Grizzland (PS4)

Sometimes simplicity can make for a beautiful spectacle in the world of pixels, and video games. I think the layered 1-bit nature, and scale of black to white within Grizzland achieves something both impressive to look at, and fun to play. It is a well thought out, and well constructed Metroidvania that doesn't hand hold, but gives the gamer just enough comprehension to move forward, explore, and uncover the many secrets hidden within. With basic combat and platforming tools at your disposal you, as the main character, must try to bring back to life the thirsty plant life while finding out exactly why it is you are on this adventure. You'll face alien threats along the way as well as some puzzle solving situations. There's plenty of backtracking to be done, and hidden areas to find. You'll even find scattered notes that get tucked away in your journal disclosing the details of the world around you, and your role therein.

Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle (REVIEW)

Having jumped on the retro bundle bandwagon I think Arc System Works has done good to bring to the gamer a larger than average collection of classic titles that will no doubt take the player or players on a trip down memory lane. Whether you grew up playing the Double Dragon series, Renegade, River City Ransom, or any of the sports drama spin-offs like Dodge Ball from the Kunio-kun franchise you will find those games intact, and upgraded with tweaks that not only revive said brawlers, but that do so for an entirely new generation to experience. Containing 18 games in total with an ease of access menu featuring quality updated versions or the originals as they once were along with optional additions such as wallpapers as well as offline and online play "Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle" aims to fill that nostalgic void that might be empty in your own personal gaming library.

Project Starship (PS4)

For five dollars you are getting what you paid for with Panda Indie Studio's, "Project Starship". It's nothing large scale, or new-gen, but in it's flashy simplicity it harbors a surprisingly impressive replay value if you look beyond the lack of an online leaderboard. Said replay value coming in the form of high score opportunities that can be streamed for record sake. That and some easy to earn PSN trophies. With the noteworthy replay value you will also find randomized rogue-like features which will alter the experience in each of the given playthroughs making no playthrough exactly alike.

At base level Project Starship is a top-down upward auto-scrolling shmup of chunky proportions set in an Lovecraftian universe with rogue-like elements at play. A very flashy display of nonstop action filled with amateurish hand drawn art put into lightly animated pixel form. All accented by an oddly digitized voice inclusive chiptune soundtrack. It features two playable protagonists in the form of Garret, and Gwen who are each made available from the start alongside two distinct difficulty settings. These male and female astronauts who fly in their own blue and red colored spacecraft of the same build face the cosmic horrors before them as you guide them along through the lit up abyss.

Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo (REVIEW)

Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo puts the anime into aerial combat with six wacky wave based games centered around an unusual roster of characters. Included in this bundle is a mix and match of two well renown trilogies. Including that of Samurai Aces, and GunBird. Each sporting their own plots, settings, mythologies, and mechanics. All done up in both side-scrolling, and top-down shoot 'em up fashion. It's fast and frenetic gameplay with new optional bells and whistles to help you see each game through to the end beyond the staple quarter munching mockery, and seven different difficulty settings. If you are a fan of shmups, bullet hell, or even brick breaking of the retro kind this might just be the ultimate collection for you!