Spiritfarer, in my book, is a strong contender for game of the year. I love the feel of the game, the graphics are gorgeous, and the narrative is incredibly engaging. The topic of death is sensitive, but it’s one many of us can connect with and Spiritfarer manages to strike the chords it needs to make that connection.
Stylish, slick and set in Small Heath, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind on Xbox One is a strong first outing for the family. It may be a little on the short side, but it’s a refreshingly different way to test your gray matter.
I'm not a fan of Nicole, either the game or the heroine. The gameplay is dull, the hook of trying to get these boys to like you is boring at best and annoying at worst, the characters don't ever come alive, and it’s generally not as much fun as other visual novels I've played, even others from the Ratalaika stable.
Family is a big deal in the East and it is portrayed very well in Road to Guangdong on the Xbox One. Sadly though, the family included here isn’t worth the drive to get there.
Brunch Club on Xbox One is a fun, short game to play with friends or, if you’re particularly determined or masochistic, to play alone and try to overcome the increasingly unforgiving difficulty levels
Creamative has put a lot of work into Clan N on Xbox One, and it shows. Not only does the game both look and play great, there is a solid amount of content available. Not everything is a home run though. The obscure nature of what some stats do, and when you level up, can make things tedious at times. But between the seven levels, two campaigns, and mini-games that are found throughout, there is enough here to warrant the asking price.
The only real reason to pick up RogueCube on Xbox One in lieu of another rogue-like is for the easy Gamerscore. It’s just hard to recommend a game when it has odd mechanics and might crash whenever a specific item gets added to your inventory.
Initially starting out life as an Indiegogo project, which accumulated more than twice the target amount back in 2013, the concept of Wizards: Wand of Epicosity launched on mobile platforms - under the guise of Tobuscus Adventures: Wizards - after a couple of years of development. Now though, there’s a reboot of sorts on PC and consoles, with the game receiving an extensive period in Steam Early Access beforehand. Will Wizards: Wand of Epicosity transition smoothly to the Xbox One and deliver a magical tower defense experience, or should it use the cloak of invisibility and disappear?
WarriOrb on Xbox One is hard. It is unfair. You will have to swallow that unfairness until you can find a workaround. There are undoubtedly better hardcore platformers out there. BUT, if that doesn’t dissuade you, and you’ve beaten Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Salt & Sanctuary and the rest, then - hats off to you - there’s some charm and joy to be had in this little sphere’s adventures.
If you’ve ever tapped along to the drum beat of heavier music, Double Kick Heroes on the Xbox One is perfect for you. At harder difficulties your controller will take an absolute beating, but the sheer diversity of metal music on offer here ensures that there is a track or three for all fans of the genre.
Linn: Path of Orchards on Xbox One feels very unique, is scarily stunning to look at and is a cracking little title to just pick up and play. I don't like having to repeat levels to unlock new stages, I worry that the difficulty spike is quite steep, and the hectic gameplay might put some off. But the highlights outweigh the cons, especially if you decide to take the low asking price into account too.
Whilst there are some issues with platforming, some annoying jokes and inconsistent level design, Helheim Hassle on Xbox One is a great example of how far Perfectly Paranormal have come as a team. It could realistically be seen as extra content with the formula Samuel set beforehand, but instead it adapts from it and grows. Helheim is just as wacky and strange as Manuel Samuel yet offers so much more to keep you playing.
Max and the Book of Chaos on Xbox One is a frantic battle for survival which manages to provide a fun challenge without sending the player into a spiral of anger and frustration. It’s hard not to recommend giving this one a look, especially if reflex-testing run and gun shooters are your bag.
For a seasoned hidden object player - particularly those who feel oversaturated with the horror and fantasy themes of the Xbox One library - I can give a Kevlar-guarded recommendation. The CSI-theme suits the material well, and - while they don’t necessarily work - the innovative elements attempt to shake up a template-heavy genre. If you haven’t played a hidden object game before? It’s hard to make a case, as there are better examples from the same publisher.
