Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar's best game, and it's gripping from start to finish. It sets a new bar for open world interaction, providing an absurd level of detail across the board. It's an immaculately polished release that pulls no punches in its delivery, pushing both brutally mature themes and perfectly placed satire. While its clumsy controls and convoluted button layouts can ruin the fun on occasion, it's easy enough to look past these flaws when everything else is of such a high quality. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a modern masterpiece.

Los Santos feels more alive than ever, and whether you're a frequent visitor or not, we'd recommend booking a seat on the next-gen flight if you haven't already.

Elden Ring is the definitive FromSoftware game. With a refined combat system packing new ideas and an open world perfect for exploration, it sets a new benchmark for titles of this ilk to strive for. This is the Japanese developer firing on all cylinders — far and away its best creation yet. Elden Ring is an utterly essential PS5 title.

Baldur's Gate 3 is the new reigning RPG monarch, demanding your homage with its insane level of depth and detail. Even if its gameplay might move too slowly for some, it's hard not to be astounded by the sheer scope of this adventure. An epic in the true sense of the word, Larian's latest is a game that can utterly consume your life for days, weeks, months, even years, should you embrace its brilliance.

An assured, touching, and engrossing adventure, The Last of Us represents a watershed moment for the medium. The unlikely bond that blossoms between the title’s two lead characters is both heartrending and poignantly paced – but the release delivers much more than captivating cinematics. This is a meaty slice of survival action that masterfully depicts the horrors of life in a post-pandemic setting.

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.

Of course, the onboard add-on packs and smattering of superfluous extras ensure that this is the definitive edition of an already outstanding affair – but, unsurprisingly, it’s the touching tale at the heart of the package that once again sets it apart from its peers.

Astro Bot is a stunning 3D platformer, and easily among the best games in PS5's library. It fully delivers on the promise of Astro's Playroom, building on the rock solid core of tight controls and inventive gameplay and turning everything up to 11. With tons to see and do, almost endless fresh ideas, innovative use of the DualSense's features, and truly charming presentation, it's a confident and cohesive experience that players of all ages will love. To top it all off, it's a perfect game to celebrate PlayStation's 30th anniversary, reflecting on the myriad series that made the platform what it is today.

BioShock Infinite is a sublime shooter set in a magical world. While the campaign’s final third never quite lives up to its breathtaking opening, there’s more than enough intrigue imprisoned within Columbia’s curious suspended districts to keep you compelled from the beginning right through to the very end.

God of War is a special game. This reimagining of the famous PlayStation franchise elevates the series in unexpected ways, without forgetting the core tenets that made Kratos a fan-favourite to begin with. This is a sprawling single player epic with an abundance of secrets and a storyline that keeps you hooked from start-to-finish. While it borrows liberally from other action adventure greats, its unique combat and outstanding artistic direction separate it from its immediate peers. A truly impressive achievement.

By doubling down on what made the base game so sublime, FromSoftware has crafted an Elden Ring expansion that's just as great as it is familiar. Shadow of the Erdtree delivers more of the same style of content you loved two years ago rather than introducing new ways to engage. That's enough to consider it a fantastic expansion, though it's hard not to feel like you're just going through the motions again. With a new land to explore, a fresh set of bosses to fight, and extra lore to consume, it's so much more Elden Ring.

Over seven years after its original release, The Witcher 3 is still a masterpiece. In its character writing and dialogue, it's yet to be surpassed, while its knack for telling so many engrossing stories is still seriously impressive. Although aspects of its gameplay haven't aged quite so well, there's no doubt that Complete Edition is the best version of a truly outstanding open world adventure.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the most memorable RPGs we've played in years. In pursuing a new property, complete with a fantasy setting, Atlus has allowed its creativity to blossom, resulting in a brilliantly rich experience — both in terms of narrative and audiovisual design. While Metaphor takes obvious gameplay and structural cues from the developer's previous projects, it combines and refines those elements to make an epic, kingdom-hopping adventure that feels unique and deeply fulfilling.

God of War Ragnarok is phenomenal. Even amongst PlayStation Studios' typically stellar output it's a showpiece — a masterfully crafted game that smashes expectations at almost every turn. The sheer, often ridiculous scope of Ragnarok makes 2018's God of War feel like a prologue — and that's perhaps the highest praise we can bestow upon a sequel.

The Walking Dead is a phenomenal title that will live long in the memory of anyone who experiences it.

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.

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

We expect great things from Supergiant Games, and with Hades 2, the developer has proved its mastery of the roguelike genre. Addictive, rewarding, stylish, and extremely compelling, you cannot call yourself a true roguelike fan without experiencing Melinoë's immortal journey.

Persona 4 Golden really is the complete package. It has an amazing story, charming characters, intense combat, and huge amounts of gameplay. Indeed, you'll be hard pressed to find an RPG as polished and well designed as this one – and whether you're new to the genre or an expert in the field, this is the very definition of a must play.

Persona 5 sets the benchmark for modern Japanese RPGs: it oozes style, charisma, and polish quite unlike anything we've played. With this fifth entry, the series' trademark formula of dungeon delving and socialising has been perfected. Addictive, engaging gameplay, incredibly endearing characters, and a consistently rewarding narrative loop combine to create a spectacularly cohesive whole – whether or not you're already a fan of Persona. A masterpiece from top to bottom.

In terms of its story, the fifth instalment in the series may leave some fans wanting more, but overall, the release proves to be a fitting, brutally brilliant finale to Hideo Kojima's beloved saga.

A nifty new feature utilises PSVR2's eye-tracking; close your eyes for about a second, and when you open them again, you'll enter the game's Zone state. You can still just press a button to enable it, but it's pretty cool you can use a simple gesture like this for gameplay purposes. Aside from that, this is the same great spin on Tetris we all know and love. Fantastic music is paired with vibrant, sumptuous visuals, and together they take this nearly 40-year-old game to a new level, whether you play it in PSVR2 or on your telly.

Nearly 20 years later, Resident Evil 4 is just as much of a masterpiece today as it was in 2005. Capcom has faithfully remade a genuine classic by bringing it into the modern age and kitting it out with new content, tremendous combat, and striking visuals. What was there before was already enough to consider Resident Evil 4 one of the best games of all time, but now it earns that title in 2023 off the back of better environments and sublime action. This is Resident Evil at its absolute pinnacle; an utterly outstanding experience that will live long in the hearts of longtime fans while inducting a whole new generation of supporters.

A fitting end for one of PlayStation's most famous franchises, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End sits alongside The Last of Us at the apex of cinematic action experiences. Naughty Dog's ability to tell engaging tales is unmatched, with Nate's final chapter expertly balancing bombast against genuinely relatable themes. It won't redefine the genre quite like Uncharted 2, but the developer's boundless ambition means that this is a bigger, better, and more beautiful adventure than ever before.

Its intricate story-telling and choice systems are something that'll come to define the series as one of the greatest stories ever told in video games, while its mix of gunplay and RPG elements are delivered in perfect measures.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the most refreshing and original RPGs in years, even if it’s not immediately obvious from the outside looking in. The intriguing setup expands to provide an engrossing, excellent narrative with lovable and charismatic characters. The exemplary combat goes above and beyond its turn-based traditions with flashy fights and new ways to damage. This is the kind of experience that proves there’s still so much potential and creativity in the bigger-budget video game space — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is simply sublime.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a marvellous Metroidvania, splitting at the seams with new content. But in having so many ideas it sacrifices some of the balance that made the original such a huge hit. With run backs to bosses often feeling a chore and currency scarcity preventing tool experimentation, it’s fair to say there’s still some tweaking for Team Cherry to make...Nevertheless, the love, care, and attention that's gone into this game is already very evident in its vast array of gorgeous environments, earworm audio, and delicately designed boss battles. Pharloom is a land we just can't get enough of, but it demands patience to be enjoyed to its fullest.

It's more than just the best entry in an outstanding series though - it epitomises the very reason many of us play video games. And that's its greatest achievement.