If you like a Tactics game, Cross Tails is one of the better ones of recent times. With a little more variation in the mission types this could have been right up there.

TENGAI is the zenith of the Samurai Aces series, and it’s one of Psikyo’s finest. Who knew a game featuring a flying battle-monk could be so entertaining?

Ellphaser is an affordable game that will give you about an hour of entertainment. The gameplay is simple but fun, and you’ll easily get 2000 Gamerscore out of it. It ends just about at the right time too, refusing to ever try to be anything more than what it is.

Main narrative-wise, Button City is first rate. It’s a charming throwback to cartoons of the ‘90s that kids and big kids will enjoy in equal measure. Both Gobabots and rEvolution Racer are also decent minigames in their own right as well, but there is an over-reliance on fetch quests in order to progress the story. It’s after the linear first hour of Button City where the game opens up, with a lot to explore and fully engross yourself in.

If you're after something very different, very in-depth and very unique then We. The Revolution is well worth taking in.

To an outsider, it can be tough to explain why Save Room works so well. It is a fully fledged game of a somewhat throwaway mechanic, but at the same time that mechanic is synonymous with the survival horror genre. So, by that token, Save Room is absolutely a game that should exist.

The price of £34.99 shocked me considering the price of the base game is around a similar price. But this Island Living DLC for The Sims 4 on Xbox One does add a significant chunk of extra stuff.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series on Xbox One is a worthy send-off to one of gaming’s best stories and developers of the 2010s. With over 50 hours of content, improved frame rates and animations, and sentimental developer’s commentary, the collection is must-buy for anyone who hasn’t played these games before.

The Golf Club 2019 is an absolutely stunning golf simulator. It’s realism is second to none and makes you really work for every shot played.

Hero Seekers does just enough to lift itself above the rest of KEMCO’s output. The Hero system is interesting, and the story is compelling. As for the rest of it? Well, it’s very much a retro styled JRPG.

If you are a gamer of a certain age then you’ll discover that Galaxy Champions TV is very much the spiritual successor to the classic Smash TV. It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s damn hard, yet it’s perfect for a quick blast when you have a few minutes to spare. Perhaps it could provide a little more in terms of game length, but then there’s the Nightmare difficulty to complete for those looking for it.

Atomicrops delivers a brutal bullet-hell rogue-like with every design choice intentionally included as part of the overall package. While there are some issues, Atomicrops’ utter uniqueness has won me over.

Super Ninja Miner makes us want to commission a Kickstarter for its benefit. All it needs is an investment in its graphics, an artist to fall in love with it and give it some spit and polish. Because the presentation really is all that holds Super Ninja Miner back.

Blacktail is not an easy game, with some tricky combat situations and big boss battles, but it’s a game that allows Focus Entertainment to end their great year on a high.

If you like games like Myst and the more recent newcomer Obduction you are going to love Quern – Undying Thoughts on Xbox One. With the amount of content included it is great value for money, and whilst the puzzles can seem pretty hard everything you need is around you; trial, error and patience is rewarded.

Despite the slow nature of the first half of House of Ashes, when it gets into its stride it is a homage to classic science-fiction action horror titles that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The scares may not be as obtrusive as the previous titles in the anthology, but this may then appeal to those that aren’t necessarily horror fanatics.

Need for Speed Heat is fast, furious, fun, and the best Need for Speed game of recent years.

With new challenges arriving each in-game day, plenty of characters, tough choices and the perfect dark and grubby environment to match the general moral breaking tone of the game, Beholder: Complete Edition provides a rather unique experience and is certainly one that’s worthy of your time and attention.

Lumines Remastered is a wonderfully addictive puzzle game. It’s perfect for the mobile market, but it’s nice to have a game like this on console, if only for a bit of variety in the digital library. The gameplay, soundtrack, and presentation are all top notch, but it is missing an online mode and I think the price could be a tad cheaper.

If you fancy something a little different, want to grab a shed load of Gamerscore and find yourself constantly harking back to the days of Portal, then this is the one for you.

It’s been a pleasure to play Pumpkin Jack on Xbox Series X|S. It looks and sounds brilliant, comes with decent combat opportunities and will have you dipping in and out for a while, all as the exploration and hunting of skulls becomes all consuming.

The biggest compliment that I can give to Mindscanners is that it is simply mesmerizing; completely engaging from beginning to end. It’s not incredibly long and the minigames can get pretty dry, but the story, atmosphere, and moral systems will keep you glued to the screen, even bringing you back to get some of the other endings.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a brilliantly presented and deeply layered strategy game. Minor issues aside, it’s rarely been so good to be bad.

Cake Invaders is a fun game for a limited period of time. It’s exciting and can be challenging, depending on how the power-ups fall, but equally after about half an hour, you are likely to have seen all it has to offer. For achievement hunters, it’s an easy sell, but for folk looking for a return on their investment, that’s less so.

The Trine: Ultimate Collection is great if you’re after a co-op puzzler – or four – with a ton of challenging, but fun, gameplay to be had. Without a doubt I’d highly recommend Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince because it’s almost faultless and the stunning world it transports you to is one that mustn’t be missed. In fairness, the only drawbacks found in the rest of the series are age-related and an ill-fated switch to 3D for Trine 3.

Before I Forget on Xbox is an important game, mainly because of its subject matter and how it deals with a condition that can affect us all. It's a story told with compassion and beauty and will certainly be something that sticks with you long after it has concluded.

There’s room for improvement in Football Manager 2023 Console, but it’s still a brilliantly addictive experience. Unless you have a gaming PC, this version is a must for any football fan.

War Thunder is without a doubt an addictive game, but it is one that comes with a few caveats. However as a free to play title there really isn’t an excuse to not jump in and give it a go.