While this isn’t technically a new game, it offers a wealth of content not often seen in titles that can be purchased for $39.99, and it’s certainly the most improved iteration of all of the recent BlazBlue releases. Between that and the fact that it’s so inviting to both newcomers and series veterans alike, this is one fighter that you should not overlook.

There’s not significant variety across these extra modes — and no online multiplayer is unfortunate — though when the core gameplay is this good, it's not a major detractor. Yacht Club Games and VINE ultimately provide an excellent puzzle spin-off, one that’s accessible for all players that'll appeal to existing fans. You won’t necessarily be here for a long time, but it’s an addictive experience that’ll keep you coming back for more.

There’s a lot to love about CrossCode, from it’s fast and frantic combat, through to it’s tough but satisfying puzzles. The MMO setting is incredibly well done and manages to mimic the online experience whilst also taking time out to make fun of itself. This is an absolutely charming RPG where it feels like there's always something new to experience.

Tropico 6 is one of PlayStation 4's best strategy games, and also one of its most unique, putting you into the shoes of a dictator rather than the standard benevolent overseer that most of these titles offer. Taking your tropical island from shacks and farms to skyscrapers and space plans is a lot fun, and there's enough variety in map design and mission objectives to mean that you'll rarely feel like you're repeating the same beats. And honestly, the music really is pretty good.

Even without the ability to install mods and play on infinite worlds propped up by dedicated servers, Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition is still a strong addition to your next-gen library.

Nomada Studio's picturesque adventure has made it to PlayStation 4 almost perfectly intact. The game shines at an unwavering 60 frames per second, and it looks superb on a standard console -- let alone PS4 Pro. We did notice some very occasional audio stuttering, however, which is a shame given the otherwise immaculate presentation. That aside, GRIS holds together as an attractive, if somewhat shallow, platformer that you'll want to hang on your wall.

EA Sports FC 25 is the best playing version of the annual soccer sim in quite some time, with more intelligent artificial intelligence and weather physics adding a layer of density and dynamism to the experience – albeit largely offline. To us, Ultimate Team feels like it’s getting a bit stale, but we like the addition of Rush across the entire release, which offers something a little different for when you fancy a change of pace. And while the commentary and menus are below par, the overall quality of the presentation continues to be underappreciated.

Sonic Adventure 2 offers the same thrills as its Dreamcast and GameCube predecessors without sacrificing too much. The online features from the Dreamcast title are unfortunately stripped, and the GameCube extras are only available as paid DLC – making this PSN download worth skipping if you already own either of the original titles. But for those who haven't yet experienced the fast paced adventure, this is a stellar port of an old classic.

Spiritfarer is a game with a lot of moving parts, but most of its elements are well handled. Progression comes at a good pace as you upgrade Stella's ship, her abilities, and build relationships with a colourful crew. The crafting minigames are a weak spot, and the writing doesn't always land, but there's a lot to like about this maritime management title.

The Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Pack offers incredible value for money, with hundreds of hours of role-playing game action spread across two main games and various expansions. While players unfamiliar with the series may find the presentation or the sometimes finicky navigation unappealing, the narrative remains compelling, the characters engaging, and the combat challenging. More than that, it's the first opportunity for console gamers to play two of the greatest RPGs of all time, and it shouldn't be skipped.

Destiny's budget was out of this world, and it's there for all to see in the finished product. Bungie's smash hit isn't the gameplay revolution that some wanted, but its accessible RPG systems, sublime gunplay, and incredible presentation over all aspects of the release elevate it beyond some of the very best shooters on the market.

Hokkaido may not be the perfect grand ending that many Hitman fans wanted, but it's a nice swansong to signal the end of a successful experiment. Episode 6 is the most atmospheric and creative of the bunch, and is right up there with Sapienza as one of the game's best levels thanks to its design.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie is a compelling proposition for wannabe stuntmen. The distracting visual presentation can lead to some unfortunate mistakes, and loading times can get a little long – but overlook these flaws, and there's no danger whatsoever of you not thoroughly enjoying your time on set.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is more Cuphead — for better or worse. Those put off by the original's difficulty may find the experience easier to swallow due to the excellent inclusion of Ms Chalice. But the game still has the same brand of punishing gameplay we’re used to from the original. The expansion adds some of the most inventive bosses Studio MDHR has ever come up with, backed up with that amazing animation and music which has never looked or sounded better.

Don't play Super Crate Box if you've got important things to do. It's a timesink, a stupendously enslaving arcade-style game that refuses to ease you in gently, instead enticing you in with extra bits and bobs until you realise that you're well and truly trapped in its box.

Featuring a colourful collection of memorable characters, some sweat-inducing gameplay, and a narrative that has more twists than a Hollyoaks omnibus, Spike Chunsoft's bloody tale of high school life will keep you engrossed from start to finish.

Aside from a few minor presentation and performance niggles, Overcooked is a wonderfully executed game, and is one of the best co-operative experiences in recent years. The simplicity of the controls and gameplay make it extremely accessible, while there is still plenty of challenge in the later, crazier kitchens.

Zombi has transitioned to the PS4 rather well: the fear-inducing aspects of the second screen are re-created well enough to achieve similar scares, the loading times are greatly improved, and – three years later – it's still a unique survival title that never compromises its horror for action.

Yakuza 5 may no longer be dressed for the part, but like any respectable gangster, it has a good heart beating beneath its unkempt exterior. It's a fitting analogy for a game that's ultimately all about aging, so while time may have been tough on Kiryu and crew, this dense and occasionally oddball adventure still has plenty of strong stories to tell.

It’s not perfect, but Outlast is still arguably one of the best survival horror games in recent memory.

Injustice: Gods Among Us takes the best elements of 2011's excellent Mortal Kombat reboot and fuses them with a faithful superhero setting, resulting in a solid fighting game with a likeable cast. The online multiplayer may not always be consistent, but this is still a heroic effort that's more than fit for the Gods.

Much like the remasters before it, Once Upon a Katamari is a great reminder that there's still nothing quite like this series, and it feels as fresh today as it did with Keita Takahashi's original over two decades ago.

It takes a while to really get going, but once things finally kick into gear, Yakuza: Like a Dragon blossoms into one of the most unique and engrossing RPGs on PS4. At its core, this is still the Yakuza that we know and love, with shocking story beats and fantastic characters, but in embracing the structure of an old school RPG, it successfully branches the series off in a whole new direction. Equal parts refreshing and familiar, it's a crazy and creative game that knows how to have fun, as Ichiban Kasuga proves himself a worthy successor to the one and only uncle Kaz.

Addictive, deep, and just a little bit crazy, Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited is the perfect companion for someone looking for some on-the-move RPG greatness.

Ready or Not is a unique cooperative shooter. It’s not casual fun in the way Helldivers 2 can be. That means it certainly won’t be for everyone, and the solo experience doesn’t hold a light to playing with friends for us. However, those elements mixed in with a harrowing and outright disturbing tone make Ready or Not one of the most immersive co-op experiences available on PS5 right now.

All those puzzles weave together to create a satisfying conclusion to Dei's journey that lands with impact, even if the pacing in the middle of the tale dips a little. Marrying the puzzles with the story is a gorgeous art style and stunning animation that consistently looks incredible, and has made the game stick in our mind. The Star Named EOS is a lovely, bitesized, personal tale that's easy to connect with and enjoy if you're a fan of similar narrative-led experiences and hidden object puzzle games.

Like Frozen Wilds did with Horizon Zero Dawn, Burning Shores takes what was already great about Forbidden West and gives you a sizeable new playground and a bunch of extra toys to play with. The archipelago is great fun to explore by land, sea, or air, with plenty of interesting things to see and do. Certain areas feel a little underutilised, but overall this is a great expansion that continues Aloy's story and sets up for things to come in Horizon 3.

FIFA 15 boasts everything that we've come to expect from EA's annual footy sim.

No matter whether you're a hardcore One Piece fan or a complete newcomer, One Piece Odyssey is an utter joy of a JRPG. Its combat system remains incredibly enjoyable throughout, and new mechanics provide depth and strategy in droves. Most certainly the highlight of the experience, but with fun exploration to boot, you're always assured of a good time. One Piece Odyssey plays a lot like Dragon Quest XI, and it's not that far off being just as good as it.

F1 2017 flies across the finishing line in great form. Codemasters’ latest has captured the off-track trappings of the world’s most popular motorsport with a hearty R&D component that forms the backbone of its campaign. But behind the wheel the title fares just as well, with the Career mode implementing Invitational events to break up the routine – many of which are designed around a robust selection of historical rides. Factor in the rule altering Championships and a handling model that’s able to accommodate a wide range of skillsets, and you have a racer deserving of its podium place.

Aside from its necessary graphical shortcomings, Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is a sublime fit on the Vita. Its methodical structure is a perfect match for portable play, allowing you to jump in and make some progress no matter how much time you decide to dedicate to the cause. Conquering China piece by piece has never been quite so addictive.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a meaningful step forward, smartly evolving the gameplay without losing that fun-loving core. Kids will love the slapstick humour and colourful sights and sounds, grown-ups will appreciate all the elbow-in-ribs jokes, and both will enjoy just how much there is to do. Despite some very minor issues, it's gram for gram the best LEGO game in a long time, and it's up there with the top Star Wars games to boot.

At its very best, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a barnstorming survival horror with some truly brilliant boss fights. Granted, the game isn't always able to maintain its own high standards, but it eclipses its abysmal predecessor with ease. While it borrows ideas from a variety of different sources, it manages to feel both original and old-school all at the same time. And even though fans are likely to be divided by the release's direction, make no mistake: this is the change that the series has needed for quite some time.

If you're a fan of Japanese RPGs and you missed out on Trails of Cold Steel the first time around, we can't recommend this PS4 port enough. Between its brilliant world building and fantastic cast of characters, this is a slow-burning story that refuses to let you go. While the game does plod at points, it's hard not to sit back and appreciate just how much effort has gone into making this world feel so rich and interesting. Add a rock solid turn based combat system to the mix, and you've got all the makings of a genre classic.

Super Cloudbuilt is a pleasant surprise that manages to impress on a number of fronts. Its parkour action is intense, enjoyable, and encourages creative play. The story is deep, surprising, and one that could have a major impact on those who can relate to Demi's plight. And finally the base art style is beautiful, which is only further bettered by the surprising amount of options you have in this area. Super Cloudbuilt is an incredibly fun game, and during these quieter summer months it’s not one to miss out on.

LawBreakers’ world and characters don’t carve deep impressions, but the experience itself exerts a strong pull with its diverse, balanced classes, solid selection of modes, and stellar gunplay. It’s more than a nice distraction from its looming competitors, and while the map design and implementation of gravity leave more to be desired, the game has the potential to further defy gravity and our expectations if it keeps shooting for the moon.

Given the origins of Thimbleweed Park as a Kickstarter project, it’s not at all surprising to find that it’s firmly aimed at a very specific audience. To that end it does deliver, with interesting characters, an enticing core mystery, and loads of puzzles, all wrapped up in a package that closely follows the tenets of the those classic Lucasarts titles.

Limbo holds up incredibly well on the PS4, but it would have been nice to see a little more from this port – especially seeing as it's not cross-buy compatible.

Trails from Zero has been well worth the wait. This is a classic Falcom RPG — an engrossing, crime-fighting adventure through one of the property's greatest settings. The experience as a whole does get bogged down in tedious side content and some poorly aged design, but fantastic characters and fascinating story beats hold everything together. Based on our time with Zero, we can't wait for Trails to Azure in 2023.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a surprisingly monstrous outing. It can be a seriously addictive RPG adventure, utterly stuffed with things to see, do, and eventually master. The grind can be a bit overwhelming at times, but Level-5's trademark charm and well-designed gameplay loops should keep you coming back. This is vibrant all-ages fun, pretty much from start to finish.

Buried Stars is an intricately woven visual novel with a lot of cool concepts. An interesting and varied cast keep you on your toes, while a plot filled with twists and mystery makes Buried Stars a must for fans of the genre.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars combine two incredible JRPGs from the genre’s golden age on PS1, lovingly remastered and improved for PS5 and PS4. They suffer from the same issues many games did back in the day: unwieldy, occasionally grindy, and sometimes obtuse. Still, the package offers fans the chance to experience these lesser-known gems, and both deserve a place in the collection of any fan, even the least bit interested.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is, well, great Ace Attorney. The typical gameplay is embellished with some interesting new wrinkles, but it's the cast of characters and compelling narrative that make this a worthy spin-off. The story told across the pair of games is intriguing, you'll grow to love most of the characters, and there are some cracking, memorable cases to solve. This duo of games isn't doing much to push the franchise forward, but it's a very worthwhile adventure nonetheless. A great place to start for newcomers and a fascinating alternate story for fans, should you give this a shot? The answer is elementary.

As a complete Warriors package, Samurai Warriors 5 doesn't quite match up to its stellar predecessor, but that doesn't stop it from being fantastic hack and slash fun. Even if the gameplay itself is largely familiar, a rebooted story mode and overhauled art style give the experience a fresh and surprisingly unique feel. What's more, the new ultimate skills system is an excellent addition, and something we'd love to see become a Warriors staple.

The incredibly short game length is compensated by the replay value of three varied starting characters, with two unlockable ones that weren't in the SNES game -- for example, Yaksha is available after beating single-player mode on normal difficulty. Two-player couch co-op gameplay is also new and welcomed in the remake, although you both share the Armour Gauge health meter and Battery Gauge special attack. While there are online rankings for fast stage completion, there's no online co-op.

One Piece: Unlimited World Red - Deluxe Edition is exactly what a licensed game should be. It captures the essence of the One Piece franchise through its story, writing, and characters, while also providing gameplay that could stand on its own without the name attached to it. Ganbarion has struck a delicate balance of creating a game that works for both hardcore One Piece fans and players who have never heard of the series before.

In a year crowded with incredible titles, Ruiner manages to be a standout anyways. The red neon-plastered world presented by Reikon Games is beautiful, brutal, and terrifying. With some impressive art direction, great music, and a wealth of immensely satisfying combat systems, Ruiner offers essential top-down gameplay, and comes highly recommended.

A colourful, addictive, and satisfying platformer, Cloudberry Kingdom is fantastic fun, and only gets more enjoyable when friends are added to the mix. Whether you enjoy quick stints of responsive platforming, or you’re determined to top the competitive online leaderboards, this endless supply of randomly generated content delivers plenty of difficult but delicious value.

With a charming story at its core, surprisingly satisfying combat, and loads of neat secrets to find scattered across the map, it's easy to get hooked on Cat Quest II. It's a great little RPG that never outstays its welcome, offering bite-sized but addictive adventuring.

Beat Saber is a thrilling rhythm game that makes ideal use of virtual reality to envelop you in an enthralling tour down the coloured highway, time after time. We suspect it’s the kind of game that will resonate with just about anyone, VR sceptic or not, and it’s an essential addition to any PlayStation VR owner's library.

Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery: Episode One - A Bump in the Night sets the scene on an enjoyable world, and introduces some entertaining puzzles in the process. The stiff challenge is well balanced with lots of hints, though the difficulty does feel a little at odds with the child-friendly aesthetic. Nevertheless, the presentation is exquisite throughout, and we're already looking forward to the next instalment in this charming series.

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 are must- plays for fans. With its new features, galleries, and tweaks, even total newcomers who have never experienced this groundbreaking series will feel welcome. A lot of love and care has been poured into this collection, allowing players of all skill levels to jump right in and enjoy. So get out there, dash and blast, and track down those mavericks, hunter.

Katamari Damacy Reroll is a faithful if unadventurous remake of a PlayStation 2 classic that should probably be experienced by every gamer at least once. The unique presentation and anarchic sense of humour stand the test of time, and the satisfying gameplay loop makes high score chasing a treat. It's a game in which you can roll over old women with a massive sticky ball and honestly you just can't say that about most games.

Capcom hasn't gone to any great lengths with its updated PS5 version of Resident Evil 2, offering fans and newcomers two imperfect graphical modes to choose from. Very speedy load times will have you immersed in a flash, though, and the support for the PS5's adaptive triggers adds another extra wrinkle on top. Resident Evil 2 is still every bit as good as it was three years ago; this PS5 version simply gives you the chance to experience it all over again with further shine.

Just Die Already is an enjoyably mean-spirited game that would cross the line into hateful if it wasn’t so gleeful in its disrespect for elders. Less Octodad, more octogenarian, a surplus of the usual physics sandbox glitches don’t detract from fun that's as densely packed as the very coffins you're dodging.

The collection represents a great opportunity to jump back to a time when Squaresoft was seemingly unconquerable, and if you're totally new to the franchise, it's difficult to think of a better starting point.

Ancestors Legacy makes a comfortable transition to console, serving up an RTS experience that plays superbly and looks the part. Minor technical issues and a moderately cluttered UI do little to detract from the overall action, which is strong across all of the release's main modes.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is another solid adventure that’s just as generous and involving as either of the main games. It’s a shorter experience, but everything you love about the series is present and correct, and as always, replayability is extremely high. Billie is a great character and inherits some cool abilities that allow for multiple approaches to missions. Some narrative niggles let the game down a bit, and it feels a little rushed at the end, but all told, this is every inch a Dishonored game, which can only be a good thing.

Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode Two: The Pact is one of the best Telltale episodes in a long time. Going behind enemy lines with some of Gotham’s greatest gangsters makes for a brilliantly tense dynamic, as you wrestle with socially awkward situations in order to keep everyone on-side. With so many different plot threads dangling, it was only a matter of time before a certain kitten came out to play – and the return of Catwoman sets up a third episode that we can’t wait to experience.

Visually vibrant, with magnificent SNES S-SMP chiptune renditions of John Williams' classic soundtrack, and challenging side-scrolling run-and-gun gameplay, Super Star Wars represents the brightness of the 1992 16-bit era, before the dark times – before the prequel trilogy made Star Wars fans justifiably cynical.

The visual upgrades for this DLC defy the bar set for most remasters. The majority of these classic Zombies maps offer the same addictive appeal of building strategies and loadouts through cohesive teamwork against the undead hordes, and with new life breathed into them with near-future weapons and features, we can attest that Zombies Chronicles is one killer collection you'll want to sink your teeth into – even if you only buy Black Ops III for it alone.

In terms of gameplay, Tekken 7 is masterful. Its overhauled rage system gives its already punchy combat a whole new dynamic, while helping to level the playing field for more casual players. Its story mode isn't quite the blockbuster that it thinks it is, but the insanely addictive treasure battle makes up for that on the single player front. Meanwhile, its online components can't be faulted – the newly introduced tournaments being a real highlight. Tekken 7 is a fantastic fighting game, and one of the best entries in the series.

Dying Light starts out disappointing, but once you allow its brand of undead action to circulate your bloodstream, it can be difficult to put down.

DmC: Devil May Cry - Definitive Edition is one of the more thoughtful remasters on the PS4, and its emphasis on modifiers means that you can more or less tailor the experience to your tastes.

We won't spoil what happens, but Tunic slowly peels back layers right to the very end. It's a cohesive, satisfying game that scratches an old school action-adventure itch, going above and beyond with subversive, cerebral puzzles. It maybe goes on a touch longer than it needs to, but this little gem of a game punches above its weight.

Aside from the near total lack of side content, The Kaito Files has everything that you'd expect from a Yakuza-style experience. Its shorter length actually works in its favour, allowing for a well paced story that doesn't get caught up on overplayed plot points or filler missions. As RGG Studio's first crack at a proper expansion, it's a roaring success.

Each level being self-contained allows the team to dabble with different tones, too. An early level dealing with an ancient Sarcophagus is particularly adept at splicing horror into the experience, while a level taking place in a church uses an organ to incorporate musical elements into the game. It’s all handled flawlessly, and greatly enhances the value of the product, by offering varied, distinctive experiences level-to-level.

Bloodroots takes the frenetic ferocity of Hotline Miami and transforms it into an action puzzler that’s distinct enough to stand on its own. The title incorporates its enormous roster of weaponry effortlessly and is able to easily communicate each armament’s strengths throughout spontaneous skirmishes. It’s masterfully designed and bizarrely well written, meaning not even difficulty spikes and occasionally unfair camerawork can detract from its achievements.

All in all, this is an astoundingly stylish effort from such a small studio. Signalis is riveting in both the construction of its world and the tense survival horror gameplay it executes so well. Don’t overlook it because of its very late last-gen release: rose-engine’s effort has its feet firmly planted in the future.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines RPG mechanics with grand strategy and features battles so epic they can be overwhelming at times. It has some rough edges, and the interface can be unwieldy, but at its core lies a roleplaying experience that is virtually unrivalled in scope — especially on console.

In short, Yooka-Replaylee is a brilliant remake of the original game. It expands and improves upon so many areas that it leaves the original release in the dust. It took a long wait, but Yooka and Laylee finally have a 3D platformer worthy of the Banjo-Kazooie comparisons.

Just Dance 2016 is great fun for people of all ages, and is an excellent game among friends.

Judgment may be a Yakuza spin-off, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the best games in SEGA's series. Barring some gimmicky gameplay additions and some unnecessary story padding, it's an absolutely ace detective thriller. As we've come to expect of Yakuza Studio, Judgment's writing and characters are top notch, and it's arguably a perfect place to start if you're looking to explore the streets of Kamurocho for the first time. Another great showing from a developer that's at the top of its game.

Even after getting over any initial frustrations, the frequently vexing mechanics will test your patience time and time again, but despite these issues there’s a magic to Elite Dangerous that will keep you playing. Whether it’s a close encounter with a white dwarf, an intense dogfight, or a just cruising between star systems, the freedom and opportunity laid across its billions of stars means that Elite Dangerous offers spectacular space-tourism all from the comfort of your sofa.

The ten-year wait for EA Sports College Football 25 has been worth it, with its all-encompassing Dynasty mode likely to prove an obsession for some football fans. Great gameplay paired with a deep spreadsheet simulator makes this one of the most fun and fresh sports games in eons, and it’s backed up by some stellar presentation, too. Ultimate Team feels superfluous, and Road to Glory could do with more time in the oven, but as far as comebacks go, this is one for the ages – even if it’s mere existence is likely to bemuse practically everyone outside of America.

And while the differences between each zone are mostly just cosmetic, they all feel distinct enough with varied colours, enemy types, and overall themes. A chill soundtrack enhances the laidback and friendly tone kickstarted by the visuals and general gameplay direction, making Cyrpt Custodian a relaxing experience just as much as it is an entertaining one — an impressively accomplished game all in all.

With so much content on offer, both old and new, alongside its many accessibility options, it's still hard not to recommend FIFA to footy fans of all ages and skill levels.

Walkabout Mini Golf is an enjoyably easy to pickup and play virtual reality golfing experience with superb physics, a wide array of courses, and the delightful inclusion of treasure hunts and collectibles — a whole-in-one experience. We’d highly recommend you round up some friends and join the club.

Virtual reality breathes new life into an already excellent campaign. While you’ll have probably seen everything that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR has to offer before, you’ll have never seen it quite like this: vast, varied, and like an actual living, breathing place. Bethesda’s proven that blockbusters can make the transition to PlayStation VR – and on this evidence, it’s something we’d like to see happen more often.

Fortunately, the small changes do improve the overall package – and Visual Concepts already had an outstanding basis to work from. Basketball fans will find everything that they want and more here.

Any enjoyment to be found in The Division could easily have been smothered by its tremendously dull side content. Fortunately, it's saved from some all too familiar open world bloat by not only the high stake thrills of the Dark Zone but its top notch story missions.

The Alters is 11 Bit Studios' magnum opus; a tense, thrilling, thoughtful game that makes you question what kind of person you want to be.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound brings the series back to its roots with incredible style. The core gameplay feels fantastic, with satisfying, fast-paced combat and platforming that'll put your skills to the test. With a wealth of challenges to meet and things to find, there's a real richness to each level that gives it plenty of replay value. The wonderful art style is the icing on the cake, and aside from one or two small nitpicks, fans should be very pleased with this throwback adventure.

It's not perfect; load times are lengthy, text is painfully small, and there are some unusual graphical glitches here and there. However, Children of Morta is overall a great success, and manages to forge a unique identity.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd not only delivers the sequel that fans of the franchise asked for, but makes subtle changes throughout to add polish to an already rock solid system. Those put off by the music are unlikely to feel the rhythm of this release, but the converted will find their dancing feet in no time.

Erica is an intriguing, admirable experience that those looking for something a little outside of the video game norm will surely latch on to. With an impressive set of performances, a story that’ll have you hooked straight from the off, and meaningful decisions that have a major impact on the game, FMV is making waves all over again.

FIFA 22 feels like real football, and it’s all the better for it. Impressive improvements to player positioning, ball physics, and animations make for a supremely satisfying simulation that underpins each of the franchise’s flagship modes. Career Mode doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the ability to create a club is entertaining, and the changes to Player Careers are overdue. Microtransactions still rule supreme in Ultimate Team, and you’ll already have your own personal opinions on that, but there’s so much to do in this year’s release that you could easily invest hundreds of hours into it without seeing a single loot box.

There’s a lot of love been poured into Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and thus it’s hard not to love it back. This is a brilliant platformer with tons of imaginative ideas and a strong sense of style. The lack of online multiplayer at launch is a bit disappointing, but it’s coming as a free update before the end of the year, so we can forgive the developer that. If you’re looking for something bright and breezy to begin your PS5 journey, then this is a near-flawless romp when it’s at its pomp.

The coolest mechanic is the ability to pause the game and give each crew member instructions that they'll all perform in tandem with a tap of the triangle button. Planning a co-ordinated attack and then watching it unfold like clockwork is a pleasure that never gets old, and if you mess the whole thing up you can always just rewind time and tinker with your strategy until you get it right. These moments are Shadow Gambit at its best, and the game in a nutshell; it leaves you feeling like a tactical genius, even if it took you seven tries to get there.

Resident Evil has small issues here and there, and the silly writing and survival gameplay have never been for everybody, but these negatives don't change the fact that this is a fantastic release. The REmake is as enjoyable as ever, enhanced by small improvements that make it that much more playable, and the whole experience hints at just how great a new "classic" Resident Evil could be with today's technology behind it.

An entertaining handling model coupled with copious amounts of content make this a must-own option for motorsport aficionados, while the ability to tune the experience to your own personal skill level means that those in need of training wheels will enjoy their time in the saddle, too.

Aliens: Dark Descent is easily one of the best video game adaptations of the legendary franchise to which it belongs, somehow managing to be an excellent tactical strategy game and genuinely terrifying at the same time. Tense, engaging, and extremely faithful, it stumbles only in technical execution, and even then, not enough to spoil the experience.

Stellar Blade is a slick console debut from a developer clearly on the rise. With an ever-evolving counter-attacking combat system, some superb art direction, and a sensational soundtrack, this is the kind of back-to-basics PS5 outing that fans have been pleading for. A dire English dub and some trite story beats mean the studio still has plenty of room to refine its craft, but Eve’s inaugural outing is largely excellent across the board, and destined to become a firm favourite among PS5 enthusiasts.

All in all, whether you’re new to the franchise or not, the abandoned underground has never looked this inviting.

Running on the new console, It's About Time just looks excellent. The cartoonish art style, with its bright colours, clean lines, and expressive animation, is absolutely gorgeous at 4K resolution. While it isn't using HDR (as far as we know), it still really sings on a 4K display. What's more, the game is locked at 60 frames-per-second on PS5, running buttery smooth regardless of how chaotic things get.

The Cave may not be enough to restore adventure games to their former glory, but its clever storytelling, even smarter puzzles, and enchanting art style make it an escapade absolutely worth taking. Despite the occasionally tedious platforming, this is a satisfying experience – and one that you won't forget in a hurry.

Broken Age makes an excellent case for why the adventure game genre deserves to exist in this medium. Indeed, it's a wonderfully charming title that really feels like a celebration of the point-and-click format. Sure, it doesn't necessarily do anything ground breaking, but it doesn't really need to.

The complex tactical nature of the title won't appeal to everybody, but it's ultimately what sets it apart. If you're looking for a new shooter with a deep single player campaign, then Starhawk isn't it, but if you're in the market for a clever and fundamentally different multiplayer game, then this should absolutely be on your radar.