Understand what Death and Taxes is trying to do, and it’s a magnitude more fun. This is a toy where you can save or kill whomever you choose, and the mischievous glee comes from what happens next. Ignore all the chatter about rules: they’re there to be ignored, and abiding by them leads down unsatisfying paths. But once you’ve got all that, fun is as inevitable as, well, Death and Taxes.

Consider the low asking price but high level count and Zumania pretty much sells itself. Anyone who found themselves addicted to the Xbox 360 classic years back will lap this one up. And even if you haven't previously experienced the Zuma magic, Zumania is still well worth lining up for a shot.

The Inquisitor is an entertaining game; you don't get many single-player experiences like this anymore. It's ambitious and unique too, but ultimately it is just too rough around the edges to hit the highest heights.

I wasn’t expecting much with Monster Energy Supercross 3 on the Xbox One but came out the other end pleasantly surprised. Other sports simulations suffer from annual releases, rushed out on smaller budgets and littered with bugs but this is a very competent game.

Twin-stick shooters and roguelike hybrids aren’t new, and they have been done better elsewhere. But that’s not to say you should ignore Doomed to Hell. It may be simple and concise, but it’s a syringe of adrenaline to the heart, and it managed to perk us up for an evening.

SwapQuest is priced low enough to be worthy of a cheerful experience that can be enjoyed by all ages, especially given the option for family members and friends to adventure in two player local co-op. But only purchase it if you’re happy with a simple puzzler that lacks on the RPG front.

Marble Duel on Xbox possesses a clever idea by merging the thrill of matching marbles with the tactical elements brought about by turn-based conflicts. With a huge amount of levels to venture through and a variety of colourful spheres providing different benefits, it should be match-3 heaven. Unfortunately, the nature of proceedings means the further you advance, the more everything seems stacked against you.

For some, Family Man will feel like a delicious challenge. For us, it made for a dark, relentless struggle that impressed with its scale, but was a few postcodes away from fun. Often, that was because bugs and glitches were waiting for us with baseball bats.

If you enjoyed Dadish, go and fill your boots with Dadish 2. It's a worthy way to follow-on, letting you take in another tale of a radish dad and his troublesome kids.

Overall and I enjoyed X-Morph: Defense much more than I thought I would. The gameplay is easy to control and all the mechanics work very well indeed. There’s a lot to do in the campaign and the co-op mode adds extra relish to an already meaty package. I have to admit to feeling a bit of boredom quite quickly though, but as I said Tower Defense fanatics should ignore my ignorance and add another half star to this review. It feels very retro in both its looks and sounds, but that’s not a bad thing.

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition on Xbox Series X is a game that will appease its fanbase massively. With this new updated version everything feels great to play and is extremely good to look at. There is a whole load of content all packaged together, and even though a single adventurer may find repetition coming to the fore, those who can find like-minded fans to join them will discover this to be a blast.

Farming Simulator 19 Platinum Edition on Xbox One suffers from a case of under-delivering on the Platinum offering, which on its own just isn’t worth bothering with. The base game is pretty good though, providing a ton of depth for the experienced farmer to enjoy and just enough for those gamers new to the series to get a handle on.

Fallout Shelter is a game that shows its mobile roots quite strongly. The graphics, although simple, are in the signature Fallout style that oozes charm and get the job done effectively. The sight of two dwellers, both in nightwear to maximise their Charisma, doing the dance of love and then running off to the bedroom is enough to bring a smile to most peoples faces.

This is a brilliantly designed game that delves into the human psyche in an emotional and beautiful manner. I love the way The Inner Friend on Xbox One is presented with huge, strange distorted worlds and mazes of corridors, and when monsters appear it delivers genuinely frightening moments. It is a short playthrough though, but for some that length of time is perfect, however that needs to be taken into account along with the price asked.

I never thought I would be playing a parkour game in 2025, but Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game is worth checking out. It does feel a bit old-school in terms of the open world and the need to create your own entertainment, rather than being constantly guided. It works nicely though, and the mechanics are cleverly crafted.

Astronite is a solid Metroidvania that, whilst having some shortcomings, still manages to play out as a fun game.

Doom II (Classic) on Xbox One is a solid FPS being very much more of the same, which many will argue is a good thing. However, the campaign isn’t quite as well paced as the original and therefore the magic may wear off for some.

Star Wars: Squadrons on Xbox One is probably one of the best of all the Star Wars games. It comes with a decent price that is suited to both its campaign length and the fun that is found in multiplayer. However, something is lacking in the story, the pacing is problematic throughout and I found the lack of modes in the multiplayer to be a tad disappointing.

Anyone who has a hole in their life where a new Spyro, Banjo or Jak should have been will find plenty to love here with Kao the Kangaroo.

Gameplay-wise it needs more, and a bit of innovation wouldn’t go amiss, but you should be able to get completely invested in the story of the Night Book.

If you can bear the insane amount of coffee talk, Caffeine: Victoria's Legacy is probably worth investing in; if only for the romantic potential and the chance to appreciate the excellent audio.

Will you like Through The Woods? Well, I love indie games that have a strong voice and really unusual tales to tell. Through the Woods has all of this and much, much, more with a brilliant, unusual story that is fun to be part of. It doesn’t shy away from the dark and tricky storylines which is brave, and should be admired.

With a ton of quality content now included, if you get your thrills from sheer racing experiences, then Assetto Corsa is one racer that does away with all the messing around and instead just throws you into a world full of incredible visuals and the sheer power of multiple racing vehicles.

There’s no doubt that Spray Paint Simulator is a great little addition to the burgeoning ‘cosy jobs’ genre that PowerWash Simulator kicked off in style. It’s not quite as addictive to paint than clean, but this is an extremely familiar setup that will draw in many.

If you are on the hunt for a nicely designed, well crafted puzzler, and are itching for a little test of the mind, Square Logic is easily capable of providing it. It works exactly as intended, with no fuss and no bother. If you get it, Square Logic will deliver in spades. But if you don’t…

If you can look past the repetitive edge, there is no reason not to pull friends and family together to sit down with this cutesy adventure.

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.

Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator falls a little short of a Michelin-starred fine dining experience, but still cooks up a storm. It’s easy enough to get to grips with, features a decent selection of cooking apparatus, and is chock full of recipes for posh nosh.