If you are looking for a different gaming experience, and are willing to invest the time into finding out the story, then Knock-Knock could well be the strangest game you'll ever play.

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.

Balan Wonderworld, even with all of its surface-level faults, is a genuinely charming 3D platformer that is blissfully imaginative both in its artistic presentation and game design.

If you really want to reap the full enjoyment from this game, you should get stuck into the mystery as soon as possible. It will take a serious investment of time, which will discourage some, and the game has some shortcomings like its poorly-thought out mining mechanics, but if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded with an engaging tale of darkness and despair.

Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials goes a long way towards scratching a bit of a Metroidvania itch. It’s big, it’s sprawling and there’s a lot to see. With a little more attention to the combat and the jumping, this could well have been a bit of a genre-leading contender. As it is though, Barbarian is a good game, but not a great one.

Order of Battle: World War II is a rich, detailed and authentic experience suitable for historic strategy fans, with enough DLC to keep them busy for weeks. There’s nothing here to tempt newcomers to the genre however - this is a game solely aimed at its target audience.

It's good that there is another train sim game on the market, giving players options away from Train Sim World. It’s also nice that the development team here have tried something different with Train Life: A Railway Simulator. This forgoes the realism to instead provide a decent job of mixing simpler train movement with a great management system; the addictive career mode gives this train sim its heart.

If you’re like us and you have a hunger for something Blue Prince-shaped, then Secrets of Blackrock Manor - Escape Room fits the bill. Escape room fans can be reassured too: this is eight rooms teeming with puzzles

If you have loved the previous two games in the Active Neurons series then you can’t put a foot wrong With Active Neurons 3 - Wonders Of The World on Xbox. It may feel a bit like a piece of DLC rather than a new imagining of the series, but that's fine for the cheap price and offer of a host of extra levels.

You could almost call DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing plain. But it’s also not mired in monetisation, nor is it overly fiddly, demanding understanding of pit crew or upgrades. It slots in nicely, then: more challenging and deep than PAW Patrol Grand Prix, but without the unnecessary bells and whistles of the free-to-play kart games. Plus you can’t go wrong with a character roster that includes Shrek and Donkey.

Brewmaster: Beer Brewing Simulator is capable of delivering a better experience than you may imagine. It's certainly a niche game, but what it does do, it does with aplomb.

It’s fair to say that The Journey Down: Chapter Three kicks on and raises the stakes massively to try and offer a finale to remember. There’s no doubt it delivers clever puzzles aplenty, requiring a logical thought process and, sadly, a lot of back-tracking to solve.

Unlike real-life gambling, CloverPit is a habit that is a little too easy to break.

Despite the gameplay not being quite as deep as you may expect, Disciples: Liberation offers up an attractive, if limited, world which is exciting to explore.

Tropico 6 on Xbox One is a tasteful satire on the inner workings of politics. But it’s also a satisfying simulator of building and organising your very own nation. It’s a fun and challenging process of gradually erecting a complex infrastructure and then seeing everything function like clockwork. And of course, it’s also all about the contents of that Swiss bank account.

There’s no doubting that there is a short and ramshackle Breath of the Wild at the centre of Effie on the Xbox. Its rough, indie edges can be incredibly charming, and surfing the open world on the back of a magical shield is a gift that keeps on giving. But the rough edges are too sharp, too frequently.

By the end of Care Bears: To The Rescue, we’d drawn a smiley face on our belly. This could have been a quick cash-in, an off-brand Care Bear from down the market. But this is the real deal: it’s got a sizable number of levels, and enough room for four-players to play together.

A Memoir Blue isn’t prime Annapurna Interactive: we liked, but didn’t fall in love. But a mixed-media take on the love between a mother and daughter is wholly endearing, and there isn’t a barb or rough edge in its simplistic gameplay.

It gets a solid B for being charming, quirky and a fine way to wile away six hours or so. We never regretted enrolling into the Kraken Academy!!, we just felt that it had the potential to be an A+ student.

All in all, TwinCop on Xbox One does live up to the billing as the most cooperative game ever, as it really does need you and your partner to work in concert. As a co-op game it’s a riot, but although there is a single player mode the game only really comes alive with a buddy.

You should play Hundred Bullets, but beware of the difficulty spike, it’ll sneak up on you.

Shred! 2 - ft Sam Pilgrim on Xbox One isn’t a game that should worry about visuals or audio - it’s a game that absolutely thrives on momentum and insane combos, seeing the player pull off tricks without a care in the world. And in that respect, it utterly nails things, delivering a playthrough that is engaging, free-flowing, and precise.

Restrictive nuances in both single player and multiplayer prevent players from having as much fun as they could – and at points even make Disintegration feel shallow – but the FPS/RTS fusion on genres works to a point; neither feels more predominant than the other, but then neither feel fully formed either.

A true boss-hell experience.

sCapes is a pretty accomplished tactics game, and while the story keeps you playing, all as you look to see what is going to happen, the hook to drag you back afterwards is a bit weaker.

If you are a horror fan, Ellen is definitely worth checking out. It’s a genuinely unsettling and atmospheric title that does the best with the tools available to it. Yes, the lack of variety is definitely an issue, but that shouldn’t hold you back if you crave a few scares.

For a good chunk of the time, Red Ronin is a fun game that provides a good challenge. I just wish that the mechanics introduced in the second half of the game could’ve either been implemented better, or left out altogether.

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.

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.

Outbuddies DX draws from some very special places in its design. From its Metroid style to its Lovecraftian world, there is a lot it compares to. And while not perfect in its execution, it does a solid job at grabbing these ideas and adapting them in new ways.

Card Storm Idle is incredibly unlikely to convert anyone to idle games. But for those number-crunching, button-tapping weirdos who like the genre, well, this will be a week’s worth of clicking. It’s not pretty, it’s anything but ambitious, and - whoop whoop - it’s free.

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.

It has a completely original concept, delivers a great bit of sim-based fun and comes with some wonderful ideas. But the controls can be tricky, and there are glitches that are occasionally annoying; it is these which are key to how much time you'll invest in this game.

Essentially, Arcade Spirits on Xbox One feels like an entry point to the visual novel genre. It lacks the depth, complexity and hook of games such as Phoenix Wright, but instead relies on its relationships to suck players in. With a slow build, it’s hard to recommend to anyone but veterans of the genre, especially with a script that never evolves beyond its basic humour. But its charm is hard to deny and, infused with the nostalgic factor, it can be downright difficult to resist at times.

Endless Dungeon might not be a game for everyone, and it may not convert you to become a roguelike faithful, but it is a fun experience - especially when enjoyed with friends.

Tcheco in the Castle of Lucio on Xbox One is unapologetically a retro, 2D platformer that looks and plays as if it’s been plucked straight out of yesteryear. Not only should it be commended for this, but also for the addition of a mode that caters better for the modern gamers.

Gravity Chase falls short of being the anti-grav racer that you need in your life, but for some quick hits of adrenaline and speed, it just about does the business. Be understanding of a bit of grind and repetition, and you'll find the flow of Gravity Chase to excite.

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.

For short term hits, and for those with a desire to show their skating skills on a new forum, Skate City flicks and tricks its way to glory. It’s just that the greater grind and increase in trick difficulty may eventually become too much to bear.

Curious Expedition on Xbox One is a unique, interesting and solid game. The ideas that mix choosing your own adventure with rogue-like gameplay are more intriguing than I thought they would be, and the survival hardships and elements when combined with a fantasy world that harks back to 1950's adventure movies is a great tone to pick.

Put it next to EA’s Rory McIlroy title, and it looks dated and sad. But give the game a chance and the polished gameplay from all those years ago starts to shine through, and fun can be had in spades.

Toki on Xbox One is a welcome remake of a relatively lesser-known arcade classic. Whether it was worth bringing back at all depends on how rose-tinted your lenses are, but it’s certainly interesting to see a modest hit from 30 years ago find its way again on modern gaming platforms.

The World According to Girl has an interesting premise, but rather fittingly fails to execute the grand plan and falls short of being the great game it could be.

Buildest feels like a hard one to market because, on one hand, it has a family-friendly, co-op, party-game feel to it, but at the same time, you must keep to the strict rules of building without any opportunity to go outside the box.

Treadnauts is, at its heart, an enjoyable and focused local multiplayer title that’s accessible to newcomers with its simplistic controls and easy to understand gameplay, yet is still in-depth enough that those who have been playing for a while can ramp up the skills to bring some rather stunning plays.

Rodent Warriors on Xbox is a fun game; one that is perfect for a quick blast. Picking up the controller, blasting through a level and then resetting the character is a perfect short term option. If you don't have much time, then getting the game to play itself will allow you to get up to the much-needed higher levels and gear, but how that mechanic will sit is a very personal one.

If you can grab a few like-minded friends, and don't ever set your expectations too high, then there is a good deal of fun to be had here with Dungeon Defenders: Awakened on Xbox. Add in multiple difficulties and scenarios, and there’s enough here to keep you playing for a decent amount of time.

Aidan in Danger is a simple title that excels in many regards. Demonstrated through the perfect, nostalgic callbacks to a long-lost era, this is a love letter to gaming that every fan of retro or platformers will appreciate.

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.

Perhaps it could do with a few more cases and a little longer in terms of gameplay hours, but DETECTIVE: Stella Porta Case is worth spending time with.

Whilst SpeedRunners may be a long way from any action-packed blockbuster, there is certainly enough included to warrant dusting it off every once in a while for some multiplayer madness.

While Neon Junctions is relatively short and is a bit on the easy side at first, for the price that it retails at and the great soundtrack included, I feel this game is perfect for anyone looking to get into the puzzle game genre.

In zombie media terms, then, Zombies, Aliens and Guns isn’t ponderous like a Walking Dead, funny like a Shaun of the Dead or cerebral like a Last of Us. Instead, it’s a big, dumb Army of the Dead, and it will be just as forgettable once it’s over. If you like your zombie-killing easy and brainless then Zombies, Aliens and Guns will scratch an open wound.

Do Not Feed the Monkeys is better played on other systems rather than on Xbox. Without a mouse or touchscreen to move through screens, you’ll find yourselves fumbling through the screens like your dad with a remote, when you want to feel like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. But don’t let it put you off the game as a whole: this is a witty, hugely original voyeurism simulator, and it’s well worth searching out elsewhere.

Love Too Easily is a good interactive movie that successfully incorporates fun and silly mini-games into its romantic plot. The acting, especially from the lead, is better than you’d find in most other FMVs, while the many storytelling branches ensure multiple playthroughs are fresh. But it's a shame to see a plethora of production flaws and technical issues, ruining the natural flow far too often

Deep Sky Derelicts on Xbox One offers a tough but rewarding RPG with interesting mechanics, but this is sometimes let down by a small level cap and occasionally tedious dungeon crawling.

No matter how you look at Through the Nightmares, everything works well, from the great size-shifting mechanics to the haunting visuals and dramatic soundtrack that keep you going. The problem is, many may find it frustrating.

Despite some annoyances with the repetitive courses, Supermarket Shriek is a joy to play with a friend. Goofy stages, an absurd concept and just a general sense of fun are more than enough to make Supermarket Shriek a solid co-op party game.

Palia doesn’t reinvent the cosy game wheel, opting instead to add MMO elements and a well-structured story to a tried and trusted trope.

If you like puzzle games, Hanoi Puzzles: Flip Match does a great job of carrying on from the first game, albeit with an interesting new twist. And if you’re in it for the achievements and Gamerscore, it is quite easy to fill your boots within a few hours.

It’s worth waiting for a sale before buying Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny. It has a lustre that will only last for a few days, even in co-op. For a full-price game, that’s a lot to ask of a Nicktoons fan, but for a few (sponge)bob less? Yeah, we can see that happening.

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.

Yes, the puzzle systems are complex and deep, and it is genuinely satisfying to fully repair a messed up ship in Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop. But the roadblocks to get there are rougher than you may care for.

It is very clear from the outset that Freedom Finger on Xbox One is a niche game. It being a space shoot ‘em up is enough to put people off from the start. But if you also have an aversion to satirical, on the knuckle toilet humour, or more experimental music, then steer clear. If this does sound like something for you though, then Freedom Finger will offer a few hours of a lot of fun.

#BLUD is a valiant attempt to break the mould of the traditional dungeon crawler but it fails to achieve its target at being more than this. If you are a fan of the genre and are up for a challenge then it is worth a play. Just be warned that it’s not only the vampires that are a pain in the neck.

While it’s short-lived, Sacrifice for Sale fills its brief time with cheeky writing and a fun game of chase-the-ending.

Roundout by POWGI on Xbox by Lightwood Games is another successful and unique word puzzle game, and this time provides a decent challenge in comparison with others. It is still a little light on features – a problem across all three titles – but due to the nature of it, having a crossword-type puzzle up on the main screen of the house can offer interaction between family members.

The fusion of shooter and match-3 mechanics does work, and while it’s hard to keep on top of the situation, practice certainly helps. What doesn't work so well is the amount of fun on offer as Galacide quickly becomes frustrating. It’s fun for a short blast, don't get me wrong, and if your life has a shooter/match-3 shaped hole in it this will fit perfectly, but at the end of the day the game kind of falls between two stools.

At the end of the day, if you were one of those who loved gaming back in the day, then you’ll enjoy what Rad Rodgers brings. It’s not the best platformer out there, but it’s still fun and will let you kick back with a huge smile on your face. Unfortunately you may begin to find that grin slowly turning to a grimace as the confusion and lack of direction in the latter levels takes hold.

For the price, it’s killer. Geometric Sniper is a goofy, fun-filled sniper game that shuffles in some hidden object stuff seamlessly. Better still, its missions are far cleverer than you might expect, so you’re going to need your brains while your opponents lose theirs through a bullet hole.

For many, it will be the ambition of taking a character from nothing before throwing them into a huge adventure, one full of heart and soul, which will be the key to Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.

The Kindeman Remedy is a very dark and disturbing game; one that deals with twisted themes in a very matter of fact way. The actual gameplay is okay, with a good gameplay loop to follow, but the way it all deals with certain issues is quite chilling.

Detective Dotson is ripe with so much charm that the stuttering detective-work and controls end up getting pushed to the side.

To take in the full Sole experience you’ll be looking at something around 2 to 3 hours in length, and throughout it will experience a spiritual journey that is abstract at times and tells a story that requires you to interpret it at your own pace.

All in all, Gravel, despite its best efforts, isn’t a bad game. It’s rough, annoying, hard on the eyes, and unpolished. But it is still fun to play and for a quick and dirty arcade session, there is a lot worse out there.

A title with so much potential, Blood Bowl 3 fumbles the ball in the final minute.

It feels like being lost is part of the intended journey and so if you are a fan of the original game, then you will have a good, hellish time with Rain World: The Watcher.

Dungeon Minesweeper is a fun update on a classic game. It adds layers upon a simple concept and does a good job of explaining the entire process.

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.

You can’t deny the intelligence of Life is Strange 2 – or any part of the entire Life is Strange franchise for that matter – but I feel that sometimes this at the expense of entertainment. It would be great to play at least a small portion of the game as Daniel, so you get to experience using his power – this would add a welcome new dimension to the gameplay.

It took us some time to navigate the brambles, but APFTU - A Place for the Unwilling was worth the journey. It is not friendly or fast, and you could even say that it’s broken, at least in places. But there’s a noble aim here: to create a world where you couldn’t possibly do the right thing all the time, and you certainly can’t do everything.

This a fighting game that is enjoyable almost despite the gore, not because of it. It’s bonkers story mode is the highlight here, the great animation and crunching impacts help, but then the Towers of Time throw a spanner in the works at the last moment.

The story starts slow, but picks up pace, and the combat is fun, so Star Ocean The Divine Force does enough to get a decent mark in my book, without ever threatening to set the world on fire.

Whilst Fling to the Finish works in single player mode, it really comes alive in multiplayer. If you have a regular pal to play with, either online or on the couch, then Fling to the Finish is an easy sell. But if you don’t have such a friend…

For some, the grind, lack of continued narrative and difficulty curve will be a little off-putting to say the least, but at the end of the day, this is a rogue-like experience that brings an original adventure and a decent challenge that will keep you going for some time.

Project Motor Racing is a game of two, uneven halves. The actual driving is properly challenging, as you want a sim racer to be, but the rest of the experience is ruined by some over zealous AI, bad controls and ridiculous track limit rules.

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.

If you have a fondness for retro platformers like Bubble Bobble, and you sense that you’d be more patient with some old-school game mechanics, then Jack Dragon and the Stone of Peace has been made especially for you. Drop down the £3.29 and treat yourself. Everyone else can pass this one by, and that’s fine.

Bad Cheese is a creatively important game and one that many will love, especially those who enjoy the 1920s cartoon visual style. I do think the gameplay gets a bit samey, doesn’t quite click at times, and feels a bit stiff. But the number of tasks you can action, and the machines that you get to operate and play with, are a lot of fun.

Family Mysteries 2: Echoes of Tomorrow on Xbox is prime nonsense; a retelling of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines but peppered with spot-the-difference puzzles and hidden objects, as if Arnie was sent back in time to tidy someone’s room. It’s supremely camp, but the best hidden object games are, and you’ll likely forgive the dodgy animations and script by the time you reach the end of its entertaining three or four hours. Ignore the ‘2’ in the title: this is a strong entry point for the genre, and one of its best to boot.

We’re racking our brains, and we think Home Sheep Home: Farmageddon Party Edition represents the best Aardman game we’ve played. It’s got some knots in the wool with regard to its physics engine and stacking characters on top of each other, but otherwise you can be confident in a cooperative family experience that will reveal just how helpful you all are.

Ravva and the Phantom Library is a significant step forward from the first game. And if you haven’t played Ravva and the Cyclops Curse, then know that this is a puzzle-platformer with substance. It has its fiddly moments, but it’s also got a knack for creating dense, sprawling levels with a fun-to-figure-out boss at the end.

It may be something of a marmite genre, but Broken Pieces tells a story worth hearing, despite its elements not quite fitting together perfectly.

There are a few problems here and there – and these ensure that it never makes the perfect adventure – but if you’re after something that feels familiar, yet still manages to deliver a very unique world, then please have a bash at Aritana and The Twin Masks.

If you wish to enjoy the gameplay of Darkest Dungeon without tearing your hair out, then Vambrace is very much for you. It couples a Game of Thrones narrative with engaging side-quests and a more than amply challenging progression.

Originality is always present in Journey of Johann: Cave Explorer, whether it’s for good or bad, but that is where the issues arise; a distinct, speedrunning-based foundation of gameplay is often juxtaposed through poorly designed stages, feeling as though they were thrown together.

Demonschool is a bit swings and roundabouts, but the good points just outweigh the not-so-good.

What is important is that Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story is a tight shoot ’em up. Not only that, but it’s packing four-player couch co-op and an incredible number of weapons. Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story, against the odds, is a game to relish.