Ryan Oehrli
Its story of unlikely friendship isn't up to par with The Fox and the Hound, just as its attempt at black humour never hits Harold and Maude, but Lost Orbit knows how to give one hell of an adrenaline rush. Speed runners, risk takers, and thrill seekers will all be sorely disappointed to miss out here – but everyone else can pass.
There are already a ton of platformers to choose from on both of Sony's current home consoles, but the good news is that Aaru's Awakening is free to anyone with PlayStation Plus for the time being. If you fancy something artsy and with some challenging gameplay, then we think that you should consider giving it a shot. Everyone else will want to pass on this one.
Jamestown+ has a great foundation in that it's an extremely addictive and equally challenging shmup, whether you're playing alone or with friends. The inclusion of a store and some forced backtracking does take away from the experience, but at the end of the day, blowing stuff up is just so satisfying. Those who are able to get past its occasionally tedious attitude will find bullet hell bliss.
As suggested by other outlets prior to release, Axiom Verge is PlayStation's very own Metroid. That may sound a teensy bit degrading, but there's no denying that this and Nintendo's own space-faring adventure have more than a few things in common. Still, if being compared to one of the most beloved game series of all time isn't a compliment, then we don't know what is. If you've never seen the appeal of these types of games, then chances are this won't change your mind. Devoted fans of the genre, however, will no doubt adore Tom Happ's opus.
Silly and colourful, Starwhal: Just the Tip makes a great first impression. At first you'll fall for the title's fun-loving attitude, but beyond that, it has some of the most entertaining competitive multiplayer that we've seen in a while. There isn't a whole lot to keep lone gamers occupied, but those looking for something to play with a group of mates will struggle to do better than this.
Ironclad Tactics brings together a plethora of gameplay styles, and in the process, picks up some of their best and worst features, all the while throwing in a few of its own. Its card-based system is too random to call it a full out strategy game, but it would be degrading to say that tactical thinking plays no part here. As long as you don't try to label it, we think that you'll find a fun experience.