XboxEra's Reviews
Ultimately, I walk away from Painkiller with somewhat mixed, but overall fairly positive feelings. The gameplay is fast, satisfying, with rock solid peformance and excellent graphics making for a blast of a shooter. It is, however, Painkiller in name only, as not only it loses the series’ core aspects, but also is rather uninspired all around
Despite the incredibly janky physics, the shockingly low amount of content, the outdated graphics… Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition can be pretty enjoyable. The high speeds, the adrenaline-filled courses, the retro vibes… in short, I still had fun. I can not recommend a game like this, however. It’s way too short, way too unpolished, way too expensive for what it offers. Thus, you might want to wait for some patches and some deep discounts before joining this family.
All in all, Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a fast-paced, yet accessible racer, based on Netflix’s show and the Hot Wheels toys. It certainly fails to live to some of its full potential due to a variety of reasons. These include an oddly twitchy handling, lack of online, a lack of real challenge and limited variety.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a confidently made game. It is perfectly-scoped, with excellent gameplay, writing, and voice acting. The combat and movement are the biggest step up over the original. Whether you have played that title or not, if you want a choice-heavy, narrative-rich adventure in a far-off solar system, then this game is worth a download or Game Pass, or buying outright.
Wrapping Things Up Bounty Star: The Morose Tale of Graveyard Clem is a game full of good ideas and poor execution. I loved the setting and enjoyed the story thanks to some great voice acting and music. The gameplay loop was a letdown, though. Full of repetitive tasks and unsatisfying combat.
PowerWash Simulator 2 takes the idiom “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it” and dials it up to 11. This is a bigger, prettier, and easier-to-play sequel that’s coming Day One to Xbox Game Pass.
NASCAR 25 is a great videogame of an entertaining racing series, offering all sorts of thrills online and offline alike. Solid graphics and presentation, satisfying handling, tons of settings to allow every kind of player to find the experience that suits them most.
Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is… fine, for the most part. If you’re not a purist, and can accept a few occasional glitches, it’s a decent way to experience a classic. But the very few improvements don’t quite offset the game’s increased price, nor its technical and design woes.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 revives the decade+ dormant franchise with a new developer leading it into an insanely fast, new direction. It’s a fun, occasionally beautiful title with an actually not terrible story, perhaps a first for the series
It's fair to say I really enjoyed Keeper. It stuck it's hooks into me and didn't let go, right up until the moment I rolled credits. I laughed, I gasped in shock, and I beamed as brilliantly as a lighthouse. Double Fine have made a lovely game here, one that throws in the sorts of surprises that only this medium can achieve. Go in blind and just play it as soon as possible, I think it's great!
Battlefield 6‘s multiplayer is the most Battlefield-coded entry in the franchise in many years, taking us back to the series’ glory days. Tight gunplay, excellent presentation, impressive polish and a surprisingly robust launch arsenal.
BALL x PIT is a brilliant mish-mash of two genres, with excellent strategic choices in its main gameplay sections. The town building may not be for all, but I enjoyed it well enough. The only minor issue was the sameness of the progression between the base game and new game plus. Still, it took me nearly 60 hours to get to that point; it's in Game Pass on Day One, and I had a blast while doing it.
Just Dance 2026 Edition is still just as fun as it always was. It’s a great title to get your friends and family together around the TV all the while losing a few calories in the process. The experience is a bit clumsy this time around and some bugs can get in the way, but that won’t stop you from enjoying the latest round of songs in this year’s iteration of Ubisoft’s popular dancing series. All you gotta do is Just Dance. ∎
If not for some of the problems I encountered, Little Nightmares 3 would be a rock solid continuation of the franchise from Supermassive Games. While it doesn’t quite hit the narrative and atmospheric highs of Little Nightmares 2, it brings in some smart new ideas, two player co-operative play and makes for another wonderfully sickening time in Nowhere. It’s just a shame it was such a frustrating journey.
So that’s Little Rocket Lab. For fans of Spiritfarer, My Time at Sandrock, or Automation Academy, this is an easy recommendation. But more than that—it’s a game that feels good to play. Peaceful, rewarding, and quietly inspiring. You start by fixing old machines… and before long, you realize you’ve fixed the town, and maybe even a little piece of yourself too.
Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is a solid roguelite strategy RPG. I think players will enjoy the roguelite mechanics and world mythos very much, but combat and level design leave a lot to be desired. Still, it’s not a bad experience—I am quick to drop a boring SRPG, but this one kept me engaged throughout the entirety of my playthrough. ∎
SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a lovely adventure title that shows just how creative storytelling you can be with the smallest of foods. It encapsulates a piece of Latin America within its gorgeous art, enchanting music, and engaging puzzles. Technical issues do eventually compound to make for a bit of a cumbersome experience, but I can look past that to recommend this adventure to all. ∎
King of Meat may not feature the tightest 3D platforming ever, nor the most engaging brawler mechanics in history. Yet, its eventful and varied dungeons offer exhilarating platforming, satisfying exploration and chaotic combat. It’s fun as a solo game, but with other players it turns into an absolute riot. Tons of items to throw around, explosions, moving platforms, wacky physics – it’s hilarious chaos
The simple gameplay formula and the local co-op options turn this ARPG romp into an accessible entry point into this exciting genre, with the 9 playable Nicktoons characters offering sufficiently diverse skills to bother trying ’em all.
Alien: Rogue Incursion Part One – Evolved Edition’s name is nearly as long as its runtime on console. I was able to clear the entire game in roughly 3 hours, though I knew where to go and what to do after having played it once in VR. Without that immersive interactivity, what was already a mediocre title is made that much worse.