Doom remains a classic and is still immensely playable. It may have a few rough edges, and be a bit too simple for some, but overall it has stood the test of time well.

For all its simplicity, for all its lowest denominator action, Guts ‘n Grunts is kickass. We ploughed through level after level with giblets on our face, and stopped only to tick off some objectives on our clipboard. If you want brainless Contra fun, accept no substitute.

From start to finish A Juggler’s Tale is hugely enjoyable. It tells a classic fairytale-type of story but then turns the format on its head, leaving you to wonder about the power of stories and who controls them. It's a short experience that will take you just a couple of hours to complete, and it’s a shame there is no real replay value, but for me the length is perfect - as are the visuals and storytelling.

Taking everything into account, FIFA 20 on Xbox One has brought in more control to the experience; in particular the defending which feels refined. The Ultimate Team mode shines brighter than ever, whilst Pro Clubs receives the boost it needed, with many other areas still delivering solid modes without changing much. Sadly, there’s no longevity in VOLTA as it is, with a yawn-inducing story not helping matters.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered on Xbox One remains as fun and nostalgic as it did in 2009. With punchy combat, creepy exploration and a hilarious script that’s beautifully voice acted, it’s hard not to recommend this Halloween treat.

Tales of Graces F Remastered is a pretty great game. Yes, the first chapter is narratively weaker than the rest, but it sets the scene for what follows, as the story drags you along. Alongside that, it also looks good and plays brilliantly, and so if you have room for a huge RPG in your life, Tales of Graces f Remastered is highly recommended.

Old Man’s Journey is a wonderful little addition to the Xbox One family. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, however if you’re a fan of story, puzzles, and innovation, and are happy to take it all in at a gentle pace, then it’s well worth you giving this a try.

Despite the handful of drawbacks, if you like love themed visual novels and appreciate delicious CGs of food, then Strawberry Vinegar on Xbox One is good enough to satiate your taste buds.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is an entertaining way to spend three or four hours. The cases are sublimely ridiculous, the characters surprisingly well-rounded, despite having so little dialogue, and the gameplay is extremely simple.

You may well wonder if The Addams Family: Mansion Mayhem is a platforming gem. Well, not exactly. This is a game aimed at kids and their families, and it nails that target with pinpoint accuracy. It’s not a revolutionary step in platforming. It’s not a Mario Odyssey. It’s not even a Super Mario Bros 2. It’s just a kooky, spooky playground for up to four players, designed by people who know their audience and what they want from their video game thrills.

It may not feature the crown jewels of what is the most saturated genre in video games, but the experience is distinct enough to warrant interest from genre fans. Purists aside, the four-player local coop mode is a great way to spend an afternoon with gamers of all types.

Yooka-Replaylee is not a masterpiece of 3D platforming, far from it in fact, yet if you just lower your expectations for this to be the next Banjo-Kazooie, enjoyment will soon follow. A stunning soundtrack, world, and overall charm, harmonise with the troubled, yet enjoyable gameplay, and the accompanying arsenal of moves. Simply put, Yooka-Replaylee is fun, but not groundbreaking.

Perhaps there is nothing groundbreaking to be had here with the Cities: Skylines Campus addition, as it fails to ever really change the dynamics of the nature of the game, but it does add a whole bundle of new content – and that is especially important if you are after a new challenge and want to make your favourite city the smartest in the world.

A Tale for Anna undoubtedly nails the hidden object aspect and has a charming look, but is slightly hampered by irritating mini-games and a bland narrative.

Overall and it’s fair to criticise Capcom for not including the extra content into the main game, especially with it being available just a few days later, but the content on offer is certainly enough to have me feeling happy with my Season Pass. A couple of videos and an insane difficulty level may not be what everyone values as £25 well spent, but the content on offer is thoroughly enjoyable and certainly ties in well with everything found in the earlier biohazard experience.

The story, world building, characters, and sound design are where Song of Nunu excels. If you are looking to fill a day with a fun story with a vibrant backdrop and silly characters, then Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is definitely worth picking up.

Hugely accessible, Mr. Run and Jump is once again proof that Atari know exactly what is needed to deliver a new addiction to the modern gaming scene. This is a vibrant platforming delight.

Planet Coaster 2 is a worthy follow-up and another fab continuation of the wider ‘Planet’ franchise. The water parks don’t intrude too much, ensuring that this remains a theme park creator at its heart, and most of the new inclusions add to that simulation side of things successfully.

Word Wheel by POWGI is still just a fancy way of working through some wordplay, and that will either appeal or not, but for us this Word Wheel rolls along very nicely indeed.

Eternal Hope is a nicely played-out visual story with some great ideas and a lovely gaming technique which lets you swap instantly between two different realities. There are some problems with checkpointing and the accuracy in terms of platforming isn’t as tight as it possibly should be, but that rarely takes away from such a clever little game.

Deliver Us The Moon on Xbox One is a game that I have thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish, fully immersed in its 6-hour or so running time. There is a nice range of puzzles to play with, a great piece of storytelling on offer and some excellent exploring to be had. It’s all helped along by good visuals and some wonderful sound in both the music and voice-over departments.

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a well balanced compilation of games with broad appeal, skilfully and faithfully enhanced for the modern player.

With plenty of customisation, a plethora of levels and ease of entry, there's no doubt you should be stumbling towards Stumble Guys. But if the lack of polish and server errors continue, this one may stumble in more ways than intended.

If you have money to burn, are missing the party scene or just want to attempt to head off on a mixing career for nothing but personal entertainment, FUSER on Xbox One nails what is required. The control scheme has been well handled, the visuals are bright and colourful, and the plethora of tunes included will hit the spot for many. With a deep career being the highlight, and many other options available for those looking to go beyond that and into the online scene, Harmonix have hit the sweet spot with their latest music franchise.

It’s in terms of the visuals where Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed excels, especially in the remastering, fidelity and colour. Disney fans will have a blast, yet even though it’s enjoyable, the gameplay does feel a bit old-fashioned.

If you have a hankering for a simpler time of flash games that the more modern offerings can't sate, Ad Fundum may just be the game for you. Outside of some minor control and technical issues, it provides loads of gameplay and replayability for a relatively small price and size.

Romancing SaGa 3 on Xbox One is an outlier on the modern gaming landscape, in the most positive sense of this description.

My Hero One’s Justice on Xbox One is a darn good fighting game that never ceases to deliver excitement due to the fast-paced nature and the wonderfully creative moves that are in keeping with the My Hero Academia franchise.

This game will only be of true interest to sim fans – railway sim fans in particular. It is maybe too expensive for the newcomer to take a punt on, but should it hit a sale, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it.

Death Crown has style and originality pumping through its disgusting veins, and it’s not often that you get to say that about a real-time strategy game. Often the most clinical and militaristic of genres, Death Crown is ghoulish and characterful. Hell, the world-building is probably worth a recommendation on its own.

Should you want to involve yourself in mass fights, laughing uncontrollably throughout, or wish to get engrossed in the RPG elements of Beneath, you’ll want to put your best fighting shoes on, because it’s time to Paint the Town Red.

PAYDAY 3 is sadly a classic case of style over substance. It’s a “by the numbers” FPS whose uninspiring offer struggles to distinguish it from the competition.

Max and the Book of Chaos on Xbox One is a frantic battle for survival which manages to provide a fun challenge without sending the player into a spiral of anger and frustration. It’s hard not to recommend giving this one a look, especially if reflex-testing run and gun shooters are your bag.

There are times when Deliver Us Mars feels a bit rough around the edges, and the platforming and climbing mechanics don’t work as well as they should. But ultimately this is about the story it tells, dazzling with splendid characters and a wonderful sense of place and space. The exploration and puzzle elements of the game bring much to love too.

Neon Inferno is a challenging game with a cracking amount of enjoyment to it. Couch co-op helps, as does the stiff challenge, but that does mean you’ll need to put in the work in order to get through everything it has to offer.

Final Fantasy VIII remains as divisive as ever, but now fans have a way to decide for themselves without sourcing an older copy.

No matter what you may think of the whole toys to life idea that Ubisoft are pushing, the truth of the matter is that Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a very good game that should be embraced by all – with or without the physical additions. It brings together a great story, some utterly stunning visuals, and superb sound. These mix well with a variety of quests, missions, objectives and codex fulfilments that wouldn’t look out of place in the likes of Assassin’s Creed.

Telling Lies on Xbox One is not going to be for everyone. It is very much a cinematic, interactive story first and a game second. However, the brilliant performances and top-notch writing that stands among some of Hollywood’s best easily makes this a must-play for fans of FMV games or cinema in general.

If you want a calming game that’s just a treat from start to finish, then I wholeheartedly recommend picking up The Alto Collection on Xbox One.

It's the puzzles that truly make The House of Da Vinci 3 engaging, with their variety and challenge.

It doesn’t demand anything of you. Its customers will happily wait weeks, if not months for you; they don’t mind. You can do whatever you want. And that’s Fruitbus’ secret sauce. A warm community spirit without expectations.

If PvP is your bag, then you’ll be right at home with what Marathon brings to the table, but for the rest of us, the bar for entry is set too high.

What a splendid surprise Flewfie’s Adventure is. We expected it to be in and out like a furball, coughed up in the space of minutes and probably just as enjoyable. But instead it’s absolute catnip, and we played through its surprising depths with a big old grin on our faces.

Hell Well might be a little too minimalist for some tower defence fans. But buy into its stripped down approach, and this is one of the cleverest and most addictive tower defence games that we’ve played in recent memory. Hell yes.

While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, Sparklite on Xbox One is a strong contender in the genre and a reminder to push ourselves to be the best we can possibly be.

If you care even slightly about Kain, Raziel and the world that they inhabit, then you owe it to yourself to play Legacy of Kain: Ascendance. It really fills in gaps in the back story that I, for one, hadn’t noticed before.

Mothergunship is a fun experience. Seeing a gun you’ve designed and crafted rip apart the robotic alien hordes is always fun, and the odd niggles aside, it is more than a decent game to play.

If you want a shorter experience, maybe a less challenging one complete with a ton of thrills and spills, then Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a good option to have.

Mars Horizon on Xbox is an excellent and approachable but deep game that will scratch the space exploration itch for a lot of players. Whilst it’s not an adrenaline rush, it’s got a lot of heart and its excellent UI and design will mean you spend many hours crafting and preparing your missions and then tensely watching them launch.

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories. It’s a glorious distraction, and while it might not come with supposed necessities like gameplay and difficulty, it managed to keep us glued to our controller for a solid five hours. We implore you to feed your melon addiction and give it a go.

Is FIFA 18 the best in the series? No, but there’s a whole load of things to do once you’ve embraced all the gameplay enhancements to ensure it’s still a decent game.

If precision platforming wasn’t chilling enough, Love Eternal coats it in thick, horrifying atmospherics. There’s nowhere to hide: the closest you will get to safety is the momentary haven of a checkpoint.

For every swing-and-miss, there’s a home run. The songs, the kaleidoscopic world, the Materia-like songstones: they all want to make me pump the air. Sure, there’s the occasional duff note, but People of Note is a crowd-pleaser that should pique the interest of music and RPG lovers alike.

There’s no doubt that this is one of the most immersive, grittiest, most brutal of games, for multiple reasons. However, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl goes and shoots itself in the foot on a few too many occasions. Bugs and glitches are to be expected for an open world game that attempts so much, but only with some polish and refinement will S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 shine as a masterpiece of open-world survival horror.

All in all, Ghost Blade HD is a very enjoyable game. It is unashamedly retro, and captures the vibe of the 90’s shoot-em-up very well. The slow down is annoying but isn’t a deal breaker, because with practice it is possible to compensate for it. The addition of the Global Leaderboards brings in the chance for competition, and if you are willing to invest the time to learn the enemies attack patterns, then the chances for score chasing fun go through the roof. With local co-op play and the score attack mode, the 1990s have never looked so good.

Rabbids: Party of Legends is in the upper echelons of party games. It’s got that lavish Ubisoft presentation going for it, and the gormless rabbids are as entertaining as always.

I have no major complaints about Raven’s Hike. It’s a simple game built on a simple mechanic, but it does it well.

Bunny Factory is a pleasant surprise as it is a real step up in quality compared to the developer’s previous offerings. The puzzles are logical and fun to solve, there are a ton of them to get stuck into, and the variations on the core mechanic bring enough freshness to keep proceedings moving along smoothly.

Whether it be because Berzerk: Recharged feels fresher than the rest, or whether it is because of the random nature it brings, we feel this is in the upper echelons of all the Recharged games that Atari have pushed out.

Multiple playthroughs are an essential part of Murderous Muses. One run-through may take you a few hours, but the next time you come to it, you’ll no doubt discover a totally different experience, with differing elements and clues.

Disciples: Domination is an enjoyable sequel that builds on the original in certain ways, but remains a very similar experience to what came before, complete with the same drawbacks.

For long-time fans of Outriders, the introduction of Worldslayer is good news, with new stuff to go and hunt and new levels to play around with. It is short, but it’s still enjoyable

Shantae and the Seven Sirens on the Xbox One is the best in the series yet. Despite some truly obscure pacing issues and some irritating map design, the base adventure remains extremely enjoyable, with rewarding exploration and a constant sense of progression. While the formula may need more quality of life improvements to really stand out in the genre, Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a step in the right direction and places the series on the right track for success.

At the end of the day, DiRT 4 is left as very good racer that is let down by the odd visual and audio issue. If you’re a gaming petrol head who is prepared to look beyond those though – and can consider turning off the repetition of your Spotter – then you’ll most definitely like what you find.

If you have never played a Crash Bandicoot game then now is the perfect time to get into it. And if you’ve done it before, you’ll find a lovely HD trip down memory lane.

HEROish delivers a MOBA castle-defense type adventure that’s a lot of fun to play on your own. The deck-building and gameplay is super easy to understand, with a great range of cool cards on hand to choose from. It’s just a shame HEROish suffers a tad technically and the multiplayer can’t recreate the enjoyment of the campaigns.

Is it an improvement on the franchise? Well it has NHL Threes, new additions to the career modes and some nice cosmetic touches. Maybe next year there will be a story mode to help really connect with a new audience, but for now I am having a blast like it was 1993 all over again.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is still the same Yakuza 0 - one of the best games in the entire franchise. And whilst a few new cutscenes don’t completely ruin the story, the question is more why they have been included in the first place.

All in all then, if you are in the market for a puzzle game, Walk The Light could well scratch that itch.

House Flipper on Xbox One is a wonderful surprise. It does not have the deepest gameplay, but it sucked me right in. It may not be a game I remember for years to come, but it will surely stay installed on my Xbox One so that I have something quiet and calming to play the next time I feel the need to be alone with my existential thoughts.

It’s easy to say that Episode 4 of The Walking Dead: The Final Season brings the Clementine journey full circle, which it does, but what’s more impressive is how the storytelling throughout this season has allowed us to see all of her best traits. As a finale it never lets up and not once will it deliver a dull moment.

Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline is easily better than the main game. Removing recruitable NPCs in favour of established characters means every interaction is more meaningful, both between characters and with the player themselves.

We just have that wistful wish that it did more. There’s a Hall of Fame when it comes to deckbuilding roguelikes, and For the Warp visits the hall rather than cements its place. Without card upgrades, without deck-specific cards, and without ‘Ascension’-like reasons to replay, For the Warp begins to fade away.

Wasteland 3: Cult of the Holy Detonation is a lot of fun to play through, if brutally hard at lower levels. The story is intriguing, and with the multitude of different characters to meet and interact with, and different factions to play off against each other, the DLC does more than enough to keep you playing.

If you like your spot-the-difference games to be weird, and have a peculiar love for creepy cabins, then you should try a shift at The Cabin Factory.

Project Cars 2 is indeed a quality racer, one well worth the time of anyone looking for an ultra-realistic experience. Those coming in as casual racers may find the controls a little harsh, but the general nature of racing a high-performance car is certainly put into perspective, and that should be praised in any game looking to give a simulation experience.

The indie soundtrack that accompanies your time with Life is Strange 2 Episode 1 is both melancholic and atmospheric, matching the mood of the story perfectly. As to be expected from a Life is Strange game, the dialogue and voice acting are spot on and I felt fully immersed in the lives of Sean and Daniel.

NBA 2K18 succeeds in delivering truly addictive gameplay that is pretty easy to pick up for newcomers, while long-time players will enjoy mastering the advanced techniques.

NHL 20 on Xbox One is a great hockey game with advanced physics, new exciting and engaging game modes, better transitions and replays and finally some new commentators; it really is EA’s best hockey game yet.

Human: Fall Flat is certainly one of the better puzzlers to arrive on console and though it’s a real shame to see a lack of attention being shown to the co-op offering, that mode in itself may just be some of the best local multiplayer fun available on Xbox One.

With the inclusion of HyperMotion technology, FIFA 22 on Xbox Series X|S is in the best shape it has been for years. HyperMotion may sound very buzz-wordy – and it is – but it also fundamentally changes the action on the pitch into something very much resembling real-life football. Tweaks and changes will be made as the season progresses but right now, this is one of the best launches a FIFA game has ever had.

Supermarket Simulator is incredibly addictive, which is the hallmark of any good simulation game. It has that powerful “let me do just one more shopping day” appeal to it that could, and probably will, consume a hell of a lot of your time. Yes, it is a bit rough around the edges, but the core playability and the undeniable drive to make your supermarket the best in the neighbourhood are something that will keep you going.

Whilst questions can be raised as to whether Surviving Mars: Relaunched is needed as a full new release, the gameplay is still absolutely solid. It’s a hardcore sim management game that offers plenty of trials and tribulations but can be immensely satisfying at the same time. Simply a joy to return to.

Throne and Liberty feels different, thanks to its impressive visuals and wealth of content. The PVP focus and reliance on a large player base might not appeal to everyone, but it's a strong start, and it’ll be interesting to see how the game evolves going forward.

Speed Limit on Xbox is a hell of a lot of fun. I’ll admit that I never thought I’d get to grips with what it offers, and thought failure would be nailed on. But there is something about it that keeps pulling you back for one more attempt, and then a few more thrown on top of that.

Pathologic 3 is a complex, highly original game that will appeal to a specific audience, but I fear it will leave many others behind. It feels like one of those games you only truly start to ‘get’ when you are about halfway through, and I can completely understand people dropping off after the first few hours.

There aren’t many games at the same price that I can recommend more than Iron Snout. This is a game that does exactly what it says on the tin. There’s little else here apart from what I have described, and the game is better for it. If you really hate wolves, and you have a few hours to spare, then this is the game for you.

Jinshin does enough to be worthy of a recommendation. The setting is good, the story keeps you guessing, and the new features that it brings in are interesting enough. If you like a JRPG, then this is an easy sell, but if you are looking for a way into the KEMCO universe, this is as good a place as any to start.

The top-down visuals give TRON: Catalyst an old-fashioned feel, which seems appropriate for the Tron Universe. I found the storytelling in this game to be intriguing and full of interesting plots and character dynamics.

If you are in the market for a tough as nails shooter, Crisis Wing should be on your radar. It’s brutal, it’s unforgiving, and it harks back to an era when this was all we had to play.

You can see the love poured into The Knightling. It has lovely visuals and a great family-friendly story, complete with Zelda-like vibes. The shield riding is a great touch, as are the other abilities you gain. The combat is fine too, and you’ll enjoy taking in the multitude of quests present. I did find the platforming a bit annoying, and the camera doesn’t aid things, but if you are looking for a family-friendly adventure with a lot of heart, then The Knightling is for you.

In Sound Mind hears what a lot of horror fans have been saying for some time. Horror does not have to be jump scares. It doesn’t have to be Chris Redfield lock-and-loading incendiary rounds. It can be paranoid, drenched with atmosphere rather than blood, and if there’s anything that We Create Stuff should be proud of, it’s that they’ve absolutely hit this bullseye.

The story is mysterious, with a great cast of memorable characters and some fairly interesting text dialogue to boot. Throw in the crisp, anime visuals, the well-suited backing track and the decent amount of upgrades on offer, and there’s a lot to love about 13AM Games’ latest title.

With different levels every time you play, and procedural generation in place, your runs in Warpips should never feel the same; and that means the longevity is there.

If you’re a fan of the horror genre, like a bit of story, don’t mind a scare and enjoy a lot of exploration, then stop what you’re doing and give Don’t Knock Twice a go.

Despite the handful of drawbacks, Landflix Odyssey is still a pretty fun journey into the realm of streaming services and it’s worth a punt if you’re interested in any of the shows parodied.

Anyone expecting a whole new, full-length game in the Neva universe should temper their expectations with what is on offer in Neva: Prologue. It acts more like a little extra chapter added to the main game, which isn’t a bad thing at all, especially since the low price reflects this.

A relentless volley of J-pop bangers, the setlist of MUSYNX is a lesson in quality and quantity. And while MUSYNX may be simple, it plain works.