James Birks

The rook is perhaps one of the most valuable chess pieces outside of the royal family, so you can understand why its protection might be of importance. Despite the use of a rook and a game board though, Defend the Rook actually has very little to do with chess. It’s strategic, sure, but the focus is on turn-based combat featuring a group of heroes which is infused with tower defense and roguelike elements. 

With rumours of a PS5 Pro circulating, it’s on the agenda for our team in TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 157. The upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake also gets discussed alongside a host of recently released games that have been keeping us busy. On top of that is a quiz and a giveaway, so be sure to tune in!

Cube Farmer is a puzzler involving farming, but not in a conventional sense and it’s definitely not easy. But is it worth spending your cash and brain power on? Or should you harvest your cash for something else?

The tower defense concept is a difficult one to get right, with only the cream of the crop - like Plants vs Zombies - able to bring longevity to a generally repetitive game loop. Developers HugePixel, whom you may recognise from the Lord of the Click series, are looking to provide a tower defense with a slight twist. Could Road Stones deliver something new for a path well-trodden, or is it lacking direction and the ability to hook you in?

You’re in for a real treat this week as we’ve got an exclusive interview with the creative director of the immersive puzzle adventure, Tin Hearts. There’s not only that in TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 155, but also opinions on the recent PlayStation State of Play and a selection of new games like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. 

Zen Studios originally brought the magic of pinball to the virtual world back in 2007 with Pinball FX. It had a few tables at launch and there were a batch of additional offerings available via downloadable content. Skip ahead well over a decade, bypassing two rather successful sequels, and now the whole concept is getting a reboot. Pinball FX has risen from the ashes as a free-to-play hub for all your pinball needs, but is it the next logical step for the franchise or a step in the wrong direction?

After a decent outing in the form of Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager, Goblinz Studio are back with a collectible card game featuring roguelike and RPG components, Iris and the Giant. When done right, CCGs in combination with those elements outlined above have the potential to be very addictive. Such titles like Slay the Spire, Monster Slayers and Monster Train can hook you in for hours, leaving you yearning for just another go. 

Bumblebee - Little Bee Adventure is the latest 3D flying experience from EpiXR Games; prolific developers looking to create a buzz. They’re well versed in this genre after churning out numerous Aery titles and a couple of Life of Fly instalments. The idea for Bumblebee - Little Bee Adventure is to deliver a similarly relaxing, narrative-driven exploration adventure, but involving a bee instead. So, is this new venture the bee's knees, or in the end is it not all it’s cracked up to bee?

Space Accident is set in the year 2119, at a time when human civilisation has decided to up their game in regards to the colonisation of the planets within the solar system. With many projects in development, the idea is to harness and establish power on the untapped space territories. You’re part of the Callisto Colonization Mission crew, which is on a five year expedition of Jupiter’s satellite. Something happens during the journey however, putting the important mission in jeopardy - the captain is found dead and all signs point to murder.

It’s been a slow news week, but fortunately for you our team still has a shed load of games to chat about, including Deliver Us Mars and DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos. There’s even a quiz, so be sure to tune in and give a listen to TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 153.

DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos is an open-world action-adventure featuring the legendary Justice League as they face off against a real handful of an enemy, Mr. Mxyzptlk - and we've had a look at it.

Who could have guessed that a concept involving a line, often considered a snake, which grows in size and must avoid obstacles to survive, would still be relevant decades after its first inception. Obviously the Snake phenomenon on the old Nokia phones is the most successful version to date, but developers Teggno Interactive hope to find their own success in their title inspired by the aforementioned game. Let’s dig in and see if Project SNAQE is going to be your latest addiction, or just another mediocre imitation.

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever conjures up a magical, mythical RPG that puts onus on storytelling before anything else.

We Were Here Forever is the biggest game of the series so far, and it’s pretty good without reaching the upper echelons of its genre. Sure, the story isn’t going to put you on tenterhooks, but the ingenuity of the puzzling more than makes up for its shortcomings in that department.

Reaching such an important milestone like 150 and coinciding with the Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct is surely fate. Therefore, in TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 150 we’re going to discuss the latest showcase, but that’s not all as it’s also an opportunity to see whether Forspoken is being fairly or unfairly criticised. Tune in to find out more!