Fallout 76: Steel Dawn on Xbox is a promising start to the Brotherhood of Steel’s adventures in Appalachia, but being brutally honest, that’s all it is - a start. The questline is too short, the additions of weapons and armour - while nice to have - aren't essential, and the cosmetic items, either for the C.A.M.P. or for the player, are wasted on me.
It might seem like I have had very little positive to say about Brawl Chess - Gambit on Xbox, but that’s because it enables players of all ages to play chess, and that’s about it. There are better options out there for the avid player, which makes this very hard to recommend. Don't let the funky visuals fool you: what's on offer here is a skirmish as opposed to a brawl.
Wildfire on Xbox is bursting with ideas, and there is a deceptively deep stealthy adventure on offer. Sometimes the pacing can feel off, but once you get your head around it, there’s plenty to enjoy here.
While the Pokemon structure gives Duck Life Adventure on Xbox some joy and depth, the rest betrays its roots as a mobile game. You’ll be tapping the A button repeatedly in countless casual minigames, all in the name of grinding up levels. Before long, realisation will dawn that you could be doing something, anything else, rather than succumb to its yawning emptiness. Unless you’re a Duck Life fan, it’s best to duck this one.
In a way, the soundtrack for Katamari Damacy REROLL on Xbox is a pretty good interpretation of the game itself. It’s eclectic, fun, weird and charming but perhaps a little antiquated when looking at it now. With better technology, this could lead us to a great sequel, but for now it’s just a short, pleasant experience
Twin Mirror on Xbox is a good game, if a little inconsistent. It's not the best adventure game out there, but for fans of the genre, it's still a solid experience. For those who aren't as keen on the genre, nothing here is going to change your mind. Still, this is a good experience with a gripping story, some great characters, decent gameplay and moments of brilliance. It's just held back by some unfortunate issues, and the shadow of its better Dontnod adventure siblings.
For fans of games like Overcooked!, Out of Space: Couch Edition on Xbox will likely hit a sweet spot, though there are question marks about the game’s longevity as there’s a limit to how many houses you can be bothered to clean up. There’s not really a campaign as such, but you do get to unlock new things each time you play and progress.
Becoming a parent is the ultimate dream for some people, but let’s be honest, it comes at a great cost in terms of time and money. Fortunately, Microids are here with another of their life sims, My Universe - My Baby, which follows My Universe - School Teacher on Xbox. As a parenting simulation, one hopes My Universe - My Baby can deliver the magic of having your very own child. So, will this experience make you proud as punch and full of joys, or is it more likely to have you tearing your hair out?
Mad Tower Tycoon on Xbox is an entertaining and addictive sim game that can well be enjoyable for a good few hours, particularly once you get to grips with the control system. However, the asking price may well place it out of reach of many, and I would suggest sim fans give this a go when it drops in price a little.
If you want an easy 1000 Gamerscore and you have an hour or two to kill, then More Dark on Xbox might be a game worth picking up. It’s nothing special but it’s not an entirely miserable experience. Everything works fine, and at this point in time that’s more than can be said for some triple-A games!
Unturned on Xbox is very much a game of two halves. If you go into it looking for a challenging survival game, and you aren't too worried about polish, or lack thereof, there is fun to be had here. Staying alive is hard, and keeping healthy is even harder. However, it’s not going to be for everyone, as the lack of explanation about the mechanics of the game soon becomes tiresome.
Micetopia on Xbox is a cute platformer that doesn’t dare to try anything new, difficult or deep. It’s what happens when you cut all the flab from a Metroidvania and then keep on cutting. It feels bad to dunk on such a harmless little game, but your money really is best spent elsewhere.
Sleepin' Deeply on Xbox is attempting to be funny with the main character being a drunk and the level designs being as wacky as they are, but for me it’s just not humorous; a bumbling alcoholic walking around burping and mopping up poop just doesn’t do it for me. But you may find that stuff hilarious, and if you do then Sleepin’ Deeply might be just the game for you.
You’ll emerge from John Wick Hex on the Xbox bruised and a little scarred, but ultimately satisfied. It ambushes you with more randomness than you might like and then kicks you while you’re down, but you’ll dust yourself off and get into a flow that makes you feel like a badass. It may not be the game you expected from the John Wick universe, but it’s got enough peaks to make it worth a shot.
Handball! Thousands of football fans optimistically shout that during matches every weekend, but did you know handball is also an increasingly growing sport? Well it is, and the folks behind Rugby 20 - NACON and EKO Software - have teamed up once more to bring the official Handball series back to Xbox for the first time in four years. Can Handball 21 succeed where previous offerings faltered, or should they just blow the whistle on trying to recreate this sport in the gaming realm?
