Today, several games were shown during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox event, the first of a series of events that are being planned over the next few months. With a first-party event planned for July, the focus was on third-party games coming to Xbox Series X, and while the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla “gameplay” reveal was the star attraction, there was a surprising number of next-gen horror games featured in the showc
In between battles, your party of three will travel to various locations that will require some platforming and puzzle-solving to obtain the next artifact. Each character has a special ability that can be used to get past hazards and giant gaps. Vi’s “Beemerang” can be thrown to activate switches and cranks as well as gather items that are out of reach. Kabbu can use his horn to move objects and cut through grass. Leif can use his ice magic to freeze water and enemies so they can be used as platforms. Figuring out which abilities need to be combined to traverse Bugaria’s harsh landscape was never very challenging, but it still managed to be a fun part of the g
Updated March 23, 2022 by Allison Stalberg: Dogs and everywhere in video games, even when they are not, as recently shown in Elden Ring where players are writing messages next to turtles that just say “dog.” Popular video game dogs are ever-increasing, such as the newest addition, Argos, from Final Fantasy 14 . There are also older faces that deserve attention, such as the mabari from Dragon Age: Origins . From post-apocalyptic German Shepards to bipedal guitarists, video games have given society a lot of memorable d
Playable on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
When it debuted in 2010, Just Cause 2 featured one of the largest open worlds of any video game, and it retains that title to this day. The scope of the island of Panau is amazing, and the feeling of being let loose in such a large sandbox remains as breathtaking as e
While virtually nothing official is known about a next-gen Fable , there have been plenty of rumors dating all the way back to 2018. In fact, many expected a new Fable to be announced and teased at E3 2019, but it failed to appear at the show. But that has not stopped a continued rumor that Xbox has the game under development at UK studio Playground Games, the developers behind the Forza Horizon ser
While the story itself isn’t breaking any new ground, the world that Bug Fables takes place in is incredibly charming. The three characters grow on you as the game progresses, and while the dialogue isn’t exactly hilarious, it’s amusing, well-written, full of bug-related puns, and walks the fine line between straight-laced fantasy and fourth-wall-breaking humor. It takes a little while for the plot to get rolling, but once it picks up, it becomes an excellent throwback to Mirthwood RPG narratives of the 16 and 32-bit
Developed by Ebb Software and heavily inspired by the works of H. R. Giger, the original designer of the Xenomorph from Alien , Scorn is a first-person horror game that was first announced all the way back in 2014. After ongoing issues with funding, Scorn is back and in development for Xbox Series X and PC. Set in a nightmarish universe, Ebb Software has designed the game around the idea of players being thrown into an unsettling environment that makes them question what they see. Each location contains its own theme, and players will need to acquire skills, unlock weapons, and complete puzzles to make it out al
Playable on: PS2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, PC
2004’s Driv3r , the third release in an action-packed open-world driving series which originated on the PS1, was a barely-functioning mess which somehow garnered a cult appeal despite its many shortcomings. An obvious riff on the Grand Theft Auto formula, Driv3r felt like the Fisher-Price version of the chaotically-fun sandbox ser
Playable on: Nintendo Switch, PC
An indie game that puts players in the shoes of an anthropomorphic bird as they strive to get cellphone reception, A Short Hike is easily one of the more unique titles on this list. Any fan of indie titles owes it to themselves to try this title
Though Wolfenstein 3D may not have been the first FPS , it certainly revolutionized the genre and made it a force to be reckoned with. Hype for the series waned over time, but MachineGames brought it back in full force with 2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order . The alternate history game brought a surprising depth to the narrative. Players came in thinking Inglorious Basterds , but got something more along the lines of Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Cast
Playable on: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC
The Arkham series started off on a strong note with Batman: Arkham Asylum . This game toyed with the idea of an open-world formula, before its sequel ended up going all out with this conc
One of the joys of playing Breath of the Wild is its sense of freedom. Like any open-world game, there are always limitations, but the magic comes when a developer can give a sense of freedom while successfully hiding the limits of its virtual world. Breath of the Wild excels at this. Fable should not copy Breath of the Wild’s open world as Fable has its own beloved gameplay and style, but a next-gen Fable would do well to make the revolutionary step forward that made Breath of the Wild so endearing and engaging for the Legend of Zelda franch
