This a fighting game that is enjoyable almost despite the gore, not because of it. It’s bonkers story mode is the highlight here, the great animation and crunching impacts help, but then the Towers of Time throw a spanner in the works at the last moment.

There is a lot of action on display here in Mullet MadJack, and there is also quite a lot of content included, what with things like an Endless Mode. But the issue is the lack of soul. It is fast, it is furious, but it unfortunately also feels meaningless.

The next-gen enhancements are nice for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time on Xbox Series X|S, but they don’t change any of the larger issues to make this any better than the Xbox One version. 4K and 60fps are pleasant enough and it is a good thing this is a free upgrade for existing owners. Yet while many of the modern improvements make a much smoother game, it can’t quite reach the heights of Cortex Strikes Back or Warped available in the N. Sane Trilogy.

Barring some technical issues causing the odd crash or hard lock, for the most part, the core of the game works well. There is definitely enjoyment to be had however, as all artistic aspects of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom are beautiful, and the combat and platforming mechanics are solid.

Outer Wilds provides an incredible and imaginative solar system to explore, one that is filled with genuine mystery and wonder, immersive music and an imaginative sci-fi lore. Still, the issues in control, gameplay, and level design hamper the intended blissful exploration which it tries to build its premise around.

Whilst definitely touted as a reboot in pre-release info, Mortal Kombat 1 has taken a few too many steps back. The fighting feels stripped back from previous editions, reverting to a technique that fighting games were using years ago, rather than evolving.

It’s not the best Sam & Max game, or even the second best, but Sam & Max Save the World is a milestone in the series, preserved with love by the best people to do so. If you’ve been looking for a reason to spend time with two of gaming’s best characters on an Xbox, grab it with all four paws.

The visuals don’t live up to the standards that one would normally expect at this price range. Bloodstained doesn’t offer much in terms of narrative either, and most of its characters – bar Zangetsu – are downright awful. If you really want to experience this latest project by Koji Igarashi, then consider waiting for it to land on sale, which I think will happen sooner rather than later.

It feels like Crash 4 is stuck somewhere down the middle in terms of Crash games; way off the lofty heights of Crash platforming at its peak in Warped, but well above some of the stuff that followed the original trilogy. Does it try to introduce too much? Maybe. But then in a weird paradox it doesn’t do much more to bring the franchise to modern consoles. Much like the plot of Crash 4, it is unsure which time period it is in.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a better game than the other more recent Call of Duty games, but if you hark back to the classics like MW2 and the original Black Ops games, then you won't find it reaching those same heights.

For fans of the genre, WRC 9 is a very good facsimile of what it must be like to run a WRC team, but for those of you who want their rally driving to be more enjoyable and less like being mugged, then DiRT Rally 2.0 is where the smart money goes.

All in all then and Path of Exile is an enjoyable game, held back by some peculiar design choices, both in game and in the UI.

Super Hydorah is sold on the premise that it is a challenging opponent. I have no issues with that – but you need to be sure this is a game for you before you drop that all-important cash.

The foundation of Frostpunk 2 is fun and challenging. Managing resources and relationships throughout the campaign is a satisfying process, and the story itself is engaging. But the performance issues on Xbox bring the experience down significantly.

The neon-clad battle for survival between an adorable snail and a killer AI gives Will You Snail something of a distinctive feel. However, ultimately, you will need to be a talented, patient platformer fan to get the most from it.

Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is more of the same, but it really is a whole lot more, and that more is created with real care.

Offline, everything in Tekken’s garden is rosy, but online it looks like someone has been at it with the weedkiller.

In a world where every video game idolises the hero, a villain stands up and says “enough is enough!”. Underhero is a playful take on stereotypical conventions that have plagued many gaming genres for years. Developer Paper Castle may miss the mark occasionally, but Underhero on Xbox One is an inventive take on classic gaming tropes.

Queen and Freddie Mercury’s personality may not come through in Let’s Sing Queen on Xbox One, but you probably won’t care. These are the 30 songs you would want, set against a backdrop of the videos you would want to see, with crisp presentation and faultless audio pick-up. Queen’s particular kind of magic comes through the songs, but not the game, and that’s enough.

We found Potion Permit to be an immense amount of scaffolding built around a tiny building. The supporting systems are great and numerous, adding plenty to do and fiddle with between your alchemical excursions. But the excursions themselves are thin and repeated, offering up too little to justify the extravagant scaffolding.

We Were Here Forever is the biggest game of the series so far, and it’s pretty good without reaching the upper echelons of its genre. Sure, the story isn’t going to put you on tenterhooks, but the ingenuity of the puzzling more than makes up for its shortcomings in that department.

The design, some gameplay elements and the audio are excellent, and the ambition of telling a straight forward teenage love story with some family drama thrown into the mix should be applauded.

Crash Drive 3 is a fun little game. There’s not a huge amount of longevity here, especially not once you’ve unlocked all the worlds, yet it’s all good as a quick pick up and play affair, before forgetting about it again. Playing with friends is always better than strangers, but even if no one you know is online, with cross-play support it’s easy to get into quite intense contests.

Should you be in the market for a retro-styled ninja game, Cyber Shadow on Xbox is quite possibly the game for you. It plays well, it sounds good, and aside from an odd use of powers and damage from knockbacks, there’s not an awful lot missing - just be aware that your controller may come out the other side with more teeth marks in it than when you began.

Chivalry 2 is easy to pick up and play, with much of the draw coming from the fact you don’t have to worry about learning a crazy amount of moves. There is nothing better than meeting a worthy opponent on the battlefield and going 1-on-1, block for block, slash for slash, countering each other carefully. Some may need more in terms of game modes and further incentives to keep them there for the long term, but for now, you can't go wrong with a bit of medieval PvP mayhem with Chivalry 2.

In recent years, EA Sports have added plenty of new modes across their licensed games, and NHL 21 on the Xbox One is no exception; there is a lot of ice hockey on offer. The variety will offer something for everyone, but there are issues with the gameplay on the rink that mean some modes work better than others.

It’s a very slow paced game overall, so whether Valkyria Chronicles 4 is for you depends on how patient you are and whether the deep story can cover over the gameplay drawbacks.

Unpacking is a very original title, and one that is a lot more than virtually unpacking boxes. The ebbs and flows of the story will make you want to see it through to the end, even when the lines between unpacking items and Unpacking (the game) start to blur.