Starfield is a great port of the previously Xbox and PC only spacefaring RPG from Bethesda. And it’s pretty damn solid. The sheer scope is staggering and us PS5 owners should be kept busy for a long time. Yes, there’s a few issues with bugs that persist from the original 2023 version, but we can only hope they’re resolved post-launch. Sidequest overload is probably more of an issue than being overencumbered if we’re honest. Still great, so get to it.

New Super Lucky’s Tale is largely the same game as was released on PS4 in August 2020, only with 4k and 120Hz implementation. It’s still good, but the tilt controls on the challenge levels feel slightly off now. That might be down to the DualSense, but it makes the tilt levels feel like an even more unforgiving gauntlet than they already were. This being released in 2026 has us wondering if we’ll ever see NSLT2. Don't worry though, New Super Lucky's Tale is still worth playing and if it leads to a sequel eventually, it's all good.

It is a testament that, despite thirty years of Resident Evil, with over thirty unique titles under the franchise belt, Capcom is still able to wring out the value and deliver on quality . Resident Evil Requiem is one of the finest examples of both survival horror and third-person action, all rolled into one experience that expertly combines the best of both worlds into a concise, moreish package.

The Coin Game is all the fun of the fair and carnival wrapped up in a tidy package. It’s startling quite how many games there are to play here, many of them are great, some are middling and just like real life, some are barely worth a second look. Yes, the hub world isn’t the tidiest, but it’s hardly a deal breaker. The simulated tat on offer here isn’t going to landfill like it would in the real world, plus you’re only spending £15.99 into the bargain. There’s hours of play here if this is your thing and the added bonus is no FNAF style nonsense into the bargain. A perfect rainy day game then.

Sumerian Six is a solid real time adventure with all manner of fun gadgets and a mean difficulty streak. The PS5 port isn’t particularly optimised though with UI scaling being a particular problem as well as a camera that’s clearly more set up for mouse control as opposed to a DualSese. It’s still fun despite that, just be aware that playing on a 4K display is your best bet as it’s virtually impossible to see if you play on 1080p unless it’s a few feet in front of you.

Under The Island is a lovely pixel art adventure in the grand style of SNES and GBA era Zelda adventures. Yes, there’s some issues with pathfinding on occasion and some of the collectibles appear to be bugged, but you’ll no doubt enjoy this as we did. Get to it and start exploring under the island. Sorry not sorry.

Roguematch: The Extraplanar Invasion is a good combination of match three mechanics with dungeon crawling aspects, but is hamstrung a little by the harsh difficulty you’ll encounter in the second chapter. Some mechanics aren’t that well explained, but when the game is as addictive as chocolate coated peanut butter crack pieces, you’ll let it slide as we did.

Static Dread: The Lighthouse is a fun take on the Papers, Please formula with a distinct Lovecraftian flavour. Across its fifteen days you’ll stare into the maw of madness as it makes everyone around you lose their collective minds. We had a lot of fun and look forward to playing it a load more. To call it a job simulator does it a disservice as it’s anything but tedious. Get to it.

Don't get your hopes up if you're looking for a great skateboarding game. This isn't it. But it is a very good game that has a lot of skateboarding in it.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a love letter to the great comic-based beat 'em ups of the '90s but, very importantly, surpasses all of them. Which it absolutely should given we're in the 2025 but it's nice to see them do it nonetheless.

Lumines Arise is a fun refinement of the formula, completing a loose trilogy of sorts with Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite. It supports PSVR2 just as they do, but somehow feels less reliant on them to get the full experience. For us, Lumines is a handheld joint, so perhaps a PlayStation Portal is your best bet in that regard. It’s still excellent though with the new Burst feature being a welcome addition. No callbacks to the original PSP game feels like a missed opportunity though, especially given twenty years have passed since the first game.

This publisher may have released more shoot 'em ups on the system than any other but this might be their most interesting. If you're up for a shooter that genuinely changes up the classic mechanics of the genre and pulls it off, Schildmaiden MX is definitely worth a look.

Sektori is a return to a style of twin-stick shooters that we don't see nearly enough of these days. Addictive, exciting and set to a banging soundtrack, this is what we've been missing. It's just let down by being a bit too tough for its own good

Hidden Cats in Rio de Janeiro is another solid hidden cat game. In a similar vein to the Tokyo installment, this is good and offers a decent package for less than a coffee from Starbucks. Get searching and find all them felines.

Instruments of Destruction is a decent indie stab at a spiritual Blast Corps sequel. It’s really quite good, though the Build and Destroy mode isn’t so great, though that’s more down to the UI. Time to get moving!

If you can get past its PS1-era looks, which do have their own charm, there's a lot of fun to be had with it. Especially if you're a fan of auto-battling roguelites like we are.

BALL x PIT offers up a truly original mix of genres and does it all in a way that genuinely impresses.

Trials in the Sky 1st Chapter is an excellent remaster. Yes, you’ll probably want to switch off the US voiceovers and some of the plot exposition can be a bit cliched and longwinded, but the combat and mechanics are solid. Graphically sumptuous with lovely music, we look forward to many hours more from FC.

Baby Steps is a compelling, frustrating mix of wandering and storytelling. Nate is unlikeable and the humour plays off his inability to accept help or advice. Traversal is surprisingly accessible but leaves plenty of room for skill and challenge. The lack of a map really messed with my sense of direction and the later game really tried my patience. It's an accomplished effort that I think is worth playing, if you've got the patience for it.

I think Adventure of Samsara's brand of search action is well tuned. The combat feels deliberate but takes a backseat to the exploration. Once the movement suite is unlocked, the pacing livens up and discovery can feel very rewarding. I'm not enamoured with the pixel art but the cutscenes have an enchanting level of animation to them. Despite the tenuous links to the old game, this feels like a solid addition to Atari's catalogue.

Hidden Cats in Tokyo is the latest from Silesia Game and their frequent collaborators NukeArts. Across its fifteen levels you’ll find all manner of hidden felines and additional objects, though the less said about finding up to a hundred people in a couple of levels, the better. There’s a plot but it’s largely rhubarb, though you can at least skip that and get to finding the cats. The art is often cute and on occasion, exquisite. This is worth a play anyway.

Earthion feels authentic but evolved. If Mega Drive players would have been blown away by this shoot 'em up if it had been released back in the '90s but it still impresses now.

This compilation offers up eight shoot 'em ups from one of the main innovators of the genre and is a must for fans of Toaplan and shoot 'em ups in general. It's also insanely difficult most of the time but has enough quality of life features to help mitigate that.

Holdfast: Nations At War is fun mess. As a battle for territory, it struggles to coordinate the large player count. Enemy soldiers can be tricky to spot at a distance and a packed fort can leave very little room for shots. What it does offer is an absurd scenario where players will find a role to play and commit to the bit. I have had some unforgettable, stupid moments with this game and the willingness of the community to play along delivers something unique.

If Maiden Cops had come out on the SNES or Mega Drive in the early '90s, we think it would have been quite celebrated and you can't say that for a lot of retro throwback titles these days. It might be a bit childish at times, and weirdly suggestive at others, but this is a quality beat 'em up.

God of Weapons is the first Vietnamese game we’ve knowingly reviewed and it’s a good one. A novel take on the autoshooter genre that while it might not reach the heights of Brotato or Vampire Survivor, is very well done. The Resi-style inventory management is well implemented and a nice twist on upgrading your gear. The in-game challenges are a good incentive to keep playing too.

Achilles: Survivor takes the much-used Vampire Survivors template but adds some polished visuals, a neat defense-building mechanic and a heap of mythology-inspired characters to make one of the best examples of the genre.

Somber Echoes is a very well done Metroidvania set on board a spaceship populated by characters inspired by Greek mythology. It’s really rather good and while it might lack the bells and whistles of big budget titles, it’s definitely worth a look.

The long-awaited remaster of THPS3 arrives and proves why the original was one of the best games ever made. We're not sure the THPS4 levels bring as much to the party and the overall structure of the game makes everything a bit of a repetitive slog. But the classic Tony Hawk's gameplay, and the significant visual upgrade, make this a winner regardless.

Crime Boss: Rockay City surprised us. As unheralded as it was, this is a great game that does stealth and action equally well. The setting, the missions and the vibe of it felt a bit like playing a really good Xbox 360 game. And that means something now that most games are open-world borefests.

Soulstone Survivors is one of the better auto-shooting rogue-lite games on PSN but it is let down by just having a lot going on with various upgrade options and it can be a bit of a grind.

To a T is the latest from the wonderfully out-there Keita Takahashi. It might even be one of the best games to depict a disability and how human nature prevails no matter what. It might be a little short, but we didn't stop smiling throughout.

Forza Horizon 5 is a great port of a game that you wouldn’t believe is almost four years old. Panic Button have ported Playground Games impressive 2021 open world racer to PS5 and it might well be the most fun we’ve ever had with a driving game on Playstation outside our beloved Bernard Paradise. The Drivatar difficulty is a bit hit and miss though and we did feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of objectives on the in-game map but they are minor foibles all told. Bring on Forza Horizon 6!

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a worthy addition to the Indiana Jones canon. Graphically stunning and so much to do, almost to a fault. You could tear through the storyline in short order but you’d be selling the game short. We had a little trouble with the fisticuffs but that’s more down to our crap timing. This is pretty much all you could hope for from an Indy game and grabs back the mantle from the Tomb Raider games with aplomb. Fantastic.

Steel Seed's mix of Tomb Raider platforming and Tenchu-esque stealth makes it feel like a relic from the Xbox 360 generation but, hey, that was the best generation of gaming and Steel Seed does it all in a very accomplished way.

I think Pocket Bravery is a fantastic homage to those old fighting games. It has some issues, mostly with inconsistent difficulty but there's plenty of fun to be had. The modes seem pretty extensive and, whilst the cast is on the smaller side, it does showcase some diversity. The in-game sprite work is wonderfully detailed and there are moments for the art to really flourish. I really like how this has come together and the combat feels very considered.

Atomfall is a lot of fun although the central conceit is as daft as any seen in many other videogames. Combat is a little underwhelming as is the stealth, but the worldbuilding and sense of place are second to none. We look forward to playing through all over again given the double dip on PS4 and PS5 for the trophy set.

Turbo Overkill feels surprisingly dense. The shooting feels visceral and the movement at your disposal is very swift. Platforming can be a pain, especially on controller but the moments of frustration are worth toughing through. Pacing does take a hit when the enemy counts balloon in the third episode but I still enjoy this gory ascent into a dumb, cyberpunk world.

Robobeat is a game packed with ideas. Aside from the rhythmic element, the sheer variety within combat makes for a thrilling experience. As a roguelite, it's short enough to forgive some of the randomness ruling out certain builds or simply leaving you in a place where playing perfectly is your only way forward. It's got a solid soundtrack with fluid presentation that can make the action slick.

If you can get past the awful UI and PS1-era visuals, Vampire Hunters is a successful attempt at taking the magic of games like Vampire Survivors and Brotato and putting them into three dimensions.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is a good addition to the series with tons to do. A stealthy approach is just as valid as going in guns blazing, how it pans out is down to you. The x-ray gore porn also returns for those that find it amusing. Yes, even the testicle shot. *sigh*

Brotato might be the best game ever made and while the DLC doesn't necessarily improve it, it does give us another reason to play Brotato until our left thumb falls off and that has to be a good thing.

As the eighth pack of Williams tables, this collection features some pretty deep cuts for pinball fans but the tables on offer might not suit new or casual players.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a fantastic puzzle game with so many interconnected threads and well designed puzzles, not to mention games within the game that you can plough hours into, that you’ll be playing it for ages. Just don’t give into the temptation of an FAQ. Turn the lights down and get to it.

Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is a good job simulator, but the repair manual being a nightmare to navigate on console, as well as the clock still running as you read instructions is harsh. Download the manual on PC and you might stand a chance. Just a few quality of life improvements on console would help here. Once you’re up to speed with how to maintain modules, you’ll really start to enjoy this, but it’s harsh sledding until then.

There are a lot of horror games on PSN but this one deserves to stand out from the rest. It may feel dated, clunky and unfriendly to play at times but it transcends that in a way that is so clever, so skilfully written that we can't help but love it.

There are so many roguelikes on PSN now but this is one of the better ones, elevated as it is by a brilliant cast of playable characters. The same roguelike pitfalls apply though so expect some grind and repetition.

Beyond Galaxyland takes a fairly inoffensive story and marries it to something startling presentation. At times, it can be a treat to watch but there is also some mechanical depth to the turn-based encounters. I found it to be a very linear experience but one that never lacked forward momentum. It's a pleasant surprise that I quite enjoyed, despite some of the narrative not hitting. I didn't find much of a challenge here but there's some clever ideas on display.

In a series that is quickly running out of fresh ideas, World Brothers 2 leans into being fast, fun and cheery. It might struggle to find an audience with both casual players and hardcore EDF fans but it certainly offers up some enjoyable alien blasting action.

NBA 2K25 is a solid entry for the series. It is a small move forward with a great feel on the court. Shot making felt reliable to me with only a couple of head-scratching defensive plays letting the experience slide. It is a refinement of what's came before it with MyNBAEras offering a wealth of teams throughout time to play with. It's not quite historically accurate but I enjoy seeing those teams battle it out in anger. MyPlayer feels streamlined with only a brief venture into high school with the main focus being on the big league. It's a very accomplished simulation with great polish.

This is remaking done right. Take a title from gaming history and give it a gorgeous glow up. It might be too tough for some but it's worth persisting with.

Star Wars Outlaws is the open world Star Wars game we didn’t know we needed. Yes, the music is a little lukewarm and the combat isn’t massively overcomplicated, but nor does it need to be. There is no match for a good blaster as is aptly demonstrated here, neither do you need fancy laser swords twirling around. The stealth elements are fun with takedowns being a nice silent way to infiltrate places you shouldn’t be in. Given this is in effect, a game by massive committee, it is remarkable that it’s as good as it is. The fanservice is light and not massively in your face, but we’d not begrudge it if a bit more showed up, even if just as a musical cue.

The 'Netflix of Retro Gaming' comes to PSN and it works surprisingly well with the streaming performing as it should and lots of features that give you a good reason to stick with the games on offer. We're exciting to see what else they can do with it but what's here already is great.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion takes the series into a new direction and it does a pretty good job. But make no mistake, this shoot 'em up is all about the journey rather than pushing the genre forward.

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Remastered is a retouched version of a smart and comedic classic that holds up very well. It can be a little light on options but the new lighting gives the characters and scenes more life. The writing remains funny and I really enjoyed talking to the characters and figuring out the puzzles, despite some troubles with the logic. The episodic framing really helps make the package feel focused and it really helped keep the pacing snappy.

Deadlink is a polished cyberpunk FPS arena shooter with fast kinetic gameplay. As is so often the case these days, there’s roguelite elements. Due to the fixed progression, replaying the first few levels can get a bit overfamiliar and a little stale, but it merely adds impetus to progress further into the game. Great weapon balance and nicely done upgrades make for compelling reasons to keep playing.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a delight from start to finish. Packed chock full of gags both visual and via the script, you’ll be laughing frequently. A genuinely funny game with a great sense of place and nary a mean spirited gag throughout. Some of the jokes and cultural references might go over the head of non-Brits, but that’s their problem, not Coal Supper’s. The inclusion of two unlikely music tracks also make for unexpected earworms in 2024.

Arranger's clever game mechanics and puzzle design make it a true indie gem.

Exo One is a beautiful exploratory journey of a game. It isn’t massively deep but it is contemplative. The sci-fi influences are fairly clear to see, particularly 2001, but it’s none the worse for it. The speed run trophies are a little unrealistic to all but the most dedicated. We could’ve done with a level select too.

It's EDF as we know and love it but instead of focusing on new experiences, Sandlot have just turned a miserable grind into a near-unbearable grind without bringing all that much new stuff to the table. If you're a diehard fan, you know what to expect but even for seasoned campaigners like us, it's not as much fun as it used to be.

Parkitect: Deluxe Edition is a fun park builder, though it’s a little unrefined in terms of ease of use via a controller. Very much a PC game with joypad support bolted on. It’s also prone to glitching out on occasion, including during the all-too-brief tutorial in our case. Despite that we enjoyed ourselves. We reckon you will too.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree manages to compliment the base game in some good ways. The sense of scale is otherworldly and the levelling system does allow all players to have a place at the table. It does seem lacking in proper dungeons but the wealth of new gear makes the price justifiable. At times, the map can feel barren but the new bosses provide a stern challenge with plenty of flamboyance. It definitely feels quantity over quality but there was enough here for me to really enjoy.

Still Wakes The Deep is more than just a walking simulator in the tradition of Rapture or Esther. It nails the feel of bleak 1970’s Scotland to a tee and while everything goes to hell in a handbasket, your man Caz somehow managed to maintain his composure. Very much recommended.

As someone who really likes the original, this new take on System Shock doesn't stray too far from the source. Nightdive have updated the visuals and made things just a little more friendly for new players. Visually, it's very atmospheric and polished. The interface can initially be tricky to read but combat feels punchy and can be tactical. The conveniences are welcome but it still has one foot in the clunky possibility space of 90's PC gaming. Rather than entirely sand off the things that appeal to me about System Shock, it refines them in a way I really admire.

We liked Nuclear Blaze's atmospheric mix of platforming and firefighting back in 2023 but it didn't offer a ton of longevity, so having a free PS5 upgrade and a fresh trophy set to conquer was a welcome bonus and a great reason to jump back into the game.

Paper Trail is a fine puzzle game with a lovely origami mechanic that will delight and confound you in equal measure, especially if you’re looking to hoover up the collectibles as you go. Each level has the feeling that the developers expertly crafted the puzzles. On top of excellent presentation, this is a cut above.

All the classic Contra gameplay but with enough polish, modernisation and features to make it worthy of the grand old series. We're just not sold on that price tag.

Moonglow Bay is a lovely relaxing timesink of a game. It’s just a shame that it is bedevilled by bugs of varying degrees of severity. Despite everything we recommend you persevere with it and hope for patches down the line.

Ready, Steady, Ship! provides an accomplished and enjoyable experience. The variety within the level design means a new mechanic is just around the corner and the pacing of the campaign feels swift. The solo campaign lets the puzzles shine but co-operative play offers just enough moving parts for things both players to feel involved. Vehicles can be tricky to deal with but I was rarely frustrated by this charming effort.

Loretta is a stylish thriller that does well to make decisions feel impactful. The presentation is top-notch and makes playful nods towards its inspirations whilst delivering some flourishes of its own. The story feels tight and thoughtful whilst giving the player plenty of chances to influence proceedings. I was satisfied with my ending but the others feel equally believable. I do think the dreamy interludes can feel occasionally superfluous and the puzzles don't really allow for much thought. Despite this, the intriguing narrative pulled me through.

Balatro is a fantastic roguelike deckbuilder with a myriad number of ways to play and eventually beat it. Consume you it will. Resistance is futile. Embrace the sweet dopamine rush and sleep deprivation that will no doubt follow.

Abriss isn't your grandaddy's puzzle game. This is a feast of glorious physics, impeccable style and smart level design.

Llamasoft: the Jeff Minter Story is a fairly comprehensive collection of his 80's catalogue which includes curios like Soundscape and Psychedelia. We get a lot of written correspondence from the man himself but very little in the way of video footage. It can feel a little lacking when compared to the other compilations Digital Eclipse has produced. I still found it fascinating to see how his ideas evolved over time and how the Llamasoft aesthetic coalesced. It's just a real shame the game list halts before the company's modern resurgence. Those games easy to find but it would've been nice to hear Minter and Zorzin cover their more recent projects in-depth.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is fun enough but in its current state, the crippling performance issues and terrible AI drivers that you share the city with are big blots on the landscape. As it stands, the technical issues and dumb implementation of in-car controls are holding this otherwise impressive game back.

Highwater is a well-made turn-based battler set in the same scenario as Demagog’s other games Golf Club: Wasteland and The Cub. Sadly, it’s a bit short and it could do with collectible tracking. We really enjoyed ourselves despite that.

With equal focus on story, combat and management, King Arthur: A Knight's Tale offers a very strong RPG experience with really enjoyable turn-based combat.

Inkulinati is an entertaining strategy puzzle game with an interesting medieval graphical style. Only in this game could a snail prove to be the most powerful unit on the battlefield. The campaign lends itself well to multiple replays. Plus there’s local hotseat multiplayer. Get to it.

Promenade is a great platformer with loads to do. If you romp through the campaign without stopping to take it in, you’ll be doing it a disservice. A game to be savoured. Perhaps a bit too tough in latter stages to the extent we ran out of steam.

In a sea of auto-shooting survival games, Brotato is by far the best. It's as maddening as it is addictive but in the best way.

Overall, Tekken 8 is an impressive product. There's a variety of content here to keep players satisfied. I would've liked more new characters but two of them at least offer something different. The story delivers plenty of bombast and manages to tie up some loose ends whilst Arcade Quest tries to romanticise the arcade community in an endearing way. Online play has been very smooth and the fighting overall has been fun and kinetic. It also think the teaching tools are great for getting newcomers onboard.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a good Metroidvania and a welcome return for this long dormant series. We just wish it had dynamic difficulty as some bosses are just that bit too tough. There’s only so many times we can face failure.

If you can get past the poor first impression, Starward Rogue ends up being a very enjoyable twin-stick shooter with lots of interesting gameplay mechanics.

Trinity Fusion is a good action platformer with a nice dimension hopping angle. It’s not startlingly original, though the issues that exist are minor and unlikely to bother anyone too much. It’s well worth playing.

I may have small battles with the controls but the comprehensive package of Train Valley 2: Community Edition is really compelling. I think the presentation is really polished and the ways in which the levels escalate is enjoyable to figure out. There's a leisurely feel to the visuals and sound which are very comforting and I never felt under extreme duress to complete a challenge. Perhaps it's a little too relaxed in its pacing but I have enjoyed tackling the game's many challenges.

Pinball meets Horror in this niche, but enjoyable, side project from the masters of Pinball, Zen Studios.

Alina of the Arena is a great turn-based, deck-building strategy game that cuts out all the faff and just puts you into a series of short but enjoyable battles and while it doesn't provide a great first impression, it's well worth sticking with.

If you're in the mood for a good story, Cats and the Other Lives should suffice. Whilst the game does take place over three long days, very little of it feels wasted. There's a lot to discover about Bernard and his family whilst Aspen provides plenty of opportunities for mischief. The puzzles are incredibly simple but I did find the few chase sequences to be a little irritating. Not enough to dampen my spirits, though. I feel the narrative is well crafted and characters are nicely developed.

Robocop: Rogue City is the closest thing you'll get to a good third Robocop movie and it plays pretty damn well too. If you're not a fan of the first film then this might not be for you but if you're a normal person, there's a lot to like about this game.

Lies of P is a charming take on the Soulsborne template. Scarcely an original bone in its body but none the worse for it. We liked it despite not being particularly skilled. The title is probably among the worst we've ever encountered, but thankfully the game transcends it.

If you're into RPGs for the story and the world-building then Baldur's Gate 3 is as good as it gets. The depth of it is such that it'll keep rewarding players throughout multiple playthroughs but that comes at a cost where beginners may find its complex mechanics just utterly overwhelming.

The Making of Karateka is a phenomenal, detailed walkthrough of the classic game's development. I did wonder whether there would be enough material to make it worthwhile but I was completely absorbed. The chats between father and son are genuinely heart-warming. Karateka Remastered is a fascinating update that looks to enhance the original rather than overhaul. The result is something faithful and fluid. I thoroughly enjoyed checking out the prototypes, correspondence and everything in between. A new gold standard for game preservation and celebration has been set.

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition is a fantastic port of a great episodic point and click adventure. It’s really rather excellent. Get to it.

Jets'n'Guns 2 takes its cues from the Amiga-era 'Euro Shmup' sub-genre but adds a ton of excitement, tactical options and fun to it. It's up there as one of the best shoot 'em ups available on PSN today.

Everspace 2 is a fairly polished experience that really feeds the compulsion to find more loot. Space combat is fluid and easy to comprehend, although potentially disorientating. I do find the storytelling can make the characters feel distant from one another but the overall plot had me intrigued. The grand expanse from space has been somewhat segmented but the scale on display is still admirable and there's a cool sci-fi vibe to all of it.

Remnant II is a great shooter with lush visuals and compelling enemies and when played as such is a fantastic sequel. The RPG/loot mechanics never really excel though and feel more like additional weight to the game rather than an interesting point of focus. And that miserable final boss battle may have taken ten years off of our lives.

We'll take any Cave shoot 'em up ports that we can get and while Akai Katana isn't the very best game in their catalogue it's still a fun, vibrant and playable now as it was thirteen years ago. It's just a shame that this package wasn't fleshed out with more features, especially a tutorial.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a surprisingly clever and fun brawler that manages to add some neat touches to a well-trodden genre. The run-based nature of it gives players plenty of decisions to make and the game is good at giving you options. The pixel aesthetic works well and the action is very easy to read. There's a lot to manage on screen but I find the special attacks provide frequent and effective crowd control. The gameplay is familiar but the new tweaks have been really refreshing.

World Tour was always the best Twisted Metal game and while the visuals and controls are like relics from the past, the game's brilliant level design and chaotic combat are still top notch.