Jesse Norris's Reviews
Fallout 4 is a damned good video game. It has its fair share of problems, and the engine really does feel dated now, but with a robust modding community and a compelling narrative it’s an easy recommendation through Xbox Game Pass. Without the ability to mod away many of the issues I wouldn’t be as quick to recommend it, and if you care more about achievements then you may want to hold off. Overall though I loved my time with game, and I’m incredibly excited to see what they do next with Starfield.
Curse of the Dead Gods is a solid title for fans of rogue-likes and dungeon crawlers. An excellent progression system is tied to a damned fun combat system. Retailing for only $20 US it is easy to recommend, and as it is a Focus Home Interactive game I wouldn’t be shocked if it hit Game Pass at some point in the future. The time in early-access has really paid off, and you would do well to try it for yourself.
*Updated 4/28/2021: Constant nerfs to the power fantasy in some weird attempt to force in unneeded longevity has killed the game for me. Instead of buffing they are nerfing and it's a terrible choice. Never before has there been such a marriage of great gameplay and truly terrible dialogue. Despite the latter Outriders is a blast to play and a no-brainer on Xbox Game Pass.
Overwatch is a special game, and as Overwatch 2 is essentially a complete rework that will carry your progress over there is no reason to not give it a try if you haven’t already. It goes on sale for $20 in the US quite often and solo or especially with friends it will be well worth it. The mix of frenetic PvP and PvE content, wide variety of modes, and excellent roster of heroes have made this one of my favorite games of all time.
I had hoped that the time spent in Game Preview would lead to Darkflow fixing the movement and aiming systems. I never had much hope for how the squad system would work with the free-to-play nature of the title, but if the gameplay were solid then I could still recommend giving it a shot. In the end though this is a bad playing, poorly set up, mediocre-looking game that you should avoid unless you’re desperate to go murder a bunch of poorly scripted AI with some friends. Though only since it’ll be free to play.
Few things in the world of video games are as fun as killing Nazis and shooting Zombies. Zombie Army 4: Dead War does a damned fine job of combining the two.
At $50 US if Sherlock Lovecraft Private Assassin sounds like a good time to you then this one is an easy call. The story is solid, the acting is surprisingly good, the detective part of the game is intriguing, and the combat gets the job done.
Dead Cells is an all-time classic. As part of Xbox Game Pass it is one of the easiest recommendations I’ve ever made on this site/channel. It is tough but fair. It finds that perfect balance of teaching you as you fail, and you will find yourself thinking “Just one more run” time and time again as the hours pass by.
The story is good, most of the time the gameplay is fun, but the constant loss of control over things can be grating.
This is one of the best racing games of all time. Both offline solo play and online co-op and competitive are at the top of the genre.
For either $25 or played through Game Pass on PC, Console, and Mobile this one is a no-brainer for almost anyone. If you have any family member that likes to mobile game and has access to this through any means tell them to give it a try. It’s deep, fun, fair, and I absolutely love it.
I purchased Remnant for $40 when it was new, and I really enjoyed it. It’s tough, a bit slow, and kinda ugly; but now that it is on Game Pass for both Console and PC it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking to murder a bunch of creepy-looking monsters either alone or with their friends.
I really love Halo Wars 2. It’s not the deepest RTS, and it really is best for fans of the Halo universe. As it is available for Game Pass there is no harm in trying things solo or even better, with a friend in co-op. Add in the excellent expansion Awakening the Nightmare and you have yourself a genuinely awesome game.
As a $60 title, this one is a hard sell. There is enough content here, but I found it so repetitive that I wouldn’t imagine most would go through it. The story is decent, the gameplay can be quite fun at times, and supporting smaller developers is never bad if you feel so inclined. I enjoyed most of my time with Biomutant, and I can’t wait to see what developer Experiment 101 has coming next.
This is an excellent video game and it’s $15. I have had a blast with my time so far thanks to its tight controls and great difficulty curve. If you like 2D bullet hell shooters with an absolutely ridiculous premise, tons of charm, clean graphics, and phenomenal music, this game should be right up your alley….. cat
Update September 21st: The game is finally fixed on Xbox! After having to wait an extra two months for the same performance fix the PS5 received this game is infinitely better on console than it was at launch. Performance and aiming are both rather good now, after being completely broken for months. Thus I have updated my review for the game on our website and open critic to a 7.0
For $40 at launch there is more than enough content here to satisfy anyone interested in the premise. If the thought of chopping off heads, picking them up, and running around with them as you scream like a maniac sounds good to you, then go seek help, that help being playing Chivalry 2 of course.
If you’re looking for something that can last you hundreds of hours as you slowly and sometimes surely search through the wilderness and deliver much needed supplies then this is a Game Pass game that should be right up your alley.
Going back through the campaign for this review has reminded me of just how much I love this game, and I hope it inspires at least a few of you to finally give it a go, and with Game Pass Ultimate offering it up at no extra cost…. Why not?
As this is on Game Pass the only thing you’re spending extra is your time. If you have a few friends to play with there are worse ways to go about it, but if you’re looking at this game solo then I’d say it’s a hard pass, free or not.