There’s no doubt that War Hospital will have you considering the heroic medical teams of the time, inspired to think more about the support units in war time. But as a game, it’s hard to want to play through that experience.

The Inquisitor is an entertaining game; you don't get many single-player experiences like this anymore. It's ambitious and unique too, but ultimately it is just too rough around the edges to hit the highest heights.

The gameplay itself is fun and it’s a great throwback to NBA Jam, allowing you to have some fun for a few hours either with friends or online to dominate the playgrounds and become number 1. However, the grind needed to get any good players just isn’t worth the work.

If you like Turok and want to finish the trilogy, then Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered is the only game in town. But for anyone else, there are better games to play.

Steel Rats is a game that should cater for the adrenaline junkies and action hero wannabes, but instead the convoluted controls and questionable handling slams the brakes on hard ensuring a much slower pace than expected if you wish to gain any fun from it.

Those looking for an original story-based, fully realised, world with loads of vampires should get playing Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong.

There are not many adventures on Xbox which resemble The Legend of Zelda, and so A Knight’s Quest might be a fun little alternative for Xbox gamers who are after that style of adventure. For most gamers however, this is an average clone at best, which despite some good intentions simply underwhelms in execution.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered can’t quite match the line up of the first trilogy of games, but arguably offers a more varied package, even if at times the attraction is down to sheer curiosity and bemusement.

All things considered, Giga Wrecker Alt. is still one of the better Metroidvania-styled 2D action-adventures on Xbox One and so I’d seriously think about grabbing it.

The excellent on-field action in Madden NFL 24 is badly let down by the performance elsewhere. The menus are in desperate need of an update, and the shallow modes like Madden Ultimate Team and Superstar mode offer little in the way of variation.

All in all, Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a fun time. The PvPvE mode is refreshing, the presentation and performance rock solid and the price fair. However, in its current form, it does start to lose its lustre after a while. Its deeply flawed matchmaking system has a far way to go to ensure that the game is fun and balanced for everyone. Hood has a lot of promise, but like its titular hero, it's not quite out of the woods yet.

I was having a brilliant time with Romancing SaGa 2 before the glaring issues of the battle system came to light. Its non-linearity was ground breaking at the time and as a result, it certainly stands up even today. Even the soundtrack was hugely enjoyable. But those battle mechanics have ruined this game for me.

Twin Mirror on Xbox is a good game, if a little inconsistent. It's not the best adventure game out there, but for fans of the genre, it's still a solid experience. For those who aren't as keen on the genre, nothing here is going to change your mind. Still, this is a good experience with a gripping story, some great characters, decent gameplay and moments of brilliance. It's just held back by some unfortunate issues, and the shadow of its better Dontnod adventure siblings.

Forces continues the trend of Modern Sonic games being very average and not even an injection boost like Classic Sonic or the new customisable Avatar character can save this from being average at best.

Toby: The Secret Mine is still fun, even with the slightly frustrating misgivings that are present. The game has some fun platforming and some nice puzzles, and would certainly be worth one or two dips into the mine. Make sure to rescue all of your friends, or else the denizens of the deep might get you.

Fast, furious top down twin-stick shooter that channels the spirit of Smash TV, but goes beyond and expands it. Six player couch co-op is the icing on the cake of shootyness.

Phantom Trigger is something a bit different. It offers a branching story, lots of action and an appealing graphic style, but the designers have, for my money, taken the “hardcore” part of the synopsis a little too far.

Sadly, for the Konami Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection, there are better compendiums out there. The biggest issue with this collection is the similarity between the games – aside from Haunted Castle all the others are variations of scrolling shoot ‘em ups.

Little Big Workshop on Xbox One is fun, first and foremost, and if a patch is released that fixes the issues in place I would definitely recommend picking it up. But until then, if you are unfortunate enough to encounter progress-halting bugs then you will most likely be forced to restart. And it doesn’t matter who you are, losing all of your progress to glitches isn’t fun.

Red Wings: Aces of the Sky on Xbox One is competent, workmanlike, and dull. So much about the chassis is well-made - the presentation, flying and arcadey maneuvers are immediate and satisfying - but the game does only one thing with them. You’ll be repeating much the same mission, with only the smallest changes of direction, and then you’ll have to do it all over again in the second, near-duplicate campaign. There’s a good WW1 fighter sim out there, and an even better one based on The Red Baron, but this isn’t it.

Undemanding and, at times, tedious gameplay takes some of the shine away from Homestead Arcana, even if there is an otherwise bewitching world with a heartfelt story to tell.

Had this game been priced accordingly I could easily recommend it, but with what you get and the price at £10.99, I would highly suggest looking elsewhere for a local multiplayer fix before considering Oh My Godheads.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint on Xbox One does have a lot of ambitions and ideas, but then drowns them in a tide of nonsense and poor design. I have enjoyed the game at least in the PvE environment, as the multiplayer PvP is not very good at all. Grinding for levels, exploring, and finding missions is a great deal of fun, but the problems are never far away.

I would say that if you have a subscription to Xbox Game Pass then it’s an instant download, if not then it may well be best to hold off for the price to go down a little. Whatever though, if you fancy something different and are a fan of hand to hand combat then get into the world of Absolver for a good old punch up.

Accept the game for what it is – a grind to level up and improve your character and base – and there is fun to be had here. Come expecting a Metal Gear game though and you may be disappointed.

The Commandos 2 & Praetorians HD Remaster Double Pack on Xbox One has one average game, and one way past its sell by date. Commandos 2 has certainly aged but has enough neat little additions that it looks like a spring chicken in comparison with Praetorians. However, it is still arguably not enough to recommend the entire package for a bang average game, especially when the other game is Praetorians. Even with the HD treatment, Praetorians looks, sounds, feels, tastes and smells bad.

Sadly, for all its premise, Elex has to be one of the most uninspiring RPGs I have experienced in a long time.

The story does deliver – at least for me – but the whole thing feels a bit rushed, failing to end the full game on a high. But saying that, it does tie up all the loose ends nicely, closing the epic world of intrigue and fantasy it was always destined to be.

I’m afraid that Redout: Space Assault on Xbox just isn’t worth it. The game couldn’t be less interesting to play, because it isn’t interested in having you play it. Its story, if one could call it that, is a mindless distraction, and everything feels pointless.

There’s decent gameplay attached to it all, sure, but the drab visual presentation, the lack of variety or different levels, the archaic difficulty spikes; it all adds up to a game that needs more polish or a rework.

Tools Up! made me feel like I do about building in real life – rubbish, clueless and disappointed.

Despite seeming like an alternate version of Pokemon in many ways, Monster Crown isn’t a total imposter. It is still enjoyable in it’s own right, but apart from a handful of original ideas this is largely because the core gameplay has already been tried and tested.

What we have in Risen is a game from 2009, in all its faded glory, released unchanged onto modern machines. It looks rubbish and it plays very poorly in the combat stakes, but yet, there is something about the world that will keep you trying. There is a solid hook, an urge to see what is on the other side of the swamp, or the town, that keeps you going even when you swear you are done.

From someone who has experienced the best and worst of Vigor, just take my advice, and only play in a team with someone you know… and trust! Because outside of that comradery Vigor is very hit and miss.

Tap Wizard 2 is one of those rare idle games that actually requires more effort than might be expected. After early confusion with too much going on, there are some cool ideas to explore and the fact that you’re constantly making progress scratches the old ‘one more go’ itch. That said, the gameplay loop becomes repetitive once you figure out the purpose of everything and, just like that bloody cursor, it starts to grind on you.

The usual frustrations stick in regards to the story, plot and tiresome mechanics, but Sonic Frontiers is a marked improvement and one of the best 3D Sonic games in years.

If you are happy to play alone, then I can recommend NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS as the Ultimate Naruto game, with a lot of content and fighters to go at. But without a functioning online section, this seems like a missed opportunity.

Hunter’s Legacy is a good game; it has interesting, engaging gameplay with cool light RPG elements and good level design. Unfortunately, with a lack of any real story or enemies that can go through walls to attack you constantly, coupled with the lack of knowledge about almost necessary upgrades and a difficulty spike that is ridiculously sharp, I can’t whole-heartedly recommend Hunter’s Legacy as a purchase for people unknown to what they might be getting in to.

Snakeybus on Xbox One isn't exactly steeped in sophistication, but by god does it have a great USP. That alone makes it worth checking out. You can be certain of one thing here, and that is grinning like an idiot from start to finish.

Double Pug Switch is a simple game, with simple controls, and a simple charm. It looks basic yet the difficulty ramps up to ensure things get very tricky, very quickly. It would be perfect for a short bash while on a car journey via Nintendo Switch, but on the Xbox One it’s a harder sell. Whatever you are playing it on though, if you like jumping and pugs, then by all means give it a whirl.

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case could possibly be recommended at a discounted price, but even then the technical issues may well put a stop to that.

Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! 2 is very much a continuation of the first game; much more evolution than revolution. Yet while it isn’t a bad game, it does seem to run out of ideas quite quickly.

If you’re after a racer, then maybe head towards one of last year’s many releases, you know, like the incredible Forza Horizon 4. As for Xenon Racer, it doesn’t match up with modern racers and is sadly one that will probably be forgotten pretty sharpish.

The Forbidden Arts on Xbox One is a good solid action adventure platformer that just so happens to come with some mechanical issues. If you’re a big fan of the old school vibe that mixes combat in a special way then I think you might have a lot of fun with The Forbidden Arts.

Bee Simulator on Xbox One works well as a good educational family experience. It will provide small kids with some great characters and a nice story, but should also give them some challenging but rewarding gameplay that is relaxing and fun. For the adults, it might fall a bit short of what is to be expected for a ‘simulator’ – the tasks can be a bit too simplistic, and at times it all feels a bit rough around the edges.

If you’re bored of the usual superheroes and are just looking for something a bit different, a bit funny and a bit, um, button mashing, then Deadbeat Heroes delivers. It’s far from perfect, and the issues with gameplay advancement are hugely annoying, but it’s just about worth a play if you fancy a bit of mindless comic violence.

Given that Jump Force is supposed to be a celebration for Weekly Shonen Jump, I’d just cancel the party. The biggest names in manga have come together for a fast-paced, enjoyable fighting experience and instead it’s dragged down by a lacklustre narrative, repetitive missions and too many visual effects for its own good.

Battlefield 2042 is far from perfect, but it isn’t bad. It’s fun to fight and it’s great to be able to drive vehicles across huge maps. Hell, it’s even enjoyable to crash a jet into some unsuspecting soldier on the ground. There are bugs, but patches are planned so hope should be held. In the meantime, Battlefield Portal is almost worth the price of admission itself.

Treasure Stack is fun, and despite similarities to other puzzlers feels new and fresh enough to be worthy of your time. This said, it doesn’t quite have that magic formula and feels very light in terms of content, which won’t keep you entertained for long.

If Roller Champions was a real sport it could easily attract many eyes to its events. Unfortunately, it just does not bring enough to the table as a ‘game’ in its current form.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a bit of a mixed bag. A top-notch diversified combat system coupled with top-shelf presentation is weighed down by some questionable narrative choices and incredibly repetitive mission design.

You will enjoy your journey through Kong: Survivor Instinct, perhaps more than you may have anticipated. It's refreshing to play a Metroidvania with a focus on exploration, and you'll want to uncover every secret the world holds.

The story is a gem, and it’s worth playing through just to see what happens to Rogue and co, but the desire to replay any levels on a harder setting is just not there. Quirky controls (at the risk of being kind) and guns which lack both a decent feel or noise rob the game of a lot of impact.

So, Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox. This is a game I had been looking forward to for what seems like a lifetime, and it was never going to live up to the high expectations that CD Projekt Red, I or the world as a whole has been putting on it. It's a great RPG, but at the same time it doesn't do anything grounding breaking in terms of style and gameplay. Yes it has bugs, there is an annoying UI and I can’t ignore the mission stutters, but similarly it's a game that I constantly think back to when I’m not gaming, looking forward to my next deep session with it.

Truth be told, Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 4 on Xbox feels like a step backwards. After the series high point of the third instalment, the enhancements on offer here are clearly designed to be an improvement over that one. However, the changes to the fundamental racing itself make this a far less accessible entry.

The tone, and the story it tells, is done in a superb manner and whilst the controls can get clunky at times and some of the level design is occasionally annoying, if you can get over that then you’ll want to take a deep breath, hold your nose and discover the secrets of Anoxemia.

DreamWorks Dragons Dawn of New Riders does just enough to lift itself out of the cash-in territory. Having the familiar faces from the franchise appear every now and then (even if Astrid is reduced to a potion peddler) will help fans of the series engage with the story, and while Scribbles is a bit of a personality vacuum, Patch is endearing and will worm his way into even the hardest heart.

Bye Sweet Carole will transport you to a different time and place, one that is like sinking into a warm bath; familiar yet new, with its solid storytelling and beautiful, nostalgic animation.

It’s safe to say that Need For Speed Payback is a return to the glory days for the series, able to mentioned in the same breath as Underground or Most Wanted.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is a bit of a mixed bag, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed my time with. "DMZombie" is not quite for me, and the campaign's short length and varying quality are worth noting. However, the linear campaign levels left me quite satisfied and most importantly, the multiplayer suite has been an absolute blast to play.

Big Pharma provides you with this unique simulation, and while it may sound strange to act as a large pharmaceutical company at first, once you get past the lengthy and complicated learning curve that is discovered via playing through the tutorials, there is a great management simulator to play here.

Wanted: Dead doesn’t give a damn what you think. It throws ideas at you left, right and centre, with reckless abandon. Luckily, most of them stick to form this weird and wonderful video game.

I absolutely adore the crisp, comedic visuals and I even find the storytelling pretty humorous. The gameplay itself is testing (in a good way), and the overall concept is well thought out. The problem is, that damn control scheme really does take some getting used to – and that’s even after switching away from the horrid slingshot method.

Ary and the Secret of Seasons on Xbox One is a game that gives you some good content for an alright price. If you have young ones in the house and you want a good family game that will manage to keep them quiet for a good 10 hours or so, this could be it. If you’re a bit longer in the tooth though, or just want to play through something without issue or constant loading screens, then you may well have to seriously consider things before putting in a purchase.

If you’re a fan of FPS adventures and are looking for something different, RICO may not be the best way to go. Whilst the initial concept is one that has plenty of potential, a lack of interesting and meaningful content, bland design and poor gunplay make this an experience that is easily forgettable.

Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues on Xbox One gets about as many aspects right as it manages to mess up. There’s a surprising amount of depth to the movesets, the enemy variety is smashing, and the RPG-like skill trees are an added bonus. When the hit detection and technical accuracies are lacking though, it’s very annoying and off-putting. Throw in the phoned-in voice acting, budget graphics and bang-average story, and you find that most of the good work comes undone.

The action is dull, and while the monsters are nice, you never really feel like you are in any danger; as such the horror part of Ikai falls flat.

A divisive entry remains as divisive as ever; Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water on Xbox offers a highly intriguing premise but is let down by a plot that progresses at a snail’s pace. You spend a lot of time in-game wading through water and this serves as a perfect metaphor for how playing the game feels.

As a gaming experience it is frustrating, has no variation in pace and I’m not sure how successful its outcome is. There are amazing cut scenes and some good sound work, but I left wanting to find out more about this horrific case and its consequences.

SkateBIRD is a great gimmick. It is super fun to create a bird and the level design is definitely fresh. However, with its increasingly frustrating physics, repetitive challenges and bland graphics, it’s ultimately a poor copy of other better skateboarding games.

We Are The Dwarves has so much potential that I can’t help but feel disappointed at the way the game has turned out. Good story, great background and awesome character design are sadly not enough to overcome frustrating, slow gameplay with minimal exposition of the abilities and what they can do, insta death mechanics and any real lack of desire to carry on after the 50th death in a row from enemies off screen.

So it must be said, Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is more than a disappointment. The main heroes are likeable enough guys, and the world you get to journey through is a decent one with plenty of collectible opportunities. The problem is, there are too many glitches, stutters, pauses and loading screens for the duo to ever become really loved.

The Dragon’s Lair Trilogy is incredibly fun. It’s a gorgeous, entertaining and painfully hard set of games but the gratification of getting to the next stage makes everything worthwhile.

From just looking at the title of the game you will know whether you’re going to love Bus Simulator on Xbox One or not. The gameplay is a slog at times, but the repetitive nature is also sort of soothing to the soul, with the missions bringing a bit of reason to why you are there and allowing you to continue playing in order to unlock things.

Hyper Scape on Xbox One feels like it tries new ideas but fails to implement them in any effective way, and frankly even if they were well-optimized, it’s still not enough to make it stand out from the rest of the pack. This is a perfectly serviceable battle royale, but it is just that – serviceable.

Mørkredd on Xbox is hugely enjoyable in co-op, delivering a delightful game full of mystery, magic, and wonder, complete with puzzles that test both your brain and your friendship. In the single player it’s a little more of a struggle though. My advice? Grab a buddy and play the wonderful Mørkredd right now - It’s both challenging and unique.

Even though Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 on Xbox looks to seriously build on what its predecessor delivered, there are a few elements which hold it back from really providing the goods. The camera is god awful, the picky track limits system is a pain, and there are only so many times you can go flying through the air pulling off stunts before the whole thing gets boring. The open world has some serious promise, especially with the multitude of secrets that are hidden within, but a bit more shiny wax needs to be applied for this monster truck to start to gleam.

Firefighting Simulator - The Squad manages to capture something of the dangerous (and dare we say) exciting profession. However, there’s not enough here to prevent it from ending up as a flash in the pan.

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

For now, Crackdown 3 has a great action-oriented gameplay foundation, but not the polish and/or memorable experience to back it up. If you’re a Crackdown fan, then you should definitely play it. If not, then you probably shouldn’t.

Haunted House does a lot of roguelite things right, without straying too far from the formula. But with secret rooms and basements, a healthy dose of collectibles and plenty of stuff to do in the endgame, it is a fun addition to the genre. However, several frustrating bugs really do diminish the enjoyment and these cannot be ignored.

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker takes a risk by venturing into the online battling arena genre and it doesn’t pay off. Putting aside the technical issues for a minute, and to be fair there could be a good experience here, but even then the combat and movement is difficult to master.

You’ll find some enjoyment in Last Days of Lazarus, but at times will feel hampered by the mechanics of the game, especially in terms of the cursor and interaction with items.

An engaging universe, decent back story, and being able to shoot Nazis in the face makes this a joy to play. With only 11 levels it isn’t the longest experience in the world, but if you are looking for an easy gateway into the strategy game world, this could well be the one you need.

Glam’s Incredible Run: Escape from Dukha is a fundamentally flawed game which offers something for the platforming sadists out there, but not enough to recommend it to everyone else.

No qualms about it: we are glad we played Paratopic. And while we might apologise in advance for recommending this horrifying little distraction, you should play it too.

A game that works okay, is good fun with a group of friends and capable of providing an interesting take on the Robin Hood myth, Gangs of Sherwood fills a gap. But I think the tone feels misguided and at times it all seems like it has been ripped from a previous generation of consoles.

As a collection and a retrospective anthology of Bubsy games, Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection ticks all the boxes. The issue here though, and it is a fairly major one, is that the games weren’t ever very good in the first place. Even with the modern additions to make them palatable, these are bad platformers. And unfortunately, nice inclusions can only get you so far when the gameplay is sub-par.

Taxi Chaos is not Crazy Taxi, not even close, but it is competent and functional enough to scratch an itch until SEGA’s arcade classic receives a modern 4K remaster treatment.

If you didn’t play it back in the day, and want to know what all the fuss is about, Crysis Remastered may just be worth a shot.

If you feel there is room in your life for just one more roguelike action-platformer, then Collapsed won’t let you down. It shines in the right places, tempting you into one more run with the promise of a host of unlocks. You just won’t encounter anything fresh or new on the way.

Rugby 22 may be the best presented rugby union game available, but it is still a world away from the upper echelons of sports simulation titles.

Given the price, the tedious gameplay and the way it hurts my eyes, I can’t in good faith recommend NASCAR Heat 2, unless you enjoyed the previous installment. In which case, this is better. But that’s not saying much.

Ship Graveyard Simulator 2 does a better job than its predecessor in almost every way. However, at the core remains a simple and repetitive experience that won’t cater to all audiences.

This game is great for those younger players, but adults may find it a little too samey, a little too quickly.

Zombie Vikings is a fun game for the first few hours. It is a joy to look at as the art style is, as expected from Zoink! Games, stunning. Sadly the story wasn’t exciting enough to keep me gripped and the jokes always fell flat, which was a shame.

I don’t think I’ve ever played a game like Defenders of Ekron before; loving it one moment, hating it the next and then loving it again. Its ambition and storytelling is great and it does some really interesting things with the gameplay which, at times, really impresses – especially that found in the challenge rooms. But there are many more times where it becomes very familiar, failing to allow the previously impressive stuff to take hold.

Matchpoint - Tennis Championships is less of a winning smash and more of a missed dropshot.