Download Games Roundup

Capsized

• PC - Steam (£5.39)

Remember Charlemagne "Charlie" Fotheringham-Grunes, the apprentice saviour of the universe? What do you mean, that was a million years ago? Show some respect.

Those hurtling toward mid-life crises will know that I am, of course, babbling about the spacesuit-clad star of Nodes Of Yesod, one of the finest games ever to grace the 8-bit scene, and seemingly the core inspiration for Alientrap's exploratory platformer.

Like Odin's classy adventure, Capsized has more than a whiff of Ultimate Play The Game in its pre-Rare pomp, with elements of JetPac and Underwurlde sneaking their way into this deftly illustrated effort.

As you might expect, bloodthirsty creatures lie in wait as you explore the mysterious alien environment, but, for once, you've come prepared. With a Gravity Hook in one hand, and various projectile-spewing weapons in the other, you can swing and blast your way around like Bionic Commando only wishes he could.

A mere 12-level campaign rather curtails your wistful pleasure, but the presence of four 'Arcade' modes doesn't hurt, especially co-op. The other modes, including local deathmatch, survival, time trials and armless fighting feel inessential by comparison. But, honestly, what else were you going to with that fiver?

8/10

Your Doodles Are Bugged!

• PC - Steam (£6.99)

Nice, trusting, well-balanced individuals will no doubt firmly believe that they're on a worthy mission to save innocent bugs from a dreadful curse. Well more fool you.

We all know, deep down, that if these cute little insects were big enough, they would have no problem whatsoever engaging in the blood-sucking extinction of humankind. Death to them and their chitinous exoskeletons! With that in mind, you might want to put an altogether more vengeful slant on Spyn Doctor's seemingly benign ramp-drawing exercise.

Rather than sketch little ramps for these bugs to reach their magic honey, it might be better to imagine that you're leading them to a resting place of amber.

Either way, you're essentially spending your free time drawing little blue lines so that these dim-witted lemmings can clamber to a goal. Is that fun? Initially, yes, in a moderately satisfying sense, but the further you progress, the more it feels like you're shepherding Daleks through the London Underground.

The problem is, see, that these idiot bugheads only really understand smooth ramps, and seem to get terribly confused at the prospect of anything even vaguely resembling a step. Rather than bound purposefully forward, they turn tail and stride off in the opposite direction. As you might imagine, this necessitates an increasing amount of patient trial-and-error as you figure out the precise angle that will please their scuttling insect legs.

Supernaturally persistent types who enjoy working around the limitations will no doubt find Spyn Doctor's efforts entirely charming. For me, though, Your Doodles Are Bugged strayed perilously close to feeling like work.

6/10