The Escapists 2 is a game that largely expands on the original, offering new modes and bright humour along with exceptionally well-designed labyrinth-like prisons. But it is by no means a perfect sequel. There are repetition issues, as well as some poor design choices. The game is a frustrating but largely rewarding management sim which is worth a look for sure.

Giant Consequences delivers an unexpected plot twist, but overall it falters where it should shine. The combat, while an admirable attempt to make it more interactive, makes for slow action sequences and clunky gameplay. The mystery behind the gauntlet and Admin is interesting enough to keep my attention, but I’d honestly like to see more conflict between the characters like what Jesse and Petra are going through. It's still early in the season, so there's time for Telltale to correct course by the next episode.

A barebones and lifeless open world experience that suffers from a lack of innovation, repetitive gameplay, and poor mission design. Its characters are interesting on their surface level and its laughs are cheap, if they make you laugh at all, but Agents of Mayhem is certainly Volition’s most disappointing entry in the Saint’s Row-Red Faction universe.

For such a cheap price, there’s no real reason to not recommend at least trying Oh, Sir. It’s simple, it’s underwhelming but it does have short bursts of fun. Alright on your lonesome, fun with friends, incredibly amusing with a couch full of drunk mates; Oh, Sir is an amusing and eccentric party game that is definitely on that list of games to boot up when you’re boozed.

I do acknowledge the complaints from critics about the killer being overpowered compared to the survivors, but personally, I found it made the game more true to the horror genre. As a survivor, winning should feel next to impossible, and the challenge makes escaping all the more satisfying. Overall, this is a solid horror-themed survival game with the promise of good fun. Should they fix the servers and tweak some of the less successful elements, it could even be great!

Serial Cleaner is a neat idea that isn’t as fleshed out as it could be. A killer art style and soundtrack help the game leap just a step above what would be an otherwise dull, albeit unique game of hide-and-seek. Outside of a few bonus missions, Serial Cleaner lacks replayability and a deep hook to keep you playing.

This puts me in a difficult position because I’m currently stuck with two viewpoints on this game. On one hand, this isn’t what I wanted. As a fan I am pretty disappointed with the direction they’ve taken and I’m certain this is going to drastically lower my play time. On the other hand, it’s still not a bad game. Racing is fun and mechanically speaking I don’t see all that much wrong with World Series at all. There’s enough game modes to get by and customisation options are plentiful for now considering more will probably come later. There’s just that 6-year-old inside me who is crying right now because the game he’s waited 11 years for is just alright. A truly underwhelming experience from start to end.

Perception is a short experience but a bit of a dull one for those looking for a good story. It can be really frightening, especially if it manages to play into your own personal fears and crawl under your skin, but the story is nothing super fresh or remotely interesting. The game’s mechanics can be too frustrating and unpredictable which is a shame because there’s a lot of potential at the game’s core. If it weren’t for the game’s fantastic sound design, it may be a complete swing and a miss but it’s more of a foul ball in this case. If you’re looking for a really juicy new horror game, you may have to wait for something like The Evil Within 2 later this year.

Newcomers and experienced players alike can find value in Chess Ultra’s variety of challenges, but it doesn’t exactly break the mold in terms of innovation. Playing against the computer can feel impersonal, though you’ll encounter difficulties otherwise inaccessible to some, and the online multiplayer is a barren wasteland. It is competent at both teaching the game and providing an outlet for players to experiment and learn themselves. If you don’t have anyone to play with, Chess Ultra is great for its convenience, but I recommend playing it in real life if possible. You can easily go out and pick up a cheap chess set for the price of this game.

Get Even is the very definition of a mixed bag. While its gameplay might be varied and thoughtful, its narrative sees a staggeringly sharp decline as you enter the final third. The sound design might be truly phenomenal, but the level design loses its stride about halfway through. If you’re a fan of the walking sim genre but you crave something more interactive, Get Even is certainly a game to consider, but not one that is in any way essential.

Overall, this game should absolutely be your introduction to the genre or a new addition to your cycling game collection; just wait until it’s a wee bit cheaper or until it’s on sale.

Without rather some serious improvements or a sale that brings it down to a more reasonable price, Lock’s Quest is probably not worth your time or money. The developers needed to do more when bringing it over to Xbox One.

Narcosis could easily be one of the best survival horror games on Xbox One if the Xbox One had VR. But without VR, Narcosis becomes clunky and nauseating after long periods of play. The game comes in at just under 5 hours, which I had to break into multiple sittings in order to avoid throwing up. The story, environment, and level design make the game worth it if you can get past the shadow that VR has left on the game.

The Town of Light is a fantastic story trapped inside a bad game. Tedium, repetitiveness and extremely slow movement combined with a purposefully dreary locale halt what could’ve been a great package. If you’re looking for a deep, emotional story that explores the abuse of mental patients in the 20th century, The Town of Light is well-written and features an ending that will definitely stick with you.

While I enjoy the Power Rangers inspiration and numerous pop culture nods, Chroma Squad never provides enough incentive for me to continue playing after a while. You’ll end up finishing seasons and upgrading your studio more out of the knowledge that you should than because you want to. The combat which starts off strong wears thin, and I lost motivation to oversee my studio around the middle of season two. For all of its faults, Chroma Squad still manages to capture the charm of the television it emulates. In that regard, the game succeeds at being both a cheesy form of entertainment and a delightful tribute.

Although I do understand it isn’t the place for this game to depict reality because of the main purpose of the genre and series, this just saddened me that the Japanese developers don’t really want to share their stories outside of the usual pop culture aesthetic. I truly hope that we will one day receive a historically-accurate game based on Japanese history, instead of another mindless rendition of what they’ve done for the last ten years.

Black and White Bushido is simple. Without much complexity to itself mechanically, and a tiny amount of content available for the price, this isn’t a game that you need to jump out and buy straight away. Outside of the draw of its unique color-based mechanic, Black and White Bushido is an extremely average indie title that would be tempting to pick up during a sale but undeniably forgettable outside of one.

Overall, if you’ve got a thirst for some puzzle platformer fun, Embers of Mirrim is a well-made title which may lose you when it comes down to its story and visual appeal. It’s certainly worth your time and money.

Overall, Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is a good game which is let down by its short duration and technical problems on Xbox One. However, one element that stands out the most is the phenomenal and hilarious voice acting. If you’re looking for a casual platformer which can be completed in a few hours without the need for an extraordinary amount of skill, then this is the game for you. However, in its current form—especially with the frame rate issues—it’s not a title we can recommend. The developers need to patch this game as soon as possible.

Endless Space 2 really pushed the boat out with great animations and pretty decent graphical elements, but the constant performance issues do detract from the overall experience. I would recommend you check out a few gameplay videos before jumping in unless you’re a 4X fan. The game takes a lot from titles like Stellaris when it comes to politics, but stops short of being a great overall strategy game. If Amplitude pushed the envelope a bit further with a more nuanced political spectrum and ditched the turn-based aspect, I could have seen myself loving this game. But at the moment, it's just adequate.

The Surge is a fantastic starting point for those who may be intimidated by the likes of Dark Souls or Nioh. It may not be as polished or well designed as the games it’s trying to emulate, but it is more accessible for the mainstream audience. With satisfying combat and a unique dystopian setting for this genre, The Surge is still a good game regardless of its shortcomings.

NBA Playgrounds doesn’t look impressive, it’s quite repetitive, and there isn’t much content on offer. With the right setup and good enough reflexes, Playgrounds is a cheap and effective substitute for the still-missing NBA Jam series.

Dreamfall Chapters for me was a wake-up call to a series I had previously missed. As an introduction to the series, it’s exciting as a standalone title, while long-time fans are sure to find a satisfying conclusion to this twenty-year saga within a package of interesting story and competent gameplay.

If you’re looking for a simple, affordable game to remind you of the days of '90s hyper-violence, Butcher has you covered. Offering you hardcore, gut-blasting fun throughout over twenty levels is a good deal for its price tag. While it doesn’t get old, it does distract from the feeling of variety that the games it takes inspiration from had in excess.

Overall, Death Squared is a successful, fun puzzle game for all ages. Entice your non-gaming friends with it before throwing them to the wolves of competitive first-person shooters. Just be sure to play it with someone.

I really am not sure what Valhalla Hills was trying to accomplish. It is a bit god simulator without the fun of being able to terrorize your humans. It is like a city simulator, but the city gets destroyed every few minutes as a new map is generated. It is like a puzzle game where every puzzle is solved the exact same way. I really liked the first few levels of this game while it was new and fresh, but it just doesn’t have the staying power I was hoping it would have.

There’s clearly a great game here, but I’ll be playing it on PC instead.

We’ve seen a lot of horrendous Kickstarters recently which I’m sure has put people off the idea of funding games this way. I assure you though, games like Shiness should give us all hope that it’s worth it still. It might not at all be perfect but with a fantastic world and unique combat system, Shiness at least offers a well-built and brand new experience to enjoy. At $30 (£25) or your regional equivalent, Shiness is worth considering picking up even if it does lack in some areas.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is a broken experience on Xbox One. If the multitude of bugs and horrendous frame rate were fixed, the game would be quite enjoyable as a lower-budget Far Cry 4. As it stands, however, the games needs excessive patching before it becomes a viable experience to charge $60 for. CI Games need to release a patch as soon as possible on Xbox One.

Ready at Dawn took a fun concept and churned out a rather average game. The gameplay itself is good, but little content and meaningless progression make it unappealing. New multiplayer modes and additional features in the future could improve it with the proper support, but Deformers lacks any real hook in its current form. It’s hard to recommend Deformers to anyone when it costs $30 and is packed with insufficient value to warrant that price.

Like so many before it, Pix the Cat has tried to tap into the nostalgia of old arcade games at the expense of innovation. Those old games had solid gameplay and the replayability that defined the genre. Pix the Cat is a competent arcade game, but overall it lacks anything to make it special or memorable. I really was hoping for a bit more out of this title, but I was left out in the cold.

Overall, This Is the Police has some nice aesthetics and good voice acting along with a few good ideas in terms of a strategy simulator, but not much else worthwhile. The writing could use more polish and so could the storyline. Had the developers focused on meaningful missions, it would’ve elevated the game considerably. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with a reminder of what could’ve been.

In order to improve the experience, 2Dark needs a complete rewrite and significant work on its mechanics. There are way too many distractions in the game for it to stand out. Currently it’s poorly designed, narratively shallow, and relies upon cheap shocks instead of crafting a truly compelling game. It’s a shame that a game with so much potential is let down by gimmicks.

As a huge fan of the genre, even I would say Subject 13 is a pass. The puzzles eventually left me feeling incomplete as the difficulty spike was unwarranted and unwanted. The final puzzle is also one of the biggest letdowns I have had in a while. I really hope the developers keep trying as I believe they have something here, but I would wait for Subject 14 or Subject 15 first.

If you love 2D platformers that offer challenging gameplay, then SkyKeepers is perfect for you. Priced at $15, it offers great value and an enjoyable experience. With colorful environments, a good soundtrack, and an interesting story, SkyKeepers is a great addition to any gamer’s library. I just wish it stood out more by offering us gameplay elements we haven't experienced before.

Guardians of the Galaxy is another Telltale game. The wit and style of the series’ characters are definitely a highlight of this installment in Telltale’s formula but it’s still a very by-the-numbers title. While the plot is intriguing enough for fans of the films, those who don’t enjoy other games by the company won’t find much to love here. Here's hoping it gets better as the series goes on.

While I was a big fan of the free version of Doodle God, I cannot recommend Doodle God: Ultimate Edition. The main reason is that there is not enough of a difference to consider this game “Ultimate.” The lack of some ads and the ability to complete the game without waiting for my “energy” to recharge is not enough to warrant a premium version of the free game. This is only amplified by the awkward controller inputs. I really hope the next Doodle God puts Xbox players first if they want to be taken seriously on our platform of choice.

Blackwood Crossing is a great game and if you can look past the clunky controls and odd frame pacing issues, it’s a blast to play. However, the majority of gamers will be aggravated by the problems with the controls. The developers need to address these issues soon because it’s a treat to play on PC but not on Xbox One.

Even with all the problems of this episode, I think the series is excellent and has a chance to be on par with Season 1. I really hope the writers have a big payoff in the works, because a second drab episode in a row will sour this series beyond repair. I have full faith in Telltale to turn this story around, but we may have seen our first real misstep for the team at Telltale Games. Hopefully my next review will be a positive one.

Flatout 4 isn’t a bad game, it’s just a massive disappointment for what could’ve been a fantastic return to the series. With some of its physics problems removed and more track content, Flatout 4 has the potential to be a good arcade racer with a lot of charm. For now, however, Flatout 4: Total Insanity will be laid back to rest.

For what it is, Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic succeeds in accomplishing what it sets out to do. It’s an unapologetic retro game that looks to capture the nostalgia of an era in gaming long gone. But while it does succeed in doing that, it remains to be seen if many gamers will actually find that enjoyable.

WRC 6 is a subpar rally simulator with an identity crisis, lack of content and borderline stressful gameplay.

Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a fun little mobile game centered around finding love for desperate hipsters that has managed to find itself on consoles. Like a child in an adult conversation, it feels out of place. The game is well designed and colorful, but it can't be given to kids due to the overarching innuendos splashed across the world. With that in mind, the game seems to be a strange entry on Xbox One, with this reviewer finding it hard to place and to justify it being on the console in the first place. As a mobile game I would recommend it instantly because playing it in small doses on the go is fun, but I think console gamers demand deeper experiences.

Shift Happens is a fun, easygoing puzzle game and feature great visuals even though the premise isn’t that original. The game is slightly derivative at times but offers tremendous co-op appeal.

8DAYS isn’t accessible and that might be its biggest problem.

Obviously a significant problem from the start is improving the controls. The constantly-changing camera angle and sluggish movement would make it difficult for many gamers, regardless of disability. It’d be great to have more auditory cues in the soundtrack as well, to improve accessibility for gamers with vision loss. Although it might detract from the aim of creating a tense environment—which I’d argue isn’t present anyway—a map of the house that fills in as you explore would make the game instantly much more accessible.

Renegade isn’t an innovative title. Not only does it keep itself very traditional to the past works of Vector Unit, but it also remains very traditional to the conventions of arcade racers. If you’re looking for a fun, solid racer for a couple of hours then Renegade is a decent choice. If you want something more then you’re out of luck.

How to Survive 2 isn’t a bad game but it does feel uninspired. Following the same basic principles of the original as well as the majority of its gameplay structure, How to Survive 2 feels more like an expansion—or a large patch—than a new game.

Ride 2 is a huge improvement over the original and is now comparable even to the genre’s titans. It excels in feeling great to drive on and offers enough variety to keep you entertained for hours on end. Sadly slow loading times, outdated graphics and overly simplistic AI really make this game feel archaic by the standard’s we’ve come to expect.

While I would’ve liked to see a more meaningful narrative as well as more variety in the shooting mechanics, I still think Spheroids is a game I can recommend for someone looking for an intense yet casual adventure.

Overall, I am Bread is a hilarious adventure that might not appeal to everyone, but it is still fun anyways. I had a blast with it and for $13, it offers plenty of bizarre scenarios to warrant a purchase. Just remember I am Bread is the equivalent of a gag gift than a meaningful purchase on Xbox One.

I just wish I could’ve played the game in co-op properly by overcoming the limitations of the hardware.

It’s fun and pushes you to think in creative ways.

A very solid game mechanically, visually and technically. I love that the developers took a very different approach to the tower defense genre and I think it paid off. I hope in the next iteration there can be a little more balancing to how the pace of a match works. Overall, it is definitely a good choice for players who like the action-oriented tower defense variant like Dungeon Defenders and Deathtrap.

The game offers branching paths much like Quantum Break, but the ending doesn’t change much. It’s quite disappointing given what I would say is an overall great story.

I really liked Industry Giant 2, I just think it is lacking in replayability.

Anyone that finished Bridge Constructor and thought they wanted more to do should pick up this game. If you are new to the series, the question becomes if you want a puzzle game, or a physics-based car jumping game. I really like both entries in the series, but it really comes down to what the gamer is looking for.

While the combat is simplistic, overall the gameplay is solid with responsive, smooth controls. You can find its story almost anywhere in any form of media, but it’s also the type of story that never gets old.

The combat isn’t stellar, the levels themselves leave a lot to be desired, and the story is honestly forgettable. It’s a shame that what makes the RWBY animated series so great could not be translated into its first proper video game. Still, the campaign offers around 5-6 hours of playtime and it’s a competent, and even at times fun, hack and slash game that I recommend you play with a group of friends.

Toby: The Secret Mine is a gorgeous, fun and oddly challenging puzzle platformer that has some really large difficulty spikes at times. The playtime might also be too short given its price point. If you’re in the market for a game along the lines of Limbo, go for it.

A decent experience. It’s a mobile game that was ported to console and that much is very apparent.

The story has its moments but the puzzles, horror elements and glitches are so severe that it prevented me from enjoying the game.

Rise and Shine is a fun experience, but its difficulty and short run time detract from the overall package.

Merely just two steps above the abundance of other Slender-likes on Steam. It’s still terrifying though.

Psychological horror games tend to thrive on how much it messes you up, and the only thing this game messed up is my ability to keep my lunch down thanks to my tendency for motion sickness. Sylvio is a good game, but not for the reasons you expect.

While Crypt of the Serpent King is not the most polished game, it offers almost the same level of enjoyment as games like Rogue Legacy or Toy Odyssey. If you love roguelike titles, be sure to check this one out despite its archaic save strategy and odd texture issues.

Moto Racer 4 is one of those few motorcycle racing games that actually works well on Xbox One. Although severe technical issues plagued the game at launch, efforts have been made to improve it.

Sword Coast Legends is an appealing game but it has too many technical problems which aren’t game-breaking, but can be quite aggravating.

After a repetitive and slow start due to the slight grinding process, Gas Guzzlers Extreme starts feeling exciting, while delivering tons of wild arcade racing fun, just like the good old classics did back in the day. However, it’s a huge bummer that this version of the game lacks any form of online multiplayer like its Steam counterpart.

While it certainly takes certain cues from Limbo in terms of its art style and atmosphere, Feist is undoubtedly different and brings some interesting mechanics to the table, but its unrefined AI and extremely easily-exploitable boss enemies mean that Feist just feels like a limited and broken platformer.

Ashes of Ariandel is probably not the best content From Software’s ever made, but its unique environment and ultra-challenging combat will provide an adequate fix to deprived fans, although the multiplayer elements are more of an experiment than a feature at this point.

Runbow can be quite annoying to first-time players who might pick this up and try it out. But once you map the controls to a more natural gaming experience, it gets easier. However, the game does not offer enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.

My one complaint about the game—and about brawlers in general—has to be how they can get repetitive.

Xenoraid is a game that some people will love, and others will hate. The problem is that this dichotomy depends on if a person is good at the game or not.

The Dwarves is a good game which is elevated by its story more than its gameplay. It’s complex and the unique visual design of the characters and the great voice acting make the experience. Unfortunately, the performance problems detract from the package even after the recent update. The problem with the flickering markers on the map is another major annoyance.

So many games that try to retrace the footsteps of old games fail to capture any of the soul that made those games great. Ginger: Beyond the Crystal is a game that does capture the essence of old games while improving the game’s controls and graphics. I do think Ginger would have been better with a stronger story and a reduction of random variance.

A good karaoke game. The fact that it ignores Kinect is a little annoying but there are other ways to play it which enhance accessibility. It’s simple, fun and addictive. However, the music library is lackluster and I want better songs. I really hope they can offer more popular songs in the future even if they are paid content packs.

Zenith is a fun game even though the developers seem to have cut a few corners here and there. Due to its old-school feel it comes across as an unpolished experience which takes a significant amount of time to get used to. However, once you get used to the feel, the environments and story get a hold of you and never let go. The game will definitely make you laugh with its humor and pop culture references.

Exile’s End is by no means a bad game, it’s just a game with bad decisions. As a standard sci-fi metroidvania, it is more than competent but sadly does little to make itself stand out from a genre that has been flooding the market for years now.

While Pirate Pop Plus is not the deepest experience, it does bring new life to an old classic format which is not only a joy to play in quick, short bursts, but can also easily keep you entertained for long periods of time.

Infinite Air is a major letdown, broken at launch and still having minor frame rate issues after title updates. All that's left is a mixture between an overpriced bad simulator and a hard arcade snowboarding game. All things considered, hardcore fans may be pleased with this title, not because of how good it is, but as I said, due to the lack of snowboarding games currently on the market. Here's hoping Steep lives up to the hype.

Overall, Necropolis is a fun combat-focused game which will keep you engaged for dozens of hours. It’s brutally difficult and even I had trouble despite being an expert at Dark Souls 3. Keep that in mind when purchasing the title. The pastel-looking visuals give it a unique aesthetic and in general it’s quite polished. I just wish the combat was less clunky.

Players of the original Xenoverse will be annoyed at the simple rinse and repeat of Xenoverse 2’s already repetitive gameplay. Fans of the Dragon Ball series who haven’t played the original will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of content on offer but constant grinding, repetition, and simplistic gameplay may turn players away from Bandai Namco’s second attempt.

HoPiKo provides endless epic challenges that may feel overwhelming at times. It fully requires a flawless reaction capacity from the player, making the "trial and error tactic" your best ally in order to achieve perfect timing in every move. Despite its difficulty and some downsides like the lack of leaderboards, the cool aesthetics, catchy soundtrack and short load times makes it easy to pick and play at any given moment.

Having a poor UI, lack of objectives, slow pacing, and self-limitations, there's not much room left for strategy or fun.

World Tour is definitely worth it to people who haven’t played Duke 3D before and the new graphics and episode are probably worth a buy for old fans of the series but what Duke definitely needs is a new game, not a new remaster.

While Artifex Mundi has fixed some of the most glaring issues of previously released titles, Eventide still misses the one key element that can take it to the next level: characters and stories. Eventide is fun, but mostly forgettable, with little to no replayability. I really hope that the next release is more substantial, filled with extra exciting puzzles and a narrative worth my time.

Despite my first impressions leading directly to disappointment, there's a certain replay value offered thanks to the different classes and the solid co-op experience, especially when playing with friends.

System Rift is a fun two to three-hour add-on with some decent new challenges to overcome and an okay mini-plot, but players who were hoping for something with a bit more narrative weight to it will be disappointed. They shouldn't have promised us major revelations about the Illuminati if they didn't plan to deliver.

An average experience. I tried to care about it considering it’s the last chapter in a good game but it disappoints. It feels like a major step back from The Taken King.

Shiny is a great example of a game that has a very solid foundation but needs a lot more development in the story department.

Stories of Bethem: Full Moon has the looks of a classic Zelda game, but unfortunately, it falls quite short of being just as fun. The entire game feels rather uninspired.

A great competitive MOBA which will draw you in. It features great graphics and the upgrade systems are definitely unique and expansive. Unfortunately it feels like all the good content is hidden by a massive paywall and I wish Xbox One owners—who waited for this game for many months when it was out on other platforms—would at least get something for their troubles.

Pure Chess: Grandmaster Edition is a great game which teaches you how to play chess and gradually builds up the difficulty in its single-player modes. It’s a lot of fun on your own and it’s even better with a friend. I just wish the creators had incorporated some new ideas rather than giving the same generic chess game we’ve come to expect from others. The gorgeous visuals and technical perfection make up for this because mobile titles lack such finesse. However, I still desperately want that human element in there and maybe some of my suggestions might make it into their next chess-related project.

If Angry Birds is your cup of tea, then King Oddball will be there to fill your cup. It’s very addictive.

Dogos is a fun top-down shooter with customizable difficulty levels and some interesting mechanics. The ability to move your ship and the camera added another layer not typically found in a retro-style game like this. The levels and music are repetitive but if you can look past that, there is a fun old-school game here that brings me back to the days of playing gems such as R-Type or the more recent Geometry Wars.

If you are a hardcore Star Trek fan and can look past the clunky controls and bland visuals, there is a lot of great customization options available to the player. Casual fans of Star Trek might be turned off by the games repetition, complexity and awkward controls.

I can only hope that Nightmares from the Deep 2 is not a sign of what is to come, and only lasts as a single misstep from a developer that I quite like.