Yuzo Koshiro released a game this year that you probably don’t own yet.

Yes it really does look like this. Glorious isn't it?

Yuzo Koshiro is the music composer behind a number of legendary Sega soundtracks including the sublime Streets of Rage 2, and his game company Ancient were also behind the less remembered but equally wonderful Beyond Oasis. They also released an Xbox Live Indie Game this year entitled Protect Me Knight, which is amazing.

I really mean it. It’s a four-player beat ’em up where you each take the role of either Amazon, Warrior, Mage or Ninja and protect a princess from hordes of incoming baddies. The fighting is incredibly smooth, and the animation is both gloriously retro while staying fast and fluid. Each character can be upgraded to become stronger, gain more attacks and build barricade and catapults to fight off the bigger baddies with. Sometimes it’s a dragon. Sometimes it’s a much bigger dragon.

It’s only 240MS points, which is roughly $3, and it’s easily worth that for no other reason than ‘IT WAS MADE BY YUZO KOSHIRO’S COMPANY AND IT HAS A SOUNDTRACK COMPOSED BY HIM’. In the year 2010 no less. It was released a couple of months ago back in May, but somehow I’d managed to miss any news of it being released. So apologies if it’s old to any of you, but if anyone else was in my position until now, consider yourselves informed. Damn though, that’s a pretty big thing for me to miss. Next I know it’ll turn out Shenmue III is coming to Wiiware.