Stronghold: Warlords’ innovative potential in its fun gameplay loop and interesting concepts is stifled by an archaic engine and design philosophy.

Though innovative in concept and boasting a great setting and aesthetic, a lack of content and glaring balance issues keep Hero Among Us from taking to the sky.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is an updated take that keeps the good and the bad without losing its identity.

A crystalized version of everything good about its genre, Littlewood succeeds by giving the player all the tools they need early and still finds ways to surprise and delight over years of play, both in-game, and likely in real life too.

While not perfect, Breathedge is a fun spin on the survival formula that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Taxi Chaos is a pretty faithful and enjoyable recreation of a fondly remembered gaming franchise, but its new ideas introduce lots of new problems.

Persona 5 Strikers will catch you off guard in the best way. You’ll never see it coming.

Little Nightmares 2 is a stellar game in its own right and a testament to the power of horror storytelling that lets you find the fear for yourself.

Nuts had the potential to be something really special, but can’t quite see the forest for the trees.

Field of Glory 2: Medieval is a solid new entry for the series, taking combat from antiquity and into the age of chivalry. The gameplay remains strong and complex with meaningful minor changes to authentically reflect the Medieval period. Though there are some modes of the game that could do with a significant rework, the game still offers plenty of strategic and tactical decision-making opportunities for budding commanders.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood has a lot of interesting ideas, but the boring and repetitive gameplay and lack of compelling story mean it fails to make a lasting impression.

Blue Fire is a fantastic mix of 3D platforming, intense combat, and addictive free-form exploration. A somber story perked up by colorful characters makes this an experience you can’t miss.

The Medium is Bloober Team’s most ambitious game to date, and while certain aspects work better than others, the result is a decent horror romp that even the most horror-averse can enjoy.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy has a personality all its own with fun crafting and flashy combat, but falls into common RPG pitfalls such as constant backtracking and tedious questing.

Hitman 3 takes everything good about the rebooted series and combines it with worthwhile features and levels that are more interactive than ever before to create one of the best stealth games of the last decade.

A truly fantastic beat ‘em up that’s been brought back from the dead, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition is utterly sublime.

A lack of focus, vague combat, and some truly befuddling performance issues hamper the still competent, and often enjoyable, detective sim that the best parts of Cyberpunk 2077 want to be.

Although Football Manager 21 isn’t as in-depth on Xbox Series X as it is on PC, it manages to provide a fun and engaging management simulator that has been sorely missing from consoles for some time.

While the sound design is gripping, the platforming is solid, and the puzzle solving is unique, Unto The End unfortunately suffers from a bloated combat system and harsh checkpoints.

After three years of development, Hiveswap: Act 2 is just fine. Hopefully the next instalment is stronger and will come earlier than 2023, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Godfall only succeeds in creating interesting combat systems without giving any thought to the world and story around it.

PHOGS! is possibly one of the best co-op games ever made and the perfect remedy for a hellish 12 months.

Dragon Quest XI S is an excellent version of an excellent game and, if you have the time to spare, an enjoyable JRPG for the whole family.

Though the foundation is laid for a great game with excellent presentation, style, and robust gameplay systems, the horrid user interface and vast number of bugs and glitches keep Empire of Sin from being a great game.

It isn’t the best game in the rhythm genre (that’s Gitaroo Man), but Melody of Memories is going to entertain a lot of people, make a ton of money, and get fans playing through the whole series again.

Do not miss out on Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio’s best adventure to date.

Ultimately, ICBM is a tight and compact little game illustrating global nuclear war in a digestible manner.

Don’t confuse Miles Morales for a sidekick or kid, and don’t pass up on another great adventure.