Outside of the online – which adopts a seasonal format and sees you unlocking new cosmetics as you work through the ranks – there’s a modernised version of single player Arkanoid which includes new power-ups and a combo system, as well as the 1986 original, both with online leaderboards. There’s also a rounds-based versus mode for four-person local multiplayer play. As a whole, the package is well executed, but with an asking price of £24.99/$29.99, it feels a little too light overall to overcome the sticker shock.

Ultimately, The First Berserker: Khazan is a good time. Its aesthetic differentiates it from the plethora of ARPG Souls-likes we've become used to, and its brilliant boss fights are engaging enough to entice you through levels that start to feel boring around the mid-way point of the game. But its lacklustre story and bloated, inconsistent mechanics hinder what could have been a better game if it were more refined.

Like a cheesy 80s pop record, Earth Defense Force 2025 is so bad that it’s almost quite good.

In the pantheon of LEGO games, LEGO The Hobbit isn’t the worst by a long shot – but the formula’s certainly getting tired.

Some great fights and a few good storytelling moments keep the expansion from seeming completely toothless, but it's just not as sharp as it should be.

GRIP has great racing mechanics, but they’re marred by inconsistent implementation. As a spiritual successor to a turn of the century combat racing IP that only a select few would recognise – Rollcage – it’s best enjoyed in short bursts. Its familiar simplicity is inherently appealing, and its well-polished mechanics make racing fun for an hour or two. As you get your fill of the main mode and begin to delve deeper beneath the surface, however, it becomes apparent that there isn’t much to keep you coming back for more. GRIP has an incredibly solid framework, but it still feels like it’s missing something.

Shadow Labyrinth is an admirable big swing that places Pac-Man in a strange new space. Unfortunately, while there are some fun elements taken from the arcade classic and a few neat ideas sprinkled in, the majority of the game is a by-the-numbers Metroidvania that doesn't quite come together. It feels like a game built to please Pac-fans and hardcore players that lap up the likes of Hollow Knight, but the end result is something that underserves both. It's not bad, but with so many incredible 2D Metroidvanias these days, this one doesn't quite do enough to measure up.

Knock Knock isn't quite a nightmare, but with a little more focus, it could have been a dream to play.

Metal Wolf Chaos XD shows its age in pretty much every way, but its enjoyable and simplistic gameplay loop is enough to give you something to chew on. Alongside one of the most insane narratives in all of video games, it’s a From Software joint that needs to be seen to be believed.

Three ten-hour games in one package might seem good value, but the truth is the Crysis series only hits its stride in fits and spurts until the third game. On PS4 the remastered graphics get better as the series goes on, so there’s no real reason to play the first game unless you’re already a fan or you’re interested to see how Crysis started. Crytek’s series is certainly interesting to dissect as you go through. Consistently fun to play, though? That’s a different story.

Port Royale 4's gameplay consists almost entirely of all of the bits in other strategy games that you'd normally set to "Automate" because they're fiddly and boring. It's a game set in the era of pirates with nary a hint of swashing nor buckling. It's like if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was just three hours of Captain Jack Sparrow filing his tax returns. Yes, we know that somebody, somewhere, must have been filling in the paperwork back in those days, but we just don't want it to be us.

As you wander the desert on the lookout for pieces of scrap, your enjoyment will feel like it's on a downward trajectory the longer that you play. As a result, you'll try to spend as much time as you can racing across its beautifully realised wasteland, while avoiding anything that pulls you from behind the wheel.

Tequila Works has definitely offered better experiences in the past, but Gylt is still a decent enough time.

#killallzombies feels like an unfinished product, and it’s a shame because there’s an enjoyable and moreish foundation to be found here.

While Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden has managed to build a cohesive system for tactical turn-based battles to take place in, it’s far too difficult for the average player. Hardcore genre fanatics are sure to get a kick out of proceedings, but those looking for a more introductory take on things will find more frustration than progress.

Rise of the Ronin isn't a bad game; it's something debatably worse: completely forgettable. With dated open world design and a monotonous narrative, the cracking combat of a Team Ninja title is left to try and pick up the pieces. It manages to get the title in acceptable shape, and with its Bonds system and culture clash, just about forms an experience one could enjoy. Where it falls apart is the fact the open world is so intrinsically linked to all these features and mechanics that it's impossible to find pleasure in them for any respectable length of time. Rise of the Ronin is designed to attract a wider audience than Team Ninja titles past; what they find might put them off for good.

Sparkle Unleashed is a solid puzzle game with a few new ideas – but not enough to truly feel fresh.

What we’re left with is a multiplayer game that still has the ability to delight and surprise, but perhaps lacks some finishing touches to make it truly great. With online play a bit of a mess and a limited number of modes, Gang Beasts isn’t short of issues, but just about gets away with it due to a solid core idea that, with friends, can be uproariously entertaining. If you’re after a new title for gaming nights with buddies, or indeed, the Christmas party, you can do far worse than this.

If you're in the market for a mostly typical JRPG, and you can stomach some low budget presentation along with slightly flawed gameplay, you could do a lot worse than Monochrome Mobius. It's one of those games that feels like a heartfelt effort, and that might be just enough to outweigh its problems.

The Pro Leader mode allows you to create your own cyclist, and focus on the discipline you want to specialise in, whether it’s sprinting or climbing. Levelling up is vague and feels unsatisfying, however, and the whole package lacks the layer of gloss you’ve probably come to expect from other more popular sports games. This is a surprisingly tactical title overall, though, and it does bring something different to the genre. If you’re looking for a different kind of sports game, this could be worth shaving your legs for.

Black & White Bushido is a fun and unique multiplayer arena fighter that does just enough to keep players entertained. It’s limited in scope, but its tight controls and colour-based sneak-'n'-stab gameplay offer up a fun time with friends. This would be easier to recommend had there been more to keep you playing beyond the basic modes, but if you’re looking for something new to play with a few buddies, this could be worth a look.

Both Prison of Elders and Trials of Osiris are welcome additions to the formula, and are the real reasons to invest in the DLC – even if the asking price remains a little too steep and the title's core problems persist.

Pizza Titan Ultra has a strong identity and a delicious gameplay loop, but the title actively works against you in later levels, sapping your momentum in a desperate attempt to inject some difficulty. It’s a frustrating flaw, because between its high-octane arcade action and punchy personality, there’s a slice of something nice here – you’ve just got to pick off all of the bits you don’t like before you can truly enjoy it.

Although it's nowhere near the mess that Duke Nukem Forever was, this massive heap of fan service will fail to resonate with those unaccustomed to the breed of shooter found back in the 90s.

Milestone has clearly spent an age under the bonnet, and Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo has a content quota that's befitting of all of that attention. Unfortunately, the Italian outfit's indecision with regards to the racer's handling model means that it's not always at its best when out on the track. If you can look past this shortcoming, however, then you'll find a real celebration of the sport here – and the man who helped put it on the map for a whole generation.

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever won't satisfy everyone. Action enthusiasts will be disappointed in how underutilised the combat system is, and those looking for a lovingly crafted story will have to stomach an especially poor English localisation. But even with its obvious flaws, Together Forever has undeniable charm in its endearing characters and elegant presentation. An enjoyably breezy RPG, if you can keep your expectations in check.

Mafia: The Old Country doesn’t have enough gameplay ideas to carry its relatively short running time. While the fundamentals here are fine, an overemphasis on insta-fail stealth sequences and floaty shootouts makes for a forgettable campaign, even if it takes place within a stunningly detailed world. The performances are extraordinary but the story itself is predictable, leaving you with a phenomenally acted crime tale that you may admire in the moment but will struggle to remember once the credits roll.

Who Needs You showcases the best and worst of the Guardians series so far. The jokes repeatedly fall flat, the story is largely irrelevant, and the characters are still pale imitations of their big screen counterparts, but after a fantastically dull first hour, the episode manages to conjure up some surprisingly poignant moments in order to make the second half the highlight of the series so far. While it's by no means a home run, or even on par with much of what the studio has done in the past with other properties, the ending of Who Needs You has enough emotional weight to make it the best episode so far, leaving us with some hope that the upcoming finale might stick the landing for the series.