If you like Metroidvanias and/or 2D precision platformers then Trash Quest should be on your radar. The fantastic movement mechanics give the player the appropriate amount of control for working your way through the maze-like space station on your compact quest. The game is reasonably priced at $9 USD, but if you want to check out the game for less you could pick it up on steam where it’s only $3.

Overall, Super Dodgeball Beats is a rather fun and unique game that will bring out the friendly competitive nature in everyone, despite some criticisms regarding calibration and the diminishing entertainment value once the championship has been completed. This game creatively brings together all the essential elements in this genre to form a relatively distinctive and memorable gaming experience.

Seven Doors is short but entertaining puzzle title. The fact each puzzle tests us in different ways is a nice touch, although this will impact the difficulty differently for different players. We’d like to see the movement smoothed out a bit, but as it is this is worth a look for those looking for some quick hit puzzling action.

Overall, Madden NFL 24 is a solid game that delivers a realistic and immersive football experience on the Xbox Series X. The game has amazing graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, new features and modes, and a smart artificial intelligence system that makes it challenging and fun. If you are a fan of American football or looking to jump in for the first time, you should definitely check out Madden NFL 24 on Xbox Series X.

Morkredd brings some great solo or co-op physics puzzling to Gamepass, and it’s a title that is not to be missed. The dark moody atmosphere contrasts brilliantly next to the shining light we’re focused on, and the difficulty and length feels just perfect, not dragging on too long or whizzing by too fast. The story is easily missed, but at the same time I didn’t come away from my time having had any less fun for it.

Inspired by Perm culture, The Mooseman offers a stunning journey that’s well paced, gorgeously designed and thoroughly engaging. For its cheap cost, the game does a good job as far as its gameplay diversity is concerned. It would have been nice to see some more effort spared for its localisation, and although it’s short, it uses its runtime well to relay a decent blend of platforming and puzzle elements throughout.

When a game from a beloved film universe is developed with such fervour, everybody can rejoice in it. Robocop: Rogue Legacy is one such videogame adaptation that shows how unremitting faithfulness to source material and devotion towards replicating the look and feel of the films results in a truly immersive and moreish experience. Rogue City isn’t without chinks in its titanium Kevlar, due to its failure to evolve throughout, and a spongey and unnecessarily steep endgame, but if all you’re after is a badass game that does Robocop justice, then Rogue City is mission accomplished.

The Karate Kid: Street Rumble sticks close to the source material in the way the story plays out and most of their likenesses. The combat is robust and fast paced and great to be played along with friends if you like games like the turtles beat ’em up games. It’s a shame there is no online co-op play but they have provided some ways to replay the game to improve the longevity, and it is quite fun to play through, especially if you are fans of the original films.

All in all, Cannibal Abduction is an enjoyable, if slight, retro horror title. The cannibal gives up a bit too easily at times, but that doesn’t really deflate the shock value when he appears out of the blue each time we start to get comfortable. Add in a secondary, trickier game mode and for horror fans this is an easy recommendation.

A pleasant surprise akin to receiving a kitty cat on your birthday, Little Kitty, Big City is a lovely breath of fresh air, not only for indie gaming but videogaming as a whole. Playing as a pesky mischief-causing and problem-solving cat scurrying about a city while taking time to indulge in bird-catching and snuggling up with citizens is a joy. However, there is plenty of room for refinement as clunky controls and irksome design choices make exploration a wee-bit annoying. In addition, there’s also the lingering stench that Little Kitty, Big City has missed potential, and no that’s certainly not the scent of cat pee. Overall Little Kitty, Big City is certainly worth your time and is a pleasure to play, but with some more polish it could’ve been a paw-some experience, but instead it passes as a moderately paw-leasing one.

I could not put Chronos: Before the Ashes down and fully enjoyed every minute of it. I could only wish it was longer with me clocking in 20 hours on Heroic difficulty. All in all a phenomenal experience, albeit shorter than I would like, though due to its VR roots I expect this had some factor in that. The story of a valiant hero slaying the dragon isn’t ground breaking but sets the tone perfectly for what is a very fun experience. The audio and visuals are both fantastic complimenting each other perfectly. I cannot wait to see what Gunfire Games have in store for the future of the Ashes franchise.

Zero Zero Zero Zero isn’t a typical Ratalaika game – it’s deceptively more challenging and rewarding than the usual fare that they publish. Don’t overlook 0000 based on it’s minimalist presentation and spartan effects because the lack of distractions allow for better focus on the game’s solid platforming. The tight controls and the lag-free timing enable precision jumps, but even failing a level (which is always due to the avatar’s death) isn’t a big deal because a new level pops up immediately, keeping the action going.

A short and sweet puzzler that wows with its aesthetic while keeping us entertained with some simple but effective challenges. It’s all over a bit too soon, but don’t let that put you off checking it out.

While my rose tinted nostalgia glasses may be firmly pressed against my nose, FOX n FORESTS is a wonderfully accurate reminder of the good and bad times of the 16-bit era. Younger players may balk at its simplicity given that things certainly have come a long way since, but the game pulls off its aim so well that it’s hard not to be impressed.

Overall, if you want something that can be finished off over an evening or two and don’t mind challenging yourself, Circa Infinity is a fantastic choice to go with. It’s fairly cheap, it’s challenging and it’s going to ensure you’re getting something different than the blockbusters currently saturating the release window at this time of year. More of this, please!

Where Shadows of the Damned stumbles is within its inability to be a horror game, and although its genital jokes can be chuckle-worthy, the sense of comedy is dimmed by predictable stereotyping. Nevertheless, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a treat as it pulls the blinds up and shines the light of straightforward satisfaction into your face in a refreshing way that few modern games can match. Sure, Shadows of the Damned is a hella remastering of a thirteen year-old product, but on current-gen hardware it stands out like Garcia and his uhhh hot boner….Remember it’s the gun in the game you filthy minded scoundrels! So yes, play Hella Remastered, though you may need some in-game Tequilla to not only heal Garcia, but to soothe the sense that not all the pieces in Shadows of the Damned fully jive together harmoniously. Now here’s to that cabrón!

If you took the journey five years ago to Journey to the Savage Planet, you’ll want to book a trip to Revenge of the Savage Planet as well. Marmite humour and low-key exploration pleasures aside, Revenge of the Savage Planet is a good and enjoyable time that allows you to scan to your heart’s content and mosey through unknown landscapes to complete objectives and challenges en route to your ultimate revenge. Revenge of the Savage Planet won’t take up much of your time either, but just know that this brand of revenge is a dish served with a slice of weirdness and a platter of squirt burgers—meaning you should just go and have fun for a while.

Sir Lovealot might seem like he’s always on the lookout for love but if you’re on the lookout for a solid, fast-paced, 2D action platformer, then you have found a match. Its fantastic pixel art and familiar gameplay that’s both challenging and forgiving make this title worth your time. It’s only a few hours in length but is filled with funny fantasy tropes and gameplay that is easy to pick up.

Maid of Sker is a compelling and visually stunning experience for any horror fan and brings true stealth horror with 3D sound against you at it’s core. This may not be the longest game ever, but if this is the future of horror gaming then I welcome it with open arms.

Rad Rodgers is a good looking, fun, and comical adventure that will please just about anyone that gamed in the 90s. It’s short and suffers from some screen tearing issues, but for the most part, it holds its own ground well. This is one foul mouthed, entertaining, and well rounded nostalgic trip that you don’t want to miss out on.

So to some up, The Blackout Club is a Fun, addictive 4 player co-op horror with a Stranger Things atmosphere and lots of paranormal paranoia. Fans of the genre will dive for this and its nice to see a brave new attempt at the horror game. With the new enhanced horror system being a plus I can see people are going to be very curious about this title.

I think that the biggest thing that will hurt this game is the versions that came before it. I’m not sure people will spend the money on the latest edition if they’re still having fun on the last few entries. The career mode is worth the jump I think, and the more people that do will ultimately find themselves filling up multiplayer lobbies too. While the base price of the game is $49.99, ten dollars cheaper than most triple A titles, it should be an easy buy if you haven’t played a NASCAR Heat title before. But if you’re still having fun with any of the previous iterations you may choose to wait for a sale.

An excellent update to a relatively unknown arcade game. Quantum: Recharged is small in size and scope but the price is right for a cracking good time.

Shining Resonance Refrain is most certainly overshadowed by the more intriguing, deeper and better developed JRPGs of this gen. However, that’s not to say that it isn’t worthy of your time and attention. Despite its unoriginal characters, its poor soundtrack and its slightly repetitive gameplay loop, the game has a strong and interesting enough backbone to make for an enjoyable and diverse adventure.

Maneater is another great title from Tripwire, plenty of blood and adventure packed into this single player shark fest. Full of fun and great gameplay I highly recommend to any Jaws fan or horror nut out there. The only thing I’d like to see next time… Online shark battles.

Death Road to Canada’s randomly generated content injects a great deal of replay value into the mix. This is further bolstered by its well developed functionality and charming allure. Unfortunately, tough difficulty spikes can often cheaply rob you of success, but even then, there’s no denying that this game remains fun, exciting and tense, throughout the entirety of play.

REANIMAL is a great step in the right direction for Tarsier’s portfolio, though with all the improvements there are still some problems with its execution.

Warm, inviting and pleasant, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus And Butterfly is a wonderfully accessible and gentle graphic novel game with a beautifully well-meaning heart. Changes from its predecessor are minimal, but Hibiscus And Butterfly encourages you to discover an array of comforting drinks, while the cast of fantastical and not-so fantastical characters tell you about their life predicaments, their perils and their successes. Much like a good pick-me-up, Coffee Talk Episode 2 is as easy as you’d like but has space for you to master the fine art of being a top-tier barista in a busy bustling café. The addition of Hibiscus And Butterfly Pea brings a classiness and a radiance that will lighten your day, and there are reasons to replay the story several times through to see everything it has to show for itself. There’s still plenty of room for Coffee Talk to grow and flourish, but this sequel is well-worth diving into if you just want to take a pew, grab an eye-opener and relish in a bevvy of stories.