While Far Cry 4 doesn't feel like a major upgrade over its predecessor – except on the graphical front – the series still manages to retain its crown as the finest open world first-person shooter. The introduction of player choice to the narrative is great, but the lack of an interesting story makes this addition feel like a step forward followed by a step back. It's fortunate, then, that the game's negatives are eclipsed by its sublime sandbox gameplay.
While the controls take a little getting used to, the crazy art style and musical levels more than compensate, and are worth the price of admission alone. If you also take into account the discounted price point, massive amount of variety, and local multiplayer, then it's impossible not to recommend this dream package to anyone with even a passing interest in the side-scrolling genre.
In a genre that's traditionally concerned more with open combat, Invisible, Inc.'s stealth focus is a revelation. Chock full of smart game design, you're gifted plenty of options in how you approach your mission, and despite having so many tools at your disposal, it remains satisfyingly challenging, without ever crossing over into being unfair. While the roguelike progression could potentially be a downside for some, the high level of customisation around the difficulty settings will swiftly rob you of this complaint. Simply put, if you have even a passing interest in turn-based strategy games, you shouldn't let this exceptional title sneak under your radar.
Blizzard has never been a genre trailblazer when it comes to the games that it develops, but when it does arrive fashionably late on the scene, you can be fairly certain that it's going to deliver something special. With Overwatch, the studio has delivered once again, splicing the heroes of a MOBA straight into a team-based shooter, and while the asking price may feel a little steep at first, it's the selection of characters – that are easy to learn, but difficult to master – as well as its positive recognition system that'll undoubtedly win you over.
Games based on movies have a pretty poor reputation on the quality front, however Ratchet & Clank emanates class in so many aspects that even referring to it as a movie tie-in sells it short. If you've never had the pleasure of enjoying this series' brand of third-person blasting before, then this is the perfect chance to see just why the property has remained popular for over a decade. Meanwhile, if you're already a fan, then this remake is a truly worthy entry in the franchise, and while it doesn't do anything particularly new of note, it's a greatest hits compilation so compelling that you won't want to skip it.
Whether you're looking to revisit a title from the heyday of the point-and-click adventure or coming to Full Throttle for the first time to see just why gamers of a certain age keep banging on about it, Full Throttle Remastered is the LucasArts adventure that feels most comfortable in the present day. With a focus on characters and story over complex puzzles, it feels like a premonition of the direction adventure games were to take over the next two decades, and it's a pleasure to see it get a new coat of paint and take to the road for one last ride.
Polybius is an excellent trance shooter which deftly delivers just enough sensory overload to thrill but not frustrate. While the lack of clarity about just what's happening on screen makes for a small but intended bump in the road, it's the strong core gameplay – which steadily introduces interesting twists to its formula the longer you play – stellar soundtrack, and excellent PlayStation VR support that'll blow your mind in all the right ways.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a quintessential single player shooter, and contains one of the best campaigns in recent memory. Rammed full of memorable moments and brilliant characters, it takes you on a horrifying yet fascinating ride through a Nazi dominated world that – as a result of real world events – feels a touch less like fantasy this time around. While the story is undoubtedly the star of the show, the viscera drenched combat, satisfying weapons, and rewarding perk system more than hold up their side of the bargain. The single player game is dead, long live the single player game.
Nom Nom Galaxy has an odd premise that's been blended into a surprisingly interesting sandbox experience. While some of the gameplay ingredients don't necessarily work that well together – with the combat in particular leaving a bitter aftertaste – you'll at least be able to cleanse your palate with another draft of its fun base building and resource management, and that'll keep you coming back for more servings.
There's no school like old-school, and Ziggurat serves as a reminder that there's still fun to be had in 2015 with what's essentially an 'arena' shooter. Whether the shooting is good enough to stand on its own without the rest of the package is up for debate, however the smartly implemented Roguelite trappings, as well as the well pitched difficulty, help to cast a spell that'll have you heading back into Ziggurat time and time again.
In the current gaming landscape where the re-master, at least for now, appears to be here to stay, nothing released to date offers the sheer breadth of content found in Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. While those with no love for the franchise will, unsurprisingly, find nothing for them here, it does – as a result of the visual upgrades – provide a handsome jumping on point for newcomers, as well as a great way for the Borderlands faithful to catch up on anything that they might have missed.
Unmechanical: Extended's hands-off approach works wonders in the gameplay department, and the well designed puzzles – which are testing without being frustrating – make this something of a surprise treat. It would have been nice if the experience was a little longer, and we're a bit agitated that it doesn't come to a decent conclusion, but the personality throughout every aspect of its artistic design helps to overcome these modest shortcomings. As a result, if you're up for a puzzle game – but are normally turned off by more complex entries in the genre – then this is well worth beaming into your collection.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is a surprisingly strong shooter that aspires to be more than its premise should allow. While it can only do so much with its cliché magnet of a story, and its graphics don't hold up to close inspection at times, it's easy to overlook these shortcomings in the face of everything else that it does well. As a result, the inspired but disturbing world, excellent roster of characters, and exhilarating action make it very easy to recommend this over-the-top rampage.
Titan Attacks is a seriously addictive spin on a classic video game formula that'll keep you playing beyond your first run through its one hundred stages. From the upgrade system – which at first glance appears to be a minor inclusion, but quickly reveals hidden depths – to the combo counter that encourages you to play intelligently, every mechanic is part of a greater gameplay jigsaw that makes this homage worth invading the PlayStation Store for.
Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within not only contains some of the best Star Wars tables that Zen Studios has produced, but also some of the best that it's released full-stop. While the Zen Pinball 2 wrapping is still the same – for all of the good and the bad that that brings – it's clear that lessons have been learned from previous designs. This change of approach has brought the studio back from the dark side, as it's managed to make tables that are first and foremost fun to play, while still finding a way to apply some digital gloss.
Escape Plan has broken free of the shackles of the Vita and tunnelled onto the PS4 with a surprising degree of success. The touch controls are mostly gone, but the button prompts that replace them result in a more precise and less frustrating experience. If you haven't played the title before, then this pleasant port offers the perfect opportunity to experience the wonderfully surreal first-party exclusive on a big screen. And if you've already spent time behind bars, then at least through the power of cross-buy your second spell in the slammer will be on the house.
[I]f you skipped this game last generation or have been going straight since its last outing, it's well worth turning to a life of crime and stealing away this shooter for your PS4.
With a legacy stretching way back in gaming history, the Elite series has always asked a lot of its commanders and Elite Dangerous is no different. With so many game systems packed into this gigantic space-sim, it's unsurprising that for new players the first small step can feel more like a giant leap. Even after getting over any initial frustrations, the frequently vexing mechanics will test your patience time and time again, but despite these issues there's a magic to Elite Dangerous that will keep you playing. Whether it's a close encounter with a white dwarf, an intense dogfight, or a just cruising between star systems, the freedom and opportunity laid across its billions of stars means that Elite Dangerous offers spectacular space-tourism all from the comfort of your sofa.
Escape Goat 2 is a great puzzle platformer that never sign posts the way. It believes that you're smart enough to work things out for yourself, and thanks to some really clever level design, continually trains you so that you're ready for the challenges ahead. While many will lack the patience for the trials within, those willing to butt heads with its puzzles will get a lot from this challenging but fun title.
There was a pretty big question mark about how stable Rainbow Six: Siege's online performance would be after a pretty disastrous open beta, and news of microtransactions in the final product also contributed to a general aura of bad feeling that's overshadowed its release. Should you decide to give it a chance, though, you'll realise that a lot of these concerns were unfounded, and Ubisoft has actually delivered a thoroughly enjoyable tactical shooter that feels like an antidote for anyone fatigued by the breakneck run-'n'-gun in other multiplayer titles. While its slow deliberate pace won't be for everyone, if you're looking for shooter that's trying something different, then the impressive destructibility and intense close-quarters battles will almost certainly bring the house down.