Meilleurs jeux PS4 2019: jouez à des jeux PlayStation 4 exceptionnels – Un bon serveur Minecraft

Bringing together some legendary names from Japanese videogame development and anime – including Toshifumi Nabeshima (director, Armored Core series), Yoji Shinkawa from Kojima Productions (character designer, Metal Gear Solid series), and Takayuki Yanase (mech designer, Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Xenoblade Chronicles X) – Left Alive attempts to combine the stealth of Metal Gear with the giant mech combat of the Armored Core series.

There are three characters to choose from, each with their own branching storylines, so there's plenty of narrative to make your way through and with a mixture of stealth and third-person gunfights, you'll get a healthy mix of action when you're battling armoured troops and even angrier mechs.

Following the excellent Bloodborne and the equally thrilling Dark Souls III was always going to be a challenge, but Japanese developer – much like its hardcore fanbase – rarely backs down from a challenge. The result is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a confident step forward for the studio that blends some of the elements its made a name for itself with, while adding in new mechanics and ideas that take those familiar ingredients in a welcome new direction.

Rather than building a character like a traditional action-RPG, Sekiro eschews these levelling systems in favour of a greater focus on combat and exploration. Battles are now all about wearing your opponent down before striking a killing blow, making it more akin to the combat system of For Honor than Dark Souls. There's the option to stealth entire areas and a grappling hook on your prosthetic arm enables you to scale buildings in seconds.

With the current console generation now approaching its twilight years, fighting game fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to both 2D and 3D fighters. The Dead or Alive series has been around for a long time, and while it spends a little too much time kitting out its female (and male, but mostly female) roster in revealing outfits, the fighting model itself is solid. Dead or Alive 6 doesn't stray too far from this formula, but adds in just enough new modes to keep things fresh.

There's a decent story mode to sink your teeth into, and while it's nothing on the likes of Injustice 2, it does help give each major character a little time in the limelight. There's also a whole host of training modes, which are incredibly helpful to newer players hoping to refine their skills before heading online. Gameplay-wise, the biggest change is the focus on escape moves that help break combos and stop one-sided affairs (which makes a huge difference when playing online). Just watch out for the expensive DLC and season passes.

Despite delays and a fair few technical problems, Tom Clancy's The Division nevertheless offered a robust take on the online shooter/RPG model, combining cover shooting, loot, PvE missions and PvP arenas into one giant package. The Division 2 takes this same formula, moves the action from Manhattan to Washington DC and makes enough important changes to elevate this well above the first game.

Loot is now far more numerous, and missions offer a little more variety to their structure and storytelling. You're still fighting gangs of marauders, murderers and thieves, but with a brand new location that offers far more diverse environments, The Division 2 plays like a step in the right direction for the series. Co-op is a big focus, with support items – such as drones that heal teammates and portal gun turrets you can manual assign targets – helping transform you into a crack unit of agents.

It's been a while since we last saw the Devil May Cry series dust off its pistols and try for that coveted S Rank. In 2013, the series had something of a reboot with DmC: Devil May Cry with demon-slaying hero Dante getting a makeover and a foul mouth for his troubles. Devil May Cry 5 sees development duties brought back in house to Capcom, with veteran director Hideaki Itsuno returning to the franchise and DmC seemingly now existing as an experimental spin-off than a full entry in the series. But Capcom hasn't waited on its laurels in the intervening years, and DMC5 looks set to be the most exciting entry in years.

For a start, it looks incredible. Itsuno and his team have aimed for a hyper realistic aesthetic, even going as far as to have fabrics scanned in order to recreate every texture in the world. Expect brothers/allies/enemies Dante and Nero to unleash mayhem with their mix of acrobatic gunfights, melee kills and over-the-top powers. Considering how well Resident Evil has been revived in recent years, we have high hopes for DMC's future.

It's been almost five years since the last time Trials crashed its way into our hearts, and developer RedLynx has spent that time making one of the best entries in the series yet. While it's no grand reinvention of the classic formula, Trials Rising ticks the right boxes in almost every area. There are countless tracks to compete on, which gradually increase in difficulty and complexity, as well as a ton of customisation options as you level up and earn loot crates.

You can compete online with other like-minded players, compete in skill and trick-based tournaments and even create your party games locally. The Track Editor also returns, enabling you to build your very own courses – however crazy your ideas might be – then share them online for players across multiple platforms to enjoy.

With the next Dragon Age deep in development and Mass Effect taking a step back after the commercial and critical failure of Andromeda, developer Bioware is taking its experience with building rich RPG worlds and applying it to the world of MMO online shooters. The result is Anthem, a cross between Destiny's co-operative battles and Warframe's third-person gunplay/melee action.

With a rich world to explore (with unique weather cycles that terraform the topography periodically), tons of loot to collect, and all the customisation you could want for your javelin, Anthem is set to be one of 2019's most important releases. The flying mechanic alone are worth the price of admission.

It's only been a year since Far Cry 5 gave us a grand open-world in the form of Hope County's bombastic playground, but the series is back once more with a sequel set 17 after one of that game's post-apocalyptic endings. The land has now been reclaimed nature, and with a small community to protect you'll be going up against a gang of neon-loving marauders known as The Highwaymen.

Don't expect any grand changes to the formula with Far Cry New Dawn, but do expect a slightly smaller map and a streamlined approach to crafting and combat. You'll still fight to control Outposts, but you can now salvage them, lose them to your enemies then reclaim the for more resources. New Expeditions missions offer trips outside Hope County, while the option to craft new makeshift weapons plays perfectly into its Mad Max-esque aesthetic.

This broadening of its scope, though, hasn't changed what made the first two Metro game FPS delights, with the immersive survival and RPG aspects like maintaining and customizing your weapons and gear, as well as undertaking realistic actions like wiping condensation and detritus from your gas mask's viewing window and changing its filter, still very much in residence.

These small, atmosphere-building details when combined with a bombastic combat system where gunplay feels natural and very deadly make every mission or exploration genuinely engaging, while the fact that the game comes loaded with multiple different endings means that the player genuinely gets the finale they deserve.

The first properly good FPS of 2019, Metro Exodus is without doubt one of the best PS4 games you can currently play on Sony's generation-winning console hardware.

It's taken so long to arrive we were half expecting it to never come out, but Square Enix has finally made good on its promise to round off the long-running Kingdom Hearts series with a full-on current-gen extravaganza. Kingdom Hearts 3 continues the series' love of combining long-winded storylines with much-loved Disney characters with everyone from the cast of Toy Story to the chilly crew from Frozen getting a look in.

Expect more hack and slash combat, but with a refined battle system and some of the biggest sandbox levels yet. Packed with secrets, Disney lore galore and enough collectibles to keep you searching for months to come, Kingdom Hearts 3 is the top-form successor to KH2 we've all been waiting for.

Survival horror has plenty of classics to its name, but few hold as much significance to fans and critics alike as the original Resident Evil games. Resident Evil 2, which originally launched in 1998, is still considered one of the best because it nailed the right mix of action, horror, exploration and puzzles.

Turn the clock forwards to 2019 and Capcom has completely remade that milestone in gaming, with every part of Raccoon City remade with modern visuals and mechanical improvements in mind. Those fixed camera angles are gone, with a RE4-style over-the-shoulder view making all the difference, and some top-notch lighting upping the nightmarish atmosphere.

It's been a long time since the last proper instalment in Bandai Namco's long-running fighter plane series, and while the intervening years saw the franchise air towards arcade dogfights, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown manages to bridge the gap between the two. The result is an exhilarating exercise in simulated flying, intense aerial fights and the clever use of dynamic clouds as cover.

Along with support for multiplayer modes, and a zeitgeisty Battle Royale mode, the PS4/PS Pro versions also support PSVR. You can't play the whole game in VR, but there are some select missions that will test how good you are at fighting motion sickness and enemy planes.

The Tales series has been around since the SNES, and for more than 20 years its produced some of the best JRPGs to ever grace the genre. Tales of Vesperia, originally released on Xbox 360 in the West back in 2008, is one such example and Bandai Namco is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a nice Definitive Edition.

This version includes updated visuals, an enhanced soundtrack and all the costumes and extra content that was previously exclusive to the Japanese PS3 version. If you loved it the first time round, or you're brand new to the series, this is a must-play addition to your collection.

Serving as a spiritual successor to the Wonder Boy games – a series of platformers that combined open-ended exploration with challenging combat and a variety of magical creatures to transform into – Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom offers six different forms to take and over 15 hours of gameplay to enjoy.

With hand-drawn animations that give every scene a magical anime aesthetic – and a soundtrack written by legendary Japanese composers Yuzo Koshiro, Motoi Sakuraba, Michiru Yamane, Keiki Kobayashi and Takeshi Yanagawa.  If you enjoyed Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, you'll love this.

The Yakuza series has been going since the days of PlayStation 2, and after three console generations the Japanese RPG brawler is finally ready to bring its story to a close. Set in modern day Japan, the sixth numbered entry in the franchise doubles down on everything that's made the previous entries so much fun, including its arcade combat, silly side-activities and enough side-quests to keep you playing well into 2019.

It's also a really good place to jump into the series for newcomers, but if you're a seasoned member of the Yakuza family, you'll find this a fine swansong to a series that's spiritually succeeded Shenmue for over a decade.

Onrush takes the co-operative nature of a hero shooter and throws it into an off-road racing setup, where certain abilities can help heal your teammates or give them a speed boost. With a ton of modes and rulesets, a near endless amount of vehicle customisation and a slew of tracks to chew up, Onrush is one of the most underrated games of year.

With its alternative history take on World War 2 – where fictitious nations battle for control of the continent of Europa – the Valkyria Chronicles series has always set itself apart with its western military aesthetic and anime character designs, and it continues that trend with aplomb in Valkyria Chronicles 4.

With a snow-swept new setting, a brand new soldier type in the form of the Grenadier, and a new Brave system (which enables you to use downed squadd-mates to inspire others to greater deeds) the franchise continues to prove that tactical battles and RPG mechanics can work in harmony.

Over the last few years, the WWE 2K series has taken plenty of cues from the NBA 2K games with more of a simulated approach to its wrestling action. Well, developers Yukes and Visual Concepts have listened to fan feedback and decided to return to a more arcadey setup that leads to faster and more fun matches.

That shift in gameplay pace is joined by the return of Showcase mode, which follows the WWE history of Daniel Bryan through some of his most famous rivalries. There's also the return of the faction-driven Road to Glory mode and new Mortal Kombat-style towers. Easily the most accessible entry in the franchise in years.

With Sony presumably tinkering away behind closed doors on what will likely one day reveal itself as the PS5, the platform holder has been digging through its exclusivity archive and remaking some of the classics from the PS1 heyday. First it was Crash Bandicoot: N'Sane Trilogy, and now we've Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

Toys for Bob (one of the studios that gave Spyro some short-lived new relevance in the Skylanders series) has remade all three of the original PS1 games with a faithful recreation of every world, hub, enemy and mini-game. There's even a brand new soundtrack based on Stuart Copeland's brilliant original scores. A perfect treat you warm you up this Christmas.

The NHL series, of all of EA's long running sports franchises, holds one of the best track records for quality, but that means it does occasionally struggle to out-do itself and truly innovate. Thankfully, NHL 19 manages to take the series forwards with some new enhancements to on-field play that make every check, turn and swipe of the puck that bit more realistic.

There's also a new World of Chel system, which uses something as simple as a persistent XP system to track your progress across multiple modes, so every game feels like its part of a connected whole.

There's also an upcoming content schedule, including new maps, new modes, new weapons and vehicles and a battle royale mode that's set to launch in March 2019. Did we mention all DLC is free to every player?

You can dual fellow gunslingers, break in and bond with wild horses, hunt some legendary animals in the wild and follow a narrative that shows a United States in a state of transformation as the Old West (and the outlaw life) finds itself about to be swallowed by the arrival of the modern era. It's an incredible piece of art, and a game you simply have to own on PS4 or PS4 Pro.

Rather than releasing the game episodically as it did with the first game, IO Interactive is releasing Hitman 2 as a full-game alongside Hitman Sniper Assassin 2 and the first of its timed Elusive Targets, played by none other than Sean Bean!

You can party up on a server and play with friends, or go it alone, with a huge array of quests to undertake and complete, gear to collect, and all manner of mutant monsters to evade/destroy/loot. Classic mechanics such as the VATS targeting system and the SPECIAL progression setup all return, although they've been tweaked to fit an always-online experience.

Having killed every last deity and godly creature on Mount Olympus, the walking mountain of muscle and rage known as Kratos wrapped up the original God of War trilogy in a pool of blood and satisfaction.

So where to go next? To the halls of Norse mythology of course, with a new beard (and a new son) in tow.

It also looks absolutely stunning on PS4 Pro, acting as a technical showcase for just what Sony's pixel-pushing powerhouse console can do.

Fans of those classic RPGs from the 1990s, such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment will immediately feel right at home in Divinity 2, with a detailed character creator, immersive world and narrative, interesting companions, complex and deep tactical combat system, and unsurpassed freedom to learn what skills you want and to go where you want, too.

With thousands of small improvements and enhancements, this edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2 is truly definitive, and a must-play for anyone with an interest in the RPG genre.

It's been a long time since Marvel has had a video game that's achieved the popularity and acclaim that DC has enjoyed for years thanks to the Batman: Arkham series.

Well, that's all changed thanks to Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games, which has given everyone's favourite Web-Head an open-world adventure that encapsulates his powers and taps into the comic's classic lore to create something new, fresh and exciting.

There's a reason this game has already overtaken God of War as the fastest-selling exclusive on PS4.

With Uncharted: The Lost Legacy proving that Naughty Dog's treasure hunting series was far from retirement age, it's up to Crystal Dynamics – and new series main developer, Eidos Montreal – to step up and prove Lara Croft still has what it takes to show Nate, Chloe and co who the real tomb raider is.

It's a little to bleak in places, and a lot of character development falls flat, but it's still a strong way to see out Crofty's origin trilogy.

Blackout – CoD's answer to the big Battle Royale craze – is a slick take on the genre, with a giant map and all the gun variants you could ask for. Multiplayer is now more team-focused with no regenerative health and improved Specialist abilities. And Zombies is packed with content, all of which is a fun and crazy as you could imagine.

While the series seems like its going back to a damaging annual cycle again (it isn't, with Ubisoft confirming the series will take another year off in 2019), you'd never know it thanks to the ambition and execution of Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Offering one of the biggest maps the series has ever boasted, this Ancient Greece set adventure throws in almost every popular feature from the last few years.

The improved combat of Assassin's Creed Origins returns, as well as a renewed focus on RPG mechanics. It can make the game a little grindy in places, but with some brilliant boss fights, a return to open-sea sailing and some great storytelling, it's proof AC is far from over-the-hill.

It's been six years since the previous entry in the series, but while it's taken its time to reach current-gen hardware, SoulCalibur VI brings with it the best entry in the sword-swinging franchise since SCII. The change of engine makes for a slick and responsive combat model, while the inclusion of two huge story modes will ensure this fighting title becomes a serious time sink.

While locking fan favourite fighters behind DLC is a backwards approach to post-launch content, the inclusion of Geralt of Rivia as a special guest character is a fine addition. The net code is rock solid and there's all the customisation options you could possibly want.

We're guessing you're already very familiar with Red Dead Redemption 2 review hype, with the game receiving perfect scores across the board, but it truly is an experience not to be missed.

So much time and money was poured into this game that, if it was anyone but Rockstar Games were at the helm, you'd be concerned it was going to be a costly flop. However, the resultant incredibly in-depth and immersive Wild West simulator and open-world epic is  nothing short of a triumph.

The scope of missions, activities, games, characters, stories, systems and the world itself is just breathtaking, and with hundreds of hours of quality content on offer, it's one of the most no-brainer game purchases in 2019.

The Journey returns for its final instalment as Alex Hunter tries to go from top-flight superstar to football icon; FUT has a new Divisions mode to improve long-term play; Kick-Off mode has a new FIFA Street-style House Rules addition and much more. The changes to shooting and ball physics also add a sleeker sense of movement across the field.

While 2013’s Beyond: Two Souls failed to live up to the serial killer japes (and awkward sex scenes) of 2010’s Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human goes full science-fiction with a story of artificial intelligence in rebellion.

With mankind now using lifelike androids as a worldwide workforce, David Cage’s latest opus will follow the story of three machines that begin think, act and feel beyond their original programming.

You’ll encounter plenty of challenging scenarios, from solving murders to caring for a dying master, so expect a story that evolves with every dialogue choice and action.

Back in 2014, The Crew offered up a truncated version of the United States filled with races and challenges and all manner of Ubisoft-related tropes. It also wasn’t very good, mainly because its racing lacked that ‘wow’ factor.

Fast-forward to now and its sequel has looked to the Xbox-exclusive series Forza Horizon for inspiration, dropping the road trip setup of the first game in favour of a more accessible set of activities across its vast map.

With powerboat racing, street races, drifting, dirt bikes and stunt planes, it’s packed with things to do in vehicular form.

Frontier might be more famous for the expansive universe of Elite: Dangerous, but it also gave us the cutey management sim that is Zoo Tycoon, and it’s these family-friendly series that’s served as the enhanced DNA for Jurassic World Evolution.

The setup is simple: build your own theme park on one of five different islands, including pens full of every dinosaur you’ve seen gnashing their jaws in the films. Search for fossils, extract DNA then breed your very own enhanced species, but watch out. Your new creations might escape and run riot across your very own Jurassic World.

Dontnod Entertainment – the Parisian studio perhaps more well-known for the narrative wonder of Life is Strange – has turned its attention to an entirely new genre, but it’s brought much of its love for stories and worlds that are shaped by your decisions and choices.

Set in London in 1918, you play a doctor attempting to help the city through an outbreak of Spanish Flu. Unfortunately, you’ve also just been turned into a vampire, forcing you to choose between healing people or draining them for blood.

With support for stealthy non-kill playthroughs and all-out vampiric bloodbaths, it’s proved to be a darkly hidden gem.

While PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds helped put the ‘battle royale’ genre (where a large group of players drop into a map, find weapons and kill each other to the last man/woman) on the map, it’s the colossal popularity of Epic Games’ Fortnite has put it firmly on the map.

The full-game is actually about building a fort and surviving a night of monster-filled attacks, but the BR mode (which includes the ability to build ramps and walls on the fly for makeshift cover and traversing to higher ground) has proved a real winner on Twitch, YouTube and beyond. Who needs a chicken dinner, eh?

Many fans thought the Metal Gear series was doomed to be plunged into chaos after the controversial departure of series brainchild Hideo Kojima — however Metal Gear Survive shows the series has plenty of life and is capable of producing an entertaining spinoff.

What’s most important about this title is that it isn’t a traditional Metal Gear game, instead it serves as a reason for players to relive some of the gameplay elements the series has nailed in the past with a vital twist.

Think of this installment as the Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare of the Metal Gear series. After a worm hole opens in the game world the player is forced to build and fortify a base while upgrading their own abilities and taking on new recruits.

Survival elements play a key part in the game and add to the tangible feeling of desperation the game exudes. Managing your health, food, water and any injuries sustained is vital to continuing the grind towards satisfying progression.

The game may not prominently feature any of the series’ signature characters, but Metal Gear Survive shows that there is still plenty of fun to be had in this incredibly captivating world.

Monster Hunter: World manages to maintain the series’ historically addictive backbone but makes the barrier to entry lower than ever so a slew of new players can experience gorgeous worlds and inspired creatures.

The game is best suited to cooperative play but has been tailored to fit single-player only hunters all the same. Instead of displaying a litany of text when you boot up the game, the developers instead opted to spoon-feed the player information when it’s needed.

Monster Hunter's incredibly diverse worlds look crisp and run without a hiccup on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.

Getting friends together to chase down beautifully realised animals could be easier, but once everyone has teamed up the game takes on an entirely new level of charm and companionship.

Monster Hunter: World strikes the perfect balance between catering for die-hard fans of the franchise and a huge set of newcomers at the same time.

It succeeds without sacrificing any of its alluring characteristics that result in hundreds of hours lost slaying monsters, crafting improved items and exploring the game’s vast open worlds.

The PlayStation 4 rendition of Shadow of the Colossus cements Team Ico’s heartfelt adventure as a true classic. The story about a man’s journey to save a mystical woman by taking down 16 fantastical beasts has never looked or played better.

Two generations of extra power makes the quest feel more immersive and real than ever thanks to the removal of the PlayStation 2’s technical limitations that stiffened up character models and severely cut draw distances.

The exhilarating feeling you get when you charge horse first into the territory of a new Colossus with your sword lighting the way feels better than ever.

Controls have also been greatly improved with remapped jump and grab buttons making this game feel like a modern classic and not a title that saw its first outing over 12 years ago.

Shadow of the Colossus gives players one of the most memorable crusades this generation and tops it off with an ending that will surely go down as one of the industry’s best.

Naughty Dog is rivalled only by Rockstar Games in getting the best out of a console, and this trend continues with The Lost Legacy’s depiction of India looking absolutely gorgeous and pixel perfect on the PlayStation 4 Pro.

The game carries on the series tradition of putting characters in scripted moments that play out like the greatest scenes from a Hollywood blockbuster.

The game also takes the franchise forward by introducing an open world level that sets the player free to roam about, discover treasures and witness the developing relationship between Chloe and Nadine.

With Horizon Zero Dawn Guerrilla Games not only showed they were capable of creating an inspired, new and unique RPG with an incredible amount of lure, but they could do so with an unparalleled amount of elegance.

The game features a strong leading character in the form of Aloy, but the game’s world steals the show with diverse landscapes and inhabiting animal-esque machines forcing players to stop and take everything in, especially in the PS4 Pro’s 4K mode.

The combat is some of the most original this generation with primitive weaponry used to tackle the animalistic enemies. Each machine has its own weakness that requires the player to adjust their techniques to take them down quickly before more arrive.

Horizon encourages the player to explore every crevice, complete every objective and make Aloy the most powerful version of herself. The game is a testament to the financial commitment and creative freedoms Sony offers its first-party studios.

Developer Psygnosis’ heritage lives on in the Wipeout Omega Collection that contains the beloved trio of WipEout HD, WipEout HD Fury and WipEout 2048 on one Blu-ray disc.

The series charms players instantaneously with its futuristic world and will have you replaying courses over and over again to beat your best time.

The games provide an unparalleled sense of speed but manage to do so while still giving the player a refined control scheme that allow the most talented to navigate a race without a single collision.

A deep meta-game can be found in the statistics of each of the available ships; some will have beefed up armour while others are perfect for nailing corners that will shave off valuable seconds if you’re going for a personal best.

Remastering three of Psygnosis’ greats is the best send off the studio could have ever asked for.

The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy doesn’t just take the collection of games on the original PlayStation and cover them with a current-gen coat of paint.

Instead it serves to improve the first Crash game by adding a more accessible save mechanic that makes the package a lot less intimidating for those looking to dip their toes into the franchise for the first time.

The game serves as a differentiator between a traditional HD upgrade and a complete remaster from the ground-up. The graphics, sound and content have been tweaked or added to in some fashion to make this the definitive way to experience three of Naughty Dog’s classics.

The platforming and memorable boss battles offer a significant challenge for players and deliver a euphoric moment of satisfaction when they’re completed.

The original Gravity Rush was criminally under-played when it was released on the PlayStation Vita in 2012. However Sony’s Japan Studio was lucky enough to get another crack at exploring the fantastical world of Kat, the game’s protagonist.

The adorable blonde has the unique ability of shifting gravity to suit her needs, meaning she can pretty much fly and walk on any surface at will.

The game features the same incredible art style from the original but dials it up significantly after being given the added horsepower of the PlayStation 4 to play with.

Although the story is largely forgettable, cutscenes take place through comic book style sequences that still manage to create some hilarious moments.

The gameplay is what you’ll be sticking around for though, with the combat being given an added layer of depth and the traversal of zipping around by manipulating the world made easier and more precise.

The much-loved Battlefield series travels back to World War 1 in this title, which manages to deliver excellent shooting action with a, for an FPS, surprisingly engaging story mode. A dump truck load of DLC (most of which is now free for all users), a top multiplayer Operations mode that allows for 64-player, multi-map scuffles, and the ability to hop into tanks and aircraft, too, keeps the action fresh each play session.

The game isn't optimised for PS4 Pro, so those rocking Sony's flagship won't get any benefit from their juiced up hardware, but the game's art style and graphics are top draw anyway and along with some top music and sound effects, they make for an immersive gaming experience.

Resident Evil 7 takes the series back to its roots by shaking off unnecessary over-the-top action sequences and replacing them with incredibly tense and frightening moments, rewarding exploration and a ton of nods to previous entries in the franchise.

The game sees the player thrown into a desperate scramble to overcome the sadistic Baker Family.

The player is also forced to conserve their resources that adds to the game’s expertly delivered feeling of vulnerability — the rush that ensues when you use the last of your bullets to land a headshot on a final enemy is one that can’t be understated.

Additionally, the game is one of the few to fully utilise Sony’s PlayStation VR headset in a meaningful way. The player can experience Resident Evil 7 in its entirety in virtual reality and showcases the unparalleled immersion offered by the technology.

The beauty of South Park has always been the contemporary nature of each episode; The Fractured But Whole carries on that legacy with its satirical approach to the superhero craze.

Just like the The Stick of Truth before it, the title is easily mistaken for an episode of the show when the HUD is not displayed. The involvement of series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker is the reason this game will have you in fits of laughter from start to finish.

The turn-based combat starts off relatively simple, but as the game progresses it becomes increasingly challenging and requires the player to put a lot more thought into every aspect of a battle.

Little details such as where your characters are positioned have the power to drastically change the tide in any battle.

Fans of the show will see this as another epic episode that pays homage to everything the series has done right for the last twenty years while the contemporary jokes mean even newcomers will have to stop their sides from splitting.

Friday the 13th: The Game is a deep nod to fans of the films – the multiplayer only title sees a team of up to seven players controlling Camp Crystal Lake counsellors attempting to escape the machete-wielding Jason Voorhees.

The game is best experienced with a group of friends and a microphone is a must to coordinate the asymmetrical maps and form a strategy to last the night.

Surviving typically requires finding resources that are scattered across the camp site that are too spread out for a single player to find them all alone, reinforcing the need to play with others you are familiar with.

Playing as Jason meanwhile offers an incredible power-rush as you speed around the map gouging the guts of each counsellor trying to escape. The game offers a variety of costumes that pay homage to Friday fans that know the franchise inside and out.

Although technical hiccups occur more than they should, the unparalleled rush of adrenaline you get as you speed away in a car with Jason following closely behind is worth the brief annoyance.

The Evil Within 2 cements the survival horror genre as one that is thriving and where new titles can bloom.

Developer Tango Gameworks clearly understands what made games of this ilk so popular in the first place — The Evil Within 2 constantly keeps you on edge and feeling vulnerable.

Although the narrative largely takes a back seat in this second instalment, the gameplay and well-executed horror tropes will keep your sweaty hands clinging a little too tightly to the controller for some 15 hours.

The game forces the player to do everything they can to survive, meaning you’ll be scavenging everything you can from the semi-open world to ensure you have enough resources to live long enough to make it to the next deadly encounter.

The Evil Within 2 understands that surviving by the skin of your teeth is what makes survival horror games great and puts forward a wide-variety of innovations that set a new bar for the genre.

Many players were turned off when developer IO Interactive announced that the next generation version of Hitman would be released episodically. However, the game turned out to be one of the few examples of this delivery done right.

The series of levels takes Agent 47 across the world and throws him into incredibly expansive mission areas in Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh and Bangkok to name a few. However it is the incredible amount of variety and diverse ways to complete objectives that gives this title an incredibly long tail.

Hitman retains the series’ classic formula of throwing Agent 47 into an open area, giving him a target and a seemingly endless amount of ways to take them out.

However, this iteration takes that to a new level, providing incredibly detailed worlds and an astonishing amount of killing methods and disguises to experiment with.

The title proves that Hitman is more relevant and endlessly repayable than ever. Developer IO Interactive should be commended for choosing a somewhat unconventional release method and nailing it to keep players invested episode after episode.

Developer Insomniac Games paid a fantastic tribute to the first Ratchet & Clank game that made them a recognised developer across the industry with a remaster built from the ground-up for PlayStation 4.

Although the title diverges slightly from the plot of the original game, the main through points remain. However players will be most enamoured by the glorious graphical treatment that the Lombax and his robotic friend have received.

The charming and incredibly diverse worlds look like something ripped straight from a Pixar cartoon. Of course the game will have your eyes popping on the PlayStation 4 Pro, but things will still look great in 1080p on a standard or slim PlayStation 4.

The quirky characters and litany of firearms have always been a staple of the Ratchet & Clank series and the PlayStation 4 installment takes that to the next level with guns that will have you in fits of laughter from the moment you pull the trigger.

Ratchet & Clank on the PlayStation 4 proves that there is not only a ton of potential for the series to climb to new heights on a new generation of hardware but that it still has the power to delight fans new and old.