#DRIVE Rally isn’t the best rally game by a long way, but there is something about it that will keep you coming back for some quick blasts.

Kitsune Kaeru can be consigned to a box marked ‘novelty’. It’s not a bad platformer, and its gimmick freshens things up nicely, but too many of its levels feel like a chore.

Bellwright is a game for the long haul, not one you can play for a couple of hours and then have your fill. It's a life investment, and that might determine whether you actually want to get involved.

Tale of Dark Lands didn't give enough to keep my personal interest levels high. But if you’re an action-adventure fan, consider the asking price and you’ll probably realise that this is just about worth a punt.

Rat Protocol isn’t a revolutionary puzzle game. It’s magpie’d most of its ideas from other games, grabbing a portal from here and a pushable crate from there. But it’s not afraid to chuck dozens of them into one level, creating a lattice of different game mechanics.

Map Map is a recommendation that I would be proud to make. It taps into something that I have rarely, if ever, done in a video game: making maps of the locations I visit.

The gameplay is fun and challenging, and the sheer amount of content will take some beating. A die hard shoot ‘em up hater will not be swayed by anything found in Psyvariar 3, but to everyone else, I urge you give this a try.

Whilst far from the definitive liminal-space horror experience, Escape the Backrooms does fulfil many of the sub-genre’s oversaturated expectations. Striking a great blend between eerie aesthetics and clever puzzles sadly can’t save the aimless exploration employed to link these elements together, leaving Escape the Backrooms a divisive entry in an overstuffed genre.

Tears Revolude does enough to stop itself being just another KEMCO game. The story is good, the setting works and the way the game plays, while not revolutionary, does feel at least a tad fresh. It isn’t an all time classic, but it is worth a look if you like an RPG.

Blueberry will only take you a few hours to complete, and it's a great emotional journey. I liked the way it mixes old-school platforming with elements of point-and-click adventure games. It's an affecting story about someone living with mental health problems and the impact those struggles have on both them and the people around.

Necrophosis: Full Consciousness is a very unique and interesting game. It is a bleak experience, and those who like a bit of lightness in their gaming should abandon all hope here. I loved the visuals, the writing, and the overall concept, however, the gameplay, the lack of guidance, and the control system could do with some work.

Forensic - M.E. Protocol is a clever game that clearly comes from a team that has done its research. More importantly, it offers a fascinating glimpse into what life might be like as a forensic officer. If you’re after that kind of thing…

Avenue Escape is the most fun I’ve had in a traffic jam. It’s short of greatness, mostly thanks to a lack of obstacles and challenge, but it’s also a surprisingly calming puzzle game.

Pengilo presents as a platformer, but isn’t. It then makes you think that it’s a golf-like game, but down that path lies frustration. What it REALLY is is a bounce-platformer where you need to be pivoting after every bounce. Only players with persistence are going to find that out. And even then, it still has glaring flaws and weirdo controls.

I can’t make up my mind about To Bee Jazz. The core is solid: it’s a rewarding merge game, mainly because of the gravity-defying arenas. The bees slingshot and pinball each other, creating merges when you don’t even mean it. But that core gets nibbled away by some confused colours on the bees, a same-iness between levels, and a complete and utter lack of any flipping jazz.

I breezed through Deer & Boy, wondering when it was going to grip me, but it never did. As someone who adores the genre, my final feeling was one of confusion. Deer & Boy felt like a game I was going to fall in love with. It was inevitable. But I ended up merely charmed.

I didn’t not have a good time with Dino Hex Trap. As a tower defence game it may be minimalist, but the important things are there: varied towers, simple controls, and lanes that make you stop and think: where am I going to create the most carnage?

The Quiet Things is a difficult game to play. Not because of the gameplay itself, which is very straightforward, but because of Alice's story and the subject matter it tackles.

Milo Paws and Buoys doesn’t do anything wrong, necessarily. It’s a smooth-swimming sokoban, with nothing that will frustrate fans of the genre. But it doesn’t offer a single idea or moment of interest.

When Find the Cats manages to clear this hairball - the lack of challenge, reasons to replay and oddly fast tempo - it could be an attractive alternative to all the other hidden cat games. For now, it’s better as a series of art-prints than a video game.

Although Echo Generation 2 is a thoroughly enjoyable deckbuilding RPG in its own right, it drifts a little too far from what made the first game so special.

Ultimately, how much a player enjoys Mina the Hollower is going to come down to how they feel about top-down 8-bit adventure games that come with an initially steep difficulty curve. If that sounds like something you’d like, then Mina the Hollower is bound to be a hit, affordably priced with around 20 hours of playtime for a single playthrough.

World of Tanks: HEAT isn’t the worst addition to the hero shooter genre. It does fill a niche in the tank battle hero genre; a genre that doesn’t have a ton of competition. But the grind to fully experience things, and the rigid matchmaking systems in place, are major turn-offs.

Golden Traverse didn’t scratch my arcade itch. It never really got close. I wanted that Big Sea Fishing-like experience, and thought it would be a simple enough task to achieve it. But everything, from the level objectives to the collision detection to the variety in the levels was deeply wrong.

Into the Slimy Mines is a game full of strong ideas that, like the player, don’t have enough room to breathe. The card-based systems are fun, the aesthetic is charming, the effects are satisfying, and there is a decent amount of dwarven personality buried away in those slimy tunnels. But the digging system holds it back.

A football quiz game released during the World Cup is an open goal, but Do You Really Know About Soccer? has only gone and missed it.

If you're looking for a haunting journey through a dystopian Britain filled with mystery, horror, and atmosphere, Hollowbody could be the perfect tour guide.

Atomic Owl is full of promise and potential, with the neon-soaked streets players traverse truly immersive, and a synth-based soundtrack that demonstrates the style-over-substance final product players are left with.

Preservation is key, and that’s what impresses most about the Gobliiins Collection. It pulls together every last Gobliiins game in the series (some of which you may not have realised existed), makes only the smallest, necessary improvements to them, and then houses them lovingly in an easy to use, feature-complete museum collection.

Kiko’s Apple Adventure is what happens when you blend a sokoban and sliding puzzle together, and sprinkle on so many additional mechanics that your ears start to bleed.

If it wasn’t for a lengthy middle section of seemingly endless environmental puzzles to solve, this would be another superb entry into the series. The ending and big reveal are worth the entry fee alone, but they are bogged down by the earlier moments. And it’s this middle section that stops Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 from reaching the same heights as previous chapters.

If you’re a deckbuilder fan of any kind, I’d recommend Mori Carta in a heartbeat. Initially, it’s a little hard to love, but persist and embrace the left-right mechanics and you will be rewarded with a majestically clever and rewarding card game. If you’re new to the genre, though, there are much more welcoming (and balanced) places to start.

Solitaire Crime Stories Chapter 1 is absolutely not good, by any metric. It’s a cut-and-shut that is one-half pulpy crime procedural, and one-half generic Solitaire game. BUT put them together and something happens. I was churning out Solitaire levels so I could unlock the next bit of evidence, and I found myself in the video game equivalent of a page-turner. Yep, Solitaire Crime Stories Chapter 1 is not good, but it’s dumb fun nonetheless.

While BrokenLore: FOLLOW is a good horror experience, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW. That game felt like a larger and more complete experience overall. FOLLOW feels more like an interlude between games than a full entry in its own right.

Once the rooms start telling their own stories, Unpacking-style, then I think Secret Paws – Cozy Apartments could be something very good indeed.

Kat-tastic Hidden Object is a grab-bag of good ideas that I can see Ocean Media pilfering from. If I were them, I would be grabbing the detective framing and the hidden object mechanic: picking up and removing items, then exposing new shopping lists. But there’s a lot that deserves to be left behind. The Mahjong, jigsaws, repetition and singular theme can be consigned to the past.

Beetle Shock is a cheap platforming workout that’s unlikely to disappoint. We appreciate its commitment to ground-pounding as a singular game mechanic, even if it doesn’t keep the attention for a full game. You might want an icepack for the buttocks.

If you enjoy taking a quiet walk through beautiful worlds while uncovering thoughtful poetry along the way, then Poetic Trio could be the perfect day out.

Only time will tell if Bubsy manages to capitalize on Bubsy 4D, but it’s a solid entry for a franchise that has struggled to make it in the 3D space.

To stretch a Wizard of Oz analogy, this could have done with a little more heart, brains and bravery.

While the escape rooms are occasionally clunky and messy - did we really need the ability to pick up absolutely everything? - the quality of the puzzles shines through. And when there is a theoretically endless number of rooms to play, Escape Simulator becomes very tempting indeed. It might even replace a trudge into town.

Monster Rush Survivors had to make concessions as a budget Bullet Heaven game. But I can’t help feeling that the wrong concessions were made.

I felt like Sands and Relics was a toe in the water, a test of whether this kind of puzzle would be accepted by the baying puzzle hordes. I think it will, but it will need a Sands and Relics 2 to really push the format to its limits.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight builds on strong LEGO foundations by incorporating the Arkham games and LEGO City Undercover. It’s become more sprawling and more engaging through combat, stealth and driving. But its accessibility has not been lost: anyone can dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, not just adults.

Tiny Lands 2 is a nice, cozy game - there’s really no other way of describing it. It’s inoffensive, polite, and full of wholesome gameplay.

Midnight Swamp isn’t going to blow anybody’s socks off - the art and story are a little too basic for that - but I reckon it will satisfy most point-and-click fans. It gets the job done with fine interactions, tight logic, and an unexpected focus on puzzles.

There are dozens of merge-puzzle games on the Xbox, and Zoo Orbs Safari is comfortably in the bottom three. What makes that damning is that the original Zoo Orbs placed so much higher.

It leaves Friedemann's SUMMERHOUSE in a tricky spot. Yes, there is no doubt that this is a game that allows the imagination to run wild, and the lovely pixel art visuals and delicate backing track will aid with those vibes. But without an end goal? Without something to aim for other than the unlocking of achievements and Gamerscore? It leaves this as a game that will appeal only to the most niche of niche gamers.

Like an old wardrobe, Faircroft Antiques: The Forbidden Crypt is voluminous, deep and with an interesting story behind it. You just have to ignore where it’s falling apart.

Mel the Pyramid Cat is definitely a step up from the series’ debut, yet where Mel the Space Cat’s minor improvements upon its predecessor could justify the swift release, a lack of meaningful stage design stops this third entry from surpassing its previous incarnation.

The best compliment I can pay is that it is easy to imagine Elementallis as one of the Zelda series handheld entries from yesteryear, with Link in the place of our unnamed protagonist. Elementallis is a successful Zelda-clone that manages to craft a unique story whilst clearly displaying deep reverence for the series that served as its inspiration.

PEPPERED: An Existential Platformer is ridiculous, strange, funny and much smarter than it might first appear. It is not the tightest platformer, nor does it have the best written narrative, and some late-game routes might leave players disappointed, but it is one of the most inventive, plot-focused platformers I have ever played. It understands comedy, it understands choice, and most importantly, it understands how to keep you guessing.

If you wish cat sims on the Xbox would stop blocking you from exploring and, you know, acting like a cat, then Pawbay might be your saucer of milk. But it comes with its own problems, not least some control limitations and a tiny game world.

There is a strong argument to be made that the AA game market offers far more unique experiences than its AAA siblings. Luna Abyss falls squarely into that bracket.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is all-consuming, and you have to be prepared for farmyard animals, crops and villagers to be what you think about over the course of your day.

Not everyone will get a kick out of Kabuto Park. You have to be a fan of the cozy genre, and you need to be accepting of how frothy and inconsequential it is. But schedule a couple of hours and you might well enjoy a distilled Pokemon where all the catching and battling happens in a concentrated burst.

Yomi 2 in many ways is an exquisite attempt to bottle the spirit of a fighting game and then pour it onto cards. Calling it glorified rock, paper, scissors is unfair, as there is so much that you can do to turn the randomness to your favour.

Outbound is a cozy game. An adventure game. A crafting game. An exploration game. It's a game of many things, much of which comes together well, albeit slowly. Outbound may take its sweet time getting there, but it does get there. Eventually.

I found myself glued to Wax Heads until the end. It’s beautifully created, lovingly made, and way cooler than I am. But, weirdly enough, I wasn’t so taken with it in the opening few ‘Tracks’.

If you are trapped in a never-ending loop of playing Aery games then this isn’t painful. If you’re a sane individual who has better things to do, well, you can give Aery - Calm Horizon a miss.

Cats and Seek: Tokyo won’t trouble the Hidden Cats in… series, which sits at the top of the tower licking its paws. But there’s enough here to suggest that Cats and Seek isn’t going to just churn out cat game after cat game. This is the best one in the series yet.

007 First Light is a triumph. It has a legitimate claim to the best James Bond game ever, managing to reboot the series whilst cherishing what makes it so special. It’s the start of a new era for Bond, which will leave you shaken, not stirred.

Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen is an absolute treat for Bluey fans, and the toughest decision will be who gets to play: the kids or the adults.

Jewel Match Solitaire L’Amour didn’t surprise us once. It’s the Jewel Match Solitaire template, decorated by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. It’s the same power-ups, the same obstacles, and hundreds of Tri-Peaks puzzles.

inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories is a heartwarming, often mundane, tale of connection and perspective. In many ways it's exactly what an indie game should be.

Rune Dice is a charming roguelike deck-builder that fans of the genre will have a quality time with. The only question is: for how long?

The real beauty of Forza Horizon 6 is in how the Japanese world feels alive, and how rewarding it is to just go bimbling about. FH6 was always going to be an easy sell, and a reskinned FH5 would probably have sufficed, but Playground Games have smashed it out of the park. The world is great, the cars are amazing, and the racing action, whether on the streets, on the track, or in the wilds, is second to none.

There is a lot to love about WILL: Follow The Light; Tomorrowhead’s debut game. The varied gameplay is very interesting, and the visuals and sound are top-notch. I do think pacing is a problem in some places though, and the story is slightly at fault for this, failing to deliver what is promised.

For fans of the series who really do care about its story, True Fear: Forsaken Souls Part 3 will be a fitting end to the franchise.

I appreciated Saccharine Echo for its high concept and its determination to go to serious, morose places. But it doesn’t have the deftness to pull it off, delivering a clumsy will-they, won’t-they romance when its themes demanded something more complex and interrogative.

Pinball FX - Williams Pinball Volume 10 revives three more tables from the archives, with each given the usual treatment. This collection is a little weaker than some of those which have come before, despite the excellent Diner standing out.

Dracamar is a 3D platforming treat. Kids in particular will love how sprawling, vibrant and occasionally bonkers it is, all in the context of a game that doesn’t punish the player.

The upgrades to the movement, the enhanced visuals, and the tweaked puzzles are sublime. If you loved Myst or the original Riven, this is a must-buy; a wonderful experience held back by only a few minor niggles.

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

Survivor Mercs feels like a gift from well-meaning grandparents. It's well wrapped and you can tell there's good intentions, but once you start digging into it you realize it isn't what you asked for. When there are so many Survivor-like games already available, Survivor Mercs' ideas cannot save it from the boring gameplay and convoluted systems which make it just another casualty.

It’s not quite a remake, yet Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition proves to be the definitive port of the original with a few enhancements.

Slots & Daggers is clearly a niche title already: you have to be okay with handing your character over to the gods of RNG, and the A button is mostly there to stop reels from spinning. And while it burns ever-so-brightly for a few hours, it becomes a slog for the remainder.

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.

Golem Lights can’t maintain the momentum of its opening moments, and the puzzles end up becoming rote, but we have to give credit where it’s due. Golem Lights burns bright with potential, but isn’t quite there yet.

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.

Call of the Elder Gods is a special game that serves as the perfect sequel to Call of the Sea. It instils a wonderful sense of adventure that reminds of classic Indiana Jones films, just without the constant action and combat.

Froggy Hates Snow misses the mark on the combat and challenge aspects. But the atmosphere and vibes cultivated are immaculate.

While it may not steal your coins, you will find the hours disappearing as you delve further into Dungeon Clawler. Whether it's your first run with a character, trying new builds, or challenging the higher difficulties, there are plenty of reasons to dive back in for another run. And that's great because you'll be looking for any reason to jump back in and start picking up objects again.

While it won’t be for everyone, for the right player, I can’t recommend Hydroneer enough. It's an addicting game that can provide countless hours of fun.

Constance is certainly a compelling game, through its light vs dark narrative, fantastic implementation of Metroidvania design, and blending of old mechanics and new ideas alike.

Come to Adorable Adventures for the tale of a little boar attempting to reunite his family. There is no doubt you’ll stay for the secrets, the collectibles, the vibes, and the sheer depth of gameplay.

We would go as far as critically (Peter) panning this take on the little green guy, but J.M. Barrie’s creation deserves more care than what’s on offer here. Peter Pan: Hidden Objects comes across as an unfinished hidden object game.

Sudden Strike 5 is about as rough around the edges as you are likely to get. And the controls don’t make things any easier. Yes, the maps are decent, and there is plenty of content to get involved in, but if you want to play a WWII real time strategy game, I’d stick with Sudden Strike 4…

I have been a big fan of The Dark Pictures Anthology from the very beginning, sticking with them through the highs and the slightly rougher lows. Directive 8020 feels like a definitive step up from the rest, introducing new mechanics like the turning point system. There is also room for the pass-the-controller multiplayer mode if you want to share the scares with friends. The story is surprising, interesting enough to keep you hooked to the various endings, but the stealth sections and QTEs do get a bit tiresome. There is no doubt though, Directive 8020 is a great playthrough.

It probably won’t be a game for everyone, but if you grew up playing classic brawler platformers, then there will be an immediate familiarity with Decline’s Drops.

Unfortunately, while there seems to be a good base and some heart at the core of Go! Go! Mister Chickums, the repetitive gameplay which is fueled by tedious level design and movement hampering game mechanics, prevent it from being very fun for any prolonged amount of time.

Whilst its clunky combat and repetitive exploration rewards often betrays the overall excellence, immersion and presentation are maintained throughout its runtime, leaving Dread Delusion not just an RPG, but a vivid fever dream that fans of the genre shouldn’t dare miss.

Will Until Then be for everyone? I don’t think so. Even though it is a brilliant entry in the visual novel department, I suspect the slow pacing might become an issue for some. You spend a lot of time reading and watching, rather than actively playing. However, the way Until Then presents itself is entirely unique in terms of visual design, sound, and editing. It also boasts some fabulous mini-games that offer a nice distraction from the main events.

To call Mixtape a ride is a little one-dimensional, as there are so many feelings to be had on the way. A ‘joyride’ fits Mixtape slightly better. A joyride with a tailor-made Greatest Hits tape playing along.

My advice when you start Motorslice is to be prepared to get annoyed. You will die a lot and repeat sections again and again, but there is a lot of good in this game, even when the mechanics don’t work quite as smoothly as they should.

TerraTech Legion comes with a simple concept, but there is just so much depth lurking under the surface. That gaming X-Factor is present here, pulling you in like there is no tomorrow. For simplicity and hook, TerraTech Legion nails it.

If you’d asked me what the ideal hidden object game would contain, it would sound a lot like Find My Frogs. I want enjoyable art where you can see little stories happening. I want no minigame distractions, plenty of easter eggs, a cracking sense of humour, and a hint system that I can turn to if I want it. Find My Frogs delivers all those things with aplomb.

There are many idle games to click on the Xbox, almost all of them free (with microtransactions). That’s a challenge for DPS IDLE 2 to overcome: how to entice players to play, and do so for a lengthy period of time. DPS IDLE 2 opts for better presentation and usability - turning one of the ugliest idle games into one of the prettiest - but that’s all it really has to offer. It’s ‘number goes up’ but with a surprising lack of player-choice.