Empyreal is a long old game, and you could easily find yourself sinking tens of hours into it. Become one with the addictive and fun gameplay loop, and you’ll have a good time, but you may find that it overstays its welcome after a while.

Over these laid-back winter days, Dad’s Monster House might be exactly what you need. A well-constructed, taut little graphic adventure that sticks around for a few hours.

Overall and whilst Earthfall is looking to carve an identity of its own and bring the alien invasion to our screens once more, it’s impossible not to compare it with the Left 4 Dead series. On a positive though, those wishing for a new Left 4 Dead title will find plenty of fun to be had with this addictive shooter and with a few more campaigns added to increase the longevity of the game, this is easily a title that many will want to head back to time and time again.

Hover is a great game if all you want to do is chill out and relax. The main, central district can be explored for hours and you still won’t discover everything, and if you play it online there is a great community to play and compete with. If you want to focus on the story though, it loses its charm as you suffer through repetitive looking areas and missions that bog down the whole experience.

While some might find the interiors and character design somewhat dated, and there are occasional glitches, Nephise: Ascension is a worthwhile look, especially for those who enjoy atmospheric exploration.

There is a lot to like in Bright Memory: Infinite. It is a graphically impressive marvel that is a marked improvement over its predecessor. The story is hard to follow but the gameplay more than makes up for its shortcomings. From the solid gunplay to the fun genre mashups, Bright Memory: Infinite is undeniably a fun time.

Know the beast that you’re getting: ASTROSMASH is a coin-op classic that’s been given a razzle-dazzle visual improvement, four-player co-op, as well as reams of graphical and gameplay options. What it isn’t is a modern shmup with all of the depth and game modes that you might come to expect from the genre. Know these rules of engagement, and ASTROSMASH might surprise you.

The Devil in Me isn’t the best game in The Dark Pictures Anthology, but it isn’t bad at all. It’ll keep you entertained all the way through, and it's a brilliant laugh to play alongside others - the scares that play out when you have a room full of people are second to none.

Solo: Islands of the Heart on Xbox One is something of an enigma. The deep delve into the player’s love life is a risky one as many won’t even want to contemplate such thoughts when gaming and so the ‘story’ could be a non-event for some folk. On the plus side though, the visuals, the sounds and the puzzling goes hand in hand to create an experience that’s a challenge.

On the whole, NBA Live 19 is definitely on the right path. It’s aesthetics are beautiful, both on and off the court especially in regards to its player models, which are stunning. The inclusion of the WNBA is a fantastic step forward that puts it’s a step above the 2K series. Unfortunately, the “story mode” feels very stale and just doesn’t compare to other sports game’s take on it.

Petroglyph Games have managed to pack a ton of content into what could be considered by some to be nothing less than an expansion pack, however there have had to be some concessions made in making this console RTS experience, as well as attempting to make it accessible to beginners; not all make for a better experience.

The Backrooms 1998 is a great horror game, albeit one that is pretty short. You may enjoy the earlier aspects more than those that play out later down the line, but throughout a playthrough you’ll find some excellent sound and visual designs, as a real sense of menace plays out.

It’s fair to say that there are mobile game vibes going on in Farm Frenzy: Refreshed, but before you view that as a negative, it’s that element of proceedings which lends itself to providing something addictive; something easy to pick up and play for short spells. The cursor issues are the biggest bugbear of all though, causing a hindrance to your chances of sweeping up all the stars.

Park Story is every bit the Scottish fable. It’s thick with humour, colour and character, and we were endlessly surprised by it. There’s a Legend of Zelda template at play, but mostly it’s scrawled over and rethought to create something new. We just wish it wouldn’t randomly and unexpectedly headbutt us like it does

KungFu Kickball is certainly not the casual, immediate party game that it presents itself as, and it needs some repeat play to master it. If that sounds like a fun project for you and your mates, then KungFu Kickball can be hilariously rewarding. Twin it with a screening of Shaolin Soccer, and you are golden.

If you’ve been waiting for Brain Training on the Xbox, Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness delivers exactly on those terms. It’s fully featured and well presented, with tasks that stretch your brain to its limits, even more so than Dr Kawashima’s did. There may be a hole at the centre of the cube where a personality or identity should be, but for the puzzle enthusiasts who want to keep their brain limber, this is ideal, cubed.

Megaquarium: Freshwater Frenzy is able to deliver more of the same. This is a great and underrated sim management game, now with a new injection of fresh content for players to enjoy.

I still find The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk to be an enjoyable point-and-click adventure, however the price is almost double that of its predecessor which doesn’t help matters. Is it twice as good? No, but if you were a fan of Robert’s first outing, then you’ll have a thoroughly good time here I’m sure.

IN-VERT on Xbox One is a bit of a rollercoaster. On the one hand, I think its challenging gameplay, tight controls and beautiful difficulty curve make for an engaging little platforming romp. On the other hand, the boss fights are bad, the story is pointless, and the wonky collision detection can be horrifyingly upsetting. However, also like a rollercoaster, once it was finished I felt satisfied.

VED is an unconventional game that defies easy categorisation. While it might not immediately grab your attention, it gradually becomes more engaging as you delve deeper into its story and world. See it as a slow burn that rewards patience and exploration…

Is a fairly by-the-numbers twin-stick roguelike enough to get you parting with your cash? If the familiarity sounds like it might be comforting rather than galling, then there’s every chance that you will find a rewarding and deep dungeon-crawler in Mystic Gate.

Project Blue is a perfect fit for those after a retro inspired platforming challenge. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to find much here to win you over.

Whether you’ll find enjoyment with SubwaySim 2 or not will depend on how much you like picking up passengers and working your way across routes in an allotted time. That said, the scenarios on offer are good, adding a bit of variety to the usual gameplay, almost adding in a story.

Scott Whiskers in: the Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw very much puts the heart back into point and click. It's a lovely funny story that takes you on an unexpected journey; one full of cats and relatable characters.

At times, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition shows its age. Initially it may be in the choice of art style but then also in the voicework and gameplay itself later on. But it’s not all bad; being the first in the series to arrive on Xbox I am intrigued by the concept of what comes next.

Aztech Forgotten Gods is not a perfect game. There’s a lack of entertaining side-content. There’s no voice talent. It’s relatively short. But does that mean you should avoid it? No. Because it largely delivers with its story and its core gameplay - the two most important elements of any good video game.

The real joy comes in the less intense moments; those times when Soundfall works best, shooting and dodging as you build combos with each and every beat.

There are ways that we could have seen a less ‘grindy’ experience but if you’re after something unique then Marenian Tavern Story: Patty and the Hungry God is certainly a game worthy of your time.

Aspulov: End of Gods is a decent playthrough. It's a game that does feel a bit dark - perhaps because of the size of the budget - but the essence of the game and the heart of its content is excellent. It’s something which neatly tells a worthwhile story, one that takes a well-trodden path but does something completely new with it.

Perfectly priced, Rooten may well entice those looking for an atmospheric narrative, enjoying the interesting, dark story that then plays out.

If you fancy a budget Legend of Zelda that gently warms up your muscles, then Mages and Treasures has all the charm and unlockables that you could possibly want.

Glass Masquerade does deliver on its aims to a certain extent. It looks good, sounds okay and is a pitched at around the right level of challenge. If you like completing jigsaw puzzles it’s well worth a play, however, if you find them frustrating then my advice is to stay away – this game might just increase stress rather than relieve it.

Techno Banter is a short game, and even in that time, your interest may wane, but on the whole the writing is good, as is the chance to explore a pixelated cyberpunk world.

If you’re a fan of twin-stick shooters then Flutter Bombs is a game you could well have some fun with. It’s not exactly in-depth, there are only 10 levels to get through, and it can feel repetitive after a while, but there are definitely worse ways to spend both your time and money.

Stick with Robotry and you will get a lot out of it. But there is no shame in admitting defeat either; it can be an obscenely hard game in places.

TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD on Xbox One definitely feels like a product of its time, both from a game design standpoint and especially in its true blue, albeit stereotypical, depiction of all things Straya, but it’s no dramas really. Back then and even now, with all the remastering bells and whistles in place, the game is far from being an absolute ripper of a platformer, but it’s still a gnarly beauty all the same.

Shadow’s Awakening is very solid indeed. Fans of the genre will have a lot of fun here and should well enjoy the depth of gameplay that is on offer. The switching between worlds in a great trick and the developers use it superbly well, whilst the fully voiced cast offer an extra dimension.

Home Sweet Home is at its best when relying solely on atmosphere and sound design, much less so when the hero is pursued by an awkwardly animated being. Nonetheless, the second part of the game delivers a substantial fright factor, making it an excellent choice for a Halloween playthrough.

If you fancy a challenge, like shooters and axolotls, there is no other game that will scratch the itches than AK-xolotl.

Road of Death surprised me. I went in with low expectations, and, at first, they were all met. But, the more you play, the more the various mechanics will reveal themselves, as Road of Death turns into a surprisingly deep and involved little game.

Help Will Come Tomorrow is most definitely one of those games that survival enthusiasts should try. The options available and the reliance on stats and daily tasks while balancing the needs and traits of your characters is a constant tension and some will relish in the challenge.

Super Box Delivery: Beyond the Horizon is a slickly presented, pulse-pounding little game that costs barely more than a Royal Mail small parcel. What is here is polished and fun, and the sparseness won’t matter as much to you.

Very cheap on the wallet, Death Park: 4k Remaster will provide some fun for survival horror fans. Yes, it's very predictable and it lands in a genre that feels a bit oversaturated, but the atmosphere, the updated visuals and good creepy soundtrack means it’s a decent way to spend an hour or two.

The story is good, the characters are great and the visuals of the world will make you want to succeed on through until the very end. The gameplay in regards the puzzles is excellent, but all the other elements – the running, checkpoints, and pacing – very much let it down.

There’s an enjoyable, well presented adventure on offer with I Am Fish which undeniably has charm. However, the experience is inconsistent thanks to some questionable controls.

On the whole the AWE on Xbox One just seems lackluster and doesn’t wrap up Control as nicely as I was hoping it would.

The foundation of Frostpunk 2 is fun and challenging. Managing resources and relationships throughout the campaign is a satisfying process, and the story itself is engaging. But the performance issues on Xbox bring the experience down significantly.

It’s fair to say SAND LAND is an alright anime-based action-RPG that fans of the series might enjoy. But it pales in comparison to something like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

How much you enjoy Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery depends on how much you like hidden object games so it’s difficult to be objective in this regard. The developers promote the game as being cosy and relaxing and it certainly will be for many. However, we often felt a little bored and occasionally frustrated.

Its lack of a story-based campaign is sorely missed and the repetitiveness of the environments is noticeable at times, but despite the infrequent flaws a good time can be found in Twin Robots.

Spellcaster University is a bit overwhelming to begin with, and the tutorial is too short and simple, but if you fancy combining building, card decks, and management, you should find it all pretty addictive.

If score chasing is something you cannot get enough of and a hit of nostalgia sweeps over you whenever Missile Command is mentioned, you’ll find some decent fun in Missile Command: Recharged.

If you’re looking for a new twin-stick shooter and fancy firing some destruction towards a bunch of pink aliens, then you could do a ton worse than to fill your boots with It Came from Space and Ate our Brains on Xbox One.

Pinkman+ is very short but hits that sweet nostalgic spot and sucks you in with its addictive nature.

If you’re a fan of a puzzler, Mirrored Souls will well suit. Should you then also be down for a challenge, this is more than capable of delivering on the promise.

So how do you make a case for Dandy Ace? You could say that it’s easy on the eyes. In the hands too, it feels good, with controls that are slick and combat that delivers heft. But it can feel more like a treadmill than a journey, as too little changes with each run, and you’re left with the sneaking suspicion that you are going nowhere.

GUNBARICH is a success. It’s a blemish-free port of a game that spliced brick-breakers with shoot ’em-ups, and got away with it.

Aside from the online multiplayer issues, MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice is an extremely solid game to play; suitable for fans of the source material, but also well up to the job of dragging in any newbie.

If you're an FMV fan then you're going to enjoy a lot of what The Isle Tide Hotel has to offer. But just remember - don’t ever leave your room at night.

Steel Seed is a solid new IP of a game; one that does mostly everything okay. There are some good action sequences, platforming mechanics that are fun, stealth, combat and skill trees to invest in. The story is good too, but fails to ever wow or do anything to keep your attention for the long term.

The Star Wars Pinball: The Last Jedi pack should’ve been just a sole table inspired by the events of the film, because The Last Jedi table is utterly thrilling and accessible to Star Wars fans of all skill levels. It was always a risk to base an entire table on Ahch-To and that risk didn’t pay off at all, for all the Porgs in the world can’t save it from being a boring and overly difficult experience.

If you’re a sim fan, there is a lot to love about City Bus Manager. The ability to make this as local as you like is a great feature, and the way it works with the bus routes is genius. The challenges are good too, but I would have liked to see more, to help aid longevity.

If you’re a fan of Battlefield then there is every reason to jump in with this year’s title, but if you want to experience the game as the developers have obviously intended, I suggest you hold off, enjoy the other amazing games released this year and come back to Battlefield V in about six months’ time when it’s no longer in its current state of being a glorified beta with a triple-A price tag.

Forgive Me Father is one of those games that fans of retro first person shooters will adore. It has everything, from fast action to brilliantly hand-drawn graphics to a superb soundtrack.

Chessarama won’t make you better at chess, but it may help you to get into the mindset needed to be a Grandmaster. It isn’t afraid to try something a bit different, with puzzles that are unique and intriguing. They don’t all work effectively, but you have to admire the attempt.

Tanuki Sunset is a fun arcade jaunt that nails the aesthetic of the 1980s. However, it’s difficult to fully recommend, and that's due to some graphical issues and a short run time.

If you can get hold of Next Up Hero as part of Xbox Game Pass, then playing it is a no-brainer. It’s fast, fun, challenging and with the chance to build your own dungeons and test the world, it’s an enticing proposition. If you need to pay for the game with real actual money, then things get a bit trickier.

Henchman Story is one of the good ones. As visual novels go, it’s substantial, and has twenty or thirty choices before you reach one of its twelve endings. It dares to be different, taking the story of a supervillain’s lackey and stirring in some social commentary. Sure, it could do with a touch less snark and a degree more characterisation, but this henchman’s costume is well worth pulling on for an evening.

I don’t mind a challenge, but the difficulty is mind-blowing, the mechanics are hard to get used to, and BPM: Bullets Per Minute is just so unforgiving, both in terms of rhythm and combat, that it’s hard to find much enjoyment. That said, the concept is great yet whilst the idea seems like a good one, in execution it’s tougher to sell.

Dimension Drive is fluid at all times, fast when it needs to be, and clever enough to be able to integrate in the unique dimension hopping feature to ensure that it is something many fans of the genre will want to get hands on with.

Gunfire Reborn may not set the world on fire, but it is capable of delivering a damn good time to anyone that fancies a rogue-lite arcade experience - especially if that person is after plenty of loot or the chance to enjoy RPG elements.

We found Yum Yum Cookstar to be a bit of a hollow doughnut: it still looks good, but we couldn’t shake the sense that something was missing. Our kids, though, gobbled it up.

Himno is almost certainly one of the most relaxing games I’ve played, which might put some off, but it honestly shouldn’t as there is enough of a challenge here to keep a player happy in short bursts.

Breathedge on Xbox is a hard game; one that requires patience before rewarding with a deep, funny, and intriguing space survival adventure.

For a solo player, Antigraviator on Xbox One is more than worth a play. Yep, it’s not Wipeout, but then rarely does anything get near that brilliance. There are multiplayer issues, but if you find yourself troubled by the lack of properly fast, properly hectic anti-grav racers that are available, then aside from a few little oddities this should be one to consider.

Play The Innsmouth Case the right way, and you’ve got a couple of hours of delightfully twisted play here. It feels like it’s written by HP Lovecraft’s saucier, less subtle sibling, and playing hunt-the-ending takes you to some memorable and downright disgusting places. It’s got no substance to it of course - the ‘Case’ in the title mostly gets forgotten about - and what you’re left with is a number of punchlines to bawdy jokes, but sometimes that’s just what a night’s gaming needs.

A game that is going to be more enjoyable for Cobra Kai fans than unfamiliar players, the licence is used very well here, but it’s still not one that can be fully recommended to everyone. All that said, if you love some Karate Kid action, there is no better game than Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising.

The Journey Down: Chapter Two steps up in terms of more cutscenes and better storytelling, all whilst providing a load of inventory-based puzzles to solve. I’m invested in the story of Bwana and Kito now, but I still think it’s a bit pricey for the adventure given the poor voiceover quality, simple mini-games and outdated visuals.

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

Doors: Paradox has the potential to be a great puzzle game. It is warm, vibrant, varied and full of just the right amount of puzzling. But there are quite a few issues that prevent it from scoring as high as it could.

There’s a niche group that will love C14 Dating on the Xbox. It’s the thinking person’s dating sim, when the genre is crowded with sleazeballs that most right-minded people would want to avoid. It’s an archaeology-themed game that skirts close to being a sim, and plenty of budding Time-Teamers will revel in that nerdiness.

Rush Rover on Xbox One is a solid roguelike bullet-hell game, and for the price point you can’t go wrong. The game runs well and there is enough variety to provide a few hours of fun. Is it as great as some of the other roguelike bullet-hell games on the market? No, but in terms of investment compared to time played, it definitely gives back more than you have to put in it.

We could sneer and deride Kid Ball Adventure for being a one-trick game, with one move, no real story and 100 levels for it to pad out. But there’s a purity about it, as it holds onto its one bounce mechanic, ignores any other gimmicks or systems, and produces something that’s as simple as it is fun.

The engaging cutscenes that take us through this stunning world, introducing the main character, should be enough to hook you into The Library of Babel. But the main problem the game has is found in the mechanics.

At the end of the day, Jump Stars hits the party scene with great intentions. If you’re going to play it fleetingly, hitting it once a week or so, then you’ll find it will well suffice. But expect to play it and enjoy it on a more consistent basis and you’ll probably be left a little bored by the repeating aspects.

Don’t be put off by the graphics. JANITOR BLEEDS is a survival horror that is very much capable of sweeping you off your feet.

Garten of Banban 4 is where the series starts to find its stride. The story is the most cohesive, the challenges are less about jumping through hoops to avoid jumpscares and instead feel like they belong in this bizarre world. But it is still some way from being the pinnacle of this mascot horror movement

Slots & Daggers is clearly a niche title already: you have to be okay with handing your character over to the gods of RNG, and the A button is mostly there to stop reels from spinning. And while it burns ever-so-brightly for a few hours, it becomes a slog for the remainder.

Battle Brothers is rewarding - at least if you stick at it. But making a save before every battle is very much the way to go. There’s no doubt that there’s a lot to get involved in and there’s a ton of content to enjoy, but the difficulty sits in the mix like a wasp nest at a picnic - sooner or later something is going to sting, and it won’t be pleasant when it does.

Gnomdom is a gnomic snack, a wee confection that will pass a couple of hours for a puzzle player.

It’s a shame that the online world is dead, but if you crave an old-school fighting game with old-school difficulty, Rage of the Dragons NEO delivers.

LumbearJack is easy to write off as a game simply for kids. However, give it a chance and you may just learn something as well as having a smashing time in the process.

The puzzles may just have enough of a pull to make you consider purchasing Like No Other: The Legend Of The Twin Books, but you might need to use your imagination to conjure up an interesting tale to go along with it.

Crash Drive 3 is a fun little game. There’s not a huge amount of longevity here, especially not once you’ve unlocked all the worlds, yet it’s all good as a quick pick up and play affair, before forgetting about it again. Playing with friends is always better than strangers, but even if no one you know is online, with cross-play support it’s easy to get into quite intense contests.

Match Village has an interesting match-3 concept, but doesn’t quite build upon that sufficiently. The lack of a tutorial gets things off to a bad start but as fresh tiles enter the fray and new mechanics come into play, the fun factor increases.

I think Demetrios – The BIG Cynical Adventure stands out from the crowd for its crudeness and toilet humour, but mainly the fact that it’s just a big silly adventure not to be taken too seriously.

With enough RPG elements to help give players something else to focus on, and a vast selection of tracks included, this is one game that rhythm fans should possibly be getting involved in - it isn’t quite the most enjoyable game in the genre, but it certainly holds its own.

There’s no doubting that we’ll be returning to The Legend of Bum-bo. We love its cast of Bum-bos, with their cheeky, meta-bending takes on match-four puzzling. But we’ll still be cursing the designers as they gleefully take toys away from us, denying us progress, and offering only measly opportunities to build better Bum-bos.