by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: Mode4 Publisher: Mode4 ​Platforms: Xbox One, ​Switch, PC ​Players: 1 - 4

After bailing on your posse with all of the proceeds from a heist, you, the titular Bombslinger, hang up your hat to peacefully while away the remainder of your days. At least until your old compadres hunt you down and destroy everything you hold dear, that is. Vengeance on the mind, you’ll select a starting loadout and seek to end those responsible with a bevy of bombs. Emerging into a pseudo-3D world comprised of procedurally generated screens stitched together to form larger areas, there are often multiple paths to the culminating boss encounters that gate entry to each of four visually distinct, and progressively more demanding, locations. At first, besting these confrontations is no mean feat, and, as such, you’ll find your way back to square one frequently. Vitally, much of the frustration that can accompany a permadeath defeat is alleviated by being drawn closer to victory at the same time. You’ll memorise enemy attack patterns and behaviours through repeat encounters, mastering dispatching them in the process, whilst also working towards unlocking items and abilities to give you a tactical edge moving forward. Mental and physical arsenals bolstered, in theory, each attempt should be more successful than the last. Once you’ve established an understanding of the game’s base mechanics, courtesy of the devilish (but, in a good way) learning curve, taking risks in search of reward becomes a mighty attractive prospect. Fighting through every screen to gain the experience and gold lurking within, both of which are subsequently used to purchase from a random selection of power-ups, or consuming Snake Oil to discover its potentially positive or negative effects are almost irresistible pursuits in looking to steamroll your way to the end in record time. Having initially been off the cards for fear of the repercussions, learning to manage and utilise these light gambling mechanics to your advantage is enough to make you swell with a sense of progression.

Its roguelike Adventure mode propels Bombslinger past Konami’s most recent effort - Super Bomberman R.

The occasionally clumsy four-directional movement will leave some a-shakin’ in their snakeskins.

by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: Passtech Games Publisher: Focus Home Interactive ​Platforms: Xbox One, ​PS4, Switch, PC ​Players: 1

Set in the whimsical world of Spark, Zahr the Banished has sundered Otto’s beloved Ana, splitting her into three pieces and scattering them around the realm. You’ll use your skills as a Shaper to harness the magical powers of Anima and summon a range of Guardians to command in your battle against Zahr and his Golem fighting force, all in order to reunite Ana’s heart, mind and body. It's a simple story, but a relatable one that serves as a solid central conceit thanks to some amusing writing and endearing voice work. Just as delightful are the hand-illustrated cutscenes and colourfully cartoonish art style, enhanced with Xbox One X support. An accessible control scheme makes Masters of Anima’s gameplay similarly inviting, allowing you to micromanage units with ease. There are five breeds of Guardian, each boasting their own unique strengths and weaknesses, summoned at the cost of the titular mana resource. Up to 100 Guardians can be spawned onto the field at once - provided you’ve acquired the relevant upgrades - with your elemental army then set to aid in each of the game’s three key pillars in exploration, puzzle solving and combat. Excellent balance is struck between the three, as engaging environmental puzzles and challenging skirmishes spatter sprawling and varied (both geographically and mechanically) levels overflowing with optional paths, collectibles and quests. Combat encounters are very much the meat of the experience though, presenting Masters’ tactical elements front and centre. Taking a varied spread of the five Guardian classes on offer into the fray is generally a good idea, but not universally so, due in part to the fact it'll take longer to direct your legion the more sets of units you have in play. Whilst enemies display distinguishable attack patterns and blatantly telegraph blows, you're not always afforded the necessary time as you juggle (in real-time) directing each type of Guardian to attack according to their strengths, running defence for both Otto and his summons, and launching your own melee offensive courtesy of Otto's staff in frantic-but-considered fashion.

Excellent balance is struck between the game's three key pillars in exploration, puzzle solving and combat.

by James Michael Parry ​@james_parry Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC Players: 1-6

Brief tutorial aside, from the moment you’re pulled from the wreck of your downed chopper (ever the reliable form of transport...) and scrambled to relative safety, you can do whatever you like. To some, being set up in a lush, mountainous playground, equipped with a handful of weapons and items, is just what the doctor ordered, as it lends itself to many styles of play. For others who crave structure and direction, the sheer breadth and multitude of icons, objectives and missions on offer could be overwhelming. Of course, this is no surprise to those who’ve played open-world Ubisoft games before. The publisher has built a number of its franchises around the concept, to varying degrees of success, leading to easy comparisons with Assassin’s Creed Origins, Ghost Recon Wildlands and previous Far Cry games. Unlike its predecessors though, you aren’t off in a far flung corner of the world this time around, instead, the wilderness is in many players’ backyard, corrupted by cult leader Joseph Seed, who takes every element of the cult stereotype you can think of to an extreme. If you’re wondering where consequences (or a lack thereof) come into play, let us explain. There are games out there that anchor you in their worlds by offering tangible reactions to your actions, but in FC5 you might fail to complete a time-sensitive objective, or trigger an alarm in an area where you’re really supposed to remain undetected, and what are the repercussions? Well...you may earn a little less money...

Far Cry 5's plot asks you to take it seriously, whereas the game itself suggests the opposite.