Overall and Rugby 18 is a game for die hard rugby fans who know every move and have the patience for the slow gameplay.

For all the collision weirdnesses and lack of treats for racing well, there’s a sturdy racer in Final Apex. It feels fast, it drifts well, and there’s surprising heft to the cars. Some driving games would give a front axle to control as well as Final Apex does; we just wish there were more satisfying things to do when you’re in the car.

A local two player run isn’t going to save 8DAYS from the mid table mediocrity that it’ll find itself in for the vast majority of gamers. If it wasn’t so damn annoying and completely irritating, then I’d happily be gifting it a bigger, better score, but the truth of the matter is that many will find too much they dislike for it to ever be a fun little title...And that’s a shame, because it could well have been pretty damn neat.

On one hand, I had an absolute blast with Immortals Fenyx Rising, so the promise of more of the same should be a good thing. But when so much is copied and pasted into Myths of the Eastern Realm on Xbox, it quickly becomes a shallow expansion.

Even though it is not as polished and original as some of its rivals, Windscape has a certain charm that is impossible to ignore. That said, it’s a bit of a slow burner, which may put some off, but should you get through those opening stages will find a a solid adventure game in its own right.

Crimson Spires is a visual novel shrouded in mystery; one which contains a plethora of intriguing plot points but ultimately fails to satisfy by not delivering answers to too many questions.

If you like a good puzzler, then Dying: Reborn is the champion of the conundrum, with twists and brain scratchers that will keep you occupied throughout. The controls are clumsy and don’t quite work right and the soundtrack when combined with the voice over is just plain annoying. But all that said, if you like the idea of being stuck in an escape room and like cerebral horror, then this could be for you.

TowerFall is certainly a very good local multiplayer game that a group of friends can enjoy night after night, honing their skills with the virtual bow and arrow. So it’s difficult then to say the rest of the game, and the price, lets it down. But it does.

Uncharted Tides: Port Royal on Xbox One is a real mixed bag on the whole. Focusing on the positives though and the visuals are lovely, switching characters every so often allows their skills to be used in a selection of enjoyable puzzles, and the mini-games are fairly varied. Unfortunately, there are a few mini-games that cause irritation and that’s not ideal for an otherwise relaxing game.

Burger Chef Tycoon is a bit like me in the kitchen: there are a few meals that I’m good at, so I make the same thing over and over. Burger Chef Tycoon’s menu is equally narrow. Once you’ve made the few dishes it has to offer, you’re going to want to go elsewhere for the next meal. Would sir like Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!, perhaps?

Ultimately, Light Up the Room takes a potentially infuriating premise - platforming in the dark - and finds a way to make it work.

Tap Wizard 2 is one of those rare idle games that actually requires more effort than might be expected. After early confusion with too much going on, there are some cool ideas to explore and the fact that you’re constantly making progress scratches the old ‘one more go’ itch. That said, the gameplay loop becomes repetitive once you figure out the purpose of everything and, just like that bloody cursor, it starts to grind on you.

There’s a fantastic premise at the core of Die With Glory on the Xbox. Rather than striving for victory, you’re looking to die spectacularly. But that premise never quite gets realised: the deaths are never outlandish, and the quests to get to them are too simplistic.

Dreamwalker: Never Fall Asleep on the Xbox One is the latest in a long line of Artifex Mundi titles that have attracted a cult following in recent years due to their revitalisation of point and click and generally easy achievements. Dreamwalker is no exception but feels a more run-of-the-mill offering this time around, rather than being a standout title.

It’s not a big game, or particularly clever, but what it does have is that gaming X-Factor; that hook that keeps you playing every time you accidentally blow a survivor up or get pogo'd by a punk zombie. With only three levels to go at, it’s not going to be hugely long-lasting, but you will have fun while it lasts.

Don’t expect to be amazed by anything you find, and make sure you switch the music off in an instant, but for the price, if you have the patience of a Saint, then you may as well head underground and help young Lily tread the footsteps of her grandfather.

Mad Tower Tycoon on Xbox is an entertaining and addictive sim game that can well be enjoyable for a good few hours, particularly once you get to grips with the control system. However, the asking price may well place it out of reach of many, and I would suggest sim fans give this a go when it drops in price a little.

If you’re a fan of design, engineering, or sim games, then you should have a lot of fun with Tin Can. The lack of a campaign or story may affect matters, but the methodical workings as you tackle problems feels brilliant; an original piece of addictive gameplay.

Fall of Porcupine has loads of brilliant stuff about it. It attempts to deal with a large-scale issue like health care and well-being with a game that features cute animals. The writing is good too, but it does get a bit overwhelming at times; what with the many different characters. But it's the pacing that is the biggest issue - Fall of Porcupine seems to drag at times, hindered by constant loading screens.

Anna’s Quest is a shrug of a graphic adventure. It goes to familiar fairy tale places for familiar fairy tale stories, but without the wit or edge to make it worth the re-telling. Not even a strong ending and a couple of high-concept digressions can pull it out of its safe rut.

When Tetraminos - Xbox Series X|S sticks to delivering Tetris on a budget, it’s an acceptable alternative. Four-player Tetris, alongside three single-player game modes, is a healthy bundle of stuff. Where it comes undone is when it remixes the formula.

Birdcakes is an alright game with an awful grind that drains the excitement away, but the price point could be enough to tempt you in to killing a load of flies and having a little fun along the way.

Driven Out on Xbox One presents an interesting swordplay fighting system within an open 2D adventure design. While it deserves some credit for producing a variety of locations and enemy types, the core character and combat system remains basic and unchanged throughout the adventure.

Emma: Lost in Memories on Xbox One is a solid platformer, but it is certainly aimed at the more hardcore gamer; those who like to find, and enjoy, a proper challenge. Some of the controls can be less accurate than I would like, especially in regards to the climbing mechanic, but there is definitely a couple of hours of decent gameplay here for those with the staying power and skills.

We didn’t dislike our time with Evil Diary: while it’s some throwaway monster-killing, it’s also frustration free. If this holiday period is a little too jolly and colourful for you, then say ‘bah humbug’ with Evil Diary.

If you’re looking for a family friendly take on the farming and zombie scene, Farm for your Life may well be of consideration; there is plenty to do and have fun with, both in terms of the story and endless mode. However, the price is a little bit high for what it is and whilst the gameplay all works fine, and the idea is sometimes addictive and rewarding, the controls are awkward and you’ll probably be left wishing for a mouse or touchscreen.

When you consider what is included here, Starsand feels decent value for money. However, the menus, a severe lack of direction, and a slow first few hours might put many off from giving it a go. Should you stick with it though, you’ll discover that Starsand is a reasonably clever game that is full of secrets.

I imagine Mad Games Tycoon on Xbox One to be a rather polarising game. The issues are numerous and will likely put some people off. Still, these don’t spoil the game entirely. And after getting to grips with Mad Games Tycoon I can say it’s actually a rather fun and addictive game.

Grace of Letoile is very much another KEMCO RPG. There isn’t anything ground-breaking here, but the story is better than most. It is just a shame that things are hidden away, there are too many random encounters and the slow combat means that the excitement of the narrative is somewhat diluted.

Should you be intrigued by the fish-keeping occupation or hobby, then Aquarist is a decent enough sim. There is a weird satisfaction found in collecting and buying different types of fish; trying not to kill them.

It is possible to have fun with Mad Devils: Damned-finitive Edition, especially playing with friends or relatives. It is rough, but look past the flaws and there is a good game struggling to get out.

Any gamer knows that there are a ton of great racers out there, but unfortunately RGX: Showdown is not one of them. This is a game that comes with a severely limited premise and even though it’s initially very addictive, the repetition that it brings eventually wins over any racing dreams.

How to Take Off Your Mask Remastered on Xbox is a satisfyingly romantic visual novel that doesn’t over-complicate proceedings or become too awkwardly raunchy. You’ll want to see how the rather cute story unfolds, but then you’re done with it, which is a little bit of a shame.

The music is fun, the art is great throughout, and the general premise is interesting. Then again, none of that is so interesting that it’s worth sticking through the late game combat, yawn-inducing story, and milquetoast characters. Perhaps diehard JRPG fans will find something to love with Dodgeball Academia, but if that isn’t you then this is one you’ll want to dodge.

Trenches is a short but good little horror experience. It plays with an interesting premise and setting, mixing horror, fantasy and reality. The jump scares are excellent and the tension is good, but the world is very limited and there’s a chance you may well get tired of the trench maze trek after a while.

Undoubtedly, there is a very fun party game here that takes the Monopoly framework and applies it to a multiplayer game not unlike Overcooked or Moving Out. And it really works at capturing the essence of both formats into an enjoyable fusion. But the real madness in Monopoly Madness is the asking price. Be like Rich Uncle Pennybags and wait for this one to go on sale.

Royal Frontier feels like a demo for a better game. That’s not because Royal Frontier is short or light on content, but because it’s a roguelike that only needs three or four runs until it becomes a walk in the park.

Howl doesn’t really bring anything to the table that we haven’t seen hundreds of times before. It is fun, but not exactly a challenging strategy game; you can brute force your way through a level by simple trial and error. Howl is, however, gorgeous - and it may be worth the admission price for that alone.

Necromunda: Underhive Wars on Xbox One has raw potential, but as it stands at the moment the game is a bit of a mess and you’d need to stick with it and look beyond its faults to see the potential in there. And even then, the story-mode and operations may not quite have enough to keep you coming back.

There is clear potential for Gem Wizards Tactics. It could easily be a good game, but at the moment it is just nothing more than decent.

The Traveler’s Path doesn’t have the gumption to let you fail. You’re served up puzzle after puzzle that have multiple solutions and none of them are difficult to find. We waited, hoping for a puzzle that would truly confound us, but it never came. So, while we sprinted to the end, holding our 2000G aloft like a Triforce, we had that nagging feeling that we hadn’t earned it.

All in and Fox n Forests has a great nostalgic look, whilst the sound quality is equally as retro. It has some really well thought out levels and the seasons gimmick is sometimes used to great effect. However this is all let down by the slightly sluggish controls and frustrating design choices that ultimately hold you back.

UNABLES just feels like something that we should have enjoyed. The presentation is meticulous, reminiscent of the PS3 and 360 classic, Pain, in the way it drags thrills out of ragdoll physics. Care has been lavished on UNABLES, yet we can’t reciprocate with care of our own. We just didn’t like it much at all, and we can’t fathom how things got to that point.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys RPGs based on the sheer number of dials and levers that you can pull, min-maxing the systems until they break, then Ultimate ADOM - Caverns of Chaos is lovingly constructed for you. Of course, if you’re here because of a love for the original ADOM, there’s plenty here for you too. But if you want to be transported by an RPG, or demand a dungeon-crawler with some colour, sass or story, then Ultimate ADOM - Caverns of Chaos won’t do anything for you.

Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality is a short, simple adventure game. However, it draws skillfully upon the Doctor Who franchise, making it an experience fans won’t want to miss.

The best approach with The Creepy Syndrome might be to wait for a sale and beeline directly to its Lord of the Road inclusion. Whether you play the rest afterwards is up for debate.

While its sharp-edges are enough to make it a wary recommendation, hardcore puzzle fans (or players who come for nostalgia) might find that NEScape! is at least worth a Blockbuster rental.

Although the story is filled with cringe-worthy tropes and the design is a little archaic in some aspects, Episode 1 is still a nice introduction to what hopefully will be an enduring series.

The Coin Game is TOO big. There’s too much here, held together by poor console controls, bugs, slow performance and rickety survival systems. Players who love shonky survival games and the rage genre will find plenty to grapple with here, but I bounced off it like a coin in a pachinko machine.

If you are a fan of the series, Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash is an easy sell. Being able to actually take part in pivotal battles from the manga and anime is good fun, and the story appears to be gripping and easy to follow. But for the good, there’s some bad and the online side of things needs some attention - the lag is a real issue in a fast paced fighting game. Thank god for the co-op which works well, then.

Journey to Kreisia is very much a middle of the road affair; planted much like any other KEMCO RPG. It isn’t the worst game out there, but neither is it anywhere near the best. It is very much just some RPG, and if you’re in the mood, it will scratch that itch.

With the majority of the game able to be pushed through without paying any real attention, there’s not enough on show to keep players engaged for long periods.

NBA Playgrounds rids the sport of all the annoying rules, allowing gamers to enjoy the raw and stripped down version of basketball, albeit with a lot of quirkiness thrown in. Given the lack of stuff to do though, and the price tag, I’d be inclined to say hold off for now.

Zoffice is one of those games that needs a warning on the packet. “Extremely short, mostly fun game inside.” Know that you’re getting an espresso of a game, and it might hit the spot. It’s a well-observed smooshing of office culture and zombie movies, a few minutes of exploration and then 1000G shoved into your mitts. But expect value for money or high quality, and you’ll be zunderwhelmed.

Pinball FX is a pretty good place to begin your collection, but not good enough to duplicate it.

Trash Quest is a competent Metroidvania that has the chutzpah to try out a few design ideas. It does away with guidance, leaves you free to explore, and chucks in a Dark Souls-like approach to death. Two out of the three work well, but the last falters.

There are not many adventures on Xbox which resemble The Legend of Zelda, and so A Knight’s Quest might be a fun little alternative for Xbox gamers who are after that style of adventure. For most gamers however, this is an average clone at best, which despite some good intentions simply underwhelms in execution.

TramSim: Console Edition is another interesting and unique experience in the transport sim world. Driving a tram is a pretty unique and interesting experience, but it does lose its shine after you’ve taken in the routes a few times. Personally I think TramSim needs a few more cities to take in, especially when you consider the price of the game.

Noodlebound may love its noodles, but its 2D platforming felt less substantial and flavoursome than its favourite meal. It’s more like a broth, perhaps.

For Nova Strike to succeed, it needs to be a little less demanding. It needs to reward just a tad more. It needs to ease off every once in a while, letting the player feel like they are in control. Perhaps it's the random nature of how the levels and chapters have been put together, but there's little room for manoeuvre with this one.

You should enjoy Fresh Start for what it is - a simple game that numbs the mind for an hour or two. But the fundamental lack of excitement means it doesn’t entice enough to warrant much of a return. The potential is there, but there’s nothing under the surface.

Super Engine GT Turbo SPEC is a short game with easy achievements and precisely zero replayability. It is not awful, but it is a long way off pole position of the racing genre.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game is perfect for kids, who it is so clearly aimed at. They will have a blast in a world which allows them to explore and cause mischief, especially if they are fans of the show. For the rest, there’s a limited amount of fun on offer, which is entertaining for a short while.

By slapping on a time limit and throwing crows at us every ten seconds, Agriculture started losing the simple joys that make farming games great. Nothing we were growing had any real purpose. We weren’t building up to something better. And worst of all, we were feeling on edge rather than relaxed.

Smells Like a Mushroom achieves its goal of being a silly game, and it does so with aplomb. What is less successful is the whole “be a good game” thing, as the action is repetitive and the jokes begin to wear thin very quickly.

With a time-bending approach to the twin-stick shooter, it looked like The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines on Xbox One would be really spoiling us. Instead, we get a slow-paced example of the genre, whose best ideas never quite develop beyond its first hour.

The story of Liege Dragon is pretty good although not particularly original. However the graphics are nice enough and the whole thing chatters along at a fair old pace due to the lack of a world map. It’s very much just "some JRPG", but the story may hook you enough to see out the ending.

If you must play a top-down combat driving game, then I guess Bloody Rally Show is the one for you, but you should be aware that the fun it brings falls off ever so quickly.

Race with Ryan on the Xbox One has some solid arcade style driving that is worth a look at, for both fans of the YouTube channel and those looking for more kart racing. Sadly, the presentation is a bit lacking with some voice recordings sounding worse than an amateur podcast.

If you’re looking for something that combines puzzles and slasher films, then this is just about a decent holdover until something better comes along.

Whilst improvements have been made to overall presentation and data analytics in Madden NFL 21 NXT LVL Edition on Xbox Series X|S, this remains largely the same disappointing entry. It is severely hampered by shallow game modes such as The Yard, Superstar KO, Class Franchise and Face of the Franchise. In the months since the initial release these could have been fleshed out, but the only major update comes in the form of Next Gen Stats.

If you love shooters, then maybe dive into Earth Atlantis when it’s in the sale, but otherwise, keep yourself dry.

One Word by POWGI on Xbox is another clever take on a classic puzzle idea, and improves on Word Sudoku by giving the words you are looking for a bit more meaning as you try to complete the famous quotes. Once again, if you are looking for a word puzzle with a bit of something extra, plenty of good puns or just easy Gamerscore, One Word by POWGI easily fits all three criteria.

FRONT MISSION 3: Remake is a bit of a mixed bag. There are good bits, like the story and gameplay which are lifted straight from the original. But then there are those elements that don’t work anywhere near as well - like the weird halfway house graphical update, dodgy FMV and weird upscaled portraits of the characters.

It’s dated, it’s overly difficult and it lacks that something special to make it more than your typical rogue-like experience.

Endless Fables: Dark Moor on Xbox One does itself no favours by claiming horror and scares as a feature because, ultimately, it loses steam in that department after a single scary moment. Fortunately the mini-games are of a good standard and the hidden object scenes are enjoyable to scour.

Sword of the Vagrant is a passably interesting ARPG, with a good aesthetic appeal, and some noisy action set pieces. There is a surprising amount of depth in the skills and weapons area, and the combat is pretty good as well.

MindsEye is no longer the broken mess it was when it launched in June of 2025. The developers have clearly worked hard to iron out the bugs and elevate the game to a higher standard. I enjoyed the campaign and much of the core gameplay, even if it felt more like a game from yesteryear rather than a cutting-edge release of today.

On PC, making the most of keyboard and mouse, Revival: Recolonization would make a lot more sense. But on the Xbox? Using a controller? Well, frankly the control scheme is awful and the game mechanics are a closely kept secret.

Crazy Gravity on Xbox has a neat feature in flipping gravity around, but even with this, it doesn’t necessarily rewrite the 2D platformer book. It is fun for the hour or so it will take you to complete the levels, and whilst some are more interesting than others, you won’t be rushing back to play them again.

Evil Dead: The Game feels like a missed opportunity from Saber Interactive, which is disappointing after the excellent World War Z.

More an expansion pack than a full sequel, Horse Club Adventures 2: Hazelwood Stories is a hard one to score. It’s still the best horse-riding sim on the Xbox, and its structure has received some much-needed grooming. But it’s not enough of a revamp to warrant the price, and the campaign is slimline. If ‘more of the same’ sounds like a good thing, then saddle up.

While it’s a quality step down from Demon Hunter: Revelation, welcoming in some bugs and item-highlighting issues, Demon Hunter: Riddles of Light is slightly more colourful. It’s a half-remembered Ancient Egypt lesson, and - once you add in the hidden objecting - that was more than enough to entertain us on a lazy afternoon.

HyperBrawl Tournament on Xbox One has some of the features required to make up a great game, but not enough to stand out. Its gameplay is fun and rewarding but it is also quite stiff, with some lazy AI. It’s nice that there are progression levels and customization but it doesn’t add much to the overall experience. There is also not a large enough variety of game modes and what there is gets boring very fast.

For the new ideas, I’ve been left slightly disappointed with Ancient Phantasma. The control system is a throwback to the bad old days, and the sheer amount of random encounters fast starts to grate. Other than these complaints, it is very much business as usual, but sadly even the new features won’t be enough to keep you playing long term.

If you’ve come here as fans of Let’s Sing, however, expect disappointment. Let’s Sing Presents ABBA is the identical template from the past two iterations of Let’s Sing, and while ABBA’s music will have you strutting, the videos absolutely won’t. The four band members don’t half like walking into the sunset on snowy mornings.

Other than traversing the tower, there isn’t much else to do in the game. It can be completed in a couple of hours and then after that, there isn’t anything here to keep you invested for longer. But the price takes that into account and Warlocks Tower is reasonable at just £4.99. And for that, you can’t grumble.

Creepy Tale is effective, there is no doubting that. It is as insidious as they come, and that comes from its art, world and characters. We’re eager to play its sequel, in the hope that it expands on them more. But Creepy Tale fumbles whenever it asks you to do anything. Too often, it resorts to puzzles that are clumsy and illogical, with a parade of deaths as the punishment.

Noir Chronicles: City of Crime gets the vibe spot on to create the ideal environment for the criminal activities that are occurring, while the story is interesting enough to draw in the player. The variety in the hidden object scenes is very welcome too, however the mini-games are hugely disappointing apart from a handful of mathematical based ones that provide a glimmer of joy here and there to drag you through the rest.

Whilst Knights of Pen and Paper 2 Deluxiest Edition on Xbox One is an improvement over the first game, it is tough to recommend it as a good game when the improvements only serve to make it a more fixed and well-rounded experience. Too much is simply identical to before, and the biggest problem remains that this is a game that’s only fun in small doses.

As much as you can when you find yourself replaying the Great War, Isonzo can be enjoyable. The realistic and authentic attention to detail and area focus is something to be admired, yet it is much harder than any other shooter, as you try to come to terms with tactics and the careful nature of war.

If you're considering spending time with Not Not - A Brain Buster, stock up on the coffee beans now. You're gonna need ‘em.

It’s very difficult to recommend Techwars Global Conflict on Xbox One. The core concept is sound and even though the gameplay is a bit clunky, the game has its charms. However, currently there are too many technical issues, too much game information is obscured, and even if you can get into a battle it’s hard to fully embrace things.

If you’re in the mood for a gothic, straight-faced Undertale, then Kargast delivers a low-budget cover that hits most of the right notes. It slips up with its repetitive, uninvolving combat, but never to the degree that you want to give up on your quest. It’s a fellowship that is just about worth joining.

The story does deliver – at least for me – but the whole thing feels a bit rushed, failing to end the full game on a high. But saying that, it does tie up all the loose ends nicely, closing the epic world of intrigue and fantasy it was always destined to be.

Destruction Derby has not been this good in video games for years. It’s just such a shame the publisher is charging for an update that affects Xbox Series S players in such a way. If you’re playing on an Xbox Series X, then Wreckfest is a fast, aggressive and chaotically fun racing game. I would definitely recommend it. Otherwise, wait for an update on the Series S side, for the time being.

Never in a million years did I think I would be uttering these words, but I kind of liked playing Mr. Massagy: Mayo Edition on Xbox One. It made me laugh a lot - especially when it got strange - and the colourful characters are a lot of fun to spend an hour or so with.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator offers a unique experience, giving players the chance to go driving around the streets of Barcelona. However, it is more frustrating than fun. A lack of any meaningful progression is one thing, but when you are hit with fine after fine, all thanks to dodgy AI, then it quickly becomes tiresome.