Of the LucasArts adventures that have come to Xbox One, Full Throttle is not the first that we’d recommend. It’s too lightweight in its gameplay to be a favourite, and it takes a few ambitious punts, particularly into arcade territory, that don’t pay off. But that’s not to say that Full Throttle is running on empty: it’s better at being a movie than a game, and that movie is exhilarating, noisy and more than a little kick-ass.
Stories Untold on Xbox One should be applauded. It's a masterclass in storytelling and an experimental success when it comes to how you find yourself engaging with gameplay and game styles all in one package. It will turn your head inside out, but it will also leave you thinking about what has happened long after you finish.
Train Sim World 2: Isle of Wight: Ryde - Shanklin on Xbox One is a piece of DLC that the Train Sim World enthusiasts will lap up. It features an iconic track and great piece of rolling stock that will have the fans salivating. It's a pretty route too, especially the Ryde pier section that rolls along the seafront. I do however find that the more I play this game, the lack of an upgrade in passenger design and AI becomes all the more concerning, and I feel that Dovetail would do well to examine this issue as the franchise progresses.
If you're a fan of survival horror then it may be worth adding Remothered: Broken Porcelain on Xbox One to your list. It delivers a decent, although frustratingly confusing, narrative that is complemented by some good stealth mechanics and the deliverance of an air of creepiness and horror throughout. However, the bugs are hugely annoying and for some it is these which will determine whether this game lives or dies. Personally, I think this would be a shame, because under the rough exterior lies a bit of a diamond.
It’s not often you get the chance to get behind the wheel and operate a digger in gaming, with such rare opportunities involving the rather serious farming and construction simulators. That's why it's a nice change to see the developers at Pico Sacro Games taking the classic piece of heavy machinery out of its natural habitat for BH Trials on Xbox One. Instead of digging trenches and performing forestry work, BH Trials wants you to have fun with a bit of parkour. That isn’t a mistake, digger parkour really is the concept, but does it make for a fresh and enjoyable puzzler, or will you end up digging a hole to bury the game in?
Carto on Xbox One is one for the younger gamer, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all. It has the right vibe and presentation of a children’s book coming to life, and the whole setup of using puzzle pieces to bring a map together makes for an intuitive and engaging gameplay mechanic. While the game world and exploration within is a bit on the simplistic side, the puzzle design is still effective in what it achieves, both in the game design and in driving a meaningful narrative.
The Ancient Gods: Part One on Xbox One changes nothing fundamental from DOOM Eternal, but instead dials up the demon slaying up to eleven. It’s worth battling through as there’s still fun to be had, but you’ll have to work a lot harder for it.
It’s very difficult to recommend Techwars Global Conflict on Xbox One. The core concept is sound and even though the gameplay is a bit clunky, the game has its charms. However, currently there are too many technical issues, too much game information is obscured, and even if you can get into a battle it’s hard to fully embrace things.
Judging a book by its cover goes both ways: what looks attractive can actually be a dirge, repetitive and depressing in its storytelling, and with caps on the fun you can experience from its combat. Roughly a couple of hours too long, I ended up hoping that the final page of this tale would come earlier, not later.
Chicken Police - Paint it Red on Xbox One is a real surprise - a glorious homage to Detective Noir fiction. It’s stylish, sassy and fun - Sin City with a wattle. But while it isn’t overloaded with gameplay, it’s a page-turner from start to finish, and we would happily spend more time with its characters in cases to come. In all honesty, we were expecting something of a bantam class, but Chicken Police turned out to be a heavyweight.
Lord of the Click on Xbox One doesn’t do anything to keep you playing. The act of clicking is uncomfortable, not to mention worrying, and the upgrades are about as boring as you can get. At the end of the day, the only real selling point is the cheap price and easy Gamerscore. Unless you're desperate, I wouldn’t recommend picking this one up.
Day of the Tentacle on Xbox One is the product of a studio on a roll. There was no popular franchise, no Star Wars or Indiana Jones to work with here, which meant - to hell with it - ideas could be its foundation. One mansion, three time-zones, and an inventory full of items to switch between them. Sure, the remaster is a missed opportunity, but the game is anything but: simultaneously timeless and sublime in how it uses time. We can wipe the sweat from our brow now, and be happy that Day of the Tentacle is as good as it ever was.
Star Wars Episode I Racer on the Xbox One appears to be missing a lot of crucial information that would likely have been in an instruction booklet when originally released. Thanks to the internet though, you’ll be able to find out what buttons are required, but considering this is a re-release, this information should have been added in. It doesn't detract from the racing itself which still stands up today, but other than HD upgrades there are literally no other improvements to the overall package.
It’s an incredibly short game, seeing how I beat it twice in the space of two hours. And, like the automobiles that Henry and Florence blew to smithereens, those are two hours that I’ll never get back.
YesterMorrow on Xbox One is a charming retro-styled platformer, or platform/puzzler if you prefer. There is a real sense of progression as you get stronger and learn to wield the Everlight, the bosses that you encounter are memorable and have patterns to learn should you wish to beat them, and the time travel mechanic works well to deliver the icing on the cake. Minor control quibbles aside, YesterMorrow is a great little playthrough and one you would do well to consider.
