The fourth and penultimate episode of Telltale's first season of Minecraft: Story Mode has yet again failed to impress.

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.

Though the environments offer intriguing ethereal backdrops to fire from, they're a bit busier than we’d like. Once in a while you’ll lose track of the notes because the environments may briefly draw your attention from the song. In fact, apart from a disorienting moment where the game briefly freezes upon completing every song, this is the game’s only flaw. The difficulty ramps up well, shooting notes is rewarding and satisfying, and you’ll find yourself wanting to go back again and again.

A massive amount of dialogue often saps the pace of an otherwise eerily tense third-person adventure, but other than that, this is a welcome addition to the franchise that's well worth experiencing if you're a fan of the maniacal Monokuma and all that he stands for.

Dead or Alive 6 finds itself in this slightly awkward middle space where it's certainly a sequel, but it's not nearly the jump that we were expecting -- especially since it's been almost seven years since Dead or Alive 5. The new additions to combat are welcome but they're not exactly exciting, and the overall package is reasonably robust, but let down by tedious grinds and a terrible story mode. As a fighter, Dead or Alive is still fun, punchy, and accessible, but as an upgrade on the already solid Dead or Alive 5: Last Round, it feels underwhelming, and even a little rushed.

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.

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.

This very decent Deathinitive Edition includes all of the DLC and commendably improves the assets and lighting effects, but it gets slightly cut down by our scythe of criticism for minor glitches and framerate woes.

Like Bond himself, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is sharp and smart; a modern Bond game, as much about stealth and muscular take downs as gadgets and getting the girl. It doesn't always get it right: fire-fights could have been lifted from any other FPS, and level design can be on the linear side, but it's a strong outing for 007 and by far the best Bond on PS3.

After the dreadful Dead Kings, Ubisoft has proven that it can make decent DLC with Assassin's Creed Syndicate's Jack the Ripper add-on pack.

Coming from the mind of a Sound Shapes developer, you can really see the influences in LOUD on Planet X; the quirky, minimalist style, the simplicity of its gameplay, and the excellent soundtrack all echo its spiritual predecessor.

Death Squared is a solidly fun and challenging experience with friends, and even more so when played as a single-player game. Its lighthearted nature, lengthy story mode, and couch co-op possibilities are all good selling points, but SMG Studios' puzzler suffers thanks to a lack of innovation. Test passed - just.

Smart As offers an enjoyable mental workout, which is complemented by some outstanding connectivity features. It's a shame that so much of its content has to be unlocked, but what's included is fun and thoughtfully designed.

You can't really go wrong with Unfinished Business if you enjoyed its underrated predecessor, but expectations need to be kept in check. This standalone follow-up is disappointingly rough around the edges, and although its comically violent combat remains satisfying, it's not varied enough to elevate the entire action-heavy campaign. Still, we're never going to say no to more Rogue City. Teyon still manages to capture the campy 80s spirit of RoboCop here, and that'll drive most players to the top of OmniTower.

Overall, there is much to commend in this magical blaster – just make sure that you bring a friend.

A pleasure to play, the game gives heartfelt emotion as well as frivolity throughout, earning its status as one of the best visual novels that the Vita has to offer.

What started out as a Kickstarter three years ago, Shape of the World is an impressive accomplishment. The end result provides a beautiful but brief escape into an obscure world, filled with colourful abstract variations and creatures to observe at your own pace. It makes for a great escapist title in between games, though we're ultimately left feeling a little confused by its mixed messaging and lack of story. It hints at something greater here, but doesn’t feel confident to make a bolder or more meaningful statement. Maybe that’s what Hollow Tree Games had intended, but we can’t shake the feeling of style over substance here.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds manages to differentiate itself from its battle royale progeny with its more tactical spin on the formula, even with its obvious lack of presentational prowess. While its grounded approach can be brutal at first, if you take the time to immerse yourself in its stress inducing battles, you’ll find yourself involved in epic engagements that will have you sharing your successes – and failures – with anyone willing to listen. It may not be the king anymore, but PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds still more than deserves a place at the top table.

The game pitches itself as FMV horror, and while the experience does incorporate those two elements the more you play, it never amounts to anything more than cheap jump scares and creepy episodes of breaking the fourth wall. It's effective enough the first time, but diminishing returns weaken the tactic dramatically. The same can't be said for some of the horrific voice acting, however, which is cringeworthily terrible on almost all fronts. Although, Simulacra offers just enough of an intriguing, narrative reason to put up with it all.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is more complete than Street Fighter V, and its accessible bouts fare favourably – even though they’re likely to divide long-time franchise fans. But this package lacks the polish that you’d expect from such a high-profile title, and even accounting for its forgettable story, it still winds up feeling light. While it’s all largely agreeable, we’re yet to be convinced that this title is a knockout – let alone a Hyper Combo finish.

MouseCraft is an excellent addition to the puzzle genre, which successfully draws upon the strengths of several classics, while differentiating itself at the same time.

Though Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package has noticeably distanced itself from its predecessors - a move likely to alienate series fans - Capcom's latest is still a damn fun game that doesn't take itself too seriously. Its Christmas setting benefits the game's character as a whole, and the wacky weapons and great gunplay, coupled with the new exo suit, ensure that combat is as punchy and enjoyable as ever, and while there is a feeling that it lacks identity, it certainly doesn't lack comedy. Frank West has risen again, and while he isn't as recognisable as his former self, he's been revamped in style.

Zanki Zero is a really entertaining blend of visual novel and survival RPG gameplay. The story is just as eccentric and zany as the Danganronpa series and features that grittiness fans have come to expect. The combat system is a little simplistic, but the human cloning makes it a really unique experience. However, the title doesn't quite hit the same deliciously dark heights as Danganronpa.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an excellent open-world adventure. Thanks to Ubisoft Massive’s collaboration with Lightstorm, this is easily the best movie tie-in we’ve experienced. The level of detail is second to none, and fans of the series will have a whale of a time spotting little references here or there to the mainline films. However, we’d be tempted to say unlike Hogwarts Legacy, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora would be a good time even if you weren’t a fan of the series or haven’t seen the films. The game is certainly filled with tropes of the Ubisoft formula, but the lore and focus on harvesting and hunting elevates that open-world design to create an immersive and inviting setting that we happily lost ourselves in.

Death’s Gambit is 40 per cent trial and error, 40 per cent reliant on upgrades, and 20 per cent luck. Racing to the next level only to be stopped abruptly in your path by an opposing foe issues an element of surprise and delightful unpredictability, and exploring its pixelated medieval world feels both refreshing and nostalgic. Though the inclusion of a fully voiced cast and more platforming elements wouldn’t go amiss, its difficult boss battle encounters are enough to keep you motivated, providing you have a great deal of patience, and are willing to put in some time upgrading your character and skill set. Just don't get mad if you die, like, a lot.

Wattam is a pure, adorable joy. Keita Takahashi's signature idiosyncrasies shine through in this playful game about friendship and finding pleasure in the simple things. Interacting with the wacky cast of characters is great fun, and there's almost no pressure to march on with the story if you'd rather do your own thing. It's a shame the technical side of things lets the experience down somewhat, but when the game is at its ludicrous best, you probably won't care.

Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a frequently enjoyable dating sim that nails its charmingly campy tone while providing a refreshing change of pace for those who fancy making love not war. It comes close to being a keeper, but the high cost of this version over its mobile counterparts and a gameplay loop that struggles to keep it up for more than a couple of hours means that Kitty Powers' Matchmaker just isn't quite relationship material.

There's a solid sidescroller in here, but Game Freak's taken it in the wrong direction.

Marvel MaXimum Collection is worth the price of entry for X-Men: The Arcade Game alone, but there’s a lot to love about this bundle. While not every game included is an all-timer, there’s a good enough mix here to make this a compelling collection of superhero brawlers, and the quality-of-life inclusions are excellent overall.

Mugsters may not hit all the notes of a fast frenetic party game, and it may not have the deepest story to suck you in and keep you playing for months and months. However, the endless variety and sense of curiosity we felt playing, exploring, and blowing stuff up was enough to keep us very, very busy. This is a game with no definite end in sight, and absolutely no boredom to be had.

We're not sure every Amalur fan will appreciate Fatesworn's central storyline. It's nothing crazy — Fate, meet Chaos! — but you could argue that the developer is a little sloppy in its handling of the game's established cast and lore. But for what it's worth, we do think Fatesworn is heartfelt — a genuine homage to a game that would have been undeservedly forgotten, had it not been for THQ and Kaiko's efforts.

We like this little collection. As a game, Breakers and its refreshed Breakers Revenge re-release does little to set itself apart from its peers of the era, but its simplistic gameplay and vibrant aesthetic still manages to ensure it’s an entertaining time.

A delightful history lesson in the technical pixel-artistry of CPS brawler design, starting in 1989 with Final Fight as a genuine classic, and then continuing through the 1990s with fondly remembered street fisticuff games and hack-and-slash fantasy titles. Over twenty years later, Capcom's style and craftsmanship showcased in the coin-ops previously unavailable on console -- Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit -- justifies a purchase of the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle in its own right.

In Tanta We Trust is a DLC better than the game it's based on, but that's more because it strips the Forspoken experience of its open world busywork than anything else. An expansion that focuses more on combat, the single open area is a condensed version of what the base title offers, turning it into a more tightly packed undertaking that gets you in amongst the action much faster. It's more Forspoken, but a better version of it.

Fans of fast-paced shooters are certain to find Big Sky Infinity a welcome addition to their collection. The addictive high-score loop and intuitive upgrade system will keep you coming back for more, and the random level generator ensures that each visit offers a brand new experience.

We really wanted to love Harold Halibut, and there are some redeeming qualities. Its wonderful aesthetic is unique and detailed, it has a great sci-fi hook, and there are some good moments throughout the story. Unfortunately, these aspects depreciate due to a prolonged runtime, most of which is filled with slow, repetitive treks from one scene to the next. The narrative is left to hold everything together, but it sadly doesn't quite stick the landing thanks to pacing issues and some iffy writing. This is one fish you might want to let get away.

World of Final Fantasy Maxima simply continues to promote the celebratory vibe of the original game. New additions to the catalogue of both characters and Mirages truly encourage replayability, offering incentive to make return trips to Grymoire to tackle the many new endeavours they’ve brought with them. More classic Final Fantasy characters revived in a loveable art style not only act as a lure for younger eyes but also capture the essence of the franchise as a whole, no doubt provoking an appeal to FF aficionados too.

Bound is beautifully presented and will make you think, but its basic platforming doesn't have the legs that developer Plastic thinks it has. Fans of emotionally charged titles like Gone Home will be satisfied with what's on offer here – but those looking for a quality platformer may want to dance with something a little more competent in that department.

Steep is very successful at capturing the breakneck exhilaration of Alpine extreme sports, and with an atmospheric open world that's packed full of enjoyable challenges it picks up the mantel dropped by the likes of SSX well. While it doesn't quite hit the lofty peaks it's aiming for – mainly due to some poorly explained mechanics and the underwhelming multiplayer – you won't be piste-off if you decide to take the plunge.

The silly simulation gag has long outstayed its welcome, but Job Simulator's biting writing and intuitive gameplay means that the punchline plays one last time. Owlchemy Labs' launch title won't keep you occupied like real labour, but if work was always this entertaining then we'd never pull a sickie ever again.

Even with all of its problems, it's really hard not to fall a little bit in love with Payday 2: Crimewave Edition – purely from the thrill of pulling off capers with a crew.

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.

RIDE 3 will be loved by fans of motorcycle sims, but likely won’t be the game to invite new audiences to the genre. The sheer number of unlockables is impressive and the extensive campaign mode is sure to give fans a lot to sink their, er, wheels into. However, some slightly sloppy visuals and the difficult to pick up gameplay will keep it reserved for that niche audience.

Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 has more variety than its predecessor due to the titles spanning both different systems and different decades. Just like the Disney Afternoon Collection, there’s a plethora of bonus content included here, spanning art galleries and music libraries. This is another essential compilation for fans of the Blue Bomber.

There's something really compelling at the core of Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, but it struggles to emerge amidst half-baked mechanics and a general lack of depth. The game wows over the first few hours with slick visuals and a varied character roster, but it just doesn't have the content to keep anyone but the most hardcore Bleach fans hooked. While it's great to see Tite Kubo's edgy blockbuster back in action, Rebirth of Souls will go down as a flashy fighter that never realised its potential.

Loot Rascals is an intriguing and infectiously charming roguelike. Its central mechanics are tense and engaging, and the meta-mechanic surrounding them provide a satisfying gimmick. Unfortunately, its card-based stat system offers little strategic variety, and its procedural generation can be frustrating.

There's surprising scope in the game — you can dismantle items to get materials, which you can then combine into new weapon modules. There are side missions and mini-games, like serving cocktails to earn money. It's also kind-of open world, albeit a very small one. While the ambition is admirable, overall we feel the game comes across as quite unfocused. It's an enjoyable experience, and everything here is reasonably good, but the result is a game that doesn't really shine, save for its rainy, neon-infused aesthetic.

Several unnecessary complexities may hold the sequel back for some, but the strong story, engaging battle system, and brilliant character development should appeal to both casual and hardcore JRPG fans alike.

Well worth its weight in gold, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 continues the recent trend of great Warriors titles.

As with its competitor Skylanders, it’ll cost you a fortune to get the most out of the game – but if you’ve already invested in this franchise, there’s no reason to hesitate over assembling those Avengers.

While the game may have benefitted from enhancing some of its mechanics, it's by no means a bad RPG experience – just one that we feel like we've had many times before.

Clementine is The Walking Dead, and by showing her transition into womanhood A New Frontier is just about a must for fans. But while it lays the foundations for new regulars in Javi and Kate, the fact is that all of the season’s other story threads come to an abrupt and unsatisfying end in Episode 5: From the Gallows. There have been many good moments over the course of the season, but the finale does little with them, and the journey feels like a waste of time as a consequence.

Pato Box attempts to do something different with the Punch-Out!! formula, and succeeds in weaving a story through the boxing matches and light puzzle solving. With a unique visual style and silly tone, this entertaining oddity certainly stands out from the crowd. However, some fights can feel a touch unfair, especially with poor checkpointing, and with very limited content, this probably won't last you too long.

Episode Aigis is one for the super fans. Its worthwhile story beats are rare and buried beneath a lot of all-too-familiar dungeon crawling, and it's undeniably expensive in terms of asking price. At best, it's an intriguing but flawed epilogue; at worst, it's a completely unnecessary addition to a fantastic game.

Bethesda’s really tried to make DOOM work in virtual reality, but despite supporting all three of PlayStation VR’s control options, it doesn’t really feel like the title was designed with any of them in mind. That said, if you can ignore the flaws with whichever peripheral you choose, then the over-the-top action of id Software’s series transfers well, and this is arguably one of the better looking virtual reality titles to date. It’s a little on the short side, but the price point reflects that, and the gunplay is still as intense as it’s ever been.

It’s staggering how little has been done with NHL 23 to differentiate it from last year’s edition. Bugs that should have long ago been quashed remain, Be A Pro continues to be littered with spelling errors and conversations that make no sense, retirement and championship banners in arenas are as far behind as half a decade, and the list goes on. Despite all that, women being integrated into HUT and desperation plays are welcome improvements, as is the overhaul of rink atmosphere. Ultimately, while NHL 23 isn’t a step backward per se, the move forward is so small, so minuscule, that it may as well not have moved at all.

If you flash back to a concern exacerbated from our Turrican Flashback review, Wonder Boy Collection's paltry four titles puts pressure on retro gamers to question its value for money, because it omits series defining titles and key console ports when compared to the more expensive Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection from Strictly Limited Games — which has sold out of its 2,000 PS4 retail copies. It's also worse value than retro compilations that released within weeks of the Wonder Boy Collection, when set side-by-side against the cheaper and more complete Pac-Man Museum+ and the superior extras in Sonic Origins.

It's hard to dislike Blackwood Crossing. It makes a valiant attempt at telling a tender story in an unconventional way, and for that its developers absolutely deserve credit. Unfortunately, its attempts largely fall flat. There are some striking visual and auditory moments to be sure but they don't make up for the predictable narrative and spotty voice acting.

This is a game that is massively enhanced by drop-in/drop-out co-operative play offline, with a future patch promising to bring the same experience to online players as well. Average players will probably complete the first difficulty level in 2-3 hours and disappointingly, the only real replayability here involves beating the game again on a harder difficulty setting. But even with that in mind, Double Dragon Neon is easily one of the most polished PSN titles available to date, and if you don't at least give it a spin (kick), then the joke is on you.

Woah Dave! Is a stellar example of how simple systems can combine to create incredibly tense and satisfying gameplay. While the package doesn't contain oodles of content, high score hounds are likely to find hours of fun exploring this utterly elegant experience.

Far Cry: New Dawn can quite easily provide a weekend of fun, but when it comes to recalling your favourite games of 2019, don't expect to remember this post-apocalyptic adventure. Its streamlined RPG elements do add some welcome structure, but this trek through Hope County may seem familiar to a fault. It's almost a shame that Ubisoft didn't go all-in on making New Dawn a totally over-the-top spin-off, rather than a sequel that struggles to tell an all-too-serious story.

Days Gone’s survival horror underbelly gives it just enough identity to set it apart from the dozens of other open worlders already available. A dense selection of overlapping gameplay mechanics make for entertaining action, even if the title’s unremarkable mission design doesn’t always make the best of them. The story can drift, and the overall package isn’t quite as polished as its PS4 exclusive counterparts – but as far as gaming comfort food goes, you could feast on worse snacks than this.

Hitman: Episode 4 - Bangkok may be weaker than Sapienza, but by no means is it a bad addition. While the setting does feel a missed opportunity, the Himmapan Hotel is ripe with plenty of different kills, and the clandestine nature and harder difficulty makes it all the more interesting.

Once it gets going and the tricks begin to unlock, Mad Riders is extremely fast and quite fun. There are several niggles that drag this racer down, though, such as the slow introduction of stunts and the harsh quickness of some respawns which directly opposes the multi-pathed style of the courses, and it never really does enough out of the ordinary to live up to its title.

While the overarching story in KONA will no doubt leave you cold, the tense atmosphere at the centre of its snowstorm setting will warm your desire to see it all the way through to the end. It should also be applauded for trying to add a surprising number of mechanics to what's ostensibly an adventure game, and while the survival gameplay ultimately feels superfluous, it at least works well in service of developer Parabole's presentational aspirations – which is more than can be said for the pointless combat and distinctly average collection of puzzles.

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.

Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry plots the return of a filthy anti-hero that’s often enjoyable and sometimes cringe-worthy. An interestingly non-linear story format breaks from the usual adventure template, but this is still the same old Larry – for better or worse.

Broken down into individual pieces, Sand Land doesn't do anything particularly amazing, but when taken as a whole, this is one of the best anime-based games that we've played in a long time. It's got plenty of great story moments, its open world structure is moreish, and combat is satisfyingly solid. A robust and lovingly crafted adventure that charms from start to finish.

Asura's Wrath is uncompromising, testing the limits of what a game is, and in taking this approach it's a compelling, often invigorating, piece of software. However, at just six hours long - a couple of hours longer if you want to unlock absolutely everything by gaining S ranks on each episode and choose to watch every cut scene again - with gameplay that amounts to far less than that time might suggest, it's a tough sell as a full price title.

Outside of its gripping boss battles, Toukiden: The Age of Demons doesn't do much to get you excited.

The Escapists is excellent at what it does, there's no doubt about that, and it's cornered a market that nobody else dares to touch. It's generous with content, it's deep, and, at times, it's extremely satisfying. Still, it can be very tedious, and as such, unless you're actually in prison and have time to kill, there are probably better ways to spend your limited gaming hours.

The fundamentals here are spot on. The racing itself is fun and fast-paced, and the upgrading system works well to keep you coming back for a good few hours. It's just unfortunate that pretty much everything else doesn't quite measure up. The music, the environments, and the presentation all fall behind.

LEGO Marvel's Avengers assembles the building blocks of a good LEGO game adequately, delivering decent puzzles, comical cut-scenes, and some feel-good fiction for the whole family. However, the formula's definitely starting to wear thin, and it has some niggles that could do with being Iron Man-ed out.

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.

The patient, cunning mindset Aragami puts you in with its strictly stealth gameplay is something we long for with more titles. With simple yet smart level design and mechanics, it proves to be a focused title with heart and soul that has learned much from its old masters. But the game does lack polish in its performance and appearance, and the AI can be irritating at times. Fortunately, the release's story, visuals, and sound design ultimately help lift it out of the darkness.

GRIP has great racing mechanics, but they’re marred by inconsistent implementation. As a spiritual successor to a turn of the century combat racing IP that only a select few would recognise – Rollcage – it’s best enjoyed in short bursts. Its familiar simplicity is inherently appealing, and its well-polished mechanics make racing fun for an hour or two. As you get your fill of the main mode and begin to delve deeper beneath the surface, however, it becomes apparent that there isn’t much to keep you coming back for more. GRIP has an incredibly solid framework, but it still feels like it’s missing something.

Unit 13 showcases the strengths of the PlayStation Vita fairly well, with the quality of its core gameplay complemented by the accessibility of its mission design. Some of the objectives let the format down, but for the most part the game is perfectly suited to its parent platform.

Life is Strange: Reunion could have been a full Double Exposure sequel, and it could have been a full Max and Chloe entry. Instead, both narratives are squeezed into a bloated finale with dull pacing and a lacklustre resolution. There are sparks of brilliance in there and fantastic chemistry between its two leads, but it's never given the love and care to blossom into something beautiful.

Farpoint leans on novelty to make up for its shortcomings elsewhere, but wielding the PlayStation VR Aim Controller is such a unique experience that it papers over some dated game design. The story is cheesy but has some nice moments, and the action really ramps up towards the tail of the campaign. With an arcade mode and co-op included, Impulse Gear’s inaugural outing is a fulfilling offering, and while there are obvious improvements that could be made, there’s enough here to prove that blockbuster first-person shooters could find a home on PlayStation VR yet.

Croixleur Sigma can be entertaining when you're gunning for a high score or if you're in the mood for some relentless action, but there just isn't enough reason to keep coming back once you've sampled each mode and discovered a few favourite weapons. It's an arcade hack and slasher with a colourful, inviting exterior, but much like a bag of Haribo, it's best enjoyed in short bursts – stay too long and you'll soon get sick.

It’s hard to complain about an additional two hours of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – especially when it’s free. There’s some fun lore for fans to soak up here, and some pretty tense scenarios, too. While it never really has anything to rival the main game’s best bits, it’s worth the bandwidth for Redfield’s masterfully manicured mane alone.

In its systems and its storytelling, Romancing SaGa 2 is still a unique RPG -- one that genre enthusiasts may want to experience for its unorthodox methods alone. For all of its strange intricacies, though, this is a flawed fantasy adventure, hindered by potentially significant balancing issues and a horrible looking user interface. As a curiosity, Romancing SaGa 2 is worth looking into, but a lot more could have been done to bring the overall package up to speed.

Melbits World is a nice attempt at creating a fun, simple puzzle game suited to PlayLink's smartphone functionality. Its visual style is very easy on the eye, while the basic, communication-based gameplay means it's bound to be a good family game. The PlayLink initiative may not have been as popular as Sony may have hoped, but Melbot Studios' title shows that there's plenty left to explore when it comes to smartphone controlled gaming.

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

Do well and everyone is happy and they might leave tips. You can spend your hard-earned coin on new cooking equipment, décor for your bistro, furniture, that kind of thing. As you progress, you learn new recipes, and you can add new flourishes to old ones. Eventually you get more chefs you can lead to help you out. And if you're really struggling there's options to lower the difficulty significantly, which makes the game quite chilled out if that's more your thing.

Roguelites are all about repetition, and Full Metal Schoolgirl has that “one more go” factor that makes the genre so darn compelling. Its tongue in cheek premise resonates in these wild times, and its gameplay – with a bit of tinkering – blends character action with third-person shooting in a fresh and interesting way. You just need to be prepared for a bit of frustration and a pinch of jank: this isn’t a straight-A student by any stretch, but its robotic heart’s in the right place.

Get Even had a good base of neat ideas, but the execution of the overall product is so poor that many areas feel unfinished. Combat is quite simply a disaster, the graphics look like they’ve been taken from a 2008 PS3 game, and the soundtrack crushes your enjoyment far too often. The plot may well grab your attention, but the act of actually playing Get Even is nothing but a chore.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a fun look Pac in time to an era where 3D platformers were far more prominent than they are today. While it doesn’t quite outclass some of its contemporaries like Crash Bandicoot Warped and Super Mario 64, Pac-Man World isn’t one to miss if you’re looking for another solid 3D platforming adventure. Depending on how you view the new difficulty balances (or if you just really love Ms. Pac-Man) this is undoubtedly the best way to experience the PS1 classic.

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

God Eater 3's another frenetic action RPG where the enjoyable rhythm and flow of combat is enough to outweigh most of the negatives. Whether you're up for a lengthy session or you're just stopping by to farm some materials, the game's easy to sink your teeth into, and there's plenty to chew on should you find yourself hooked thanks to the in-depth character progression. While more could and probably should have been done to bring God Eater's visuals and cumbersome menus up to speed, there's still plenty of skilful hack and slashing on offer here.

Fans should know that they won't have to scour the seven seas to find the treasures that One Piece: Unlimited World Red has buried beneath its somewhat rough exterior.

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.

Milestone has clearly spent an age under the bonnet, and Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo has a content quota that's befitting of all of that attention. Unfortunately, the Italian outfit's indecision with regards to the racer's handling model means that it's not always at its best when out on the track. If you can look past this shortcoming, however, then you'll find a real celebration of the sport here – and the man who helped put it on the map for a whole generation.

Outside of its great use of the DualSense, RIDE 4 is a frustrating and disappointing experience. The lack of a meaningful tutorial, an aggravatingly difficult and boring campaign mode, the absence of local multiplayer, and the greedy credit system all equate to a game that feels like it was rushed for people hungry to get a next-gen motorcycle experience. RIDE 4 feels like a tech demo of the DualSense and nothing more. For an immersive racing experience on PS5, it is better to switch gears and look forward to Gran Turismo 7.

The always-online multiplayer aspect comes with the usual latency issues: you’ll be chasing someone and land an attack but the other person has already run past you, meaning your attack doesn’t hit. We also ended up shutting doors on ourselves rather than behind us due to this issue — it's incredibly frustrating and can be the difference between a win and a loss. Combined with the occasional visual bugs, precise positioning for interactions, clunky user interface, long lobby wait times, and lack of content, this leaves The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on the floor bleeding out.

Transference is an experience fit for VR, and from that perspective, the game does a phenomenal job of providing tension, scares, and narrative beats. Those looking for value may feel a little short-changed, especially so without the implementation of virtual reality, but the overall package should leave you satisfied if horror and terror is your forte.

Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel misses the mark. It fails to fill a large, fresh environment with tangible reasons to stay there any longer than a few hours, and although the new weapons and gear are some of the best in the game, you'll want to play about with them somewhere other than The Painted World.

A relentlessly entertaining experience with energy to spare, Tesla vs Lovecraft takes a comedic premise and crafts an addictive ride, filled with variety. Despite some sporadic difficulty spikes, this stands shoulder to shoulder with PS4s best arcade shooters.