An RPG classic makes its way back to the front lines. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster has all the bells and whistles that came with the original fan favorite title. The minimal additions that come with this remaster do little to help or hurt the formula. Merciless difficulty drops the challenge too much to capture the game's magic, visuals only offer slight clean-up, and audio is still the same PS2 audio. While the game deserves better enhancements, getting Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne in a more contemporary accessible form is still worth the price of admission.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a genuinely refreshing multiplayer idea that’s well-executed for the most part. It’s a little light on variety and doesn’t offer all that much in terms of reward beyond winning matches, but there’s a consistent joy to be found in its often intense back and forth tug of war for gold and glory.

Call of the Sea puts all its eggs into its puzzles. They're fun to solve and feel as rewarding as slaying a boss in some of the most difficult games. The mysterious island Norah explores is gorgeous and full of mysteries that even Nathan Drake would appreciate. It's just a shame that its narrative is such a letdown. Norah may be the main character but I think Harry's adventure would have made a more compelling narrative.

Wrath of the Druids does exactly what you'd expect: more of Valhalla's gameplay with a new story arc. With a large amount of extra content for players, and a whole new region to explore that feels distinctly different from England, this expansion is a solid one for new and returning players. Just don't expect any major new gameplay changes or features.

Subnautica: Below Zero is a sublimely addictive timesink and an exemplary survival adventure game that transcends the genre. The improvements to the formula of the original game are minimal but impactful. Fans of the franchise will certainly have plenty to get into, and the appeal is broad enough to welcome many more newcomers to the experience. Whilst there is little ground broken in terms of visuals, Subnautica Below Zero more than compensates with an all-round stellar experience that rivals that of bigger budget productions.

Battle Axe offers a nostalgic arcade hack & slash experience with it's beautifully created sprites, levels, and bosses. Beating your high scores in Battle Axe's arcade mode and infinite mode will keep you busy for hours. The levels offer a diverse variety in enemy types and obstacles, but the game can get somewhat repetitive after a few playthroughs. Where the game ultimately falls short is in the controls and camera, which further adds to the game's challenging difficulty. Also, the absence of online multiplayer is a shame.

Wreckfest on PlayStation 5 is arguably the best way to play one of the most enjoyable racers of the previous console generation. A delirious mix of arcade racing and smashmouth vehicular carnage, Wreckfest's gorgeous next-generation facelift is enough to ensure that Bugbear's ramshackle racer stands shoulder to shoulder with the best racing games on PlayStation 5.

Resident Evil Village combines the best of the past 25 years of the franchise, bringing a compelling adventure that should appeal to action and horror fans alike. With massive locations offering a wealth of exploration and hidden goodies, a meaty campaign with some decent unlockables, Village is the franchise at the top of its game.

Protocol is an unfocused, directionless mess of a game that tries to give too much without grasping the basics. The gameplay is frustrating, the dialogue is terrible, and the number of technical problems renders it almost unbearable to play. There are a few positives here, but they are so few and far between that they don’t even come close to being worth going through this experience. Stay away from Protocol, and you will indeed have a nice day.

Genshin Impact is still one of the best and most accessible free to play titles on the PlayStation ecosystem. The PS5 upgrade is a technical achievement providing even better visuals at a silky 60 FPS, and 4K support. The game's load times are so fast you won't even have time to look away from the screen, allowing you to continue your journey without any stoppages. It's just a shame that the PlayStation 5's unique Activity Cards and DualSense controller didn't get much love, especially since the DualSense is one of the best pieces of next-generation hardware on the market.

Simplistic, light on content, and if played in longer sessions, repetitive. However, when played in short bursts and after you have got to grips with some of the games nuances it can be fun and rewarding. There are better skateboarding games out there without a doubt but if you have played them all and want to shred, Skate City does have its merits.

Returnal is a masterclass in how to create gripping, exhilarating arcade action and feels like the first game to truly realise the PS5's potential. It uses everything the system offers to craft an experience completely unlike anything else available today at this budget. Apart from narrative missteps, Housemarque's latest is flawless and a game that everyone who owns a PS5 and every gamer should experience at some point. I hope this is the start of a new, prosperous franchise for PlayStation and Housemaque.

Hard as nails, beautiful and rewarding. ScourgeBringer may take some work to adapt to but it is well worth the time and effort required. The combat is poetry in motion and you always feel you are progressing, albeit, at times, slowly. Either by your skills improving or through the persistent upgrades you unlock you are rarely standing still. In a crowded roguelike market, ScourgeBringer is towards the top end of the list of games you should give a go.

Absolutely stuffed to the hilt with twee, waifu JRPG goodness, the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy DX Pack represents a heady offering that will keep the uninitiated busy for well over a hundred hours and change. For everyone else however that has already plumbed the depths of the three games in this pack, this trio of bundled charming adventures will have little to offer, even in light of the additional DLC included with each game.

While charming in places, and with some fun gravity bending mechanics to stroke your novelty seeking, Gravity Heroes isn't all it could be. With a single player campaign that's barely playable, and too many tedious levels, this retro shooter leaves a lot to be desired. In the finer moments of Gravity Heroes, it can be a fun co-op experience, but without online play it is difficult to recommend this game for any single gamer.

No less janky or unambitious than its 2019 incarnation, Terminator: Resistance Enhanced offers up a mildly polished up experience that is augmented by some initially promising, but ultimately disappointing DLC. That said, for those that passed over the PS4 version of the game, Terminator: Resistance Enhanced nonetheless offers up a compelling slice of well-executed looter shooter goodness that fans of the motion picture saga will find enjoyable and fulfilling in equal measure.

If you're addicted to survival games like myself, this may be something you'll want to play to try out yourself. But if you're wanting to enter the genre, this isn't your entry point. There's plenty of better options out there, and Breathedge simply ends up existing when it could have been shining.

The side scrolling side of Smelter has a lot going for it. It has a welcome execution that doesn't demand much effort and doesn't bog you down with much, even if it is overly simplistic. The tower defense side of Smelter contradicts this simplicity, however. Bad control choices coupled with halfhearted explanations makes it a hard sell for the entire package. Smelter has something unique, but that's nowhere near enough to warrant your time.

Judgement is a fine and serviceable port of the PS4 game, but apart from enhanced visuals and 60 FPS gameplay, the overall experience doesn't feel that much more enhanced than what you saw on PS4. This is definitely the way to play for newcomers but those who have already seen Yagami's journey through shouldn't worry about missing much here.

The NieR franchise has easily become one of my favorites. After NieR Automata, my need to replay the original NieR grew and grew, and thankfully, Square Enix has answered my prayers for an updated version of the original title. NieR: Replicant tells a fantastic story that's carried by great writing and a soundtrack that stops you in your tracks to listen to its incredible melody. The only thing that holds Replicant back from true greatness is its old-school take on fetch quests and the horribly constant backtracking.

Astro Aqua Kitty adds some Metroidvania-lite elements to the shooter components of its predecessor, Aqua Kitty, and it's all the better for it. A few decisions keep this from being an instant classic, like similar-looking zones and limited locations for loadout swapping, but nothing inherently gets in the way of the good times that Astro Aqua Kitty puts in front of you.

Not so much a true next-gen leap for MLB, but a cautious set of baby steps towards it. The presentation and gameplay remain strong, and the ability to be a two-way player in Road to the Show has freshened that mode up and made it more enjoyable than ever. MLB The Show 21 is another reliable entry in a strong sporting franchise, but it definitely needs a bit of a shakeup next time out.

Oddworld: Soulstorm in many ways is the peak of the Oddworld franchise. Oddworld Inhabitants have taken the hallmarked difficulty and dark humour and revamped it with innovative, new gameplay features and some really cool physics. It's only slightly held back by its overall presentation at launch, but despite this, it largely remains a stellar experience with lots of replayability and challenge for those who are Glukkon for punishment.

Saga Frontier Remastered is a great remaster for those who already enjoyed the original. The unique take on exploration and non-linear storytelling may throw some people off expecting a traditional RPG but those who stick with it may find the charm that so many found back in when it originally released. Simple but fun combat and a great skills system make it a joy to play and the improvements in the remaster may help bring in new fans while invigorating older fans with the inclusion of originally cut content.

There are so many aspects of its design in which Disco Elysium stands unmatched. Boasting unparalleled player agency, the sort of writing that makes me deeply jealous and a cast of characters that are resolutely unforgettable, Disco Elysium is easily one of the most intelligent and fascinating RPGs ever made. However, in its current form, the presence of game breaking bugs that prevent you from finishing missions, levels a near fatal blow at Disco Elysium that not even its towering brilliance is sufficient to overcome. I'm sure there's a timeline where all the bugs have been fixed and I'm playing Disco Elysium for the first time, awarding it the 10/10 score it deserves. Right now, this isn't that timeline.

A collection of two of the finest co-operative games on Playstation, and it's almost as fine on PS4 as it is on PS5. Overcooked! All You Can Eat adds very little in regards to new content, but now with online cross-play, you've got everything you need to form a party of manic chefs and enjoy Overcooked! at its absolute best.

Outriders is an excellent video game that doesn't drown itself in marketplaces and all the traditional systems we have come to know from a live service. By positioning itself as a complete experience, with dozens of hours of content to play through, along with engaging, varied, and deep combat, it exceeds expectations and manages to lay a firm foundation for a franchise that I hope manifests itself in the future.

A charming, gentle take on the Wild West and stealth genres aimed at all ages, but with occasional spikes in difficulty which may trouble younger players. The art design and narrative are both captivating, so providing you have the patience for stealth and puzzles, it's highly recommended.