XboxEra's Reviews
Dolmen wants to put its mark in the Action RPG genre with a potentially intriguing Space/Horror tale that never really goes to space, and isn’t at all scary. It never feels good to play, broke on me constantly, and was an ugly maze of bland/blocky corridors. Retailing for $39.99 at launch I can’t in good conscious recommend this over almost any other game in the genre.
Evil Dead: The Game is pretty damned fun. For how long I’m not sure, but at $39.99 retail at launch, I think it's well worth the price if you have anyone to play with. Even solo I love playing as the demon and terrorizing at least 2 and sometimes 4 versions of Bruce Campbell. Post-launch support will help this title sink or swim in the long run, but at launch, this Deadite by Daylight is a damned good time.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a really good 6 hour game stretched to be nearly three times as long. If you find yourself loving it early-on then it might just hold up for you. Sadly I was done by then and had to force myself to go any further despite loving the story, writing, and characters. The gameplay eventually becomes something close to good, and it’s really damned pretty. For either $14.99 or a download on Xbox Game Pass it’s not the worst way to spend your time and money, but I can’t help but feel like the developers and Rabbit & Bear Studios bit off a little more than this game could chew.
If this game is a series of choices, each leading to more choices, leading to different ends only to begin again, then you only need to make one choice to begin. And that’s to choose to play it.
I was shocked by how incredible this game feels to play. Paired with a solid story, great music, and surprising depth it’s an easy recommendation on Game Pass or for its $20 price tag at launch. Whether you’re looking for a balls to the wall thrill ride or something that feels great and is chill to play you can customize the difficulty how you see fit. If anything you’ve read about here sounds interesting then you should check this fantastic game out.
All in all, the game is impressive and an apt tribute to its cinematic roots. Blood spurts satisfyingly as you strike enemies down, burning arrows soar overhead ominously and supernatural sections are sufficiently eerie yet intriguing. Personally, I found certain sections of combat to be punishingly tricky due to the lack of nearby save points so I would recommend playing through using the Cinematic difficulty if you want a relaxed experience.
After a slow start Loot River really grew on me. It took longer than I would have liked to start progressing but once I did things felt good enough combat-wise, incredible enough movement-wise, and intriguing enough roguelike-wise that I put in a lot of time (mostly on PC) before launch. It is available day one on Game Pass and is exclusive to Xbox and PC at launch. If you have the patience, you will be rewarded with one of the more unique takes on the genre, and I think that it is well worth checking out.
Rogue Legacy 2 is excellent in every conceivable metric. The gameplay is fast, tight, and feels fair. It’s simplistic but beautiful graphically. The music is excellent, and the story is intriguing but not in the way. At $25 US this is something every fan of the genre either new or old should give a try. It takes every positive from the solid first game and improves upon it while sanding away many of its rough edges.
This game makes you feel like you're going a little crazy. I was constantly questioning my sanity and also my intelligence: "Why can't I access my building table?"; "Why am I suddenly being ambushed by 5 soldiers when there was no one around?"; “Why can’t I use my medkits right now?”; and finally, "AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG?" And the answer to that is probably yes, but the most important part is that I tried. Despite, everything, I find that I still do want to play—and that, according to my partner, is the beauty of eurojank.
In the end, I found myself having a good time with Shredders, but there’s still plenty to iron out in its design before it has the chance to be remembered as one of the great snowboarding titles. Its inclusion in Game Pass both on Xbox and PC makes it easy enough to drop in and out as various updates hit, and I’m curious to see where the game will ultimately land.
I’m shocked at just how much I have enjoyed Godfall. The melee combat is some of the most satisfying out there and the time since release has been well spent as they’ve rebuilt and tweaked what was a weak new-generation launch title into something far more substantial. It’s a fun title solo, but if you have one or two friends interested in not only the campaign but grinding out the endgame with you then this one is well worth your time.
Delivered in a classy graphical style, with a banging soundtrack and more accessibility options than is normally the case for a game of this type, I found playing it to be a great use of my time and was very impressed with it upon game completion. Road 96 is fun to play, a challenge, and also makes you question your political beliefs. Play this game, help others and always vote against fascism.
The base title is available still on Game Pass for PC and Console, and if either you or a friend purchased this DLC or already have access from a more expensive edition then checking this one out is a no-brainer. Solo it’s pretty damned fun, but with a group, this is still one of the more enjoyable co-op shooters out there. Tunnels of Terror is a great first expansion with a lot of high-quality content and it’s well worth your time and money if the base game ever held your interest.
If you enjoy deckbuilding roguelikes, and the thought of one with a competent and voiced story excites you then this is the game for you. Available on both console and PC with Game Pass there is no excuse to not at least try it. While it may not reach the highs of others in the genre tactically during its combat it makes up for it with its competency in everything else. So, pick up your Wyrdcandle, traverse the mists on the broken Isle, and start cleaning up that kook Merlin’s mess in the Mists of Avalon.
If going on a surreal ‘road to nowhere’ journey is your thing, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition may well be right up your street. If you want to play games that respect your gaming time this is probably not for you. This game has a lot going for it but at the same time contains many things that diminish its playability. Being available on Game Pass does, however, make playing it more of a tempting proposition than actually having to pay for it.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is an incredible achievement. Spanning 9 feature-length films yet never feeling like it overstays its welcome while featuring tons of actually funny stupid jokes, solid gameplay, gorgeous graphics, great voice acting, and all the nostalgia you could ever wish for this game is a triumph. It has done the impossible and made me enjoy spending time with episodes 1 and 2, hell not only enjoy but absolutely love it. Holy Snokes is this game awesome and everyone who enjoys Star Wars at all should play it.
MLB The Show ’22 is an excellent baseball game and a marked improvement from last year’s debut title on the Xbox platform. Featuring some of the best on-the-field action I’ve ever experienced in a baseball title, a massive amount of game modes, excellent commentary from the new team, and incredible customization options, it is worth your time. Being available day one on Game Pass makes it an easy recommendation and if you passed up on last year’s and like to “own” your games then there is more than enough here to warrant a purchase.
This is an excellent game, and it’s on Game Pass day one. Engaging combat is matched with stellar writing, great music, and most importantly it’s just damned fun. Weird West is one hell of a debut from the team at WolfEye Studios, and it is well worth your time.
Catie in MeowmeowLand is extremely niche: unless you are a child, a parent playing with a child, or you simply like really weird and bizarre things. I think this is a game best played with family and/or friends so everyone can help you figure out the puzzles. As I was playing (and getting frustrated), my partner and my daughter joined in to help and we flew through quite a few scenes together. It's also more fun to experience all the bizarre scenes with other people around to laugh with you.
Crusader Kings III is a phenomenal game that is not for most. If you have the patience, reading ability, and time this is one of the best, funniest, and most varied sim games on the market. Being a part of Game Pass makes it easy to recommend and if you always wanted to marry your cousin, stab your uncle king in the back, or tax the people into open revolt then this is the game for you.