The games that will define PlayStation 3

LAIR

What is it?
A dragon-riding fantasy dog-fighter, this, with an emphasis on Sixaxis motion control. But, crucially, Lair has been designed specifically to work with the new control method, not to accommodate it in some half-assed, soon-to-be-totally-forgotten way.

Why should you care?
Because Lair is different, and really works hard to use every subtle nuance of Sixaxis's special controls. By acting as if you're grasping the reins of a giant fire-belching lizard, the control method involves a lot of purposeful moving around and waving your hands in the air, but there's a satisfying edge to guiding a monstrous scaly beast through the skies without tapping buttons or pushing sticks.

With the game kicking out full 1080p visuals, and the promise of hosts of enemies and other dragons to be fried, stomped over or pursued skywards across mountainous terrain, there'll be no lack of eye-caressing action to enjoy from Lair.

When can you play it?
It's currently predicted to appear during May this year, but Lair should at least be with us before the summer is over.

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.