Six months ago, we welcomed you to the daunting dark fantasy world of Mournstead, as we launched our debut game, Lords of the Fallen, on Xbox Series X|S. We wanted to challenge action-RPG fans with a fresh take on the genre and – as one of the first games to be developed in Unreal Engine 5 – deliver a unique experience.
This week, we’ve reached the biggest milestone since launch: Version 1.5 –Master of Fate. It’s the culmination of over 30 updates released since launch, which has seen additional new content and quality of life updates – including rigorous difficulty balancing – that have significantly improved performance, stability, and optimisation across the board. All of this has resulted in Master of Fate being the very best version of Lords of the Fallen to date.
Importantly, Master of Fate delivers the final milestone of the game’s extensive post-launch roadmap: A genuinely groundbreaking advanced game modifier system that enables you to warp and twist the gameplay in several fundamental ways.
Available to campaign completionists and total newcomers alike, these modifiers include the ability to randomize loot so you’ll never know what you’ll pick up next; any and every weapon, piece of armor, or item can be found any point throughout the dark and perilous journey through Mournstead. Similarly, you could also choose to enable the random enemy spawn modifier, and at any point face off against any of the 70-plus enemy types that scar the landscapes of both the realms of the living and of the dead… who knows what will be waiting for you around the next corner!
As if not knowing which unholy creature is ready to pulverize you at a moment’s notice isn’t enough to send a shiver down your spine, other modifiers include the ability to adjust the number of enemies during group encounters, while another – the Withered Healing modifier – restricts the effectiveness of health items. Turn this on, and health can only be regained by dealing damage to enemies, encouraging you to take a more aggressive style of play. And for the ultimate ‘git gud’ challenge, we’ve added a rather nefarious modifier… Ironman Mode. Get slain in Umbral – the realm of the dead – with this enabled, and you’ll have to start your journey to thwart the demon-god Adyr all over again, albeit with your loot and character level intact (I did say you’ll have to git gud!)
Imagine for a moment, having the fortitude and courage to begin a journey through the dual realms, where any weapon could be found at any time, and where the most hellish end-game creature could lurk in the darkness. Imagine knowing that a momentary lapse of concentration or judgement, would plunge you back to the very beginning of the Dark Crusader’s tale. To put it bluntly, activate those specific modifiers, and you won’t be experiencing Lords of the Fallen as an action-RPG; instead, you’ll be facing the brutal cliff-face of the game as an action roguelike – an incalculably formidable prospect!
So… do you dare become a Master of Fate?
Lords of the Fallen
CI Games
☆☆☆☆☆348
★★★★★
$69.99
Lords of the Fallen introduces an all-new, epic RPG adventure in a vast, interconnected world more than five times larger than the original game. After an age of the cruellest tyranny, the demon God, Adyr, was finally defeated. But Gods… do not fall forever. Now, aeons later, Adyr’s resurrection draws nigh. As one of the fabled Dark Crusaders, journey through both the realms of the living and the dead in this expansive RPG experience, featuring colossal boss battles, fast challenging combat, thrilling character encounters, and deep, immersive storytelling. Will your legend be one of light… or one of darkness?
Dare to Hope. Explore A Vast, Interconnected World
Journey across two expansive, parallel worlds in your epic quest to overthrow Adyr. While the living realm presents its own brutal challenges, untold terrors lurk in the nightmarish realm of the dead. Define Your Own Legend Fully customise your character’s appearance from a wide array of visual options, before selecting one of nine character classes. Whichever starting path you take, develop your character to your own playstyle by upgrading stats, weapons, armour and spells. Master Fast, Challenging Fluid Tactical Combat Only those that master the deep, tactical combat can hope to survive. Choose from 100s of uniquely brutal weapons, or forgo metal for magic with devastating attacks of the arcane. Unite or Fight in Online Multiplayer
Experience the expansive, single player campaign alone, or unite with other Lampbearers in online co-op. You are free to journey together for as long as you or they desire, collecting vigor (xp) and any weapons or gear enemies drop, ready to bring them back to your own world. Key items and quest progression won’t be transferred, to retain the integrity of your own tale. For those playing online, be warned, as heroes from other realms can, and will invade. Wield a Device of Ungodly Power Your lantern possesses the ungodly power to cross between worlds. Use this dark art to reach forgotten places, unearth fabled treasures, and even manipulate the very soul of your foe. Rise from Death Fall in the world of the living, and rise again… in the world of the dead. You now have one final chance to return to your living state, as all manner of hellish creature descends upon you.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
A classic tactical RPG returns! The second game in the main Front Mission storyline is finally available outside of Japan for the first time. In Front Mission 2, the perspective switches between three characters: Ash, Lisa, and Thomas, creating a worldview that goes beyond a simple contrast between good and evil.
Tales from Candleforth is a collection of fairy tales that were written on top of a forbidden book many years ago to hide its content. Years later, the dark text is bleeding out and onto the pages of the tales, mixing with them and twisting the stories.
The Fall of Elena Temple is an old-school puzzle platformer in which you explore rooms, avoid perils and collect all coins to progress. The catch is you can undo your falls! So don’t be afraid of heights, fall and collect the coins bellow, then undo back up to where you fell from, keeping the coins!
Ever wondered what mischief cats get up to on the roof? Well, they’re not just lazing around – they’re hosting the ultimate rooftop jam session! Your mission is to skillfully match the feline musicians, summoning new talents while dodging overflow and contending with an occasional canine disruptor.
Survive the cosmic onslaught by upgrading and equipping a vast arsenal of modular weaponry! Withstand the alien onslaught from all directions, moving your ship through space to align targets with the most effective tech modules and maintaining a safe distance from the swarm. Complete optional encounters like mini-bosses and conduit charging to earn rewards, then spend hard-earned credits to unlock new ships, perpetual astral upgrades, perks, and celestial modifiers!
Prepare for an intergalactic showdown like never before in Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition, the ultimate multiplayer party game that pits friends and family against one another in a fast-paced cosmic brawl. Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition is perfect for your next shindig, get-together, or soiree!
Play as an enchanted candle holder trying to restore the light to its home. Wield your flame to overcome menacing creatures lurking in the shadows of a ruined castle, use the dynamic difficulty system to your advantage, traverse challenging platforming sections and solve cryptic puzzles inside surreal paintings in this 2.5D action-adventure platformer.
Embark on your quest to become a MotoGP legend and shape your own epic saga. From humble beginnings to triumphant heights, the path is yours to forge. Engage in thrilling rivalries, build your reputation, and leave your mark on the history of your beloved team. Challenge your abilities in MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3, and immerse yourself in the exhilarating journey of the 2024 campaign.
Sclash
Maximum Entertainment
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$9.99
Sclash – May 2 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
A plug ’n’ play 2D samurai fighting game full of tension where one hit is enough to kill. Play as a hand-drawn samurai in beautiful painted settings and fight your opponent in epic solemn duels where each move matters. Manage your stamina well, breath, and take your time to land a deadly hit.
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The princess from another world
After Sonya wins a big prize in the lottery, she and Arnold travel to a tropical southern island to enjoy some well-deserved holidays. However, paradise soon turns into hell when a strange spaceship appears suddenly and starts attacking the city. Unable to just sit around and do nothing while chaos unfolds, Arnold and Sonya transform into Shockman and head to battle this new mysterious enemy in this retro platformer.
Your job is simple – rebuild the conveyor belts and get the goods flowing out of the factory. As you progress, you’ll be given all manner of tools, equipment, and conveyor parts to overcome obstacles. Forklifts, cranes, springboard conveyor belts, packing foam dispensers, the list goes on and on! So put on your thinking hard hats and start piecing together the puzzle.
An adventure game where viking mice fight for honor, fame, and survival. Explore the world inspired by Norse mythology, meet with gods and warlocks, and seize the glory of the fiercest mouse-warrior in this action-packed saga!
Manor Lords, out today, is a city-building and strategy game that focuses on sandbox gameplay and intimate historical details. Yes, this means authentic building designs, workplaces, and even fashion. However, Manor Lords, goes several steps further with its authenticity – your people will starve if you don’t adequately prepare for the colder months too.
Your first year in game will be the hardest – luckily, we’ve collected some top-tier advice from other wizened barons and traveling merchants to help new players with their early settlements and ensure stability in the years to come.
Location, Location, Location
Each start in Manor Lords is unique – every time you begin a new game, you could end up in any one of eight regions that make up the game’s fictionalized slice of medieval Germany. The resources around you will also change. Even if you roll the same region several times in a row, the nearby resources will always spawn differently so you may start with rich sources of Iron or Clay in one game, and another may see you awash in berries or fertile fields, which are paramount to keeping your villagers fed.
Planning around what you have is key, and will affect everything from what industries you should focus on first, to what development branches you invest in. If you have a rich source of iron, building a Bloomery and Smithy will let you create lucrative trade items like Tools, and you’ll want to choose a Charcoal Kiln, and the Deep Mining upgrades. The latter ensures you never run out of raw materials. Other resources have their own strategies as well so make sure you look at all your options.
Location also has a more grounded meaning – the time a citizen takes to travel between their house and place of work, or the time it takes oxen to lug that heavy log from the pile to the building site can have a profound effect on the game’s pacing and logistics.
Food & Fire(wood)
Manor Lords works on a system of “needs”- access to water, food variety, and so on. If you meet the needs of one tier of “Burgage Plot” (Manor Lords’ name for a house), then you can upgrade it to a higher tier, which will have more complex needs. Meeting these needs keeps your citizens happy and stops them from leaving. But regardless of tier, two things are universal – access to food and firewood.
While higher-tier housing likes to see a variety of food at the market, as long as they have enough to feed themselves (and access to water), they’ll be happy.
There are a number of ways of meeting your initial food requirements:
You will likely start with a deposit of berries and/or a deer herd nearby. Build the Forager’s Hut or a Hunting Lodge respectively to start harvesting.
You will start with some initial funds in your village’s coffers—these can be spent on backyard extensions like a Chicken Coop or a Vegetable Garden. We suggest choosing the Chicken Coop first, as it starts generating eggs right away and is not dependant on free labour.
Micro-management can be your friend if you’re short on spare families. As berry deposits are seasonal, consider having the same family harvest berries in the summer, and hunting deer in the winter.
After your first year, you’ll want to think about farming – there is an overlay to see how fertile the surrounding land is, the more ‘+’ symbols the better. It might be worth looking at this when you first start the game, and pick a spot nearby to come back to later. You can border it with roads (or just put down a field) and then spin-up farming when you have the population and capacity to go down this route.
Firewood is a lot simpler to sort out. Your citizens need to light their fires and stay warm, with firewood consumption doubling in winter. You will need a Woodcutter’s Lodge with a family assigned to it so they can generate firewood for the village. Excess firewood will get stored in your Storehouse, and the Market will hand out firewood to the citizens.
At any point you can check out how much food and firewood you have in reserve by looking for the handy barrel symbol along the top info panel — it shows you the how many months your citizens can survive if everything grinds to a halt. Hover over it with the mouse, and it will break things down separately into fuel and food reserves.
In This Economy?
Trading is crucial in Manor Lords. You’ll need to import goods to meet any shortcomings; perhaps you need more Hides, or you need to import Iron because there are no deposits near your starting settlement. You’ll also need funds to hire more work animals or build backyard extensions.
Luckily, you exist within a vast civilized polity, and wandering traders feel safe enough to travel up and down the King’s Road peddling wares and looking for opportunities to turn a profit.
Once you’ve met your initial needs and identified your starting industry, it’s time to start making some money! You’ll want to build a Trading Post and then assign a family to work there. By this point, you’ll have probably expanded beyond the initial five families you started the game with and have enough provisions to keep them happy.
Identify what you have in excess, or at least what you can afford to sell to gain some short-term funds. Hides, while needed to promote Burgage plots to tier 2, are not an essential requirement, so you could sell early harvests of Hides. Certain “high-tier” goods require you to pay a large sum of money to establish a trade route, so selling lower-tiered items is easier provided you have enough excess to earn what you need. There is also a development tree upgrade that helps with trading.
Law & Order
Your lands are not completely safe – a powerful rival lord will try and stake his claim across the other regions, and roaming bandits will be a constant nuisance. Once you’ve survived your first year, you’ll want to turn your eyes towards the surrounding countryside and establish your right to rule. Some final tips to keep in mind:
The default scenario includes a bandit attack that, depending on the settings, will not kick in for at least two years, which gives you time to prepare.
Other bandit camps dotted around the map won’t attack you directly, but while they exist they will periodically steal things from you.
You will see the rival lord marching around with his armies. You don’t need to worry about them until you’re ready to challenge him for real.
Your first year in Manor Lords will be the hardest, but once you’ve survived there is plenty more to do and see. You can explore farming, other industries, and start arming your militia to take on the threats around you. These lands are yours to claim, my Lord – good luck!
Manor Lords is available on the Microsoft Store (Game Preview) and day one in PC Game Pass.
Manor Lords (Game Preview)
Hooded Horse
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
This game is a work in progress. It may or may not change over time or release as a final product. Purchase only if you are comfortable with the current state of the unfinished game. Manor Lords is a strategy game that allows you to experience the life of a medieval lord. Grow your starting village into a bustling city, manage resources and production chains, and expand your lands through conquest. Inspired by the art and architecture of late 14th century Franconia, Manor Lords prioritizes historical accuracy wherever possible, using it to inform gameplay mechanics and visuals alike. Common medieval tropes are avoided in favor of historical accuracy, in order to make the world feel more authentic, colorful, and believable. ORGANIC CITY BUILDING
Manor Lords provides a gridless city-building experience with full freedom of placement and rotation. Building mechanics are motivated by the growth of real medieval towns and villages, where major trade routes and the landscape influenced how settlements shaped and developed. – Spreading outward from a central marketplace, build your residential, commercial, and industrial districts following the natural lay of the land. Establish farms based on soil fertility, position hunting grounds according to animal populations, and ensure access to adequate resource deposits and forests to provide the raw materials needed for growth.
– Assign areas for housing and watch your residents build their homes in accordance with the historical burgage plot system. Each region will be subdivided based on your roads and the allotted space, and homes will scale accordingly.
– Build extensions behind larger homes to generate income and resources that would not otherwise be available. Homeowners don’t just pay taxes – they grow vegetables, raise chickens and goats, and otherwise supply themselves and other townsfolk with essential needs beyond what your managed farms, pastures, and industries can provide.
– Guide your settlements through the unique demands and opportunities of each season, enjoying the bounty brought by spring rains and preparing for the harsh snows of winter. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
From boots to barley and hides to honey, Manor Lords features a great variety of goods fitting of the era. Materials need to be transported and processed into finished products through production chains, and you must balance the basic needs of your people against the desire to produce luxury items to ensure happiness, manufacture trade goods for export, or forge arms and armor to aid in your conquests. – Resources are littered across the map, encouraging you to expand and establish multiple specialized settlements. Extract valuable ores from your mining colonies, while villages devoted to agriculture, herding, or hunting supply the grains and meats needed to feed your growing population.
– Unchecked expansion will have a direct effect on the environment. Herds of deer will migrate away from encroaching civilization, lack of crop rotation will worsen soil fertility, and cutting down too many trees will result in deforestation.
– Sell surplus goods to traveling merchants or establish trade routes of your own. Manufacturing and exporting quality goods will provide wealth to upgrade your city, pay taxes to your liege, hire mercenaries, and unlock technologies for new industries, products, and tools. MEDIEVAL WARFARE
Yours is but a small parcel of land in a vast territory, and the competing ambitions between you and neighboring lords will inevitably lead to conflict. Lead your people into battle, not as expendable units to be easily replenished, but as your beloved loyal subjects where every death is a cost worth considering. – Train a retinue of skilled warriors to fight battles alongside the levies you raise from the town militia. At times these soldiers will be needed to crush rebellions or suppress banditry, and at other times you will lead your men into battle to conquer or defend territory. When needed, mercenaries are a costly option to bolster your ranks.
– A robust diplomacy system will allow you to communicate with other lords, using influence or threats to sway their actions. These competing lords have their own goals and will seek you out as well, and your response to their offers or insults can mean the difference between war and peace.
– Command real-time tactical battles, taking into consideration fatigue, weather conditions, and equipment. Position your troops wisely – a smaller force can defeat a larger enemy, if commanded well.
– Feel the cost of battle, even in victory, as each fallen soldier represents a lost person from your city. A pyrrhic victory can spell economic doom, or a winter of rationing food and firewood.
Embark on a thrilling journey with Free Play Days, featuring the strategic depths of Railway Empire, the intricate challenges of Prison Architect, and the immersive urban experience of TramSim: Console Edition! All are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play from Thursday April 25 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, April 28 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Game Pass Core will give players access to our advanced multiplayer network, a select collection of over 25 games to play with friends around the world, and exclusive member deals! Read more about Game Pass Core at Xbox Wire.
How To Start Playing
Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Keep The Fun Going
Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.
Free Play Days (Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate Required)
Railway Empire
Kalypso Media
☆☆☆☆☆227
★★★★★
$19.99$9.99
Xbox One X Enhanced
Railway Empire Your model train set just got a lot bigger! Fire up your favorite historically accurate locomotive and play your way through an extensive campaign in the Golden Age of industry in Railway Empire. Establish a wide-ranging train network connecting far-flung rural villages to bustling cityscapes in one of the 40 detailed locomotives modelled in extraordinary detail. Tap into the economic opportunities of the early United States railway system to become a powerful industrialist by optimizing the transportation of passengers and goods. But, whilst you may have the intellect to climb to the top, do you have the cunning to stay there? Pitted against up to three rival railway magnates intent on expanding their spheres of influence. Will you create a trade and transport empire to stand the test of time, or will you be another footnote left by the wayside? Lay your tracks and begin your saga today with Railway Empire now on Free Play Days.
Prison Architect: Xbox One Edition
Double Eleven Limited
☆☆☆☆☆369
★★★★★
$29.99$7.49
Free Trial
Prison Architect Only the world’s most ruthless Warden can contain the world’s most ruthless inmates. Design and develop your personalized penitentiary in Prison Architect. In Prison Architect, you will see the impact of your grand design on the lives of your inmates; be it a utopic center for rehabilitation, a brutal Super Max Prison or anything in between. Even when all of your prisoners’ needs are met, remember one thing – it’s still a prison and no one really wants to be there.
Free Play Days For All
TramSim: Console Edition
Dovetail Games
☆☆☆☆☆13
★★★★★
$29.99
TramSim: Console Edition Urban transport comes to life in TramSim: Console Edition! Enjoy the most realistic tram driving experience ever made, with photorealistic graphics, true-to-life physics, and authentic tram controls. Carry out scenarios across the faithfully reproduced tramways of Munich and Vienna and take in the sites of these historic cities from the cab of your tram. Run to the timetable and face unique challenges across two lines aboard the Flexity and retro Type E2 trams in Vienna. Transport passengers with the unique R2.2b tram through Munich, rich with historic structures spread throughout 3 lines. Both cities are populated with dynamic road traffic and pedestrian behavior. Anyone can join in the fun! Start with beginner mode, learn in the tutorials, and master the art of tram driving, the passengers of Vienna and Munich await in TramSim: Console Edition!
Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.
Hmm. That’s a great question. I think I have two different answers. To answer the “what I’ve worked on part”, it’s really the feedback system as a whole. There’s probably not a single thing in that codebase I haven’t touched over the years, and I’ve been building that from the ground up all the way to now.
But the favorite moment portion is definitely something that’s not related to the work I do at all. Before the lockdowns started, we had these holiday parties every year. Just a small thing with the flight team, a white elephant type deal. The cast may have changed somewhat, but there was also a static core throughout the years. So, there’s this series of cherished memories that I have with all of my teammates from each of those parties that I hold dear.
Hello there! I’m Leo Zullo, Co-founder and MD of Wired Productions and we really love indie games.
Today my team hosted “Wired Direct ’24”, our blockbuster indie showcase where we revealed free updates for the games you already love – release dates for the games you are waiting to love, and announced one that youre going to love. If you caught the show live – you rock, but if you didn’t then let us bring you up to speed.
Kicking off the showcase we dropped the release date for Gori: Cuddly Carnage. Those of you who played the demo during the Xbox Winter Showcase (where you left it with five-star reviews and more hype than you can shake a bag of catnip at) will be intimately familiar with the unique brand of carnage that Gori brings to the table. But if this is the first time you’re seeing our feline friend – let us sum it up for you.
You’re a cat. On a hoverboard. Fighting unicorns.
Obviously there’s way more to it than that – it looks fantastic, has a bone-shaking soundtrack and a surprisingly heartfelt story, but at a base level it’s the fever dream neon drenched marriage of Sunset Overdrive and Devil May Cry with a splash of Conker’s adult humour for good measure that you didn’t know you needed – wrapped up in a disturbingly cute and violent package. And more Importantly – It’s launching on August 29, 2024 and you can pre-order right now!
Up next we announced Karma: The Dark World – A psychological thriller drenched in abstract Lynchian imagery, intense horror, jaw dropping Unreal five visuals, set in an alternate history take on a dystopian post war Germany.
There’s a lot we could tell you about Karma: The Dark World, but honestly, the trailer will give you none of the answers and leave you asking ‘what the hell?’ and wanting to know more – which is right where we want you to be right now – take a trip down The Rabbit Hole.
We think we better try to settle pulses a little after that one, so next we’ll take a dive down to the Great Depths and check up on Lumote. Originally released on Xbox back in ’22, Lumote: Mastermote Chronicles is a beautiful 3D puzzle platformer with a reactive, mesmerising soundtrack that stole our hearts.
Now, two years later, we are providing a free next-gen update for Xbox Series X|S – and this time you can bring a friend! With a visual overhaul and brand new co-op mode coming that lets you squish, bop and bounce with a companion by your side. Together, you can take control of the world’s inhabitants on a quest to seize control of the Great Depths from Mighty Mastermote! The free Companion Mode and Next-Gen Update is coming soon to Xbox.
Finally – we take a trip back to the Great Ursee – A world that will be familiar to those of you that played the Bulwark demo last year on Xbox, or soared high with solo developer Tomas Sala’s previous game and Series X launch title, The Falconeer.
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is a chill twin stick builder with a focus on verticality and a focus on giving you true freedom to paint the last great civilization across a world shattered by war, and though it only launched last month, solo developer Tomas Sala is providing the first of several sizeable updates to the game on its roadmap with the aptly named “Trade, Tribute and Splinters”.
Check out the trailer to see how Bulwark continues to evolve, allowing you to secure and spend fresh resources, and more ways to interact with the inhabitants of the world as you leave your mark upon i
The “Trade, Tribute and Splinters” update is coming very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for the free update landing in your Bulwarks!
That wraps up the announcements for our Direct this year. Thank you all for helping to celebrate indie games with us, and helping us bring the outstanding talent of small teams the world over to light, where you might just find your next favourite game!
Captivating adventure inspired by Studio Ghibli, featuring vibrant landscapes and intricate puzzles.
Diverse environments, and engaging puzzles in a mystical realm.
Breathtaking visuals and immersive gameplay for all ages.
Hey there, gamers! Let’s delve into something truly exciting: the unveiling of Lost Twins II, a highly anticipated puzzle platformer from Playdew, an innovative indie game developer based in Pakistan. This momentous occasion represents the culmination of seven years of hard work and dedication, promising players an extraordinary gaming experience that transcends the ordinary. Step into the whimsical realm of Lost Twins II, where you’ll guide the titular lost twins, Abi and Ben, through a mesmerizing adventure filled with intricate puzzles and unexpected twists. With its focus on exploration and discovery, rather than conflict, Lost Twins II invites players to unravel the mysteries of its dualistic-inspired narrative, where seemingly opposing forces merge to create a harmonious and enchanting journey.
Embark on a Mystical Adventure
Embark on a mesmerizing journey into the heart of Lost Twins II, where wonder and adventure await at every turn. In the mystical realm of Phoenix, a radiant community of sibling phoenixes once flourished, their existence a testament to the eternal dance of life and rebirth. But fate had other plans. A mighty storm, born of unseen forces, tore through their world, leaving devastation in its wake. The once-vibrant phoenixes were frozen in time, transformed into statues of stone, their essence scattered to the winds.
Our story begins amidst this chaos. Twin siblings, Abi & Ben, stumble upon the remains of one such phoenix, hidden within the halls of their parents’ museum. Drawn by a mysterious light, they follow its ethereal trail, leading to the stone phoenix and a portal beyond imagining.
With a burst of radiant energy, you are whisked away to the shattered remnants of the phoenixes’ homeland, where a grand adventure awaits. Joined by the phoenix, now in a transformed state, you’ll embark on a quest to reunite him with his scattered essence and breathe life back into the world of Phoenix.
Discover Vibrant Worlds and Engaging Puzzles
The game unfolds across three primary zones, each offering a distinct environment inspired by the vivid imagination of the twins. From lush forests to majestic castles, players will explore beautifully crafted landscapes while solving puzzles in each zone.
As you progress, you’ll collect feathers to unlock new areas, unveiling the secrets of this enchanting world one puzzle at a time.
Dive into Captivating Features
As you guide the twin siblings through dynamic environments, you’ll encounter a myriad of challenges and delights along the way. With the ability to control both siblings, you’ll navigate through enchanted forests, traverse frozen castles, and explore the whimsical realm of Toyland, all inspired by the captivating worlds of Studio Ghibli. Immerse yourself in the beauty of each landscape with an atmospheric soundtrack that sets the tone for your adventure, while unlocking achievements hidden throughout the game. Solve a variety of puzzles, from logic challenges to spatial conundrums, each offering multiple solutions to spark your creativity. With privacy and offline play guaranteed, Lost Twins II invites you to delve into a world of magic, mystery, and endless exploration.
Featuring stunning visuals reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic style and meticulously designed puzzles, Lost Twins II guarantees an unforgettable experience brimming with wonder and delight for players of all ages. With Lost Twins II, you are invited into a world where curiosity and creativity reign supreme. So, are you ready to embark on this enchanting journey and reunite the lost twins? Wishlist now, and get ready for the release later this year on Xbox.
Wishlist now to be the first to embark on this thrilling journey!
Lost Twins 2
Playdew
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Lost Twins 2 is an incredibly cute puzzle adventure that will challenge, entertain and maybe even inspire you. Guide Abi and Ben on their journey to find a way back home across a whimsical polygonal playground crafted with an enormous amount of care. Is the mystical Fenghuang leading them home or steering them down a rabbit hole? Inspired by Miyazaki, the art style merges soft, painterly backgrounds with simplified, memorable characters and fluid animations. Each frame is crafted meticulously with pride – specific lighting techniques, thoughtful composition, and immense attention to detail mean that every single moment you’ll spend playing Lost Twins 2 will be a feast for the eyes. The original musical score is atmospheric, soothing, and thematic to complement the art style. The puzzles in Lost Twins 2 are painstakingly designed, with elegant solutions that make you feel, momentarily, like a genius. They are hard enough to present a challenge but logical enough that you’ll be able to solve them within a few attempts. There is a joy to be discovered in every level in Lost Twins 2. A signature sliding puzzle mechanic forms the core complemented by mechanics such as pressure switches, water gates, breakable domes, lifts, elevators, and more to ensure that the pace of the game never falters. There’s no repetition in the puzzles, each new puzzle will feel interesting and unique. The goal is to delight both children and adults with a gameplay experience that is based on discovery, tinkering, and exploration–not on conflict and threat. There are no timers, no enemies, no deaths, not even any dialogues to read – just a poetic, visually breathtaking world full of puzzles challenging your wits. A cerebral and pleasant experience for everyone, never frustrating without proper reward, never dull or monotonous.
Xbox Wire Japan recently had a chance to speak with Studio Head and Illustrator Junko Kawano, Producer and Art Director Junichi Murakami, and Director Osamu Komuta at Rabbit & Bear Studios.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was funded via Kickstarter with a total of 46,307 backers that were eager for a new game from the creator of the Suikoden series, the late Yoshitaka Murayama.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is available now for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and with Game Pass.
Starting today, players can immerse themselves in the world of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which continues a rich legacy of memorable JRPGs guided by the stewardship of the late Yoshitaka Murayama and his team at Rabbit & Bear Studios.
Funded via Kickstarter back in 2020, with a total of 46,307 backers that were hungry for more Murayama-esque game experiences like Suikoden, Eiyuden Chroncole: Hundred Heroes is now available for players on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, as well as with Game Pass.
Producer and Art Director Junichi Murakami
Studio Head and Illustrator Junko Kawano
Director Osamu Komuta
To commemorate its launch, Xbox Wire Japan recently had a chance to speak with Studio Head and Illustrator Junko Kawano, Producer and Art Director Junichi Murakami, and Director Osamu Komuta at Rabbit & Bear Studios, where the team’s sincere responses conveyed how much Hundred Heroes embodies the vision of Murayama, with a team that was built around the desire to make “the most interesting game of [their] lives”.
The Kickstarter launched back in July 2020, and now Hundred Heroes is nearly here. How are you feeling?
Producer and Art Director Junichi Murakami: Actually, I haven’t settled down emotionally at all yet. There is a sense of relief that we can finally deliver the product to everyone, but there are still some things that we won’t know until it goes on sale. Although I am anxious in some ways, there is a sense of accomplishment in knowing that we have finally come this far after working hard together for a long period of time.
Director Osamu Komuta : We have been working on this game for about three and a half years now, so we are all exhausted (laughs). We have been working hard as a team to patch the game, but now we are closing into the release of the game. On one hand, I am a bit relieved, but on the other hand, as Murakami mentioned, I am also excitedly waiting to hear the reactions of the players as the game goes on sale in two weeks’ time.
Studio Head and Illustrator Junko Kawano: I feel pretty much the same way as those two do, so they’ve done most of the talking. It’s been too long since I’ve worked on a consumer title, and I feel like, “Well, nowadays pretty much everyone is already working on patches”, so I really have to keep going until the very last minute… I wonder if I’ll feel done once it’s released and everyone has played it.
What are the highlights of Hundred Heroes, from your perspective, especially the parts you would like people to pay attention to?
Komuta: As the title suggests, there are a lot of characters. We want players to go on adventures with their favorite party and prepare for battles with them. We also want them to try using characters they meet along the way, and hopefully enjoy switching characters around. In most RPGs, you would train the skills of, or you explore the power of individual characters, but in HH, the fun is rooted in the variety of characters. The depth of the game becomes based on the number of characters that you have trained and brought up.
Murakami: In terms of design, we have put a lot of thought into each of the characters and made sure that each had a distinct personality. Even for a single mini game, the characters have different looks prepared just for that game. Basically, I don’t think we have cut any corners, so if you play through the game thoroughly, I think you will see many good things that you expected when starting to play the game.
What are some of the aspects of Hundred Heroes that you focused on from a JRPG standpoint?
Murakami: I’m sure each of us has our own thoughts on various things and what we were particular about, but I believe JRPGs are unique in the way they portray the nature of the story and the characters. There is always an added element where “anything goes in a JRPG.” RPGs from overseas pursue reality, but in the case of JRPGs, after an intense battle, the players are suddenly spending time in a hot spring (laughs). I think the beauty of JRPGs is that they contain a flexible mindset where fun is hybrid, allowing players to start playing with cards regardless of location. I feel that Hundred Heroes has been able to bring that essence out very well.
Komuta: Murayama always talked about the makunouchi bento when explaining RPGs. He would say that “RPGs had a variety of side dishes, and every one of them is delicious”. Surely, there is a storyline that runs through the richness of variation and variety like a makunouchi bento. But if you take a side trip for a break, you can soak in a hot spring, play a card game, get into the theater…… and have fun. There are many variations in the story.
We were particularly careful about making sure that when the player goes off on a tangent, the game will have a proper reaction to whatever he or she does. Even a single line of dialogue may change depending on the party you have formed, so I believe that players will enjoy the abundance of options and the development the game provides in response to their choices.
The pixel art of the characters in Hundred Heroes is extremely detailed, which seems to be a rare direction to take these days. How did you decide on this?
Murakami: When we first started planning the game, we had already decided to make it an evolution of pixel art, or dots. When we began to consider what kind of resolution we wanted to use, we started with a size that was familiar from old games, but we realized that if we continued in this manner, it would be difficult to distinguish the individuality of the more than 100 characters Kawano had created, and it would also be difficult to express the individuality of the characters themselves.
In addition, the expressions themselves seemed a bit old-fashioned, so we decided to increase the resolution. However, increasing the resolution would inevitably increase the number of dots, so the amount of work increased. Furthermore, if the resolution is increased too far, the pixel art may end up becoming more like an illustration.
After trying various methods, we decided that the current size would require more technique, but would allow us to properly express the detailed design and accessories that adorn the characters Kawano has created. The size and feel of the design matched the sense of expression that we were looking for.
There are several battles available: normal battles (with a party of 6), boss battles, duels (1 vs. 1), and wars. What are the highlights and key points of each?Also, was the decision to use random encounters based on the feel of old JRPGs?
Komuta: The adoption of random encounters was based on the premise that this game was a JRPG. In addition to this, Murayama’s idea of RPGs was to make it possible for anyone to complete the game, even if may the first time in their lives that they have played such game. So long as you know the basic rules, anyone can advance and complete the story in HH.
At first, we considered using symbolic encounters, but we decided to use random encounters for this game, as we thought it would be easier for players to understand (the game). We also wanted to respect the initial concept of clearly separating between the scenes, namely when the games switch between normality and battle.
In the very early stages of planning, we had two ideas, and one of them was to have the battle transition occur on the spot, which is very common these days. The idea also came up during the planning stage, but since we wanted to express the transition properly, we decided to use random encounters with clear transitions, that would set the tone and mood and prepare the player for battle. The battles themselves are rather simple command battles; even if you are new to the JPRG genre, once you get used to it and start leveling up, you will be able to move on within the story.
Of course, there is an element of challenge in the game. The higher you set the difficulty within the game, the more you will have to play around the attributes and the order of actions. There are plenty of challenging battles waiting for you, and we hope players will have a great time strategizing and overcoming.
The system of strongholds, one-on-one battles, wars, etc. were also seen in Gensou Suikoden. Did you intend to include these systems from the beginning of the project? Is there a reason why you decided to use it again in “Hyaku Eiyouden”?Also, what did you change from the past games to better suit today’s game experience?
Murakami: All of these elements were included in the Kickstarter stretch goal, including war, single combat, and the Fortress Town.
Kawano: Including the cook-offs, too.
Murakami: The backers are fans of Murayama’s games, so it seems that those elements were required. All of them were realistic targets if we got the budget and time frame right, so we included them as items, but we’ve already accomplished all of them. We started from the point where we had to aim to include all the elements we promised in the Kickstarter program.
Komuta: From the very beginning of the project, we wanted to develop the Fortress Town aspect of the game. We were not talking about a castle where everyone could gather, but rather a town where people could build their own town, as if we were putting in a whole other game where people could build their own town.
Murakami: It was borderline crazy to think of such thing (laughs).
Komuta: It is true that when we started imagining the Fortress Town, it was not an easy task. It may have been better if it was just an automatic progression of elements, such as the city growing as it levels up, but this time, we wanted to includes elements such as building structures of your own choosing, and calling in the people needed to build and maintain them. Some people told me that I was making another game within the game (laughs).
Murakami: Once you get into that phase, HH gets more and more interesting. In the beginning, you don’t even have the Fortress Town.
What kind of response did you receive from overseas players (after Kickstarter)? Were there any regions where the response was particularly strong?
Murakami: Originally, HH started with the fact that Murayama had many fans overseas, since Kickstarter and crowdfunding in general has not been too familiar within Japan. That’s why we didn’t include Japan in our crowdfunding activities at first. When the crowdfunding started, we came to think, “No, there are definitely Murayama fans in Japan as well,” so we decided to approach them too, and thus the order was first overseas and then domestic. The game itself is developed by Japanese people with Japanese sensibilities, so it will have a JRPG-like finish. We have been trying to create something that is uniquely Japanese, rather than focusing on foreign countries.
Kawano: In terms of the response from people overseas, we received support for “making a game that Murayama likes,” and we expected that there would be many fans around the world. In fact, when we launched the crowdfunding, the largest number of support came from the U.S., and the second largest was from Japan. Besides that, we also have received support from France and the Asian region, but also from Brazil, and really from all over the world. We didn’t really prepare anything special for any one place, but unlike Japanese fans, we received requests from American fans that are a bit more hardcore, such as wanting a mode with a higher level of difficulty.
Eiyden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be available on day one with Game Pass. What is your impression of the subscription service?
Murakami: When the idea of distributing Hundred Heroes through Game Pass first came up, It got me thinking since I was yet to consider it as an option. I thought it over very well and decided that our priority should be to spread awareness of Hundred Heroes rather than to aim for the stars with the first game.
When we settled on this direction, we realized that our core fans had already turned their attention to us. The backers of Hundred Heroes are the most important, and we will produce the work they wish, but I felt that their support alone would not be enough to continue the series — if that was the only way to continue the series, it would not last.
What I had to do as a producer was to increase the number of people who could play Hundred Heroes and broaden the base of the fan community. I thought that Xbox Game Pass would be the best way to increase opportunities for people who have never played this genre to pick up the game and see it. After considering these ideas, we decided that we should go for it.
Can you tell us about some of the memorable events in the development of Hundred Heroes?
Murakami: Memories abound (laughs). One of the things that was unprecedented was the (COVID) lockdown during development. I have very fond memories of that special environment, where we had to team up with people we didn’t know and had never met face-to-face from the beginning of development to create the game.
Komuta: About half of the people on my team have never met me face-to-face.
Kawano: Everything was done online, mostly from home.
Murakami: There are many such episodes. But the most memorable one was when Murayama and I launched the Kickstarter project.
Komuta: After we launched the Kickstarter, we reached our goal in an instant. We all went a little crazy at that moment.
Murakami: If it were a lottery ticket or something, I would simply be happy, but in the case of crowdfunding, the more it goes up, the more I got worried.
Kawano: Yes, you feel the sense of responsibility building up (laughs).
Komuta: I couldn’t believe our dream would gather so much support.
Murakami: I got the feeling that the expectations were being taken on board in a new way.
Komuta: I felt like I was taking on something great.
Kawano: While I felt grateful, it also came with a feeling of heavy commitments being placed on my shoulders.
Murakami: I had the feeling that there was no way I could escape from this (laughs).
Komuta: I had a lot of mixed feelings running through me, but above all, I was happy. Even now, I can’t forget what Murayama said at that moment. He said something along the lines of, “I can’t stop my hands from shaking”.
Kawano: It was like that from the beginning, and it was a special kind of game production right up to the end.
Lastly, what is your message to Xbox players who are new to the JRPG genre?
Kawano: We have created a place where people can play in a variety of ways. We hope you will enjoy the game, because we have created a game that can be played in any way you like and can be fun no matter where you pick up the pieces.
Komuta: If you play the game normally, you may get the feeling that “It’s just a regular JRPG”, but if you enjoy the deep variations, such as taking side trips, going off to the side, gathering your friends and changing to a different party, I think you will find HH very interesting. If you enjoy these side contents, I can guarantee you will feel the fun of HH.
Murakami: It is difficult to imagine what kind of person might experience a JRPG for the first time. But one thing I am sure of is that whoever experiences JRPGs through HH for the first time will find everything new and fresh. I think they will be able to enjoy a game they have never played before, a type of worldview they have never traveled in, and a feeling they have never had before. We have used different voice actors for all the characters. All characters have their movements and effects changed in detail, and there are also scenarios for each of them. Overall, I think you can enjoy the game without thinking too hard about it. There is not a single difficult thing to do, so in that sense, I hope that newcomers will feel free to give it a try.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – Digital Deluxe Edition
505 Games
☆☆☆☆☆69
★★★★★
$79.99
Get the most out of your adventure with the Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes the following content: • Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes full game
• 1x Easy Journey Pack: (6x Healing Herb, 4x Healing Incense, 2x Revive Medicine. 3x Runeshard of Return, 1x Gold Coin)
• 1x Headquarters Custom Object • Season Pass: [3x Original Wallpapers by Junko Kawano, Story Expansion: The Chapter of Seign, Story Expansion: The Chapter of Marisa, Story Expansion: The Chapter of Markus and HQ Makeover Pack (Golden & Pink Headquarters Exterior Paint)]
• Digital Mini Artbook • Digital Soundtrack Our story begins in one corner of Allraan, a tapestry of nations with diverse cultures and values. By dint of sword, and by way of magical objects known as “rune-lenses,” the land’s history has been shaped by the alliances and aggressions of the humans, beastmen, elves, and desert people who live there. The Galdean Empire has edged out other nations and discovered a technology that amplifies the rune-lenses’ magic. Now, the Empire is scouring the continent for an artifact that will expand their power even further. It is on one such expedition that Seign Kesling, a young and gifted imperial officer, and Nowa, a boy from a remote village, meet each other and become friends. However, a twist of fate will soon drag them into the fires of war, and force them both to reexamine everything they believe to be right and true. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes became the #1 funded Kickstarter video game of 2020 thanks to phenomenal support from the community. 505 Games is truly honored to publish Eiyuden Chronicle and work with Rabbit & Bear to help deliver a memorable gaming experience to fans. The goal of Rabbit & Bear and 505 Games is to make sure Eiyuden Chronicle reaches its true potential and delivers a worthwhile JRPG the community will enjoy.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
505 Games
☆☆☆☆☆68
★★★★★
$49.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
Our story begins in one corner of Allraan, a tapestry of nations with diverse cultures and values. By dint of sword, and by way of magical objects known as “rune-lenses,” the land’s history has been shaped by the alliances and aggressions of the humans, beastmen, elves, and desert people who live there. The Galdean Empire has edged out other nations and discovered a technology that amplifies the rune-lenses’ magic. Now, the Empire is scouring the continent for an artifact that will expand their power even further. It is on one such expedition that Seign Kesling, a young and gifted imperial officer, and Nowa, a boy from a remote village, meet each other and become friends. However, a twist of fate will soon drag them into the fires of war, and force them both to reexamine everything they believe to be right and true. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes became the #1 funded Kickstarter video game of 2020 thanks to phenomenal support from the community. 505 Games is truly honored to publish Eiyuden Chronicle and work with Rabbit & Bear to help deliver a memorable gaming experience to fans. The goal of Rabbit & Bear and 505 Games is to make sure Eiyuden Chronicle reaches its true potential and delivers a worthwhile JRPG the community will enjoy.
Xbox and Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ’97” have united to bring fans an extraordinary collaboration – the “X-Men ’97” Xbox Series X, wrapped in an exclusive comic by Marvel’s Rich Douek and Paco Diaz.
Immerse yourself further with Xbox Design Lab’s X-Men character controllers. Each inspired by your favorites, they come in nostalgic blister packs.
Enter our limited-time sweepstakes for a chance to win this ultimate collector’s bundle! Don’t miss your shot at this iconic piece of mutant history.
Calling all Xbox and X-Men enthusiasts! We’re ecstatic to announce an incredible collaboration between Xbox and Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ’97,” now streaming on Disney+. Prepare to immerse yourself in the world of mutants like never before.
Xbox and “X-Men ’97” have come together to bring you a very special Xbox Series X wrapped in a limited-edition comic inspired by the all-new series and created by Marvel writer Rich Douek and artist Paco Diaz. This thrilling 2-page story with full page cover is exclusive to the Xbox Series X, and features Cyclops leading the X-Men in a battle against Sentinels and Master Mold, with an Xbox Series X console making a special appearance in the Danger Room.
Marking the first time an Xbox Series X has been wrapped by a comic book, this collaboration promises to immerse fans in a nostalgic journey through the world of the “X-Men ’97.”
In addition, Xbox Design Lab created a set of controllers inspired by you the colorways of your favorite X-Men characters from the show: Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Morph, Magneto, Jubilee, Gambit, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Beast, and Bishop. Each character comes to life through unique controller designs, and comes in a 90’s inspired blister pack that makes for the ultimate collector item.
Fans eager to get their hands on the “X-Men ’97”-inspired Xbox Series X and one of the Xbox Design Lab character controllers will have the opportunity to enter the sweepstakes hosted on Xbox Twitter.
By following Xbox on X (formerly Twitter) and retweeting the official Xbox sweepstakes tweet ( #XMen97XboxSweepstakes) during the Entry Period, fans can secure their chance to win a Xbox Series X Console inspired by X-Men ’97, Xbox Wireless Controller (this comes with the console but will not be customized), and a Xbox Design Lab Controller inspired by X-Men ’97 Wolverine . The sweepstakes will run exclusively from Monday, April 22, 6:00am PST through Sunday, May 19, 8:00pm PST, offering participants ample time to join in on the excitement.
Get ready to unleash your mutant powers with this Xbox and “X-Men ‘97” team-up and don’t forget to catch the latest episodes of “X-Men ’97” on Disney+, available on your Xbox!
About Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ‘97”
Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ’97” revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
The all-new series features 10 episodes. The voice cast includes Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler. Beau DeMayo served as head writer; episodes are directed by Jake Castorena, Chase Conley and Emi-Emmett Yonemura, and the series is executive produced by Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and DeMayo. Featuring music by the Newton Brothers, Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ’97” is now streaming on Disney+
It’s funny. There’s a radio station back in Atlanta who does like “soft rock” stuff, which I don’t even know if that’s a genre anymore. But their tagline when I was growing up was, “The 80s, 90s, and Now!” and when I was back home recently, I was scrolling through and it’s somehow still their slogan. Like, “Now” is suddenly almost 25 years of music, y’all need a better word.
During a recent livestream, Atlus showed a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantanzio.
Get a first look at gameplay, with developer commentary, as segments of the game are explored.
Metaphor: ReFantanzio is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S on October 11, 2024.
A special developer livestream, titled “Atlus Exclusive,” took place today for Metaphor: ReFantazio, revealing brand new details about the upcoming RPG. Studio Zero Director Katsura Hashino, who you might know from Shin Megami Tensei III — Nocturne, Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 — introduced the first hands-on gameplay for the title with a 30-minute livestream (dubbed and subbed in English), discussing his development vision and creative inspirations as he explored various segments from the game.
During the livestream, Hashino-san started by introducing viewers to the premise of the story and acquainting them with the protagonist, and his fairy companion Gallica. The game is filled with interesting allies, rivals, and terrifying monsters that will come across his journey.
After displaying some of the introductory parts of the game, the first stop of the journey is shown with the Royal Capital Grand Trad. This is where you can start getting a sense of scale of the game as you walk through the city and view the maps. Fans were also given a first look at another local, Martira, a town that hasn’t been shown before.
As Hashino-san moves through dungeons and locations, he dives deeper into the gameplay systems and the journey the game takes you through. At the heart of it is the Gauntlet Runner, a fun and cool vehicle that can travel safely across wastelands, that also doubles up as your home base and HQ. The Gauntlet Runner is quite spacious with numerous functions, so use your time as you please!
Another important element of the game is Archetypes, which lies in the job system. The Archetypes are a special power that can awaken in various forms. A few Hashino-san highlights are the Seeker, the Mage, and the Thief, which were put on display in a dungeon. Archetypes can be used by your other party members, giving countless options in forming your party.
Throughout the livestream, Hashino-san also shared interesting information about the music, concepts behind the art and design, and teased some of the story, as well as insights into combat strategy, enemy analysis and more!
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a massive game, with much more to share throughout the coming months. Notably, one of the most exciting news from the livestream: we have a launch date to share! Metaphor: ReFantazio will launch on October 11, 2024 on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC.
Physical pre-orders for the title are now open at participating retailers, with a special physical Collector’s Edition for those looking to commemorate this exciting launch. To accompany this exciting announcement, the team shared a new trailer, The King’s Trial, for Metaphor: ReFantazio highlighting much of what is to come – you can watch it below!
Since it’s been 35 years since Atlus released its first title, we see Metaphor: ReFantazio as a culmination of everything that makes Atlus what it is — distinctive style & UI, cutting-edge combat, engaging characters and legendary stories. We can think of no better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than releasing Metaphor: ReFantazio for all the old and new Atlus fans alike.
If you want to learn more, please watch the full livestream on the Atlus YouTube channel or wish list the game here on Xbox. That’s all the team has to share for now but please keep an eye out for more information and reveals as we start the countdown to October 11! Also stay tuned to the ATLUS West official channels Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
SEGA
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantasy RPG that takes players on a thrilling adventure in a world where eight tribes live in strife and the throne sits empty after the king’s assassination. With no heirs to wear the crown, the will of the late king decrees that the kingdom’s next monarch will be elected by the people, and thus begins your fight for the throne… and the future. Featuring an epic storyline with fierce turn-based battles against powerful foes and other candidates vying for the crown, you’ll customize your party from endless combinations of classes, dive into the deepest dungeons, and come face to face with this world’s greatest threats – humans. From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince. Control your destiny, face your fears and awaken magical „Archetype“ powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an “Archetype,” you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
The critically acclaimed action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment – in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games – is coming to the Play List on April 25, 2024, for all EA Play members. PC Game Pass and Ultimate Game Pass members can start their adventures this week as a part of their membership to experience the next chapter in Cal Kestis’ saga.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has earned top accolades and awards – including IGN’s Best Action Game of 2023, PC Gamer’s Best Adventure Game of 2023, and a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media.
The game follows Cal Kestis as he explores an untamed galaxy while carrying its hopes for the future on his shoulders. Members can look forward to discovering new planets and revisiting familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. All the while, they’ll be mastering new skills, equipment, and abilities as they traverse the grandiose landscapes.
EA Play also offers members regular in-game rewards. Here are the latest items, coins, and boosts, all claimable now:
Apex Legends Apex Logo (Precious Peaks) Weapon Charm – Now to April 30
Battlefield 2042 Brigade Buster – Now to April 30
EA Sports FC 24 Clubs FC Pro Black Glasses – Now to April 25
EA Sports FC 24 VOLTA FC Pro Neck Tattoo and COINS – Now to April 25
EA Sports FC 24 Ultimate Team Draft Token – Now to May 14
Madden NFL 24 MUT April Pack – Now to April 30
WRCSeason 4 Rewards – Now to June 3
NHL 24 Super Hero Set – Now to May 22
NHL 24 WOC Coins – Now to May 22
NHL 24 WOC Battle Pass XP Modifier – Now to May 22
Game Pass Ultimate members can claim more member benefits in the Xbox Perks section in the Game Pass App or on console. This month’s perks include:
F1 23 24,000 PitCoin – Now to April 29
NHL 24 Mega Players Pack – April 18 to May 9
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC members receive EA Play with their Game Pass subscription. Members enjoy great player benefits, including in-game challenges and rewards, special member-only content, trials of select new games such as EA Sports FC 24 and access to a collection of EA’s best-loved series and top titles, including the recently added EA Sports PGA Tour and EA Sports NHL 24. In addition, all members get 10% off purchases of Electronic Arts digital content.
Visit the EA Play page for more details, and to stay up to date on the latest from EA Play, follow EA Play on, Instagram, or X. Please see EA.com/EA-Play/Terms for terms and conditions.
The ID@Xbox Digital Showcase will premiere on April 29, 2024, at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST.
Get the latest updates on games like Vampire Survivors, Dungeons of Hinterberg, 33 Immortals, Lost Records Bloom & Rage, and more!
If you miss out, IGN will have the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase archived on their channel after the show concludes.
Last year, you got a first-hand look at Karateka, Axiom Verge 2,Sea of Stars, and many other incredible games during the first IGN x ID@Xbox Digital Showcase. Today, we’re excited to announce that the show is returning on April 29, 2024, with another batch of hotly anticipated indies for you to play across Xbox and PC.
On top of epic trailers, fresh gameplay, and new reveals, the show will feature new details on upcoming games like Dungeons of Hinterberg, 33 Immortals, Lost Records Bloom & Rage, and many others.
The ID@Xbox Showcase will premiere on April 29, 2024, at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and you can tune in across all IGN Platforms.
We are also proud to share that the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase will also be available in American Sign Language (ASL): Stream the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase in ASL. We hope you’ll join us for lots of indie goodness, but if you cannot watch live, the showcase will be available on demand post-premiere on IGN’s channels, and of course, we’ll have a recap of everything showcased on Xbox Wire!
Explore games that allow players to explore and engage with the natural world
Help Duriel sacrifice his horde as they donate buckets of maggots to Tiggywinkles animal rescue hospital
Learn about a new building at Rare, which has sustainability at its heart
At Microsoft we have made bold commitments to improve the impact of our business on the environment. Consequently, Xbox has made strategic, innovative and meaningful investments that scale up across the gaming industry:
Our Shutdown (Energy Saving) power mode, Active Hours and Carbon Aware console updates have made the use of our consoles more energy and emissions efficient.
The Xbox Sustainability Toolkit has empowered game developers to optimize their game code for energy efficiency on Xbox consoles and beyond.
In addition to these software innovations, we are making advancements in hardware and infrastructure spaces as well:
We are supporting impact reductions in-office, with Rare unveiling a new LEED Gold accredited building on its UK campus — Xbox’s first mass timber building in Europe for Xbox Game Studios.
As important as it is that we make these material changes, one of the great benefits gaming can have on environmental issues is often overlooked! The medium of gaming can act as a tool which provides world exploration for those that may not easily access the natural environment. It also fosters outside of the box thinking, empathy, and team action – all necessary ingredients to solve environmental issues. Gaming can unlock the world, break the barriers of what is possible and inspire environmental action for generations to come.
Read on to learn more about gaming as a medium for environmental change and how Xbox is celebrating Earth Day.
Bring climate and sustainability science to life with incredible animals. Minecraft Education Planet Earth III created in partnership with BBC Earth engages students with a free curriculum that includes lesson plans and discussion guides. Explore the way these animals’ lives are intertwined by playing as both predator and prey, parent and offspring, friend and ally, and discover the precarious balance of survival.
Research climate change while learning the principles of AI. With Minecraft Education AI for Earth students will learn principles of AI while taking their first steps into this exciting realm of computer science. Learners will use the power of AI in a range of exciting real-world scenarios, including preservation of wildlife and ecosystems, helping people in remote areas, and research on climate change.
Explore games with environmental themes on Game Pass
Simulation games provide a unique ability to explore and grow environments while also managing and regenerating natural resources. Check out these games that highlight these themes within their mechanics and stories:
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Build a sustainable ecofarm and carefully manage your relationship with the ecosystem in this peaceful open-world farming adventure on a planet at the far edge of the galaxy. This game encourages sustainability efforts, including planting trees to replace those you harvest and cleaning up pollution. Invite up to three friends to create a flourishing homestead.
Coral Island (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud) – Play a part in conserving native flora and fauna, dive into the seas to clean up the coral reef, and pick up trash all around the island in this family-friendly farming simulator inspired by Southeast Asia. The development team from Indonesia included themes of conservation in the way players must maintain the island’s ecosystem all while encouraging you to form a bond with nature.
Stardew Valley (Available with Xbox Game Pass on Console, PC, and Cloud) – You’ve inherited your grandfather’s overgrown farm plot and with a little dedication, you might be able to restore Stardew Valley to greatness! With an anti-consumerism plot against the JoJa Corporation and a whole lot of land to explore, Stardew Valley showcases love of nature and focuses on life’s simple pleasures.
Give
The Seattle Aquarium uses Xbox Controllers to research the depths of local waterways
Xbox is excited to spotlight and support the incredible underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) research work of the Seattle Aquarium—a program designed to inform habitat restoration efforts throughout the region and reverse the decline of local kelp forests. The aquarium’s ROV Nereo, named after the scientific name for bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana), is a small, customizable, and easily maneuverable device that can dive up to 100 meters deep and transmit live video and data to the surface. Our favorite part? The researchers use Xbox controllers to pilot the ROV Nereo and navigate through the dense and dynamic kelp forests in Elliott Bay, the waterway surrounding the aquarium.
In addition to providing food and shelter for hundreds of marine animals, bull kelp also sequesters carbon from the water and locally mitigates the effects of ocean acidification. While some regions in the Salish Sea have thriving kelp forests, other regions are seeing up to a 95% decline, and researchers aren’t always sure why. The aquarium’s ROV work helps researchers survey declining kelp ecosystems and the factors that impact their health so the broader Washington kelp conservation, restoration, and management community can work towards restoration.
To expand the scope and scale of this work, the aquarium is collaborating with the Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Shellfish Program to help them get their own ROV program up and running. The aquarium is also partnering with state agencies and Reef Check to compare ROV and scuba diving as methods for collecting data, and to evaluate the effectiveness of different environmental monitoring strategies. By using Xbox controllers to operate the ROV, the aquarium is not only making research more fun and accessible to future generations of marine conservationists, but also demonstrating the power of technology for environmental conservation and education. Through education and outreach events with a variety of local organizations, the aquarium hopes this program will inspire more people to appreciate and protect the kelp forests and the marine life they support.
Duriel the Maggot King has enlisted Diablo IV fans to help sacrifice his horde. For every 25 likes on the Earth Day post from Diablo’s X account, Blizzard will be donating a bucket of Maggots to Tiggywinkles, up to 666 buckets of maggots, to help feed their bird nursery. With each bucket containing roughly 45,000 maggots, you could help Blizzard fund Tiggywinkle’s bird rehabilitation program for more than two years by simply liking their post.
Tiggywinkles is a specialist animal rescue hospital in the UK. They are dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating all species of local wildlife. Every animal brought to the hospital is given a chance and treated with the best available care. Any animal or bird unable to be released back to the wild is maintained at the Hospital, in as natural conditions as possible. Head to the Diablo X account to help turn likes into buckets of maggots for the birds.
Engage
Barn X on the Rare Campus
Xbox has constructed its first mass timber building in Europe at Rare, the Xbox Game Studio and creator of Sea of Thieves. The new solar-powered studio is already inspiring game developers to create unique shared experiences for players.
Located in Twycross, Leicestershire, Rare’s new building – called ‘Barn X’ – was opened in early 2023 on the Rare campus, which is surrounded by nature in the heart of the English countryside.
Rare’s Studio Head, Craig Duncan, said: “Our new barn is a demonstration of leading-edge sustainability and environmental design, creating a model green workplace. The opportunity to expand our campus by building a state-of-the-art environment for our teams while supporting Microsoft to achieve its sustainability goals has been genuinely rewarding. The new space design promotes collaboration, creativity and wellbeing, which are essential ingredients for a team to create fun experiences for players everywhere.”
Barn X has recently been certified LEED GOLD for its design and construction – a worldwide-recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. It is one example of how Microsoft is implementing sustainable solutions for the future as it pursues its goal to be carbon negative by 2030.
You can read more about the new building and how it is enabling creativity and enhancing wellbeing here.
Playing for the Planet Annual Impact Report
As a founding member of the Playing 4 The Planet Alliance, we are excited to share the 2023 Annual Impact Report. The report includes:
A measure of progress towards Playing 4 the Planet’s strategic goals.
Updates on focus areas, such as decarbonization, The Green Game Jam, and more.
A review of members’ commitments towards sustainability.
And even more from Team Microsoft: Visit Microsoft Unlocked to explore innovations across Microsoft products, partners and customers that are helping to achieve our carbon goals!
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to enjoy a 3-month free trial of Apple TV+ on your Xbox. Whether you’re a sports fan, an action lover, or a comedy enthusiast, you’ll find something to suit your taste on Apple TV+. But hurry, this offer ends on July 7, 2024, so act now and claim your 3 months of unlimited streaming.
Imagine watching the thrilling adventures of “Argylle”, the world’s greatest spy, as he travels across the globe with a star-studded cast. Or cheering for Aaron Judge and the Yankees as they face their rivals on “Friday Night Baseball” from MLB. Or diving into the history and heroism of “Masters of the Air”, the Apple Original series that follows the lives of American bomber pilots in World War II.
Not fully intrigued? How about the chance to catch the GOAT, Lionel Messi, play with his former FC Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, as they lead Inter Miami CF through the MLS gauntlet this season?
This is just some of the amazing content you can watch on Apple TV+, along with countless other movies and shows. You can also enjoy award-winning documentaries, kids’ entertainment, dramas, and more, all in stunning 4K HDR quality. And with the Apple TV app on your Xbox, you can easily browse and access all your favorite content in one place.
But don’t take our word for it. Try it for yourself and see why Apple TV+ is the ultimate streaming service for Xbox users. All you need to do is sign up for a new or qualified returning Apple TV+ subscription on your Xbox before July 7, 2024, and you’ll get 3 months of Apple TV+ for free. No strings attached, no hidden fees, just unlimited entertainment at your fingertips.
Don’t wait, this offer won’t last forever. Grab your Xbox controller and start your free trial of Apple TV+ today. You’ll be glad you did. Terms apply, visit the website to learn more.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! This weekly feature highlights all the games arriving soon on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass. Discover more about these forthcoming titles below and explore their profiles for additional information (note that release dates are subject to change). Let’s dive in!
Available on day one with Game Pass! Gather your allies for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the grand JRPG adventure. Assemble your 6-party team from a cast of over a hundred heroes and shape your destiny in this lush, hand-crafted 2.5D world brimming with war, intrigue, and magic. Manage your town of vibrant characters, play delightful mini-games, and prepare for an unforgettable narrative of boundless charm.
Gather your heroes and journey beyond the dungeons of Castle Hammerwatch to explore a pixelated world like never before. Adventure alone or gather your party to aid King Roland’s resistance, all while helping villagers along the way. Battle beasts, finish off hordes of the undead, and face the forces of evil in this epic ode to classic ARPGs.
As a newly appointed captain of the Pegasus corporation, you must guide a roster of colorful pilots, eclectic advisors, and state-of-the-art landers through a taxing series of missions. Deliver cargo, retrieve resources, and rescue stranded pilots as you navigate a mysterious universe of moons and planets.
Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness. With your cosmic powers and untried courage, advance into unknown mythological lands in this metroidvania title. Will you embrace the dance of the shaman?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants
Re-experience the 2017 arcade classic with three additional stages and six additional boss battles! Take control of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael in this classic beat ‘em up inspired by the cult favorite Turtles in Time. Play with your friends through local co-op and dominate the Foot Clan to foil the Shredder’s maniacal plan.
Play a little bird on its journey to find a home after losing its dear friend. You will discover unknown, giant, and beautiful environments and you will be able to enjoy the feeling of flying while exploring a whole world filled with beauty and little secrets.
Expand your farm business, produce cheap and sell your products at high prices. Control the land cultivation process, select the best employees, buy the most appropriate farm equipment, raise livestock, and process the harvested crops. Manage your own farm in the game Farm Tycoon!
Come and visit the famous Big Apple for a brand new cat-spotting adventure! Relax and look around the city, and with enough patience, find over 700 feline friends! The city only gets more vibrant the more cats you find!
An adventure roguelike with permadeath where you must overcome huge mountains. Thanks to the procedurally created environment, no two climbs are the same. Keep your climber alive by always making sure that your vital values don’t get into the critical range. This is made more difficult by a dynamic weather system, day/night changes, and a multitude of randomly generated events.
A distinctive game that recreates Moscow Metro and authentic train controls. 24 stations, various tunnels, and items within them. The game uses modern technologies to show the full experience of Russian capital’s subway — stations on this line will reflect the changes of their era.
Take the role of a nimble rodent separated from his family and lost in a frightening forest filled with fearsome foes! Ratyrinth is a side-scrolling precision platformer with brainteasing level design and retro presentation. Run, jump, cling to walls, swim and climb through mazelike stages presented in minimalistic 2-tone style with fluid pixel art animation.
Available on day one with Game Pass! A soulslike adventure set in a crumbling underwater world. As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.
Developed by Masaya in 1997, this robot action game gained popularity at the time thanks to its customizable features, incredible robots, engaging storyline, and its position as the next installment in the Leynos series. The Saturn Tribute version includes new features like Rewind, Quick Save & Load, and Tips functions for smoother gameplay. You can also get power-ups with your Assault Suit.
Available on day one with Game Pass! Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord — the seasons pass, the weather changes and cities rise and fall.
In this action RPG, players will find a nostalgic and heartwarming world created by Akira Toriyama where you’ll meet the Fiend Prince Beelzebub, his chaperone Thief, and the fearless Sheriff Rao, and follow the team on an extraordinary adventure in search of the Legendary Spring hidden in the desert. The end is only the beginning, as beyond this arid ground lies a new realm to explore.
Travel the world as an up-and-coming pro, go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennis, and take Centre Court at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open as you strive to become a Grand Slam Champion in the MyCareer mode. Or choose from over 24 playable pros and unleash their explosive power and clever finesse against other players locally or online.
Aliens have attacked the planet, and they’re turning innocent people into mindless zombies. It won’t be long before the invaders have destroyed the planet unless somebody with guns stands in their way. That’s where you come in! Lead a cadre of soldiers who are ready to take down every last enemy in their path.
Venturing outside the Belfry can prove dangerous with many creatures causing havoc across the world of Towerborne. One creature in particular is the all-powerful Truffleclub.
From Art to Animation to Combat Design, creating enemies is an effort that travels across game development disciplines. We had the opportunity to sit down with Lead Combat Designer Isaac Torres, Senior Combat Designer Aviva Schecterson, Principal Animator Joseph Garrahan and Lead Concept Artists Jeff Murchie from Stoic Studio to answer some questions and dive into the process of bringing an idea to life!
Hello! And thank you for your time! Let’s go ahead and plunge into some questions, starting with your background! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Isaac: Hello! I’m Isaac Torres, Lead Combat Designer at Stoic. I have a strong love for everything combat-focused and have been working in the game industry for about a decade now. Even though my career has been focused on fighting games for most of my time in the industry, I was immediately starstruck when I saw Towerborne for the first time. I knew in my heart that this was a game that I had to work on and I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to lead a wonderful group of Combat Designers to help bring this game to life.
Aviva: I’m Aviva, Senior Combat Designer at Stoic where I get to work on all our enemies. I attended DigiPen for my bachelor’s in game design and worked on tabletop games for a few years. When I was at Amazon, I worked on both Crucible and New World. I’ve been at Stoic for just over three years now and have really enjoyed spearheading our AI combat. Outside of work, I have two gorgeous cats that sit on me while I read or play games.
Senior Combat Designer Aviva Schecterson’s Cats: Asher (14yrs old and 12lbs) and Pepita (2yrs old and 7lbs).
Joseph: I’m Joseph, Principal Animator at Stoic. I’ve been an animator since 2000 when I got to animate a TV commercial and studied animation at Savannah College of Art & Design. I’ve worked on movies, TV series and videogames. Most recently I was at Naughty Dog working on Uncharted and The Last of Us Part II”. I’m a big anime and video game fan, always loved beat ‘em up games. So, when the opportunity came to work on a project like this, I couldn’t resist.
Jeff: Hi, I’m Jeff, the Lead Concept Artist at Stoic, and me and my small team have the privilege to visualize the characters within Towerborne’s lore. I’ve been in the industry since the early 2000s and got my start with LucasArts. Since getting my foot in the door I have worked on a variety of projects, most recently Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy and bringing toys to life for the Skylanders series. I have been with Stoic for over three years and enjoy every minute exploring the visual concepts for our game. Am I supposed to say something personal? I love playing basketball and Ultimate Frisbee…. when I get the chance.
Let’s go back to the beginning. What was your experience when creating Truffleclub for the first time?
Truffleclub original concepts – Jeff Murchie – Lead Concept Artist – Stoic Studio
Jeff: As the concept artist for Truffleclub, I saw it as an evolving process. The team knew we wanted a creature that would fit into the theme of a fungi forest. A mushroom aesthetic was the clear direction which I explored with a variety of sketches. One of the few requirements for this boss at the start was that he was a smasher. One of the tricky aspects of character development (specifically enemies) in Towerborne is striking a balance for a creature that is both frightening and whimsical in appearance. We did not want designs that just feel scary and intimidating. I love watching this character develop past its visual concept. The character model, animations and VFX added so much power and personality to Truffleclub.
Aviva: My introduction to the Truffleclub was seen on the development whiteboard with other minor characters. I was really interested in seeing how the big boss and the small fodder could feel like they were functionally in the same family and provide very different gameplay for players.
Joseph: I was involved since the beginning of the concept phase, and always saw the potential to create wacky scenarios with him, such as parachuting mushrooms and drilling into the ground.
Isaac: My experience was different: I joined Stoic when Truffleclub was already in development. I was astounded by the scale of the characters and the personality of all its animations and movements. I love the creativity in its design and the team did a fantastic job making this character come to life.
In order to achieve compelling and interesting enemy movement, one must be inspired by the abnormal and unconventional. From where do you draw creativity when animating complex characters such as Truffleclub?
Joseph: I’ve always been fascinated by anime that pushes the limits, such as Gurren Lagan and Studio Trigger’s work. Never take the easy way to do choreography. Wild things can happen in one second. It makes everything more difficult to animate, but it’s more satisfying in the end.
How do you begin the process of bringing an enemy to life? Do you sit down and discuss how the character moves? Do you give it personality? A backstory? Other than the concept art, you are basically starting with a blank canvas.
Isaac: As the Lead Combat Designer on the project, I have to think about the bigger picture of combat for every enemy we create. What role does the character fit? Are there any twists we can add to an enemy’s move set that makes the game more fun to play? Sometimes the archetype is something that the design team is already settled on. Sometimes we’ll get various pieces of concept art that inspires us, and we’ll build a move set off that.
It’s important to me to ensure that people who are not working on the character have an opportunity to help shape its gameplay. Because of this, we often start with a blank canvas of ideas. Since we generally know which biome an enemy will appear in, this also helps inform its design, or at least gives us something to work off of right from the start. Overall, the process itself is super fun and is one of my favorite parts of the project. Everyone’s creativity really shines, and it’s great to experience.
Aviva: I like to start with personality and the purpose of this enemy. For me, those inform each other and can then inform other mechanics and behavior patterns. For Truffleclub, we wanted them to feel imposing and punchy, plus also try out our new “status effect” tech by letting them do poison damage. We also had this drawing for potential phases with notes (note that the fight doesn’t have this phase structure anymore, but the burrow move, forward fist slam, and side fist slams became real moves and still exist).
Towerborne – Truffleclub by Alex Thomas
Joseph: We usually start with a basic concept, such as the size of the character and what the main goal is for the game, maybe a weapon we want to try out. After that, I start thinking about what kind of motion would be best for it, such as martial arts, boxing, acrobatic, etc. Sometimes we create an animation depicting the basic motions, either in 3D or with 2D drawings. Our Animation Director, Lance Myers, created an awesome 2D animatic for Truffleclub. The backstory can be defined earlier, but sometimes naturally comes after exploring these options. On Truffleclub, we settled on an ape-like motion, swinging his weight around.
Were there any design challenges?
Aviva: Yes. Truffleclub was our first big boss who became playable early in pre-production. As games go, there are many combat and iteration changes, so the attack patterns and encounter pacing have to keep up not only with combat changes from the player side, but also tech updates on our AI side. This character has also been on each version of our AI tech, so they’ve been taken apart and put back together multiple times.
Joseph: I initially did the walk cycle as a biped, but a team member mentioned it looked like “a folk in a monkey suit.” That pushed me to explore more interesting locomotion and ended up with a quadruped ape-like walk cycle. In the end, that influenced the overall personality.
Isaac: It’s always a huge challenge creating the first boss of a game. There’s so much exploration that occurs on an enemy like this that basically shapes the direction of the rest of the game. Part of the challenge is finding the fun, and as a combat team, we always make sure that’s our priority. Sometimes what works early on in development may require fundamental changes later due to various advancements over time. That is honestly the biggest challenge. As we develop the game, we are also growing as a team. Sometimes we’ll have to go back to older content and elevate it to the quality of our later content because we’ve learned so much.
It is worth noting that Truffleclub isn’t alone in this fight! This created an additional challenge, since you never want an encounter to feel like it’s too overwhelming. Finding that sweet spot, whether it is a 1-on-1 or a 4-on-1 scenario was critical throughout development. How many enemies is too many? Do we need to add unique behaviors? What types of interactions with the player maximize fun while adding an interesting challenge?
What was your favorite part when animating Truffleclub?
Joseph: The burrowing underground, since I was able to fully squash and stretch the character rig to extremes and create interesting smear shapes.
Taking Truffleclub’s animation, the team must consider how Truffleclub interacts with up to four players coming at it on all fronts. Tell me about the animation process of battle with live gaming on different weapons versus pre-scripted AI.
Joseph: I just need to create lots of attacks that target different ranges and scenarios: crowd control, single direction, etc. The designers then make sure these attacks trigger when needed.
Isaac: Great transition. As a Combat Designer, this is a continuous challenge. Not only do we have to ensure that combat feels good from a 1-on-1 perspective, but we also always must consider scenarios with up to four players. Playtesting is key. We constantly go back and forth with animation on every aspect of the character. Does Truffleclub move too slow? Does it have ways to escape when four players are surrounding it with a barrage of attacks? Are the attacks obvious enough to inform players that a big move is about to be done? As designers, we try to identify these scenarios as early as possible. Because of this, we’ll always ask animators to give us stubby versions of animations so that we can put things through their paces and adjust where necessary.
What do you think Truffleclub does in its time off?
Aviva: I think Truffleclub enjoys conducting mushroom concerts where they create symphonies with their mycelial network.
Joseph: Probably spawns smaller mushrooms deep underground while sleeping.
Isaac: Hmm, since Truffleclub likes to burrow underground, maybe it is creating an elaborate transportation system for its buddies.
What do you want to tell readers about the awesome work being done with not only Truffleclub but with other Towerborne enemies they have not seen yet?
Aviva: Truffleclub was our first boss. Since the Truffleclub’s creation, there’s lots of things we’ve come up with that are fun. Truffleclub is just the beginning 🙂
Joseph: The goal is to surprise players with the cool and unexpected. Taking the beat-’em-up experience to new levels.
Isaac: I can’t wait for players to see the variety in our enemy designs and the love that was put into everything they do. Seeing the big hulking Truffleclub alongside the floppier and cuter Amanita is such a fun contrast. We hope that it’ll always make you smile when you see them.
Towerborne is still under development, and game content presented in this article is not final. Towerborne will be released later this year. For more information visit our website, our Discord, and our social media channels: TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X.
The new, no annual fee Xbox Mastercard, issued by Barclays, is now available.
The Xbox Mastercard allows cardmembers to earn card points with everyday purchases and redeem those points on digital games, add-ons, and more at Xbox.com.
The Xbox Mastercard will be available to Xbox players 18 years and older in the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii starting today.
Terms and conditions apply1, 2
In September 2023, Xbox Insiders received early access to the Xbox Mastercard to help shape the customer experience. The credit card delivers a unique value tailored to players by using a points system that allows them to spend points on things they love.
Starting today, the Xbox Mastercard with no annual fee is available to all residents in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Learn more about earning card points that can be redeemed for digital games, add-ons, the first payment of subscriptions, consoles, accessories, and more at Xbox.com.
With the Xbox Mastercard, cardmembers can earn card points for every $1 spent on purchases including:
Xbox & Microsoft – Earn 5x card points on eligible products at the Microsoft Store.
Streaming services – Earn 3x card points on eligible streaming services like Netflix and Disney+.
Dining delivery services – Earn 3x card points on eligible dining delivery services like Grubhub and DoorDash.
Everyday purchases – Earn 1X card points on all other everyday purchases.
Cardmembers will also get access to more benefits including a few new benefits that start today:
A bonus of 5,000 card points (a $50 value) after first purchase.
Three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for new Game Pass members after their first purchase. Current Game Pass members can easily gift it to a friend or family member so everyone can join the fun.
(New) Plus, both new and existing cardmembers can earn two 3-month codes to gift to friends or family to try Game Pass Ultimate for the first time when $7,000 or more is spent within first 12 months of opening the card account.
(New) Cardmembers are upgraded to Level 2 of Microsoft Rewards, earning rewards faster with Xbox Mastercard.
(New) Boost the volume with 3 free months of Spotify Premium Individual for new and existing cardmembers (for new Spotify Premium Individual users only). 3
Flexibility of use with contactless payments and digital wallets.
Online access to cardmembers’ credit score for free, which allows users to keep an eye on their credit score and receive alerts when their score has changed.
$0 Fraud Liability protection, so cardmembers are not responsible for charges they didn’t authorize.
(New) Plus, Barclays Money Basics is now available for educational information to build your financial knowledge on credit scores, fraud prevention, budgeting, and more.
All benefits are available to both new and existing cardmembers. Terms and conditions apply.
Cardmembers can choose from one of five iconic designs and personalize it with their gamertag. Play anywhere with Xbox, pay anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Why not try something new with Free Play Days? Dungeons 3, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising and I am Fish are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play from Thursday April 18 at 12:01 a.m. PDT until Sunday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Game Pass Core will give players access to our advanced multiplayer network, a select collection of over 25 games to play with friends around the world, and exclusive member deals! Read more about Game Pass Core at Xbox Wire.
How To Start Playing
Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Core or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Keep The Fun Going
Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.
Free Play Days (Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate Required)
Dungeons 3 – Complete Collection
Kalypso Media
☆☆☆☆☆319
★★★★★
$39.99$19.99
Dungeons 3 Through enticing the dark elf priestess Thalya from the fluffy clutches of the surface world to become his chief lieutenant, the Dungeon Lord has found a way to direct his campaign of conquest from the confines of his underground lair. With Thalya on the front line, and the united forces of evil to support her, players will have to use every trick in the book to best those do-gooders of the overworld, once and for all!
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising
505 Games
☆☆☆☆☆241
★★★★★
$14.99$4.49
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising Embark on a captivating prelude to the highly anticipated Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes with Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, available for Free Play Days. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a rich, interconnected action-RPG full of vibrant characters and compelling storytelling. Experience the intertwining fates of CJ, Isha, and Garoo and get a glimpse of what’s to come in Hundred Heroes, launching April 23. Experience a story of friendship, discovery, and adventure that sets the stage for the grand tale to follow.
Free Play Days For All
I Am Fish
Curve Games
☆☆☆☆☆264
★★★★★
$19.99$5.99
Xbox One X Enhanced
I am Fish From the creators of the hit I am Bread, I Am Fish is a charming, physics-based adventure starring four intrepid fish friends, forcibly separated from their home in a pet shop fish tank. Swim, fly, roll and chomp your way to the open ocean in a bid for freedom and to re-unite once again.
Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.
Pre-order Frostpunk 2 Deluxe Edition to join the sandbox Beta.
Part of the new Utopia Builder mode with unique challenges.
Available now on PC now through April 22.
The Frostpunk 2 development team is excited to offer players a chance to return to the unforgiving Frostlands and experience a glimpse of our ambitious sequel, where in addition to the need to survive, you face the new, deadly threat of human nature and its insatiable thirst for power. The Beta features a part of the sandbox mode called the Utopia Builder Preview.
While the original Frostpunk launched without a sandbox mode, it quickly became one of the community’s top requests. Hence, we introduced the Endless mode, allowing players to expand endlessly. Witnessing players spend over 500 hours or more in the game has been truly inspiring for us.
From the outset, we knew a variation of the sandbox mode was essential for Frostpunk 2. As we believe Frostpunk 2 represents a significant step forward for the franchise, each aspect of the game needed expansion. For the sandbox experience, we aimed to infuse it with a richer narrative and other unique aspects specific to Frostpunk 2.
Thirty years after the Great Storm, which concluded the first game’s storyline, humanity has partially tamed the weather. So making a blizzard in a sequel even bigger than the one in the first Frostpunk wouldn’t feel satisfying, creative, or exciting for you as a player. It is impossible to tell the story of social change of ambitions without changing the scale. Thus, the time flow in the game transitions from hours and days to weeks, months, and years, and players oversee the creation of entire districts, emphasizing societal survival and shaping. Frostpunk 2 continues an approach to be a society survival type of strategy game but also places greater emphasis on how this society is shaped.
With the absence of immediate survival pressure, citizens began to contemplate a different future, leading to varied visions among factions. As the new Steward, you are tasked with building a council representative of these factions. The ideological conflict is also present in the Utopia Builder Preview mode, demanding players reconcile conflicting interests and navigate societal complexities.
Mismanagement could lead to catastrophe while allowing ambitions to grow unchecked can foster social conflicts. Ultimately, human nature can lead to the city’s downfall, where one’s utopia may become another’s dystopia.
PreorderFrostpunk 2: Deluxe Edition today, and unlock the Utopia Builder mode with sandbox Betafor PC. Explore, create, and survive through April 22!
Frostpunk 2: Deluxe Edition Pre-order
11 bit studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Purchase the Deluxe Edition to receive the base game along with future access to a time-limited beta, early access to the full game, 3 future DLCs, and some cool additional content. The beta access and the early access version of the game will be available exclusively for players who pre-ordered the deluxe pack. Beta access will include a limited, 7-day access to a fragment of the game’s sandbox mode (Utopia Builder) in April 2024. Frostpunk 2: Deluxe Edition gives you early access to story mode 72 hours before the game’s full release. Owners of this edition of Frostpunk 2 will receive 3 DLCs for the game directly after their releases. The deluxe pack also includes a digital version of the novella Warm Flesh from the upcoming Frostpunk anthology, as well as access to a digital artbook, the game’s epic soundtrack, and an exclusive in-game item. Features:
BASE GAME
ACCESS TO UTOPIA BUILDER PREVIEW
(part of the sandbox mode, available 15-22.04) 3 DLCs (PAID POST-RELEASE CONTENT)
PLAY STORY MODE 72H BEFORE RELEASE
EXCLUSIVE IN-GAME ITEM „WARM FLESH“ NOVELLA (DIGITAL VERSION / PART OF THE UPCOMING FROSTPUNK ANTHOLOGY)
DIGITAL ARTBOOK & SOUNDTRACK
Moreover, players’ behavior on and off the track will greatly influence Riders’ Market dynamics. As I mentioned earlier, last year we introduced a rivalry system as well as a fictional social network where riders, teams, and manufacturers interact with each other. The evolution of rivalries as well as likes and replies on the fictional social network will fuel rumors about possible future transfers, which players will be able to keep an eye on through a dedicated menu of the career mode.
The Riders Market is the last major piece we needed to fully shape the game and the series itself, and I can’t wait to see our fans getting the most out of it. Will there be a day when we see the young, predestined Pedro Acosta challenging the eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez in the same team? Or maybe we are about to witness Fabio Quartararo’s new legacy away from Yamaha? History is still to be written.
MotoGP 24 will be available on May 2, 2024, on PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
Celebrating a phenomenal fleet of Xbox and PC pirates who’ve set sail since launch!
As I’m sure you can imagine, when it comes to Sea of Thieves my days are full of numbers. Development costs, active servers, days until the next update… Sometimes, though, a truly extraordinary number stands out – a number like 40 million, which I’m incredibly pleased to say is the number of pirates who’ve now set sail in Sea of Thieves!
40 million players across Xbox, Windows 10 and Steam is an amazing milestone to be able to talk about, and of course it wouldn’t have happened without you – our brilliant, positive and welcoming community, who continue to surprise and impress us with your creativity and antics out on the waves.
That said, I also want to take this opportunity to offer heartfelt thanks to the team, who’ve worked so hard to deliver over a hundred free updates since launch and have plenty more excitement and innovation on the horizon. Season 12 is almost here, and the new additions like throwing knives and the Bone Caller are going to transform our sandbox yet again.
I’m also excited about getting to expand our community even further, as we’re just days away from launching on PlayStation®5 and introducing a whole new plethora of pirates to our shared world. The positivity and excitement coming out of our Closed Beta was infectious, and I can’t wait for even more fresh faces to arrive starting next week.
Before then, though, there’s time to celebrate this 40 million milestone during our imminent Gold & Glory Weekend. If you’re still working through Season 11’s 100 levels, this will be the perfect time to rake in that boosted Renown – along with gold, reputation and everything else. So take part, join us in both celebration of all our players and anticipation of those who are about to undertake their Maiden Voyage on PS5®, and we’ll see you on the seas!
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