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Articles by Jake Plant
Lords of the Fallen Review
Lords of the Fallen is back. Despite having the same name as a game released in 2014 Lords of the Fallen is a brand new game in the same game world. Think of it as a reboot. The original Lords of the Fallen was one of the very first “Soulslike” games. I admit that I never really got into that game. The husky characters and clunky feel put me off. The developers at Hexworks and publisher CI Games wanted a second chance at creating something in this universe.
Blasphemous 2 Review
2023 is turning into a fantastic year for Xbox Metroidvania fans. We’ve had a wide range of games in the genre; from solid, lesser-known titles like Zapling Bygone and Vernal Edge to timely ports such as FIST: Forged in Shadow Torch and Axiom Verge 2. It seems like there is always another Metroidvania game on the horizon, and with the year more than halfway gone, we are approaching the fall slate of big-name games.
Lego 2K Drive Review
Lego 2K Drive is an exciting arcade racing game that uses the familiar Lego theme to create a fun, engaging, open-world racing experience. The game boasts a wide range of vehicles, tracks, and challenges spread across four massive themed maps that will keep you hooked for hours.
Inscryption Review
ID@XBOX’s slogan should be “Better late than never”. All too often Xbox gamers are the last ones to get indie games. Steam and Switch almost always get them first, sometimes it’s Playstation, and on the rare occasion, we’ll get one. Devolver Digital is one of my favorite publishers but they are notorious for making Xbox gamers wait. Luckily the wait is over for one of the most talked about indie games of last year: Inscryption.
Not For Broadcast Review
Every so often I get to experience a game that is unlike anything I’ve played before. So many games released nowadays are derivative in one way or another. However, that is not the case with Not For Broadcast, a satirical adventure/simulation developed by NotGames and published by tinyBuild. Most of the gameplay involves the player acting as a live TV editor. NotGames have struck gold here by creating a realistic, yet easy-to-use interface for interacting with the game.
Fashion Police Squad Review
Fashion Police Squad is a humor-lined retro-inspired shooter developed by Mopeful Games and published by No More Robots. Originally released on PC in 2022, FPS now makes its way to consoles allowing more players to fight fashion crimes across the in-game city of Trendopolis. While it takes its basic design from its boomer shooter brethren, Fashion Police Squad is much more; at times feeling more like a modern first-person shooter in terms of level design and pacing.
Heidelberg 1693 Review
When I was younger I had almost zero interest in history, but as I’ve gotten older I find myself wanting to learn about the past. Something I used to take for granted when playing video games was when a game was based in a real-world setting in the past, often I’d find myself not really caring – it didn’t help that most of these games were in genres that I didn’t like.
Tanuki Sunset Review
Tanuki Sunset is an arcade-style downhill skateboarding game, with a lo-fi aesthetic that borders on vaporwave, planted firmly between the 80s and 90s. The gameplay has many similarities to the endless runner genre, except that in this case, it would be endless skater. It was developed by Rewind Games and published by Digerati. This game knows how to make a good first impression thanks to an attractive art style, a chill soundtrack, and simple controls.
Josh Journey: Darkness Totems Review
I have a soft spot for Beat ‘em ups. I have fond memories of playing many different games as a child, but Beat ‘em ups stand out for one particular reason. Most of the time I played these games with friends, either in two-player co-op on a home console or with four friends at the arcade (and sometimes even more – hello, X-men). It’s no wonder I am still drawn to these games now and I’m sure plenty of current developers are inspired to make Beat ‘em ups for the same reason.
The Last Hero of Nostalgaia Review
When I game I often only play for only an hour or less at a time. This is in part because of my schedule, but also because many games just don’t hold my interest for very long. There are a few games, however, that I get so wrapped up in that I could play all day, and when I’m not playing I can’t stop thinking about the game and wishing that I was home and able to play.
Airoheart Review
One of the many things that brings me joy about playing video games is taking notice of the different ways newer games draw inspiration from previous ones. Sometimes it’s just subtle things that only a dedicated megafan might notice, while other times it’s much more obvious. Airoheart by Pixel Heart Studio and publisher SOEDESCO undoubtedly falls into the latter category.
Hades Review
I’ve been patiently waiting to play Hades for the past year now. I remember the first time I stumbled upon a YouTube video of it around a year ago. I was astonished by the fantastic art style, it looked like a sleekly animated graphic novel or anime. The gameplay looked interesting as well, an isometric viewpoint and action-heavy gameplay that appeared somewhat hectic but also seemed like the type of game that could be mastered if you put in the time, or at least greatly improve your skill.
It Takes Two Review
Most gamers who grew up playing console games in the 90’s and 00’s have at least some affinity for 3rd person action platformers. I am one of those gamers, but it seems like the genre hasn’t grown and evolved with the consoles as some other genres have. There are a few exceptions, but most of those are Nintendo exclusives. Luckily, we have a recently released game that is looking to set a new high mark for the genre.
Curse of the Dead Gods Review
Curse of the Dead Gods is the latest rogue-lite to come to the Xbox platform. It spent the past year-plus on Steam’s Early Access program being refined by the developers Passtech Games, who built a solid foundation and kept adding more and more content until its release last month. The game is an isometric dungeon crawler with many randomized elements. It features an intricate combat system with many different weapon options and combinations.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes Review
A dark and arduous blood-soaked adventure awaits anyone brave enough to step into the world of Morbid: The Seven Acolytes, developed by Still Running and published by Merge Games. The game bills itself as a “horrorpunk action RPG filled with Lovecraftian horrors and Cronenbergian gore”. And gory it is.
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