Lost in Random is set in a masterfully crafted world which tells a gothic fairy tale-like story that has plenty of warmth despite its dark hue. With beautiful writing and a touching story, it does a great job at making you really care about what happens to Even, as well as everyone she meets. It also has a truly unique battle system that offers loads of fun in your quest to create a perfect deck. This is a delight to play from beginning to end.

Life Is Strange: True Colors had every chance of becoming the series' best game to date, but it's been let down by arguably its most important element: the story. Wonderful character work can only go so far carrying a narrative that just isn't particularly exciting. And while Alex's power crafts one interesting scenario after another, it too isn't enough to offset those dull plot points. With an awful framerate to boot, Life Is Strange: True Colors falls short despite everything it has going for it.

Tales of Arise went above and beyond our expectations. With its picturesque landscapes instilling a real sense of adventure, it's easily one of the strongest, most cohesive Tales games to date. Dramatic cutscenes and memorable character moments help sell an intriguing story, while a satisfying combat system becomes more and more engaging as your party powers up. A fantastic, modernised journey with all the rewarding qualities of a classic JRPG.

The appeal here is building up a public transport empire, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the time passes as you begin to expand routes and increase your fleet. It’s an acquired taste, for sure, but impressive how a game designed to replicate a real-life job can be so oddly relaxing when you’re behind the wheel.

Between the comic book character models and various backdrops, there’s an agreeable cartoon aesthetic here that does justice to the license on a meagre budget. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too barebones to fully justify its price point: the inclusion of licensed songs, like Eye of the Tiger, give it some panache – but the story mode is simplistic, with text-based cut-scenes tying events together, and there’s no online option or alternative modes to speak of. Even though what’s here is of a high quality, it feels like it could have done with an additional training montage or two, just to add a little more beef to its bones.

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a stellar Metroidvania adventure set in a beautifully realised world, replete with challenging combat encounters, rewarding exploration, and some spicy platforming action. Rayton Rabbit might be of diminutive stature, but he's punching well above his weight here in what is one of the best games of 2021 so far.

WRC 10 builds on the success of its predecessor with another impressive rally sim. The handling feels excellent on the track, and speeding through all the official routes is a real thrill. Alongside its meaty Career mode is a long list of ways to play, including the 50th Anniversary cars and events, which are a great addition. It's not perfect, lacking some visual polish and locking content in unusual ways, but overall, this is another step in the right direction for KT Racing.

With its heavy Fantasy Life vibes, there's a lot to like about Kitaria Fables. While the grind won't be for everyone, it's an accessible game that can eat up 20 to 30 hours of your time quite easily, thanks to its enticing mix of fighting, crafting, and farming.

The mostly laid-back soundtrack and lack of NPCs lends Golf Club Wasteland a chill, lonely atmosphere, which helps to offset some of the more frustrating holes, and the short three or four hour play-time means it never has a chance to outstay its welcome. It's official: Golf Club Wasteland is the best post-apocalyptic golf game on PS4.

It could very well be the best psychological horror experience on the console.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is the best version of an okay game. It's certainly among the hedgehog's better outings since his Genesis heyday, but it suffers from typically frustrating controls and level design. The Wisps provide variety and replay value, and the remaster adds some fun new features in addition to the visual enhancements. This 11-year-old Sonic title is one worth experiencing, but just be aware of its rough edges before you spin dash into the action.

Enemies are visually grotesque, and their blinding-rage aggression makes for an experience that, even if you’ve played previously, is a challenging experience. You have to make the most of all your weapons, although the classic strategy of “use your shotgun as often as possible” remains viable. Ditto for the rocket launcher, the weapon most closely associated with the game.

The 20 or so hours we spent completing Psychonauts 2 saw us indulging in plentiful side quests and content, simply to spend more and more time in a world we still don't feel entirely done with. There are very few games that offer an experience as good as this, with ingenious level design and heavier themes that never feel sludgy or, more importantly, preachy. Brilliant aesthetics go hand in hand with tremendous gameplay here and it's a genuine delight to say that it's all been worth the wait. It's so good, in fact, that we now want the original Psychonauts to be remade in this engine, with this fidelity, in order to finally do it justice. Psychonauts 2 is consistently creative, enormously fun to play, visually inventive and spectacular and spins a cracking yarn to boot.

DualSense support is included to reflect your stamina through the adaptive triggers. Unfortunately, despite the generally simplistic presentation, performance is worryingly inconsistent on PS5, which is a shame. All in all, though, this is a fun if forgettable medieval romp: much of the appeal stems from seeing how GTA series staples have been adapted, like the Pimp-a-Horse drive-thrus which clear your Wanted level and the end of mission beats that accompany each quest you complete.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is in no way the failure that Colonial Marines was. It’s a fun squad shooter with just about enough features at launch to keep you coming back to replay missions and tackle the horde mode. However, it’s not the strongest game of its type and really doesn't seem to fit the license.

The game is a looker too, with gorgeous green and blue tones brightening areas beyond the beaming sun. And while the adventure is over in just a few hours, a fair few different areas keep the brain engaged as the visuals mix things up. Our only real criticism would be the scene transitions, which cause the game to freeze in place for a second. It happens often enough to ruin the immersion somewhat. That aside, Hoa is a lovely little game that pretty much anyone of any age can enjoy. It's not trying to do something new, but rather whisk you off on a short, beautiful adventure full of positivity.

The beauty of Islanders is how simple it all is. Unlike most building-based strategy titles, you're not scrolling through endless menus looking for the right bits and pieces. Instead, the game presents you with two different building sets every 'turn'. You pick the one that you want, and then you place each piece on your island(s), with thoughtful placement earning you more points. For example, throwing all of your lumber mills together will net you negative points, while properly spacing them out, and putting them alongside trees, bags you bonuses. It's really easy to find your rhythm, and watching your score steadily increase is satisfying. Meanwhile, if you're just here to relax and create detailed island dioramas, Sandbox Mode is the way to go. Here, you can build to your heart's content without having to worry about score modifiers, switching islands at will. And it helps that Islanders is very aesthetically pleasing; there's real satisfaction to be found in the simplistic art style as you decorate each landscape.

For all the similarities, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar exceeds its predecessor in terms of tone. The first title was a cheeky game with a biting wit to match its great puzzles, but this sequel really outdoes itself, crafting even more ludicrously operatic scenarios all the while seamlessly integrating the humor into the gameplay experience. If you don’t have the patience or interest to sit through overlong monologues or sequences with a slow burn, you can just rush past them and the game adapts with you, but not before letting out a few extra jokes for good measure.

If you're willing to invest your time learning the battle system and strategies to succeed in King’s Bounty II then there'll be some enjoyment to be found here. However, the game is very unforgiving with your time, forcing you to spend hours completing dull side missions and looting various places to level up your units, only for them to be slain in the next main mission battle you fight. Also constantly having to reload saves just to progress through the story feels very outdated.

While RiMS Racing has an enjoyable core racing mode, the addition of motorcycle maintenance and plenty of technical issues on PS5 prove a dealbreaker. If you’re looking for a realistic racing game that is still enjoyable, look elsewhere.

Puzzles which consist of navigating logic gates by pushing buttons are fine, but not particularly taxing. The hacking mechanic has its uses, though, and a surprisingly engaging story will pull you through the game despite its flaws. It's a shame that some of the gameplay doesn't measure up, because there are some good ideas here. Sadly, there's an inconsistent level of quality that makes Recompile hard to recommend.

Madden NFL 22 takes big strides forward from last year’s game, with the focus on Franchise being overdue but appreciated all the same. We like the direction EA Sports has taken this year, with even the new Gameday Momentum system adding immersion to every individual match. Face of the Franchise still falls flat, and patches will need to be applied to the way deep coverages work. But some irritating bugs and glitches aside, it feels like this series is at least on the right trajectory at last.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut amplifies an already excellent open world game. The Iki Island expansion is worth the price of admission alone, providing another chunk of stunning Japanese landscape for Jin to explore, while also digging into the protagonist's past. A fantastic range of story missions and side quests make for a memorable offshore excursion, and put alongside the main campaign, Ghost of Tsushima now stands as a PS4 and PS5 must-buy.

As well as the main quest of finding each ghost, each location contains numerous mini spirits called Grenkins, which have you moving certain objects into particular positions in order to find them. It's a neat way of adding collectibles that has you using the core mechanic in a different way. There's also Mr. Whitstable's riddles, which add a little challenge to each level. He'll give you a set of clues, and they each pertain to a specific thing in that stage, and could be anywhere. Sometimes the clues are too obtuse, but with thorough exploration and a little lateral thinking, the riddles add some substance to a rather breezy game. Wonderful art and relaxing music make the cherry on top of a unique and heartfelt cake.

It doesn’t hurt that the game is designed with a confidence and flair we don’t often see in VR. Absolutely everything down to the menus has a level of swagger that makes for a stunning experience. Cel-shading works well in certain settings, and VR is absolutely one of them: it allows Fracked’s environments to have exponentially more detail and complexity than a similar game without cel-shading, adding much more life to the title's alpine mining facility.

A small range of unlockable augments do make things a touch more bearable, but Evan can barely activate a single skill before his implants start overheating and you're forced to stop what you're doing. We think Foreclosed is meant to be played like a run-and-gun, ability-popping shooter — but the execution misses the mark almost completely.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris is another great expansion that fans of the base game won't want to miss. However, unlike Wrath of the Druids, the second DLC's strength is rooted in its adaptation of the old Assassin's Creed formula. Black box assassination missions are the stars of the show, where stealth and deception are brought back into fashion. What's more, the story's darker tone makes for some memorable moments.

Equally impressive is the sheer volume of content at launch. With the benefit of a couple years worth of PC VR support, Synth Riders launches with 55 songs as the base experience, as well as an additional 25 tracks you can buy. And the actual music selection is phenomenal. While most of the other rhythm titles place a greater emphasis on EDM and dubstep and the like, Synth Riders – while it does include a little of this – sets its sights elsewhere. The emphasis is placed on synthwave, synthpop, and most curiously, electro-swing.

Hades has been a long time coming for PlayStation players, but the wait was certainly worth it. Supergiant's rogue-lite action title is every bit as good as you've heard, with its fast-paced combat, wonderful Boon system, and amazing story that's interlaced with the gameplay. It's a complex game, but not a complicated one; it's a brilliantly constructed thing that delivers in practically every department. Easily one of the best rogue-lite titles available, Hades lives up to the legend.

Overall, it's a chilled out game with personality and charm, but there's not much more to it than that. While you may enjoy exploring the town and meeting its residents, there isn't enough substance here to keep things interesting.

It takes obvious cues from Pokémon and other genre classics, but Dodgeball Academia is a great little RPG in its own right. Packed with charm and boasting a unique dodgeball-based battle system, it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable journey to the top.

For fans of storytelling, The Forgotten City is a solid recommendation. Freed from the shackles of Skyrim, the full game tells a captivating story elevated by clever and humorous writing. With the interesting time loop mechanic creating further situations full of comedy and intrigue, settling down across a few evenings with The Forgotten City will delight. We just wish the combat was either improved or not there at all, and the technical setbacks weren't quite so rampant.

Omno clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the all-time great that is Journey, and often feels very similar in terms of gameplay pacing and overall tone. Omno never quite reaches the same emotional highs as Journey, but in some ways, it does actually build upon its predecessor's groundwork, offering more opportunities for exploration and player freedom. Even if you're just mulling around an area, interacting with strange creatures and soaking up the vibes, there's a lot to like about this lovingly crafted title.

What The Falconeer offers is a remarkable open-world-ish experience, one that's all the more impressive given that it's (almost) entirely the work of one person. It's gorgeous to look at and polished as all-get-out, with a warmth and sense of familiarity to the proceedings that reminded us of the Bullfrog classic, Magic Carpet. It's a game that's very clearly cared about, a game whose systems intermingle cleverly, and one that doesn't give up its secrets easily in the slightest. Does it offer the adrenaline you’d expect from the freedom to fly and fight atop an enormous war-warbler? No, not really. But it’s still pretty falcon good.

Yet, even without save states, progression in Cotton Reboot! is accessible to shmup newcomers due to approachable difficulty options, and once you've beaten the 35-minute main game, there's replay value in unlocking new characters, and practicing techniques in two or five minute Time Attack modes to strive for online rankings.

The game's list of issues outside of its inventory is mercifully short. Climbing trees is janky, but the basic locomotion system – a mechanic where you ride stilts hand-made for the PS Move – is exquisite, so getting around is a breeze. The bigger concern – something that may well be fixed by the time you read this – lies with crashing. The pre-release version of the game we reviewed crashed a ludicrous number of times, and as this is a VR experience, it’s especially disruptive.

The story is slight, and possessed Dad – Jim Carver from The Bill for the 30-somethings among you – is more amusing than scary. The constraints of filming during a pandemic are clear – no two people are ever in the same room at the same time – and in terms of production values it's more school play than Hollywood. But Julie Dray is a sympathetic lead and the run time is barely an hour and change so it never has an opportunity to outstay its welcome.

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.

All gripes aside, if you’re a fan of JRPGs in general, particularly the urban sprawl and social checklists of Persona, you will absolutely love NEO: The World Ends With You. This property deserves a series as expansive as its Disney-sponsored big brother, and hopefully, this sequel and the connected anime series will justify a true current-gen instalment at some point in the future.

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.

Last Stop is all about the story, making its three storylines the centrepiece of the experience. Characters introduced by them quickly become staples as their personalities and unfortunate predicaments take hold, all the while the overall plot takes shape and builds to a crescendo. It's disappointing that the vast majority of your decisions have little to no impact, but the ride Last Stop takes you on is worthwhile regardless.

You’ll steadily gain access to new characters throughout your adventure. Not only are they wonderfully entertaining during the story, but they also have unique abilities in battle that can really mix up how you fight. It keeps the game feeling fresh and interesting throughout the 30 or so hours that it takes to reach its conclusion.

There's a fair amount of side-quest stuff to do such as playing mini-games in the maid café or helping out locals with their problems, although none of it is particularly innovative or memorable. There are also loads of different quirky weapons and hundreds of different clothing options to collect. Roaming around Akihabara while wielding a keyboard and wearing a Gundam cosplay made out of cardboard boxes is kinda fun, despite how average the game is overall.

Watch Dogs Legion is a better game these days, and Bloodline manages to build a stronger narrative out of its various mechanics and gameplay systems. It’s more of the same under the surface, but playable characters Aiden and Wrench bring new enjoyment to the core campaign and evolving online modes, while simultaneously padding out the series’ overall lore with their own storyline.

With a bunch of smart additions, F1 2021 is a cracking simulator for both die-hard fans and newcomers. The Braking Point story mode doesn't have a particularly compelling narrative, but it's a brilliant gateway into the motorsport and a primer for the wider game. Two Player Career, the Expert driving style, Real Season Start, and more make this the most customisable and accessible iteration yet, allowing you to play how you like across the game's excellent career options. Of course, the driving itself seals the deal, and it's a winner on that front. This is a no-brainer for F1 fans, but it's also a fantastic entry for newbie drivers to start with.

Rebellion and Just Add Water’s made a fine effort at bringing Sniper Elite to PSVR. By offering a full-sized original campaign, more authentic weapon handling, and ample replayability, it’s a strong debut for this established series into first-person territory. Though motion controls feel fiddly at times and the PS Move controllers do the experience a disservice, it’s a great adaptation worth looking into.

Gameplay is unchanged, retaining the linear nature that guides you through a crafted campaign full of surprises and standout sequences. The English army of 1348 and rodent infantry burrowing underground create environmental puzzles with inventive solutions while combat is almost always a life or death situation. Miss your shot and doom is likely right around the corner. But so too is one of the most underrated experiences of the past few years. A Plague Tale: Innocence has always been a great game. PS5 makes it that little bit better.

Simply put, The Procession to Calvary is a great little game. As a point and click adventure, it ticks all the right boxes, delivering interesting scenarios, fun characters, and satisfying "eureka!" moments. But it's the collaged art that elevates the experience, and it's all topped off with some wonderful comedy.

Needless to say, you probably won't be playing Legend of Mana for the plot, but there's a charm to how carefree the game feels. You'll stumble across character-driven side quests that open up new paths through the world, and there are loads of different locations to discover and explore. Honestly, it's a difficult game to explain in just a handful paragraphs, but know that there's fun to be had in its lack of structure.

Doki Doki Literature Club is still a fantastic visual novel, but the Plus version on PS5 struggles to find a purpose besides being a new way to play the original. Existing fans will appreciate some of the new content, such as the side stories and concept art, but locking the content behind multiple playthroughs of a game that loses its appeal after the first time around is a tough pill to swallow. On the other hand, newcomers have no reason to play this version instead of the freeware PC release, since some core PC features were compromised for this port. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is still a great experience that should be played by anyone remotely interested, but this specific version struggles to be a worthwhile purchase for any fan, new or old.

Dark Alliance is a game that seems destined to be forgotten, which is a shame because there's a lot of old-school PS2-style fun to be had. Once split screen is patched in we can see ourselves going back to it regularly in order to relive those couch co-op days of yore, though the game is enjoyable solo as well if you choose your difficulty setting wisely. It's nothing to set the world on fire but it's a perfectly enjoyable throwback to dungeon crawling hack-and-slash classics that'll work for you all the more if you've got a group of friends who yearn to go back in time to a simpler experience. Future content updates will only improve Dark Alliance and we'd urge you to give it a try for yourself.

Scarlet Nexus is an enjoyable, polished action RPG, but despite its interesting concepts and setting, it all feels a bit stunted. An intriguing plot is hampered by sloppy storytelling, and the combat system is good fun, but it loses its edge long before the credits roll. If you can play past the game's flaws, there's a lot to like about the brain punk world of Scarlet Nexus — just don't expect it to rewire your own grey matter.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a great looking remake of a terrible game. Level design is dated, bosses are completely luck based and all the hitboxes just feel off. There is a reason that Sonic took over as SEGA’s mascot because no remake can change the fact that Alex Kidd’s first adventure is incredibly frustrating and poorly designed.

The end result is a vastly improved version of what is by far the best title set in Dmitry Glukhovsky’s apocalyptic Russia – even if the voice work, in English at least, is uneven to put it kindly.

Guilty Gear Strive is a different kind of Guilty Gear. Veteran players may not appreciate some of the changes, but there's no denying that this is still an exceptional fighting game. On a mechanical level, Strive is immensely satisfying and hugely rewarding. On a visual level, it's quite simply unmatched in its genre, and the same can be said of its outstanding online netcode. Where it matters, Strive is a borderline masterpiece.

The game is stunning to behold, but frame hitches are common – especially on the 4K option. The combat is exhilarating, but the jumping and sliding puzzles leave a lot to be desired. The end result is an experience that is decent at just about everything, and easy to recommend. But as good as Fallen Order may be, if you look backwards in time, it’s not difficult to find superior Star Wars experiences.

The overall effect is pretty strong. The lovely presentation pairs nicely with the melancholic story, and you're left with a short but atmospheric and intriguing adventure.

An indie adventure with the confidence of heavy hitters like Undertale, Chicory: A Colorful Tale is one hell of a pleasant surprise that excels on every level it is possible to do so. Would it be too hackneyed to say it belongs in an art gallery?

Our only criticism is that the gameplay hasn’t quite made the transition to pancake play perfectly; looking at objects made sense on PSVR, but is odd in a more traditional medium. You get used to it quickly, though, and from there the rewarding loop hooks you in.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is the best way to experience the return of Cloud and company. Remake remains a game of ups and downs in terms of quality, but by the time the credits roll, its most memorable moments shine through — of which there are many. Meanwhile, Episode INTERmission won't blow anyone's mind, but it's an enjoyable adventure that slots neatly into the existing story, and fans won't want to miss it.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection brings a trio of Ryu Hayabusa's adventures to modern systems, and that in itself is worth celebrating. The quality of the individual games does vary a fair bit, though, with Sigma 2 the best of the bunch. However, bringing them together is highly skill-based combat that rewards real mastery, and it remains pretty unique among modern action titles. While not without their flaws, there's still plenty to love about these PS3-era slash-'em-ups

Unsurprisingly, there's humour throughout, made evident by one Trophy tasking you to beat up the Easter Bunny to avenge Brodie. The route to a Platinum via 21 Trophy targets also seems like plain sailing, but once you realise that 0.0% of players have been able to 'Clear hard mode in one run without a Game Over', you'll recognise that you mightn't see the sailboat everyone keeps talking about. Perhaps if you wished that Double Dragon IV followed in the first two arcade games' presentation style, then Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl's 8-bit throwback approach is not for you. Regardless, for those of us who crave more in the same vein of Technōs NES bickety bam beat-'em-ups, then playing Mall Brawl may just be your retro Wolvie berserk style. What else are we gonna do? Snootchie Bootchies!

The Pro Leader mode allows you to create your own cyclist, and focus on the discipline you want to specialise in, whether it’s sprinting or climbing. Levelling up is vague and feels unsatisfying, however, and the whole package lacks the layer of gloss you’ve probably come to expect from other more popular sports games. This is a surprisingly tactical title overall, though, and it does bring something different to the genre. If you’re looking for a different kind of sports game, this could be worth shaving your legs for.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the best game in the series since Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, which franchise fans will recognise as high praise. The familiar combat is elevated by outstanding DualSense implementation, while Insomniac Games’ imaginative gameplay design keeps each planet interesting and engaging. It’s not a particularly challenging platformer, nor is it necessarily all that original – but it doesn’t need to be. This is one of those games that’s just really, really good.

Ultimately, World Brothers is a good introduction for newcomers that’ll appeal to long-time fans too. It’s not especially deep and solo play can feel slightly repetitive in longer stints, but if you gather a few friends, you’ll have a lot of fun with this colourful spinoff.

With limp scares, crummy puzzles, and a clumsy story, Song of Horror feels painfully out of tune

Mighty Goose is a chaotic side-scrolling shooter in which you play as a cybernetically enhanced goose. This particularly aggressive bird is an intergalactic bounty hunter, and the game's loose plot takes you to a number of sci-fi locales as Goose brings justice to the baddies. It's all suitably dumb right from the word go, and the game can be an absolute blast once you're in the zone.

It packs quite a lot in to its short runtime, with plenty of variety making for a unique set of levels. The game does struggle with frame rate here and there, especially playing as the agent, but it generally looks and sounds good, and the Hint system is a nice touch if you need a pointer or two. Despite some small setbacks, Operation: Tango is well worth a try if you're after a co-op kick.

Seeing these ideas come to life and work is such a satisfying accomplishment. The mechanics are so compelling, that the proposition of removing the headset is a sad one. We were utterly engrossed, and definitely wanted more once we made our way through the game’s 60 puzzles.

Necromunda: Hired Gun will need a lot of work to get it into a state anywhere close to one we could recommend playing. Actually activating aim assist shouldn't be a tall order, but the same cannot be said of the abysmal frame rate and long list of glitches and issues. Without them, the game could be considered somewhat average. With them, we question how Necromunda: Hired Gun was allowed to ship on PS5 in the first place.

You can float about and gather materials as you please, which is pleasant, but the game doesn't quite have enough to hold your interest. Sadly, the story aspect falls a bit flat — the main thread is interesting but the writing isn't particularly engaging, and any cutscenes lack impact. Overall, the game is a tranquil journey through a unique world, but it doesn't quite have the narrative pull or gameplay bite that it needs.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a fantastic remake. While the save system feels as though it is painfully stuck in the past, every other aspect of the game is lovingly remade. For newcomers and longtime fans alike, this is a great adventure that you will certainly fall in love with.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the remastered collection that the trilogy deserves. Playing these games back-to-back showcases the immensely impressive scope of BioWare's series — an ambitious project the likes of which we haven't seen since. In some ways, all three titles are showing their age — but excellent character writing and exceptional world building make this a timeless trilogy. An emotional and truly memorable experience, from start to finish.

Viewed as a traditional 32 game retro collection, there's value in journeying through PS4 Capcom Arcade Stadium's history from 1984 to 2001. It's a pleasure to revel in the origins of CP System, as it evolved from CPS-1 to CPS-2. There's a celebratory feel in the balance between Pack 1 and 2's popular hits, alongside Pack 3's cult favourites, plus targeting leaderboards to achieve Timed and Score Challenges is addictive when earning CASPO to reach a higher Class. As Zac Zinger's infectious song, A Brand New Day, plays over Capcom Arcade Stadium's title screen, there's a party vibe to dancing between game selections, especially when discovering Pack 3's superb, less widely available shmups like CAVE's Progear.

While Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice is a solid point-and-click game, the game alienates new players, and massive control issues ultimately sour a decent experience. Newcomers should steer clear of this entry if they have any interest in the series, but for core Leisure Suit Larry fans, it might be worth checking out this otherwise solid entry on another platform.

There's so much exploding clothing in this game that you'd be forgiven for thinking it's another instalment in the Senran Kagura series. Fortunately (or, depending on your opinion, unfortunately) it's just the unbelievably fragile armour of enduring Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection protagonist, Sir Arthur.

Knockout City is a brilliant multiplayer brawler. Its well-balanced, skill-based gameplay is a joy, providing players with surprising depth just beneath the surface. While the number of maps and modes on day one is fairly small, the fun factor means this doesn't really matter, and updates will bring extra content to the game post-launch anyway. With a ton of customisation options, rewarding progression, and constantly engaging matches, this is knockout by name, knockout by nature.

The RPG elements mean you'll nearly always be making some forward momentum. Finding treasure, sinking ships, and completing missions rewards you with XP, and you can upgrade and customise various parts of your boat to ensure your vessel is ship-shape. What's more, each town has its own side missions to tackle, and a market where you can trade goods in a shifting economy. These parts of the game are its strengths, but working through somewhat confusing menus and engaging in predictable battles take the wind out of its sails.

Rust Console Edition is punishing and a real test of your resolve. The game’s persistent online world – which continues to exist even when you’re offline – paired with its rewarding survival loop make it hard to get out of your head, however. The ephemeral nature of your progress means it’s oddly unique, and the human interactions you’ll encounter along the way give the title limitless replayability and unpredictability. Yes, it looks like garbage and is clearly in need of a patch or 10,000 – but even now, as we write this, we can’t help but wonder whether someone’s blown the door off our base and is rifling through our belongings.

Biomutant could have been something special, but the ambitious project fails to capitalise on what it does differently. Trapped in the clutches of an open world from a generation past, its own ideas are thwarted by an overload of other mechanics and overwhelming menus. By trying to do so much, Biomutant skipped the part where it built a solid basis to work from. While there's still potential here, Experiment 101's first attempt hasn't realised it.

While the levels make no logical sense in true retro shooter fashion, they do make game sense, all having clearly defined layouts that expertly navigate you through some truly massive environments. One standout is an entire level that takes place within a canyon, with a foreboding level of verticality. The design knows just which cues to provide you, and actually finding where to go is no more challenging than with any other modern game. While many of the environments rely heavily on white tiled walls, as you progress further outside, more colour breathes life into the world, a most welcome change.

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.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster offers something a bit different here in 2021. By today's standards it's a very hardcore, old school RPG; an adventure that's both unwelcoming and uniquely intriguing — even engrossing once you're invested. But it's also a cult classic that deserves more than this barebones remaster, which does very little to enhance the overall experience — especially for its price tag at release.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends should be applauded for doing something different. In a just world, this release would steal players from larger brands and establish itself as a unique online alternative – but right now, its community is small. Assuming you can find a match, the stealth-based competitive gameplay is refreshing, and while it’s not without its drawbacks, it can be seriously satisfying when you work as a team to achieve your objectives unnoticed. There’s huge potential here, Sumo Newcastle just needs to find a way to keep its playerbase engaged.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids is one of the series' best expansions. In its beautiful but sombre open world depiction of Ireland, it provides an intriguing story that combines history and folklore to great effect. A range of new weapons and armour sets help sweeten the deal, while more engaging combat scenarios keep you on your toes. If you're already a fan of Valhalla, this Emerald Isle adventure is very hard to fault.

Not everyone will warm up to Subnautica: Below Zero, but it’s an unquestionably rewarding release once you begin to get a foothold into the frigid foray. The game’s constantly tantalising you with new, exciting equipment, and its otherworldly ocean is an immersive environment in which to spend your time. A lack of landmarks mean that it can be a little too easy to get lost, and the story is light and largely uninteresting – but if the act of building an underwater base appeals to you, then this PS5 sequel unquestionably has strong foundations.

Aesthetically, the game looks really pretty and is totally evocative of its 1930s setting. The game is plagued with hammy dialogue that makes it feel totally campy and like an old B-movie, but not altogether terrible when coupled with the Lovecraftian influence it draws on. Call of the Sea is a mostly fun puzzle game that falls short on the mystery it tries to have you unveil. While it looks aesthetically pleasing and ticks a lot of boxes for its period setting, the story is lacklustre and predictable.

Terminator: Resistance Enhanced is a decent looking PS3 game that’s 10 years too late. It adds little value to the disappointing original release, and will only please hardcore fans of the movies.

Wreckfest just fully embraces what it is, and you have to respect it. Bugbear's brash, fender-bending racer has been unleashed on PlayStation 5 as part of May's PlayStation Plus lineup, and it's still very much the chaotic, crash-happy, Destruction Derby-esque experience people love. In the jump to new hardware, the game definitely benefits in a few areas, though some enhancements are better than others.

But at least in terms of content, The Colonists has plenty for you to do. There's a campaign made up 14 missions — essentially tasking you with colonising different locations. Meanwhile, sandbox mode lets you choose a map, tweak various gameplay settings, and play however you like. We especially enjoyed messing around in the latter once the campaign had shown us the ropes, and taking things at our own pace.

While the Resident Evil series has been on a high for a number of years now, Resident Evil Village sets an entirely new standard. Its cast of villains is up there with the very best, memorable sequences and gameplay sections beg to be played over and over again, and a sense of constant dread created by the atmosphere and soundtrack keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even the combat is solid this time around and the lengths Capcom has gone to take advantage of the PS5 pays off with impressive Ray-Tracing. Does it better Resident Evil 4? Maybe not, but it's damn close. Real damn close. Resident Evil Village is an essential playthrough for anyone with even a passing interest in the franchise.

Aesthetically, Skate City fares well. The visuals are simple, but Snowman has nailed the grunge look that the sport is known for. The original score is excellent, and soaking up its relaxing lo-fi beats makes even the most frustrating challenges enjoyable. Unfortunately, the three courses are a tad too realistic and end up feeling interchangeable. However, the addition of a slow-mo function and a dynamic camera make capturing your tricks to craft your own videos a neat additional feature. Take the time to master it, and there's fun to be had in this city.

Ultimately, R-Type Final 2 is exactly what you’d expect a sequel to R-Type Final to be like. It certainly doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel, and some may be a little underwhelmed by the fact that it lacks any massive gameplay changes from previous instalments in the franchise. Still, that’s rather missing the point; games like this aren’t as common as they once were and getting a shmup of such quality in 2021 is truly something to celebrate.

Housemarque has delivered the PS5 promise with Returnal. All the console's bells and whistles enhance the experience, making this a real showpiece for the hardware. But more than that, the game is a force to be reckoned with; the breathless combat, super slick gameplay, and the subtle but unsettling story combine for an experience of surprising scale. Rogue-lite aspects mean it won't gel with everyone, but for those looking for a challenging, addictive arcade shooter, this comes highly recommended.

There's replay value to be found in the Hard difficulty setting, or chasing 29 Trophies for a Platinum, as well as an unlockable New Game+ challenge. Yet, even the inclusion of an extra Infinite Mode highlights how the core gameplay becomes repetitive, plus the four main areas of Arcade Mode can be beaten in less than an hour. If the idea of exploring to save villagers reminds you fondly of Zombies Ate My Neighbors, or perhaps you remember isometric arcade brawlers like Dungeon Magic and Wizard Fire, then the nostalgia conjured up from Battle Axe mixing together two formidable old genres may still hack-and-slash its way into your heart.

While playing as someone not in the driver’s seat is a novel idea, Hitchhiker struggles to create an enjoyable gameplay experience. While the story is engaging, the game’s technical issues, inconsistent puzzle difficulty, and overall monotonous gameplay makes this a better movie than a game. If you are looking for a game that has you playing a more interactive experience, you should steer clear from Hitchhiker.

NieR Replicant remains a memorable and affecting action RPG. Elements of its PS3-era design really haven't aged well, but this remade remaster does a lot to enhance the experience. Incredibly tight and responsive gameplay, tied together with a touching tale of uniquely oddball characters, makes for an adventure that stands the test of time.

Judgment is a truly gripping detective thriller, and it plays better than ever on PS5. As a standalone adventure, it's an excellent action RPG, boasting some outstanding storytelling and a brilliant cast of characters. And as a Yakuza spinoff, it's arguably the perfect gateway into SEGA's stellar series.