At the end of the day, F1 2017 is basically what you expect it to be. A Formula 1 simulator that does a solid job which will likely serve many for hours on end. I can’t see it pulling in many new players but it certainly should suffice for the existing fanbase. It would have been nice to see Codemasters take it to the next level with lower tier Formula cars and non-calendar tracks but it is what it is. Give it a try if you’re an avid racing game fan but otherwise there are currently many more accessible titles out there for getting into the genre.

Episode 3: More than a Feeling is another welcome addition to one of Telltale’s more promising works. While failing to stay on the same level of narrative importance as its prior installment, Episode 3 is a fun and enjoyable entry in this surprisingly great adaptation of a much beloved series.

Overall, Observer is a great game which is let down by its technical side on Xbox One. The game needs more polish but I’m not sure if this will happen because even after months Layers of Fear remained at a suboptimal level. I hope Observer doesn’t have the same fate. Unlike Layers of Fear, Observer doesn’t need that much work so there’s hope.

I could go on and on about Sonic Mania but what you need to know that it’s a must-buy for any Xbox One owner. The title, despite its slight issues, is one of the best games available on Xbox One and elevates the franchise. The developers understood what made the past entries so great and built upon that. Sonic is all about speed and this game dishes that out by the bucketload. You should get it right now because I can’t recommend it enough.

Sine Mora EX is a must-have for bullet hell enthusiasts, but more importantly it beckons newcomers to the genre to have a go. Sure, it’ll beat you down with its brutal difficulty, but somehow you’ll always come back for more.

Batman: The Enemy Within is off to another strong start to Telltale’s take on the series. Not everything quite worked, like Riddler’s role within the story, but I have faith that everything will be explained in the coming episodes. The introduction of Waller could mean trouble, but it’s that ‘could’ that makes me excited to see where the story goes. With powerful allies and enemies on the chess board, and pieces that have yet to come into play, Telltale is gearing up to push Bruce past his limits.

Tacoma excels at creating deeply relatable characters without the extravagance and big budget flashiness that pours from AAA titles, making other games feel almost unauthentic. Experiencing the crew’s highs and lows at your own pace instead of constantly being pushed along lets players relish in what makes Tacoma special; its ability to capture people’s emotions. It’s hard not to fall in love with Tacoma’s crew. Still, it’s difficult to overlook the lag as frequent as it is, so I hope Fullbright continues to patch the game. With a few fixes, Tacoma can stand out as an excellent title.

Regardless of its flaws, Fortnite is a seriously fun co-op experience that most will want to spend hours playing. There’s plenty of content, the gunplay is satisfying, and it runs well on the hardware as long as you’re comfortable playing at 30 FPS. I would love to see models added to the first-person viewpoint in the future, but even without that you’re still left with an impressive and expansive game comparable to the Horde mode from Gears of War that I’ve always loved. Based on this alone, I’d say Fortnite is well worth your time.

Aven Colony is set in the far future where you're an explorer tasked with colonising new worlds. Armed with your city management skills, you start off with a small colony and need to expand it to accommodate the influx of new immigrants heading your way. The game offers you quite a number of challenges including environmental and internal issues with your citizens to deal with, and only the best will power through them to win that next election. Aven Colony is one of the best implementations of this genre on Xbox One and I highly recommend you try it out.

What we’ve got here then is a rather good 3D platformer that effectively acts as a tribute to 90s jumping fun. If it wasn’t for the high price and lack of online multiplayer I’d recommend this in one fell swoop, no hesitation. With that not currently being the case though I can only really give this the nod to those who enjoyed games like Banjo-Kazooie and Crash Bandicoot among other platforming classics. It doesn’t add anything new to the genre, just revives it a little.

Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 is off to a good start in Jesse and his teams’ next adventure. Introducing new friends, foes, and mysteries in typical Telltale fashion, Hero in Residence has a lot of heart and humor. Like the first season, its family-friendly tone makes it appealing to a wide audience, though there are people who will prefer the developer's more mature tone. The combat and gameplay itself is a little lackluster, but I’m interested to see where the story goes and what it means for these characters.

Blitzkrieg 3 takes us back to the battlefields of World War II, giving us control over the armies of the Allies, the Soviets and the Nazis. Introduced with the game, Nival added an adaptive AI named Boris which gives the game a unique experience, unlike what you’ll find in your average strategy game. Although not for everyone, Blitzkrieg gives hardcore strategy fans something to really dig their teeth into, with an expansive set of tools to take on any objective they may come across. The game also gives you the freedom to take on those targets any way you wish.

DiRT 4 does such a good job of accommodating to every audience possible that I can wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone reading right now. This is a properly well-developed and pure racing experience for all to enjoy.

Overall, Episode 2: Under Pressure is one of the finest Telltale installments in years. It still suffers from the same animation problems as all of Telltale’s works, but the writing, characters and plot are all on point for a fantastic episode. Let’s hope they can keep it up for next time.

For all its faults, the game follows a very close template to highly successful games like Velocity 2X, and for that this game shines with its unique design and gameplay mechanics. Even though it's just a small indie developer, I see great things on the horizon and do hope they offer better controller support, and maybe even a release on Xbox One in the future. But for now, if you're looking for a very fun game, I would highly recommend it.

Morrowind is yet another quality expansion released for Elder Scrolls Online, with a nice mix of both nostalgic and novel content. This game is in my opinion worth your time whether you are a long-time veteran or beginning player of this MMO.

I did love that the levels were designed as floating isles that even if you fell off, you’d land, smooshed, at the beginning of the level again. No matter what happened, your gloopy character could scrape himself up and forge ahead. If that isn’t a statement about humanity, I’m not sure what is.

Victor Vran is full to the brim with ARPG content. While its narrative is light and its gameplay is limited, the well-designed levels and high replayability make this a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre, and those who are just looking for a fun time with friends.

Overall, Tekken 7 is a masterful conclusion to a two-decade story, an invigorating online experience and a content-filled package that’s absolutely worth its release price. Bandai Namco has knocked it out of the park with this game, and has set the bar high not only for other fighting game developers, but also for itself as creating a sequel that is better than this will surely be a challenge. Whether or not you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, you shouldn’t wait another minute to pick this game up.

Its ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation, but it is impactful nonetheless. Rime starts off slow but comes barreling into a touching final act. Each distinct level is full of puzzles, and what Rime lacks in complexity it makes up for in heart.

Overall, this is a game that I quickly became immersed in and one of the few review games that I will continue to play and replay even after my review is finished!

The game is extremely fun, and I would highly recommend you check out this title in the Xbox Store. It’s truly one of those hidden gems that people really need to find and play. Rain Games did an excellent job on this title, and I would recommend you check out some Let’s Plays if you get stuck in a specific area. The game is around ten hours, which makes it an extremely great value for the price of admission.

Seasons After Fall provides a decent platforming experience elevated by great art direction and a cute little character in the form of a fox. There are a ton of platformers and puzzle games on the market, some even with foxes of their own, and though many surely have more rewarding gameplay, Season After Fall’s aesthetic makes it stand out.

If you are looking for a good reason to hop back on Forza Horizon 3, this is an amazing one. With some of the most intense racing I’ve experienced in years...for $20 you simply cannot go wrong.

Prey is easily one of the best games to come out this year, and I highly recommend picking it up if you’re a fan of BioShock or Dishonored. Arkane skillfully wove together a cohesive narrative, engaging gameplay elements, and a vast environment open to the player. Talos I is an incredible achievement in design and the world of Prey is as intriguing as it is chilling. Its performance issues can be bothersome but aren't a huge detriment to an otherwise excellent game.

The Ringed City is a totally competent but uninspiring end to the brilliant Souls series, embracing many of its best and several of its worst traits. It’s beautifully macabre and frustratingly tedious, yet isn’t close to being bad enough to take the shine off a wonderful game, offering subtle nods to the series’ past and its probably nonexistent future. The sun finally sets but it will always be praised.

What Remains of Edith Finch reminded me why I love video games. For the past few months, I’ve been in a bit of a slump and haven’t enjoyed too many games. Nothing really clicked with me. What Remains of Edith Finch changed that. I love video games because they have the ability to tell stories no other medium can tell, at least not in the way What Remains of Edith Finch does. I could see this game as a book but I truly don’t believe it would carry the same emotional resonance that it would in that form. The stories are told in such unique ways, and even though this particular title falls into the genre of a “walking simulator”, it manages to be one of the best video games I’ve played in a very long time.

Overall, Thimbleweed Park is a great game which is elevated by its story rather than its mechanics. While selecting commands is a novel concept, younger players will be frustrated by the gameplay. Many will want to give up because it can take several minutes to decipher which combination of words and items work. However, the dialogue choices and quirky nature of the game may overcome that. Only time will tell.