HyperParasite has a really nice aesthetic style, with bright, chunky visuals complimented by a decent synth soundtrack. There are some nice ideas here too, being able to posses bodies to fight back offers up some fun gameplay and scenarios. But it takes for too long to unlock more bodies, and the combat and difficulty is too uneven to really get the desire to have ‘one more go’.

As a brief but well-crafted Netflix indie title, Highwater hits the mark with its sense of worldbuilding, the interesting flourishes of its combat, and the underlying themes that give it a richness that’s worth exploring. Highwater is held back by stodgy writing, character interaction and a frustrating menu system, but for a few hours of apocalyptic storytelling amidst a flooded world, where you can discover new islands and yank cigar-chomping big men to their doom, Highwater is worth a shot and is buoyant enough to stay afloat despite the threat of capsizing.

There’s a lot to get your teeth sunk into in Tiebreak, but with matches on medium difficulty lasting over an hour, this certainly won’t be a pickup and play game, and with the mentioned issues with gameplay, Tiebreak won’t be something I return to on a regular basis.

All in all, Croc The Legend of the Gobbos Remastered does what it says on the tin – remaster a 1997 video game with an upspuff in visuals and improved controls. Keeping the rest of the game as was is great in theory, but too many 90’s sensibilities remain in terms of wonky level design and difficulty spikes. It’s certainly more enjoyable thanks to the improvements made, and I’m all for reviving old games for a new lease on life, but this game is far from the best of the era and it certainly can’t challenge the modern greats that have come since.

God of Weapons may not be as refined as Vampire Survivors to knock them off their perch as the best rogue-like survival game. But I think it does plenty to provide a fun alternative. I like the variety of characters, unlockables and objectives as it keeps the game fresh and interesting. It’s very easy to pick and play, and not difficult to master.

A strong setting and atmosphere provide genuine creeps and a tale that is engaging, though for me the combat is a weak spot in an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a very detailed and immersive RPG and there is much to get involved within the game and enjoy. Fans of the old Baldurs Gate-style games will find a lot of comfort in this game as there is a lot of familiarities and it has been brought to a decent modern standard. Causal players might find the game like wading through treacle in its pacing, but with the great story line and bags of content, there is a lot of enjoyment to be had if you can commit the time to it.

Mythic Ocean surprised me as I enjoy a good dose of philosophy if done the right way. The game is very relaxing and not overly challenging when it comes to helping the gods or searching for the lost pages. The real challenge comes when you have to make a decision on which god should create the new world. It really does make you think, and that choice is not simple to make. I believe it was designed that way to show the power of influence you have in both this fictional world and the real world.

Beholder houses a great deal of depth, even for a management sim. It’s an intriguing experience that will constantly toy with your moral compass, if indeed frustrating at times. This game isn’t particularly lengthy, but there’s a heap of replay value to be found within thanks to the procedurally generated scenarios and over ten different endings.

LEGO The Incredibles is very easy to recommend if, and only if, you’ve not grown tired of the tried and tested LEGO formula. The game doesn’t do much to evolve or build upon the foundation that we’ve endured time and time again. However, with that being said, there’s no denying that LEGO The Incredibles packs a great deal of action-packed content across its exciting story and its sprawling world hubs.

Retromania Wrestling is a brilliant throwback to the 90’s when wrestling games were simple and fun, and it ticks all the right boxes. The art style is fantastic and I had so much fun playing it. If you are a wrestling fan you must grab this – you will not be disappointed!

Despite how overwhelming and confusing it can be, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries certainly has something to offer players who want to get stuck into the fine details of setting up their own interstellar mercenary outfit. The combat can be fun, if deliberately slow, and once set up right having a powerful mech wrecking shop is entertaining. It’s just the bits in between that can drag, with confusing menus and systems that aren’t fully explained.

Bomber Crew is tense, exhilarating and often purposely overwhelming. The main drawback here sits with the game’s mouse-suited UI and its, at times, frustrating moments of play. Persevere, however, and you’ll find a deep, complex and engaging experience that’s massively rewarding. Don’t be fooled by its cutesy and colorful design, because if anything, Bomber Crew means business.

Supermarket Shriek has enough varied content to keep you entertained for a few hours at a time, and although its control scheme is fairly hit and miss and tends to annoy, this is one kart racer you shouldn’t pass by. It’s outlandish, it’s crazy, and it’s relatively daft, but then, that’s the whole point. This game doesn’t take itself seriously at all, it merely wants you to sit back and enjoy, and despite its faults, it achieves what it set out to accomplish.

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.

The Minecraft brand is massive, and to create a dungeon crawler with all the familiar characters and architecture makes absolute sense. It was always going to be tough to cater for all ages and abilities in this genre, but I feel they have handled it quite well. The lack of co-op and online play with players outside of your friends list is, for now at least, a massive shame as it’s clearly at its best when teaming up with a few players. Gamepass should make this a much smaller issue, but it’s still not ideal. However, this is still a fun dungeon crawler that will keep you entertained.

As a lifelong Sonic fan, I’m glad I was finally able to play Colours, and in the best possible fashion thanks to the nice audio/visual upgrade. The core gameplay is great, and the Wisps add far more than I thought they would to proceedings. Some of the classic issue with 3D Sonic games remain, but these are limited in what is otherwise a great time.

If you love Metroidvania games, Moolander is very similar to those such as Ori and is packed with quality content. The gameplay at times feels as if this was intended to be a mobile game, well that’s because that is how Moo Lander started out in 2013. This game has been in development for years and the love from the developers shows in their product they’ve made together. Moo Lander was inspired heavily by Ori and plays much like it with a simpler design from a significantly smaller group. The story is engrossing and cooky enough to entertain those looking for a simple singleplayer story. There are multiplayer elements with Moo Lander such as couch coop game modes and PvE & PvP, but the story is the key part for this indie developed game.

As mentioned in the video I love crossovers and nostalgia and this game combines both for me. The RPG mechanics may be a bit shallow but there is enough content and characters to keep you and your kids involved for hours. The voices may not be exactly as you remember but it doesn’t take away from the feeling you are back watching a new episode of a cartoon you grew up with. This one was just a fun (albeit a repetitive at times but that’s okay) adventure when you go in not expecting deep and complicated gameplay mechanics. So set your expectations and have some fun!

Going Under: Internships Are Heck isn’t your standard roguelike, it carries more charisma and playfulness than you’ll find in many of examples of the genre. No Going Under doesn’t breathe new life into the roguelike nor does it give you anything outside of a rinse and repeat formula of clearing dungeons over and over, but the sense of humour and vibrancy on display makes up for its shortcomings and you will feel as though it’s a worthwhile internship while it lasts.

If you’re up for a fantastic yarn and gorgeous sights, Mafia: The Old Country is outstanding, meaning you’ll be totally sold by its presentation. The moments, the story and the characters are top-notch, and there’s not much to criticize on that front. However, The Old Country is old-fashioned with forced and bland stealth sections, predictable gunplay, and a lack of newness when it comes to the game’s mechanics—also the knife fights are unexciting and rote. You can have a blast with The Old Country if gameplay isn’t your utmost concern, but if it is, you may need to absolve it of its sins, because while the gunplay is functional and enjoyable enough, it lacks nuance and weapon variety. Altogether, The Old Country is definitely worth taking in, but when gameplay is king, you may feel underwhelmed that it spends more time focusing on its visual and storytelling qualities than it does on crafting a sophisticated playable experience.

SEGA Mega Drive Classics’ most impressive achievement is its vast and carefully selected collection of titles. There are games in this bundle that will appeal to everyone and although there’s a few performance hiccups to contend with, this is, by and large, one of the best compilations available on Xbox One.

The Vasara Collection will appeal to the scrolling shoot em up fans as it combines both the old-style games and a modern re-imagining of the original games. It is far too difficult for anyone who is not experienced in this genre of games, and it can get old and frustrating fast after repeatedly dying in the game. But for those who like this style of game and like a hardcore challenge then this collection is packaged nicely just for you.

Hyper Sentinel may well be overly chaotic at the best of times, but there’s no denying that it’s fun, well paced and full of action. There’s a lot of content to work through within and although it does become repetitive before long, it’s still worth its weight in gold. Those that enjoy the roots of this formula will thoroughly enjoy what’s on offer, despite its niggling issues.

If you follow Artifex, Queen’s Quest 2 will feel painfully familiar due to its lack of formulaic deviation. Unsurprisingly, the story is its weakest element, with its unenthusiastic voice work trailing closely behind. That said, it’s still a fairly robust and very challenging puzzler nonetheless. One that certainly knows how to motivate your senses through its intelligent design, its commendable diversity, and its expertly detailed locations.

Deep Sky Derelicts: Definitive Edition may not be a graphical masterpiece but it more than makes up for it in tactical gameplay. I found myself quite addicted to the tactical challenges of the maps and in the combat. The difficulty starts of quite tough, but it gradually becomes easier as you buy the upgrades and craft your equipment. DSD is sufficiently long enough to make it good value and you can tackle the game using different job classes for longevity.

Whether miniatures, strategy games, or deck-building is your thing or not, I highly recommend Wartile because the sum of its parts delivers a unique and fun experience more than each alone. One of the indicators I personally measure when evaluating a game for review is: “Does it call to me when my console is off?”. For Wartile my answer is a hearty “Yes!”.

With Katamari Damacy getting a remake we can only hope other titles such as We Love Katamari also get a chance at being revived as well. For now, it’s nice to see that the series hasn’t been forgotten and for those who haven’t been able to try this gem finally get a chance to.