Genshin Impact blooms onto PLAY’s newest cover

PLAY Magazine
(Image credit: Future, HoYoverse)

PLAY #19 is out now! It’s not always the case that a game you can already play graces the cover of the magazine, but we think you’ll agree that Genshin Impact has been such a PlayStation phenomenon that it’s allowed to buck the trend a smidge. Take a peek at what's inside...

Subscribe to PLAY Magazine here to save on the cover price, get exclusive covers, and have it delivered to your door or device every month.

Genshin Impact: the developers discuss evolving their open world RPG (plus, some tips from yours truly)

Genshin Impact

(Image credit: Future, HoYoverse)

We’re smack bang in the middle of the launch of the big Sumeru update (adding a whole new region to the huge, free-to-play open world) and the game’s anniversary. It makes now the perfect time to catch up with HoYoverse about how they keep the game evolving in fresh and interesting ways, and how they’re continuing to leverage PS5 to do so.

Genshin Impact

(Image credit: Future, HoYoverse)

It's an exciting time to be a Genshin Impact fan. Even though the imminent anniversary is celebrating the game's two years since release, it feels like far more. With a solid plan for development, it seems like one that's only going to stick around and get better, setting a high bar for what to expect from the medium.

Genshin Impact tips

(Image credit: Future, HoYoverse)

That’s not all! We also share some of our own tips to get ahead in Genshin Impact, and explore some of the other free-to-play games out there you shouldn’t miss out on. From the incoming Overwatch 2 to Final Fantasy 14 there’s plenty of fun to be had without spending many pennies.

A big Gotham Knights interview (AKA: we talk about Nightwing's butt)

Gotham Knights

(Image credit: Future, Warner Bros.)

If spending money to play co-op is more your bag, then Gotham Knights has you covered, with heroes and villains alike struggling to find their way forward in a world without Batman. The story is just as strong a focus as the pows and kabams, and we speak to the developers behind it to give you the low-down on butts, villains, and beyond.

Hands-on with the Until Dawn studio's new game, and more previews!

The Devil In Me

(Image credit: Future, Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Plus, from Japan’s BitSummit to Germany’s Gamescom we’ve been exploring everything on the horizon, getting face time with studios and hands-on time with games. Whether that’s The Devil In Me, from the team behind Until Dawn, or indie-hit-to-be Project Code Name M, there’s plenty to dig into.

Is The Last Of Us Part I the definitive way to play?

The Last Of Us

(Image credit: Future, PlayStation)

On the reviews side of things, plenty of big franchises return. But is it always for the better? We give you the thorough verdict on The Last Of Us Part I, weigh in on Saints Rows’ big reboot comeback, and jack into Soul Hackers 2, the latest from the Shin Megami Tensei series (of which Persona is also a part).

Sega Rally '95 – PS2's greatest hidden gem?

Sega Rally

(Image credit: Future, SEGA)

It wouldn’t be PLAY without a blast from the past, and the RetroStation delivers with a thorough look at why Sega Rally ‘95 on PS2 might be one of the greatest import hidden gems ever, a look back at The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers, and, of course, a word on why Sonic The Werehog might just be a bit misunderstood.

Subscribe and save

PLAY Magazine

(Image credit: Future, HoYoverse)

For more unrivalled developer access to the hottest PS5, PS4, and PSVR games, why not subscribe to PLAY 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. It’s a big saving for a tome that covers PlayStation past, present, and future every month, so consider helping us keep the train going.

You can subscribe to the print edition, digital version, or save even more with the print/digital bundle – whatever you choose, you’ll be receiving an unprecedented trove of dedicated PlayStation coverage every month.

Oscar Taylor-Kent
Games Editor

Games Editor Oscar Taylor-Kent brings his Official PlayStation Magazine and PLAY knowledge to continue to revel in all things capital 'G' games. A noted PS Vita apologist, he's always got his fingers on many buttons, having also written for Edge, PC Gamer, SFX, Official Xbox Magazine, Kotaku, Waypoint, GamesMaster, PCGamesN, and Xbox, to name a few.

When not knee deep in character action games, he loves to get lost in an epic story across RPGs and visual novels. Recent favourites? Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree, 1000xResist, and Metaphor: ReFantazio! Rarely focused entirely on the new, the call to return to retro is constant, whether that's a quick evening speed through Sonic 3 & Knuckles or yet another Jakathon through Naughty Dog's PS2 masterpieces.

With contributions from