Richard Barker

Vaporum: Lockdown is a rock solid RPG that will be a delight to anyone interested in a more classic experience. Pretty much everything is done right here - the story clicks, the combat is great, the levelling is fun and the puzzles are layered. If you're looking for a good dungeon crawler on Xbox, start right here.

The biggest compliment that I can give to Mind Scanners is that it is simply mesmerizing; completely engaging from beginning to end. It’s not incredibly long and the minigames can get pretty dry, but the story, atmosphere, and moral systems will keep you glued to the screen, even bringing you back to get some of the other endings.

Project Wingman is a fine addition to the air combat genre - so much so that it is frankly a no-brainer for fans. It plays somewhat on the safe side with predictable weapons and aircraft, however the tight and satisfying gameplay, epic music, and engaging story, really make it stand out. 

Library of Ruina has an audience but I’m sure much of that audience would have already played it on PC. Deck-building games are insanely fun and addicting, doubly so for one with a great narrative as well, so if you're a fan of the genre it's a no-brainer to get involved. However if you're looking to just learn more about what these games bring, it’ll maybe be best to pass on this one till you've got a bit more experience.

Quake is a certifiable classic that hasn't aged a day and this remastering of all its original content is masterfully done. The console may not be the preferred place to play it, but it’s well done nonetheless and is still an incredibly worthwhile experience.

Worms Rumble is not a badly made game by any means, but it feels like a strange release and may well be a case of being something that nobody has really called for. If you keep an open mind there is plenty of fun to be had here, but whether or not this is able to gather up a player base with enough folk getting ready to rumble is up for debate.

The Elder Scrolls Online - Blackwood is an excellent inclusion. The new companion system is an awesome gameplay enhancement, and despite their lacking in combat it's incredibly cool to have a partner to explore these worlds with. The new region is dense and gorgeous, offering a great selection of content to work through.

In 1993, Id Software revolutionized the first person shooter genre with Doom. Finally, in 1996 the studio was ready for a proper follow-up. Needless to say there was a lot to live up to, especially for it to succeed. Arguably just as revolutionary and fantastic as its spiritual predecessor, Quake came out as another huge success - both critically and commercially.

Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition is a really unique and interesting experience, and there are not many other titles that can pull of this kind of genre mix. It works out in a great way too - it’s deep, intricate, complex, and deeply engaging. Further to that, the story is investing and written gorgeously.

Knockout City is basic on the surface but its core mechanics are able to provide so much fun that you may well struggle to put it down. It’s got all the fundamentals right and with just a bit more content added in, this could be something really special. If you’re looking for a unique spin on the competitive multiplayer angle, it’s absolutely worth a look.

NeiR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is an improved remake of an okay game. The changes that have been actioned are impressive and they in turn make the experience all so much better. Just be aware that many of the basic elements that held back the original are still present. However this is still a fine RPG experience and worth playing, especially if you loved Automata.

As decent as the Borderlands 3 Director’s Cut addition is on Xbox, my problem with all of it is that this could have easily been dropped out as a free update.

Resident Evil Village is due to release on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4 and PC come May 7th 2021, and there will be a new competitive multiplayer element included - Re:Verse. Capcom released an open beta ahead of time, and so I jumped in to see if this add-on is likely to fare any better than their previous attempt.

Samurai Shodown on Xbox is an excellent fighting game; one that is incredibly well-made and able to provide a return to form for the franchise. It’s runs at a different tempo to many other popular fighting games available today, but it’s wild fun. Unfortunately the story mode is disappointingly light and the online multiplayer is sparse.

Peter Molyneux is an infamous figure in the game industry, a developer famed for his over promises and occasional bending of the truth. However he is also known for making some fantastic video games. His now defunct studio Lionhead Studios created some phenomenal titles. These games were weird and experimental in a way that does not happen often nowadays. Their debut title, Black & White, is no exception. It’s perhaps one of the most trippy and cerebral games I’ve played. It’s also a fantastic god game.