NHL 26 is one of those games that will easily last you the year, working as a welcome return to the franchise. Whether you are a hockey fan or not, you’ll get thrills from the on-ice action, taking you back to the glory days of decades gone by.

It’s a good challenge, with a great story and lots of variety in its levels. Sometimes the presentation feels a bit flat, but it’s never anything that is able to take away from the enjoyment.

Whilst initial moments are slow to take hold – and your first few runs will end in confusion and disaster – should you be prepared to throw everything you have at it, and are ready to take a good few hits in the process, then you will easily be rewarded by a mammoth game that delivers ship building elements, gunplay options and exploration in spades.

There are slight issues with combat in the early stages, but the exploration and puzzles on offer in The Last Case of Benedict Fox are very good indeed; they will keep you playing as you attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery. A challenging and involving game, the aesthetics of the whole world just add to the charm.

There is a lot of football to be had in Madden NFL 21 on the Xbox One, and when you are on the field, the football is good. EA have created a game that if you have 15 minutes or a couple of hours, they want you tossing their digital pigskin. From modes like The Yard and MUT that offer quicker challenges to a full simulation in either Franchise mode, you will be spoilt for choice. Sadly though, they’re not all good choices. MUT is the big money earner, so receives the most TLC, but this comes at a cost to all other modes.

I felt like I have grown along with the game, however, the constant graphical issues and glitches do pull it down to a point of annoyance that couldn’t be ignored.

Breathedge on Xbox is a hard game; one that requires patience before rewarding with a deep, funny, and intriguing space survival adventure.

Despite legitimate questions around longevity, Arcadegeddon is an absolute blast that takes place across a lush, digital battleground. With the right support, the future should be bright for this one.

MLB The Show is still the undisputed king of baseball games. Super Mega Baseball 4 is there for the casual or younger players, but it’ll be hard to keep eyes on this for very long. It feels quite soulless and devoid of personality.

YesterMorrow on Xbox One is a charming retro-styled platformer, or platform/puzzler if you prefer. There is a real sense of progression as you get stronger and learn to wield the Everlight, the bosses that you encounter are memorable and have patterns to learn should you wish to beat them, and the time travel mechanic works well to deliver the icing on the cake. Minor control quibbles aside, YesterMorrow is a great little playthrough and one you would do well to consider.

I didn't have very high expectations for the experience found in Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. But the game is more than capable of pleasantly surprising, especially with its more linear, tight exploration and improved visuals. There are problems with the dialogue, which feels a bit dated, and the combat system gets a bit bland after the umpteenth fight. But you’ll mostly have a good time with Daymare 1994: Sandcastle

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.

By ditching much of the hardcore sim superstructure, what is left is is a fun, accessible racing game that can easily be mentioned in the same breath as Forza Motorsport. It’s fast, good-looking and, with the exception of some dim-witted AI, super fun to play. If you are in the market for a racing game, you can do a lot worse than Project CARS 3.

All in all though Battle Princess Madelyn has been a wonderful waltz down memory lane. I love the way the game plays, I can clearly see the affection that the inspiration is held in, and it is just the right side of too hard. The visuals are bang on, the music fits perfectly and the gameplay has been polished to within an inch of its life.

Tracks – The Train Set Game on Xbox One is a game for the creators and the builders of worlds. It’s a game where you could happily lose a hundred hours making a multi-piece railway line that twists and turns around a kitchen table like an award-winning piece of architecture.

It’s rough around the edges for sure, and it’s not going to be for everyone, but if you’re willing to suspend yourself into its limitations and challenges then you might discover something rewarding with Bus Simulator 2.

Trepang2 may well surprise. Brilliant gameplay mechanics come to the fore, allowing the overall experience to be a lot of fun. The B-movie storyline is generic but it is still done with plenty of commitment and pace that you can forgive its melodrama. Away from that and the action is relentless, whilst slo-mo has never felt so good.

Shadow’s Awakening is very solid indeed. Fans of the genre will have a lot of fun here and should well enjoy the depth of gameplay that is on offer. The switching between worlds in a great trick and the developers use it superbly well, whilst the fully voiced cast offer an extra dimension.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix on Xbox One is not just an incremental improvement on the original: this is a gold-mushroom boost into the distance. While it doesn’t quite get on the karting podium - the identikit weapons and flat courses scupper that - it’s a solid kart game which rewards you for persisting with it. If the jump in quality is as large with Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3, we’re going to have a hell of a race for the best kart game.

Cloudpunk on Xbox One is something I have loved spending time with, mostly thanks to the beautifully designed future city. It's a big old journey for an indie game, however if you’re not particularly a fan of narrative and story, needing more action in your games, then I don't think this is going to be for you. Even if you are happy to take in a ton of lore, there are still times when it needs some pace injections, and I could have done with more to involve myself after the main focus finishes. But if you want to get lost in a cyber world then you can't go wrong by delivering some packages with Cloudpunk.

All this adds up to an enjoyable sim builder title. But that is all Surviving the Aftermath is, as it doesn’t provide anything new to the genre, nor to the post-apocalyptic setting it chooses to adopt. There is this constant feeling that something new is just around the corner as its progression and upgrade system speed is spot on, but unfortunately nothing new comes and you are left with a sense of familiarity throughout.

Floppy Knights has the same nagging demand to play that Advance Wars has: to satisfy a sub-objective, to progress the campaign, to unlock a particular unit. Even as we write now, we have the urge to get floppy with Floppy Knights. If you’ve got a turn-based bone in your body, we’d encourage you to do the same.

Dust & Neon is a twin-stick shooter that has something about it. Pretty unique with how it goes about things, the tease of a new upgrade, another notch on a skill tree, or a weapon to best all others, will see you tempted back to this one over and over again.

I love this game. I may not have completed it, chances are I’m going to struggle with a few of the stages for days, weeks and months on end, and I’ve more or less given up even trying to pick up half moon, full moon and full sun rewards, but the overall sense of achievement that The Sun and Moon gives in just the bog standard completion of a stage, is enough of a reason for me to keep playing.

Scars Above is a challenging game that has a lot to offer, with a price that fits its ambition. The story is original and there’s some good space drama going on.

The Madden NFL 25 on-field action is solid. But once again, it is let down in a lot of other departments, and that is despite some noticeable improvements.

Disco Dodgeball – REMIX is without a doubt one of 2018’s indie dark horses. With enjoyable gameplay, a ton of game modes, and plenty of fun to be had, there is no doubt that those who decide to jump in will head back time and time again to get in on some dodgeball action

Episode 5 is an experience of two very different halves; a slow, slightly boring part talking about feelings and mending the broken team with ease, followed swiftly by an action-packed, fun-filled final half.