WHAT’S NEW PLUS-SY CAT?

Digging into the random acts of gaming a lengthy PS Plus subscription offers

Get a load of this absolute banger! Sound Shapes is a musically focussed platformer that took PlayStation Vita by storm when it debuted on the handheld way back in 2012. Up for grabs on PS4 through Plus in August 2015, it remains a fondly remembered favourite.

The title’s co-creator, Jessica Mak, has announced she’s working on another musical project, making now a good time to revisit her earlier work.

Sound Shapes features music from co-creator Shaw-Han Liem (better known by the alias I Am Robot And Proud) plus artists including Beck, Jim Guthrie, and Deadmau5. Notes are strewn throughout levels and as you roll through, sticking to walls and leaping between platforms, each one you collect introduces extra instrumentation, creating a playful relationship between the soundtrack and the on-screen action. The gradual building up of each stage remains compelling even now.

The beat of tracks informs how obstacles in the level might move or otherwise interact with your circular avatar too,

resulting in an experience that never fails to feel playful. But while Sound Shapes was ported to PS3 and PS4, it’s an inventive title that leaves us longing for the days of handheld PlayStation gaming.

Going from sick beats to beatdowns, let’s take a look at last month on Plus. Leading the charge on PS4 and PS5 was Hunter’s Arena: Legends with its 30-player PvP and PvE battle royale matches. Hunt demons and other players for a shot at the top spot. Then only on PS4 was quirky team-shooter Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville. Watch these green fingers do some serious damage. Lastly on PS4 was Tennis

World Tour 2. Featuring real-world top players as well as a suite of character creation options, you could make a racket online. Talk about percussive action!