Inheritance is a great piece of DLC for Layers of Fear. While it still does suffer from performance and the studio’s reliance on jump scares, this five-dollar expansion provides a satisfying hour-and-a-half to two-hour experience with the most interesting content that Layers of Fear has to offer.

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.

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

The game takes many hours to complete because you have to master each level and vanquish the boss. In spite of all this, it’s still a lot of fun and challenging.

All of the problems I encountered on Xbox One point to a slightly unoptimized experience. I would’ve tolerated the severe aliasing issues had the controls been tight but I struggled to line up shots at a distance all the time. I experienced none of this on PC.

Mystery Castle is a fun, inventive, and charming puzzle game. There is not much to the story, even though the writing is cute and clever. I fully recommend this game to anyone looking to scratch a puzzle solving itch. But, be aware of the game’s short length, repetitive tasks, and puzzling interface.

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.

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

The Final Station succeeds in producing a unique and fun survival game. Even though the short length severely hurts the story and the train sections steal from the fun, I feel there is enough in the zombie infested portions to redeem the final product. The beautiful art direction, captivating music, and gripping tone create a world that I would not mind visiting again in order to search for any story points I may have missed while running from the horde.

There are minor issues that make the game feel as if it is trying to check too many boxes instead of showcasing what it does best. The overall plot and the character abilities are definite high points, the platforming mechanics are tight and control well, and the puzzles are good even though they lack variety. The action piece does not fit and hurts the full potential of this generally solid game.

The title’s inaccessibility is its biggest problem. However, if you can look past that and come prepared by watching playthroughs or reading guides, Pixel Piracy will keep you hooked for dozens of hours.

Atari Vault is definitely a good investment that I'm sure will please many including older gamers that want to feel the nostalgia of playing some of these classic games that defined a generation back in the day.

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.

Overall, Color Symphony 2 is a very competent puzzle platformer that requires patience and practice.

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.

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.

ATS will surely appeal to trucking veterans who are desperate to explore a fresh location, but for newcomers to the franchise, I implore you, go back and experience Euro Truck Simulator 2 first.

Unfortunately, it has limited appeal and with Resident Evil 4 coming soon, it’s hard to justifying purchasing this one again.

Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan is a solid brawler focused around co-op, but also enjoyable and easy to manipulate while playing solo.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tumblestone is a fun match-three title on Xbox One and holds up quite well against its competition.

It’s a wasted opportunity and that’s what disappoints me the most. Luckily, the story redeems the overall experience.

There are a lot of life lessons in The Flame in the Flood, and I wish that some of those weren't due to sheer luck with strategy being removed by the procedurally-generated gameplay.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

Overall, Valentino Rossi: The Game is a good experience which is let down by its technical aspects.

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

Poor online choices mixed with the numerous graphical problems that arise means that SLRE does indeed reach the podium, but misses out on the top step by a mile.

For the price of admission this game is completely worth the money spent, and it gives you simple achievements to complete. I would definitely recommend it.

If you’re looking for a title that relies heavily on problem solving with some action mixed in, then definitely give this one a go.

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.

A great game which needs more polish to be exceptional. It offers a basic Uno experience which needs more content.

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.

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.

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.

I’m still not sold on this series overall, and will give some more thorough analysis of why in the chapter five review. But episode to episode, I’m having more fun than I was at first.

It will mostly appeal to fans of the original. I can’t say this remaster will help introduce the younger generation of gamers to one of gaming’s classics. Had it been a proper remake with modern graphics, it would’ve been more popular. I absolutely loved it but recognize that there are issues with the overall game.

Rainbow Six Siege is a fantastic game at its core. The controls are tight, the action is a perfect mix of exciting and thoughtful, and there’s lots of interesting new ideas that should be praised. But the lack of content and shameless business practices hold it back from greatness.

Battleborn has the potential to be delightful, but right now numerous small problems all added up make for a less enjoyable overall experience.

My only complaint would be that this game still feels like a mobile phone title and doesn't really do anything special to make it stand out on consoles.

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.

This game is worthy of a purchase for both fans of the series and newcomers to it like myself. If you find Dark Souls your bread and butter, and you've been looking for a top-down experience similar to that, give this game a go. If you find yourself easily enraged by games where the difficulty is wildly unbalanced, give this one a skip.

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

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.

Zheros is without a doubt a good beat 'em up, as its core is a pure '90s beat 'em up experience. It has great 3D environments as well. Unfortunately, it suffers from a few issues. The story is all told in cinematics without a single dialogue. Apart from that, the story is kind of predictable even without dialogues.

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

If you're an avid fan of puzzle adventures, with a bit of comedy in the mix, you won't be disappointed.

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.

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.

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 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.

Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink offers an enjoyable but short game in the hidden object and puzzle genre. The price might be a little ambitious for developers Artifax Mundi, but they have put together a well-made title. Sadly it offers little over other point and click puzzlers available today.

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.

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.

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.

It’s the bare-bones of what I wanted the game to be. Still, for all of its faults, I think that people will find it enjoyable. I realize that I might not be the title’s target audience. I wanted something with a little more difficulty and much more variety, but for $6.99, Bike Mayhem 2 offers just enough content to satisfy its customers.

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.

I would recommend picking up Lovely Planet if you genuinely prefer games that require repetition and tremendous skill to master. There is a market for experiences like this out there. The title is addicting and will keep you hooked for dozens of hours. Maybe hundreds if you want to go for total completion. Unfortunately, this game will appeal to only a niche audience because the average gamer doesn't crave these experiences.

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.

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.

With the right power-ups and speed, Carmageddon can eventually become a beautifully manic game full of offensive humour and gratuitous gore. While this may be the best Carmageddon game, Carmageddon was sadly never that great to begin with.

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.

Hard Reset: Redux offers a fun time. After the initial hour of uninspired boredom, Hard Reset starts to feel like a good old school FPS with the fantastic lighting, vistas and effect work that start to appear the further you get into the game.

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.

The Last Maharaja pack provides a worthwhile experience for fans of the franchise, but I would have liked to see a bit more creativity added to the overall experience.

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.

Although the timing is impeccable as to what you do and how it's portrayed in-game, the accuracy is a little off.

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

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.

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.

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.

While this addition includes vehicles and crafting elements, Worms W.M.D is near identical to the same twenty-one-year-old formula that Team 17 have been chugging out since the 90s. I was expecting more changes but they’re on the right track.

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

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.

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.

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.

One thing that definitely stands out in G Prime is the background story, which is probably the best that I've seen in a game like this. For those interested in a challenging puzzle game with a unique story and style, G Prime: Into the Rain is a solid play, but clumsy controls, odd menus, and difficult camera angles will surely drive away more conventional gamers.

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.

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.

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, Cubikolor is a very original puzzle game that is enjoyable for fans of the genre, but difficult for anyone else because of the game's difficult setup and frustrating maneuverability.

Gunscape offers a simple way for players to create and share their maps with the rest of the community using a level editor that is already familiar to gamers. The game's main issues are the stability problems that some players may find frustrating and end up putting the game to the side, which, being a game deeply dependent on community-created maps, might end up with less and less new content to be played.

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

I recommend Albedo to any puzzle fan with some patience who is willing to be rewarded for hard work. Although some functions detract from the overall experience, Albedo is an above average puzzle game with many redeeming qualities. Taking into account the elements that could be refined in Albedo, I'm anxious to see what Merge Games develops next.

Monocroma tries to capitalize on the success of games like Limbo, but unlike those games, it fails to achieve anything of substance. The story is open to interpretation and leaves you wondering why the developers chose these set of events to try and convey that.

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.

Pharaonic is a game that holds great potential given its Egyptian setting, but with it taking itself too seriously it forces the player to make the choice between taking a loss or pushing through way too early in the game.