Life is Xbox
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Quite possibly the best RPG of its kind. Epic story with heartfelt moments, best-in class combat, gorgeous graphics and music that will linger for the rest of my life. I’ll be humming some of these tunes in the retirement home. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the real thing. This game will go down in history as a must-play RPG.
Pilo and the Holobook is a short, fun and cozy indie game that’s definitely worth a quick scan, but it doesn’t “stick” around for long.
I really liked how the developers handled and told the story of the lead character, Leila. While it is not always comfortable to experience and tackle tough topics such as childhood trauma, mental health, and simply being human in the world we all share, it is incredibly impactful. The art design and sound are spot on, and it’s clear that the developers poured their heart and soul into this game. Leila won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy point-and-click games with a strong narrative and plenty of puzzles, then Leila might be the game for you.
Mullet MadJack is versatile: it’s perfect for hours of gameplay in a single session or even a quick ten-minute break to progress or just have some fun battling robots. Its 90s-inspired style is dripping with nostalgia, reminding me of movies like The Running Man and Terminator.
Despite my many remarks on things that felt a little off, like the repetitive combat, sometimes wooden platforming and disappointing final boss, there is an undeniable charm to South of Midnight that makes it a must-play for all Xbox fans. The music is fantastic and well-worth listening to outside of the game, the stories and legends told hit all the right emotional strings and it looks great too. For telling the story through songs alone, I’d wholly recommend everyone to give this a try and the good vastly outweighs the bad.
Spilled! is a lovely little game that lets you clean up waste in your own time while being rewarded in upgrades for your time. The focus is on cleaning up different types of pollution by using relaxing/cosy gameplay, one small section at a time. It looks beautiful, the soundtrack is chill, and the gameplay is satisfying.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD can be pretty frustrating at times, and if there is one thing I don’t like in my games, it’s frustration. There is a lot of content here and especially for people like me who never played the original you’ll keep busy for quite a while. But there are better 2D platformers under Nintendo’s wings and I recommend playing them first.
A Short Flight with a lot of bugs. I really wanted to like Mika and the Witch’s Mountain as it’s exactly the type of game I normally enjoy, but the many bugs and weird collision detection gave me more headaches than satisfaction. There are some nice ideas here, so it’s a shame there is so much standing in the way for me to enjoy them.
Despite a few bugs and crashes, I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Boti: Byteland Overclocked. I was not able to test out split-screen co-op for this review, but there are definitely times when having two players would have helped, especially with the final boss. There is a lot of humour to be found here, which I think both adults and younger players would find funny.
I think if I was to play Star Trek Legends on my phone I might enjoy it more, but it is not a game I would recommend for a Console or PC Gamer. It’s badly ported and makes no pretence that it is anything other than a mobile game. If you are a fan of the franchises throughout the years there are plenty of games out there that can scratch that itch and a plethora of TV shows and movies.
A great game for young players who are just discovering the joys of lateral thinking puzzle games and for adults who want something to play alongside their kids. The story is clear and easily understood, the graphics are beautiful and if you want to just relax then let that inner child free to play an adventure that will take you back to your childhood as well.
Naiad is a relaxing, soothing game that will swim warm circles around your heart if you let it. It’s an extremely satisfying game to just explore at your own pace, with the only frustrations coming from my own completionist urges and some design decisions that feel like they are going against the stream of such a playthrough. The gorgeous visuals and enchanting music alone makes this a recommended play. The fact that it actually calms down my children is a bonus side-effect!
Stars in the Trash is a wonderful game, and as I mentioned, a piece of art in its own right. You start off feeling like, “Oh, this is fun, I’m a cat knocking things over,” but as you progress, you get deeper and deeper into this mindset that you feel like you know exactly what this cat is feeling and thinking. I very rarely find a game that makes me stop and think every few moments about what it’s like for animals out on the streets, and I have a lot of appreciation for Valhalla Cats for their work in bringing much-needed funding to animal shelters. In conclusion, get this game, play it, enjoy it, and remember to donate to your local shelters.
I had a lot of fun playing Wall Town Wonders and I would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a nice, relaxed, cosy experience to play on their Quest 3.
Super Mario Bros Wonder is another great first-party Nintendo release in a stellar year full of massive hits. The new upgrades, wonders and badges bring plenty of new gameplay elements to keep players engaged, and it does so in a typically colourful jacket overall that is sure to please gamers of all ages.
Lake – Season’s Greetings has genuine human interactions, a bright visual art style that is like a balm for the soul, and a no-stress approach to story-telling. You’re guaranteed to come out of it a more relaxed human being after playing it. It’s also the perfect DLC to get into the holiday mood!
A great game that will challenge you in a good way. I really need to look up people who speedrun this game though, I honestly don’t know how they could do it!
Neva is a short emotional adventure with canvas-worthy art design and a beautiful soundtrack that I instantly added to my spotify playlist. The platforming gameplay is tight, the combat is simple yet satisfying and the relationship between you and your titular antlered wolf pet feels incredibly wholesome.
Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm FPS that has all the elements you need for a delightful symphony full of fast-paced action and heart-pounding metal music. It was one of my favourite games of 2022 and the musical crescendo it built up to resonated so much with me that I was excited to play through it again in VR.
I have really enjoyed my time playing Aaero2, and I can see myself playing this for a long time. It’s great to play if you only have a few minutes spare or a few hours. Each track takes you on a journey musically and visually, which is very unique to Aaero2 and Mad Fellows’ first game, Aaero. I can’t wait for my friends to start playing too so I can try to beat their scores and vice versa. The addition of local and online two-player modes is huge and adds lots of replayability. Plus, it’s great when a friend pops over. The daily and weekly challenges will always give you a good reason to come back. I am already looking forward to seeing what DLC will look like when it’s added in the future.