15. Alone in the Dark
Mar 20 - 7.3
1992 was the year Alone in the Dark made a name for itself in the survival horror genre. This Remake promised to share the same bravado as CAPCOM’s modern Resident Evil titles.
It’s a brilliant story about the horrors of the mind. It hit the mark thanks to its psychological terrors and the wonderful performances. David Harbour and Jodie Comer did their jobs well.
But this sparked another conversation about Remakes. This version of Alone in the Dark was marred by clunky controls and combat. The foreboding atmosphere was there, but dealing with enemies felt frustrating.
Was it better than the original? Or was it an unnecessary reimagining of a horror classic?
14. Insurgency: Sandstorm
Jan 30 - 7.6
The new PS5 release of New World Interactive’s military shooter. Insurgency: Sandstorm enjoyed its time on Steam back in 2018. It was met with positive acclaim, with players praising its realistic portrayal of war--where every bullet in its team-based matches counted.
It was one of the best military shooters out there. It was even part of our Top 10 Military Shooters video from last year.
It’s a great alternative to other shooters in the market. But do you think it is worth playing compared to more popular shooters like Call of Duty? The PS5 version doesn’t have as many players yet. Crossplay is in the works, but players can still find matches in quick play and ranked.
13. Contra: Operation Galuga
Mar 12 - 8.2
A reimagining of the classic run n’ gun action game from the 80s. Contra was a household name to some gamers who grew up with it. It was this testosterone-powered platformer that birthed a generation of gun-toting gamers who love blowing stuff up.
Operation Galuga’s modern revisions include new stages, enemies, mechanics and co-op for up to four players. These healthy additions make this Remaster worth a try for anyone missing out on Contra’s classic shooting.
But the kicker is that it is a $40 game. Let’s just say some players weren’t happy with the price, saying that it couldn’t be more than a $15-20 title. Some even called out the lack of an online multiplayer.
Sure, the nostalgia factor will obviously have people obsessed. But in this economy, should a Remaster of a four-decade old game cost this much?
12. Rise of Ronin
Mar 22 - 8.2
Team Ninja’s latest foray into the Samurai genre. Rise Of Ronin focuses on Japan’s pivotal ‘Bakumatsu’ period. This slow end to the Shogunate. It’s an interesting setting, giving players a fresher perspective on Japan’s history.
As for its gameplay, it went for the familiar Soulslike approach. You can parry attacks and perform powerful combos. What sets it apart from the older entries is the open-world approach. Players can traverse Japan’s three major cities.
But is it a victim of its own ambitions? Unfortunately, no matter how gorgeous its visuals are, exploring is a lifeless journey. It suffers from that dated open-world structure where there’s really not much to do.
Rise Of Ronin is a great game but whatever its successes were, it was despite its sparse world.
11. Dragon’s Dogma 2
Mar 22 - 8.5
CAPCOM’s latest triple A adventure, Dragon’s Dogma 2 was met with almost universal acclaim. Offering little to no handholding, some critics even called it the next Elden Ring.
Its open world is vast and full of rich details. The fantasy setting is gorgeous and soaked in the lure of adventure. Combat is flashy and the Vocations are so much like in Monster Hunter. Even the classic Pawn system is improved with AI.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 was almost what CAPCOM wanted it to be… It really was. Except for a few issues:
It was another victim of bad optimization. On release, it had jarring performance issues. Framerates could fluctuate from 30s to 40s at any given moment. With the uncapped framerates on the PS5, it was an inconsistent mess. On PC, even the latest GPUs couldn’t handle its scale.
The list of questionable decisions went on, and it led to another discourse: microtransactions. Items like fast-travel stones had to be purchased separately. Although they don’t really matter since you can get them in-game. What irks us is its existence at all, in a single-player title. Was it really necessary?
10. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Feb 13 - 8.6
The original creators of Life Is Strange dabble in supernatural action RPG. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, a completely new IP from DONTNOD, veers away from its traditional linear storytelling.
It tells a compelling story about love and loss. Brought to life by a well-written cast of characters with solid performances. The branching narrative asks the big questions and hurls you into a moral dilemma.
The combat is great, too. It matches the narrative with spectral abilities that can turn you into a badass ghost hunter.
The catch is its lackluster open-world. Once the allure of its premise wears off, there’s really not much to do. Aside from that, it is also marred by performance issues. In select areas, the framerates can drop to 30, even in Performance Mode.
Despite that, Banishers is still an ambitious feat from DONTNOD. It is a major upgrade from its formula. But with so many games in the market, it’s easy for games like these to fly under the radar.
9. The Outlast Trials
Mar 5 - 8.7
Outlast is evolving its horror storytelling in new ways. Far from the usual singleplayer style, Outlast Trials is a full-blown multiplayer game
An AI-controlled stalker roams the level. Forcing you and three others into a terrifying game of hide and seek.
It successfully captures the fear and claustrophobia of the previous games. Only this time, other people are joining in on the horror. It’s best played with friends.
Fans of the series will find something to enjoy here. But anyone who’s waiting for the next single-player Outlast game might have to wait longer. This is a game built for the long run with an ongoing live-service model. The good news is that there aren’t any egregious microtransactions so far.
What do you guys think? Was this a great step for Outlast moving forward? Comment below and we’ll talk about it.
8. Helldivers 2
Feb 8 - 8.7
Helldivers 2 has been the talk of the town for the past few weeks. It checks out every box on the ‘consumer-friendly videogame’ list: it costs 40 dollars, the battle pass can be obtained in-game, and most importantly, IT IS FUN.
There’s nothing more satisfying than spreading Liberty across the galaxy. By Liberty we mean shooting alien bugs and robots until they’re completely eradicated.
Fighting to hell and back with three other players is Helldivers 2 at its best. Whether it's dropping 500kg nukes, or raining bullets on unsuspecting Terminids.
The ensuing hilarity of blowing up bugs in the name of Democracy makes Helldivers 2 a fun game to play with friends.
7. WWE 2K24
Mar 8 - 8.7
This year’s Wrestlemania set its sights on Cody Rhodes. The son of a son of a plumber and late professional wrestling Legend Dusty Rhodes is WWE 2K24’s cover athlete.
This is the latest entry into 2K’s annual wrestling celebration. 2K24 aims to be their biggest game yet. Boasting over 200 superstars and a staggering amount of content.
It is a comprehensive package that has something for everybody. WWE fan or not.
The enhanced gameplay adds more immersion in the ring. And you can experiment with new match types and improved MyGM modes. If you want to express your love for the franchise, you can do it with its many customization options.
There are a few noticeable bugs here and there. But the performance issues that plagued the PC version isn't as noticeable on PS5.
6. Prince of Persia The Lost Crown
Jan 18 - 8.8
The new Prince Of Persia isn’t what anyone expected.
The Lost Crown shifts from the full 3D of classic Prince of Persia to a 2.5D perspective. Looking and playing similarly to Hollow Knight and Metroid.
The refined parkour-based movement comes with more intuitive controls. Now, you can really feel like a cool warrior as you zip across levels.
It looks like the change in style is working, with high scores across all platforms. Some critics compare its success to Sands of Time, which brought the series into 3D.
"Nearly every part of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown works so well...that it feels as if the series has found its new genre home."
The Lost Crown is a fully single-player PS5 experience with zero microtransactions. Quite the achievement, knowing Ubisoft is no stranger to shady practices.
5. Tekken 8
Jan 26 - 9.1
New-gen Tekken is bringing fighting games to a new level.
Tekkn 8 expands the tight fighting mechanics with a new Heat system. The footsies and 50/50s are one thing. But with Heat, you get agressive plays that can shift the advantage at any point in the match.
The iconic roster also got a fresh redesign and they all look amazing thanks to the Unreal Engine 5. New characters like Victor and Reina are some of the standouts in the default cast.
Tekken 8's Season DLCs bring more features, balance updates and characters. Eddy Gordo, the Season 1 DLC character, brought a mean presence to the arena.
One of the most controversial additions in Tekken 8 is the Shop. An in-game store where you can buy cosmetics with real money.
Although the cosmetics are purely aesthetic, it's seriously a doozy if you wanted to earn it the usual way.
4. Unicorn Overlord
Mar 8 - 9.3
Vanillaware always exceeds expectations. Their latest IP, Unicorn Overlord, is no different.
Its answer to tactical JRPGs, Unicorn Overlord manages to hit every mark in its 40 hours of playtime. The visuals alone feels like Vanillaware at its peak.
While the real-time strategy doesn't reinvent the wheel, its new mechanics do give it an added layer of complexity.
It also has interesting story, peeling apart the usual fantasy tropes. It still feels like Vanillaware's usual quirky 'anime' style, but its balanced out by an engaging story and satisfying gameplay
3. Persona 3 Reload
Feb 24 - 9.4
Speaking of RPGs. ATLUS’ Remake of one of PlayStation 2’s best titles finally graced the modern generation. Persona 3 Reload is a testament to the timelessness of the original
.It has a lot of quality-of-life changes, especially in its visuals and gameplay.
But it preserves everything else from the 2006 classic. The story, its characters, and its bittersweet ending are all the same.
Reload shines with its fully voice-acted narrative. What once was a straight-up PS2 visual novel feels so much more modern. The voice actors bring new life and personality to the characters we love.
All that, plus the remastered soundtrack and fresh tunes, makes this the best way to play Persona 3 today.
The anticipated FES expansion is coming this September. It adds a dramatic epilogue to our favorite characters.
2. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Jan 26 - 9.4
Thanks to RGG, the Yakuza games are almost synonymous with over-the-top shenanigans. Infinite Wealth has even more up its sleeve.
Its open-world Hawaii is a haven of crazy antics. And despite all the absurdity, this is one of Asogi and Kiryu's most unforgettable adventures yet.
It has everything a modern RPG needs. Excellent turn-based combat, a lovable cast, and a post-game that's full to the brim with activities. It is a full-course meal with tons of side dishes.
If there's one problem you might have, it's that you might not have to enjoy everything it offers
1. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Feb 29 - 9.4
The best PlayStation 5 game of 2024 so far is Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. The second chapter to Cloud and friends’ Remake trilogy.
With a playscore of 9.4, critics and gamers have called it ‘the best version of Final Fantasy VII’ so far. And part of its success is the remake's fleshed out narrative, stretched into three parts.
The developers clearly poured the heart into the characters and story. We can identify each character's motivations and their emotional arcs made us feel so much for them.
It is a rollercoaster of a narrative that can go from environmental drama to Tifa doing sit-ups.
Rebirth made a lot of improvements on its combat. With Synergy Abilities, there are new ways to beat Sephiroth’s ass.
It's also MASSIVE. The shift to open-world opened the floodgates of activities for Cloud and friends.
But if you just want to enjoy the story, the amount of content can get overwhelming. Sometimes the minigames can even be a little too much. It can even break the game's careful pacing. Would you agree?