Dragon Blaze is not pushing at the boundaries of what shoot ’em-ups can do. Even for Psikyo, who are well known for sticking to a formula, this is one of their most formulaic games. But like ordering the same tikka masala over and over again, simply because you know it’s going to be good, Dragon Blaze delivers a return on the trust you put into it.

It combines showstopping unique gameplay with some of the best cel-shaded visuals, a superb soundtrack, a fun tone and great characters into one of the most memorable games in the past little while. It’s the type of game that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place.

For those who like the franchise, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is an absolute gem, delivering for gamers of any skill even if it does feel a tad easy to play. It’s highly recommended for those looking for an well-worked platforming adventure, or younger gamers. I for one would welcome a sequel with even more of the same, ideally with an absolutely huge Bikini Bottom to explore and even more characters to play as.

Think of Wonderland Nights: White Rabbit’s Diary less as a visual novel, although it is one, and more of a deduction game. Playing this way leads to joy after joy, as you pair up individuals using an astute timetable mechanic with the aim of unlocking one of a multitude of endings. Like an episode of Columbo, you know how things turn out, but it’s how you get there that’s the mystery.

I have loved the idea of Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey; the storytelling and writing are surprising, engaging, and well-executed. However, I think the gameplay mechanics could do with some more work and it never feels as fluid or streamlined as other games in the genre.

Be prepared for Puzzle By Nikoli W Slitherlink: you will need to be firing on all mental cylinders to get the most out of its Boxes-based puzzling.

If you’re a fan of a sim experience then you will get a whole load of enjoyment from Startup Company Console Edition.

It may be an old game, but Kingdom Rush is still hugely enjoyable. It is simple but compelling, and when you are down to your last HP and a horde of enemies are bearing down on you, it gets extremely tense.

That title was always going to be a challenge to shake. With so many good Metroidvanias out there, spilling out of Game Pass on a weekly basis, Clunky Hero can’t help but feel slow and cumbersome in comparison. It’s large, dense, and at its best when you’re exploring but, in every other way, Clunky Hero succumbs to its name.

One Piece Odyssey is a darn good RPG, but it’s hampered by being very slow out of the blocks.

She Wants me Dead is a hard platformer, but it's a very engaging and quite addictive one; something that is always a good hallmark for a side-scroller. The level design is decent, and the challenge builds well, so much so that as you complete a level, you'll feel extremely well rewarded. However, there isn't enough content for the asking price, even when you factor in the replay value; going back to perfect your time and score for achievements.

With totally wacky minigames, a stock photo overdose and a suitably surreal story, Salamander County Public Television may not be for everyone. But if irreverence and things way outside the box are your thing, this is a fantastic indie game you will be playing long after you have solved the mystery of the missing residents.

UnderDungeon is a game that will restore your faith in the retro scene. It is quirky and charming, yet while the action isn’t fast and furious, it is much more considered. There are issues, but the levels are varied enough to keep you coming back.

Breakers Collection is one of the better QUByte Interactive remasters and so if you have a hankering for the past, and games with an almost psychic AI, this is for you.

Fueled Up may not be the most comprehensive experience, but on the whole it’s a great little co-op game that’s accessible to all.

If you have found the Puzzle by Nikoli W series already, then Heyawake is a satisfying more-of-the-same. Its air of familiarity is easy to ignore when you’re pulling the pencil from behind your ear and filling in more brain-teasers. But if you’re new to the series and want to dip a toe in, it’s possibly the least engaging by a degree or two.

If you want to understand the B-movie charms of this strange little subgenre, then Demon Hunter: New Chapter is a surprisingly good place to start.

Mrs.Cat Between Worlds is a case of good cat, bad cat, and for a blizzard of Xbox achievements, that might well be enough to cough up £4.99 like a furball.

Chenso Club is, despite the retro stylings, very enjoyable. The heroines are all very different, the challenge is real, and you can play couch co-op to see just who is the greatest alien squasher in your house. If you are looking for a retro styled platformer, then Chenso Club is the one that you should give a chance to.

It’s easy to dismiss Kamikaze Vegetables, as it isn’t abundantly understandable what it’s trying to do, nor is it the prettiest peach. So lettuce be clear: this is Metal Gear Solid but with the ability to strap yourself to a firework and fire yourself at an enemy, exploding in a fountain of vegetable chunks. Which, we think you’ll agree, puts it in contention for game of the year already.

It is by no means a bad game, but OmegaBot needs a little polish in the platforming sections to make it a great one. As it is, it is firmly middle of the pack.

Wings of Bluestar is pretty much what we expected - a short shooting game with easy achievements thrown in for good measure. For achievement hunters, this is an easy sell, but for anyone looking for a game to invest time in, Wings of Bluestar is going to disappoint.

A superb story that occasionally dips into the sublime, but doesn’t manage to clasp its fingers around your heart like To The Moon, Gone Home and other similar narrative adventures. A Space For the Unbound deeply wants to be in the same category, but its earliest moments are too wayward, too slow to generate momentum. Regardless, this is a rich yarn with a fantastic ending, so find some space for it if you can.

Trenches is a short but good little horror experience. It plays with an interesting premise and setting, mixing horror, fantasy and reality. The jump scares are excellent and the tension is good, but the world is very limited and there’s a chance you may well get tired of the trench maze trek after a while.

What this amounts to is a superb story that occasionally dips into the sublime, but doesn’t manage to clasp its fingers around your heart like To The Moon, Gone Home and other similar narrative adventures. A Space For the Unbound deeply wants to be in the same category, but its earliest moments are too wayward, too slow to generate momentum. Regardless, this is a rich yarn with a fantastic ending, so find some space for it if you can.

Shieldmaiden: Remix Edition isn’t going to set the world on fire, but there are worse ways to spend your gaming time.

Remember Gauntlet? Maze Blaze is a distant cousin, twice-removed. If you’ve been hankering for some cooperative maze-clearing, albeit without any barbarians or accidentally shooting the food, then Maze Blaze is going to deliver.

Neon Souls is a run of the mill platformer that fails to stand out from the crowd. Poor controls and unimpressive visuals make it a less appealing option to those after some old school fun.