While it’s a quality step down from Demon Hunter: Revelation, welcoming in some bugs and item-highlighting issues, Demon Hunter: Riddles of Light is slightly more colourful. It’s a half-remembered Ancient Egypt lesson, and - once you add in the hidden objecting - that was more than enough to entertain us on a lazy afternoon.

Echo Generation is a simple but very enjoyable adventure which captures the magic of being young. It skillfully creates a sense of excitement and wonder, yet has enough going on to prevent it from becoming a repetitive slog; a trap similar games often fall into.

Youtubers Life 2 may be tacky and noisy, but sorting through the mess begins to approach fun. Fewer and fewer of the keywords are confusing. The open world starts to make sense. And then the game’s loop emerges: make videos, get cash, buy equipment, make better videos, make more cash. It’s Animal Crossing in designer headphones.

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.

Evertried is a strategic isometric RPG with an addictive roguelite gameplay loop. There isn’t much to it in its opening moments, but this is a deceptively simple game which rewards strategic planning and foresight. Genre fans will certainly enjoy the challenge, while newcomers will get plenty of enjoyment from the turn-based action as they master tile movement and placement.

Throwing you head on into 50v50 warfare, in which teamwork is essential and death comes quickly in huge maps, Hell Let Loose is a stunning game that had me playing round after round. Aesthetically it could use work, the frame-rate drops do start to become a bit tedious and the sheer scale of maps may put off some people. However, it’s a great bit of brutal warfare and one I know I’ll be keeping installed for a long time to come.

Shadows of Kurgansk is a fairly interesting premise for a survival game but won’t take any prizes from what is an already crowded genre. The story will keep you going, all as you attempt to work out what has happened to the world, but it’s the gameplay which will dictate whether this is for you. If you like survival games and resource hunting, then you’re going to be quids in, but personally I’ve found the combat - and the asking price - to let it all down.

I don’t mind a challenge, but the difficulty is mind-blowing, the mechanics are hard to get used to, and BPM: Bullets Per Minute is just so unforgiving, both in terms of rhythm and combat, that it’s hard to find much enjoyment. That said, the concept is great yet whilst the idea seems like a good one, in execution it’s tougher to sell.

It is fast, brutal, punishing and can bring complete strangers together into a zombie mincing machine. Swarm is there if you have the PvP itch, and if you can play with others, this is an easy sell. If you play alone, things are more problematic, as a lot of the game seems to be locked away from you, but co-op up and you’ll be sorted with the zombie killing sprees of Back 4 Blood.

The AI bots are dumb, but it’s really in the local play and online where the game shines. It’s fast, fun and furious, with a pace that makes the older gamer wince, but when it all comes together, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is more than capable of delivering a decent old time.

No Longer Home is a woozy, experimental and magical dream that dredged up our own memories of a similar time. If you’ve ever felt lost and unsure of what the future might hold, then No Longer Home will keep you in good company.

RainCity is a short, delicate adventure, like a point-and-click you picked up at a craft fair. Everything is beautifully authored and painstakingly cared for. It doesn’t have anything to say, nor does it make you feel much, and there’s nothing new within. But it’s charming and worth £4.99. Dedicate two hours, and let RainCity wash over you.

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.

Banana Mania is the ultimate Super Monkey Ball collection: the best levels, the best minigames and the best fun. But don’t let the cute graphics lull you into a false sense of security, even with the questionable quality of life improvements, it remains as tricky and as addictive as ever.

Far Cry 6 is a slow burner, but once it gets going it really sinks those hooks. Fans of the series will have a blast, whether alone or through the cooperative options. Granted, the menus can sometimes over complicate things, and the cutscene stutters are annoying, but the main point to take away is that if you love open world games, especially those which provide fun, excitement and the freedom of choice, then come to Yara. It's not a huge revolution, but it's a fun one.

Lemnis Gate is a very pleasant surprise. A unique, strategic mind-bending FPS, it is mechanically strong and content-rich. There are still some technical issues that need to be resolved and the progression system is very stingy, but what is here is a hidden gem.

Bouncy Bullets 2 lacks variety, multiplayer and longevity, but it’s a glow-up from the original Bouncy Bullets. Spend a couple of hours in this adult playground, and your adrenaline will be firing.

At its best, Obsurity is a hardcore hack-and-slash where you spend more time retreating than progressing, which is better than it sounds. But at its worst, and it is all too often in that area, it’s a buggy, unwieldy and incomprehensible brawler that needs tightening up on pretty much every joint.

When solids, liquids and gases flick Isaac Newton the bird and do whatever they want, it can be too random, too incomprehensible. Underland, unfortunately, is underbaked.

Astria Ascending is a worthy entry into the JRPG genre. It’s beautifully presented, has a cracking story, engaging combat and enough side quests to keep you busy for a good long time.

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases may actually surprise players because the biggest worry in attempting to deliver an original story, is perhaps its strongest draw. But that’s not saying a lot when the gameplay is mediocre on the whole and makes it seem as though you’re just along for the ride for the entire adventure.

Guts ‘N Goals is a comprehensive package, which you might not expect from a game that’s basically Rocket League where everyone’s gotten out of their car, brandishing baseball bats. It’s subtle as a brick; it sells a brand of anarchy that’s too noisy; but most importantly it’s fun, and flourishes when you’ve got friends on the sofa with you.

The Jackbox Party Pack 8 is another splendid serving of mini-game madness. There’s nothing radically new or different here, but the same established formula works as well as ever, especially when your mates are up for a game or two.

Henchman Story is one of the good ones. As visual novels go, it’s substantial, and has twenty or thirty choices before you reach one of its twelve endings. It dares to be different, taking the story of a supervillain’s lackey and stirring in some social commentary. Sure, it could do with a touch less snark and a degree more characterisation, but this henchman’s costume is well worth pulling on for an evening.

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

For picking up and blasting through an hour at a time, Ember: Console Edition works. It’s an RPG lite experience that fails to hit the depth and intricacy of a standard RPG, yet it does a good job of providing entry-level genre ideas.

Dustwind - The Last Resort presents a world which intrigues and offers a gritty RTS experience. However, punishing difficulty, gradual pace and repetitive gameplay make it an acquired taste for sure.

Boulder Dash Deluxe manages to find a place in the heart. It’s a well crafted, delicately delivered modern take on an utter classic. There are enough stages in place to keep you diving into the boulder moving madness for a decent length of time, all while managing to keep the flow and draw that the original provided.