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Arise: A Simple Story on Xbox One is a brilliantly devised game and it’s been a huge pleasure to play. Yes, there are the occasional frustrations with some of the platforming, but you really shouldn’t let that worry you. It’s a splendid wordless story with a perfect amount of gameplay hours for the price, and it’s right up there with the very best games I’ve played this year.

For around a fiver, Tempus – Level Escape will be able to provide you with an experience that is relaxing and intriguing, complete with some brilliantly designed puzzles. Running at just a few hours in length, the visual storytelling is a delight, helped by a concept that is completely original and unusual. Perhaps if you are new to the puzzle scene, this might be too obtuse at times and there may not be enough hints on what to do next. But for me, the varied level design and puzzles make Tempus a game that is extremely interesting. 

Ugly may well take you by surprise. It is clever, exciting to play and full of unique gameplay mechanics, brilliant boss battles, and adventure. Taking you on a journey through a narrative of highs and lows, sadness and remorse, this is a visually-told affair that is pretty amazing. Some puzzles might frustrate, but ultimately the challenge is part of the experience.

Overall there is much to love in this amazing little game. The visual tone, soundtrack, and narration of Candle: The Power of Flame, as well as the inclusion of great puzzle elements see it coming across as something with brilliant invention. The downsides are that some of the game mechanics feel a bit off, and a tad annoying, but it isn’t enough to dampen the spirits or ruin the enjoyment of this stunning candle adventure.

The Longest Road on Earth is thoroughly enjoyable; an experience that is capable of sincerely touching the player. The music is wonderful and the whole journey a delight. Granted, many may struggle with the lack of action and others will find the undramatic nature of the narrative hard to take, but there’s a good chance that if you give The Longest Road on Earth a chance, it’s one that you will really like.  

Endling – Extinction is Forever is an important game that tells a tale of the environmental and man-made destruction that is happening around us. It focuses on how our actions affect our animal friends, and the perilous state of balance we find ourselves in. As a game, it’s good and well designed, even though it feels relentless in its outcomes; at times, it’s not an enjoyable game to play. 

If you’re a story lover, then Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo is possibly a must-buy. It’s a unique and individual game, powered by a narrative that has been inspired by the famous director’s classic film. The story is great with a lot going on, the gameplay works well and there are always some intriguing moments to keep your attention and focus. It’s not complicated and you won’t get stuck at any point, but the pacing is a problem at times and it could have possibly been cut by a couple of hours without harm. 

DE:EXIT – Eternal Matters is a very pleasant surprise. The world on offer is brilliant, rich for exploration and complemented with relaxing gameplay. The story is good too, especially in terms of the writing and brilliant characters. You could also point at the simple yet challenging mechanics. And whilst there are a few minor problems with the camera and accuracy, it doesn’t take away the fact that DE:EXIT – Eternal Matters is such an original piece of work. 

After Us is not only a great experience, but a warning to us and the world we live in. 

Frank and Drake is a unique example of indie gaming at its best, mixing great storytelling, unique artistry, and good puzzles in a delightful combination. Some might find it too slow, whilst others may point to the lack of open-world control annoying. But this is a game that is capable of providing many moments of magic, taking the mundane to the sublime.

Brilliantly designed with a different slant on the metroidvania genre, Wordless has a unique style and some amazing visual storytelling. Fans of a challenge will relish the combat and the depth it has, whilst the exploration and platforming elements are very strong. On the whole, it is capable of providing a universe that you’ll enjoy spending time in. Maybe some will find it a tad too challenging, but persevere and you’ll find Worldless capable of delivering a stunning time.

Whilst there are restrictions in terms of the gameplay and location, Grotto is one of those most unique of indie experiences. It’s full of strange world building and weird language, but that does mean it comes across as a great experiment, one looking to utilise communication and diviners.

Super Sports Blast, as a package, on Xbox is a lot of fun. I very much enjoyed the volleyball and tennis segments, and whilst the football section doesn’t work for me personally, I feel that you can blame the likes of FIFA for that rather than anything this collection of games does wrong. If you’ve looking for a party game to be added for local multiplayer rotation then this will be a perfect addition, what with its range of competitions and fun, quick gameplay. That said, if you’re a solo player, it’s quite a price tag to invest in, especially when you put it up against other more realistic sports experiences out there. And similarly, if you are a serious sports fan then this is unlikely to be for you. 

Onirike is a unique action platforming adventure with a great premise and a weirdly wonderful narrative. The platforming is not always the best and having to plant flowers in order to find progress is initially tricky to get to grips with, but the puzzles are inventive and the design of the world is superb. 

If you’re a puzzle fan then you’ll enjoy Seven Doors, particularly as it delivers a lovely surprise in the latter parts of the game. The puzzle and mental elements are great, with some brain-teasing tests which are fun to solve and participate in. The more physical side of things doesn’t work as well though; more annoying and – at times – just not fun. But Seven Doors is pretty cheap to purchase and whilst it is unlikely to be troubling your game of the year lists, it’s still well worth a look. 

You have to send credit the way of the development team for tackling a subject like this, dealing with it in a compassionate and heartfelt way. There’s no doubt that the story of Inner Ashes is very good, with a great representation of the struggles involved in coping with Alzheimer’s. But the pacing can feel too slow at times and if I am being picky there are a few too many Tetris-styled puzzles.

The setup and strange magical story are to be loved in Tenebris Pictura. The characters are intriguing and the gameplay is good, mixing the travel between planes well. Visually it’s all very stunning. But personally, the combat has been hard to get on with. 

I have two distinct reactions to my time with Vaccine. The first is hatred of its terrible old control system, changing camera angles and the random generating house of horror. The second reaction though is of respect and enjoyment at the increasing tension of the challenge, while getting better at unlocking the secret of the Vaccine. This is a game that you need to fail at and spend some time with in order to get the best out of it. If you can get past the issues I had at the beginning then there is a good Survival horror game in here, with a neat concept, that will make some classic gamers very happy indeed.

The fact that Injection π23 ‘Ars regia’ has been put together by just one person blows my mind so that deserves some credit and it’ll be interesting to see how this franchise progresses in the future. 

Charon’s Staircase can feel a bit like putting on a pair of comfy slippers, sipping some cocoa and kicking back with a good old-fashioned ghost story. But other moments frustrate, with some not-so-fun puzzles, brightness issues, and a familiar last act. The story may hook you and it’s certainly interesting to explore the world of Charon’s Staircase, but this doesn’t quite rise above the other games in this genre. 

A game that does what it needs to do pretty well, Rise of Fox Hero is a good old-fashioned platformer; bright and cheerful, with a good amount of levels and challenge. It helps that it is cheap to purchase and so if you’re looking for something to take a punt on, you won’t go far wrong. That said, it does start to feel a bit bland once you get roughly halfway through, something that is not helped by the lack of variation. 

If you love a challenging puzzler in which you are left to search hard for clues, then After You could be the game for you. I would suspect most will need to rely on a guide, but even then, the story and visuals are both good enough to draw you in. This is a tricky game though, one that could well keep you going for some time, as you try to understand what is needed for progression.

FINIS is a very short experience, yet the price tag manages to justify the content. But it must be said, once you’ve been ‘evaluated’ there’s a chance you’ll be done with FINIS, left to leave it on the shelf forevermore. Perhaps that would be down to the muddled control system or lack of explanation, but if you’re a fan of the genre, you should find something to like in this short experience. 

DESOLATIUM is an unusual, yet enjoyable, point-and-click adventure that is well worth getting your teeth into. The visuals are very impressive, whilst the atmosphere and soundtrack are equally good. It’s a journey to enjoy, even if I found there to possibly be one character too many included. The mechanics may take a while to get used to, but the puzzles are good, even if they rarely make for a challenge.