Bloodborne doesn't really need my endorsement to be known as one of the greatest games of all time. Still, I'm happy to add my voice to the choir. A truly stunning achievement, Bloodborne is both accessible and tough managing to train players so that each obstacle overcome feels like a true achievement. If someone is kicking your ass you either have to get better or think smarter (in terms of either levelling up or fighting). Ooozing lovecraftian atmosphere meets Victorian horror, Bloodborne's aeshetic is iconic and a (creepy) pleasure to spend time with. The lore is just right with more you can dig into online if you like, or slowly piece together the chilling story of Yarnham. Most importantly, this game makes you feel like a true hard badass. Very few games I go back and replay but I could easily see my self going back to Bloodborne, I sunk 50 hours into this in the end and I loved mostly every minute.

If you own a PS4 you must play this game. Don't worry about the difficulty, you'll get through it. A true hunter is never alone.

The Last of Us Part II is one hell of a game. From a technical standpoint the game is nearly flawless (though we should always push back against the crunch that was used to make it). Still, Naughty Dog's insanely well made sneak/action/scavange cycle is mouth watering perfection and each encounter allows you total freedom to approach it whilst always keeping you on the edge of your seat. Marrying it almost perfectly (though maybe not as much as the first) with the story is the great strength of the game and you really do feel harried and desperate without it ever feeling unfair. Any mistakes here are yours, and it's up to you to be smart about what resources you are using and how you spend your upgrades. Graphically stunning and mechanically as perfect as any game since MGS V.

Of course the story of The Last of Us Part II is one that hits hard. Again, it didn't quite reach the heights of the original (what could?) but it basically got me to the point of feeling like a terrible person for what I was doing to enemies as well as bringing me to tears at the end, exhausted from all the violence and pain and suffering. The psychologies of the characters in The Last of Us Part II are deep and rich and by the end you'll marvel at the characters the game has created. That's to say nothing for the progressive casting of characters in the game (racially, gender, and sexual identity diverse) and the grace with which the game handles them.

The best thing about this game is the way it marries interactivity with story. So, so, so few games really manage this significantly - the original The Last of Us, Spec Ops: The Line, Death Stranding, and the Metal Gear Solid series are the only ones I can think of that really push the envelope in using the interactive nature of the medium to tell the story and communicate things in a way that only games can tell. The Last of Us 2 is a masterwork of this and fore that it receives a full score and the highest praise I can give.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
A tough as nails old school Castlevania that is regarded as one of the best that also was my first time playing a game in the series. Holy hell was this hard, 8 levels only but it really pushed my skills to get better. It was certainly a change from the type of games I normally play and I'm glad for that; I felt a little like Goku in Dragonball training to get better and better against each stronger opponent and thrilling at the opportunity to be better (although I did get annoyed at some cheap moments). Special shout out to Maria Renard who is an alt playable character to the main Richter and saved me for level 7. I might have gone insane trying to beat that as Richter. Very keen to take on the acclaimed sequel, Symphony of the Night, but...maybe after a break or three. Special thanks to John for asking me to have a crack at the game and for cheerleading.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Symphony of the is a great game. It's just as good as Rondo of Blood but in different ways. Rondo is much harder and beating it felt like much more of an achievement, but SoTN also was a lot more FUN. SoTN is where the vania part of Medroidvania comes from and I really had a blast exploring Dracula's castle and unlocking all the new weapons and rooms. The game looks and sounds beautiful (in particular I was a huge fan of the after-image that follows Alucard around). Though it can be easily broken (even by a novice like me) it's still enormous fun to play and search every nook and cranny; the PS4 achievements really help this! The story is also a good one as far as these types of games go and having played its immediate predecessor gave this game a lot more weight and heft which I appreciated. I may not return to this series for quite some time but I'm very glad I got to experience Symphony of the Night, a rightful classic. Definitely a crucial piece of gaming history and I can see how it's influence looms large even to this day.

orizon Zero Dawn is a great game. It features a cast of likeable characters led but our protagonist Aloy - a welcome refresh amongst so many male protagonists. Aloy kicks ass and takes names and she's just a great character to be and play as; she grows through the narrative but she's also always self assured. No damsels here!

The gameplay loop reminded me most of MGSV in that it's quite simple but also quite deep and just a lot of fun to interactive with and play. This is important as you spend the story uncovering the truth behind Zero Dawn, why there are robots everywhere, and what is the deal with the entire planet. Making this a fun story to experience that encourages exploration and player choice in terms of how you tackle most objectives means that HZD always makes you feel like a bad ass and you always have options. Some people have told me this game is hard to get into (and I get it child Aloy is terrifying) but once the game lets you find its footing and you're out in the big world it opens up beautifully. Hang on for those first 1-3 hours and you'll be loving it.

If I were to sum up HZD in two words it would be: Curated Skyrim. This is not only because of the pseudo medival setting and the HUD but because it really does give you the joy of exploring a world with a little light roleplaying but finely curated so every area of the world is packed with meaningful things to see and do. If Skyrim was a long ass TV show, HZD is a blockbuster film. I managed to clock about 50 or so hours which involved basically shadow platinuming the game (basically I could have platinumed it if I did a few hours of busy work which, no). I was definitely ready to end the game by the end but the engaging story, great characters, and endlessly addictive and enjoyable gameplay loop made it easy to reach that 50 hour mark. If you like Metal Gear Solid, Skyrim, RDR2, and all manner of other AAA open world games - if you're a fan of games in general - you can't afford to miss HZD.

Squadrons is a good, but very slender, game. The Campaign itself is passable with some fun cameos from the wider Star Wars universe but the missions essentially training you for the multiplayer and while you can talk to your squadmates the campaign is not truly crafted for you to actually feel like you're a part of them. The gameplay is first person only (which I don't love as I like third person flying better) and you get a kind of sim-lite version of the controls which is cool and adds depth but...it doesn't really hold up the mission design being a little bland. The VR aspect is REALLY cool if you can get it set up and afford the tech (Thanks to Gary for lending me his) but it also can give you a headache! The multiplayer aspect is fun but you really need a good squad to play with. For those looking for a good Single Player Star Wars fighter experience I can still recommend Rogue Squadron on Steam for $5 as a better time. It's got better missions, better music, and you play AS Wedge! Plus it has a lot of fun cheats!