Beyond Blue excels in presenting gorgeous marine environments stuffed to the brim with fascinating ocean life and interesting places to explore. Whether you’re swimming with humpback whales or exploring underwater caverns, this is an experience that really does make waves.

Desperados III's Wild West setting makes for a charming backdrop, and the well-balanced, varied cast of bounty hunters means that each mission can be seen off in multiple, equally rewarding ways. But while the blend of refined real-time strategy mechanics and ever-escalating challenge will surely appeal to fans of the genre, novices could be perplexed by the often unforgiving difficulty and occasionally finicky rules.

The Last of Us: Part II adds a couple more inches to the already outrageously high bar that Naughty Dog has set for itself. This is the developer’s crowning achievement to date, expanding and improving upon the concepts that it’s been iterating on for over a decade now. Unparalleled presentation combines with an engaging gameplay loop that puts you in the shoes of its characters – and forces you to feel all of the tension and misgivings of its cast. It’s uncomfortable and not everyone will necessarily enjoy its direction, but that’s ultimately what makes it so essential.

With five worlds, each with five sub-levels consisting of between one and four stages, as well as a plethora of secrets to find, there’s enough here to keep any FPS fanatic entertained for hours. Each stage quickly becomes a repetitious dance which somehow never becomes dull, and reaching its end is euphoric and rewarding. Project Warlock is great; a pastiche of brutally tough and charmingly gritty 90s first-person shooters, with only a few quality of life improvements to be made.

The puzzle-platformer and visual novel genres probably couldn't be further apart from one another, but Evan's Remains is proof that the two can live in harmony. While it is by no means perfect, Maitan69 Studios' first major title is one well worth experiencing if you have even a passing interest in either style of game.

While the gameplay is solid, we came away more impressed with the art direction and sound design than expected. The lightly stylised, cel-shaded look works for 1971, with the organic environments looking especially nice. The sheer variety of locations is impressive, too, including an oil rig, airbase, canyon, and nomadic village. Meanwhile, the exploration music is absolutely beautiful, though the combat soundtrack gets a bit repetitive.

While the game’s not terribly impressive visually, some aspects of this elevate the game. The draw distance is laughably small, shrouding the game in fog at all times, heightening the experience. And the monster AI isn’t terribly robust, but everything is fair; any time we died it felt more like user error. Learning the rules of the ship is the key to surviving. When to fix a broken pipe, when to hide, when to run. As you die over and over, all these rules craft you into a more skilled player and make a more enjoyable experience.

If you're looking for more Mortal Kombat, Aftermath will undoubtedly satiate your bloodlust for a short period of time, but it feels overpriced for what it actually offers. Of course, your mileage will vary, but for now it's more of an already excellent fighter – just not much more.

Ion Fury is a shooter that phenomenally emulates what made the early FPS so wonderful. A timeless gameplay loop that effortlessly coaxes fun out of a formula so old it stretches decades into gaming’s past, the game is an incredible amount of fun. The technical problems we encountered muddy the waters, but even with those present (and a fix incoming for that game-breaking bug) we enjoyed our time with the game enough that we still recommend that anyone interested in playing it, do so.

Those Who Remain is a psychological horror experience completely lacking in scares and atmosphere. Its uninspired gameplay loop has already been done better time and time again, resulting in a dull, unnecessary title.

Mafia II: Definitive Edition could have been a welcome distraction during the quieter summer months, but in its current state, it must be avoided at all costs. While its narrative and writing may still hold up 10 years later, the long, long list of technical flaws and glitches overshadows its few accomplishments. And that's all it deserves because this is the worst remaster of the PS4 generation.

You may be tired of open world collectathons, but Maneater bites back with more than enough novelty to make the format feel as fresh as Port Clovis’ well-populated oceans. A moreish gameplay loop with a well-designed sandbox mean there’s some-fin special here, and while it makome as a surprise, not even control and performance issues will deter you from flashing your teeth.

The controls are wonky and the mission design is straight outta last-gen, but there's still dumb fun to be had with Saints Row The Third Remastered. Even all these years later, it's a refreshingly stupid sandbox title that offers up some memorable moments -- it's just a shame that they're buried beneath tedious activities and gameplay that feels incredibly basic by today's standards.

Gorn puts you in the boots of a powerful gladiator and gives you everything you need to let loose on hapless opponents. When it's at its best, this is a satisfying PSVR experience, offering up truly physical and cathartic action with over-the-top violence. Sadly, it does run into some problems, such as iffy movement and motion tracking problems. There's plenty to like about this OTT title, but without these sticking points it could've been a real PSVR champion.

It’s a combat game inspired by PS1’s legendary Destruction Derby, and it’s effectively a proof of concept. In many ways this feels like half a game, as you smash your way through Drawn to Death-esque arenas, crumpling cardboard and ejecting batteries.

It’s not a looker, with the environments largely lacking detail and the sprite work rudimentary. But the loop is addictive while the adventure lasts, and you’ll definitely want to run through the campaign a few times before losing interest entirely. Ratalaika continues to supply the PS4 and PS Vita with likeable timewasters, then, and while there are undoubtedly higher-profile roguelikes on the platforms, this is still a fun one.

The biggest problem ultimately is that if you don’t like the standard rules or play differently in person, then that’s too bad. Some custom options would have been a welcome addition and allowed even more fun to be squeezed out of the game. But if you’re looking for a quick, get-in, get-out play session of a great board game in digital form, you could do worse than Ticket to Ride.

Super Mega Baseball 3 is a refinement done right. The series’ accessible action remains easy to pick up and play, but teensy tweaks to systems such as base stealing add immeasurable depth to the overall experience. It’s the multi-season Franchise mode that’s the real star of the show here, though, adding just enough economical depth to keep you engaged in the storyline of your squad, while still ensuring that you spend more time out on the field than in spreadsheets.

Huntdown is an ode to the gloriously violent and ridiculous action movies of the 80s, revelling in cheesy one-liners, larger than life characters, and wanton bloodshed. It's challenging but largely fair, with some thrilling boss encounters that require a variety of tactics to bring to justice. The thumping soundtrack and beautiful 16-bit aesthetic are just the icing on the cake, like a perfectly delivered "Stick around!" after Arnie pins an enemy to the wall with an expertly thrown blade.

Its biggest problem then is that it's over all too quickly. Of course, rogue-lites are designed to be replayed over and over again. However, with just four comic books to work through, you'll see everything Fury Unleashed has to offer much quicker than you might expect. Boss fights are randomised, but the action in between feels wholly similar. As such, it makes for a quick-fire burst of enjoyment that, on the whole, puts a smile on your face every step of the way. Just don't expect Fury Unleashed to entice you into coming back for more.

Not only are the mashes repetitive, they're also very short, shallow, and often just plain bad. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes too easy, sometimes impossible -- the randomised nature of mashing hurts more than it helps. Sadly, the novel concept isn't backed up by the execution required to make it work. While some of the mashes show some fun combinations of genre tropes, the majority of what you'll play in SuperMash is a bit of a mess.

Arcade Spirits is a visual novel with a diverse set of characters to romance or befriend. It doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, but the characters are charming and the vibrant arcade setting offers a fun nostalgic feel. The storyline offers plenty of heartfelt moments that will make you really care about many of the characters and want to play through multiple times. While it’s a simple game, it’s definitely one that’s worth your time.

The game's at its best when you're being forced to adapt, but it has a bad habit of introducing scenarios that feel like they require trial and error. For example, some enemy spawns are near impossible to see coming on a first run, and while you're never truly out of options, taking a few bad hits can cripple your chances -- especially in later levels.

While the title does streamline some tasks, its controls are still counter-intuitive on the DualShock 4, adopting a rub-your-head-pat-your-belly approach that’s almost impossible to adapt to. There are lots of jobs to complete and different cities to unlock, but the visuals are tired – like an upscaled PlayStation 2 release – and the overall loop isn’t as addictive as its immediate peers.

Curiously, not everyone can be absorbed on your first attempt, and so you’ll need to collect brains and invest cash in order to unlock the more powerful hosts. This obviously adds to the release’s replayability, but when paired with its punishing difficulty, the formula begins to grate. Local co-op doesn’t really ease the repetition, although your pals will certainly appreciate the pop culture references.

The sprite work is undoubtedly impressive, and the audio is as hyperactive as you’d expect. But this is a wafer-thin experience, with only the draw of a better score to pull you back for a second playthrough. As a piddly, rose-tinted reminder of the retro shooters of old, there’s very little to truly dislike here – but it’s important you know what it consists of before parting with your cold hard cash.

Streets of Rage 4 makes a valiant attempt to drag the old-school franchise into the modern age. We've ended up with a beautiful beat-'em-up that's perhaps a little too loyal to the original games, but is ultimately a blast to play, especially with others. The appeal might wear off after a little while due to repetitive gameplay, but it's a huge amount of fun while it lasts.

Daymare: 1998 is a low budget release with an ambition that outpaces its production values, but it's still a good attempt. There are stumbling blocks – hit detection, boss fights, animations – but the lighting is good, the soundtrack is great, and the exploration is satisfying.

Deliver Us the Moon is a short but exciting adventure set in the beautiful depths of space. With the fate of humanity in your hands you’ll feel determined to see things through to the end. There’s a good variety of puzzles you’ll need to solve, and while none of them are particularly difficult, the real pleasure is in seeing what new wonders the game has in store for you in each area.

Telling Lies is one of the best experiences to make use of FMV on PS4, telling a fascinating narrative that'll have you guessing what revelation will come your way next. What's more, the star-studded cast of characters does an excellent job of bringing the script to life, but it is held back by a perplexing rewind function. Had it been implemented better, the game would be on the cusp of greatness. Although, in its current state, Telling Lies is still a very safe recommendation for fans of the genre.

SnowRunner’s glacial pace won’t appeal to everyone, but this unique haulage simulation manages to transform everyday terrain into an enemy you need to tame. This is a game that’s less about the destination and all about the journey you take; in that sense it’s unmatched, and wildly rewarding in a way that few other open worlders are.

Sakura Wars is an entertaining fusion of dating sim elements and button mashing action, but it's held back by tired anime tropes and some disappointingly underdeveloped characters. The overarching story may be painfully predictable, but there's still waifu-chasing fun to be had here, and the combat is enough to keep the otherwise relaxed pacing in check.

Predator: Hunting Grounds wouldn't look too out of place amongst the tacked-on multiplayer modes of the PS3 generation. It offers a handful of hours packed with enjoyment but quickly comes apart at the seams as you realise how lacking in content it really is. While playing as the Predator and a good amount of customisation may be its saving graces, this is an experience you can safely skip.

MotoGP 20 is unquestionably a good, solid racing game made by a passionate team. When you're weaving through a track at breakneck speeds, slowly mastering the tough but engaging handling, it can be great fun. The problem is an unapproachable first few hours; little to no guidance will easily put some new players off. However, if you can get past that initial bump in the road, there's a robust and challenging racer waiting to be conquered.

While the accessible controls and cute presentation are inviting to all types of players, the action itself can get a little fiddly. It's very easy to get stuck in doorways carrying a bed, for instance, or have objects fall into awkward positions amid the chaos. It's not too big an issue but it does frustrate when you waste precious seconds getting snagged on walls. For moving experts, there are optional objectives and gold times to aim for. Completing the extra tasks rewards you with coins that unlock even trickier challenges in an arcade, extending the life of quite a short game. It doesn't quite hit the same heights as its peers, but it's hard to deny its simple pleasures.

It may be a full 3D remake of a classic action RPG, but Trials of Mana sticks rigidly to the structure of the original game. As a result, its storytelling and characters are one-note and largely forgettable -- hampered further by awkward cutscenes and dodgy English voice acting -- but its nicely paced gameplay feels surprisingly fresh in a time when modern RPGs have a tendency to drag on for hundreds of hours. What's more, its simple but smooth and effective combat system makes for some moreish action. All in all, Trials of Mana is a delightful throwback.

Help Will Come Tomorrow feels unwieldy and at odds with its approachable resource gathering mechanics. It's setting may convince some into a purchase, but for those after a new take on the genre, this experience fails to satisfy.

This is a game made to be played many times, with you building your skill with the controls and your knowledge of the stages, but both these things feel slightly clumsy. Still, there's absolutely fun to be had here, with some sequences that truly do feel great to play, and collectable gameplay modifiers that let you go totally bananas.

The main map is small and relatively basic, but the combat can at least be satisfying once you get the big guns. The developer does just enough to vary up the rules in modes such as Combo Breaker, where you’re tasked with keeping your multiplier alive. But this is a shallow, shallow experience overall that will only hold your attention for an hour or two at most.

For a game being sold on its eclectic cast of characters, Random Heroes: Gold Edition really doesn’t do anywhere near enough with its heroes. This is a 16-bit style side-scrolling shooter where you take control of, well, pretty much anyone. There’s a cyborg, a clown, a truck driver, a man in a suit… You pretty much get the idea.

You’ve already played a game like Rush Rover, but that doesn’t mean this little timewaster should be ignored. A dualstick roguelike, the shooter borrows liberally from various recent releases, delivering a wholly unoriginal yet generally well-executed experience. Playing as a mining machine, your role is to clean up randomly generated environments populated by rogue robots.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 struggles to outdo its fantastic predecessor, but it's still great fun to smash through hordes of enemies alongside such a colourful cast of characters. The game's delightful and diverse roster really is its greatest strength, and thanks to an emphasis on building combos, the combat system can be surprisingly rewarding, despite its repetitive nature. The pretty standard story mode will leave non-fans completely lost, but those who enjoy the action will find a near endless supply of it in the title's other offerings.

Biped is very short -- you and a friend could easily finish this off inside two or three hours. It means that every stage brings fresh ideas to the fore, but it's over before you know it. There are ways to extend your playtime; you could track down all the coins, which you can cash in for cosmetic items, or try your hand at the harder modes that unlock as you finish each stage. It's all good fun while it lasts, with some genuinely clever design, but you can wrap it up pretty fast. If you want something quick and fuss free to play with a pal, though, Biped is a charming little game worth trying.

Unfortunately, neither mode really does a good job of giving you a real reason to progress deeper. The combat, though weighty and satisfying, gets monotonous fairly quickly. The motivation to explore is almost entirely up to you, as the game really doesn’t see fit to tell you much. Yes, the environments are gorgeous, but Below winds up having the opposite problem of many games, in that there isn’t enough hand-holding. We found ourselves constantly craving more information, only for Below to not provide it.

Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is an absolute mess from start to finish. The puzzles that stand in the way of your progress are almost universally illogical leading to an experience that frustrates throughout. This would perhaps – at a push – be worth persevering with if the story were engaging enough, but the tale told here is so silly that it could have been generated by pulling plot twists out of a hat. Throw in a creepy vibe, crummy production values, and dodgy controls, and you're left with an unmitigated disasterpiece that you should avoid like it's got the coronavirus.

Measured against the immense expectations that surround it, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a great game that will inevitably disappoint some fans. That said, playing through the Midgar storyline 23 years later is giddily surreal, and the game does a fantastic job of expanding the existing plot, while also pushing a surprising amount of fresh ideas. Some frustratingly poor level design hampers the fun at times, and visually the game is all over the place, but when it's at its best, Remake is brilliant, and it's elevated to even greater heights by an excellent combat system. It may not be the perfect remake that we've all been dreaming of these past five years, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable, nostalgia-driven ride that understands the magic of Final Fantasy VII.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is a welcome trip down memory lane. It may have ditched the revolutionary multiplayer offering and Spec Ops mode, but what has been brought into the modern era manages to stand on its own two feet. It still suffers from design choices of old, but this is an intense, enjoyable single player campaign that's more than worth your time.

As well as delving into the main levels, there's a small hub that's worth exploring if you want to get the most from the story. You can find a couple of NPCs to talk to about their experiences and the state of the game's world, while you can hear the nervous chatter of people holed up indoors. You can also upgrade your character here and practice your electro-ball swing. The whole game feels fairly modest, but it punches above its weight to deliver something very different.

Where the game really shines is in its entertaining writing and story-telling. While there are plenty of dark and sombre story points, your lovable companions will constantly lift the mood with light-hearted banter or their tales of folklore told around the warmth of a campfire.

There’s a place for FMV games like The Complex, but this effort is both poorly written and performed. You’ll tire of the cast long before you reach the release’s credits, and while the title does include various branches in its story, it generally feels like you’re on autopilot for the most part. If you’re desperate for a live action experience, the PS4 already has much better alternatives to this.

Persona 5 Royal improves upon what was already one of the greatest RPGs of this generation. The entirely new semester -- Royal's headline act -- is a fantastic addition, but really, it's the countless smaller improvements to gameplay and structure that sell this enhanced re-release, especially if you've already played through Persona 5. Our only criticism is aimed at the price tag -- full retail at launch -- but ultimately, it's difficult to deny the quality on offer here. The Phantom Thieves are back, and their tale of rebellion rings truer than ever.

Unlike the Jedi Outcast port, Jedi Academy includes the multiplayer component. It’s been brought forward to the new age exactly as it once was, which means all of the jank and lack of balancing are still present. Don’t let that stand in your way though. Despite the relative lack of polish, wildly swinging lightsabers at one another is a blast. The multiplayer is just as fun as you remember it being.

MLB The Show 20 is the definitive version of Sony San Diego’s baseball simulation on the PS4, but long-time fans may feel that this franchise is just starting to show signs of fatigue. The gameplay refinements are welcome, and this is the biggest instalment thus far, but the shift to next-gen will be welcome as the developer seeks to revolutionise the best sports game on the market by far.

Resident Evil 3 had the potential to better its classic predecessor, but a disappointing amount of cut content and the let down that is Nemesis hold it back from greatness. It's still an experience very much worth revisiting, with Raccoon City and the hospital receiving a lot of love and attention, however, it only makes us question what could have been that little bit more.

The visuals are far and away the most impressive part of this boring journey around Mars, as multiple camera angles and well-crafted Lovecraftian tentacle monsters give the game a cinematic aesthetic that draws to mind the first Alien film. There is something engaging here, but it’s marred by weak scares and, less forgivably, dull as dishwater gameplay.

The only real downside is that there's not more to it. There are leaderboards, but that's it aside from the sole mode of play. The core idea is solid enough that it should keep you going for a good while, however. If you've ever played Peggle and thought it could do with something more, Roundguard is a cracking hybrid.

Something that hasn’t aged quite as well are the shooting galleries. The enemy spawns feel too abundant on some levels, causing the gunplay to get a bit too monotonous. This is especially true on 'The Lost Levels' which are brand new bonus missions meant to connect “old” Doom to “new” Doom, but end up overstaying their welcome.

It’s a lot of fun to play, though – and should prove a treat for fans who’ve been following Moriarty since the days of Shatter on the PlayStation 3.

Paper Beast is an unusual but well realised world in PSVR. The interplay between you, the environments, and all the plants and animals is fun to discover, and it really does offer up some great moments throughout the story. Some of the puzzles are a little too obtuse, but overall the freedom you're given to experiment leads to a greatly unique experience. The Sandbox mode adds some longevity, and allows you to really tinker with all the game's elements. We're not sure we'd call this an absolute must-have, but it's utterly unique and captivating in a way only VR games can be.

Once the novelty of playing a game within the My Hero Academia world wears off, all that’s left is another fairly average arena brawler. Different modes aren’t enough to make the title stand out, and ultimately, My Hero One’s Justice 2 offers an experience which, although enjoyable, is forgettable and somewhat bland. It's safe to say that we expected more from this sequel.

DOOM Eternal delivers one of the best FPS campaigns of all time. The way it weds fast-paced, sensational action with gratifying platforming makes for a single player experience that will be remembered as one of the PS4's very best. And with a smooth frame rate to boot alongside the phenomenal feeling of handling any one of the game’s weapons, id Software has truly outdone itself. DOOM Eternal is outstanding.

The controls are at least very simple, meaning almost anyone can enjoy this game's simple pleasures. That being said, the map editor, in which you can construct your very own hidden object puzzles, is a little messy. It offers you a fair amount of flexibility, but it's not very intuitive to navigate. Still, it's a neat addition to an otherwise plain package. This is a hidden object puzzler that does exactly what it says on the tin, and you can't argue with that.

While it may be incredibly similar to what came before it, Nioh 2 smartly adds yet more depth and mechanics to its engagements to make for one of the best combat systems around. Notwithstanding its poor skill trees, forgettable narrative, and minor balance issues, Team Ninja has put together gameplay excellence. An essential playthrough for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the original or From Software's output.

Overpass has a neat idea at its core, but it's struggled to pull it off effectively. Surmounting treacherous terrain against the clock is sadly not as fun as it sounds, and you're more likely to get frustrated by the iffy handling and strict rules. There's the kernel of a good game here, and we don't doubt some people will enjoy overcoming this game's challenges, but a lack of polish where it matters most puts this game between a rock and a hard place.

We fail to see how The Division 2: Warlords of New York is supposed to rejuvenate the looter shooter's playerbase. New York might be so much more interesting to explore while the missions themselves are smartly designed, but what you're actually doing there remains very much the same. Coupled with a copious amount of bugs and glitches, this is an expansion the vast majority of players can very safely skip.

Completing puzzles unlocks more for you to tackle, and bits of abstruse text will pop up from time to time in an attempt at some sort of narrative. You'll also accumulate Trophies pretty rapidly, with an easily attainable Platinum at the end of it. Really, though, this is nothing more than a highly decorative set of jigsaws. It looks and sounds rather good with its stained glass aesthetic, but gameplay consists of simply moving pieces onto the board until you have the whole picture. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course; if you're looking for something relaxing to play with no real pressure, this is about as chilled out you can get.

Arc System Works has done it again. Granblue Fantasy Versus is a fantastic-feeling fighting game that's jaw-droppingly gorgeous at times. It's also incredibly accessible, promoting an impressively smooth learning curve. This is a tight, satisfying fighter that gives way to some superbly paced matches, and the dedicated RPG Mode provides additional longevity if you primarily play alone. Our only real criticism is pointed at the title's disappointingly small character roster -- an issue compounded by the fact that so much DLC is already in development. An especially sour note that takes away from an otherwise brilliant release.

In One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, becoming a hero for fun isn't all it's cracked up to be. Saitama is a hilariously game breaking gimmick that pays off in single-player, but online he only leads to frustration. Elsewhere,the main story mode has plenty to do, but there's not much variety. Fans will mostly enjoy the writing and the fighting, but newcomers might be left wanting.

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.

It’s very entertaining once you play by the title’s rules, ignoring real football strategy. It’s best, for example, to push up and crowd the midfield, so that you can block any balls into forward positions. Getting through on goal can require a degree of luck, but it’s fun when you plan out and perfectly execute a move that results in the ball hitting the back of the net. There’s a full campaign to complete, as well as league and tournament modes for single and local play, providing just enough action for sports fans in search of something different.

Hunt: Showdown is a terrifying experience that is unlike anything else you’ll find on PlayStation 4. Horror fans will find a lot to love, as will fans of unique shooters, and the game has already established quite an audience on other platforms. More content will inevitably trickle out in the coming months, but for now this is the kind of scare-fest that’s easy to recommend – an addictive, nerve-shredding title, but one that feels like a wonderful (and somehow horrible) first step in a long road.

Two Point Hospital is the antidote to our two-decade Theme Hospital obsession. With its strong sense of humour and accessible yet deep gameplay loop, this spiritual successor replicates all the elements that made the 1997 original so memorable. Importantly, it’s been smartly converted to the PS4, with a slick control scheme and a varied campaign.

Unfortunately, there’s just very little to get excited about. Minor collision detection niggles aside, this is a well-executed adventure, it’s just not especially interesting from the outset. Some may find a few hours of fleeting entertainment here, but it’s not going to live long in the memory once you eventually close the application down.

But by far the weakest part of Katana Kami is its user interface. Menus are rough to say the least. Even something as simple as switching weapons or organising your inventory can be a chore, often forcing you to click through several confirmation screens that aren't clearly signposted. It's just not good enough for a game that revolves around loot and item management.

There's certainly a knack to playing this game, and auto-runners aren't the norm on PlayStation 4, so it's something to get used to. There's plenty to like about EarthNight; it's absolutely gorgeous, the slow progression will keep you playing, and the simple controls are tight. As we said, it's a simple idea executed very well. If you can put up with some inconsistencies, this is an imaginative and vibrant game that's worth a stab.

Yakuza 5 has just about everything that you could ever dream of -- from karaoke and darts to fishing and, er, snowball combat -- but it's the immensely in-depth character-specific activities that steal the show. Whether it's Kiryu's horribly addictive taxi driving quests or Saejima's reflective survival-based hunting expeditions, you can lose hour after hour after hour to Yakuza 5, but it always feels like there's a new obsession just around the corner.

Draugen is an exploration of mental illness, but it doesn't have the chops to pull it off. The game's twists are clearly telegraphed ahead of time, its narrative becomes less interesting the more you play, and gameplay fails to pick up the pieces. Exploring the gorgeous Norwegian countryside is a pleasure, but it's just about the only thing the title has going for it in terms of interaction. Edward can analyse and pick up certain objects, select dialogue options which have no effect on the story, and hold the R1 button to learn of where he should be heading next. That is quite literally all there is to it.

Ultimately, the biggest problem is the technical hitches. During the game's two hours, we experienced two hard crashes, and the framerate was almost never stable. Despite such a short run time, this made the experience feel much longer than it should have.

Bayonetta may not look the part anymore despite a bump in visual resolution to 4K, but the enhancements this remaster brings to the game's load times and frame rate make it the definitive PlayStation release. Combined with a phenomenal, flashy combat system, the PlatinumGames classic shines brighter than ever.

It may be basic as a remaster, but Vanquish manages to hold up in the PS4's twilight year. Brimming with enjoyable, fast-paced action which is exemplified by the knee slide, one of PlatinumGames' best experiences has a new lease of life that it's going to take full advantage of. Vanquish doesn’t look the part, but it most certainly plays like it.

Ultimate, er, ultimately transforms Warriors Orochi 4 into a much more complete package. That said, it's a shame that many of these improvements come courtesy of paid DLC -- pretty expensive DLC at that. For newcomers, Warriors Orochi 4 now gets a recommendation. For existing fans, you'll have to weigh up whether the additions are enough to pull you back in.

What may have been a solid experience a few years back feels too stale in 2020. Darksiders Genesis is completely competent in its own right, but it doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from previous iterations despite a change in perspective. Combat is a highlight and the Creature Core system provides some depth, however, they're about the only two features we can muster any enthusiasm for.

It may have taken the better part of a decade to make, but the arrival of Dreams feels significant. It represents a whole new way for people to make things and share them with the world. Media Molecule has made a suite of tools that feels intuitive to use, but more than that, it's built a social platform where players can collaborate and explore the imaginations of others. It's a technical marvel, a creative miracle, and one of the most innovative games in years.

To be fair, the physics are impressive, requiring you to find a rhythm as you hit the undulations in the mud. And there’s a lot to get busy with, including a reasonable if ultimately ignorable track editor. But the reality is that unless you’re already deeply engrossed in supercross as a sport, there’s very little here that’s going to give you the aftereffects of a Monster Energy-induced high.

To be fair, the title does a good job of simulating the territorial battles that occur in real-world rugby matches, but it’s generally clumsy and there’s no real consistency to the way players move. The ball physics can be unpredictable, and the overall experience is glitchy. But it’s strangely moreish in a way that all arcade sports games can be, and its bargain bin adaptation of FIFA Ultimate Team deserves credit for eschewing microtransactions – even if its unlockable players are pooled from the depths of Ireland’s lower leagues.

The gameplay mechanics are simple: you collect a pill-shaped McGuffin and then take it to the exit door. Stages include all kinds of challenges, such as platforms that appear and disappear when you jump, robots that chase you down, and Pong balls that bounce around. The gameplay is a little floaty, but it generally feels okay. And this means that you’ll have to put any errors down to your own poor judgment rather than the title’s hellish difficulty curve. It demands obscene levels of patience, but it’s moreish and satisfying once you find the “zone”. A decent soundtrack accompanies the action, while a Hardcore mode challenges you to beat as many levels as you can with one life.

The atmosphere is perhaps the game's best achievement, though, with an ominous synth soundtrack and creepy environmental storytelling going on around you. It does just enough to keep you curious, but it's held back by some overly tough puzzles and enemies. It's not as smooth a ride as Playdead's efforts, then, but it's absolutely singing from the same hymn sheet. If you're into this brand of weird, wordless narrative adventures, it could be worth wiring up to 7th Sector.

It’s probably the most simplistic 16-bit title you’re going to find on the PS4 and PS Vita, and thus the difficulty options – which include circumventing either the combat or puzzles entirely – make sense. You’re going to find next to no challenge here besides the inexplicable absence of a map, but it’s a bright and breezy romp that will almost certainly keep your kids entertained for a few hours.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is one of the best co-operative focused games on PS4. Its meaty campaign boasts of impressive level variety, a superb control scheme, and enjoyable gameplay mechanics while a Horde mode tests your abilities to the max. Rebellion has crafted an experience with so much to see and do that it could take a group of players weeks to master everything on offer -- a crowning success for this type of game. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is an absolute riot of a title that is just as cheeky as it is fun to play.

Dawn of Fear is not what you would typically consider a good video game and it most definitely does not perform like one. However, when it works, there hasn’t been anything else quite like it for the best part of two decades. Dawn of Fear is the best and worst tribute to Resident Evil at the same time, and we can't think anything more intriguing than that.

Patapon 2 Remastered makes it easy to fall in love with those adorable eyeball creatures all over again. It follows in the footsteps of the first game's PS4 revival, and in doing so it repeats all the highs and lows. You'll struggle to find a gameplay experience as unique as this, and it remains an addictive time sink, but somewhat obtuse design and hectic battles can easily throw you off. It has its flaws, but it's an eccentric and charming game that will eventually have you dancing to its rhythm.

Even with a downright cavalcade of triumphs, Kentucky Route Zero’s strongest asset is its ability to redefine itself from episode to episode. The deeper your journey goes, the stranger things get, but the more they make sense too. While the game will definitely be a bit too bizarre and densely obtuse for some, this is a game unlike anything you’ve ever played before.

Sisters Royale: Five Sisters Under Fire doesn’t reinvent the shmup rulebook, but it leverages some interesting wrinkles first introduced by the Castle of Shikigami series to excellent effect. The presentation – aside from its epilepsy-inducing patterns – leaves a lot to be desired, but the unique gameplay attributes of its protagonists makes for a surprisingly replayable arcade affair.

Pillars of Eternity II is a 9/10 RPG tragically trapped inside a 7/10 game. The quality of the writing and the world-building is second to none, and the tried and tested combat mechanics are meticulously tuned, but the outrageous loading times and other technical issues are too upsetting to ignore. It's like sitting in a fine Italian restaurant, sipping a glass of wine and nibbling on breadsticks, enjoying your date, and then the waiter comes over and drops a dead dog on the table. Wrong table, mate. I ordered the carbonara. Now get that dead dog out of my sight.

One novel inclusion that helps repalyability is a challenge mode, where you go against a timer to craft as many accurate beverages as you can. As the descriptions get progressively more obtuse, things get harder and we found ourselves really rather enjoying the action.

The title’s as straightforward as side-scrollers come, but its chunky pixel art and biting chiptune soundtrack make it an entertaining distraction for an hour or two. The game’s priced accordingly and competently constructed, so while it’s never going to invoke the passion of a fox hunting debate, there are much worse wares on the PlayStation Store.

The campaign alone is worth playing, but Hardcore Mecha's extras give the package a real boost. Once you're done with the main missions (which can be replayed at any time), you unlock Simulation Mode, which pits you against a never-ending horde of enemies. Shooting them down nets you currency that you can then use to buy upgrades and new mechs for the simulation, resulting in a fiendishly addictive grind. On top of that, there are local and online multiplayer modes. The former can be quite good fun with the right opponent, but we struggled to find other players in the latter.

It might lack some polish, but Journey to the Savage Planet is an enjoyable jaunt across a strange, open-ended landscape. This is a game you play in order to explore its intriguing environment and interact with the wildlife -- combat is fairly dull, attempts at humour rarely land, and the story almost feels like an afterthought at times. If you're looking for an easy-going sci-fi action game, this just about does enough to satisfy.