XboxEra's Reviews
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.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands does not try to reinvent the Borderlands wheel. Instead, it molds it into something fresh enough to satisfy fans of the series that are looking for more. Just know that if you do not like the titular character then this is not the game for you, as there is a whole bonkload of Tina. If the $70 price tag on Series consoles doesn’t scare you off, and you have a few friends to play with then you will enjoy this expertly crafted schlooter.
The Witch Queen is more than just another expansion for the now 8-year-old franchise, it’s a return to form for Bungie that I, as a lifelong fan dating back to the Marathon days, never expected to see. My biggest concern now is whether Lightfall can live up to what the team has been able to accomplish here.
Game length is about right and although there is very little narrative, the story does come full circle and has a satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a chilled-out, unusual puzzle-solving game I heartily recommend this one. It has been available to play from day one on Game Pass so there is no reason not to jump in and check it out.
TUNIC is both an incredible and incredibly frustrating title. The combat lets down what otherwise is a masterpiece. If you can look past it or feel fine using the accessibility options it is worth checking out. Gorgeous graphics, incredible music, and intriguing lore just may be enough to carry you through, and being available day one on Game Pass on PC and console certainly doesn’t hurt either.
a revised physics model and much improved riding assistances make the game a lot more accessible than before, making this the best episode so far for newcomers. Veterans will only find iterative upgrades here, and even the new campaign mode offers very little novelty, but it’s all in all a better game than the 4th episode from 2021.
Young Souls is an easy recommendation on Game Pass. For a purchase I’d make sure to watch some gameplay footage to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting here. It’s a comprehensive and entertaining package. The story is a bit basic overall but features well-written, snappy dialogue. Combat is solid and making your ultimate gear setup never got old, and the graphics are gorgeous. Despite their flaming red hair, these twins are full of (Young) Soul(s).
At the end of the day, random glitches aside this is indeed a relaxing exploration game. You identify interesting locations, make your way to them, explore the area and collect things. This is a very inoffensive way to game for a while and I would recommend it. Yes, ‘Submerged: Hidden Depths’ could be described as a One-Trick Pony, but if you are a fan of this particular trick, it could be worth your time and money.