Futuridium EP Deluxe

Futuridium EP Deluxe builds on the mobile version in a number of different ways. It's a grander beast, with loftier ambitions and larger levels than its predecessor.

That expansion is both a blessing and a curse though. While there's a lot more to see and do here, the greater size makes things a little more frustrating.

That's a fact compounded by the difficulty of the game. Even with physical controls, which allow much more freedom of movement than in the original game, you're still going to die. A lot.

Add a slightly stingy system for unlocking new content, and you're left with a game that's fun, but that you'll occasionally go away in a grump.

Futuridium is all about collecting orbs. You're piloting a ship through angular, retro 3D levels, swooping through architecture to nab glowing blue balls.

You need to shoot the orbs to collect them, and once you've blown up all of them a portal opens somewhere on the level. Shoot that and you'll move on to the next challenge.

The twist is you're constantly running out of energy. Shooting the orbs tops up your energy bar, but it only takes a couple of crashes to make it pretty clear that you're not going to have enough juice to finish things off.

The larger scope of the levels can mean you can spend 20 seconds floating hopelessly back towards the remaining orbs, fully aware that you're never going to get there.

The game looks lovely, all swooshing lines and sharp edged geometry. The controls are smooth, but they take a little getting used to. The main thing to concentrate on is getting your turns right.

Pressing Square pulls off a 180 flip, sending you careening back the way you came. Mastering this move is key to speeding through the levels. There's a meta game beyond just finishing each challenges that focuses on collecting medals and perfecting your runs.

But there's a chance you'll never get that far into the game. There's a high barrier for entry, and some will be put off by the cruelty of the first couple of levels. You don't really have much to do to start with either, with orbs used as a sort of currency to unlock new game modes.

If you're looking for a super-sharp challenge then Futuridium EP Deluxe certainly offers that. It's a hard game, and it's not afraid to bark at you from the get-go. This isn't your average space shooter by any means.

But that toughness is likely to put off more casual players, and it creates some frustrations that are likely to annoy more seasoned players as well.

That's not to say that there's not a good game here. When you're flashing through the square-edged spires, weaving through turret fire to destroy that last orb, your pulse is going to be racing.

You'll need to get past a fair few niggles to make it that far though, and unless you're willing to put the work in, that's going it be a tough ask.