. Plays July 25, 2014

Tom Orry, Editorial Director - Need for Speed Rivals, PS4

I played the Destiny Beta for a bit, but being a bit of a loner it was hard to get into it, and one-time-friend David Scammell had refused to party up with me. I turned to Rivals instead, and much fun was had. I still don't think it's up to Hot Pursuit, but the driving model is great and it's a very pretty game considering it's a cross-gen title. Will I get bored and play something else in a week? Quite likely. But I'm having a good time at the moment.

Dave Scammell, News Editor – Strider, PS4

So yeah, who knew this was actually pretty good? A Metroidvania platformer that sinks its shurikens in right to the end with its super compelling gameplay and sci-fi take on Eastern Europe. It has its fair share of issues - the most frustrating being the inability to go back and mop up the collectibles once the end credits roll - but I was unexpectedly taken by this. Another excellent PS Plus freebie. Be sure to grab it while you can.

Brett Phipps, Staff Writer - Final Fantasy VII, PC

During the Steam Summer Sale, FFVII was available for a very low price, so I picked it up, adamant I would complete it 16 years after my first attempt. The trouble is, it can be a bloody long and tedious game.

The story is great, so too the combat, but when you’re forced to grind to get a team capable of beating the latest enemy in order to advance the narrative, it’s just a slog disguised in what the 90s and all JRPGs labelled ‘longevity’.

I’m about 20 hours in, and think I’ve had my fill. I’ll just look at the wikis to get a rundown of the plot, check YouTube for the major moments and that’ll be enough for me.

Steve Burns, Deputy Editor - Wolfenstein: The New Order, The Crew

This week I went on a road trip across the states with the rest of the office in The Crew. You can see the highlights here in a video some are saying "might well be the best video you guys have put out", "Delightfully pointless!" and "The car in the game isn't even a convertible, I think it's fake!"

I've also been ploughing through Wolfenstein: The New Order, which is OK in short bursts, like Dave.