Just when you thought 2015 had run its course in terms of rereleases, August rolls around with a bevy of worthwhile remasters. Chief among them are technically comes out in September, so... yeah. It's got next month's awards pretty much locked up.

At the end of each month, we look back at the standout games that demand your attention above the rest of the year's releases thus far. That way, you know what to prioritize before you're caught up by all the other amazing . So, without further ado, here's what you should be playing right now to tide you over until next month.

Locksley's a futuristic thief following in the fabled footsteps of Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. But he has something that old archer never did: a bitchin', high-tech facemask made of luminescent polygons. , from the studio that brought you Thomas Was Alone, is a neon-drenched take on the stealth action of Metal Gear Solid's VR missions, where you carefully sneak past the watchful eyes of guards, cameras, and turrets from a top-down perspective.

Combat's not really an option for Locksley, so you'll have to carefully plot out your path to avoid detection while snagging the valuable gems scattered around each stage. Across the 100 levels included in the campaign (plus the infinite possibilities of user-made challenges), you'll master the art of tiptoeing around danger, avoiding patrols, and blending in with the environment, all taught with just the right pacing. If you're partial to slipping past vision cones or just sticking it to the man, Volume is sure to provide hours of stealthy satisfaction.

There's a lot to see in . You'll even behold things you wouldn't see under normal circumstances, like people who are long gone from this world recreated with swirls of light and retreading memories of times long past. But more importantly, you'll see things in the empty town of Yaughton that you see in so few video games: a real appreciation for life, even in its final moments.

Rapture snags August's Game of the Month award (or rather, calmly drifts over and gently spirits it away) because of its emotional punch, showing not only a way of life coming to an end, but each individual in their own way. Backed up by an eerily serene world and a hauntingly gorgeous soundtrack, Rapture turns the death of virtual strangers into a heartbreaking affair, as you watch them go (gently or not) into that good night. Try to keep a stiff upper lip through this one, but don't expect to maintain it for long.

An entire realm being reborn is a tough act to follow, but aces the trial that is an MMO's first expansion. By expanding on just about every aspect you can think of - most notably, some gigantic zones and three intriguing Jobs - it feels as substantial and vibrant as the revamped version of the base game. Oh, and you can soar through the sky atop a flying mount, including a tubby Chocobo with tiny, adorable wings which you motivate with a slice of cake on a stick. For some, that fact alone will justify a renewed subscription.

Heavensward sweetens the deal with a wealth of engaging, plot-thickening quests (provided you've reached the end of A Realm Reborn's storyline), and the fresh abilities for each class make the journey to the new level cap a joy. For all you living room adventurers, FF14 continues to be the best console MMO on the market - but whether you're playing on a PC, PS4, or PS3, chit-chatting with Moogles, felling colossal Primals, and dancing some merry jigs in celebration is simply delightful.

is what happens when ‘the beautiful game’ is usurped by clusters of rocket-powered battle cars. It’s not quite as intricate or as Messi as football, but Rocket League is sincere in its sports presentation, right down to the chanting arena crowds and cheesy pop music in the menus. It also doesn’t feel derivative, coming to its own cartoonish crescendo when those somersaulting sports cars butt bumpers over an oversized, blinking ball. It takes a long time to master the bumps, the bounces, the jumps and the jukes, but Rocket League is brilliant right off the bat.

Even while you’re learning the right timing for a forward-flip, or when it’s ok to drive on the stadium ceiling (right now, actually), you’ll pull off some amazing stuff. It’ll be the perfect metallic maneuver: clipping the ball with your front left tire in a graceful somersault, sending it straight into the points pen where it explodes with a satisfying KABLOOSH. Wow. Just… wow. And nobody has to know you did that completely by accident. We’ll just keep that between us.

is an absolute marvel of storytelling, making ingenious use of out-of-order video clips to spin out its mystery. Despite the fact that the game’s unique structure means your path to the end won’t match anyone else’s, Her Story is complete and coherent, though its solution is open to interpretation. It’s a detective game that relies on your natural instinct to push its narrative forward, never nudging you in one direction or the other, letting you explore avenues of investigation as they come to you.

Watching FMV clips on a reproduction of a computer from the '90s certainly doesn’t sound terribly exciting, but you’ll be thinking about Her Story for days after you’ve tracked down that last video. You’ll find yourself rolling little details around in your head, mulling over their implications, deciding that you finally know the “truth,” only to realize that another detail makes your assumptions invalid. But then again, does it? One final bit of advice: go in knowing as little as possible, and don’t try to game the system. Be a true detective.

is another biff-pow display of Rocksteady’s exceptional craftsmanship in bringing a classic comic icon to life. Though combat and stealth are again refined and expanded within Batman’s beautifully rain-slick city, the game’s elegant design is reflected not in its individual components, but in how well they connect with one another, like nodes in a web.

Though the Batmobile’s roaring arrogance has made it a controversial addition to the Arkham series, there’s no question about how integral it is to Batman’s latest patrol. Conceptually, it’s meant to be a way to move quickly in a much wider slice of dour ol’ Gotham, and its visual appearance is, of course, inspired by Batman’s history of driving - as The Riddler calls them - rocket-powered hearses. But Rocksteady dives in fully and makes sure the vehicle connects to combat, stealth and every part of Batman. The overall game’s polish and continuity can be seen in one motion, with the Batmobile hurtling down an alley and launching Batman into full flight, right through a window and into a savage display of ne’er-do-well punishment. It’s one move, one world and one of the coolest moments of 2015. It’ll get you pumped to track down every last super criminal, including whoever masterminded the dreadful PC port.

In a sea of multiplayer shooters obsessed with grit, gore, or teabagging, stands out like a brightly colored squid catapulting through the air - which is actually a thing that happens regularly in this game. Nintendo's take on team deathmatch puts the focus on marking your squad's territory with a rainbow of ink rather than racking up kills, but it still delivers the thrilling blend of twitch shooting and coordinated tactics that define the genre.

Even if those human-squid hybrid Inklings are dripping with kid-friendly personality, this is the kind of joyous multiplayer experience that anyone of any age can enjoy. There's still weapon progression like you'd expect from Call of Duty or Battlefield, but with ink-filled Super Soaker facsimiles and colossal paint rollers. You won't hear anyone raging on voice-chat (because there isn't any), but the GamePad provides clear cues for what to do next. And while the selection of maps currently feels a bit sparse, the moment-to-moment gameplay is fresh, exciting, and - most importantly - good fun.

As open-world experiences go, takes high fantasy to new heights with its staggeringly massive world and rich, engaging storytelling. The grizzled Geralt of Rivia finds himself in landscapes that are as picturesque as they are treacherous, where otherworldly beasts and crazed cultists lurk in the wilderness. There are unforgettable side-quests and delightful supporting characters to distract you at every turn, but you best remember Geralt's primary goal: finding his adopted daughter (and witcher-in-training) Ciri before some supremely evil people get to her first.

That's not to say that you need to rush through the main story, because taking the time to stop and smell the eviscerated corpses is well worth it. The sword-and-spell-casting combat looks stunning on new-gen, and the deep upgrade system gives you plenty of options to slay your way. There are a few hitches - notably some framerate issues that can hopefully be patched out - but the sheer depth of the overall experience makes The Witcher 3 a triumph among action RPGs. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got to return to a rousing round of the in-game card battler Gwent.

It takes a lot to make a fighting game appeal to the masses. You need slick graphics, excellent presentation, and the kind of depth that'll ensnare those highly skilled players who people want to watch. has got all that, and more. While the Fatality finishers still pack in more gore than you can shake a disembodied limb at, MKX brings a lot of new, refreshing ideas to the table that really make this fighter stand out.

For starters, there's the variations mechanic: every combatant has three unique movesets to choose from before each fight, letting character loyalists mix things up and giving the roster a wildly diverse variety of playstyles. You'll also have a blast playing through the elaborate story mode, which introduces a swath of likeable newcomers while imbuing familiar faces with . The online play still has a few kinks that could be worked out, but fans of the Mortal Kombat series - or fighting games in general - will have one hell of a time with MKX.

Of all the re-releases that have come out this year, .

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is massive, sporting one of the most interesting locales ever designed. Its sprawling swamps and rolling hills - all set on the backs of two titan-sized dead gods and filled with beasts both great and small - are practically begging to be conquered. While its lush, verdant landscapes lose a little luster and detail on the smaller screen, what you trade in graphical quality you gain back in portability. Being able to take an adventure of this magnificent scope with you wherever you go is a technical marvel. Don't miss it.

somehow manages to be diamond tough and lovingly tender at the same time, balancing out its demanding difficulty with a story that'll practically yank your heartstrings right out of your chest. Playing this open-world platformer puts you in a wondrous state of conflict: the tight controls inspire you to run free throughout the lush world, but the sheer depth of the beyond-gorgeous backdrop art makes you want to stand still and gaze at the environment for hours.

The protagonist Ori is such a cute li'l critter that it's hard to watch the fuzzball die again and again while you struggle to overcome the many deathtraps and spike pits in this treacherous forest. But you'll get over any bruises to your ego, so long as you remember that you're the one responsible for plunking down checkpoints before delving into the trickier bits. The degree of challenge here may rattle anyone without an affinity for hardcore 2D platformers, but Ori's dazzling presentation has a universal, heartfelt appeal.

You’ve probably heard that is really hard. You might've heard it’s really easy. The reality lies somewhere in between. Yes, it sends an army of writhing, fanged, flayed, terrible, tormented beasts your way, beasts only someone bragging about their perceived gamer cred would ever deem a pushover. But it teaches you how to deal with them expertly, their unique attacks and defenses and behaviors, building you up until you look and feel like a great gothic badass. And when you do, you'll have earned it.

In streamlining some of Dark Souls’ complexities (the weight system, magic attacks, a few character skills here and there), Bloodborne gains a rawer sense of immediacy, with vital combat that require relentless attacking sans the comfort blanket of a shield, and unpredictable bosses that force you to develop reflexes alongside your already honed skills of pattern memorization. Oh, and the world. That mystifying, atmospheric, intricately hewn world. Developed for PS4 from the ground-up, the enigmatic Yarnham looks like a beautiful waking nightmare.

If you've yet to succumb to monster hunting fever, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Plenty of games let you battle vicious beasties and craft fancy gear - but few can develop the kind of player investment and cooperative dedication typical of Monster Hunter. For the uninitiated, is a great way to educate yourself on its gloriously addictive ways. Not just because it's the most beginner-friendly entry in Capcom's hit series - it's also the best Monster Hunter game yet.

Gathering materials and killing harmless herbivores is really just a build-up to something greater: downing fearsome creatures after incredibly demanding battles that require true mastery of your chosen weapon. Series vets are already familiar with MH's captivating gameplay loop of fighting and looting, but the new Charge Blade and Insect Glaive playstyles offer entirely unique ways to test your prowess. If you're looking to start or join a dedicated hunting party - preferably with an expert as your guide - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate offers the kind of adventure that can hook you for hundreds of hours.

Majora's Mask is... well, it's a bit weird. Instead of following the familiar formula that Zelda games have stuck to for years, Majora's Mask asks that you play the same three days over and over again, trying to make the world a little bit brighter each time. It's certainly strange, and more than a little stressful - but taking the time to learn its rhythm opens up one of the most intriguing and creative Legend of Zelda games ever made. Perhaps that's why, 15 years and a 3DS port later, it feels even better than ever.

Much of that feeling is thanks to the improvements found in this portable version of the N64 classic. The updated Bomber's Notebook makes tracking numerous sidequests a painless process, boss design has been retooled to make things teresting, and additional save points help make portable adventuring much more palatable. Plus, New 3DS owners even have some improved camera control with the C-Stick. Whether this is your first time playing through those ominous 72 hours or your hundredth, is a master quest that stands the test of time.

Grim Fandango is, without a doubt, one of the most unique video games ever made. The quest of an undead travel agent as he attempts to atone for his sins is a love letter to film noir greats like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, but it also transcends its influences to be something truly original. And with , you'll finally get to play this lost classic on your PlayStation 4, complete with (some) updated graphics and a fantastic re-recording of the original score.

Grim Fandango is also one of the most uniquely frustrating games ever made, and the Remastered edition only serves to highlight its many game-ruining bugs. Whether it's glitching out a puzzle, clipping you through a wall, or just flat out crashing, Grim Fandango Remastered actually seems buggier now than it did 17 years ago. Make no mistake: Manny's journey is still definitely one worth revisiting - just remember to save your game. Often.

sounds kinda ridiculous at first - it's literally a remastered HD version of a rebuilt SD version of the original Resident Evil. Turns out the joke's on us, though, because that's all we really needed to enjoy the survival horror staple all over again: the HD Remake gives all the main characters and the Spencer Mansion an enticing facelift but keeps the little quirks that make Resident Evil awesome/a total headache/undeniably unique.

You'll still need to manage eight (at most) inventory slots, and you'll still need to keep your distance from downed zombies - or preferably burn them on the spot. The most major change is the new default control scheme, which makes it handle more like a modern fixed-camera game, but you're free to select the old 'tank' controls if you want. With modern conveniences where it needs them and good old weirdness where it doesn't, Resident Evil HD Remake is a near masterpiece… of unlocking.

Thank heavens for the humble spin-off title, granting devs the opportunity to expand a franchise without risking the reputation of its more 'legitimate' cousins. Mainline entries can carry with them a major degree of prestige, meaning a risky dip into unknown waters is best left to a parallel, somewhat less 'official' additions to the series. Call it a test run, if you like - one that maintains a healthy distance between 'promising' ideas and the brand's more sacred cash cows. If nothing else, it makes for sound business sense...

Then there are the companies that throw caution to the wind, uprooting an entire franchise before plonking it back down in a strange new environment. The backdrop may stay the same, but the action most certainly doesn't. The following 12 titles all took a chance on change, refusing to iterate on an existing formula, switching instead to an entirely new genre. How did they do it, was it a success, and should the resulting games even be considered sequels? Click that there arrow icon and let's find out.

Criteria Check - Plenty of franchises transferred from 2D to 3D perspectives back in the 1990s. However, most of those games didn't attempt a simultaneous switch in genres. As such, more mechanical translations - i.e. 2D side-scroller to 3D action-adventure - have been nixed. And obvious spin-offs are out, obviously Enjoy!

From this - A 2D action side-scroller, Metroid remains amongst the most influential games of its era. So much so in fact that the term 'MetroidVania' (i.e. Metroid + CastleVania) was specifically coined to denote titles of a similar style. Not many games that boast that, now can they?

To this - A fully-3D FPS title, Metroid Prime released to near-universal acclaim (the pirates of Phazon IV were a little less than complementary). Interestingly, Nintendo opts to refer to the Prime franchise as a series of 'first-person adventure' games, though it's a little less Myst and a shade more Halo.

A fitting sequel? - Those anticipating a 3rd person action-adventure were likely left stunned by the news that Metroid would adopt a new first-person perspective. It turns out that that decision was made by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto, who expressed deep misgivings over the quality of other 3rd person actioners. Thus, instead of taking the more obvious 2D to 3D route, Ninty handed the brand over to the folks at Retro Studios, plonking Samus and friends into an already existing project, that had itself once been played in the 3rd person. Fresh perspectives aside, Prime maintained many of the series' most critical hallmarks, serving not only as an excellent sequel but also as a brilliant adventure in its own right.

From this - A critically acclaimed, commercially successful series of RTS adventures, WarCrafts 1 through 3 remain as some of the most well-loved and highly regarded games from the 'golden age' of real-time strategy.

To this - World of Warcraft is more than just another MMO, it's the MMO - a game so stupendously successful, (not to mention ludicrously long-lived) that it's become something of a cultural touchstone. It's not for nothing that a small army of lesser games have all tried to pattern themselves as potential 'WoW killers'. World of Warcraft is the undisputed god-emperor of the genre, and it isn’t going anywhere.

A fitting sequel? - While World… may technically constitute an official spin-off (a big no-no here), the studio's blanket shift to the online format - as opposed to churning out both WoW and Warcraft games - should buy the title some additional 'sequel credit'. In truth, Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm does come closer to matching Warcraft's original gameplay (that's only to be expected when going up against an MMO). However, the game still manages to succeed as a sequel in almost every other respect, upping the scale, deepening the lore and offering whole new ways to play.

From this - Police Quests 1-5 are classic 2D adventure games. Entries 1-3 were masterminded by former police officer Jim Walls and starred the character of Sonny Bonds. Entries 4-6, meanwhile bore the name of former police chief Daryl Gates and featured a new lead named John Carrey. Gate's stewardship began a much grittier vision for the series, transplanting the action from the fictional setting of Lytton to the mean streets of L.A.

To this - Police Quest: SWAT (entry no. 5) played out as a barely-interactive FMV title, similar to the likes of Night Trap and Sewer Shark. These sequences required so much memory that SWAT appeared on four full discs.

To this - Police Quest: SWAT 2 is a real-time strategy game played from an isometric perspective. Players must select and coordinate a team of highly trained personnel in order to resolve a number of tricky hostage situations.

To this - Dropping the Police Quest moniker, SWAT 3 4 transformed into tactical FPS titles. Gates returned for entry number 3 as a consultant only, while characters Marie and Sonny Bonds received cameo roles in parts 3 and 4, respectively. Attempts by Jim Walls to relaunch the franchise via Kickstarter have thus far been unsuccessful.

From this - A 2D action platformer released for the original NES. Kid Icarus met with a lukewarm critical reception, however the character of Pit soon proved popular enough to earn himself cameos in other Nintendo-made games.

To this - Kid Icarus: Uprising transformed the franchise into a on-rails 3rd-person shooter, utilising the 3DS' stylus input and a bundled stand peripheral for play. These major changes proved to be a success, as the game accrued far better reviews than its middling 2D predecessor.

A fitting sequel? - Uprising achieved far more than just strong critical reviews. It also worked to flesh out the game's undernourished narrative, granting Pit a proper personality and an actual reason to exist outside of all those cameos. Uprising had gamers enthusing about the franchise for the first time in a very long time, achieving perhaps the most singularly important element of any sequel - actually being better than it's ancestor.

From this - A 2D stealth shooter originally released for the Apple II computer. Castle Wolfenstein was the very first title to take advantage of the World War Two setting. Fun fact - we're now nearly further away from the release of the original title than the folks making the game were from the war itself. *Head explodes* (36 years vs. 34).

To this - Wolfenstein 3D represented a major milestone for the FPS genre. Indeed, the title is often credited with being the very first game of its kind. It’s success also helped to bring about the development of Doom, a more polished, ambitious and ultimately successful effort that spawned a whole host of imitators and ultimately, the modern FPS genre.

A fitting sequel? - As a sequel, Wolfenstein 3D bears few similarities to its stealth-based predecessor. Having closed down in 1987, original developer Muse Software had zero to do with the game's creation. While the Second World War setting was retained, almost everything else - from the game's genre to the use of supernatural elements - differed greatly from the original. Odd sequel, awesome shooter.

From this - A light-hearted collect-a-thon intercut with occasional vehicle rounds. The Precursor Legacy built upon the success of Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot titles, utilising the power of the PS2 to craft larger, teractive environments. A fun and accomplished platformer, with oodles of charm but little in the way of a compelling plotline.

To this - An angsty, dystopian sandbox title with the narrative to match. Jak II retained the run and jump elements of its predecessor, but added so much more to the mix as to become almost unrecognisable. Small, colourful locales gave way to bustling metallic cityscapes, with the only effective means of locomotion becoming one of the city's various hover-vehicles. Part skating game, part platformer, part run-and-gun shooter, Jak II effectively ditched the whimsy for a whole new toolkit.

A fitting sequel? - Fans of the platforming genre remain divided over the direction of the Jak Daxter franchise. As a sequel, the game ticks all of the right boxes. It's bigger, more refined and certainly different enough to warrant its existence. However, the move into science fiction does come at the cost of The Precursor Legacy's unique 'feel' - an almost tranquil experience recalling the likes of Spyro the Dragon and Mario 64. As genre swaps go, platformer to platforming sandbox may not be the biggest of leaps, but it remains one step too far for some fans.

From this - An on-rails flight combat title. Star Fox successfully reinterpreted the 16-bit vertical screen shoot em up, bringing a brand new dimension into play. In addition, the original game's graphics were considered to be truly groundbreaking for their time, utilising an in-cartridge chip to boost the SNES's performance.

To this - A third-person action-adventure title. Star Fox Adventures exchanged Arwings for raving reptiles, grounding McCloud and forcing him to duke it out on foot. Originally conceived as an entirely separate title, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto asked that the properties be merged after spotting the resemblance between Fox and the new game's hero.

A fitting sequel? - Roaming around a dinosaur planet doesn't exactly bear strong relation to a space-based dogfighting title. However, great efforts were made to integrate the new game into existing StarFox lore, rewriting much of Rare's game's narrative to account for Fox's presence. Fortunately, franchise canon already made mention of a dinosaur world, meaning the merger wasn't quite as crazy as it might well have seemed. On-foot missions would only go on to appear in one more sequel, before Nintendo wisely opted to chop that aspect entirely.

From this - An all-time classic arcade title in which the titular Pac-Man attempts to munch as many pellets as possible without being tagged by one of four roaming ghosts. Simply put, it's a 2D action-puzzler set entirely within a maze. Oh and one of the most instantly recognisable games in the history of the medium. That too.

To this - Part 2D side-scroller, part point-and-click adventure game, Pac-Man 2 ditched the familiar neon maze of its predecessor to strike out into the world of Pac-Land. Players are now unable to control Pac-Man directly, though they can interact with the world around him, managing his moods so as to accomplish specific goals.

A fitting sequel? - As a spin-off title Pac-Man 2 might've made sense, but as a direct sequel? Not so much. Perhaps the problem lay with the fact that the original game invited way too many imitators, iterating on a formula to such an extent that all the good ideas had been utilised by the time Namco attempted a sequel. All told, Pac-Man 2 remains amongst the strangest of follow ups in video gaming history. Remove the iconic hero and you'd likely never know this was a Pac-Man game at all.

From this - A 3D fighting game that makes heavy use of weapons. Part Soul Calibur, part Bushido Blade, Dynasty Warriors tasks fans with parrying attacks in order to disorientate and counterattack foes.

To this - A series of tactical action games, Dynasty Warriors 2- through-one-thousand shifted focus away from single combat and onto gigantic foe-filled battlefields. Think of them as sandbox hack and slashers, with enough cheesy dialogue and outlandish armour thrown in to satisfy even the most ardent of Kingdom Under Fire fans. The series most recent release - Hyrule Warriors transplanted the game's winning formula over to the fantastical world of Hyrule - home to the ongoing Legend of Zelda franchise.

A fitting sequel? - Dynasty Warriors 2 retained both the characters and settings of its predecessor, but little else besides. Given the success of the franchise, not to mention the glut of competing fight games appearing in the era, it would seem that Omega Force's decision to switch gears was a wise one. An odd sequel, to be sure, but one that allowed the franchise to grow far longer than it might otherwise have done.

From this - A classic 2D adventure title boasting the odd bit of strategy. Players assume the role of Paul Atreides, overseeing planet Dune's military and economic development, all whilst schmoozing, smooth talking and occasionally intimidating its wide variety of inhabitants.

To this - A full-blown real-time stragegy title, and one of the first such games to be released. Dune 2 effectively codified the genre, introducing mechanics and an overall framework that are still in use today.

A fitting sequel? - Despite the fact that both games were published under the Virgin Interactive banner, Dune 2 is often described as being a 'rival' interpretation of the franchise. It also proved much more successful than its predecessor, going on to influence everything from Age of Empires to Command Conquer. As a sequel, the game does maintain the original's tactical slant, broadening the military lore of the license, if not the socio-political elements touched upon in the first installment. A half-sequel then, but one that utterly eclipsed its forebear.

From this - A real-time tactical action title (say that six times when you're drunk), Syndicate appeared on a whole host of platforms back in the early '90s. Gameplay involves guiding four cybernetic agents around an isometric battlefield, attempting to infiltrate, assassinate, and/or detonate a series of increasing important targets. The player must also execute a wider stratagem, making certain that the team continues to receive necessary funds and upgrades. A bit like XCOM then, except that no one's waiting around for their turn.

To this - A solid first-person shooter title that was at turns both massively generic and occasionally inventive. Creative elements include an enemy-hacking mechanic, while the game's 'bullet sponge' bosses fared less well with critics.

A fitting sequel? - Given that the Syndicate universe isn't exactly the most unique of cyberpunk settings, EA probably felt comfortable utilising the license on this largely unrelated game. Sure, they may share a few common strands, but nothing that fans of the original games would miss in opting to skip it. Fortunately, the team behind the original titles are now hard at work on a new unofficial follow up named Satellite Rain, having earned well over £450,000 via a 2013 Kickstarter campaign.

From this - A classic 2D fighter, Guilty Gear combined gorgeous graphics, killer characters, lightning fast gameplay and an inventive setting to become an enduring cult hit. The title spawned four direct sequels, the third of which marked a major departure from franchise norms.

To this - A 3D hack n' slash title, with assorted RTS mechanics thrown in. Think Dynasty Warriors, but with uber-stylish cyborg men. Overture scored poorly among critics, which may have led the team at Arc System Works to return the series' to its 2D fighting roots. Follow up Guilty Gear Xrd secured much more favourable reviews.

A fitting sequel? - The Guilty Gear franchise is no stranger to spin-offs, but crucially Overture is not among them. It's a bona fide mainline sequel, one that may well have signalled a fresh direction for the franchise had it been a success. Think of it as the Anti-Dynasty Warriors, attempting to follow along the same path, before mucking things up and crawling right back. Some familiar combat flourishes aside, Overture remains an unusually 'separate' entry in an otherwise consistent series.