Cat Pipes is a neat little puzzler that will allow you the chance to while away an hour or so, an evening perhaps if you get stuck on the odd puzzle. But that’s about all you are going to get from it.

Antarctica 88 does a lot of things right, then shoots itself in the foot with some dodgy control decisions and design choices. The snowmobile controls are hilariously bad, the combat is lumpy and the jumping is broken, but weighing against that is the story and the atmosphere that the game creates.

Sol Divide is clearly below-par for Psikyo, but it’s a wilfully bonkers below-par. Nobody should be smooshing R-Type into Golden Axe, but Psikyo tried anyway, and we’re glad we were there to watch the experiment. One for the curious.

Gematombe launches a decent arcade puzzle concept onto the market, but then misfires in various ways. At its core, the brick breaker gameplay is exciting, with the Arcade mode proving to be the centrepiece. Beyond that though, the shortcomings of the mechanics, the lack of online leaderboards - at the very least - and the unbalanced AI, make it a tough sell.

Cheap and cheerful, Running Fable isn’t one that will appeal to single players or those looking for narrative. It's all about hitting the mean online streets, having quick fun with others to see who comes out with bragging rights.

The friends of Ringo Ishikawa on Xbox is an unconventional beat ‘em up, with an opaque design and almost aimless sense of progression. The game has a strong atmosphere as it provides a setting for players to lose themselves in, yet there is no real gameplay loop or substance here as players need to create this for themselves.

Tiny Tales: Heart of the Forest shows promise as a new series that will undoubtedly get five or six entries in the future. The pint-sized adventuring is too strong an idea to neglect. But in all other aspects this is formulaic, a tale that we’ve heard many, many times before.

BLACKHOLE: Complete Edition feels like it is set to head in the right direction, but shores up a little too soon. It intrigued me with its Sci-Fi aspects, even if it left me wondering more about how you would close a blackhole than worrying over the gameplay.

If you are a masochist and dislike folk made out of pixels, then The Lost Cube on Xbox is the perfect game for you. If however you are just looking to play video games to relax, maybe this isn't the title you should be spending time with. It’s a frustrating experience that just grows, although strangely it does still manage to bring about a slight urge to keep playing. As long as you know when to step away - for the sake of your Xbox controller if not for yourself - you’ll be fine here.

Overpass on Xbox One just about fills a spot in the racing genre without it ever really being a game for the racing fan. In fact, if you’re looking for all-out speed then I’d tell you to stay as far away as possible. This is instead a precision motorsport brawler that pits you against the clock and tells you to get on with it - faults and all. While the Career is reasonable fun, working well across the obstacle courses, the sheer hellish nature of some of the hill climb events knock this off-roading beast down a notch or two, quite possibly causing far too much frustration and annoyance for anyone outside of the ‘scene’.

The team behind Blind Fate: Edo No Yami obviously have some good ideas. I just wish they could have executed them in a way that would allow for you to want to continue to play.

For skateboarding fans who have actually skated, Session: Skate Sim will be great - when it is complete. For casual fans looking for instant fun, they may want to think twice about jumping on board.

Control-wise, Jack ‘n’ Hat isn’t up to scratch. It’s slow, ineffective and clumsy, with the hat-throwing feeling like a bad job rather than Oddjob. But persist, and you have a challenging and generous platformer that may spark a love for the genre, just like the ‘80s and ‘90s classics did.

The big question you’ll want answering is whether or not Plumbers Don't Wear Ties: Definitive Edition is worth trying out. Honestly, I’m still unsure. Yes, it’s nice to be able to experience a slice of 90's gaming history and it's important to examine the bad games as well as the most acclaimed from times past. But on the flipside, there are certain themes and mechanics we want to forget for good reason…

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases may actually surprise players because the biggest worry in attempting to deliver an original story, is perhaps its strongest draw. But that’s not saying a lot when the gameplay is mediocre on the whole and makes it seem as though you’re just along for the ride for the entire adventure.

There are positives, mainly the new weapons and abilities you acquire. Customising your MAG to suit your playstyle is enjoyable, and the story is compelling, keeping you invested and wanting to see what happens next. There’s also a wealth of lore to uncover. Ultimately, though, MindSeize is just another Metroidvania, and you may well be left wanting more.

Should you be after a very cheap afternoon of something bright, cheery and filled with tons of easy achievements, you can’t go wrong by strapping on your best adventuring hat and entering the world of Heroes Trials.

Gun Crazy on Xbox One is very predictable and many of the events feel scripted to happen in a certain way each time, so after a few playthroughs there won’t be any surprises. However, for people who like to challenge themselves and can’t rest until they beat their previous score, this is a good little game. But fair warning - after a couple of playthroughs, the main emotion behind replaying the game may be spite.

Whilst Rogue Raccoon may not be breaking any boundaries, conventions or doing any other things some AAA counterparts are, it’s still fun. Your 90s nostalgia and need for a simple, short game, are all fulfilled during Rogue Raccoon’s troubled, yet memorable thirty minute playthrough.

3Cat are absolutely a studio to watch. They clearly have abundant talent in their artists, audio developers and level designers. But Manairons is unwieldy, and it doesn’t end up being the showcase that the developers deserve. It’s merely a decent platformer, when so much of Manairons feels drafted from an excellent one.

There is a decent narrative to follow, and getting your wings powered up is pretty satisfying, but the trivial combat robs Krut: The Mythic Wings of a lot of fun.

The price is a bit hefty, but it’s a clever idea that most definitely teaches you the way of the world, never letting you take things for granted. Unfortunately the awkward control scheme and the hugely repetitive nature will see you getting frustrated once the initial draw has worn off.

We imagine that Zorro The Chronicles fans will find a bit of wish-fulfilment here. There’s every opportunity to slash a Z on the torso of your enemies, as you dance from melee to melee with grace. But you will need some blinkers to ignore the rampant repetition of its levels, which can’t come close to keeping things interesting or varied.

It’s clear from the beginning that a lot of effort has gone into Nine Parchments’ aesthetics, skill trees and overall progression, but this comes at a price to what you will spend most time in the game doing: killing wave after wave of enemies, with that becoming less and less fun each time.

Action Arcade Wrestling hits the ground running, but soon runs out of steam to the point where the old adage of ‘creative has nothing for you’ comes to mind. If you just want to have a couple of enjoyable matches, then sure go for it; just know that the longevity wanes pretty fast.

Horrific Xanatorium is less of a horror visual novel and more of a thriller that’s in a rush to get to the finish line. Despite having well-designed characters who could be memorable, the lack of substance and building upon the initial impressions makes it difficult to care about them.

Come prepared for a Lovecraftian short story, with the emphasis very much on the ‘short’, and there’s enjoyment to be had with The Song Out of Space. But while it touts itself as a detective mystery, that’s exactly what it is not: there’s very little deducing to be done here, and the mystery is revealed by the title.

As a narrative, Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story is enough to keep you cuddling a night-light before you go to sleep. As a game, it’s an exercise in going through the motions.

Deep Diving Adventures is nothing like real diving. It’s a floating contradiction: somehow, it manages to be both ludicrously fascinating and uncomfortably boring.

Nightmares from the Deep 3: Davy Jones could easily tide you over for a good six hours or so, with decent puzzles and beautiful artwork. The sheer amount of mini-games is impressive, with enough variety to prevent them from becoming stale here, but I do fear a lot of the concepts have been used in previous incarnations many times over.

Despite feeling a little different, Onsen Master is a shallow, repetitive game that even a seemingly generous amount of game modes cannot cure. You’ll know after the first few minutes whether this is for you or not.

If you’re a fan of the franchise, Murder Diaries 3 - Santa's Trail of Blood does a good job of trying something different, spinning it with a Christmas theme that works well.

Stick all the indie platformers in the world into a blender, then pour out a tiny espresso cup and you’d have Betomis. It’s playable, forgettable and every bit a three out of five.

Parkitect: Deluxe Edition’s no frills approach to building a theme park will undoubtedly appeal to those looking for a modern Theme Park World or Roller Coaster Tycoon game. But you’ll have to put up with a few big issues too.

Eville is built on solid foundations, having a good stab at bringing the social deduction genre to the masses, but it lacks the components to achieve longevity in a crowded and competitive space.

Gav-Gav Odyssey is a puzzle game that attempts three different minigames over the course of its two hours, and two of them manage to crack a smile. The third, though, is a crime against platforming that makes us do an involuntary shudder whenever we think about them.

Adventures of Chris is a good little platformer that references its 90’s influences to the hilt. It has a funny, cartoony story that is family-friendly and enjoyable, even if the gameplay pushes things difficulty-wise.

With a bit more time, a bit more sparkle, DreamWorks Trolls Remix Rescue would have shone.

BeeFense BeeMastered is a sturdy, simple tower defense that manages to offer tense moments. But that sturdiness is unremarkable, and you can get by with tower defense strategies from any number of other games. If it was more remarkable, more fun to play, then its biggest flaw - a boring back-and-forthing between the turrets - wouldn’t have stung so much.

Live by the Sword: Tactics skirts too close to doing that bare minimum. It spends its resources in all the wrong places, focusing on game modes rather than developing the board pieces, abilities and game mechanics that would have made it sing.

Asteroids: Recharged is certainly a fun and faithful reimagining, but a little bit extra other than some generic challenges would have gone a long way.

It’s a massive shame that Blackwind is let down by the systems which should let it flow. If this came to market as a top-down twin-sticker with a few platforming elements and some decent metroidvania-styled puzzling, it would work really, really well. But the decision to add in a confused viewpoint is a killer; one that will have you concerned every time you fire things up.

Regardless of its rudimentary combat or the lack of a map, Lil Gator Game is simply a delight, thanks to strong writing, worthwhile collectibles, thoughtful exploration, and rewarding sidequests. Lil Gator Game is certainly an easy recommend for younger gamers, but it might also strike a chord in those who long for an imagination-filled afternoon in the park.

We get an uneven Tad the Lost Explorer. It’s onto a good thing in its opening hour or two, but then ditches it for some low quality stealth that would make Sam Fisher throw up into his gas mask. Sure, it might follow the plot of last year’s movie, but we couldn’t help wondering whether a sprinkling of creative liberties would have improved matters.

Reminiscence in the Night is best when it tosses the gameplay aside and concentrates on what it wants to say. It’s a dream-like novella about memory and its ability to lift us out of the dead-ends we create for ourselves, and - appropriately - it manages to stay with you after its short fifteen minutes is over.

The idea of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! was always a risky prospect and unfortunately it hasn’t really paid off. It’s all well and good showcasing the characters in their glorious anime visuals, with notable locations recreated as boards, but there needs to be more substance.

Pinball FX3 usually does a stellar job of recreating physical tables in their world and the Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventures table is no exception; faithfully done with the majority of additions subtly improving it. But the price point is a major sticking point, as is the number of tables included.

If you have the patience of a saint and are prepared to wait until every guard is in the perfect place, Winter Ember can be a fun challenge to make it through undetected.

At the very least, Survivor: Castaway Island takes a punt, and delivers a minigame party collection that attempts something different. The survival and subterfuge stuff may repeat too much and buffers the action with boredom, but we’re glad Magic Pockets tried something new. If they can get the balance right in a sequel, a season two, then they might just be onto something.

Those coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 primarily for multiplayer will find a polished, thrilling package that will last all year. Those seeking a memorable solo campaign will leave disappointed.

If you’ve come to this review as a time-worn hidden object player, or you’ve played Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride before, then you can be reassured: this Xbox Series Edition is carefully preserved and updated. The character animations in particular have nowhere to hide, looking crisp in 4K.

I doubt you’ll have a long-lasting relationship with Kaichu - The Kaiju Dating Sim, but maybe look it up if you're after a quick fling.

Grab Hatup from the shelf if you fancy some quickfire achievements, or the comfort of a simple platformer. But if you want something more challenging, or with a flourish of ideas, you might want to shop elsewhere.

Flaskoman is a middle-of-the-road puzzle-platformer. There’s a curious charm to the little buckethead, and its liquid-carrying gimmick lends itself to some good moments, but those are often upended by some languid jumping latency.

Wind Peaks is an indifferent little hidden object game that has all the ingredients of being original or fun but leaves them on the worktop. Don’t be fooled by the characterful picture book scenery, it can be a bland old ramble.

Aery is a series that just keeps on coming. For fans, they will enjoy more of the same gameplay in Aery - Dreamscape, but in brand new environments and with some newly added features built-in. If you’ve struggled with these games before then there’s nothing extra here to drag you in, but on the flipside, fans will be in their element.

If you’re a diehard fan of city-stomping robots, Override 2: Super Mech League’s combat will surely keep your attention for a while. It is a great looking game with some stellar robot designs, but that only does so much. With nothing more than samey online fights again and again, this is a game that will rust up sooner rather than later.

Whether you want to play #SinucaAttack on Xbox for achievements or for something a bit different, there is a bit of fun to be had. Levels do start to get a bit repetitive but then it will throw a new feature at you that will act as a difficulty spike and a way to keep things fresh. The controls cannot be excused though - there is just no legislating for them.

By slapping a machine gun on the front of a paper plane (aerodynamics be damned), Paper Dash - Ghost Hunt manages to add an extra, slightly more strategic layer to its well-worn template.

If you're a fan of point-and-click adventures then Saint Kotar might well fulfil your needs. A dark tale full of horror and religious mythology, it’s very much a grown-up game, one that might be too much for some.

Cheap and obviously running budget limitations, Death Park 2 does a good job of providing a solid scare-fuelled horror adventure at a low cost.

If you are after a night of horror and are looking to play something a bit different with unusual gameplay techniques, The Childs Sight might be worth a punt, mainly as it's very cheap to pick up. The sound design is excellent and the concept is unique, but for me the gameplay wanes quite quickly and eventually you’ll become more frustrated than scared.

If you want more platforming games to take risks, then invest in Yello Adventures. It will return the favour by frustrating the hell out of you, but hey - that’s the price of progress.

I can’t help but feel that The Legend of Cyber Cowboy is very much the definition of “Okay”. It isn’t the worst game in the world, nor is it the best, instead landing very much in the middle of the road. There is a stiff challenge to be had, which is mostly down to the dodgy aiming, but the bosses add another layer of difficulty.

Perhaps one of the more challenging titles from Lightwood Games, Mixups by POWGI will test players far more than previous titles. It’s a shame then that sometimes there isn’t a unique pun to reward you for completing the puzzle, but after spoiling players with hundreds of them in five previous games, we shouldn’t complain too much.

The puzzles in Flowlines VS. are simple and relaxing enough, if not taxing. But, by offering 486 of them and then forcing the player to plod through every… last… one on the hunt for something resembling a challenge, Flowlines VS. loses a large chunk of its audience.

As a love letter to Shinobi, Shadow Gangs on Xbox One gets a lot right. It’s more of a remake than a spiritual sequel, but it looks the part and plays sweetly too. But as niches go, the one that Shadow Gangs wants to fill is incredibly small: we suspect that modern beat ‘em up fans will find it too wilfully unfair, while old-school brawler fans will have to overlook the complete lack of innovation

The recommendation for Bombfest depends on who is going to be playing it. As a single player proposition, it’s not the best. It’s too hard to win, it appears that luck plays far too big a role in the game and it’s most definitely too confusing. With a gang of friends, or even as a family game, then it all begins to make a lot more sense.

Silver Nornir is an interesting entry into the KEMCO stable. The story is bonkers, and the combat is good, but you’ll need to balance that against the very annoying controls and the lack of any overworld to explore.

Overpowered 1 - Mars Infestation is capable of providing some retro gaming enjoyment, as well as an addictive gameplay loop, at least for a time.

There’s a strong chance that the rustic therapy of Garden Simulator will be enough for you: but in our case, our green fingers were reaching for a little more depth.

Death Elevator succeeds in the mission it sets out to do elegantly, yet after completion it leaves you craving more content; this is a short game that relies on replays to extend its length.

Cube Airport is not very innovative, so even though it won’t take much longer than an hour to finish, it feels tedious.

Railroads Online is an unapologetically faithful train sim which, depending on your interest in the era, very much falls into the “marmite” category.

You'll find the sheer number of weapons and stages welcome, but Remote Life just does not find a way to thrive in the darkness of space.

Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones on Xbox One isn’t a beacon of beat em’ up games in 2020, but hindsight is a little kinder to its well-intentioned ideas that were unfortunately rather flimsy in execution. This game was part of the swansong for NES, and decades later it’s now a case of a historical curiosity which may be enjoyable to those genre enthusiasts with an acquired taste.

It’s hard to feel even an iota of excitement about Puzzle by Nikoli W Sudoku. But if you’re looking to get kicks out of a sudoku game then you’re doing it wrong. The basics are all present: it controls well, the puzzles have numbers in all the right places, and achievements pop for your efforts.

If you want a short burst of fun and some mini arcade action, then Turret Rampage does the job. The action is fast and furious, coming across like spinning a ton of plates that are on fire. Perhaps it needs more levels, even for the low price that is being asked, but it’ll mostly be the easy achievements that gamers will go hunting down.

Immortal Planet on Xbox One has style and decent gameplay to offer. However, it’s extremely difficult and requires patience to get the most from it, which can leave the player with an aftertaste of repetition and occasional frustration.

Hyper Jam may feel like it has been ripped straight from Blade Runner or Tron with its neon lights and synthwave sounds, but it also feels like they only ripped the bare minimum for the game. It functions well enough as a local and online multiplayer arena brawler but after only a couple of hours there was nothing left for me or my friends to do.

If you’re ready to get on with the times and embrace change, then Contra: Rogue Corps will provide entertainment with its own unique interpretation of the Contra spirit.

Sacred 2 is very much a game of its era, and I’d say that era has passed. Unless you are a rabid fan, you’ll not miss much if you skip this remaster.

Not everyone is going to willingly invite the pressure and multitasking of Sweet Bakery Tycoon. But for those that do, this is a surprisingly intuitive, delicious-looking little time-management sim. In terms of portion size, though, it’s too big: the bland levels got dished up over and over, and we were overstuffed.

Aftercharge on Xbox One is a fun game. The matches are relatively short, there aren’t a lot of confusing upgrade tiers to worry about, no grinding needed to unlock weapons and gear, and plenty of opportunities to try new strategies to win the match.

Access Denied is a short, simple and straight up puzzler. It’s a pretty dry game aimed directly at its target audience, something which may instantly turn some players off. However, for all that, there is enjoyment to be had for the die hard puzzle enthusiasts out there.

Phantom Abyss is a valiant attempt at trying something a bit different, but Version 1.0 still has the feel of a game needing a bit more content. The asynchronous side of things is a novel addition for multiplayer, but it isn’t obvious what it brings to the table; playing these temples ‘live’ against friends would probably be more exciting

It’s easy to see what Citizens of Space on Xbox One is going for: a playable Saturday morning cartoon for children. But many of the decisions made to achieve this – such as simplistic combat and a dumbed down story – make it hard to recommend. At best, Citizens of Space can be regarded as a fine JRPG to get your children started.

Unfortunately, it seems the more of Marvel’s Avengers you play, the less likely you are to come away with an overall positive experience. The single player by itself might take you up to 10 hours but diminishing returns for the multiplayer aspects set in rather fast. The single player is Hulk: strong, fast and a surprise when you aren’t expecting it. The multiplayer is Bruce Banner: calculated, small, and has the potential to be something powerful but isn’t quite there yet.

I for one would love to see the return of anti-gravity racers to the market once more, but Redout simply doesn’t provide the same magic seen in previous titles in the genre, and with a hefty price tag to accompany it, this is probably one headache we can all do without.

From the Bunker does provide an hour's worth of entertainment, but once you’ve escaped there is no completion screen, and no desire to ever play it again.

For all its knocks and criticisms, I had fun playing Deep Ones. The relatively short length means the game doesn’t overstay its welcome and for the price of a pint in the city centre, you could do far worse. It’s a rough and ready release in need of an update or two, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Blightbound is a great co-op experience for dungeon crawling enthusiasts, but if you don’t have anyone to play with, you’re better off skipping this one.

I have very much enjoyed the concept, visuals, and idea behind Shadow Fencer Theatre. It’s a decent game to play with mates, especially if you’re looking for a quick bit of fun. If you hate physics-based momentum games then you could be in a bit of trouble though.

Overall, and whilst Baja: Edge of Control HD isn’t anywhere near close to the “Forza-for-off-road fans” experience that many gamers have been clamouring for, there are still plenty of improvements to be found with a title that was overly disappointing on its initial release back in 2008.

The Hitman HD Enhanced Collection costs £50, and whilst this may be for two games that are now in HD, they have not had the type of overhaul that would usually warrant such a price tag. If you enjoyed the original titles you’ll love these, but this release won’t do anything to convert critics of the series.

Get-A-Grip Chip and the Body Bugs is nearly a carbon copy of the first game, just with a reskin and some difficulty tweaks.

It’s a bit of a tough one this. I can't penalise the game for being a recreation of what is. But I do think that NASCAR as a whole will appeal to some, but not others. What I can penalise it for is not making very good sense in the race screens, for its lack of proper tuning to try and make my car faster, for the way nothing is explained very well, and for generally not being above average in terms of being a racer.

I had high hopes going into the first DLC for Immortals Fenyx Rising. A New God on Xbox though feels like a safe entry, and even for a piece of DLC it overstays its welcome with a large number of trials and not much else.