While it doesn't completely innovate or elevate the genre, Dragonkin: the Banished tries enough new things, while executing the basics at a high enough level, to stand amongst the best of the genre.

It’s fun, it’s wild, it’s a classic returning with a fresh lease on life and it’s one that any true racing fan should be getting involved with at the earliest opportunity.

Tacoma is a high quality walking sim that tells a brilliant story of hope, whilst delivering complex and interesting characters.

Halo Wars 2 irons out any issues that the original game had, and provides more of the same, but with a bit more polish. Whilst fans of the series will be glad to play this sequel, newcomers to the RTS scene might have a harder time.

If you can get over the numerous yet humorous glitches and expect them to be patched out later, then this is a decent cricket simulator with plenty to do long after the current Ashes series finishes down under.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may be a shorter and smaller Like a Dragon game, but it doesn’t skimp on quality. This ‘greatest hits’ approach of including many fan favourite side activities from over the years only further highlights what makes Like a Dragon such a treasured franchise.

All in all, the ‘A Walk in the Park’ expansion is a worthy addition to the base game. I enjoyed my time with The Surge when I reviewed it way back in the mists of time, and the expansion has the exact same feel as the main game, but has turned everything up to 11 with the addition of the new enemies and weapons.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows offers up something refreshingly different and is bursting with charm, however the premature ending will leave you wanting more.

Frustrating combat and a world that expects you to be familiar with the franchise aside, Ghostrunner 2 has a good amount of fun provided you can keep up with the fast pace and the many button presses required to stay alive.

Observer: System Redux on Xbox is an example of the ideal remaster. The best bits are amplified; in this case the mangled, filthy cyberpunk visuals and the immersion in a grotesque horror story. Equally, the worst bits are excised, as the terrible stealth sections and the thin exploration are left on the neurosurgeon’s floor. What you’re left with is an emphatic horror title, an easy recommendation to the acquainted and unacquainted, and an experience that will live long in the memory.

Victor Vran Overkill Edition is a worthy addition to the genre. It doesn’t out-Diablo Diablo, but thanks to the care put into the levelling and loot systems, it is undoubtedly worth the time to explore.

World to the West is really worth checking out. I enjoyed the work that Rain Games have put in and I really believe they are making interesting work that embraces the past with a modern twist. The price might be a tad high, but there’s a lot of quality clearly on show here.

If you're a fan of an RTS, then you're going to love Company of Heroes 3 on Xbox Series X|S. The campaigns are fantastic, as is the use of the UI as it moves from PC to console.

So, is it worth investing your money and time in either the Snowbound or Elite Class DLC packs for Mantis Burn Racing? Well, if you’ve found yourself maxing out everything that the standard career brings, then it’s a bit of a no-brainer and you’ll want to get yourself involved asap. The cheap price and free-ness of Snowbound warrant that at the very least.

War is hell – unless you’re Vinnie Cannoli. In which case it’s just a delightfully humorous killing experience.

At the end of the day, if you like top-down adventures, it goes without saying that God’s Trigger is one you should be checking out. Not only does it tick all the boxes both visually and in terms of the gameplay, but it also has a pretty affordable price tag too.

If you have a like minded group of friends then this is a good game, but if you are a single player, then only serious masochists need apply.

Odd collisions and the need for a bit of a grind aside, there is little to not like about this game, with the speedrunning elements, the visuals, the well-worked challenges, and the open feeling of carving your own route all coming together to create something rather wonderful.

I will admit that I was wary of 2K choosing Mafia to remaster, as the game was old and middle of the pack, but in hindsight it was a masterstroke: the story and structural core of the original was exceptional, but everything else had room to improve. 2K has thrown the sink at Mafia: Definitive Edition to make sure those improvements make an impact, and it’s barely possible to recognise the original under the lacquer.

Olija on Xbox is a game to be savoured. Everything about it is rich and expertly crafted, from the slick combat to the world of Terraphage, scattered with secrets. It’s over far too soon, so relish the experience while it’s there, as Olija is an astonishing adventure game that you can lose yourself in utterly.

Whilst many of the components of Like a Dragon: Ishin! will immediately feel familiar, that is no bad thing. An adage that franchise fans will repeat is that there is no bad Like a Dragon game, and Ishin continues that trend.

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters will keep you interested. The story arc is very enjoyable and keeps you pressing forward to see what is going to happen, whilst the managing of your ship is a lot like trying to keep a load of plates spinning. It’s all helped by the fact that the combat is suitably brutal and visceral.

Herdling is not the game to convert those averse to walking simulators: It can drag, and has a confusing control setup. But it is also beautiful, heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures, and that’s all done without a single word spoken.

The decision to provide a two-part ‘Ties That Bind’ premiere for A New Frontier allows time for the characters to settle in, to initiate the connections and reintroduce players to the deadly world they now live in.

REPLACED is an ambitious action adventure platformer which opts for hand-crafted pixel art, but that takes nothing away from how utterly absorbing it is. However, I can’t let that blind me from its shortcomings that, whilst far from being serious, do limit the potential of an otherwise impressive game, one that can sometimes be accused of style over substance.

With all aspects weighed up, including the reasonable price point, you should certainly give Torchlight II a go and let it light up your life with what is an addictive dungeon crawling experience.

The price is perfect - in fact, perhaps it is a little cheap for the number of hours you will put into it - and in terms of the story Relicta on Xbox One is all very intriguing; the ideas behind it are fantastic. The script doesn't quite work all the time and the physics might annoy some, but if you’re looking for a test of the mind, this is certainly worth looking at.

Lemnis Gate is a very pleasant surprise. A unique, strategic mind-bending FPS, it is mechanically strong and content-rich. There are still some technical issues that need to be resolved and the progression system is very stingy, but what is here is a hidden gem.

If your love for all things Marvel or Capcom is strong, then Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is no doubt worth a look, but for everyone else it depends how much of a hardcore fighter you are and whether A.I. is enough of an opposition to keep you entertained.

If you’re a fan of RPGs then grab some coffee, be ready to lose a lot of man-hours, and ring in sick to work, for Greedfall is going to take up a lot of your time.

Aside from the manic nature - and the rubbish music - the rest of Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is a joy to play. If you like old school shoot ‘em ups, then give Raiden IV x MIKADO a try, and be prepared to recalibrate what you think is a hard game.

The key takeaway with F1 Manager 2023 is that your enjoyment of the game will differ immensely depending on your knowledge of F1. What is here, as long as you are a real F1 nerd, is capable of captivating for hours on end. However, with niggling issues within Race Moments, a lack of sense of progression, and the engineering side difficult to get to grips with, F1 Manager 2023 is the nichest of niche titles.

Crimson Desert will require a massive time investment - we are talking hundreds of hours. Even now, many hours in, I am still discovering new things, and new ways to play keep being introduced. And be in no doubt that this is a mad old game, and yes, there are plenty of things wrong with it. Thankfully, the good absolutely outweighs the bad in Crimson Desert.

Fear the Spotlight is relatively short to play through, taking around 3 to 4 hours to complete, but it makes the most of that time.

You’ll want to arrive in Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter knowing that the game is absolutely brutal, and so that means you’ll need to absolutely dedicate yourself to learning the game's systems, closing your eyes and going for it. For many though, that bar of entry may feel a little too high.

Tell Me Why on Xbox One is DONTNOD's strongest game to date. It is quiet, introspect, mature and superbly written and performed, with visuals that are easy on the eyes - the novel release approach also helps things. There are still some factors holding it back from perfection, but I sincerely hope this is the start of a great partnership between Xbox and DONTNOD, as I feel this game is a perfect example of the type of content Game Pass is perfect for delivering.

There are no two ways about it – allowing for personal tastes – SUPERBEAT: XONiC is either going to be a huge hit or a massive miss.

When all is said and done though, if the base game of Control didn’t strike your fancy then The Foundation DLC on Xbox One isn’t going to add much else that you’d be interested in. But if you enjoyed Control, I definitely recommend picking up The Foundation. And for those who can’t get enough of the plot, it might be worth just going straight for the Season Pass.

Iron Harvest is an absolute delight to play. If you’re a bit of an RTS noob you’ll never feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount to do or how to control your diverse army. The story will help keep you engrossed over the lengthy play time, as Iron Harvest Complete Edition provides access to characters you’ll actually care about, all as you hope to lead them to triumph.

At the end of the day, if you liked Overwatch, you’ll like Overwatch 2, or Overwatch 1.5 as it should probably be. If you didn’t, you won’t, and with the game playing community seemingly more toxic than ever

In spite of that, though, the foundations of Hell is Us are rock solid. A follow-up game would allow for the combat systems to be refined, and for the story and world to be built out more. And whilst it’s not a perfect first game, many series really hit their stride in a sequel and I would love to see what developer Rogue Factor could do with this world further down the line.

This is without doubt the best retro ‘90s style racing game available on the Xbox One right now, and it is highly recommended… no matter whether you are old enough to remember the glory days or not.

It is very clear from the outset that Freedom Finger on Xbox One is a niche game. It being a space shoot ‘em up is enough to put people off from the start. But if you also have an aversion to satirical, on the knuckle toilet humour, or more experimental music, then steer clear. If this does sound like something for you though, then Freedom Finger will offer a few hours of a lot of fun.

There’s a fairly big chunk of gameplay on offer in The Quarry and it totally deserves a replay in order for you to witness different endings and try to see if you can keep everyone alive - or kill them all.

The introduction of Create A Team makes F1 Manager 2024 the most rich iteration of the F1 management sim series to date.

R-Type Final 2 is a very good shooting game in its own right, and having the history and background of the R-Type legacy makes it even better. There’s a lot to get involved in besides just shooting stuff, and the ability to unlock new ships that may suit your playstyle better is a big draw.

We didn’t realise how much we’d missed the episodic story framework of a Telltale game, and Road 96 – while not being from Telltale – is a long-lost cousin to it.

If you should be in the market for a stylish platformer, you’ve found it in the shape of Cookie Cutter. It’s one of the best indie games of recent times.

Football Manager 2021 Xbox Edition is a very good management sim and a viable option for anyone who spends more time on an Xbox than a PC. Performance-wise it runs well on the Series X and the whole layout is brilliantly designed from a visual standpoint. Unfortunately, it’s a pain to navigate the menus and even after sinking a ton of hours in, it still feels odd. The inclusion of microtransactions leaves a bitter taste too, because they’re just unnecessary.

If you’re a fan of the original outing in The Surge universe and have been craving more of that futuristic Dark Souls feel, then The Surge 2 on Xbox One isn’t a bad way to get your fill.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is an incredibly satisfying park builder. The overall challenge may be lacking but the environmental and park design mechanics more than make up for that slight disappointment.

With the inclusion of HyperMotion technology, FIFA 22 on Xbox Series X|S is in the best shape it has been for years. HyperMotion may sound very buzz-wordy – and it is – but it also fundamentally changes the action on the pitch into something very much resembling real-life football. Tweaks and changes will be made as the season progresses but right now, this is one of the best launches a FIFA game has ever had.

The return of the Wang in a deeper adventure. Fast, furious, bullet spitting, katana swinging fun.

You could have put ‘Silent Hill’ at the front of the title and we would have called Visage a return to form. Ultimately, this is an exercise in stretching PT to a full house, which is almost entirely successful, with masterful scares and near constant tension.

BLEED 2 is a fantastic game. It’s simplistic in design and mechanics, but it does the basics really well and is a total joy to play because of it.

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles has provided an experience that I haven’t found in gaming for a long time. Each and every time I have booted it up, I have been filled with a sense of glee, excited to get back into this beautiful world. While not all of the systems work as well as the developers may have hoped, I have found myself loving almost every minute of my time spent in Gemea and the world of Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles.

I enjoyed my time with the Candleman. It’s an old-fashioned platformer with some very neat tricks and a lot of highly enjoyable gameplay. It might be a bit too samey for some regarding pace and style, but the story is charming with a very downbeat ending, that nearly ruins your investment in the little candle guy. But in conclusion, please give this a go if you like your platformers, love candles and hate the dark. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

I highly recommend playing Blackwood Crossing. Look, you will know whether this is the kind of game you might like by looking at the trailer or screenshots, but it’s game about character, story and atmosphere, rather then high action. Even through it’s a tad short and the price is north of the £10 mark, it’s a beautiful, life affirming gaming experience that I won’t forget for a long time.

For long-time fans of Outriders, the introduction of Worldslayer is good news, with new stuff to go and hunt and new levels to play around with. It is short, but it’s still enjoyable

The decision to provide a two-part ‘Ties That Bind’ premiere for A New Frontier allows time for the characters to settle in, to initiate the connections and reintroduce players to the deadly world they now live in.

If you’re a fan of Battlefield then there is every reason to jump in with this year’s title, but if you want to experience the game as the developers have obviously intended, I suggest you hold off, enjoy the other amazing games released this year and come back to Battlefield V in about six months’ time when it’s no longer in its current state of being a glorified beta with a triple-A price tag.

EA FC 26 is frustrating at times, but there is nothing else that can beat it, and no competition that can deliver such a well crafted experience of football.

Ashen manages to take a hardcore genre of games and make it accessible and approachable to those who are not fully experienced.

Episode two is a bloody good continuation of the Guardians of the Galaxy adventures, with genuine laughter, plenty of happiness and occasional sadness to be had.

I like magic a lot, but even I need something unique to look at, or a fantastic story told, to really keep me interested.

I am not a huge fan of battle royales, because I hate feeling like I have nothing to do but walk or run 80% of the time. Spellbreak on Xbox One has completely fixed this for me. The matches are pretty quick, but even on the occasion that I do not find other players right away, I still have fun playing. Moving around is unadulterated fun: I have not felt like I have had this much control over my character in a competitive game since Titanfall 2.

Exit the Gungeon on Xbox One is a good game; not quite up to par with Enter the Gungeon but still fun. But I also think it can only be truly enjoyed if you’ve played the original. The caveat is that you might not enjoy Exit the Gungeon as much, which can lead to it feeling like a disappointment.

Losing yourself in Haven on the Xbox is a sedate joy. You can wile away hours, clearing Rust from the world and pocketing alien produce. Then it’s back to the Nest for a night’s kip and one of the more endearing romantic relationships in video games. But as you skim across the surface of the Source, you’ll be left wishing that Haven could have trusted you a little more, and let you dive deeper into its shallow systems. It may not quite reach the heights of its inspirations, then, but Haven is an alien holiday that might just blow your troubles away.

I’ve found Adios on Xbox to be moving and profound. If you are a fan of games like Everyone's Gone to Rapture or Firewatch then I think this is probably up there as a must-buy game. But on the other side of the coin, if you are not one who is particularly interested in narrative or storytelling, preferring gameplay to run your games, then you may well have a bit of an issue with what it delivers.

WWE 2K22 hits different. It hits way better than the last outing and only the game modes really hold it back from being considered a main event masterpiece. If you love wrestling, you should contemplate stepping into the squared circle with WWE 2K22.

Souldiers is big, the bosses that you meet need serious planning, and there is a good challenge and learning curve.

There is definitely a more varied overall list of games in the Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium compilation than the first one, but there are also more repeated titles.

Goat Simulator 3 isn’t perfect, feeling rough and ready as you play. But this is what Goat Simulator has always been. With my cynical head on, it does feel a bit artificial this time, like the team of developers have tried to introduce bugs and glitches.

The Legend of Tianding is a very competent entry into the side-scrolling fighting genre. And the tale is a breath of fresh air as well. It may be one of the first Taiwan based games you’ll play, but hopefully it won’t be the last.

The Pathless is a pretty great experience that will have you engrossed across its six hours or so running time. It provides a lovely world to explore, some great fresh mechanics to master and some nice puzzle elements to complement the gameplay. It does feel a bit overwhelming at times and the boss battles can feel a bit of a trudge, but in all this is a lovely little indie game.

Anno 1800 Console Edition is a rousing success that hopefully spells further games in the series being ported over to console. The game itself is excellent, with an engaging campaign and open-ended sandbox mode to keep you plenty busy. But the improvements for console ensure this feels like it was almost built originally with consoles in mind.

Heading Out delivers a unique gaming experience, and a powerful piece of storytelling. It has the strangest mix of gameplay elements and mechanics I’ve ever seen, and whilst it probably shouldn't work, it does so well.

Metal Eden may have clear inspiration, but emerges as an enjoyable adventure in its own right which unfolds at a breakneck pace. The eerily beautiful, mechanical world riddled with danger and intrigue compliments the fluid gameplay, elevating it above a simple shooter.

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

The overwhelming majority of Chorus is hugely enjoyable. It’s a vast game, one that is fast and furious with a story that keeps pulling you along.

PGA TOUR 2K25 is amongst the very best golf games currently on the market. It’s full of charm, plays really well and looks great. Perhaps the microtransactions are a little too in the face, but at no point do you have to succumb to the opening of a wallet.

If you are a point and click fan who loves a good story then Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is a must purchase for you. But be warned, this is all about story and character, without QTE fight scenes and any supernatural powers.

Whilst the audio is sparse, it keeps with what is needed in Q.U.B.E. 2 brilliantly, and when teamed with a cracking graphic design that has clearly had a huge amount of love thrust into it, a story that is told and narrated at a perfect pace, and not so much as a single glitch, hiccup or drop of lag at any time, anyone who is in need of a new thought-provoking puzzler will find that this is a game that delivers in huge quantities.

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.

Despite some hurdles, Moving Out proves to be a more than solid cooperative journey into the lifestyle of a removal service that I quickly found myself recruited for.

The DioField Chronicle is a great looking game, with some good storytelling and some average RPG mechanics. But it all adds up to a fine first entry that leaves us eager for more.

Broken Age is a good game, just one which is let down by a few absurdly tough puzzles and a lack of freshness for the second Act of the story.

If you know nothing but Resident Evil 7, then you may well find this as a step back, but if you’re looking for a solid Resident Evil game or simply a horror title in general, then Resident Evil Revelations isn’t a bad way to go – just maybe ignore things when Jessica starts her Chris Redfield daydreaming.

It may not immediately strike as a must-play title, but Immortal Redneck shouldn’t be overlooked. With tons of replayability, tense fast-paced gameplay, fluid controls and enjoyable combat, this is a game that will offer great gameplay for hours on end.

Putting the minor visual issues and familiar mini-games aside, My Brother Rabbit is a must have for point-and-click aficionados thanks to it being a lovely experience with a heartfelt tale and a ton of clever puzzles to overcome.

In Sound Mind hears what a lot of horror fans have been saying for some time. Horror does not have to be jump scares. It doesn’t have to be Chris Redfield lock-and-loading incendiary rounds. It can be paranoid, drenched with atmosphere rather than blood, and if there’s anything that We Create Stuff should be proud of, it’s that they’ve absolutely hit this bullseye.

If you appreciate mature-themed shooters, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered might be right up your alley, but it's definitely not for younger gamers.

I love the visuals, I adore the soundtrack and I feel the huge open world that is being delivered is ripe for exploration purposes. But the sheer ruthlessness of the bosses that have caged the poor children is just a bit too much to bear, as is the struggle back from the checkpoint after they have wiped you out for what seems like the millionth time.

The story is mysterious, with a great cast of memorable characters and some fairly interesting text dialogue to boot. Throw in the crisp, anime visuals, the well-suited backing track and the decent amount of upgrades on offer, and there’s a lot to love about 13AM Games’ latest title.

If future Judgment games involve Kaito as the primary protagonist, he is off to an excellent start in Lost Judgment: The Kaito Files. His past is explored in customary fashion and he passes with flying colours.

While some momentum-killing levels and technical issues hold Penny's Big Breakaway back from perfection, the killer aesthetics and buttery smooth gameplay loop make the game an undeniable breakout hit.

Tropico 6 on Xbox One is a tasteful satire on the inner workings of politics. But it’s also a satisfying simulator of building and organising your very own nation. It’s a fun and challenging process of gradually erecting a complex infrastructure and then seeing everything function like clockwork. And of course, it’s also all about the contents of that Swiss bank account.

Puzzle games need ‘eureka!’ moments and Bridge Constructor Portal has those in abundance, counteracting the progressively difficult levels. So come and join the testing team at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, where you can destroy stuff, have fun and feel pretty darn smart in the process. Oh, and we have cake!