Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 17th)

Welcome to another weekend! It's admittedly been a very quiet week in the world of Xbox, but if you're looking for some new stuff to check out, we've got a couple of new Xbox Game Pass and Games with Gold titles, one Free Play Days addition, various new touch control games on Xbox Cloud Gaming, and the usual weekly sales.

Here's what we’re jumping into over the weekend:

Fraser Gilbert, News Editor

Despite being a big NHL fan, I didn't pick up NHL 21 back at launch last year, so I'm really loving its recent inclusion into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. To be honest it's pretty much the same as NHL 20 in many respects, but I'm enjoying the improved Be a Pro mode, which has been quite substantially revamped.

I'm back on a Forza Horizon 4 kick at the moment as well. Not for any reason, really - I used the game to complete a Microsoft Rewards task recently, and ended up spending hours with it again just cruising the streets and taking part in some races. It's the perfect game to dip in-and-out of, and it's so fluid to play on Xbox Series X.

Finally, I definitely want to try Rain On Your Parade, which joined Xbox Game Pass earlier this week. It looks a really fun little indie title, and I love that it has levels based on the likes of Metal Gear Solid and The Office!

Have a good weekend, folks.

Daniel Hollis, Staff Writer

After seeing all that juicy Resident Evil Village gameplay earlier this week, I’m going to be replaying Resident Evil 7. I’ve been slowly becoming a huge fan of the series these past few years, and it all kickstarted with this entry. I haven’t played it since its release, so I’ve got a ton of DLC to do, but I’m also looking forward to reliving the story ahead of the events in the next game.

Alongside this I’m also absolutely engrossed with Hollow Knight. The world has opened up massively now, with tons of options for me to explore. The combat is also getting a lot more challenging, and a few bosses have destroyed me a fair few times - but it’s so fun! Can’t believe I didn’t play this sooner.

Finally, Rain on Your Parade launched on Xbox Game Pass this week and I’ve been having a ton of fun with it. It’s filled with so many cool references, and the gameplay itself slowly evolves over time into something more and more enjoyable. Been a nice, little surprise on Game Pass and I can’t wait to try out more.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

PJ O'Reilly, Freelance Contributor

Hello. I’m a professional ice hockey player now. Yep, turns out I’m something of a natural, especially when a vicious bit of fisticuffs breaks out, I’m right in there, smashing all the buttons and making mincemeat out of any opponent who dares to pull off their facemask and gloves to face me down. Smashing all the buttons? Oh, oh yes, sorry, I’m not talking about real life ice hockey, haha, lord no, I’m much too delicate and aware of my own mortality to get involved in any of that rough stuff, I meant NHL 21 on Game Pass, I’m addicted to it, you should download it, it’s great fun. Just don’t run into me in multiplayer or I’ll smash you up yeah.

I’ve also went and bought Mortal Shell Enhanced Edition this week, a little bit of gentle Soulslike murder action to relax in between blood-soaked hockey matches, and it’s excellent stuff. It cribs heavily from its inspiration, for sure, but its clever shell system, where you inhabit the bodies of fallen fighters that you find around the world, has got just enough about it to give the whole thing its own unique feel. It also looks and sounds fantastic in this slick new 60fps version and is well worth a punt if you’re looking for a proper challenge.

Have a good time, whatever you’re up to or playing over the next couple of days, and stay safe out there.

What Xbox games are you playing this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

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