What works in Pixel Heroes is a successful blending of that classic, turn-based RPG gameplay with a modern, rogue-like twist. The shoddy UI, lack of a "stash" feature, and general lack of polish hold it back from being a resounding recommendation, but those who look back fondly on the realms of Alefgard and Corneria should definitely check it out.

It's a fun strategy game with more than meets the eye, and will be a welcome addition to any fan of the genre.

Super Lucky's Tale succeeds in several ways. For anyone looking for a quick and simple platforming break, or introducing their kids to the world of gaming, this charming, beautiful and largely competently designed world will likely keep you entertained throughout. Unlike many child-friendly properties in the media, the characters, music and voice-work will likely keep the young ones entertained without irritating the parent. It's a shame Lucky himself is such a bland character in terms of personality and move set; what little interaction Lucky has with the world is hampered by fairly frequent and irritating design decisions. Little Lucky really could have given us a bit more to keep players of all ages entertained, and he will need to find a few more tricks up his sleeve in any future adventures if he wants to compete with the veteran mascots of the genre. Here's hoping that he gets the chance.

Lost Grimoires 2 is a sequel that carries only minimal ties to the game that preceded it, meaning that it is perfectly playable on its own or as part of the trilogy. The casual adventure title can be enjoyed by all audiences due to the simple nature of its gameplay. Neither the hidden object scenes nor puzzles are too complicated, although the lack of alternative to the hidden object scenes will be jarring for some. The transfusion mechanic makes a welcome return and provides the most challenging puzzles of the title, although there is nothing that will see players rushing for the hint button or a guide. The title is a more worthwhile experience than its predecessor, but there have been better games in the Artifex Mundi portfolio.

If you’re looking for a rally game to play on the Xbox One, or if you follow the sport closely, WRC 5 offers a solid racer that has a nice balance between being accessible for all and offering a challenge to those looking for a more simulated experience.

No Man's Sky is tough to recommend because it doesn't nearly have mass appeal. It's a grueling game for far too long and even after that its loop is still too freeform for most players. For the right kind of player, however, it can be an exciting adventure filled with memorable moments and a real sense of discovery. With multiple intriguing storylines that can be chased or ignored, a ton of equipment and upgrades to unlock, and intuitive, easy to use base-building, there's a universe of possibilities to see, provided you can first get off the ground.

Earth's Dawn is a solid little title with a few minor niggles that hold it back from being a great title.

The Mooseman is a game that feels like it accomplishes what it sets out to do, for the most part. The ancient myths of the Finno-Ugric tribes are complemented well by the uncommon visual style. The story that is told over the course of the adventure is fascinating, and the art can range from striking to subdued depending on what the scene calls for. Where The Mooseman falls short is in the areas that are supposed to keep the audience engaged in between the lore-heavy segments.

At the end of the day, this title is a satisfactory end to the Enigmatis story arc, and it's concluded in a satisfactory manner with no loose ends left behind.

You'll quickly get the gist of the basic gameplay, but as you progress then you will realise that strategic thinking and a few quick reflexes will be required to come out victorious.

Having the right expectations with Skylar & Plux is the key to enjoying it. Although its desire to replicate and resurrect the 3D platformer is handled well with reliable mechanics and familiar design, it seems to have forgotten to age the difficulty level in stride with its nostalgic but now adult demographic. In that fault also lies its greatest attribute, paradoxically. Because the game is well produced but just too easy, it ultimately serves as a great family game to experience with the next generation of 3D platforming fans. The puerile jokes, the hand-holding level design, and the forgiving difficulty won't keep a veteran video game enthusiast busy for long, but it may be the eye-opening, family-friendly experience a child in your life will remember for years to come.

Super Lucky's Tale is perhaps a game best served in small slices, so that the surface cheerfulness isn’t ground down by overexposure to the game’s faults. It certainly seems so based on the short but sweet Gilly Island DLC. The expansion is simply one extra world with a handful of levels plus the inevitable boss, and despite some lovely tropical art design it really does next to nothing to improve or alter the basic gameplay loop.

The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an absolute must for arcade gaming buffs and action game purists alike, and it offers a great opportunity for newcomers to check out some two-player classics. However, it is a bit disappointing that the collection comes with no supplementary materials. Plus, there's no getting around the fact that some of these arcade games just aren't very good!

While there’s certainly a cathartic sense of enjoyment to be found in making light work of tens of thousands of zombies using the large and crazy array of weapons that are available in Dead Rising 4, the removal of campaign co-op, psychopaths being replaced by forgettable maniacs, and the lack of any challenge due to the removal of the in-game timer really highlight that the gameplay that is on offer is shallow. If you liked Dead Rising 3, you’ll no doubt find some sense of enjoyment in Dead Rising 4. For everyone else, it’s not going to convince you otherwise.

The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an absolute must for arcade gaming buffs and action game purists alike, and it offers a great opportunity for newcomers to check out some two-player classics. However, it is a bit disappointing that the collection comes with no supplementary materials. Plus, there's no getting around the fact that some of these arcade games just aren't very good!

Overall, Deadlight: Director's Cut is a good game even for those not into zombie apocalypse titles, but beware of the drawbacks.

MechaNika is a weird and wonderful experience that won't be for everyone. The story is bizarre and worthwhile, touching on some pretty serious points. You meet fascinating characters and will spend an enjoyable hour or so finding everything you need to complete the game. The point and click mechanic definitely feels like it needs some work to make it behave optimally for consoles, and you might be disappointed how soon you get to the end of the story, but it is one well worth experiencing nonetheless.

Viewfinder's puzzles are both impressive and intuitive — a very hard balance to find! That said, I felt like the game failed to explore its many cool ideas to the fullest, and unfortunately its attempt at a story was a buzz-killing distraction. It's a fun puzzle game, but I expect a sequel would really blow people away.

While Neon Chrome is largely fun to play and offers a challenging journey through numerous levels of enemies, after a little time and plenty of deaths its too easy for the game to start to feel tedious.

Amazing things are possible in the ARK — the gun-wielding soldier set high atop the most badass predator of all time comes to mind — but the experience is clouded by the best ones being locked behind excessive grinding, boring farming and the need for a large group. System commands and customizable settings can ease some of the pain, but the base concept remains a chore. A messy UI and the lack of a tutorial leave you alone in the dark, forced to spend hours researching on your own in order to figure out what's what. But there's no denying that if you're willing to put in the time, you will be rewarded with some incredible gameplay moments, especially if your friends join you on the ARK.

Thea does almost everything decently, but its flaws hold each of its parts back from being great. The one undeniable success in the game is the top tier story and worldbuilding that makes the game worth your time if you can get past the flaws.

Ghost Blade HD is exactly what it appears to be: a bullet hell shmup emulating the pinnacle of the genre in the mid-nineties. It's visually chaotic and over before you know it, but this is to be expected from an homage to a much loved niche. Some display customisation options, 2-player local co-op and a slightly easier Easy mode give the more casual gamer a chance to at least see out the game's short campaign, but ultimately Ghost Blade knows and delivers to its core audience: arcade addicts looking for a hit of nostalgia.

One Piece: Burning Blood is enjoyable even for those unfamiliar with the anime, but the game is at its best for those who already have some knowledge of the story's events.

Hard Reset Redux is a fairly competent FPS that channels the pace and tenacity of the old school shooters that inspired it. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough meat on the bone for it to be great.

LEGO Worlds can be a bit hit-or-miss. The game has switched up the series' formula and it is refreshing to be let loose and explore the vast amount of worlds on offer. The freedom that comes with all of the creative tools makes for an enjoyable experience as you explore and the addition of dungeons adds a new layer of challenge that LEGO games have never seen before. With all of this exploration, though, comes regular lag and slow texture pop-in. This causes the long hunt for gold bricks to be an even longer one but it's nothing exceedingly drastic. It's a disappointment that to create your own world you need to first amass a great number of these bricks, meaning that a feeling of repetition will creep in eventually. Despite these issues, hopping into your rocket and soaring through the galaxy for more discoveries can still be a worthwhile adventure.

The story is unique but it can be difficult to follow at first as you will become confused by the unusual cutscenes that play at the end of each level. If you persevere with the game, though, it is a rewarding experience that will offer you plenty of content.

While it lasts, Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a great time killer that is oddly addicting.

Those who have played previous Artifex Mundi titles will know if they want this or not depending on their feelings with previous titles, and for those that haven't we recommend picking this one up, especially if or when it goes on sale.

Despite it all, I'd still say Final Fantasy XII is a good game. Its combat is almost entirely automated, but it's designed by you thanks to the programmable Gambit system, while character progression through the job system is deep and open to creativity. Running up to enemies and having the AI fight your battles for you may not sound great, but it is absolutely is. I'd be happy to play another forty hours, but preferably without any more story.

Crawl is a fun co-op dungeon crawler that sets the hero against his ghostly former friends as they race to make it out of the dungeon alive. Its innovative game mechanic keeps heroes and monsters at much the same level throughout, so the hero has to stay on his toes as he and the ghosts fight it out for control of the one remaining body in the dungeon. With the procedurally-generated nature of the title, players needn't fear getting bored with the same old dungeons and enemies each time, and fighting one's way through epic co-op battles will be a good time with friends. The game suffers in single-player, however, by giving an obvious edge to the AI and being overwhelming for those just starting the game. The achievements will offer a challenge to even hardcore gamers in both the range of different types of achievements as well as the difficulty of several of them. Fans will find plenty to keep them busy.

While the story doesn’t quite hook you as much as that from the main game, and the lack of a new challenge tomb was disappointing, you'll still be glad that you had the chance to return to the Siberian wilderness. Once again you'll find yourself wanting the next piece of Lara's story.

A romp through Owlboy's beautiful zones brings back wonderful memories of platformers of the past; however, make no mistake, the game is modern-day. But without its incredible presentation, stunning visuals and charming music, Owlboy would be devoid of anything special. When it comes down to the gameplay, Owlboy 's companion-heavy experience isn't horrible, but it's not groundbreaking either, and the sections that control badly are more memorable than those that don't

A solid racing game that offers more content than any of the previous releases in the series. The single-player offering is vastly improved thanks to a much deeper, personal and varied career mode, and the introduction of the Valentino Rossi experience which gives players a genuine insight into one of the sport’s most iconic riders. It’s just a shame that the game’s engine can’t quite can’t quite keep up the pace with all of Milestone’s other improvements.

Yonder is the type of game I wish we had a lot more of on Xbox. Its quaint and relaxed nature is a breath of fresh air and an easy recommendation for families playing together. While its more structured story leaves less post-game life to live compared to its genre counterparts, it also manages to find a comfy middle ground between simplicity and depth. It's approachable, adorable, and sows the seeds of happiness in its characters and players alike.

MotoGP 18 is a clear step forward from its predecessor with the previously used proprietary engine already looking dated. However, it still feels like a transitional title as Milestone brings the UE4 engine to the franchise for the first time. The latest installment reinforces the studio's strengths with the physics, handling, and racing remaining top notch but it also highlights Milestones continuing struggles with the visual presentation.

A fun stroll through a computer that can be quite challenging at times. The story is engaging and the different characters that you meet along the way are both interesting and original (even if they were inspired by past games). There's a good mix of platforming and questing aspects here, with collectibles and challenge rooms to keep you playing long after the story has finished.

Armored Warfare is a welcome addition to the tank battle genre. It brings the familiar elements from World of Tanks but adds its own subtle changes to both the gameplay and the freemium model, along with modern tanks and weaponry. As with other similar titles, it may not be for everyone, especially those looking for fast twitch-based games, as the gameplay can be a little ponderous until battles begin. However, once the first shots are exchanged, the battles can be as intense as any other. It is a solid title and will easily let you while away many hours, but therein also lies the biggest drawback, it will cost time to reach those higher level tanks, and for achievement hunters, it will have to be a labour of love to unlock all of the gamer score.

Persian Nights: Sands of Wonders may well tell a storyline independent of the publisher's other titles, but the game mechanics will be more than familiar to those keeping up with them. The mini-games, puzzles, and hidden object scenes all perform as they should, and the rune battle encounters have been switched up a little to try to keep them fresh in one of few changes to the game format. The protagonist's companion can make conversation painful at times, which is a shame as the developer chose to try something new here too. Regardless, the title will still sate fans of the publisher, and those looking for a quick GamerScore fix, as well as providing a great entry point for those new to the genre.

Unit 4 is a fun old-school style platformer that requires various skills accessed by scrolling through four different characters. Its infectious humor and varied platforming challenges makes for a good time, but the fun is tempered by the challenge of making it through areas of increasing difficulty with only one life available; some sections will require numerous repeats from checkpoints. The game's difficulty level also ramps up early on, guaranteeing some trying gameplay for much of the game. The game's achievements are nice mix of easy and difficult, providing a nice selection of challenges, but with the 100% and no-dying-allowed boss fight requirements, it will not be a fast or easy completion except for those with amazing platforming instincts. For those who enjoy a good old-fashioned platformer, Unit 4 is one to keep in mind next time you're looking to buy.

Echo Generation is a gorgeous turn-based adventure game with an awesome retro vibe. It doesn’t always live up to the adventure it promises, with combat sometimes feeling too lengthy or repetitive, and it’s not always clear what you should be doing, but if you’re browsing that Xbox Game Pass library and wondering what to try next, or if you’re looking for something that captures that sense of childhood adventure, you should give Echo Generation a try.

The new setting and cast feel unique and exciting for longtime fans, but those same fans may find the story retreading old plot points too often. More involved gameplay moments and some presentation changes make this Telltale game feel different than the rest as well, like a really cool effect that makes backgrounds seem like they're pulled right out of Kirkman's comics. One particular character arc pushes the limits of believability, which somewhat hurts an otherwise riveting final scene, but overall the premiere is worth jumping into for fans looking to finish what they started over a half-decade ago.

While the game sorely lacks a decent story to match its competitors, METRICO+ is still a decent puzzle platformer at its core. Fans of Braid will feel at home with its complexity and innovation, often requiring a similar level of spatial awareness and movement conservation to get through a stage. It manages to balance on the fine line between being too simple and too difficult, only occasionally driving players to frustration due to a lack of contextual instructions.

Bright Memory: Infinite is a promising new entry from a small studio, with visuals and a gameplay loop that give it the opportunity to sit alongside some of the heavy hitters in the genre. While it's lacking in a few elements that could carry it through to greatness, it's also dripping with potential and could be the start of a successful franchise if FYQD-Studio polishes some of the game's foibles. All-in-all, it's a short romp through action-focused levels that's sure to offer any FPS fan a burst of fun and have them feeling like a killing machine in the process.

As a shooter, it succeeds greatly. As an RPG it suffers several missteps that are salvaged by what can at least be called inconsistency, meaning for all the bad it does, Andromeda does equal parts good. It feels like Andromeda is worth exploring just once. In many important ways it's a small step for BioWare, but with regard to characters especially, it's hard to ignore the giant leap backwards.

Gone are the moral choices, instead replaced with Battle Runes and Portal Travel to mix things up a bit, something this would have achieved had they not been relegated to the final part of the game. Despite this, the game's familiar basic hidden object and puzzle solving gameplay will still appeal to the casual crowd and will provide a pleasant 3-4 hour jaunt through a magical fantasy world in a bid to prevent another catastrophe.

InnerSpace takes place in a strange world, but it is also beautiful. The bright colours make the world seem friendly and welcoming, and the accompanying music provides a relaxing atmosphere. Players are free to explore the world at their own leisure, meaning that the gameplay should be relaxing too, but there are a couple of gameplay problems that sometimes get in the way.

A satisfactory launchpad for the rest of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series. So far the game has a distinct identity chock-full of cheesy dialogue, catchy tunes and badass superheroes, although moments of seriousness and sadness that seem to come out of nowhere don't fit in. There is no prerequisite that you have prior knowledge of the franchise, so feel free to just dive right in regardless of whether you're a newcomer or a die-hard fan. However, it's a Telltale game so be ready for all of the usual culprits of their aging engine, like awkward walking animations and some hiccuping and freezing.

Ninja Theory's first multiplayer outing could be something special, but it's a lack of game modes and a dedicated ranked mode stops Bleeding Edge from taking on the other big team-based multiplayer games. However, the game does feature some superb third-person combat and team play. Working together with a group of friends or dedicated players has never felt so satisfying. The varied cast of characters is exciting and fun to play with, while the Mods system adds a layer of customisation to the game. Bleeding Edge is definitely worthy of your time.

LEGO City Undercover offers an enjoyable experience for both adults and children thanks to its well-balanced script and the goofy cast of characters. There are some bugs along the way and the open-world setting feels shallow and bland when compared to other games, but there’s more than enough fun to be found around the city to keep you playing long after the main story is over. If you’ve enjoyed other LEGO games, LEGO CITY Undercover should definitely be on your radar, but for those who don’t, there is nothing revolutionary from the previous formula that will make you change your mind.

Despite being the third part of a series, Dreamfall Chapters will draw in many new players with its striking environments and fleshed-out characters. The story is intricately woven and it's an intriguing one. Much of the game consists of cut scenes and dialogue, all of which are well-written and impressively delivered. In a rare delight, the player gets to make decisions that actually hold importance, forever changing the outcome of their story. Unfortunately, Chapters suffers during the moments it's required to be a video game as opposed to an interactive movie. Certain features aren't up to snuff, such as environment navigation, and the puzzle solutions are obscure instead of challenging. Fortunately, the story is engaging enough that Chapters is able to weather the storm brought on by the lackluster gameplay elements to become a title that both new and old fans of the series should enjoy.

While it may be a little rough around the edges, Coffin Dodgers is a fun and simple racer. The cartoony feel to the game makes it easy to admire while you race around the annoyingly short tracks, and the soundtrack is a perfect light accompaniment. Unfortunately, the game has a few problems that keep it from being great, rather than just good. The lack of online multiplayer in a racing game of this kind is a disappointment, and the length of the story and tracks themselves mean the game is over too quickly.

With an enjoyable campaign and zombies mode, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is still a worthwhile purchase, although your mileage may vary when it comes to the game's competitive multiplayer. The campaign in particular is well-acted with moments of levity and gravity. However, while these are still good games to play, the now ordinary gameplay may feel a bit stale, particularly for those who have kept up with the series' annual releases for the past decade. After a particularly good year for the first person shooter, Call Of Duty is not a particular stand-out, a far cry from the series must-buy status at its height.

Gotham Knights' situation as a game aptly reflects the struggle of its protagonists — the new team has big boots to fill now Bats is gone, and while they can't quite live up to his legacy, they still manage to make an impression by doing things their own way. Combat is decent once it opens up, and traversal and the overarching gameplay loop are both great, but it's a shame that Gotham Knights' performance leaves a lot to be desired. Much of New Game+ feels like you're building a character for an endgame that doesn't exist at this point, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the four-player Heroic Assaults are like when they arrive in November. I'll be combing Gotham for those last few collectables until then, and despite its technical issues, I must say that I was surprised how much I warmed to Gotham Knights after it failed to grab me initially.

All in all, this title is a satisfactory end to the Nightmares from the Deep story arc. While not the best of the Artifex Mundi titles, especially with its minor gameplay issues, it is far from the worst of the bunch and is still worth a play.

The heart of MX Nitro is fast, fluid, and exciting. Many levels provide a tough but fair challenge with a physics model on which you can rely — crucial to the game's merits. Unfortunately, it's bogged down by some strange design decisions, lackluster customization, and sparse online modes that ultimately add up to something uneven. Getting on the bike and trying again and again can be fun for a while, but eventually you may find it's best to put it back in the garage and find something that doesn't break your spirit as much as your avatar's body.

Those with a penchant for a tightly woven narrative and tactical thinking will enjoy the deep layers that The Banner Saga provides.

Covering horror as often as I do, I know by now the telltale signs of a horror game that is little more than a walking sim with a few scripted door slammings. Conarium thankfully rises above this regularly faulty approach by including just enough actual threats to keep players on their toes. It is still an adventure game in part, but it gets that part mostly right too thanks to a good atmosphere and a story worth following whether or not you've read its original inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft. Puzzles and controls leave a lot to be desired, but Conarium does much else well, making it an easy recommendation for any fans of the author.

Atlas Fallen continues Focus Entertainment's run of publishing enjoyable new IPs and features the type of fast-paced action-RPG experience you'd expect to see from Deck13 Interactive. While it seems to lack much in the way of exciting story-based side content, which ultimately upsets the pacing of the main story, there is no doubt that Atlas Fallen is a feast for the eyes and a sand-surfing ride filled with plenty of high-octane combat encounters.

For some, the gameplay might get a little too repetitive too quickly, and the amount of luck that comes into it means that this game probably will make you angry along the way. If you can get past the need for trial and error, and just take this game as a bit of fun, then no doubt your journey with the King will be an enjoyable one.

If you look past the frustration, though, Feist is a commendable title for someone who is after a simple story and simple gameplay.

Telltale must've known their time was almost up, and even built this season as Clem's abbreviated final fight, but they maybe couldn't have predicted that it would all end even sooner than that. There's still hope for two more episodes, and that fact is really the only reason we're reviewing this anomaly in video game history at all. As it stands, it's worth playing if you can get a hold of it just to see where it might have have been going — and "might have been" appears to be all we have left.

Some levels get frustrating thanks to some poorly placed enemies and obstacles that make clearing them more difficult than they should be, and this issue is only exacerbated by the game's caffeine-infused hyperactive mode, which leaves your character almost entirely out of control. It's meant to be an added challenge, but it goes just a bit too far and becomes quite unwieldy. Other than those moments, however, it's a fun if not exceptional platformer that genre fans should appreciate.

Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered won't be winning any awards for Remaster of the Year, but blowing stuff up is still so much fun that it works. The explosive gameplay brings enjoyment to side, story and DLC missions. Re-Mars-tered is a nice way for new or returning players to experience everything Guerrilla offered a decade ago — well, almost.

Even with a lackluster story and a barebones arcade mode, Star Wars Battlefront II would be one of the year's best games if — and it's a big, almost tragic i" — it didn't involve pay-to-win tactics. These microtransactions are disabled at time of writing, but they are promised to return in some form. Even if they never return, they've already gifted early adopting big spenders with a shortcut to success that other people can't or won't access. In so many ways, Battlefront II is exactly what fans want it to be. It finally feels like the games so many cherished from many years ago. It's hard to ignore the problems caused by purchased Star Cards, but if the creators can find a way to fix the system so that it is fair for everyone, what will remain is one of the year's best video games and a Star Wars experience for the ages... but again, that's a big if.

Unfortunately the episode is let down by the less than subtle way it deals with delicate subjects like racism, as well as gameplay that means this episode feels like quite a slow start to the story. There are several hints throughout the episode to suggest the gameplay may be spiced up in the future, and it may need it if players are going to make it through to the end of the story.

While this tale had promise, the lack of a central villain means that the story also lacks focus and is relegated to the sidelines while the side missions take pride of place.

The beautifully drawn and wonderfully composed Yoku's Island Express is another nice addition to the Xbox One's library of platformers. There is a ton to unlock and collect on the island's large map, which is rewarding and fun to explore, although the size of the world can sometimes lead to problems. But while the mashup of pinball and platforming is enjoyable to play, players aren't going to see anything in Yoku's they haven't already seen from either genre.

The game has a striking look, is generally fun to play and provides a challenge, particular for those going for full completion. Those who enjoy their hardcore platformers should definitely take a look, others may find the game to be more frustrating than fun.

As a horror game, Nevermind is a bit mediocre. While there's a well-built uneasy atmosphere throughout the main levels, the lack of danger does remove a lot of the potential for being scared.

Despite its name, Grim Legends 2 has no story links with Grim Legends, meaning that both Artifex Mundi veterans and newcomers alike can enjoy the game. The Brothers Grimm fairy tale upon which the game is based makes the story feel stronger and the characters more believable, even if there aren't many surprises. The standard point and click gameplay returns along with Artifex Mundi's customary hidden object games and this works relatively well with just a couple of very minor hiccups. There's a lack of alternative to the hidden object gameplay but there's a bonus chapter to make up for it. While it might not be the best title that Artifex Mundi has released, it's a fitting and competent middle installment to the Grim Legends trilogy.

There are still a few minor issues with the hidden object games that need stamping out and stop the episode from being a must-play, but for fans of the publisher or the casual point and click genre, the episode is well worth spending an evening playing through it.

The HITMAN "Intro Pack" tries to squeeze out as much gameplay as it can from a limited amount of content. While it succeeds in doing so, it also has a tendency to become quite repetitive and long loading times have a tendency to hinder the experience. What it does do is create a solid foundation upon which the rest of the content can build.

A lot of love and attention has gone into the game's distinctive hand drawn art style but it comes at the cost of the game's length. Despite a promising start, the game ends at just two hours. Most characters are not developed, important events are glossed over and the story ends abruptly.

SpeedRunners is simple but fun, and is definitely made more fun with the addition of three friends. The chaos of the fast gameplay, the power-ups, and the welcome stress of keeping pace makes a great combination. Whether it's online with friends or offline with the bots, the game mostly works well mechanically, outside of some camera concerns. It does feel a little overwhelming at first and the story mode feels short, but thanks to the multiple modes on offer, SpeedRunners is a race worth chasing.

Telltale's debut with the Dark Knight wraps up with an episode that leaves me with an odd mix of disappointment and hope.

There's a lot going on in Atomic Heart, so it's perhaps unsurprising that consistency and cohesion aren't the game's strong suits. It does, however, excel in spectacle, presenting a fascinating world and packing it with an assortment of incredible mechanical creations.

Demetrios - The BIG Cynical Adventure is a low budget point and click title that relishes in being unconventional. Its characters try their hardest to be cynical and toilet humour is everywhere, even if it pushes the boundaries a bit too far at times. Despite this, the title's storyline and its gameplay are extremely conventional and functional. The puzzles vary in difficulty but there's always the clever cookie hint system to help things along if you get stuck. Even if the mini-games are hit and miss, players of all abilities will be able to make it to the end as long as you can stomach it. If you take offence easily and you're just after another easy completion, avoid this one like the plague. If you appreciate risque jokes and silly humour, this point and click will be the equivalent of a breath of fresh air for you.

Mutant Football League faithfully recreates the arcade football games of decades past in almost every way. The lack of NFL licensing hurts the appeal, as household names and faces are replaced with hideous creatures and terrible puns. Still, the core mechanics of MFL feel so much like the games that inspired it that it's hard not to recommend to fans looking to mess with that nostalgia. Some truly terrible comedy writing gets in the way, but it's in keeping with the game's antiquated idea of what it means to be edgy, like it takes not just its game design but even its writing cues from 1995. Mutant Football League is unabashedly a nineties game resurrected in 2018.

The gameplay inconveniences are easier to overlook than the rush of endgame exposition, but both of these issues are slightly outweighed by the narrative hits, which come along more frequently than the game’s misses.

Black The Fall is an exaggeration of an Orwellian communist lifestyle but it's one that successfully drives a point home. This dystopia is bleak, it's miserable and like the anonymous protagonist, you don't want to spend any longer in it than you need. Bearing this in mind, the game's 2-3 hour length seems perfect. The platforming is responsive and the puzzles just challenging enough to make you think while not outstaying their welcome. There may only be one way of solving each puzzle, but then this fits in well with the restrictive regime that the game is depicting. It's a game that is worth experiencing once, even if it's a world to which you never want to return.

Aaero offers a music game in the same spirit as Rez did over 15 years ago. Featuring a wide array of modern electronica tunes, it's a game that can appeal to all fans of the genre and anyone who simply wants to relax and enjoy a game focused on music. The gameplay is fun, coming in two different forms. While each of these two gameplay types has its issues, they're ultimately both fun and it's easy to look past the issues. The environments you'll play through add to the variety of the experience and keep things fresh. There is a crippling performance issue that can be frustrating, but it's rare enough that it doesn't entirely ruin the game. Aaero is a fun game that will be worth the time of anyone intrigued by the concept or fans of electronica. At US$14.99 at launch, the price is about right for eight solid hours of gameplay if you're going for the completion, and leaderboards should ensure there's more to do even past that.

RAGE 2 is a pure power fantasy and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. It serves up some awesome powers and skills at an irresistible pace and makes the player feel like they're ready to take on the whole wasteland in one go. The problem is the story is over so quickly that you're soon left with nothing to do but exactly that — drive around the world, stop at every icon on your map, blow up everything inside, and move on. The amazing gunplay and combat of RAGE 2 shouldn't easily get so stale, but because of an open world all too familiar and a story that hardly gets going before it ends, players are left to rule over a kingdom of dirt.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One deviates little from the established Frogwares detective game template, but that doesn't stop it from being a compelling adventure and perhaps one of the studio's stronger games overall. It's got a meaty and intriguing core story, loads to see and do off the main path, and some swerving cases that will take some serious sleuthing to come to the right conclusions — I'm not sure what more you could really ask for from a game like this besides that tried-and-tested trifecta, except maybe a little more polish. The lack thereof doesn't hurt the game too much, mind, so if you enjoy solving crimes while being really, really, really ridiculously good-looking, this mid-price mystery should definitely find its way onto your wishlist.

The game is held back by poor balancing that renders the silenced pistol the most effective weapon, the truly awful AI that seems to actively try to not detect you even if you run in front of them, and a lack of worthwhile activities to play outside of the main campaign.

If "Rise of Iron" is Bungie's last injection of content into Destiny, it is underwhelming and will need serious support to sustain the player base for the rest of this year and next. That being said, if you want more Destiny (but not much more), "Rise of Iron" is for you.

Tell Me Why has an engaging narrative that will keep you glued until the end. Although it's not as emotional an experience as the Life is Strange series, there's more than enough there for you to care about the character's outcomes and work towards a good ending. The memory mechanic provides for some tough decision making, and the light puzzles break up the heavy dialogue and exploration, which makes for a satisfying gameplay experience. It's just a shame that Tell Me Why is dragged down somewhat by poor facial animations and some shaky voice acting at times, but if you can get past that, there's an intense and enjoyable story here that's been crafted and handled well on several different fronts.

Batman: The Enemy Within offers a third episode a touch above most Telltale middle sections thanks in large part to just how great Catwoman is portrayed by Laura Bailey. Her work, along with the episode functioning primarily as a romance story, keeps this episode intriguing even as the rehashed environments try to drag it down considerably. It's exciting to see how Telltale will play this love story through to the end of the season. Knowing their proclivity for remixing familiar plots and characters, it feels safe to expect they're building something between the star-crossed lovers. If they can trust themselves to focus on the stronger points like this romance and not sell out to hit some punches thrown quota, this season could feel uniquely different than other Batman stories.

With old-school design comes both nostalgia and frustration. It knows that and it's surprisingly proud of that. It's clearly made with a lot of love for the genre. If you're nostalgic for such games too, there's really not much to dislike, but neither is there anything new to behold.

Whilst it's not quite the next Rocket League it's still a rather good arena-based team game that's easy to drop into and play for short periods.

Outside of the officially licensed WRC franchise, Milestone’s first attempt at the rally sub-genre does little to reinvent the wheel. However, Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo does offer a pleasant alternative to the previously rigid career modes found in similar titles by offering a wide range of different events in which to take part.

Saints Row doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't need to — it's a solid open-world adventure with loads going on, and one that is really only a good helping of polish away from sitting among the genre's better games.

Enter the Gungeon's excellent concept gets bogged down by serious performance issues. There is a lot to like here: the armory of unique and fun weapons and items, a variety of objectives to work toward, and convenient features like teleportation, automatic money collection, and the ability to reload while dive rolling. Every run can be worthwhile, which is a good feeling in a genre that is often so punishing. Unfortunately, the poor performance hinders the core gameplay too much for the Xbox One edition to be anything more than the worst version of an otherwise great game.

Doubt is understandable given the history of the full motion video game genre, but despite some glaring missteps, Late Shift is a step in the right direction for this presentation style. With a story that changes drastically on the way to many different endings, issues like stuttering after decisions and a hint of less than stellar production value can be somewhat forgiven. Before playing, Late Shift's prospects were met with skepticism, but several playthroughs later we need to see more FMV games that continue to build on the progress this one exemplifies.

However, if you get a few friends together, Stikbold! becomes the ideal party game that is just a good bit of fun.

Death Squared is a decent co-op puzzle game that works best when playing with friends in real life. It manages the perfect mix of simple and intuitive controls with complex and challenging level progression, and it really stands out as a game with which non-gaming friends and family could easily get involved. The presentation is competent but ultimately a little uninspired, and tedium may settle in when playing alone as a result. As an excuse to get into more living room arguments it succeeds, and while the puzzling might eventually wear thin, it’s engaging enough while it lasts.

Dead by Daylight has the potential to become a cult classic among asymmetric games. Everything is finely balanced and the way that all of the random elements can alter a match adds an intriguing level of depth to the title. The chase, from the standpoint of both Killer and Survivor, is an intense, adrenaline filled, and nail-biting affair. This could be an ideal title to drop in and out of while grinding through the achievements and leveling up characters, but that concept of drop-in game reveals the achilles heel of the title: the waiting time to play. As a survivor, it seems to take numerous attempts to find a server and you have to be patient. With a few more tweaks, there is a good multiplayer survival horror title here for horror fans.

The potential for too much chaos comes to fruition with this fourth episode as The Enemy Within finally succumbs to the Spider-Man 3 problem after a hard fought bout. That's not to say the season can't end with great spectacle. As always, Telltale has set up players for what should be an action-packed finale. It's also apparent that this won't be the final season of theirs with the hero, so part of the fun comes in watching the teases for next season begin to surface as they do in What Ails You. It's been a middling season thus far, but that's come to be a bit expected of Telltale since their 2012 heyday. They could still turn it around with a memorable finale. Maybe this episode's most vital maneuver is to have cleared some of Batman's — and Telltale's — path to success.

We're off and running with Episode 2 of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series. What we're running toward isn't quite certain yet, but Telltale seems to want to take us on a ride to get to know each of the members of the team better. The dialogue in Under Pressure is much better than Tangled Up In Blue, but other aspects of the game are struggling, such as the unfitting implementation of the Telltale formula. All in all it's a solid episode that feels decidedly rushed in the end — Rocket Raccoon's story is compelling, but it seems like the developer forgot they need to carry the main plot forward too, and left us on a massive cliffhanger to make up for it.