When it comes to modes and features, FIFA 19 merely tweaks the formula rather than going full on Tinkerman with it but if you want an almost perfect simulation of football, EA deliver once again.

Danganronpa 1-2 Reload is a mostly successful conversion of two brilliantly unique visual novel games. The constant plot twists and left-field stories makes these games stand out from the crowd and the murder trials are really unique and enjoyable. If you’ve never played a visual novel game before this is an excellent place to start, and if you’re a Danganronpa veteran this is the definitive package.

Detention weaves a fantastic story and wraps it in intriguing aesthetics. The historical setting provide a unique and interesting backdrop and the mix of Asian influences bolster a compelling experience. Whilst there's very little dread, the narrative and the pace at which it's delivered give you plenty of reasons to stay absorbed. This is a well-crafted package that remains memorable, despite a short runtime.

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Remastered is a retouched version of a smart and comedic classic that holds up very well. It can be a little light on options but the new lighting gives the characters and scenes more life. The writing remains funny and I really enjoyed talking to the characters and figuring out the puzzles, despite some troubles with the logic. The episodic framing really helps make the package feel focused and it really helped keep the pacing snappy.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey offers a lot of content for your money. You will be doing the same climbing, killing and looting throughout the game but when it's so much fun to do you can't complain too hard.

By taking addictive puzzling and giving it a chilled out city-building vibe, GrizzlyGames have created one of the most relaxed and enjoyable titles of the summer. We didn't expect anything from Islanders but now it hurts us to stop playing it.

Roguebook's two character combat adds enough to the gameplay and replayability to help it stand out. The lower initial difficulty will please those that were scared off by the amazing Slay the Spire but with enough modifiers to please veterans. Well worth a look.

Kombinera is a lovely looking game but it doesn't hesitate to put the boot in. Some puzzles are so oblique you'll simply not see a way out, not to mention the collectibles that'll lead to your inevitable demise. It's good but the difficulty may prove to be too much for many.

Far more than may meet the eye, Them’s Fighting Herds is a fantastic fighting game that marries a non-serious aesthetic with solid combat mechanics that most genre examples would dream of. Packed with modes for any player, old or new, the only misgivings come from the game being incomplete in the offline story and arcade modes. There is still plenty to sink your teeth into however and TFH gets a thorough recommendation from us, especially considering that this is an indie effort where all the right boxes are being ticked for a great gaming experience.

Llamasoft: the Jeff Minter Story is a fairly comprehensive collection of his 80's catalogue which includes curios like Soundscape and Psychedelia. We get a lot of written correspondence from the man himself but very little in the way of video footage. It can feel a little lacking when compared to the other compilations Digital Eclipse has produced. I still found it fascinating to see how his ideas evolved over time and how the Llamasoft aesthetic coalesced. It's just a real shame the game list halts before the company's modern resurgence. Those games easy to find but it would've been nice to hear Minter and Zorzin cover their more recent projects in-depth.

As this generation of gaming crawls to a slow death, Freedom Finger gives it a big shot of adrenaline and a kick in the nuts. Freedom Finger is the hero we don't deserve.

From the hyperkinetic pop soundtrack to the breakneck gameplay speed, Sayonara Wild Hearts is one hell of a rollercoaster ride. The undeniable visual flare, immense style and uncompromising frame rate hides a clear message underneath it all that many can relate to. Wild Hearts never die and Sayonara Wild Hearts should stand for years to come as a shining example of how to bring music alive into the gaming medium. It’s nothing short of fantastic.

Exo One is a beautiful exploratory journey of a game. It isn’t massively deep but it is contemplative. The sci-fi influences are fairly clear to see, particularly 2001, but it’s none the worse for it. The speed run trophies are a little unrealistic to all but the most dedicated. We could’ve done with a level select too.

Wreckfest does a good job of mixing racing and damage dealing but doesn't quite live up to the FlatOut heritage and that's mainly because of it favouring realism over fun at times. However, the racing action is very good and the demolition derby events are as good as any of the Demolition Derby games of the past.

Polished and mechanically interesting, Two Point Campus does a really good job of making further education seem exciting. The charming presentation and relaxed tone makes the grind of management easier to swallow, even with pressures like money and student satisfaction. It's not perfect with AI pathing being a slight concern, but there's enough here to keep me engrossed. It's a very likeable effort with plenty of depth to discover.

Outer Wilds is an exquisitely crafted planet hopping mystery adventure you’ll delight in playing. The seemingly sparse solar system isn’t at all as your journey will take you from one end to another. Even if your current exploration comes to nothing, you can have another go once the loop begins anew. As we mentioned, it is possible to get a bit stuck, but the in-game hints are sufficient you’ll find yourself on track again soon enough.

Playtonic Games attempt to catch a second flash of retro magic in a bottle with Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair. The 2.5D action may seem like a step back considering the origins of the Chamelon-Bat duo, but at the heart of the Impossible Lair is a distinct thread of innovation, a rare feat for the often-attempted platforming genre.

Desperados III is very similar to Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun but that game was so good I don't mind. The new character's abilities are very unique and there is plenty of content and replayability. Fans of stealth and strategy need these games in their lives.

The long-awaited remaster of THPS3 arrives and proves why the original was one of the best games ever made. We're not sure the THPS4 levels bring as much to the party and the overall structure of the game makes everything a bit of a repetitive slog. But the classic Tony Hawk's gameplay, and the significant visual upgrade, make this a winner regardless.

Concerns over longevity aside, Sairento offers you a unique twist on the old 'be a ninja, kill everyone' style of game and uses PSVR effectively to make you feel like a high level ninja assassin better than any game since the original Tenchu.

A solid stealth-based adventure set in an incredibly dark and hostile world but one that can also be beautiful. A Plague Tale: Requiem is a stunning game.

I think Adventure of Samsara's brand of search action is well tuned. The combat feels deliberate but takes a backseat to the exploration. Once the movement suite is unlocked, the pacing livens up and discovery can feel very rewarding. I'm not enamoured with the pixel art but the cutscenes have an enchanting level of animation to them. Despite the tenuous links to the old game, this feels like a solid addition to Atari's catalogue.

At its best Mortal Kombat 11 is everything we want. It's enjoyable, deep, violent and funny and it has enough content to keep players entertained for way longer than the usual fighting game. When it's doing what it should, this is the best Mortal Kombat yet and up there with Mortal Kombat X as the best fighter of this generation. Unfortunately, the other stuff the game does is an issue. The customisation is locked behind a lot of random grinding and the multiple in-game currencies complicate the experience enough to spoil the party a little.

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy offers three enjoyable 3D platformers in one package. As someone who didn't play the original games I had a lot of fun, the minor tweaks to gameplay and the huge graphical overhaul bringing the games up to a modern standard and the desire to get 100% level completion being as powerful as ever.

Control is a very enjoyable game but not without flaws. The technical issues are a shame but the combat and exploration are certainly entertaining enough to keep you playing through to its conclusion.

The additions to the Master League don't carry much of an impact but the representation of the sport has a more methodical change of pace. The new camera angles make a difference and inclusion of every European nation does dramatically bolster the player and team counts. I'm enjoying this a lot more with the opposition more willing to chase lost causes, misplace passes and generally feel a touch more human. I really, really like how this plays.

After twenty-six years in the dark, it is amazing to see Streets of Rage 4 finally come to fruition. Dotemu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games have delivered a great entry to the series, incorporating a fresh art style, brilliantly simple gameplay that fans will slip straight into and a soundtrack that authentically harks back to the classic soundtrack that made the series so memorable. It captures everything that made Streets of Rage great in the first place and doesn't mess with that formula, for the better.

Two Point Hospital is a fantastic and funny management sim that you'll lose hours at a time to as you attempt to build the perfect hospital and unlock those three stars.

This War of Mine: Final Cut offers more content than previous versions and creates some powerful narratives. Runs tend to play out in a similar fashion despite the variables on offer but it's certainly worth experiencing.

WRC9 is a great example of a crossplatform port. Kylotonn should be applauded for their sterling efforts here, especially with regard to using Dualsense. Yes, rallying might not be for all, but this is a fine driving game which utilises the WRC licence to great effect.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is more of the same and that's not a bad thing. People who have yet to sample the delights of the series should start at the beginning but fans of the series, and JRPG genre, are sure to be drawn back in to Rean's tale before eagerly awaiting part four.

Do you like baseball? MLB The Show 23 is your one stop shop for all things baseball. It’s great with tons of game modes and extras, including the returning March to October mode and the fantastic Negro Leagues presentation. That it’s not on PS+ as yet is a bit of an eyebrow raiser given its Game Pass day one inclusion, so it’s a shame that Sony didn’t see fit to include it as yet. If you’re curious, take a chance and you’ll be rewarded with a fascinating insight into the wider world of baseball.

The story of Tetris might actually be more engaging than the game itself but this interactive documentary gives you plenty of both.

Turbo Overkill feels surprisingly dense. The shooting feels visceral and the movement at your disposal is very swift. Platforming can be a pain, especially on controller but the moments of frustration are worth toughing through. Pacing does take a hit when the enemy counts balloon in the third episode but I still enjoy this gory ascent into a dumb, cyberpunk world.

Soulstone Survivors is one of the better auto-shooting rogue-lite games on PSN but it is let down by just having a lot going on with various upgrade options and it can be a bit of a grind.

Mega Man 11 updates the old formula ever so slightly and is a decent addition to the series. The Double Gear System is incredibly useful and the more modern graphics look great but the levels feel overly long. The music merely being okay is the biggest sin however.

WWE 2K23 doesn't move the needle much from last year but it does at least stay the course. With a massive roster of talent and a wealth of modes, fans should be happy enough. The presentation remains top notch with Showcase and MyRise being enjoyable modes to plough through. Problems do persist with pacing and multi-person scraps can descend into chaos. Compared to other fighting games, it's a clunky experience but, within the realm of wrestling games, this is an acceptable step forward.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why Burnout is still the best.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a step up from the 360-era Complete Saga in that it now covers all nine films in the Skywalker story arc. There's so much to do and so many excellent little refinements that you'll be well catered for even if you've played all the other Lego Star Wars games. Splitscreen multiplayer makes this ideal for siblings to play too.

Against some odds, Marathon is a compelling extraction shooter that offers some really satisfying combat. I do think having only one contract at a time slows progression down but there's plenty of other meters to work towards. Solo play has a tension to it which I really enjoy, although the game seems to be built more around squads. With just a few maps available at launch, I only hope that the game evolves and grows over time. I love the aesthetic and, generally speaking, it's doing quite a few things right.

Pixel Ripped 1995 is a great idea with you playing a game within a game. It's a little over reliant on gimmicks and references and the games themselves are a little on the weak side but there are some excellent set pieces and the three hour story is worth a look.

Mr. Run and Jump is a lot of fun in the right circumstances but if you’re longer in the tooth like us you might struggle. Though if you’re a veteran of VVVVVV and other challenge gauntlet type games, this is right in your wheelhouse. We liked it but our kid did more as he has the patience to replay a level over and again.

For those wanting an Everest to climb, Slime-san delivers plenty of challenge and complexity to master. It lacks some charm, character and the format of the levels seems to stifle any fluency. There's enough here to differentiate itself from the obvious influences but it hosts an aesthetic which I just don't find appealing.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is another great addition to the visual novel series. The characters are well written and despite the formula changing little there are some unique scenarios to figure out.

Songbird Symphony is a sickeningly sweet platformer with tons of personality, fun and music. Joysteak Studios have done an amazing job of creating such a unique blend of platforming and rhythm action that will surely have players coming back for more after the credits roll.

While the remaster brings little new to the table other than a fresh coat of paint, cross play and remade cutscenes. Diablo II and its expansion feel as exciting, threatening and as ruthless as ever. The lions share of the quality-of-life improvements are found in the console version, with an excellent use of the controller, added hotkeys and general accessibility. Yet, the remaster does nothing to dumb down or meddle with the overall experience. Instead, for returning players, this is Diablo II as you remember it to be. For new players, while missing a lot of features that most ARPGS have today, there is a lot to love about this aging gem and it is still worth experiencing even decades later.

From tense standoff gameplay to the 19th century Louisana meets survival horror PVE elements. Hunt Showdown is a tense, tactical multiplayer experience that circumvents the tired battle-royale genre by being something unique. Excellent sound design and atmospheric visuals round off the package, with only a few infrequent bugs that get in the way.

Heroes of Hammerwatch is a clever and compelling rogue-lite with a steep learning curve and crack-like addictiveness but it is one of the least beginner-friendly games we've ever seen. As ever, basic playtesting should pick up things like that but, if you can stick with it, prepare to lose days, weeks and probably months.

Fight'N Rage is what you want from a retro-inspired game. It does what you'd expect if the game had been released thirty years ago but then adds a load of extra content in order to keep you interested. If you're a fan of scrolling beat 'em ups, this is as good as it gets.

We liked Nuclear Blaze's atmospheric mix of platforming and firefighting back in 2023 but it didn't offer a ton of longevity, so having a free PS5 upgrade and a fresh trophy set to conquer was a welcome bonus and a great reason to jump back into the game.

Beyond Galaxyland takes a fairly inoffensive story and marries it to something startling presentation. At times, it can be a treat to watch but there is also some mechanical depth to the turn-based encounters. I found it to be a very linear experience but one that never lacked forward momentum. It's a pleasant surprise that I quite enjoyed, despite some of the narrative not hitting. I didn't find much of a challenge here but there's some clever ideas on display.

I think Sorry We're Closed has a great sense of style. It's not for everyone and I do think the ubiquitous androgyny is overdone. The survival horror comparisons quickly subside due to combat and the narrative lacking in substance. I do enjoy the quick and snappy gun play but, atmospherically, there's no dread. Narratively, I find the cast to be lacking in nuance. They're all loud, just like the visuals. I think there's some ideas here and it's certainly a memorable game, it just seems more style over substance.

Cities: Skylines – PlayStation 4 Edition is a great port of a great game. If you just want to sit down and build a city from scratch then this gives you a lot of control over how you want your city to look and operate. If you want a more guided experience then you may struggle to stay motivated but there's no doubt that watching your city grow and prosper is a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

FutureGrind is a fantastic, addictive stunt-racer that you really need to play.

Overcooked 2 feels as fresh as the original and the generous seasoning of online multiplayer and additional modes sweetens the deal considerably. This is one of the best multiplayer experiences out there right now and one well worth picking up if you have three friends who want to cook up a storm.

Bloodroots is yet another great indie game you need to play. Go on, get to it. Gory as hell and addictive with it, this is a score attack brawler you'll want to play over and again.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a great Metroidvania style game. A little easy and on the short side but that just means it leaves you wanting more. Unlocking the upgrades and using those abilities to discover new areas is incredibly enjoyable and is only heightened by the high quality and charming presentation.

Deadlink is a polished cyberpunk FPS arena shooter with fast kinetic gameplay. As is so often the case these days, there’s roguelite elements. Due to the fixed progression, replaying the first few levels can get a bit overfamiliar and a little stale, but it merely adds impetus to progress further into the game. Great weapon balance and nicely done upgrades make for compelling reasons to keep playing.

It seems coming at this game late has given me a more positive perspective on Sifu. Whilst the Student difficulty wasn't available at launch, it does help wash away some of the repetition that can potentially grind a player down. Honestly, I felt the combat more than pulled its weight and controlling an encounter can feel incredibly rewarding. There's a challenge to be had but it's one that can be overcome with patient observation and persistence.

In a series that is quickly running out of fresh ideas, World Brothers 2 leans into being fast, fun and cheery. It might struggle to find an audience with both casual players and hardcore EDF fans but it certainly offers up some enjoyable alien blasting action.

Final Fantasy XV is a great open world game. The combat has its flaws and the final few chapters are upsettingly poor but that didn’t stop me having tens of hours of fun exploring and ticking off side quests.

Assassin’s Creed Origins manages to breathe new life into an old franchise. By going back in time it has found a way to reinvent itself and move forward. The shift to a more action RPG style suits the game well, but the reduced emphasis on stealth may well upset some.

Robobeat is a game packed with ideas. Aside from the rhythmic element, the sheer variety within combat makes for a thrilling experience. As a roguelite, it's short enough to forgive some of the randomness ruling out certain builds or simply leaving you in a place where playing perfectly is your only way forward. It's got a solid soundtrack with fluid presentation that can make the action slick.

Minit is a short game with a great hook. The sixty second lifespan mechanic is surprisingly fun to get to grips with and the game world oozes charm from the moment it begins. If you are looking for a new hidden gem, then this is the one.

Arranger's clever game mechanics and puzzle design make it a true indie gem.

Ubisoft may still be playing it safe but Far Cry 5's mix of spectacular visuals, great combat and strong story make it one of their best games yet.

Sword and Soldiers 2: Shawarmageddon is an enjoyable, strategic effort. The campaign can provide the occasional spike in difficulty but the array of options at your disposal give players plenty to consider. Presentation is simple, if a little forgettable. The campaign offers a handful of hours but the multiplayer might provide some longevity for what is a decent effort.

We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie is a great remaster of the 2005 original and remains as fun now as it once was. The new levels, while welcome, are a slight addition. Get to it at any rate as it’s still the last Katamari game before Keita Takahashi called it a day with Namco and the series lost the wide eyed innocence it once had.

Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Editions are fantastic games that put a lot of modern equivalents to shame. The graphics are massively dated and the controls are compromised compared to the PC but the content shines through and boy is there a lot of it.

As a visual novel game this lacks any kind of real interaction other than the X button. You’re coming here for the story and Steins;Gate 0 tells a great one, with multiple endings and loads to get your teeth into.

As an utterly original take on both the Dungeon Crawler and Pinball genre’s, Creature in the Well is a fascinating adventure with stark visuals and soundtrack to match. A few minor details such as the sparse story and repetition do not take away from what is a unique experience, but these aspects may leave you wanting more than what is on offer.

Redout is a very credible challenger to Wipeout's crown and while it doesn't quite usurp the genre's king, it offers some of the fastest racing action on PSN.

A fine mix of Takeshi’s Castle absurdity and nail-biting Battle Royale action. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is the ultimate palate cleanser, almost always fun and enjoyable over long or short bursts of gameplay. Time will tell whether this hilarious and silly game will have longevity but with new levels, costumes and features on the way, the good times are sure to keep on rolling.

WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship manages to build upon its predecessor in some smart ways. The handling remains sharp and focused whilst options are there to dumb it down or tune it up in a manner you see fit. The stages remain the star of the show with the new rallies adding variety to an already diverse calendar. It’s all rendered in an engine that still handles detail and lighting very well. With the new clubs mode and forthcoming free updates, this should be well supported and keep rally fans challenged.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2 continues where the previous game left off in every regard. Bar some minor changes, the gameplay remains largely the same but the story continues to develop which will please fans. Don’t start here if you’re interested but look forward to this after you’ve experienced the similarly excellent original.

Toem is a frequent delight with a wonderful photo mechanic and excellent music. Just a shame it's not longer. It's pretty great though. Get to it.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is another open world game from Ubisoft and if you've played one before then you know what that means. There are some changes from the last Assassin's Creed game but nothing major enough to make it any better or worse. I like exploring an open world, ticking off quests and filling the map so if you're like me you'll have fun. Just know that this is, again, a huge time investment.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is another great addition to the Ys series of JRPGs. The gameplay loop does settle in very quickly with some repetitive environments but the combat is superb as always and the new traversal abilities are a lot of fun to use.

Even after four years of early access limbo, Subnautica remains as one of the quintessential examples of its genre. The uniquely beautiful and terrifying world is fantastic to explore, while the goal based narrative keeps things interesting beyond the usual plate spinning mechanics of other survival games.

Calling Yakuza Kiwami a remaster almost feels unfair. You'd be hard-pressed to recognise it as a PS2 game originally, with the graphical improvements and gameplay additions bringing it on par with the other recent entries in the series. As fans would have come to expect its an intriguing story, with deep, likeable characters, brutal combat and plenty of side stuff to keep you busy.

Sony take the brilliant London Heist and turn it into a brilliantly compelling full game. Blood & Truth is one of the most essential PSVR titles so far.

Going Under is a fantastic roguelike dungeon crawler with a keen satirical edge and addictive gameplay. Very good indeed.

Everspace 2 is a fairly polished experience that really feeds the compulsion to find more loot. Space combat is fluid and easy to comprehend, although potentially disorientating. I do find the storytelling can make the characters feel distant from one another but the overall plot had me intrigued. The grand expanse from space has been somewhat segmented but the scale on display is still admirable and there's a cool sci-fi vibe to all of it.

As a budget Diablo III clone, Torchlight II delivers a solid chunk of hacky, slashy, looty gameplay and gets better as the game gets harder. However, it doesn't offer any real innovations and seems creatively unambitious even by the standards of a sub-genre that already struggles to break away from its conventions.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is another great Falcom JRPG and well worth your time. The port could have done with more care, similar to how other formats have been treated, but the game underneath shines through.

Super Mega Baseball 3 is a good baseball game that does well despite not having the MLB licence. It remains addictive and will reward you with hours of play if you want it.

Neon Abyss combines fun running and shooting mechanics with decent rogue-like mechanics and puts it all in a quirky setting. We like it a lot.

If you asked me a week ago, I would've been really down on Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The game's uneven difficulty delivers a tough introduction before settling into something more comfortable. Whilst the game doesn't explain itself well, there are many systems here you can prod and tinker with. Hopefully this will provide some varied playstyles. Combat really shines, despite the simplistic movesets. Navigation between missions feels clumsy but those levels are smartly designed. Moving through the world has been compelling and enjoyable, even if I do find the storytelling to be rather hokey.

Ready or Not isn’t a Fugees tie-in, it’s a SWAT-em-up in a similar vein to Rainbox Six Vegas. Just with rougher edges and glitches a plenty. It purports to put your squad members mental wellbeing front and centre but it only really relates to whether they’re able to join you on your next mission. It’s alright though and we’ll keep dipping in and out for a while.

To just say ‘this game is fun’ would be the easy way out. It’s a brutal challenge with hellish visuals, doom-laden soundtrack and blood-soaked anarchy. If you like your retro shooter platformers to look, act and feel like they belong in the metal section of your local record store, then Valfaris is one hell of a good time.

The Eternal Cylinder is a quirky yet ultimately charming survival game with a puzzle slant. It lapses into daftness occasionally, but the earnest narration gives it a gravitas it might be lacking otherwise. Get to it.

Don't get your hopes up if you're looking for a great skateboarding game. This isn't it. But it is a very good game that has a lot of skateboarding in it.

If you're a fan of the series, or the genre, then Ace Combat 7 is the current-gen arcade aerial combat game you've been waiting for. It plays great, it looks great and VR owners are in for a real treat too.

An excellent puzzle platformer with great level design and stunningly realised concept. Recommended.

Jackbox Party Pack 5 is likely going to be one of our staple party games from now on and is a great addition to the series.

We didn't think we'd end up enjoying a F2P Monster Hunter clone ever so the fact we do is a credit to Dauntless' enjoyable combat and thriving online player base.

Superliminal is a great puzzle game with soul. There’s tons to do besides the nine levels on offer, especially when you go looking for collectibles.

A great opportunity to revisit a Telltale classic, before their days of ambiguous moral choices and ceaseless licensed titles. The Freelance Police have never looked better, with Sam and Max Save the World being a brilliant foray into the world of point ‘n’ click adventuring with joke a minute humour, tenuously logical puzzles and fantastic presentation.