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]

Mixing up your items is still the name of the game, though. While you level up in fights, a lot of your sense of progression comes from creating more powerful items (and finding higher-quality ingredients to do so). Holing up in your atelier, mixing the perfect items for quests, is still one of the most satisfying crafting systems around. You frequently return to your home to store materials, encountering warm little character events. A degree of automation makes mixing easy to get into, but customisation has evolved to the point where you can’t help but think up alterations to make, for instance, your bombs more powerful. There’s a strong connection to your items and equipment. [Issue#185, p.82]

The idea of solving puzzles with detachable limbs is interesting, but the execution is a bit simple. Since you can’t take a single step without having to solve another puzzle, the satisfaction of overcoming them is pretty short-lived, too. However, Helheim Hassle offers some excellent, goofy dialogue and characters, so solving puzzles can feel like something you have to get over with in order to get to those bits. The game lives off its cartoony, over-the top art style and absurd situations. Its humour is its biggest strength – dry and self-deprecating, sometimes reminiscent of adventure classics like Monkey Island. While the puzzles are a bit of a letdown, on the whole you get an entertaining game with a few great laughs. [Issue@#185, p.82]

Technically there’s little wrong with the game. It’s visually solid, smooth to play, and the 3D models do a decent job of replicating the style of an 8-bit side-scrolling shooter. Yet it feels anodyne. The magic sauce that made us shove ten-pence pieces into arcade machines is missing. [Issue@#185, p.82]

Ultimate Fishing Simulator rewards patience and skill like any good sim, and there’s something satisfying about picking your own fishing spot, casting a line you’ve prepared yourself, and pulling in a big one after a fight. Progression may prove to be too slow for some, but for fishing fans, this might just be a kipper app. [Issue@#185, p.87]

Roguelike games can sometimes feel very generic, and we’ve seen a lot of them in recent years, but the stylish pixel look combined with a subtle but effective soundtrack helps Colt Canyon stand out from the crowd, and with levels randomly generating each time you play, no landscape will ever be the same as the previous one. This offers a fantastic challenge (albeit sometimes it can be a little too tough) but you’ll keep coming back for more. [Issue@#185, p.87]

While the occasional, inexplicable slowdown is forgivable, what really holds the game back is the checkpointing. It sometimes feels downright unfair as, due to the slowly-slowly nature of play, you can lose ten minutes of progress that’s a real pain to retread. It’s enjoyable enough to keep you coming back, but prepare for some pain in among the pleasure. [Issue@#185, p.87]

While it’s never a stretch to find yourself in a twist, Phogs! makes getting out of these predicaments a joy thanks to imaginative puzzles and level design. [Issue#184, p.93]

An impressive PS5 upgrade that makes excellent use of the DualSense. This does a rally good job of letting you feel the road as well as see it. [Issue#184, p.92]

It’s fun in bursts of 20-30 minutes or so, but this is the sort of thing you play in between sessions of games you enjoy more. Worms deserves more love. [Issue#184, p.97]

Modern Warfare’s a tough act to follow, and Cold War struggles to keep up. It’s still enjoyable though, and with many updates to come, it’s just getting started. [Issue#184, p.95]

A collection of Space Invaders varients with diminishing returns. Come for Extreme, hang around for Gigamex SE, leave when Arkanoid Vs. rears its ugly head. [Issue#184, p.87]

While FIFA 21 is as good a showcase for the potential of the DualSense as we’ve seen so far, the underlying issues with this entry remain. [Issue#184, p.88]

Though nothing groundbreaking, this version provides a collection of nice-to-have additions which boost an already great game, making it the one to go for (unless you’re a graphics snob). [Issue#184, p.89]

The five-to-six-hours-long single-player mode is certainly challenging, with some very well-designed boss fights, but the main maze-like levels feel basic and dreary. It’s a slog. Ponpu’s clearly best suited to local party play, but… well, it would be a pretty strange party if you got this one out. [Issue#184, p.89]

When you combine all of the smart design decisions with superb writing and dialogue, you get a truly memorable game, proving you don’t need a Night City-sized budget to impress. [Issue#184, p.89]

When The Past Was Around is an endearing game that is a celebration of two people’s shared love of music. It teeters on being sappy, but its dreamy, abstract nature brings it back from the brink. It’s an endearing pocket-sized tale and a wonderful gem from the Indonesian indie game scene. [Issue#184, p.86]

A game that while atmospheric, turns monotonous very quickly, and whose ideas are never developed in a way that makes it interesting to play. [Issue#184, p.86]

Very much in the Puyo Puyo mould, it’s goofy fun about the dimensions crossing over. PPT2 isn’t a gamechanger, but is still one of the best puzzlers around. [Issue#184, p.86]

Carrying you through this arduous journey are the minimalist story and art style – both of which are just detailed enough to remind you what you’re fighting for. Unto The End’s brand of intelligent combat makes for a demanding challenge that isn’t for everyone, yet its unpretentious nature results in a refreshing, if brief, melee-based adventure. [Issue#184, p.91]

Sam is implied to be neurodivergent, and is forced to pick between masking his differences for a happy ‘normal’ life or living authentically but miserably in a forced existence. Twin Mirror is bleak, often flawed and far from Dontnod’s best work – case closed. [Issue#184, p.91]

While the success of the storytelling (and its exploration of psychology and mental health) is up for debate, there’s no denying this is a wonderful puzzle-platformer that is intelligent, unique, full of surprises, and, at five to six hours, never threatens to overstay its welcome. [Issue#184, p.91]

If you liked the look of Dark Souls but bounced off the difficulty, Chronos offers a solid (if cheaper), more user-friendly, yet still demanding alternative. [Issue#184, p.90]

A hugely ambitious, immersive RPG that too often works against itself. Perhaps worth playing – just not at full price and not on PS4 without further patches. [Issue#184, p.82]

Ghostrunner frustrates and thrills in equal measure. There is too much trial and error at times, but persevere through clenched teeth and you’ll be rewarded. [Issue#183, p.95]

This PS5 edition offers new ideas and swish next-gen presentation. It looks, plays, and feels a step above PS4 but is held back by a similar need to open your wallet. [Issue#183, p.80]

Much buggier than the PS4 version, Dirt 5 is nonetheless a showcase for PS5 gaming, and a much-needed champion for splitscreen racing. [Issue#183, p.86]

It’s the MK11 you know and maybe love but it looks like a new game on PS5. Running at 60fps in 4K gives this brawler a new lease of life. A must for newcomers. [Issue#183, p.75]