The Last of Us Part 2 builds on the incredible legacy the first game established, pushing the boundaries of gameplay and cinematic performances in video games and becoming a standard bearer (and reference point) for all story-driven games going forward. Ronny Barrier - Bloodborne This was an easy call because this is the PS4 game I still fire up when I need to get away from the toxic waste fire of the world over the last few years. The world - sepia plains, lush forests, and lively towns - is so detailed and alive that it feels like time travel. I’ve finished the game more than once, but I keep a playthrough from around the middle of the game where my Arthur (my stoic, handsome, noble Arthur) just goes hunting or fishing or indulging in some light botany. Who needs VR when games can be this immersive without a headset?

Some of the best multiplayer moments I’ve ever had happened in Monster Hunter World, and I’ll never forget jumping off the couch in celebration when my hunting party finally felled Fatalis, Iceborne’s brutal final challenge. Eric Zalewski - Persona 5 Royal Coming out of just nearly a year before the PS5, Resident Evil 2 showed that the PS4 and PS4 Pro still had some gas left in the tank to produce visually stunning graphics, especially when exploring the more dark and low-light areas of the game, making for a more daunting experience as you make your way out of Raccoon City. While there is plenty of discourse about Resident Evil games being in a third-person perspective, I argue that Resident Evil 2 is the best case study for why the series should keep third-person over tank controls or first-person. Matt Purslow - God of War A FUN VARIETY OF CARNIVAL GAMES FOR EVERYONE: Like a real-life county fair, Carnival Games bursts with exciting mini-games that you can play over and over. Classic mini-games such as shooting basketballs ("Swish") and taking down unfriendly clowns ("Clowning Around") are joined by brand new attractions like flying drone racing ("Light Speed") and cosmic bowling ("Cosmic Strike"). With 20 total games Carnival Games is a fantastic time for all.CARNIVAL GAMES EVERYWHERE: With Nintendo Switch, Carnival Games is a game for everyone and for everywhere. Whether on the big screen or small screen, Carnival Games can be enjoyed wherever you want to play.

It started with a wager. If Monster Hunter World could hit at least 90 on Metacritic, my college buddies and I would drive to Walmart to buy it that night. Over 450 hours of hunting later, I’m so glad that World hit that score, as it went on to become my favorite game on the PlayStation 4. At the tail end of the PS4’s life cycle, Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Rez fame decided to reimagine one of the greatest games of all time: Tetris. A MULTIPLAYER PARTY: Bring your family and friends in on the fun for a true Carnival Games party. Up to 4 players can participate simultaneously, bumping up the level of excitement and competition in all 20 carnival mini-games.Did you know that in MGS5, you can train your horse to defecate on command, and if cars drive over the manure, they’ll spin out and crash? Or that you can abduct a bear with a weather balloon? You can also disable electronics by spraying them with a water pistol. Oh, and you can find a cassette tape of bathroom sounds, which’ll make guards leave you alone if you play it while hiding in a latrine. Of course, if it’s your first time playing it won’t be quite as relaxing, you can expect to worry you’re developing early-onset arthritis from keeping the pad in a nervous earth grip as you join the exploits of Dutch’s criminal gang, pulling off heists, avoiding the law, staggering around saloons and generally rootin’ and tootin’ around the old west. You’ve got a lot of sweat, blood, and tears to pay before you can treat Red Dead Redemption 2 like your own personal meditation retreat, but it’s all worth it for a day on the plains. Mark Medina - Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End