Final Fantasy VII Remake hands-on headlines latest Official PlayStation Magazine

For many Final Fantasy VII Remake is the reason we bought a PS4, and this issue we go hands-on with the game ahead of release. Fighting our way through the opening of the game, exploring the first Mako reactor and fighting the iconic Scorpion Sentinel boss teases what's to come, and we play more…

"While we’re revisiting the plated city, there’s much here that pushes JRPGs forwards. By remaking its classic game, which redefined what RPGs could be on PS1, Square Enix looks set to redefine that genre once again," writes Oscar Taylor-Kent in Official PlayStation Magazine 173, on sale now.

The original Final Fantasy VII defined what a game should be on PS1, and Square Enix's remake looks like it could do the same for PS4.

PS5 horror game revealed

Martha Is Dead is confirmed for PS5. (Image credit: Future)

With hype for PS5 mounting we speak with an indie dev with big ambitions for its next-gen game, Martha Is Dead.

“PS5’s specifications are incredibly exciting – particularly for us is the additional graphical power and inclusion of ray-tracing architecture. Our studio has come a long way over four years and Martha Is Dead will strive for photorealism,” says LKA’s studio head, Luca Dalcò in Official PlayStation Magazine 173.

Discover how the developer is making the most of PS5's specs, including its SSD, 3D audio, and ray tracing in our new issue.

Outriders: We play People Can Fly's shooter

Get your first taste of PS5 in OPM issue 173. (Image credit: Future)

Confirmed for PS5, People Can Fly's Outriders plays like Gears Of War on a mission to destroy Destiny. It's not a complex game but the blend of cover-shooting, RPG specials, and next-gen power shows promise. We sent Ian Dean to Poland to play the first hours of the game, read his hands-on impressions in Official PlayStation Magazine 173.

Dreams: 24 games you must play

Dreams is PS4's latest best-selling exclusive. (Image credit: Future)

We scored Dreams 10/10 in early access and the final version of the game released last month didn't disappoint. This issue we take a closer look at the games you've been playing and select the 24 you must play the day you buy Dreams.

Don't forget, every issue of Official PlayStation Magazine comes with a Dreams tutorial! Subscribe now to read issue 174's 'how to make a complex character'.

Guilty Gear Strive: Exclusive interview

Read why the new Guilty Gear will be the best yet. (Image credit: Future)

Arc System Works has created some of the best fighting games the world has ever seen. This issue the developer sits down exclusively with us to reveal why Guilty Gear Strive will be the must-play fighter of 2020.

“Over Guilty Gear’s 20-year history, the focus was to make each update more exciting and impactful than the last,” says Daisuke Ishiwatari, the series’ creator and chief creative officer on Guilty Gear Strive in Official PlayStation Magazine 173. “We tried to tone it down somewhat with Guilty Gear Xrd, but it didn’t address the main issue with the series – the gap in ability between veteran players and those new to the franchise.”

For more unrivalled developer access to the hottest PS4 and PS VR games, why not subscribe to Official PlayStation Magazine? You'll save on the cover price and have your copy delivered to your door (or device) each month, complete with exclusive subscriber covers – such as this month's alternative Final Fantasy VII Remake design.

You can subscribe to the print edition, digital version, or save even more with the print/digital bundle – whatever you choose, you can rest easy in the knowledge you're getting the full story before anyone else.

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Imagine FX and Creative Bloq editor Ian Dean is an expert on all things digital arts. Formerly the editor of Official PlayStation Magazine, PLAY Magazine, 3D World, XMB, X360, and PlayStation World, he’s no stranger to gaming, either. He’ll happily debate you for hours over the virtues of Days Gone, then settle the argument on the pitch over a game of PES (pausing frequently while he cooks a roast dinner in the background). Just don’t call it eFootball, or it might bring tears to his eyes for the ISS glory days on PS1.