SECRET OOPS!

Platform: iOS

Genre: Strategy

Price: £4.99 per month with Apple Arcade

Augmented reality gets fun and silly in Secret Oops!, as you are tasked with helping a clueless secret agent find his way out of trap-infested lairs, by deactivating security cameras and other dangers in his path. You will need a good open space to play this addictive title - and obviously an iPhone given that it's exclusive to Apple Arcade - as you will be hovering above the virtual rooms, dashing from side to side ensuring Charles makes it out safely. It becomes even more exciting when you bring multiplayer into the mix, though other players will also need to be Apple Arcade subscribers. The augmented reality feature itself can misbehave sometimes and shift across your screen, but this is quickly resolved by re-calibrating it within the app.

Skip to the end: Good source of light entertainment for all ages that breaks away from traditional 'sit and play' gaming. 9/10

ZOMBIE ARMY 4: DEAD WAR

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Genre: Horror / Survival shooter

Price: £39.99

Zombie Army returns with its fourth outing of absurd, senseless survival, once again confronting zombie Nazis which are roaming the world. There is virtually no plot to this gruesome affair, other than taking down the hordes of undead enemies which come your way and you must fight to live - this isn't one for the fainthearted. For those who enjoy the inane however, Zombie Army 4: Dead War fulfils a purpose, but the lack of meaningful storyline makes the game feel a tad brain-dead.

Skip to the end: A violence overload made more senseless by lack of plot. 6/10

THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE TACTICS

Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac

Genre: RPG / Strategy

Price: £14.99

The storyline of The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance Tactics is based heavily on the Netflix series source material, putting players through a series of turn-based tactics and role-play battles. The game is a bit on the slow side, which isn't helped by clunky menus to carry out basic tasks like moving. The main focus of strategy over action, along with a workable progression, is enough to keep hardcore fans of the show glued, but probably isn't sufficient to grab the attention of anyone completely new to it.

Skip to the end: Fans of the show might be able to overlook awkward menu options, but outsiders won't find much to appreciate. 6/10

NIGHTFALL

Platform: Android, iOS, PC

Genre: Multiplayer strategy

Price: Free

The BBC's first multiplayer online game has now launched on iOS and Android, sending gamers into a dream world where they must work together to fight off the enemy characters - Nags and Nightmares - who threaten their dreams. The ability to only communicate using preset emoji-style icons, as well as no loot boxes, ads and micro-transactions make it the safest possible environment any parent could hope for. Controls are super-easy to grasp. The game itself is pretty basic and might not be something children will be rushing home to play after school - but when you consider it's free, Nightfall hits the spot.

Skip to the end: Dreamy multiplayer online gaming made child-proof. 7/10