Iconoclasts isn't a trendsetter within its genre on a mechanical level. It has great puzzles and poorly-handled combat. Yet there's such huge amounts of time and personality poured into how Iconoclasts looks, and how its game world is built up, that it's easy to forgive such issues. It's a gorgeous 2D puzzle platformer with interesting characters, and that is enough to see it rise above merely being 'good'.

Though not without its faults, Apex Construct offers up an attractive, cleverly constructed and well crafted marriage of action and puzzle solving elements that demands your attention.

This fast-paced multiplayer pinball game is a blast with eight players online. Easy to pick-up-and-play, but challenging to master, gameplay is super addictive. Once you start to play, it's hard not to keep coming back for more.

With its captivating and highly-original setting, engrossing story, and eye-catching visual style, We. The Revolution is without question one of year’s more intriguing titles. If not for the lack of polish and depth of its courtroom sections, coupled with a handful of minor issues, We. The Revolution would be well deserving of a place on anyone’s 2019 must-buy list.

Battle Princess Madelyn is everything you need in a retro romp. The lack of a map with limited direction may be frustrating at times, but the heart and soul of Ghosts & Goblins remains true to form. Battle Princess Madelyn is a joy to play and a must for retro fans.

Attack on Titan 2 is a thoughtful and often exhilarating sequel which fans of both the manga and anime will thoroughly enjoy.

Castlevania Requiem brings to modern consoles what made the franchise successful in the first place. Requiem is not perfect and offers little extra in terms of modernization, but it stays true to the original vision.

Odd inventory design niggles aside and shopworn concepts aside, Tails of Iron is beautifully presented and a roundly entertaining, surprisingly grim action RPG that boasts a grandly enjoyable combat system. Fans of punishing action RPGs and grimdark fairy-tales will find much to love here.

Minor gripes aside, the best way to describe Bomber Crew is (if you’ll forgive the attempt at period-accurate officer-class patois) bally good fun! There’s a pleasing amount of depth to the game’s equally impressive array of systems and mechanics, hidden behind a charming, low-res visual style and sense of humour. While the sheer range of customisation options gives players everything they need to put their own, unique stamp on each save file. Hectic, tense, and ineffably satisfying, Bomber Crew is certainly one of the more original and entertaining indie games currently available on PS4.

There is not a whole lot of complexity yet the depth is there. All the new training tools will encourage new and long-time players to keep improving. Despite its shortcomings, DOA5 is the best Dead or Alive period.

Not only are there plenty of thrills and spills along the way, intense action to enjoy and new Akrid to marvel at, you should get quite a buzz when taking Lost Planet 2 online with a group of mates and taking on some of the larger beasts.

Much like the Eldritch horrors that are chronicled in the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Forgive Me Father has seemingly manifested from nowhere. An inventive and hyper violent shooter laced with survival horror and ARPG style progression elements, Forgive Me Father might be less refined than I would like, but all the same I cannot deny just how well the central concept of blowing Lovecraftian horrors apart has been wrought here.

Subtle changes to gameplay and the inclusion of the LPGA tour are welcome additions, but it may not go far enough to draw casual fans back for another year.

While its individual parts aren’t anything particularly special, Vostok Inc. melds those parts into a unique, amusing, and compelling whole. The manner in which developer Nosebleed Interactive has fused a clicker game to a twin-stick shooter and made sense of it is impressive. A rather nice surprise.

Street Fighter x Tekken for PS Vita is an all-around fighter that takes the complete package of the PlayStation 3 and gives you more on the go.

Beautiful and joyous, TOHU is a point and click adventure that warms the heart. It looks stunning and has puzzles that are enjoyable. A unique help system means you will never have to run over to Google for hints. It is dripping with lovely characters and great scenery, as well. TOHU is a perfect length, thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth your time, as long as you can forgive a few very minor issues.

Though Dangerous Driving doesn't quite boast the budget it needs to properly do justice to the notion of bringing classic Burnout kicking and screaming onto contemporary systems, it absolutely does nail the fundamental core of that concept and in doing so provides both a highly enjoyable racer and an evocative blueprint for what developer Three Fields Entertainment will do next.

Mini Ninjas is a rare gem amongst the mediocrity of E-rated rubbish. It probably won't win any awards for its gameplay, but you'll be having so much fun that you won't notice you are only pressing a few buttons.

Sakura Wars is a great little gem. It's the perfect title to get into the franchise and see why it's regarded so highly in Japan. Sakura Wars has some incredible writing and character development, it's hard not to fall in love with everyone you meet in the world. It's just a shame the combat isn't on the same level and at times take the steam away from the fantastic narrative.

A side-splitting romp with all the sharp satirical humour we've come to expect from South Park. Strip away its wit and, despite a few flaws, you'll find a satisfyingly deep RPG.

NHL 2K9 will appeal to longtime fans of the series, though gamers looking for a more realistic experience are likely to jump ship to NHL 09 for this season.

Firefighting Simulator: The Squad has significant flaws with the single player AI who are practically useless at anything other than menial tasks, and there's a distinct lack of urgency involved in the missions once you realise the people inside can't die and the building never razes itself to the ground. Despite these glaring issues, it's actually a really enjoyable and rewarding experience with a zen-like quality akin to vacuuming a filthy carpet. There's a great deal of satisfaction to be had in extinguishing the wide variety of different fires across the city map, and completing the objectives with friends (or strangers) online only enhances the sense of achievement.

Pure Pool offers a beautiful and accurate game of pool, featuring a large amount of various games types and difficulties to accommodate all players. The network works enough to get the job done, but there are a great deal of flaws that keep the servers from being a constant stomping ground. Regardless of the online issues, Pure Pool has a great sense of progression that embodies a stellar pool mechanic only beaten by actually playing pool.

RUNNER is a fun game that takes effort to get into. While the game's aesthetic is fun and 80's synth-themed, the heavy learning curve can deter a few players. However, with persistence and practice, RUNNER can quickly become a highlight of your PSVR2 library. From the power you feel from a successful mission, to the beauty of the anime world, I grew to truly love RUNNER.

A brief delight with satisfying gameplay and irreverent charm, Job Simulator is an early standout on PlayStation VR.

Ys: Memories of Celceta validates an inconsistent narrative with a simple and engrossing combat scheme that works perfectly in short and long bursts. $40 may seem high, but this Ys makes PlayStation Vita owners happy they have one.

A more accessible and enjoyable racer than last year's outing, MotoGP 10/11 ensures the franchise is once again heading in the right direction.

Despite its flaws, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is a great action-adventure romp featuring a stunning backdrop in 1860s London and a brilliant cast of colorful characters.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z packs quite the punch, offering an interesting take on the franchise lore with an extensive character line-up and a great co-op campaign.

Unplugged: Air Guitar may not sell the PSVR2 hardware on its own, but it needs to be played by every PSVR2 owner. With a fun track list and immersive gameplay, Unplugged beautifully fills that void left by Guitar Hero. Issues aside, Unplugged is more than worth the cost of admission.

Tales of Berseria will tantalize any JRPG fan with a narrative unique to the franchise while still entirely Tales. There's room for improvement on all fronts, but that doesn't stop Berseria from being the best franchise title in a while.

Warframe brings a new and addicting experience to the PlayStation franchise. Along with great and fluid combat, this is a free-to-play title that will justify microtransactions in a positive way.

As far as feature-complete packages go, Mortal Kombat XL is among the best examples of a plentiful bounty of playing options. It's not the greatest, nor the deepest, fighting game around, but it is gleefully gory fun for long stretches.

A riotous take on the side-scrolling shooter from the house that Olli Olli built, Not A Hero is brash, clever and entertaining blaster; even if its old-fashioned sensibilities may grate with some.

While the inconsistent A.I. can be distracting, and the occasional problem with hit detection can be frustrating, it's a game that rewards patience well and there's nothing more satisfying then clearing an area of a dozen enemies with a round of carefully-placed headshots.

The final product that is NBA 2K17 is exactly what basketball fans want, right down to Shaq at the commentating table, but in areas where it progressed it also felt some growing pains.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a faithful and entertaining remaster of two classic PlayStation platformers. Bandai Namco did an excellent job keeping the franchise's identity alive and preserving the faithful combat and platforming. Though it may feel dated by today's standards, those who remember the Klonoa series will love these remasters, and those jumping in for the first time will experience simple platformers from a simpler time in game design.

With how much has changed in Destiny, it's hard to see the forest through the trees. Everything I thought I knew, from what was good to what to focus on, has been overhauled. This was initially jarring, but the longer I spend with it, the more I come to like it. Much like the start of a new show, you can tell there is something more; however, you're only left with more questions. While this explanation is small, the universe it opens is vast.

Boasting some superb art design and fun battle/puzzles mash-ups, Toren is a worthwhile experience let down by some shoddy combat and bugs.

The controls could be more intuitive, as could interacting with objects, but overall The Fall's winning combination of great storyline, well-penned script and impressive game world makes it one of the best indie titles out there.

EA Sports takes its NHL series in a more realistic direction with a new skating system. While it's accompanied by some other authentic hockey features, it may turn off casual fans as they struggle to adapt to a slower game.

The element of disguise makes Chambara surprisingly deep, though its shallow content leaves nothing for gamers uninterested in local multiplayer.

With Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Ubisoft has created a refreshingly compact throwback open-world adventure that can be forgiven for its aggressive repurposing of other games best bits because it shapes them to fits its own style. The exploration is brisk and eventful, the puzzles are varied, with the right level of challenge and simplicity, and the approach to storytelling ultimately pays off. The DualSense features are a bit hit and miss, and it’s not exactly the best advert for the power of PS5, but much like the game it cribs from, Immortals’ qualities outshine any need for major technical showcases.

It’s not the biggest multiplayer experience you could find right now, but Evil Dead: The Game makes use of its streamlined nature to deliver a darkly joyous romp that taps into everything Evil Dead with great success. Saber Interactive follows up its solid World War Z game with another well put together multiplayer horror title.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has its flaws but overall this 80s-inspired shooter packs more than enough bang for your buck.

Catherine: Full Body brings a PS3 hit title to the PS4 with its own modern additions. Not everything is ironclad, but Full body still shines despite its shadows. With new modes, a new character, and new ways to puzzle, Catherine: Full Body adds to the heart of the original in intriguing ways.

Though it's not the best platformer, the story and environment alone make it a must play for Dark Souls fans and retro Metroidvania junkies alike. There's plenty here to enjoy, with plenty of replay value for those it hooks.

What this small team have pulled off is credit to the meticulous hard work and true passion they have poured into this project. A beautifully realised recreation of the real world that puts you right into the Empire Of The Ants.

For fans of FlatOut your patience has been rewarded; the series has reached its zenith at a time when nobody expected it to resurge, let alone do so with such brutal conviction. For the rest of you, FlatOut 4 is the perfect antithesis of all those sensible racers out there; a real, rough around the edges prospect that demands your attention.

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales tells a good story with some fantastic writing. The writing alone is worth the price of admission, but the Gwent combat can get confusing and overwhelming at times.

While there is certainly an argument for style over substance here, it is hard to see any fans of the genre being disappointed with Shank's enticing gameplay.

Whether you’re a fan of multiplayer games or not, it’s hard to not recommend Knockout City. Velan has developed an exciting and refreshing take on an often overlooked sport, with varied and fun game modes and tight controls that lead to matches you will remember long after finishing. Right now Knockout City is great and I am excited to see where it will go in the future.

High On Life is dirty, rambunctious and a hell-load of fun. While the comedy, writing and voice acting will not be everyone's cup of tea, the self-referential, meta humour really tickles me silly. It's nice to play a game that does not take itself seriously, pushes the boat out a little and strays from the mainstream cookie-cutter formula. I had a lot of fun with High On Life, its not perfect by any means but it did it's job and kept me truly entertained throughout.

Fighting game fans may find it too simple but Granblue Fantasy; Versus is the easiest and most accessible fighting game I've ever played. Though a small roster and simple competitive game modes will be expanded on later, the big focus here is the game single-player RPG mode which the game pulls off wonderfully.

Soul Hackers 2 feels like a budget title whose developers did the best with what they had. It's still a solid game with plenty to love that fans of the genre will certainly enjoy. A strong addition to the Shin Megami Tensei franchise with great combat and art direction only held back by uninspired dungeons and exploration.

Persona Dancing: Endless Night spotlights the interstellar soundtracks from the last three Persona entries. Payoff is limited here, since these are side stories, but strong writing and interesting concepts accentuate the rhythm experience wonderfully. This collection, and each of its individual games, is meant for anyone looking for a great rhythm game that features fantastic music.

DOOM 64 deserves another bite at the apple, not least because it presents a clever and atmospheric twist on the classic DOOM formula that was previously thought lost to time. Able to stand on its own merits, DOOM 64 comes highly recommended to fans of both DOOM and retro shooters at large.

TowerFall Ascension is a great example of how far originality can carry a game that is so simple to instant classic status. There are things that could be done to drastically improve the overall package, but the sum of its parts are overwhelmingly enjoyable. Matt doesn't just make games, Matt makes great games.

Resident Evil 5 suffers from duff AI and a few other niggles, but is overall a fantastic, content-packed action game with brilliant co-op appeal.

An extremely entertaining handful of sports themed mini games with just a few duffers to be found amongst their number, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game distils the longest running athletic spectacle on the planet into a great party game with charming visuals and immediate accessibility. Right now, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game is one of the better party games of the year.

Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection offers two solid rail shooters packed to the rafters with challenging gameplay, ample fan service, and yet another reason to dust off those PS Move controllers.

Headmaster VR provides a fun, albeit simple, set of objectives that entertains with its dark humor and surreal lessons. The tracking controls are spot-on, making every successful header feel incredible satisfying.

Theseus is a terrifyingly atmospheric adventure that is well worth experiencing for owners of PSVR.

A gloriously funny and unabashedly enjoyable side-scrolling hack em’ up, Zombie Vikings is great fun with friends but falls just short of true excellence on account of some glaring visual flaws.

Starlink: Battle For Atlas is a fun and enjoyable open-world space sim that tells a charming story with a likeable cast of characters. Despite its repetitive side activities and money-sucking selection of toys, the core gameplay loop and combat system are worth your time. The fact that everything can be brought digitally is also a plus.

We Were Here Too is a great sequel and really elevates the unique mechanics the franchise offers. Despite a difficulty spike on one puzzle and some wonky looking cutscenes, We Were Here Too is worth a play and really shows the potential for this series and more co-op games in the future.

NCAA Football 11 gives more legs to the college football season with an online component that will capture the affection of diehard fans. Despite some minor flaws, this is a great step in the right direction for the genre.

It has its flaws, but Silent Hill: Homecoming is a solid entry in the franchise that any self-respecting horror fanatic should snap up.

Full of fun characters and unique presents to unwrap, the classic Sega Genesis game feels as unique as ever in Back in the Groove, and is well worth a trip back for older fans of the series. Newcomers can also look forward to finding out what made ToeJam & Earl so popular.

The Lonely Assassins is the best Doctor Who game to date. It's terrifying at points and leverages the franchise to the best of its abilities. The writing is top-notch and rivals the show on many levels. The exclusion of the actual Doctor may upset some fans but I found the story worked better and felt a little more personal without the Doctor's direct involvement.

What The Bat? doesn't really do a whole lot to make it an essential experience among the PlayStation VR2 launch window of titles, but if PSVR2 is your first VR headset ever, then you'd only be doing yourself a favour to jump into Triband's hilarious and fun bats-for-hands world.

Though the dated presentation and omission of some multiplayer features undeniably rankle, Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition still manages to acquit itself ably as a landmark RPG that deserves to be absorbed by an entirely new generation of gamers.

Whether you latch on to the interesting technological tale of Scarlet Nexus or dig into its intricate combat system, Scarlet Nexus is well worth your time and effort. It's full of beautiful characters, strange creatures and plot twists. The camera can be irksome and some of the environments can look dated but overall the experience is a pleasant one. There is a fair amount of content for your hard-earned cash and the game never outstays its welcome. I can recommend it to most players, even people who rarely dip into the genre, such as myself.

Season One of Minecraft Story Mode ends on an all-time high with a highly amusing, and more importantly, fun standalone family adventure. The only drawbacks now are all related to Telltale’s own creaking game engine.

Fans of Cities Skylines can bring a new perspective to their city building with Cities VR. It manages to make the experience more personal and engaging. It won’t ruin Cities Skylines for you, but might make you appreciate it differently.

Despite early fanfare very much focusing on Kero Kero Bonito's catchy theme song, and on just how outlandish a game the initial trailer seemed to show it as, the actual fact of the matter is Bugsnax is a real success, a game chockful of charm, wit, and plenty of heart - and one that revels in its eccentric trappings and delivers a meaningful adventure that'll ensure you never quite want to leave the inhabitants of Snacktooth Island after all.

A potentially new strategy hit on the pro circuit. The single player aspects are short but this game is all about the online multiplayer competition, with lots of subtle depth that will make any Korean pro go crazy.

Ion Fury takes inspiration from the great retro shooters of the industry and runs with it. High-octane gunfights mixed with retro style and one-liners is a formula that never gets old. Ion Fury is a retro fix all its own, and it does it so well. Despite its setbacks, it's a blast to play and worthy of Build engine that it utilizes.

Prototype 2 is all about mindless combat, flying through the air, running up buildings, and cheesy dialogue. Don't expect a deep story, but get ready for a fun ride.

Essentially an update of its predecessor with a new art style and some carefully considered additional nuances, Nidhogg 2 nonetheless remains an obvious choice for friendship-destroying, local competitive party play on PS4.

One great part to this game was the phenomenal soundtrack.

Enjoyable, brash and well designed. Huntdown is a fun action game full of charm and swagger. It has short, enjoyable levels and very well designed bosses. It's streamlined, old-school and not bloated in any way whatsoever. I thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough and may return at some point to mop up a few things I missed.

Simple but satisfying platform puzzles combined with some stunning hand drawn artwork make for a brief but emotional and entertaining adventure which dares to try something new.

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a great remake of a classic RPG game. With updated graphics and audio, fans of the series will flock to this PSP version, while those new to the series will enjoy is cheerful and humorous take on the RPG traditions.

Though the technical presentation of the three games encompassed in the Shadowrun Trilogy is modest, each of them nonetheless provides an entertainingly told narrative wrapped up in an old-fashioned CRPG shell with involving, but not especially sophisticated turn-based combat. If you're after a whole lot of cyberpunk RPG goodness with a very unique cyberpunk setting, great world building and entertaining writing, then the Shadowrun Trilogy is just the fix that you need.

Exceptionally imaginative and deeply mysterious, Proteus isn't for everyone, but explorers and those looking for a change of pace will fall in love.

A breezy brawler with a dash of RPG sensibilities and oodles of charm, Young Souls reveals itself to be a resolutely engaging offering that stands out on account of its opulent presentation, loot scooper gameplay and cast of witty and entertaining characters which allows this genre hybrid to punch above its weight.

A fun approach to the assassin genre that gives players plenty of options to progress through levels, dodge the police, and eliminate targets.

There's no denying that Vampyr has some mighty rough edges to it and combat that is decent, but unspectacular. Yet there's a delicious sense of place to it that makes it undeniably interesting to get stuck into. Many of the game's flaws melt away as you get lost in the moody grime of this alternate version of wartime London...The most important job Vampyr had to do was to present a compelling game about the tragic romanticism of being a vampire, and the fight for retaining humanity or embracing the unnatural power it brings. Vampyr does drop the ball on many small things, but it does that important job superbly.

As a photography simulator, Lushfoil Photography Sim shines when it allows itself to. A brilliant atmospheric decompressor is lost under the weight of mechanics that I really don't think needed to be there. This feels like a bizarre moment where I want it to be less of a "game" and lean into itself as an experience. Still, it's well worth a peek if you enjoy wandering some silent roads and seeing the sights on your own time.

Despite some notable flaws, Resistance: Burning Skies is still a solid effort and a great start to twin-stick shooting action on PS Vita.

An eye-opening restoration of arguably the purest title in the series, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered brings distilled white-knuckle thrills and furious racing back in fashion once more. It's time to party like it's 2010.

Such is the high bar set by Naughty Dog that we expected a little more from this bite-sized DLC package. Nonetheless, Left Behind is gloriously produced with an excellent storyline spin-off that gives you a deeper insight into Ellie's character.

While the original issues are still present, what made Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen so special is here as well. Glorifying combat, organic progression, and a saturated world will keep you slogging through the occasional lull on your way to the heart of it.

Somerville has some enthralling set pieces backed by some stellar sound design. While its narrative may be too much for some to decipher, its nuanced way of conveying emotion and drawing the player into the mystery is really excellently pulled off. Grab a headset and enjoy this experience to its fullest.

Whilst Dredge: The Pale Reach is lacking depth and is more suited for new players experiencing this excellent cosmic horror fishing game for the first time, Black Salt Games gave me more of what I already love, and that's rarely a bad thing. I don't need much of an excuse to jump back into the world of Dredge, so here's hoping The Pale Reach is the first expansion of many more to come.

If you have any interest in puzzle-platformers, don't let Omno pass you by. It's one of the most heartwarming adventures you can experience on PlayStation 4 with a level of charm seldom found in the medium.

Tropico 6 is the city-builder series as satirical and silly as it’s always been, but with a few new bells and whistles that improve the solid winning formula. It’s a sideways step in many ways, but it’s still a pretty confident one from the series’ new developer.