Baldur's Gate 3 leads the charge in the PLAY fantasy special

Play Magazine
(Image credit: Future, Larian Studios)

Our fabulous fantasy special (aka PLAY #28) is out now! In this adventure-filled issue, we go hands-on with our cover star Baldur's Gate 3 alongside a deep dive into the history of Dungeons & Dragons games on PlayStation. 

Plus, we chat with Airship Syndicate about their fantastical MMORPG Wayfinder, board the Astral Express in the space-faring anime adventure Honkai: Star Rail, deliver the final verdict on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and more!

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Baldur's Gate 3 is shaping up to be a critical hit

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Larian Studios)

Baldur's Gate is back and it's bigger, better, and more beautiful than anything we've seen from the series before. An absolutely gigantic RPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, this long-awaited sequel builds on the classic role-playing formula to bring something completely new to PS5. 

With our OCs at the ready we dive head-first into a hands-on and detail everything from the thrilling turn-based combat to the in-depth character creator. Even if you're not familiar with the mechanics of the tabletop source material this is already shaping up to be a wonderful adventure in its own right. Based on what we've played, we're confident that Larian Studios has all it takes to pass the skill check and create one of this generation's best.

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Atari)

With Baldur's Gate 3 on the horizon, there's never been a better time to dive into the catacombs for a look back at some of PlayStation's past Dungeons & Dragons games. Hold on to something firm because we follow up our first feature with a rollercoaster ride through everything D&D from the seminal MMO Neverwinter Nights to the hack-and-slash action of Dark Alliance.

Can XDefiant defy XPectations?

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Ubisoft)

Put your spells and swords to one side for a moment because Ubisoft is cooking up their own modern military fantasy in XDefiant. Pulling characters from the worlds of Watch Dogs, Far Cry, Splinter Cell, and other popular Ubi properties together for an all-out brawl, we've got a fresh report from the front lines. 

This free-to-play FPS has Call Of Duty firmly in its sights but is the lightning-fast gunplay snappy enough to win one a one a duel against the genre's best? 

Airship Syndicate discusses the world of Wayfinder

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Airship Syndicate)

Another promising free-to-play title heading to PS5, Wayfinder is a sprawling fantasy MMORPG from the creators of Ruined King: A League of Legends Story and Darksiders Genesis. To kick off our Insider section we sat down with the team to discuss everything from its fantasy inspirations to the nitty-gritty of its monetisation systems.

We've also got the latest on FIFA successor EA Sports FC, the Twisted Metal TV show, an interview with the developers of the PSVR2 exclusive C-Smash VRS, and plenty of other exciting titles from the year ahead and beyond.

Previews: Star Rail's stellar strategy combat shines

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, miHoYo)

A strategy RPG from the studio behind the surprise mega hit Genshin Impact, if Honkai: Star Rail's PS5 upcoming launch is anything like its predecessor we're going to have another meteoric success on our hands. We got to grips with its opening act and have detailed thoughts on its space setting, cute characters, and Shin Megami Tensei-like turn-based combat.

We also checked back in with Clive in the dark world of Final Fantasy XVI, investigated Street Fighter 6's promising single-player story, and much more!

Jedi: Survivor survives scrutiny in Reviews

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Electronic Arts)

Protagonist Cal Kestis might have ditched his adorable orange poncho for his latest outing, but Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is nevertheless a superb adventure that elevates the action of its predecessor to galactic heights. It's also a fantastic showcase for the powerful PS5 hardware with its cutting-edge visuals.

This is a particularly great month for quality games across the board as we also enjoyed our time with the century spanning story of Live A Live, soaked in the sun of Horizon Foridden West's new DLC, and more.

Retrostation: How XCOM 2 won the long war

Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, 2K Games)

As always, we round off this issue with a blast from the past in RetroStation. This month we take another look at XCOM 2 to discuss how well this 2016 strategy giant holds up almost seven years later. 

We also collected your thoughts on Street Fighter V over on social media, defended rogue archaeologist Lara Croft from the haters, and charted a brief history of Remedy Entertainment's games. Find all this plus extra retro goodness inside.

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Play Magazine

(Image credit: Future, Larian Studios)

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Dashiell Wood
Contributing Writer, PLAY

PLAY Magazine's Dash knows how to ask the hard questions, like 'which is better, Knack or Balan Wonderworld?' When he's not playing mediocre mascot platformers or being the sole remaining Babylon's Fall player he can be found blasting away in the likes of Call Of Duty, Overwatch 2, or, controversially for his PlayStation peers, Valorant.