Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus is a pretty good game. The graphics work nicely, the story is compelling and Josef, while a bit of a scumbag, is a likable enough protagonist. Unravelling his story is a worthwhile pursuit, and if you like a disturbing game, this might well be up your alley.
If you like the Baki Hanma series, or Punch Out, then you should come out fighting with Baki Hanma: Blood Arena.
I’ve played dozens of KEMCO games over the years, and most of those have very much been in the retro camp, but Dragon Ruins is the perfect blend of too retro, in terms of the visuals, and not enough gameplay.
Grit and Valor – 1949 is extremely interesting, as well as being pretty fast paced. While it isn’t, strictly speaking, an RTS, it’s close enough for me, and that means it is more than worth a dabble.
If you are a fan of Cobra, this is an easy sell, but even if you are not, Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is more than decent enough in its own right.
GRADIUS ORIGINS does what it says on the tin. It allows us to play all the Gradius and Gradius adjacent games in one place, either toughing it out or wimping out with the new features.
If you want a ninja themed side scroller, then put SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance at the top of your list. It is quite simply flawless.
Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is a bit of a mixed bag.
Heretic + Hexen has a good long run time, and with the DLC added in, there is a lot of content that will keep you playing for a while.
If you fancy a retro style brick breaker, Tri Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Odyssey should be seen as one worthy of a shot.
Lies of P is an extremely enjoyable game to play through. The feel of the world, the setting, and the combat all seem to have real impact; frankly, these elements are great. The camera and jumping are not quite so good, but in all, Lies of P is an absolute pleasure to take in.
If you are looking for a well thought out, challenging action platformer, Gunborg: Dark Matters has got all the ingredients needed to make it a success. It is hard but fair, and this is a balancing act that is tricky to get right.
In conclusion, play Forza Horizon 5. There has never been a better looking game, and it plays like an absolute dream. It’s full of cars, full of challenge, full of glorious visuals and played out across a world like no other. I really wish I could give it more than 5/5, but as I can’t, a perfect score will have to do.
Crashlands by Butterscotch Shenanigans is one of those rare games where a whole stack of ideas has been thrown into the mix, yet the result is a beautiful blend rather than a stodgy mess. The story isn't the strongest, but the wish to see what Flux can build next, the need to gear up to beat a boss, the exploring, and the taming of creatures all just works.
If you've played the other two games in the World of Assassination trilogy then you owe it to yourself to finish the narrative in Hitman 3. If not, well, the ability to play all the games in one location makes this an almost essential purchase. If you like sneaking around and playing dress up with guns, Hitman 3 is for you.
The fusion of shooter and match-3 mechanics does work, and while it’s hard to keep on top of the situation, practice certainly helps. What doesn’t work so well is the amount of fun on offer as Galacide quickly becomes frustrating.
MXGP 2020 on Xbox is more than just a rally game for people that like eating mud and wearing leathers. It’s challenging, it’s rewarding, and while I'm still a long way off even finishing a race without falling off, it’s nice to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you know your Honda from your KTM, this is an easy sell, as it is probably as realistic a MXGP experience can be with all your bones intact.
Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom on Xbox is an interesting take on a KEMCO game. It’s more of a management sim than a straight-up RPG, with you having to balance your jaunts to dungeons against the needs of the town for blacksmithed goods. There is a depth that is quite pleasing, but the whole premise seems to be to grind - while there’s fun to be had, it is very repetitive.
All in all though Battle Princess Madelyn has been a wonderful waltz down memory lane.
However, this is without doubt the best retro ‘90s style racing game available on the Xbox One right now