If you have any interest in motorsport and are looking for a new speed fix, you’d do well to get behind the wheel of New Star GP at the earliest opportunity. Lack of online multiplayer aside, New Star GP is probably the best arcade racer currently available on the market.

Indika is a game I was so looking forward to playing and much of it delivers. The world-building and experimentation in terms of story and gameplay are to be applauded. The visuals are very good, as are the voice performances, but it all kind of runs out of steam by the end, feeling incomplete.

More of the same, but brilliantly different, is probably the best way of summing up Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders. Those who adored the Downhill scene should jump at the chance of switching sport, proving to the world once again that with great risk comes great reward. And this time, if you need some multiplayer madness to complement things, you'll be well catered for.

You can see the love poured into The Knightling. It has lovely visuals and a great family-friendly story, complete with Zelda-like vibes. The shield riding is a great touch, as are the other abilities you gain. The combat is fine too, and you’ll enjoy taking in the multitude of quests present. I did find the platforming a bit annoying, and the camera doesn’t aid things, but if you are looking for a family-friendly adventure with a lot of heart, then The Knightling is for you.

LEGO Party! is certainly enjoyable, there’s no denying that; the huge range of mini games and mini figures encourage customisation, contrasted by the larger than life personality the title oozes. Sadly, the clear derivative gameplay hardly creates anything original, and that means LEGO Party! is left to lean heavily on its predecessors.

Silent Hill f is absolutely brilliant, 90% of the time. The tension, as well as the atmosphere that the graphics and sound create is amazing, really drawing you in; play this game in the dark with headphones on and you’ll understand what I mean.

If you like survival and base-building games, there should be enough on show in Kentum to whet your appetite.

Far Cry 5 is a bloody laugh. It doesn’t take itself too seriously – but then the series never has. If you’re a fan of the previous games then this is a must buy for your collection; it is bright, noisy and frantic and I wouldn’t have it another way.

The Evil Within 2 is highly recommended to anyone who loves a horror game, and you don’t have to play the first one to get an understanding of what is going on.

PES 2019 is the ideal game for the football purist, but don’t expect to be blown away by new stuff.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is another FromSoftware triumph that is hard to fault.

DiRT Rally 2.0 is a game you’ll love. It has everything we adored in the original and only expands on that further with incredibly enjoyable racing, a steep learning curve and plenty of great sounding rally machines to take to the track in.

Knockout City is basic on the surface but its core mechanics are able to provide so much fun that you may well struggle to put it down. It’s got all the fundamentals right and with just a bit more content added in, this could be something really special. If you’re looking for a unique spin on the competitive multiplayer angle, it’s absolutely worth a look.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga oozes the feel good factor. It’s a comprehensively charming and loving tribute to the source material that also happens to be the biggest and best LEGO game to date.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a phenomenal achievement that hits so many highs. It’s an overall fantastic and unforgettable experience. I’d honestly go so far as saying it is now THE best title in the Elder Scrolls franchise (at least until Morrowind receives the same treatment)

Konami have upped their game again. Your move EA.

EA Sports UFC 4 on Xbox One is essentially a one-trick pony on the game mode front – the Career – but what a thing of beauty it is. Especially as it’s complemented by the most enjoyable and fluid gameplay to date, providing a real adrenaline rush. The online modes are fine and will keep the best fighters engaged for a little while, however it really could do with just something else bringing added substance for the sake of longevity.

The neon-clad battle for survival between an adorable snail and a killer AI gives Will You Snail something of a distinctive feel. However, ultimately, you will need to be a talented, patient platformer fan to get the most from it.

The Rogue Prince of Persia may never be heralded as the greatest in the series yet what once was a twilight of dark sands, has awoken to a golden dawn filled with new beginnings and hope for the franchise. It’s without doubt a worthy title bound to please fans of the series and newcomers alike.

It’s always good to take to the court again, and that’s true once more with NBA 2K26. It is an excellent new addition to the franchise.

I’m finding it hard to fault Milestone for what they’ve produced with MotoGP 20 on Xbox One. With multiple game modes, a career which is as deep and immersive as you want it to be, and an online offering which has so far worked flawlessly, there has hardly been a wheel misplaced in the development of this latest racer.

Syberia: The World Before may provide a bit of a surprise. It’s a particularly good game if you like puzzles or point-and-click adventures, whilst the story is well written and devised with some great locations and characters to meet along the way.

Ultimately, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a definite improvement on its predecessor and delivers exciting arena fighting befitting of the anime. Story Mode is packed with intense encounters, stylish cutscenes and rewards you constantly. Beyond that, the Training Paths are the only guaranteed source of longevity, with The Path of a Demon Slayer lacking in depth and the versus modes hardly lighting the world on fire.

Indivisible on Xbox One is super stylish, charming and loads of fun to play. There is a slightly wonky difficulty curve to get to grips with and the game will set you back a fair few pennies, however, if you’re looking for something different to lose yourself in, you’ve found it.

Chernobylite mixes a whole load of gaming styles but still manages to come up with something very unique and challenging. It’s a game in which you can invest a bunch of hours, especially in the resource management stuff, but is neatly complemented by a cracking story and some great visuals.

Metro Exodus may not be perfect; certain graphical inconsistencies, bugs and a flawed AI make sure of that. But a bleak post-apocalyptic world, along with a cast of memorable characters who populate it, lead to a definitive Metro experience.

The Division 2: Warlords of New York expansion on Xbox One is a mid-sized expansion that delivers fun engaging gameplay and more of the brilliance of The Division, especially when you team up with others. When you take into account the price you’ll be found paying, it’s pretty fair considering just how much gameplay there is available.

Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is more of the same, but it really is a whole lot more, and that more is created with real care.

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is a bit of a slow burn, but the more you play the more invested you will become.

Streets of Rogue on Xbox One is a totally solid roguelike game that will please fans of the genre and can easily eat up many hours, experimenting and playing around with the humorous world that Matt Dabrowski has created.

Madden 18 is a rewarding and highly enjoyable game that offers its players a chance of glory and a free reign over how they want to become a franchise legend.

If Fortnite and Monster Hunter had a baby, it would be a lot like Dauntless.

Age of Mythology: Retold is great fun to play, complete with a real “just five more minutes” vibe. It helps that it comes with plenty of ways to play, as well as a wide range of units.

NINJA GAIDEN 4 is an absolute no-brainer for any fan of a hack and slash game. It is fast, bloody and quite often breathtaking, and it looks brilliant to boot. If you can work around the camera issue then this will be very close to perfect.

With enough fresh content to call back the interest of veteran players and a unique experience that should be welcomed by new players, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition finally gets the opportunity to really shine.

Forma.8 is good. In fact, it could quite easily be classed as great by some standards, but it definitely isn’t a game that I would recommend wholeheartedly to those without patience. It is a slow title that can grate against your patience in some cases, especially in regards to its respawn points, but thankfully still has many redeeming features that plenty of individuals will enjoy.

Final Fantasy VIII remains as divisive as ever, but now fans have a way to decide for themselves without sourcing an older copy.

We worried that we’d never get to play another Actraiser: a game that was foolish enough to twist platforming around RTS bits. But what we have is so much more. Smelter is leagues ahead of its ageing relative and deserves all the success that it (hopefully) gets. Smelter is a belter.

Afterimage is one of those games in which you’ll need to actively switch between different weapons based on the boss you are up against, because almost all of them feel good to use depending on the situation. While I found the exploration to be a bit tedious at times, I kept wanting to come back to discover more about the world and Afterimage as a whole.

El Paso, Elsewhere is one of those games that will have you smiling from ear to ear, all whilst ensuring your action vibes are jumping. It's a clever game that does so much with so little. It helps that it is as cool as hell too, whilst the slow-mo action never gets old.

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

Horizon Chase 2 is capable of delivering many adrenaline fuelled moments. It's about as fast as you'll likely be able to handle, it looks the bomb and delivers on pretty much all the necessary arcade racing fronts. With a host of tracks, challenges and more all contributing to something that is highly replayable, if you're a bit of an arcade petrolhead, this is one to get behind the wheel of pronto.

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

Fans of strategy and sim genres will get a huge amount of fun from Stellaris: Console Edition, burning a ton of man-hours as they take their people on an epic journey across the universe. It’s a game that is all about self-narrative and the creation of stories, and I guess that is what has got me utterly hooked.

If you can’t get enough of retro throwback platformers, love violent dark fantasy, or think that Holy Diver had the coolest album cover ever (you’re right) you owe it to yourself to buy a copy of Infernax.

WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a game with a lot of heart, and the developers need to be congratulated for attempting something different with the genre.

The action certainly ramps up, both in difficulty and in sheer number, but you will love every gore-soaked minute of your time in NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black.

If you’re a baseball fan and not insistent on having official Major League Baseball players, teams, and stadiums, you will have a lot of fun with Super Mega Baseball 2. Despite the lack of stadiums and somewhat clumsy baserunning mechanics, Metalhead is hitting for power with their latest release.

World of Final Fantasy MAXIMA on Xbox One strikes a perfect balance for seasoned veterans and new players with a mix of old gameplay tropes and new. The graphics and genuinely laugh out loud moments will appeal to younger audiences, but older fans will also appreciate seeing deformed versions of classic Final Fantasy characters and monsters.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on the Xbox One is proof that single-player is not dead; it is alive and kicking and here is one of the best examples of it in 2019.

The story isn’t as moving or emotional this time around, but the invention and co-op addition is very clever and works extremely well. It is beautiful to look at and even more sumptuous to listen to, and I for one can’t wait for another sequel to come along soon.

The problem found in a vast amount of point and click games is the slow-paced storytelling, with puzzles taking forever and a silly amount of back-tracking, but in Irony Curtain on Xbox One the pacing is spot on and everything is more condensed for the better. In fact almost everything meets a high standard as far as the writing is concerned, the character design, the problems to overcome and the voiceovers.

In a world where every video game idolises the hero, a villain stands up and says “enough is enough!”. Underhero is a playful take on stereotypical conventions that have plagued many gaming genres for years. Developer Paper Castle may miss the mark occasionally, but Underhero on Xbox One is an inventive take on classic gaming tropes.

Queen and Freddie Mercury’s personality may not come through in Let’s Sing Queen on Xbox One, but you probably won’t care. These are the 30 songs you would want, set against a backdrop of the videos you would want to see, with crisp presentation and faultless audio pick-up. Queen’s particular kind of magic comes through the songs, but not the game, and that’s enough.

Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline is easily better than the main game. Removing recruitable NPCs in favour of established characters means every interaction is more meaningful, both between characters and with the player themselves.

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

We Were Here Forever is the biggest game of the series so far, and it’s pretty good without reaching the upper echelons of its genre. Sure, the story isn’t going to put you on tenterhooks, but the ingenuity of the puzzling more than makes up for its shortcomings in that department.

If you loved the other games in the series, then Bahnsen Knights is a must-buy. And honestly, if you haven't experienced this trilogy yet, you should do so.

Plant of Lana II is the success we suspected it would be. A brilliantly told tale combines with stunning visuals, cracking gameplay mechanics, intriguing puzzles and a soundtrack to die for. But it lacks wow moments and any sense of difficulty.

The design, some gameplay elements and the audio are excellent, and the ambition of telling a straight forward teenage love story with some family drama thrown into the mix should be applauded.

Arcade Paradise is a love letter to the days of those summer afternoons, spending pocket money in these delightfully dingy places. It could also be the final nail in the arcade coffin, because no real-life arcade can offer this many good titles under one roof.

Untitled Goose Game on Xbox One provides an experience unlike any other; filling your heart with joy. Despite showing it’s hand from the very start, and then doing very little else, it’s a ridiculous, hilarious and utterly charming little game.

The plot and substories aren’t as involving as the prequel but Yakuza Kiwami is a much more introductory and inviting title; by being a bit more scaled-down it opens itself up to a much wider audience. If you missed out on Yakuza 0 when that released, start here instead.

Nexomon: Extinction on Xbox One is a great alternative to the Pokémon series, because even though it doesn’t have the legacy, there’s a hell of a lot of elements it gets right – especially the gorgeous visuals.

If you are looking for a well thought out, challenging action platformer, Gunborg: Dark Matters has got all the ingredients needed to make it a success.

You will be grabbed by Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream, as it drags you along from beginning to end. I loved the characters and the emotional ride they go on, as well as the new world-building the game offers.

The work that has gone into the Weird West world and the characters that frequent it is impressive. Yes the grind is real, but it is a rewarding experience when it all comes together.

A fine balance between fisticuffs, chit chat and intense situations.

MotoGP 22 is a brilliant entry in the series that does everything you would expect it to and a bit more.

Madden NFL 19 isn’t exactly breaking new ground when it comes to EA’s football franchise, but it is a step in the right direction. The additions to Franchise and Ultimate Team modes provide a more complete experience that appeals to more players, and versus play is more seamless this year.

Some may find the puzzles a little simple and as an overall experience it could well last a little longer but please, if you want to take in a new concept which is just lovely, buy The Gardens Between. Now.

Omensight is a strange one, and honestly not what I expected at all. While the combat works well, it can feel a bit repetitive after a while. What doesn’t is the mythical world, the branching, twisting storyline, and the whole Groundhog Day mechanic which is a fantastic twist on an already intriguing story. You should definitely pick this up if you have an afternoon or evening to kill. It’ll be well worth your time.

Beamdog has taken what seems like an impossible task and actually managed to do it with Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Editions on Xbox One. It’s no small feat to get two gaming classics and be able to translate them to the home console, but they have done so with very little sacrifice.

This is a colourful hidden object game suitable for a wide audience to enjoy, with fun and recognisable themes present to add character to proceedings. Sure, it’d be nice for a few more time periods to feature in order to provide extra variety and the map editor is a tad overwhelming, but it’s not the end of the world.

What we have here is a lovingly crafted puzzle game with real pick up and play mechanics, but with the hook to try and get past the next level to see what's around the corner. The constantly evolving bunny threat, your expanding arsenal and variety of level sizes - from large and scrolling to basically fighting in a phone box - keeps the game feeling fresh and never less than challenging.

If you have money to burn, are missing the party scene or just want to attempt to head off on a mixing career for nothing but personal entertainment, FUSER on Xbox One nails what is required. The control scheme has been well handled, the visuals are bright and colourful, and the plethora of tunes included will hit the spot for many. With a deep career being the highlight, and many other options available for those looking to go beyond that and into the online scene, Harmonix have hit the sweet spot with their latest music franchise.

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.

The Jackbox Party Pack 8 is another splendid serving of mini-game madness. There’s nothing radically new or different here, but the same established formula works as well as ever, especially when your mates are up for a game or two.

Ghost Song is a game worthy of your attention. An experience that is as sad as it is lonely, as its world peels back its layers, exposing its truth to you.

Don’t be too concerned about the shortness of Venba, for its fascinating story and cultural delights will certainly make up for it.

Little Goody Two Shoes is a wonderfully creative, and genuinely unsettling fairytale, in the truest sense. Despite a few bumps in the road, Elise’s journey is a foray into a fantasy world that doesn’t often have a happy ending, but is an enjoyable ride while it lasts.

You’ll have a great time with Tides of Tomorrow and its strange time-travelling mechanics. Its use of integrating other players’ journeys into your own is a genuinely inspired bit of game development. The story firmly hooked me throughout its 10-hour campaign, and there are some incredibly tough choices to make along the way.

It’s a hugely immersive game that ticks a whole ton of boxes for those looking to gain new off-roading kicks, and the sheer amount of variety in terms of the vehicles, the trailers and the customisation and amendments that can be made to these is nothing short of stunning. Throw in a whole ton of content in the form of main missions, tasks and challenges, and if you’re up for getting down and dirty, then there is possibly no better place to get started than with SnowRunner.

Monolith has something for everyone here, and just like Gollum with his ‘precious’, you’ll be hooked after a little taste of the power you can possess in Shadow of War.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a game that has something for everyone. Some may love the story, others perhaps the combat. A few people may just want to explore the world and put the difficulty on easy. Each element of the game is done well enough to create an all round very good game.

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.

It’s clear that WWE 2K23 is faster, stronger, and goes harder than it has before, rounding off a great comeback story. The Showcase twist will see you forget John Cena’s five moves of doom, thus making sure there are five quality modes here to consume. The roster is packed with stars past and present, and the list of match types is stacked. Fortunately, it’s not held back by the paltry online offering or the few issues remaining in MyGM and Universe.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is proof that a mash-ups of genres can work. The concept and setup are brilliantly creative, whilst highlights sit in respect of the sim side of the game and trying to build up relationships around the town. It looks beautiful too.

DON’T NOD continues to surprise with Lost Records and Tape 1 - Bloom, pushing the narrative adventure genre in new directions. This first tape wraps up some story threads while leaving many tantalisingly unresolved, ending on a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the next installment, Tape 2 - Rage.

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 clearly shows that the American Football sim is on an upwards trajectory. The on-field action remains solid, but it is backed up by modes and general improvements across the board.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns manages to thrill with exciting card-based antics while also ensuring strategic minds prevail.

If you love Jurassic Park and/or dinosaurs, it’s a no-brainer. And for anyone else, you could certainly do worse than give it a go - after all, the quality of the pinball is rarely in doubt where Zen Studios are concerned.

Original, clever and innovative, Laser League is a gameplay experience worth your time and shows that we don’t have to settle for the same old, annually cloned dross again and again.

It is an utter treat to revisit Metro Exodus with the new enhanced version on Xbox Series X|S. I do recommend that if you are new to the Metro Series then play the first two games before picking up Exodus, however if you’ve played those and never managed to get around to Exodus, this is the perfect time to visit it.

Flynn: Son of Crimson is a deluxe hot chocolate. I just want to snuggle into an armchair and reward myself with a solid, unbroken couple of hours with my hands wrapped around it. It feels like a video game in the purest terms, a frothy adventure with little in the way of friction or annoyances. And it rewards your attention by being deep and rich.

F1 22 is once again capable of providing a seriously hot F1 racing experience, but the bits away from that are less exciting.

Chivalry 2 is easy to pick up and play, with much of the draw coming from the fact you don’t have to worry about learning a crazy amount of moves. There is nothing better than meeting a worthy opponent on the battlefield and going 1-on-1, block for block, slash for slash, countering each other carefully. Some may need more in terms of game modes and further incentives to keep them there for the long term, but for now, you can't go wrong with a bit of medieval PvP mayhem with Chivalry 2.

The puzzles are a bit too simple for my liking and at times frustrating, but other than that, it’s a great point-and-click adventure that will entertain you across its four short episodes.