My Hero One’s Justice uses its source material well. There’s minor and infrequent issues with the game’s combat, being that some commands go unnoticed in the heat of the chaos, but in the face of everything that the game gets right, this is easy to overlook. There’s plenty of exciting content to work through here. Content that, for the most part, remains stunning, empowering and diverse from the get-go.

The Occupation’s compelling story sits rather well with its intelligent framework. This is, for the most part, an intriguing real-time detective game that sports some solid features and robust mechanics, collectively putting forward a tense and constantly exciting affair. Indeed, there’s a few persistent technical flaws present that tend to interfere with the game’s flow, but in the face of everything that The Occupation gets right, they’re easy to overlook.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season is off to a fantastic start. Telltale looks to have finally returned to true form here, serving up a well paced story that’s thrilling, engaging and consistently tense. Credit also needs to be given to the writing and the voice acting, which is the best we’ve seen from Telltale for quite some time. If this quality is maintained, the series is certainly set to go out with a bang.

There is very little I can say negatively about NASCAR Heat 4. Visually, the way the game deals with shadows under the cars doesn’t do the gorgeous lighting effects of racing at night justice. Track surfaces seem a little dull in comparison to the dirt tracks. The dirt tracks seem to have more luster and reflect light better than the tarmac. For some it may just feel like an update to NASCAR Heat 3 and that’s fair. But if you’ve not played previous iterations then NASCAR Heat 4 is definitely the pinnacle of virtual stockcar racing.

Platypus Reclayed is a tough old cookie, but rewarding and fun to play at the same time.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has done a great job of bringing a great game from the archive back into the forefront. On first impressions, you might not be wowed exactly by the remaster job, as some graphics look great and some still look like as they did on the PS1. But it has allowed this great Final Fantasy story to be played by both old and new fans of the series as well as allow inexperienced players a chance to just enjoy the ride.

I’ve said it before but the same applies. I was very excited to play this follow-up game to what was kind of an indie gem back in the day. Kill It With Fire 2 went above my expectations with the depth they were able to add. I love the fact the co-op exists because it made for some fun moments with friends. Obviously, fans of the original will want to give this a try, but I would recommend this to a group of friends with no prior experience to this game, as long as you weren’t deathly afraid of spiders … I guess.

All in all, 505 Games and KUNOS Simulazioni have a great simulator for wheel users. It provides excellent feedback and is the way the play, if you’ve the right set up. Controller users can still find enjoyment if they take the time to tweak settings, but they will definitely miss out to a degree. Those less experienced with racing games should probably be wary of jumping in here too, as the sim style of racing could be a turn off until they “git gud”, as they say.

Orbyss proves less is more, with a snappy runtime filled with decently balanced puzzles and continuous new ideas to keep things fresh. A slightly more robust hint system would be great for when players need it, but otherwise Orbyss comes with a hearty recommendation if you’re in the market for a few evenings of puzzle goodness.

Candle: The Power of the Flame delivers a gorgeously detailed and thoroughly well executed puzzle adventure. From start to finish, the game does an excellent job at keeping the player engaged through its clever functionalities and environmental mechanics. There’s some issues with slow, sluggish movement, but in the face of everything that Candle gets right, this one problem is easy to overlook.

Sometimes it’s nice just to play something for the experience of it. Snowrunner doesn’t really offer up much beyond a good challenge, but then it really doesn’t need to. The pace and challenge won’t be for everyone, certainly, but if you’re willing to spend a good, long evening or two getting to grips with it then Snowrunner will reward your time.

Doorkickers: Action Squad is a great little action title that has fun with a concept that is often the remit of more serious shooters. The fast paced, fluid controls allow for complete control of the action, the challenge is just right and there’s a serious ‘one more go’ feel to the whole affair. Some may be put off by the lack of evolution to the mechanics, but when you’re having this much fun to begin with, I don’t see that being a problem for many.

Chicken Police is a must pick up title if you are heavily invested into the crime/suspense genre as much as I am. Even though the game has a unique set of characters and settings doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it a shot. Well worth it in my opinion.

Omega Strike is fun, thrilling and more importantly, rewarding. The game’s well designed interconnected map gradually opens up as progression is made, which further bolsters the game’s steady pace. More encouragement to swap between characters would have been welcoming, though overall, Omega Strike is a well rounded action-platformer that’s jam-packed with varying enemies and challenges throughout.

Overall, in terms of a fully polished gaming experience, Unbound: Worlds Apart is certainly up there amongst the defining titles in the genre which can offer the complete experience. Sure, some may find certain parts of the game a little more challenging than expected, however at no point does the game ever feel unfair or unmanageable and I’d certainly recommend seeing this indie gem through to the end.

Early feelings of frustrations aside, Surviving Mars offers numerous challenges and satisfying feelings of success with each play through. Definitely not a one and done kind of game, the replay value is quite high. Surviving Mars is well worth the investment if you fancy city builders, and both Paradox Interactive and Haemimont Games have experience on their side.

It happened, it finally happened! It’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed a good TMNT game but I am so happy to say Splintered Fate delivered a good time. Roguelites have been hot for a while now and throwing the TMNT skin on top of one makes a lot of sense. I think more recognizable IP’s should branch out and try new genres like Splintered Fate here. Easy recommend for Turtles fans and roguelite enthusiasts alike.

I had a blast playing Fuser and I can’t wait to keep playing it. The game does a good job at letting you feel like you’ve made some really good tunes, even for the rhythmically challenged like myself. I only wish there were more songs to pick from without resulting to DLC but the offering available is certainly solid. All in all I’m glad a rhythm game without peripherals is here and I’m excited to see where Fuser goes.

Overall, if you like horror but are fed up with the same overused tropes and want something a little re-energizing then this survival horror/escape room thrill is certainly one to add to your collection. With impressive gameplay ideas, a creepy setting, and some horrific enemies, this is a game that stands out amongst the countless horror titles available on Xbox and it’s one that is well worth a playthrough.

I loved the nostaglic feel to the 3D platforming action, though some of the puzzles had me reaching for the off button. Battling through them was ultimately rewarding though, and kept me cracking on through the adventure. While it’s unlikely Xbox exclusive players will get to tackle the brilliant Breath of the Wild anytime soon, A Knight’s Quest is about as solid an attempt as we’ll see on our console for now.

The Pillar: Puzzle Escape is a wonderful puzzle game that keeps things brief, yet always interesting. Aside from some iffy difficulty progression – and those controls – I had a fantastic time with this game. It’s just challenging enough for the most part while offering up an almost constant change in what it’s asking you to do next. It won’t last all that long, but what is here is well worth checking out.

Mortal Kombat 11 delivers on what you would expect from the acclaimed long running series of iconic blood-soaked fisticuffs. The end result, despite a painful grind, offers a solid experience that looks great, feels amazing, and succeeds in keeping the franchise alive and revitalized, yet again. If you’re looking for one of the gen’s next best fighters, get over here!

The Oddworld has finally graced the Xbox platform with it’s newest entry into the franchise with Oddworld: Soulstorm Enhanced Edition. This is a reimagining of the classic Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus. It improves on the prequel remake, Oddworld: New ‘n Tasty, in every way. Hands down the best 2D Oddworld game and I think fans of the franchise will love it.

I am already a fan of the Koei Bandai Namco Warrior games and this style paired with the One Piece anime works great. The wildly random characters and story line are very interesting and gripping and if you enjoy smashing slews of enemies with quirky comedic moves then you will enjoy yourselves here. The format can become quite repetitive after a while, but I feel there is enough variety in characters, moves and enemies along with the fun story line to make this a good game.

Even if you’re not a fan of the sport, PGA Tour 2K21 is still just a really fun video game. It’s easy enough to pick up and play, and yet there’s a lot to learn for those that want to take things more seriously. The online Societies mode could prove a great reason to keep coming back, and the custom editor is there for those that love to tinker and craft their own courses. The visual presentation is a bit of a letdown, but to be fair it’s also not a deal breaker by any means.

I came in with high expectations for this second outing in The Dark Pictures series, but came away ever so slightly underwhelmed. It looks and sounds great, and the atmosphere and tension building is excellent. Sadly the all-important characters just didn’t quite resonate with me thanks to some sudden shifts in tone between sentences, and an overall feeling of disjointedness between scenes. Little Hope may not quite live up to Man of Medan then, but it’s still a passable bit of teen horror to fill up an evening or two.

Unravel Two does everything with such charm that it’s hard not to be completely enamored by its end. The stunning soundtrack compliments its brilliantly rendered levels, really giving off the vibe that you’re running through a big, scary world. A few more variations in its puzzle design would have elevated this higher, especially later in the game, but as it stands, any fan of puzzle-platformers should certainly experience this journey.

At this point I can easily say I’ve found my groove with Fort Triumph. It went from being something I was struggling to motivate myself to play to not realising I’d spent an entire evening working through multiple missions. I’m still getting beat up quite a lot even on Easy, but now I’ve learned the ropes a bit better I can feel another restart on the harder difficulties calling to me. Whether I ever get to it or not is another thing, but it really is very good. If you’ve the patience and time to learn the mechanics properly, then Fort Triumph will be one of the more satisfying turn-based strategies you could choose from.