XboxEra's Reviews
Overall, Aztech: Forgotten Gods is a great palette cleanser compared to the more expansive and open-world type games you see in recent years. The charming story, satisfying gameplay loop and a well-realized world with believable characters, helps the game punch above the weight of a typical indie game.
RPG Time: The Legend of Wright is a unique game. You need to see it in motion to truly appreciate it. Both graphically and setup-wise I’m not sure I’ve played something like it before on an Xbox system. It is definitely aimed at kids, but even as a grumpy old man who is turning 40 this year I loved my time playing through the campaign. Few games have this incredible of an imagination behind them, and I cannot wait to see what developer Deskworks comes out with next.
Shadow Warrior 3 is an ok time. I don’t personally think it is worth its launch price as there is little to no replayability and the story only took me 5 hours to get through, but your mileage may vary.
It may lack originality, a couple game modes, and quality of life additions from later chapters of Nintendo's counterpart, but it's a polished and fun collection of nonograms with a distinct Hatsune Miku flavour that will keep fans of the genre entertained for several dozens of hours, filling exactly that Picross-shaped hole that's been missing from the Xbox One and Series X|S library.
Martha Is Dead is a title that fans of horror and the slow exploration (and creeping dread) that usually accompanies it – will appreciate. The theme of the game is challenging, but it’s also treated with respect and care, despite some early scenes suggesting otherwise. The core mystery is intriguing enough, and an impactful finale closes this 5-6 hours journey on a memorable note. A few technical hiccups hold it back, but if Italian developer LKA can iron out some of the shortcomings, Martha Is Dead is assuredly a game that will take you on a journey that won’t leave your thoughts any time soon.
Elden Ring is a masterpiece of a title, with only a few minor issues. The co-op summon system is a pain, and mounted combat doesn’t always feel the best. Other than that this game is staggeringly good in every single area. It does for open-world games what people claimed Breath of the Wild did. Every part of the experience is elevated by an insane attention to detail. Few games have ever left me feeling so enthralled for the entirety of my playtime. Whether you’re going it solo or with a friend Elden Ring is one guaranteed to be one hell of a time.
Over time you’ll notice little frustrations building up when playing DW9E. I think its focus on strategy and roleplaying is much more appealing to me this time around, even with some features being lost from prior Empires games (like quests and events from Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires). But despite some shortcomings, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires offers a unique strategy experience you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
KOF XV is an excellent iterative sequel. It doesn’t rewrite or vastly change what came before it, but it refines it into a far prettier and more complete package. You’ll want to check in with coverage post-launch to see how the online servers hold up, but if it’s anything like the open beta if you can get a 4 or 5 star rated connection it feels fantastic. This game is deep, pretty, horny, and a must-play for the casual and hardcore among the fighting game community alike.
Skul: The Hero Slayer has been a pleasant surprise for me. It’s charming, plays great, and has real legs. The devs understand what makes roguelites so popular. That “one more run” mentality where those runs aren’t too long, feature a lot of variety that you can control, and they feel good to play. As this is finally on Game Pass it’s an easy recommendation no matter where you can play.
Dreamscaper is an excellent game. It goes up just under Hades for me as one of the best examples of the genre. Having it release day one into Game Pass this is a game you should give a try if it appeals at all to you. Solid gameplay, excellent build diversity, charming graphics, and a heartfelt story combine to make something wonderful that should be experienced by as many people as possible.
Dying Light 2 is a messy, brilliant game. For all my issues with it, there is no denying just how fun it is to play. Some of the best movement in a first-person title is matched by solid combat and choices that helped me shape the narrative how I wanted. It doesn’t always hit, but boy, when it does it hits hard.
Taiko no Tatsujin is an excellent rhythm game. The game’s song selection might not be varied enough, but they play great and are fun to master. It is a charming experience for even the most casual player pulled in by a song from their favourite anime or game, and great yet slightly disappointing to the Taiko drum-owning returnee on Xbox looking to smash their drum to the rhythm of the beat.
Firewatch is in my opinion a great addition to Xbox Game Pass. The game is worthy of its highly regarded status and is one of the best older indie games out there. If you have never played it, you really should give it a look. Completion only takes around four and a half hours and having your emotional response manipulated so cleverly by a game of this type is truly worth experiencing.
I encourage you to play Max Payne 3 immediately. Take a glimpse back at a short time when Rockstar made games that were focused on gameplay first. The game has its priorities straight. Gameplay, graphics, and story, in this particular order. This game gives you all the tools to be an action hero. Do so accordingly.
As this game is available on Game Pass if you’re into 2D action platformers then I highly recommend it. It’s a solid 4 to 5 hours of engaging combat in a genre that rarely feels this heavy. That goes for the story as well which uses a minimalist style to tell a tale of lonely sadness. Olija doesn’t give the best first impression, but if you stick with it I think you’ll end up having one hell of a good time.
The potential for something fascinating was there, but unfortunately, the game's first hour gave us a false impression, as the promising combat model and exploration became a repetitive, prolonged slog way before the end credits. Too bad.
It’s easy-to-learn / hard-to-master gameplay loop is thrilling when you have it worked out but can snowball quickly and crush you easily if you step out of your skill level. The art, sounds, and music are aesthetically pleasing and a joy to look at and listen to. I recommend Windjammers 2 for fans of the original and new players looking for a fun and challenging experience. Windjammers 2 is available Day One, on Xbox Game Pass.
It’s an interesting take on what is normally a very surface-level genre. Instead of focusing on giant set pieces and massive enemy counts TC’s Rainbow Six: Extraction asks you to take your time, watch your corners, and leave no one behind.
RPGolf Legends is a fun golfing game, but during my time with it, I wished it was just that. I do not think the genre mash-up is bad, mind, but the execution could have been better. I did feel that, had the combat been turn-based, I might have engaged with it more.
I have loved Drinkbox’s previous titles, and I had high hopes for this one. Seeing it release day one on Game Pass gave me the hope that Xbox had seen something special. After the first hour, I knew they must have as this game is tremendous. Using a mix of great art, excellent music, and a complex but easy-to-understand gameplay loop it hooked its fangs into me immediately. The titular star of this game may be a Nobody but after this release, Drinkbox Studios are certainly not.