the best college football game to date.

Critter Crunch turns the traditional chain-crazy puzzle genre onto its organic head for a Tropicana of colors and need to feed, with enough substance to call it smart as well.

It’s a unique, fun, and wildly imaginative take on the roguelike formula that stands out, despite being in the company of other A-class titles within the genre.

What we have here is a prime example of how to do fighting games the right way. Guilty Gear -Strive- has enough for single players as well as the online crowd. It doesn’t just cater to the advanced player, but rather keeps a good balance whether you are an expert or just a beginner. Stunning to look at and listen to, and a total joy to actually play, Guilty Gear -Strive- is one that should not be missed. Even if you’ve never played a GG game before, you owe it to yourself to experience this title.

If you're at all a fan of shooters, then I urge you to run out and pick up Max Payne 3. It's a great follow-up to one of the best third person shooter franchises around, and while it certainly changes up familiar elements of the series, pretty much all of the changes work out really well. The shooting is, bar none, some of the best you'll see out of this generation of consoles, and really begs to experienced. So do yourself a favor and pick this one up, it really shouldn't be missed.

Fight Night Round 4 can honestly claim to be what Mike Tyson once quoted many years ago, "...I'm the best ever, my style's impetuous, my defense is impregnable, I wanna eat his children..." Well, okay, maybe not the last part, but damn if this isn't a great boxing game! If you are a fan, you are doing yourself a disservice not picking up a copy.

Heavy Rain is a unique and ambitious, once in a generation type of game with exceptional production values and an enthralling story.

I have been playing MW4 ever since the beta came out around a month ago, and I still don't think I will be putting it down for a while. MW 4 has everything that MW 3 failed to offer.

The missions themselves are so incredibly enjoyable and entertaining to play through, and are what make Thief II such a fantastic title.