Cover up, mate

You are a warrior that has beef with the Gods, and must scale Mount Olympus in order to dish out some rough justice of your own. Stop us if you've heard this one before. Apotheon, the PlayStation 4's headline PlayStation Plus freebie in February, may sound a lot like a certain other Sony developed series, but the side scroller's got a style all of its own.

Inspired by ancient Greek pottery, the title looks unlike anything else – but it's more than just a pretty face. The combat's based upon a simple set of moves, which developer Alien Trap Games hopes will emphasise the deeper systems at play. "Skills like timing, positioning, and reading your opponent's movements are at the core here," designer Jesse McGibney wrote on the PlayStation Blog last year.

You'll need to do more than master your skills, though, as there will be some light role-playing elements at play. For starters, your weapons will perish if you overexert them, so you'll need to scavenge for new ones, and even engage in a spot of crafting to ensure that your gear's in tip-top condition. Of course, there'll be shops for you to spend your looted coins in, too.

The really cool thing, however, is that you're free to approach the release whichever way you like. "Crash Apollo's extravagant party," McGibney explained, "test your wits against the dangerous forests of Artemis, or maybe just break into some Agora houses to plunder some shiny Olympian treasure." All sounds a bit Mega Man, doesn't it?

While we suspect that this isn't going to be everyone's goblet of fine Mediterranean wine, it's nice to see something so wildly different included in the Instant Game Collection lineup. Will you be giving this a try, or casting it to the pits of Hades? Show us your sword and shield in the comments section below.

[source blog.us.playstation.com, via blog.us.playstation.com, blog.us.playstation.com]