As Dusk Falls is a stellar example of the narrative adventure genre. A fantastic cast of characters are used brilliantly throughout, with twists and turns galore. The sheer breadth of choice and consequence mean there is scope for several playthroughs, and even when we’re bouncing between characters there’s cohesiveness to the story rarely found in gaming. Top it off with a stunning art style and soundtrack and we have not only one of the best examples of the genre, but one of the best titles of the year so far.

Ultimately REDO! left me wanting to go back to other metroidvanias rather than to put more time into this one. The slower traversing of the land and the unforgiving combat just doesn’t fit my preferences but that doesn’t mean REDO! is a bad game. I would recommend anyone interested in REDO! to check out the gameplay and if your interest is still piqued then give it a go. The artwork is pleasant and the puzzles required to progress may appease you more than it did me.

I’ve very much enjoyed my time with Freshly Frosted. It’s proven to be a nice game to unwind with after the work day, with challenges that are pitched just about right for the most part. Wrapped up in a cute and whimsical story and art style, this is a refreshing puzzler that stands out from the crowd.

Broken Mind is not a long game but it is fun and refreshing to play. I enjoyed my journey, and even though I am a big wimp when comes to survival horror I still really enjoy my playthrough of it.

Sonic Origins is a great example of packing classic games together and improving them for a modern audience. The added mission modes are the stand out, but the games themselves still play just as good as ever, especially with the new Anniversary mode. Pre-order lock out nonsense aside, this is a fantastic way to experience the classics.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong feels like a bit of a flat, confused mess. The story has some intrigue about it and the characters are interesting but some of the conversations had in the game are so serious that it sometimes feels mundane. If you like detective games with a twist then there is some joy to be had here but I feel it is a bit of a disservice to vampires.

At first, I was a little disappointed that Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX wasn’t really a roguelite, since it lacks any penalty for death, but then I quickly found myself having a blast – beating the game in one sitting. I love games where I can just kick back, relax, and not have to worry about missing important elements of the game or achievements and this game fits that description perfectly. If you’re looking for a quick and fun distraction, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX could be just the thing to extinguish your boredom.

Despite its flaws and F1 Life feeling like a bit of an excuse for extra microtransactions, F1 2022 is another great entry into the series and will keep new and returning players busy until next year’s game!

Overall though I had a fantastic time with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. The action is fast and fun, and highly replayable thanks to several character options and upgrades. It might be a little repetitive solo but get some mates together and this is sure to provide a lot of laughs.

Much like it’s predecessor, Drunken Fist 2: Zombie Hangover is capable of providing a few laughs at times, but it wears out its welcome very quickly and feels like it has taken a step or two backwards rather than forwards.

Overall players can get a lot of playtime and enjoyment out of this collection, but the fact that the game lacks a typical multislot save system really hurts the product. If you like RPG games and want to try something different or have played gamebooks like the ones this is based on, then Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! is worth a try.

Sadly, whilst Dolmen is a game that may have been well suited 10 or 15 years ago, with a ton of souls-likes already out there such as The Surge, Hellpoint, Mortal Shell, Nioh, and so on, there is a lot to achieve if you want to make it as a memorable experience in the action RPG genre, and Dolmen doesn’t stand up there with the cream of the crop already available.

A slightly risque, 2D action RPG is how I would describe Lost Ruins. It has a unique combat system with a wide variety of weapons, spells, and items, giving you plenty of options to tackle your foes. Some might say it has too many options and the constant pausing to swap things around takes away from the gameplay, others will like this approach. Don’t be fooled by the game’s Metroidvania appearance, it lacks a few key components, and you won’t get lost working your way through this linear adventure, but I think it has just enough to keep fans interested.

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.

Super Perils of Baking is a modern game with an old retro 16-bit soul. Tough platforming with even tougher challenges and secrets await you through these 50 stages. Overall Super Perils of Baking will test your skills and I do recommend it to 2D platforming fans. Gamers looking to get into platforming will find better games but Super Perils of Baking wouldn’t be the worst choice either.

Soundfall can be fun and certainly offers a fresh look on rhythm action games. It doesn’t manage to find the compelling magic though.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deadcraft and if it didn’t have some of the niggles I would have recommended it much higher. The crafting system is simple to learn and growing your own zombie pals is delightfully morbid fun. But as I was so hooked on upgrading and crafting I didn’t realise it made the game too easy. I also just wish there was more to the story as I enjoyed the game and ended up feeling more could have been added.

Low-poly horror is all the rage it seems, but few titles pull it off as well as Janitor Bleeds. Smart pacing, clever use of mechanics, and an excellently crafted atmosphere combine to make a great indie horror title.

Will Die Alone is a decent narrative adventure that handles difficult topics with a light touch and some decent writing. A single playthrough is less than 15 minutes at best, but those looking to fully explore the tale will need to play it through a few times at least. It won’t captivate like some titles in the genre, but for what we get there is a decent evening to had.

After playing Souldiers for a few dozen hours I can say that it has a ton of potential, despite its issues I continue to want to play the game when I sit down and turn on my Xbox. The Metroidvania side of the gameplay really shines – the abilities, exploration, and world-building – but the game is marred by bugs and problematic design decisions that make the difficult souls-inspired combat feel less rewarding and much more frustrating. If the game was released without many of these issues I could see myself scoring it much higher but as it is, Souldiers needs to head back to basic training before anyone else enlists in their army.

It might not stand shoulder to shoulder with the greats but for those looking for a new story driven FPS to play, Industria is one to check out.

The return of Kao The Kangaroo after a prolonged hibernation is both a blessing and a curse. Blooming with colour, bolstered by simple pick up and play stylings, and presented as a glittering throwback to the golden age of platformers, all help Kao to blossom beautifully. Yet Kao’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness, as it fails to bring anything new to a grounded genre formula, nor is it long enough to stay ingrained in the memory as it’s over all too soon. You might think it impolite to ask why of all classic platformers did Kao have to come back after all these years, and even though you might still ponder this upon completion, you may just find that this return was well worth investing time into.

Silt takes a solid concept, uses its ideas smartly, and doesn’t out stay its welcome. A few niggles aside, this is a great way to spend a few hours solving the mysteries of the depths below and the diver seemingly stranded within it.

Retro gamers or those of a certain vintage will find something to enjoy here, but if you’re outside of that demographic this is a title that’ll likely not last a long time on the hard drive.

Not a belting success nor a show stopping flop, Evil Dead: The Game is buried in a misty purgatory that it can’t shake itself out of. The atmosphere is potent, the combat is visceral and strong despite its heaviness, and there’s certainly a good potential for multiplayer pleasures here. But much like the characters’ clothing, sweat-dabbled skin and blood-soaked exteriors, The Evil Dead can start to stink of the same old formulaic multiplayer games we’ve played before. However, if you want a good time with mates The Evil Dead will do in a pinch, just don’t expect this nightmare to last long.

Wildcat Gun Machine delivers some great sound and art design but unfortunately that doesn’t make up for lack of explanations and repetitive gameplay loops. I do think isometric shooter fans may want to check it out but gamers wanting to try the genre have better choices out there.

Despite starting off negatively (the bugs and glitches can easily be fixed with patch), overall I had a good time with Sniper Elite 5, I’d highly recommend every Game Pass member download this and give it a go, whilst fans of the series will also be happy with the new content and Nazi ball-busting opportunities.

With some grit and determination you may find something to enjoy in Blow & Fly, but for most I feel it’ll be a title that is removed from the playlist shortly after starting it. A neat-on-paper but awkward-in-practice mechanic just doesn’t have what it takes to keep us invested for long.