Retaliate replaces mindless bullet spraying with a more considered approach of ammo absorption, and it works rather well. There’s certainly no harm in adding it to your list of potential purchases in the shoot ‘em up category.

Should you be one of those who truly loves a survival game, then you are going to get a lot out of ICARUS: Console Edition. It can be extremely challenging early on, offering little context and not much of a tutorial, but battle through and it comes together nicely.

With addictive mechanics, great music and visuals and a compelling story from start to finish, IXION should be celebrated as a resounding success; an exemplary RTS game. Just be prepared for a seriously tricky and often overwhelming experience.

Experiences like The Ascent don’t come along often. Game Pass may well turn out to be The Ascent’s redemption. This is an experience that’s best had in co-op, and a day one launch on Xbox’s service means that almost all obstacles are removed. So, find three friends and take your time with The Ascent, refuse to play in long sessions, and you and your partners will find worlds and gunplay that blow your augments clear off.

As A Walk in the Dark comes with such a low price, it’s definitely worth a punt, especially if you like platformers. The world it creates is evocative and superbly designed with an amazing soundtrack.

Athenian Rhapsody is a twisted game that loves having fun at your expense, but - most of the time - you’re having fun with it.

We rarely see an Artifex Mundi game reach the dizzy heights of a 4 out of 5. They’re too set in their ways, too janky to justify the loftier scores. But by toying with their payment model, Artifex have given us one of their best hidden object games in Queen's Quest 5: Symphony of Death, effectively for free.

It’s a vibrant and exciting open world full of a wealth of missions, side missions, and recruiting to do, complemented by some decent visuals and brilliant audio work. As the hours have progressed I’ve become ever more excited for the opportunities that it throws up, so much so that now I’m already well invested in upcoming DLC and the promise of multiplayer elements.

Undergrave is so elegant and minimalist that jumping into another run felt low effort. So, while we died in its turn-based battles over and over again, we never felt like rage-quitting. We’d have worked out another combo, another abuse of its three, simple attacks, and want to put it into action. Maybe – just maybe – that exploit would be enough to guarantee success.

Cultist Simulator will deliver a rewarding experience that will appeal to those who enjoy depth to their gaming, as well as a bit of storytelling and a touch of the occult.

It is always strange to replay a game, especially one like The Sinking City; a game that is quite hefty in terms of the hours required. But with this next-gen edition, this is never an issue and it’s been a delight to head back in to the world it delivers - mostly thanks to the new tweaks making it feel like you are playing a new game at times. From the fast loading times to the texture of rain on a coat, The Sinking City now feels wonderful.

There’s a clear sense of progression and evolution here with Evoland Legendary Edition, and it’s easy to see how the second game was borne out of the success of the first. It’s this satisfying progression and Shiro Games’ obvious love for their industry that makes Evoland such a wonderful, if at times inconsistent, experience that should be undertaken by Xbox owners.

Overload is an enjoyable game. It won’t be for everyone, with the winding passages feeling too claustrophobic for some, but if you enjoyed the space shooter of the ‘90s and are feeling nostalgic, this is definitely a game that brings a unique experience to Xbox One.

Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening has a lot of things going for it. The setting is rich, the action is fluid, and the controls, by and large, work well. There are certain difficulties that require work arounds, but they shouldn’t put you off too much.

Godstrike is full of proper, hardcore shooting action. You could do a lot worse than to give it a try.

It would be nice to see Circuit Superstars filled out with more circuits and possibly even additional vehicle classes, but if you’re looking for a fun little top-down racer that is able to provide some serious racing both online and off, you’re going to be hard pushed to find anything much better.

It must be said, as a whole, Space Elite Force 2 in 1 certainly has some of that X Factor that will keep you playing. With generous achievements up for grabs as well, it's hard to find too much to grumble about.

DIRT 5 on Xbox One isn’t the best DIRT title there has ever been but it definitely deserves a place in the line-up. Just involve yourself in the racing, forget about the faff, and you’ll be sure to have a jolly good time.

An engaging universe, decent back story, and being able to shoot Nazis in the face makes this a joy to play. With only 11 levels it isn’t the longest experience in the world, but if you are looking for an easy gateway into the strategy game world, this could well be the one you need.

As always with these games, the more players you can round up, the more enjoyment you will have and competing with friends and family brings G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra together.

Temtem is not perfect, but it is as close to Pokemon as you'll get on the Xbox. With 164 creatures to capture and so many more features to uncover, Temtem is a fun time and a good challenge all in.

The Soroboreans is a fine addition to the game and a must-have for any fan. If you just want a bit more Outward, give it a try.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has successfully landed and recovered. While the initial server issues were frustrating, the game now delivers on its promises, offering a vast and immersive aviation experience.

Super Meat Boy Forever lives up to its reputation, providing another hard-as-nails platforming experience. It expands well on the original, despite occasionally feeling overwhelmingly brutal, which may put some off. It’s certainly not for the faint-hearted, but should please fans of the original test.

Train Valley: Console Edition is one that we can see ourselves going back to for weeks – and possibly months – in the future. The highly addictive, simple-yet-complex nature lends itself brilliantly to a game that can be played for a few minutes at a time, or – as we’ve found – as hours pass. There are serious frustrations with the control scheme and UI, but other than that this is a super little game that will keep you on your toes at all times. Just remember, that pause button is your friend.

Whilst there are areas of FIFA 23 that still need improvement and some modes are stagnant, the gameplay is the best it’s been for a few iterations.

Killer Chambers on Xbox is a brutal teacher, killing you over and over again, splattering the walls with your innards as you learn the patterns of its rooms. But when you do learn and succeed, well, it’s a mighty feeling. It can be added to the ranks of rewarding hardcore platformers, then, just a notch below Celeste and Meat Boy - lofty heights that we never expected from this little pixel-art platformer.

EVERSPACE 2 will hold your interest well. It’s likely to be a game that you go back to, time and time again, working with new loot and trying a variety of different approaches.