‘Tis another month and July 2018 brings a festoon of new games for us Xbox gamers to enjoy. Have a gander at 7 of the most exciting Xbox One games that have got us excited for the month ahead…
Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered
We are 50 years after the events of the original Red Faction, and once again you must touch down on the red planet that is Mars in an attempt to fight against the oppressive Earth Defense Force, as an intrepid insurgence fighter on the side of the Red Faction.
If you know anything about the explosive Red Faction series you will know that it always has one thing on it’s mind: destruction. And this key concept is what Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered revolves around at all times, bestowing upon you a variety of weapons and utilities to make the most of the satisfying physics based destruction and action-packed strategic combat. Of course what the re-Mars-tered edition brings to the table is a whole host of visual improvements from improved lighting and shade, as well as the presence of 4K on Xbox One X!
Red Faction: Guerilla is a bit of a timeless classic and really needs to be played by everyone at some point – and who doesn’t love that titular pun?!
Bomber Crew
For all the boots on the ground war-games that we are used to seeing, there is little in the way of aerial experiences that we can get our hands on. Enter Bomber Crew, the in-depth but equally colourful WW2 plane-sim intent on giving you the best and most explosive of times.
In Bomber Crew you must build your own WW2 aerial bombing crew from the ground up, recruiting a variety of soldiers to form your team and then train and upgrade them between missions in order to tackle the hardest of military ops.
However no pilot is any use without their bird, and the number of planes in the game are fully customizable and upgradable like your recruits. A plane is though always susceptible to some hefty damage so it is up to you to set the correct course, carry out the task, and get the hell out of the area before your infantry are perma-death killed or your plane goes plummeting to the ground. Therefore it is vital to keep an eye on enemy whereabouts, environmental conditions and the conditions of your own men/women in order to ensure everyone makes it home in one piece.
The Spectrum Retreat
Welcome to the Penrose hotel – enjoy your stay, but keep an eye open for anything sinister lurking within…
Nothing is quite as it seems in the unsettling Penrose, and it is up to you as a curious guest to the building to find out just what is going on through the intriguing, thought-provoking and mind-bending narrative that Ripstone and co. have put together.
But it won’t be as simple as wondering around and looking for a few clues, as many of the answers you need are locked behind a number of fiendish colour and physics-based puzzles for you to wrack your brains over until you find the solution and take one more step in your ever-unfolding adventure.
If you are looking for a good puzzler with a deep psychological story to get stuck into keep your eyes peeled for the release of The Spectrum Retreat.
Earthfall
I’m hoping for the end of the world as we know it to be a peaceful affair, definitely not one where hellish aliens have invaded, forcing humans to survive before ultimately fighting back against their foreign oppressors.
But this is the scenario Earthfall puts us in as you – and some mates if you so wish – are part of an alliance fighting back against the alien menace that is plaguing the Pacific Northwest. The way you will go about this is in a base-building type deal, using a number of weapons and defences to keep your self-made safe haven free of the waves of aliens bearing down on your position.
Through 10 missions across a couple of campaigns you and your merry crew of resistance fighters will discover the background behind the apocalypse and (hopefully) drive the monsters away. Given the fact that they come by the hundreds and look pretty terrifying, hope is all we can have at the moment…
Nidhogg 2
The original Nidhogg was a bit of a cult hit amongst the PC community especially, and with the release of the grotesquely glorious sequel it is high time to get involved with a game of wacky tug-of-war.
The main objective of Nidhogg has always been to fight your opponent to opposite ends of the map, each pulling your own way in order to reach either the far-left or far-right of the screen. In order to assume power of which way the map will go, you must get rid of your opponents using a number of melee or ranged weapons and then push on to your end objective, only for your enemy to come back with a vengeance and let the whole thing play out again.
If you are looking for a crazy and colourful party game to have at the ready for any occasion and amount of friends then Nidhogg 2 and its variety of weapons, modes, maps and fun will more than suffice.
No Man’s Sky
If we’re being honest we weren’t betting on a No Man’s Sky release for Xbox given the unfavorable reception it received on PS4 and PC way back when, but No Man’s Sky is back and we are once again looking forward to what is undeniably an ambitious title, all as it takes the Next step.
With an infinite playing space and challenging survival gameplay to explore and get your head around, you will never be seeing the same surroundings twice, and the newly added multiplayer capabilities will hopefully take any blandness out of the sci-fi offering. Will you group up with any other adventurers you find? Or is it a case of killing others for your own survival?
No Man’s Sky is ultimately all about surviving on desolate worlds however you choose to go about it – and finally Xbox gamers have the chance to traverse deep friends alone or with friends.
Castaway Paradise
The generally laid back Nintendo consoles may be a suitable platform for like-minded titles such as Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, but Castaway Paradise is here to let others know what they are missing – bug catching, fishing and farming to be exact!
Castaway Paradise gives you your own tropical island and lets you take the reins, decorating it however you like and helping out the residents that will eventually set up their home in the area. Likewise, dressing yourself however you fancy is a big element of the game, as you can pick clothes that suit you or create an outfit just for a laugh. Farming crops and planting flora is also on the to-do list for your island.
To let your competitive flair run free you can indulge in some bug-catching and fishing, comparing your collections against those of your friends. Furthermore at certain points of the year your island and the residents will be celebrating special occasions like Christmas and Halloween, and you can shape the island accordingly.
For a much more relaxing experience on Xbox One, Castaway Paradise is a major contender.
You may have thought that July 2018 was going to be a bit of a quiet month before we head on in to the manic times that are delivered with multiple game releases as the year ends, but if truth be told, here we are with some very exciting titles about to drop on to Xbox One. Which will you be keeping an eye on? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
