Many of my fondest gaming memories stem from playing the wide range of 3D action platformers on PlayStation 2; an era where the genre reached new heights with releases such as Jak and Daxter, and Ratchet and Clank. These titles captured an uninhibited childlike wonder through tight combat and precision platforming in colourful, awe-inspiring worlds.

For decades people have revered Rare's N64 shooters, Goldeneye and Perfect Dark. If anyone played games during that era, there's a high chance you have memories of playing split-screen multiplayer on one of them.

In 2023, Lowbirth Games introduced the inquisitive hotel housekeeper Sophie Roy in This Bed We Made - a neo-noir third-person mystery game. It allowed players to inhabit the role of a nosey housekeeper who became entangled in a tale of love and murder. With a strong focus on era prejudices and choice and consequence, it is one of the more memorable narrative experiences in recent years.

Nearly 7 years ago, the developer House House's mischievous goose first honked into our lives and delivered a humorous indie gem, Untitled Goose Game. Now, House House are back with a drastically different title, Big Walk, a cooperative puzzle game that the developers describe as an online walker-talker with close friends. And after playing Big Walk it's hard to argue with that description.

In a year of cinematic 2.5D platformers, Lifted separates itself from the rest by having a strong focus on trying to replicate the family friendly tone of an 80s adventure movie. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lifted is the creation of ex-Disney imagineer Jeff Ashbrook and his studio Adventure Works.