A short, sharply designed and immensely gratifying experience, Exo One is a trippy space ship journey worth taking. Sure, there’s a few rough edges but the deeply satisfying traversal combined with the chill vibe this game gives off make up for its shortcomings.

While it looks similar to many other 2D platformers, Feral Flowers leverages old school arcade mechanics to give its moment to moment game play a real thrill that’s quite rare for the genre. Its platforming is slickly designed, its roguelike elements aren’t overtly punishing and it’s constantly throwing something new at you so it stays fresh for 5 compacted hours of play.

Arcade Paradise is a cracking laundry / arcade simulator that rewards you for your patience and dedication to the cause. Once the arcade opens up you’ll have an absolute blast finding your new favourite game in a huge selection of unique takes on old school classics. There’s a road to get there, but this one is all about the destination. A hugely rewarding, feel-good experience you have to play.

Contra is back, all jazzed up and offering absolutely nothing new in what it pioneered almost forty years ago. But then, it doesn’t need to, as it’s still a blast for old and new fans alike. Adding four player couch co-op is a nice touch, all the while keeping its retro sensibilities.

A darkly funny, emotionally engaging and poignant interactive visual novel, Stilstand is a relatable story that’s worth experiencing. With the implementation of touch screen input, the Nintendo Switch version of the game is the definitive console version of a game which I feel most people will see at least a small part of themselves in.

An innovative, inventive and unique experience in gaming, One Hand Clapping is impressive in almost every way. Whether you are a trained singer or have never sung a note in your life, this game accommodates you to translate your voice into a part of the game play. It’s only 5 hours long which includes some repetition, but this visually pleasing and enjoyable game is an experience that will be difficult to forget.

With slick gun play, considered movement, an addictive risk vs reward game play loop and oodles of style, this is a high quality extraction shooter. It isn't perfect, but with a few patches and a heavily populated roadmap of future content, Arc Raiders has the potential to be the pinnacle of the genre.

Offering a modern roguelite spin on a retro-inspired concept, SYNTHETIK is a cracking title from a small team. A fiddly menu system can be a pain at times, but the core gameplay of this robot rampage is absolutely top notch. Either solo or with a friend, there’s hours of fun to be had in trying to overthrow the machine.

The Executive then is thankfully more MCU than DCU, with a breadth of mechanics and enough to unlock to ensure you have the best possible chance at Hollywood success. Whilst you can feel fairly hard done by throughout, it's regardless a solid simulation of what running a movie studio truly entails. The elation, and the heartbreak. See you at the Gaspars.

Vibrant, colourful, much deeper than it looks on the surface and doesn’t outstay its welcome, Say No! More is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. You’ll likely only play it once and it’s not a hugely interactive game, but if you like a game with a layered narrative, this will certainly deliver.

A visual novel adventure game emulating the style and serious constraints of a PC-98 title, Stories From Sol: The Gun Dog tells a compelling and suspenseful tale of ingenuity and resourcefulness in deep space. This is one for those who like their retro indies, but regardless of niche, it’s a brilliant game that deserves attention.

An accessible and innovative shoot-‘em-up, Habroxia 2 does more than enough to stand out in a crowded genre. While it hasn’t turned the genre on its head and lacks leader boards, the combination of auto scrolling shmup, twin-stick shooter controls and RPG-lite elements make for a refreshing and exciting game.

As much an educational piece of interactive fiction as it is a beautifully crafted visual world to explore, Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) fosters an introspective take on the 17th century colonial world. While playing this walking simulator can border on automatic, the setting, attention to detail and thought-provoking narrative make it an experience that's heartfelt and worthwhile.

Another remaster to Capcom's belt, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Remaster is what you'd come to expect from them. Spit and polish have given this twenty-plus year old classic a nice gleam, as well as some additions and quality of life improvements to make it accessible. It may not appeal to newcomers as much, but to the old school crowd, it's a welcome palate cleanser until Way of the Sword arrives next year.

>Observer_: System Redux represents a solid improvement over the 2017 original and, therefore, a worthwhile upgrade. It’s a little too long for my liking, but it looks gorgeous at points and tells a terrific story that’s worth experiencing. With a reasonably friendly price, it’s also a relatively cheap way to show off your new toy. Absolutely worth a look.

A lovely time capsule of a game, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is exactly the kind of nostalgia we need. A fresh lick of paint brings Mickey's adventure up to today's standard, with a simple approach to gameplay to draw in the young and old alike.

Whilst not perfectly optimised for console, Shadows of Doubt is one of the most interesting detective games I've played. The procedurally generated premise completely nails how authentic it might feel to crack a case, and the many avenues of investigating keeps you on your toes for hours on end.

By building the experience around its main protagonist, Scars Above creates impressive symmetry between its story, combat and systems. This results in a standout sci-fi soulslike that’ll accommodate genre aficionados and newcomers alike. It has a few blemishes but they do little to sour the experience.

Chock full of cuteness and charm, Tin Hearts also unravels into a well thought out and crafted puzzler experience. There are means to make it easier, should you wish, but also the option of playing it without aid to challenge those that seek it.

Secretly an open-world stealth game, Star Wars Outlaws nails the worlds, tone, look and feel of this wonderful galaxy, while delivering constantly satisfying gameplay loops. Playing off criminal syndicates against each other and reaping the rewards of a double cross never got old. Outlaws is closer to an RPG of some fifteen years ago, but from a certain point of view, that might be exactly what you want.

Launching with seven new missions costing a measly £2.49, Valley of the Wolf follows in the footsteps of Swine’s Bay brilliantly. With new tactical challenges for veterans to master and brutal scenarios for newcomers to cut their teeth with, Firefly Studios’ final chapter in the Jewel campaign is excellent. Stronghold: Definitive Edition continues to live up to its title.

Where The First Berserker: Khazan stumbles in its crashes, surface-level narrative and overabundance of loot management, it more than makes up for with sensationally satisfying combat, wonderfully moody atmosphere, exceptional dark fantasy visuals and a gauntlet of brutal yet empowering bosses to overcome. Khazan may not be the most powerful of all Souls-like protagonists, but through sheer perseverance and rage, he's not far off joining the highest echelons.

NBA 2K23 has something for everyone to get stuck into – whether you want to get engrossed in the Jordan era or have your own come up in MyCareer, all provide a lot to work with. With some of the best visuals to hit consoles and deep gameplay that plays so solidly, NBA 2K23 is a great iteration of the franchise.

Not content with the miserly atmosphere in the usual Soulslikes, The Last Hero of Nostalgaia shows that we can have challenging, entertaining combat and a witty, amusing and fun tale alongside the endless deaths. Minor issues with exploration and gameplay aside, this is a fantastic and whimsical take on a genre that had been crying out for some levity. You died, but you’ll laugh about it this time.

Whilst it may be pleasing to the visual and audio senses, Lone Ruin balances out that pleasant feeling with fair challenge. A roguelike in the traditional sense, it offers that “one more run” gameplay for anyone that feels like they can do it better next time.

Peril on Gorgon plays it very safe, which may frustrate players who were looking for it to mix up the formula. For people like me though, who just wanted a reason to take control of the Unreliable once again and tear it across Halcion, this is exactly what you’re after.

Legacy of The Forge lets players live out their blacksmithing reveries with a content-rich add-on. Coupled with a heartfelt if basic main quest and a slew of repeatable side activities with their own associated stories, it's a great addition to an already mammoth package. The fires burn hottest in its best moments, but do simmer down owing to the repetition and lack of further depth in customisation, but setting up Henry's very own forge is a welcome return to Bohemian life.

Time Flies may be on the short side, but it's quirky and funny list of things to do and surprising amount of attention to immersion transforms a quick jaunt into an impactful life lesson. Life's too short to worry about the small stuff, be a fly for a couple of hours.