Crown Wars: The Black Prince is not just a medieval XCOM, it is very much its own thing. A turn-based game offering fast and frenetic strategising, it's hamstrung by weak AI, an inconsistent camera, and too many bugs.

Super Lucky’s Tale is a charming and sweet indie platformer that provides hours of retro platforming joy. It’s probably had far too much weight put upon its shoulders as the Xbox One X’s sole launch title, and is by no means perfect; a fact that's been amplified by the recent antics of a dungaree-wearing plumber. However, while the genre has undoubtedly moved on, taken on its own merit Super Lucky’s Tale is simple, inescapable fun.

Forspoken was once one of the big reveals for the PS5 in 2020, but aside from using the SSD for open world magical parkour and the ultra quick fast travel, it is difficult to really see how it takes advantage of the latest console generation. The world of Athia looks good, and the combat is full of flashy magic, but there's no major side quests to divert from repetitive activities and a predictable main story.

Killer Is Dead is a real missed opportunity. The fighting mechanics are there, the ideas are there, but the end result is just so totally average. It’s a game that’s hard to dislike, but also one that fails to impress on pretty much every level.

It’s clear how much of a labour of love Rainbow Skies was. The game is packed to the brim with mechanics and ideas that call back to a dozen different classic RPGs and strategy games. For all the love that went into the game though, there’s a frustratingly low amount of polish and quality design, especially when it comes to the visuals and writing. Rainbow Skies is a love letter to classic RPGs hastily written in crayon on notebook paper.

Youngblood feels like Wolfenstein got drunk and ended up at the wrong party. It’s still able to pull off some of the same old tricks, but it feels wildly out of place alongside RPG-style levelling from Destiny or The Division. The next entry needs to go back to the previous formula, let me shoot my way through hordes of Nazi’s and spin a good yarn. Go home Wolfenstein, you’re drunk.

Summer in Mara is a lovely experience with an abundance of charm and a welcome engagement with environmental and emotional subjects. It makes for a perfect introduction to the genre for younger gamers, and a great relaxing escape from the real world for more mature sorts. It doesn’t have the depth of last year’s My Time at Portia but is both more accessible and has more developed characters. While there may be little prospect of a summer trip to sunny islands in reality, you could do a lot worse than take a holiday with Koa and explore the wonders of Mara.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends has some good ideas, but the execution is a little lacking. The one mode here is enjoyable but it gets very repetitive, with the clunky combat, slow matchmaking and poor, though admittedly amusing AI, taking the fun out of it. With more variety, whether in the form of different modes or with each map having its own objectives, this could have been a winner, but as it stands it's got a lot of squandered potential.

InnerSpace manages to craft a bright, bizarre and beautiful world that is probably the best example of the phrase “eye candy” I can think of. Unfortunately, the act of exploring and navigating that serene, majestic world often times felt like a headache. The poor frame rate on Switch and no clear horizons made flying and swimming in InnerSpace far less enjoyable than the idea of those actions ever was.

Either way, ACC: India manages to keep the stealth gameplay fun, while the open combat still leaves room for improvement.

Airheart presents an interesting idea with hints of brilliance, but fails to deliver a game with staying power. Whilst the upgrade system is satisfying, it’s let down by repetitive gameplay and UI issues that get in the way even when playing with the endearing crafting system.

The Gex Trilogy is a good window into the history of gaming and the 3D games are still fun collectathon platformers, albeit with all the camera and control issues of the originals, and the awful 2D original I never want to play again. I would have liked to see a more Gexpansive remaster, and the result may not be entirely Gexceptional, but offers enough Gexperience to give you the kind of Gexual healing that only true nostalgia can provide.

There isn’t a lot of content but there is replayability value should you wish to beat run times. The story isn’t too important, outdone by the game’s visual design and music. Windlands captures the essence of soaring through the air, but sadly it simply won’t be for everyone.

It fails to do anything that really pushes the series forward, borrowing heavily from previous games while adding a few extra bells and whistles.

The Panzer Dragoon Remake marks a welcome return for one of Sega’s most enigmatic series. Although this first game is slightly hamstrung by its own position in history, it implies that the return of Panzer Dragoon is in very good hands.

While having both 1 and 2 may be necessary if you are completionist or if you adore the series, the second one is so much weaker that it is very hard to justify.

Despite its issues, All-Star racing is an original take on the kid-friendly kart racer which offers a wonderful selection of fruit themed content to keep both children and adults entertained. It might not get everything right, but it’s a beautifully juicy start.

Metal Wolf Chaos XD is definitely a child of its time. It's an over the top action fest that has a few issues with it, but can provide a decent amount of entertainment. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the game is seeing FromSoftware's early work and recognising the systems the company would settle on to make the big leap to the more famous follow-ups in the Soulsborne style of games.

NBA Playgrounds gets so much of the setup right, often reawakening the spirit of the NBA Jam series, but it fumbles some of the finer details with needless complications and lacklustre AI. As a solo experience there are much better ways to spend your money, but when it comes to multiplayer NBA Playgrounds is so very nearly shooting nothing but net.

Kao the Kangaroo is an often-delightful throwback to a simpler time, paying homage to the 3D platformers of yesteryear while retaining just enough of its own identity. Most importantly, its platforming and combat are both on point, and thanks to its likeable characters you’ll want to see it through to the end.

Ultimately, Vertical Drop Heroes HD is fun for a few hours, but gets repetitive quickly. The asking price is low so it might be worth a look if it really tickles your fancy, but Rogue Legacy is only £4 more expensive and accomplishes similar ideas more effectively and with more depth.

Battle Princess Madelyn has some lovely animated cut scenes to enjoy, the plot begins in a charming manner that brings to mind the Princess Bride, and its retro inspired pixelated graphics are on point. If only they were attached to fun and compelling gameplay, then Battle Princess Madelyn really could have been a contender to capture the crown of Ghost ‘n Goblins. As it stands, it’s probably best to avoid this one and break out your SNES from storage instead.

Beholder is an intriguing concept and thematically rather strong, as it twists and exaggerates a Cold War totalitarian surveillance state into the form of a video game. However, with a sequel on the way, we hope that Warm Lamp can improve on an idea that’s rather rough around the edges but is dying to be fleshed out further.

Subdivision Infinity DX is a decent space shooter filled with fast and frantic action. The grindy nature and and exploration missions do let it down a bit, but the gameplay is stylish and fun, and there's plenty of challenge for those that want it.

Table Top Racing combines gameplay elements previously seen in the likes of Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing to create a well-balanced racer that becomes increasingly hectic as you bump up the difficulty. There’s a great deal of content to be had too considering the low entry price.

Yes, it could be more visually stimulating and it's basically just an online game but it is damn good value for money and one of the more consistent titles available on the online marketplace.

This beautiful wrapper isn’t enough to cover up Poncho’s fundamental flaws. It’s a lovely experiment and although it works well in some parts, an overall sense of cohesion is missing. Being able to move along the z-axis is a clever feature yet Poncho uses this as a crutch, failing to flesh out other essential areas of the game. In short, there’s certainly something special here yet, sadly, only a minority will succeed in finding it.

I really wanted to like Chocobo GP, having never had the chance to play the PS1 original. Unfortunately, the tone is all over the place, the references are archaic, and the gameplay is mediocre to the point of boredom. It is possible that the online multiplayer will be where this comes to life, but even then the prospect of exploitative microtransactions threatens to cast a Cloud over affairs. if you’ve got any affection for Final Fantasy or Kart games, it's probably best to download the Lite version before deciding on the full game.