Mind Over Magnet sure is an attractive game. On one hand you have some fantastic, innovative gameplay involving the laws of physics in the form of puzzles, yet this is repelled, rather than attracted, by the consistent complacency in not introducing new gripping mechanics, until a point where it’s too late.

Williams Pinball: Volume 1 is a throwback to the real-life tables that initially made pinball what it is today. Are they geared up more towards the hardcore crowd? Yes, and the Pro physics option will be right up their alley, but that’s not to say the casual Pinball FX3 players won’t enjoy these.

Dreamscapes - Nightmare’s Heir is not your average hidden object game. Some of its qualities are intended, like a joyful dreamworld, and some of them are unintended, like acting so corny that it gives off a pungent whiff. Sure, it could have done with some spit, polish and sophistication, but where’s the fun in that? Dreamscapes - Nightmare’s Heir is at its best when it’s ramshackle.

If you love your survival horror and enjoy a good fright in the dark, then Unsealed: The Mare might just be your favourite new nightmare.

For the fans of the books, Dog Man: Mission Impawsible is an easy sell. But for everyone else, there are better platformers out there.

As a shoot 'em up, Astro Flame Starfighter does what it says on the tin. It is interesting enough, especially in regards the upgrade mechanic, whilst seeing your ship evolve in ways to suit your playstyle is pretty good fun.

Despite lacking in originality, and being very much on the short side, JackQuest: The Tale of the Sword is fun to play… at least whilst it lasts.

It is most certainly an addictive little well paced game – but only really for those who wish to go cheevo hunting in the process. If you’re not interested in those, and couldn’t care less for Gamerscore, then the random world generation, random loot placement, random boss fights and random item pickups could quite possibly see you failing to see this story through to the end.

Hello Neighbor 2 has a great idea at its core, and it works well overall. Its potential, however, seems limited and has possibly already been reached.

Sniper Elite 4: Deathstorm Part 3 – Obliteration is certainly a better showing than the previous entry, and is a fitting end to the Deathstorm storyline.

You'll probably find that GYLT is one of those games you'll struggle to put down, ripe for play with the family, particularly as the gameplay rarely challenges. Yes, the story may be dark, but GYLT is not gory and the visuals have a great look to them.

The setup and strange magical story are to be loved in Tenebris Pictura. The characters are intriguing and the gameplay is good, mixing the travel between planes well. Visually it's all very stunning. But personally, the combat has been hard to get on with.

There may only be an hour or two of action in NO THING, but it’s that rarest of things in gaming today. That is, a uniquely enjoyable experience which is difficult to put into words, but worth sitting down with and checking out for yourself. You could say there's nothing quite like it.

Not everything that Argonauts Agency 4: Glove of Midas touches turns to gold, but the hand is at least capable of a soothing, cozy massage.

It may be ugly, it may be a clear PC port, but 50 Years on Xbox can be a budget-priced addiction machine if you let it. It somehow manages to cram the joys of Civilisation into a twenty-minute game, and then has the gall to make it more-ish. We’ll take a prettier and slightly more varied version for the sequel, but for now 50 Years is well worth settling on.

There’s heart, there's humour, and the overall aesthetic and vibe bring back a sense of nostalgia that is impossible to beat. I just wish UNBEATABLE was smoother.

Almost There provides a breath of fresh air, especially should you enjoy hardcore platformers. Sadly though, the awkward jumping is something that takes away from the engagement.

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.

If you and a mate enjoyed what came before We Were Here Too, and decide to give it a shot, you’ll certainly like what unfolds, but you’ll have to be more than prepared for another short experience that offers little in terms of replayability.

Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S has taken on a huge, well-known franchise and managed to gel it with the architecture-based problems better than you’d imagine. Killing walkers by conjuring up weird contraptions is fun, while the new hero commands add a whole extra layer to the strategic affair.

There is a brilliant game to be hard here, one all about stories. It’s original, and I can guarantee you will have never played anything like this in your gaming life. But in turn that comes with some negatives and it’s certainly pointing to a niche market that isn’t helped by the slow, plodding gameplay.

The storytelling, music, and the majority of the mechanics in Project Songbird are brilliant, however I didn’t get on with the stealth, crafting, and combat elements.

In a genre that is dominated by Cities: Skylines, it’s good to see something new pop up. Especially when it is perhaps a more friendly, simple sim experience like that found here in Urbek City Builder. The systems work perfectly and the control system is great. It’s only the lack of direction and objectives that let this one down.

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.

Mayhem Brawler on Xbox doesn’t do anything remarkable that can’t already be experienced in far better games elsewhere, especially since there is no shortage of beat ‘em up titles on the Xbox platform as is. This is a title worth checking out if you have already exhausted all the other alternatives and need another beat ‘em up fix.

You’ll love the story, soundtrack, and visuals of Vasilisa and Baba Yaga as it looks to transport you to a different culture and fantasy world that feels different, yet familiar. However, the gameplay doesn’t click in quite the same way; stealth sections become too annoying, the combat too repetitive, and the jumping mechanics and some of the QTE sections are a bit stale.

Merchant of the Skies does what it does pretty well, however it doesn’t quite do enough for the experience to be classed as a great game. Acquiring resources on the cheap and selling them for a profit is a simple, yet addictive, gameplay mechanic that will draw you in. Sure it gets a tad more complex - and difficult - as you grow, with additional management elements coming into play, but there’s not much else in its locker.

Iron Crypticle is a decent game that is well worth a shot, especially when you take into account the price asked of it, and the amount of replayability that is included.

At its core, YouTubers Life is an addictive and fun, yet condensed, insight into how the most influential content creators came to be. The cartoonish outlook to a YouTuber’s rise to fame, and the care and attention you must pay to all facets of your career, is slightly tarnished by the confusing deck-building mechanics, boring social events and slightly repetitive nature.

Backrooms Level X is reasonably priced for its length, I enjoyed its simple mechanics, and it is capable of delivering some very good surprises.

The developers know what they are doing and Insomnis is delivered with panache and style. It's an entertaining romp as well with an exciting story, jump scares, and some solid exploration and puzzles.

I enjoyed returning to this world in The Coma 3: Bloodlines, taking in how the story ties itself up. I liked how the game evolved, particularly the developers' willingness to try new things, like sharing the narrative load across three protagonists to create a much larger story.

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame may not be quite as fulfilling as it was expected to be, but it is still a capable racer that has enough in the tank to provide at least a couple of hours enjoyment at a time.

Pier of the Unknown did something important. It gave me a reason to return to Cassette Beasts, to fill out that monster catalogue and hike up my levels.

Syberia - Remastered is not a perfect game, and there are many moments when it really does feel like it’s 2002 again, but you’ll mostly be glad to experience this iconic story from the very beginning.

Runny Bunny may not surprise or even impress you, but the combination of puzzle elements and the fact it’s a little demanding at times makes this a couple of hours of solid fun. Definitely more carrot than stick.

Stones of the Revenant on Xbox One is a fun way to get a blast from the past and kill some time. It presents a challenge that can be enjoyed solo or with a friend in local co-op. I enjoyed my run through the game and trying out all the characters, and even with a few issues here and there Stones of the Revenant is still a good time for platforming fans.

If you’re after a chance to put the robots back in their place and stop their rise against humanity, then Danger Scavenger should be considered.

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

What Aery - Last Day of Earth lacks in colour and variety, it makes up for in supreme chilledness and the odd surprise. It’s not the best in the Aery series, then, but it’s certainly a contender for the oddest.

Spitlings on Xbox One is a fairly unique proposition. I certainly can't think of another game I've played where spitting teeth is your primary weapon, and with the myriad of levels, mutators and Spitlings to go at, there’s no shortage of content. However, at around level 30, deja vu does begin to set in, and the game doesn't really manage to surprise any more. Still, with some friends it’s a blast, and the single player does enough to keep you wanting to play.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a bout of Frogger but wished it would do something new, or wanted to dial its difficulty down a notch, then Risky Roads will be your (traffic) jam. It’s ugly and its fire burns out after an hour but, for a short period of time, Risky Roads will astrally project you in front of an arcade cabinet circa 1981.

Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 6 is a more than competent racer, with its own unique challenges that make it a real test.

Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt on the Xbox One looks like a simple city builder with its cutesy and warming art style. But there can be a lot of depth also, especially if you go looking for it.

It’s a great puzzler, even though some of them can be near impossible to work out. I like the way it sticks to a tone and a style that is unusual, and whilst there is no tutorial, and at times you will find yourself lost at what to do, all you need to do is step away, make a cup of tea, have a moment and then come back to it.

Hidden object games can be so sensible. And with a shopping list of items to find, they can be on the boring side, too. Thank the heavens for It’s Kooky, which doesn’t tell you what to look for, and instead insists that you rid scenes of the weird and wacky.

Little Helper Cafe is a short game that isn’t terrible, but it’s also not very memorable.

Verdict Guilty hits the mark as an enjoyable and unusual fighter full of surprises that won’t break the bank.

Don’t get us wrong: Strikers 1945 is definitely worth picking up. It’s a rush, a bombastic vertical shooter that gets almost everything right. Carving through a mech that erupts from a 1940s tank never gets old. But there’s some lamenting to be had, as it’s a repackaged game that has been repackaged better before.

At the moment, it seems like the roguelikes just keep coming. The best part, however, is that we continue to see roguelikes throw in new ideas to mix everything up. Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition is no different. Even if some of its experimentation does not land quite right, it does enough to not only justify its existence but to provide an entertaining time as well.

What you won’t get from Ho Ho & Move is frustration. It goes down smooth, and for £2.49 that might be enough to make it one last Christmas present to yourself.

The challenge is certainly present in MouseBot, but it never feels unfair and with the near instant restarts any failures are forgotten almost immediately, not only as you strive to do better for yourself, but also your little MouseBot too.

As it stands, there is something missing from Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. Whether that be the online co-op (due out later), a lack of meaningful activity in Free Roam or just something to spice up the lifeless main campaign; it feels a bit empty right now.

Yuppie Psycho is well made, nicely themed, and creates a neat and twisted interpretation of office life. Despite that, the core of the story feels somewhat shallow, and the shocks are unsettling rather than thought-provoking.

It’s certainly enjoyable to spend some time in the world of Backbone. It's a place of imagination, noir detective thrills and of animals wandering around in human clothes. Point-and-click fans may get frustrated at the ease of the gameplay and whilst the narrative is good, it does get a bit confusing towards the end, trying too many things. But at the same time, the inventiveness of trying something different just has to be applauded.

The story and over-the-top action are what makes Mia and the Dragon Princess the fun thriller of a game that it is. But it’s also a game that will ensure you want to unlock all the story outcomes, and the shorter running time aids this achievement as well. However, the gameplay doesn’t move anything on too much and it could do with some more tricks up its sleeve; much like some competitors have tried.

When all is said and done, Iris.Fall on Xbox is over in a flash and doesn’t linger in the memory despite some strong ideas. The monochrome graphical presentation alone will turn some heads, and some of the puzzles can be quite interesting. But once you make your way through the adventure and piece together the mystery, then there really isn’t much to come back for.

In Order 13, you’ll fall in love with the cat and the actual job mechanics, but there isn’t much of a story, and during your time with the game, you’ll understand little about what is going on.

Spacebase Startopia on Xbox is a sim game which is full of character and offers a solid experience, especially for those who are fans of the genre. However, the clunky control scheme and uncomplicated formulaic gameplay may prove too much of a barrier for some.

Sure Footing is a fun little game which hits the ground running. Despite lacking some variety most will find enough here to keep them going for a good while, especially given the reasonable price tag.

You could do worse than Reed 2 on Xbox One if you’re looking to kill an hour or two. However, it’s most likely the price that will have it jump out at you, as whether it’s in the first game or somewhere else, frankly it’s a case of “been there, done that”.

This could have been Life is Strange: London and we wouldn’t have bat an eyelid. And that’s where the greatest disappointment derives from: Virginia was so proudly and ebulliently unconventional, yet Last Stop hues so closely to convention. It’s an episode of The Twilight Zone; a more committee-created Quantic Dream game. There’s no doubt that it’s enjoyable and has wonderful, memorable moments, but its biggest crime is that it doesn’t emerge with a voice of its own.

PGA Tour 2K23 is a decent effort, but one that EA Sports PGA Tour should easily blow out of the water in a few month’s time.

The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection is a little scrappy on the gameplay front, which isn’t too dissimilar to the NES games that it’s emulating. But it’s also a hoot, slathered in juvenile jokes that had us spraying Doctor Pepper out of our nose.

Aside from the slightly too high price, there's little to dislike with Dadish. It's not going to wow you, but it will make you smile and it does more than enough to ensure it pulls you through to the very end; not just as you look for the next humour hit, but as you attempt to hone the skills required for level completion.

Within the myriad of LEGO racing games, LEGO 2K Drive does just about enough to carve an identity for itself. All the LEGO hallmarks are here with destruction, creativity and humour front and centre of most of what goes on.

Gruta is saved by some effective art, an impressionistic story, and controls that are so tight that they manage to make the unremarkable levels somewhat remarkable.

Tune into the B-movie stylings of Family Mysteries 3: Criminal Mindset, and you have a hidden object game that dares to be fun. It pushes back on the Artifex Mundi template, and while it doesn’t do anything you’d classify as unexpected, it at least makes you snort and chuckle as it goes through those motions. There’s a flow to the puzzles, but not at the expense of challenge, and you’ll arrive at its multiple endings with something approaching satisfaction.

Dead Island 2: Haus is definitely on the short side, completable in less than three hours. There are a few secrets to uncover but even those will not push the length of it up by anything meaningful. But, as with the main game, if smashing thousands of zombies into bloody pulps is your thing, then Haus has it in spades.

I probably shouldn’t be bringing up Devious Dungeon, but it’s hard not to, as my sentiments for both that and Metagal on Xbox One are similar. This sees it all come across as a functional, well designed sidescroller that will distract you for a few hours with some solid action and fun level design, before likely seeing you never going back to it.

I can’t be too critical of Metropolis: Lux Obscura as the price point is only just over a fiver, but I’d rather pay more and get a better developed story, more of the enjoyable gameplay and an extended experience. Give it a go if you like match-3, not if you’re only interested in the story.

We expected Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova to arrive in a red shirt, virtually dead on arrival. Instead, we’ve got a game with substance and style, and there’s nothing more Star Trek than that.

For fans of the recent DOOM games, BPM: Bullets Per Minute and Metal: Hellsinger, Warstride Challenges is very much in the same vein: Heavy weaponry against aliens that are wanting to be blown to pieces all whilst some tasty metal rings through your eardrums.

If you’re a fan of Lovecraft and want to take in some old fashioned arcade action then this could well be the story for you.

Sure, Warp Drive hits the barrier a few times, mainly in the way it executes on its ambitious ideas, but we can’t help imagining a sequel that overtakes everything here. Warp Drive is a strong first entry on the highscore table. We hope it sells enough so that its developers have a shot at a sequel to beat it.

For fans of the genre, WRC 9 is a very good facsimile of what it must be like to run a WRC team, but for those of you who want their rally driving to be more enjoyable and less like being mugged, then DiRT Rally 2.0 is where the smart money goes.

It’s just the lack of challenge or complexity to the gameplay loop that makes Super Mining Mechs start to feel redundant shortly into its runtime. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a game that doesn’t require much thought, allowing for you to zone out while playing, then Super Mining Mechs may be worth checking out.

Planet Rix-13 is a strange, trippy diversion onto a surreal world that’s ultimately worth taking. It doesn’t cost much and it won’t last long, but there’s worse options out there if you want to distract yourself for a couple of hours.

There may not be much new in terms of mechanics from the original game to this one, but Horror Tale 2: Samantha knows what it wants, delivers its goals brilliantly and provides some great escape room vibes.

Extinction is a well polished title set in a universe that has an interesting story. It always feels brilliant taking down a huge green beast, but it does get a bit tiring after a while; there really does need to be something else to the game’s bag of tricks to keep the interest high. It doesn’t help that Extinction comes in as a full priced game, and if it had some in around the £20-£30 price range, it would have felt much more at home.

You will love the chance to explore the world of Kona II: Brume. The story feels more beefed up, and I love how it tells a good tale with a heady mixture of different genres, moving from thriller to horror.

If you’re a fan of the sim survival genre, then you should lap up and relish Medieval Dynasty. There are nothing short of hundreds of hours of things to do here, and that will appeal to those who love enduring - and flourishing - in these worlds. The quests are good, the world is interesting and the opportunities are tremendous, but I do worry that there is little to keep anyone but the most hardened interested.

Gundam Evolution is an FPS worthy of attention from anyone interested in mech battles, let alone fans of the franchise.

If you feel like you’ve seen most of what puzzles in games have to offer, you might want to try Teslagrad Remastered.

Think of Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2 as a perfect companion piece to the upcoming Baldur’s Gate III. Where that game promises to be an all-absorbing relationship, Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2 is a shallow bit on the side. You might be thankful for it.

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

There are some great puzzles on offer in Lunar Axe. It also has a good story whilst the opportunity to explore a new city in Brazil, as well as its folklore, is appreciated. Don't expect a huge story with big characterisations, because this is all about solving puzzles and finding objects; whether or not that gets a bit weary will be to personal tests.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake on Xbox is very much a product of its time, but give it a chance and it will grow on you. The challenge of keeping your dragon alive and kicking to the end of the level is a tricky one, and the desire is always there to go back and do better on the level than you have before, especially on hard mode.

Regardless if you are smashing your head against the same level, or blowing your way through enemies, your eyes and ears are in for a treat with ZPF.

What a strange experience playing Cat Souls was. Our interest curve would look a little like a ski slope. We loved the pitch of using the titular ‘souls’ as platforms, yet Cat Souls does next to nothing with it, leaving us deflated. But over the levels, we realised what had happened. The designers had been distracted by other ideas, as if a sudden laser pointer dot had appeared.

SkyKeepers is a very solid, well put together 2D platform adventure title. The gameplay is nothing short of good and it can be great fun to play. That said, the constant battles and the increase in the difficulty arc became a real problem and dulled my interest quite considerably. But fans of this type of game will love the skill level required, and for them, death will only make them stronger.

On reaching the end multiple times, and seeing Sara yo-yo from wealth to pauperdom and back again, we can say - with some confidence - that A Little Lily Princess is a capable, well-put-together visual novel. It sits above the par, although not too far above, and anyone with a taste for period adaptations will forgive an annoying main character, some mawkish writing, and a very, very predictable plot.

Fans of golf games are unlikely to be blown away by the golf side of Golf Club: Wasteland on Xbox but they should enjoy the story on offer. Likewise, narrative fans will hugely enjoy the tale that unfolds, but won’t necessarily find anything to tempt them to try other golf games. How the story unfolds and how it is told requires you to piece it together, but the mature themes and ideas will make a lasting impression on anyone that completes it.

I like the story and strange dream world of Withering Rooms, as well as the Souls-like RPG elements and location. It's a bold move, but it works, pulled off well.

Restless Hero on Xbox One is a strong outing; a remarkable effort by a tiny development team. There are improvements that could be made, but they do not detract from the fact that the game is a really enjoyable 2D platforming adventure.

For a yearly release based on one of the biggest racing franchises, NASCAR Heat 4 on Xbox One doesn’t quite do it justice and even though those wanting a functional racer will find enough to be going on with, there aren’t many reasons to pick this over any other racer on the market.

GraviFire on Xbox is very much your standard block pusher puzzle game, but the unique gravity aspect does literally subvert things for the better. It does a brilliant job gradually bringing you up to speed with how the mechanics work, before throwing curveballs at you in the very tricky later levels. It’s a shame then that there isn’t a bit more to it, but for the price it is tough to expect much more.

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.