Darren Edwards

Despite much moaning and groaning, Xbox has had some smashing console exclusive games during its four generation lifespan. Crackdown was one such game.

Just recently it was revealed that the follow-up to Submerged, the previous Google Stadia exclusive Submerged: Hidden Depths, was coming to other formats - Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Given the platform's decline, this came as little surprise. Anyhow, I’ve been hands on via Xbox to see how the sequel to the original relaxplorathon is shaping up.

You may have seen pretty much everything on offer in Them Bombs before, but that doesn’t detract from how enjoyable the core gameplay experience is. The nature of the game may mean it has a short shelf life for some, but thanks to its reasonable price point it’s worth the risk.

ConnecTank’s central mechanic is surprisingly well realised, backed up with plenty to flesh out the world of New Pangea. However, due to the repetitive and somewhat simplistic gameplay this is one the casual gamers will enjoy the most. 

How on earth can I describe Who’s Your Daddy?!. Well, as it turns out there’s no easy way to do so.

Despite lacking some depth, Rubber Bandits offers a thoroughly enjoyable multiplayer experience both on and offline. It’s the perfect party game to dip in and out of if you’re after something a little different.

Despite borrowing heavily from Overcooked!, Cannibal Cuisine strikes more of a party game tone, with mixed results. The gameplay lacks finesse, and despite providing a few laughs with friends, you’ll find it difficult not to revert back to the inspirational rival.

Despite not being the most welcoming in terms of accessibility, Operation Zeta is an enjoyable roguelite which attempts to keep it fresh with mixed results.

Mini Madness may hit the right nostalgic notes, but the repetitive humdrum racing and somewhat lazy execution is a long way behind the curve.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a brilliantly presented and deeply layered strategy game. Minor issues aside, it’s rarely been so good to be bad.

You know exactly what you're getting with a Serious Sam game, and Serious Sam 4 is no different. Issues aside, fans of the series should still have a blast with this one.

Despite falling into some of the same traps as its predecessor, Halo Infinite is a huge step in the right direction and something of a correction course. Overall 343 Industries have delivered on their promise to return Halo to its roots, whilst breaking new ground, and it’s much better off for it.

He’s a jack of all trades. Our favourite mustached plumber has had a go at pretty much everything over the years, since he shot to stardom climbing flagpoles and stomping on the heads of goombas. However, it’s fair to say his most lucrative side project is the ever popular Mario Kart series.

2 Synchro Hedgehogs provides more of the same straightforward, short lived, puzzle platforming action. It’s nearly identical to the previous games, but may well convince you to part with your pennies with the promise of trouble-free Gamerscore.

DEEEER Simulator is wacky, off-the-wall and intriguing to begin with. However, it’s a jumbled cocktail of ideas which run short quickly. After an hour or two, you'll struggle to find reasons to jump back in.