Tohu draws from its inspiration well, using excellent visuals, animation, and audio to really craft an enjoyable tale. It’s some of the actual puzzles that let the side down a little though as they can be just a bit too obscure for my liking, bringing back the days of seemingly random items used in bizarre ways. With a little help, I still managed to enjoy my time with Tohu though, and if you’re more point and click inclined then I’d highly recommend checking this title out.

PUSS! looks and sounds utterly bizarre with its various trippy A/V themes, but underneath there is a fun, yet very hard, gameplay core. I’m not a big fan of having to restart completely each time I boot it up, but those looking for something eye catching to have fun with (or stream) will likely get quite hooked on this title.

Impact Winter, as far as survival games go, remains quite accessible throughout. The time management mechanic sits well with the item and character management systems, which further bolsters the genuinely tense gameplay. Sadly, however, technical issues such as framerate inconsistency and the occasional freeze, ironically, pulls this game just shy of greatness.

Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials is a Metroidvania that places you deep within a cave with just a radiant bat. It’s unique in it’s light and dark mechanics and lite-leveling system. The meat of the game comes from puzzles and boss fights. Mix that with a humorous story and you’ve got yourself a winner of a game.

Developer Jutsu Games have ensured that this latest title is engaging, silly and fun and with surprising detail packed into an expansive gameplay experience this is certainly going to be a surprise for many gamers out there. The issues however are glaring, and should a fix be put in place soon then there will be very little to complain about should you jump in with a purchase of this one.

Ultimate Chicken Horse provides a canvas for you and your friends to create carnage on. Despite the lack of a structured unlock or progression system, this is a great game to pick up and enjoy in time for the festive break. It’s easy to play and as challenging as you and your nearest and dearest’s level of creativity and cunning.

Aground for me manages to capture all the fun about crafting that made Minecraft positive but without needing to be so creative. It also captures the fun exploration that made Terraria enjoyable but with much greater depth to the story and progression. The story sets you up thinking it’s a bland survival story but spirals into alien warfare and hidden mystery species and technologies. For those into crafting games with a lot of exploration, this game will be right up your street as it is thoroughly addictive.

Speed Brawl is a fun and inventive take on the side scrolling beat-em-up. Encouraging fast combat by design, skillful play will see competent players likely performing amazing looking feats. Sometimes though, the game just takes the wind out of your sails, leaving you plodding along and scraping by for any chance to get going again.

Q.U.B.E. 2 is thought provoking, well designed, and intriguing. Unfortunately, however, issues with the framerate and some texture problems persist throughout. With that to the side, this is a wonderfully crafted puzzle adventure that maintains its innovation and unique concept from beginning to end.

Overall, whilst the story itself isn’t that impressive, the banterous nature of the antagonist, the clever mechanics and the accessible nature to things easily help make Will You Snail? one of the best platform games available in recent years. With a 5-6 hour playtime, varying slightly on skill level, this isn’t one of the longest titles for your money but the experience is certainly well worth it should you have some spare cash laying around and want something a bit refreshing rather than the usual run of the mill platform adventure.

Blasphemous has an astonishingly good looking art style, making the oft used pixel art look feel fresh, even after all these years. But beyond that, there’s a solid game here, with a decent challenge that will keep you hooked. That the story is also captivating – steeping you in the lore of the universe here – is just another upside to this brilliant adventure.

Little Triangle certainly delivers a challenging and endearing platformer, but small flaws pull the game just shy of greatness. The gameplay structure and visual presentation is top notch, however, the occasional framerate drops and the somewhat imprecise controls, slightly hinder the overall experience. With that to the side, there’s still no denying that Little Triangle is an adventure that’s worth your time and attention.

As a fan of old-school beat ‘em ups like Streets of Rage, I have to say that anyone who enjoyed those games in any capacity will enjoy this game. I was initially turned off by the steep learning curve when I was dying far to easy, but the more I gave it a shot and the more I played, the more I wanted to unlock different characters and endings and give it a go.

Torchlight 2 doesn’t explore new territory, but it doesn’t need to. It keeps true to what made the first Torchlight a decent RPG and built on it. Although it has taken a while for it to finally make its way to the Xbox One, fans of the first game or those into isometric RPG’s will be happy to tuck into this game as there is plenty of content and variety to keep things interesting. To also now be able to play this multiplayer as well can only make the game more interesting.

Ultimately, I feel that the yearly model for releases is perhaps starting to become outdated. Of course, the moment to moment gameplay is still as solid as ever, and fans will no doubt find enjoyment here. But, in the age of live service games, something like Madden seems a natural fit. I’m not saying what’s here is bad, as such, it just feels like the value proposition is getting lower each time.

Issues with its fluctuating difficulty curve and its short campaign length to the side, Ninjin is a decent beat ’em up that does a great job at combining its varying elements together to produce such a fast-paced and chaotic adventure. The gameplay goes a lot deeper than expected, and with support for both online and local multiplayer included, there’s little to scoff at here.

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.

Despite that these games have aged about as well as leather in a desert, and overlooking a few omissions, Konami’s Castlevania Anniversary Collection is well worth the investment if you’re a fan of the series, or, are curious about the franchise’s roots. Throw in the fact that this compilation will soon see the addition of the Japanese versions for each title included, picking this up truly is a no brainer.

oOo: Ascension is a decent arcade experience that amply rewards the player’s perseverance and endurance. The ever evolving intricacy of each stage will constantly keep players on their toes, offering up new and interesting obstacles at each and every hurdle. Despite some frustrations with the, at times, imprecise controls, oOo: Ascension is definitely one for those that relish a challenge.

Bouts of input delay on Xbox ruin the experience, and it’s not something to play solo, but Wobbly Life, with co-op buddies, can be a surprising amount of fun. There’s a vast array of things to do, and the hilarity of the physics can make for some funny, rage-inducing moments.

At the end of the day Outcast – A New Beginning did keep drawing me back to play it whether that be advancing the story (or trying to figure out how) or to get a few more trials under my belt for the limited time I had. So, it wasn’t all bad but definitely nothing I’m going to remember aside from having some fun flying around a colorful and open world. Lastly, to conclude I don’t usually bring price into the equation, but this is one of those games that has broken the barrier of our standard pricing and I think that should be considered with what you get in this game compared to others. At what today can be considered a premium price (for a normal base game mind you) I don’t think you are getting a premium product.

At first glance, Ultimate Fishing Simulator might not seem like it would appeal to everyone, but it is engaging enough to enjoy whether the player has any interest in fishing, or none at all. There are plenty of beautiful locations to choose from and with a vast array of equipment to experiment with, it is likely to be an interesting and enjoyable fishing experience for all.

The Forbidden Arts is a beautiful, vibrant and fun game for the whole family. Side scrolling action at its best, it also brings a tiny bit of nostalgia along for the ride. Challenging puzzles make this game addictive, while great design keeps you looking at the screen.

Coming from Roiland, Trover Saves the Universe was never going to be a straight laced affair. There are plenty of funny moments spliced into the gameplay that will have you laughing. That it ports so well with the VR element removed is commendable; controlling Trover in fights and puzzle situations is intuitive, if no doubt sightly more awkward without that extra element. The constant stuttering nature of the acting did start to grate by the end, though fans of his work will no doubt look over that detail. If you’re after a unique, bizarre adventure for an evening, Trover will most certainly have you covered.

Young Souls is a scrolling beat ’em up with a few more ideas thrown into the mix. You can change the path you take slightly, and you have to earn your increase in stats. The twin’s functionality is a cool touch and playing with a friend is way more fun than by yourself. The game is meant to test your skills and patience but the added option to make it an easier ride will make it more accessible.

If the absence of Left 4 Dead 3 has you itching for something alike, Earthfall will just about do the trick. It’s a shame that the game doesn’t do much to innovate, and repetition will indeed sink in once you’ve plugged in a few hours, but with that said, the core structure and its gameplay loop is compelling enough to justify a recommendation. Basic it may well be, but it’s fairly action-packed and exciting nevertheless.

Between the art style, the core gameplay and the humor that lands, there’s a lot of fun to be had here. It’s a little too heavy handed on the in-jokes and references at times, undermining the successes elsewhere. The lack of enemy variety and the world level layouts hurt this the most, but overall, the game is well deserving of your time.

Battlefield V’s content depth may indeed be lacking, though even so, the content that is on offer remains explosively robust from the onset. The campaign is relatively engaging and emotional, and the multiplayer is every bit as action-heavy as it ever has been. That said, if you’re looking for a varied shooter, you may want to hold off until DICE adds in its additional story, its battle royale mode, and its extra maps.