Most of the boss fights been given a fresh do-over, with interesting new phases and twists that make them feel a little more special being introduced. These challenge you to think about a fight in ways beyond doing the most damage to your opponent. More than ever, Persona 5’s mechanics are used to further the narrative, whether that’s a high art plagiarist making fake copies of himself to fight you, or smart-aleck Akechi always throwing three bullseyes in a row at the new darts spot in town. It’s bigger, better, more. [Issue#174, p.84]

It's one of the few games you'll genuinely reflect on after completion, and an object lesson in how less can be more when it comes to crafting narrative and eliciting investment. This is a game about which I would change nothing, and I can't remember having said that too many times before.

Massively replayable. [Apr 2008, p.92]

Tetris Effect and PS VR go together like ham and eggs. It’s the perfect pairing of tech and game design. Don’t have a headset? You can still join in but you’re missing out on the definitive way to play. [Issue#157, p.92]

Once you've fallen into the arms of The Show, no other sports game you own will ever feel quite the same again. [May 2009, p.106]

No open world game makes you feel as physically present as Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s a treat to inhabit. The story might feel a bit linear, but you’ll want to see it through, and your own journey awaits besides, over the open plains. [Issue#156, p.78]

Beautifully polished and endlessly exciting, Rocksteady's latest take on Batman is finally the hero that PS3 truly deserves. [Dec 2011]

When such a talented developer hits these creative, narrative and technical heights, the result is a game that wouldn’t look out of place smuggled into PS4’s launch lineup. The acting is more believable than LA Noire’s hi-tech gurning. There are sneaky set-piece excursions that outdo even Metal Gear Solid 4 at its best. And tying it all together is an utterly mesmerising world instilled with a seamless sense of time and place. This is a work of art in which amazing sights and sounds fuel an emotionally draining, constantly compelling end of days adventure.

This is a jaw-dropping success, grafting new life onto an epic adventure, with action-packed combat that still oozes strategy. FFVII has redefined the genre once again. [Issue#175, p.66]

It's fun, it's frenzied. [Dec 2009, p.18]

For the second time in succession, Naughty Dog has created a game that can claim to not only be the best on PS3, but also one of the best in gaming history...A visual, technical and narrative tour de force that takes the sky-high expectations of an entire community and blows them out the back of a jumbo jet, replacing them with more show-stopping moments than you could hope to find in a dozen other games combined. [Dec 2011]

It was a world I was gutted to leave, and as such stands among the best that PS3 has to offer. [June 2010, p.107]

There’s simply more here than in any game before, and yet quality is never sacrificed for quantity. Personal favourites will persist, but it’s hard to put anything else on top of the pile. Everything you’ve ever wanted a GTA game to be, and a whole lot more. Consistently hilarious, constantly compelling and combining never-before-seen scale and ambition. This is going to make next-gen look bad for a long time to come.

An essential purchase for anyone with two thumbs. [Dec 2009, p.18]

Guns of the Patriots is almost intimidating in the consistent quality of its ideas, invention, and execution...Even by the series' stratospheric standards, MGS4 is a remarkable high point. [June 2008]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

A great example of mould-breaking gaming at its best. [June 2011, p.100]

A refreshed classic that remains as vital as ever thanks to a beautifully crafted port. [Sept 2014, p.99]

Whether you’re a series fan, a JRPG evangelist or a total turn-based newcomer, this is an essential play. Persona 5 is packed with stuff to do, expertly put together and exquisite to the last pixel. An unabashed masterpiece. [Issue#134]

An absolute masterpiece. [Nov 2007, p.104]

It's a triple lightning strike of character, freedom and sound. [Dec 2008, p.90]

I've never encountered a game that so completely captivated my attention for this long. I've clocked 180 hours in total and I'm still playing. [May 2007, p.78]

There simply isn't anything else like LBP on any system, anywhere. It's a beautifully elegant and powerful creative tool that puts unlimited potential in the palm of your hand. [Nov 2008, p.92]

Enduring masterpieces. [Nov 2011, p.108]

Full of simple-to-grasp tools, all with huge potential - and you could easily lose more time to LBP2 than any other game released in 2011. [Jan 2011, p.104]

It's so good that it ruins you for other games. Once you've played it you'll be spoiled, expecting everything to be as stylish, immersive and balls-out brilliant as Modern Warfare. Whether you're creeping through a forest at twilight, slotting unsuspecting militia with silenced weapons or pounding war-torn streets as all hell breaks loose around you, it's an experience that never dips below astonishing. [Dec 2007, p.82]

Lord knows how long the San Diego boys can continue trumping themselves year after year, but for now their golden touch shows no sign of fading. [June 2011, p.106]

If Half-Life and the original Deus Ex stand as the apotheosis of the narrative-driven shooter, and Bioshock brought the genre to PS3, then Infinite is the latest game to join these hallowed ranks. This is a masterpiece that will be discussed for years to come, and praise doesn’t come much higher than that.

The best game on PS3 is now the best thing on PS4. A loving, comprehensive remaster of such quality, it's damn near as essential as oxygen. But it. Yesterday. [Jan 2015, p.91]

Unless you're born without thumbs, eyes or a sense of humour, it's obvious that Uncharted 2 is a 10/10 game after two minutes of the first level...It's the most complete, polished and fun adventure game - and maybe just game - on PS3, and it's absolutely essential. [Nov 2009, p.101]

Up-'til-3am immersive. [May 2012, p.108]

Not a lot of games – almost no games, in fact – manage to establish the kind of white-hot emotional connection between player, cast and setting that Mass Effect 3 somehow conjures. That's the reason this story of Earth, the galaxy and Shepard's last stand is so harrowing, and why people will be talking about it for years to come.

The quality hits you like a tank - the visuals, the set-pieces, the detail. [Christmas 2009, p.100]

A magnificent, deeply personal tale of a boy and his monster. Smart, subversive and emotionally enriching, this is one of the most evocative games to grace PlayStation in the last decade. Clearly, you can't rush genius. [Jan 2016, p.102]

GTA IV is richer, deeper and more involving than its predecessors. By the time the story threads start to tie up, the mission trees shake out, you're totally invested in the characters and their world. I'm actually jealous of everyone about to experience it for the first time. The greatest testament to GTA IV's brilliance is that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since putting the pad down. [May 2008, p.88]

The sort of thing you dreamed about while you ate your tea and watched Star Trek. [Feb 2011, p.107]

Naughty Dog's victory lap is a celebration of its past, present and future, with clever pacing and thrilling set-pieces surpassing expectations in its most exhilarating Uncharted to date. No PS4 should be without this. [June 2016, p.74]

Unless you’re anti-games lawyer Jack Thompson, you’ll enjoy Hotline Miami for what it is: an impossibly stylish indie tour de force about playing with your food. With its incredible soundtrack in your ears, neon flashes in your peripheral vision and endlessly, shamefully gratifying combat in your hands, you’ll learn to stop worrying and love the wrong.

Hoops: they did it again. [Dec 2016, p.73]

A compulsive bite-sized gaming chunk.

Combine this game with imported levels from the past two, as well as everything being playable in PS VR, and Hitman 3 is a must-play stealth masterclass. Even the least favourite levels in this new selection are full of memorable moments. The weaknesses seem to lie in limited variety, but you’ll still spend hours unravelling even those. You can spend as much time on an individual destination as you would any Triple-A action game. Dartmoor’s atmosphere and family conspiracy is a highlight; Mendoza’s another, with a fancy party held in a winery fronting some intense security and a guarded villa above. It’s interesting that both feel very much inspired by Hitman: Contracts’ Beldingford Manor and Blood Money’s A Vintage Year, but it’s a testament to the design that they manage to feel so distinct, highlighting just how impressive the near flawless execution of social stealth is here. [Issue#185, p.76]

Whatever happens you'll believe it's a real world and a fantastic setting for the action. It's not as dense or as varied as, say, Oblivion - you'll go somewhere, kill everyone, every mission - but it's utterly convincing and engrossing. [Dec 2008, p.98]

An assured, confident outing with barrels of both quantity and quality. Physical play is more rewarding than last year; attacking play's more excitingly incisive, and The Journey's a great experiment. [Dec 2016, p.74]

A slick, surprisingly heartfelt 2D platformer that excels not in one area but in many. Olija’s a brilliant addition to Devolver Digital’s lineup of experimental indies. [Issue#185, p.83]

Odds on, you'll finish the ride exhilarated. [Dec 2007, p.92]

Unique, dripping in detail, and well worth rediscovering. [Oct 2014, p.83]

This is a fantastic package - a dark, witty tale of death and retribution that can be whatever you want it to. It captures the ebb and flow of tension that stealth games forgot about years ago, but presents it in a way that feels utterly contemporary. [Dec 2012, p.88]

The addition of Reaper of Souls content makes this an essential upgrade for veterans, while the power of PS4 ensures it's smoother than a dolphin's back. [Oct 2014, p.87]

An experience that's less like playing a game and more like setting up residence in the best Pixar movie you can imagine. [Dec 2009, p.118]

A brilliantly put together game, ambitious but not over-extended, lovingly crafted and devilishly designed. [June 2007, p.96]

The whole game is a class act. The fighting is sophisticated but arcade-addictive, the visuals are stylish, and the Lara-like exploration is smartly done. Plus the DC heritage feels all-encompassing like a big blanket. Arkham Asylum is comfortably the best comic book game that PlayStation's ever had, and is up there with the system's best actioners, full stop. [Sept 2009, p.95]

From one angle, you've seen much of it before, but it's never looked so searingly brilliant, or felt so surging. [Mar 2008, p.94]

Thus far the standout episode this season. [Oct 2014, p.93]

A remarkable update of a classic videogame, Rez Infinite is a perfect fit for PS VR. The astonishing new Area X is worth the cost of entry alone. Utterly essential. [Dec 2016, p.86]

From the first bounce, it feels like a genuinely new generation of sports game has arrived. All the depth, drama and longevity you take for granted by now, and even some new ideas to match its next-gen looks.

In terms of doing what it says on the box, SingStar Abba simply can't be faulted. [Jan 2009, p.99]

Not being able to carry over save data is a huge drawback. However, we enjoyed uncovering the bureau’s secrets all over again, with ray-traced drama. [Issue#186, p.88]

It stands out as the most complete version of one of the greatest fighting games of all time. [July 2014, p.90]

Hearts of Stone may not make any significant improvements to The Witcher 3's core gameplay, but it succeeds largely on the quality of its engrossing narrative.

Own PS VR? Then Thumper needs to be part of your gaming collection. Don't own a PS VR? Thumper still needs to be part of your gaming collection. It's that simple. [Dec 2016, p.88]

Team Ninja has given the soulsborne genre a unique twist enabling you to match demon power with demon power. This journey through Japanese history is no walk in the park, but it always delights and surprises. [Issue#174, p.76]

An impressively huge game. [Apr 2010, p.111]

A vintage slice of survival horror. [Apr 2010, p.116]

Two of the best in the genre are running better than ever natively on PS5. While not startlingly novel, if you missed out before, you’re in for a treat. [Issue#186, p.94]

Whether you’re dipping in and out or hunkering down with it for a long ol’ gaming sesh, Ys IX is captivating, rewarding, and worthy JRPG. [Issue#186, p.83]

If you own Sony's handheld but haven't bought this yet, then quite simply you're doing Vita wrong.

The Taken King is a bold, brilliant expansion that brings out Destiny's true potential. It's pricier than I'd have liked, but still a massive new adventure whether you're a newbie or a veteran Guardian. [Dec 2015, p.92]

The seamless integration of its previous content is a massive boon for Rock Band 2 that gives it depth "Guitar Hero" can't offer yet. [Christmas 2008, p.112]

With no player limit, only one headset required and endless replay value, this is the perfect VR party game. [Dec 2016, p.92]

While the ratio of old to new ideas is a little too cautious, and the Blue Sphere stages can become annoying, this is everything fans have been wanting for far too long. It's the best Sonic game. [Oct 2017, p.90]

The brilliant core gameplay remains deep like the Mariana Trench. Go get. [Jan 2009, p.90]

Weird yet wonderful, baffling yet beguiling, silly yet symbolic, this is a piece of art to make you appreciate the amazing absurdity of its creation. Safe to say, it's worth 12 quid. [June 2017, p.92]

If only it had Dirt 2’s crash damage, this would have scored a perfect 10. Even without it, this is a superbly playable, varied, and visually gorgeous racer. [Issue#182, p.141]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

An engaging fantasy visual novel elegantly supplemented with an addictive and unique sport, Pyre is a true original. As gaming obsessions go, it burns bright, if not long. [Oct 2017, p.93]

Special Edition raises the character-action bar even higher than the original, with high frame rates and Legendary Dark Knight mode seriously wowing. [Issue#182, p.139]

Far Cry 3's real triumph is blending so many elements into a cohesive whole without any feeling extraneous or tacked-on. Every element works and has its place, and contributes to a narrative that may not be class-leading but certainly exceeds expectations. It also possesses the perfect balance between steadily empowering you, yet never allowing you to feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what's on offer – something even a game as great as Arkham City couldn't manage.

It actually works quite beautifully. [Feb 2010, p.112]

Both beautiful and chaotic - a bit like Cheryl Cole's bed hair. [Sept 2011, p.116]

Hit your stride and the confluence of hard-won experience, favourite ride and the unmistakable kick of nitrous will see you threading through rush-hour traffic at speeds bystanders will scarcely believe possible. [Dec 2008, p.102]

Who’d have thought smacking a ball back and forth could be such fun? This is one of the freshest multiplayer games we’ve played. [Issue#166, p.93]

One of the best games on PSP. [JPN Import; Apr 2010, p.110]

Ten hours in you might have doubts, but stay with it and you'll be smitten right through to the frankly unbelievable end. [Apr 2010, p.104]

This package contains a huge amount – and it’s almost entirely some of the finest 3D platformer design plus enhancements that are simply gorgeous. Go on, puff the magic dragon. [Issue#157, p.90]

I'm saying this deserves to be picked up by so many more people than the niche of role-players and Studio Ghibli fans it immediately appeals to. I'm saying it's so finely crafted it could warm the heart of an Army Of Two player and soothe the perpetual anger of a FIFA-phile… if they'd only let it.

This is - at pretty much all times - entertaining, stylish and hugely enjoyable. There are tightly scripted blasts of action one minute, more open, pensive situations the next...There are individual parts of Metro: Last Light that are easily the equal of Bioshock Infinite, and sections that are better than COD. [June 2013, p.95]

No sports experience comes close to NBA 2K16's presentation. [Dec 2015, p.91]

As ever, the platforming pair shine especially brightly durding combat. [May 2008, p.115]

With every element of Xcom's complex yet utterly accessible systems – from meaningful combat tactics, to budget balancing, to life-or-death diplomatic decisions – feeding directly into every other aspect of the game, this is as compelling a world as any in recent memory.

Sensational storytelling. [Christmas 2007, p.84]

You've never played anything like Mirror's Edge. It's a genuine original. When it's good - like when you're soaring between two rooftop cranes, pigeons scattering and traffic thrumming below, or dashing between roaming sniper laser sights, breaking into an enormous needle-shaped skyscraper - it's a total rush. And even when it's not quite so good, when you can't work out how to get through a particularly tricky section, the compulsion to keep trying remains strong. [Dec 2008, p.84]

Creator Matt Thorson has achieved a ludicrous standard of gameplay in Towerfall Ascension, one that seduces you instantly and jettisons all thoughts of million-poly character models and full-performance capture from your gaming consciousness.

The big surprise isn't that it serves up another great campaign, but that its take on Modern Warfare's world-conquering multiplayer may be the best yet. With Spec Ops and Survival mode, this is one hell of a package, and sees off the trilogy with a bang: not much has changed, but this is as big and beautiful a game as ever.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age is one of the finest JRPGs on PS4, and makes a great entry point to one of the most popular series of all time [Issue#154, p.92]

While classic content and damage still feel underwhelming and the formula has been tweaked rather than reworked, this has the best career mode in any racing game. [Issue#154, p.91]

The rejuvination you've waited a decade for: PES gets everything right on the park, and only off-field gripes prevent this top, top player from earning the top, top score. [Nov 2016, p.83]

A worthy sequel to an indie pioneer that delivers countless surprises in a refined package. Not for the easily frustrated, perhaps, but essential for everyone else. [Issue#181, p.87]

Dark Souls III rarely innovates, but it experiments within the Souls parameters to grotesque and glorious effect. Another Game of The Year contender, then. [June 2016, p.81]