Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 4 to 8

Next Week on Xbox Hero Image

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 4 to 8

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!


Tinkertown

Headup

Tinkertown – November 4

Grab a shovel, pickaxe, or sword and enter a realm full of treasures, magic, and dangers. A magical place awaits you, where you can let your imagination run wild. Create your little fantasy kingdom – from a cosy adventurer’s hut with a garden to small towns with their own parks.


Let’s Sing 2025

Plaion GmbH

Let’s Sing 2025 – November 5
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Let’s Sing 2025 brings the ultimate karaoke experience straight to your living room! Sing along with your family and friends to the latest hits, as well as a generous selection of all-time classics. Complete your journey to stardom with a brand-new career mode, or join the VIP ranks to gain access to even more tracks. Perform at home or online with a global cast of singers!


Magical Girls vs Cat Aliens

Synnergy Circle Games

Magical Girls vs Cat Aliens – November 5

The city has been invaded by cat aliens and the only one who can stop them is an ordinary high school girl! But wait, this girl has a secret. When no one is looking she can transform into a Magical Girl and protect the city! Can the heroine defeat all the enemies in the name of hope and justice and save the city?


Xbox Play Anywhere

Metal Slug Tactics

Dotemu

Metal Slug Tactics – November 5

Metal Slug makes an explosive return! Dive into this dynamic tactical RPG with a roguelite thrill and experience the iconic run’n’gun action of the original series, redefined. Grab your weapons, assemble your squad and conquer the battlefield to defeat the infamous Rebel Army.     


Pancho’s Mission

Ternox

$4.99

Pancho’s Mission – November 5

A pixelated platformer where the brave panda, Pancho, rises to defend the world, liberating it from the tyranny of the sinister eagle and its faithful followers. Traverse through three unique locations — the forest, the desert, and the eagle’s cave — with a total of 45 thrilling levels.


Duck Run

Afil Games

Duck Run – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Embark on an exciting adventure with a brave little duck determined to make it through countless obstacles. Your mission is to guide the duck through a series of dangerous traps across 40 action-packed levels, all while keeping track of the time it takes to complete each challenge.


Factory Escape

Old School Vibes

Factory Escape – November 6

Has work ever tried to kill you? It certainly tried to kill Max, an ingenious employee who got trapped in a factory full of dangers. Determined to escape, he uses his rolling ability to navigate obstacles and avoid traps. Every move is crucial as he attempts to flee the factory that holds him captive.


The Fine Art of Murder

Infinite Zone

Xbox One X Enhanced

The Fine Art of Murder – November 6

Unravel the mystery, where every choice shapes your fate. A supernatural gamebook brought to life, with multiple endings to discover. Fully accessible – with or without the screen.


O.W.L Projekt

Eastasiasoft Limited

O.W.L. Projekt – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Get ready for an enigmatic and challenging adventure with O.W.L Projekt, a 3D isometric puzzle game that will test your mind and logic skills. Controlling Elysion, a young being created in a mysterious experiment, you will face the enigmatic Watchers in a journey to escape and uncover secrets.


Monarchy

Brain Seal Ltd

Monarchy – November 6

Unleash your strategic brilliance in this 2D side-scrolling strategy game, where you must build a base, manage resources, explore the mysterious forest and conquer your enemies.


Planet Coaster 2

Frontier Developments


19

$49.99

Planet Coaster 2 – November 6

Create a splash with Planet Coaster 2 – sequel to the world’s best coaster park simulator! Reach new heights of creativity, management, and sharing as you construct the theme parks of your dreams combining epic water rides and coasters to delight and thrill your park guests.


SlavicPunk: Oldtimer

Gaming Factory S.A.

SlavicPunk: Oldtimer – November 6
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

An isometric shooter based upon the works of Michał Gołkowski, a renown Polish sci-fi and fantasy books author. It is him who created the story of Yanus – a private investigator with a troubled past, now trying to solve an unexpected case revolving around a stolen data carrier, all this while fighting his own inner demons, the urban gangs and a nigh-omnipotent corporation responsible for the downfall of the city he used to call his own.


Bioframe Outpost

Omni Systems Publishing

$24.99

Bioframe Outpost – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Inspired by classic 70s and 80s sci-fi, Bioframe Outpost is a 2d sci-fi action-adventure game, dedicated to exploration, experimentation, emergent gameplay and narrative. Its unique, photography-based approach to non-linear exploration and action gameplay offers a fresh take on metroidvania gameplay.


Empire of the Ants – Pre-order

Microids

$39.99

Empire of the Ants – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Experience an immersive journey and defend your lands through tactical and strategic battles in an epic, microscopic world. Become #103,683, the Ant Savior: lead your colony, rebuild a home, protect it, make it prosper, and conquer new territories throughout different seasons. Exploration, strategy, combat skills, and alliances with local wildlife will be crucial to emerge victorious from the many challenges lying ahead.


Goat Simulator: Remastered

Coffee Stain Publishing AB

Goat Simulator: Remastered – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

If you’ve had your horns in the sand for the last 10 years, Goat Simulator is a game about causing as much destruction as you possibly can, as a goat. Headbutt, backflip and ragdoll your way around each level to earn points and come up with creative ways to ruin an NPC’s day.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Magical Bakery

SOEDESCO

Magical Bakery – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

A single-player cooking and management game set in an enchanted bakery that sells all sorts of sweets and pastries with a twist — they may contain traces of magic! Experience a life full of magic, challenges, and the joy of creating sweets that will leave a spellbinding impression on your customers.


Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Pre-Order

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

$49.99

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Welcome to Omiko City, where everyone’s favorite Taiko elements come together in one place! Together with Don-chan, meet your new friend, Kumo-kyun and aim to become a Taiko Master! Drum along to the rhythm of your favorite songs and aim to play them from start to finish! Featuring 76 songs across multiple genres such as Anime, Game Music, and more.


Techtonica (Game Preview)

Fire Hose Games


253


$29.99

$23.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass

Techtonica – November 7
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A first-person factory automation game is set beneath the surface of an alien planet. Work alone or in co-op to build factories, gather resources, research new technologies, mold the destructible terrain, establish a base of operations, and uncover long-forgotten secrets.


ELDERBORN

Hyperstrange

Elderborn – November 8

In the times of legend, the barbarian tribes needed a new dark messiah. This self-described metal action fantasy slasher with brütal FPP melee combat and souls-like/RPG character progression has been five years in the making, combines old-school single-player feel, a classic heroic story, and modern level of skill-based challenge.


Grim Idle

Desert Water Games

Grim Idle – November 8

An idle RPG where the player explores shards of destroyed worlds and fights various enemies. Inspired by old-school dark fantasy RPGs, the game features complex character development, many unique items, and both active and passive playstyles.


Jetpack Kiwi

Ratalaika Games S.L.

Jetpack Kiwi – November 8

A classic 2D side-scrolling shoot ‘em featuring 20 challenging levels, endless hordes of enemy spaceships, and five epic bosses. Aliens have arrived and they’re up to no good and only you can stop them and their thirst for conquest. Choose between multiple characters to play, each one with a unique special attack ability.


Pets Hotel

Ultimate Games S.A.

Pets Hotel – November 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Start your adventure and open your own Pets Hotel! All your little guests have different needs. The owners will tell you all about them, and it is your job to feed the pets according to their demands. Don’t forget about grooming and play-time! A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all!


Shieldwall

OverGamez

$17.99

Shieldwall – November 8

Caesar needs you! Gaul won’t be conquered by itself in this funny, third-person tactical battle simulator with strategy elements. Feel like a squad leader right on the battlefield and stand under the Eagle and lead the legion for the glory of Rome!


Silver Axe – The Honest Elf

Happy Player

Silver Axe – The Honest Elf – November 8

As a Forest Elf created by the goddess, take up the goddess’s Silver Axe and seek out the lost power. In this fairy-tale adventure, will you choose to be an honest elf? How will you decide to save the goddess and the forest?


Slitterhead

Bokeh Game Studio lnc.

$49.99

Slitterhead – November 8
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Set in the densely cluttered streets of “Kowlong,” filled with obscurity and chaos, this battle action-adventure game casts players as the “Hyoki,” an entity devoid of memory and physical form. His only motive is to eradicate the monstrous beings known as “Slitterheads” crawling around the city, disguising themselves as humans.


The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 4 to 8 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Insider Program Community Update – October 2024 ‘Spooky’ Edition

Hey Insiders! Happy Halloween to those who celebrate. The team is currently heads down working (and not at all playing Black Ops 6 between meetings) on getting the next releases and game previews ready.  

It’s been a while since we posted one of these. We wanted to touch base to give you an update about the program and celebrate some of the things that team Xbox and the Insider Program have delivered. As always: a great big thank you to those who have participated in the Xbox Insider program over the years. We’ve got a big list of things to go over.  

‘Freaky’ Feature Friday  

There is an elephant in the room that I wanted to address first: the ‘Feature Friday’ plans for the subreddit that were announced some time ago. We haven’t forgotten our commitment to increased transparency and sharing more in-depth information about our process and ‘Feature Friday’ is part of that.  

First, we read everything that is posted. We are here to champion your feedback and help make the Xbox community the best it can be. If we can’t do that in a way that the community feels heard, something needs to change. Right now, the team has renewed discussions about a few specific options internally. I don’t have more to share today, but I thought it was important to let you know that this is still on the forefront of our minds.

In spookier news, here are some of the terrifying highlights from our Operations team: 

Game “Error when launching store” Previews – Tim W.  

Everyone loves playtests as you get to preview new games or updates. We’ve had some great ones in the last few months including 33 Immortals, Starbound, Rhythm Towers, Off the Grid, FragPunk, and The First Berserker Khazan. We appreciate everyone participating and giving your feedback! We are continuing to partner with different developers to give you more playtests so keep an eye out for new previews and announcements in the Xbox Insider Hub app. The Rhythm Towers preview is still available to join, so if you haven’t already, give it a try. 

If you launch the Xbox Insider Hub and don’t see the game you were expecting, it might be because we’ve reached the limit on users for that preview. Sometimes the developer only wants to target certain regions or requires you to sign up on their website. There are many reasons why you might not see a preview. While we try to include details about preview eligibility in our posts, if you think there’s an issue we always recommend using the Report a Problem feature. 

Console “Gonna install right in the middle of your ranked match” OS – Joshua C  

The past few months have been marked by more than 100 updates across the Xbox Update Preview rings! Together, we’ve seen fundamental updates to the friends and followers experience, and quality of life improvements like being able to choose specific components before starting a game install. There have also been great accessibility features released like toggle hold and being able to map buttons to thumbstick directions, and improvements to custom images for backgrounds and gamerpics. From the smallest changes to the biggest features, Xbox Insiders are always the first to experience the latest and greatest we have to offer. 

Of course, we have also uncovered our fair share of issues these past months, and the feedback you’ve filed with Report a problem has been as invaluable as always. Your continued diligence in providing feedback has played a role in many of the issues resolved recently, including fixes to narrator and magnifier, unexpected game card navigation, as well as major improvements to capturing game clips and taking screenshots. Thank you for helping to make Xbox better for everyone! 

PC “Wait, there’s a PC Insider Preview?” Flighting – Jon H  

Over the past few months, Xbox Insiders on PC had the opportunity to preview several new features: Compact Mode for Game Bar, the new Friends and Followers Experience and just this week a new Home experience in the Xbox App. If you’re interested in previewing new features for PC and supported handhelds, make sure you register for the PC Gaming Preview in the Xbox Insider Hub. 

Interested in Registering? Find out how here 

The Haunting Lifecycle of Insider Feedback: 

I’d like to think I’m a good singer, and wanted to release this section as a video akin to a certain song some of you might have seen in school about how bills are passed on Capitol Hill (you know the one I’m talking about). Fortunately for everyone, that was vetoed.  

But I do want to give the community some insight into how bugs work and why we need specific feedback.   
 
So, you’re playing your favorite game, and it crashes back to the dashboard all of a sudden. You bring up the Report a problem prompt by holding down the Xbox button on your controller and selecting ‘Report a problem.’ After following the prompts and hitting submit, what happens to your feedback?  

Here is the simplified version: your feedback lands in pool of all submitted Insider feedback. The Insider team reviews all the feedback. All of it. Each day, the team sends actionable feedback into another pool where the engineering teams investigate and fix or reroute if necessary.   

That’s why it’s critically important to include specific details. What was the issue and when did you hit it. If you can tell us what you were doing, great! “It crashed” is helpful in that we know your game crashed. “It crashed on the splash screen” is even more helpful because we know when it crashed. “It crashed on the splash screen after I quit one game and then tried launching this one,” includes what you were doing. When in doubt, I recommend erring on the side of including more details. The easier it is for engineers to reproduce the problem, the more likely it is they can fix it. If you don’t want to use your controller, we have a couple other options (including a USB mouse and keyboard or using another device entirely). Read more here: Provide feedback to Team Xbox | Xbox Support 

Thanks again for being an Xbox Insider, we appreciate you.  

The post Xbox Insider Program Community Update – October 2024 ‘Spooky’ Edition appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Indie Selects for October: Game Developers Bringing the Treats

Indie Selects for October: Game Developers Bringing the Treats

Indie Selects October 2024 Hero Image

This month, indie game developers are swinging for the fences. Incredible visuals, inventive game mechanics, audio delights, and chaotic fun are all being showcased with this month’s six Indie Selects.

Indie Selects Image

Each of these games couldn’t be any more different.  Need something really special for you and your kiddos? Check! Something to curb your monster-like rage? Check! Does your eclectic music taste need a treat? Check! Are you so confident about your wordsmithing ability you would bet your afterlife on it? Check! Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):

The Plucky Squire

Plucky Squire Image

The Plucky Squire is a magical adventure game featuring Jot and his friends, who discover their world exists within a storybook. Jot must leap between the 2D storybook and the 3D artist’s table, solving puzzles, boxing badgers, and engaging in mini-games to save his kingdom. Firstly, the game’s art is stunning, just check out the gameplay trailer. In an all-ages story, Jot and his friends battle the wizard Humgrump with the help of DJing Gandalf figure, Moonbeard. The combat is simple, akin to a 2D Zelda game, but frequently interspersed with new puzzles and challenges requiring exploration in 3D on the artist’s desk.

Though single-player, it’s ideal for playing with a child, offering many accessibility options, including the option to skip mini-games and enable puzzle hints from a mini-Wizard. Another standout feature is the ability to collect art scrolls scattered throughout the world, providing insights into the game’s development process, including draft art and design elements that were cut. It’s a visual showcase of the non-linear nature of video game creation, where ideas are created, iterated and sometimes discarded. What better message could you have in a game, all about art, creativity and how media can inspire a lifetime of creativity?

The Plucky Squire

Devolver Digital


52

$29.99

The Plucky Squire follows the magical adventures of Jot and his friends – storybook characters who discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their book.

When the malevolent Humgrump realizes he’s the villain of the book – destined to lose his battle against the forces of good for all eternity – he kicks the heroic Jot out of its pages and changes the story forever.

Jot must face challenges, unlike anything he’s ever seen if he is to save his friends from Humgrump’s dark forces and restore the book’s happy ending.

Jump between 2D and 3D worlds in this charming action-adventure – solving puzzles, boxing badgers, flying with a jetpack, and enjoying many more delightful and surprising mini-challenges as you become the hero of a living storybook.

Kill Knight

Kill Knight Image

This game is not for the faint of heart.  Survive the onslaught of enemies in a constantly evolving arena and get rewarded for your aggression and precision with powerful equipment, special abilities and new arenas for slaughter. It’s safe to say, this will not be going in our cozy collection, ladies and gentleman.  Kill Knight is an addictive, violent, adrenaline-charged rampage that is incredibly satisfying.  Each run is fast, chaotic, and fun as hell.

Your character build is made up of your primary weapons, a secondary weapon, a sword, armor, and a relic which will provide some sort of boost to your stats, all of which can be upgraded by unlocking new weapons and equipment. Collecting red orbs, dropped by the enemies you kill, increases your damage, but can also be used to charge your secondary weapon’s special attack, which causes enemies to drop healing orbs to restore your health. This combat mechanic creates a really fun gameplay loop where you end up utilizing enemies as resources that you must maintain a balance between healing and damage. 

The game has high replayability with a ton of thoughtful mechanics, a wide variety of enemies, and painful environmental challenges. Individually, none of these elements necessarily reinvent the genre, but when these ingredients are carefully plated together, it creates one hell of a murder salad.

KILL KNIGHT

PlaySide


36

$14.99

Once a loyal knight, betrayed, and banished to the Abyss. A desecrated corpse inside reanimated armor. You rise to an eternal death. Branded KILL KNIGHT, you have one purpose – KILL THE LAST ANGEL.

FIVE ELDRITCH LAYERS
KILL, OR BE KILLED

MASTER THE DEMON WITHIN
Dance with death in the Abyss, and unveil intricate layers of gameplay lurking beneath the surface. Exploit enemy weaknesses, enact brutal executions, weave through your arsenal to tactically manage resources, and unleash destructive wrath blasts to turn the tide. Every encounter is testament to your mastery.

BEAUTY IN DECAY
KILL KNIGHT’s polished, minimalist aesthetic, and retro visuals pay homage to the neon-soaked arcades and shooters of the 90’s. Set across five relentless, hand-crafted eldritch arenas, KILL KNIGHT embraces lo-fi brutalism and revels in the dread and dream-like ruins that surround your descent into the Abyss.

ETERNAL DAMNATION
Survive the otherworldly onslaught and complete challenges to unlock powerful new equipment for your Knight’s Arsenal, and evolve your unique playstyle. Learn to harness the special abilities and fire-modes of KILL KNIGHT’s array of pistols, heavy weapons, swords, and armor. Take your fight to the global leaderboards against friends and foes alike. Enter if you dare, Knight, and revel in the carnage.

FEATURES
– Fast and visceral top-down, push forward combat that rewards aggression and precision
– An immersive otherworld dripping in corrosive atmosphere with a retro-inspired aesthetic
– Descend through five fatal layers, each more deadly than the last
– Choose your challenge, with four distinct difficulty settings to overcome
– Survive long enough to raise your Kill Power, increasing speed and damage
– Complete challenges to unlock your Knight’s Arsenal, and evolve your playstyle
– Dive into Sever Mode, combining all five layers into one extended arena challenge
– Ascend the global leaderboards, and compete with friends for high-score supremacy

Join the community on Discord!

Keylocker

Keylocker Image

On this planet, music is illegal.  So, naturally, it’s time to do crimes. Keylocker is a Cyberpunk music-themed turn-based RPG where the power of your attack is based on the real-time execution of moves in rhythm.  You are Bobo, a lady ready to rage against the machine and bring freedom to her world. The game allows you to choose between 4 different classes revolved around how offensive or defensive you want to play it: Juggernaut, Hacker, Samurai, and Sequencer. 

The turn-based combat system takes place on a hexagonal grid where you’ll need to time your hits to the exact moment needed, whether you are attacking or defending.  Placement is also critical to this game, so planning out your movements will make a huge difference whether you avoid attacks or receive special buffs and debuffs. You can also plan counters, charge your electricity points or even steal electricity from your opponent.  There’s definitely a learning curve with some of these opponents, but some trial and error can lead to some incredibly satisfying moments of clearing the board. 

Keylocker is a visually stunning and fun turn-based RPG that excels in combining a fresh combat system with a variety of mini-games and boss fights to keep the playthrough exciting.  Also, the music is *chef’s kiss* perfect.

Keylocker

Serenity Forge


3

$19.99

Keylocker is a Cyberpunk turn-based rhythm JRPG. Play as the singer and songwriter, B0B0. Fuel your moves with the electric power of music on this unforgiving planet by using real-time execution of moves in rhythm game style! Choose a unique class, battle the authorities, unlock the secrets of Saturn, play in your own bands’ concerts, and hack into the network to bring an end to this corrupt system, for better or worse.

Story:

| Saturn, Anno 801. |

| Music is banned for 141 years now. |

B0B0 is one of the Doppelgangers, twins born as perfect human beings fit to obey the purpose of the caste they were assigned to. Her purpose is to serve in the lowest caste for the prosperity of Saturn, but B0B0 doesn’t quite agree to that. Amidst a revolution against the Saturnian Satellites, the ultimate form of law, B0B0 hears news of a newfound music robot that’ll fit right in her illegal band as a drummer. Rebelling against the corrupt system using music is the only thing she knows how to do well and she only needed a drummer to join her pack of misfits. With every piece in place, she’s out to break some laws, and discover the truth behind the essence of music: the Keylocker.

Cryptmaster

Cryptmaster Image

Sticks and stones… well those won’t hurt you nearly as much as the words in this game.  In Cryptmaster, words control everything.  You can either type words or even use voice recognition to command your character, uncover lost abilities, fight enemies, and solve baffling riddles.  This may require some adjustment at first as it’s not a typical way you would usually traverse a dungeon, but there’s a ton of accessibility options available if you find yourself limited.

You’ll have 4 heroes to command, each with unique playstyles, and as you progress, you’ll need to help them find their forgotten powers.  This is one of the strangest and most original titles I’ve played in a while with a very creepy aesthetic, memorable side characters, a great story with a surprisingly funny undertone, and one-of-a-kind mechanics. If you are a collector of the strange and rare, boy do I have a gem for you!

Cryptmaster

Akupara Games


9

$24.99

SAY ANYTHING in this bizarre dungeon adventure where words control everything. Fill in the blanks with text or voice to uncover lost abilities, embark on strange quests, and solve mindbending riddles. Can you conquer the crypt and uncover the mystery at the heart of CRYPTMASTER?

In the ancient past, four brave heroes banded together to destroy a terrible evil, giving their lives to save countless others. But now their eternal rest has been disturbed by the Cryptmaster, a capricious necromancer in whose thrall they must ascend through the buried strata of the city above them – the gloomy Bonehouses, mysterious Sunken Sea and freakish Downwood.

With the enigmatic Soulstone in hand, the four adventurers must recover their memories, solve whimsical puzzles and defeat outlandish enemies. From fishing and card games to bardic rap battles, finding the right word is the key to success. Who knows, maybe you’ll even remember a little more than you bargained for…

Beyond Galaxyland

Beyond Galaxyland Image

Beyond Galaxyland is a gorgeous side-scrolling RPG that seeks to dig into the classic space adventure genre and give it a spark of humor and depth. The story focuses on Doug, whose life abruptly changes one day when a cataclysmic event “destroys” the Earth and Doug is transported to the other side of the galaxy together with his adorable guinea pig friend Boom Boom. From there, their adventure begins, and the duo journey through various planets, each with their own unique aesthetic and characters, with the goal of finding out what happened to their home.

The combat system respects the classic turn-based formula and builds on it by adding new members to the party as your progress and even a “catch” mechanic where you can catch various enemies and summon them in future fights. Overall, the game offers a great balance of things to explore, characters to meet, enemies to fight and mysteries to solve and it is astonishing that it was basically done by one person.

Beyond Galaxyland

United Label


26

$17.99

Inspired by classic sci-fi movies, Beyond Galaxyland is an intergalactic, 2.5D adventure-RPG set among the stars. Step into the sneakers of high-schooler Doug, as he’s whisked away to ‘Galaxyland’ – a zoo-like solar system of planets – on an epic quest to save Earth itself.

An all-new take on the beloved RPG adventures of old, prepare for a journey like no other, skyrocketing through teeming jungles, neon-lit cities, and cybernetic casinos, with each new planet brimming with intriguing characters, fiendish adversaries, and many other surprises.

Accompanied by Doug’s pet guinea pig – the pistol-wielding Boom Boom – and a sentient robot called MartyBot, together you must defend the world against an all-powerful entity known only as ‘The End’, before it conquers the Universe itself…

No pressure.

A Bold New Take on the Classic Sci-Fi Caper!
Experience firsthand all the thrills and spills of a retro sci-fi adventure, in an all-new take on the fish-out-of-water tale that sticks you right in the centre of the action! Laughter, loss, peril and friendship, Beyond Galaxyland has it all and then some, dipped in a dazzling layer of neon-tastic pixels.

Explore a Solar System of Extraordinary Worlds
From the blizzard-swept planes of Arcos to the tropical jungle ravines of Erros, the neon-buzzing cities of Neo to the arid sand dunes of Xalm, explore a cosmic cluster of unique worlds, each with its own quests, environmental puzzles, and out-of-this-world characters.

Overcome Cosmic Foes in Tactical Turn-Based Combat
Engage in strategic turn-based battles against a vast range of galactic nemeses, with time-responsive defensive gameplay to minimise damage. Each party member has a range of unique abilities at their disposal, but for an additional tactical advantage, sneakily scan your enemy pre-battle to discover their strengths and weaknesses.

Experience Epic Boss Battles
Each planet boasts its own distinct perils, but none more so than the epic bosses you’ll encounter throughout your extraterrestrial travels, including colossal space dragons, flesh eating flowers, and the all-knowing bionic behemoth that is Mother Brain.

Capture Enemies to Use in Battle
Successfully capture the many weird and wonderful creatures you encounter, to later unleash them in battle, with each possessing a number of exclusive abilities. Will you acquire every last one?

Starship Troopers: Extermination

Starship Troopers Image

Set in the same universe as the 1997 cult classic film, Starship Troopers: Extermination is a co-op first-person shooter with some twists to set it apart from the rest of the genre. You’ll join the Deep Space Vanguard, an elite Special Forces branch of the Mobile Infantry, as you battle against the Bug menace in an effort to claim victory for humanity.

Each match features 16 players joining forces to build a base, all while fending off wave after wave of skittering enemies. One innovative feature the game sports is that enemy corpses pile up on the battlefield, obstructing your line of sight while giving the next wave of enemies something to help them scale your base’s walls. Starship Troopers: Extermination is a refreshing blast of emergent gameplay, so there’s only one more question: Are you doing your part?

Starship Troopers: Extermination

Knights Peak


121

$49.99

Insectoid creatures known as Arachnids crawl from the bowels of Federation planets, with their endless, bloodthirsty hordes threatening humanity’s very existence. The United Citizen Federation needs YOU to put an end to this invasion. Join the Deep Space Vanguard as an elite Trooper and do your part — for freedom, for humanity, for the Federation!

Welcome to Starship Troopers: Extermination, a 16-player online co-op first-person shooter set in the cult classic Starship Troopers universe.

A GALAXY AT WAR
Your mission: scour expansive planets and warzones while battling relentless hordes of Bugs. With hundreds of Arachnids and carapaces swarming your screen at a time, you Troopers are the only ones holding back the tide in this immense planetary struggle!

DO YOUR PART
Take orders from the legendary General Johnny Rico (voiced by Casper Van Dien) in an all-new single-player mode. Squad up for the full 16-player co-op experience and fight together to crush Bug incursions across the galaxy. The battlefield expands in the Galactic Front, where you can join a Company, push for collective goals and special rewards, and influence the ongoing story.

WELCOME TO THE NEW VANGUARD
Choose from six classes to suit your playstyle and support your squad. Attack with the Ranger, squash Bugs at range with the Sniper, deal devastation with the Demolisher, cover your team with the Guardian, fortify positions with the Engineer, and save lives with the Medic. Progress with each class to unlock new weapons, equipment, perks, and customization options. Do your part AND look the part!

THE ONLY GOOD BUG…
Increasing threat levels beckon bigger, more dangerous Bugs… so you’re going to need to hunker down to stand a chance. Retake and rebuild bases, and construct refineries, towers, machine-gun turrets, and more to wrest control of planets away from the Bug menace. Get your defenses ready, then aim for the weak spots on Drones, Warriors, Gunners, Plasma Grenadiers, Tanker Bugs, and many more ugly varieties of Arachnid bastards!

The post Indie Selects for October: Game Developers Bringing the Treats appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The First Hands-on

Indiana Jones Hero Art

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The First Hands-on

One of Mussolini’s blackshirts is running at me with a club. I’m out of bullets, he’s coming at me too fast for me to use my whip, and I don’t back myself to take him down with my fists alone. I take a frenzied glance across the room, and see an indicator saying I can pick up something as an improvised weapon – I’m reacting too quickly to check exactly what. I smash my controller to grab it. It’s… a wooden spoon. Oh well. I dodge the first blow, and hammer at my foe with my less-than-impressive weaponry. He eventually goes down. Troy Baker’s pitch-perfect Harrison Ford performance fills my ears: “You went down like a leaf!” 

MachineGames is looking to create the playable equivalent of an Indiana Jones movie. Well, I’ve just, quite accidentally, created a fight scene set piece that wouldn’t feel out of place in the series. Mission accomplished. 

My two hours with the game – taking in its introduction at Marshall College, a short section at the Vatican, and a trip to the game’s first truly open area set around the Pyramids of Giza – is full of these moments. Cutscenes are charming and heartfelt, getting across the movies’ lighter moments – particularly when Indy begins to travel with hapless-but-talented journalist, Gina. Puzzles come with the sense of wonder and satisfaction you’d hope for from an Indy film. And, yes, the action is as much slapstick as it is brutal, with that sense of ‘50s B-Movie derring-do that Spielberg always aimed to recreate. 

Controller in hand, this is a classic adventure game – MachineGames has brought its considerable experience with first-person action games, but pushed it so much further. In Marshall College, you’re given a truly sumptuous tutorial – Indy unsuccessfully attempts to foil a break-in (teaching you the rudiments of combat), works out which exhibit has been stolen from the museum (giving you the basics of puzzle solving), and asks you to follow clues to work out who broke in, and who they might work for (giving you some light traversal tips). 

Following those clues to Vatican City, we’re then shown how the game will approach its more linear sequences – Indy needs to break into Vatican walls, getting past the fascist forces that have mysteriously moved in. It’s introduced as an exercise in stealth – levels are rammed with items you can pick up and throw to distract guards, from bottles to… violins. But you’re also taught that anything thrown can also be a weapon. 

For someone who is shaky at stealth at the best of times, this is welcome news. One of the pure pleasures of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is how seamlessly it shifts gears, and this section teaches that beautifully. One moment, I’m confusing guards with clattering objects, the next I’m up on the battlements of the castle, choosing my own path towards my objective (even these more straightforward sections offer multiple routes to success), and then I’m travelling down a zipline, alerting three guards, shooting two, realizing I’ve run out of bullets, and then realizing again that, when I’m out of bullets, I can use my revolver as a melee weapon (I wish I’d understood that during the wooden spoon incident, incidentally). 

And after all of this, my demo whisked me to Giza, and I’m shown how much more of that spirit we’ll get. We already knew that the game would include more open areas along the journey, but I hadn’t quite realized how open we were talking. After a brief introduction where I meet Dame Nawal – an antiquities collector working to save the treasures of the Pyramids from the arrival of the Nazis – this section throws me into a huge swathe of playable space, packed with quests, side-quests, NPCs, and mysteries to be found along the way. 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle handles its open areas in some novel ways. Maps need to be found and collected, for a start – and once you find them, you’ll need to literally pull out the physical map to work out where you are, and where to go. It’s a means of reducing the onscreen UI, and to ground you in Indy’s analogue world. Fast travel is available around these areas, but only by finding road signs – again, making you engage with the world placed around you, rather than menus. 

The result is that, in just a short time, I learned how the Giza area was put together much faster than I would in other games – I knew which roads led to where, and how to get from place to place without a map. It’s another means of making you Indy, rather than simply piloting the character around. 

And it’s also a way of helping you find adventure on your own. While the game is clear about your main quest (you can open up your journal at any time, review clues you’ve found, and get pointers on where to head), it’s not insistent about making you do that quest. I initially took a walk to a market bazaar – but on the way found a wanted poster for a couple of graverobbers in the area. I followed their tracks to a hidden tomb I might otherwise never have seen, and discovered their grisly fate – and a skill book (the game’s means of ‘levelling up’ your abilities). 

Once I headed back to the market, I bought a lighter from a dubious vendor, and left to take on a quest I’d been given at a dig site under the Great Sphinx. As I snuck into the area, I saw an unguarded door and, walking in, I spotted a space small enough to crawl into. I assumed this was an alternative route to my goal, but I quickly found a miniature puzzle I was never aiming for in the first place. I’d literally stumbled into an adventure. 

This happened multiple times as I played – moments of discovery pile up to lead you to quests you didn’t know existed, offering up collectibles, skill books, and story. Wandering into a medical tent offered me the chance to help a local doctor, who needed me to steal medicine from the invading forces. Heading to a Nazi encampment, I was able to use a disguise I found to walk freely, pilfering supplies. And while I was in the camp, I heard two guards discussing an underground fight club that’s been set up in a local village – I never got the chance to find the uniform I needed to be able to sneak into said club, but I’ll absolutely be heading there when I play the full game.  

This kind of organic, fortuitous discovery feels so right for an Indiana Jones game, and it’s a joy to see it coming together in such a short time with this small slice of the full adventure. And when I don’t get sidetracked by my wandering eye, the game’s main quests offer me more fully-fledged delights. When I reach my originally intended destination at the Great Sphinx, I meet Gina in a guarded dig site (kicking off a huge fight outside before I do so), then head off to steal a golden medallion from Nazi officers playing a game of cards, before returning to solve multiple puzzles in the bowels of the Earth.`  

Another major quest sees me scouring multiple locations across Giza in search of precious, ancient steles – needing to fight off scorpions by waving flaming torches (you really should get that lighter), smash down bricked up walls into undiscovered tombs, and sneak into a Nazi transport depot, taking down a captain, learning a code from a letter nearby, and breaking into a lockbox to find the stolen goods. 

I’ve played just two hours of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and I already have this many stories to tell. It bodes beautifully for the full experience – like I say, if this is an exercise in making you feel like Indy –  mission accomplished. 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle comes to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (with Game Pass), or Steam on December 9. Premium and Collector’s Editions will offer 3 days of early access from December 6. 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™: Digital Premium Edition

Bethesda Softworks

$99.99

Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade™ Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade™.

***
Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™!

INCLUDES:
• Base Game (digital code)
• Up to 3-Day Early Access**
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC†
• Digital Artbook
• Temple of Doom™ Outfit

***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark™ and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.

YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.

A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.

WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.

THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?

*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.
**Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages.
†DLC availability to be provided at a later date.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™ Standard Edition

Bethesda Softworks

$69.99

Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade™ Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade™.
***
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark™ and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.

YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.

A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.

WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.

THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?

*Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active.

The post Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The First Hands-on appeared first on Xbox Wire.

New Home Experience in the Xbox App on Windows Is Available for Xbox Insiders

Starting today, we are excited to announce that a new Home experience is available in the Xbox app on Windows for Xbox Insiders! We are improving the Xbox app on Windows by making it faster and easier to find your next favorite game. We’ve listened to your feedback and have been testing different designs internally over the last several months. Our goal is to create a unified Home experience that combines the best and latest content from both the Game Pass and Microsoft Store tabs, so you can easily find what you love without having to jump between tabs. 

All Xbox players on Windows will benefit from Home, whether you play with Game Pass or purchase your games individually. Home brings you the latest games, news, curated recommendations, free-to-play content, and deals.

Check out the new Home tab and let us know your thoughts by completing this short 2-minute survey available here. Your feedback will be used to inspire future updates and plans as we continue to evolve. 

Now, let’s take a look at some of the updates that you can expect to see in Home starting today. 

New Home highlights 

Featured content. At-a-glance view for you stay up to date on exciting game releases, new events, content available with Game Pass, sales, and more! 

A screenshot of a desktop computer displaying the new Home interface.

Deals and discounts. No more navigating through the app to find the latest deals and discounts. The new Home will now have collections with the best deals and discounts to make sure you can see available savings at a glance. 

Note: Prices shown are for illustrative purpose only and may vary.

Curated collections and recommendations. Find games that are perfect for you with collections curated and personalized for you. Spend less time searching and more time playing games.

Note: Prices shown are for illustrative purpose only and may vary.

Jump back in (available with compact mode). In May, we tested Jump back in as part of the Game Pass tab experience. This feature allows players in Compact Mode to click on any game card shown, allowing them to go directly to its game hub, where you can jump right back into game play.  Today, we are excited to add this feature as part of the new Home experience for all Xbox Insiders. 

How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback 

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, you can provide direct feedback to Team Xbox by following the steps here under the “Report a problem online” section.  

If you aren’t part of the Xbox Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.  

For more information on the Xbox Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding the PC Gaming Preview

Note: This feature is being made available to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview.  

The post New Home Experience in the Xbox App on Windows Is Available for Xbox Insiders appeared first on Xbox Wire.

A Deep Dive into [REDACTED]’s Challenging End Game

A Deep Dive into [REDACTED]’s Challenging End Game

On behalf of the team at Striking Distance Studios, I wanted to offer up a huge thank you to everyone who pre-ordered [REDACTED].  I hope you’re enjoying the 72 hours of Early Access on Xbox.

If you haven’t pre-ordered the game yet, you’ve still got a chance to get in on the fun and check out the new gameplay trailer before our official launch on October 31. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

[REDACTED] is our take on a fast-action dungeon crawler roguelike. It’s set in Black Iron Prison, a deep space penitentiary where the shit really hits the fan after a full-blown outbreak has created a terrifying mob of bloodthirsty monsters. You’re an expendable prison guard with one mission – find the last escape pod and get the hell out of there.

This is a passion project for our team between AAA releases. We’re huge fans of roguelikes and wanted to put our stamp on the genre, with a vibrant comic-book-inspired style, and a high-energy, futuristic punk rock vibe.

We’ve already talked about a few of the innovative new gameplay features we’ve added, like “Rivals” and “Fight Your Last Corpse.” But of course, we’ve saved a few surprises for the end.

Today, we wanted to tell you about a devious ultra-hard mode called “The Watcher Run.”

“The Watcher Run” is a completely optional endgame playthrough for the hardest of the hardcore out there. It’s the only way to unlock the final pieces of the story in [REDACTED], and is the ultimate test of your skill, strategy, and sanity.

You’ll unlock dossier filers for each Rival you encounter in the game as you battle through Black Iron Prison. Each completed dossier scores you a code used to unlock a mysterious Vault in the escape pod bay at the end of the prison.

Redacted game screenshot

Once you secure all eight codes and reaches the vault next to the escape pod, you have the option to unlock “The Watcher Run.”  

And here’s where things get interesting.

If you choose to take on this challenge, you’ll assume the role of “The Watcher.” Playing as the “The Watcher” has its perks – you’ll wield a cattle prod and the Plasma Gun, a new and powerful ranged weapon.  Otherwise, it’s simple – you have to make one last run through Black Iron facing off against every boss and rival from start to finish – without dying.

Redacted game screenshot

Don’t worry, The Watcher isn’t just a guy with a big shiny gun and cattle prod. He has a unique ability to exit any room that doesn’t include a boss or Rival encounter before it’s cleared.  This speeds the run up and reduces your exposure to combat, but it costs you the ability to unlock upgrades along the way. Which is a real high-risk scenario, because there’s a catch.

If you die, you’ll lose every upgrade you’ve purchased. So, basically, just about everything you’ve earned up to that point. Like I said, The Watcher Run isn’t for the timid and the stakes are high. But so are the rewards.

If you battle your way through the prison, clear the whole run without dying, overcome one last life-or-death battle that unlocks one of two special endings for the game (no spoilers here), you win access to the Plasma Gun and a new suit that grants 100% hazard protection and deflects enemy projectiles back at the attacker.

Redacted game screenshot

I can’t wait to hear about all your own unique player stories exploring Black Iron Prison (whether you take on “The Watcher Run” or not) in the days ahead as we launch the game globally on October 31.  We hope you have as much fun playing the game as we did making it!

[REDACTED]

KRAFTON, Inc.

$22.49

Black Iron, a state-of-the-art penitentiary located on Jupiter’s icy moon Callisto, is overrun with hordes of infected inmates. As a modest prison guard your job is simple – get to the last escape pod and get out alive.

But you aren’t the only survivor looking to escape. Your rivals – a deranged custodian, a violent gangster, a maniacal lunch lady, and more – can’t wait to step over your corpse and save themselves.

Only one of you can make it off the moon – make sure it’s you!

FIGHT/DIE/ADAPT

Each death is a learning experience. Starting fresh each run, build up your loadout with powerful experiments, weapon schematics, and buffs to battle through Black Iron. When you die (and you will die), use your hard-earned loot to purchase new permanent weapons, suits, and skills. Get stronger, experiment with your strategy, and get out!

ROUT YOUR RIVALS

You’re not the only person to survive the initial outbreak or willing to use a bit of violence to get to the last escape pod. Some prisoners and even your correctional services colleagues are just as eager to escape and will make escaping harder by attacking you remotely or challenging you to a one-on-one duel. Race them, attack them back remotely, and fight them to the death to make it out in one piece.

FIGHT YOUR LAST CORPSE

When you die, you leave more than a coverall-clad carcass. Defeat the reanimated corpse of the last guard to succumb to the prison’s dangers to earn a powerful experiment. But beware, it’s not going to be an easy fight. The semi-alive guard has the same loadout they had when they met an untimely end and a few extra tricks up its sleeve to keep things spicy.

“GAME OVER, MAN”
You’ve made the perfect build, battled through bosses, ran through rivals, killed your corpse, found all the files, and now you’re standing in front of that last escape pod. Sure, you could leave it all behind for the sweet taste of freedom… or risk it all in one last hardcore do-or-die run back through the prison. Fail and you lose all your purchased gear, skills, suits, and weapons. But IF you succeed, you’ll unlock new powerful permanent gear.

FUTURE PUNK

An irreverent attitude, unique presentation, vivid graphic novel style, and a 180bpm original arcade-punk soundtrack by Mutato Muzika enhance [REDACTED]’s sci-fi setting and fast white-knuckle action.

The post A Deep Dive into [REDACTED]’s Challenging End Game appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Survival Horror Gets Crafty in Outbreak: Shades of Horror Chromatic Split

Summary

  • Outbreak Shades of Horror Chromatic Split launches on Xbox Series X|S today.
  • Compelling and twisted narrative, devious puzzles, thoughtful inventory management, and endless dark secrets.
  • Special bonus modes include action-packed scenarios for a more arcade-style experience.

Happy Halloween, Survivors! My name is Julia Wolbach, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Dead Drop Studios.  Today we are launching our next-generation survival horror bloodbath, Outbreak Shades of Horror Chromatic Split, on Xbox Series X|S. As Detective Lydia Daniels, players will begin in a sprawling sewer system beneath the city of Cypress Ridge on the eve of a massive zombie apocalypse.  Players must explore, solve puzzles, and take advantage of their limited resources to survive in an ever-changing world filled with dangerous enemy zombies and a recurring, massive monster.

Outbreak screenshot

Dare to Explore an Underground Labyrinth Alone and Afraid.

Initially, players will be unarmed and at the mercy of the environment before discovering a repertoire of melee weapons and firearms such as the lead pipe and the shotgun.  These and other key items will give players a fighting chance and also open up new and secret areas to explore in the game’s colossal maps.  Resourceful players can find crafting items to create healing items, ammunition, and even precious ink for saving their game.  For example, players can use unique types of gunpowder and shell casings to fabricate different types of ammo, or in a pinch, players can combine gunpowder with a virus kit to produce antiviral items.  Explore a multitude of different crafting combos to manufacture the valuable supplies needed to ride out the zombie storm!

Outbreak screenshot

Play in Third Person or Through Lydia’s Eyes.

Players can switch between first person and third person perspectives at any time as they fight to survive in a ruthless world.  If you’re looking to fully immerse yourself in Lydia’s journey, first person view may be your cup of tea, while if you enjoy more of a traditional survival horror experience, third person view will provide you with a full look at your character.  Utilize melee combat to try and stagger foes and sneak by, or use your limited bullets to carefully place shots that can dismember and severely cripple zombies’ offensive options.  Be warned, as enemy zombies can stun you or even knock you over, leaving you vulnerable to an unholy beating!   Explore and carefully take advantage of your tools to open new pathways and discover a bevy of secrets, such as bonus crafting items and more.

Outbreak screenshot

Strategize and Think Quickly to Best Utilize Your Limited Items.

Lydia’s supplies will be limited, so she’ll need to find materials to give herself a fighting chance!  Combine gunpowder with other items to create ink for saving, items for healing, additional bullets, antiviral solutions, and more.  Lydia can’t afford to shoot first and think later, so think carefully about how you use your items!  Will you consume raw gunpowder in an act of desperation to bail yourself out in the moment, or will you wait to find an empty ink canister so you can save your progress?  Inventory space is also limited, so take time to optimize your pocket space and put excess items in linked item boxes occasionally found throughout the game for later use.  Remember that opening your inventory to combine components will pause the game, but to reload your weapon you must find a safe spot to hide in the cruel, chaotic underground of Cypress Ridge!

Outbreak screenshot

Satiating Side Content Expands the Breadth of Gameplay.

Once you’re done with Lydia’s campaign, there’s still more fun to be had!  Unlock an additional wild campaign for a more action-oriented game style. Try out the Onslaught and Besieged modes for arcade zombie-splatting fun against piles of enemies on unique maps.  Looming Dread Mode challenges you to survive and clear a unique scenario in as fast a time as possible.  You can also replay Lydia’s campaign in New Game Plus to keep all of your upgrades from the end of the story or enjoy built-in Developer Commentary!  Can you find all of Chromatic Split’s hidden achievements and cheat codes?

Outbreak screenshot

Will you Save Cypress Ridge or Die Trying?

With so much content and multiple replayable modes all horrifyingly crafted in Unreal Engine 5, the standalone Outbreak Shades of Horror Chromatic Split is the perfect way to prepare for the main Outbreak: Shades of Horror game releasing soon episodically.  On the eve of a massive zombie outbreak, can Lydia survive long enough to help her city in its time of need?

Outbreak: Shades of Horror Chromatic Split

Dead Drop Studios LLC

$24.99

Cypress Ridge – September 28,1999

Go back to the beginning of the end in the prologue to Dead Drops’ Studios upcoming Outbreak: Shades of Horror. Play as both the heroes and the villains of the outbreak as you attempt both to avoid an outbreak of epic proportions and to stop word from getting out.

As Lydia, a veteran police officer, race against time through the Cypress Ridge sewers to spread the truth of the Outbreak before it’s too late but beware there is more than sludge and rats waiting for her.

As Hank, keep sight of your target while navigating rooftop of insanity as he tries to stop the truth from coming to the surface. But remember, the higher you are, the harder you fall when the zombies attack!

Leads into the upcoming Outbreak: Shades of Horror, a spiritual successor to online survival horror from the early 2000s.

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