XboxEra's Reviews
So LEGO: Brick Tales then - a bright, colourful and certainly more creative take on LEGO in its digital form. While there's some fiddly controls at times, it's all quite charming and relaxing - and as the rest of the package is so wonderfully put together, it's hard to gripe too much about a fussy control scheme.
Unusual Findings has a promising premise but the movement and convoluted puzzles ruined it for me. After spending an exasperating 6.5 hours with very little enjoyment, I will not be returning to finish it.
Overwatch 2 is a rebirth for one of my favorite games of the past generation. Featuring great new heroes, gorgeous and well-balanced new maps, a new mode in Push that I’ve greatly enjoyed, and a progression system that feels about the same as most free-to-play titles it’s an easy recommendation for both new and returning players alike.
This is a classic tale that is worth hearing and is presented in a way that does not outstay its welcome. It is rare for a piece of Persian culture to be celebrated using the medium of video games and this is a piece of work that Black Cube Games should be proud of.
Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory features a solid arcade-like gameplay engine, even if the repetition and poorly told story weigh it down. Still, I'd be hardpressed to find something similar that can scratch the same itch that this game does: an advantage I think the developer YummyYummyTummy should build and iterate on for future instalments.
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.
Prodeus is stupidly fun, looks incredible, sounds fantastic, and is launching into a subscription service many people reading this may have. It’s been a bit of a weird marketing cycle leading up to the launch of the game, but I hope as many people as possible at least try it out. It’s one hell of a love letter to the FPS genre for both the old and the new.
Soulstice came out of nowhere for me and it is fantastic. Its mix of brilliant combat, an intriguing plot, great music, and occasionally gorgeous graphics had me hooked instantly. This could be the beginning of a great series and one excellent title you do not want to miss.
Deathloop is the best game Arkane has ever made, which is saying something. It is a brilliant culmination of their learnings over the years, and I absolutely love it. World-class writing, world-building, and story are matched with fun gameplay, great performance, and one of the smartest game worlds I’ve ever seen. It’s finally out on Xbox and it’s on Game Pass so do yourself a favor and play this near-masterpiece.
Overall JoJo is a pretty solid fighter and a pretty good upgraded port to boot. Some may find the price somewhat prohibitive given the semi-bare bones modes on offer combined with the fact that we are ultimately talking about a port of a niche near decade old fighter, but if you can look past that, there's fun to be had. Jo Jo Manga/Anime fans should definitely be giving this a go.
Blind Fate shows potential for this rather new dev team. They nailed multiple parts of what it takes to be great, with the writing being solid and the voice acting being fantastic. It looks good but feels terrible to play, only getting to almost decent after many hours. It can feel wildly unfair but there is still just enough there that it may be worth checking out if you can find it at a decent price. It may not be the best Samurai game, but it’s got spirit.
This is one of my favorite games ever. Coming back to it for the 3rd time for this review has only reinforced that feeling. It’s gorgeous, well-written, has excellent combat, a ton of depth, and with it now being on Game Pass it is well worth giving it a try.
You Suck at Parking is a refreshing addition to the racing genre unlike any I have seen before. The controls are simple and the gameplay is accessible but things soon develop into a far more complex challenge. For those who prefer gaming in short bursts, this could be a popular title far into the future especially as the developers have promised much more content is still to come.
It's not all that unique, with games like BPM: Bullets Per Minute already "inventing" some of these concepts, but the quality is undeniable, and FPS fans should not skip this one for sure. Especially since it's launching day one into Xbox Game Pass.
Unfortunately, the simple control scheme proves to be not up to the standard required for a game in this genre, and after a rather weak ending there is very little replayability for all but the most hardcore achievement hunters.
$70 at launch is a big ask, but this is a very big game. The gameplay is the best it has ever been, and the live service is the most predatory feeling, but there is enough other content on offer that I’d still recommend this year’s title.
Steelrising is a mix of decent to damned good parts that takes the Soulslike Action RPG and puts it into one of the most ridiculous and awesome settings I’ve seen in a while. Mediocre graphics are countered by a fantastic art style, fun combat, incredible music, and a story that I found myself deeply invested in. If you’ve got an itch for the genre and don’t want to wait for Lies of P, then Steelrising is an excellent alternative to hold you over.
It is clear that this has been a labour of love for the developers and is certainly one of the most unusual games to be released on Xbox this year. If Steampunk Victorian archetypes and challenging gameplay are your things this game has your name written all over it.
This is one of the, if not the best gaming experiences of my lifetime.