Jesse Norris's Reviews
Defend the Rook is a solid roguelike-tower-defense-tactics game. It’s a unique spin on a handful of genres that I like, but it has some control and difficulty issues that hold it back.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered is a remaster done right. Its main issue is the game it is remastering doesn’t hold up to modern titles well enough. If you have that itch to dive back in and the $30 price isn’t too much then it is well worth the price. If you don’t have those feelings though, it’s tough to recommend.
An odd return to what has been a mostly mediocre series. It fixes multiple issues, mainly control-wise from the past titles, without adding much else. It isn’t great to look at, and while it can be fun to play its poor balance as you progress kills any joy to be found after not too long.
Shadow Warrior 3 is an ok time. I don’t personally think it is worth its launch price as there is little to no replayability and the story only took me 5 hours to get through, but your mileage may vary.
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.
Though not that deep the game is quite a bit of fun. It's an easy recommendation if you can find it on sale.
No One Lives Under the Lighthouse is a solid low-budget indie horror that aims a little too high with its gameplay mechanics. They only happen in certain endings, and its short run time means any horror fan will gladly seek them all out. At a $12 MSRP it is a no brainer if you enjoy getting the shit scared out of you.
There really isn’t much more to say about Kingdom Rush on Xbox. It is a faithful 1:1 port of the mobile game, for better or worse. The controls work well in the end but did require some time to get used to. At only $10 at launch, it’s an easy purchase if you’re already a fan or someone new to the series. Here’s to hoping that this is just the start of the franchise porting over to consoles.
Shootas, Blood, & Teef is a hilarious, fun, and joyous game. It knows what it is, and it leans heavily into being dumb and fun. The soundtrack kicks serious ass, and I have no clue exactly how much it will cost as the store page isn’t live on Xbox and you can only Wish List it on Steam. If this one is $20 or so then I say go for it, especially if you can play co-op. WAAAGH!
Ereban: Shadow Legacy is an occasionally pretty, decently fun title. It’s not too long, and if you’re into collecting things there’s a solid reason to replay each chapter. I’m not sure when it is going to hit Xbox but if you have even a decent PC and love stealth platformers then this could be one worth picking up.
Fashion Police Squad is smart, plays pretty well, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s priced at $20 on Steam, and if that holds true for the Xbox launch then this one is an easy recommendation for any lover of first-person shooters and fashion.
Despot’s Game: Dystopian Army Builder is a really fun if slightly flawed strategy game that I’m glad I decided to check out. While it’s not something I might recommend to most for a purchase it is definitely worth trying out on Game Pass if you are subscribed.
Moonscars is really close to being a great game. The combat can be stupidly fun, the animations are fantastic, and I loved the story and music. Balancing issues with the death penalty and a too stringent adherence to older Dark Souls mechanics inevitably lead to immense frustration. I still think it’s worth at least checking out and seeing if it can hook you with its occasional glimpses of brilliance.
Bright Memory: Infinite is a short but fun big dumb action game. It doesn’t have much if anything in the way of replayability, but it feels pretty good, looks great, and as long as the price isn’t too bad it’s worth checking out. Not only for the solid, overpowered feeling action, but it’s one hell of a weird-assed ride that I was glad to experience.
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.
Return to Grace is a short but sweet narrative adventure game. The puzzles are infrequent and never frustrating, while the storytelling and voice acting do an admirable job in telling this futuristic tale about the hopes and dreams of humanity. I think it’s well worth checking out on Game Pass.
Atlas Fallen is close to being damned good. It is let down by a lack of variety in enemy encounters, poor side quests, and dreadful writing. Still, the combat quickly becomes damned fun and with the option of co-op, it’s well worth checking out if you want some God of Crackdown-style action platforming adventures.
As a remake of a 2006 title is one of the best looking to date. It doesn’t add or change much to the overall package but if you’re looking for some good fun, especially with a friend, then Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is worth picking up if the price is right.
The story is good, most of the time the gameplay is fun, but the constant loss of control over things can be grating.
Another Crab’s Treasure is a balls-hard Soulslike that was one of the most frustrating experiences of my reviewing career until I gave in and used its game-saving accessibility options. Once the difficulty was better balanced the game’s humor and heart were able to shine through.