Overall and the combat and sailing mechanics of King of Seas are what work, and whilst things feel a little slow at times, that’s never too much bother. But the story and missions are sorely lacking and there never feels like there is much point in your actions; beyond the grinding.

The real horror here is the fact that as the sixth instalment of a so called “series”, Outbreak: Endless Nightmares has absolutely no semblance of a functioning video game. This feels like an incomplete gamma build of a hobby project, and I shudder to think what the five prequels would be like.

Rust Console Edition is shonky, feels unfinished and looks like an Xbox 360 title. It is stuffed with the most hostile player base ever, and even surviving for five minutes feels like a win. However, there is fun to be had, particularly if you enjoy grinding for materials and living on your wits.

Bunny Factory is a pleasant surprise as it is a real step up in quality compared to the developer’s previous offerings. The puzzles are logical and fun to solve, there are a ton of them to get stuck into, and the variations on the core mechanic bring enough freshness to keep proceedings moving along smoothly.

I'm a massive fan of Assassin’s Creed and have found myself loving the latest games more than any which went before them. That is equally true of Valhalla yet, whilst the Wrath of the Druids is a strong addition to the library, it does at times feel more like a side quest rather than something capable of pushing forward the overall Valhalla narrative.

If you haven’t played Mass Effect before, the Legendary Edition provides the perfect opportunity. If you are a veteran, you owe it to yourself to play through them at least one more time in this collection.

Whether or not we actually needed Super Arcade Soccer 2021 on the Xbox Store is another matter. It commits the cardinal sin of a B-list football game: it’s just not fun. There’s nothing that would warrant the ‘Arcade’ moniker, and certainly nothing approaching ‘Super’. Alongside the host of glitches, it barely holds together as a game, and you’re left wondering more about Xbox’s quality standards than where the next goal is coming from.

All in all, Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Dry Twice is a decent second (or is that 9th?) round with ole Larry Laffer. The game is not going to be for everyone, but what is here is ultimately enough for a more polished, if less inspired, experience.

There may be someone, somewhere, who can master the counter-intuitive controls of Rift Racoon and have a good time. But we are not that person. It’s a puzzle-platformer that demands precision with its taut levels, but then hands you teleporting abilities that are chaotic at best, cruel at worst.

If you want a game that focuses fully on exploring, chatting to animals and becoming absorbed in another reality then come on in, drink the Kool-Aid and wander around An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs.

Arrest of a Stone Buddha is a superficial and empty video game. Despite having some novelty in its setting and ideas, there is simply no semblance of coherent game structure or practical gameplay mechanics. It almost feels like a concept to what could have potentially been a very cool 2D action game, but as it stands Arrest of a Stone Buddha is a pretty meaningless one; one that has been poorly ported and presented on Xbox.

Once Biomutant gets going, you really get to feel it. The combat is the outstanding element, the chance to dictate your own route through the world is another, and even though visually things occasionally come across as hit or miss, on the whole the Biomutant adventure is one that is utterly engrossing. Give it time and this is one post-apocalyptic kung-fu RPG you won’t be able to tear yourself away from.

If you’re a fan of the series and want a new challenge or have a real interest in Japan, then you’ll find the natural challenges of the new map a fun brain-teaser along with four different campaigns. If you’re new to the series, then you may wish to start with the vanilla Railway Empire, unless your Japanese geography is pretty good.

At the moment, it seems like the roguelikes just keep coming. The best part, however, is that we continue to see roguelikes throw in new ideas to mix everything up. Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition is no different. Even if some of its experimentation does not land quite right, it does enough to not only justify its existence but to provide an entertaining time as well.

Rabisco+ feels like a tracing of other games, but without any of their colour. By trying to keep the controls to the absolute basics, it never feels challenging, varied or interesting enough. It’s neither enjoyable or unenjoyable - but we would have happily taken either, just so it could have stuck in the memory for more than five minutes.

0 Degrees’s two big guns, the creation and freezing of ice blocks, are loaded with blanks. By applying physics to its ice blocks, and not tightening up the ways in which you create them, it feels like you’re climbing a mountain with all the wrong tools. Somewhere in all that snow and ice, there’s a fun puzzler with precision controls. We chipped away as much as we could, but couldn’t find it. Then we went back to playing Celeste.

As turn-based battlers go, Guards is minimalist to a fault. You will wonder how it can possibly hold your attention for more than a few minutes. But let its few strong ideas sing, and persist past the stingy first few runs, and you’ll start to feel rewarded. Enjoyment might even creep in. Just pull the eject cord before the grind hits.

Infestor is a puzzle-platform snack that won’t leave a bad taste, but won’t fill you up either. Sure, popping humans never gets old, but it’s the bits between the popping that feel familiar and not particularly challenging. On balance, you might be better infesting your money elsewhere.

As a retro-throwback, Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl does its job extremely well. Heck, in some ways it does it too well. If you were the type who grew up on these games, I can say with all due respect that you will probably have a good time with this if you want to connect with your inner child.

The combat system and its associated mechanics are woefully under-developed, and the game’s tendency to use those very same mechanics in the platforming sections only emphasise the problems. Look for your high fantasy elsewhere. Mystic Fate is far too frustrating to be truly enjoyable.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is a good game; one that is enjoyable almost despite itself. The visuals are very old-skool - and that’s being kind - the animation is ropey and fights don’t ever feel balanced, but it still provides a decent amount of fun; all helped along by the story that unfolds.

If you’re a deckbuilder convert who is looking for a fun distraction, a throwaway riff on your favourites, then you could do much worse. Rise of the Slime has some quirks in the side-scrolling and character movement, and just enough newness in the pet system. Just don’t be fooled by the presentation: it may look like this slime has its own personality, but most of it has been absorbed from other games.

There’s no getting away from the fact that Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield is a very short game. Thankfully, it’s a truly enjoyable experience that will likely tempt you back to play more than once. It offers something different from the vast amount of games that are released in today’s market, and deserves full credit for it.

The Wardrobe: Even Better Edition is only really worth your consideration if you’re happy to seek help to progress because the solutions are utterly ridiculous. As long as that’s the case, then there are great locations full of nostalgia just begging to be seen. The characters within are undoubtedly intriguing and, in a silly way, it’s funny on occasion too. Granted, the main story needs work, but the sub-plots are pretty good and keep things ticking over.

Death Crown has style and originality pumping through its disgusting veins, and it’s not often that you get to say that about a real-time strategy game. Often the most clinical and militaristic of genres, Death Crown is ghoulish and characterful. Hell, the world-building is probably worth a recommendation on its own.

Subnautica: Below Zero is an excellently designed survival experience. It’s a place where the most creative can utilise the tools that they find, going out, exploring and creating a whole world under the sea. It’s helped by a cracking story that sits perfectly alongside this adventure of a lifetime. Admittedly, initial moments are confusing, but once you get into the rhythm of things and understand the resource hunting, it all becomes second nature.

Flowing Lights is a game that demands planning in advance; these aren’t simply run and gun levels, they are puzzles that need to be solved. And it is having to adapt this mentality that makes Flowing Lights such a unique and fun experience.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is going to be the perfect game for some people and the most tedious of ones for others. Presenting a more directed take on the classic Minecraft structure, this succeeds at retaining that creativity while actively giving players something to work for and something tangible to do. But, more impressively, Builders 2 never feels like a pale imitation.