Still not as slick as Persona, SMT V revels in crunchtastic strategy with unparalleled customisation. A shift to open world is a genuine fresh hook. [Issue#43, p.84]

A campaign that celebrates Destiny and its history, plus tweaks that smooth many of the bumps in the overall experience, set everything back on track. [Issue#43, p.88]

This compelling mix of top-down action and survival sets a strong foundation for further Viking adventures. That said, there’s plenty here at launch to keep you busy. [Issue#5, p.85]

Some JRPG-typical dramatics and muddled combat aside, Arise is a feast for any JRPG fan – beautiful, intuitive and earnest. The best in the series to date. [Issue#7, p.86]

Strong dialogue plus naturalistic acting makes the supernatural natural. Short but effective, with a final stretch that makes you reconsider all that’s gone before. [Issue#43, p.90]

Eldest Souls combines the brilliance of soulslike combat with the sheer pressure of a boss rush. The result is exceptionally niche, but intensely compelling. [Issue#5, p.79]

A gorgeous remaster, the freelance police have never looked or played better. Psychic powers are a stroke of genius, though detract a tad from other aspects. [Issue#45, p.82]

Don’t let this puzzler slide by. With strong comedic writing, glowing art direction, and lots of fiendish brain ticklers, it’s well worth wrapping your head around. [Issue#43, p.94]

Sometimes uneven, often wondrous, Survivor is bombastic and joyous, though it feels like a middle child in search of a trilogy ending. May the Force be with it. [Issue#28, p.72]

The main game is a beautifully balanced blast of team-shooter perfection. Who needs a story when the action is this good? It’s only let down by unnecessary PvP. [Issue#8, p.82]

It’s a surprisingly physical game, as many solutions involve chucking things across the virtual room. Best use those controller straps, eh? As the fine details of each solution are up to you, and there’s a little physical skill involved, nailing a puzzle is deeply satisfying. A neat payoff at the end for both the story and your previous efforts winds things up perfectly. [Issue#26, p.87]

Short, sharp episodes highlight the base game’s shortcomings, but otherwise this miniseries is a merry turn down the spiral that leaves us wanting more. [Issue#43, p.95]

Few detective games lead you to make as many brilliant deductions that feel like your own path to follow, though some issues with the port let it down. [Issue#45, p.83]

An exciting fresh start for the RPG series. With strong character writing and excellent worldbuilding, it’s newcomer-friendly while appealing to fans. [Issue#43, p.96]

This PlayStation debut is a straightforward remaster of the original, faults and all. But we still love it. [Issue#8, p.84]

Dredge sets out with a firm goal, and absolutely nails the delivery. It takes on water, but doesn’t sink, in its final act, remaining a genuine must-play indie. [Issue#26, p.86]

Packs a wealth of firefighting scenarios into a short runtime, then remixes them for additional challenge. Some control issues aside, it’s a flaming good time. [Issue#28, p.82]

Playing Tangle Tower is a lot like sticking your favourite episode of Poirot or Jonathan Creek on. It’s a light-hearted, comfy murder mystery with plenty of twists along the way. [Issue#8, p.94]

Accessible enough for strangers to turn- based combat, unique enough for veterans. Designed to ensure you have fun, steam work makes the dream work. [Issue#45, p.88]

The strongest aspect of the game, however, is its storytelling, both in the main narrative and the smaller human stories seeded throughout the world. It may feel familiar if you’ve experienced other titles by creative director Yoko Taro : you can expect macabre character stories and moments that recontextualise the game’s events in dramatic ways. If there’s a reason to tolerate the parts that feel sluggish, it’s the story’s shocking third act and hidden endings, which deliver narrative payoff to the mysteries and moral quandaries you’ve encountered up to that point. This is a slow burn in every sense of the word, but offers a lot for those who stick with it. [Issue#8, p.94]

Satisfying tactile crafting and combat systems, made all the better by PSVR2. Rekindled is a prehistoric survival adventure you can fully immerse yourself in. [Issue#26, p.80]

While this sounds a lot, Airborne Kingdom’s pace is very relaxed. You can find all necessary resources in the world below, beautifully designed to resemble the shards of Moroccan ceramics. Thanks to simple building mechanics and manageable console controls, we found our way around quickly. [Issue#8, p.90]

With a unique and slick drill mechanic there's a lot to love, but not quite enough is made of it across a very brief runtime. Wanting more isn’t always a bad thing. [Issue#45, p.90]

If you loved Zero Dawn, you’ll love this. But even though it sands down its predecessor’s rough edges, we’re left uncertain about the future of the series. [Issue#12, p.64]

The devil is in the detail in this demonic platformer. It’s worth mastering everything that’s asked of you – side-activities too – to experience everything. [Issue#8, p.92]

Just as solid as when it first took horror streamers by storm, now with added content so you can play in the certainty you still haven’t seen every scare. [Issue#45, p.91]

Despite the soundtrack’s chill vibes, you’ll want to keep the tissues close for this one. A year well spent getting to know a fan-favourite character better. [Issue#8, p.95]

If chess had time travel, and guns, and a science-fiction flavour… it wouldn’t be chess. But it would be this innovative, enjoyable thinking person’s shooter. [Issue#8, p.96]