James Coles

In a present where we have the likes of Elon Musk and SpaceX, developer Daedalic Entertainment’s version of our future might not seem so far fetched.

With their latest release, sci-fi adventure State of Mind propels us thirty years into a dystopian future where, among other things, autonomous Tesla-esque vehicles are the norm. Furthermore, robots and automated AI are commonplace throughout households, as are food dispensers that can make any dish via the press of a button. And while all of these contraptions are intriguing enough; it’s a future where virtual reality can provide people with their most sought-after desires that State of Mind directs our attention.

Onrush is a vehicular combat game that crashes its way onto the PS4 and Xbox One courtesy of publisher Deep Silver and developer Codemasters.

Now, while Codemasters have a long list of racing titles in their portfolio, their latest release, Onrush, certainly isn’t a traditional racing game. While parallels exist between it and EA’s Burnout series, stylistically, Onrush is much closer to the old PlayStation classic Destruction Derby. This is because that while Burnout and Onrush reward dangerous driving in addition to smashing into your rivals; with Onrush, you’re not really racing anyone.

With a wild swing of his axe and angry grunt in his voice, Kratos begins life on the PlayStation 4 in a somewhat different fashion to past God of War games. Appearing older and perhaps wiser now, another significant difference is that with this latest incarnation of God of War; Kratos isn’t alone.

In a setting that substitutes Greek gods with Norse mythology, joining the Ghost of Sparta on his venture to the peak of a sacred mountain is his young son, Atreus. And while the thought of seeing Kratos play a father figure in a God of War title seems a little outlandish at first, the connection between the two keeps the story intriguing with the youngster’s inclusion not lessening the relentless violence and overall savagery synonymous with past entries in the series.

Furthermore, although the over the shoulder third-person camera angle sways away from past God of War games – a brief exchange at the start of the story between Arteus and Kratos sees the former ambiguously mention that something “feels different” – their journey together feels as though it can only work from this new perspective. As a result, God of War delivers enough action and emotion to breathe new life into the franchise, and although it isn’t a unique entry in the action-adventure genre, it should delight both old and newcomers alike.

As of February 2018, Horizon Zero Dawn, the open-world action-roleplaying game developed by Killzone creators Guerrilla Games, has sold 7.6 million copies worldwide. Not only has it amassed some impressive sales figures; the overall critical consensus has been "generally favourable" according to Metacritic, where it currently holds a score of 89/100. It seems then that with Horizon Zero Dawn critics and gamers agree that the PlayStation 4 exclusive is one of the systems most outstanding titles. Indeed, aside from the critical praise and impressive sales numbers, Horizon Zero Dawn has won a host of 'Game of the Year Awards' from some of the industries most respectable outlets. So, after recently finishing Horizon Zero Dawn, why do I feel like I'm the only one who didn't enjoy a game which everyone appears to hold so dear? Why didn't it captivate me as much as I thought it would?

Created in 2001, Devil May Cry has somewhat of an interesting development story. Initially thought of as a Resident Evil title, it didn't take long for director Hideki Kamiya to realise that the fixed camera view synonymous with past Resident Evil games didn't suit his upcoming hack and slash project.

After lengthy discussions that culminated in a brief visit to Europe; it's there where Kamiya and his team photographed ancient buildings and statues. On his return home and armed with these new compositions, Kamiya tried to combine gothic stylistics and fast-paced gameplay mechanics into what was supposedly still a Resident Evil game.

As one of the most popular franchises to come out of Japan; the action-anime series Dragon Ball has entertained fans all over the world since it first appeared as a manga series way back in 1984. Fast-forward some thirty-three years later; the franchise has sold over 40 million games worldwide establishing itself as one of the most successful anime series of all time.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is the follow up to 2016’s Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and sees developer Dimps replaced by Arc System Works who are most famous for their arcade 2-D fighting game series, Guilty Gear.

With publisher Bandai Namco teaming up with one of the best combat game developers in town; it should come as no surprise that Dragon Ball FighterZ is an outstanding achievement and might just be one of the best fighting games ever made.

Initially released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and then re-released in high definition six years later on the PlayStation 3; Shadow of the Colossus returns to Sony’s latest console for a third outing courtesy of developers Bluepoint Games.

Now, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about one of the greatest games ever made getting a facelift for the PlayStation 4. After all, even though some twelve years have passed since it first graced our screens, we can now enjoy this work of art in all the glory of dynamic 4K.

And although the visual splendour alone is enough to warrant a purchase of this timeless classic; the emotionally investing story fused with the gorgeous soundtrack elevates Shadow of the Colossus alongside some of the PS4’s best games.

As an enthusiast of the open-world genre, I was pretty excited to get my hands on Middle-earth: Shadow of War. The first instalment in the Lord of the Rings spinoff was a surprising success back in 2014, with critics and fans heaping praise upon its outstanding combat mechanics and distinctive characters. Much like its predecessor, Shadow of War is a game of gargantuan proportions; a vast open-world adventure full of monsters all eager to kill you off.

While the last decade has seen games of this ilk improve with bigger maps and better graphics, Shadow of Mordor‘s Nemesis System was, in my opinion, the most innovative idea brought to the open-world genre in the last ten years. Although it’s surprising other RPG’s haven’t gone down the route of creating their own type of Nemesis System, pleasingly, it returns in Shadow of War; bigger and more enthralling than ever.

The Pro Evolution Soccer series deserves a lot of credit. Standing toe-to-toe with EA’s behemoth FIFA franchise is no small feat and yet, each year, Konami manages to deliver a football simulation that may not rival its competitor in sales figures but certainly gives it a run for its money on the pitch.

Ultimately, it doesn’t take long to notice that PES 2018 is an improvement over its predecessor. While Konami hasn't torn the mechanics of last year’s effort to shreds; subtle improvements to AI etiquette and faster, more responsive controls, makes PES 2018 a cracking football game.

Last year, FIFA 17 was the best-selling game on the PlayStation 4 with over 10 million units sold worldwide. Not only did it perform exceptionally well on the PlayStation, across all platforms, only Pokemon Sun/Moon on the 3DS sold more copies.

Without a doubt, the FIFA franchise is huge and while EA Sports know that they’re likely to top the sales charts each year, I’m happy to report that with FIFA 18, they are not resting on their laurels. Thanks to subtle improvements to the gameplay, as well as new features in the ‘Career Mode’, this year’s FIFA is EA’s most complete entry in the series to date.

Carl Sagan once said: "Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere'.

With a universe consisting of billions of stars and planets, we're a long way off from visiting the far reaches of outer space. Although that's true in reality, Elite Dangerous may be the closest thing we'll get to experiencing interstellar travel. Frontier Developments’ space-trading sim is a huge online game that lets you explore a rendition of the Milky Way Galaxy, while also giving you plenty of opportunities to set your imagination free.

There is a story of sorts to Elite Dangerous but you can approach the game in several ways. Essentially you can play as a trader, a pirate or a bounty hunter. The best way to figure out what path you want to take before heading out to the far depths of the galaxy is to visit space stations and view lists of players with bounties on their heads or rare materials that you can mine and sell at a later date.

Wipeout and PlayStation go hand in hand. Since 1995, this adrenaline-fuelled futuristic racer features on all of Sony's consoles and although we've had to wait a little longer to see a Wipeout game grace the PlayStation 4, the delay has been worth it.

WipEout: Omega Collection includes all the content from three previous instalments in the series: WipEout 2048, WipEout HD andWipEout Fury. In total, there's 26 reversible circuits, 46 ships and of course, a bunch of pulsating tunes. With nine game modes, including Single Race, Speed Lap, Detonator and online/offline multiplayer, there's plenty of depth to keep you busy. Eliminator mode is a personal favourite of mine, where the objective is not to win the race but merely cause other opponents damage using a variety of different weapons.

The annual release of a Formula 1 game usually comes with high expectations. On release, these expectations quickly crash and burn as fast as I would if I actually jumped into a real F1 car and tried to drive it. Unfortunately, unlike many other sports, F1 hasn’t had a worthy representation in video gaming thus far, so, you’d be forgiven for thinking that F1 2016 might be another entry in the mediocre F1 series. However, I’m pleased to say that isn’t the case at all. F1 2016 has broken the mould and is an essential purchase for any gamer who is a Formula 1 fan and anyone who loves racing games in general.

The time of the year is finally upon us where the two annual football sims go head-to-head in a battle to the death to decide who’s king of the virtual pitch.

I’ve played both PES and FIFA for around twenty years. My first FIFA game was back in ’94, and I stuck with it until FIFA 99. I then switched to PES and kept with it all the way up to 2012, after which, I went back to FIFA.

On balance, I’ve always tried to give both games a fair go, and in my opinion, since 2012, FIFA has been the best option. This year, I’m pleased to review both games and share my thoughts on each. At the time of this review being written, I haven’t played a single minute of FIFA 17 but after spending time with PES 2017, it’s clear that PES means business.

Overall, PES 2017 is an absolute joy to play. Movement is fluid, Passing is sleek and the AI is intelligent. It’s rewarding, intriguing, and exhilarating. Quite simply, the beautiful game has never been more beautiful.

With colourful buildings, breathtaking ocean views and sweeping vistas, the Italian coastal town setting of Hitman Episode 2 is certainly a visual treat. Agent 47 swaps the smart attire we last saw him don at the fashion show in Paris for some casual wear as he seeks to infiltrate a villa housing two scientists responsible for a nasty DNA-targeting virus.

While the gameplay mechanisms are exactly the same as episode 1; it’s the second entry in the series that feels more like the Hitman experience that the developers are trying to portray. Certainly, the previous installment was an excellent introduction to the franchise for those unfamiliar with the bald-headed protagonist, but it’s the latest episode that makes you want to try all the assassination techniques at your disposal.

Set during the Sengoku period - between the 16th and 17th century, Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is the third instalment in the Empires series and the follow-up to Samurai Warriors 4-II. Now, unless you're familiar with the Samurai and Dynasty Warriors franchise, you may struggle to understand what the Empires edition is all about. Quite simply, Samurai Warriors 4: Empire primarily focuses on you joining a faction while implementing different kinds of policies, strategies, and tactics before battle as you look to take control of all territories on the map. Empires' story is sparse in comparison to its predecessors; it's all about building your faction as you fight to gain control of the land. Much like the entire Samurai and Dynasty Warriors franchise, those of a tactical and strategic persuasion will love the Empires edition whereas those looking for in-depth storytelling will prefer the original titles.

Charming, engaging and most importantly, fun, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is another excellent entry in the Lego franchise.

Much like previous Lego movie tie-ins, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens closely follows last year's sci-fi blockbuster adding a little cheesy Lego humour and extra scenes along the way. Pleasantly, before the main story begins, you get to revisit the last thirty minutes of Return of the Jedi, including Han, Chewie, and Leia’s mission on Endor, Darth’s redemption on the Death Star and Lando Calrissian getting “a little too close” as he heads to the superstation's reactor.