Killzone: Shadow Fall

Killzone: Shadow Fall is clearly the launch-day technical showpiece for the PlayStation 4. Guerrilla Games' leap into the next-gen is looking absolutely fantastic, swapping the dull greys and browns of past Killzone games with vibrant blues and greens.

The age-old conflict between humanity and the Helghast is on the agenda again, but things are a little different this time. It's been three decades since the Helghast refugees fled their devastated home world, and they've been living alongside their human cousins on the planet Vekta. A great wall separates them, but some things can't be fixed by a physical boundry. Players take on the role of Shadow Marshal Lucas Kellan, a human soldier who has to confront the realities of the human/Helghast conflict when a flashpoint brings him into contact with the deadly Helghast soldier Echo.

Gameplay is what you no doubt expect from Killzone - shooting the snot out of bad guys as you storm an area - although this time you get a real sense of atmosphere as stages branch out and feel much more open than past titles. Some missions do break from the series tradition, too, asking you to hack a terminal and defend it while incoming enemies try to stop you - with the option to take out targets any way you want. With the player alone for much of the game there's often more of a stealth component to the game, too, rewarding cunning over brawn.

Multiplayer is, of course, present and accounted for. 10 maps are available out of the box, with the option for players to create their own custom map presets known as 'Warzones'. The class system has been trimmed back to three categories: Assault, Scout and Support (which now includes some medic abilities from previous games). The levels are tightly designed, with plenty of elevation and stealthy routes to take.

If you're looking for a game that really shows what the PS4 can do, Killzone: Shadow Fall is your fella.