Dustoff Z on Xbox One is one of those games that you should take a punt on if you’re looking to keep yourself entertained for an evening, home alone, with little else to keep you occupied. It delivers a decent upgrade system to both the shooters you can employ and the vehicles that you can fly, and there’s just enough of a test to ensure you won’t be able to shut your eyes and hope for the best.

Rightfully, Beary Arms is a sprinter, not a marathon runner. In short bursts, it can be fun, but playing for longer sessions starts to reveal its shortcomings, especially when compared to other games within the genre.

Sir Lovelot on Xbox feels like a weekend game; nothing incredibly special but a well-made experience nonetheless. This is a fun and simple platformer that can provide some good fun for a few hours.

Everdream Valley is a pleasant enough addition to the ever-increasing roster of farming sims on Xbox and the dream feature is an attempt at setting it apart from other similar titles.

There’s certainly room for improvement, but Sker Ritual is an enjoyable zombie horde shooter that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Dragon Lapis on Xbox One is easy, but fun. The story is pretty good, however the controls are annoying and the whole thing does seem a little bloated, forcing us to go to places that we really don't need to. Aside from that though, all in all it’s a pretty good little playthrough. If you like a retro JRPG, but aren't very good at them, this could well be the game for you!

If you want to know why programmers always have a pained expression, then play Sushi for Robots. It takes sequencing problems and repackages them exquisitely. But it’s not going to be for everyone: those with a taste for logic flows will have full bellies, while I found myself cursing its intricacy and difficulty levels.

If you have a fondness for Paperboy from back in the day, you should probably give Death Noodle Delivery a once over - it's certainly good enough to evoke memories of a golden age of gaming.

Supported by solid combat and in-depth mechanics, Bow to Blood can certainly be something special. While it doesn’t hit all the marks, with the sometimes painfully slow map traversal being the main issue, developers Tribetoy have successfully ported and expanded upon their original PSVR release in a meaningful way.

Play through Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil and you’ll discover many ‘firsts’. You may never have played a game in which you take on the role of an ageing priest, and rarely will you be found using a cross to expel the demonic world. But it mostly works well, especially when you are exploring the world and the story.

Whilst there are some issues with platforming, some annoying jokes and inconsistent level design, Helheim Hassle on Xbox One is a great example of how far Perfectly Paranormal have come as a team. It could realistically be seen as extra content with the formula Samuel set beforehand, but instead it adapts from it and grows. Helheim is just as wacky and strange as Manuel Samuel yet offers so much more to keep you playing.

You’ll find the most fun of PERISH in co-op, having a blast with a few friends. It’s that which will make the gameplay loop more enjoyable, the challenge more satisfying, and the roguelite elements much more fun overall.

Retro fans, or those who loved the original, are going to have a blast with Blood: Refreshed Supply. It plays exactly like a game from those times: fast and furious.

Roguematch: The Extraplanar Invasion made for an odd relationship. I loved it and hated it in roughly equal measure. The love came from an ingenious hybrid of dungeon-crawling and match-3 puzzles. The hatred came from Starstruck Games stacking more and more ideas on a simple concept, to the point that it became unwieldy.

If you enjoyed previous Farming Simulator games, you'll undoubtedly find many hours of enjoyment here with Farming Simulator 25, losing yourself in the intricacies of agricultural management and the satisfaction of a thriving farm.

Even though the gameplay isn’t massively varied across any of the missions, the same can be said of any shooter really, and there’s enough variety here to keep you playing for a good amount of time.

It’s a very slow paced game overall, so whether Valkyria Chronicles 4 is for you depends on how patient you are and whether the deep story can cover over the gameplay drawbacks.

We reached the end of Cats and Seek: Dino Park without any fuss, and enjoyed the brief time spent with it. Well put together, if you're a fan of cosy gaming, hidden object hunting, or cats in general, it'll be well worth your time taking a trip to the Dino Park.

I'm a massive fan of Assassin’s Creed and have found myself loving the latest games more than any which went before them. That is equally true of Valhalla yet, whilst the Wrath of the Druids is a strong addition to the library, it does at times feel more like a side quest rather than something capable of pushing forward the overall Valhalla narrative.

Embr is fun to play, despite being a simple and straightforward game. There’s a lot packed in here, which is a clear attempt to keep players coming back for more. It may well do the trick.

If all you want is a fast-paced shoot ’em up and its scarcity of content doesn’t deter you, then Pawarumi will provide a good few hours of hectic action.

In Train Sim World 6 I liked the new random events, even though after a while I saw the same things appearing, and the new tracks and trains are always appreciated. But I am looking forward to seeing what the next entry will, hopefully truly pushing the franchise forward in a more significant way.

It feels like Crash 4 is stuck somewhere down the middle in terms of Crash games; way off the lofty heights of Crash platforming at its peak in Warped, but well above some of the stuff that followed the original trilogy. Does it try to introduce too much? Maybe. But then in a weird paradox it doesn’t do much more to bring the franchise to modern consoles. Much like the plot of Crash 4, it is unsure which time period it is in.

If you are a dedicated fan of old-school survival horror and genuinely don’t mind the punishing nature of limited save points and the deliberate awkwardness of fixed cameras, then Tormented Souls 2 could be for you.

Whether to pick up Bunninjutsu, then, is a matter of expectations. Expect a platformer made by a bedroom-developer and you will be pleasantly surprised with its invention and parkour-like platforming. Expect something that is anywhere near a Crash, Spyro or Mario, and you may well regret that £4.19 outlay.

Ayo the Clown is more substantial than you might have expected. This is one for players still holding onto a love for Donkey Kong Country and Yoshi’s Island games.

Whether Edgar – Bokbok in Boulzac should be your next purchase or not is dependent on what you’re after. It’s a very laid back, weird, wacky, and interesting story, in which there are plenty of minor side-tales to pad out the adventure to around three hours in length. The inventory ‘puzzles’ won’t be overly taxing at all, so there’ll be no need to get stressed, but it does become tedious without something else to break-up the random conversations and, unfortunately, there aren’t enough properly funny moments to make you laugh out loud.

Perhaps it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for gamers looking to take a trip down memory lane, METRO QUESTER is a nice departure from the usual KEMCO style. As a whole, it just works.

Linn: Path of Orchards on Xbox One feels very unique, is scarily stunning to look at and is a cracking little title to just pick up and play. I don't like having to repeat levels to unlock new stages, I worry that the difficulty spike is quite steep, and the hectic gameplay might put some off. But the highlights outweigh the cons, especially if you decide to take the low asking price into account too.

With a little more polish Outer Terror could have been a contender. As things stand, it is short of the utter addiction found in Vampire Survivors. It does a job, but is nowhere near as life consuming.

On paper, this is a mash-up that shouldn’t work. But testament to Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition, and with this being the second remaster of the original game, it proves that it does indeed work. Be prepared to play an awful lot of tile matching gameplay with very little variation in between. But if you want a game to dip in and out of, a game that is deep enough to be called an RPG too, you could do a lot worse than Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition.

In all I found Graveyard Keeper to be an enjoyable experience if a little frustrating. It certainly isn’t a game for everyone, but for those that love a good management sim and want something a little different from the norm then Graveyard Keeper is a game I certainly recommend.

Yes, playing NBA Bounce alone does get a bit boring after a while, as the game becomes a tad samey. But it’s in playing with others on the same couch where this can properly shine, and, of course, in its wonderfully wacky Party mode.

Decay – The Mare is another unusual, strange quirky game to enter the Xbox One library of misfits.

Owlen and the Spirits of the Past is in the odd position of being the best Aery game in ages, yet it doesn’t have ‘Aery’ in the title. It’s also an appropriate gateway for new players, particularly if they’re younger. Just apply blinkers and avoid looking at the pop-in, musty story and over-eager visual effects.

The action is so intense, there is barely a moment to rest, and so after about ten minutes with CLAWPUNK, I’m about exhausted. For the younger generation, those whose reflexes haven’t atrophied the way mine have, there is a lot to enjoy here, however, bear in mind that CLAWPUNK is full on, all the time.

Should you be in the market for a retro-styled ninja game, Cyber Shadow on Xbox is quite possibly the game for you. It plays well, it sounds good, and aside from an odd use of powers and damage from knockbacks, there’s not an awful lot missing - just be aware that your controller may come out the other side with more teeth marks in it than when you began.

If you’re a sucker for jumping behind the wheel of a car and going round in circles all day, think that Tony Stewart is an utter legend or just love a bit of good old fashioned motorsport then Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing on Xbox One delivers the goods.

All in all, Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Dry Twice is a decent second (or is that 9th?) round with ole Larry Laffer. The game is not going to be for everyone, but what is here is ultimately enough for a more polished, if less inspired, experience.

Wordsweeper by POWGI is another good entry. Combining two previously uncombinable games - crosswords and minesweeper - together, it creates a unique experience that works very well.

If you are a fan of The Sims and titles like House Flipper, then you will have a blast with Architect Life: A House Design Simulator. The prospect of getting into the fundamentals of designing a home from the ground up without having to do any of the manual work is an appealing one.

SolSeraph on Xbox One is a tale of two games. On one hand, it’s a fun, accessible strategy game that works surprisingly well on console. On the other hand, it’s a bland and annoying action platformer.

If you have a spare twenty minutes to kill, Backpack Twins will allow you to make a bit of progress towards full completion, wasting a bit of time in the process. And it's that which makes it feel a little more suitable for something like the Nintendo Switch than the Xbox.

There’s a lot to recommend Nowhere Girl. In its looks and writing, there’s a craftsmanship that takes it beyond your average visual novel. The setup, too, is bonkers: an unlikely romance between ghost and software developer. But it’s the middle act, before things get equally bonkers at the end, that doesn’t quite coalesce.

BH Trials needs to be praised for a concept which is totally unorthodox and seldom like any other puzzling experience on Xbox One. I dig the idea, the skill games are pretty fun, it introduces a lot of intriguing obstacles, and the physics are spot on.

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.

Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass’ writing is its shining beacon, lighting up some dark moments and being the main reason I wanted to stumble through to the end. What held me back from truly loving Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass was grindy, repetitive combat and a lack of cohesion.

You should enjoy The Occultist. There are some incredibly clever ideas here in terms of game mechanics and environmental design. The story is a bit hit-and-miss though.

Super Trunko Go is a decent stab at a twin stick shooter, with some “interesting” mechanics. There is a real challenge here, and while it isn’t the biggest game in the world, it isn’t a pushover. If you fancy a twin stick shooter with a slight difference, then give Super Trunko Go a try.

If you want something different, and of decent quality, put on your snow boots, grab a flask of warm coffee and venture out into the cold.

Greak: Memories of Azur is the very embodiment of a game of two halves. It looks incredible, there’s no two ways about it, and when playing as a single character, the gameplay is extremely good. It’s in the later stages when trying to manage three characters at once that annoyances creep in. Overall, Greak is a good game, but there are some control gremlins to overcome.

If you’ve ever tapped along to the drum beat of heavier music, Double Kick Heroes on the Xbox One is perfect for you. At harder difficulties your controller will take an absolute beating, but the sheer diversity of metal music on offer here ensures that there is a track or three for all fans of the genre.

Whether Slide Stories: Neko and Friends is the game for you depends entirely on whether you like puzzles or not. Specifically, you need a love for slide puzzles, because if you hate them, you aren’t going to get much else out of this game. For me, this was a nice experience, and I liked the different levels of difficulty available.

If you’re more interested in treating it as a one-and-done experience, letting the atmosphere wash over you, then Loan Shark has so much more value. It’s a tricksy tale, a PT-like short rather than anything particularly deep.

The more you invest in Shadows of Doubt, the more rewarding it will be. You could spend countless hours in this city with its procedurally generated inhabitants, however, should you prefer more structured gameplay and clear objectives, you might find things frustrating.

Overall and the combat and sailing mechanics of King of Seas are what work, and whilst things feel a little slow at times, that’s never too much bother. But the story and missions are sorely lacking and there never feels like there is much point in your actions; beyond the grinding.

Steel Assault is a reminder of gaming’s past, and this brings back both good and bad memories. Expect to have a decent little time while you are in there, but Steel Assault is not something you’ll particularly want to take in over and over again. For a retro hit though, it does the job.

If you love a deep strategy game that is full of intrigue, decision making, and provides a whole load of stats to play with then Realpolitiks New Power on Xbox One is the perfect game for you.

If you like your horror games fast-paced with jump scares and fighting monsters with a crowbar, then you will be a bit disappointed by Prison Alone. But if you prefer your scares to be more slow-burning, tense affairs, with a narrative slowly unravelling before your eyes, then Prison Alone will be able to deliver.

WarriOrb on Xbox One is hard. It is unfair. You will have to swallow that unfairness until you can find a workaround. There are undoubtedly better hardcore platformers out there. BUT, if that doesn’t dissuade you, and you’ve beaten Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Salt & Sanctuary and the rest, then - hats off to you - there’s some charm and joy to be had in this little sphere’s adventures.

Flying high up into the air and surveying Aery - Path of Corruption, particularly against the other EpiXR Games, we can say with confidence that it’s one of their best; the most lavish and graphically detailed of all the Aerys, and it even takes a couple of risks that work.

Sniper Elite: Resistance isn’t the most polished game ever, nor the most original, but it does the job it sets out to do.

While it’s disappointing to see Greymoor tread very old ground after three previously exceptional and creative expansions, it’s still worth a play for veteran players and may even still excite those new to the scene. It’s undeniably a slight step down, but with the bar set where it is, it’s still a pretty good addition.

If you’re playing Super Hiking League DX as a solo platformer, then you shouldn’t bother. But if you’re in the market for a late-night multiplayer game, and you have a friend who won’t punch you in the face for stealing a win from under their nose, then Super Hiking League DX is worth adding to your couch multiplayer rotation. We dream of a version with online play and leaderboards but, for now, this is about as far from ‘hiking’ as you can get: it’s fun, quick and may lead to fights.

reky (no capital R) isn’t the relaxing puzzler that it threatens to be; there’s just a bit too much frustration which comes to the fore for that to be the case. But it is a beautifully created, super minimalist test of the mind, one that, when at its best, will have you feeling the vibe.

Gaming is a massive time sink, and Vostock is the biggest of them all. What starts off nice and delightful will eventually turn into a time eating monster.

Despite the issues, Breakfall knows what Pizza Titan Ultra is, and for that it’s a better game. At roughly 5 hours to completion, it never gets old, supplying enough variety to keep you entertained. Priced at £9.99/$11.99, it is worth your time if you’re looking to spend an evening with a unique experience.

ELEX II might struggle to find a market when it is put alongside other open-world games, but ultimately there is a lot of good adventuring to be found in this neat RPG.

Spending time in the Bermuda Triangle with Down in Bermuda on Xbox is tremendous. It's a game where you can just kick back and relax, solving puzzles in your own time without anything trying to kill you, or you ever needing to worry about silly time restraints.

It's possible to have some fun with Styx: Blades of Greed. But playing for any prolonged session starts to show just how repetitive the game really is.

A perfectly serviceable DLC for Starfield, Shattered Space never pushes the envelope in any way, shape or form. It is par for the course for a Bethesda DLC but, even coming from someone who enjoyed the base game of Starfield a lot, it isn’t what the spacefaring RPG needs right now.

It’s the constant back-and-forth between great ideas and not-so-great ideas, technical shortcomings and imaginative solutions to those shortcomings, that define The StoryTale on Xbox. For every step back, it takes one forward. But The StoryTale doesn’t let that stop its attempts to innovate: even with a 50% hit-rate on its ideas, it keeps trying them out, and that should be celebrated.

Black Legend is an unusual game to find on the Xbox, yet it is a game that will scratch a tactical itch for some players, especially as its combination of theme, tricky tactical combat and gothic horror is potentially a heady brew. However, in practise, it fails to really deliver on any of these fronts as everything feels vague and unfocused, like the game world’s mists have shrouded Black Legend itself.

Nexomon is by no means a bad game, it’s just not quite in the upper echelons of RPG adventures. For the fairly low price – under a tenner – you’ll have fun and should definitely consider buying if a Pokémon copycat is all you require.

CyberHive is pretty calming on the whole, and following the narrative or keeping your crew lean, mean and hungry is fairly interesting. CyberHive will be able to deliver much more fun than you may expect.

Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2 on Xbox One may not have anything as interesting as a demake of Pac-Man Championship Edition like that seen in Vol. 1, but this is still a strong collection of some of the company’s best Famicom classics, with most titles still as enjoyable now as they were decades ago. It may not have actual archive features, but this is still a fun trip through gaming history.

As far as taking charge of the emergency services goes, 112 Operator is surely the best way of stepping into the role. It may not be the most stimulating game for the senses, but there’s something undeniably enjoyable about crisis management.

Mekabolt+ is a colourful platformer whose gimmick - a gun that converts its enemies into useful tools - is more than throwaway.

Despite its unconventional controls, lack of initial context, and occasional rough edges, Hannah offers a decent experience. The dreamlike horror atmosphere, intriguing puzzles, and unique visual design create a memorable adventure.

Knightin’+ on Xbox One delivers a nostalgic 16-bit romp through 80’s era The Legend Of Zelda and manages to deliver many of its core tenets in a satisfying and self-aware way. Whilst the game may only take up to a couple of hours to complete, the low price point, engaging gameplay and overall atmosphere make this a title worth looking into.

If you are looking for an old skool game with an old skool challenge, it’s right here in Jetboard Joust. If you prefer your games to look like something from the 21st century, this won’t be for you, but for us older folk, it's like a stroll down memory lane.

Minecraft Dungeons on Xbox One is a fun but flawed dungeon crawler. Mojang has done a pretty good job adapting the franchise to the dungeon-crawler style. However, in their attempt to streamline the more niche genre to reach the broader Minecraft fandom, they have somewhat lost sight of some of what makes those titles so endearing.

Offline, everything in Tekken’s garden is rosy, but online it looks like someone has been at it with the weedkiller.

You may struggle to get into As Far As The Eye as much as you want. The controls do not mesh well with playing on a controller and that’s a shame because the gameplay cycle is capable of creating a unique approach to the roguelike genre. It’s helped that the aesthetic of the game is phenomenal.

You should well love Star Trucker and the opportunities it brings as you spend hours touring the galaxy. Yes, the gameplay may start to feel a bit samey after a while, the pressure of keeping your rig in shape can occasionally annoy, and the control system is initially tricky. But visually Star Trucker is stunning and there is just something amazing about the whole journey.

Golden Force on Xbox isn’t anything remarkable or fascinating, but it offers a more structured and defined 2D action platformer experience compared to other alternatives which largely adhere to Metroidvania conventions.

We doubt we will return to the frantic puzzling of Taco Tom 2. But its story and clever approach to levels will stick with us for a long old time.

All Christine has to break the night-time silence is her radio, her own voice, and the titans looming up out of the fog, who are each as alone as she is. Titan Chaser leans into this isolation to create a short and interesting experience that’s worth setting an evening aside to explore.

Even though the gameplay of Tiebreak feels predictable after a while, any fan of the sport should find a great time taking to this court, relishing what is on offer. There are plenty of modes to enjoy and the career is fine to play, even if some of the venues feel a bit flat.

With some editing, Rogue Lords would have got the blood flowing. Too often, we found our blood boiling.

All in all, this is another Ratalaika Game, with all the baggage that name carries. The achievements are too easy, but the price is low, and if you are an achievement hunter then picking Radio Squid up is a no-brainer. For the rest of us, it’s better news than usual, as even when the achievements have been rinsed, the charm and personality of the characters on display here does make a good argument for continuing to play.

If you’re looking for something new, with a hint of Worms about it, you can’t go wrong with killing a few robots for the sake of TV entertainment.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown launches with problems. But if you can look past the glitches, the bugs, the low-quality cutscenes, slow lifestyle elements and the numerous server issues, you'll find a wonderful driving experience. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown lets you explore a brilliant Hong Kong Island, partaking in some great racing as you go. Only time will tell if further additions to this MMOR are able to build things out some more.

I must applaud the developers at Y/CJ/Y for an amazing design to a game that is so small in its package, but achieves so much in its ambition.

If you’re a fan of off-road racing, love bikes and can’t take your eyes off the excitement of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships when it lights up the TV, then this is a game you’ll find plenty of enjoyment in. With Monster also providing branding usage rights to the MXGP series, it is however hard to see much of a difference from the two set of games.

Angels with Scaly Wings takes its dragon-dating very, very seriously, and doesn’t care much about whether you find it improbable or distasteful. When you add in a detective story and some science fiction, you’ve got the definition of ‘pulp’. But ignore it’s many weird and fabulous faults, including an insistence that dragons are sexy, and a world that has nothing to do with logic or believability, and you have a little charmer of a visual novel.

Stick through things and ensure the fix is actioned and you’ll find that Deliver Us The Moon, and the story itself, is interesting, if not a little predictable.

Despite the short length, Gutwhale doesn’t feel too simple. There is a simplicity to it, but also a challenge with a sense of satisfaction when you finally hit the bottom. And there is a lot of replayability to it, even after you have illuminated the five blocks and achieved the ‘true’ ending.