An incredible achievement, and even after 150 hours in we didn't want it to end. From an emotional story, simple yet engaging combat, and gorgeous visuals. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is simply remarkable and shouldn't be missed.

Olija is a masterpiece, a graceful and gorgeous 2D action platformer that oozes style and substance, with engaging gameplay, fast, fluid action, and varied challenges to always keep you on your toes. An engrossing narrative and some truly incredible sequences make it one of the best indie games available on PS4.

Visual splendor and gameplay brilliance frame a memorable story with expressive characters. inFAMOUS: Second Son is a PS4 masterpiece.

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.

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.

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

As Dusk Falls stands as a beacon of narrative excellence in the gaming world. Its compelling storytelling, incredible character development, fantastic visuals, and innovative accessibility options set a new standard for interactive dramas. As players, we are not just observers; we are active participants in a rich and emotionally-charged narrative that will leave a lasting impact on the way we perceive storytelling in video games.

The definitive guitar tutorial that teaches wannabe guitarists in a fun and engaging way.

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.

A blistering, rapid-fire epic without peer, Saros confidently delivers a dual masterclass in third-person shooter design and roguelike sensibilities all wrapped in a delectable veneer that elevates it to one of the best looking games on PlayStation 5. To quote the kids - Housemarque cooked here. This is their masterpiece and it is next the must have, utterly essential PlayStation exclusive. Carcosa beckons.

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.

Ultimax takes the original and makes it better. There is something for everyone, from the solo player to the fighting enthusiast. Atlus also continues their Persona narrative, emphasizing that this is a series integral to the Persona brand as a whole and not an easy cash-in. A must buy for anyone who likes fighters and/or the series.

Pistol Whip is a triumph of game design. Rather than trying to wedge a bunch of mechanics onto a platform that doesn’t welcome them, Pistol Whip instead focuses on what makes VR fun – color, sound, and motion. This is a game that connects players with the developers’ intentions through its simple interface, leaving the player sweaty, inspired, and triumphant. Masterpieces come in all forms – and Pistol Whip qualifies.

Persona 3 Reload is a flawless reimagining of one of the most impactful RPGs of the PS2 generation and manages to carefully preserve just about everything I loved about the original game in a stylish bombastic package. The approach to modernising the gameplay is a masterclass and should be the gold standard going forward for RPGs of this ilk. For players who have only experienced modern Persona through Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, you would be doing yourself a disservice by skipping this title. An equally wonderful cast and effective story lift this into one of the most impactful games that I have ever played and this new version means it can be enjoyed by a completely new generation.

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.

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.

Chivalry 2 prides itself on its chaotic, yet comedic world. It’s a glorious battle cry for gaming, with its spectacularly vicious combat, amazingly detailed maps and particularly awesome performance on PlayStation 5. An early contender for Game of the Year for sure.

All in all, Fuel Tiracas is a great game; it has addicting gameplay and for just 40p (UK price) it represents unbelievable value for money.

Deathloop is not only one of the most conceptually ambitious and well executed games ever made, but Arkane's PlayStation swansong also has a boundless energy and ingenuity that no other game can match. Quite simply, Deathloop is an unparalleled synergy of first-person shooter design, explorative bliss and narrative complexity that we likely won't see again for a very, very long time.

A sublime, impeccably crafted roguelike card-battler that is absolutely without peer, Slay the Spire cements its place as one of the best games of this console generation. This. Is. Essential.

Telling Lies is a flawless piece of work. This is Sam Barlow perfecting what he was able to achieve with Her Story and bolstering it with a bigger story and being supported by four powerhouse performances. Telling Lies offered me five incredible hours and everyone should experience this masterpiece with their own eyes.

A thunderous sequel that surpasses its already incredible predecessor in every way that counts, Spelunky 2 is the ultimate roguelike and ruthlessly inventive platformer that never stops surprising and delighting those who pick up the controller. There are perhaps far fewer better ways to close out a console generation than this.

It's really hard to find anything negative about Dreams. It's a powerful and remarkable set of creation tools moonlighting as a video game. If creating isn't your thing, the Dreamiverse offers an endless feed of other dreamer's playable content and the super-fun campaign. Dreams is the bees knees and should not be missed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A beautiful adventure that will stay with me forever. Arise: A Simple Story is one story told through amazing animations played through a beautiful world, accompanied by a soundtrack that makes this game a masterpiece in every piece of its design.