Schlagwort: nextgen games

Ready to explore the Star Wars galaxy like never before? Gather with your family and friends, because LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will be available on Game Pass just in time for the holidays. If you’ve ever dreamed of teaming up with your siblings for lightsaber battles or experiencing space combat with your next-door neighbor, now is your chance with LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga via two-player local co-op gameplay! Whether you are new to the franchise or a longtime fan, this fun and accessible family friendly game can be played and downloaded starting December 6 for all Game Pass subscribers.

Through the humor of LEGO, you will relive the epic narrative of The Skywalker Saga and can choose to start at the beginning of any trilogy, including Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: A New Hope, or Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fight against the forces of evil as your favorite characters, such as Luke Skywalker, Rey, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Finn, BB-8, and a legion of other heroes. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga contains over 300 unlockable characters from all nine films to create fun, new adventures. With more than 100 vehicles to command, you can jump to lightspeed in the Millennium Falcon to outrun Imperial starships and board and explore capital ships like the Super Star Destroyer! With immersive combat mechanics, show off your Jedi skills to your friends as you wield lightsabers, fire blasters, and chain different attacks with the greatest legends from every era of the Skywalker Saga.

Playing LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga with your family and friends and exploring the vastness of the Star Wars galaxy with 23 planets to discover as you visit Cloud City on Bespin or Ewok Village on Endor is just one of the many highlights when playing the game. Join forces and create new memories together as you traverse iconic locales.

The galaxy is yours, starting December 6! Download LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga on Game Pass, choose your starting point and get ready to enjoy the game millions of fans from around the world can’t get enough of!

LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 825

★★★★★

The galaxy is yours in LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga. Experience memorable moments and nonstop action from all nine Skywalker saga films reimagined with signature LEGO humor. The digital edition includes an exclusive classic Obi-Wan Kenobi playable character. ● Explore the Trilogies in Any Order – Players will relive the epic story of all nine films in the Skywalker Saga, and it all starts with picking the trilogy of their choice to begin the journey. ● Play as Iconic Heroes and Villains –More than 300 playable characters from throughout the galaxy. ● Discover Legendary Locales – Players can visit well known locales from their favorite Skywalker saga films .They can unlock and have the freedom to seamlessly travel to 23 planets as they play through the saga or explore and discover exciting quests. ● Command Powerful Vehicles – More than 100 vehicles from across the galaxy to command. Join dogfights and defeat capital ships like the Super Star Destroyer that can be boarded and explored. ● Immersive Player Experiences – String attacks together to form combo chains and fend off oncoming attacks. New blaster controls and mechanics allow players to aim with precision, or utilize the skills of a Jedi by wielding a lightsaber and using the power of The Force. ● Upgradable Character Abilities – Exploration rewards players as they uncover Kyber Bricks which unlock new features and upgraded abilities across a range of character classes, including Jedi, Hero, Dark Side, Villain, Scavenger, Scoundrel, Bounty Hunter, Astromech Droid, and Protocol Droid.

Hey everyone! It’s Pip here, marketing lead at publisher No More Robots, and if the World Cup has got you excited for some soccer (or football), I’m here to announce that you can pick up your ball, put on your shinpads and save soccer in our brand-new RPG Soccer Story! Get ready to take on the terrible Soccer, Inc. and restore the beautiful game to its rightful place at the top of the table Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and with Xbox Game Pass starting today!

A year ago, the top teams came together to compete in the world’s biggest tournament, but tragedy struck when a great calamity brought a halt to not only the competition but also soccer as a sport! Since then, no one outside of the very suspicious Soccer, Inc. and their referees has been allowed to play, and it’s up to you, the saviour of soccer, to head to the pitch and remind everyone why this wonderful sport deserves their support once more!

Play Through a World Full of Quirky Characters, Puzzles and Hidden Secrets

The open world of Soccer Story is full to the brim with soccer-adjacent sports to play, quirky characters to chat to, as well as puzzles and riddles to solve. Around every corner and in every building there are new ways to power up your team and take the fight to Soccer Inc., whether that be by collecting team upgrades to beat the top teams or by helping the locals reform their squads and take to the pitch – it’s up to you to get soccer back on top!

Each zone is being controlled by a different member of Soccer Inc., but with the help of your magical ball you’ll be able to drive away the terrible referees and clear up their mess. From spotting the hidden ninjas in the Zen Zone to destroying sandcastles and reforging the Shark Idol in the Beach Zone, each area has its own challenges and issues. Can you become the champion of the hurdles in the Athletic zone and conquer the tricks and traps of Fut Golf?

Build Your Soccer Career and Do Battle against the Fiercest Soccer Teams Like Literal Sharks, Toddlers, Old-Age Pensioners and Ninjas

If you want to take the fight all the way to the heady heights of the Apple Cup and defeat Soccer Inc. once and for all, you’ll have to gather your team and take on each region’s finest for the Regional Cups – each one guarded by teams weirder and wilder than the last. You’ll need to hold your nerve as you face down OAPs, ghosts and a team of literal sharks in order to make your way to the top, and none of them will go down easy.

As you progress though each cup, mighty animal captains will help you discover your true powers and harness the skills to make Soccer Inc. pay! Beating each in a 1v1 showdown will grant you abilities to really kick your enemies where it hurts, and the power to defeat whoever dares to stand in the way of a good, old-fashioned kick-about!

Once You’ve Saved the World, Grab Some Friends and Play Ball

Once the soccer bug has bitten you, (and who can blame you with the world cup really heating up too!) grab some friends and find out who really is the saviour of soccer by playing some local multiplayer matches! Run your own tournaments from the comfort of your own home or play co-operatively to take down the best teams Soccer Story has to offer! Choose your favourite team, whether that’s the hometown heroes of Soccer Town or one of the teams from around the world and head to one of our state-of-the-art stadiums and become top your own personal leagues!

Soccer Story is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S! Grab boots and head to the pitch, you’ve got a wide world to explore, bad guys to defeat and a magical ball to kick at every one and everything! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and you bring soccer home once and for all!

Soccer Story

No More Robots

☆☆☆☆☆ 63

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

It’s been a year since The Calamity™ tore apart the very foundations of soccer as we know it, and since then, Soccer Inc. has made dang well sure that not a soul has been allowed to even look at a soccer ball, let alone kick it. Soccer may have been banned across the world… but now there is hope! A magical soccer ball has chosen you, our Savior of Soccer! Soccer Story is a physics-driven adventure RPG, where every problem can be solved with your trusty magic ball. Along the way, you’ll need to best bad guys in 1v1s, compete in a range of different sports (with your soccer ball, of course), and sometimes use your brain just as much as your balls In a world that has long forgotten The Beautiful Game, can you remind them why soccer is top of the table, and best the most formidable teams, including the local toddlers and a group of sharks? -Drop your soccer ball and play anywhere! The world is full of goals, puzzles and secrets – it’s up to you to find them!
-Play a single-player story full of quirky characters, quests, rogue refs and wacky soccer-adjacent sports -Build your soccer career and do battle against the fiercest soccer teams like literal sharks, toddlers, old-age pensioners and ninjas
-Save soccer and restore peace and harmony to the world
-Grab a friend for a four-player local multiplayer match mode with a full roster of teams and animal captains Yes, Soccer Story has multiplayer matches too! Grab up to 3 friends, and convince them that soccer is the ultimate sport by challenging them to local multiplayer matches! With a whole host of teams and captains to choose from, find your personal playstyle and hold your own tournaments at home across the many pitches, from home matches at Soccertown to the vast Soccer Inc Stadium!

Xbox Game Studios Game Camp was founded in 2020 on the belief that extraordinary talent resides everywhere. The goal of the program is to enable people from traditionally marginalized communities and non-traditional backgrounds to realize their potential in the gaming industry and grow thriving games communities and industries in places all over the world.

In this Q&A series, we aim to highlight the stories of Game Camp Alumni with unique game creation journeys. Today, we will be chatting with the CEO & Creative Director of LemonJuice Game Studio Austin-Taylor Caldwell, about his experience at Game Camp and his current project, Beyond the Nightlight, a 3D horror adventure game that sheds light on mental health and addiction.

Tell us about yourself (if applicable: your team and the game you’re working on)?

My name is Austin-Taylor Caldwell. Like most other individuals in the gaming industry, I grew up playing video games. However, to think about making a career in gaming was laughable to me from a young age. I was raised in the poorest county in my state where resources and connections to the tech industry were extremely far and few. Fast forward to 2020, I decided to jump into the deep end and founded LemonJuice Game Studio to make cinematic games within the horror genre. From solo development to Game Camp, LemonJuice now stands at 20 members who are working closely together on our current title, Beyond the Nightlight. It is a 3D horror adventure game that centers around mental health and addiction in hopes to shine light on the topic and potentially help those struggling with these illnesses every day.

Why did you decide to center Beyond the Nightlight on mental health and addiction?

Beyond the Nightlight centers around the study that when we die our brains have seven minutes of activity left, during this time is when our life ‘flashes before our eyes.’ Our protagonist Jolene is in her final seven minutes and does not know it yet. She races through this odd world in a porcelain doll body, chased by Death, to reclaim her memory of what happened to her and how she can get a second chance at life.

I lost my mother in 2019 to drug addiction and that was probably the hardest point in my life. A year later, I found out from my therapist that I have both depression and anxiety…which didn’t help the situation. Beyond the Nightlight is built from real trauma and experiences from real people to show the players that do struggle with similar if not exact issues, that they’re not alone.

“Xbox Game Studios Game Camp taught me things I would have otherwise taken 10 years to learn. Game Camp helped me identify my “superpower” in development and focus on that instead of spreading myself thin.”

Austin-Taylor Caldwell, CEO & Creative Director of LemonJuice Game Studio

Walk us through your game creation journey before you attended Xbox Game Studios Game Camp?

Before Game Camp, I taught myself game design through Unreal Engine Documentation and a ton of YouTube. Working a full-time job made devoting time to learn game development difficult, but not impossible. I would wake up a couple hours early to get through a few lessons or add a new feature to my project, then go into work and use my lunch to research various systems or solve some problems I may have run into that morning. Returning home after work was when I really put in the work by staying up way later than I should to continue adding features to my project and learning everything I could to make a playable product.

What are some of the key takeaways you learned from your experience at Xbox Game Studios Game Camp?

Xbox Game Studios Game Camp taught me things I would have otherwise taken 10 years to learn. Game Camp helped me identify my “superpower” in development and focus on that instead of spreading myself thin trying to be distinguished in every department. That alone is invaluable, but more than that it also taught me how to manage a team, communicate and network to establish long lasting relationships, how to create and manage a development pipeline, and so much more. Game Camp truly changed my life.

What excites you about the game creation process?

Seeing the first prototype is a feeling words cannot describe. Spending days on days crafting this world and seeing it come to life is enthralling. Directing that is extremely fun to me and seeing others get inspired and watching their eyes light up over a new idea they propose is truly what makes game development so beautiful.

What are some unique challenges your dev teams overcame? Were there any tools/services that helped overcome this?

The biggest challenge we faced was switching our 2D project from Unity to the 3D project it is now within Unreal Engine. Having to rebuild the code in a different language took a bit to get off the ground, but Unreal Engine Documentation helped us as a team get our bearings together and now, we are back up on the ground and sprinting!

Tell us about the tools you are using for game development and why.

We are utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and Quixel Megascans for Beyond the Nightlight . We decided to work within Unreal Engine 5 as the amount of tools provided free of cost truly tip the scales on what we can accomplish. Plus, having Megascans that we can use with ease and easily import into Unreal Engine is amazing for painting a very detailed and immersive environment.

Can you tell us about your experience working with an Xbox Game Studios mentor and what you learned from them about the game creation process?

Working with our mentor, Rosa Dachtler, was a great experience. She was extremely helpful and always available to help in any way she could. Particularly, she guided and supported us as we made an extreme switch in production with only 2 weeks of production time left. She taught us how to build a powerful narrative around action-packed gameplay and how departments can better communicate with each other throughout the design process.”

Now that you’ve attended Xbox Game Studios Game Camp, what’s next for LemonJuice?

Game Camp readied LemonJuice with the tools and knowledge needed to dive headfirst into the industry. We are currently in the final stages of wrapping up our prototype for Beyond the Nightlight. We intend to bring it to publishers so LemonJuice as a collective can work on this project full time and be equipped with the necessary tools to make it as beautiful as we have envisioned. I have always dreamed big, and it is still my dream and goal for my company to become a 1st or 2nd party studio for Xbox Game Studios.

To learn more about Xbox Game Studios Game Camp visit xbox.com/gamecamp.

Get ready to unwrap your December Games with Gold lineup! On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, it’s a double helping of 2D side-scrolling fun with Colt Canyon and Bladed Fury.
Xbox Live Gold members will have exclusive access to these games for a limited time as part of Games with Gold. So will Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, who receive all the fantastic benefits of Gold plus access to hundreds of high-quality games with Xbox Game Pass.

• Colt Canyon ($14.99 ERP): Available December 1 to 31
• Bladed Fury ($19.99 ERP): Available December 16 to January 15

Colt Canyon

Hold on to your hats, partner. Let me tell you a tale ‘bout a gunslinger that’s been left for dead and his partner kidnapped. It’s time for you to head out to Colt Canyon, an unforgiving western landscape filled with hidden treasures, weapons, danger, and bloodthirsty scum. Shoot your way through and maybe blow a few things up with TNT along the way with a spaghetti western soundtrack humming in the background. Save your partner and other innocents, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have a blast doing so and won’t end up as buzzard food.

Bladed Fury

Accused of murder and exiled, Princess Ji goes on a breathtaking, action-packed journey to prove her innocence, rescue her sister, and blaze a trail of bloody vengeance. Unleash your side-scrolling skills in this classic 2D game based on Chinese mythology. Take on ancient enemies and gods using high-octane combo attacks! The art and sound design are gorgeously rendered, mixing traditional flourishes with a surreal edge.

Read more about our Games with Gold program here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire for all the latest news on Xbox. Like we said before, if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you get all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, hundreds of high-quality games you can play on console, PC, and across devices from the cloud, and access to EA Play at no extra cost. New games are added all the time, so you’re never without something new to try when you’re looking to find your next favorite game. If you’re new, or if you’re an existing Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass for Console member, join or upgrade today for just $1. 

Colt Canyon

Headup

☆☆☆☆☆28

★★★★★

Take your revolver and rescue your partner in this atmospheric and punchy rogue-like game. Colt Canyon is a 2D pixel art shooter where you control a cowboy, or one of the many other unlockable characters, whose mission is to save his kidnapped partner from the ruthless bandits. Take your gun and TNT and shoot your way through a hostile canyon full of hidden treasures, weapons, obstacles and all kinds of bloodthirsty scum. Maybe you can save more people than just your partner. But watch out. Once you got your partner your job is not done. You’ll also have to get back home…

Bladed Fury

PM Studios, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆30

★★★★★

Bladed Fury is a classic 2D action game, based on Chinese mythology with an accompanying traditional art style and sound design, but with a dash of surrealism added to the mix. Featuring a fluid combat experience, a high-octane combo system, and a plethora of ancient enemies and gods to destroy

“If You Wanna Party,” put on your dancing shoes and call your friends because Just Dance 2023 Edition is now available for Xbox Series X|S. The all-new dance-on-demand platform comes with 40 new songs from popular artists including BTS, Harry Styles, and Dua Lipa, plus artist collaborations with Ava Max and Billie Eilish.

Just Dance 2023 Edition introduces many new features to the franchise. It has a fresh art direction and redesigned UI, crafted to provide more intuitive navigation menus, increased immersion in the 3D worlds, and more detailed coaches and camera movements. The game also has an improved recommendation system, offering players a personalized experience for maximum dancing fun.

All your dancing will eventually pay off with the new progression system, earning points for each completed dance. By earning points, players can unlock rewards like customizable dancer cards and emote stickers. Additionally, Online Multiplayer will be available at a later date for the first time, allowing up to six players to dance together around the world. Couch co-op is available at launch for local friends. Free content updates will be added throughout the year, so stay tuned for more game modes, songs, and seasons.

Just Dance 2023 Edition features two new artist collaborations: Billie Eilish is partnering with the game with her song “Therefore I Am,” and Ava Max created original choreography for Just Dance with her chart-topping hit “Million Dollar Baby.” K-Pop has returned in Just Dance franchise with songs like “Boy With Luv” by BTS Ft. Halsey, “Dynamite” by BTS, and “More” by K/DA Ft. Madison Beer, (G)I-DLE, Lexie, Jaira Burns and Seraphine. And no Just Dance library would be complete without bops like “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake, “Physical” by Dua Lipa, “Toxic” by Britney Spears, “Telephone” by Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce, and many more.

Just Dance 2023 Edition also marks the launch of Just Dance+, a subscription-based service that gives you access to over 150 songs from prior Just Dance installments. Songs will be added throughout the year, and subscribers can also gain access to exclusive songs. Players who purchase Just Dance 2023 Edition will receive the option for a free one-month trial of Just Dance+.

Gather your friends and family, do some light stretching, and get ready to “Sissy That Walk” and master some new choreography. Jump into the next era of Just Dance today!

Just Dance® 2023 Edition

UBISOFT

☆☆☆☆☆19

★★★★★

Welcome to a new era of dance with Just Dance® 2023 Edition! For the first time ever, dance to BTS with „Dynamite“ and other top chart hits! Now with personalization, 3D immersive worlds, and new songs and modes year-round,* you can experience a never-ending dance party all year long! • New user interface: Thanks to a new, more modern, and intuitive user interface, everything is one click away: playlists, game modes, and songs! More time dancing, less time searching! • Personalized experiences: Get a personalized experience with custom-made sessions and songs tailored to your preferences and playing habits. Also keep track of your progress on your account and keep tab of your scores! Just Dance 2023 Edition includes a one-month free trial of Just Dance®+ *Additional content made available on a rolling basis for a limited time during the 12 months following launch of the game; download required. **Just Dance+is a streaming service, playable via Just Dance® 2023 Edition, that grants access to additional songs. Terms and conditions apply. Requires the connection to a Ubisoft Account (13[PLUS]), permanent internet access and the payment of a fee. Auto-renewal may be activated during the purchase. Age and territorial restrictions may apply. Applicable platform account and platform subscription (sold separately) required. Persistent internet connection and Ubisoft account required.

The new Dark Camo pack launches November 24 for Rust Console Edition and you don’t want to miss out on this one! This new exclusive pack grants you one of the most requested skin designs by our players, and it’s bundled up with 500 Rust Coins and public test branch access for Rust Console Edition, where you will be able to test upcoming content before it’s released on the main branch of the game.

The militaristic style of this pack is amongst the favorites in Rust Console Edition, and this new design is by far the most requested color combination we’ve ever had. The darker tones allow players who use it to blend in within the night or find cover in the shadows, whilst being more exposed under the sun or under any other light source. Whatever the case, this is a set you don’t want to miss out on. The Dark Camo pack will be available November 24 on the Xbox Store for $6.99 (price may differ depending on region).

Power Surge

Since you will be granted access to the public test branch of Rust Console Edition if you acquire the Dark Camo pack, you may as well take the opportunity to test out our latest content update available to test on there, called Power Surge. This new update brings a lot of fun new components to the game and completely changes the way Rust Console Edition is meant to be played by adding electricity to the equation.

No more “magically” powered gadgets in your base! With Power Surge everyone will have to find an energy source (solar or wind) to power up all the electrical components of their base, including (but not exclusive to) lights, turrets, and some traps. This opens the door for a lot of experimentation and some awesome new base designs with new components that you can automate to create amazing new traps and/or systems.

Update 1.55

With the monthly wipe of November we also had the release of update 1.55, bringing with it some impactful changes to the game, like improvements on the invalid shots that can occasionally happen, various audio fixes, and visual animation improvements for the scientist NPCs. This update will give players a more solid experience over the monthly wipe of December where we have many more surprises still yet to be revealed. Be sure to visit the news section on rust.double11.com to learn more about what’s coming soon. See you all on the island!

Rust Console Edition

Double Eleven Ltd.

☆☆☆☆☆783

★★★★★

Welcome to Rust. The only aim in Rust is to survive – Overcome struggles such as hunger, thirst and cold. Build a fire. Build a shelter. Kill animals. Protect yourself from other players.

Get ready to explore the dark fantasy realm of the Continent in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen Update. Whether you’re stepping into Geralt of Rivia’s shoes for the first time, or you’re a hundred-hour monster-slaying veteran, there’s plenty of reasons to immerse yourself in this vast world of choice and consequence this winter. The next-gen update for Xbox Series X|S arrives on December 14. It’s free for all current owners of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Xbox One, and is packed with improvements, new features, and extra content to bring this beloved RPG into a more modern context. So, let’s see what’s in store!

First, technical upgrades. Xbox Series X players can select from Performance and Quality modes. Performance prioritizes framerate at 60FPS, while Quality prioritizes visual fidelity at 30FPS. In Quality mode, Ray Tracing comes into play with Ray Traced global illumination and ambient occlusion bringing more realistic overall lighting and surface lighting effects. Xbox Series S players can select between dedicated 30FPS and 60FPS modes, with the former presenting the game with better textures and at higher resolutions, and the latter presenting a smooth 60FPS experience. In addition, Xbox Series X benefits from FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), a powerful upscaling technology which boosts framerate, and uses a spatial upscaling algorithm to maintain high visual quality.

The next-gen update also comes with integrated mods. The modding scene for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has always been vibrant and impressive, and we’ve curated a selection of mods to include improvements with a wide scope, such as reworked textures and character models up to 4K, refreshed monster models, visual bug fixes, immersion tweaks, and even map inconsistency fixes. It’s been great to implement community-made mods to help make this version of the game as beautiful, consistent, and up-to-modern-standards as possible.

We also have gameplay/content additions created by CD Projekt Red in-house. We scoured hundreds of mods and community requests to see what would make smart additions, and the effect is a more streamlined gameplay experience, with our own improvements on textures, character models, and cutscenes added as well. There are too many to mention here, but some additions of note include quick sign casting, making it simpler and more intuitive to cast Witcher signs in combat (no need to fiddle around with the radial menu and accidentally choose Yrden when you want Igni), more UI and map customization options, an alternative camera, environmental and character model improvements — enjoy the vastly better looking vegetation — faster herb looting that skips the loot selection window, and bug fixes which resolve some issues that the community has been aware of for quite some time.

As for new content, Witcher worlds are colliding with free DLC inspired by “The Witcher” Netflix series. We know this will be the first time some players will be playing Wild Hunt, and it’s likely that a number of these players will come to the game after watching the live-action Netflix series. Now players will be able to equip items and gear inspired by both seasons 1 & 2! We have two new armor sets and a steel and silver sword for Geralt to wield, an alternate outfit for Dandelion, and new armor for Nilfgaardian soldiers. And tying into this batch of free DLC is an all-new quest, “In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow”. These additions bring something cool for old and new players alike, bridging the worlds of the show and the game while also giving experienced players some fresh gear and some new action in the form of the quest. These items and the quest are also coming to Xbox One, by the way!

Another cool feature to bring attention to here is cross progression. Xbox players will now be able to seamlessly take their saves to other platforms thanks to the Cloud. Say you have an old save from six or seven years ago on your Xbox One — well, now you can portal that save into the next generation on Xbox Series X|S and finish up your playthrough!

There are many other elements that players will see when they get their hands on the game, and you can see the game in action on a recent REDStreams broadcast. This next-gen update is free for all current owners on Xbox One. And if you own the GOTY Edition, you’ll get a free upgrade to the Complete Edition, which includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions. Right now, save big on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt during the Xbox Black Friday sale ahead of the next-gen update.

This is a super special release for us. Veteran players get to rediscover what they loved about the game with a fresh, next-gen lens, and new players are in the envious position of discovering this epic RPG for the first time in the best way possible. That’s definitely something to be jealous of!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Game of the Year Edition

CD PROJEKT S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆546

★★★★★

$49.99 $9.99

Xbox One X Enhanced

If you buy this game, you will receive a free next-gen update on December 14th! On this date, this product’s name will also change from Game of the Year Edition to Complete Edition. The most awarded game of 2015!
Become a monster slayer for hire and embark on an epic journey to
track down the child of prophecy, a living weapon capable of untold destruction.
INCLUDES ALL EXPANSIONS AND ADDITIONAL CONTENT.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD PROJEKT S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆1511

★★★★★

$39.99 $7.99

Xbox One X Enhanced

If you buy this game, you will receive a free next-gen update on December 14th! The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a story-driven, next-generation open world role-playing game set in a visually stunning fantasy universe full of meaningful choices and impactful consequences. In The Witcher, you play as a professional monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, tasked with finding a child of prophecy in a vast open world rich with merchant cities, pirate islands, dangerous mountain passes, and forgotten caverns to explore. Features: Play as a Highly Trained Monster Slayer for Hire
Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength and reflexes, witchers are a distrusted counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live. Explore a Morally Indifferent Fantasy Open World
Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth and complexity. Chase Down the Child of Prophecy
Take on the most important contract to track down the child of prophecy, a key to save or destroy this world.

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!

Speedgunner Ultra – November 29

Speedgunner Ultra mixes two different genres — platforming and shoot-em-up — by allowing you to switch between them as an armed cyborg with the ability to fire rockets, or reactive jet with the ability to dash and accelerate. Use your forms and abilities wisely to overcome the challenges and crush your enemies!

Soccer Story – November 29 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Available on day one with Game Pass: A physics-driven adventure RPG, where every problem can be solved with your trusty magic ball. Along the way, you’ll need to best bad guys in 1v1s, compete in a range of sports (with your soccer ball, of course), and solve puzzles with your brain and your balls!

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (PC) – November 30

Available on day one with PC Game Pass: Take back the city of Tertium from hordes of bloodthirsty foes in this intense and brutal action shooter. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is the new co-op focused experience from the award-winning team behind the Vermintide series. As Tertium falls, rejects will rise!

Megalan 11 – November 30 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Unlucky rescuers have only eleven days to get off a planet that has been abandoned by everyone. Their scientific expedition ship catches a SOS signal, but because of an unsuccessful landing, the rescue operation turns out to be a complete failure. Now you must find shelter and adapt to the harsh conditions of the red planet, and even though there are five people in the crew, you must rely only on yourself.

Warp Drive – December 1 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A fast-paced racing game with a brand-new way to drive: teleport! Go behind the wheel of a powerful Quad Rotor to test your creative driving abilities by racing on the ceiling, jumping huge canyons, and driving up waterfalls in an epic inverted racing battle! Drive smart, battle rivals, boost fast, and warp your way to victory!

Sword of the Vagrant – December 1

As Vivian, you will experience an exciting and challenging adventure focused on 2D action RPG combat gameplay that utilizes combo chains, charge attacks, and special skills, all while improving your character’s build through new equipment and abilities.

The Callisto Protocol – December 2 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The Callisto Protocol is a next-gen take on survival horror from the mind of Glen Schofield (Dead Space, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare). Blending atmosphere, tension, and brutality with terrifying moments of helplessness and humanity, The Callisto Protocol immerses players in a pulse-pounding story where unspeakable horrors lurk around every corner. Pre-order now to get the Retro Prisoner Character and Weapons Skin.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns – December 2 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

When the demonic Lilith and her fearsome horde unite with the evil armies of Hydra, it’s time to unleash Marvel’s dark side. As The Hunter, your mission is to lead an unlikely team of seasoned heroes and dangerous supernatural warriors to victory. Can legends such as Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Blade put aside their differences in the face of a growing apocalyptic threat? If you’re going to save the world, you’ll have to forge alliances and lead the team into battle as the legendary Midnight Suns.

Need for Speed Unbound – December 2

The world is your canvas in Need for Speed Unbound. Prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Across four intense weeks of racing, earn enough cash to enter weekly qualifiers, beat the competition, and make your mark on the street racing scene while outdriving and outsmarting the cops. This latest edition in the Need for Speed franchise from Criterion Games delivers hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping action. Start playing three days early by picking up Need for Speed Unbound – Palace Edition.

The Knight

Beneath plated steel lies unspeakable horror. Dead by Daylight’s latest Killer, The Knight, is an expert tactician from a bygone age, who works alongside his three deadly Guards.

To effectively master this Killer, you must embrace a strategic approach, employ clever tactics to outwit Survivors, and overwhelm opponents with well-positioned Guards. While The Knight comes with 3 Character Perks – Nowhere to Hide, Hex: Face the Darkness, and Hubris – this guide is focused on his Power and how to use it.

A New Power

The Knight’s Power, Guardia Compagnia,allows players to create Patrol Paths for their three AI-controlled Guards to travel. Guards are summoned one by one in an unchanging cyclical rotation, with each one possessing a unique speciality. Once summoned, they will spot and chase down any nearby Survivor, alerting you to their presence.

While creating a Patrol Path, you can command them to destroy Breakable Walls and Pallets, or damage Generators. Once they finish their assignment, they will depart, and your Power will recharge.

Know Your Guards

The Knight can summon the help of his three loyal Guards, all of whom share his affinity for the hunt: The Carnifex, The Assassin, and The Jailer. The order they are summoned never changes, but each one has their own macabre speciality. To excel as The Knight, it is important that you familiarize yourself with each one so that you can use them effectively.

The Carnifex is the first, recognizable for his large stature, grotesque appearance, and massive cleaver. He specializes in quickly damaging Generators and breaking Pallets and Breakable Walls.

The Assassin is the second, recognizable for his bald head, leather armor, and jagged dagger. He specializes in the hunt, moving faster than his compatriots while patrolling. His speed makes him ideal for corralling Survivors into your path.

The Jailer is the third, recognizable for his jagged helmet, his plate armor, and his flail. This Guard is the most thorough, spending the longest on the patrol and searching hard for Survivors in his path.

It’s entirely possible that a high-speed Trial will have you sending out guards frequently, so don’t stress too much if you lose track at any point. You’ll be able to see which one is next in the cycle by checking out the glowing symbol beside your weapon, as each Guard has a specific one. The Jailer’s is a set of keys, the Assassin’s is a blade, and The Carnifex’s is a skeletal helmet.

Be a Commander

Decades of martial prowess has developed The Knight into a formidable warrior, capable of cutting down foes with ease. While his skill with the blade cannot be denied, his mind as a tactician is equally sharp. In fact, it’s a skillset you should hone as well, as The Knight’s main ability centres around multi-tasking and prediction.

Remember, you are not alone – your Guards are meant to work alongside you and should be positioned accordingly. They can cover ground in your absence, providing vital information and potentially confirming suspicions. You can also use them to corral Survivors into favourable territory – a zone without any big loops or Pallets, for instance – by planning your routes accordingly. It’s far more effective to intercept Survivors being chased by a Guard, rather than running alongside them down the same path.

Sometimes, you will know a Survivor’s exact location. During these moments, you can attempt to quickly injure that Survivor with your Guard. The trick is to end your Patrol Path directly in front of, or otherwise on top of the Survivor, so your Guard will spawn and immediately begin chase. If successful, you can follow up with an attack of your own and down a Survivor in seconds. This tactic can also prove effective while in a chase, provided you can keep track of a Survivor’s audio cues.

Delegate

While it’s beneficial to use your Guards to chase Survivors, it’s important to efficiently manage your time in a Trial. Sometimes, Survivors will use a specific strategy where they drop a Pallet early to either force you to destroy or ignore it and continue the chase on their terms. Luckily, your Guards can render this strategy ineffective, as you can use them to break a Pallet while you are actively chasing a Survivor – though you will slow down for a moment.

You won’t be able to use your Guard immediately after, so consider assigning a break action if you feel confident enough to end the chase. Sometimes, you will damage a Generator only for a nearby Survivor to emerge from their hiding spot and stop the regression. If you predict they will do that, you can use your Guard to double back and punish their stealthy tactics.

The Knight is a unique Killer in the roster, and should you take the time to understand how to use his abilities, you’ll be executing impressive plays in short order. The Knight is now available in Dead by Daylight: Forged In Fog on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Dead by Daylight

Behaviour Interactive Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆1296

★★★★★

$29.99 $11.99

Xbox Game Pass

Ever wished to play as one of the characters from your favorite horror movies? Dead by Daylight is a 1v4 multiplayer game that draws from all corners of the horror world from a powerful slasher to a terrifying paranormal entity. Choose between playing an unstoppable Killer and one of 4 Survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every Survivor. This Edition of Dead by Daylight gives you access to a roster of 7 Killers (The Trapper, The Hillbilly, The Wraith, The Nurse, The Hag, The Huntress and The Doctor) and 9 Survivors (Meg Thomas, Claudette Morel, Jake Park, Dwight Fairfield, Ace Visconti, Nea Karlsson, Bill Overbeck, Feng Min and David King). It also includes two cosmetic add-ons packed with outfits for various characters.

Happy resurrection day, gunslingers! Today marks the worldwide release of Gungrave G.O.R.E and now players can experience the gore-tastic world created by Yasuhiro Nightow. In addition to its release today for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, we’re delighted to share with you the first reveal of the O.D. Grave Skin which is inspired by previous entries in the series. To learn more about the inclusion of O.D. Grave, I had a chance to sit down with Gungrave G.O.R.E. General Director Kay Kim to talk about the skin, the recently released game, and more. Enjoy!

Why include this original skin?

I believe that many fans will miss character designs from previous versions. That’s why we included skins from the past.

Did you have to change it in any way to make it fit for this style?

Since these are from the past, we didn’t want it to look too fancy, so we kept the old-school vibe. We sticked to the original design and made it look a bit aged purposely.

Was Yasuhiro Nightow involved in the modern day use?

Nightow-san participated in character design.

How did Yasuhiro Nightow react when he saw his creations on the latest gaming tech?

He likes the style of the game, not only the character style. He wanted more various action and gore-ness and I believe those elements are implemented well.

What is your favourite skin in the game, as there are a few like Death Ronin, Classic, and others.

The Brandon Heat skin appeared in the Gungrave series for the first time, and he has his own original motion and original demolition shot. I would say this is more of a character than a skin. For Death Ronin Grave, it will give you a unique vibe since Nakamura-san, who is an artist and a fan of Gungrave, did a reinterpretation of Grave in her way. Classic and O.D. skins bring nostalgia to many. It’s not just about Grave but memories of yourself back then, songs, movies, fashions, etc. that were hot during those days, remind me of those. Now that I said out, all skins look good to me.

As the game releases soon, have you a message for our readers?

Thank you for waiting for a long time. Gungrave G.O.R.E inherited all the pros from its previous versions while adding various system and large volume of numbers which made it the biggest in volume among all Gungrave series. I am hoping you enjoy the game so much we can make the next one in the future. If you want an explosive action game, please play it.

Thank you Kay Kim for taking the time to chat and share the reveal of O.D. Grave! We hope you’re looking forward to playing Gungrave G.O.R.E on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S as well as with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass today.

Gungrave G.O.R.E

Prime Matter

☆☆☆☆☆99

★★★★★

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Gungrave G.O.R.E is a stylish third-person action shooter by South-Korean Studio IGGYMOB in which you take on the role of Grave, a gunslinger of resurrection and badass anti-hero of your dreams, mowing down tons of enemies in a gory ballet of bullets. G.O.R.E
As the titular Gunslinger of Resurrection, you become the badass anti-hero of your dreams, an ultimate killing machine, brutalising your foes without mercy. Taking cover and retreating is not an option for Grave, he only ever goes full steam ahead, preferably right through his enemies. Style on your foes with gun-tastic stylish combat
Stylish third-person shooting meets close-range martial arts, creating seamlessly flowing action as you crush your enemies in a gory ballet of bullets. Utilise your unlimited ammo Cerberus pistols and your transformable EVO-coffin to unleash devastating combos in pursuit of maximum damage and style. Let there be Vengeance
Strap in for a wild ride, an epic & emotional story of vengeance, love and loyalty, with more than 12 hours of gameplay in the story mode, for Gungrave fans and newcomers alike. Enjoy the Scenery
Go on an epic adventure across South-East Asia, based on real-life locations with a dark, futuristic twist.

Switzerland is nice this time of year. The weather is crisp, but not cold, the valleys are full of lush greenery, and powerful railgun shots ripple across the hillside. Well, that’s the Swedish wilderness you can expect to see in Battlefield 2042 – Season 03: Escalation as it lands on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S starting from today, bringing with it a new specialist, map, weapons, and several quality-of-life improvements along with its availability with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! Let’s dive into the details.

New Specialist

For you assault players, Zain looks to have everything you’re hoping for. Part of that is thanks to his XM370A airburst rifle that’s designed to clear enemies from cover. He also has some of the fastest health recharge rates in the game and can immediately recover health after taking out an enemy. All these features make him a prime candidate to be leading the charge on the battlefield.

New Map

Spearhead is inspired by the Swedish wilderness and contains two semi-automated facilities to engage in and around of. Inside you can expect to be exchanging gunfire while diving between high tech weaponry and mechanical parts designed for weather machines; outside you’ll navigate across rough terrain and in-between massive rock formations as you take the fight to the enemy.

New Weapons and Vehicle

Four new weapons make their mark in Season 03: Escalation…

• Rorsch MK-4 Railgun: Utilizing an electromagnetic force to launch projectiles at an absurd velocity, the railgun features an underbarrel system with multiple firing modes and is sure to be one the most powerful tools on the field of battle — for those who can master its charging time.
• NVK-S22 Smart Shotgun: A dual-barreled, semi-automatic weapon that provides potent destructive power in a compact package.
• NVK-P125 Bullpup Pistol: Its long barrel makes it ideal for engaging foes at long distances with high precision.
• Throwing Knives: Take enemies out quickly and quietly with this classic Battlefield weapon.

Oh, and there’s a new tank…

• EMKV90-TOR Tank: Featuring cutting-edge tech, the EMKV90-TOR can detect the source of incoming attacks within a certain range and displays them in your HUD. It’s also capable of shifting into two modes:
  • Mobility: Throttle up and speed across the battlefield and unleash destruction along the way.
  • Siege: Bring the pain as you slow the tank to a crawl, allowing for greater suspension and a faster firing speed with your turret.

Reworked Maps and Specialists

Revised versions of Manifest and Breakaway will debut during Season 03; the new Manifest map is deploying in December and Breakaway will arrive at some time in January. Specialists will also move into Battlefield’s Class system, bringing with it class equipment and a class gadget. Other changes will be in store as well, like Irish moving to support and Crawford to engineer. There will be other changes coming throughout the season as well as into Season 04. Stay tuned to Battlefield’s official site for the latest news.

New Battle Pass

The Season 03 Battle Pass features 100 tiers of free and premium content for players to unlock, like the new specialist, weapons, gadgets, and more. Note: All gameplay-affecting items in Battlefield 2042 are free and earnable for all players.

Play Now with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

EA Play members with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can now dive in and start playing Battlefield 2042 today! As detailed in last week’s Xbox Wire feature, EA Play members can also suit up with the Aurora Epic Soldier Set, an epic-rarity set for specialist (and veteran combat surgeon) Falck from now until December 1. Log in today and claim your rewards!

And that’s everything for Battlefield 2042 – Season 03: Escalation! Check it out today on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. As always, keep it tuned here to Xbox Wire for all the latest and greatest news on your favorite games.

Battlefield™ 2042 Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆2428

★★★★★

$69.99 $27.99

Buy the Battlefield™ 2042 cross-gen bundle and get both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions. Battlefield™ 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. In a near-future world transformed by disorder, adapt and overcome dynamically-changing battlegrounds with the help of your squad and a cutting-edge arsenal. Call the shots with Battlefield™ 2042 – Season 3: Escalation. Come face to face with the enemy in the northern Swedish wilderness and dominate ground warfare with new technological weaponry, the EMKV90-TOR railgun tank, and Vault weapons. Deploy as new Specialist Zain and flush out enemies with his XM370A semi-automatic airburst rifle. Things are going to escalate quickly. With support for 128 players on Xbox Series X|S, and for 64 players on Xbox One, Battlefield™ 2042 brings unprecedented scale on vast battlegrounds. Players will take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough, Battlefield™ Portal; a new community-driven platform where players can create, share and discover unexpected battles from Battlefield’s iconic past, present and future, and Battlefield™ Hazard Zone; a tense, squad-focused survival experience where every bullet, every skirmish, and every decision counts. This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items. CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE https://www.ea.com/games/battlefield/battlefield-2042/disclaimers FOR DETAILS. NO WEAPON, MILITARY VEHICLE OR GEAR MANUFACTURER IS AFFILIATED WITH OR HAS SPONSORED OR ENDORSED THIS GAME.

If you enjoy copper foliage and crisp breezes, then do yourself a favor and check out the scenery in Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis during the month of November! Central City is bedecked in Autumn finery, and you can almost hear the leaves crunching underfoot. These aren’t the only changes to the landscape of Aelio; you can now find Greenealcite and other new Gathering Materials throughout the regions. Make sure you get in on a run of the Limited-time Quest Practice Drill: Crisp Autumn Aelio Defense too! To find out more about this event, check out the outline below!

Autumn Event ’22 Part 2 (begins November 11-16)

• Limited-time Quest Practice Drill: Crisp Autumn Aelio Defense
• Field Races
  • South Retem
  • West Kvaris
• New Limited-time Tasks
• King Captan
• Seasonal enemies
• Autumn ’22 Rappy
• Seasonal maps and weather
• Seasonal Points and Event Exchange Shop
• Special Event Scratch Tickets
• Seasonal Event World Trials
• And more!

If you’ve never played Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, find out what kind of ARKS Defender you’ll be by visiting the Xbox Store and downloading the game for free on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S today!

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

SEGA Corporation

☆☆☆☆☆752

★★★★★

Xbox One X Enhanced

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, the latest chapter in the Phantasy Star Online 2 series, is here at last!
It’s time to jump into adventures beyond imagination! This new adventure takes place on a vast open field! Up to 32 people can enjoy the adventure in a new world with beautifully-evolved graphics! The simple and intuitive controls developed in the series up to now have also evolved! A new dimension of battle with a variety of powerful enemies awaits! The new actions Photon Dash and Photon Glide allow you to traverse across the vast open field with ease! Of course, the ultimate in character creation has also evolved. Create your own main character that will be unique throughout the world, and head out to a new adventure! ・The core game is Free-to-Play, but there is certain paid content that can be purchased. ・The Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis game that can be downloaded with this content is the same as that included in other editions. You do not have to download this if it is already installed. ・Proceeding with play in Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis will allow you to play Phantasy Star Online 2. ・Please log in with an administrator account to play this game.

Ship of Fools is an exciting and chaotic multiplayer experience that follows a shoal of adorable characters as they set sail and try to survive The Everlasting Storm and prevent the impending Aquapocalypse. It’s a must have game for friends and families looking to cast off into the roguelike genre, so grab a second player (either on the couch or on the other side of the world) and ride the stormy seas, but be warned that Ship of Fools will put any friendship and relationship to the test!

Ship of Fools is a seafaring roguelite co-op game where you play the Fools, the only creatures foolhardy enough to brave the seas around their home, the Archipelago. At its heart is The Great Lighthouse, which once protected the Archipelago but now is broken… just as a storm of malice and corruption is coming on the horizon.

The bombastic co-op combat will leave you needing to take breathers in between runs and shouting at loved ones when they accidentally throw your only good ammo off the side. While chaos reigns on deck there are more tactical choices to be made: When the Fools’ enemies are vanquished at the end of each zone, make your choice and continue charting a course through the storm. Taking inspiration from games like Faster Than Light, sail straight into danger and plunder as much loot as possible before hitting the stormy unknown.

While playing Ship of Fools, the music transports you to the inky blue waters of the Archipelago, with a main theme heavily inspired by sea shanties that further echo the co-op gameplay. Each level is one big music track that adapts and changes, building up to a wave-crashing crescendo of panic throughout the most action-packed parts. The soundtrack formed the basis for the incredible sea shanty written by the developers and composed by The Longest Johns, which is featured on the official Ship of Fools launch trailer.

Sure, stopping the Aquapocalypse is a scary prospect, but that doesn’t mean Ship of Fools is terrifying to behold! In fact, the game was in pre-production for an extended time to ensure the developers honed a unique art style that carefully walks the plank between cute and weird (which they’ve definitely achieved!) Doing away with graphical fakery, the team also used 2D sprites and animated them as 3D meshes, allowing them to use the Z axis in engine; additionally, some of Ship of Fools’ game mechanics were designed around the art direction to ensure the fun experience of taking on the great leviathans of the deeps looks as good as it plays!

So, are you fool enough to brave the storm-ridden Archipelago, hold back The Everlasting Storm, and prevent the oncoming Aquapocalypse? Check out Ship of Fools on Xbox Series X|S today.

Ship of Fools

Team17

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99 $13.49

Ship of Fools is a seafaring roguelite co-op game where you play the Fools, the only creatures fool enough to brave the sea. The Great Lighthouse that once protected the Archipelago is broken and a storm of malice and corruption is coming. Together, you and your ship mates will jump aboard The Stormstrider and make your voyage across the sea. Man the cannons, ready your sails and protect your ship from sea monsters over multiple runs. It’s up to you to defend your home from the almighty Aquapocalypse. In a nutshell, Ship of Fools is a game about blasting away your seaborne foes with mighty cannons as you defend your ship. Inspired by modern classic roguelites and built for co-op, you’ll want to bring your first mate on deck and enjoy oarsome combat as you unlock new trinkets and artifacts to help you save the world from catastrophe. Uncover lost treasures and remote shops on the islands of the Archipelago, but plan your moves carefully! As you chart your way through the sector, the Everlasting Storm shifts and changes, blocking your paths with its fury. You’ll need to adjust your course in reaction to storm movements and decide when you can brave a trip to discover what lurks inside the storm. Man your ship as a solo sailor and fight your way through dangerous waters and keep the glory for yourself, Ship of Fools offers solo play as well as multiplayer. As they sing in old sailor songs: it’s sometimes better to have no crew than a dysfunctional one! With many Fools to play with, unique items to find and unlock, combat encounters to fight in and many islands to visit, each run will bring something new to your voyage. Bolster your strength each time, ready to defeat the monsters of the deep sea. Key Features
Frantic nautical combat as two shipmates in co-op or as a solo sailor Colossal leviathans to challenge the hardiest of sailors
Chart your route through the maps of the Archipelago and brave the Everlasting Storm
Embody one of the unique Fools with special abilities to help you on your journey
100+ trinkets and artifacts to collect and combo for winning strategies
Swashbuckling hand-drawn artwork to put the wind in your sails

In this season of Fall Guys, explore a lost city under the sea! These crumbling courses are in need of repair, so get ready to dodge the dangers of the deep, including wonky obstacles and the tentacles of a mighty kraken! The city’s former inhabitants also built colossal slime slides, so take a leap for a quick but perilous slip to the finish line…

Contestants seeking extra rewards for their efforts can also earn two full costume variations via new Marathon Challenges, so grab a tropical floaty and dive into this season of secrets!

We’re Drowning in Rounds!

You’ll be under pressure in the seabound world of Sunken Secrets. Dodge Kraken tentacles and pull off the ultimate Dive Slide in our five new Rounds. From Blastlantis to Kraken Slam, you’ll be dodging through obstacles amongst calamari calamity in order to take the Crown!

Sea-Son Pass

You Xbox gamers are no joke, working hard to unlock rewards like it’s nobody’s business! With a new season, comes a brand-new Season Pass, packed to the brim with oceanic goodies.

For anyone who doesn’t grab the Season Pass: worry not! There will continue to be a free progression path available for you to get fun unlockables as well.

Let’s Get Kraken!

To kick off this new nautical season, we bring you the Let’s Get Kraken Event! Exploring the Lost City might be a dangerous adventure, what with a Kraken lurking in the ruins… But it’s worth taking on the challenge. Playing the new Rounds will deliver some delightful rewards, including a very fancy Ancient Alloy Anchor Wearable!

To keep up with all things Fall Guys, including updates on store items, collaborations and Limited Time events, check out our official Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.. Never stumble alone and join the shenanigans on the official Fall Guys Discord.

Dive into the Blunderdome, we’ll see you there!

Fall Guys

Epic Games

☆☆☆☆☆999

★★★★★

You’re invited to dive and dodge your way to victory in the pantheon of clumsy. Rookie or pro? Solo or partied up? Fall Guys delivers ever-evolving, high-concentrated hilarity and fun. The only thing more important than winning is looking as ridiculous as possible while doing it. Grab the silliest costume you can and fall in line—the show’s about to start! Competitive & Cooperative: Tumble between competitive free-for-alls and cooperative challenges—or take on the Blunderdome with up to 3 friends! Play with Friends: Fall Guys supports cross-play, cross-platform parties and cross-progression via your Epic Games Account. Ever-Evolving Content: Play stays fresh with Limited Time Events and new game modes. Each Season brings with it new costumes, collabs, obstacles and ways to play. Gloriously Customizable: Choose from a multitude of Colors, Patterns, Costumes and Nameplates. Relish wins with voguish Celebrations and share your flair with Emotes! Items shown may require separate purchase from the in-game store and are subject to availability. Contains in-game purchases.

Hi everyone, I’m Tomasz from Flying Wild Hog, Lead Producer on Evil West, our weird west, third-person, action combat adventure game now available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Today, I’d like to dive into the unique world we’ve created for Evil West, and tell you about what inspired the mood, environments, and art in our gothic horror, spaghetti western joyride.

Weird West is quite a niche genre in games, so we were really excited about all the unexplored territory here. We’ve been inspired by works which take established tropes and put very interesting spins on them. Take Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy” comic for example, which takes gothic elements and makes them lighter with a laid-back main character.

Brian Azzarello’s “Moonshine” comic does a similar thing, mixing vampire tropes with real history to great effect. Another great example is Netflix’s “Castlevania” series, where the monster hunter profession is cast in a different light by very human and vulnerable characters.

In Evil West, we uproot European vampires and plant them in the old American West. Once we did that, so much of the world grew naturally, and we just had to follow the weeds of our creative guts taking us into beautiful, dark, and unexpected places. The vampires in Evil West have discovered a new and dangerous power, and now the wild west must progress or perish. The response is the lightning-powered gauntlet, developed by the vampire-hunting Rentier Institute, a tool both brutal and elegant.

The gauntlet fit perfectly both in terms of setting and gameplay; the vampire hunters got something new against the growing threat, and now we had an awesome lightning-powered melee-centric weapon to create combo-based, fast-paced combat with a spectacular, gory presentation. Plus all the guns, of course, can’t forget about the guns! Shotgun, rifle, and flamethrower, to name a few.

The Wild West means more than just the traditional rocky deserts and canyons though. In our weirder Wild West, the sunset paints the landscape blood red and stretching shadows mingle with crawling monstrosities. Gaunt figures perform dark rituals in abandoned shacks while creatures from folklore stalk the twilight.

We have a wide variety of iconic Wild West-inspired locations that have been twisted with dark horror: from trains to banks, desert towns to snowy mountains, and beyond that, gaping subterranean tombs, smoke-choked industrial factories, and more.

It was also important for us to ramp up the stakes and scale of the locations as you progress, with some really mind-blowing stages for the grand finale. The dusty desert border town is a great place for us to start, but even this location has been twisted to some degree.

To achieve the mood we wanted in terms of art direction, we did a lot of bending of reality. We want it to be familiar enough to recognize, but with something that still feels different. For example, to create a more gothic, twisted mood for our wild west towns, we added one or two extra floors to most of the buildings, along with more balconies and stairways. It makes the buildings seem to loom over you, while still resembling the traditional western frontier towns you’ve seen in your favorite movies.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this dip into the world of Evil West, and what inspired it. The whole team has worked super hard on nailing the game’s feel and style. I can’t wait for you all to punch your first vampire in half. It’s going to be one hell of a ride!

Evil West is developed by Flying Wild Hog and published by Focus Entertainment. It’s now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Evil West

Focus Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆54

★★★★★

Evil never sleeps… but it bleeds. A dark menace consumes the American frontier. As one of the last agents in a top secret vampire-hunting institute, you are the final line between humanity and a deep-rooted terror that now emerges from the shadows. Rise up to become a Wild West Superhero, eradicate the vampire threat and save the United States! In visceral, explosive combat, unleash hell with your firearms, lightning-fueled gauntlet and gadgets. Kill bloodthirsty monstrosities in style as a lone hunter or in co-op with a friend. Explore and fight in a narrative-driven campaign while upgrading your weapons and hunting tools. Unlock new perks to evolve your monster-slaying mastery, crafting your own playstyle to defeat the supernatural hordes. • Battle alone or with a friend in stylish, gory action combat
• Myths and legends retold within a stylised, weird wild west universe
• Evolve with perks, upgradable weapons, and tools
• Explore and fight through a story-driven campaign to save America

The ‘Return of the Damned’ Adventure may have come to a close, but the battle between its two opposing sides is only just beginning! In the eighth Sea of Thieves Season, this brewing rivalry breaks out into a full-blown Battle for the Sea of Thieves, pitting crew against crew to determine whether the Guardians of Fortune or the Servants of the Flame will rule the waves. So man the cannons and pick a side – there’s a war to be won.

If you’re eager to get into the heat of this ongoing battle, worry not: Season Eight is now available as a free update for all players with Xbox Game Pass, across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC, and Steam.

As always, Season Eight will also offer 100 levels of rewards for all players to unlock by just playing the game and raising their Renown – rewards including cosmetics, gold and Ancient Coins. Players also have the option of purchasing the latest Plunder Pass to access premium items not yet available anywhere else! Find out more about how Seasons work in our Seasons Explained and Plunder Pass Explained articles.

Pirate vs. Pirate

Caught between the opposing ideologies of the Pirate Lord and Captain Flameheart, the Sea of Thieves has descended into open warfare. Using the new Hourglass of Fate on their ships, all pirate crews who wish to join the fray can vote on a Faction to side with: the Guardians of Fortune, backed by the likes of the Pirate Lord and Belle, or the Servants of the Flame, fuelled by the hunger of the Reapers and their loyalty to Flameheart.

Once you’ve chosen your Faction, the goal is simple: sink as many enemy ships from the opposing Faction as you can. Unfurl the War Map, dive beneath the waves and enter head-to-head showdowns with crews of similar ability to your own. Fight and win, and you’ll earn Allegiance and unlock Faction rewards!

Building up a streak of defeated enemy Faction ships will also result in boosted Allegiance, and sinking four or more in a row will mark you as a Faction Champion! Be warned though, becoming a Champion will make you visible to any other players in the area and taking you down will grant them a greater boost than usual. An enticing target for any pirate looking to make a name for themselves.

The Spoils of War

Should you really want to raise the stakes, go boldly into battle with as much treasure aboard your ship as possible to amplify your Allegiance-earning potential. Staying afloat is also good news for your Hourglass of Fate: with every win, your Hourglass will increase in value. When you vote to leave the Battle for the Sea of Thieves, you can cash in your Hourglass at any Outpost or The Reaper’s Hideout, depending on your Faction – but if you get sunk first, all that stored value will be lost to the waves!

As you win battles and unlock rewards, your Allegiance will continue to rise. Eventually you’ll earn serious perks including access to previously unexplored areas of each Faction’s hideout. Ever wondered what (and who) lurks beneath The Reaper’s Hideout? You might just get a chance to find out…

Raising your Allegiance will also grant you access to unique Curses from each Faction, which are a lot more enticing than they sound. Players siding with the Guardians of Fortune can earn the Legendary Blessing of Athena’s Fortune which allows them to embrace the Ghostly Curse, while Servants of the Flame can be at one with their inner skelly by unlocking the Skeleton Curse (and then pay a visit to the Bonesmith to customize their new look).

Emissaries and Captains won’t miss out on the fun either. If you’re already an Emissary for Athena’s Fortune or The Reaper’s Bones, siding with the corresponding Faction to sink ships of the opposing Faction will net all the usual rewards and boost your Emissary Grade, company reputation and Ledger position. For Captains, Season Eight introduces two new Milestone Alignments in the Ship’s Log: The Guardian and The Servant. Representing the relevant Factions to progress through these Milestones will unlock new Trinkets and customization options.

Enter the Emporium

No update is complete without new Pirate Emporium treasures, and this one is no exception! First up is the opulent King’s Ransom Ship Collection based on the kind of wildly wealthy royalty found only in fables, letting players deck out their vessels in glorious gold and maybe accentuate the look with a King’s Ransom Crown. And as the Night Wulf Ship Collection is a perennial favorite, its influence expands this month with the Night Wulf Costume and Weapon Bundle!

Not to be left out, new Plunder Pass purchasers are in for a treat this Season with not only the full Ravenwood Ship Collection (including Collector’s Figurehead and Sails) added to the pool of Seasonal rewards, but also the evolving Ravenwood Costume that changes as you raise your Renown and progress through the Season.

For any deal hunters out there, good news! The Black Friday Sale is set to run from November 24–29, delivering discounts on classic cosmetics from Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life and other iconic sets, alongside a fleeting restock of the rare Golden Skull Sails. And don’t miss out on the free Confident Captain Emote while you’re browsing!

Find Out More

For more information on the Sea of Thieves Season Eight update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. The update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC or via Steam, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.

New to Sea of Thieves? Find out about the latest free content updates on our What’s New page, get familiar with Who’s Who or pick up some gameplay tips from our Pirate Academy, which provides invaluable information on topics ranging from sailing to swordplay as you prepare for your maiden voyage. Learn more about Sea of Thieves here, or join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

Sea of Thieves

Microsoft Studios

☆☆☆☆☆1106

★★★★★

$39.99 $19.99

Xbox One X Enhanced

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Live Gold membership required to play on Xbox One; sold separately. ========= About the game
Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right. With no set roles, you have complete freedom to approach the world, and other players, however you choose. Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond? A vast open world
Explore a vast open world filled with unspoiled islands, sunken ships and mysterious artefacts. Take on quests to hunt for lost treasure, seek out cursed Skeleton Captains or gather valuable cargo for the Trading Companies. Go hunting and fishing or choose from hundreds of optional goals and side-quests. Unforgettable stories
Play through the Tall Tales to experience Sea of Thieves’ unique take on a story-driven campaign. With 11 tales to play through across two epic storylines, these immersive and cinematic quests provide around 30 hours of the ultimate pirate fantasy. Become Legend On your journey to become a Pirate Legend you’ll amass loot, build a reputation and define a unique personal style with your hard-earned rewards. Adventurer. Explorer. Conqueror. What will your legend be? A game that’s always growing
With five major expansions and almost a year’s worth of monthly updates, Sea of Thieves is a service-based game that is continually growing and evolving. Check back each month to see what new content has been added.

Here are this week’s games and add-on deals available from the Microsoft Games Store. Discounts are valid now through November 28, 2022 (actual end date varies by sale).

The Xbox Black Friday Sale starts November 17 and runs until November 30. Save up to 67% on over 900 Xbox games and add-ons.

Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Deals

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members.

Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region. Content Type varies by title and some titles may have multiple types not listed. Check the title’s individual product page for specific details about the game.

Xbox 360 Deals

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members.

Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region. Content Type varies by title and some titles may have multiple types not listed. Check the title’s individual product page for specific details about the game.

Harness nature’s energy to power the ancient Karakuri technology.

Hunt not in anger
Rather use wisdom and skill
With knowledge, prevail

Before you’re ready to tame a world gone wild, it’s wise to take some time to understand both the often brutal prey you’ll be hunting as well as the ancient technology that will give you the edge against them when Wild Hearts launches on February 17, 2023.

The game is set in a fantasy feudal Japan, specifically in a land called Azuma. It was once harmonious with the beautiful landscape surrounding it but is now a beautifully dangerous place. Local maps show the land split into four main areas; the picturesque meadows of Blossom Trail, the sandy beaches of Spirit Isle, the soaring clouds above Harvest Canyon, and the blistering winds of Frozen Fort.

The people of Azuma are now threatened by giant beasts they call Kemono. Fueled by desperation, they wield the power of primal nature at its most destructive – and they use that power to shape the environment around them. Calamity follows in their wake, and for a long time, the people are helpless against them.

As the Kemono expand their territory in order to survive, the city of Minato – a small harbor village is slowly dying, being eroded by nature. There you will find like-minded individuals who will aid you in your journey to bring peace to Azuma once again.

When the Deathstalker wolf howls the people tremble in fear – but you only feel the thrill of the hunt to come. For you have a singular gift, a powerful ancient technology known as Karakuri. This technology is ancient, and though once known to many and used to protect humanity, it has now been all but lost. Karakuri can be used as both weapons and tools, built to meet your needs at any moment. There are many forms this technology can take, from a simple torch to light your way to a celestial cannon giving you enough massive firepower to stagger your prey. You can use this tech to scout out your prey, set up strong defenses against the Kemono attacks, refashion your hunting grounds to give you the upper hand, and more.

Of course, there’s more to the life of a hunter than stalking prey. You’ll need to gather resources to help build or upgrade your armor and weapons. A plentiful, though elusive resource like fish may be tricky to catch, Karakuri can be fashioned into a handy paddle scoop to allow you to quickly catch and store them.

There’s much to explore in Azuma, whether you’re searching for resources or actively hunting, and the Karakuri can aid in making your travel a bit faster and easier. Rely on the flying vine, roller, or glider to take you from one place to another quickly. The flying vine (similar to a zipline) or glider can also give you the elevation you need to better understand almost any location, easily catch up to your fellow hunters, or create a better angle of attack while fighting a Kemono.

Any good hunter knows that preparation is key, and the Karakuri can even help you train between hunts to improve your skills. Build the training bear to spar and test out new weapons or increase your abilities with your current ones. There’s no such thing as being too prepared when it comes to hunting beasts as dangerous and powerful as the Kemono.

Developed by Omega Force, the Japanese studio behind the Dynasty Warriors franchise, Wild Hearts takes you on an epic adventure set in a fantasy world inspired by feudal Japan. Prepare to join the hunt on February 17, 2023, and add Wild Hearts to your wish list today.

“Hello, my name is Doctor Glenn Pierce, and I’m excited to tell you about Superliminal on Xbox Series X…”

Would that he could. Would that he could… Instead, you’ll have to make do with me, Christopher Floyd, Producer and Designer on Superliminal. Just like Dr Pierce, though, I am also excited to tell you about Superliminal on Xbox Series X. What a coincidence!

It’s a beautiful day. At long last, after melting our brains into a non-euclidean soup and straining it through the engine, Superliminal will soon be playable on Xbox Series X in 4k at 60fps. If all goes to plan, you’ll be able to melt your very own brain on November 21st, just in time for a tryptophan-induced fugue state! Or ‘Thanksgiving’, as some like to call it.

For those of you not yet accustomed to the special magic of Superliminal, it is a mind-bending first-person puzzle game, through which by solving fantastic puzzles using the ambiguity of depth and perspective, you find your way through and hopefully escape a surreal dream world . People who write even more coherently than I do have said the following:

“A puzzling masterclass with a heart as well as a brain.”

• Eurogamer – Recommended

“Perhaps the most innovative first-person puzzle game since Portal.”

• GameCritics

“A novel mechanic that’s unlike anything I’ve seen in a game before.”

• Washington Post

High praise, I am sure you’ll agree. Now, new features!

Since its initial release on Xbox, Superliminal now features full Developer Commentary and Challenge modes. Meet the team behind the game, learn how we pulled off such visual design trickery, then prove your mastery of the puzzles by solving them within devilishly tight limitations – all in-game. My favorite is the bouncy castle.

With a collective 150 million views on YouTube, Superliminal is a game that has to be seen to be believed. And then has to be played, thus causing you to wonder if you truly believe anything at all.

Superliminal will be available Nov 21st priced at $19.99 and will go on sale on Nov 22nd! The 4k upgrade is free for existing owners of the game!

Thanks for Dreaming.

Superliminal

Pillow Castle

☆☆☆☆☆298

★★★★★

$19.99 $15.99

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Falling asleep at 3AM, you close your eyes to the cheesy commercial of Dr. Pierce’s dream therapy program. You wake up in an unfamiliar environment, only to realize that you’re stuck in a dream – a dream where perception is reality. Welcome to Superliminal. Superliminal is a first-person puzzle game inspired perspective and optical illusions. Players tackle impossible puzzles by thinking outside the box and learning to expect the unexpected. This game features a wonderfully subdued world, an intriguingly voiced narrative, and things that are really weird.

We’re surrounded by music every day. Think about it: If you go to the shops, watch a movie, are on public transport or even if you go for a walk — chances are that you’ll hear a tune somewhere. And if it’s catchy enough, you’ll wind up humming along or tapping your foot once in a while, effectively building a bridge between you and whoever chose the song in the first place. And it’s a starting point as well. It’s just a small step from humming or tapping your toes to singing.

And that’s where we come in with Let’s Sing 2023.

Those catchy tunes I was talking about? They are the foundation of the playlists we put together for Let’s Sing every year. Sometimes we dig really deep into the archives and pull out a song that’s been around for decades, other times we scour social media for trending songs. And obviously everything in between, because music is for everyone.

That’s why we want Let’s Sing to be a game for everyone, too. Kids, teenagers, Gen Z, millennials, Gen X or older — when selecting songs, we want to be as inclusive as possible. So placing one of the latest Disney anthems (“We Don’t Talk About Bruno”) on the same playlist as a song that many of today’s 30-somethings probably sang at the top of their lungs at one point (“Complicated”) only makes sense.

Add in an absolute evergreen that was released in 1961 (“Stand By Me”), a song that spawned one of the internet’s earliest memes (“Dragostea Din Tei”) or some bangers that were released in recent years (“Bad Habits”, “You Broke Me First”, “Old Town Road”) and you get a playlist that brings everyone together.

That’s exactly our goal with every iteration of Let’s Sing: To bring people together to have a good time. Grab your family on a lazy Sunday afternoon and start handing out microphones or get your friends together for a karaoke party for the ages. Up to eight players can sing together and have fun with various game modes. And if you’re shy and want to practice on your own first — we’ve obviously got you covered there as well with our single player mode.

Remember how I said that we want to be inclusive with our song picks? We don’t stop with different genres or eras, either. For several years now, we’ve produced special editions for French, German, and Spanish players so they can enjoy some songs in their native language or by local artists as well as international hits. This year, Australian players get their first own edition, too. Because music is for everybody.

Let’s Sing 2023

Ravenscourt

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Turn your living room into a stage with Let’s Sing! Perform alone or grab a friend for a duet or friendly vocal challenge in both online and offline game modes. Have fun with the Let’s Party mode where you can harmonize with up to eight singers or climb to the top of the worldwide online leaderboards.
Perform some of your favorite new songs as well as older classics from the new song selection featuring 30 exciting and popular tracks. Take the stage with current smash hits like „Bad Habits“ by Ed Sheeran, „Old Town Road“ by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, „Happier Than Ever“ by Billie Eilish or „Butter“ by BTS. If you’re looking for something a little more old-school, rock out to one of these classics: „Complicated“ by Avril Lavigne, „Get The Party Started“ by P!nk or „I Want To Break Free“ by Queen. Live your life singing! • Game modes: Legend, Classic, Mix Tape 2.0, Jukebox, Feat., World Contest and Let’s Party.
• Singleplayer: Fulfill your dream of being a music legend in our Legend mode. Earn stars, beat the bosses and rise to the top!
• Test your skills against other performers with our online leaderboard! More songs are waiting in the in-game store.
• No mic at hand? No problem! The official Let’s Sing app turns your smartphone into a microphone!
• Have fun with the Let’s Party mode where you can harmonize with up to eight singers or climb to the top of the worldwide online leaderboards.
• Seven thrilling game modes
• Up to eight players
• More songs on the in-game store!

Let’s Sing 2023 Platinum Edition

Ravenscourt

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Grab your microphone for the best singing game experience with Let’s Sing 2023 Platinum Edition! This includes a copy of the Let’s Sing 2023 game and the Let’s Sing 2023 Song Pass which allows you to sing all of the DLC Content! Turn your living room into a stage with Let’s Sing! Perform alone or grab a friend for a duet or friendly vocal challenge in both online and offline game modes. Have fun with the Let’s Party mode where you can harmonize with up to eight singers or climb to the top of the worldwide online leaderboards.
Perform some of your favorite new songs as well as older classics from the new song selection featuring 30 exciting and popular tracks.
Take the stage with current smash hits like „Bad Habits“ by Ed Sheeran, „Old Town Road“ by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, „Happier Than Ever“ by Billie Eilish or „Butter“ by BTS. If you’re looking for something a little more old-school, rock out to one of these classics: „Complicated“ by Avril Lavigne, „Get The Party Started“ by P!nk or „I Want To Break Free“ by Queen. – Your favourite Karaoke game on the next generation of gaming! – over 95 international songs
– Sing solo or with up to 8 players
– Seven exciting game modes!
– Let’s Sing Mic app: use your phone as microphone

Season 03: Plaguefall just released on Xbox, and it is pretty different from what we have done with other Seasons or updates up until now. Season 01 saw the introduction of a brand new rival robot faction, and Season 02 expanded on that theme. It’s been almost year of robots in the game now, so this time around we wanted to do shake things up a bit!

Lithophage Rockpox

Season 03 introduces the Lithophage Rockpox, a plague-like infection that attacks any rock formations it encounters — those of you who play the game know how much it’s about rocks and how much they matter. Press the right thumbstick to cry out “Rock and Stone!”, the rallying cry for those of us who have chosen to join the ranks of Deep Rock Galactic.

With Rockpox, we wanted to introduce a new element to the game that could appear anyt time, any place. Now, during any ongoing mission, a meteor carrying Rockpox may crash into the cave. It’ll be up to you to call down Rock Cracker modules from the orbital Space Rig, and destroy the meteor and thereby expose the valuable Plague Hearts within. Turning in those Plague Hearts lets you progress in the Performance Pass (DRG’s free Battle Pass).

You can also find Lithophage Outbreaks – full-on Rockpox infestations where you’ll encounter infected, hyper-aggressive enemies, and run the risk of getting infected yourself!  Cleaning up this area of infected rock becomes part of the mission objective.

Cleaning Gameplay

We also wanted the Rockpox to be a new gameplay experience, so you’ll deal with it using industrial cleaning tools that you call down from orbit when you encounter an infected area. DRG is a co-op game at heart, so the gameplay needed to be collaborative. Cleaning up the Rockpox involves applying a generous coating of LithoFoam using the LithoFoamer, and then vacuuming up the cleansed area using the LithoVac.

While playing solo missions in Single Player mode, the friendly and diligent robot BOSCO accompanies you, helping you mine and deal with threats. For the Rockpox, BOSCO helps you by vacuuming areas you have foamed, so you’ll not have to switch cleaning tools or do all the hard work yourself.

Overall, the Rockpox cleaning mechanics felt oddly at home in DRG: You are an employee at Deep Rock Galactic, there to do a job. Cleaning out the Rockpox ensures a safe(r) work environment for you and your fellow Miners – and of course comes with additional compensation.

New Grenades

Seasons 01 and 02 introduced new Primary and Secondary weapons, respectively. And we just knew that we wanted to try out new ideas for grenades as soon as an opportunity showed itself. Season 03 was just such an opportunity – though we ended up stretching the definition of what exactly entails a “grenade” quite liberally.

DRG has four character classes: Driller, Engineer, Gunner, and Scout – and each class gets a new grenade with Season 03. The Driller gets the Spring Loaded Ripper, a set of circular saw blades travelling in the direction you throw it. So, if you’re in a tunnel, you might quickly find that it spins around the walls and ceiling, eventually making its way back to you if you aren’t careful. The Engineer gets the Shredder Swarm, a set of repurposed drones from the Rival faction from Season 01 and 02. The Gunner gets the Tactical Leadburster – once thrown, it sticks to the surface, and then proceeds to spray bullets in a 360-degree radius. Lastly, the Scout receives the Voltaic Stun Sweeper, an electric boomerang that bounces from enemy to enemy and stuns them.

That’s not all that’s included in Season 03, and whether you are a new or returning Miner, we hope you will enjoy this new season as much as we did making it. Deep Rock Galactic is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows Store. And it is included with Game Pass, so if you have a membership we’ll see you on Hoxxes.

Rock and Stone!

Deep Rock Galactic

Coffee Stain Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆346

★★★★★

$29.99 $14.99

Xbox One X Enhanced

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Supports Xbox Play Anywhere: yours to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC at no additional cost. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: Crossplay is between Xbox One and Windows 10 PC (Microsoft Store) version only Read more here: https://www.deeprockgalactic.com/crossplay-info
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Deep Rock Galactic is a 1-4 player co-op FPS featuring badass space Dwarves, 100% destructible environments, procedurally-generated caves, and endless hordes of alien monsters. Hoxxes IV has the highest concentration of valuable minerals ever discovered; however, everything on the planet from the creatures to the fauna is extremely hostile. Good thing Deep Rock Galactic employs the best space miners in the universe: Dwarves! Combining two things Dwarves love most – mining and killing monsters – Hoxxes is the perfect job for any proud, space-faring Dwarf. *** 4-player Co-Op ***
Work together as a team to dig, explore, and fight your way through a massive cave system filled with hordes of deadly enemies and valuable resources. You will need to rely on your teammates if you want to survive the most hostile cave systems in the galaxy! *** 4 Unique Classes ***
Pick the right class for the job. Mow through enemies as the Gunner, scout ahead and light up the caves as the Scout, chew through solid rock as the Driller, or support the team with defensive structures and turrets as the Engineer. *** Fully Destructible Environments ***
Destroy everything around you to reach your goal. There is no set path so you can complete your mission your way. Drill straight down to your objective or build an intricate network of paths to explore your surroundings — the choice is yours. But proceed with caution, you don’t want to stumble into an alien swarm unprepared! *** Procedurally Generated Cave Network ***
Explore a network of procedurally generated cave systems filled with enemies to fight and riches to collect. There’s always something new to discover and no two playthroughs are alike. *** High-Tech Gadgets and Weapons ***
Dwarves know what they need to bring to get the job done. This means the most powerful weapons and the most advanced gadgets around – flamethrowers, gatling guns, portable platform launchers, and much, much more. *** Light Your Path ***
The underground caves are dark and full of terrors. You will need to bring your own lights if you want to illuminate these pitch-black caverns. Full details on the latest status of the game, how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at https://www.deeprockgalactic.com/

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!

Evil West – November 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A dark menace consumes the American frontier. As one of the last agents in a top-secret vampire-hunting institute, you are the final line between humanity and a deep-rooted terror that now emerges from the shadows. Rise up to become a wild west superhero, eradicate the vampire threat, and save the United States!

Saint Kotar – November 22
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

In this story-and-choice driven psychological horror detective game, you play as Benedek and Nikolay, two troubled godly men in search for their missing relative in an ancient God-devoted town called Sveti Kotar where an unknown presence preys upon the weak and sways on devil worship and witchcraft.

Dead Station – November 23

It’s a new twist on the survival-action genre, you’ll have to use your wits and surroundings to progress through this deadly station in this old school platforming experience set on the Soyuz-1 that’s now overrun by hostile monsters.

Finding the Soul Orb – November 23

Wield your crossbow and solve puzzles in a dark fantasy realm! The high wizards created the Soul Orb, and for ages it has served the kingdom well. Now it calls to Alexander in his dreams, and he is determined to uncover its location. Use a crossbow both as a weapon against creatures of the night as well as a tool to solve environmental puzzles.

Gungrave G.O.R.E – November 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Game Pass

Available on day one with Game Pass: Stylish third-person shooting meets close-range martial arts, creating seamlessly flowing action as you crush your enemies in a gory ballet of bullets. Utilize your unlimited ammo Cerberus pistols and your transformable EVO-coffin to unleash devastating combos in pursuit of maximum damage and style.

Jelly Brawl – November 23
Xbox One X Enhanced

A sticky and destructive multiplayer party game where you must jiggle, flop, and pop your way to the top! Fight alone or against friends for freedom from a mad king across tons of stages, mini games, and modes as you wrestle to be the last jelly standing!

Super Rebellion – November 23

Humanity succumbed to the power of an intergalactic alien empire but managed to organize itself and establish a resistance army. Join the rebels in their quest for peace and help them defeat the evil that haunts the Earth.

Primal Light – November 24
Xbox Play Anywhere

Experience the bizarre and unwelcoming primal world that Krog calls home. Travel through beautiful 16-bit pixel art environments, avoid death from monsters and traps alike and slay gargantuan, grotesque bosses. Collect charms that help you in battle and unlock new, exciting abilities.

Legendary Heroes – November 24

Heroes from all universes have been summoned to show their power and prove which team is the best! In this real-time RPG/strategy game with MOBA elements, protect your towers and crush your opponents! Select from 10 different heroes, each one with four special abilities. Gain XP, upgrade your powers, and become stronger, faster, and more resistant.

Animal Shelter Simulator – November 25

Animal Shelter Simulator grants you the opportunity to tackle the challenging but also highly rewarding task of running a refuge for strays and rescues. Witness firsthand how much effort goes into helping abandoned and injured animals as you handle several tasks that are necessary for your shelter to operate smoothly.

Run Sausage Run! – November 25

Play as the tasty sausage of your choice then run for your life and avoid getting sliced, chopped, burned, or smashed in this adventure run game! Tons of juicy sausages to choose from and tons of hot dog skins to enjoy.

Robolifter – November 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A sci-fi sokibanish puzzle game where you, level by level, repair a spaceship. As the last working Lifter Bot and the last hope of your companion, Repair AI, help her to fix the damage and investigate what caused the critical shutdown.