PLAY

Official PlayStation Magazine is the complete guide to PlayStation gaming, offering complete coverage of PS4, PS3 and PS Vita. Famed for our trademark biting opinion, unique spin on news, offbeat, innovative features, independent reviews and retro features - and with PS4 the unquestionable victor for new-gen gaming - there's never been a better time to join Team OPM on our PlayStation journey.

Welcome

In the ring with Japan’s fighting pros • Top players and spectators enjoyed three days of fighting spirit at Evo Japan

Bohemian rhapsody • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will gallop onto PlayStation 5 later this year

Endless pulp fiction • In Shadows Of Doubt, anyone could have done it

PLAY INVESTIGATES For the players • The Game Music Festival attendees enjoyed concerts featuring music from The Last Of Us and Baldur’s Gate 3

What do we want from this summer’s showcases? • This summer could be a hot one for game news, and the team have their wishlists ready

Brits • Raise the flag, or maybe just a warm beer, for gaming’s best of British

“ALLY OR GENUINE VILLAIN? GAMES NEED MORE MAJOR PLAYERS LIKE RAPHAEL.” • How Baldur’s Gate 3’s player choice reframes your allies the right way

“EPIC NARRATIVES ARE FINE, BUT WE NEED ROOM TO BREATHE AND DISCOVER.” • Unpacking’s journey proves that the best stories are hidden in the details

Previews

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin • The beast-befriending RPG spin-off soars again

Baladins • A cutesy fantasy adventure awaits

Vampire Survivors • Welcome to bite club

Arranger • What do you want to know? Axis anything

Knights In Tight Spaces • Saturday’s Knights all right for fighting. And Sunday’s. And Monday’s…

Still Wakes The Deep • Wakey wakey, rise and die

Tales Of The Shire: A The Lord Of The Rings Game

HELL IS EMPTY • …And all the devils are here in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Jess Kinghorn gets down with her demons

CATHEDRAL OF SHADOWS • Where demons gather – charting the course of the supernatural sci-fi RPG series that’s constantly being reborn

Strong roots • Series producer Masaru Oyamada talks with Oscar Taylor-Kent on nurturing the long-lived RPG series to sprout anew with Visions Of Mana

Topjobs • Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida speaks to Daniella Lucas about what goes into creating new job classes for the MMORPG – from revising old skills through updates to the difficulties of deciding what new ideas to bring to the table

Reviews

Stellar Blade • Fresh off the assembly line

Grounded • Oh no, not another game full of bugs on release

Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide • Pack your swimming trunks

Another Crab’s Treasure • Sink or swim?

Planet Of Lana • Induces a severe case of playja vu

Sand Land • Beelzebub has a missile put aside for me, for me

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes • A hundred heroes couldn’t save this one

Tales Of Kenzera: Zau • This year’s 378,992nd metroidvania

Dave The Diver • Taking a gun to a fish fight

Umurangi Generation VR • Nice to play the Generation game, to play it nice

Animal Well • Something burrowed, something blew (our minds)

Let’s! Revolution! • Time to rise up

Sker Ritual • More fun than an actual Satanic ritual

THREE TO PLAY • PSN games you might have missed

PS5 Hall of fame • THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE NEW GEN’S GREATEST GAMES

PLAY ON • Know what you like and looking for more? Here are alternatives to enjoy on your PS5

PS4 Hall of fame • THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE LAST GEN’S GREATEST...