. Plays August 15, 2014

Simon Miller, Editor-In-Chief - Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, PS4

Continuing my awesome ability to play games long after everyone else has stopped caring about them, I played Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes this week. As good as I had hoped, and as Metal Gear as I expected, I had no problem with its running time nor the content it put on a silver platter. It was fun while it lasted, there was plenty more I could return to - should I have wished - and it never outstayed its welcome.

Admittedly I understand the argument that it may be a little overpriced, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the experience. It also made me very excited about The Phantom Pain, which is the only reason this exists in the first place.

I also experienced P.T. this week, much like the entire planet. F**t that...

Tom Orry, Editorial Director - P.T., PS4

Following Sony's Gamescom conference, I booted up the mysterious P.T. demo that evening, still blissfully unaware what it was. I knew it was meant to be scary, but at that point I hadn't even seen the trailer shown off earlier in the day.

What followed was an incredibly unnerving 40 minutes. Sat in the dark in my bedroom, my baby son sleeping in his cot next to me, I moved through the repeating hallways one by one, gradually becoming more and more on edge until I was grabbed. It was in-game, but I physically reeled back in shock as it happened, then slumped having hit the pause button to take a breather. I was safe, save for a creepy talking bag.

At the point I was glad that no one had been watching, but have since watched countless YouTube videos of others playing, reacting in different ways. If P.T. is a sample of the kind of horror we're getting in Silent Hills, Kojima and co might be able to pull the series back to the forefront of the genre.

Dave Scammell, News Editor – Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, PS4

A couple of weeks ago, somebody sent a question in to the podcast asking which game we initially hated but later grew to love. And I've just discovered another.

The opening to Black Flag is appalling. It's slow and stale, and entirely derivative of earlier games in the series. I've been going back to it every now and then since November determined to try and like it, but each time I'd give up after 20 minutes, bored of the mission types and dull opening area. It just refused to click.

But a few hours in something happens, and Black Flag becomes an entirely different game. Once the world opens up and you're free to explore, it becomes every bit the pirate game you initially hoped it would be. And it's great, gadding about the high seas with your shipmates singing Drunken Sailor as you sail into uncharted territory. So yes, I've flip-flopped again, but please Ubisoft, don't faff around with the openings for quite so long next time, yeah?

Brett Phipps, Staff Writer - P.T., PS4

I have a love/hate relationship with horror games. I love playing them, but my poor heart cannot endure. I’ve tried on multiple occasions to sit through at least an hour, and failed. Once was with Dave, and he walked out almost immediately. He actually managed to scare me as much as the game thanks to his constant screaming.

The second was with my brother, who managed to last even less time than Dave. I watched a clip of a big talking point on YouTube about 15 minutes ago, and still cannot feel my face. This may be my last VG Plays…

Steve Burns, Deputy Editor – P.T., PS4

Like everyone else on the planet, this week I've been playing P.T.. While I didn't find it quite as scary as others – I've seen David Moyes manage Manchester United – it is a supremely effective slice of horror, and an example of a demo done right. Well done Kojima/Konami/Sony/Del Toro/Adrian Lyne (honourable mention).