12 Fantastic Video Games You Must Play Over Summer 2015

9. Shovel Knight

Back to another indie gem flying the flag for smaller teams and focussed artistic direction, Shovel Knight is quite simply the most charming and easily loveable 2D platformer there's been in years. From the second you boot it up and hear the old school 80's-style chiptune soundtrack, to the part you control the Knight himself and he gallantly charges ahead into whatever horrors await, developer Yacht Club used Kickstarter to bring this to life, and that level of passionate devotion carries forward in every sense of the word. The likes of Metroid or Castlevania just aren't that approachable by today's standards (depending on how much you want to put up with brutal checkpointing anyway), and it's so refreshing to see a modern developer take all the sensibilities from what made that era so influential. Endearing and loveable, Shovel Knight brings an old school aesthetic up to speed with some hilarious writing, a cast of instantly-memorable characters and a difficulty curve that matches your progression across every level. Shovel Knight is platforming perfected, and if you were looking for something to give your inner child a reason to bounce off the walls, it's right here.