There’s a charming, tactile little tower-defence game here somewhere. But you have to play pass-the-parcel to get there, tearing off layer after layer of poor controls, shoddy UI and innumerable game modes to get there. On PC and mobile, we suspect that Broken Universe - Tower Defense is bordering on a must-buy. On Xbox, we’d suggest it’s one to bypass.

Soccer Story is one of those rare soccer games where almost everything apart from the action on the pitch is pretty good. It manages to conjure up a lovely world filled with a host of creative tasks and activities to keep you busy, whilst telling a fun little story along the way. That’s why it’s a shame to see a myriad of technical problems chipping away at the overall enjoyment.

You may struggle to get into As Far As The Eye as much as you want. The controls do not mesh well with playing on a controller and that’s a shame because the gameplay cycle is capable of creating a unique approach to the roguelike genre. It’s helped that the aesthetic of the game is phenomenal.

High on Life is crass, vulgar, excessive, padded and features a comedy style that is incredibly subjective. However, it also has a ton of heart, strong gunplay, surprisingly good level design, a unique tone and, above all else, it's just plain fun.

While Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily gets points for its absence of sticking points, and its determination to improve the deduction sequences, it keeps missing out thanks to its creaky storytelling and pervasive blandness that felt like we were being force-fed dry toast.

reky (no capital R) isn’t the relaxing puzzler that it threatens to be; there’s just a bit too much frustration which comes to the fore for that to be the case. But it is a beautifully created, super minimalist test of the mind, one that, when at its best, will have you feeling the vibe.

Flying high up into the air and surveying Aery - Path of Corruption, particularly against the other EpiXR Games, we can say with confidence that it’s one of their best; the most lavish and graphically detailed of all the Aerys, and it even takes a couple of risks that work.

Afterglitch is an experimental piece of gaming with strange mechanics, an obscure narrative, and trippy visual design.

HEROish delivers a MOBA castle-defense type adventure that’s a lot of fun to play on your own. The deck-building and gameplay is super easy to understand, with a great range of cool cards on hand to choose from. It’s just a shame HEROish suffers a tad technically and the multiplayer can’t recreate the enjoyment of the campaigns.

Hidden object games can be so sensible. And with a shopping list of items to find, they can be on the boring side, too. Thank the heavens for It’s Kooky, which doesn’t tell you what to look for, and instead insists that you rid scenes of the weird and wacky.

Don’t be put off by the gimmicky and quirky naming: Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance is a heartfelt visual novel, beautifully executed and with a soundtrack that could have tumbled out of Chloe Price’s record collection.

Fans of the original Dead Space may find The Callisto Protocol lacking in comparison. The story is inferior, combat isn’t quite on the money and the enemy variation is lacking. That said, there is still a good sci-fi survival horror game hiding within.

Signalis punches above its weight in almost every aspect. Don’t miss out on this riveting, polished journey into a brutalist, nightmarish world.

If you want an old skool experience that will take you to the edge, then may I suggest you take Bot Gaiden for a spin. You’ll gather up some seriously easy Xbox achievements as you do so.

Despite being a slight improvement on its rather average predecessor, How to Fool a Liar King Remastered shouldn’t be seen as an instant recommendation for visual novel enthusiasts. It’s alright, but there are better options out there.

The Rumble Fish 2 is a competent fighting game that is enjoyable in the single player or local Vs modes, yet crippled by a very poor netcode that makes online matches a bit of a lucky dip.

Whilst the story does go a little dark at times, there is a warmth oozing through Eastward that will wrap you up tightly. A culmination of well-written characters, a father/daughter relationship and the incredible visuals mean Eastward will leave you thinking about it long after you complete it.

Feeling like a bit of a grind and hugely frustrating, we’ll instead applaud the sheer number and variety of races included in Super Woden GP. Occasionally a tense race can be had too, but for the most part this is a little indie racer you’ll be best off leaving on the starting grid.

PAW Patrol: Grand Prix - Race in Barkingburg is the most threadbare of DLC, yet it's supplementing one of Outright Games’ best titles. The mismatch hurts, and we can’t help but feel that Mayor Humdinger and the Catastrophe Crew have run away with the rest of the package.

Need For Speed Unbound is an attempt to recapture the glory days of the Need for Speed franchise, and to a large degree, it succeeds. There are annoyances, such as the cheap AI, ridiculous driving effects and music, and the ability to steer your car in the middle of a jump, but against that is set a strong upgrade mechanic, fun races and great set pieces, not to mention some intense police chases.

The shooting mechanic, general combat and the look of Heidelberg 1693 are all pretty good, ensuring that it is all somewhat enjoyable. However, the lack of a dodge move and the weird jumping makes things a lot harder than they should be.

Petite Adventure is like a driving instructor, tutting and stamping on the brakes whenever you want to get going. It’s impossible to find the fun with all that going on.

If you complain that the puzzles in the back of the Sunday Times are too easy, and sado-masochistically lust for something that will beat you into submission with its demand for logic, then Puzzle by Nikoli W Nurikabe is timeless.

Wavetale won't be everyone's cup of tea and some might find the tone too whimsical or childlike, but for others it’ll feel original, entertaining, and absorbing. That's what every game should aim for.

Ship of Fools is plucky, punchy and downright addictive. It’s one of the best roguelites available; once it has its hooks in you, it’s hard to let go.

Escape String is missing some quality-of-life features that would make it a more satisfying coding game. What remains behind is too thorny, too drab and too short to really justify purchasing.

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).

Although it’s a bit of an ugly potato, CounterAttack is also an essential shmup that lovers of the genre will fall madly, deeply in love with. If you’ve ever wondered what a shoot ’em up might look like with RPG trimmings and reasons to replay, then look no further than CounterAttack.