Though some curious issues persist, there’s no denying that the Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a stunning effort that every platforming aficionado and fan alike should grab with both hands and not let go until every last gem is wrung out.

Red Matter delivers an intriguing retro-future cold war story with confidence. In VR, setting is half the battle, and Red Matter nails its Soviet-era underground bunker with a realistic visual flair. With achievable puzzles that never slow down the story and a great control scheme, Red Matter sets a new standard for the VR adventure genre. This is a game that deserves to break free from the crowd.

Despite some incomprehensibly overwhelming battles, you will quickly become addicted to Bayonettas witty dialogue, additive gameplay and eye-popping production values.

Dead Space is a thrilling scarefest filled with nightmarish creatures, gory detail, and the ability to make any gamer wish it was the daytime. Redwood Shores has delivered a truly must-buy title during a month of standout releases.

Honkai Star Rail offers a palpable universe full of possibilities on top of an accessible turn-based combat system that you can dig as deeply into as you want. There's a grind involved with any gacha game, and Honkai Star Rail is no exception. Strong writing, intriguing characters, and engrossing combat make Honkai Star Rail a must-play game that's also relatively friendly to free-to-play players.

A refined competitive strategy game that combines the high-paced action of League of Legends with RPG elements to add depth and more strategy after endless games.

New subtle animations were added to every aspect of this game, which creates an even more authentic depiction of America’s Greatest Pastime, and it’s hard to believe that this game could visually improve on Sony’s current console.

Despite the long loading times (typically 50 seconds before each track) and the excruciating learning curve for non-pros, WipEout 2048 offers a tactically exciting, rewarding and challenge campaign mode with some gloriously-designed tracks and nice variety of events.

WWE 2K24 is still without a doubt the undisputed champ of sports simulation games. With something for everyone, including new and current MyRise stories, new and returning gameplay mechanics, an ever increasing depth of realism with its animations, and more brutal match stipulations, WWE 2K24 is a must-play.

Warframe is made better by its release on PS5. The gorgeous glittery visuals jump off the screen and improved loading times get you into the action faster than ever. With a wealth of content to discover, unlock and find, Warframe on PS5 is a title everyone should check out and what was once one of the best looter-shooters on PS4 is now one of the best on PS5.

Sega have done these classic titles a service by re-releasing them in the original form and resisting the temptation to tamper. Surely as divisive now as they were nearly 20 years ago, Shenmue I & II are not just a great primer for the forthcoming threequel, but also a great opportunity to experience one of gaming's most pioneering series. Welcome back Shenmue, I have missed you dearly.

The same notion applies here as it does for Tetris Effect: Connected in that Rez Infinite on PSVR2 is arguably leagues better than its OG PSVR predecessor and confidently makes its mark as one of the best games you can get on PSVR2 right now. With super sharp and buttery smooth visuals, arresting 3D audio, deftly implemented haptic feedback and a brilliant use of PSVR2's eye-tracking capabilities, this is as good as Rez Infinite gets.

Sackboy returns in a sequel worthy of the name LittleBigPlanet. An enormous toolbox for a would-be level designer and new devices like the controlinator make LittleBigPlanet 2 the absolute gold standard for PlayStation's Play, Create, Share motto.

Control AWE does a great job of bringing the events of Alan Wake into a shared universe, without ever breaking its own identity or gameplay conventions. Almost all of Control’s technical issues are gone, leaving behind a great nugget of gameplay that pushes the universe forward into interesting new placed. Highly recommended for fans of either franchise.

Despite my initial trepidation, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds defies the odds and managed to hook me. Strong fundamental gameplay is paired with genuinely cool customisation options and fantastic track design to make for a compelling and addicting racer that I’ve had to tear myself away from to even write this review. We’ll see how online balance plays out in a realistic sample size, but so far, I’m massively impressed.

On the merits of the campaign alone, Crystal Dynamics has delivered a stunning and compelling adventure worthy of the brand name.

As improbable as it sounds, Thimbleweed Park has brought the Lucasarts adventuring heyday kicking and screaming like a three-headed monkey into 2017 with the sort of verve few would have expected. Thimbleweed Park is utterly essential for point and click adventurers everywhere.

Puzzling Places unexpectedly evokes that early childhood memory of connecting my first two Lego pieces together, not least because it deftly leverages the haptic feedback capabilities of the PSVR2 to replicate that sensation from those halcyon days many years on. Wholesome, relaxing and never anything less than totally satisfying whenever I need a break from the world, Puzzling Places is puzzle solving zen distilled into its finest form on PSVR2 that everybody can play.

40% substance, 60% style, Limbo is an engrossing puzzle game and one of the highlights of PSN games this year.

Hitman 3 closes out the World of Assassination trilogy with developer IO Interactive in a confident mood. Lessons learned from the past five or six years have worked their way into this splendid epitaph for a series that looked dead and buried more than once along the way. As with its predecessor’s there are some lows to go with the highs, but those highs? They are truly something special and make the future of IO Interactive an exciting prospect.

Sniper Elite 5 is the series at its strongest to date. It's not a radical paradigm shift by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn't need to be. Instead, it builds on what Sniper Elite 4 did so well by expanding on the scale of maps, stuffs them full of things to do, and polishes its already-compelling combat. If you're looking for a tactical, rewarding World War II-era shooter, Sniper Elite 5 comes highly recommended.

Brilliantly designed, deep and rewarding, Dungeon of the Endless will be something I will play for a long time to come. Every time I play I learn something new, some nugget of experience to improve my next run. There are so many ways to play, so many things to manage and every game is unique in so many ways. It is a mashup of genres that will please a lot of players, roguelike, strategy, tower defence or RPG. If you like any of those genres then you will love this game. Dungeon of the Endless has a lot to offer and I love it.

I would happily recommend this game to fighting fans, mainly because of the depth of the game. Though it isn't as complex as most fighters, there is a lot of content to keep most people satisfied. There may be some flaws, but nothing ruins the overall package.

While overly familiar, Black Ops offers a compelling package of intense multiplayer action and a gripping single-player campaign that will ensure fans have plenty to do until next year's iteration.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is an absolute masterclass in how to fashion a retro compilation, all the while providing both contemporary and older gamers with an immediately accessible and immaculately produced window into the halcyon days of one of the video game industry's most prolific pioneers. This is the preservation of video game history done right and Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is the best retro compilation ever made, bar none.

Fun, challenging and addictive, OPEN ME! proves that augmented reality gaming isn't just a gimmick.

Gunborg: Dark Matters excels with engaging gameplay, approachable difficulty buildup, and a wonderful visual style. The game is unfortunately all too brief and doesn't get the kind of time it deserves to truly bloom. Equally so, Gunborg places itself well high in the chaff of the side-scrolling genre, even though it doesn't quite reach the same full excellence as the greats.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a truly singular game that demonstrates a distilled ambition for what the medium can achieve. It skillfully takes the foundation from its survival horror ancestry and manages to transition into something that transcends the screen and even the controller, to engage a player in a totally unique way. While this ambition to immerse isn't without wrinkles, I can't help but be staggered with how much is achieved here and the boundaries that are crossed in the process. In some ways, Lorelei demonstrates just how far the medium can be stretched and pushed to draw a player in, beyond the act alone of picking up a controller. You're invited to live this story, and that's precisely what you should do.

Finally realising its potential, Borderlands 3 goes from great to essential on PlayStation 5, thanks to its new visual features, DualSense implementation and the ability to have up to four players blasting their way through the game locally. If you've been holding off playing Borderlands 3 until now, your watch has ended.

Ultimately, God of War Collection is absolutely packed with quality content, making it an ideal purchase for fans and newcomers alike – throw in an attractive budget price point of USD $39.99, and you can’t really go wrong.

Gunslugs is a fast-paced, retro-inspired, run-and-gun shooter that brings some of mobile gaming's best to PlayStation Vita.

One of the best baseball games to date, MLB 12 The Show gets an overhaul just where it needed it. With cross-platform play, hardcore fans can take their long season wherever they want.

Genshin Impact provides you with more content as a free to play game than most full-price titles do. With so much to offer, you can easily get lost in its lush world, fun and exciting combat, and deep exploration. Genshin impact is easily one of the best surprises of the year and should be a model for how future free-to-play titles should be constructed.

NHL 19 continues to refine its beloved sports title to a sheen. Game play feels fluid and responsive with next to nothing getting in its own way. NHL 19 sets a standard that most sports titles could learn from: fundamentals before flair.

Out of all the launch games for PS Vita, Everybody's Golf is the title we've found the most difficult to put down. Courses are well mapped-out, gameplay is totally addictive, and even the most mature of gamers will soon find themselves dressing up Isabelle in cute outfits and spending their hard-earned points in the shop.

Fast-paced and fun, Laser League is simple to play, yet challenging to master. It's super addictive and has all the hallmarks of a competitive multiplayer game that could well have a future in the world of eSports if the community embrace it.

A furious and value stuffed effort, Mothergunship is one of the most exhilarating and satisfying shooters you can get on PS4 right now.

Virginia takes the adventure game to new places, and while not everyone might want to join in on the trip, those that do will be rewarded with a thoroughly mesmerising experience that stays with you long after the credits roll.

Falcon Age is a unique and charming game that is equally as impressive on the PS4 as it is on PSVR. The game features a cute falcon that you can share first bumps with in virtual reality but also features fun gameplay and a story with an important message.

With its high production values, Dead Nation is a great advertisement for what can be achieved on PSN. This stylish zombie shooter rarely slows down in pace and gets the basics spot-on.

Certainly it's difficult to make a strong argument for exactly whom should be buying Persona 5 Royal on PS5. If you've absolutely never played Persona 5 before than that person would be you, although you there is a compelling argument for just buying the PS4 version at a cheaper price anyway. For everyone else that has already sampled the delights of the game on PS4 and PS4 Pro, Persona 5 Royal not only doesn't offer enough to make the leap worthwhile but the lack of charitable continuity when it comes to save files and cross-gen upgrades makes it that much more challenging to provide a reason for its existence in the first place. This should have been a free PS5 patch upgrade, it's that simple.

Pizza Possum is a wonderful game that can be picked up by almost anyone and enjoyed. An offbeat and amusing premise lead into a mechanically sound game that works on pretty much every level. And is all wrapped in a presentation that is clear and absolutely adorable. My only complaints come from just how quickly the game runs its course; a bit more variety in the later parts of the game would have been the cherry ontop of the (possibly stolen) cake. But for the time that the game does keep you guessing, it was a fantastic ride. I can't wait to go back and see what other options I can find in the future, either by myself or dragging my friends along for another heist.

Tetris Forever is far more of a historical exhibit than video game and that's all it needs to be to be a vital pick up for anybody even curious in the origins of the puzzler. The history of Tetris is laid out in an engaging and approachable way that balances information and engagement, as well as allowing people to share in that history with the exhaustive catalogue of games on offer here. The commitment to preserving the old is commendable, and this is a landmark in what has become quite a saturated market for publishers. All compilations should strive to be as comprehensive as this.

With its fast paced combat, addictive platforming and thoughtful puzzles, The Guardian Of Light is a must-buy for any fan of the famous adventurer.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a top-notch package brimming some great new content, with the Dark Tide side-story worth the price of entry alone. There's some questionable changes and additions to Yakuza 3 that will irk some longtime fans, but overall, this is a brilliant remake and easily the most ambitious in the series to date.

Silent Hill 2 Remake is bleak, grotesque and utterly compelling in its retelling of a horror masterpiece, with superb visuals and performances, and an immersive narrative that is just as hard hitting as it was over 20 years ago. A couple of missteps here and there do not deter from Bloober Team's masterful remake of what is, for my money, the greatest horror game ever conceived.

Kill Knight is one for the purists. A distilled isometric, arcade, shooter boasting thrilling, smooth gameplay that will keep you coming back for just one more run. What might quietly be one of the best this year, is loudly apparent once you start playing.

There's no denying that The Last of Us Part I might be a tough sell to folks who expected a reworked content offering in line with the overhauled audiovisual presentation and other technical advances. For those with accessibility needs, the lucky few who have yet to experience The Last of Us at all or even just the number of players who want to immerse themselves in the ultimate form of Naughty Dog's opus, The Last of Us Part I makes a more than compelling case for its existence and stands shoulder to shoulder with the best games on PS5.

Mortal Kombat is one of the most enjoyable fighters on the market and a perfect throwback to the arcade glory days. With an extensive story mode, challenge tower, and massive online potential, MK is a bloody good time.

Arca’s Path combines fun and accessible gameplay with an amazingly intuitive and inventive control scheme. What could have been a debacle is instead a triumph. Arca’s Path is a small game with giant ideas, and it deserves attention and praise for the ridiculously high level at which it is executed.

MLB The Show 24 is a game that continues to deliver. From emotional history from Story Lines to the new amazing inclusion of Women into The Show. While this may seem like small new additions now, these ripples now have the potential to create large waves into the future. Young girls finding, or strengthening their love of baseball in this game, seeing themselves as MLB stars growing up and forcing baseball to evolve and change for the better. While I may have slight issues with the the visuals not being on the same level as the game play or game modes, it is still one of the best looking sports sims on the market and the best looking baseball game hands down. The Show 24 impresses more than disappoints and is another winning season for PlayStation and San Diego Studios.

It's another swing and a hit for Square Enix. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake upgrades the first two games in the legendary franchise with improved combat, refined writing, and a much-improved story across both games. Meanwhile, the incredible visuals and a fantastic soundtrack round out a package that should make any JRPG fan giddy with excitement.

A terrific hockey game with improved A.I. and physics, NHL 12 reminds us why the ice is so much fun. While some new additions fall a bit flat, it'ss another extremely solid entry in an enjoyable franchise.

The most eerie and unnerving episode yet, Around Every Corner leaves you on the edge of your seat thinking "please don't let it end now." Just like a great TV show's penultimate episode, it sets up what should be an emotionally explosive conclusion.

Forget all the controversy surrounding Dante's new-look. DmC is one of the most compelling action games you'll play this generation.

Stray has managed to meet the lofty expectations put upon it once it became known that you would take control of a lone cat within a dystopia punctuated by scores of neon lighting. While some may say that it’s hard to miss with a setup like that, what developer BlueTwelve Studio has managed to fashion from the composite parts is something truly special and has us yearning for more.

A smashingly great side-scrolling battler that is overflowing with charm, stuff to do and faces to wreck, River City Girls is utterly essential for fans of the genre.

You can't go wrong with Like A Dragon Ishin. The game includes what makes the Yakuza franchise so special and combines it with samurais and Edo Period politics. A handful of oddities aside, it leans into its strengths and irons out several of the franchise peculiarities. Every gamer, either invested in the franchise or still uninitiated, needs Ishin in their console.

An improved, expanded, more complete version of the game that delighted us last year.

A beautifully made score chaser which has that rarest of things - a soul. Sayonara Wild Hearts isn't just a game, it's an emotional band aid that feels like a warm phantom embrace. Absolutely essential stuff.

Supermassive Games has nailed the thrill of funfair rides and amplified it with a healthy dose of horror. The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR utilizes the PSVR 2 toolset to great and grisly effect. It can be counted among the most consistently entertaining PSVR 2 experiences you can have.

A toweringly charismatic twin-stick blaster that expertly marries retro shooter beats with roguelike game mechanics, Enter the Gungeon is one of the cleverest and most enjoyable shooters money can buy.

Proving that you don't need zombies to make a great zombie story, Telltale ups the ante in almost every way with Starved for Help. Even more brutal than the content in episode 2 is the wait for episode 3.

Greg Lobanov has produced a game that has it all. It’s a truly heartwarming story with unique gameplay, clever puzzles and a colourful cast of characters in a gorgeous world that never feels limited by its retro-inspired, two-dimensional roots.

The Falconeer: Warrior Edition is largely the same game that I already enjoyed when it first launched, but experiencing it on PS5 has made all the difference. The DualSense's features are well implemented, and the gameplay flows in such a way that you never want to put the controller down. Despite issues with the UI, and how certain aspects of the game work, you can just get around them, and can avoid them altogether once you've moved into the endgame.

Darksiders II is an exhilarating action-RPG set in an enormous game world. Featuring an addictive loot system, tons of side quests, and rich gameplay, Darksiders II easily deserves a spot alongside the other greats of the genre.

Old school fans and newcomers alike simply can’t go wrong by forking out for Ubisoft’s latest entry in this venerable franchise.

With tight controls, brilliant graphics, and an expansive career mode and online support, DiRT 3 is one of the best racers of this generation.

Lair Of The Clockwork God is an excellent game that will take you on a hilarious journey solving puzzles with Dan and Ben, even if the journey is shorter than I would like and the jokes don't really read to anyone who isn't quite steeped within games culture.

Metro: Redux is one of the most atmospheric games I have played and it left me completely immersed in its world.

Much like its predecessor, Steins;Gate 0 proves to be among the finest examples of creating a thoroughly engaging visual novel.

Improving on excellence, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade takes the few shortcomings from the PS4 release and improves them. While Activity Card support is missing, alongside deep DualSense support, Intergrade cements itself as the best way to play the Final Fantasy VII Remake, bar none. If you missed out on the original release, now is the time to jump in.

Post-pandemic New York City is a terrifying vision, but it's not one that you’ll likely want to leave for some time.

Hellblade is one of my favorite titles this year. Its incredible use of sound and visual manipulation to completely immerse you in its experience is a credit to Ninja Theory. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a prime example that you don’t need a massive budget to create something extraordinary.

Turn off your mind, relax and ram someone off the road. A definitive festival of wrecking which nails the damage modelling and weighty feel of the cars perfectly, Wreckfest is a must for anyone with even the smallest fondest for racing and wrecking.

With new characters, items, game modes and customisation options, the Mr. X Nightmare has made Streets Of Rage 4 feel like a brand new game again. Survival mode is one hell of a random trip that you'll be going another round at again and again. The new characters are exactly what you would want them to be, but the options for customising move sets and aesthetics mean that you can tailor your fighting preferences even further. The randomness in survival mode can be hard to take at times, but it's never swallowed without a smile. The Mr.X Nightmare is outstanding fun all the way, and the best sidescrolling brawler in town just got even better.

This is another chance for one of the most underappreciated adventures to appear on a PlayStation console to gain a new, much deserved, audience. Time has been fairly kind to Okami despite minor gripes. If you've yet to experience the wonderful world of Okami, then this is as good a chance as any.

One of the most intellectually stimulating experiences on PS4, with imaginative puzzles, fantastic atmosphere and a brilliant expansion that builds tremendously on the core game.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a fantastic return to form for the long-running franchise, and by leveraging the very best of the series' offerings and doubling down on the original game's design philosophy, Ubisoft has created the most authentic Assassin's Creed game in a decade.

Not everything is perfect in this current-gen upgrade, but the additions, new choices, and improvements make this version of the game feel complete. Despite the oddities that come with the new camera option, the presentation across the board just feels superb. It even lets those who missed the expansions jump right into that content from the jump. Such a great update to a beloved game comes free with the PS4 version, leaving this as almost a requirement for everyone who even remotely has an interest in playing it again or experiencing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for the first time.

A word of warning though: unless you really understand pinball and the strategy behind it and what all the individual lights, holes, ramps and bumpers mean on each table you won’t get the best out of Zen Pinball 2.

The new coat of paint that has been generously lavished across A Plague Tale: Innocence enables an already beautiful offering to stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best games that the PS5 can offer. Hauntingly alluring and utterly arresting in a way that very few games can lay claim to in the last few years, A Plague Tale: Innocence finds its definitive form on PS5 and in doing so ably preps an all-new audience for next year's much anticipated and likely endlessly terrifying sequel.

With atmospheric graphics, a stirring soundtrack, deeply customizable characters, and non-stop action, Diablo III is the king of action-RPGs and a crown jewel in the late PlayStation 3 library.

LEGO Bricktales not only clearly shows that the LEGO property is more than capable of standing up on its own two block-feet without the aid of a fancy licence, but it also more importantly reminds us why LEGO is loved the world over in the first place. LEGO Bricktales is all about firing up the imagination to construct LEGO to solve challenges as you subconsciously grin with the sort of wide-eyed wonder that LEGO has always prided itself on inciting in builders both young and old. Quite simply, LEGO Bricktales is brain-teasing, warmly charming and purely distilled joy that everybody should play.

At the end of the day, what you've got here is unequivocally one of the greatest action-horror outings of all time, and an absolute must-have for Resi fans and newcomers alike.

Star Renegades is a fantastic addition to the Roglelite genre. The title's amazing animations complement the fantastic battle system that, in all honesty, had me thinking about my actions more than any strategy game has done in the past. The complex battle system feels incredibly rewarding, especially when you win a battle just by the skin of your teeth. I've never truly enjoyed a Roguelite before but Star Renegades has made me a fan.

Episode 5 beautifully wraps up a season of spectacular, emotionally deep, and memorable chapters. The Walking Dead is one of the best downloadable games of all time and, given the way No Time Left made me feel, it would be unfair for me to ask for a better conclusion.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord roundly excels because it lets players be whatever they want to be and rather than penalise those choices, instead makes players own those decisions and provide a peerless theatre for them to thrive. Though technically not perfect, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord invites players to weave their own tapestry of ambition and be whomever they like in their own Game of Thrones, letting them wage war, engage in diplomacy, fight in the arenas, trade illicit goods, be a town alderman and absolutely everything in between in one of the most ambitious PS5 games to date. If you'll let it, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord II will become your new obsession. And you should.

A fantastic start to a five-part episodic adventure, King's Quest wins you over with his stunning visuals, brilliant script and fun adventure gameplay.

In a world of icon-strewn maps and point to point gameplay, The Pathless encourages discovery through environmental clues and great design, setting you free of modern game shackles. It's beautiful, touching and the fast-paced gameplay is brilliant. There is nothing like The Pathless on the market at the minute and I think most people will find something about it to love. I certainly did.

A New Day proves to be Telltale Games' best outing in the adventure genre in recent memory--if not, ever. This is episodic gaming done right, and just like The Walking Dead TV show, we can't wait for the next episode.

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is totally bonkers in places, but don't let that put you off; there's a surprising amount of heart in its narrative, and the game effortlessly captures the thrill and spirit of adventure. With tons of content, rewarding and cinematic combat, and a memorable cast of characters, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is nothing less than a triumphant spinoff.

Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a sprawling epic of a game. With satisfying combat, incredibly well defined characters, and enough story to satisfy the most demanding visual novel fan, Trails of Cold Steel has earned its place in the JRPG Hall of Fame. It’s time to call it like it is: Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a classic.

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft is a superb collection of some of the PSOne's best adventure games. Whether you're a newcomer or veteran fan, the games remain hugely enjoyable and challenging, and the extra improvements really shine, particularly if you're new to the series and are intimidated by the old-school mechanics. Dive in and discover Lara Croft at her very best.

The best boomer shooter I've played in a long time, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is weapons-grade catnip for genre fans and Warhammer 40,000 fans alike. Indeed in retrospect, crafting a retro style FPS in the Warhammer 40,000 universe feels like something we should have had long before now - so perfect is the fit of form and function. In the Warhammer 40,000 universe there is only war. Apparently there are also supremely great shooters too. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a riotously violent and thoroughly entertaining shooter that everybody needs to play.

With a near perfect VR implementation and great presentation, Skyworld is a great experience. It has deep gameplay systems that all hinge on each other to create a layered gameplay experience that is easy and fun to play.

WWE 2K23 sits at the head of the table as the best sports simulation game on the market. Fine tuning last year's entry to an impressive level of detail, and adding a layer of realism that is needed in a simulation game. With an array of modes, including the highly addictive MyGM, the introspective MyRise, the improved Showcase, and an extensive creation suite, wrestling fans will find themselves spoilt with WWE 2K23's offerings.

WRC 9 is the complete rally package - tough but rewarding handling, astonishing representations of the real world rally stages, and a wealth of gameplay options. Many hours of non-blinking fun are to be had for racing fans, with a free sexy upgrade to the PS5 version on the horizon.