Jesse Norris's Reviews
It’s an interesting take on what is normally a very surface-level genre. Instead of focusing on giant set pieces and massive enemy counts TC’s Rainbow Six: Extraction asks you to take your time, watch your corners, and leave no one behind.
I have loved Drinkbox’s previous titles, and I had high hopes for this one. Seeing it release day one on Game Pass gave me the hope that Xbox had seen something special. After the first hour, I knew they must have as this game is tremendous. Using a mix of great art, excellent music, and a complex but easy-to-understand gameplay loop it hooked its fangs into me immediately. The titular star of this game may be a Nobody but after this release, Drinkbox Studios are certainly not.
As this is on Game Pass it’s an easy recommendation to anyone interested in the genre. It is $25 US at the time of this review if you prefer to "own" your games. If you aren’t big on a SotN clone then stay away, but if you are then this is a solid 6 or so hour experience that is well worth your time. I still may have little to no clue what Record of Lodoss War is, but I’m excited to see what developer Team Ladybug might do with the series next.
This DLC is 100% worth it for anyone who has played the first two, and if you haven’t played any of them (or the main game for that matter) give Dead Cells a go on Game Pass. If it hooks you as it did me then this trilogy of DLC is a no-brainer. It adds further excellence to what was already an incredible foundation with some of the best DLC content I have played in a very long time.
This is an excellent video game that you should try and play at some point. It’s worth buying full price if you have the money, but as it is on sale often now it’s 100% worth a pick-up.
The platforming is mediocre, the performance is terrible, but there is heart here. I look forward to what Monokel has in store for us with their next title as there is clear talent on this team, and they are not afraid to tackle some very delicate topics.
In a year packed with sub-par launches for some of the biggest first-person shooter franchises, it really feels good to simply say this: Halo is back. I for one, welcome the return of the 👑.
This game is nearly perfect for me and there is no getting around that. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does make it smoother and faster than ever. It is not only one of the best games to release this year, it is a true showcase of just what a “next-gen” title can be.
Toy Soldiers HD is a solid all-around package, though that $30 price point does feel a bit high. If you’re in the market though for some well-made hybrid tower defense, shooter, dogfighter then this plastic battleground should fit the bill. It might be ugly as sin at times, but it is a damned good time reliving an incredibly weird take on one of the darkest conflicts in modern history
Into The Pit has some genuine fun in it. It controls well, has a unique look, and has great potential with its rogue-lite offerings. In the end though for me, the lack of variety in multiple areas kept it from being something I could recommend except for the fact that it’s on Game Pass. For free (if you’re already an existing member) it’s a no-brainer to give this one a try if anything you’ve seen about it has caught your eye. After all, the only cost will be a little bit of your time.
If you love the sport and want the best looking and playing a version of it of all-time along with a staggering number of modes and options, then I think NHL 22 is going to make you quite happy.
It is such a wild mix of incredibly deep base building with light tower defense, and excellent twin-stick shooting. The type of game idea that you smack your head and go “of course, this is brilliant”.
It's a no-brainer to at least check out as it's on Game Pass, but poor controls on console serve as a great detriment to what otherwise can be a really fun time.
It’s been a long, and sometimes difficult road to get here, but 6 is a triumph for those of us who like the classic “Ubisoft game”. The map is enormous, but the game is tightly paced. The action is over the top like always but running at 60fps on a Series X it feels incredible. The writing is just as over the top, yet the emotional beats and comedy hit this time. The mission structure is never overly punishing, and it still feels rewarding.
Embr is a good game, on PC. The console port for Xbox, even on a Series X, isn’t up to snuff. I would keep an eye on this though in case it ever gets a performance-enhancing patch, as the core gameplay loop can be seriously fun. It’s a shame that it is launching in this state on Xbox, but if you have even a mediocre PC and a few friends then you’ll have a good time.
This is a game that came close to greatness for me, but in the end the combat held it back. I still quite enjoyed my time with it thanks to the story, and I am very interested to see what developer Zoink is working on next. As it is not a full-priced title I think it’s worth taking a chance on if what you’ve seen here sounds interesting to you.
There were many times while playing this game that I felt it simply wasn’t that fun, but time and time again I ooh’ed and ahh’ed at the graphics and music. As it’s a very short 2 or 3-hour experience if that and the promise of a very interesting ending is enough to entice you then there are worse ways to spend your time.
mechanics that could go back even further it feels like a relic. There is nothing egregiously wrong with it, and if the battle system looks interesting to you, it could be worth getting on sale. Launching at $49.99 US though I can’t recommend it in good conscience to anyone.
Though not that deep the game is quite a bit of fun. It's an easy recommendation if you can find it on sale.
Greak: Memories of Azur could have been something special. Unfortunately, a large number of questionable design decisions pull down every positive aspect in a way the game simply cannot overcome. The core design of how you control your two to three characters is simply not enjoyable, but the quality is there in every other aspect and I hope that either through further patches for this game, or in their next title that Navegante Entertainment gets the gameplay part of things right.