PlayStation 4 PS4 Round Up 1

January's normally a slow month, but it's been uncharacteristically awesome on the PlayStation 4 this year. With so many great games launching over the past 14 or so days, we figured that we'd put together a very special round up, pulling together all of our reviews into one easily accessible place. Without further ado, let's get to it.

Gravity Rush 2 - 7/10

Even though the core of Gravity Rush 2 remains largely unchanged, you'll be hard pushed to find a fresher open world title in a sea of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed clones. Kat's traversal mechanic is still among the most satisfying that the sandbox genre has to offer, and an endearing cast of characters means that you'll actively want to spend time in their world. The combat and mission structure may still be this series' biggest shortcoming, but colourful scenarios mean that you'll stick around long enough to see the sizeable story and its many side-quests through. So, while not everyone will be dazed by what this release has to offer, the sequel should at the very least ensure that existing fans continue singing Kat's chorus.

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Yakuza 0 - 8/10

At this point, the property's trademark formula is seriously starting to wear thin, but when it comes down to it, there's nothing quite like Yakuza 0. It combines unapologetically mature themes and violence with brilliantly dumb minigames and hysterical side quests, resulting in a thoroughly memorable experience. Bolstered by a gripping story that's packed with great characters, fans of Japanese games or even Japanese culture owe it to themselves to give this a prequel a shot. Yakuza 0 is fantastic place to start a love affair with Kamurocho's finest, and what's more, it's one of the best entries in the series to date.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - 8/10

At its very best, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a barnstorming survival horror with some truly brilliant boss fights. Granted, the game isn't always able to maintain its own high standards, but it eclipses its abysmal predecessor with ease. While it borrows ideas from a variety of different sources, it manages to feel both original and old-school all at the same time. And even though fans are likely to be divided by the release's direction, make no mistake: this is the change that the series has needed for quite some time.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue - 7/10

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a strong but unnecessarily pricey collection for die-hard fans, especially for those who don't intend to play Dream Drop Distance. For those who do, it most certainly is a wonderful game that has undergone an admirable transition between platforms. With a fair film and enticing episode in tow, there's only so much more our hearts can bear in anticipating Kingdom Hearts III.

Tales of Berseria - 8/10

Tales of Berseria takes a positive turn with a much darker theme, a great cast of characters, and perhaps the best storyline that the series has seen for quite some time. The fast and tactical battle system is also a definite step up, but the game is starting to look dated and needs to lose its last-gen shackles. For those disillusioned fans of recent Final Fantasy outings, however, Tales of Berseria might just be the game that they're looking for, with a more traditional Japanese RPG setup that sticks closely to what it knows, while offering a new and exciting narrative direction.


Which of these games have you been playing this month? Do you think that you'll be able to clear your backlog ahead of February's onslaught? Let us know in the comments section below.