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.

Here's a video game scenario you've definitely seen before: a malevolent power is about to end the world as you know it, but no rush, because . It comes down to design philosophy: they want you to keep playing as long and as often as possible, so missions can't be too restrictive in how they let you use your time. The sense of urgency that's meant to push you to the end becomes little more than a carefully curated illusion that's easily broken if you decide to make a sandwich and don't hit pause.

Sometimes, anyway. Other times, you come back from your meal prep and all the hostages are dead, or the world has ended, or the love of your virtual life has turned into a horrific monster because you took too long, and the game wants you to feel it. It's a delicate balance to strike, making you feel the weight of a time crunch without pushing you so far that you quit. But games that do it well show that players don't need the virtual world to wait on our every move. Sometimes lighting a fire under your ass is the best thing a game can do.

Easily the most famous game that uses time against you, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is also one of the most forgiving. Though you only have three in-game days (with a timer ticking away) before the moon faceplants directly into the planet, you can reverse to the first day as many times as you like. But make no mistake, it's harder than it sounds - failing to finish your current quest means you'll have to start that undertaking over during the next three-day period. Or worse, if you let the moon crash into the planet, expect to lose everything you gained during that cycle.

Kudos to Nintendo, because this is probably the best way to balance a foreboding sense of urgency with dozens of intricate sidequests. Putting a hard deadline on the game as a whole would push you to skip side material, while allowing ample time to complete everything would turn the moon's descent into an empty threat. Meanwhile, the reverse-and-start-over option makes virtually every dungeon-romp nerve-wracking, as you only have one shot to successfully finish if you don't want to start over from the beginning. At the same time, you feel comfortable enough with your schedule that you can set aside time to fight an army of ghosts in return for a bottle of milk. You know, the important things.

As it turns out, Revolution came very close to promoting paradoxical procrastination with its first mission. Specifically, you're told that you only have so long to save a group of hostages before things get ugly, but in the game's original version you could take as long as you wanted and they would never come to harm. Figuring that out immediately deflates any sense of importance the mission had (no need to worry, they're all gonna be fine without you) but also makes it hard to trust the game when it promises dire situations in the future. Chances are those will be falsified too, so why bother?

Thankfully, set a time limit on the hostages' survival, so if you don't get there fast enough, too bad for them. That one choice made Human Revolution significantly more effective at creating suspense and a sense of gravitas, because anyone who tried to call that Mission One bluff learned that this game was not messing around.

At face value, Prince of Persia isn't all that different from the standard hero-saves-princess plot: the Vizier of Persia captures the princess, saying he'll kill her if she refuses to marry him, and you have to rescue her. However, while the likes of Mario and Link have ample time to train before they face off against their nemeses, the Vizier gives the princess an hour to decide, and he isn't kidding around - you get one real-world hour to finish the game before you fail and the princess is left to her horrible fate.

Honestly, this is a far more realistic depiction of how a princess' abduction would go, and gives it the weight and urgency it deserves. Where other games assure you that the princess will be just fine with waiting until you show up to get her, Prince of Persia promises the exact opposite, making you feel your pixelated protagonists' desperation as you struggle to navigate a tricky maze of traps. With no on-screen timer to guide you, it feels like failure is always lurking a step behind, and nothing about the experience would've been nearly as effective if you didn't have the dwindling sands of an hourglass lighting a proverbial a fire under your feet.

Snake Eater might seem like a strange addition here, since the only place where time matters is a single boss fight, and even then it feels like you have to wait for-e-ver for the ravages of time to have any kind of effect. Yet, that use of time has a powerful effect, proving that while Big Boss may be the protagonist, he's not the center of the universe.

Here's the mission (in) brief: you face off against The End, a master sniper who's getting too old for this, and is only hanging on so he can hunt down his 'final prey', aka you. You can fight him in a properly grueling battle, or you can simply save in the middle of the fight and wait a week to play again, by which point The End will have died of old age. While it's easy to assume this feature was included in the name of shock value and some laughs you feel guilty about later, it also puts forward the idea that the world and everything in it isn't waiting on Snake's input - the world moves at its own pace, regardless of what he chooses to do. That doesn't necessarily hold true in other parts of the game (none of Snake Eater's other bosses will get bored and leave if you wait too long to fight them), but that one moment is enough to at least make you think.

Pandora's Tower may not feature of the world's greatest romance - while central to the story, it never gets far past "insert gifts, receive affection" territory - it does remind you that your love Elena has a life of her own outside your adventures and won't just twiddle her thumbs until you get back. Mostly because she's mutating into a horrific demon and needs to eat the flesh of the demons you're slaying in a timely manner if she's going to stay human. And I do mean timely: every mission is on a timer, and if you wait too long before getting back to her with more flesh, she (and your relationship) will start to rapidly deteriorate until her transformation is complete and she destroys the world.

That may seem brutal and at least a little annoying, as you constantly have to return to her room instead of pressing forward, but the timer does serve as a constant reminder of why you're going on this adventure at all. While the game could just teleport you back to her place for a cutscene or two and then let you go about your business, it'd be easy to look right through those interactions without noticing them. Because you have to constantly think about maintaining her health, Elena is at the forefront of your mind, and the game serves the story rather than wearing it like a thin and ineffective overcoat.

Often enough, completing all of the sidequests in a game is just a question of your interest and willingness, because the objectives themselves typically don't require much skill or effort. But Dead Rising - a game where you and a handful of survivors are trapped in a zombie-infested shopping mall that's also housing a few "psychopaths" from the local prison - doesn't want to go that easy on you. Side objectives involve rescuing as many other survivors as you can, but you only have a limited amount of days before the rescue team shows up to collect them. Even trickier, each survivor is only alive and mobile for a short period of time. Miss that window, and they're gone for good.

That sidequest setup is immensely punishing, and you can expect to see plenty of announcements that survivors are dying on your watch as you level up. But it immediately drives home how dangerous your situation is, and proves that this zombie infestation isn't just a good excuse to beat a few shambling bodies down with a weed whacker or a six string. Getting everyone out alive is possible, but incredibly difficult, and you're basically going to have to be superhuman to pull it off.

Lightning's world is going to end in thirteen days. And unlike most games, there's no chance you'll be able to save the world in that time; all you can hope to do is send the souls of the living to their rest before the apocalypse arrive. There is a bright side, because if you can rescue enough souls before the clock strikes midnight on the final day, everyone will be reincarnated in a new world. But that's only if you rescue enough, and you're on a deadline: there's a timer at the top of the screen constantly reminding you how close you are to imminent doom.

That sense of looming destruction is what keeps you on the move over the course of Lightning Returns, forcing you to constantly think about how much time you're taking and how you'll fail if you don't recover enough souls. But what really sets it apart from any other timed game is that sidequests don't detract from your time - they add to it. You're actually only given six days to work with when the game begins, and have to earn seven more by finishing various quests scattered throughout the world. It's a brilliant way to solve the 'speed versus completion' problem, making them inseparable without losing out on the tension that's meant to keep you on the move.

Pikmin may look like an adorable game about flower creatures helping a spaceman rebuild his rocket, but pull back that veneer and it's a cold, calculating resource management game. Each task takes a certain amount of time to complete, whether it's getting the tokens to grow new Pikmin, gathering materials, or taking down enemies. You could Pik the surrounding environment clean if you had the time, but you don't, because you only have 30 in-game days to repair the ship.

Pikmin's all about making the best choices about how to manage your time. Sending your Pikmin to harvest parts from a giant monster nets you a lot of materials at once, but you'll lose most of your workforce and halve your productivity in the process. Going after smaller prizes isn't as dangerous, but it also isn't as rewarding, and you simply don't have time to gather everything you need piecemeal. That 30-day timer keeps the pressure on, forcing you to think fast and change your strategy in an instant when the situation calls for it. Yet that demanding nature is what makes the Pikmin series worth playing: these games may be cute, but satisfying victory can only be earned through careful planning and preparation.

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