Kieran Stockton
An evocative journey through fantasy, memory, tragedy, and everything in-between.
God of War is a masterclass in AAA game design, hitting every benchmark of quality with an impressive confidence; an engaging narrative with interesting and relatable characters, combat that is challenging, rewarding, stylish and accessible, a richly detailed world full of content to explore and more visual splendour than you can poke a boomerang axe at, God of War is the complete package
Titanfall 2's innovative approach in the crowded FPS genre has not gone unnoticed, and the near flawless gameplay execution and eye for technical detail once again proves Respawn are here to play ball
A reinvigorated and well told narrative bolstered by an excellent multiplayer offering make the newest numbered entry one of the best in the series
A technically magnificent action-RPG that blends a deep story with thrilling and diverse combat to deliver a killer exclusive for PS4
Beneath its cartoony aesthetic lies a game that is brutally difficult and incredibly rewarding
A brilliant and visually incredible ride that proves itself worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the titans of the sci-fi racer world
Resident Evil 7 harkens back to the RE games of yore by dialling back the action in preference for thoughtful and unnerving survival horror
What Detroit: Become Human lacks in high concept philosophical musings is more than made up for in the genuine emotional connection to its world and characters buoyed by incredible performances and slick production values
DMC5 is a beautifully produced hack and slash game that proves that Capcom still has their finger on the pulse with the series
A technical marvel that continues the DOOM franchise's reinvigoration of the modern FPS
Resident Evil Village is a technical masterpiece, featuring a fantastically realised and foreboding setting with a great sense of balance between action and horror elements. The king of survival horror refuses to relinquish its crown.
Aspects of the gameplay of the earlier titles will probably no longer satisfy, but the Legendary Edition is a stellar compilation and dutiful upgrade of three classic titles that show BioWare at the peak of its storytelling and world-building prowess.
Deathloop takes Arkane's well known brand of first-person action stealth and artfully melds it into a time-bending multi-assassination power fantasy.
An expansive, beautiful and engrossing new adventure that deepens the series' lore while doubling down on what made the original such a classic. A masterclass in meaningful open-world design, where exploration and curiosity is encouraged and rewarded.
Two fantastic games from the last generation get a makeover, leaning into the substantial muscle of the PS5 to deliver a stunning new experience at the dawn of a new console generation.
Ragnarök chooses iteration over innovation, but continues to operate in a league of its own in terms of its nuanced gameplay and otherworldly technical execution. This is the new posterchild for what the PS5 is capable of, and the passionate product of a development outfit that can seemingly do no wrong.
Ghostrunner 2 is ninja leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor, and though the challenge can be daunting, the expanded toolset at your disposal makes it more than surmountable, with every innumerable death an invitation to better emulate the cool cyborg ninja you truly are.
Despite a stylish dystopian setting, the narrative within it flounders a bit, but the brilliantly brutal melee combat and interesting mechanics shine through in this excellent hardcore hack and slash RPG
Crackdown 3 revels in fuelling its superhero power fantasy with a fantastic open world to explore and destroy