ASTRO AQUA KITTY is a delight. It's a well-thought out space-themed Metroidvania that will appeal to a range of players; especially those who revel in the micro-management of weapons, items and the percentage points they bring. If you liked what the kitties brought with AQUA KITTY UDX, this is going to please you on an altogether grander scale.

Boxville may be a world of soggy cardboard boxes and rusty cans, but we found ourselves climbing right in. It’s an absorbing place to be, and point-and-clicking our way through its many situations was a joy.

Sheepo is undoubtedly a metroidvania. But a pacifist metroidvania platformer that feels brilliant to control. Sheepo moves around brilliantly, and chaining moves together feels brilliant. The world and story are cleverly brought together and at no point has it felt like the game needed any form of combat. At just three hours long it may sound short, but it is perfectly timed.

CLeM is an adventure that you should love, pretty much from beginning to end. However, you should be warned that some of the puzzles can be quite hard to fathom out.

Cuisine Royale is a solid, enjoyable game with a wacky persona. It doesn’t do anything new or particularly different to stand out above its rivals on Xbox, but it’s still worth checking out nonetheless.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is wildly ambitious for Zen Studios and for their first RPG it is incredibly impressive. It’s filled with passion and the team clearly love the genre. It does not get everything right, but if this is evidence of more to come, I can’t wait to see what the studio can do next.

Dread Nautical on Xbox One, with its oddly dark tone, tactical gameplay, and polygonal art style tries to make waves, yet manages to makes an ocean. Whilst it is let down by a lack of variation and complexity later on, Dread Nautical is a whale of a time that I would comfortably recommend to fans of RPGs or the likes of XCOM.

My Big Sister is about telling a profoundly memorable story, and doing so via a puzzle-adventure vehicle which is just as enjoyable. There is a nice meld of story development and puzzle solving which helps My Big Sister feel like more of a video game than most narrative-focused adventure games.

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 on Xbox One is a solid entry in the long-running series. Two games need an in-person or private chat to be enjoyed to their fullest abilities, but the other three titles not only fit well into streaming, but they are also delightfully fun to play.

Darwin Project on Xbox One is a delightfully charming Battle Royale genre mashup with a distinct Canadian flavor (or should I say flavour). The director adds a level of engagement not found in any other game in the genre, and the tone is whimsically sadistic.

If you are looking for a challenging strategy type game and are prepared to put up with an annoying camera system, you’ve found it in Commandos 3 - HD Remaster. It provides a decent challenge, but if you like that and have the patience of a saint, this could be right up your strasse.

I Am Dead may falter and become tiresome in places, but it has a huge heart. It’s impossible not to be affected by its stories. It’s the people of Shelmerston who stick with you, far longer than the dissecting and zooming, and there’s a heartening message at its core: when you pass, the world will be immeasurably changed.

McPixel 3 is a pleasant surprise; one that ends up being far better than anticipated. Expect to find a few hours worth of over-the-top, fast-paced action and so much silly humour that you’ll be laughing to yourself, without shame.

If you are in the market for a very hard but rewarding shooter, GROOD on Xbox One could well scratch that itch. The action is non-stop, the sectors that you fight through are all very different, and with both the time of day and weather dynamically changing, it’s unusual to play the same looking stage twice.

Fallen Legion Revenants makes a pretty decent fist of following up to Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory. The new additions to the battle system work well, as does the way the story is split between the two main characters. It isn’t hard to care about the narrative in place here, and this will keep you playing through to the climax just to find out what happens.

It is hard to argue against the fighting action being and looking superb in Tekken 8. A decent amount of new features will try and get newcomers interested, but they don’t feel too intrusive that veterans will feel like they need to re-learn new characters either. Both the Story and Arcade Quest mode could have been handled better, which for two of the headline features is disappointing. But the actual fighting is the best it’s been in Tekken; the cinematic moments are a real plus point as you get a brief second to appreciate how good this game looks.

If you can’t get enough of retro throwback platformers, love violent dark fantasy, or think that Holy Diver had the coolest album cover ever (you’re right) you owe it to yourself to buy a copy of Infernax.

If you like bikes, enjoy racing and have a passion for speed, thrills and all things beautiful then RIDE 3 is definitely a game you need to be getting involved in. It may not have much originality in its game modes, but it does provide a quality racing experience throughout and with hundreds of stunningly recreated bikes, some wonderful tracks and hours of fun to be had messing around with customisations, there is certainly plenty to shout about with the latest entry to the best bike racing series around.

Entropy Survivors offers up a lot of fun, and the power ups, while being random in the levels, add to that. Having a build that deals a lot of damage, or one that concentrates on healing is enjoyable to experiment with, whilst various mech classes help even more.

I love a good puzzler and Hourglass is very good for the five or six hours that it will last. The price is a bit heavy, but on the whole this is a quality thinking person's game and one that you won’t want to miss.

With a deep career that will enable you the chance to plough in many an hour, a fun little open-world challenge arena and plenty of chances to indulge yourself in quick races, the solo bike fan looking for replication of the real-world event will be utterly enthralled. It’s a shame that the multiplayer side of things doesn’t complement that, but if you can look past this and are ready for a hardcore biking experience then Ride on the Edge 2 will be for you.

Episode 2 hits you with a frenetic finish and you’re left to wonder how the rest of the season will play out, if it gets the chance. Here’s hoping that Skybound swooping in to try and save the day means it’s plain sailing for the narrative from here on out because the hard-hitting storytelling is strong in this second episode, adding extra dimensions to a few characters and leaving you wanting more.

Slight graphical issues aside, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is a great offering, and a brilliant glimpse into the past.

Mondealy comes in at a perfect price point, especially when you consider the six hour or so adventure you’ll have. And it tells a wonderful story; one that is full of life and great characters.

Not original, but a deep, challenging romp through loot filled dungeons awaits. What more could you ask for?

Mecha BREAK does enough to keep you playing, attempting to get better in the process; a clear sign of a good game. It isn’t perfect, as the controls for the weapons are a bit tricky, but the actual combat, whether across the multiplayer or single player modes is enjoyable.

We can look past the issues because C.A.R.L. is so charming, and it knows our buttons: fiendish but imaginative platforming mixed with collectibles and RPG-style unlocks. Honestly, it’s our catnip, and if you share similar feelings then C.A.R.L. is a must-buy. It really is F.A.B (Fun And Brilliant).

If you’re into mountain biking, enjoy games that are a bit different, or simply want a bit of a challenge then Descenders is a game you need to be paying attention to.