Demon Hunter: Ascendance isn’t bad, in hidden object terms. For its first hour, it even threatens to cover new territory, taking you into a knowingly tacky house of horrors. But it soon becomes generic, and the second half of the game is a perfect median of every Artifex Mundi that has come before. For a game named Ascendance, it doesn’t half go downhill.

Nostalgic Train paints a beautiful picture. It would just be nice to see it too.

KEMCO’s Asdivine Cross on Xbox is just some RPG. There’s nothing new or startling, there’s nothing that will amaze you, but equally there is nothing that is overly disappointing, apart from the slightly dodgy controls. If you have previously played, and liked, the rest of the Asdivine games, it’s good to have another bit of story from that universe.

Daggerhood has one terrific thing going for it (two if you count easy Gamerscore): the dagger teleportation mechanic is brilliant and does make for some interesting level designs. It is unfortunately then bogged down by everything else, feeling like every other 2D platformer on the market.

Arenas of Tanks is not a bad game. Arcade mode is slight and will be finished quickly, but Challenge mode comes with much more depth and does provide a modicum of replay value.

Lemon Cake hasn’t really risen in the oven: it’s surprisingly flat. For a £25.99 price tag, that’s a problem. It has undeniable charm and makes for a strong gateway to the cook-and-serve genre, but it will take an Xbox sale for us to truly recommend it for that purpose.

People who want to experience the nostalgia of games and cartoons from the ‘80s will most likely enjoy Clash Force on Xbox One, and for the price point, there isn’t much harm in trying it out yourself. It doesn’t really do anything wrong, it just doesn’t do much right either.

Swim Out on the Xbox One can offer a decent challenge and is fairly priced. Additional challenges can come inadvertently from the frustrating mobile device format and lack of differentiation between swimmers, and these stop it from being a great puzzle game. As it is though, it’s fine, and could be an easy 1000G for those able to think two or three moves ahead.

Murder Diaries 2 takes a tiny step up from the original game, moves the narrative on by splitting it between two protagonists and asks some good questions on morality. The more abstract-level designs are appreciated, but once again it’s frustrating that old assets push things along.

Tour de France 2023 is probably the best Tour de France game so far, but don't expect this one to go ripping up the race. It's still nothing more than a mid-peloton domestique.

Spacewing War is a fun trip down memory lane, especially for those of us old enough to remember these type of games from the first time around.

Bud Spencer & Terence Hill - Slaps and Beans 2 feels like there is an in-joke going on, and I have no idea what it is. The story is absolutely ridiculous, but it feels like this is a deliberate choice. From there, it’s a mixed bag - the action on offer in the main part of the game is dull and repetitive, the mini games are a lot better, and the rest is pretty forgettable, to be honest.

If you’re after a gripping tale then Swordbreaker The Game isn’t going to be for you, so just turn around and walk away. Should you have a penchant for fantasy art and achievement hunting however, then maybe the cheap price could sway you to consider it.

The gameplay is quite addictive and you’ll really want to check out the recipes on offer, cooking things up. The controls aren't the best though and you will find yourself lost with what to do multiple times, but if you fancy yourself as a feline chef then Chef’s Tail could be for you.

Moo Lander has a unique theme and a certain charm about it, but the thinly stretched ideas mean it doesn’t take too long for this one to turn a little sour.

The Raven is back, but their legacy neither enhances or tarnishes this return. Maybe check it out in the sale if you enjoy a good Poirot-esque story.

If you’ve exhausted all the other POWGI offerings - and we would still recommend the others over Alphaset - there are plenty of reasons to tuck a biro behind the ear and get puzzling.

Zombie Cure Lab is a refreshing antidote to the usual headshots-and-shotguns zombie formula, blending upbeat strategy and base building with a surprising dose of humour. Sadly, on Xbox Series X, it is also riddled with technical woes, awkward menus, and control hiccups that make curing the undead more frustrating than fun.

There are elements that are great, but there are also moments that massively overstay their welcome. However, if you want to take a chance and don those priestly robes, then you too can become The Padre.

If you enjoy a sudoku, here is another way to take on a puzzle or two. If you aren’t a fan though, there is nothing extra here to tempt you. There is a nice twist on it being based on the letter format rather than that of the number, but ultimately this is sudoku with an Xbox controller. Nothing more and nothing less.

For the hour it runs, Drizzlepath: Deja Vu is enjoyable. It does nothing to test you gameplay-wise, and fails to provoke any deep meaning in what is trying to be said. But I do believe these games are important to have - narrative adventures that blend exploration and artistic vision.

Castle of Heart: Retold rounds off a few rough edges from the original. However, it remains a run of the mill platformer which, despite the intriguing affliction Svaran carries, does little else to innovate or differentiate.

I love a lot of what it has to offer, and it certainly comes with a plentiful supply of achievements, but I feel totally let down with the problems found in the mechanics and framerates.

If you enjoy school management simulations, meticulously organising timetables, optimising teacher performance, and taking on the challenge of rescuing a failing institution, Let's School might be for you. But it’s hard to enjoy after the initial building phase, as Let’s School starts to feel more like work, than it does play.

Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China may have proven to be a bit of a let down with its campaign, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that the combat is rather enjoyable.

There’s a shelf-life on your enjoyment with Retro Highway. Your time with it will be measured in minutes rather than hours, as its lack of variety between tracks means that motivation isn’t going to stick around for the long haul. But while you’re in the driving seat, it’s a short, bite-sized version of the classics it emulates, and that might be enough for a test drive.

No matter whether you have played an Aery game before or not, you’ll find some enjoyment in Aery - Ancient Empires. Extremely similar to everything previous, you’ll still discover a very calming experience, and the chance to bag an easy 1000 Gamerscore.

Vasilis on Xbox One is a very interesting take on an intriguing and social-political premise that is steeped in recent Ukrainian history. The visuals are really exciting and as a game it manages to tell so many stories with its abstract hand-drawn style mixed with the terrifying reality of the situation. The gameplay itself is less satisfying though and you may well find yourself lost far too many times.