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.
It must be said that I didn’t really hate my time playing Prehistoric Dude, but I just didn’t really enjoy it either. There's some challenge to overcome and I always like getting 100 percent achievement completion, but there isn’t anything that sets Prehistoric Dude apart from any other platformer. It’s not a bad game, just exceedingly average.
I have a hard time finding great local multiplayer games. Not only are they not being made all the time, but a lot of them seem to miss the mark when it comes to engaging gameplay that does not get stale. Boomerang Fu on Xbox One rises above this crowd by providing plenty of options, being easy to pick up, and hard to put down. Add the game’s adorable visuals, and you have a recipe for a local multiplayer game with a lot of staying power.
It Lurks Below is a game I really wanted to like and the foundation that it has is great. But it needs to be optimized for Xbox One better. The gameplay is fun when there aren’t bugs to deal with and, who knows, maybe I’m just unlucky? I just know it could be done better and I hope to see future updates that remedy some of these issues, because I really do think It Lurks Below has a lot of potential to be something amazing.
From my time with Bite the Bullet on Xbox One, its charm and uniqueness was made clear, but the more traditional sides of its game design and combat ultimately let me down. The RPG systems are rather shallow and progression feels hollow throughout most of the game. The general level design, whilst pretty decent, does not reward exploration, and some of its systems don’t really matter that much to the overall experience.
Darkestville Castle on Xbox One is a great game for fans of the genre and new arrivals. The art style is clean and fun, the story is wacky, and there is plenty of content to justify picking it up. If nonsensical puzzles and point and click games are your thing, you can’t go wrong with a copy of Darkestville Castle.
When developing a digital collectible card game (CCG), one has to wonder how best to infiltrate a genre that’s already full of options. There are the likes of Hearthstone, Legends of Runeterra and Eternal, to name just a small selection. The folks over at Abrakam decided to infuse the CCG aspect with a strategic board game element. As a result, Faeria came into existence and has done rather well for itself for a few years on PC. Will it now be able to successfully transition to Xbox One, or is the fairy-tale over for Faeria?
The price is perfect - in fact, perhaps it is a little cheap for the number of hours you will put into it - and in terms of the story Relicta on Xbox One is all very intriguing; the ideas behind it are fantastic. The script doesn't quite work all the time and the physics might annoy some, but if you’re looking for a test of the mind, this is certainly worth looking at.
Fantasy General II: Invasion on Xbox One is a tough one to really nail down. If you are an RTS fan then I would easily say that this is a must purchase; it is going to be more than delightful for those who live and breathe the genre. I do however feel that this won't entice anyone new to the genre and might just be too tricky for those who don’t have the time to invest.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 on Xbox One is an excellent addition to Xbox Game Pass, and another solid entry to the series. It is a culmination of the series so far that has arrived on Xbox in 2020, until Like a Dragon releases later in the year. Hopefully, the remaining titles of 3-6 can release on Xbox, because Kiryu and Haruka’s journey is only just beginning. But if this is the last ‘Kiryu’ Yakuza game, then it’s been a wild ride.
Ultimately, Skater XL on Xbox One offers a vision of something that could be excellent in the future. It has a great but lonely atmosphere and downright revolutionary controls, but this is brought down by the sheer lack of content and mediocre performance. It is too messy to be able to call it technically good, but it is definitely a game that is worth keeping an eye on. As a full experience, you might be let down, yet as a demo of what it could become, it is very promising.
With dreadful controls, no map of where to go, nor any in-game speedo to see how fast you are going, Fast & Furious Crossroads on Xbox One is a massive let down. Online is messy at best, and while the storyline is a corker, the way that every mission seems to play out the same, just in a different place, makes me sad.
