An arcade racer revival is upon us. This week sees the release of Gravel, which is soon to be followed by Burnout Paradise Remastered and Codemasters’ Onrush. The Crew 2 is still waiting in the wings, too.

As the first out the door, how does Milestone’s Gravel fare? The majority of reviews clock in at 7/10, with a slight lack of content being the major downfall. A few critics also claim that it suffers from never deciding whether it wants to be a simulation game or and off-road arcade racer. PlayStation Lifestyle, on the other hand, said that “it’s a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry.” Either way, you’re in for a moderately good time here.

Tounge-in-cheek shooter Immortal Redneck has taken a few critics by surprise, meanwhile, gaining some impressively high review scores. It gained comparison to the underrated Ziggurat, due to featuring both shooting and Rogue-like elements. We’re rather fond of Ziggurat.

PSVR showcase Moss is another arriving to a positive reception, with some calling it the best VR title to date. Many hope that it’ll receive a sequel, due to it being a little on the short side.

Mulaka – based on the culture of the Tarahumara people who hail from Northern Mexico – hasn’t been quite as lucky, with scores all over the place. Curiously, it gained a few comparisons to Capcom’s Okami. That alone may be enough to arouse some interest.

N64 classics Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil make a surprise Xbox One appearance this week too, as ‘console launch’ exclusives. The PS4 versions are apparently still up in the air. While the visuals are notably sharper, don’t go expecting fully remastered modern-day visuals – these re-releases are still trapped in 1997.

We imagine the original still holds up well, but the sequel may feel scrappy – we always found it a little bloated when compared to its predecessor.

New release showcase:

Gravel – PS4/XO/PC

Reviews:
7/10 – Push Square: “It’s not the most ambitious racer ever, but the non-serious style of the flagship Off-Road Masters mode will be very appealing to those wanting an enjoyable arcade experience”

7.0 – PlayStation Lifestyle: “While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun”

6.0 – TheSixthAxis: “Gravel might be a fairly decent racer, but its biggest sin is that, despite the fireworks and exotic locations, it’s just a bit boring”

Moss VR – PSVR

Reviews:
9/10 – Destructoid: “Aside from maybe two or three instances where the platforming felt finicky or unfair, I had a wonderful time all around. I didn’t want the game to end”

8/10 – The Metro: “If you own a PlayStation VR then there is no question: you must play Moss. Given the length we wouldn’t go so far as to say this is a game worth buying the hardware for, but it is the most compelling post-launch title so far and a hugely encouraging sign of things to come”

8.0 – EGM: “Although the adventure is short-lived, and those looking for a challenge will be left wanting, Moss still serves as a great excuse to dust off your PS VR headsets if you haven’t done so in a while”

Immortal Redneck – PS4/XO/Switch

Reviews:
4.5/5 – TheXboxHub: “It may not immediately strike as a must-play title, but Immortal Redneck shouldn’t be overlooked. With tons of replayability, tense fast-paced gameplay, fluid controls and enjoyable combat, this is a game that will offer great gameplay for hours on end”

4/5 – TrueAchievements: “Immortal Redneck’s melting pot of genres is a success. Regardless of whether you came for the shooting or the roguelite aspects, you’ll be pleased with the handling of the two genres”

6/10 – Cubed3: “Immortal Redneck is an FPS rogue-like that has some interesting ideas, but by the time all is said and done, it gets drier than a piece of jerky in a bug zapper”

Mulaka – PS4/XO/Switch

Reviews:
7.5 – Dual Shockers: “If you can get past the somewhat janky visuals and combat, you will find a decent action-adventure game that does an excellent job exposing new people to an intriguing culture and mythology”

7.0 – EGM: “Lienzo’s Mulaka is an equally engaging and frustrating experience. The action-adventure game excels in its efforts to teach players unfamiliar with the Tarahumara people about the community’s culture through a beautiful narrative and exploration mechanics. However, the action aspect needs to be completely overhauled, as it offers enough issues to turn off prospective players”

4.5/10 – PlayStation Lifestyle: “The combat is too sloppy to impress, the platforming is plagued by a stiff moving character, and the puzzles are never captivating. It’s a completely forgettable experience with a few really nice sights that are better experienced as screenshots”

New digital multi-format releases:

RiftStar Raiders
de Blob 2

New on PSN:

SHINY – A Robotic Adventure
Jettomero Deluxe Bundle
Deiland
Gnomes Garden 3: The Thief of Castles
Heroine Anthem Zero Episode 1
Detention
Bulb Boy
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – Prologue Demo
Blasters of the Universe (PSVR)
Happy Drummer VR

New on Xbox One Store:

Deep Rock Galactic
Darkest Dungeon
Bridge Constructor Portal
Switch or Die Trying
The Story Goes On
Shoppe Keep
Pit People
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil

Next week: Scribblenauts Showdown, Bravo Team, Frantics, TT Isle of Man, Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, NORTH, One Eyed Kutkh, and VRFC Virtual Reality Football Club.