XboxEra's Reviews
As this is on Game Pass it’s an easy recommendation to anyone interested in the genre. It is $25 US at the time of this review if you prefer to "own" your games. If you aren’t big on a SotN clone then stay away, but if you are then this is a solid 6 or so hour experience that is well worth your time. I still may have little to no clue what Record of Lodoss War is, but I’m excited to see what developer Team Ladybug might do with the series next.
This DLC is 100% worth it for anyone who has played the first two, and if you haven’t played any of them (or the main game for that matter) give Dead Cells a go on Game Pass. If it hooks you as it did me then this trilogy of DLC is a no-brainer. It adds further excellence to what was already an incredible foundation with some of the best DLC content I have played in a very long time.
This is an excellent video game that you should try and play at some point. It’s worth buying full price if you have the money, but as it is on sale often now it’s 100% worth a pick-up.
It may not revolutionize the formula, but the new iteration of the engine allows the game to unleash thousands of enemies at the same time, giving the player levels of chaos and destruction they have rarely witnessed in a video game. I can close an eye on some of the jank when I can blow up dozens of headless kamikazes, with Sam delivering intentionally corny one-liners after, and I suspect other people who grew up on this franchise may be able to do the same.
The platforming is mediocre, the performance is terrible, but there is heart here. I look forward to what Monokel has in store for us with their next title as there is clear talent on this team, and they are not afraid to tackle some very delicate topics.
The Gunk is a fun to play story based adventure platformer with puzzle elements. The voice acting is very good with performances that really expressed the emotion of the lead characters. It has an unusual graphical style that works well with the soothing music and chilled out difficulty of the puzzles. An interesting world has been created here by Thunderful Games and it is well worth checking out on day one via Xbox Game Pass. I must admit though, after seven hours I had certainly had enough of hoovering up gunk and was very glad to have cleansed the planet of it.
In conclusion, Aspire: Ina’s Tale is a well-designed adventure puzzle platformer with an emotionally descriptive musical soundtrack. The platforming and puzzle design is very good and contains some challenging moments, even for fans of the genre. The art style suits the game well with colour being put to good use to bring the different tower environments to life. This is no ‘Gris’ but that game is so special I knew that it was never going to be. It would be unfair to be put off by that though as this game stands proudly on its own two feet. I recommend this as a good use of up to five hours of your gaming time. Go and try it for yourselves.
Just about everything about the release of this game baffles me. it’s a completely unoriginal arena shooter with subpar shooting mechanics, uninspired visuals, insufficient performance, a multiplayer player base that was already virtually dead on launch week, and a painfully monotonous single-player campaign that almost feels like an extended tutorial.
The Oddworld is as described in its very name. A strange world that leaves more questions than answers. I never knew what that PlayStation One game was about as a kid, and it took me years to realise: wow, this game is dark. Like that 20 plus year old game, Soulstorm is just as dark and dreary presented in both its narrative and gameplay mechanics. The Oddworld is as described in its very name. A strange world that leaves more questions than answers. I never knew what that PlayStation One game was about as a kid, and it took me years to realise: wow, this game is dark. Like that 20 plus year old game, Soulstorm is just as dark and dreary presented in both its narrative and gameplay mechanics.
In a year packed with sub-par launches for some of the biggest first-person shooter franchises, it really feels good to simply say this: Halo is back. I for one, welcome the return of the 👑.
Chorus is a slick, well made game and fans of the genre will find a lot to like, and perhaps even love here. It controls like a dream, looks gorgeous to boot and while the plot left me a bit cold at times, it’s hard not to admire the work and effort put in overall. If you want to become an ace pilot working with a surly sentient space fighter to take down an evil empire and free the galaxy this Christmas, you’d be hard pressed to find a better use of your time.
Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All! is a game I would play with my younger siblings. It is a simplistic brawler that becomes repetitive after going through a few acts, but has great visuals and shows the surprising amount of charm such an old series carries today. There are certainly better beat-em-up options out there, but I did find this game more fun than the recent Battletoads, so I think that says something.
In conclusion, Beyond a Steel Sky will hold great appeal for fans of the original game. The artwork is impressive and the story is interesting but there are many drawn-out sections that can affect the pace of the game. There is a lot of questioning required that can become tiresome but the sections within the LINC/MINOS system are very enjoyable. Puzzle-solving can be rather challenging at times but the developer has added a hint system to prevent players from rage quitting. No knowledge of the original game is required but for me personally, this feels like a slightly missed opportunity.
Overall Before We Leave is somewhat of a middle-of-the-road city builder with some lovely concepts and a relaxing vibe. It doesn’t nail everything it tries, but overall it’s an enjoyable experience. The non-combat approach could’ve been executed better at times, with more challenges thrown at the player. Meanwhile, the small hexagon islands can be enjoyable for people who like some puzzles in their city builders, while for others they could feel a little limiting. Before We Leave is a cute, polished city builder perfect for when you’re in the mood for something relaxing and less challenging, with the looks to back it up.
A Builders Journey does a lot of things right throughout it’s short playtime, with gorgeously designed levels and imaginative puzzle design through to its themes of play and creativity – and the often unwanted responsibilities that can interrupt it. It doesn’t get everything right, but then it’s so short lived it’s hard not to be entirely charmed by it anyway. If you’re a fan of puzzle games or Lego in general, you can’t really go wrong here.
Exo One is not only a visually impressive achievement. It also uses haunting music and realistic environmental sounds to transport the player into its strange worlds. Handling of the craft is unusual but works very well once you get the hang of it. The story is not blatantly spelled out to the player but that adds to the mystery and allure of what you are trying to do and the ending ties everything up nicely.
Battlefield 2042 has the potential of becoming one the best first-person shooters available on Xbox in six months’ time — but the fact is that, as of today, it is not even among the best shooters being released this Holiday season.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is perhaps my favourite Frogwares title. By expanding and spacing out the objectives at the player’s leisure, it creates an open-ended feeling of choice that had me coming back.
Unpacking is an incredibly accessible, meditative game revolving around room decoration and block-fitting puzzles. There is no pressure here and the only target is to make each environment a satisfying place for the main character to live. This may not be the type of game that you usually play but it is well worth checking out, although short sessions of a level at a time may be a good idea due to the repetitive nature of the gameplay. Being another recent arrival to Xbox Game Pass there really is no reason not to try it. Let’s just hope the neighbours are ok, but let’s face it, they never are!
As it stands, Circuit Superstars is a really fun top-down racer that lands in a golden spot, halfway between pure arcade hilarity and a sim-like approach with fuel and tyre management to boot. The incredible amount of different cars and race styles is, however, is hampered by the limited amount of customization and gameplay changes players can introduce into their events, with the multiplayer in particular feeling surprisingly limited in scope.