And yet despite its inclusion of uplifting yet ultimately vapid inspirational statements, the whole thing comes across as cynical to us. The developer’s dreamed up an agreeable yet largely mediocre Trials clone and stroked the egos of a bunch of influencers in order to give it a cast of characters that a terrifying number of children will be attracted to. On the one hand, you’ve got to respect the hustle of the studio, finding a way to make its otherwise unremarkable title stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, Holly H has to be unlocked, and we’re not sure we’ll ever forgive for the company for that.

Astro’s Playroom is deserving of every single superlative you’re likely to hear associated with it. As a platformer, it’s a varied and entertaining experience that’s constantly introducing new and exciting ideas over the course of its campaign. And as a DualSense tech demo, it’s similarly effective at showcasing the power and potential of Sony’s new hardware. But perhaps above all, this is a love letter to the legacy of PlayStation, and it feels fitting that as we enter an exciting new chapter from an undeniably iconic gaming brand, we take a moment to remember the milestones that got us to this point.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is effortlessly cool. The overall gameplay structure may prove samey for those who failed to fall in love with Insomniac Games’ previous effort, but everyone else will have a blast with this generous spin-off story. Great characters, tons of activities, and some epic set-piece moments round out a must play superhero romp – and with the developer on this kind of form, we can’t wait to see more of the full-scale sequel that it’s inevitably cooking up.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered brings back a fantastic arcade racing game, and is still brilliant fun 10 years down the line. Autolog feels right at home in 2020, and the over-the-top cops vs. racers gameplay is a blast. While the remaster itself is a little underwhelming, and some of the original title's issues remain, this is nonetheless a great game for petrol heads and adrenaline junkies everywhere.

DIRT 5 sees the franchise drift back to an arcadey experience, and it's a great success. Despite some technical issues here and there, this is a rock-solid off-road racing game from top to bottom. Brilliant handling, festival-style presentation, and a wide variety of ways to play make this one of 2020's standout racing games. If you've missed the showy style of DIRTs 2 and 3, you're in for a treat.

All The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope wants to be is the popcorn flick of the horror genre. And despite an ending that robs some merit from the experience and intruding load screens, the game achieves that. An interesting cast of characters lends weight and impact to your decisions while the story itself intrigues and surprises. Perfect for an unsettling night in? You got that right.

The monster designs are particularly wacky and memorable. It’s not often that you’ll have to save the world by fighting zombie pensioners and demonic-looking Humpty Dumpty's. Undead Darlings isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself and, minor gameplay annoyances aside, the strong writing and compelling characters make this one worth checking out.

Considering the potential Watch Dogs Legion was packing prior to launch, the final release can only be chalked up as an anticlimax. Its "play as anyone" concept doesn't lend itself well to the sort of experience Ubisoft has crafted with seriously lacklustre character options and a narrative that went down the drain as a result. While longtime fans may find its recycled gameplay loop just enough of a reason to keep playing, those enamoured with the possibility of playing as anyone and everyone will wish they never bothered. Watch Dogs Legion is the dullest of the lot.

Each chapter of Stories Untold is framed like an episode of a Twilight Zone-style anthology television show, replete with a killer John Carpenter-esque synth-backed intro. It pays more than a passing nod to the introduction to hit show Stranger Things, but it's undeniably cool, and we'd love to see an Untold Stories 2 that continued the theme, only with a more consistent episode quality.

The game doesn't get everything right. Menus and UI are a little clumsy, and you're unlikely to feel attached to any of the teams in the career mode. However, it has it where it counts — fun, speedy racing, lots to do, and a CoLD SToRAGE soundtrack. WipEout fans looking for a new entry: this is as close as you'll find.

On its own, Trails of Cold Steel IV is far from being the best game in the series, but as a conclusion to an epic story with characters that have long since won us over, it's a fitting finale. Class VII remains one of the most endearing groups in gaming, and although they demand so much of your time across four whole games, both the journey and the eventual payoff has been worth it. When packaged together with Cold Steel I, II, and III, this is easily one of the most engrossing RPG sagas of our time.

The map-moving puzzles are only part of the appeal. A real strength of Carto is its cast of NPCs, written with real warmth and charm. The world they inhabit is also surprisingly well fleshed out, even though you can breeze through it in six or seven hours. This is a puzzle game, but it also tells a sweet, worthwhile tale about tradition and companionship. Combined with lovely visuals and chilled out music, this is a refreshing, relaxing game that's worth marking on your map.

NHL 21 is absolutely a step forward. We won’t be able to see if this improvement is a one-time thing until next year, but as it stands, this final release of the generation is also its best in that span. With a long-overdue update to the Be a Pro mode, alongside the pretty fun HUT Rush and the changes to Franchise, the series took a bigger step forward than it normally does. Sure, there’s a give and take quality to many of the alterations, but the overall product is a net positive. It won’t be scooping up an endless stream of awards any time soon, but this series has been in far worse shape in the past.

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One is so much more of the PS4's best first-person shooter. It doesn't do anything dramatically different from the base game, rather letting its phenomenal gameplay loop revel in new environments and against new enemies. Difficulty spikes present more problems than we'd like, though, to the point where casual players might feel like giving up. Nevertheless, bring on Part Two.

Gameplay is where things start to rot, though. Combat devolves to waiting for an enemy's green outline and then spamming X to send your zombies in for the kill. There's not much more strategy to engagements than that, really, although you can opt to regain some lost health by consuming a bad guy's brains before they kick the bucket. There are batteries to find to increase your health, and gravestones to read, but the levels themselves bounce from small combat zones to simple puzzles. Unfortunately, poor performance means controls are sluggish and the frame rate dips like mad when the screen is busy. There's some fun to be extracted from this, especially given that Halloween is upon us, but sadly this is a game that won't live long in the memory.

The game’s dedication to conveying noteworthy and interesting information about Zodiac is commendable, though if you read every single thing you find, you’ll easily spend more than half of your playthrough just reading collectibles. Far too much information is isolated to the semi-functional menus, which in many cases don’t scroll properly or don’t bring up the correct information. Functionality in general is an issue, and it interferes with some of the game’s best features. The dream environments have a fantastic mood to them, between lots of fog, and low, rumbling musical cues. But the filters have a tendency to break, and the only discernible way to fix it is to fumble into walls until Zodiac catches you and you restart. And that’s to say nothing of the insane amount of screen-tearing that happens on nearly every texture for every frame, which the developer promises will be getting a fix in the near future. Ultimately the game feels like the first draft of a really great idea. Add some polish, and we’d love to see what it could become.

There's a bunch of minor technical problems, and a recurring annoyance in which you're often given your next location at the end of a conversation, meaning you've got to just sit there hovering waiting for them to tell you where to go rather than telling you first and then talking on the way. But at least you've got sweet tunes to listen to as you drive in the form of Cloudpunk's stellar synth soundtrack.

For the few things Amnesia: Rebirth gets right, there is a mountain of reasons why it feels like Frictional Games is still stuck in 2010. This hide and seek style of gameplay has long outstayed its welcome and the game doesn't do enough to lessen the disappointing impact that brings. It's heartbreaking to say, but after the fantastic SOMA, maybe the Swedish developer shouldn't have bothered returning to what it thinks it knows best.

Each of the games are fun for what they are, but unfortunately there's just not quite enough going on. The rounds are over quickly, and there's not a huge variety, meaning you'll probably have your fill before long. It's a well crafted game that looks and sounds great, but there just isn't an awful lot to sink your teeth into. For an evening or two of candy-flavoured fun playing online or off, this is an entertaining treat — it's just something you'll want to snack on sparingly.

Stop us if you've heard this one before: FIFA 21 isn't a huge upgrade on FIFA 20, but a boatload of small improvements do help it rise above its predecessor. The on-pitch action arguably feels more arcadey than it has done in years, but there's no denying the excitement that comes with playing through a 5-4 thriller. FIFA is still king in delivering a robust and accessible footballing package, but the series needs to step up its game on PS5 — particularly when it comes to presentation.

This is the same old Torchlight, but somewhat diminished. Classes are full of character and lots of fun to play, while Relic abilities encourage experimentation and significantly change combat. However, there's nothing especially new or exciting about this third instalment.

There's almost too much to talk about with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, but rest assured that this is a return to form for the series. It might be tough, even a little mean at times, but this is the proper sequel fans have been asking for. With so much to see and do, this is a stylish, confident 3D platformer that brings Crash back at his best.

Star Wars: Squadrons has its heart in the right place and a comprehensive, in-depth set of flight mechanics go a long way towards realising that childhood dream of piloting an X-Wing. It achieves the vision in some ways, but in others, the package lacks excitement and content. While excellent PSVR support will be enough for some, a boring story and inadequate multiplayer modes leave a lot to be desired.

Genshin Impact is well worth a download. Based on our time with the release, this could easily be one of the PS4's best free-to-play titles. Yes, there are a lot of characters and items locked behind the game's gatcha system, but what's here for free is undeniably impressive. [Hands-On]

There are several issues though and its biggest one regards movement, which offers three options: teleportation, swinging the PlayStation Move controller, or a smooth option reliant on button pressing. None of them click perfectly and adding to this, character models look a bit rough. If you can get past these flaws, Onslaught is ultimately enjoyable, bringing good combat and rebuilding Alexandria is quite fun. If you’re a fan of the TV series, this is worth a look.

Going Under is a roguelite that ditches some of the genre's usual depth in favour of a compelling satirical tale. It won't last you too long, but there's enough here to hold your interest as you delve into some truly unique dungeons. Though it isn't the best dungeon crawler, it's certainly one of the most unusual, and we love it for that.

It’s just a shame that the campaign only lasts a few hours, though there is a separate arcade mode to keep players busy. If you can look past that issue, Budget Cuts is a fantastic experience that all PSVR owners should play. Offering an engaging and fully immersive experience, we can only hope the sequel also makes its way to PSVR in good time.

Re-Reckoning isn't a great remaster, but there's no denying that Kingdoms of Amalur is still a lot of fun to play. Its action-based combat has stood the test of time, and exploring its often whimsical world is enjoyable. If you can look past the clunky presentation and fairly frequent bugs, you'll find an ample high fantasy adventure.

Port Royale 4's gameplay consists almost entirely of all of the bits in other strategy games that you'd normally set to "Automate" because they're fiddly and boring. It's a game set in the era of pirates with nary a hint of swashing nor buckling. It's like if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was just three hours of Captain Jack Sparrow filing his tax returns. Yes, we know that somebody, somewhere, must have been filling in the paperwork back in those days, but we just don't want it to be us.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a remake more faithful than Mafia: Definitive Edition. It pays a great deal of respect to the source text with excellent cutscene direction, voice acting, and a cast of characters you can't help but fall in love with. The game definitely shows its age with frustrating controls and vehicle handling, but the next story beat is enough of an excuse to continue pressing forward. Mafia: Definitive Edition's narrative and everything that comes with it holds up to this day, and it's one worth revisiting even if you know it like the back of your hand.

The shooting still feels decent, particularly when playing with a higher framerate, but the time to kill on even basic soldiers feels ludicrously high. And the “stealth” mechanics are miserable to fight with. You can be unmoving and invisible 50 metres from an enemy, and every now and again the game just decides they see you anyways. It’s impossible to actually rely on stealth for anything other than emergencies. Juggling all the powers of your suit as well as energy consumption remains a bright point, though. Do you want to get somewhere faster or in better health? These split-second decisions were great then, and they are still.

Versus adds a competitive edge to things, Quick tasks you with getting to the next station as fast as possible, while Sandbox lets you play with unlocked upgrades without risk of failure. That's about all there is to it — it's a very straightforward game with a neat central idea. The only real trouble is that, due to a lack of real depth, this probably won't last you very long. If there was a little more to it, it'd be easier to recommend, but it's certainly worth a quick trip.

Tennis World Tour 2 captures the flow of real-world tennis well, but that comes with a steep timing-based learning curve. Overcome it, and you’ll be rewarded with a deep skill-based gameplay experience, that’s elevated by a strategic deck building accompaniment. There’s inconsistency to the presentation, with some awkward animations, physics, and art direction decisions – but the campaign is entertaining and online play will add longevity. As it stands, it’s the best tennis game currently available on the PS4, but there’s still room for further improvement here.

Spelunky 2 betters its predecessor in just about every area. Push through its tough outer shell and you'll discover a fantastic platformer well worth your time. More stuffed with secrets than ever and fleshing out the formula with all kinds of new additions, this is a rich and addictive roguelike with so much to unearth.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a game that seems like it exists purely to house its storefront, offering predatory microtransactions which would be overly pricy in a free-to-play game. In a paid title - even a budget one - they're offensive. The only silver lining here is that the game is rubbish anyway, so feel free to skip it without feeling like you're missing out.

Konami is effectively taking a year off because it knows it has the basis of something special here and it wants to ensure it makes an effective transition to the PlayStation 5; we can respect that. But with barely any changes and the abovementioned licensing shortcomings, we’d recommend you just pick up last year’s game for a couple o' quid instead.

Sadly, Bounty Battle plays about as well as it looks. The goal is to empty the health bar of your enemies, but character animations are so basic and stunted that it's near impossible to tell what's going on — especially during three or four player fights. The controls are responsive enough, but the release is riddled with stuttering issues on PS4 — combat just never feels smooth, and that's a nail in the coffin of any fighting game.

Perhaps our favourite thing about the expansion is that it gives your crew a little more room to breathe. A lot of new dialogue has been recorded for Peril on Gorgon, and your allies chime in throughout the DLC's main quest, which lasts a reasonable six to eight hours or so.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a phenomenal visual novel — and a surprisingly great strategy game. In trying something different, Vanillaware has crafted one of its best games yet. It's got an engrossing story that's absolutely packed with mind-blowing twists and endearing characters, all wrapped up in a gorgeous visual style. Don't sleep on 13 Sentinels — it's one of 2020's finest.

Then there's the level design. Intended to be somewhat open ended, each environment has dead ends with no reward, and it's never totally clear exactly where you're meant to go. Visually the game is okay but there are some bizarre effects happening that make certain characters and objects look blurry. Overall, it's just not particularly well made; music will drop out occasionally, some collectibles aren't fully explained, the writing isn't good, and it's awkward to control. Add onto all that the strange dual design that has you happily catching fireflies one minute and shooting ants until they explode the next, and we're not sure who this game is for. You may derive some pleasure from its sheer oddness, but that's about it.

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.

In pursuing pro players, NBA 2K21 may be a little too intimidating for more casual players. Nevertheless, this is an obscenely detailed simulation that captures the ebb-and-flow of real-world basketball with unrivalled authenticity. It’s also enormous, and while some aspects have been left untouched, the likeable story and revamped MyTeam modes mean that it’s worth the upgrade. The in-game economy, which is heavily influenced by lucrative microtransactions, continues to be a sour spot – and it remains to be seen how much life this release will have with a next-gen successor right around the corner. Still, even with all of these drawbacks, it’s comfortably one of the best sports games available on the PS4.

Hotshot Racing is an unapologetic return to arcade action, and it's brilliant fun. This game's charming retro aesthetic, sweeping powerslides, and glorious handling are a constant joy, and a perfect antithesis to the myriad simulators on PS4. Some might find the courses don't provide much of a challenge, and we'd gladly have taken a little more content, but you'll be hard pushed to find a better example of straight-up arcade racing this generation.

Intertial Drift offers a fun variation on drift racing with a broad level of challenge. A great visual style and plenty to do distract from the somewhat low-budget execution.

Marvel's Avengers' least advertised aspect turns out to be its greatest asset, and it's exactly what hardcore fans were craving the most. The story and everything that comes with it is a real highlight, allowing the exceptional Kamala Khan to take the lead and bring with her enjoyable combat systems and fun parkour. The shocking framerate, along with bugs and glitches, should be fixed in the near future, but it's what the game has you do after the credits roll that quickly becomes its biggest downfall. Marvel's Avengers has a single player campaign that thoroughly excites, surprises, and delights. What follows brings it crashing back down to Earth.

Vicarious Visions has produced another excellent remake with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. It brings those PS1 classics to the modern era with a wonderful visual upgrade, rock solid performance, and all the features you'd expect of a game released in 2020. Most importantly, though, it retains the specific feel of the franchise at its best, delivering an addictive, fast-paced, arcade-like experience. Old fans can rest easy knowing that the Tony Hawk games are back on form, while new players can dive into the skateboarding world for the first time. This game is sick, bro.

If you’re already a fan of Alan Wake, this is a brilliant experience that provides more juicy tidbits from the beloved property. If you’re new to Alan Wake, though, this is not the right starting point. Wait for the –hopefully – PS5 remaster and then come back to AWE after that.

Wasteland 3 is a fantastic post-apocalyptic RPG. Great writing, satisfying, tactical combat, and a world full of memorable characters and meaningful player choice make this a no-brainer for fans of the genre. If you can look past the bugs, there's so much to love about this deliciously dark humoured excursion.

Being able to wield a lightsaber and deflect laser blasts, or pull a Stormtrooper up close to skewer them, carries an appropriate amount of weight, and there are many moments where the trappings of VR fade away, and you feel completely integrated into the Star Wars universe. These transcendent moments are many, and when this experience is firing on all cylinders, it’s truly special. As a stepping stone for a more expansive follow-up, there is much reason for excitement looking ahead.

This is really more of a puzzle and exploration-based game, but fights do work well where they are included. Sadly, at the time of review, the game is still a bit glitchy, with bugs, lag, and slight screen interference dampening the experience. However, this is an otherwise solid and enjoyable action-adventure, with an excellent central mechanic. If you’re a fan of the genre, you could do a lot worse than picking up Ary and the Secret of Seasons. After all, ‘tis always the season for adventure.

Nexomon: Extinction can be surprisingly brutal. Healing items are costly and money is in short supply. Combine that with opponents who level up alongside you, and simple exploration becomes a bit of a chore as you're forced to return to town for some free medical attention. In a game that's all about grinding with your favourite monsters, the balance feels totally out of whack at times. But with a sensible update or two, Nexomon: Extinction could evolve into a much more enticing experience. It's never going to have the charm of Pokémon, but it could yet be a decent alternative.

It appears content to recycle the same sort of brain teasers we've been solving for years now, but it does so in such a chill manner that maybe it doesn't matter quite as much as usual. Your puzzling capabilities will be tested the more you progress, although tranquillity always remains at the heart of the experience.

WRC 9 continues the series' hot run of form with another year of keen improvements to handling, lighting, and layout design. With tons of content across a variety of multiplayer modes and timed challenges, it offers plenty to keep you returning for more. However, WRC 9 is at its finest as a single player rally game, offering the best rally career mode available. Despite a few rough edges, this offers some of the most compelling rally driving we’ve come across this generation. Given the level of competition, this is no mean feat.

Madden NFL 21 is stagnant, and while football fans will find things to enjoy, it’s not like there’s an alternative option available. The Yard is a genuinely promising addition, and we’re looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the course of this season – and future games. But an embarrassing story and an untouched Franchise mode mean that it’s the only real reason to upgrade. And while Madden Ultimate Team continues to be a time sink, the stale state of the on-field simulation means that this year’s game fails to find its intended receiver.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is a bit like when you fancy watching a game of footy but there's only the Scottish league on the telly. Sure, it looks like football to the untrained eye, and yes, occasionally it's entertaining just like real football, but you're mainly there hoping that someone is going to get chinned.

There's still a memorable, charming adventure to be had in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition, but the complete lack of local co-op cripples the game's original vision. Playing together online is always an option, but even that's poorly implemented, with convoluted invite systems and host-only story progression. As a mostly solo experience, Crystal Chronicles is a decent, if somewhat repetitive dungeon crawler -- but this remaster should have been so much more.

Project CARS 3 marks a significant departure for the series, abandoning most of its sim heritage in favour of arcade racing. Offering a variety of different cars and tracks, there’s plenty of content on offer, making for a fun distraction, but it lacks the excitement we expect from wheel-to-wheel racing. It takes inspiration from all over the place, but it’s perhaps most closely aligned with Sony’s own DriveClub. It would seem, then, that the PS4 cycle is ending the way it began. We’re just not sure we’d pick this over what’s come before.

The game's main issue is that it's just awkward to play on a DualShock 4. It's not unplayable by any means, but squeezing mouse and keyboard functionality onto a controller will always end up fiddly. There's absolutely fun to be had here, though, and those looking for something different should try it regardless.

Unfortunately, everything surrounding these boss fights feels a little half-baked. The light exploration we mentioned is basically a dozen small areas, with one or two for each boss. There are collectibles and secrets around, but the in-game rewards for finding these things doesn’t feel worth it. This is particularly problematic as many of the secrets need late-level unlocks to access, and the threshold to reach them requires massive amounts of grinding.

Train Sim World 2 is unquestionably an acquired taste, but even if you’re not a railway enthusiast, there’s a relaxing release here that we recommend. Once you get to grips with how to operate the various locomotives, there’s a tangible satisfaction to kicking back for 60 minutes with the hum of the engine in the background, as you travel cross-country through urban and rural routes. We’ve already lost dozens of hours to this title, and with the base package merely representing the beginning of its journey, we suspect we’ll be spending a lot more time behind the controls of some of the world's most famous trains.

Descenders is a solid experience if you’re looking for a time waster that you’ll return to over and over. While constant screen tearing issues hamper its presentation quite a bit, the game has solid controls, as well as simple though endlessly entertaining mechanics. While the controls aren’t the tightest we’ve seen, they do everything adequately and contribute to the fun. Add in the wide range of biomes to race through, including some more wacky ones towards the end of the game, and it makes for one fun package. And that’s to say nothing of the fun little gimmicks, like the first-person mode and the trials-style courses. Descenders has everything you could possibly want in a downhill cycling roguelite.

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.

Ultimately, this isn't the Samurai Jack game of your dreams. But despite its flaws, this is a good action game that will please fans, and its simplistic nature may even introduce the property to a younger audience.

New Super Lucky's Tale is the sort of game that gives you a nostalgic feeling even though you've never played it before. It's like a Sunday afternoon movie, the kind that provides enough smiles and action to entertain but won't ever require you to engage your brain in a manner that would ruin your lazy weekend. It's a delightful, jolly, collectathon platformer, and if it keeps your kids off Fortnite for a day or two then you can't say fairer than that.

PGA Tour 2K21 is the best simulation golf game on the PS4, and it represents a real evolution for The Golf Club franchise as a whole. While it retains many of the features from previous instalments, it’s much better presented than ever before, and it finally includes a career mode that’s worth your time and attention. There are still improvements to be made here – the licensed courses lack character and the visuals are static – but if this were a long par five tee shot it’d comfortably find the fairway.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is a strategy game that requires very little strategy for much of its short running time. While it does eventually present a little more challenge in the closing chapters, the hum-drum narrative and bargain-basement cut-scenes won't provide you with much incentive to persevere through the duller moments which make up most of the game. If you're a massive fan of the show waiting for the next season, then you're probably better off just forming your own gang while talking in a comedy Brummie accent.

The star of the Manifold Garden show is far and away its presentation, and witnessing it in motion is worth the asking price alone. It's just a shame the puzzles themselves can't quite hit those same levels of spectacularity.

Originally a duo of mobile games, The Alto Collection brings two beautiful endless runners to PlayStation 4. There are more words in this game's title than there are buttons to learn; press X to jump, hold it to backflip, and that's it. These ultra-simple controls will see you shredding snow or surfing sand as you slide forever downhill, racking up points, collecting coins, and pushing for a new distance record.

EA Sports UFC 4 is not a massive departure from its predecessor, but it’s a significantly better game. EA Vancouver has successfully recognised the way fans want to play, and with its array of arcade-inspired options and emphasis on Career mode, it will appeal to casual fans of the sport as well as MMA obsessives alike. While the ground game still needs work, it’s much more approachable now, and we really like the fast-paced Blitz Battles as an accompaniment to the more traditional online ranked matches. The presentation has stagnated somewhat, but combat still feels appropriately crunchy, and with rotating challenges to hold your attention, we can see ourselves sticking with this brawler for some time.

With beautiful environments and plenty to discover, Mortal Shell is a compelling world to explore. After a steep learning curve, its combat is challenging but fascinating, and with a great sense of reward once you master it. It might be a little too similar to Dark Souls in terms of overall tone and style, but it brings enough new ideas functionally to make it stand out from the crowd. Ultimately, this is a great entry into a demanding sub-genre that fans won't want to miss.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS. Maxiboost ON is the ultimate Gundam Versus experience on consoles. The series' steep learning curve remains, but once you've broken through that initial barrier, there's a massive amount of metal-mashing fun to be found. As both a comprehensive gameplay package, and as a celebration of all things Gundam, it's very, very hard to fault.

The rote hack and slash combat only really hits its stride hours into the campaign, as you begin to unlock additional skills and off-screen party members who fly into battle with special attacks on your command. Infinite Combate does get better as you sink more time into it, but its low points will likely test your patience. In particular, quests with strict time limits can often feel unfair, and grinding out tasks purely to improve your relationship with different characters is a slog.

How Fast & Furious Crossroads wound up as a full-price release will forever remain a mystery. It is lacking in every department possible, from shallow and repetitive gameplay through to abysmal visuals that belong on the previous generation of consoles. Not even the most committed Fast & Furious fans should subject themselves to this monstrosity. That is unless you want to have a good laugh alongside Vin Diesel.

Once you overcome Skater XL’s learning curve there’s some fun board-based entertainment to be had here. But this is a lightweight package with subpar presentation, and unless you’re so deep into skater culture that you absolutely need a simulation for your PS4, we’d recommend either waiting for this to be updated – or pre-ordering Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 instead.

Fall Guys is the Battle Royale game for those who don't like Battle Royale games. This is enjoyment and positivity in its purest form with a long list of events that are primed to put a smile across your face, no matter whether you're playing alone or with friends. Your family will catch you chuckling, your buddies won't forget that time you cried with laughter, and you'll do it all over again because there’s nothing else like it. Fall Guys is just the best.

Relicta tries to strike a balance between narrative and gameplay, but that balance ends up hurting the final experience by making the game a slog to go through and puzzles becoming infuriatingly complex in the second half. The story and excellent voice acting are a nice differentiator and the level of detail in the environments is impressive, but Relicta is a game that is hard to stick with in its second half if you don't have a guide.

Pistol Whip is a transcendent experience. This brilliant rails shooter has the trappings of a rhythm game which helps to make an already sublime experience stand out that much further. With a vibrant world and a variety of tracks to test your mettle with, the game offers a solid package right out of the gate. And that’s to say nothing of the upcoming content that will further expand what Pistol Whip has to offer.

What continues to be a source of frustration though is the camera, particularly during boss battles. It tries to take a page out of Crash Bandicoot's book by having Skully run at the camera, except it gets in the way more often than not. And that's all there really is to the game. The younger generation is sure to extract some enjoyment out of Skully, but it proves all too basic for those getting on in their years.

Cuphead might be a tough cookie, but it charms with superlative art and music. For every time you might be frustrated by a tough section, you'll be delighted by some wonderful animation or new attack. It isn't perfect; the Run and Gun levels don't live up to the bosses, and a lack of feedback can make fights feel futile. Overall, though, the game succeeds in what it sets out to do -- just be prepared for a real challenge.

There's also a social element to the game as you can level up social ranks between characters once they’ve been on enough missions together, leading to unlocking new skills which can be used in battle or more bonuses for those characters. Fairy Tail carries on going even when the storyline is done; there's plenty to upgrade in the guild, and a multitude of characters to rank up, unlocking new content and cutscenes. That, combined with an enjoyable battle system, makes Gust's latest a solid experience for anime fans.

Maid of Sker may be this developer's best attempt at horror yet, but it still falls short of something actually worth playing. A tightly-designed breathing mechanic proves there's potential to be realised and an engrossing setting could have been the cherry on top. However, Maid of Sker is let down by monotonous gameplay and enemies that aren’t even close to being scary. And that's probably the worst thing a game that claims to belong in the horror genre could do.

While they share plenty of the same DNA, Othercide is much more than simply XCOM in eyeliner. Sacrificing warriors to boost the stats of other units proves a compelling and flexible mechanic, while the combat encounters ramp up in difficulty at mostly the right pace. A stunning aesthetic and perfectly complementary soundtrack are the icing on the cake, only occasionally marred by unfortunate technical difficulties.

Destroy All Humans is a good attempt to bring back the cult classic in 2020, but it misses the mark in a few key areas. While there are some nice improvements to the core gameplay, they don't do enough to rescue the old fashioned mission design and difficulty spikes. It's a shame, because there's some fun to be found here -- you just have to put up with quite a lot of PS2 era baggage. Fans will be delighted, but this remake is hardly out of this world.

There's more here than just brainteasers, though. An understated narrative moves with you, again taking cues from Valve's seminal puzzler, but doing enough to stand by itself. Tonally, the game shifts between light and dark, dipping its toes in comedy and horror in equal measure. There are some surprisingly tense moments throughout the short runtime. This story element somewhat takes over as you get towards the end, and while it's a shame the puzzles lose steam, it all culminates in a surprisingly profound message. It might not push its core concept to the absolute fullest, but the overall experience is a charming and enjoyable one.

That said, there's still lots of fun to be had. The game is rough around the edges, but the core gameplay is solid and it shines in multiplayer. If you're looking for something different, this is worth a try -- just don't expect to be building masterpieces.

Neon Abyss is a fun, fast-paced twist on the rogue-like genre with a solid core gameplay loop. Although it brings new ideas to the table in the form of collectible eggs, and it has a good variety of weapons, enemies and synergies, it's not without its drawbacks. Performance issues, the lack of the genre's typical dodge button, and the chaotic room design all prevent Neon Abyss from being a must buy title.

Despite the handful of enjoyable hours Rocket Arena has to offer, it's not an investment worth considering. With microtransactions already up and operational alongside a premium price tag, it’s likely to find itself without a player base before too long. Rocket jumping can only take it so far.

In-keeping with the nature of our man-machine protagonists, there are rich customisation options available. There are some generous difficulty tweaks, alongside Iron Man and perma-death modes. Each hero unit has myriad augment slots, upon which they can attach a plethora of weapons. It pays to be armed to the teeth because arenas are often dangerous close-quarter scraps. Cognition Points are the resource that dictates movement and abilities. Starting CP can be boosted with nodes scattered across the arena, which adds a tactical edge to positioning. Critical hits prevent the Necron from using their regenerative abilities, while certain weapons offer escalating buffs that give extra damage multipliers the more you use them. These elements combine to make fights satisfyingly varied from mission to mission.

Creaks is one of PS4's very best games of 2020 so far. Its commitment to continually evolving its mechanics makes for a phenomenal puzzling experience packed full of surprises and elating moments. With a stunning art style to boot as well as a narrative which reveals itself in all the right ways, Creaks offers an unforgettable ride that can be considered truly special.

The random nature of the level order and the Hacks offered to you mean there's almost a rogue-like flavour to it, though this is still very much a linear game. It's just a little wider, and that meta-storyline and clinical creepiness is absolutely still part of the experience. Endless and Infinite modes mean you'll never run short of baddies to break, a task that's just as satisfying here -- if not more so with the added power-ups.

Ghost of Tsushima is a joy to play and a joy to behold. Sucker Punch has crafted one of the most memorable open world games of this generation, buoyed by an immensely satisfying combat system and an engaging, dramatic story. Unlike many of its open world peers, it's a refined and focused experience -- gripping and immaculately presented at its best. A fitting first-party swansong for the PS4.

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.

This is the most complete series entry to date, with a full Formula 2 season, followed by up to 10 consecutive senior campaigns in an enthralling Formula 1 career. The new My Team mode allows for an even more personalised pilgrimage, and on track everything sings. It’s a shame we’re missing the story introduced in the previous entry and we hope Codemasters return to this and flesh it out in future outings. But all things considered, F1 2020 includes a frightening amount of content that makes this an essential for fans of the motorsport. This is, after all, the only complete Formula 1 season in 2020.

Marvel's Iron Man VR delivers on the mission to make you feel like the armoured avenger. Some technical hiccups aside, this is a well rounded virtual reality title that takes advantage of the tech to immerse you in Tony Stark's world. It wins the day with fantastic controls and engaging combat, and the optional challenges will keep you busy once the story's wrapped up. If you don't mind waiting around in loading screens, this is a thoroughly enjoyable PSVR experience.

Both Museum Archive volumes utilise the same basic user interface and generic retro music that is serviceable, if a bit dull. They also employ the same settings, including a screen size modifier and a rewind system that makes any game laughably easy when abused. Having exactly the same functionality in both games also raises the uncomfortable question of why these collections had to be separated into two volumes at all. Still, they both offer a good selection of nostalgic gems, the odd so-so title like the frustratingly sloppy Mappy-Land, as well as a disappointing lack of unlockable extras. If it were one complete collection it’d be easily recommended but, as two separate purchases, these are for hardcore Namco fans only.

Both Museum Archive volumes utilise the same basic user interface and generic retro music that is serviceable, if a bit dull. They also employ the same settings, including a screen size modifier and a rewind system that makes any game laughably easy when abused. Having exactly the same functionality in both games also raises the uncomfortable question of why these collections had to be separated into two volumes at all. Still, they both offer a good selection of nostalgic gems, the odd so-so title like the frustratingly sloppy Mappy-Land, as well as a disappointing lack of unlockable extras. If it were one complete collection it’d be easily recommended but, as two separate purchases, these are for hardcore Namco fans only.

We'll never in a million years grow tired of hearing the announcer's ecstatic “IT’S A NEW LAP RECORD”, but the main draw after finishing off the tournament mode is the tracks themselves. The tournaments start you off on relatively simple circuits, but each time you revisit the planet, new elements are introduced. It's a brilliant approach to level design that allows to you carry forward your knowledge of a track while adding new things to ensure you’re not just on autopilot. Throw in the ludicrous number of shortcuts on each track, and it’s possible to have an almost entirely different experience on each lap. More than anything, this game being both 20 years old and incredibly fun is a clear sign that a modern Podracing title should absolutely be a thing.

SpongeBob Rehydrated is a vibrant remake of a much loved PS2 platformer. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's a solid effort that brings back a type of game that's all too rare on modern machines. The simple fun of collecting, bashing enemies, and exploring a beloved location is very much here, and fans young and old will get a kick out of this underwater excursion.