Afterparty on Xbox One is a brilliantly fun game. It has memorable characters, a unique setting and funny, macabre writing that will keep you coming back for more.

Looks can be deceiving, and from an outsider’s point of view, Metrico+ could be seen as bland and basic. That couldn’t be further than the truth, as it is in fact engaging, very clever and creates a sense of melancholy to balance out any moments of minor frustration.

That leaves me with wondering what is the point of Chime Sharp – especially when much of the game will be locked down and inaccessible to many. Well I’m not really sure to be honest, but then I’ve never really understood the point of Tetris either. If however you want a reasonably decent game that you can just sit down with, for ten minutes at a time, drawing off the positive, fast-flowing vibe it brings, then you’re in luck.

Whether you’re looking for a learning experience or are simply a petrol head with a love for cars - or maybe a bit of both - Car Mechanic Simulator is a great game.

Dread Nautical on Xbox One, with its oddly dark tone, tactical gameplay, and polygonal art style tries to make waves, yet manages to makes an ocean. Whilst it is let down by a lack of variation and complexity later on, Dread Nautical is a whale of a time that I would comfortably recommend to fans of RPGs or the likes of XCOM.

As long as you stick to the single player, Jagged Alliance 3 is very good indeed. The controls are nicely optimised for console, the story is interesting and forging a team out of a bunch of seemingly disparate personalities is a lot of fun. With a deep levelling and crafting system to get to grips with, this is one of the better strategy games of the year.

Marvel Rivals is a blast. A well-designed game with love for its characters, settings and universe. Yet, even if these characters mean nothing to you, it still more than satisfies as an incredibly diversified hero shooter experience where you CAN bring a demonic sword to a gunfight!

Not only is Rematch a wonderful game built for football fans, it’s a one of a kind multiplayer experience that everyone should try, regardless of their football enthusiasm.

Echo Generation is a simple but very enjoyable adventure which captures the magic of being young. It skillfully creates a sense of excitement and wonder, yet has enough going on to prevent it from becoming a repetitive slog; a trap similar games often fall into.

I would highly recommend giving Seasons After Fall a play, no matter whether you like platforming, puzzling or just foxes.

Neon City Riders on Xbox One is a refreshing ‘80s neon interpretation of The Legend of Zelda with plenty of inventive ideas, both in its game design and stylistic presentation. It is certainly not an experience for the faint and impatient, but it may be just the thing for players yearning for those brutal gaming experiences from that decade.

If you’re looking for an in-depth survival experience, where deception is the biggest obstacle, then Project Winter is a great game to pick up. Just keep in mind that you’ll want a mic and it may take a couple of games to get into the swing of things.

If Stonefly was an insect, it would be a stinkbug: beautiful to look at, but lets off an unpleasant odour when you start grappling with it.

Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? is another Wales Interactive FMV game that is hugely enjoyable, especially in the way they have worked with the constraints of filming, inspired by it to give the situation the characters are in some form of context.

Redout 2 may not be for everyone, mostly due to the level of skill required to play, but for fans of the series it will go down like a fine wine… a very fast fine wine.

There is not a dull moment to be found in Evil West’s ten to twelve hour playtime. The storyline has the potential to ensure this could well turn into a massive franchise, and there’s just hope that any sequel may place more focus on cooperative play.

Shoulders of Giants is something of a grind, both in terms of gameplay and structure. Still, at its core there is fun to be had and hopefully potential to evolve in the near future.

#BLUD is a valiant attempt to break the mould of the traditional dungeon crawler but it fails to achieve its target at being more than this. If you are a fan of the genre and are up for a challenge then it is worth a play. Just be warned that it’s not only the vampires that are a pain in the neck.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is a very good game, as long as you go into it knowing what to expect. It isn’t a modern gaming experience, despite the new look, and there is no doubt that gaming has moved on a lot in the last couple of decades. Luckily, there is a charm to things that keeps dragging you forward, desperate to see what is going to happen to two characters next, and this is the big draw.

Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition is not quite as addictive as other big hitters in the sim genre, but the game offers an enjoyable experience and a solid challenge with plenty of detailed gameplay to get stuck into. However, things do slow down the further you progress with your building, and can become repetitive which may turn some players away.

If you love the series, there is still worth with Rock of Ages 3, offering up more levels of the same great gameplay. But in all other senses, the rock has been dropped here.

You'll probably find that GYLT is one of those games you'll struggle to put down, ripe for play with the family, particularly as the gameplay rarely challenges. Yes, the story may be dark, but GYLT is not gory and the visuals have a great look to them.

You may miss the straightforward single-player experience of previous Outlast games, but in The Outlast Trials the cooperative multiplayer experience feels original and well thought out. Fun to play with friends, it can be as scary as hell.

Not that it is recommended on a golf course, but EA have knocked it out of the park with EA SPORTS PGA TOUR. It is a welcome return for a series that no longer needs a golfing legend to grace the cover. And long overdue it has been too. The 2K PGA games have had us covered in recent years but there will only be room for one golf franchise going forward. Welcome back to the club, EA.

It may not bring massive changes to the genre table, and it may rely on a tried and tested formula, but there’s no denying that it’s a solid experience that offers a few good hours of fun, plenty of replayability and comes ready for newcomers and veterans alike to get stuck into the madness.

TopSpin 2K25 is a welcome return for the franchise and a solid reboot. The gameplay is strong, fast and fluid and exactly what you would expect from a tennis game. It is easy to pick-up and play but just about deep enough for those wanting to experiment. It is let down by some slightly off character models and is currently just a bit too light in terms of content, needing perhaps a few mini-games or even a doubles career mode to help flesh it out.

Into The Pit is fast paced, repetitive and ever so slightly tactical. It may seem simple at first, but it’s a real blast with hidden depths (quite literally) that keep it from becoming too much of a grind.

You Suck at Parking is a good-looking, cute little racer like no other; one that will have you trying to hone your skills over and over again. But just remember, no matter how good you may get, really you may just suck at parking.

Pinball FX is a pretty good place to begin your collection, but not good enough to duplicate it.

Knock on the Coffin Lid: Complete Edition is a pretty unique proposition in a crowded games market, and this makes it refreshing. The story is only revealed in dribs and drabs, and so you’ll need to keep plugging away to get to the bottom of the mystery, but be warned, this is a hard game, and if the cards run against you, there’s nothing you can do.

Onimusha: Warlords reminds me of simpler times; when games focused on the aspect of fun, instead of pure realism. Hence, the Inabayama Castle is a welcome destination for anyone who longs for the good old times.

I wasn’t expecting much with Monster Energy Supercross 3 on the Xbox One but came out the other end pleasantly surprised. Other sports simulations suffer from annual releases, rushed out on smaller budgets and littered with bugs but this is a very competent game.

Need for Speed Heat is fast, furious, fun, and the best Need for Speed game of recent years.

A Hat in Time is a top piece of work from a developer who embraces all that is great about an old style 3D platformer and then makes it their own with innovative and insightful fresh ideas.

The story is a good one, the twists and turns are surprising, and the change between the past and present is very effective in its concept. The gameplay is very old-school though, and the tracking back is irritating at times, while a chase section in the latter moments is not really needed. Overall though, taking into account the price and the 4 to 5-hour running time, it delivers a decent piece of old-style adventure gaming.

The main issue is the lack of any kind of tactical play in Divine Knockout (DKO). The best of these games have characters that can counter the moves of others, and that is entirely missing here. Just hammer X to win!

Not only is 88 Heroes a brilliant achievement for Bitmap Bureau, but, more than anything else, it is fun to play. Maybe it can be a little frustrating at times, but that comes with the platforming territory. The varied and fun gameplay, the different level areas, the humour, and finally the music (which is a chiptune masterpiece) all add up to make a truly fantastic game.

Even in the presence of so many great options for a Metroidvania experience, the quality of Timespinner is strong enough to warrant interest from not just genre fans, but anyone looking for a consistently engaging and polished 2D adventure epic. Timespinner is definitely worth your time.

Aragami 2 is a great game, with issues. The gameplay is immense fun, takes on a whole other level with friends and there is something extremely satisfying about being able to do what you want, when you want it, in order to achieve the mission objective at hand. It isn’t perfect though, and seems to be missing that little bit of polish required to lift it to the top tier of gaming.

Train Sim World 3 is niche and so if you're not into the joys of the railway and don’t particularly get on with driving trains, then don’t expect much enjoyment from it. Veterans though will be delighted.

You may think that The Smurfs have had their day, but you won’t want to sleep on The Smurfs - Dreams. You will be surprised by just how accomplished this platformer is. And if that is anything to go by, the future is bright, the future is blue.

Dive in to Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest and you’ll be totally hooked by the few hours it takes to run. There are a few tiny bugs, and you can find yourself lost a lot, but overall the story is tight, exciting, and a great extension of the Still Wakes the Deep universe.

Episode One of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is not the best opener to a Telltale series I’ve had the pleasure of playing, but it’s still a very strong beginning to a story about a crew of opposite personalities gelling together.

If you’re after a unique adventure that borrows ideas from a load of games, but beats its own drum loudly, then Masters of Anima might just be worth adding to your collection.

As much as you can when you find yourself replaying the Great War, Isonzo can be enjoyable. The realistic and authentic attention to detail and area focus is something to be admired, yet it is much harder than any other shooter, as you try to come to terms with tactics and the careful nature of war.

So, Call of Duty: Vanguard. The campaign is great, the multiplayer is fun and Zombies will appeal to previous fans. As an overall package Vanguard is capable of providing hours of fun - all pushed along with brilliant visuals. This is a great trip back to World War II.

You can’t deny the intelligence of Life is Strange 2 – or any part of the entire Life is Strange franchise for that matter – but I feel that sometimes this at the expense of entertainment. It would be great to play at least a small portion of the game as Daniel, so you get to experience using his power – this would add a welcome new dimension to the gameplay.

The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters on Xbox One may be a direct follow up to the original The Coma but I feel it has improved on it in every way, all without radically changing the format. New locations, new characters, and some extra scares make for a game that fans of the franchise, and horror in general, should go and buy.

The Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 on Xbox Series X|S is one compilation you cannot miss out on.

The Surge is a game that can be mentioned in the same breath as Dark Souls, something which is high praise indeed.

Steelrising is a good game that puts itself in the AA bracket of gaming rather than the AAA settings of a Dark Souls or Elden Ring. But what it does do well is deliver an original concept, an amazing setting and a place occupied by killer robots.

The game has solid combat, interesting character creations, and the potential to grow into so much more. The only thing that inhibits it from gaining a higher rating is the fact that it is so barren.

At the end of the day, and if you’re after a relaxing puzzler which will provide a decent test that you can take at your own pace, then Noodle and Doodle will happily sort you out. You may not ever want to really test yourself by collecting all the coins, because some are pretty damn frustrating to hunt down and reach, and the Time Trial option will only really appeal to those who have friends sitting on the leaderboards too, but the basic game is so damn good that neither of those options really hold it back.

When everything comes together Super Cloudbuilt feels effortless; it’s smooth and gorgeous fun. It’s just a shame that those special moments aren’t more common.

Steamroll is a cleverly designed puzzler which isn’t short on ideas. To say this is Antico’s first independently developed game, they’ve done a great job. The gameplay is tight, easy to grasp and layered effectively with complexity, and despite a few rough edges, Steamroll is a thoroughly enjoyable experience and worthy of a place in everyone’s game library.

If you're after something truly original and unique with a great concept and fascinating take on a Kafka story, then take a trip into the unknown with Metamorphosis on Xbox One.

While it’s lean, it’s certainly mean, and you’ll have plenty of fun sending your friends spiralling down to the ground. Skydrift Infinity is an airborne Blur that’s had most of its content excised to focus on fun, and - as Blur fans - there’s no greater recommendation than that.

While the two genres in Boyfriend Dungeon dovetail nicely, they don’t stand up to scrutiny themselves. The hack-and-slashing is a callow shade of games like Hades, and the dating sim stuff is fine, but lacking in any emotional reaction: we failed to laugh, love or loathe. It may not be the sleazy sim that many have imagined, but it also fails to trigger a reaction other than a shrug emoji.

Lost in Random is a very unique game. It has great writing and some of the best art direction of the year. However, the combat system plays a risky gamble that I don't feel quite works out in the game's favour.

It’s colourful, imaginative and will make your children feel like platforming superstars. Marsupilami: Hoobadventure, completely out of nowhere, is the best Xbox kids game of the year.

If you love the mythological setting, sweet new armour sets and ability to turn into a bird, then Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök may be one of the best expansions in the series.

Agent Intercept is certainly a fun enough action racer that doesn’t outstay its welcome, but in this instance, it really should have stuck around a bit longer.

Conan Chop Chop comes alive in multiplayer whilst the single player feels like a bit of a slog; almost too hard for its own good.

Oxide Room 104 is a decent little survival horror; one that has some great ideas but falls short in others.

GRAVEN will be adored by the old-school brigade. It has that cozy retro feel, but also a good story and a great sense of world-building.

Despite some minor issues, Code Vein II is excellent. Look past the graphical issues and there is an excellent game found within, one with loads to do, and multiple timelines to visit and fix.

It is fast, brutal, punishing and can bring complete strangers together into a zombie mincing machine. Swarm is there if you have the PvP itch, and if you can play with others, this is an easy sell. If you play alone, things are more problematic, as a lot of the game seems to be locked away from you, but co-op up and you’ll be sorted with the zombie killing sprees of Back 4 Blood.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 provides one hell of a sniping experience. With so many different ways to approach your targets, multiple challenges to take on and some excellent gadgets to make use of, you’re not going to get bored easily. On the higher levels, the psychic enemies can be a bit wearisome, but this does encourage careful planning.

I haven’t had this much fun in a LEGO game since the third Batman iteration, and that’s testament to the new gameplay features, excitingly fresh heroes and intriguing story. It helps that there’s so much to do and plenty of variety to stave off any boredom.

If you were ever put through the wringer by Inside or Limbo, and fancy climbing through again, then White Shadows will duly oblige. It’s a magnificent lightshow.

Aspire: Ina’s Tale will deliver some mixed feelings. The world-building, the scenes of identity and magic it manifests while travelling through the world are all to be loved, as is the main character of Ina and the creatures/characters she meets along the way. Some of the platforming and puzzle-solving is also decent but the movement of Ina becomes a bit frustrating at times, especially in terms of gameplay accuracy.

Submerged: Hidden Depths nails its core aim. It’s an experience that plays more along the lines of an interactive art exhibit instead of a traditional game. That may not appeal to everyone, but it’s a slice of tranquillity we could all benefit from.

An easy game to recommend for fans of Ghostbusters that are looking for a chill ghostbusting experience, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is less likely to appeal to single players; the fun dries up pretty quickly as repetition kicks in.

Whilst The Fall Part 2: Unbound has been put together with super high production values, a stunning story and some great visuals, it is the overall length and drawn out nature of the tale that ultimately holds it back.

Despite the slow nature of the first half of House of Ashes, when it gets into its stride it is a homage to classic science-fiction action horror titles that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The scares may not be as obtrusive as the previous titles in the anthology, but this may then appeal to those that aren’t necessarily horror fanatics.

Godfall is worth playing. It’s an action-RPG looter that focuses almost all of its efforts on the fruits of its combat flow, which leaves the story, loot and level-variety shrivelled on the branch.

Come to Open Roads as a ‘Sunday game’, with a big cup of tea and a ginger biscuit on hand, and you’ll leave extremely impressed.

The fifth edition of Jackbox Party Pack brings some notable additions in the forms of Mad Verse City and Patently Stupid. These two can stand up with some of the best from other collections such as Trivia Murder Party and Monster Seeking Monster. The others in this pack don’t feel as good, or in YDKJ’s case, don’t offer anything new. Still, the overall package is good fun for when you have a few friends over.

It may be an old game, but Kingdom Rush is still hugely enjoyable. It is simple but compelling, and when you are down to your last HP and a horde of enemies are bearing down on you, it gets extremely tense.

In truth, Attack on Titan 2 is more of the same as that found in Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom – just less exciting and slightly more frustrating in comparison.

If you’ve hunted the preacher for this long, you simply must experience the finale for some much need closure.

HyperParasite is a twin-stick shooter that’s got the ability to draw you in for one more go, time and time again. The plethora of cool characters to unlock – 60 to be exact – and the unique abilities they possess ensure every playthrough is exciting. In terms of gameplay, it’s fast-paced enough to keep you on your toes without being hellish.

Essentially, Arcade Spirits on Xbox One feels like an entry point to the visual novel genre. It lacks the depth, complexity and hook of games such as Phoenix Wright, but instead relies on its relationships to suck players in. With a slow build, it’s hard to recommend to anyone but veterans of the genre, especially with a script that never evolves beyond its basic humour. But its charm is hard to deny and, infused with the nostalgic factor, it can be downright difficult to resist at times.

Hitchhiker may not be a game that is able to give you all the answers you want, but it will take you on an incredible journal that focuses on relationships, love, life, and death. It's a story about everything and nothing... and it's brilliant.

The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is funny from the first step. From its nods to Soulsborne games like notes on the floor giving you hints, to its joypad smashingly difficult boss battles, The Last Hero is a really solid and incredibly wholesome feeling title.

Highwater could easily become one of those end-of-times comfort games; very relaxing with an interesting world to explore. Sometimes it might feel a bit empty and the combat does get slightly repetitive, but overall I had a great time playing and exploring this land.

Even though the gameplay of Tiebreak feels predictable after a while, any fan of the sport should find a great time taking to this court, relishing what is on offer. There are plenty of modes to enjoy and the career is fine to play, even if some of the venues feel a bit flat.

For many, a beloved childhood classic has returned in Croc Legend of the Gobbos on Xbox. And, aside from the improved camera and graphics, it plays exactly as you remember. Easy to start with, getting more and more tricky but with the overarching sense that it was never quite as good as a Crash or Spyro game.

With only a slight downside, and a bargain price to boot, recommending God of Weapons is a piece of cake - if you like Vampire survivors, then try this one.

Those who missed out originally should certainly consider purchasing the full game and Final Battle DLC bundle which offers much better value for money. As an upgrade for existing owners though, it’s a hell of a lot of cash, so I’d wait for a sale.

NHL 22 has started to lay down the groundwork for a great ice hockey game. It’s incorporated new mechanics in X-Factor players, graphically it’s improving and the gameplay is a mixture of fluid simulation and fast paced arcade which is a great balance. However, Be A Pro mode is still stagnant, there is a heavy reliance on spending real money on card packs in Ultimate Team and there just doesn’t feel like enough new additions to get excited by.

FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE improves on a cult classic in so many ways. Although one poorly thought out decision holds it back, this remains one of the best examples of its genre.

Behind all of the technical trouble of Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Definitive Edition is a really great CRPG that honors its heritage and feels like a 90's CRPG release - the kind of thing that could stand right next to the classic greats. While it's certainly not as good as some of those seminal titles, it does come close and is a great time to anyone who wants to party up and venture into a wild and dynamic fantasy world. It’s just a shame that technical aspects stop that from happening.

There is nothing daring or complicated about Mythic Ocean. It’s not substantial, being one-and-done in a couple of hours, without a convincing reason to play again. But it has something to say about the difficulties of friendship, and it achieves a meditative state that allows you to unwind as you navigate beautiful environments.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 follows on brilliantly from the original game to provide hours of utter joy. The console fit is a great one, with interfaces and opportunities always at the fingertips. Throw in a multitude of options via various game modes and you’ve got what many could well call the ultimate dinosaur-themed park builder.

With new challenges arriving each in-game day, plenty of characters, tough choices and the perfect dark and grubby environment to match the general moral breaking tone of the game, Beholder: Complete Edition provides a rather unique experience and is certainly one that’s worthy of your time and attention.

With only one big decision to make regarding Daniel’s powers, the magic is still an important part of the storyline in Life is Strange 2 Episode 4, just it is seemingly taking a backseat for now. This leads me to believe that it’ll all make an important comeback in the next, and final episode. And it will be here where we will finally see if the brothers get to have the happy ending they deserve.

LEGO The Incredibles exceeded my expectations, as it contains a lot of fun to be had, plenty of variety throughout the levels and a dose of humour when needed. The roster is jam packed with exciting characters that possess every single ability you can think of, and the bonus Pixar ones are the icing on the cake.