A clear improvement on the original, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a pleasant surprise. It struggles to balance difficulty, but the end result is a robust and compelling platformer. It feels much more cohesive than its older brother and, free from the need to play to nostalgia, gives the characters and the world a better identity. It isn't perfect, but it's certainly a step in the right direction for Playtonic Games.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope straddles the line between highs and lows – it’s both exhilarating and bombastic in equal measure, even though its story never reaches the same euphoria as its predecessor. It makes up for this with a tactical and action-packed combat system, interesting crew management system, tons of content, and a marvellous remaster job that has the game running beautifully on both PS4 and PS4 Pro.

It can easily be enjoyed in its entirety in a single sitting, but there’s some decent replay value here if you’d like to indulge in all of the different permutations of its plot. And while it may not be for everyone, with a $2.99 price point, we reckon that it’s worth taking a risk on.

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.

République is a smart, engrossing, and often frustrating game, but one which really captures the imagination once its hooks take hold. You really have to work for what you get, though, and even the bulk of the narrative is formed through optional side collections. A couple of gameplay hiccups and a slightly drooping fourth episode aside, this is a strong stealth game which requires a slow, steady, and methodical approach.

Guns of Icarus Alliance is a bold new addition to the PlayStation multiplayer roster. If you're in the mood to invest some time in becoming the best of the best as a team, there is much airborne fun to be had on board your shiny steampunk airship.

WipEout Omega Collection is an impressive remaster that shines at high speeds, though elements of this compilation are starting to show their age. Despite being boosted all the way up to 4K on the PS4 Pro, some of the tracks are returning for the fourth time, and while WipEout 2048’s contemporary layouts look luxurious on the big screen, it can be hard to shake the feeling of familiarity on occasion. That said, if anti-grav is your bag, then there’s nothing quite like the original – even with the number of inferior pretenders on the racing scene these days.

The gameplay feels great, with those aforementioned 90-degree drifts requiring you to dance on the analogue sticks delicately, and there’s a lightning fast pace to the action which is trance-inducing. The core course design isn’t particularly inspired – you’re either sliding or going straight, with little variation in between – but the tracks here aren’t supposed to rival the Nurburgring: this is pure nostalgia, with scorching synthesisers and optional scanlines. It’s a tantalising ode to a timeless era of arcade racers, and one we reckon even Yu Suzuki himself would be proud to put his name on.

Don’t Die, Mr. Robot! doesn’t look especially impressive, but its classic gameplay is engaging enough to keep you hooked in short bursts. While it never attempts to re-invent the wheel, there’s a competent arcade experience here – and it’s that fruity core that will keep you coming back for more.

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemist is a wonderful celebration of past Atelier games, all while bringing something genuinely new and different to the table. While many of the RPG elements have been greatly toned down, the town-building aspects are so addictive and entertaining that you can forgive the simplicity. A light and breezy atmosphere topped off with so many charming character interactions make Nelke's story an undeniably pleasant adventure.

This instalment feels like it's treading water, waiting for future outings to move things forwards. The humour and characters carry things a bit, but Episode 3 will need to be much better.

Episode Four: Metamorphosis' lop-sided nature means that it's individually weaker than its immediate predecessor, but when you consider its importance to the story, you'd mad to miss out. Just make sure that you get the good ending, sit back, and soak up the silliness.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined’s ability to seamlessly segue from what seems like a simple remaster into a full-blown remake is brave – and it does it beautifully, too. This looks and sounds like you remember the Super Nintendo release, but is bursting with vibrant flourishes that elevate it beyond mere nostalgia. For purists, it’ll no doubt be perfect – but newcomers may scoff at the archaic control scheme, which purposefully limits your capabilities and leads to significant pain.

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.

It's a decent game that gets points for originality of concept, but how much value it has is down to how much you enjoyed previous entries in the franchise, and how much you'd like to see the Cop FPS genre become a thing.

This malleable gameplay is the crown jewel on what would otherwise have been an average exploration-adventure title. The presentation is excellent, and the colour palette is vibrant and exciting, but the moments where you have to figure out how to build something are the moments sure to stick with you.

I know there have been other musical RPGs before, but People of Note still feels largely unique. I love how heavily it leans into its theme, and while I don’t expect the YA vibes to resonate with everyone, I personally found myself invested in the release’s cast and its brisk storyline. I think the battle system could have been further refined to feel more impactful and I would have liked to see it evolve faster. Furthermore, I’m not sure all of the environmental puzzles are as fun as the developer intended – although they can be disabled if you’re not feeling them at all.

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 3: Above the Law is simmering. Javier Garcia is a great character, and aside from some cartoonish bit-parts, the cast that he's surrounding himself with is equally intriguing. Clem's inclusion feels a little forced at this point, but it's good to have her around all the same. An unsatisfying conclusion lets this instalment down, but we're still very much enjoying the ride.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst provides hours upon hours of monster slaying fun, but only if you have the patience to wrap your head around its overwrought progression systems. Once you've broken through the initial slog and you're confident in your God eating abilities, you'll find an addictive action RPG that's enjoyable as both a snack and as a three-course meal.

Beyond the Dawn isn't an especially exciting expansion, but it's still a solid post-game experience for those who enjoyed Tales of Arise. It's guilty of treading overly familiar ground, and the storytelling can feel a bit tedious, but there's fun to be found in exploring all-new dungeons and taking on powerful opponents. The DLC may be dropping too late for many players, but Alphen and the gang's epilogue is worth the return trip if you've got the time.

The greatest show on turf gets a bit more personality with Madden NFL 20’s new X-Factor abilities. While this headline addition only applies to the sport’s biggest superstars, it injects new life into the on-field action. The new QB1 campaign may have potential in the future, but in its current guise it’s a step back from the Longshot story explored in previous entries, while the fan-favourite Franchise mode continues to see neglect. Ultimate Team is unquestionably the series’ underlying bread-and-butter, and with tons of new challenges to complete, it’s sure to become your new obsession as American football’s 100th season gets underway – just be wary of investing too much money into the mode.

However, through a fondness for the side-scrolling beat-'em-up genre, Southend Interactive has concocted a fun arcade PSN snack, which is even tastier in local and online three-player co-op.

Adventures of Pip is sure to provide any fans of the genre with a good few hours of fun, and offers up some very interesting gameplay mechanics to boot. Unfortunately, the game is undermined by some niggling issues and poor design choices, but these don't hinder it enough to obscure an otherwise charming and intelligent little outing.

Its lack of depth means that you’re not going to be dedicating months of your life to it, but sometimes you just want something fun, easy to pick up, and bursting with playable content. On that level, this is an absolute bargain.

Need for Speed Heat is the best entry in the franchise for quite some time, but it's still not quite where it needs to be. The day vs. night gameplay is a compelling loop, and it's a big step in the right direction for the series in general. It's a solid effort with fun handling and lots of customisation options. It's a shame the open world lacks personality, and the police are perhaps a little too hardball, but there's still plenty to like. At the tail end of this generation, Need for Speed is back to being good -- let's hope it can be great in future.

With another generous set of remasters, we finally have the complete inaugural generation of a Playstation icon. The ports aren't perfect, but a generous selection of modern options balance out the imperfections of Tomb Raider: Last Revelation and its sequel Chronicles. Having The Angel Of Darkness in a good enough state to revisit might be worth the price alone.

Despite its slow start, Stranger in Sword City matures into a compelling dungeon crawling RPG that's defined by its gritty atmosphere.

Alien: Rogue Incursion is a solid first attempt from Survios to capture the iconic sci-fi franchise. If you’re a fan of the series like we are, then you’ll be giddy as you first get to hold your own pulse rifle; you’ll shiver as your motion tracker’s pulsating tone gets higher; and you’ll revel in the disgusting details of the H.R Giger-inspired Alien nests. It is let down at points with repetitive and lacklustre combat, trivial performance issues, and its hard cliff-hanger ending does leave you with far more questions than answers. But you’ll be hard pressed to find standout VR moments quite like the ones sprinkled throughout this fun campaign.

Like we said in the beginning, Mortal Kombat 1 is the best and most refreshing entry in the series since Mortal Kombat (2011), but it falls directly into the same traps as those prior entries. The core fighting is great thanks to the excellent Kameo Fighter system and increased pace (as well as ditching the styles and gear-specific moves), and the return of PS2-era fighters is fantastic. But sadly, the selection of modes and character-specific training options feel extremely dated – especially compared to Street Fighter 6.

Space Junkies is an incredibly competent multiplayer arena shooter that dodges the VR matchmaking bullet by flexing its cross-play capabilities, but it suffers from inadequate implementation. There’s plenty of bullet-blasting action to keep you engaged, but the limited control options only let you partake in a fraction of the fun when compared to your PC brethren.

Code Vein is a stylish JRPG with an interesting combat system that just falls short in a few areas. Its inspirations are clearly worn on its sleeve, but it brings enough to the table to stand out on its own. This title has promise, and we think the developer could iron it out into a worthy franchise if it’s given the chance to make future instalments.

It would appear the latest retread in the Assassin’s Creed franchise has learned from the underwhelming efforts of Rogue Remastered, which saw a graphical overhaul alongside little else. Assassin's Creed III Remastered brings far more to the table, seeing otherwise frustrating mechanics heavily tweaked and polished to make them less of an annoyance in the shadow cast by the likes of Origins and Odyssey. As much as this remaster can’t address the fundamental creases that the series re-imagining has worked so hard to iron out, it still retains its own sense of charm and is wonderfully reminiscent of the series' roots, paying great homage to the progress it’s made since.

Hand-holding in this game is virtually non-existent. Aside from a few quick tips here and there, it's up to you to figure out how to manage your zoo. It is nice to let the player choose their own playstyle right from the start, essentially making it a sandbox experience. However, at the same time, you are dumped with a plethora of information, which makes the lack of a proper tutorial noticeable. Talking about chaos, the poor UI aggravates this issue. Navigating through the menu and unlocking items for your zoo can be messy, with the latter having no clear categorical relation as you open up new items to decorate your park. Still, with enough humour and its fun game mechanics, Let’s Build A Zoo will have you sinking hours into your park, if you can get past its poor UI and lack of guidance.

Skull and Bones delivers boatloads of explosive tactical action, with players playing the part of pirates in an impressive oceanic world. Its 17th-century naval battles are best-in-class, with developer Ubisoft Singapore building a firm foundation for future voyages. But with no real story to speak of and little in the way of variation, repetition inevitably sets in. While not the spiritual successor to Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag as some might have been hoping for, Skull and Bones is never-the-less an incredibly unique, reactive game well worth checking out.

It's just a shame the genre-defining original is such a frustrating title to play on Vita, the second is so impenetrably hard, and the third a little unfocused.

NBA 2K20’s absurd production values put it alongside MLB The Show 19 as the most convincing sports game on the market, and its under-the-hood gameplay improvements mean it’s the best-playing basketball simulation ever made. With a dizzying array of modes and options, including a reasonably well-written single player campaign featuring a Hollywood cast, this is a bulky package that will keep you on-court for potentially hundreds of hours. The title’s tone-deaf approach to microtransactions is the only real downside, then, and while they have been dialled back a touch, it’s still difficult to ignore their ugly presence in practically every facet of the package.

If you’ve been looking for a more modern take on Touhou, Radiant Silvergun, or any of the many other bullet hell shooters on the market, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing ticks the box. It’s fast, it’s frantic, and it looks frankly unbelievable at times. And considering it’s being flogged at half the price of most other modern PS5 titles, it represents relatively reasonable value for money, too.

Clementine and AJ’s - and by extension, the player's - story comes to a fitting end here, as the creative efforts of Skybound and Telltale bring the story of the beloved series to its satisfying, largely open-ended conclusion. A plethora of emotional punches, varied and surprisingly engaging gameplay - even if the frame rate chugs - accompany wonderful music and impressive cinematography. Despite a couple of narrative hiccups, with one or two scenes that would have benefitted from some retooling, the conclusion to Telltale’s most beloved series is not just good, it’s satisfying.

All in all, Echoes of Fallen feels like little more than another chapter in Final Fantasy 16's story — but it's a good one, especially in terms of action. Oh, and it might just feature the most insane boss encounter in the entire game, if you can believe it.

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’s without a doubt the best and most complete version of Ronimo Games' excellent eighties homage to date – but it never quite does enough to make it worth a double-dip.

ChromaGun is a title that nails its core concept, but fluffs its lines in a few too many other areas. The colour-based puzzles brought to the table are a joy to solve with the surprising amount of depth mixing things up enough to never make you feel like you’ve seen the same brain-teaser twice. However, the punishment for failing a puzzle feels far too harsh at times and coupled with the constant load times, an air of frustration can set in.

They may not be game-breaking, but the countless visual bugs of Assassin's Creed Valhalla really hold the experience back on PS4. They give the title an inescapable roughness, begging the question of whether it's meant to be played on PS5. That said, if you can look past the broken animations and often absurd glitches, you'll find an amazing Assassin's Creed game — arguably one of the best in the entire series. Its stories and characters are a whole cut above what's come before, while its open world feels refined and incredibly well realised. The condition that Valhalla has launched in is a terrible shame, but it's something that could, and should, be fixed.

The Sims 4 is the latest and best in the long running franchise and there's absolutely nothing else like it on the market for PlayStation 4. It's the most faithful recreation of the drudgery of daily life on the market, but it's also marred by a bewildering array of control quirks, annoying bugs, and overnumerous menus. If you're prepared to persevere with the more clumsily implemented aspects of the game then there's a lot to love - and there's a ridiculous amount of content - but some will likely be put off by its often obtuse nature.

DriveClub’s balanced physics and impressive presentation make for an all-around excellent racer, even if there’s still a lot of room for Evolution Studios to expand and improve upon. However, the overly aggressive AI and archaic progression system may deter non-racing fans, while the ongoing online issues remain infuriating.

TRON RUN/r may not make the best first impression due to its genre, a somewhat hefty price tag, and the inclusion of microtransactions, but don't be too disheartened. When it comes down to it, this may very well be one of the most intense runners ever crafted, and it proves to be a good fit for the property to boot.

If you've been dribbling to play a soccer game on that big, shiny widescreen, you're in luck – but be warned that, though FIFA Football plays well through its flaws, in a matter of months there will almost certainly be an expanded, improved and numbered update that's not been rushed for launch.

FAR: Changing Tides is largely more of the same. With how good the first title is, that’s not a bad thing, but it leaves a little something to be desired. Great sound design and music, as well as incredible environmental art, don’t quite balance out the pacing issues, hard as they try. Your new vessel has more components to juggle than last time, and it’s mechanically satisfying, but you spend too much time doing it. While traveling underwater does add a new gameplay component to account for, the puzzles don’t offer enough of a challenge. All that said, Changing Tides is still worth your time.

Atari, in its current incarnation, seems setup solely to profit from its past classics. Gravitar: Recharged, though, actually does justice to the original – and even if you weren’t around in the 80s, there’s fun to be found in this sprightly shmup at the right price.

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.

Action Henk is a slick and addictive platformer. Its mechanics and controls are perfectly tuned, and its momentum-based gameplay is somewhat original and fun, but a couple of visual hiccups, some slightly bland level design, and a few wonky power-ups mean that it never reaches its full potential. However, as an exercise in running and jumping, few titles match its physics-based prowess.

Don’t Starve may make your stomach rumble in frustration if you’re not willing to invest the required time to master its complex systems, but triumph over its crushing difficulty, and you may find a satisfactory dish here.

Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is another solid spin-off, but veteran fans may feel a little let down by some of its streamlined gameplay. However, its dynamic nature is usually enough to make up for its lack of depth.

Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 is a solid handheld Warriors title that's let down by a couple of questionable design choices, namely the tedious bonds system, and the initially overwhelming battle objectives.

Fashion Police Squad is by no means perfect, but thanks to its strong personality and great ideas, it's worth a blast for any fan of the retro FPS genre. We're very excited to see what this team makes next.

XenoVerse 2's outstanding longevity must be praised, and it's still a fun game to explore, but it can be difficult to recommend. Parts of this time-travelling adventure haven't aged well at all, and although the game's impressive scope does counterbalance a lot of its flaws, you need to know that the core gameplay loop is an almighty grind — now more than ever before.

The gorgeous scenery and animation combined with the amazing, authentic audio make its bosses something that should be hoarded like Fafnir's gold. Even though the gaps between bosses leave more to be desired with disappointing exploration, Thora's tale is one that manages to enter Valhalla's gates with an adequate amount of flying colours.

As long as you can put up with some repetitive enemy design and the story not being all that, then Flintlock is worth a punt. It all comes together for a consistently good experience that never tries to break the bank to become something more. It does nothing insultingly bad; neither does it set a new benchmark for anything specific. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a good video game — nothing more, nothing less.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells is magical – but it doesn't have enough content to match its otherwise exemplary ideas. If you – or a family member – are hungry for more background on the history of Hogwarts, then this is a must-have package. But while it represents a rare sojourn in sorcery for unworthy Muggles, it casts an Imperio charm that's disappointingly short-lived.

Rebel Galaxy is a streamlined take on the space sim that while nowhere near as complex as its PC peers still has enough going on to keep you more than entertained. It's a real shame then that despite its enjoyable ship-to-ship combat, interesting setting, and fantastic soundtrack, it ultimately ends up being tarnished by a repetitive grind that needlessly pads out its length.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a short but very sweet trilogy. It's thoroughly silly, but manages to tell an earnest story as you enjoy its brilliant dialogue, great soundtrack, and endearing cast of characters. There's little replay value and the gameplay is minimal, but it'll win you over with real warmth, humour, and positivity.

A surprisingly strong adventure game with a plot that will push you through some of its more ambiguous puzzles, perhaps the biggest downside to Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today is that there needs to be more of it. This story ends just as it’s getting started, but while it persists, you’ll be pulled into its haunting landscape, where every person you encounter runs the risk of being reduced to a puddle of matter on the floor.

KeyWe may be a short co-op experience, and certainly isn't pushing PS5 in any capacity, but it'll win you over with its cute, irreverent style. The levels grow steadily more challenging, and it's fun striving for those gold rank times (and finding hidden collectibles) with a friend. If you enjoy games like Overcooked, take this one under your wing.

Like massaging salt into a mouth ulcer, AdVenture Capitalist doles out a different kind of entertainment – the kind that you know that you probably shouldn't enjoy. Cynical and simplistic, psychologists would probably have a field day analysing people playing this. We're lovin' it.

Move or Die is a frantic, fast-paced multiplayer game that will have you falling out with your mates in no time. Though your mileage may vary, the rapid pace and variety of gameplay should keep you coming back for more. It's a shame the title is marred by audio bugs, as this is otherwise an accomplished party game with a unique hook.

It's hard to describe Super Stardust Ultra as a disappointment, because the core gameplay loop – almost eight years after its original introduction – is still as enjoyable as ever. That said, this doesn't feel like the next frontier for Housemarque's revered shooter series – more like a stopgap along the way.

Alas, Sony’s signature baseball simulation has always prided itself on playing a great game of ball, and while this falls short in a few areas, it should still make a nice clean connection with fans of the sport.

It's a gleeful game that is always aiming to make you smile, and though technical problems persist, it's hard to care when you're jetting aimlessly about, playing with the physics and climbing ever higher. Perhaps it could've afforded to change things up a little more, but at the end of the day, this is a neat little platformer that may well supplant your expectations.

Planet Alpha is an enjoyable sci-fi indie, one that is undeniably stunning and engaging thanks to a unique day-night dynamic and interesting puzzles. Its major downfall is the glaring predictability of the story, but most players will be over the moon with what this game has to offer.

Though seemingly set in the same universe, this game tells its own tale. A small group of islands is protected by maidens, in charge of one island each. You play as a man set on sailing the seas, but his mute companion Laty is destined to be the maiden of his home island. Unable to take up her duties, the pair set off to explore the archipelago, seeking help from other maidens so she can fulfil her role.

Battlefield V is going to be a great game, of that we’re sure, but due to a number of glaring omissions at launch and one too many glitches, the final product isn’t there just yet. Series veterans are sure to feel at home with what’s on offer now, though, thanks to a solid multiplayer offering that sticks to the tried and true nature of what makes Battlefield tick.

The biggest problem with the game is its length. If you storm through the eight main levels, you can breeze through in about five hours. With that said, there’s a selection of unlockables, mini-quests, and even a secret final level. It also offers the ability to replay past levels with new equipment. It’s a fleeting experience that stands out from the web with its humour, excellent sound design, and genuine laughs, frights, and thrills.

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.

Again, it’s the best Smash clone we’ve ever played – we just wish Nickelodeon had shown some confidence in it.

Valley's heart is most definitely in the right place, and for the most part it succeeds in the execution of its gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, the game's technical faults can't be ignored. The sloppy framerate in particular damages the experience far too much, and has held back what would otherwise be a great game.

Codemasters is definitely moving in the right direction, but this franchise still has a few more mile markers to pass before it escapes from the shadow of the outstanding entry that got it off the starting line.

Tchia feels really unlike any experience we've ever had with a video game. Full of heart, but occasionally lacking direction, it's a unique experience showcasing the love the dev team has for New Caledonia. Everything about Tchia evokes a wonderful tropical vibe, full of rich history and culture, from the folklore elements of the storyline to the authentic voice acting in New Caledonia's native language, Drehu. Unfortunate bugs let it down and stop players experiencing it to its fullest, but a solid, enjoyable, and ultimately beautiful game is at its core. It's evident that a lot of love has been poured into this really exciting debut from Awaceb, and as a day one PS Plus Extra release, it's bound to bring a lot of joy to a lot of players.

Planet Zoo is, ironically, a relatively toothless park building game. It doesn't have the delicious chaos of the Jurassic World Evolution games or the thrills of building your own rollercoaster and then hoping it'll stay on the tracks in Planet Coaster. But it's a pleasant and charming game. There's an airy joy in creating a peaceful home for animals to live in, and the earnest conservationist slant of Planet Zoo is hard to fault.

After the crummy Man of Medan and the better-but-not-quite-there Little Hope, The Dark Pictures Anthology has finally started hitting its stride with House of Ashes.

An open world was the right move for a Borderlands franchise that’s on its back foot. If you can grin and bear through some bad console performance, Borderlands 4 rewards you with a whole lot more looting and shooting. Some small new additions around the edges and a solid slate of bosses and side-quests spice up this fourth numbered entry that’s still as brazen and immodest as ever.

Thankfully, the game's excellent presentation holds everything together, and at around 12 hours in length, Voice of Cards doesn't quite outstay its welcome. There are multiple endings to unlock as well, but additional playthroughs may be a tall order. Voice of Cards isn't the kind of RPG that you can rush through — its deliberately slow pace is part of the charm — but there is a slightly expanded New Game+ mode for those who fancy taking on the dragon all over again.

Expand is a great puzzle game. Navigating your square through monochromatic mazes offers a wonderfully relaxing experience that somehow manages to be calming and wrought with tension throughout. While it’s a relatively short title, its low price point and high fun factor make it a worthwhile venture. Sure, it may not have been a runaway success on its initial release, but we can only hope this title finds its audience this time around.

Take a bit of time to learn its systems, and this will grow on you like an out-of-control inferno. Just remember to have a bit of patience, or you will get burned.

For PS5, Monster Truck Championship’s improvements are technical, offering a 4K resolution upgrade and 60 frames-per-second gameplay. Unfortunately, there’s no DualSense support and previous PS4 owners don’t have a free upgrade. When backwards compatibility exists, we can’t recommend double dipping, but new players will find much to enjoy. This is the definitive edition, and if you enjoy monster truck racing, then this naturally comes recommended.

A Fisherman’s Tale is a typical puzzle-solving first-person VR experience that stands a cut above with a good-quality gimmick that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It barely stays long enough to finish saying hello, but it has the wit, charm, and novelty to make it worth the single sitting it’s asking for.

RAGE 2's on-foot action is some of the most fun we've had this generation. As a shooter it's undeniably top tier, but the combat constantly has to fight for its rightful place in the spotlight. All the bright pink paint in the apocalypse couldn't stop the game's open world from feeling lacklustre, and the vehicular stuff struggles throughout. RAGE 2 needed the chaos and insanity that its marketing campaign was so eager to push, because we've ended up with a disappointingly safe objective-based grind, in which the excellent combat is the only thing strong enough to string you along.

99Vidas is an affectionate homage to scrolling beat em ups of the 80s and 90s. It’s also a fun game to spend an afternoon with, regardless of age and skill. There’s not a lot of content and you can run through the story mode in a few hours, but local and online co-op, unlockable characters, and the promise of more levels should give it some lasting appeal.

If you’ve never played the first two titles in Sony Santa Monica’s seminal series before, then you’re probably better off sampling them on the PS3 first – but if, for whatever reason, you need to take Kratos on the go, then this Vita version represents a more than adequate gift from the Gods.

When you consider how far Train Sim World 6 has come since its original introduction, it’s staggering. But compared directly to its predecessor, this new version doesn’t change a lot. The new Riviera route is breath-taking, and we really appreciate the addition of passenger announcements and the random events that can impede your journey. But if you’re not immediately attracted to any of the new lines, we’d recommend you focus on the free Starter Pack and wait for some of the upcoming expansions, which will include all-new countries like Japan, Portugal, and Czech Republic.

If you’re an Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley fan then this is a must buy: its peaceful setting, vibrant visuals, and freedom to explore and be creative when designing and decorating will keep you entertained for hours. It’s a shame that its main story is a little on the short side but with a fairly price point, its cost certainly won’t set you back as much as a trip to Diddly Squat Farm.

Not all of the gameplay translates perfectly to the DualSense, as it’s clearly been designed around either touchscreens or mouse-and-keyboards. It’s not a big deal, though, and once you find a good lobby with a friendly group this is one of the better party games you’ll find on the PS5. It’s just finding said people can be a bit of an exercise in trial-and-error, so be aware that you will be at the mercy of the release’s unchecked community unless you have a guaranteed group of pals to play with.

While the AI will soon find you too much to handle, even at higher difficulties, the online component is where the specials really shine. The strategy of choosing when to slot your attacks in becomes paramount. It’s easy to lose the rhythm of the song if you get too cocky. As long as the game can nurture and maintain a player base there should be ample reason to keep coming back to God of Rock time and time again.

Zool was a classic back in the day, but it didn't endure as much as other genre luminaries. This remaster enhances what was great about the original title while adding some modern elements to sweeten the deal.

Hitman: Episode 3 - Marrakesh is a good addition to an already great release, and although it may not have the total freedom of Sapienza, it certainly does espionage and detail well. The constantly busy atmosphere and the variety of kills will keep dedicated assassins coming back for more. Roll on Thailand.

All in all, Judgment of Atlantis is probably Assassin's Creed Odyssey's best DLC episode. As a standalone adventure it feels the most complete, the setting is superb, and the finale does a great job of tying the Eagle Bearer's story together. While the modern day plot, complete with its awful characters, continues to be the worst part of the experience, it ultimately takes little away from the memorable adventures of Alexios or Kassandra. The Atlantis saga hasn't been perfect, but it has added some welcome weight to an already huge game.

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.

It's unlikely to hold your interest forever, then, but for the short time that it does it's a splendid game.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is a great way to test the waters of Koei Tecmo's long-running historical simulation series. It can be initially overwhelming and a little unwieldy at times, but the remake offers a return to a seminal entry in the series and one of the deepest and most intricate strategy games available on PS5 and PS4 to date.