Xbox Series X|S Game Reviews
Mini Review Islanders: Console Edition - An Addictive Tetris City Builder
Building has never been so relaxing
On the outside, Islanders: Console Edition seems like just another take on the city building genre, but within a single minute, it's clear there's more here than meets the eye. Instead of making your islands as pretty as possible, there's a surprisingly in-depth puzzle experience to sink your teeth into, which is...
Review Lost Judgment - Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Strikes Again
Another fantastic entry
When the original Judgment launched, it came at a time when the Yakuza series was gaining momentum in the West. Fast forward to today and the franchise has grown exponentially, resulting in Lost Judgment being the first instalment to launch worldwide simultaneously. With such a gargantuan task ahead for developer Ryu Ga...
Review NBA 2K22 - Bringing Another Layer Of Next-Gen Polish To The Court
A next-gen slam dunk?
This review is based on the next-gen (Xbox Series X, Series S) version of NBA 2K22. With 2021/22’s NBA season not too far away from tipping off, a brand-new edition of NBA 2K makes its way onto next-gen consoles just in time to give b-ball fans a wealth of slam-dunking sports action to get stuck into. This time around...
Mini Review Breathedge - An Hilarious, But Frustrating Survival Game
Lost in Space this is not
Breathedge arrives on Xbox Game Pass on Thursday, September 9th (2021). Here's what we think of it! If you put Ark: Survival Evolved and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy into a blender, Breathedge would most likely be the result. A game which attempts to balance the in-depth mechanics of various survival games, whilst...
Mini Review The Artful Escape - A Fantastic Musical Odyssey On Xbox Game Pass
An assault on the senses
Around an hour into The Artful Escape, we were absolutely in awe of what was on display. It was an assault on the sense, both visually and through its audio, absolutely engrossing us in its musical odyssey. It was a moment that was perhaps our favourite of the entire year, perfectly encapsulating the reason why we play...
Mini Review Kitaria Fables - Charming World Let Down By A Monotonous Grind
Cat got your tongue?
On the surface, Kitaria Fables looks to be a charming mixture of Stardew Valley and Diablo. Blending elements of the iconic farming simulator with the ferocious action of the latter is a great setup. In its initial opening hours, the game demonstrates a perfect blend of the two, delivering a satisfying gameplay loop. But it's...
Mini Review Crown Trick - Another Fantastic Roguelite For Xbox Game Pass
Death is only the beginning
One of the beauties of Xbox Game Pass is being able to try out games we would never usually touch. Crown Trick is the latest in a long line, replicating the roguelite genre with its own unique twist. After the huge success of Hades, players, such as ourselves, are looking for more titles to scratch the itch it left...
Review Sonic Colors: Ultimate - A Rollercoaster Thrill Ride
Faster than fast, quicker than quick
Sonic has had a tremendously troubled past. Outside of Sonic Mania, the series has hit a lull for several years now with lacklustre titles such as Sonic Forces and Sonic Lost World - the poor hedgehog can't catch a break. However, back in 2010, Nintendo Wii owners were treated to a 3D iteration which seemed to...
Mini Review Golf Club Wasteland - A Brilliant Birdie From The Rough
Yes, there is life on Mars
We were drawn to Golf Club: Wasteland from minute one. A golf game in which Earth is now a course for the ultra rich and the remains of civilization live on Mars? It's a great concept, and while the golf itself is nothing to write home about, it's the combination of everything else that makes Golf Club: Wasteland a...
Mini Review The Big Con - A Charming Xbox Console Exclusive
90s road trip, anyone?
There's something about the atmosphere of the 90s that just resonates with so many people - even those who weren't even alive during the time period. From the classic dial-up tone when you connected to the internet to taking home your favourite movie from Blockbuster, it's a timeless period that many feel nostalgic towards...
Review Aliens: Fireteam Elite - A Survival Shooter That's All About The Action
A mostly great squad-based Xeno shooter. Mostly.
Diving into Cold Iron Studios' Aliens: Fireteam Elite for the very first time - especially if your last videogame experience of this universe was Alien: Isolation - it's probably best to adjust your expectations ever so slightly. This isn't some slow-burn horror effort, tension-filled corridor crawler...
Review Psychonauts 2 - Bigger, Better And Crazier, Another GOTY Contender
Absolutely mental
Replaying the first Psychonauts this year felt as though we'd slipped back into our younger selves, sat in front of the TV on a Saturday morning watching cartoons. It has such a wonderful atmosphere, with characters we love, a world that's a delight to explore, and a beautiful insight into mental health that's portrayed with ease...
Review Twelve Minutes - The Game Pass Thriller With A Hollywood Cast
If I could turn back time
It's impossible to not at least be intrigued by Twelve Minutes. An interactive top-down thriller, launching into Xbox Game Pass on day one, and starring a Hollywood cast the likes of which games are almost never treated to, especially in the case of indie titles. The question is, can it live up to the hype? Fortunately, the...
Mini Review Button City - All Style, No Substance
Defunctland
From the outside, Button City looks as though it should be a wholesome recipe for success. It has a wonderful visual style, cute characters and boasts a ton of arcade games to lose yourself in. All of this is set to be wrapped in a beautifully told story that pulls on those nostalgic heartstrings of sitting in the arcades when you were...
Review Hades - The Genre-Defining Roguelike Strikes Again
A roguelike for people who hate roguelikes
What can we say about Hades that hasn't already been said? It's a genre-defining title that captured the hearts of millions of players around the world last year and went on to win many awards. Now, after almost an entire year since its full release, Xbox players can finally get their hands on the huge hit...
Mini Review The Krispy Kreme Xbox Donut - A Series-ly X-cellent Treat
Sooooo good
It's here. After months of waiting - the donut to end all other donuts. Krispy Kreme has launched The Nexus Level donut, an Xbox style treat which is sure to tickle your taste buds. As with any big release, we've been on the ground day one to check it out, give it a taste, and share our thoughts. While we're not quite donut connoisseurs,...
Review Microsoft Flight Simulator - Taking The Xbox Series X To New Heights
Come fly with me
Updated review (Xbox Series X version, July 2021): Microsoft Flight Simulator has finally arrived on Xbox Series X|S, and following on from our review of the PC version last year, we've had a chance (thanks to Xbox Game Pass) to get hands-on with the Xbox Series X edition over the past few days. Simply put, Flight Sim makes a...
Mini Review Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance - It's Dangerous To Go Alone, So Bring Some Friends
Transforming the classic fantasy series into an action-brawler
Updated Review (pre-patch): Dark Alliance’s multiplayer did not match our solo playthrough and considering it's one of the key features of this game, we’re docking a point from the final score. When playing online there were delays between button inputs and the action that occurs on...
Mini Review Wreckfest For Xbox Series X - A Visually Impressive, Messily Executed Upgrade
Racing to the symphony of destruction
Oh boy, where do you even start with this one? You might remember that back in March, destructive Xbox Game Pass racer Wreckfest received a very generous free 4K, 60FPS patch for Xbox Series X, making it run better than ever on next-gen consoles. It was a genuinely fantastic addition to the game, but the...
Review Biomutant - An Ambitious Game Weighed Down By Its Own Ideas
A missed opportunity
There was a moment ten hours into Biomutant where we had to pause and collect our thoughts. Not because the game was particularly challenging or intense, but from the overwhelming amount of systems being thrown at us. The marketing up until its release has heavily focused on the creativity inside the game, and its definitely...
Mini Review Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance - A Barebones Re-Release Of A Classic
An expensive nostalgic trip
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance made a surprise re-release earlier this month, having originally released back in 2001 on the original Xbox. We never played the game back in the day, so this version was a perfect excuse to dive into the classic RPG and see what the fuss was all about. It received positive reviews on its...
Ethan's Hunt
Set just three years after the events of 2017's superlative Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village rejoins perennial whiner Ethan Winters and his wife Mia as they struggle to come to terms with the ordeal they suffered at the hands of the hillbilly Bakers in the Mold-infested swamps of Louisiana. Although the family has now been whisked...
Mini Review Judgment - A Fantastic Yakuza Spin-Off That Looks Better Than Ever On Xbox Series X
I hereby find you, excellent!
Right out of the gate - if you've ever been interested in the Yakuza series but turned off by the number of entries, then Judgment is the game for you. It's a fantastic insight into the world that the franchise has built, but under the guise of a new eye. The game sets itself as a perfect starting point for newcomers,...
Review MLB The Show 21 - Xbox Fans, It's Finally Time To Play Ball
Welcome to The Show
Baseball fans never thought they'd see this moment arrive, but it's finally here! MLB The Show 21 is officially an Xbox game, not to mention a day one Xbox Game Pass addition, and seeing the little PlayStation intro sequence as you boot it up definitely takes some getting used to! Full disclaimer, we're not hardcore veterans of...
Review Outriders - People Can Fly's Looter Shooter Soars Into Action
Riders on the Storm
People Can Fly's Outriders does not, we think it's fair to say, get off to the grandest of starts. Kicking off with a prologue that showcases all of its weakest elements at once - the janky cutscenes, buggy facial animations and duff dialogue, it's an introduction to a brand new IP that had us pretty worried if we're being...
Review Balan Wonderworld - The Balan-dest Platformer On Xbox Series X
Everyone's mad here
When Balan Wonderworld was announced last year, it was a game that seemed completely up our alley. It checked all the boxes for what we look for in a platformer. Unique abilities, colourful worlds, and personality busting from its seams. With the talent involved and being lead by Yuji Naka, the creator of classic franchises such...
We're pretending we're Supermen again
We comprehensively reviewed Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 back at launch and found it to be a superb return to form for the Birdman, but now we're doing things a little different with its upcoming Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S upgrade, as there are quite a few things to talk about in regards to the improvements...
Review Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - Platforming Bliss On Xbox Series X
Grandmaster Crash
Updated Xbox Series X Review (by Fraser Gilbert): It hasn't even been six months since Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time first launched for Xbox One, and the game has already received an updated version for Xbox Series X and S. We've checked out the Xbox Series X version, and while it already played really well through backwards...
Mini Review Football Manager 2021: Xbox Edition - Say Goodbye To Your Spare Time
But prepare for some awkward controls
Football Manager 2021: Xbox Edition joins Xbox Game Pass this week, so we've put together this little mini review so you know what to expect. The Xbox Edition is playable on Xbox consoles and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere. We're willing to bet if you're reading this review, you've know at least something about...
Review Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood - Feels Dated, But Enjoyable Nonetheless
Rage against the machine
It's hard to get away from the feeling while you're playing Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood that it would have been more suited for the original Xbox or Xbox 360 generation. That might sound like a criticism, but while the game certainly feels a little dated and overly simplistic in certain ways, it's also a experience...
