XboxEra

“Dead Static Drive is a pretty, broken game. The poor gameplay mechanics and constant issues with quest progression further drag down what is otherwise a disappointing title.”

“1000xRESIST is a marvelous narrative-oriented videogame. Its minimalistic, sometimes slow gameplay is accompanied by one of the most engaging and well-crafted stories in modern gaming. Themes such as discrimination, rebellion to authorities and the pandemic are handled with utmost care and credibility.”

“Where many games opt to host depressing narratives to appeal to their young adult audience, Blue Archive instead plays itself straight—keeping an upbeat vibe with a touch of comic mischief while not being afraid to touch on the “what-ifs” if things all went wrong. It’s easy to pick up and play and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“For those wanting a more modern fighting game with a focus on story based single player content, you’ll need to look elsewhere. For fighting game fans who want the simpler more quaint arcade and competitive experience then look no further, Virtua Fighter is back!”

“Majogami is a fun, fast-paced romp with a fair bit of replay value. It can get a bit repetitive due to the nature of the main character’s gimmick, but you’re encouraged to finish up each level as fast as possible. And despite the speed of the game, the composition of the visuals makes it easy to distinguish between foes and the direction you’re going to rend unto them. A great action-platformer all around.”

“Halls of Torment efficiently combines the highs of some of the best bullet heaven shooters out there, with immaculate Diablo-coded looks and sounds. Despite not being revolutionary, nor packing the outrageous depth of some of its rivals, Chasing Carrots‘ title is easily one of the most interesting and addictive titles in the genre.”

“All in all, Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a fast-paced, yet accessible racer, based on Netflix’s show and the Hot Wheels toys. It certainly fails to live to some of its full potential due to a variety of reasons. These include an oddly twitchy handling, lack of online, a lack of real challenge and limited variety.”

“Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is a solid roguelite strategy RPG. I think players will enjoy the roguelite mechanics and world mythos very much, but combat and level design leave a lot to be desired. Still, it’s not a bad experience—I am quick to drop a boring SRPG, but this one kept me engaged throughout the entirety of my playthrough. ∎”

“SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a lovely adventure title that shows just how creative storytelling you can be with the smallest of foods. It encapsulates a piece of Latin America within its gorgeous art, enchanting music, and engaging puzzles. Technical issues do eventually compound to make for a bit of a cumbersome experience, but I can look past that to recommend this adventure to all. ∎”

“Alien: Rogue Incursion Part One – Evolved Edition’s name is nearly as long as its runtime on console. I was able to clear the entire game in roughly 3 hours, though I knew where to go and what to do after having played it once in VR. Without that immersive interactivity, what was already a mediocre title is made that much worse.”

“Extremely Powerful Capybaras is an enjoyable co-op romp for up to 4 players, making for a chaotic but fairly stylish bullet heaven experience. Taken as a solo game or comparing it to its much more ambitious contemporaries, however, it does very little to stand out, and its basic gameplay doesn’t quite hold the depth necessary to warrant many repeat runs”

“Moon Mystery shoots for the stars and nearly achieves its goals. For $20, you get 5 or 6 hours of occasional fun, and a few moments of utter bewilderment”

“Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition is an absolutely inessential upgrade for what is quite the timeless classic. It’s still a mighty fun and deep single player RPG campaign, with a ridiculously addictive core gameplay and plenty of content to boot. But the few changes and additions barely warrant a new version”

“Deep Rock Galactic: Survivors is easily one of the best bullet heaven titles out there – which is no small feat, considering the amount of competition there is nowadays. Excellent visuals, lovely gameplay, with the unique mining mechanics that add a lot of depth to the runs. There’s a ton of content to grind towards, with even 300 unique achievements at launch”

“Garfield Kart 2 is a fun kart racer, in some ways better than its predecessor – but everything it does better is because it shamelessly copied another, much better game. With so many quality mascot kart racers out there, you can probably opt for something a little more remarkable.”

“Casebook 1899 takes some of the best things I love about point ‘n click adventure games and delivers it through a fresh, somewhat grounded take on detective work through the lens of a bustling industrial city. Its stories are ultimately yours to tell as the detective as every case will hinge on your deductions and reasoning. Amidst a fantastic presentation and unique storytelling, this game is truly wunderbar. ∎”

“Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is a kid-friendly adventure with a few weird design choices related to the puzzles and combat, but ultimately, it’s quirky and charming enough to be blasted through, whether you’re a pre-teen or an adult who has fond memories of the iconic book series by R. L. Stine. I certainly had my fun with it, and would recommend it to those seeking a horror game that’s ideal for a younger audience.”

“Dorfromantik is a brilliantly crafted single player puzzle game that just happens to look like a board game, as it’s all about placing hexagon-shaped tiles in the most optimal ways possible, creating beautiful landscapes in the process. What seems like a simple formula that may bore you quick, may keep you up way too long at night – and it certainly did so for me, so you can trust my word on that.”

“The core strengths of the original are here and intact, from the gorgeous world and solid survival mechanics, to another intriguing story to unpack, but I can’t help but feel there should have been more from the start that feels truly new. Still, it is a lot of fun, and as we begin another early access journey, this peblet and clay foundation is pretty solid – I can’t wait to see what else is in store.”

“If you fancy moonlighting as a budding scientist battling for survival against other-worldly forces and scientific experiments gone wrong, you’re going to love Abiotic Factor. It’s a refreshing and charming take on the survival genre, full of great mechanics and systems, an engaging story and world and importantly it’s an absolute blast to play with friends. Go in as blind as you can, because like with all scientific endeavours, the joy is in the discovery.”