Xbox Series X Categories

It’s the classic response each time someone mentions loving Final Fantasy VII. “Wait until you try Final Fantasy VI,” someone will inevitably say. “Makes VII look amateur.” And I’ve written that as politely as possible. I’ve seen too many hipster rants about the beauty of the SNES JRPG classics, and the message is simple. If you came in with the PlayStation games, you’ve missed out. There’s always been a smugness to the discourse. Oh, you think THAT is good? And…

Avowed has been out for a little bit on Game Pass and I’ve been checking it out. How is the game so far? Is it the next Skyrim? Let’s talk about it! I’ve been checking out Avowed on my Xbox Series S via Game Pass lately and here are my thoughts so far. Avowed is a pretty good game. Its not exactly Skyrim, you can’t attack locals or go everywhere and see everything. The game is pretty open but it…

There have been a lot of op-ed pieces lately about the end of the console wars. With Xbox finding their own way and Sony and Nintendo representing different parts of the industry, it seems there’s now little reason to compare the big three. We’ll do it anyway though, eh? I started a segment on how the gaming industry will look very different in five years. But the reality – for those not deep in the trenches – is that the…

Two Point Museum is a delightful, interactive addition to the Two Point Studios catalog, having built itself a niche for quirkiness and accessibility-focused management sim design. It takes players off on a trip into the bizarre realm of curating a museum, where more emphasis is placed on building experience and less on putting things on the ground. Rather, it’s an odyssey of the weird and the whimsical, a challenge to establishing and operating a system of museums that are both…

There’s been a lot of discussion lately around Tomb Raider, in part thanks to the wonderful re-releases by Aspyr. But there’s an issue that these remasters highlight: much of what we love about these classics has been left behind. I’m not going to spend the next 450 words harking back to the “better” days of discourse around whether you can get Lara naked or not using Xploder cheats. The gaming world got bigger, and so Lara had to grow too.…

If you’ve wanted to get your hands on Two Point Museum ahead of its official launch next week, consider picking up the Explorers Edition which comes with a bunch of goodies, including 5 days early access! There is a lot more here than you might think, so let’s dive right in! The Explorers Edition of Two Point Museum is offering up a ton of goodies for just a few more dollars than the basic game. Yes, 5 days early access…

Combining the classic Warriors gameplay with the roguelike levels of hits like Hades, Warriors: Abyss is one of those “huh” moments that make so much sense on paper. Is it something anybody has ever asked for? Not that I’ve seen. But it’s impossible not to see the potential when it’s pitched right in front of you. Perhaps that’s why it’s a classic shadow drop game. The “available now” announcement meant nobody had to sit through months of trailers and previews.…

Warriors Abyss is fantastic. A review will be coming in the next week or so, but the shadow dropped spin-off is well worth your time and money. Ultimately it’s a small budget affair but I can’t exaggerate what a breath of fresh air it is. I don’t know how successful it has been or how much money it needs to make back. But what I know is that after the far too wordy tutorial, this game just clicked. In a…

Has there ever been a game with so much pressure on it as Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Ubisoft need it to be a hit, and the difference it could make if its flops is gigantic. Not that there would be any kind of surprise in it doing well. This isn’t a Starfield level gamble, where you have an unproven IP and a sudden exclusivity. This is Assassin’s Creed, and while it doesn’t always burn up the forum inches in hardcore spaces,…

Eternal Strands, developed by Yellow Brick Games, weaves a vibrant world and introduces compelling gameplay mechanics, but its ambitious design is occasionally hampered by technical hiccups and repetitive mission structures. Released on PS5 (and other platforms), it presents a visually stunning experience with a unique combat system, but doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Gameplay: A Dance of Magic and Movement The core of Eternal Strands lies in its innovative “weaving” system. Brynn, the protagonist, wields magic that interacts ...