Persona 5 Royal is as close to the perfect RPG as I have played in a long time. Not since the heady days of Final Fantasy VII will a game grip you so fiercely, refusing to let go. It is deep, it is beautiful and it demands to be played.

What an embarrassment of riches Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway has turned out to be. Previously something of an also-ran in the race to be the best karting experience, it can proudly take its place at the top of the podium on the Xbox - second only to Mario Kart on all platforms.

It's great that the creative vision of the developer is out there in the world of Scorn. The bold choice of not having any hints about what to do and no leading narrative is a courageous one; one that I applaud. What lets Scorn down though is the fact that the puzzles aren't that inspiring, a bit too bland.

There are a lot of unique and cool mechanics in Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy, but, the performance and the gameplay need some major tweaking for it to become truly engaging.

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

Unusual Findings is distilled ‘80s, served up as a point-and-click adventure, and it’s as rad as it sounds.

Regardless of your thoughts surrounding the source material, there is a deep and complex simulation game to be found in Weedcraft Inc.

The action is too frenetic that any enjoyment you could get out of Plunder Panic is stunted by not knowing what is going on around you. With fewer players you can get a bit of enjoyment out of it, but even that quickly goes.

If the sim game is for you, and trucks, diggers and cranes are your bag, you could certainly do worse than to jump into the cab of Construction Simulator and prove yourself as a master builder.

If you were a fan of Innocence then you are going to adore A Plague Tale: Requiem. It’s a familiar experience but one in which the mechanics, visuals, sound, and story have all been ramped up. Lasting around thirteen hours, A Plague Tale: Requiem manages to eclipse the first game; pretty much every minute is heavenly.

Where Paradise Marsh excels is in offering a world that breaks so many of gaming’s golden rules: walk in any direction; do what you want to do; follow the objectives if you feel like it. Paradise Marsh warps and shifts to accommodate whatever you do, and the substance of its genius is that you barely notice.

The accessibility provided and the customisable experience found in NHL 23 make it perfect for fans of the sport, and even those who have never tried an EA hockey game before.

Speed dash? Perhaps EpiXR Games should slow down. Paper Flight - Super Speed Dash feels like one game and one franchise too many, as their Aery formula is stretched so thin that it snaps and breaks.

LEGO Bricktales is a puzzling delight that enables your imagination to thrive as you solve a myriad of interesting problems.

Bunny Park is cute, then, and simple in its idle game appeal. In a sale, when an ‘80% off’ label is attached to it, Bunny Park might even look tempting. But right now it’s an £18 marshmallow. It’s finished in no time at all, it has almost zero depth to it, and the sweetness can’t override the feeling that we’ve been shortchanged.

For skateboarding fans who have actually skated, Session: Skate Sim will be great - when it is complete. For casual fans looking for instant fun, they may want to think twice about jumping on board.

The team behind Blind Fate: Edo No Yami obviously have some good ideas. I just wish they could have executed them in a way that would allow for you to want to continue to play.

If you’re the kind of gamer who likes a challenge, intent on beating your previous score, Akane is a great game to play. There isn’t a boat load of content, but for what it costs, you shouldn’t be expecting that much.

Whilst there are areas of FIFA 23 that still need improvement and some modes are stagnant, the gameplay is the best it’s been for a few iterations.

Temtem is not perfect, but it is as close to Pokemon as you'll get on the Xbox. With 164 creatures to capture and so many more features to uncover, Temtem is a fun time and a good challenge all in.

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.

Like an ant, punching above its weight is the best way to describe Grounded. In many regards, this is the little game that could.

If you’ve come here as fans of Let’s Sing, however, expect disappointment. Let’s Sing Presents ABBA is the identical template from the past two iterations of Let’s Sing, and while ABBA’s music will have you strutting, the videos absolutely won’t. The four band members don’t half like walking into the sunset on snowy mornings.

There’s not a lot that is specifically bad about Rabio, but there isn’t much good to report either. It’s a forgettable, tolerable half hour which is made worthwhile thanks to the easy Xbox Gamerscore.

If you can bear the insane amount of coffee talk, Caffeine: Victoria's Legacy is probably worth investing in; if only for the romantic potential and the chance to appreciate the excellent audio.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake and the Xbox Series X|S upgrade updates the classic for a new generation. It’s the best way to play the game, unless you know where one of those old arcade cabinets is stashed.

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is an RPG that comes with great ideas, fun gameplay, and some brilliant boss battles. I like the fact you can choose your difficulty level, so this will certainly appeal to those looking for something aside from a hardcore Souls-like. There are control issues to get used to and far too much self narration from the lead, but there is a lot to love here.

If you are a fan of the multitude of 'work' type games that have arrived on console in recent years, then Hardspace: Shipbreaker will cover your needs.

OneShot: World Machine Edition does something different with this style of game, working a very clever examination of its 'game within a game' subplot. The story premise and concept are admirable and work brilliantly.

If you like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, All Star Battle R is probably an easy sell, as it is if you are predominantly a solo player. But if you want to test your might against the world, there are significant issues.

Everything in Prodeus comes together to ensure that if you’re looking for a DOOM-styled shooter, this is one to take in. It looks great, comes with fast and fluid gameplay and allows you the chance to make the most of a whole host of guns. What more could you want? [Provisional Score = 90]

No More Heroes 3 is a slick, stylish, and aesthetically cool game, one that will go down a treat with hack and slash or beat ‘em up fans.

Depending on how you are looking at things, To Leave could well be an important game - much like a prog rock mega album, you might just be able to forgive its flaws.

Tip Top: Don’t Fall! is cheap enough and should well be worth the risk, particularly if you are after something as thrilling and dangerous as rock climbing.

Fallen Legion Revenants makes a pretty decent fist of following up to Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory. The new additions to the battle system work well, as does the way the story is split between the two main characters. It isn’t hard to care about the narrative in place here, and this will keep you playing through to the climax just to find out what happens.

If you are looking for a challenging strategy type game and are prepared to put up with an annoying camera system, you’ve found it in Commandos 3 - HD Remaster. It provides a decent challenge, but if you like that and have the patience of a saint, this could be right up your strasse.

Despite the removals of certain features, it is the lack of any new additions that means PBA Pro Bowling 2023 feels largely the same game as the 2021 edition.

If you’re a story lover, then Alfred Hitchcock - Vertigo is possibly a must-buy. It's a unique and individual game, powered by a narrative that has been inspired by the famous director's classic film.

There’s lots to love about DEATHLOOP, along with its sizzling style and refreshing gameplay structure. However, in practice, reliving your day over and over does come with limitations.

Performance issues relegate League of Enthusiastic Losers from a visual novel/point-and-click with potential, into little more than achievement fodder.

For a younger player who dreams of jumping into the fire engine with Marshall, PAW Patrol: Grand Prix gets so much right. It can handle four players at once; it’s all the right pups with all the right voices. To crown it all, it has an auto-drive feature, so your little one only has to jab an analogue stick. This is not to be taken for granted: it’s incredibly rare.

If you have a Skylanders itch that Activision refuses to scratch, or have love for the DreamWorks Dragons series, then DreamWorks Dragons: Legends of the Nine Realms takes a bit of a run up and then soars. Just pack in some co-op next time, if you please.

Lemon Cake hasn’t really risen in the oven: it’s surprisingly flat. For a £25.99 price tag, that’s a problem. It has undeniable charm and makes for a strong gateway to the cook-and-serve genre, but it will take an Xbox sale for us to truly recommend it for that purpose.

Serial Cleaners is incredibly stylish, darkly humorous and a unique concept. It is however, repetitive and grating. Aside from some well-designed levels full of easter eggs, there is little else to propel you through to the end.

Give an editor a machete and the opportunity to carve out vast chunks of The end is nahual: If I may say so, and you might have a good game. As it stands, this is a fascinating, unruly mess.

Hidden object loyalists will enjoy their time with 9 Clues 2: The Ward. Anyone else will wonder how something so hammy and cliched could wind up on the Xbox Store.

I’m practically overflowing with positively for Let’s Build a Zoo and it’s absolutely deserved. Once you become accustomed to the controls, as well as the basics, everything flows brilliantly.

What a time it is to be alive if you’re a farming fan. We truly have received an embarrassment of riches over the past few months, and the future promises many more. But it does mean that Hokko Life arrives precisely when dozens of games are doing what it’s doing. And they’re doing it with greater charisma and a much better understanding of the genre. Hokko Life needed to unlock the compulsive secrets of the farming game loop, but it left its keys at home.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is heavily reliant on nostalgia and throws a ton of shiny Mobile Suits your way in the hope you won’t notice the rather dull narrative.

Soulstice feels like it is from another generation but it is still a good looking, modern game that plays well. The combat is fluid and challenging, the backdrops are amazing at times and the story is intriguing. However, Soulstice does get a bit 'cut and paste' after a while and getting to grips with the camera is always a hassle.

Q.U.B.E. 10th Anniversary is a game you’ll find hard to put down - even if you played the original a decade ago. This one is worth picking up for the extra content, improved visuals, and audio.

There’s no doubt about it - The Gallery is a great addition to the FMV family of games; a genre which continues to get bigger.

Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory has two strong stories and more levels than you can shake a stick at.

Consider the fact that there are many free-to-play alternatives out there, and LEGO Brawls is one for only the most ardent of LEGO fans.

SpiderHeck is an eye-catching oddity that is best played with others. As arcade brawlers go, there isn’t anything else quite like it.

Despite feeling a little different, Onsen Master is a shallow, repetitive game that even a seemingly generous amount of game modes cannot cure. You’ll know after the first few minutes whether this is for you or not.

The years have been kind to Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered, and its arrival on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass should win it legions of new fans.

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a lore-filled survival horror that’s hard to resist. It caters to a wide range of gamers thanks to a selection of difficulty settings and really lends itself well to multiple playthroughs.

Justice Sucks: Tactical Vacuum Action is a refreshingly original title that strikes a brilliant balance for players, offering an experience that is accessible, addictive and - above all else - an astounding amount of fun.

You will adore Beacon Pines from start to finish, mostly as you get hooked by the impressive and unusual narrative. Ultimately it's a game about the power of story and the decisions you make when choosing different narrative paths, but it’s helped along by the warmth of the characters, ensuring you’ll want to invest time and emotion into the hunt for the perfect ending.

Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is bold, brash and bombastic but somehow still works in a world which has changed significantly, even if the game fundamentally remains the same as before.

It’s hard to feel even an iota of excitement about Puzzle by Nikoli W Sudoku. But if you’re looking to get kicks out of a sudoku game then you’re doing it wrong. The basics are all present: it controls well, the puzzles have numbers in all the right places, and achievements pop for your efforts.

Rick Henderson is a little slice of arcade-shooting goodness, and sometimes that’s more than enough.

Wayward Strand has you on the outside, looking in, and we found our attention wavering as we were shaking the bars that held us back.

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.

Metal: Hellsinger on Xbox Series X|S isn’t quite the Symphony of Destruction we were hoping for. It feels more akin to a band’s debut EP; a noteworthy introduction but one that is just a snapshot into the potential.

There isn’t much to grumble about in regards Midnight Fight Express. If you like to fight, this is certainly a game you will enjoy.

Flippin Kaktus is a generous, imaginative action-platformer that has a cunning rage-mechanic at its core. If you have the gaming chops, this is well worth the challenge.

Catmaze has small caches of challenge, charm and depth for you to mine. But it cannot hope to excite you, engage much of your brain, or stick around in the memory. It is aggressively average.

If you want to have a smile put back on your face then you’ll want to venture out on a journey to find Little Orpheus.

I guarantee you will have never played anything like Immortality. It’s a compelling enigma, but one I am glad to have had the privilege to soak up and enjoy.

The concept, story, and writing of Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma are fascinating; enough to keep you hooked throughout. Working mainly as a visual novel, you shouldn’t expect too much gameplay, but Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is worth a punt if you want to try something different.

Whether you’re familiar with the original or not, Soul Hackers 2 is a fascinating supernatural JRPG that excels in character development and storytelling.

If you like Hollow Knight or the games which have come out of the Ori franchise, then you’ll be in very good company with Islets. The world is adorable, as are the characters, level designs, and creatures.

In a nutshell, this is one of the most complete sports games on the market and you will not be disappointed with NBA 2K23. Simply put, it’s the best basketball videogame of all time.

When we wanted to unwind and actually achieve something, however unimportant or menial, we found ourselves playing Ooblets. It has become a colourful meditation, a little slice of wellness in our day. Other times, we tickled ourselves by sticking a monocle on our Namnam.

As a freebie, Space Science Investigations is a delight and despite its brief running time it packs a lot of information in.

Castle Walker is 1000 Gamerscore of easy Xbox achievements - with a game attached. That game is the very definition of okay: it’s not bad, but neither is it good, and while it can provide some minutes of amusement, there isn’t enough here to reward long term play.

Despite legitimate questions around longevity, Arcadegeddon is an absolute blast that takes place across a lush, digital battleground. With the right support, the future should be bright for this one.

F1 Manager 2022 is certainly a decent effort; a well-worked management experience that does a lot right - Frontier must be applauded for that. But move away from the stats and you find a numbers-powered management game that just falls short of those higher podium steps.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite - Pathogen is pretty good and in fact the only real issue I have with this expansion is the price. There’s no easy way to say it, but £11.99 for about an hour or so of gameplay in the new campaign seems too high.

If times are lean, and you’re looking for a free-to-play karting experience for four local players, then Starlit Kart Racing will serve you, and serve you well. For everyone else, this is too flawed, too penny-pinching to really consider.

I doubt you’ll have a long-lasting relationship with Kaichu - The Kaiju Dating Sim, but maybe look it up if you're after a quick fling.

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.

What we have here with The Riftbreaker: Metal Terror is a DLC pack done right, integrated very nicely with the base game and capable of offering new things that you feel like you have to work for.

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.

eFootball 2023 is a shadow of its former self, but signs are there to suggest it will eventually become a decent free-to-play football game.

Andro Dunos 2 certainly doesn’t take any prisoners, and as a reminder of simpler times, when games were tough and gamers were nervous, it does enough to merit a play.

Arenas of Tanks is not a bad game. Arcade mode is slight and will be finished quickly, but Challenge mode comes with much more depth and does provide a modicum of replay value.

Solasta: Crown of the Magister brings enough new touches to the table to make it a recommendation, especially as it comes with the promise of online co-op and a Dungeon Creation tool. There is more than enough here to keep you rolling your dice for the foreseeable future.

Dyna Bomb 2 is a frustrating experience that feels unfairly difficult. It suffers from some strange development decisions, and thanks to the inflated asking price, just isn’t worth a punt.

Fans of the original will find PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers, and new fans will enjoy finding all the secrets and collectibles. There is a lot to enjoy in what is the greatest Pac-Man game of all time.

Unless you’re a shoot ’em up completist, there’s very little reason to pick up QUByte Classics: Thunderbolt Collection by PIKO. It feels like they’re getting splinters from dredging the bottom of the shooter barrel.

Just Bricks takes minimalism too far. A game of this type needs more than some bricks and a paddle. We’d have happily chucked in a few quid for some extra power-ups, achievements and a less resounding feeling of boredom. But, then, it wouldn’t be ‘Just’ Bricks, would it?

Midnight School Walk is refund-worthy. We can’t underline it enough: this is a visual novel that should be avoided at all costs. Everyone involved can do better.

Cursed to Golf is punishing, unrelenting and a lot of fun. It is everything you want a roguelike to be, with a side order of delightful pixel art.

Smash Boats Waterlogged Edition should provide you with a smashing time in all kinds of water-themed arenas. The choice of boats and differing enemy types bring a slight element of strategy to the fun crashing and bashing, with a good selection of abilities on offer for both sides.

If you’re going to drop a collection of games from this moment onwards, you need to look to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection as the content benchmark.