Here's the thing about games: you can never have enough. No matter how many incredible virtual worlds we've experienced, there's always something new on the horizon to get us excited for the next big game all over again. Even though there are plenty of stellar games to enjoy in the here and now, it's never too early to get excited for what's coming, and what could be.

Here's a look at our most anticipated games coming in 2016 and beyond, from original ideas like ReCore and Horizon: Zero Dawn to high-profile sequels such as Uncharted 4, Dishonored 2, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. It's going to be another great year for gaming - just try not to think about how long it'll be until we finally get to play these excellent-looking titles.

It’s taken years for Harmonix to take another shot at Amplitude, a music-and-rhythm game cherished fiercely by the people who actually played it back when it launched on PlayStation 2. Its new incarnation is aimed precisely at that crowd of longtime supporters, in part because they’re the ones paying for it through Kickstarter, and in part because it’s a game so evocative of the PS2’s more experimental days. In 2016 we’ll see those days modernized by Harmonix in a gorgeous, abstract rhythm game about blasting down a space highway, triggering pulsating notes, switching tracks and becoming immersed in the studio’s in-house electronic music.

Available: January 2016 (PS4), Early 2016 (PS3)

Every day is opposite day in XCOM 2. In this alternate history to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the rogue organization XCOM is now the Rebellion to the aliens’ Empire. Earth has been overrun. The aliens now occupy our planet, forcing XCOM to become a leaner, faster operation. Firaxis' Greg Foertsch told us this new game is all about hit-and-run tactics. Your enemies outnumber you, are better armed, and have the home field advantage, so you need to hit 'em fast and get the hell out before backup arrives. As I noted in my , "XCOM: Enemy Within tried to reinforce a more frantic pace by introducing MELD. XCOM 2 bakes this playstyle into the core of its design."

Available: February 5 (PC, Mac)

It's no secret that Gearbox has struggled to step out from the shadow of its own massively successful Borderlands series. The studio's other projects (such as finishing Duke Nukem Forever and Aliens: Colonial Marines) have been met with … less than positive reception. Hopefully Battleborn, a unique spin on the co-op shooter formula that made Borderlands so popular, can turn things around. While it's not a MOBA per se, it certainly wears the influence of the genre on its sleeve to create a tightly-controlled experience that makes each level feel more directed and less meandering than its open-world predecessors. With tons of colorful characters to choose from and a distinct flair for personality, this may be the best chance Gearbox has to prove they're not a one-franchise wonder.

Available: February 9 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution was way better than it had any right to be. It also opened in 2007, an era when every series under the sun from RPGs to strategy games were being transformed into basic shooters. Instead of a dumb FPS, Human Revolution was an expert blend of story, role-playing, action and stealth. sees the same team of creators emboldened by their success and working on an even grander scale.

Available: February 23 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

It's always nice to see a cult classic get a second chance in the spotlight. The original Mirror's Edge delivered the critically-praised and novel concept of a first-person parkour game, and those who played it generally loved it. Unfortunately, those numbers were a bit on the low side, and it looked like we would never get the chance to see the ideas present in Mirror's Edge refined into something better. Imagine our surprise when Mirror's Edge Catalyst appeared - this reboot developed by DICE (Battlefield 4, Battlefront) in the Frostbite 3 engine (used by most of EA's recent games, including the aforementioned Battlefield 4 and Battlefront) looks good enough to get us freerunning again.

Available: February 23 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

A deadly virus has broken out and spread across the United States on Black Friday (and no, it's not amiibo fever), causing the government to collapse in under a week. In response, what remains of an organization called The Division must restore order and help prevent any further chaos. Of course, this means exploring a derelict New York City with friends and hunting for awesome loot, a la Destiny - though your friends might not stick around if you backstab them in the game's many PvP Dark Zones.

Available: March 8 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

The Ghosts are back, and this time they’re free to roam the land, taking down tangoes as they see fit. is an open-world co-op military shooter, where you choose how to approach each mission. It’s designed for squads of four, and friends can drop-in to help out at any time, although the AI will take over if you just want to solo the game. It takes plenty of cues from Ubi’s other action games, like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed, so expect stacks of mini-missions, side-ops, and different ways to approach each objective. Probably no elephants or honey badgers, though (unfortunately).

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Following a delay that pushed out of the 2015 holiday season, A Thief's End has a firm release date in March 2016, so everyone has three more months to emotionally prepare for the end of Nathan Drake. Of course, it's not certain that's what the title means - Nathan's long-lost brother Sam (new to the series and played by Troy Baker) also appears to be a thief, so it's anyone's guess which thief will be 'ending'. What we know for sure is that Sam convinces Drake to return to the globe-trotting, treasure-pilfering life for one last job off the coast of Madagascar. Sully is in tow for optimal joke making, and per the E3 demo we get plenty of the intense car chases we've come to love from Drake's adventures. Elena has yet to make an appearance, but no need to worry just yet - what would the last Uncharted game be without Elena? Sob.

Available: March 18 (PS4)

After breathing new life into the fighting game genre with 2008's Street Fighter 4, developer Capcom now finds itself in an interesting position with its upcoming sequel. SF4 found great success in going back to the basics, in keeping things simple. But sequels demand new ideas, and delivers by replacing the focus attack mechanic with three new designs: V-Triggers, V-Skills, and V-Reversals. So far, the result feels like a mix between Injustice: Gods Among Us and the Street Fighter Alpha series, with a heavy focus on giving each fighter individualized gimmicks. And if that doesn't get you pumped, well, there's always R. Mika.

Available: March (PS4, PC)

Quantum Break represents a big departure for Remedy - it’s not a story about a Mister Q. Break. As for the rest, well, it’s totally what you’d want from the creators of Max Payne and Alan Wake (starring Max Payne and Alan Wake, respectively): slick third-person action, extravagant graphics, environmental catastrophes, and a pulpy time-travel story driving you from one cliffhanger to the next. Quantum Break also has a live-action television component interspersed with gameplay episodes, balancing the developer’s desire to not only hook you on an unfurling plot, but to respect the fact that you probably don’t have time to watch and play the whole thing in one sitting. Not that it’ll be any less hard to put down, going by Remedy’s previous games.

Available: April 5, 2016 (Xbox One)

Once upon a time, Rare fans dreamed of a game they awkwardly dubbed 'Banjo-Threeie' - basically, the next Banjo-Kazooie game after the stellar Banjo-Tooie. Unfortunately, that game never materialized (Nuts and Bolts doesn't count). But next year, Yooka-Laylee - a new mascot-happy platformer made by a group of ex-Rare devs called Playtonic Games - promises to hit fans right in the nostalgia with a cheeky, cartoony, collect-a-thon-y return to form. If screenshots from the game's Kickstarter campaign are any hint, expect a 3D adventure-platformer where a bat and chameleon duo collect golden book pages called "Pagies" to expand the world around them. Add in that the character designer, environmental artist, and composers from Rare's good 'ol days are also on the project, and I'm starting to feel some deja vu.

Available: October (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC, Mac)

A follow-up to the excellent classic role-playing game Divinity: Original Sin, this sequel easily sailed past its Kickstarter goal and looks set to build on the impressive manipulation tactics set by its predecessor. This time out, the theme is “how your origins affect who you are and what chances you get in life,” and you’ll be able to exploit character weaknesses to achieve your goals. If the first game is anything to go by, you can expect to get up to a lot of magic-based mischief.

Available: December (PC)

One of the most underrated open-world playgrounds is primed to make a hell of a comeback in 2016. The urban sandbox of the Crackdown universe is all about taking down crime lords in the most egregious, property-obliterating ways you can think of - and with the power of the Xbox One backing it, .

Available: TBA (Xbox One)

The master is back. After taking a supporting role on the development of Dark Souls 2, From Software's Hidetaka Miyazaki is back in the director's chair for the next (and last) installment in the Dark Souls saga. The grand finale to this legendary action-RPG franchise has a lot to live up to, and it's interesting that there seems to be a lot of Bloodborne's DNA in its make-up. So expect not only demon-stabbing, slashing and flaming, but also some of the best enemy designs around. No pressure, then.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

If you're looking for blood, gore, shotguns, and more gore, the new Doom looks like it has all of those bases covered. In the E3 2015 gameplay demo, we finally got to see Doom in action and it wasn’t long before we were seeing demons decapitated by shotgun blasts and ghouls being dismembered with a chainsaw. Doom looks like it's staying true to ye old shooter mechanics of yore, forcing you to pick up armor and health packs, but there is new flair added to the shooting with gruesome execution moves that allow you to stomp heads and rip the arms off of stunned enemies. Oh, the joy.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

During Bethesda's first ever E3 press conference, the company with announcements for Doom, Fallout 4… and Dishonored 2, sequel to the 2012 gaspunk sneak-a-thon Dishonored, right alongside. Set ten-plus years after the end of the first game, Dishonored 2 will feature two main characters: Corvo, our familiar protagonist, and Emily Kaldwin, his young charge-turned-magical-Assassin. Each will have their own storyline and set of powers, and if Dishonored 2's E3 trailer is any indication, you can be just as ruthless no matter who you choose.

Available: Spring (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Media Molecule made a name for itself with off-the-wall game concepts populated by universally appealing characters, as seen in LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway. But Dreams is definitely its most experimental project yet, even by the studio's eccentric standards. What little we've seen of this surreal experience involves shaping objects and vignettes from a highly moldable, clay-like material, which can then be animated through a sort of PS4 puppetry and shared with other users (a la LBP). The idea is that you'll eventually wander through a string of completely unalike, ethereal visions, but how that'll function in terms of actual gameplay is still a mystery.

Available: TBA (PS4)

When Final Fantasy 15 arrives in 2016, it will have officially been in development for ten years. Despite name changes, platform shifts, and a brand new director taking over the game, it’s actually looking like it might have been worth the wait. Director Hajime Tabata has a flair for taking risks with Square Enix’s flagship series, as with the strange mix of manga melodrama and war documentary in his most recent release, Final Fantasy Type-0. The emerging themes of bombastic anime action and lend themselves nicely to a road trip story full of cars, camping, and magic roadside diners. All that helps make Final Fantasy XV an ambitious, truly unique entry not just in the series, but in the role-playing genre as a whole.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One)

Gears is back, and while the series over time evolved into a brotastic locust-filled curb-stomp-fest (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) many of us are excited that Gears of War 4 will bring back the darker, horror-tinged vibe that the series initially started out with. There's not much to know at this point other than the fact that the two leads, Kait and JD, are fighting bizarre creatures in courtyards and dark corridors with familiar weapons. The studio responsible for the franchise, now renamed to The Coalition, is led by Rod Fergusson, the former Director of Production at Epic Games, who has been working on the series since the first game.

Available: Holiday 2016 (Xbox One)

Halo Wars 2 ranks pretty high up there on the list of 'sequels we never expected to happen in 2016'. The first Halo Wars, while not a bad game, didn't exactly light the fires of passion in either the Halo fanbase or RTS players - partly due to its limited tactics and console exclusivity. Halo Wars 2 looks to change that in a couple of very important ways. First, it's coming to Xbox One and PC, and second, it's being developed by Creative Assembly, the studio behind the Total War franchise. Those guys and gals know their stuff, and it gives hope that Halo Wars 2 will be more complex and honor the RTS genre in a stronger way than its predecessor.

Available: Fall 2016 (Xbox One, PC)

It’s been a long and troubled development but Homefront: The Revolution is finally seeing the light of day and, from what we’ve played, it’s shaping up nicely. A sprawling open world city makes it feel like Far Cry with guerilla warfare and that’s just fine. Philadelphia in 2029 is ruled by the Greater Korean Republic and it’s you and a bundle of other (mostly leather clad) rebels taking on the city with explosives in hand. Just like Mad Max, everything goes boom here and there’s even remote-controlled explosive devices to take on the technologically-superior enemy. Dambusters is concentrating on weapon customization with every part of your weapon able to be satisfyingly swapped out for other bits. The action is suitably chaotic, too, with enemy drones sweeping in and sending you running for cover to replan your attack. Add in a motorbike to cross the city and Orwellian areas of the map to explore and this is an open world we’re excited to explore.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

This is just about the last game you'd expect from the team behind Killzone: a post-apocalyptic adventure game where you play as a young woman hunting robot dinosaurs. That's the concept behind (which we'll just be calling 'Horizon', thank you very much), where you'll be hunting mechanical prey with nothing but a bow, arrows, and whatever other gear you can collect from the object of your hunt. Since you have only the most primitive equipment to work with in this hostile world, you'll have to be clever about how you use it, setting traps or using stealth in places when a direct confrontation means death between some beastie’s mechanical jaws. Little is known about the story, but the sincere, unflinching way it approaches its premise (Robot. Dinosaurs.) more than has our attention.

Available: TBA (PS4)

After departing Epic Games in 2012, Cliff Bleszinski went on to start his own studio, Boss Key Productions. LawBreakers is the first effort from the new studio: a fast, futuristic, free-to-play arena shooter that harkens back to the days of like Unreal Tournament and Quake. LawBreakers evokes those classics' relentless pacing and verticality (yes, it's even got rocket-jumping), but mimics contemporary shooters like Overwatch and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 in that you play as unique characters with special abilities. We're excited for LawBreakers' gorgeous, graceful carnage, though it remains to be seen how publisher Nexon will handle the game's microtransactions.

Available: TBA (PC)

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers assemble for the second time in this goofy, co-op friendly format but now, it’s based off the recent Marvel movies The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as the comics. It’s meant to be a celebration of everything Avengers related all in one - even Stan Lee will make an appearance as Iron Stan. It’ll likely be everything that you know and love about LEGO games, because Traveller’s Tales has got this formula nailed down.

Available: January 26 (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, 3DS, Wii U, PC)

LEGO Worlds is already available on Steam Early Access and it’s what you picture it to be, a sandbox game that allows you to build an entire worlds made up of LEGO Bricks. Finally! The worlds are procedurally generated and you have landscaping tools carve out the LEGO paradise that you’ve always dreamed of. At least you never run the risk of stepping on stray pieces, because that hurts.

Available: TBA (PC, TBD)

It's easy to forget that Mario - the mustachioed mascot who sold millions by platforming through the Mushroom Kingdom - stars in some of the wittiest, most enjoy RPGs available. Both the Paper Mario and Mario Luigi games are known for their wry humor and their timing attacks - hitting a button in time with an attack to deal extra damage. Jam is an RPG mashup of both Mario role-playing universes. Considering the Paper Mario series has been in a weird place with its last two entries, hopefully this collaboration will return it to its RPG roots.

Available: Spring 2016 (3DS)

Commander Shepard's story is over and the Reaper invasion is behind us. Now what is the human race to do? Explore space, obviously. If Star Trek has taught us anything, it's that you can have some incredible adventures out in deep space. In Mass Effect: Andromeda, you take on the role of a new main character as he or she (or maybe it?) explores the Milky Way's neighboring galaxy Andromeda. Not much is known about the game yet, but we have seen glimpses of what appears to be a Mako-like land rover and the return of omni blades.

Available: Q4 2016 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Mega Man purists might have a tough time making the transition from the classic Blue Bomber to the new android Beck, but the spirit of the fighting robot is definitely in Mighty No. 9. The classic side-scrolling shooting and platforming gameplay has a new home, but this spiritual successor is still under the watchful eye of Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. After beating each boss, Beck earns Mighty Skills that allow him to take additional forms (including a tank), or morph his arms to gain magnetic powers. Each new ability gives him access to previously closed off areas and exposes enemy weak points.

Available: March (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, Vita, 3DS)

When it comes to Kirkman’s zombies, we’ve been from the sublime work of Telltale to the ridiculous awfulness that was Terminal Reality’s Survival Instinct. Overkill’s The Walking Dead wants to deliver the undead experience we really need and with the full support of Robert Kirkman himself, the Payday 2 devs might just deliver something (bloody) special. This slice of zombie action is all about co-op in post-apocalyptic Washington and is set in the comic book universe, not the TV show. It’s an FPS but has elements of stealth, survival horror and good old headshots as you and a friend attempt to survive in a world more than a bit hungry for your brains. We’ve not seen quite enough to know if Overkill can topple Telltale but it looks like it’s going to be gorily exciting to find out.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Sometimes, suburbia just isn't big enough to contain an all-out war between the walking dead and sentient plant-life. Sometimes, you need to take the fight to the moon. Garden Warfare 2 is the follow-up to the team-based, third-person, surprisingly fun shooter based on Popcap's essential tower defense game, adding a bevy of fresh classes and chaos-encouraging arenas. Standout newcomers include a rapid-firing stalk of corn and a support-spell-casting rose for the Plants, while the Zombies have recruited an undead-piloted mech suit and a rotting superhero to their squad. Whether you're engaging in a 24-player melee or some lighthearted 4-player co-op, this backyard carnage is sure to be a hoot.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Continuing the theme of post-apocalyptic robo-wildlife from Horizon, ReCore stars a girl and her mechanical dog-friend-thing with a plasma globe for a stomach, as they explore the wastes and fight other metal-based fiends. While not a lot has been revealed, there’s a mechanic that lets you insert your companion’s core into other robots for new abilities. It’s also being made by Keiji Inafune (the man behind Mega Man) and the makers of Metroid, so you can likely expect more than just your average run-and-shoot game.

Available: June 2016 (Xbox One)

Insomniac’s AAA reimagining of the original Ratchet and Clank, debuting alongside a full-blown movie based on the same source material, easily exceeds the usual parameters we apply to ‘remakes.’ Though the new Ratchet Clank brings its playful blend of platforming and weird weapons to planets we’ve seen before, we haven’t quite seen them in such a cutting-edge display of the PS4’s capabilities. Insomniac has also completely modernized the controls and camera, redone every cutscene to a Hollywood calibre and introduced new oddball guns. And yes, Mr. Zurkon is here too.

Available: April 16, 2016 (PS4)

You might be familiar with the concept of the , where standout games have been locked away on Nintendo's sixth-generation console seemingly for all time. Luckily, one longtime inmate is finally being freed thanks to Resident Evil Origins Collection, which bundles an HD remake of the GameCube prequel Resident Evil Zero with 2015's re-remake Resident Evil HD. Whether or not you're following the unlikely duo of Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen for the first time, the prospect of blasting giant mutant tarantulas on a speeding train in glorious 1080p is pretty damn enticing.

Available: January 22 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

When Hideki 'I just blocked you on Twitter' Kamiya makes a game, you should pay attention. He's the man behind Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta… are you seeing the trend here? Almost everything the guy touches turns to gold. Scalebound is Platinum's first Action RPG, incorporating elements of the team's trademark free-brawling action, only now you've got a dragon at your side, helping you out. The demos so far have all looked far too good to be true (surely no game can really handle all that climbing on beasties in a fast-paced action format), but it seems increasingly likely this will be another top-drawer hit. Oh, also check your Twitter - I hear Kamiya just blocked you.

Available: TBA (Xbox One)

Made up of ex-Bioshock developers, indie studio Fullbright used its expertise in crafting believable spaces filled with incredible detail and environmental storytelling with its breakout hit, Gone Home. Now, Fullbright reaches for the stars with Tacoma, a game set on a space station hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. We don’t know much about Tacoma yet, but chances are good that you'll walk around the station hunting for clues, and solving some puzzles while an engrossing, non-linear narrative washes over you.

Available: 2016 (Xbox One, PC)

It's almost too good to be true. Following eight years in development and radio silence on its progress for the last three, it seemed like The Last Guardian would forever be a pipedream, the stuff that Team Ico fans sigh over in moments of quiet sehnsucht. But during E3 2015, Sony dropped a bombshell by revealing that not only is The Last Guardian alive, it's nearing completion and coming to PS4 in 2016. In The Last Guardian, you play as a young boy exploring a calmly empty fantasy world alongside his giant eagle-lion-dog, who learns to help you solve puzzles with a little training. Most of the game is yet mysterious, but the fact that its existence is not is probably the best news Ico and Colossus fans have heard in many moons.

Available: TBA (PS4)

What Remains of Edith Finch is by the creators of Unfinished Swan, the game where you lob black paint all over the place to discover the world in front of you. Edith Finch is visually different (less paint), but there is a similar element of discovery, as you (Edith) move through the world from a first-person perspective and unravel the story of your cursed family. It’s a series of short stories where you get to experience the lives of various family members, leading up to their death. Cheery, isn’t it? It's actually quite unsettling, but fascinating.

Available: TBA (PS4)

Updated with the free games available in September

If you have PlayStation Plus, you automatically get free games for your Sony consoles. Two are made available to download on the first Tuesday of every month for each Sony system. If you haven't been taking advantage of the opportunity to build up your PSN games library at no additional cost, now's a great time to start.

It can be tough to keep up with all of the gratis on the new hardware and the free PSN games inbound for last-gen's PS3 and Vita. That's why we've put together this list (which we'll continually update) with the Instant Game Collection titles coming each month, and those titles from previous months you've sadly already missed (so don't expect them to join the free rotation again anytime soon). Take a look at this month's free PlayStation games, starting with...

Grow Home (PS4): You're a few thousand vertical meters away from your spaceship, and the only way back up is to grow, grow, grow. Climb the Star Vine one hand at a time, and grow it up one offshoot as a time, as you delight in the procedurally animated ambling of the Botanical Utility Droid (B.U.D.) The further you go, the more power-ups you find, the faster B.U.D. can climb the Vine - but you're always one misstep away from one heck of a fall.

Super Time Force Ultra (PS4): It looks and plays like a retro action game, but Super Time Force Ultra is just as much of a puzzler. Instead of always just charging straight forward, you can pause and rewind time - at which point you'll find you're fighting alongside your old self. It will take ample experimentation to figure out the right combination of characters for each challenge… and plenty of good old running and gunning.

Twisted Metal (PS3): The series that made car combat a staple of video gaming returns. Play through the classic multiplayer mode with up to 16 players at a time, or make your way through Calypso's Tournament alone or with a friend. With seventeen vehicles to outfit and take into the arena, Twisted Metal should keep you busy until the next car combat revival rolls around.

Teslagrad (PS3, PS4): Teslagrad is what would happen if If Nikola Tesla moved on from the AC induction motor to magnetic gloves and teleportation boots instead of Wardenclyffe Tower. Playing as a young boy on the run from a despot, you must climb the Tesla Tower and collect its powerful treasures to make your way past challenging puzzles and boss battles.

La-Mulana Ex (PS Vita): La-Mulana was a tough, Metroid-inspired backtracking sidescroller before tough, Metroid-inspired backtracking sidescrollers were cool. La-Mulana brings all the challenge to a portable home on PlayStation Vita with some new mechanics to make it slightly more welcoming. It's still prone to induce fits of cursing between the "ah-ha!" moments, though, so maybe keep that in mind before you take it on the bus.

Xeodrifter (PS Vita, PS4): The creators of Mutant Mudds move their retro aspirations a few years forward with this Super Metroid/Blaster Master inspired side scroller. The pixels are chunky, the enemies are many, and the bosses are tough. It won't take you too long to clear out Xeodrifter's world, but if there's any love for Metroid in your heart, you'll love every minute.

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (PS4): Old-school Lara returns to top-down action puzzling in this follow-up to Guardian of Light. This time she can partner with up to three other players, taking on the roles of a fellow treasure hunter and two ancient Egyptian deities made flesh. Together they clear dungeon rooms and solve puzzles, naturally.

Limbo (PS4): It's dark, you're alone, and there's a really frickin' huge spider after you. Limbo starts off grim and stays that way, but its moody world full of tricky platforming and physics puzzles will make you want to see it through to the end.

God of War: Ascension (PS3): We all know Kratos' quest for vengeance began when Ares tricked him into killing his wife and daughter, but that was ten years before the original God of War. Ascension follows Kratos immediately after his revolt from Ares, tracking down the Furies that imprisoned him before he can start his quest in earnest. It also has a pretty unique competitive multiplayer mode.

CastleStorm (PS3, PS Vita): Build a castle for your Viking or knight army, then send out legions of troops as you try to knock down your rival's. You'll have to divide your attention between managing troops and sending projectiles sailing into enemy fortifications if you want to be crowned the victor of this two-dimensional skirmish.

Sound Shapes (PS Vita, PS4, PS3): Sound Shapes' levels all move to the beat, so if you want to make your way to the end of Beck's "Cities," you'll have to feel the rhythm. Not to mention you can make your own throbbing platformer levels with the level editor, which works particular well with the Vita touchscreen.

Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones (PS Vita, PS4, PS3): Use a bounty of new equipment to keep your little goggles-wearing clone alive as he explores the great big facility where he was manufactured. And this probably goes without saying, but don't get caught - it won't end well.

Rocket League (PS4): Picture soccer/football, but instead of a bunch of guys in shorts chasing a ball, they're all customizable futuristic automobiles. And instead of rules about going "offsides" and "not ramming full speed into your opponent and blowing them up" the pitch is sprinkled with regenerating turbo fuel. And the cars can drive on walls and do backflips. Add up to four-player local and eight-player online multiplayer and you're starting to get the idea of Rocket League.

Styx: Master of Shadows (PS4): Play as a grizzled goblin assassin as you scale the Tower of Akenash, giving elves, humans, and other freakish monsters the slip and/or a dagger in the back. Upgrade your arcane abilities to detect foes beyond sight and even create arcane clones to scout ahead or create diversions. This is the prequel to Of Orcs and Men, telling Styx's story before he meets up with Arkail, if you happened to play that one.

Rain (PS3): If you think being a little boy alone in the big city during a rain storm sounds bad, just wait until you try it while you're inexplicable invisible. You can only see your character by his outline in a downpour, adding a unique wrinkle to the soggy adventure - but at least all you have to do to hide from the monsters is stand under a canopy.

MouseCraft (PS3, PS4, PS Vita): Filled with enough cheese puns to cause minor indigestion in the lactose intolerant, MouseCraft is a Lemmings-style side-view puzzler. But instead of turning your three little mouse charges into blockers or bridge builders, you must drop a set array of tetrominoes to bridge gaps and other hazards on their way to a plate of delicious cheese. Also there's a mad scientist cat with a bad German accent.

Geometry Wars 3 (PS Vita): Geometry Wars has some of the most compelling, intoxicating gameplay ever created by human hands. So it's particularly impressive that the third title in the franchise manages to evolve the formula without squashing what made it great, adding three-dimensional, curving levels across an escalating adventure mode. If you haven't already played Geometry Wars 3 on PS3 or PS4, get started on Vita.

Entwined (PS Vita, PS3, PS4): Ah, to be a young bird and fish in love. It will take a pair of steady thumbs to guide Entwined's pair of unlikely soulmates through nine distinct lives full of rhythmic challenges, but once you make it, you'll find them united in the form of a beautiful, powerful dragon. Which sounds way cooler than exchanging rings, to be perfectly honest.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4): Big Boss (aka Snake) is back is his sneaking suit again. To tide you over until the release of (literally), but there are plenty of sneaky scavenger hunts, extra modes, and challenges to overcome in Snake's first open-world environment.

Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-A-Fide Edition (PS4): When ancient warriors die, what do they do in the afterlife? Continue their battles as their skull-faced, post-life selves, apparently. Skulls of the Shogun is a turn-based strategy game that lets you build up your own army of undead samurai warriors, complete with an engaging story of your fallen general uncovering the mystery behind his own murder.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (PS3): Call of Juarez: Gunslinger has everything you could ever want out of an FPS set in the Wild West. There are shootouts, duels, stories of revenge, and run-ins with legendary outlaws like Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, and Jesse James. The arcade-style gunplay puts an emphasis on trick shots and chained combos, making each engagement a challenging battle for your life (and a top score).

Cloudberry Kingdom (PS3): When you hear the name Cloudberry Kingdom, it probably doesn't convey the nightmarish gauntlet of death traps you'll need to navigate in order to progress in this platformer. The procedurally generated levels are jam packed with thousands of spikes, flamethrowers, lasers, and just about any other deadly object waiting to obliterate you. All you can do is hop, skip, and jump from one seemingly safe platform to the next. Good luck.

Super Exploding Zoo (PS Vita, PS4): Don't let the bizarre title deter you; Super Exploding Zoo is not a game about placing explosives in animal cages. Instead, alien monsters are invading a zoo with the intent of capturing all of the eggs and babies housed within. As a herd of angry, exploding animal defenders, you must protect the youngins by charging through the exhibits and destroying every last extraterrestrial.

Futuridium EP Deluxe (PS VIta, PS4): Futuridium is a endless runner, retro shooter, and puzzle game all crammed into one game. This high-speed, psychedelic experience that will put your twitch reflexes to the test. Destroy enemies and blast cubes to build up a massive score multiplier and rise to the top of the leaderboards all to the tune of some hypnotic techno.

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (PS4): If you ever wanted to wear a Mexican Luchador mask and lay the smack down on some bad guys using super powered wrestling moves, here's your chance. Part side-scrolling beat 'em up, and all Metroid-style adventure, Guacamelee takes you through a wondrous and beautiful world based on Mexican folklore. The game is filled with challenging enemies, quirky characters, and complex environmental puzzles that will push your platforming skills to the limit. You don't want to miss this one.

Ether One (PS4): Ether One is a fresh addition to the PlayStation Network. In it, you explore the minds of the mentally ill as you attempt to piece together the significant events of your patients' lives. You'll need to solve complex puzzles as you explore creepy environments all while trying to make sense of some pretty trippy situations.

The Unfinished Swan (PS4, PS3, PS Vita): May's other first person, exploration puzzle game comes in the form of The Unfinished Swan, in which you must overcome a variety of environmental puzzles using paint as you uncover the details of a whimsical fairytale. Discovering the world hidden in the white nothingness is an fascinating experience, making the unique artstyle and evolving world one you won't soon forget.

Race the Sun (PS4, PS3, PS Vita): In Race the Sun, nighttime is not your friend. In fact, you want to avoid the blackness of night so badly that you hop into a rocket-powered ship and chase the sun. As you can imagine, the sun never takes a break from trying to set on you, so this race goes on forever. Avoid every obstacle, collect power-ups, and enjoy the serene soundtrack as you chase that giant, burning ball of gas.

Hohokum (PS4, PS3, PS Vita): There are a lot of games out there that strive to stress you out, but Hohokum is not one of them. In it, you control a flying, snake-like...something. We're not quite sure what it is, but it's friendly and likes to explore. As you cruise around the colorful world, you'll see the environment change around you and strange creatures will hop on you're back for a free ride, letting you all just enjoy the scenery together. It's a nice change of pace.

Murasaki Baby (PS Vita): And to top things off with something a little weird, here comes Murasaki Baby - 2D puzzle platformer set in a nightmarish world with a creepy, Nightmare Before Christmas vibe. In it, you'll need to guide Baby - an innocent and frightening-looking baby with an upside-down head - through some bizarre landscapes as you try to get her back home. Although the baby may just freak you out, it's endearing to hold her hand and guide her past obstacles and enemies with the Vita touchpad.

Tower of Guns (PS4, PS3): Tower of Guns puts you in a tower and lets you shoot up bad guys with lots of guns. Who'd have thought? As you ascend the tower, you encounter a random array of enemies and blow them to smithereens with your projectile launcher of choice before facing the boss at the top. The game is designed for quick gameplay sessions, giving you a chance to scratch that twitch shooter itch, explode things, then move on with your day. What could be better?

Never Alone (PS4): Never Alone is a 2D platformer that's based on the lore of the Alaskan Native people called the Iñupiat. In it, you play as a young girl and her pet fox as they attempt to find the source of an eternal blizzard that threatens her people. The game challenges you to overcome the harsh, Arctic environments filled with vicious polar bears, unstable glaciers, and aggressive natives with only a bola weapon and the help of friendly spirits.

Dishonored (PS3): As the master assassin Corvo Attano, you must uncover and assassinate (or otherwise get rid of) the group behind the murder of Dunwall's empress. Dishonored's open levels give you complete freedom to approach your missions the way you want. Should you sneak your way past the guards using your blink ability to move through the shadows, or jump into a battle head on and brutally eviscerate your enemies with your rat summoning abilities? The choice is yours.

Aaru's Awakening (PS3, PS4): Looking for a platforming challenge that's on par with Super Meatboy's difficulty? Well, give Aaru's Awakening a shot. This beautiful 2D platformer puts you in control of Aaru - a part bear, part bird creature with the ability to air dash and teleport at will. The levels challenge you with complex puzzles that call for precision jumps and nerves of steel as you avoid the environment's deadly traps and monsters.

Killzone Mercenary (PS Vita): Killzone Mercenary has just about everything you'd expect in a console game, only this PS Vita FPS lets you take it on-the-go. The single-player campaign takes you through the events that happened between Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 as mercenary soldiers that fight on both sides of the war. Plus, if you're looking for multiplayer, Mercenary allows for 8-player multiplayer matches with 8 maps and 25 guns. Not too shabby.

Monsterbag (PS Vita): Monsterbag's innocent looking art style sure does well to hide the dark undertones if its world. A bag-shaped monster named V accidentally gets separated from its friend, Nia, and it's trying to get back to her. Unfortunately, the world V lives in isn't too fond of monsters, and any human who catches V in their sights will beat it to death out of fear. As V, you'll need to sneak through the game's puzzles, using your monster powers to distract potential aggressors and get to Nia safely. Oh, and if you don't reach your friend in time, you might trigger the apocalypse.

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee - New n' Tasty (PS4): The old alien world platformer has been completely remastered with enhanced visuals, redone voice acting, and brand new cutscenes to bring Abe into the new generation. The side-scrolling platformer once again puts you in the depths of an alien meat processing facility as Abe - the company's once employee of the year.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War (PS4): There aren't many games set during the events of the first World War, but Valiant Hearts breaks new ground with the setting as well as it's emotional storytelling. You play as a variety of participants in the Great War, from a combat engineer to a chef you experience each of the character's personal wartime stories and their relationship with a dog medic named Walt that ties them all together. Adventure style puzzle solving and heartfelt storytelling await.

Papo Yo (PS3): When most game characters encounter terrifying, sharp-toothed monsters, the result is typically a shotgun to the face. Not in Papo Yo. The protagonist, Quico, and his monster must face magically charged puzzles and platforming challenges. Though the in-game environments might be whimsical and bright, there are some dark undertones to the story, resulting in some surprising and touching story telling.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments (PS3): Become the legendary gumshoe as you investigate some of the most criminal violent cases of Holmes' time. you'll need to question witnesses, search crime scenes, and use your power of intuition to see things that no ordinary detective would pick up on. There isn't much hand-holding in Crimes and Punishments. You get the clues, the crime scene, and a lineup of suspects, and you are the one who chooses to pass judgement on the suspected criminal. Be sure to do a thorough investigation. You can just as easily imprison an innocent person as the guilty party.

OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood (PS4 and PS Vita): If you mashed together an endless runner like Canabalt and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, you would end up with OlliOilli. The sidescroller challenges you to grind on rails and land long manual tricks between your next stunt to build a high score chain. What appears to be simple quickly becomes an exercise in attaining perfection in each level - which totally becomes the most addicting game, like ever.

Counterspy (PS4, PS3, and PS Vita): Inspired by the Cold War's tactical espionage action, CounterSpy puts you in the role of a secret agent working for a neutral organization against two world powers. You're objective is to prevent a nuclear incident from occurring by taking on missions to sabotage and collect intelligence from both sides. The game functions mostly as a Metroidvania-style side scroller, with some third person cover shooting forcing you to take the stealthy approach to completing your missions.

Transistor (PS4): The creators of Bastion have yet another isometric RPG to tickle your adventure bone. Red, a famous singer, gets her voice stolen and, conveniently enough, comes across a talking greatsword (who ends up doing the talking for her). With a mix of awesome magical abilities, action-oriented gameplay, and fascinating futuristic world, Transistor is a game you don't want to miss.

Apotheon (PS4): The Greek mythology-inspired sidescroller is making it's debut on the PS4 for free. You play as a Greek warrior on his quest to climb Mt. Olympus and fight enemies in a Metroidvania-esque world. The game looks to have a Zelda 2 feel to it as you use your sword and shield to block and slash at enemy soldiers and ancient mythological creatures. And then there's the unique, wall-painting art-style that makes for some fascinating environments.

Yakuza 4: If you're a lover of Japanese mobsters, beating people down with martial arts, or getting lost in a plethora of side missions, you can't go wrong with Yakuza 4. In it, you explore Tokyo's underworld. Outside of roundhouse kicking fools in the streets, there are a bunch of activities to take part in like making a "number 1" cabernet girl, developing friendships with NPCs, and training fighters in your own, personal dojo.

Thief: Garrett the master thief makes his first appearance on the new gen systems, returning to the first-person stealth elements the Thief series is famous for. Don't think that you'll be sneaking around snapping a bunch of guard's necks. Garrett is a thief, not an assassin. You're goal is to hang out in the shadows, grab the goods, and escape before anyone knows you were there.

Rogue Legacy: How can a game that's so brutally difficult be such a pleasure to play? Well, that's a rogue-like for you. That's the way it's meant to be played. Every time you die, you aren't brought back to a checkpoint. You lose your progress and get dropped all the way back to the beginning of the game. Rogue Legacy is one side-scrolling challenge that will dig its hooks into you almost immediately.

Kick Finnick: It a puzzle platformer involving a little boy, his pet robot, and a massive rifle. Yes, the kid can use his big gun to blast enemies to smithereens, but it also plays a huge part in his jumping abilities. The recoil from shooting the gun can blast Kick into the air, he gets grappling attachments, and plenty of other gadgets. With a delightful, cartoon aesthetic, incredibly challenging jump puzzles, and everything from bounce pads to teleporters to mess with, Kick Finnick has all the ingredients for an entertaining, 2D adventure.

Infamous: First Light (PS4): Fetch gets her own standalone spin-off in a campaign that bridges reluctant Seattle superheroics and her imprisonment in the Curdon Cay Conduit detention center. You don't need to own (or even have played) Infamous: Second Son to appreciate First Light, but it will give you some new perspective on the city's totalitarian overseers either way.

The Swapper (PS4/PS3/PS Vita): This mind-bending puzzle platformer explores the mechanical and philosophical implications of creating and destroying a near-endless supply of clones to navigate a seemingly abandoned space station. Make sure you take a break from the mentally taxing challenges to appreciate its awesome atmosphere and kitbashing aesthetic.

Prototype 2 (PS3): Infamous isn't the only superpowered open-world series in January's PS Plus lineup. Prototype 2 takes players back to New York for Sgt. James Heller's mutating quest to consume the original game's protagonist Alex Mercer, and he'll use a bevy of stomach-turning new powers to save/destroy Manhattan on the way there. Did I mention that includes a gaggle of gooey, gorey tendrils?

DuckTales Remastered (PS3): WayForward brings the classic pogo-jumping platformer back to life in this updated take on Scrooge McDuck's globe-trotting adventures. Modern amenities like smooth hand-drawn animation and 3D backdrops are nice, but it's the classic challenge that will keep you coming back for another dip in the money pool.

Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition (PS Vita/PS3): Return to the days when Duke Nukem was a joker instead of just a punchline with this enhanced version of Duke Nukem 3D and three of its expansion packs. Or take a deeper dive into history with the original version with the classic shooter. Just try not to think about Duke Nukem Forever when you do.

Whoa Dave! (PS Vita/PS4 version coming): The developers of the Bit.Trip series return with a retro-arcade inspired… Ok, retro-arcade inspired doesn't cut it when it comes to Whoa Dave!, which is straight up an old-school arcade game minus thirty years of dust and faded cabinet art. Grab pennies, toss bombs at aliens, and go for the high score!

Injustice Gods Among Us (PS4): Ever wonder if Wonder Woman would take down the Flash in a fight? Who would be the victor of an actual battle between Batman and Superman? Well, you can answer these age-old questions by pitting your favorite superheroes and villains against one another in Injustice: Gods Among Us. It has all of the classic Mortal Kombat-style combat (minus the Fatalities) and a pretty cool story mode to boot.

Secret Panchos (PS4): Okay, Secret Panchos is a spaghetti western-themed fighting game, that you play from an isometric perspective. But instead of punching each other into submission, you have to use your quick-twitch reflexes, and character abilities in a gunfight against up to four players. Each character has distinct personalities and skills - there's the Matador that takes the battle up close, the dual pistol-wielding Kid Red, and the skull-faced Phantom Pancho.

Hitman HD Trilogy (PS3): If you haven't yet gotten into the Hitman series, here's your chance. Take on the role of Agent 47 as you find the most clever and gruesome ways to assassinate your targets. Should you lie in wait and silently eliminate your enemy, or dress in a chicken suit, equip a silenced pistol, and skip on the finesse. The HD collection includes Hitman 2, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money, so you've got plenty of game to perfect your killing tactics.

Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut (PS3): You play Francis York Morgan, a federal investigator who comes to a small town to investigate the murder of a young woman. But the investigation is anything but routine. The dead rise up as husks of their former selves, Morgan periodically visits mysterious, supernatural rooms in his subconscious, he talks to a character in his head named Zach, and he gets clues by looking into a cup of coffee. Yup, this is a weird one, but if you can get past the wonky controls and funky visuals, you're in for a treat.

Final Horizon (PS Vita): If you've been looking for a tower defense game, look no further. Final Horizon is mixes RTS gameplay with tower defense as you attempt to fend off waves of insect-like space aliens from eating you colonists. Toted as a "2 minute tower defense" Final Horizon is perfect for those quick mobile gaming sessions on the Vita.

Titan Attacks! (PS4, PS3, PS Vita): Aliens are attacking earth and you're the only one crazy enough to stop them. Also, you're probably the only one with a massive tank at your disposal. Titan Attacks! is a classic, arcade-style shooter that challenges you to survive wave after wave of alien spaceships. Like the arcade games of yore, this shooter is all about the high scores, so, survive, upgrade your tank, and keep on blasting those space invaders.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (also on Vita): After making Super Meat Boy, a tribute to the great platformers of old, developer Edmund McMillen's next game added a new, creepy twist on the top down gameplay of The Legend of Zelda. The Binding of Isaac already won acclaim on the PC for its gruesome (yet cute) spin on the biblical tale of Isaac. Rebirth is the just-released redefinition of the title in 16-bit style, primed for console owners to fall in love with the sobbing adventurer.

Steamworld Dig (also on Vita): Ever dream of a title that slams together the item collection of Minecraft, the 2D exploration of Metroid, the puzzle-platforming of Mr. Driller, and the persistence of an RPG? That's Steamworld Dig, the robotic Old West title which first came to PS4 and Vita in March. Now that the cross-buy game will be free, you can finally check out this game for yourself and see if you dig it! (Sorry.)

Luftrausers (also on Vita): If you're in the need for a 2D shoot 'em up, but have less than five minutes to spare, Luftrausers will fit snugly into your tight schedule. Made by Vlambeer, the group responsible for the highly addictive Ridiculous Fishing, Luftrausers' German accented take on flight immediately flings your craft into the air, tasking players with the risk/reward of constantly shooting to build up score multipliers or stopping your attacks to give your craft a chance to heal. It has a real "just one more turn" property to it that will pull in many that missed this game prior.

Frozen Synapse Prime (also on Vita): First designed for smartphones, this fast paced strategy game has earned a lot of buzz on PlayStation systems. It's a turn-based tactics game, only it goes much faster because your squads and the enemy's take actions at the same time. You need careful logic and observation to win at this one, which is why each hard fought victory feels earned.

Hungry Horde: Among the many noteworthy indie titles on the handheld, this one hopes to bring a new twist to the zombie trope. The first game from the UK dev team Nosebleed Interactive, Hungry Horde has you leading an ever-expanding undead army in a quest for living flesh, and humanity's forces are hot on your zombie heels. It's a race against the clock to take over as much of the apocalyptic town as you can in each stage of the action-puzzler, a bit like Katamari, only with rotting corpses.

Escape Plan (also on PS4): This title comes from some of the same people as Fat Princess, and was an early hit on the Vita, later making its way to the PS4. The black and white puzzler has you controlling two different characters at the same time as you navigate punishing death traps. Despite the dark subject matter, Escape Plan has a grimly funny tone to keep things light. Our garnered a three out of five, which is good enough to justify getting it for free, if you ask me.

Dust: An Elysian Tail: Dust is an indie game that catches your eye with its beautiful art style, then sucks you in with its engrossing combat. The side-scroller puts you in the role of the anthropomorphic hero, Dust, who holds a sentient, talking sword called the Blade of Ahrah. As you progress through the story, you'll earn new abilities, discovering snow-capped mountains and peaceful glades to explore and leveling up into an even more efficient killing machine. It's like Metroid, except with a fox-like ninja protagonist.

Spelunky: Take the difficulty of the most challenging 2D platformers, cover every single level in all manner of deadly traps and monsters, and make the stages randomize every time you die. Sound crazy? That's Spelunky. Whether you're playing four-player co-op or alone, Spelunky will test your platforming skills. But the good news is: it's a blast to play.

DriveClub PlayStation Plus Edition: As a bonus for October, Sony is offering DriveClub's PlayStation Plus Edition. Think of it as an extended demo of the full title. There are 11 tracks to test your driving skills on and 10 cars to race. Plus, you get access to all of the game modes. Not too shabby.

Batman: Arkham Asylum: Start at the very beginning with the first entry in the can't-get-more-Batman-than-this series with Batman: Arkham Asylum. Looks like the Asylum's security staff wasn't able to contain the ingenious criminals ol' Bats has been cramming in there over the years. Only the Caped Crusader has the gumption to go in there and set them all straight. With some of the best combat, stealth, and puzzle-solving gaming has ever seen, Arkham Asylum is a must-play.

Dungeons Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara: Side-scrolling beat-em ups are some of the best old-school entertainment you can get. With the DD: Chronicles of Mystara collection (which includes Tower of Doom and Shadow of Mystara) you get all of the minion-beating action you could want.

Rainbow Moon (PS3 and PS Vita): If you're looking for a good, old-fashioned tactical RPG, you can't go wrong with Rainbow Moon. All of the classic genre tropes are here: a massive world filled with NPCs to chat with, loot to collect and equip, and enemies to battle in a turn-based, strategy combat system. With a 40-hour story campaign plus end game content, Rainbow Moon is definitely worth the price of free.

Pix the Cat (PS4 and PS Vita): Pix is a kind cat. Most felines would jump at the chance to eat a bunch of helpless duckies, but not Pix. A mix between Pacman and Snake, the game challenges you to build high scores by saving ducklings within a time limit. It's a simple concept, but it'll suck you in before you know it.

PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale (PS3, PS Vita): There's just something that's so enticing about getting a bunch of famous characters together and having them beat the crap out of each other. In PlayStation All Stars: Battle Royale you can pit characters like Kratos, Nathan Drake, Sly, and Fat Princess against one another in a Smash Bros.-style free-for-all. The controls are easy enough for beginners to comprehend, but it also has plenty of depth for those who want to get a real competition going.

Hoard (PS3): In a lot of medieval game settings, you play as the hero who slays dragons, finds massive piles of treasure, and... saves a princess or something. Not so in Hoard. In this adventure, you are the dragon that's running amok across the countryside. You are the one scaring the local townspeople, burning down castles, and collecting mountains of treasure to add to your ever-expanding hoard. It's nice to, you know, roast heroes for a change.

Velocity 2X (PS4, PS Vita): Velocity 2X is a melting pot of game genres. It's like the developers said, "Let's combine the bullet hell gameplay of a top-down space shooter, toss in some puzzle solving, and hey, why not just drop in a Super Metroid side-scroller while we're at it." The sequel has all of the top-down puzzle shooting from the original title, but now you'll be able to hop out of your ship and take the fight to your enemies on foot.

Sportsfriends (PS4, PS3): If you've got a few friends over at your place and you're looking for something to do, here's an easy solution: turn on Sportsfriends. It consists of several, easy-to-play competitive minigames that are an absolute blast in a group setting. There's a pole-vault dueling game, a sports game the combines fighting, a ball, and goal zones for super intense 1v1 matches, and physical game of tag called Johann Sebastian Joust. Need more party games? Sportsfriends has you covered.

Joe Danger (PS Vita): If the old dirt bike racers from the Excite Bike series were to ever quit racing, they'd probably end up like Joe Danger. The job description is basically the same: Ride your bike down a mile-long track, hit the ramps as fast as you can, and pull off quadruple backflips before you land. Joe Danger's gameplay is reminiscient of the racing classic, but this stunt racer mixes things up with fancy ramps, dangerous traps, and tons of collectibles. If you're looking to revisit old-school racing gameplay, Joe Danger is where it's at.

TxK (PS Vita): Remember Tempest? That old, classic game in which you guide a funny U-shaped ship down some tubes and shoot a bunch of equally funnily-shaped objects? The developers behind Tempest released a new version called TxK. The game is basically Tempest in how it controls and places an emphasis on chasing high-scores, but it just looks a whole lot cooler, as the developers took the arcade classic and infused flashy neon explosions (think Geometry Wars). There's nothing like playing a classic, and with TxK the old-school gameplay is just as entertaining as it was back in the day.

Road Not Taken: In Road Not Taken, you play as a ranger who must venture into a vast, enchanted forest to rescue children who apparently thought it was a good idea to wander out into a snowstorm and get lost. The thing is: stay out in the elements to long and you freeze to death. The game challenges you to move from one screen of tile-based, procedurally generated puzzles to the next by defeating enemies and removing obstacles. Every situation you encounter is a balancing act between the energy and resources you expend and the objectives you want to achieve. If you make too many mistakes or are too indecisive the ranger will pass out in the snow and leave the little kids to their (deserved) fates.

Fez: Fez mixes 3D and 2D elements together to make mind-boggling environments for you to explore. The gameplay employs a mechanic that allows you to rotate the perspective of the camera on 3D objects, which in turn manipulates their 2D layout, creating new paths for overcoming blocked routes. The world is full of tons of secrets to find and challenges to overcome--if you haven't played Fez yet, you're really missing out.

Crysis 3: Crysis 3 takes the jungle environment of the first game, the city from the second, and smashes those two locales together to create a literal urban jungle--overgrown buildings and all. As the protagonist Prophet, it is once again up to you to save the world from the invading alien Seph using the environment to your advantage. This time, instead of trying to escape your enemies, you'll be hunting down your prey with the advanced alien technology and an arsenal of weapons at your disposal.

Proteus: This wide-open world filled with color and music is far from the typical adventure title you'll play on your PS3. Proteus is more of an experience than a game. You're dropped onto an island covered in grass, trees, and different types of wildlife. Nothing seems particularly interesting at first, until you start to interact with the world. Playing with butterflies will make them sing, chasing rabbits will kick up a beat, and the sky will put on a light show as you activate parts of the world and unlock the soundtrack of the wilderness. Woah...It just got really New Age in here. Just go check out Proteus and you'll know what I mean.

Metrico: Platformers are platformers. We've all played them before. Jump on the blocks and don't fall into the pits. That's easy enough, right? But what if a game turned those rules on their head and mixed them around a bit? Now forward makes you jump, jumping makes that platform over there move left, and moving left makes that same platform move right. Sound confusing? That's Metrico: a collection of seemingly simple platforming puzzles that each have different rules. All you have to do is move from one side of the screen to the other. Can you figure it out?

Dragon's Crown: If you like the old-school beat-em ups, Dragon's Crown is for you. It's got all of the hacking and slashing you could ever want plus a few RPG influences in the mix. You can choose your character from collection of distinct classes, each with unique abilities and looks. In fact, the visual style is most likely one of the first things that will catch your eye. The incredibly disproportionate anatomy of the heroes and heroines is a tad excessive, but hey, I can't say that the characters don't look really cool.

Towerfall Ascension: Towerfall Ascension is the ultimate test of timing and skill, and probably the most fun you're going to have playing multiplayer on the PS4. Each player controls an archer in a confined, vertical arena, and is tasked with massacring the competition with precise arrow shots or stomping them on the head Mario-style.

Strider: The classic ninja series returns with all of the sword-slashing, side-scrolling action you remember from the original games. Explore the metroidvania-style world as you slash through enemy robots, battle massive bosses, and collect new gadgets and abilities to become an unstoppable assassin.

Dead Space 3: Isaac Clarke once again returns to the horrors of deep space to chop mutated monstrosities to pieces. This time Isaac is looking to uncover the source of the Necromorph outbreak, but he won't be facing the hideous killing machines alone. Joining the adventure is John Carver, a soldier and optional drop-in drop-out partner that a second player can control with the campaign's co-op feature.

Vessel: This side-scrolling adventure is all about controlling the flow of water, lava, and other types of experimental liquid. As the inventor Arkwright, you must stop fluid machines called fluros (of course) from wreaking havoc across the world. To do that you'll have to make use of the game's liquid simulation to solve various physics and liquid-based puzzles. But you won't just be playing with harmless water as you slosh it around in your pressurized backpack--you'll use molten lava and other properties to make the various liquids melt, change forms, explode, and more.

Muramasa Rebirth: Muramasa is a fantastic adventure that makes a great addition to your game collection--just to look at the beautiful art design for the characters and environments! But there's more to it than the hand-painted visuals. You can play as two distinct characters, each with a unique storyline, and there are a ton of intimidating bosses to overcome. You hack and slash your way across feudal Japan, collecting dozens of magical swords with special abilities along the way.

Doki-Doki Universe: The world of Doki-Doki Universe might just be as odd as its title. The game takes on a hand-drawn aesthetic, with a lanky-armed robot as the protagonist and any number of wacky characters to assist in quests. The robot QT3 has the power to materialize objects out of thin air, which you can use to help characters living on the game's many planets. If you're looking for a slow-paced adventure through a quirky and sometimes bizarre world, you can't go wrong with Doki-Doki Universe.

Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate: Venture into the depths of various hazardous environments as you attempt to rescue scientists and solve puzzles. This is accomplished through your power to manipulate water and lava, as well as blast through rocks and ice. Pixeljunk games always provide a good time, and Shooter Ultimate is no different.

Trine 2: Complete Story: Stop me if you've heard this one: A knight, a wizard, and a thief go on an epic 2D side-scrolling adventure. No? Well then you clearly don't know Trine, which drops you into a beautifully stylized fantasy world full of mind bending physics-based puzzles and dangerous enemies.

NBA 2K14: Digital Lebron has never looked more like the real life LeBron than in . Aside from the expected competitive ballin' gameplay, 2K14 also adds the new LeBron: Path to Greatness mode. This campaign lets you progress through the pro player's career, and gives you access to new signature skills that boost attributes and abilities.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time: Want to know where Sly gets his natural sneaking skills and unique thieving abilities? Traveling back in time and meeting the stealthy raccoon's ancestors will clue you in. In , you'll help Sly and his buddies recover the pages of the Thievius Raccoonus by visiting the past and teaming up with Sly's ancien relatives.

Terraria: 2D building games come a dime a dozen these days (and other ), but few of them do the genre justice better than Terraria. You'll explore colorful environments, harvest materials by digging into the ground and chopping down trees, then build whatever the hell you want, whether that be a little hut or a massive stone...erm...obelisk?

Mutant Mudds Deluxe: Mutant Mudds have landed on Earth and their invasion is underway. The fate of humanity now lies with a geeky kid Max, who's armed with a water gun and a jetpack. The jetpack isn't just for hovering over sword-wielding Mudds--the 2D shooter also allows to you jump between the background and foreground of the environment using special launch pads.

Stick It to the Man (available now): Remember those pink sticky hands you get from gumball machines that get really dirty when they touch anything? Well, this platformer attaches one of those to your head and gives it weird mind control powers. Along with the bizarre art style and gameplay, experiencing these wacky characters is enough to warrant the hard drive space in your PS4 to give this one a shot.

Puppeteer (available now): In , you take the role of Kutaro, a lost boy that transformed into a doll, lost his head, and has been imprisoned by the Moon Bear King. The entire side-scrolling adventure is set on the backdrop of a puppeteer's stage, with an ever-transforming environment building up and breaking down as you progress through the beautifully designed levels.

Skullgirls Encore (available now): Skullgirls Encore is a 2D fighter that has similar mechanics to the Marvel vs. Capcom games, but with buxom girls beating each other to a pulp instead of superheroes. The gameplay will have you delivering extensive hyper combos, performing characters assists, and battling other players with teams of up to three female fighters.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (available now): If you're going to play any sports game, it's probably best to start off with the most recent iteration. PES 2014 offers improved ball control, enhanced physics, and improved player collision over its predecessors, making it the most realistic PES entry to date.

Soul Sacrifice (May 6, to May 13): The third-person action RPG gives you control over a hero that can assimilate the souls of your defeated enemies. You to decide whether to become more powerful in one attribute of your character at the detriment of another. But other than how you level, your decisions can also affect which of your party members lives or dies, so choose wisely.

Surge Deluxe (available now): One of the best genres for on-the-go gaming is the match-three puzzle, and this one's up there with the best of 'em. While most of these puzzle games will have you rotating colored blocks or columns, Surge Deluxe has you connect the colors with a current of electricity using the Vita's touch screen.

Limbo (available now): With giant spiders, pitch black environments, and instant death waiting for you at every step, Limbo's dark world is any child's worst nightmare. You guide a little boy through dangerous levels full of spiky traps and monsters that will impale, squash, and decapitate him with every misstep.

Mercenary Kings (available now): This is a throwback to the days of old-school, side-scrolling shooters, but with the modern trappings of progressive, RPG-esque leveling. Mercenary Kings is a heavily pixelated retro platformer that has you battling intense bosses, earning new equipment, and even crafting your own customizable guns. It's basically everything you could want in a modern Metal Slug-style shooter.

Batman: Arkham City (April 1 to May 6): The ever made available for free on PSN? Not anymore. But even if you missed the chance to get the game for free, it's totally worth throwing down the bills to face Batman's greatest adversaries in an open-world full of goons to pummel and comic book references to gawk at.

Stealth Inc: Clone in the Dark (available now): Platforming, stealth, and puzzles: if these gameplay elements are right up your alley, you definitely want to give Stealth Inc. a shot. A single mistake can mean instant death, but even if it takes you dozens of tries to dodge all of the lasers and killer robots in a test chamber, success is always rewarding.

Castle of Illusion: Starring Mickey Mouse (available now): If you missed out on the original 16-bit Castle of Illusion in the old days, here's your chance to play through the classic in all new, spiffed up visuals. Turns out, Mickey's quite the capable 2D platformer star.

Velocity Ultra (April 29 to May 27): Top-down shooters are a rarity these days; even rarer is a top-down shooter with slight puzzle elements built into it. Velocity Ultra isn't just the typical bullet hell shooter--you'll have to manage abilities that let you teleport through walls, and fling barrier-shattering bombs in an effort to rescue survivors spread across the levels.

PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD (available now): Tower defense games are some of the you could possibly play. You'll build towers and fend off wave after wave of enemies like any other tower defense games, but once you get hooked, be warned. Time will fly.

Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark (available now): All of the stealth action and puzzle solving involved in getting your clone through the Stealth Inc. test chamber levels is also available on the portable PS Vita. And if you happen to have both a PS3 and a Vita you can cross play between the two versions of the game. Not a bad deal.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition (March 4 to April 1): Take on zombie hordes with an arsenal of insane weapons, including machine guns, flamethrowers, and rifles that shoot bolts of lightning. The twin-stick shooter's Apocalypse Edition has enhanced visuals upgraded for the PS4 and includes the Road to Devastation DLC expansion.

Tomb Raider (March 4 to April 1): Lara is back and totally re-imagined. This time the heroine isn't the veteran that was in previous games; she's an inexperienced survivor trapped on an isolated island. All of the expected combat action and environmental puzzles are here and are arguably some of the best the series has seen.

Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut (available now): Every wonder what it would be like to wake up alone to the apocalypse? Well, this is it. Survive the post-apocalyptic world by scavenging for food, escaping dangerous mutants, and staving off insanity while you search for other survivors in this horrifying 2D adventure.

Thomas Was Alone (available now): Thomas Was Alone might just look like an early version of a soon-to-be complete game, but no--the characters are actually just cubes and rectangles. However, don't take that simple aesthetic for granted; by the end of this indie puzzle platformer, you might just feel more attached to that little mute block than most video game protagonists.

Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut (available now): Here's another title that benefits from Sony's cross play feature. You can try to survive the apocalypse on your home console or take your game with you on your PS Vita.

Thomas Was Alone (March 18 to May 20): Thanks to the wonders of Transfarring, Thomas Was Alone has the option to work with Sony's cross play feature. You don't just have to solve all those puzzles on your couch, you can actually bring your game with you on the go.

Unit 13 (March 18 to May 20): This third-person shooter puts you in the standard issue military boots of a spec-ops team as they fight terrorism all around the globe. Players take on missions with varying objectives under specified criteria--like staying hidden for the entire mission--for high scores and mission ranks.

Stay tuned for more updates on all of the free games coming to Sony's Instant Game Collection. We will be adding formation on the upcoming free games as they become available. Are there any games you want to be free in the next batch of PS Plus titles? Let us know in the comments below.

If you want more free games, be sure to check out our list of the