Planet Alpha's gameplay is terrible, the whole thing goes on far too long, and it's a hodgepodge of haphazard mechanics and encounters to the point where it's impossible to tell what the game was supposed to be.

Battletoads was a pleasant surprise for me, and it’s great to see it really lean into the variety angle with so many different kinds of gameplay crammed into such a relatively small package. Presentation is fantastically stylish, with chunky characters and lavish animations, especially for some of the toads’ signature attacks. Combat is fast-paced and responsive, bombastic enough to make the simple act of mashing buttons entertaining yet still just deep enough to keep it interesting in the longer term. Sadly, though, some cool co-op features will be lost on anyone unable to get a same-room gaming session on the go, and it’s that lack of online functionality that ends up hurting the game the most. If, as Battletoads loves to tease, we do indeed see a sequel, a simple improvement there could be all it takes to bump it up to being a truly outstanding game rather than a really good one with several glaring and frustrating issues.

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.

Minecraft Legends is a fun and compelling action-strategy game that is well worth checking out. While it does have issues with finicky building controls, wonky mob AI, and a lack of depth for the big strategy heads out there, more casual players will enjoy this one. The campaign doesn’t overstay its welcome, and PvP is a riot with other players, provided you’re in a party chat. If you have kids who are interested in Minecraft, Minecraft Legends is a no-brainer and a great way to introduce them to a new genre.

Episode 1 - Hero in Residence feels like a promising start for Minecraft: Story Mode - Season Two. We have both new and old friends combined, as well as a couple of new threats to the world, all of which immediately make you eager to play more. The world feels nicer and more interesting to explore, and references to the first game in terms of characters and items are a nice addition. There are a few minor problems that we now seem to expect from these kind of games, but overall this episode feels like it is a good jumping off point for what should be a great season for Minecraft: Story Mode - Season Two.

2064: Read Only Memories is a well told futuristic story that does so many things right. The retro cyberpunk setting and soundtrack is a joy, and it feels like everything you do in the game has an impact. Characters actually have their own personalities, and the puzzles often have different outcomes that require some thinking on your part. Sadly, the game is let down by a few issues that can't be forgiven. Even for a narrative driven game, there is an awful amount of reading to pick through. Worse than that, though, the controls will cause you issues on numerous occasions where the d-pad and analogue stick are both involved. Overall, though, the game can be deemed a success, and your journey with Turing is one well worth experiencing.

As much as I enjoy the moment-to-moment gameplay of Rainbow Six Extraction and have had a blast with it both solo and in co-op, it's impossible to overlook the glaring balance issues and lack of any kind of appealing endgame it has at the moment. Ubisoft does have a great track record for turning decent games into great ones in the long run — just look at Siege or The Division — so I'm hoping we'll see a similarly impressive evolution here eventually. For now, though, Extraction is undeniably entertaining in the short term, but it's the long game that worries me, and I'd love to be proven wrong. When everything comes together here, Extraction somehow manages to capture everything that is great about the Rainbow Six series while also taking by far the most liberties with its premise and structure. That's got to count for something.

Combat in this instalment is far more fluid and exciting, characters are unique in design and there are plenty of abilities spread throughout.

It’s a solid and light-hearted game that offers a sprawling open-world playground for you to explore and destroy in as many creative and humorous ways as you can imagine. There are bugs that need to be addressed, it lacks the depth of other games in its genre, and it can be repetitive over long periods of play, but in short bursts of a couple of hours or so there’s no hiding from the fact that being given the freedom to blow things up to your heart's content provides some of the most chaotic fun you’ll find on the Xbox One right now.

Tumblestone is a fun game for the first several hours but then it starts becoming tedious from the sheer number of puzzles that you face. For puzzle lovers, the promised 40+ hours of story mode will be a boon. For more casual puzzlers, the hundreds of puzzles that are required to complete the game could be a trial, as well as the difficulty of some of the puzzles.

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.

Ninjin: Clash of Carrots starts out as a silly, colorful beat 'em up, then takes a dark turn down a surprisingly frustrating and challenging path. There is a huge arsenal of weapons and perks with which to engage enemies in both local and online co-op. New gear is constantly unlocked along the way, which keeps things interesting (until you rage quit, that is). A little challenge is fine, but in Ninjin, many mechanics feel unfair, and the later bosses' difficulty level is a sharp contrast to the rest of the game. A bit of balancing of the end-game missions would do wonders, but unless that happens, Ninjin remains hard to recommend to everyone.

Battleborn does well in offering you both multiplayer modes and missions without pressuring you into concentrating on a certain mode. They're interesting and exciting, but do begin to get tedious when you have to play them continuously due to the small selection of modes and maps.

Fishing Sim World is perhaps one of the most niche titles on the Xbox platform, and despite its popularity, angling is not a sport that you may expect to translate well to a digital world. Yet, Dovetail Games have captured the essence of coarse fishing surprisingly well. The ambient sounds of nature surrounding you are very realistic, and there's that same sense of tranquility you have when fishing.

Young gamers are the target audience of Prospect Games' Unbox: Newbie's Adventure. There's nothing wrong with that, but there isn't much here to appeal to the older and more experienced gamer, something at which other kids' titles have succeeded. The developer holds your hand throughout the adventure, which is annoying unless by chance this is the first video game you've ever played, and Unbox's one-trick combat and easy tasks won't captivate an adult's attention for long. Unless you plan to collect all 800 Golden Tapes, it's also a brief experience, clocking in at roughly 5-7 hours. The graphics are lackluster with a noticeable difference between advertisements of the game and how it actually looks. Provided the developer fixes the broken achievement, the list of 15 achievements is straightforward and simple with not much to it, much like the game itself.

Devil May Cry 2 remains an uninspired title, but Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 3 are masterpieces to this day. While people who've played these games a thousand times may find nothing new, everyone will find titles worth their time. These games are classics, and for the most part they still hold up today.

Episode four has set us up for an exciting conclusion to Minecraft: Story Mode - Season Two. We have another exciting boss fight, some more genuinely tough decisions and some serious topics that make you really feel for the characters. There are bits within the episode that can be skipped, which make them a little pointless, and the sudden ending feels like there has been something cut out; it could have benefitted from a little more set up for the last episode. Overall, though, it's another solid entry into the season and will have you excited for what is to come next.

The Medium is an interesting and enjoyable game, but one let down by some awkward animations that constantly threaten to break the immersion created by an otherwise captivating game world, and those weak stealth sections that Bloober Team can't seem to leave behind. It's very much a one-and-done game — you can easily see everything it has to offer inside of ten hours, so the pricing might be a little questionable for both the quality and quantity of what you get here. Still, price won't be an issue for Game Pass subscribers, for whom The Medium is a unique yet flawed gem that we'd absolutely recommend checking out as part of the service.

Spellspire takes a simple word game and spices it up with some interesting RPG elements, adding some tactical thinking to the usual “spell big words to win” formula. Upgrades actually feel useful rather than being tacked on and don't end as an afterthought. Unfortunately there is very little variation in the actual gameplay and the move from mobile to console does come with some drawbacks, mainly when it comes to inputting words quickly and precisely. It is, however, a fun game to play in short bursts; with an entire tower to climb, there is plenty for people to sink there teeth into here.

It breaks my heart to criticise Sable so. The first few hours are truly remarkable, packed with moments of beauty, creativity, and childlike wonder, but the more you play, the more the mask slips. Despite the technical issues, it's testament to the abilities of the small team that it has been able to create a world so inventive and interesting, if one whose sparseness starts to work against it once the initial sightseeing tour is over. It's a crying shame, though, that those who want to see everything that this captivating setting has to offer — whether through inherent completionism, chasing achievements, or simply being drawn in by the lush playground itself — are those who will suffer Sable at its worst, even if the highs should still prove strong enough to carry you through the lows in the end.

AER - Memories of Old is a beautiful story told in a beautiful world. Allowing you to access memories is a great way of telling a back story without taking up too much of your time, and allowing you to piece it together yourself helps involve you more in the game. Flying around the land as Auk is simply a delight, and there is something to be discovered at every single turn in the well designed world. Yes, there are minor issues with some elements of flying, and the lagging in the temples really does break you out of the hold the game has on you, but the biggest issue you will have with this game is that you simply want to play more, and that is one of the biggest compliments that you can offer.

Impact Winter can be an immersive survival game for those who are able to look past the technical issues that could possibly hurt the gameplay for some. Stepping out into The Void in order to scavenge numerous locations while trying to keep your team alive means having to brave the constant stuttering. Discovering new landmarks is addictive, but the odd loading screen slowdown along with some other grating issues threaten to overshadow what should be a tense and gripping experience.

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.

Episode 3: More Than A Feeling isn't Telltale's best work. The pacing is poor and the dialogue is a repeat of emotions you've already seen in prior episodes. At least we get an interesting look into Gamora and Nebula's past with Thanos, their now-deceased father. There's also an impactful decision requiring your attention at the end of the episode. Once the whole series is released, Episode 3 won't be memorably bad, but when you've been waiting months to progress Guardians' story, it's a short and disappointing installment at best.

oOo won't appeal to everyone, but for those willing to accept the flaws as well as the challenging nature of the game, oOo can be an addictive experience and a fix for that satisfying, 'just one more go' experience.

Despite issues in several areas, Just Cause is ultimately about the scale of its action moments over which players have complete control, and the freeform sandbox in which players run amok, and to these ends Just Cause 4 is the best in the series.

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.

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.