There’s an element of fun here, but it’s hardly the type of game people bought their PS4s to play. If you’ve got an inkling of interest in the Bridge Constructor series, might I recommend trying the series for free on mobile, or even the far superior Bridge Constructor Portal? Bridge Constructor Stunts for PS4 just ends up landing on its head.

Like Constable Zellner, the game is deeper than it looks and has a story that will keep players guessing. I couldn’t ask for much more in a great whodunnit.

Those looking for style and substance will only find the former in abundance, but there’s just enough of the latter to keep Lydie and Suelle’s adventure interesting enough to explore deeper.

For some, local co-op may be worth the price of admission, but for those without others to play with, the asking price may be a bit too steep at launch.

Far Cry 5 takes steps forward by upping the stakes with a sinister villain and bold new setting, while also stumbling backwards with its non-linear approach and separation of character progression from the world.

A Way Out is a true achievement in game design. Not only does it manage to take players on a true journey of emotion, it does so in a way that is only possible through the medium of video games. It manages to do something truly special by making two players to cooperate for an extended amount of time, and the discussions that happen on the couch or over voice chat can be just as revealing as the game itself. Josef Fares and Hazelight have undoubtedly raised the bar for co-op gaming.

It feels absolutely barren next to the PlayStation 4’s strong first-party, third-party, and indie lineups.

Even after all my criticisms with the game, the ending was both surprising and fitting.

Ni no Kuni II is pure magic. It consistently surpassed my expectations.

A potential play time of 100+ hours to see each mystery play out also ensures a ton of entertainment return on a meager investment of ~$40 USD. For those who love the city-sim genre, this is a no-brainer.

Burnout Paradise holds up, and if nothing else, you can now experience one of the top arcade franchises in the business on your PlayStation 4.

Everything considered, Attack on Titan 2 is an improvement on the first game in every way, but retreading old ground makes it hard to justify the “2” tacked on to the end. It’s a great opportunity for anyone who missed the first game to get a far more comprehensive Attack on Titan experience, and there’s definitely more content and improvements for those who did play it.

Song of Life is Kiryu’s story and focusing on something larger would only be a disservice to one of gaming’s most fully realized characters. It’s only fitting that he bows out in Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s most mature and focused game.

DJMax Respect is the culmination of over a decade of rhythm action, and deserves a look for series and genre fans.

If you were to boil TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge down to its essence, it does a fantastic job of recreating the storied event in fantastic detail. The sheer sense of speed it engenders is an achievement in and of itself. However, the mediocre variety, lack of replayability, and need for more polish derail an otherwise interesting experience. Only the hardcore should saddle up for this ride.

A promising start. The Mad Ones builds the framework for what can be a wild narrative ride, but it’s not clear yet how far this game will go in terms of its branching paths, or if the narrative will remain interesting throughout. I’m excited to learn more about the deceptive world of The Council and what Louis will uncover in upcoming episodes.

If you played through Kyoto Winds then you largely owe it to yourself to finish the story here in Edo Blossoms. The story’s finale isn’t quite as interesting as its beginning, but the romantic fireworks that occur are certainly a payoff. It’s just too bad that the best way to experience Hakuoki is through two awkwardly split in half releases.

If you’re down to take some glimpses into a strange world that doesn’t operate under the same rules as our own then you’ll be treated to some of the sharpest dialogue and scenes seen in any game.

While World of Tanks may remain the king of tank games simply due to an already entrenched player base, Armored Warfare is a good match for those who prefer a slightly more arcade-like experience. Since the game is free to play, those interested should definitely give it a download.

Bravo Team’s third-person camera movement system snatches control away from the player far too much, creating a jarring and unfriendly experience. I’m still baffled at why this was thought to be a good idea after numerous play tests. Movement is just the peak of myriad problems in Bravo Team, including tracking issues, AI goofs, and just plain bad and boring game design.

For about $20 USD, Frantics will provide gamers and non-gamers alike something entertaining to do at a get-together without burying their face in a small screen.

Before the Storm‘s bonus episode doesn’t feature the series’ best writing or any pivotal choices, but it all works as intended here. It’s just a fond farewell to a friend. One that gives players one more opportunity to see two of their favorite characters interacting with each other, and one final chance for the player to say their own goodbyes.

Bridge Constructor Portal is a great look at what Aperture might get up to outside of first-person physics puzzle-solving, showing that GLaDOS is definitely still alive.

Polyarc has built an amazing adventure with a grand sense of scale, bonding players with the smallest hero as they send her out beyond the safe walls of her tiny mouse village. Even if it ends too soon, Moss is one of the most memorable and immersive VR adventures I’ve ever been on, but more importantly, it’s the best friendship I’ve ever had with a VR mouse.

Excepting its online shortcomings, however, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is easily the best game using the license yet.

Gravel is a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry. While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun.

Those who are able to accept Metal Gear Survive for what it is will find one of the most captivating survival games in recent memory. It’s an incredibly unforgiving experience, which can definitely be detrimental at times, but one that ultimately feels fulfilling.

Immortal Redneck is ultimately a simple, fun game that is hard to master. Constantly replaying the same pyramid in order to progress sounds repetitive on the surface, but randomizing various key aspects changes things up enough to ensure the trip stays varied.

The game isn’t terrible by any means, with some fans of the show sure to enjoy reliving Elizabeth’s quest, but there is too much wasted potential here. If you don’t mind the obvious lack of depth here, you can have some fun playing the game, just don’t expect that fun to last.

Mulaka has some neat ideas and a sometimes gorgeous look to it, but little else to offer. The individual locations fail to stand out, and the game quickly becomes overly formulaic. The combat is too sloppy to impress, the platforming is plagued by a stiff moving character, and the puzzles are never captivating. It’s a completely forgettable experience with a few really nice sights that are better experienced as screenshots.

Shows that licensed kids cartoon adaptations don’t have to be mediocre, and that they can be filled with the same charm as the television shows that made them beloved in the first place.

An intriguing narrative is interrupted by long bouts of boring wave-based shooting against generic enemies in dull locations. I can’t help but think of the early moments in Ian’s house, seeing ceramic horrors in reflections and being excited for a cinematic psychological-horror action game that would never come to be.

Secret of Mana is an entirely skippable remake of a game that was the progenitor for a number of JRPG conventions. That’s a shame. The greater failing, however, is what happens when fans will inevitably pick this title up in the hopes of recapturing some of the feelings of grandeur the original game contained so much of.

Having only one bullet is a nifty gimmick which can introduce some level of strategy to the madness that unfolds, too. Modifiers and an assortment of game modes help to increase the title’s longevity, but there isn’t a whole lot of content to speak of, including one of the shortest campaigns we’ve ever seen.

It’s genuinely difficult to not be charmed by the foul-mouthed shenanigans of Rad Rodgers. The game somehow manages to morph extremely dated design ideals into a form that is palatable to the modern console crowd.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an incredibly deep and intricate game that looks beautiful, but it has a fair amount of stumbling points in its quest for realism.

The best thing that Pop-Up Pilgrims does is present a fascinating papercraft pop-up world that more VR developers should explore. Had it offered a more consistent growth on mechanics and rapid change between the variety, it would have stuck with me more than it did. Instead it was a monotonous and repetitive 60 levels that didn’t offer anything memorable during the five or so hours that it took to complete. Pop-Up Pilgrims isn’t a bad game by any stretch, but it’s not all that interesting or engaging either.

Even with the occasional boneheaded design choice, there’s still so much that Apex Construct does right. The absorbing level design, outstanding voice acting, and competitive combat all prove to be fantastic uses of PlayStation VR. Ultimately, the game feels like a very promising glimpse into the potential future of the platform.

The brevity actually solidifies how stellar the narrative truly is, and I can’t recommend it enough to all gamers who love a good story, especially a good mystery.

Although there are certainly stumbling points, it’s the aspect of exploration that really makes Fe a memorable experience. There’s seemingly always something to do from stumbling upon ferocious animals that are hidden in a cave to figuring out how to get an upgrade shard. The game world that Zoink has crafted is truly wondrous, and learning to work together with its inhabitants is a truly rewarding experience. Sometimes we just need to learn how to understand each other.

Developer Milestone S.r.l. has been making racing games for so long, it comes as no surprise how nicely Monster Energy Supercross turned out. From the detail in the dirt, to the details in the bikes, this is not only a great looking game, but a great racing game too.

If you’re looking to experience one of the smartest, wittiest, and thought-provoking stories of the generation, then do yourself the favor and play through both the first game and Part 2: Unbound.

Dynasty Warriors 9 is more of a foundation for the next title than the dawning of a new era for the franchise. That’s perfectly acceptable, too, given that series like Dynasty Warriors inevitably must evolve to stay relevant. Right now, there are just some growing pains, and anyone who was interested in the newest iteration because of its new gameplay features would do better waiting for the next one instead.

Crossing Souls has a bunch of elements that should be right up my alley, but some flat writing and uninspired design really keeps it from hitting the desired marks. There’s a good idea here, and I have no doubt that a teen adventure starring ghosts and Egyptian Gods could be really dope, but a cool concept doesn’t make a great game. Instead, it just makes the end result all the more disappointing.

For a short time, I was genuinely in love with this game. It managed to be so damn fun, despite the fact that it was whipping my ass right and left. The low-fi production values and unique character designs and power-ups only deepened my affections. However, the fact remains that while it was fun, it was a supernova of a game. It burned hot and bright for a short period of time and then fizzled out almost as quickly. It’s surely worth a glance, but it may be best to wait until you can play this with friends, where it has the chance to truly shine.

Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[st] is an excellent fighting game, but if you’ve already played through Exe: Late on the PS3, there’s not much here to entice you to upgrade. The new Chronicles Mode is ultimately a disappointing slog. While there are two new characters to learn and master, with the current fighting game climate, there’s likely not many people you’ll be able to try them out against. It’s a shame, because Exe: Late[st] is a fine fighting game in its own right, but will inevitably be lost in the shuffle.

Without the inclusion of basic in-game move lists or character tutorials, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT presents players with a pretty steep barrier to entry and learning curve.

Cold Iron is a fascinating and unique game that could use a little bit more polish.

The pitch for Out of Ammo sounds interesting on paper, but the execution is probably the worst PSVR game that I have ever played.

Whether you're climbing a colossus for the first time, or revisiting an old friend a decade later, the legacy lives on. Shadow of the Colossus is even more amazing today than it was when it first released, and earns itself a spot as a must-own for anyone with a PS4. I've never been as enamored with this game as I am in 2018. Bluepoint Games has successfully honored the original while completely making it their own, a balancing act that only the most devoted of fans could pull off. It's awe inspiring. It's colossal. It's the perfect remake. It's Shadow of the Colossus exactly as I remember it, yet it's Shadow of the Colossus like it's never been before.

Telltale has not only managed to make one of the most interesting incarnations of the Harlequin of Hate, but the slow build has paid off wonderfully over two seasons.

If you’re looking for a fighter, there is simply nothing better on the market than Dragon Ball FighterZ in terms of what it offers as a 2D, high action brawler.

It’s a truly interesting game that handles its characters with care and affection, and the dungeon crawling elements are excellent. Without familiarity with the past game, however, it also alienates potential players in a way that seems unproductive.

This is the modernization that Monster Hunter definitely needed. Not only is it the most dynamic title in the series to date, it's just a fantastic action role-playing game. Even if you've bounced off the series in the past, I highly recommend giving Monster Hunter: World a try. It's where the series finally truly clicked for me, and that is very much by design. Capcom has updated their formula for a new generation, and it's a real treat for all.

Besides dealing with computer-controlled submission attempts, I largely feel that EA Sports UFC 3 is the best playing mixed martial arts game to date. That’s why it was so disappointing to find out that so few of the modes managed to capture my interest.

Lost Sphear has all the makings of a classic RPG, along with some of the trappings expected with the genre.

The Inpatient is one of PSVR’s best. It’s a shining example of presence and engagement. The visuals impress and it uses a ton of clever tricks to fully immerse the player in the experience of living out Blackwood Sanatorium’s final days, making me feel like I was actually there.

There’s a lot to like about Iconoclasts, but it unfortunately never makes the jump from good to great. Not only does it fall into some of the pitfalls that other platformers have exposed throughout the years, it also lacks any innovation that truly wows.

For those who love hyper-detailed simulators, Kerbal Space Program has that in spades, and for that alone, Kerbal Space Program deserves high marks. In my experience, though, that audience is far more prevalent on PC, which makes it disappointing to see that the console specific Enhanced Edition still feels like a poor console port of a heavily PC-based title.

Beholder is an interesting management sim with brilliant morally ambiguous themes taking center stage, however it suffers from imbalanced execution. There’s far too much of an uphill climb to finally understand and begin to enjoy Beholder.

InnerSpace is a game that you should be playing. The well-realized worlds, exceptional aesthetic and compelling exploration mechanics complement each other tremendously well. If you can get past the occasional bout of unnecessary complex exposition, the evolution of each environment tells a compelling enough story to keep you enthralled from start to finish. Drop everything and check out what deserves to be one of the sleeper hits of 2018.

Albert & Otto is a decent puzzle platformer with some interesting ideas. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but hopefully this has set the stage for some refinement if a second episode is ever created. Check out Albert & Otto if you desire a short but intriguing puzzler and can power through some awkward platforming.

I’m having a very hard time parsing exactly how I feel about Little Red Lie. As a game, it’s imbalanced, awkward, and boring. I don’t think I can recommend it to anyone, but I might have been glad to have gone through it? It’s certainly an experience I will never forget, but then again, so was getting run over by a car.

It provides a satisfying conclusion to some of the conflicts left open during the previous story, and sets up enough open-ended arcs that the developers working on additional content can easily pull threads from.

Accounting+ is a novelty, brilliant to experience, but hard to recommend. I was highly entertained by my time with Accounting+, but after this review, I am thoroughly done with it.

I like the idea of Gang Beasts on paper. Hell, I even like Gang Beasts when I see other players play. The jelly physics of up to eight players smashing into one another and trying to toss each other over the edge is great fun in theory, but becomes more of a frustrating chore and test of patience in practice.

Before the Storm does do some fantastic work of setting the brickwork for the original game.

It’s an exciting shooting gallery in virtual reality wearing one of the most bizarre and unique skins of any game that I’ve seen. It’s more fun than it has any right being with its strange premise, but that’s part of what makes it shine.

Okami HD was great on the PS3, but is even better on the PS4. This may finally be the definitive version of the game.

8-bit Adventure Anthology Volume I does exactly what it advertises. It allows players to play three classic adventure games on modern consoles without any hassle. That said, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting into since this doesn’t featured remastered versions, and the design is absolutely old school.

If Asksys Games and Nihon Falcom were serious about porting Tokyo Xanadu to the PS4, there was a lot more that could have been done. Graphics needed a major overhaul, and the additional side stories were merely fluff that didn’t contribute a lot to making an already bland story more interesting.

If Square Enix and tri-Ace really wanted to do this remaster justice, they should have done more than a graphical boost. They should have fixed the overworld map. They should have at least given non-Pro folk an option for the Modern art style. Perhaps they should have also worked on the input lag, included the ability to skip long cutscenes (even if it’s the first time seeing them), or skip through dialogue.

The core of this classic has not been touched, and this remains the same LocoRoco 2 many gamers have fond memories of. Pick this up if you’re a fan of the series, or especially if you never tried the original release and want the best version available.

Even with the structure of the Olympic events being lacking, there’s still more than enough content here to justify the asking price.

A Hat in Time is delightfully charming and always manages to take a left turn, surprising and challenging even a storied gamer like myself.

It’s hard to reconcile the great game that is Doom VFR with the clumsy Move controls that are hardly player friendly.

While not all of the DLC is a home run, the tweaks to the main game are all a net positive. The new Capcom Heroes mode is also a blast, and basically turns Dead Rising into a crossover musou title. Frank’s Big Package may look completely ridiculous, but it’ll leave you pleased in all of the right ways.

The Walking Dead Collection easily achieves its goal of being the best way to experiences the bulk of Clementine’s journey. The most appealing part of the package is the graphically enhanced version of the first season, and it winds up being a joy to play thanks to how well the design has stood the test of time. Whether you’re curious of the series or a returning for a second go, there’s a lot to like about this well crafted collection.

It just doesn’t work.

Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier features a story that manages to excite and get players invested in despite it not going too deep into the lives of both apes and humans. It’s also an important experiment in storytelling, and one that largely winds up being successful.

The highlight of Batman: The Enemy Within‘s third episode is definitely the interactions with Catwoman, but it also does a great job of moving the story forward. The overall picture is becoming increasingly clear, and the episode ends with a fantastic cliffhanger that left me on edge. The wait for episode four will be rough, but I’m excited to get out of this mess that Bruce Wayne finds himself in.

Not content with jut polishing up the formula of the original game, Hand of Fate 2 takes a step forward and defines what a sequel should be. Improvements abound, challenges await, and every single failure begets the promise of a bigger success, if you’d chance your fate in the cards.

Besides the HD visuals, Ben 10 feels like a licensed title from a decade ago. Most of the game is comprised of inoffensive mediocrity, and rarely is there anything that feels inspired. Kids will likely have some fun smashing around levels as their favorite characters from the show, but there’s simply too little content for it to keep attention spans occupied for too long.

It’s still hard to comprehend that Skyrim, a game from 2011 not originally designed for virtual reality, is now PlayStation VR’s killer app. Marrying these two ideas seemed like an impossible feat, but Bethesda pulled it off. Skyrim VR is anything but a simple port to virtual reality. It is lovingly crafted with care and attention to make one of the biggest and most memorable VR experiences since the platform first launched. Skyrim VR isn’t just a must-experience for PSVR owners; it’s a reason to buy the headset.

Far From Noise is an important showcase that games should work within their limitations. A single developer like George Batchelor can never make something that’ll rival Uncharted in scope or scale, but here he’s managed to work within boundaries to make something all the more profound. Smart writing and design can go a long way, and Far From Noise manages to go many places while never leaving the edge of a cliff.

VR experiences don’t need to be complex or lengthy, but the depth of League of War: VR Arena is virtually non-existent. It tries to espouse a sense of strategy, but the execution is so simplistic that it becomes all too easy to win (or sometimes lose) completely by accident by spamming the field with units. League of War is literally just a game of spawning units onto a bland tabletop battlefield. It’s designed well and the VR works, but more than a year on from the PSVR launch, a game needs to do something more than simply work to impress as a virtual reality experience.

On one side of the coin, Outcast: Second Contact is a warranted revisit of a beloved title. It has a fantastically well-constructed narrative that’s a genuine treat to delve in to. However, on the other side of the coin are the terrible combat controls, embarrassingly low-fidelity voiceovers and a bland, bug riddled world design.

L.A. Noire remains the best detective game around. Combing crime scenes, interrogating suspects, and catching them in lies with evidence to back up accusations is just as rewarding as ever. This port has allowed the game to age a little better than the original, however, it doesn’t look like a massive upgrade was made in terms of graphics.

It’s undeniably a weird package, but Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV manages to make its eccentricities work for it, rather than against it. Not only is it the best fishing game I’ve played in virtual reality, but it’s also a true delight for Final Fantasy fans.

If you enjoy turn-based RPGs with quirky characters and a generally lighthearted story, then you’ll likely enjoy Demon Gaze II.

There is a good strategy system to be found here, just really nothing else. The story is almost nonexistent and there really aren’t enough options here to build upon the strategy, or give you something to break it up a bit. If you are OK with the lack of options and just want to take over Tokyo and look at some nicely detailed tattoos, then Tokyo Tattoo Girls should be on your radar. Just don’t expect much more outside of that, because there isn’t anything.

Some strong art direction and great puzzle design helps Max: The Curse of Brotherhood manage to be worth the time of PlayStation 4 owners.

DICE needs to untangle monetization and progression, keeping any elements that give players an advantage in battle away from real world money. Progression should feel like a reward for playing the game, not paying the game. It’s disappointing that this conversation needs to surround such an amazing title. Star Wars Battlefront II is an insanely fun and full featured experience no matter which corner of the galaxy or era of the story you go to.

Stifled is an exercise in taking a great idea and applying it to a worn out genre. The indie horror tropes bleed through, despite a unique initial premise. Mumbling under my breath to be able to see barely plays into the narrative, and no scare ever got me to scream out loud, so it didn’t quite have the intended effect, seeming more like a gimmick by the end.

It is known how much I adore LEGO games, but these last two have been glitch-filled messes. I can’t recommend this one at all, even to those who loved the first one, until TT Games puts out a hefty patch to resolve these glitches. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 isn’t unplayable by any stretch, but it’s a downright frustrating adventure with these game-breaking issues.

The Sims 4 is a game that rewards players the more time they spend with it. The heavier emphasis on the emotional state of each Sim adds a lot of variety to even regular household chores.

There’s a moment early on in Sonic Forces where Sonic says that it’s “not time for thinking. It’s time for running.” Not only does he perfectly describe his series’ design philosophy, he also sets the blueprint for who will enjoy this game. If you’re willing to turn your brain off for a few hours, and just take in the pure spectacle that is watching hundreds of Sonic characters fighting on a battlefield during a cutscene, then you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. It’s a really dumb game at its core, but it’s also just pure fun in a well-meaning, lighthearted package.

I’ve been critical of some of Telltale Games’ endings in the past, but I really enjoyed how Guardians of the Galaxy wrapped up. Did I regret some of the choices I made? Definitely. But more importantly, I felt as if the team had legitimately grown due to some poor judgment calls, even if poor Groot was missing an arm by the end.