G-Darius remains a true late '90s classic and old school, or just old, shoot 'em up fans will enjoy revisiting it but newer players might not enjoy brute-forcing their way through the game's excessively difficult later levels.

Close to the Sun is a well-made narrative experience that's saddled slightly by inconsistent pacing. The acting is spot on but some of the earlier sub-plots tend to quietly slip away in favour of something games have readily explored. It's a very guided effort but there's a level of polish and artwork that helps make the Helios a believable venue for disaster.

Daggerhood offers a solid, challenging platformer that is slightly undermined by an easy platinum. You'll have played around a tenth of the game by the time you've unlocked all the trophies which is a shame as although not up there with the greats of the genre it has some good ideas and provides interesting new obstacles to overcome as you progress.

Jagged Alliance 3 is a game long since thought lost to development hell, but thanks to Haemimont Games and THQ Nordic, it’s here. Very much a game out of time but none the worse for it for fans of the genre. It can be damned tough but when you get into a groove it’s fun. Not having the ability to toggle chance to hit is something we could do without though.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania breathes new life into the franchise by combining classic stages with a modernised visual appearance. However, the remade physics don’t quite live up to the originals and this may put off purists. If you can get over the small niggles, then there is a ton of content to enjoy and newer players should have a blast as this is the most accessible Super Monkey Ball experience yet.

Blood Bowl III is a welcome return by the licence after eight years away. Unforgivingly harsh on beginners to the series perhaps, but fans of Warhammer's take on gridiron will be well catered for here. Those new to the series but familiar with the Madden games might struggle to start with but once you find your feet, you'll have fun too.

Aeterna Noctis is a very tough metroidvania with incredibly intricate platforming sections. The fair checkpoints even out the challenge a little but plenty of design decisions work against the player in ways that are harder to overcome than the difficulty.

NASCAR Fire Evolution winds up being a very enjoyable blitz through the often scoffed world of saloon car racing. Whilst it does keep things simple and rarely strays into a simulation, I’m kept engrossed with a solid driving engine and enough modes to keep casual and die-hard fans satisfied.

NanoApostle manages to pack a lot in six boss fights. The skill system is really well considered and does a solid job of rewarding you as you make the smallest of progress. There's a flexibility and forgiveness on offer that can make a challenging game more manageable. It's a shame the story can feel so distant because there is a little intrigue in Anita's tale. It's a short effort but the bosses feel memorable and varied.

Super Woden GP is a '90s throwback racer that's surprising tough to get good at but very satisfying when you do.

I came out of Wulverblade feeling broadly positive. The historical aspects add a lot of context. Combat can be simple but frustrating as you charge through Caledonia's woodland. Some curious design choices undermine battle but it does provide something different. It's worth a look if you want a little more substance to your beat 'em ups.

Withering Rooms is a fair 2.5D roguelite exploration game that we found interesting enough at the outset, but it didn’t really get its claws particularly deep into us. It’s very much a game to while away a wet afternoon with, but if it’s sunny out you’ll find something more fun to do, like fixing your Flymo for example.

If you're a massive fan of the original Rage of The Dragons Neo Geo title, then this is a great way to revisit it but if you're not, the brutal difficulty might leave you feeling like you've wasted your money.

Semispheres is an elegant mix of stealth and puzzle solving that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The levels are short and well-designed and will give your brain a decent workout without dragging out the experience. You might ultimately want more variation and length from the game but for us the game’s bite-sized levels work great.

If Spellbreak gets continued support it could be a contender but for now this fairly limited F2P battle royale game isn't bad.

The Flame in the Flood is an enjoyable game and the survival and crafting elements work really well together. The random aspects add a degree of difficulty which can spike in unexpected ways. Happily though the wonderfully realised river helps the game rise above it’s flaws.

Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek will appeal to more casual gamers, the low difficulty and simple controls make this easy to play. As a hidden object game this wont be for everyone, however it does what it does really well and it’s hard to knock it for that.

Guard Duty is a faithful recreation of a golden-era point and click adventure on Vita and PS4. Yes, it’s brief but it’s definitely worth playing.

WWE 2K23 doesn't move the needle much from last year but it does at least stay the course. With a massive roster of talent and a wealth of modes, fans should be happy enough. The presentation remains top notch with Showcase and MyRise being enjoyable modes to plough through. Problems do persist with pacing and multi-person scraps can descend into chaos. Compared to other fighting games, it's a clunky experience but, within the realm of wrestling games, this is an acceptable step forward.

A very Japanese brawler with lashings of fan service which will either draw people to the game or put them off. Get past the lewdness though and there is a decent game to uncover with enjoyable combat and a compelling anime story.

Helvetii is a decent indie effort and combines decent presentation and gameplay but it does drag a bit and the roguelike aspects aren't balanced all that well. With faster progression and better upgrade options this could have been better but for now it'll keep fans of the genre busy for a while.

The changes have certainly made Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed a more fluid experience. It doesn't bring a lot of challenge but the new visuals have given plenty of life to the environments, even if they're mostly grim and dark. The control changes feel natural. The backtracking in the middle can slightly dampen the pace but, on the whole, I found the experience to be straight-forward. The presentation shines as a wander through some of Disney's vintage heyday but behind the nostalgia is a competent platformer.

Sumatra: Fate of Yandi is a decently-written tale that paces itself rather well. I rarely felt bogged down and my objectives were always clear. Adventure games can sometimes feel the need to overcomplicate but Cloak and Dagger Games have managed to show restraint and care. There are minor irritations like the sparse use of sound. Whilst primitive, the visuals do take time to show some colour and atmosphere. There's a good package here which fans will enjoy.

This hack and slasher might not be 10tons' best game but it is still a solid rogue-lite that offers some tight, tactical dungeon-crawling but some might find it a little too slow and repetitive.

Gnomdom is a nice cosy little puzzle game with a fun setting. Family friendly puzzles and nice presentation make this an easy game to recommend.

Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story is fairly likeable. Despite the small shell, there's depth to uncover and a lot of systems to engage with. Combat is interesting and you always seem to have a goal to work towards. Unfortunately, I feel the dungeon's repetitiveness can outstay its welcome but the online aspects and post-game content does try to give players something else to dig into.

In spite of its occasionally obtuse moments, Machinarium has enough charm in its presentation to win me over. There are some clever puzzles in this package with plenty of assistance on offer to provide enough direction. Sometimes the execution is a bit off and having a controller as a substitute for a mouse can lead to awkward moments, but it’s a strong effort that’s worth a look.

Mages of Mystralia is a decent action role playing game with an excellent spell crafting mechanic. The presentation and story set this apart from a lot of other indie stuff and make the game feel grander than it actually is. Unfortunately samey combat and plenty of backtracking stop this from being a truly great game.