In mid-September's Games with Gold, you're treated to two new games. Livelock is an excellent example of a good twin-stick shooter, and you'll be controlling a robotic warrior in an effort to create a new Eden on earth. It's available to download from September 16th to October 15th.

Sega's Vintage Collection: Monster World contains three retro games to play. They're all action platformers where you'll collect coins, upgrade equipment and defeat many 2D enemies. If you have any love for retro platformers, then you should check it out. The collection is free to download until September 30th.

If you missed the first half of this month's Games with Gold, Prison Architect is a game you should not miss out on if you like city building management simulation games. It's free to download until September 30th, and you can read the review for it here.

Livelock

Available September 16th – October 15th

Livelock is a multiplayer twin-stick shooter set after the events of a fictional cataclysm. All biological life was wiped out, and humanity only managed to survive by transferring their conscience into machines. Big stompy machines.

A new Eden was supposed to be created where biological life could thrive again, and a new beginning for humanity would emerge. Unfortunately, the three clusters that held the millions of Intellects were corrupted, and an endless war has existed for centuries.

As a newly awakened “Intellect” you'll be tasked with bringing order to the three clusters by shooting and destroying as much as you possibly can!

Livelock has a nice feel to it. You “feel” the weight of your robotic body immediately and once you start wading through the remnants of humanity's past, you'll feel even more like a machine.

This is an excellent entry in the twin-stick-shooter genre, and there's a fantastic use of shadows in the game which creates a visual feast for your eyes.

You'll blast your way across varied landscapes, with the old world buildings and bridges crumbling around you and even being completely destroyed by your efforts.

There're many enemies to fight including bosses and mini-bosses that you're introduced to early on to spice things up. They'll have different abilities that you'll need to watch out for, and anyone who loves robot vs. robot action will love these parts of the game.

Co-op is even more fun than single player, and each player will have their own gear colored slightly differently to distinguish themselves apart. You don't even need any real-life friends to play, just go online and group with other gamers from around the world.

Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World

Available September 16th – 30th

Before we start, the Monster World series is nothing to do with the Monster Hunter: World series that's currently making waves. The Monster World series are action-adventure platform games with some RPG elements.

What's included in this package is Monster World 4 (first western release), Wonder Boy in Monster World, and Wonder Boy in Monster Land (an arcade version of the game).

All three games have similar elements, and you'll enjoy yourself if you're a fan of this kind of play. If you played any of the Monster World games when you were younger, then definitely pick this collection up, if for no other reason than the chance to play Monster World 4, the most graphically pleasing and responsive out of all of the three games.

You'll defeat monsters, collect gold coins, equipment and progress through the stories. Bosses come thick and fast, with some being very punishing.

If you consider yourself a hardcore retro nerd, you'll appreciate the extra items that this Vintage Collection gives you. Firstly is the menu screen. There are some beautiful 3D representations of old-school systems, like the arcade machine and Sega Genesis, and there's also the option to listen to every track from all three games while showing how these tracks are created in the different channels.

It's just a couple of extra unnecessary features that add much value in my opinion.

If you have a hankering for a blast from the past, then I'd highly recommend downloading this collection, and if you have kids maybe you can introduce them to the series too!