If you’re after something with a unique gameplay element then EchoBlade will be for you. It works well throughout, providing something different to a traditional dungeon crawler.

Oaken just can’t capitalise on that good work. It’s too convoluted as a turn-based strategy game, it takes too much time to assess any given situation, and restarting a run takes far too long. The ivy crawls around Oaken and drags it down, when it should be shooting up into the sky.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon comes with the tools to make it a success, but it’s plagued by issues and repetition.

MORDHAU is not a game you can master in a matter of moments. You need to learn the mechanics and systems to have a chance of staying alive; and this will take time. The good news is that there is enough here to keep you playing, but the bad news is that MORDHAU is so brutally unforgiving you may find yourself questioning your sanity as your quest continues.

Things are certainly progressing in the right direction for Antstream Arcade, and it is off to a flyer on Xbox consoles, officially this time. It presents a huge and varied range of games from across all decades of the video game scene - some you will have heard of, but many you will have not.

Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 6 is a more than competent racer, with its own unique challenges that make it a real test.

Words of Wisdom uses the word ‘Wisdom’ pretty loosely. It’s a game that feels like it’s been batch-imported into Google Translate, which is a problem when the resulting riddles are key to completing the levels. Words of Wonkiness would have covered it better.

A game dedicated to getting out of the way? It’s not exactly a killer pitch. But if you can find some fun in the dodging then there’s an upgrade system in Mighty Mage that sprinkles magic on top. We’re just not sure it’s quite enough.

The developers know what they are doing and Insomnis is delivered with panache and style. It's an entertaining romp as well with an exciting story, jump scares, and some solid exploration and puzzles.

Ed-0: Zombie Uprising is built on sound ideas and there’s so much to love about the setup. However, the brutal, inconsistent difficulty coupled with the repetitive, imbalanced gameplay prevents it from reaching full potential.

Don’t be too concerned about the shortness of Venba, for its fascinating story and cultural delights will certainly make up for it.

For a game as old as Cyber Citizen Shockman, it has some novel ideas such as a world map and specific rewards for completing certain levels. The levels themselves though are beyond difficult, some designed to kill you as quickly as possible; unapologetic about it.

SOULVARS tries its best to create a unique world and theme, yet falters, and has to rely heavily on the turn-based action instead.

TOEM really has no barriers for anyone - kids all the way up to great-grandparents - to enjoy its relaxed take on photography.

Nova Lands avoids nearly all the pitfalls of the ever popular sim genre, providing a charming and accessible experience which is hard not to like.

Treat Speed Truck Racing like a puzzle to be solved - a new take on driving - and there’s fun to be had here. It’s not going to be for everyone, not by a long shot, but we felt like Speed Truck Racing was money well spent.

It'll be the story and world that keep you going in Dead Man's Diary, even if things do get a bit familiar. But then, there are problems with the writing and the monotony of the survival mechanics.

The Pinball FX – Honor and Legacy Pack showcases Zen Studios’ innovative ideas with two instant hits that you absolutely must buy.

Get over the tricky first few hours of Graveyard Keeper: Last Journey Edition and it becomes something special. The base game is a few years old now and lacking an Xbox Series X|S update, but that really shouldn’t matter. The gameplay is addictive and you will quickly find yourself getting further and further away from what you initially set out to do, never worried, knowing it will all be worthwhile

The ambition of Sephonie as an indie title is great and should be applauded. It tells a unique and interesting story that mixes sci-fi and real relationships successfully. And it's a game that will drag you along, as the story hooks. But there's a big retro vibe going on here.

There is a good game, a compelling game even, fighting to get out of War Mongrels, but it is buried under a pile of duff controls and absurd difficulty.

Enclave HD is by no means an essential purchase, but temper your expectations and you may still have fun.

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.

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.

Exoprimal is extremely enjoyable. With so many permutations of levels, missions and suits to play, it’s a game that is always fresh and fun. I mean, it is dinosaurs fighting robot suits after all!

Frank and Drake is a unique example of indie gaming at its best, mixing great storytelling, unique artistry, and good puzzles in a delightful combination.

The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales may not top many game of the year lists, but it is a unique experience that is fun to play throughout its short runtime.

We’re apologists for 8floor’s titles because, while they are almost complete copies of each other, they’re still mindlessly entertaining. But even we can’t excuse Crown of the Empire 2: Around the World. It’s so broken that it can’t have been exposed to someone with the word ‘tester’ on their name badge.

By all means, if you're in the market for a new roguelite auto-shooter, REMEDIUM: Sentinels should be considered. But a few little tweaks to its systems would ensure this has better legs going forward. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it evolves further.

We loved so much of Maquette. Its many-layered puzzles are sensational. They are so good, in fact, that they carry a game that fails to get the other stuff right.

Speed or Death is that rare example of a game that demands a sequel or rework, as the idea is great, but the execution is way, way off.

Presenting itself as a game to appeal to sim fans and board gamers, Dice Legacy Definitive Edition offers up an interesting prospect. The reality though is far more tedious, with frustrating gameplay elements and an incredibly slow pace throughout.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is not the best Metroidvania out there, but in a sea full of them, this would definitely be swimming close to the top. That is all thanks to its fantastic combat, upgrade system and setting.

Alice Sisters is a mediocre little platformer that can’t figure out whether it’s made for a single player or two players in co-op. In the end, it doesn’t work well for either.

We were sprinting to the end of To Hell With The Ugly with a very strong score in mind - until that ending hit. It’s thrown us for a loop, as the characters would say. Which is a shame, as this jazz-tinged narrative adventure is as stylish as it is daft, and we don’t get enough of its like on the Xbox.

Noob - The Factionless is one of those games that does what it says on the tin, providing a decent entry level experience to the RPG genre. However, by doing close to the bare minimum, it feels nothing more than just about adequate.

If you want more platforming games to take risks, then invest in Yello Adventures. It will return the favour by frustrating the hell out of you, but hey - that’s the price of progress.

Sidestep the obvious criticism that there’s no interaction or choice to speak of in The Fairy’s Song, and you have one of the better kinetic visual novels. It’s polished to a crystal-like sheen, and the characters all grow to become endearing versions of themselves.

If you’ve come to this review as a time-worn hidden object player, or you’ve played Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride before, then you can be reassured: this Xbox Series Edition is carefully preserved and updated. The character animations in particular have nowhere to hide, looking crisp in 4K.

A lengthy game with a host of hours of play behind it, Rain World will give you the opportunity to experience a world of wonder, danger, and slugcats.

Deadliest Catch: The Game is dull, hard to operate and looks awful. Most importantly, the way that the controls operate manage to suck what little fun going crabbing has out of the game. The result is a mess that you would do well to avoid.

Puzzle by Nikoli W Hitori is really rather good. It’s not the best in the series: we tend to enjoy the swifter, more elegant puzzle types. But it is demanding with a satisfying sense of reward.

For fans of Saints Row combat, Doc Ketchum's Murder Circus is an opportunity to maximise its output. For those who weren’t impressed – and there were many – then this DLC is one to avoid. It is just pure combat, with very little in between.

F1 23 is a step up from what was created in F1 22, and thanks to the inclusion of a second instalment of Braking Point, it's right up there with F1 2021. In some aspects it surpasses that too.

You have to send credit the way of the development team for tackling a subject like this, dealing with it in a compassionate and heartfelt way. There's no doubt that the story of Inner Ashes is very good, with a great representation of the struggles involved in coping with Alzheimer's. But the pacing can feel too slow at times and if I am being picky there are a few too many Tetris-styled puzzles.

There’s a lot listed in both the pro and con column for ChronoBreach Ultra, but they end up largely negating each other. The result is a mediocre little action-platformer, speckled with ideas but none of them burning brightly enough to really make a difference.

We’d love to meet the people behind Garlic. We imagine they’re mad as a hatter and great fun to be around, because that’s precisely how we’d describe Garlic. It may not be big, it may not be clever, but it’s plenty weird, and the action-platforming is so polished that you’ll be sprinting through that weirdness with a whacking great smile on your face.

Feel free to consider Marfusha as a potential stress relieving shooter. Just know it won’t hook you in for too long.

Truck Driver: Heading North is an okay expansion. It adds in a good number of extra missions and some bits and bobs of story

Mundaun on Xbox Series X|S is extremely suspenseful, coming complete with an intriguing and beguiling storyline that will take you five hours or so to complete. The visuals are amazing, as is the soundtrack. It's a game that has a complete artistic vibe that generates class.

Word Maze by POWGI is a timely reminder of how fun these unique puzzle games can be. And this is easily up there with some of the best ones to come out of the minds of Lightwood Games.

Tricks Magician is a frustration-free puzzle-platformer that will give you 1000 Gamerscore for very little challenge. But this magic show is full of tricks you’ve seen before, and it doesn't have enough pizazz to make the repetition worth it.

If you like an RTS, there is fun to be had in The Valiant, but there are elements missing that would make it better – such as the ability to slow time and plan before springing your trap.

Tour de France 2023 is probably the best Tour de France game so far, but don't expect this one to go ripping up the race. It's still nothing more than a mid-peloton domestique.

If you're a fan of an RTS, then you're going to love Company of Heroes 3 on Xbox Series X|S. The campaigns are fantastic, as is the use of the UI as it moves from PC to console.

Secret Agent: Cold War Espionage is not going to win the hearts of all, mostly because of some of the gameplay elements, but when you consider the price, it's worth a punt. In fact, like the inspirations, Secret Agent: Cold War Espionage might well become a bit of a cult classic.

MINABO - A walk through life feels like almost the perfect game to play on mobile, taking in a playthrough whilst on your commute. Yet perhaps it's not as interesting on console. There's no doubt that it's original and clever, but things do start to wane after a little while. However, if you want to play a social sim game with a big difference then MINABO - A walk through life could be for you.

If you can look beyond the graphical style and want a good old-school puzzler, then The Tartarus Key could well be right up your alley.

Shame Legacy is a fairly good survival horror game. The story, visuals and the exploration parts are pretty solid, but the stealth mechanics and enemy detection are strange and not particularly enjoyable.

There's no doubt that Killer Frequency may come with a bit too much dialogue for some, and occasionally some bits do drag, but ultimately there is a great story found within; one that explores the twilight zone of late-night radio.

If you love a challenging puzzler in which you are left to search hard for clues, then After You could be the game for you. I would suspect most will need to rely on a guide, but even then, the story and visuals are both good enough to draw you in.

If you are looking for something a bit different and are after a slice of history in your gaming, then A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950 is for you.

Homebody may well take you by surprise. The writing and narrative are great, with some brilliant character creation dealing with a range of very real problems. The structure is interesting as well, even though at times you will feel at a bit of a loss for what to do.

FLASHOUT 3 is alright. It isn’t blindly great, nor is it awful; very much middle of the road, except for the stupid air brake. If you fancy an anti-grav racer that isn’t going to break the bank, you’ll find it in FLASHOUT 3.

AEW: Fight Forever possesses the foundations for it to be an excellent blast from the past, but fails in building upon them. It’s not a bad game, I just feel as though there are too many areas in which it’s lacking substance and so longevity is an issue.

Greyhill Incident feels like an unfortunate swing and a miss at a hugely underused slice of horror. Using Greys as a threat should make for a rather tense and scary alien abduction experience, but whilst Greyhill Incident is indeed horrific, sadly it is done so in all the wrong ways.

If you like Aliens or strategy in real time, Aliens: Dark Descent is the game for you. Don’t come to it as a brainless blast-a-thon though - you will need to be cunning to finish off the threat!

It’s not the most effusive of praise, but Roads of Times makes some snips to the same template that has been used by Gnomes Garden, Lost Artifacts and others, to make a tiny, almost imperceptible improvement. If you’re committed to completing the series (what has possessed you?) then Roads of Time at least has the glimmer of something new.

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.

If you are a fan of roguelites then don't rule out Rogue Spirit. It’s not a game for genre newbies, but if you need something different, Rogue Spirit may be for you.

Up for a challenge? REPLIKATOR is an absolute unit of a twin-stick shooter, beating you within an inch of your life every playthrough. But it’s also one of the most rewarding roguelikes you’re likely to play, jamming rewards and unlocks in your hands. You’ve just got to have the wits and skills to master what it throws at you.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is special – a game that needs to be experienced by all at least once, it is one of the finest puzzle games you will ever play.

I ended up liking Escape from the Past a deal less than Escape from Anti-Escape Island. The story and setting never captured me in the same way, leaving me a little less enthused for ransacking and completing the rooms. But it still has that puzzle magic, able to conjure up new puzzles or remix familiar ones into brand new shapes.

Sonic Origins was a wonderful celebration of all things Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic Origins Plus however, causes the overall compilation to miss more than it hits.

Should you be intrigued by the fish-keeping occupation or hobby, then Aquarist is a decent enough sim. There is a weird satisfaction found in collecting and buying different types of fish; trying not to kill them.

If you want a tricky puzzler that retains its relaxing vibe for the duration, then you should choo-choo-choose Railbound!

There doesn't feel like there is much new in ITORAH, little original in terms of gameplay. But, and it's a big but, the world is a great place to spend some time in, complete with brilliant visuals and a great soundtrack. The gameplay is solid and the main character endearing. It's those elements that will probably win you over.

Fall of Porcupine has loads of brilliant stuff about it. It attempts to deal with a large-scale issue like health care and well-being with a game that features cute animals. The writing is good too, but it does get a bit overwhelming at times; what with the many different characters. But it's the pacing that is the biggest issue - Fall of Porcupine seems to drag at times, hindered by constant loading screens.

CONVERGENCE: A League of Legends Story is definitely geared towards more casual platformer gamers and as far as metroidvanias go, there are better ones out there.

If you are looking for a casual puzzle-platformer that you can beat in an afternoon, then Overloop is a neat little game to pick up.

There are glimpses of a great crime sim in Crime Boss: Rockay City, but to find them you'll need to be able to last long enough in the campaign. The roguelite elements at play do little to keep you plugging away for long though.

Everything in Miasma Chronicles comes together to ensure that it is a blast to play through. The mix of real time exploration and turn-based combat is intriguing, but combine in a good story and it will keep you hooked.

Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX is a remaster done right. The action is as good - and as hard - as ever and the new features included are all pretty good as well. The jury is out in regards the new music, but I am sure it will go down well with the younger generation.

Aside from the manic nature - and the rubbish music - the rest of Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is a joy to play. If you like old school shoot ‘em ups, then give Raiden IV x MIKADO a try, and be prepared to recalibrate what you think is a hard game.

Raging Bytes can be enjoyably tense, but the most fun comes from the chance to spot all the references than as an actual game. The gameplay is adequate, without ever breaking into the realms of “must play”, but it is a good way of killing a few hours.

Onigo Hunter is a KEMCO game and if you’ve played any of those previously, you’ll know what to expect here. There is the good stuff, like the capture and crafting system, and the tedious stuff, like the seemingly endless toing and froing to complete the main quest.

Stay Out of the House may have the air of the familiar, but offers an unsettling struggle for survival with The Butcher in one of the most authentic stealth survival sims I’ve played in a long while.

Burnhouse Lane will capture you from start to finish, immersing you through its ten-hour running time. It reminds of the best British horror films from the 1970s, mixing different planes of existence in clever and rewarding ways.

If you’re curious about this series - whether it’s the Gnomes Garden games, Lost Artifacts or any of the others - then Crown of the Empire is the one you need. As a set of games, they have never been particularly demanding, but this is the lowest maintenance of the bunch.

Kuroi Tsubasa is a visual novel that has a great demon-hunting concept and no intention of delivering on it. The overall effect of Kuroi Tsubasa was like being trapped in a room with someone aggressively reading their fan fiction. It’s meandering, boring, and desperately needs an editor.

If we focus on the visual novel genre of gaming, then Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is up there as one of the most accomplished. The story is immense and engaging, the animation is outstanding and some TV broadcast quality is found in the cutscenes.

Park Beyond oozes character and is dripping with imagination, but the execution is sadly lacking in parts. That said, this fantastical world gives the creative types the tools to run wild.

We can’t recall a game that would anger us as much as it addicted us, so congratulations Dark Quest 3. It’s a questionable award, but it’s yours.

Despite a short running time, Under the Warehouse is one that can be enjoyed. It delivers a strange surreal world and story, along with an ending that some might hate. But this is cheap in price, and so worth taking a punt on.

TORINTO isn’t terrible, but it tickles the top of it. It’s too starved of enemy types, and doesn’t let you have fun with the few that are there. It’s a run and gunner that does the best with the scraps that it’s got, but ideally it wouldn’t have been working with scraps in the first place.

It is great to have one of the classic farming games on modern consoles again, but STORY OF SEASONS: A Wonderful Life can’t hold a candle to many of the more modern offerings.

Overall, and while Puzzle Quest 3 might not deliver the top drawer gameplay of its predecessors, it compensates for this with a ton of content that should have you matching gems for hours.

Nocturnal is a short, yet enjoyable experience. The platforming and visuals are the best aspects of the game. While I wish there was an expansion to some of the mechanics, the fact that it doesn’t stretch out the playtime unnecessarily somewhat offsets that desire.