While some momentum-killing levels and technical issues hold Penny's Big Breakaway back from perfection, the killer aesthetics and buttery smooth gameplay loop make the game an undeniable breakout hit.
Ultimately, I had a good time with Twelve Minutes. It's a game that is able to usher forth a great narrative experience and a refreshing change of pace. It's one to give a whirl through Game Pass as while it won't be for everyone, it will connect with a lot of people.
While the start of the year was looking kinda barren for Xbox, the latter half of the year is quickly looking to make up for any shortcomings. Death's Door and Microsoft Flight Simulator were released to widespread acclaim. The Ascent has just launched and shows tremendous promise. 12 Minutes looks incredibly promising. Of course, I'd also be remiss not to mention two little games called Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. However, sandwiched between these incredibly promising games is The Artful Escape, the debut title from Beethoven and Dinosaur.
When Andrzej Sapkowski's classic series Wiedźmin was first translated into English, it was known by the name 'The Hexer'. Obviously, the name never stuck, and the series was later rechristened 'The Witcher'. However, it is arguably two decades after this event, that a game kinda fits the Hexer title to a tee - King's Bounty II.
Last year, Xbox put on a great show with a ton of new announcements, but instead of discussing the return of Fable, the trippy-looking Psychonauts 2, or the out-of-left-field reveal for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, they were all talking about Craig.
All in all, Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Dry Twice is a decent second (or is that 9th?) round with ole Larry Laffer. The game is not going to be for everyone, but what is here is ultimately enough for a more polished, if less inspired, experience.
As a retro-throwback, Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl does its job extremely well. Heck, in some ways it does it too well. If you were the type who grew up on these games, I can say with all due respect that you will probably have a good time with this if you want to connect with your inner child.
All in all, Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a fun time. The PvPvE mode is refreshing, the presentation and performance rock solid and the price fair. However, in its current form, it does start to lose its lustre after a while. Its deeply flawed matchmaking system has a far way to go to ensure that the game is fun and balanced for everyone. Hood has a lot of promise, but like its titular hero, it's not quite out of the woods yet.
Papa's Quiz on Xbox is probably the textbook definition of a fine game. It does exactly what it sets out to accomplish, and while the UI, presentation and minor design issues do hold it back from being something more, this is still a solid trivia game.
The ID@Xbox Indie Showcase, on the whole, was a pretty great show. The format certainly needed some tightening up and I would have preferred an evening to smack-dab in the middle of Friday. However, where it truly counts, the games are where the show shined, particularly as there was something for everyone. From point-and-click-adventures to life simulations. From roguelikes to isometric RPGs. From first person shooters to platformers. From... well, you get the picture.
Dreaming Sarah on Xbox does skew more towards the good dream rather than the nightmare. The game is mostly a visual treat with fantastic music, and it is dripping with endearing dream logic; something which is even more impressive when you consider it is primarily the effort of three creators. As one of the cheapest Xbox Series X|S optimized titles, I think there is a lot to love here, but some awkward controls and frustrating design decisions do hold this back from being an indie Metroidvania darling.
In what is sure to be welcome news for Xbox fans, the European Commission has approved the Microsoft Bethesda deal. While this does not signify the closing of the deal yet, it is an important final step before the two companies merge.
Battleborn was not the game I wanted it to be, it probably wasn't the game a number of you reading wanted it to be. But what it undeniably was was a game that a team of hundreds of people poured their hearts and souls into.
The Medium on Xbox is the game fans have been waiting for. A dark, mature, scary, visually appetizing next-gen delight with a gripping story, it is one to not miss if you are a fan of psychological horror. Above all, this feels like an experience that really shows the chops of the Series X, and will likely serve as a benchmark title going forward, especially if the few remaining technical issues are patched.
When it first launched almost 15 years ago, the original Gears of War set the tone not just for the Xbox 360, but also for the generation to come. Flash forward to today, however, and the franchise in terms of reception and audience engagement seems to have taken a bit of a decline. The way I see it, it boils down to two questions: "Does Gears of War need a reboot?" and "Would Gears of War benefit from a reboot?".
Pull on your wooly pulleys as it is Winter in Mexico, and in the world of Forza Horizon 5 we all know what that means, right? Yep, more weekly Festival Playlist Weekly Challenge shenanigans to keep us entertained and racing hard through Series 32 Winter!
For those of you who have been living under a rock or deep in the jungle for the last ten years, the Devil May Cry games feature a protagonist called Dante. And this is Dante when he was just effortlessly cool...
