Jump Gunners’ most alluring feature is that due to its healthy serving of weaponry and its deep pool of destructible maps, the game constantly feels fresh and engaging, despite leaning on the same concept from beginning to end. If you’re on the market for a couch-play game that’s as over-the-top as it is action-packed and diverse, Jump Gunners should most certainly be on your radar.

Tunnel of Doom is a tight little package that has found a flourish on the roguelite formula that feels like more developers should be paying attention.

Bad Dream: Coma is morbid, depressing, and more graphic than the simple art style lets on, but that’s not to say it isn’t worth playing. Those that like point and click gameplay will be right at home here, while the dour atmosphere offers up an intriguing tone to the experience. Navigating the puzzles with a pad can get tedious at times, but for the most part this is an engaging time, and worth a look.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a love letter, or rather a love ballad to the original series, and fans of that series will know every word. I think most of them will enjoy this resurrection immensely. I was on the fence about recommending it to newer fans, but after completing the game on Squire I realized that I enjoyed the game a fair bit. The only caveat is the current price of $30 US which seems a little high. The watercolor art style is striking and the soundtrack is familiar and catchy. Although there are some moments of frustration, Capcom has created a game that any platformer fan should enjoy whether they are a fan of the series or a fan in the making, but the old school fans will get much more enjoyment from it.

Demon Skin has done an immense job of bringing a lot of complexity to the 2D hack’n’slash genre. The story may not be too detailed but the focus of this game is on the atmospheric level and character design and the hellish combat mastery. If you want a short but challenging 2D game which looks great and puts your reflexes to the test, then this is a solid game to pick up.

All in all, I enjoyed my time with You Suck at Parking. Its clever mechanics and designs outweigh my niggles with the physics and overworld map, though they aren’t to be discounted entirely. As a game to unwind with after a long day, this is a great pick up, and a good example of the kind of game Game Pass suits to a tee.

Depsite these niggles I enjoyed my time with The Observer; it looks great, has atmosphere for days and if you cankeep track of what is going on then there is a lot of additional lore to find and piece together. The mind hack sections were the most engaging parts, with some genuinely clever presentation and execution among some truly bizarre imagery and themes. It might not be Bloobers best work, but it’s worth a look if you’re a fan of the team’s games.

CrossCode is a fun medley of gaming styles which some can link to the older style Zelda games with its combat and puzzle elements. The RPG side of things does provide a lot of the content of the game, but it does sometimes seem the main focus is all the different puzzling elements, with the combat feeling a little filler to pad out the game until the next puzzling section. The variety of side quests will keep you busy, although some of the fetch quests can be a bit tedious. But the story is interesting, and it is very fun to play through, so I strongly recommend it.

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.

All in all, Don’t Be Afraid is certainly not afraid to push certain boundaries, though whether you’ll get enjoyment out of that is down to your personal tolerance for child peril and harm in gruesome environments. Despite some unease at times I still enjoyed most of what the game offered, with some smart use of spooks and visual/audio work to really sell the horror at points. Horror game fans should at least look into Don’t Be Afraid, just make sure you’re braced for what’s ahead.

A tight, entertaining, and original co-op game. Operation: Tango is a perfect multiplayer game for two friends.

All in all, Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom is an enjoyable and very charming title that soon turned into a repetitive chore to me. With everything that it has to offer, it motivates me to play more just to access those other classes and faiths and to see even more powerful enemies. While it’s not entirely my style of playing an RPG, for others they might feel right at home. If you’re up for the grinding or systematic playstyle then this RPG is definitely for you.

Andrade games have created a unique 2D homage to the games of yesteryear while adding a fair amount of new ideas and gameplay. The macabre setting is portrayed perfectly with fantastically detailed pixel art. While there are a few questionable choices made in the game’s overall design, anyone who is a fan of old-school 2D action platformers should definitely give this a try, alternatively, if you want to experience an over-the-top, horror-themed 17th-century Europe depicted in fantastic pixel art then Heidelberg 1693 is the game for you.

Heartworm is a love letter to survival horrors of the 90’s, with a great look and feel that apes those older games brilliantly. Boring boss fights, an uninspiring tale, and some user interface niggles stop this being a full-hearted recommendation, but if you’re in the market for old school Resident Evil-like gaming, then this should fit the bill nicely.

Episode two is of a much slower pace in comparison to its predecessor, and comes with less emphasis on heavy choices, as well as some minor bugs. The end result makes for a segment that doesn’t quite meet the quality that was paved by what came before it, but surprisingly manages to hold its own nonetheless. Rules is a solid addition to the Life is Strange world, and a great lead in to the challenging choices, inevitably still to come.

Real-time Worms action is something all previous fans of the series have probably thought about at one point, and it’s nice to not only see it happen but have it modernised in the popular battle royale style. It’s simple enough to pick up and play and the cross platforming means you can squad up with your friends using other platforms too. I found it fun to play and a decent addition to the Worms series. My only gripe is that sometimes there are too many explosions on-screen to keep track of your worm at times.

Of course, if you are someone who likes to keep an eye on new Game Pass entries, it doesn’t take much to see that Lemnis Gate is one of the recent Day One additions to the service, finding players, even with the cross-play option, is something that can take a bit of time but be patient and you’ll have a blast. The gameplay quality is definitely no reason for a lack of players, although it may be a sign of what’s to come with big triple-A shooters inbound.

Make Way offers something new and unique in the racing genre, and is perfectly suited to game nights with a few friends (and a few beers). Camera hang ups aside, the track construction idea is great, and it’ll no doubt be a fixture of our gaming nights for some time yet.

Extinction lacks refinement and complexity, that much goes without saying. However, for those that seek a non-stop action-packed hack-and-slash adventure, there’s a lot to look forward to within. It may be repetitive in the long run, but there’s no denying that Extinction offers a decent story, empowering gameplay and enough content to merit a recommendation.

As someone who grew up in the 90’s and watched countless hours of Nickelodeon, the art style alone is an instant sell, but The Big Con is more than that. The game has a great sense of humor and the story stays entertaining throughout. It might not be Da Bomb, but it would definitely be worth a rental.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered brings back one of the most interesting titles in the series, along with all previously released DLC. The visual improvements are top notch for the most part, but technical issues from the original version have come along for the ride too. That being said, it’s well worth a trip down memory lane, warts and all.

Writing off Cloudpunk as nothing but a visual attraction will be doing it a great disservice. Sure the splendour of the cyberpunk voxels and the glitz of all that billboard electricity is magnetic, but there’s also a great undercurrent of mystique that you will be spending time peeling away at that Cloudpunk becomes much more than eye candy. The unchallenging basicness may be off-putting, and coupled with stymieing technical issues Cloudpunk can be a bit of a mess that you may fail to forgive. Stick with it though and there is a tasty and indulgent piece of cyberpunk intrigue in here that will please those thirsty for something futuristic and adorned with lights in the night sky. Flawed but fascinating, Cloudpunk is short and straightforward but its elegance and its world should be enough to suck you in for as long as it lasts.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure can be enjoyed by gamers of all ages, and teaches its players the simple yet valuable lesson that cleaning up is good for the environment and its inhabitants. It has a wonderful art style and sound design that make visiting the island with Alba a joy. The wildlife is bird heavy so bird lovers will definitely be interested in this, and they do an excellent job bringing all the creatures to life. Although brief I enjoyed my time on the island but I couldn’t help but wish there was a little more content.

There’s a lot to like about Vambrace: Cold Soul. From the gorgeous art work, through the brilliant world building and atmosphere to the deeply involved systems at play, there’s clearly been some love poured into this game. The difficulty – especially early on – and the obscure nature of some elements of the HUD are the main snags in an otherwise brilliant bit of software. If you’ve got the time (and patience), there’s a brilliant experience to be had here.

Despite its flaws Miasma Chronicles is a good but not quite great game that sucks you back in for more and will be a decent pickup for anyone who enjoys tactical turn-based games.

Old school FPS fans will be right at home here, brought in by the fast movement, impactful weaponry and the constant back-peddling and side-strafing attack methods emblematic of classic shooters. Even though I’m not generally a fan of Roguelikes by the very nature of the repetitive loop, I found myself getting very caught up in the grind here. Each run felt new and exciting, and when I was dropped a power or weapon that I liked it really got me hyped to get into the next room to use it. I think I finally get why the genre has been so popular, and I can see myself playing this for quite some time yet.

The Mega Man Zero ZX Legacy Collection is definitely a game that provides a lot of value in the package. The Mega Man games are still great fun to play and perfect for fans of the series who may have missed out on these Original Nintendo DS games. There are a few graphical and control issues to overlook, sure, but that doesn’t detract from the fact these are still decent 2D Platform shooters.

Bold and chaotic, Paint the Town Red is an excellent first-person brawler with a ton of content for both beginners and pros.