TheXboxHub Features

Blending together deck-building elements, tycoon tests and an adventure that takes us across the United States, when Klabater first announced The Amazing American Circus for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC, our ears pricked up. Just as Klabater went live with a Kickstarter campaign, we were given the opportunity to find out more about the game, and why gamers would want to embark on a circus-filled life. Adam Betley, Narrative Designer at Klabater, was more than happy to roll up and answer our questions.

It might be the shortest calendar month, but there are no shortages of easy achievements to be had from the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S games that have released in February 2021. After our easy achievements list from last month where we managed to include a full 1000G for a game, can we keep that momentum going in this month’s offerings?

You can forget about the latest entries into the Battle Royale scene, for many it is PUBG that is still king. And the team at PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds know it, constantly pushing out new ideas and features. And that makes it ripe for us to team up with the PUBG Corporation to run a little giveaway. It's free to enter - fancy trying to win?

Like a giant bear, the games industry has been hibernating for the past three months, waking up only to toss out a Hitman 3 or a Little Nightmares 2. But spring is coming, and that big, unwashed bear is waking up. It means we have actual games, all with a passing chance of them being decent! Hooray and hurrah.

The latest season of content has gone live in Destiny 2, and I've been grinding the playlist events hard to be able to bring you my thoughts about what’s on offer. With the return of the Cabal as a threat, which is somewhat surprising after the spanking that Ghaul got at the hands of the Traveller, it seems everyone’s favourite space rhinos have been rearming and reorganising. So, what does this new season bring to the table, and should you stump up the price of admission to join in?

I have a real mixed experience with EA. They are undeniably a huge force in the world of video games, one of the biggest in fact, but their output is rather inconsistent. This is, of course, a risk of being such a giant in the industry. They’ve gotten behind some truly huge franchises in the past, however every now and then a standalone game came along seemingly out of nowhere, and proves to be a pleasant surprise. Black was one such game.

I still can’t quite believe it’s been 25 years since we were first given the opportunity to “Catch ‘em All!”. Today the Pokemon universe is vast and has branched out into all sorts of different directions. As luck would have it, I’m here to remind you of the games that may have escaped your radar when first released, but absolutely deserve a second look.

We had our minds firmly focused on the Nintendo Direct in the previous episode, but now another presentation has caught our attention in the form of the PlayStation State of Play. The first of its kind in 2021, the latest State of Play provides plenty to discuss alongside a raft of other news involving Halo, Anthem and Destiny 2. For all of that, and more, please enjoy TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 69!

I can’t overstate how much I love the Pokemon franchise, and it’s because of these original games that I do. They hold countless precious childhood gaming memories for me, and captured my imagination like nothing else.

Fast forward to 2015, and as I was eagerly watching the E3 coverage, a familiar-looking presence appeared on the screen. For some reason, the new Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 game was trailed in the Microsoft segment, rather than at the EA event, but I have to say it looked awesome.

If you created a Venn diagram of ‘good games’ and ‘games that are playable by children’, you’d have precious few that sit in that centre spot. But it’s de Blob and - in particular - its far superior sequel de Blob 2, which sits squarely in the bullseye of that Venn diagram.

As is a problem with so many games that find themselves in this revered, god-like status, there is a danger that The Legend of Zelda becomes so iconic that no-one plays it, as it gives off the dusty impression of being important but not joyful. From our perspective, it IS important, and it’s most definitely still a joy to play.

Well, Nintendo caught everyone off-guard with a surprise presentation this week and so there are a heck of a lot of announcements to discuss. Hence, TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 68 is going to feature the very best bits from the Nintendo Direct, which means you can look forward to Zelda, Mario and more getting a mention. That’s not all either, with the world of Xbox ready to open its arms for the upcoming arrival of Fall Guys. It’s a packed episode as we throw Project Winter, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and a couple of other games into the mix too.

I believe it was Forza Motorsport 4 in 2011 that initially introduced me to the concept of a crossover involving cars and football. What a novel idea to have a kick about in a Porsche, I thought, however it does wear thin after a game or two. And then a few years later Psyonix, in 2016 to be exact, brought their rocket-powered car and ‘soccer’ hybrid over to the Xbox One. It’s such a gimmick that it’ll die off in no time. Imagine my surprise when Rocket League became an instant favourite, having clocked almost 80 full days of game time since then. So, yeah, five years after its launch I’d like to offer some insight into the addictive experience of Rocket League and how the phenomenal success also comes with a few downsides.

It isn't every day that a company based around our favourite pastime, that of video games, manages to reach the ripe old age of 30. Blizzard Entertainment, best known these days as the developers of World of Warcraft, have reached that milestone, and I'd like to present here a look back over their history, skewed towards my own personal history with the developers.