Latest Soapbox
December2024
Soapbox Paying Tribute To The Best Map In Forza Horizon History
Stick the kettle on, folks
This weekend, Forza Horizon 4 will be completely delisted from digital storefronts, as Microsoft sunsets yet another Forza title due ongoing licensing issues related to racing games. It is, unfortunately, a reality we've gotten used to at this point - every Forza game before this one has already disappeared into thin air...
November2024
Soapbox Four Years On, I'm Already Nostalgic For The Early Xbox Series X|S Era
There was so much excitement in the air!
This Sunday, November 10th, marks exactly four years since the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S officially went on sale for the first time in 2020. It's scary to think it's been that long - I was covering the launch extensively here at Pure Xbox at the time, and thinking back, I have to admit I'm already...
September2024
Soapbox 12 Months Later, I Definitely Still Miss Xbox Games With Gold
It's a been a year since it ended
How can it have been 12 months since Xbox Games with Gold departed us? Time really does fly, and in the past year we've seen its replacement - Xbox Game Pass Core - prove pretty popular amongst those who want XGP access at a cheaper price point. But for me, a regular subscriber to Ultimate, I still find myself...
August2024
Soapbox Activision Is Bringing One Of The Best Remasters Ever To Xbox Game Pass
Vicarious Visions did an unbelievable job on this
Back in mid-2017, I was so excited for the arrival of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. The potential of reliving these three iconic PS1 games on modern hardware was an enticing one, but at the same time I wondered whether Activision and developer Vicarious Visions would somehow drop the ball...
June2024
Soapbox Forza Horizon 4 Hosted The Best Racing In The Series, And I'll Be Sad To See It Go
One more trip to the lakes
Well, Forza Horizon's British racing festival is about to close its doors - with Xbox announcing that Forza Horizon 4 will be delisted from digital storefronts later this year. Of course, the game will remain playable for existing owners after this date, but it's being removed from Xbox Game Pass
December2023
Soapbox El Paso, Elsewhere Should Be In Your Gaming Plans This Xmas Holiday
Now I Have A Machine Gun, Ho-Ho-Ho
As 2023 finally comes to a close, and we look back over all of the lovely gaming goodies we've been treated to over the past 12 months, it'd be easy to just auto-focus in on the AAA stuff, your big budget fare and returning famous franchises. I'm talking about the Alan Wakes here, the Starfields, Baldur's Gates and...
Soapbox Xbox Play Anywhere Is Fantastic, But I Wish It Supported More Games
Phil Spencer seems to agree as well!
Back in the Xbox One generation, Microsoft unveiled a feature in the form of Xbox Play Anywhere that would allow you to purchase a game on your Xbox console and also get the Windows 10 version for free via the Xbox PC app. We're now multiple years into the lifespan of Play Anywhere, and while I've actually been...
Soapbox After The BG3 Saga, I'm Nervous About How Xbox Handles My Save Data
You can lose everything in a flash
Over the past week, I've been driving some of my colleagues mad at Pure Xbox HQ ranting about this deleted saves issue with Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. I have total faith in Larian and Xbox to get around the problem in the near future, but I'm also concerned about how many times I've seen...
September2023
Soapbox After Redfall's Reception, I Really Hope The Dishonored 3 Leak Is Real
My most anticipated game from the leaked Bethesda roadmap
It sure has been a week, huh? Thanks to Microsoft's ongoing FTC court case, loads of upcoming Xbox plans were leaked online this week - even if they are severely outdated at this stage. In and amongst those leaks was quite a detailed roadmap of Bethesda's upcoming schedule, and while supposed
July2023
Soapbox The New Xbox Dashboard Looks Clean, But It Still Needs Work
Too. Many. Pages!
So, it's been a couple of days since Microsoft pushed its brand-new dashboard to my Xbox Series X console, and overall, I have mixed feelings on the new Home experience so far. The vibe is there — I'm loving how much screen real estate my gorgeous Pentiment background gets post-update — but I still feel like there's work to be...
Soapbox Test Drive Unlimited Was Special, And I'm Excited For Its Xbox Comeback
That solar crown is mine
After years and years of anticipation, we finally locked eyes on Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gameplay yesterday during Nacon's TDU Connect presentation. While the game didn't quite shout 'next-gen racer' during its gameplay debut (we're hoping it'll be nice and polished up for 2024), it did look very Test Drive Unli
June2023
Soapbox As 'State Of Decay' Turns 10, I'm Super Excited To See More Of What's Next
State of Decay 3 was revealed three years ago
We're going through a very 'British heatwave' right now here in the UK (meaning it's vaguely warm and the sun's out a bit), and weirdly, such unbearable heat is taking me back to summer 2013 - when I had an old Xbox 360 struggling on as the Xbox One generation fast approached. Lots of late Xbox 360 era...
Soapbox I Hope Halo Infinite's New Progression System Keeps Me Hooked For Good
In for the long haul
Halo Infinite has had an attention retention problem pretty much since launch back in late 2021. 343's latest Halo title has the best core mechanics that the team has ever produced, but there's just something missing when it comes to keeping me hooked and wanting to play for hours on end. I don't seem to be alone in that...
April2023
Feature Xbox's Latest 'Games With Gold' Title Is A Classic That Still Holds Up In 2023
Ah, the good old N64 days
It's been 24 years since Star Wars Episode 1 Racer first launched for Nintendo 64 and Windows PC, and back in 1999 it was considered one of the most beloved Star Wars (and racing) games on the market. After finally receiving an Xbox port back in 2020 courtesy of Aspyr, you can now claim it for free as part of Xbox Games...
Feature Best Resident Evil Games Ranked - Which Mainline Entry Is Number One?
13 games but only one can be top zombie dog
Resident Evil 4 Remake is finally in the wild and, I think it's fair to say, I rather enjoyed our time with it here at Pure Xbox. In my glowing review - some might almost say raving fanboy review - I gave the reimagining of this 2005 classic a big fat 10/10, going as far as saying that it improved upon...
February2023
Soapbox As A First-Time Player, Dead Space Feels Stuck Between Two Different Genres
It's a visual treat nonetheless
Back in the Xbox 360 says, the original Dead Space somehow managed to evade my gaming grasp. I'm not entirely sure how — the concept is certainly up my alley — but either way, the series slipped by and I never got around to playing it. So, when EA Motive revealed it would be fully remaking the first game from the...
December2022
Soapbox Elden Ring Is My GOTY, But It Was Incredible Indie Games That Kept Me Playing In 2022
AAA in the streets, indie between the sheets
Without a shadow of a doubt, FromSoftware's majestic Elden Ring has quite comfortably earned my own personal GOTY spot for 2023 (with Obsidian's amazing Pentiment in second place) and, really, it's been an easier choice to make than in any other year in recent memory. Nothing else really came all that...
Soapbox This Game Pass Gem Is My Xbox Game Of The Year For 2022
On the road
I've played a lot of great games this year, with Xbox Game Pass helping me discover some proper gems thanks to its consistent work in adding high-quality titles. A Plague Tale: Requiem was an absolute delight back in October (well, aside from the rat waves of course), as was the Xbox-exclusive As Dusk Falls which really surprised me this...
November2022
Soapbox Despite Its Rough Launch, I'm Incredibly Excited For Battlefield 2042 To Hit Xbox Game Pass
Progression
The time has almost arrived for Battlefield 2042 to hit Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with DICE's shooter set to come to the EA Play library during the game's third season. Usually, this sort of EA Play addition wouldn't affect me, as I typically buy and play every Battlefield title at launch. However, 2042's bumpy arrival — and its rough...
Soapbox 2010 World Cup South Africa Might Be The Best FIFA Game Of All Time
An incredible game from the Xbox 360 era
The late 2000s and early 2010s were an extremely important time for EA Sports' FIFA series, which had spent much of the past decade losing out in the gameplay department to Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer. With the arrival of the likes of FIFA 08 and FIFA 09, however, the development team began to craft the...
Soapbox Two Years In, FPS Boost Is My Xbox 'Game' Of The Generation So Far
Seriously, it's the console's best feature!
I'm not sure if this is a slight on how the ninth generation of gaming is going so far, but my best experience on Xbox Series X since November 2020 isn't a 'next-gen' game at all. We've seen a few of those over the last two years, and a load of cross-generation games of course, but it's the suite of...
June2022
Soapbox Chorus Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass, And You Should Absolutely Play It
Don't skip this space combat spectacular
June has its fair share of big hitters and tasty treats landing on Xbox Game Pass, with the likes of For Honor: Marching Fire Edition, a newly upgraded Assassin's Creed Origins, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection and the excellent Shadowrun Trilogy to name just a few of the delig
April2022
Soapbox Remote Play Is One Of Xbox's Most Underrated Features
Even if you have a slow internet connection
Like many Xbox users out there, I'd never really paid much attention to the Remote Play feature on PC, Android and iOS until recently. In the past, I'd occasionally used it for things like grabbing screenshots of pre-release games for reviews, or just casually checking apps like Microsoft Rewards on my...
March2022
Soapbox I'm Using WWE 2K22 To Build The Ultimate AEW Universe
"It's Wednesday night, you know what that means!"
Those who know me will be aware that I'm a pretty big wrestling fan, but to be honest the only wrestling I tend to watch these days is AEW, every single Wednesday and Friday. To me, it's a much more entertaining form of professional wrestling than what WWE offers, but the promised AEW game from...
Soapbox Backwards Compatibility On Xbox 360 Isn't Perfect, But I Love It
It's why I keep the console hooked up
It was a momentous moment when Microsoft announced back in 2015 that backwards compatibility was coming to Xbox One, not only because it never seemed like a possibility before then, but also because it showed that Phil Spencer and his Xbox team were committed to the idea of making classic Xbox games playable on...
January2022
Soapbox Bring Back Guitar Hero On Xbox Game Pass For The Emo Teen Parties
We need it!
Since the Activision Blizzard deal announcement a week ago, I've thought a lot about the publisher's backlog. I've said my piece on Call of Duty, and there's been much talk about where Crash and Spyro belong with Xbox. However, Guitar Hero sticks out as perhaps Activision's most unique IP, and I think it could bring a lot of value to...
Feature Alright, It's Time For Xbox To Make A Smash Bros. Game
It would be ridiculous not to at this point
With Microsoft announcing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard earlier this week, the topic of Xbox Game Studios potentially commissioning a Super Smash Bros. style multiplayer game has cropped up once again. There are a few reasons why you might not want to pursue it, but in our opinion, it's an...
Soapbox Rainbow Six Extraction Extends A Winning Streak For Co-Op On Xbox Game Pass
The place for all things co-op
Last week, as Xbox announced another huge win with Rainbow Six Extraction coming to Game Pass on day one, it hit me. The service's biggest plus is breaking down barriers for co-op action with friends, and long may that continue. Over the last few months, we've had some real heavy hitters arrive in the Game Pass...
November2021
Soapbox I Love Forza Horizon 5, But Those Bonus Boards Are Driving Me Crazy
I love to hate you
Don't get me wrong - I adore Forza Horizon 5. It's one of the best games of the year and one of the most exhilarating racers ever made. There's nothing quite like roaming the streets of Mexico, blasting out tunes from one of the excellent radio stations as the sun sets in the distance. It's relaxing, soothing and makes for some of...
Soapbox FPS Boost For Xbox Has Been Great, But I Hope There's Still More To Come
The wishlist is neverending
It's been quite a long time now since we last heard about FPS Boost. If you don't know what it is (or you want a refresher!), it's a feature which allows the Xbox team to boost framerates for older Xbox One titles on Xbox Series X and Series S without any extra work required by the developer. So far, almost 100 games have...
October2021
Soapbox Is Dishonored Basically A James Bond Game In Disguise?
Hear me out...
I know exactly what you're thinking from the headline. What is this guy on about!? I know, I know, but bear with me here. Having revisited the James Bond films over the past month in anticipation of No Time To Die, I can't help but think of Dishonored. I've spent weeks trying to articulate my thoughts on it all, which hasn't at all...
September2021
Soapbox Lost Judgment Is Probably The Closest We'll Get To A Bully Sequel
Trust me on this one
The Yakuza series dips its toes in so many different genres that it's pretty much covered every base. From becoming an investor in Yakuza: Like A Dragon to managing your own baseball team in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, it's incredible how the team at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio manages to create these experiences in every game that...
Soapbox Hey Rockstar, How About Some Truly Old-School GTA Remasters
And throw in Chinatown Wars while you're at it
Last week's GTA V: Expanded and Enhanced trailer might have gone down like a dog's dinner at the most recent PlayStation Showcase, but one of the really exciting bits of GTA news we're still waiting for is the Remastered Trilogy, which is reportedly set to include improved versions of GTA 3, GTA: Vice...
Soapbox Enter The Matrix And Path Of Neo Were Masterpieces And I Won’t Hear Otherwise
Mr Anderson, welcome back
Seeing all the buzz for The Matrix Resurrections this week has got me feeling all sorts of emotions. The original film holds a special place in my heart. Not only was it the first mature film I saw outside of Disney cartoons and the occasional superhero flick, but it also opened my mind to what cinema could achieve. It's...
August2021
Soapbox Help, I'm On A Nostalgic Trip Through The Multiverse Of Spider-Man Xbox Games
Web-slinging through history
This week has been a nostalgic week for Spider-Man fans. The release of the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer - which re-introduced some classic villains via the multiverse - instantly became the most-watched trailer within a 24 hour period, beating the likes of Avengers: Endgame. It's an incredible achievement, and unless...
Soapbox Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Helped Me Confront My Anxiety
Sometimes a 100-hour game is good, actually
Without getting too down, the last year or so has been tough for many - if not all of us. We’ve been faced with a situation that we never even dreamed of coming across in our lifetime, and it’s been exceptionally challenging on many fronts. As a result, people around the world have found solace in...
Reaction Xbox Game Pass Is A Gold Mine For Indies Right Now
2021 is the year of indies
Yesterday, we were treated to another Xbox Indie Showcase, and regardless of how you feel about the presentation's setup, there's no arguing there were some intriguing games shown. In fact, Xbox has been delivering a stellar library of indie titles in the past few months, plenty of which have dropped day one into Xbox Game...
July2021
Soapbox Forza Horizon 5 Will Be Great, But I Hope It Does More With Its Radio Stations
Especially compared to GTA V
There aren't too many holes to pick in the brilliant Forza Horizon 4, which I've been playing and enjoying for many years now, but if there's one complaint I do have, it relates to the music selection and radio stations in general. Compared to something like Grand Theft Auto V, I feel like there's a lot of untapped...
Soapbox Now That It's On Xbox Game Pass, I've Finally Discovered The Joys Of Gang Beasts
Game Pass needed a game like this
It's no secret that despite its incredible library, Xbox Game Pass has been somewhat starved of great party games throughout its lifespan thus far. The are notable exceptions like Overcooked! 2 and Golf With Your Friends, but with the addition of Gang Beasts, it feels like the service has very consciously bolstered...
June2021
Soapbox Forza Horizon 5 Is Going To Need To Lean Into The Series' Absurdity To Impress Me
Please make it happen, Playground Games
It's not even been a decade and we've almost had five fully fledged Forza Horizon games. Five! You would think the series would have ran out of ideas or become stale, but that's not the case. Each entry is delivering beautiful new locales, stunning driving controls, and a whole heap of varied content to enjoy...
Reaction This Year's Shaky E3 Was Held Up By Xbox And Nintendo
A messy four days with a few highs and many lows
Well, E3 has come and gone, and to be honest, it was kind of a blink and you'll miss it affair. That's not to say it was bad - on the contrary, despite the general response to this year's event, it packed a substantial number of huge and meaningful announcements - I'm just not sure we needed E3 as a...
May2021
Soapbox The Resident Evil Series Knows How To Do A Killer Opening
It can turn your heart into a Jill Sandwich
Some people find each Resident Evil title loses its way within the final hours, but not enough attention is given to those masterfully crafted opening moments. They say that if a movie doesn't capture your attention within the first 30 minutes, then viewers generally tend to disengage. For the most part,...
Soapbox Star Wars Republic Commando Was Ahead Of Its Time
We're just clones, sir
It took me way to long to play Star Wars Republic Commando - way too long. After binging every season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, I grew attached to the clones in a way the movies never seemed to convey. Their personalities shone through, and the lore presented was some of the best in the franchise. Jumping into Republic...
Soapbox The Force Awakens Is An Incredible LEGO Star Wars Game
And it's better than ever on Xbox Series X & S
When you hear people talking about LEGO Star Wars games, they're usually talking about LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga - a collection of two games from the mid-2000s that changed the way LEGO games would be envisioned forever, and for their time, they were regarded as some of the best Star Wars games...
April2021
Soapbox Even The Terrible Games Have Some Good In Them
Honestly, they do
Over the past couple of weeks I've had the immense pleasure of playing Balan Wonderworld. Okay, so it wasn't a pleasure and our review wasn't exactly glowing, but we have to give a notable shout out to the music, which is superbly charming in every possible way. It got me thinking about all the bad games I've dived into over the...
March2021
PSA: Remember to manually save your games!
It's 15 years to the day that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion hit the Xbox 360, and 15 long years I've held a bitterness towards the game. I'm going to throw this out there now before the comment sections become a public roasting - I love Oblivion. It was the first game that got me into the RPG genre and...
Soapbox Now That It's On Xbox Game Pass, Please Try The Evil Within
An open letter to all subscribers
If I had a pound for every time I typed the word Bethesda this week, I could probably have outbid Microsoft and purchased ZeniMax myself - but it's such a big win for Xbox fans that it's hard not to talk about it. The initial announcement seems like a lifetime ago, and now here we are, it's official, the knot has...
February2021
Soapbox There's Never Been A Better Time For Banjo-Threeie
Do it, birdbrains!
As I replay Banjo-Tooie for the umpteenth time (the best in the series), I'm still sucked in by its vibrant personality and pitch perfect platforming. The bird and bear never fail to put a smile on my face, despite releasing back in 2000. Even the controversial Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts holds a special place in my heart...
Soapbox Xbox, Can We Please Stop Having Games With Random Achievement Numbers
Is there anything worse?
I absolutely hate games that come packed with achievements outside multiples of five or ten - hate it. There's nothing worse than hearing that satisfying 'ding', only to be greeted with an achievement value of 16G. The system has been around since 2005 and we've seen it evolve in so many ways. Achievement tracking, unlock...
January2021
Soapbox You Know, Xbox Has Some Surprisingly Great Kart Racers
Racing into the New Year with style
I don't know about you, but my New Year's Eve was spent diving into a bunch of games. Even without the global pandemic, I've never been one to go out partying, but this past one was a great excuse for me to reign in the New Year doing what I love - gaming. To mark the occasion, me and my fiancé discussed what we...
October2020
Soapbox Why FIFA 21's Release Marks My Favourite Day Of The Year
"It has become so much more than a game"
If you asked members of the public what their favourite day of the year is, I’m pretty certain what the majority would go for. Christmas Day and the respondent’s birthday would likely be the top two picks, while New Year’s Eve, Halloween and maybe even Valentine's Day wouldn’t be too far behind. But...
