Marrying gameplay brilliance to compelling characters and a world matched only in size by the number of things you can do in it, Grand Theft Auto V is a masterpiece--one of the greatest games ever made.

Red Dead Redemption 2 not only lives up to expectations, but it smashes them and feels like the missing half of a story we never knew was incomplete. Improving on its predecessor in every way that counts, it also reignites interest in its landmark prequel, enhancing the overall experience to an epic scale and giving gamers an odyssey quite unlike any other.

The first-person camera mode does more than change the flow and feeling of play. In Grand Theft Auto V on PS4, every movement and action carries more excitement and meaning. Alongside visual upgrades and content additions, this version of Rockstar's masterpiece is can't-miss gaming.

With Among Thieves, Naughty Dog has shattered the proverbial bar it created with the 2007 original. This is quite possibly the best game to have graced the PS3, and without a doubt one of the greatest titles ever conceived.

An expansive and brilliantly crafted playground to test Batman's abilities as a detective, brute, and predator, Batman: Arkham City is highly addictive, and a work of digital art.

Elden Ring took the best parts of previous FromSoftware games and expanded them across a living open-world with endless discovery, excitement, and danger. It's not lost the edge of previous titles, but it is the most approachable FromSoftware game yet, and is an excellent point for players to jump in on if they've not tried previous titles. While its technical issues can be annoying, even they can't dampen the experience of playing Elden Ring. FromSoftware's latest is an artistic, innovative and cultural achievement like nothing before it.

Baldur's Gate III is a generational game that manages to amaze at every corner. When you think you've done everything you can do, you find more and more ways to be imaginative in combat and exploration. Baldur's Gate III features some of the best writing and character development you'll experience in an RPG and the true freedom of playing just how you want to. Nothing is impossible in Baldur's Gate III; you are only limited by your imagination.

LittleBigPlanet is innovation at its finest. It’s beautiful, hilarious, completely unique, and incredibly fun. You can’t afford to miss it.

Rockstar has outdone itself with this enormous Wild West inspired sandbox adventure. In a world where outlaws rule, John Marston is perhaps the greatest of them all, befriending a dazzling cast of characters for his own need. Revenge.

A thrilling, cinematic, movie-like action-adventure with the best videogame pairing ever conceived.

Persona 5: Royal is the definitive Persona 5 experience. Atlus has refined the already excellent base game, trimming the rigid, sharp edges and creating a smoother experience filled with new and interesting activities, characters, story moments, and even an entirely new palace and optional ending to the game. Persona 5: Royal is one of the best JRPG's on PS4 for both new and returning players.

Naughty Dog gives PlayStation gamers a second, definitive chance to experience one of the greatest video game stories. The Last of Us Remastered's additional content, visual enhancements, and improved performance leave very little standing in the way of a perfect encore.

Creative, funny, and utterly absorbing, Portal 2 is the best puzzle-platformer game on the planet.

An obscenely polished and soul-affirming triumph from every angle, Astro Bot isn't just an unabashed celebration of all things PlayStation, it's a deeply passionate celebration of everything you could and should love about a video game. There are no microtransactions, no season passes and no busywork padding - just precisely engineered 3D platforming with an overabundance of joy on offer. Astro Bot is a big, warm hug of a videogame that also happens to be not just one of the best platform games ever made, but one of the best PS5 games ever made, too. Team Asobi, please never stop making these games.

BioShock Infinite is a master class in storytelling. With exceedingly fun gameplay and combat, a beautifully intriguing world to explore, and an extremely impressive cast of characters, BioShock Infinite stands as one of the best first-person shooters ever made.

Modern Warfare 2 is an essential purchase regardless of your affiliation with the Call of Duty brand. In short, buy this game now. That is an order, soldier.

In God of War, story and gameplay unite for a gripping, memorable journey with unerring focus. Kratos’ new beginning is masterfully written, emotionally resonant, and a thrilling challenge.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree is far more out of an expansion than I ever thought it would be, and my expectations were already a little high. While I have personal gripes with what I see to be missed chances, that doesn't stop it from being spectacular on the whole. This expansion feels like it fully completes Elden Ring, a game that already felt like a whole project, in a way I didn't even know it needed to be completed. I can no longer imagine Elden Ring being without Shadow Of The Erdtree, almost like the Realm Of Shadow was there the whole time.

Despite being over a year old, Rapture shines through the dark sea like a lighthouse on a foggy night. 2K Games has delivered on its promise in providing PS3 owners with an equally impressive port as the original.

Mass Effect 2 is a stunning experience from start to finish, and with a third game due out later this year, there's never been a better time to make the transition to BioWare's sprawling sci-fi extravaganza.

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.

For a brand new IP that lagrely distances itself from its siblings, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a triumphant showcase of what the RPG genre can do and the way that stories can interact with our world. Every moving part is acutely designed to mesh together into a game that feels truly one-of-a-kind. Every line of dialogue feels perfectly attuend to its audience and deals with issues in a way that honestly floored me. The Archetype system is bold and inventive, building brilliantly on the foundations set by Persona, and it offers a completely unique style that far and away establishes itself as a worthy player in ATLUS' auspicious wheelhouse. An utterly phenomenal RPG that fearlessly exists as a story of inclusion, and of the power of fiction on the real world - such as itself. Outstanding.

Since it arrived last week, I've found it hard to put the game to the back of my mind. I woke up this morning and all I could think about was jumping online for a blast.

God of War: Ragnarok is the perfect sequel. A carefully iterative offering that beautifully maintains the essence of 2018's Game of the Year while making meaningful improvements to augment its already stellar combat and progression systems, God of War: Ragnarok is a meaty and deeply emotional epic that effortlessly secures its place as one of the best games on PS5 and a sure-fire Game of the Year candidate.

One of the most rewarding videogame experiences of the decade. Absolutely essentially, regardless whether you are a fan or not.

War of the Chosen overhauls the already fabulous XCOM 2 and turns it into absolutely essential fare. The introduction of the Chosen, the soldier bonding system, and the photobooth mode, are perfect additions in that they amplify the base game’s best qualities. It’s just a shame the shine is dulled ever so slightly by a bunch of needless technical issues.

The Last of Us Part 2 is a frankly incredible achievement. Intertwining deep, richly written characters, cementing themes of consequence and loss all the while widening a world that was so well established in the first game, Naughty Dog have crafted one of the finest action adventures of all time and one that invariably stands as the most opulent jewel of an already glittering crown of first-party PlayStation 4 exclusives. A rip-roaring and emotional masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come, *this* is why more than 110 million people own a PlayStation 4.

Hades is an absolutely stellar experience that will keep you hooked in from the beginning, with a beautiful visual design and score, not to mention an excellent narrative and intricate gameplay that will keep you coming back again and again for just one more run.

Honestly, Hades 2 is a great game. It feels wholly like a game while still maintaining a narrative for those of us who need that narrative element. It balances all of the roguelike factors in such a way that you always feel like you are progressing, even during setbacks. The premise is a blast, and so is the gameplay loop. Auto aim works well for what it is, but the lack of aiming could put you in precarious situations. All in all, Hades 2 could easily be in the running for Game of the Year, just like its predecessor was in 2020.

This marvelous port of a JRPG classic feels more like a director's cut; the definitive version of a thrilling journey equal parts charming and challenging.

Persona 5 may not pull up many trees in terms of innovation, but it refines and refreshes the things that make a great RPG work. The real star of the show however, is the world this RPG inhabits, and the people in it that you come to adore. Persona 5 is something to sink your entire self into, and end up feeling utterly despondent about when you finally have to leave its stylish embrace.

A compelling, sprawling and often jaw-dropping experience that truly brings the franchise into the open-world setting for the first time.

Tetris Effect: Connected is as essential as it ever was and its PSVR2 debut adds yet more polish and immersive features to what was already the best Tetris game money can buy. I would award Tetris Effect: Connected more than ten out of ten I could, but I can't, so here we are. Buy it.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is a masterclass in action-horror. The game not only maintains the spirit and gripping gameplay of the original, but expands on it with some meaningful mechanics and fleshes out areas that were previously lacking. Even if you haven't played the original version, Resident Evil 4 is easily one of the best horror games on PS5 right now and a must-have for your collection.

Uncharted 4 is the ultimate video game adventure, a visual masterpiece, and a heartfelt, triumphant conclusion for a PlayStation icon.

BioWare has again done a top-notch job at bringing to life an intricate, futuristic sci-fi playground.

Skyrim is not perfect, but the flaws don't keep it from being an excellent game. If you measure enjoyment on sure obsession and addiction, Skyrim is easily one of the greatest games of the generation, perhaps of all time. Open-world RPG fans have every reason to be excited; Bethesda truly delivered an extraordinary game.

I do not say this spontaneously or hyperbolically: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a generational RPG. The quality of writing is pitch-perfect at every step, vividly depicting the somber world and its tragic circumstances with glorious technique. Combat always feels rewarding when successful, but it can feel like a slog if you don't get the hang of the parry and trait systems. The linear nature of the game helps to balance out the lack of mini-map, so try and not let those factors keep you away from at least trying this brilliant game.

God of War III is the best entry in the series, hands down, and one of the best action-adventure games of this generation. Kratos' journey comes to an end, along with the trilogy, in an explosion of fluid combat, mammoth environments, and a superb narrative.

Uncharted 3 sets the bar for adventure games, it's an epic journey that you'll want to relive over and over again.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth takes the foundations of Remake and expands on them, adding more control to combat, more places to explore, and more ways to dig deeper into the world and the story it tells. Whether in Graphics or Performance Mode, the quality of the experience remains the same: top tier presentation with exceptional gameplay. Rebirth is an early shoe-in for game of the year.

A great package with one brilliant game and two half-decent ones. The added extras bulk up the package nicely.

Bloodborne is an undisputed revelation.

Forza Horizon 5 is an excellent arcade-type racer that puts the player first delivering a quality experience with a litany of modes, events, cars and some deep customisation/tuning options. If you are one of the many PlayStation players clambering for the long overdue return of the MotorStorm series, this is the closest you will presently get to realising that dream.

What you have essentially got with Super Street Fighter IV is a more balanced Street Fighter game that represents the pinnacle of the franchise's glittering career.

Two years old it may be, but Undertale arrives on PS4 feeling as timeless and inventive as ever.

A masterclass in open-world game design, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt packs every pixel of its gorgeous world with compelling fiction and believable, satisfying role-playing.

Street Fighter 6 comes out of its corner swinging and delivers a three-hit combo of modes that will leave fight fans floored.

An absolute blueprint on how to remake a beloved title and meaningfully improve upon on it in ways that new cutting edge technologies make possible, Demon's Souls on PlayStation 5 is more than just the best launch game for any system in recent memory. Its re-emergence and digestible approach to its seemingly daunting challenge now opens the door once more to an all-new generation of PlayStation gamers to a kickstart a second coming for Souls subgenre. Demon's Souls is nothing less than a breathless triumph in every way.

A constantly evolving game that will keep you occupied for hours and months on end. With fantastic storytelling and engaging combat there is a lot to love about Divinity Original Sin II.

Miss out on Journey, and you'll deny yourself one of the greatest gaming experiences on any platform to date.

The masterpieces contained within the Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection get a glorious HD makeover in an experience that is as rewarding, deep, and fresh as it was all those years ago on PlayStation 2.

Rock Band 2 isn’t a “true” sequel, but it’s the best encore we've ever experienced. Warn your neighbors – this may be their last proper night of sleep for months.

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.

Rock Band 3 is quite possibly the most successful music game ever. It keeps the old Rock Band formula wholly intact, and adds upon it a whole new layer of gameplay that carefully leads you across the slow, rickety bridge from simple imitation to real creation.

FIFA 10 stands in a league of its own in terms of quality. A truly outstanding tribute to the beautiful game.

Despite some frustrating combat moments, Assassin's Creed II secures its place among 2009's finest and is sure to keep you entertained well into the New Year.

Borderlands 2 is by far a giant leap ahead compared to its predecessor, but it's also one of the greatest games to finish off this generation of consoles. You'll get lost under enormous piles of loot, a good-enough story that's surpassed by side missions, and an absolutely hilarious cast of characters. This all comes together in a giant package of joy.

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.

Shadowbringers delivers on all fronts, offering up great new instances, vast new zones to explore, and a new storyline worthy of almost any best-of list. Despite its few early day hangups and minor missteps, Stormbringers excels on almost all counts.

The new and improved Shadow of the Colossus brings the game into the modern era successfully. It carries over a few flaws and annoyances, sure, but it's been refined where it matters most, and the net result is a return to the forbidden lands that's just as achingly beautiful and magical as it ever was.

If you are fan of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Blood and Wine is a can’t-miss.

For fans of the first person shooter genre, Killzone 2 is unequivocally the best thing to have happened to the PlayStation 3 thus far.

Split Fiction is a damn good time. It has problems inherent to the gameplay, like checkpoint issues and overly taxing boss fights that don't visually work well in split screen. There are ways around it if you have the hardware, and the game does help keep things moving forward.

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.

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.

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.

Inside is as beautiful as it is bleak. A truly fantastic experience that deserves its place among the very best games of the generation.

In many ways, Capcom has achieved the near-impossible with the remake of Resident Evil 2. It’s a remarkable labour of design, iteration, faithfulness, and adaptation; a masterclass in knowing what to change, how to change it, and what to build upon. Sure, there are some slight niggles and design choices that perhaps long-time fans won’t appreciate but there’s no denying that Capcom has been bold in its design philosophy and has exuded a confidence and consistency in its execution throughout. The biggest compliment that can be levelled is how the game manages to elicit the same sense of dread and consequence that made the original a classic whilst injecting just enough complexity and modern sensibility to see it emerge from its namesake’s shadow with consummate ease.

Stressful, tough but immensely challenging and rewarding, Dark Souls 2 will take you to hell and back, and then back to hell again.

It's easy to say a game is amazing because you simply enjoy it. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition on the other hand backs up that statement by providing one of, if not the best JRPG titles of all time. With so much added content and quality of life improvements, it's mind-blowing to me that a game so intricately designed could be made any better. Square Enix proved that no matter how good something is, it can always be better.

Whether you create a rookie to take through the paces, or start off with a professional team in season play, NBA 2K12 is easily the most enjoyable basketball game on the market.

Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is one of the most addictive games to date and offers a massive amount of content with Diablo 3 and the Reaper of Souls expansion pack in one engrossing package.

Blizzard hasn't done anything new here, but what they have done is taken the genre of "shooty-shooty, bang-bang" and injected a dose of colour and personality, delivering a game that's enjoyable, eye-catching and crammed with just the right amount of depth and accessibility that will grant a tremendous amount of replay value to establish an audience.

Far Cry 3 is one of Ubisoft's best games ever and it nails the open world first-person shooter genre on the head. After playing through the crazy story, the addictive gameplay, and lush setting, you may wonder why more developers don't pay this much attention to the little details.

Rogue Legacy 2’s long gestation has benefitted it immensely. It comes to PS5 in the shape of its life, and it is easily among the best Metroidvania-style games on the market today.

2025 is off to an excellent start with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector; as it improves upon its predecessor in every capacity. In large part due to its stellar characters and writing, Citizen Sleeper 2 stands as a remarkable achievement not only in the video game space, but in the sci-fi genre as a whole.

FIFA is reborn with an all-new defense system and physics engine that puts complete control in the player's hands. It's not just an evolution in soccer games; it's a revolution in sports games.

Fallout 3 is an outstanding title that sets a new standard for action role-playing games, and will appeal to fans of either genre.

Full of emotional highs that will make you get out of your chair and cheer at the screen in a way that few games have managed to achieve in recent memory, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 represents Insomniac Games operating at the apex of its considerable powers. Spectacular and amazing, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a superior, spectacle stuffed action adventure that provides players with the ultimate superhero fantasy. Full of surprising heart and delicate moments that balance beautifully with the sort of blockbuster superhero bombast that its developer has refined to a fine art, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a toweringly polished, unparalleled masterwork that redefines the superhero video game genre at large and is better than the previous two games in every way imaginable. This is exactly what you've been waiting for.

I liked to tell myself that I didn't believe in perfect 10/10 games. To me a perfect game is something everyone, unanimously, can say has no issues. No shortcomings. However, Destiny 2: The Final Shape is perfect. Everything that Bungie has done these past nine years has come together in a video game version of Avengers: Endgame. The stakes, the action, the quality of storytelling, and of course the emotion has all merged into the best expansion, no, game I have ever played. If you have ever in the last decade been interested in or cared about Destiny, The Final Shape is a must play. Period.

Rayman Legends is the latest platformer in the Rayman franchise. Loaded with characters new and old, as well as brand new levels, and some from Rayman Origins, it is a must have for anyone who did not get play it on previous generation consoles.

MLB 11: The Show delivers a homerun thanks to new analog controls, authentic and detailed stadiums, and overall terrific presentation.

Pistol Whip on PSVR2 is nothing less than a masterpiece of sensory excess, exhilaration and expertly paced challenge. An essential PSVR2 launch title that crafts a masterful mixture of visceral excess, classic arcade score chasing, a bountiful content offering and effortless style, there's only one score that will do for Pistol Whip's PSVR2 debut and it happens to rhyme with 'ten'. Oops.

Cocoon is an exceptionally crafted, perfectly paced and highly polished experience that hits every beat. It's gaming perfection.

It will be very difficult to find a game I have enjoyed exploring more than Balatro this year. Learning its mechanics were like learning a new language and it was all-encompassing. Balatro should be the design template going forward for many designers, it contains 0% fat and is trimmed to perfection. Not a pixel or mechanic is wasted in this immensely addictive roguelike. Bravo to all involved.

Fez is a resounding success, marrying a stunning score, innovative gameplay and a gorgeous art direction into a complete interwoven package. Little Gomez's journey is one of discovery and wonder and should rightfully find its home on PlayStation 4's across the land.

Much like the baseball season, fans are going to look back on this title as one of the best in recent memory. The experience it brings is rich and genuine, and -- as corny as this sounds -- it feels like you're right there in the ballpark. MLB 09: The Show will go down as a classic envisioning of American's favorite pastime.

I feel supremely confident in saying that for the millions of folks that already own The Last of Us Part 2 on PS4, the $10/£10 upgrade charge is a more than fair ask in terms of the sheer amount of frankly excellent content that you're getting here - with the excellent No Return mode easily capable of being spun off into its own entity. Likewise, if you have yet to experience Naughty Dog's magnum opus for the first time, the fact remains that it's superlative story campaign is as impactful, essential and emotionally devastating as it ever was. Boiled down to its most basic properties, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is the definitive version of the best game of the last generation and as such, it's still a ten. Easily.

It's a measure of how great a game is that you have to fish around for something to say that is even remotely negative.

For hearkening back to fond series memories, and for its heartfelt goodbye to characters we love, Citadel is Mass Effect 3's best single-player DLC and a worthy send-off to Shepard's crew.

The best ever handheld iteration in the GTA series to date. China Town Wars is a quality production from start to finish.

With little in its way, Monster Hunter World smashes expectations with its organic, living, beautiful world. Matchmaking has its quirks and qualms, but little stands in the way of what’s been created here. Monster Hunter World raises the bar high without distilling what made the franchise special in the first place.

The Talos Principle 2 is a testament to the power of video games as a medium for profound storytelling and intellectual stimulation. If you're seeking a unique and thought-provoking gaming experience, this is a game you must experience on the PlayStation 5.

A stunning expansion to a fantastic game, Hearts of Stone builds expertly on the Witcher universe by introducing a compelling story and memorable battles.

Placing a level of sheen on an already stellar effort, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 on PlayStation 5 is arguably the definitive version of the best two skater titles ever released. If you've somehow resisted buying this twin pack thus far, resist no longer. This is as essential as it gets.

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

We're only at the end of first quarter 2019, but Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is pulling out all the stops as a heavy hitter. Minor issues aside, Sekiro will occupy thousands of PlayStations for a long, long time.