The Crew Motorfest has really surprised us. Not since the Test Drive Unlimited days have we had this much fun with an open world racer outside of the industry-leading Forza Horizon series, and that can only be good for competition going forward. The jury is still out on whether Motorfest, and any potential sequels, will have the stopping power that FH does, but Ubisoft's history with updating and adding to The Crew 2 bodes well for this title's future. Motorfest isn't fully refined just yet but the game feels like a hugely successful reset button for The Crew series, and we're now totally invested in where things go next.

Destiny feels like the key elements of an FPS and an MMO gently resting shoulder to shoulder, instead of being fused together in a truly creative way. It plays and looks great, and offers many, many hours of entertainment to anyone okay with repeating the same tasks, but it isn’t exactly the game-changing science fiction epic we felt it was aspiring to.

While the combat is undoubtedly satisfying and rewarding, the sense of repetition, the last-gen visuals, and the brevity of the adventure feel more matched for a budget price.

The terrific melee combat system and intriguing story are more than enough to warrant a recommendation to anyone yet to play it, but if you’ve experienced the streets of Hong Kong before then the slightly sharper visuals and included DLC are a tougher sell.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora sticks closely to the established Ubisoft open world formula, serving up a lush environment in which players can get busy skulking around, levelling up, gathering resources and taking out enemy compounds. Stealth and ground combat get the job done without any surprises, aerial combat is turgid, and there's a reasonable parkour system in the mix. However, the narrative here is a letdown; it's bland stuff all the way along, side missions are cookie-cutter stuff and really - unless you're a huge Avatar/Far Cry Primal fan or a younger gamer, there isn't much here you haven't seen before from this dev.

F1 24 gives fans of cool dad energy another superbly polished racer to indulge in for the upcoming season of loud car driving. The new "dynamic handling" system makes things feel nicer whilst using a gamepad, and Challenge Career feels like a genuinely great addition that we'll continue to play over the year. It looks and sounds as good as ever, there's plenty of fun to be had in co-op and online modes, and if you dig deep you'll find a fiendishly exciting and incredibly fast racer that can test your skills to the max if you let it - whilst remaining welcoming for newbies who need to tone things down a bit. That's pretty much all we could have asked for.

Rematch is an addictive blend of Rocket League and real football that's sure to prove a hit on Xbox Game Pass and beyond. The difficult controls might put some people off in the early hours, but its "just one more game" feel should keep most people playing beyond the teething period - and that's when it really comes into its own. The developers have done a fantastic job with this one, and I can't wait to see how it evolves in the weeks, months and years to come.

While Echo Generation stumbles a few times, our time with the game was never squandered. It's a testament to how wonderful its world is to explore, along with its engaging RPG systems. You never quite know what surprise will be in the next frame of the game. Will it be a mysterious alien spaceship? Or will you stumble across the legendary monster in the woods? The intrigue never lets up, and while the narrative itself doesn't quite land as well as you may hope, Echo Generation delivers an exciting adventure that Xbox Game Pass subscribers are not going to want to miss out on.

Although it's easy to pick up, Tropico 5 is a deep and complex strategy title which keeps things interesting by throwing ever-changing challenges in to the story structure to mix things up.

Evil West is a thoroughly old-fashioned shooter that manages to entertain in short bursts but can't overcome how lacklustre and unoriginal its level design and narrative feels. If you've got a pal to play through this one with in co-op you could probably stick another star on the final score, otherwise we'd steer clear unless you absolutely must indulge in some seriously last-gen cowboy vs. vampire action.

When Evolve is at its best, it is one of the greatest co-op experiences ever crafted. Few games require so much teamwork and are as satisfying when everything falls into place. Conversely, it can be a complete mess when played with hunters that are incompetent or not playing their position.

We feel like we’ve only scratched the surface with Ara: History Untold even after thousands of turns and multiple games, but this is a fun take on this type of experience and a great choice if you’re looking for an engaging PC game to pull you in. If you don’t mind history with a bit of a twist and want a game where you can sink hours into each session as you overcome all sorts of challenges and triumph as a nation, Ara is well worth a look.

The Outlast Trials is a cool idea, a spin-off that funnels players through a gauntlet of twisted levels with a gameshow/Saw movie vibe. However, as good as it all looks and sounds, with plenty of levels and tons of customisation to dig into, the core gameplay here is just way too bland and repetitive, it's in no way scary, and the only real fun to be had is in getting a bunch of pals together to laugh at your misfortunes and all of the violence that ensues.

Episode Two: Contemplation is hands down, a better, stronger, and more satisfying entry than the Revelations 2 premiere episode was.

EA Sports PGA Tour is an excellent return to the fairways for the studio, delivering the most realistic and deep golfing action currently available on consoles. There's a slick and rewarding sim to dig into here and, with recent new additions to the choice of control set-ups, it's an experience we thoroughly recommend to golfing pros and newcomers alike. With plenty of modes, top-notch presentation, best-in-class ball physics and a fine selection of courses to master, we can see ourselves spending plenty of time with this one in the weeks and months ahead.

Top Spin 4 was so good that it continued to thrive for 10 years past its sell-by date, and TopSpin 2K25 feels just as enjoyable to play in 2024. Sure, the character models don't look great, and the game could do with a few tweaks and additions in certain areas, but the key thing is that developer Hangar 13 has nailed the gameplay. We've been waiting such a long time for a tennis title to really grab our attention like Top Spin 4 did back in the day, and we're pleased to say that TopSpin 2K25 is comfortably the best tennis game we've played in over a decade.

Regardless of if we preferred Wild West Rampage to CastleStorm, or vice versa, the fact remains that both delivered the kind of thrills and sense of reward we like to see attached to a game of pinball. We think it's time you consider loading your catapult and six-shooter.

The Escapists is not a game for those who get frustrated easily.

All in all, Isonzo is very good at what it sets out to do, which is provide an authentic WW1 battlefield for players to experience, this time way up in the Italian Alps. The series' new setting does add some nice visual variety to proceedings, and the extra verticality has a pretty major impact on gameplay and match flow, but ultimately, we would like a little more meat on the bone, whether that be more online modes, gameplay options or even a single player campaign one day. What's here though is bloody brutally brilliant, and if you enjoy a more tactical approach to online warfare, Isonzo is definitely worth a shot - just remember to rechamber that rifle!

It may sound like we're being a bit down on this year's Call of Duty, but it's only because we know the franchise has potential. Warzone has proved it with multiplayer and Black Ops Cold War showcased it with its campaign. We hoped this would build upon those foundations, but instead it steps back into familiar territory. It's not a bad game by any means - in fact, even at its worst it's better than most first-person shooters out there - but as the games industry evolves, it's time for Call of Duty to bring something new to the table, and this isn't it.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 presents Kojima's genius in a package that could, and should, have been so much more. There's a bunch of stellar games to dig into here, you're guaranteed a great time once you're actually playing this iconic series, but this is a franchise that deserved more. Where's the TLC? Where's the resolution bumps, refined controls, visual upgrades and so on? Konami has managed to add a few nice extras, and there's a good showing in terms of how many titles are packed in here, but the overall performance and presentation, given the power and potential at the dev's disposal, leaves much to be desired.

Steelrising is a super solid soulslike that incorporates a wonderfully unique setting and lots of well-designed battle and traversal mechanics into the mix. There's tons of lovely little details in the world and characters here and the combat is addictive, crunchy stuff that gives you lots of cool weapons to toy around with. The story may not be the strongest, it all takes a while to get going properly and the scraps can get a little rough around the edges from time to time, but overall this is an impressive new entry in the genre that fans should absolutely make some time to check out.

Episode 4: Metamorphosis has a lot resting on its rotting shoulders and, for the most part, it does an adequate job tying up all the loose ends.

Ultratron is a slick twin-stick shooter with some great and novel ideas at its core. The initially laid out challenge is a pretty simple one, meaning that some players will ultimately be left wanting. Achievement hunters and score hunters will absolutely relish what's in front of them, however.

Watch Dogs: Legion sees DedSec return to a hugely impressive representation of near-future London that looks and sounds amazing but can't long cover for the fact the core gameplay here is repetitive, janky stuff that's barely evolved since the days of Aiden Pearce. Traversal is hampered by uninspired, tanky vehicles, combat is scruffy, enemy AI disappointing, and hacking and sneaking highly repetitive. The "play as anyone" mechanic too, much vaunted pre-release, starts out fun but soon reveals itself to be a superfluous addition whose main effect is to rob the narrative of a proper central protagonist. Fans of the series may well still find plenty to enjoy here but in the end this is an old-fashioned, run-of-the-mill open world offering dressed up as something altogether more futuristic and fascinating.

The Big Con presents a fun, addictive gameplay loop to embrace - despite never truly sitting right with us narratively. Its world is a delight to explore, the characters are fun and the 90s vibes wrap around you like a warm winter's blanket. It's a shame its morals are never presented in a truly challenging way, but if you can look past its messy narrative, you'll find a fun, charming indie adventure that's hard to put down.

Despite these hurdles, we hold no doubt they'll be ironed out in the coming weeks. What will be left is an underrated gem that has unfortunately slipped under the radar. Coming out the same week as Tales of Arise, Life is Strange: True Colors and Sonic Colors: Ultimate, the game appears to have been lost in the noise. It's a shame, but we're confident an audience will be found of people such as us who will love and embrace this game - warts and all. Lost in Random may not strike a chord with everyone, but for those it does, they will absolutely love it.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök easily eclipses both The Siege of Paris and Wrath of the Druids, serving up a good 40 hours-worth of top-notch action, exploration and challenges across a huge new world map. Combat here is enlivened by Eivor's new Hugr-Rip abilities, skills which also freshen up the game's puzzles and traversal, and the fantastical nature of the story leads to some of the biggest and best boss face-offs we've seen in the series to date. Newcomers may feel a little lost to begin with, there's a lot to get your head around here, but fans of Valhalla should be delighted with this deliciously fantastical new addition to the base game.

Is Back 4 Blood the Left 4 Dead 3 we've been waiting for? Yes! It's a worthy spiritual successor to Valve's classic zombie-slaying series of multiplayer games, and offers a well-designed Campaign mode with some impressive new features such as its strategic Card system. The difficulty perhaps needs balancing a little more, and the lack of meaningful progression when playing Solo Campaign needs addressing sharpish, but otherwise we've had a blast with Back 4 Blood so far, and we look forward to many more Campaign runs in the weeks, months and years to come.

Enjoyable and thrilling while it lasts but also all too short and a shade too easy for those with any sort of skill in the genre, it's one that will surely hit the spot to while away an afternoon. Just don't expect it to last all that much longer than that.

Open Roads, in theory, should be another Gone Home-style success story. However, what we've actually got here feels strangely by the numbers, surprisingly short and very light on actual drama, mystery or thrills that genuinely compel. At around two hours long you won't need a lot of compelling to see it through, mind you, but overall this just feels like retreading the same sort of ground with much less of an effect. There's superb acting and it all looks great, but the narrative just isn't doing it for us this time, sadly.

LEGO Batman 3 offers a lot of entertainment and is a pleasant experience overall – from the dialogue, to the little winks at pop culture, to the actual gameplay.

No Goblin has managed to create a game that is not only funny, but also one that is full of heart and which can be genuinely touching.

While Episode 2 doesn't quite hit all the targets, the mature and creepy story already has its hooks in us.

It's a transitional year for NHL, then. It's arguably better than ever on the ice, playing a mostly authentic and enjoyable brand of hockey that implements some subtle, but worthy new features to satisfy hardcore fans. It also looks meaningfully improved thanks to the Frostbite engine (and clearly a lot of hard work). But in terms of content and game modes, it's largely the same offering as last year, and that gets pretty old after a while. Hopefully, now that the engine transition is out of the way, we can look forward to some ambitious new modes and features in NHL 23 and beyond.

Some will love it, others will hate it, but Dying Light is an interesting experiment at least.

But even though The Flame in the Flood is somewhat of a disappointment, that doesn't mean there's not enough tinder to sustain the flame for at least a weekend outing. You just have to decide whether or not you want to risk dealing with the pesky bugs hiding in the foundation.

Perhaps the initial asking price is a bit high, then - we think $19.99 would have been the sweet spot for RetroMania Wrestling at launch - but it's still nevertheless an enjoyable game. The art style is fantastic, the gameplay is classic 90s style fun, and you can tell it's been made by people who really love the business of professional wrestling. It's not going to replace WWE 2K's series for casual fans, but hardcore wrestling aficionados might just fall in love with it.

Minecraft Dungeons does an excellent job of taking the blocky world and characters that we all know and love from Minecraft and transplanting them into a light and breezy, kid-friendly action-RPG. The streamlined systems of character building and upgrading here are delightfully easy to engage with, levels are beautifully realised, and randomly generated slices of the overworld and the various mobs and bosses you come up against provide a fun challenge for up to four players to get stuck into. It may not be the most dark or difficult action RPG out there, but for newcomers to the genre, young kids or massive Minecraft fans, this one is an easy recommendation.

Mega Coin Squad is a superbly entertaining title.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a fantastic remaster of a much-loved title in the series. There are a few hiccups in the road with awful cutscenes and lacklustre unlocks. It's classic Sonic in a 3D setting and your enjoyment will stem from your love of the series. If you're looking for a reinvention of the formula, this probably isn't for you, but if you want to experience the iconic series with refined gameplay, beautiful visuals and tons of replayability, this is the best 3D Sonic game to grace Xbox since Sonic Generations.

Outriders really has taken us completely by surprise. This is a game that gets off to a pretty bad start but, once the combat kicks off properly, quickly reveals itself to be one of the slickest and most addictive looter shooters we've played in a long while. Launch weekend has been a mess of server issues, for sure, but stick with what People Can Fly has dished up here and you'll find yourself handsomely rewarded. This one comes highly recommended.

There's certainly not much wrong with Mystery Castle, but it's not doing anything to make it stand out from the crowd either.

EA FC 25 still plays a fine game of football in all of its online and offline modes, but it's fairly hard to get excited about any of it this year. The new depth to tactics, and ability to switch them up on-the-fly, are welcome additions. However, Rush feels a bit flat and forced, whilst the rest of the modes on offer are overwhelmingly familiar. We can see what EA was going for, and it's worked in some respects, but the focus on Rush, and a lack of big changes elsewhere, make for a bit of an uninspired year in the land of football/soccer.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a pretty big mess. In its current state, this is a badly-judged game in almost every way. The new zone is incredible to behold at times, for sure, but it's a world at odds with itself; full of gear and guns, but with precious little in the way of enemies that challenge you to use them. The story is terrible, the A-Life system is AWOL, and the acting and writing is atrocious. Stalker 2 is cheap in how it kills without warning, is packed full of bugs and performance issues on Series X, and is devoid of mostly anything that makes it feel worth playing for very long.

Overall, GRID Legends feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. Its on-track racing is really good fun, and with the right AI and event tweaks, and a little more content, it'd be a really solid sequel to GRID 2019. As it stands, it feels very safe and lacks the personality to really stand on its own amongst the competition. It gets real close to mimicking what PGR did so well all those years ago, but something's missing. Sparks often fly out on the track, but Legends doesn't quite have the spark to make its arcade action stick.

Chariot is one of the best cooperative gaming experiences we’ve ever had. It’s immensely rewarding, abundantly creative, and the sense of accomplishment that it instills within the player will lead to high-fives being thrown around the room on a regular basis.

As penultimate episodes go, Episode 3: Judgment does a rock solid job of keeping players engaged in its story as it leads into the game's final chapter. We’re now eagerly anticipating the finale, but we’re also a little bit apprehensive about where things will go next.

So, yeah, where do we even start with summing this one up? To be honest, a recommendation depends on your own interest with the world of Atomic Heart, we must admit. The game's premise remains intriguing throughout, and its main missions provide some great combat scenarios to get stuck into, especially when it comes to using powers and the skill tree system to create different characters builds. Yet, the game's overworld is largely skippable which is a huge bummer, and its main storyline does little to enhance the incredibly interesting world Mundfish has created. Atomic Heart is well worth a play for the immersive FPS fanatics out there, but it's wise to temper your expectations when names like BioShock and DOOM are being thrown around in comparison. Atomic Heart is a solid alternate-history shooter, but it takes a bit more than building an intriguing world to become a true great in the genre.

Dividing the game into episodic chunks is already shaping up to a successful experiment for Capcom, and we can’t wait to see where it all leads to in the coming weeks.

Fans of the series will chastise us for rating it so low, and that’s probably fair. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy it due to the sheer amount of characters on hand from all of the Warriors universes, and that over-the-top hack and slash gameplay that you already like. If you’re not already deeply involved with any of the franchises though, you’re going to find a game that is inescapably fun at times and that shows an awful lot of promise, but which is ultimately let down by some poor design decisions and some somewhat dodgy AI.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a remake made under difficult circumstances and for that reason its shortcomings are certainly more than understandable. However, the fact remains that the resulting game falls short of the standard we've come to expect from Frogwares' excellent sleuthing series. There's still some reasonable investigative work and a nice atmosphere for fans to enjoy should they decide to bite the bullet here, but rough edges, a lack of scares, dialled back level design (compared to Chapter One) and detective work that plays it too safe makes for a Holmes outing that's rather hard to fully recommend.

Despite these missteps, Xuan Yuan Sword 7 surprised us with just how fun it was. It harkens back to classic adventure games from the early '00s, filled with all the charm of that era. Sometimes it's refreshing to play a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and accomplishes it with very little getting in the way. While there are some localisation issues, some presentation problems and a lack of challenge in its combat, we do hope Xuan Yuan Sword 7 finds an audience in the west, as it would be a shame not to see how the next entry can build upon these solid foundations.

Mad Max isn't a perfect game, and it probably won't win over anyone tired of the open-world formula, but this is an instance where we feel pure fun trumps any minor disappointments.

When you add everything up though, including its lower price point of just £24.99 / $29.99, Lawn Mowing Simulator is a worthy purchase if you're keenly interested. The core gameplay is where it shines brightest, highlighted by intuitive driving controls, and the career mode is just about engaging enough to keep you invested — we'd just love to see a more in-depth version of it with multiplayer support in the inevitable Lawn Mowing Simulator 2.

Trek to Yomi is a game of two halves, where slightly repetitive combat does bring things down a notch. However, that other half — made up of the game's visuals, characters, storyline, atmosphere and overall polish — is so good that you'll want to carry on trekking right until the end. More involved combat could have elevated this one to being potentially one of our very favourite Game Pass games, but make no mistake, this is an adventure you'll want to head out on.

Thymesia has all the ingredients necessary to make for a solid indie Soulslike experience, but it falls short due to messy implementation of mechanics, bland level design, weak lore and issues with difficulty balancing. There are some really neat ideas here, for sure, with the game's plague weapons providing lots of variety in how you go about dealing with your enemies, but unnecessary and awkward elements such as an overly tricky deflection system and dodge mechanics that need tightening up sully the overall combat experience. With a little more TLC this could have been a banger, but as things stand it's a fairly average effort that's hard to recommend if you're not a huge fan of the genre.

Sand Land for Xbox Series X|S not only does a great job bringing one of Akira Toriyama’s arguably lesser-known works to life, but is also a lovely way to say goodbye to a man who has had an incredibly huge impact on Japan’s manga and anime industry as well as the world of video games. Although it’s not necessarily an evolutionary experience on the action RPG front, it should still be a fun ride from start to finish for fans of the genre and source material.

There is enough variety in Leo's adventure to keep it fresh as the game progresses and the overall length, while shorter than we may have come to expect from modern games, will leave you wanting more.

The Order of Giants is more Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, for better or for worse. Those of you who liked the base game's slower paced sections should get on well with the DLC, and its puzzles feel satisfying and fair throughout. Combat and exploration are lacking though, and just like the core game, I feel like the pacing is completely off - which definitely takes something away from the sense of adventure here. The Order of Giants is a solid expansion to MachineGames' 2024 title, but don't expect anything wildly different or unique from the team's brand-new DLC.

Penarium is one of the best arcade-style games we've played this console generation. The campaign doesn't last all that long, and more multiplayer options would've been appreciated, but all in all, there's a healthy amount of content for the price.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead delivers plenty of spooks throughout its roughly eight-hour adventure, but it does run out of ideas somewhat during the back half of that runtime. When called upon, the cast is well-acted (even if the story is quite threadbare) and the whole thing does enough to cement itself as a worthy entry in the 'A Quiet Place' universe, which is a nice achievement for Stormind Games. Some more late-game variety and additional options for dealing with the enemy could have made this a horror great, but as it stands, The Road Ahead is just a decent romp through what's becoming quite a popular movie universe. Horror game aficionados and A Quiet Place superfans should definitely consider this one, but for those less experienced, there are better options out there on the horror game market.

The Thing: Remastered, as expected from Nightdive, nails all of the technical aspects of a superb remaster. It gets full points from us on this front. However, the game itself is very much a tale of what could have been, had the devs stuck to the eerie exploration and atmospheric fear/trust system of the first couple of hours. Get past these opening hours, though, and overwhelmingly poor action sequences become more and more commonplace, resulting in a game that's just not much fun to play once it settles into its depressingly bland action rhythm.

Outside of the game-ending glitches and the poorly designed collection mission that we've mentioned, the experience is tension-filled and easily right up there with the best survival horror titles available today. The problem is that there's a very good chance that you'll give up after your umpteenth unfair death way before reaching the closing credits.

The team at Digixart has successfully added even more worthwhile storytelling to the world of Road 96, and we loved revisiting this series and learning more about Zoe's story. While Mile 0 is smaller in scope and lacking in the same levels of gameplay and narrative variety as Road 96, it's absolutely worth a playthrough - especially if you were into last year's game. This series has made us smile, laugh, and tear up all in equal measure and that isn't easy to pull off. Whichever way around you access both Road 96 and this prequel, make sure the series finds its way onto your 'games to play' list.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is a super solid return to slo-mo sniping duties. It may lack the overall wow-factor and technical upgrades of its predecessor, and it treads a lot of very familiar ground, but this new entry has still got it where it matters most. A procession of nine outstanding maps provide sandboxes galore for the usual tricks, traps and fancy long-range shots, the new Propaganda missions are a fun diversion, and protagonist Harry Hawker is as close to Sniper Elite: Danny Dyer as we're likely to get. Add in co-op and Axis Invasions and you've got yourself another great big sniper celebration that's hard to resist.

Although the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection could have been much more, the three games included run better than ever and should still be satisfying enough for returning fans. The bloody and brutal gameplay is just as exhilarating and will keep you coming back for more, and the collection is a great way for newer audiences to learn about Ryu Hayabusa's history.

State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition is the ultimate mixed bag of mixed bags. A fantastic value proposition for fans of the admittedly somewhat buggy original, the package will provide stacks of playing time if you become hooked. The problem is that you may not get the chance, since this apparently "remastered" edition of the game doesn't seem to have had any real work done to it outside of the visuals, which remain incredibly sub-standard in terms of performance.

A few minor fixes and changes here and there would do wonders, but the constant loading and the frankly abominable issues with the fighting engine that remain unfixed destroy any semblance of realism and are enough to relegate it to the indies.

NHL 24 feels like a positive step in a new direction, but there's more work to be done. The gameplay this year is really good, bolstered by the inventive new Exhaust Engine feature, and we're also liking a lot of the new presentation improvements. Because of all this, we're willing to overlook some of the new features that haven't worked so well, and now it's up to EA to listen to the community and shape their feedback into something truly special with next year's entry. This is a good game that will keep us entertained far longer than NHL 23 ever did, and we're very intrigued as to what the future holds for NHL 25 and beyond.

There's a charming art style and wholesomeness to Rolling Hills that's immediately captivating, and we've been pretty surprised by the level of depth that it provides - it's still a simple game, but the ability to explore beyond the confines of the restaurant was something we hadn't expected, and various aspects of the gameplay continue to evolve over time as well. The loop of serving customers, buying new ingredients and decorating your restaurant is an addictive one, and it's all backed up by a superb soundtrack that's become firmly stuck in our heads.

Whether you can get over these glaring flaws or not is going to probably be the main thing that affects your opinion. We fought through the overall unpolished finish of the product, and we were glad that we did so, but this really isn't how anyone can reasonably have expected the game to have turned out.

Action Henk is enjoyable and challenging, of that there is no doubt. It isn't going to win any awards for visuals – despite looking good enough to get the job done – and we'd like to have seen the comedy brand placement from the initial playroom area be used more in the levels themselves. With that said, neither of these things is going to interrupt your entertainment and the enjoyment and exquisite frustration that the game provides is more than enough for it to get our recommendation.

XDefiant has been built to scratch a very particular online FPS itch, and the more bloated and complex AAA shooters have become, the more we've come to appreciate an experience like this. The game could do with a little more content, and some tweaks to gunplay and progression wouldn't go amiss, but we can't see why XDefiant shouldn't have a bright future ahead of it. Ubisoft has shown us all that it has the patience to stick around with online shooters if they have a solid community — just look at the near decade-old Rainbow Six Siege — so this should definitely be one title worth investing some time into. XDefiant isn't perfect, but this is a very promising start and we're already becoming invested in where Ubisoft's latest Xbox FPS can go.

LEGO 2K Drive is at its best when it focuses on the last word of its title - driving around and taking part in wild and wacky side missions as you run into them is the best way to tackle this open world racer. The actual racing lets it down a touch, and we think the game is a bit pricey for its presentation levels, but this is still a fun and varied affair for all the family. If you're itching for a bonkers LEGO-themed take on Forza Horizon this pretty much nails it, just don't expect the same levels of AAA sheen as you'd get from the Xbox exclusive series.

Amazing Princess Sarah is a good retro platformer, of that there is no doubt. There's also plenty to do, although the nature of the implementation means that some will feel that it crosses the line into repetitiveness.

All in all, then, Twelve Minutes is definitely worth a download with Xbox Game Pass if you're even the least bit interested in the premise, as both its story and gameplay combine to create a memorable thriller. There are a couple of downsides if you look for them, and the replayability factor will be pretty low after you've discovered everything, but we think you'll really enjoy your main playthrough regardless, even if you're not the biggest fan of point-and-click games.

Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed is exactly what you'd expect, a sprucing up of a game that's so obviously from another era it can be painful at times. However, strip some of that back and the core idea is pretty fun and still works on a basic level, albeit with a few caveats as mentioned. If you played the old version and have some nostalgia for it, this remake will no-doubt scratch that itch and take you back, but those after a more comprehensive 'remake' of such an effort will probably be left wanting a bit more modernisation. It's time to retire the probe for another 15 years, then.

Neon Chrome is an admirable blend of genres that provides a stiff challenge and potentially massive amounts of playing time. There a feeling of repetition to be found for sure and the need to die, die, and die again won't be for everyone. Those with the mettle though, will find a fun and enjoyable shooter that has the potential to be both strangely compelling and unrelentingly addictive.

What makes Samurai Punk's game so special is sharing the experience with other players, not the console.

Layers of Fear 2023 is an odd remake and is ultimately one we don't really recommend. This new package is beautiful no doubt, but the first game just doesn't really hold up these days, and while the sequel marks a decent improvement in our eyes, the 2019 version is a much better looking game than 2016's Layers of Fear anyway - making the remake feel a bit pointless. If you've never played the series and are interested in a couple of one-time trippy horror experiences this package could be worth a shot once it enters your ideal price range, but the Xbox One versions often go dirt cheap on sale and remain an ideal way to face your fears - especially when you have the option to just grab the superior sequel on its own.

Battletoads is without a doubt one of the funniest games of this generation, and it's a pretty nifty beat 'em up to boot. It does have the occasional lull when things start to feel a little repetitive, but by and large it's a hugely entertaining experience and well worth your time.

Assassin's Creed Rogue isn't the cash grab many assumed it would be, and ultimately is an enjoyable experience and fitting end to the Kenway trilogy.

Unless you have friends to play online with right away, wait for a price drop before pinning on your police badge or slipping into a ski mask. Hardline is good but it's not exactly a necessity.

Crimes & Punishments is one of the better, if not the best, Sherlock games out there, and if that's not saying much to you, it's also one of the better investigation-style games. The balance and variation of gameplay should be applauded.

Minecraft Legends looks like Minecraft and somewhat feels like it, as you would probably expect, but it really does play like its own proper game with the action strategy elements - even if it doesn't quite match the depth of certain other titles within the strategy genre. Overall, Mojang and Blackbird Interactive have done a good job adapting this mega video game IP to yet another category, and have definitely provided a fun multiplayer experience, despite some learning curves which might be a challenge for younger Minecraft fans and newcomers. This is a welcome introduction to the strategy genre and is worth a look if you're seeking more adventures in the Minecraft universe.

It isn't perfect, but this should provide hours upon hours of gory, blunt object, rabid deer and zombie-filled entertainment.

Undoubtedly, Wreckfest itself is an absolutely fantastic racer and you'll have a blast on Series X regardless of whether you stick with the free 4K, 60FPS patch or go one step further with this paid next-gen upgrade. This is without doubt the definitive way to play the game on Xbox Series X, but thanks to that free patch a couple of months ago, there's really no need to pay the extra money unless you're a devoted Wreckfest nut.

Rainbow Six Extraction, while it lasts, is a super solid time, a delightfully warped addition to the Rainbow Six stable of games that is a total blast when played with the right people. It also sweetens the deal that it's available via Game Pass, meaning there's really no reason not to jump in and get down to some good old co-operative strategy action.

In conclusion, this another Traveller's Tales LEGO game, with all the baggage that entails. As an example of the breed, it's a very good one, but the age of the model is now starting to show and some sort of revolution (rather than a gradual evolution) must now be overdue.

An interesting take on the FPS genre, the game feels like a cross between a more traditional shooter and a gameshow.

Short, simple and fun, Factotum 90 is a must-have addition to any puzzle game fan's collection. With a unique premise and an interesting plot, it only ever tries to be exactly what it is and offers enough of a challenge to be a satisfying experience.

There's a lovely story bundling all the lesser parts together, but it ultimately feels as though it's been put together with tape and glue. Your enjoyment will stem from how much you gain from its narrative, but in all honesty, other games take a similar concept and run with it so much better. Arcade Spirits comes to mind, and while it doesn't directly allow you to play any titles, is a beautiful visual novel that perfectly encapsulates that 80s arcade energy. We're sorry to say, but Button City is an arcade cabinet that doesn't do too much to justify its existence.

The Battleborn experiment has been largely successful. Fusing humour and shooting together with the mechanics from a MOBA sounds like it should be a recipe for disaster, but the charm of the graphical style and characterisation lifts the whole game.

NHL 23 feels a bit more like NHL 22.5. It plays a good game of hockey without a doubt, but everything else around it doesn't feel meaningfully improved enough to justify another $70 purchase on day one. We really wanted to see some more ambition out of the series this year, and instead it seems to be quietly trudging along with relatively minor new features. You'll still have fun with it, but maybe it's worth waiting until it hits EA Play / Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

For anyone looking for traditional Pac-Man, you’re better off with something like Pac-Man Museum+. However, if you are hungry for some 3D platforming, or just want to relive old times, Pac-Man World Re-Pac should be enough to keep you invested until the credits roll. Sure, it’s not up there with the likes of Mario, but it’s a part of Pac-Man’s own unique history as one of the video game industry’s leading mascots that we’re happy to welcome back with open arms.

Chernobylite is a fascinating survival horror RPG that serves up an enthralling and impressively detailed exclusion zone for players to run a series of dangerous raids in. There may be a few too many gameplay elements chucked into the mix here but strong writing, well designed missions, great support characters and some incredible visual and audio work smooth over most of the rough patches. If you can deal with a some clunkiness with regards to combat and are prepared to work a little to get the most out of it, you'll find a deep and addictive indie gem awaits that does a fantastic job of scratching that S.T.A.L.K.E.R itch.

As a narrative focused experience, The Medium generally impresses. In terms of gameplay, it often just feels too easy and lacking in depth. But even with criticisms towards the latter, if you're looking to embrace a horror game for one dark night or two, The Medium is a worthy choice. It's clearly the vision of a team who loved the concept and wanted to take players on a narrative driven adventure, filled with dark themes and systems such as the dual-reality mechanic that feel integral to the story. If you can accept The Medium for the experience that it is, you're in for a good time that will continuously surprise you with its story beats and absolutely incredible visuals on the Xbox Series X.