Discover some of the best games that might have escaped your attention in the first six months of this year's bumper release schedule.
Cast a line into the murky depths of this sinister fishing adventure and you’ll soon be hooked. Venture out to sea, land your catch and upgrade your vessel. Set sail after dark though and you’ll soon discover why some of these waters are best left undisturbed.
Take in the authentic history and culture of New Caledonia and its indigenous people as you explore an open-world sandbox set on a glistening archipelago inspired by the Pacific nation. A heartfelt and impressive debut from developer Awaceb.
A bicycle road trip where you piece together the secrets of the world through the people you meet along the way. Contemplative, and with a mesmeric art style, you’ll be left pondering the poignant writing and story long after the credits roll.
Anyone who’s ever used a pressure washer will know the simple satisfaction of blasting away dirt and grime to reveal whatever’s underneath.
Now, developer FuturLab has bottled up that feeling with this wildly successful simulator. It’s a chilled-out good time whether you’re washing solo or with friends online.
Creative, mesmeric, a modern take on Lemmings... Humanity is all these things and so much more. You play as a glowing dog, directing swarms of faceless humans to the end of over 90 surreal levels. Flow-state-inducing stuff from the creators of Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite. In? Of course, you are.
Grab your trusty baseball bat/makeshift sword/rake and paint the sun-soaked town of Los Angeles a particular shade of red.
Let off some steam with the game’s satisfyingly tactile combat in over-the-top set pieces across the City of Angels’ iconic locations. Face the apocalypse alone or with up to two other players online.
Build a party of your favourite heroes and villains from across the Final Fantasy series and battle through 385 rhythm-action song stages. You’ll be humming along to the nostalgia-filled soundtrack in no time. Co-op Pair mode, where two players are each responsible for half the notes, is a total joy too.
Finishing high school sure can feel like the end of the world, but for sweethearts Atma and Raya, that is quite literally the case. Set in late '90s rural Indonesia, this lovingly crafted pixel-art adventure explores the challenges of teen angst, sorrow and supernatural powers. Did we mention you can pet every animal you meet?
A breathless, psychedelic ode to the ground-breaking first-person shooters of the '90s, cranked up to the max… and then some.
Strafe through the procedurally designed levels as quickly as possible, killing whatever you see to fill up the baying idol you’re carrying - if the idol runs dry, your run is over.
Eight misfits from all corners of the fantasy world of Solistia are thrown together in this epic adventure. Building on the success of its predecessor, this game introduces eight entirely new characters, so there’s no need to have finished the original. A must-play for fans of classic JRPGs, yet accessible for newcomers.
Brutal melee combat? Embattled historical setting? Dark, supernatural overtones? Yup, Wo-Long: Fallen Dynasty has Team Ninja's fingerprints all over it.
The Nioh developer returned in February with a brutal new action RPG adventure set this time in ancient China. Fluid combat, ferocious boss fights and tight level design make this a must for fans of hardcore action games.
A side-scrolling beat ’em up about the “Taiwanese Robin Hood” with slick combat that lets you parry bullets and steal enemy weapons. The story beats are expertly delivered in the style of a manga comic strip, while the climactic boss fights pack one heck of a punch.
Set sail with the Straw Hat Pirates in this swashbuckling JRPG set in the universe of the bestselling manga series of all time.
The exceptional animation makes this the closest thing you can get to living in the fantastical world of legendary creator Eiichiro Oda.
Okay, we’re cheating a bit here with six games in one package but, frankly, we wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by picking a favourite (though they are available individually).
Spruced-up visuals and soundtracks along with optional time-saving features make this the best way to experience these classics.
The stylishly minimal art style sums up what this PS VR2 roguelike is all about: challenging moment-to-moment gunplay that just feels so satisfying.
You’ll die; learn from your mistakes; upgrade your characters; chip away at the mysteries of the world and then realize you’ve succumbed to the game's moreish, just-one-more-run loop.
By focusing on just one Champion from League of Legends’ over 160-strong roster, developer Double Stallion tells a compelling story without you needing to know your “LoL” lore.
You play as Ekko, a young inventor whose time-rewinding abilities make for some creative 2D action platforming. Strong voice acting performances bring the story to life.
Honour, revenge and a laundry list of eclectic side activities. Expect all the hallmarks of the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) franchise, but in a series-first period setting.
Familiar faces pop up as historical characters throughout the story, but otherwise it’s unconnected to past games, making it a perfect entry point for new players.
Take a moment to relax at Seattle’s Coffee Talk café, a place where elves, orcs and succubuses rub shoulders and talk about their feelings.
As a barista, your skills at prepping the drinks and styling the latte art to suit your customers’ tastes will determine how characters’ stories unfold. Soothing.
Lurking around every corner of this unsettling adventure are myths and creatures from Nordic folklore that probably want to eat you.
The underlying sense of dread, striking visuals and impactful sound design might remind you of Inside and Little Nightmares– high praise that’s thoroughly deserved.
Worthy of a place on any must-play PS VR2 list, the central ingenious mechanic of moving the narrative forward by physically blinking your eyes secured this title the Game Beyond Entertainment BAFTA.
Go in knowing as little as possible; just keep the tissues on standby.
Not that you needed an excuse to replay the brilliant adventures of Quill, but the PS VR2 enhancements will make you fall in love with your adorable mouse companion all over again.
You’ll see small details thanks to the 4K resolution, feel things differently with haptic feedback, and Quill even reacts to objects you’re looking at with eye tracking.
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