Xbox Game Pass Reviews
Review Two Point Campus - Near-Perfect Marks For This Superb Sequel
Game Pass is in session
The excellent Two Point Hospital has offered up countless hours of simulation fun on Xbox Game Pass ever since it joined back in early 2020, and now the developers behind that game are back with Two Point Campus, taking us out of the medical wards and into the halls of various school academies — complete with the signature...
Hands On Turbo Golf Racing - Good Fun In Short Bursts With Xbox Game Pass
Rocket League meets golf and racing
One of the additions to Xbox Game Pass this week that went somewhat under the radar was Turbo Golf Racing, which launched on Thursday, August 4th in Xbox Game Preview, meaning it'll remain in an early access state for some time. As a result, this isn't your typical review — we're not going to score it or...
Review As Dusk Falls - A Cracking Crime Thriller On Xbox Game Pass
Free fallin'
Going into As Dusk Falls we were a little apprehensive. Xbox's marketing push has been somewhat light with this one considering it's an Xbox Games Studios effort, and we've only just seen Road 96's similar tale of loss and hope through to its fantastic conclusion. As it turns out, we needn't have worried at all; As Dusk Falls is a...
Review PowerWash Simulator - A Great Way To Chill Out With Xbox Game Pass
If you like simulators, that is
We all had a good laugh when Lawn Mowing Simulator was released and later added to Xbox Game Pass last year, but it ultimately proved a popular addition for many. Simulator games are clearly enjoying a resurgence at the moment, and the latest unlikely PC hit to join the Xbox lineup is PowerWash Simulator, which...
Review Matchpoint Tennis Championships - The Sport's First Xbox Game Pass Title
A good addition, but with a couple of unforced errors
We've been waiting for a great new tennis game on Xbox for the best part of a decade now, and while the likes of AO Tennis and Tennis World Tour have kept us busy in recent years, they haven't managed to live up the high standards of the Virtua Tennis and Top Spin series' from the Xbox 360 era.
Review Shadowrun Trilogy - A Superb Tactical RPG Series Hacks Into Xbox Game Pass
Hacker's Delight
Harebrained Schemes' superlative Shadowrun Trilogy first released back in 2013 after a successful Kickstarter campaign that saw its intriguing cyberpunk-meets-fantasy world drop onto PC and mobile platforms. Set in the same brilliant universe as the long-running Shadowrun tabletop RPG series, this is a trio of games that take place...
Review Assassin's Creed Origins - Better Than Ever On Xbox Series X
Bayek it's a good' un.
Looking back on it now, Assassin's Creed Origins really did mark a brand new direction for Ubisoft's long-running franchise when it released back in October of 2017. This truly epic Egyptian odyssey introduced RPG-lite elements to the series, invigorating its core gameplay with tons of loot, weapons and gear, it completely...
Review Sniper Elite 5 - The Best Sniper Elite To Date And A Sure Shot For Game Pass
Moisten Nagant
It's been seventeen years now since we first got a taste for Rebellion's superlative Sniper Elite series and, in the years that have followed, it's a franchise that has steadily grown and evolved into a sure thing, a safe bet, in terms of serving up slick, satisfying and highly replayable slo-mo sniper action for fans of exploding...
Review Citizen Sleeper - A Unique Narrative RPG That's A Perfect Fit For Xbox Game Pass
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it?
Jump Over The Age, the developer behind the sublime alien ocean exploration adventure In Other Waters, returns with yet another wonderfully unique experience in the form of Citizen Sleeper, a life sim RPG that looks and feels like nothing else we've played recently. Here you assume the role of a...
Review Trek To Yomi - Stylish Samurai Action With Real AAA Polish
Bow to your Sensei
The plight of the sole samurai looms large in Trek to Yomi, as you're tasked with choosing your warrior's path and ultimately, fighting to survive a pretty hellish situation by the end. This stylish 2D action game from developer Flying Wild Hog is a delight throughout its runtime though, even if its combat sometimes stumbles in...
Review GRID Legends - A Solid Arcade Racer That's Missing A Bit Of Flair
Needs more oomph
Codemasters tends to fly under the racing radar these days, especially when compared to the big boys of the genre. The team has pumped out consistent if unremarkable racers in recent years, with the F1 games probably being the best of that bunch. GRID sits somewhere in there, and the 2019 series reboot provided a decent platform for...
Review Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction - Solid Extra-Terrestrial Siege Shenanigans
How will you REACT under pressure?
Rainbow Six Extraction really is such a great idea, a hugely appealing experiment that takes the often rather bland and samey world of Ubisoft's tactical military shooters and adds plenty of twisted alien sci-fi action and warped vistas to the mix. For the most part it's a mix-up that works too. Based on a...
Review Age Of Empires 4 (Xbox for PC) - The Return Of The King
RTS is back on the menu
Long before MOBAs hit their stride with titles like DotA and League of Legends, one of the most popular genres on PC was real-time strategy. We may no longer be in the heyday of RTS, but there are still many series from this period that remain an important part of video game history. One of the standouts alongside classics...
Review Echo Generation - Stranger Things Style RPG Knocks It Out The Park
An Xbox Game Pass title you don't want to miss
There's been something of a boom in 80s nostalgia in recent years, much of which has Stranger Things to blame for. It's no surprise, as the show's captivating world and electrifying synth tones give the feeling of a warm, cosy comfort blanket - despite the horrors the show presents. Echo Generation is...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
