In developing Cursed Feed, our new horror game about a paranormal investigator pursuing a mysterious family murder, I encountered an unexpected question: Why was I so concerned about establishing the protagonist’s occupation? This led me down a rabbit hole of reflection about the changing nature of video game narratives and player expectations.
Today’s gaming landscape reveals a fascinating shift: young players are increasingly drawn to simulation games that recreate everyday experiences. Games that depict “profession simulators” consistently top charts, while classical storytelling approaches fight for attention.
I’m baffled with one Steam review about a “supermarket game simulator” where you play as cashier. The reviewer says “I work as a cashier at a supermarket and then as if it is not enough, I come home in the evening to play this game.”
Immersion vs. Escapism
What happened to the “escapism” factor of video games?
Did anyone care that Gregor Samsa was a traveling salesman in Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”? His occupation was incidental to theme of alienation and human nature. Similarly, Meursault’s clerical job in Albert Camus’s novel “The Stranger” served merely as background to the existential themes at play. Yet in contemporary gaming, a character’s profession is crucial for player engagement.
The irony isn’t lost on me. If we were to adapt “Waiting for Godot” as a video game today, would we need to market it as “Professional Wait Simulator 2024” to capture attention?
Becket never needed to explain Godot’s occupation – though it’s fascinating to note he was inspired by a bus driver Beckett would wait for each morning. Today, paradoxically, a straightforward bus driving simulator game might find more commercial success than a game exploring Beckett’s existential themes.
Life Outside the Screen
This shift reflects broader cultural changes, particularly among “Gen-Z”, if I may use the term…
There’s a growing appetite for experiencing life’s various facets from the safety of one’s screen. The popularity of job-focused games might speak to a generation seeking to explore different lives and careers in a low-stakes environment. It’s why games featuring mortuary assistants, paranormal investigators, and various professional roles resonate so strongly with modern audiences.
In Cursed Feed, we consciously positioned our protagonist as a paranormal investigator, not just someone who stumbles upon supernatural events. This decision wasn’t purely artistic – it was a recognition that today’s players often connect with games through the lens of profession and purpose. The occupation makes the extraordinary elements more relatable through the framework of a job.
Does this trend signal the slow demise of classical narrative approaches in gaming? Not necessarily. Rather, it suggests an evolution in storytelling and experience. While simulation games fulfill a desire for structured, occupation-based experiences, they also reveal something profound about modern storytelling: the everyday has become extraordinary.
The challenge for narrative designers is to bridge the gap between simulation and narrative. Perhaps the next breakthrough in gaming narratives will come from understanding why players find such comfort and engagement in the mundane, and how we can use that understanding to tell deeper stories.
Literary Heroes Resumes
If Kafka were writing for today’s gaming audience, would “Metamorphosis” be marketed as “Traveling Salesman Life Simulator (with Unexpected Twist)”? The thought is both amusing and sobering. Yet it points to an essential truth: while the vehicles for storytelling may change, the fundamental human experiences we seek remain constant. The task before us is to embrace this evolution , finding ways to weave meaningful narratives through the framework of simulation that today’s players find so compelling.
As we continue to develop and refine Cursed Feed, these considerations shape our approach to storytelling. The challenge is to tell a horror story that resonates with a generation that finds profound meaning in the simulation of everyday life.
At first glance, Cursed Feed might appear to be another profession-based horror experience – your role is a paranormal investigator using modern ghost-hunting tools to investigate supernatural phenomena . But beneath this familiar framework lies something more fundamental: a haunting family tragedy that explores the weight of inheritance, the bonds of blood, and the curses that echo through generations. While players might come for the ghost-hunting mechanics, they’ll stay for the deeply human story of life, death, and the shadows that family legacies can cast across time.
In this way, perhaps we’ve found a middle ground – using the familiar structure of professional simulation as a gateway to deeper, more traditional narrative themes. After all, the best stories, whether told through literature or games, ultimately lead us back to the core of human experience, regardless of the path they take to get there. Cursed Feed is available today on Xbox.
In first-person horror game “Cursed Feed,” players embark on a chilling journey with the Thornvale family as they confront a malevolent force unleashed by their own patriarch’s archaeological discoveries.
Richard Thornvale, a renowned archaeologist, returns from a harrowing expedition in the Middle East with cryptic artifacts in tow, he unwittingly invites an ancient curse into their tranquil home. Soon, inexplicable phenomena plague the household, and Emily, their young daughter, becomes the focal point of the sinister presence.
With each passing night, the family is tormented by terrifying apparitions and escalating paranormal activity, leading them to unravel dark secrets buried within the walls of their own home.
As they delve deeper into the mystery, they must confront their own fears and uncover the truth behind the curse before it consumes them all. Will they break free from the grip of the past, or will they become mere echoes in the haunted halls of their own history?
*As a paranormal investigator, Thornval residence is at your disposal. Place your camera recording equipment at strategic locations around the deserted house.
*Use your camera set-up at the back of your van to monitor camera feeds, observe and investigate any ghostly happenings.
*Use your spirit box to unearth the horrifying mysteries in the cryptic dungeons beneath the Thornval residence.
Dauntless: Awakening – Bringing a New Behemoth to Life for This Huge Update
Prepare to face Karkonos, the fearsome new Behemoth debuting in Dauntless on December 5 as part of the Dauntless: Awakening update.
This is the largest update ever to our monster-slaying, free-to-play action-RPG. Featuring revamped progression systems, powerful new weapons, and a new Behemoth, it’s a transformative leap forward. With fresh challenges and a community-informed development roadmap, Dauntless: Awakening sets the stage for an exciting future in the Shattered Isles.
And at the heart of all this lies our newest Behemoth, the fearsome Karkonos. This monstrous creation is the result of months of collaboration between the Dauntless team and its passionate community. Today, we’re peeling back the curtain to reveal how the newest addition to the Shattered Isles was brought to life, from initial concept to final in-game implementation. Along the way, you’ll see how community feedback helped shape Karkonos and why this Behemoth is a testament to the power of collaboration.
A Concept Born from Community
The origins of Karkonos trace back to a community design livestream, where Dauntless players and developers collaborated in real time to envision the next Behemoth. The session was a creative melting pot, with Slayers sharing their ideas for a creature that was both visually striking and deeply tied to the lore of the Shattered Isles. Some players pushed for a towering, alien-like monster with intricate details, while others suggested grounding the design in real-world inspirations for a sense of familiarity.
From these discussions, a bold and imaginative concept emerged. However, as developers delved deeper into the initial sketches, it became clear that the design felt “too alien-like” and disconnected from the world of Dauntless. Brent Barrett, lead designer on Karkonos, recalls the iterative process: “The community’s ideas gave us a phenomenal starting point for us to iterate on. We wanted Karkonos to feel like it truly belonged in the Shattered Isles.”
Feedback from the livestream continued to shape the Behemoth’s evolution. Players emphasized the importance of a creature that looked dangerous yet believable, inspiring the team to integrate real-world influences. Crab-like elements were introduced to anchor Karkonos visually, while its scorpion-inspired tail preserved its menacing edge. These design decisions balanced player creativity with the Dauntless aesthetic, resulting in a creature that feels both authentic and fresh.
This collaborative refinement process extended beyond visual design, laying the groundwork for a gameplay experience as dynamic and challenging as the Behemoth itself.
From Sketch to Savage: The Gameplay Experience
While Karkonos’ appearance sets the stage, its gameplay is where this Behemoth truly shines. The collaboration with the community extended into early playtests, where Slayers provided invaluable feedback on its mechanics.
Karkonos moves with a crab-like gait, forward and backward, but its attack patterns are anything but predictable. “Karkonos is mean,” Barrett says with a smile. “Its tail swipes and ground-shaking pincers have almost no tell, keeping players on edge. And it’s not just one-on-one, it threatens entire teams, forcing coordination and strategy.”
Key to the gameplay design was the balance of risk and reward. Moments of vulnerability, like when Karkonos pounds the ground with its pincers, offer skilled Slayers a chance to interrupt, but only if they act quickly and decisively. Community feedback fine-tuned these interactions, ensuring every encounter feels dynamic and rewarding.
A Challenge for All Slayers
Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, Karkonos offers something for everyone. For experienced players, it’s a punishing test of teamwork, adaptability, and precision. Its relentless attacks can target multiple players simultaneously, and its ability to Aether charge adds an unpredictable layer of intensity.
For newer Slayers, Karkonos provides an opportunity to sharpen your skills and experience the thrill of taking down a truly formidable foe. Environmental interactions, like avoiding falling debris or finding openings during Aether charges, ensure the fight remains engaging and accessible for all.
But the rewards are worth the effort. Slayers who conquer Karkonos can craft armor inspired by deep-sea diving suits, a nod to its undersea aesthetic. This set not only looks striking but offers the defensive advantages needed for future challenges.
The Future of Collaboration
The creation of Karkonos underscores the incredible potential of building Dauntless not just for players, but with players. Through live design streams, early playtests, and ongoing feedback, the community has left an enduring mark on the Shattered Isles.
And this is just the beginning. With Dauntless: Awakening heralding a new era, the team is committed to harnessing the passion and creativity of its players in even more meaningful ways, ensuring the voice of the community continues to drive the evolution of Dauntless.
Dauntless is back, stronger than ever, with more details about future collaborations on the horizon. Whether you’re a Slayer seeking your next great hunt or a creative mind ready to shape the Shattered Isles, your input will help define what’s next.
Join the conversation on our Discord to participate in these future collaborations.
As a Slayer, you are all that stands between your world and the Behemoths that seek to devour it. Take on boss-sized monsters, forge powerful weapons, and craft armour from the very creatures you slay — all in a massive, free-to-play online world.
How Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Brings Us Inside the Mind of Indy
It’s easy to forget that, over the course of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we’ll spending the runtime of multiple films with the archaeologist adventurer. Not just that but, thanks to the game’s primarily first-person viewpoint, we’ll be quite literally inside Indy’s head.
It gave the game’s developer MachineGames a responsibility – not just representing the world and feel of the Indiana Jones movies faithfully, but also this character, who we already know so well.
As Design Director Jens Andersson puts it: “Of course, no-one is more iconic than Indiana Jones, so getting that right was paramount.” There’s so much to juggle here – from Indy’s tone of voice, to the way he reacts to situations, right down to how he moves, or uses his equipment. And, for the developers, that meant going to the source.
“Lucasfilm Games and Franchise was a great help here, providing a ton of insight on the character,” explains Andersson.
“The collaboration with the Lucasfilm Games team has been incredibly smooth,” adds Lead Narrative Designer, Tommy Tordsson Björk. “We’ve had an open channel with them throughout the project where we’ve sent finished drafts of scripts to them for feedback and getting their lore input on various aspects. This open and transparent working process has been very valuable for us.”
But, truly, this research was just the start.
Meeting Indy
Poring over not only the films, but comic books and even other games became central to defining who Indiana Jones truly is, and led the team to create “rules” around what Indy would and wouldn’t do:
“Early on in the project I started to look at the early movies, starting to dissect the character and the IP,” explains Creative Director Axel Torvenius. “The goal was to flesh out and identify what is core to the franchise. What that gave us was some sort of framework for who Indiana Jones is, but also, and sometimes even more importantly – what he is not.
“Quite quickly you realize that he is not a guns-first type of character that kicks down doors, mowing through enemies with a machine gun. He is also not an aggressor or vengeful person. There are some key beats to Indy as a character: he is very human, he is an academic, he is a complex character with his weaknesses (and strengths), he is passionate, an empath with warmth. He also has a sweet tooth for danger and daring stunts, he is obsessed, he thirsts for knowledge, and he is extremely resourceful.”
That framework didn’t just govern how Indy acts in the core story, or how he speaks – it was applied to everything about the game, down to moments where players make choices in how to act, or take part in optional content that other players may never find.
“All of these things tie into the types of actions he does and it ties into which type of narrative we want to craft,” says Torvenius. “So even when you are off tangent and not on the golden path, all your actions will still feel like they fit within the IP.”
“We worked really hard to make sure it was fun and easy for the player to make similar choices that Indy would do,” adds Andersson. “If the player naturally chooses to play as a lovable and sometimes brawling archaeologist, they’ve already put themselves into the shoes of Indiana Jones and most of the battle is already won.”
Defining the Character
But this isn’t just an image of Indiana Jones as a whole – The Great Circle is set in a very specific period between ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’, meaning MachineGames needed to further refine the character. Who was he in this moment?
“Speaking in terms of the storyline, the game picks up after ‘Raiders’. Indy has split with [‘Raiders’ companion] Marion Ravenwood and he’s kind of lost, trying to figure out what his next move is,” explains Torvenius. “He is this charming, very human teacher, but also this almost obsessed superhero – but with no superpowers.”
‘Obsession’ is an idea that everyone I speak to brings up around this take on Indy – and interestingly, it was drawn out of the movie that follows this game in the timeline:
“Obsession is what defines him here. Obsession with his work, with exploring the past and uncovering the secrets of history, and it is this that has led him to where he is when the game starts,” explains Björk. “Indy’s personal theme of obsession is something that we’ve drawn from ‘The Last Crusade’ and the relationship Indy has with his dad, who also was obsessed with work. Indy doesn’t realize how much it also defines him – and that’s how it often goes, isn’t it? It’s not easy to see or analyse your own character traits and flaws.”
But perhaps most excitingly for players, much of the rest is up to you. MachineGames has created a version of this character that’s open to your interpretation:
“What defines him in this game is what you as a player want to define him as. We have crafted a game experience where all his character traits and skills are there for you to choose from. But regardless whether you, as a player, choose the fists-first brawler or the inquisitive investigator that hides in the shadows, we have made sure that this will always feel like a solid, genuine Indiana Jones adventure.”
Growth Mindset
Another key element for The Great Circle’s take on the character was in having him change over time – MachineGames isn’t looking to create a static icon of who Indiana Jones is, but offer a meaningful exploration of how he grows after ‘Raiders’ and before ‘The Last Crusade’. That comes down not just to the story, but the game itself – MachineGames has found ways of hinting at Indy’s personal growth through mechanics.
“There are several ways we have worked with this,” begins Torvenius. “Throughout the game we reward the player with Adventure Points. These points can be spent to unlock skills that you find in ability books. These are basically new skills you learn throughout the adventure – and all these skills and moves you unlock have been carefully crafted to fit the character of Indy. Some of these are things like more health or stamina and others are related to handling the whip – all features intimately tied to Indiana Jones. This gives a sense of experience building up.
“We also have a visual progression with his hat and jacket becoming a tad more beaten up throughout the experience, and the same goes for the journal. Indy’s journal becomes more and more built out, and shows stains and scribbles on the pages to emphasize the player’s journey. All of these things combine to work together very nicely – the player will never be left feeling that the character of Indy is not evolving throughout the game.”
And, of course, playing the majority of the game in first-person plays a major part here too. While it may seem a challenge to set the game within a character so defined by his look, it gave MachineGames a chance to use their experience within this area – particularly in the recent Wolfenstein games.
“We knew this was super important challenge from the get-go,” says Andersson. “Luckily, this is not our first rodeo. Big parts of the team have worked together on story-driven first-person games all the way back to The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness. Also, I think the Wolfenstein series surprised the world by having a very interesting and relatable character with B.J. Blazkowicz, so we have had a lot of experience with this.”
“One important thing that has been part of our DNA for a very long time – and is definitely something that helps create great characters – is that we put story front and centre,” adds Torvenius. “We always start with a strong narrative, and we always end with a narratively strong ending. And our experience is weaving those stories tightly with solid gameplay.
“Having the perfect mix of strong cutscenes and interesting gameplay, driven by an interesting character that is complex with many nuances, that continues to evolve throughout the game, is crucial. A good story survives everything and that’s why we’re always so very focused on getting the story just right.”
Finding a Voice
But all of this hard work would be for naught without finding the right voice for Indiana Jones – not just someone who could step into the role of Indiana Jones and make it their own, but create a version of the character who felt right for this specific point in his life. The team found it in renowned voice actor, Troy Baker, whose portrayal feels so natural that you never doubt that you’re hearing Indiana Jones.
Even better, Baker’s work as a performance capture artist meant that he literally embodied Indiana Jones for the game: “Troy Baker did a phenomenal job in portraying Indy, both in first-person and third, with his extensive research of the character and stellar acting,” says Andersson.
For the game’s writers, it was a match made in heaven:
“Harrison Ford’s depiction of the character has been our starting point when writing the script, and then letting Troy Baker do his magic in honoring that depiction,” explains Björk. “And that’s what has been so amazing about working with Troy Baker – he truly understands Indy as a character, and he has an incredible wealth of knowledge about him and the franchise, and so much love and passion for the story.”
Creating a single character has been a true team effort, across MachineGames and beyond – and it’s what lends Indiana Jones and the Great Circle its magic. You’re not simply moving Indiana Jones around this world-spanning adventure – you’re truly playing as him, and it makes all the difference.
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 up to 3 days of early access from December 6.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition
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
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.
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!
This story is a metaphor for climbing the corporate ladder. Get To Work is a punishing, yet satisfying experience about a young man on a mission to conquer the corporate world… on rollerblades. Maneuver a slippery character with rollerblades on both his arms and feet, who only knows how to move fast.
A hand-animated JRPG adventure that draws from genre classics. Join Jae as he goes on a journey with his best friends to try and fix the past in a story full of laughs, tears, and Elemelons. Engage in silly battles that involve timed hits, meter, and teamwork.
An isometric, story-rich RPG with a unique take on turn-based combat, character development features, and investigation mechanics, facing you with morally ambiguous choices – set in a world teeming with mysterious powers and strange ethereal beings called salutors.
Prepare to descend into the depths of the Underworld in Godsvivors! As a powerful god of Olympus, your mission is to challenge the ruler of the Underworld, Hades, and restore the balance of power. Battle through waves of demonic foes in this roguelite bullet-hell adventure, where every second counts. Godsvivors offers an action-packed journey through hell, blending fast-paced combat with a satisfying bullet-storm experience. Will you conquer the Underworld and emerge victorious?
After getting their home planet destroyed by a meteor, the cats’ only option was to flee on a spaceship and embark on a journey to find a new suitable planet to colonize and live. Super Astro Cat is a 2D pixel art shoot ‘n run with a jetpack mechanic. Choose wisely, as all their 9 lives are in your hands!
Lara found a magical backpack that gives her the power to fly through the skies and collect Light stars scattered across an enchanted kingdom. Embark on this journey filled with exciting challenges, helping Lara overcome obstacles, capture each star, and advance through the levels.
The Father of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu return to deliver an original RPG story. Mechteria—a deathly mechanical infection that robs humans of their emotions and lives—is slowly engulfing the world. The protagonist Leo awakens with only one memory left to him in a strange land abundant with machines. Using the Warp Device that was left behind, Leo must now embark on an interdimensional journey to reclaim his lost memories and save the world from the mechteria infection.
The 2002 third-person survival horror shooter that serves as a sequel to the genre-defining 1982 film is back, remastered by Nightdive Studios to bring this innovative blend of fast paced squad action meets survival horror to the modern era. Where the movie ended, the true terror begins.
Where most of his customers find meaning in pastimes like worshipping deranged space gods, feeding random crap to a sentient black hole, endlessly digging for The Treasure, or mentally enslaving donut shop workers, Wilbur lives a more humble life, fixing the galaxy’s ills one broken ship module at a time. Fix stuff, read stuff, upgrade stuff, talk about stuff, discover stuff, and do all that stuff again, but better.
In the realm of Symphonia, music acts as a source of life and energy. Embody a mysterious violinist, brought back to life in a declining world. Your violin and bow are both your instrument and a means of transport. Catapult yourself through the world, and complete levels by solving exciting platforming challenges while re-activating the machinery that brings life and energy back to this world.
Grab a pencil and paper to write down what you need because no one is going to help you. You play the role of a detective who has been assigned a case. When you arrive at the crime scene, you find a hotel with several rooms. At that moment you will have to discover what has happened, but it will not be easy. You will have to be very attentive to your surroundings to find all the possible evidence. If you are a good detective you will find the truth that is hidden behind the walls of each of the rooms in “The Motel”.
Set in a huge open world reminiscent of the Americas during the golden age of steam trains, Railroads Online puts you in the role of a pioneer helping to shape the future of America. Build tracks, traverse vast landscapes in various steam locomotives, transport goods to earn money, and customize and buy new locomotives and equipment as you grow to become a railroad tycoon.
A free-to-play football game that features real footballers with a rich metagame. UFL offers tons of unique content like various club kits, boots, gloves, balls, and stadiums. In UFL, you create your club from the ground up, assembling a team of real-world footballers customized to your liking. Compete with players worldwide, climb the ranks, and win championships!
Dive into the action of American patrolling duty! Put on your uniform and step into the shoes of an American police officer with Highway Police Simulator. This game brings the heart-pounding action of the American Highway Patrol right to your fingertips. Immerse yourself in the unique challenges and serious police duties that officers face on a daily basis and truly feel what it’s like to patrol the highways while maintaining law and order.
A memory of a sweet kiss from last night. A lost cell phone. Three suspects. Become the main character’s helper, make story choices, collect hints, and clear mini-games. A full-scale mystery romantic comedy interactive movie.
Xbox Play Anywhere / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
You’re Alex, a rookie backpacker taking a much needed break from modern life. Your trip is interrupted when you are suddenly shipwrecked on Ambrosia Island; a beautiful long-forgotten place of myth and sunshine. It’s home to the gods of Greek mythology. They’re real after all, even if they are having an identity crisis. Can you discover the secrets of Ambrosia Island in this sun-drenched ‘Friend Em Up’ adventure?
You play as a Monarch in possession of an ancient soul-stealing crown with magical abilities. With its power, establish a kingdom in a perilous wilderness and defend it from mutants and bandits roaming the land. Build, gather resources, farm the land and more to turn your fledgling realm into a commanding, self-sustaining kingdom. As your fame grows, more will flock to your banner – but so will those who have come to overthrow you, including your friends in up to six-player co-op.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition
Purchase the Premium or Collector’s Edition to secure up to three days of early access ahead of the game’s December 9 release date. 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.
A superhero team-based PvP shooter. Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more.
Set in Japan around the early Edo period, Aiko’s Choice is a stealth strategy game that takes place within the story of Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. This standalone expansion focuses on one of the main game’s protagonists: the kunoichi adept Aiko. She is a master of camouflage and distracts enemies disguised as a Geisha. Although Aiko was certain that she left her old life behind her, Aiko’s former sensei, the cunning spymaster Lady Chiyo, reappears from the shadows to challenge her. Together with her deadly companions she sets out to hunt down the ghosts of her past…
Find incredible new challenges, amazing graphics and improved mechanics. As a great monarch, you will fight many new and dangerous enemies using your clicker skills. Every click on your screen summons powerful warriors, deals crushing blows to enemies and directs the magic of nature into battle. Get ready for exciting battles, strategic decisions and unforgettable adventures! The future of the kingdom depends only on your skill and determination. Are you ready to become a real hero and save the world?
An exciting combat game that breaks with traditional schemes. Instead of the typical punches and combos, strategy boils down to three buttons: rock, paper, and scissors. Get ready for a cerebral challenge where your quick thinking and mental agility are key! Hop on the elevator of fun and prepare to act swiftly! Face all kinds of rivals and prove that you can outshine everyone in the arena. Become the undisputed champion!
Westild’s Law offers dynamic shootouts where you must cleverly use every element of your arsenal to achieve victory. Throw dynamite to clear your path or send enemies flying, you can throw your weapon at your enemies to stun them when ammo runs low and then take their weapons. Also when the situation gets critical, activate “ultra-sense”, slow-down time and enhance your abilities to showcase the true power of the hero.
Beat the Machine: Rebooted is a top down retro roguelike arcade shooter where you must defeat the virus T.O.M (Totally Overpowered Machine) that is invading Sector VIII. Play as Damon, the cocky cadet, willing to aid Sector VIII from total destruction. Guided by Logan, Syncopia and Pete, natives of Sector VIII, traverse across 25 levels corrupted by T.O.M’s virus brigade.
An intense top-down twin-stick shooter rogue-like game that plunges players into the heart of a zombie apocalypse. As a lone survivor, your mission is to navigate through procedurally generated levels filled with relentless zombie hordes, utilizing a diverse arsenal of weapons and character abilities to stay alive.
In this 3D roguelike action game, you are a Valkyrie, choosing blessings from the Nordic gods to build your unique combat style. Go to complete the Taboo Trial guided by Loki. Unlock different Valkyries in Valhalla, each playable with distinct styles. Take up the weapons of the gods to challenge the “giants”, each weapon having a distinct combat style.
Choose your ingredients, slice, prepare, plate and serve delicious dishes with style in fun mini-games! The MasterChef judges will evaluate your dish based on your performance and speed. Complete and unlock new recipes, challenges, and mini-games along your cooking journey!
Bringing the beloved book series to life, dive into this action-packed, humor-filled adventure. The key to the city has fallen into the hands of a supa bad guy, unlocking all the prison doors and releasing many evildoers. Help Dog Man and his friends chase down the supa bad guys in their most impawsible mission yet!
Dead by Daylight’s Doomed Course Steers Two Tortured Souls into The Fog
Mitch Findlay, Senior Copywriter, Dead By Daylight
Embark on Dead by Daylight‘s new Chapter Doomed Course, which introduces a new Killer – The Houndmaster, and a new Survivor – Taurie Cain. Beyond the arrival of these characters, Doomed Course delves deeper into the dark and mysterious lore of Dead by Daylight, expanding on the connection between our world and The Entity’s Realms.
We’ve got you covered with a deep dive into each character’s backstory, detailing how one of the most brutal and merciless Killers and one of the morally darkest Survivors ultimately wound up in The Fog.
Merciless As The Sea
Before she became The Houndmaster, Portia Maye had a chance at an ordinary life. Warmed by her father’s love and fueled by the promise of adventure, her early years were largely spent at sea. Unfortunately, the course of her life was forever altered when the depraved pirate Mad Molak set upon her father’s vessel Nightsdream and slaughtered nearly all aboard.
Kept alive as a celestial navigator, Portia descended into darkness, allured by the siren’s song of cold revenge. It was there she altered the course of her life, steering her father’s ship into the dreaded Dragon’s Tooth and plunging her tormentors into the depths. By some stroke of fortune – or perhaps the opposite – she emerged as the lone survivor. That is, until she came across her loyal puppy Snug.
It’s interesting to consider that Portia, at one point in time, represented the quintessential survivor. Not only did she survive the harrowing slaughter of the Nightsdream massacre, but she also survived years marooned on the Dragon’s Tooth. Alas, every waking thought revolved around revenge, and her bloodlust burned hotter with each passing year.
It didn’t help that the Dragon’s Tooth, unbeknownst to Portia, was a Bleed – an otherworldly intersection between Realms. Think of Bleeds like melding colors on a palette, as elements from two dimensions converge into one.
“That’s the one thing about entering a Bleed,” explains Lead Narrative Director Jessi Thind. “If it doesn’t kill you, it drives you mad.”
Her descent into madness ran concurrent to her mastery of violence, culminating in a Killer whose merciless nature surpassed Molak himself. By the time she tracked him down and enacted her vengeance, her role in The Entity’s realm was long cemented.
Before long, the only remaining vestige of her humanity was tethered to Snug, her lone companion and relentless protector; their bond is expressed in The Houndmaster’s Power, which utilizes Snug’s ability to track and grab hold of Survivors.
For The Black Talon
Raised as a member of the Black Talon organization – a subsect of the nefarious Black Vale, Taurie Cain spent her life seeking to uncover The Entity’s secrets. Upon discovering a Bleed, Taurie’s parents ventured within to further their research. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, the worst of which was averted after Taurie entered the Bleed after them.
From that moment on, Taurie pledged her devotion to the malevolent cause, quickly rising through the Black Talon’s ranks. While some Survivors like Haddie Kaur and Elodie Rakoto have crossed paths with the Black Vale’s disciples, Taurie seemed to seek out the darkness, believing The Entity to be the key to transcending mortal existence.
“Having grown up as a member of the Black Talon, Taurie genuinely believes her actions to be for the betterment of humanity,” explains Thind. “However, as she rose through the ranks, things got darker and darker. Eventually, Taurie reached a point of no return and had to make a life-altering decision.”
Her journey led her to a pivotal moment. Tasked with the ritualistic killing of a man named Jordan Rois – stepbrother of Survivor Haddie Kaur and constant thorn in the Talon’s side – Taurie raised her knife for the plunging strike. And yet, she faltered. A crucial decision, and one of the last ones made before her arrival to The Fog.
It was there she would discover that everything she believed was true. Her jubilation quickly turned to horror when she realized that all her years of devotion had led to a perpetual cycle of pain and suffering. Though such a revelation might shatter a lesser will, Taurie remained steadfast in her belief that her true purpose has yet to be defined.
“Her devotion to the Vale may actually prove beneficial in The Fog, as she maintains belief everything is part of the plan,” continues Thind. “Taurie is determined to continue along the path until The Entity finally recognizes her as a disciple – a Killer.”
It raises an interesting question – why did The Entity bring Taurie into its Realm as a Survivor in the first place?
“For reasons yet to be understood, The Entity feeds on emotions,” explains Thind. “We can interpret that The Entity took Taurie for a reason, and perhaps it sensed a benefit to having one person who simply won’t get along with many of her fellow Survivors. Taurie doesn’t understand why she’s trapped with people who never believed in the first place, and that naturally builds resentment. There’s conflict there – anger, confusion, and mistrust – and that’s something The Entity would feed off.”
Despite whatever conflict may arise, Taurie will do what she must to thrive in her new environment. Her Perks emphasize quickly breaking away from teammates and drawing the Killer’s attention, gritting her teeth through pain and using it to her advantage.
It’s curious that Portia and Taurie both spent time in the Bleeds, with the latter proving largely unaffected. Perhaps under different circumstances, their roles within The Entity’s Realm might have been reversed. However, once a course is set, deviation is not an option – especially when the destination is shrouded in Fog…
Embark on Dead by Daylight’s Doomed Course, featuring The Houndmaster and Taurie Cain, available today in the Xbox Store.
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.
Interscope Records Launches Custom Juice WRLD Fortnite Island and Juice WRLD-inspired Xbox Design Lab Controllers
Darell BookerCorporate Affairs Specialist, Xbox
Summary
On November 30, a custom Juice WRLD-themed Fortnite Island, “Juice WRLD: The Party Never Ends” launches, featuring unreleased music, iconic tracks, and Xbox Lounges.
Xbox will release two Juice WRLD-inspired Xbox Design Lab controllers.
Xbox will also host a live Fortnite tournament during the final Juice WRLD Day at Chicago’s United Center.
In celebration of the upcoming release of The Party Never Ends, Juice WRLD’s highly anticipated final, posthumous album dropping on November 29, Xbox is partnering with Interscope, Grade A, and Life Free 999 to launch a custom in-game Island – “Juice WRLD: The Party Never Ends” – inspired by the artist. Fans can dive into this unique experience starting November 30, 2024. Please note: this is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Epic Games, Inc.
This Island features an epic tower-climbing race set amid stunning landscapes of lush mountains, serene lakes, and open fields. Along the way, players will be able to chill at Xbox Lounges, where they’ll hear a snippet of an unreleased Juice WRLD track alongside fan-favorite hits like “Lucid Dreams,” “Wishing Well,” and “Robbery.” Juice-related imagery and collectibles are woven throughout the experience, ensuring fans feel truly immersed in his world.
Xbox will also launch Juice WRLD-inspired Xbox Design Lab controllers, available to order starting today. These custom designs honor Juice WRLD’s bold style and love for gaming, giving fans a unique way to incorporate his influence into their gaming setups. You can order them here.
The celebration doesn’t stop there—on November 30, Xbox will host a live, in-person Fortnite tournament during the fourth annual and final Juice WRLD Day at Chicago’s United Center. Local students will compete in the custom Island finale, adding excitement to a day filled with an exclusive listening experience, surprise performances, and more. It’s a tribute fans won’t want to miss!
Crescent County Is the Witch-Tech Racing-Delivery-Life-Sim You Didn’t Know You Needed
Before I played an early version of Crescent County, I didn’t know that an in-game version of a motorized, magical broomstick could feel right. But here I am, drawing wide arcs through the gently swaying grass of the Isle of Morah, identifying the perfect hillock to glide off from, and intuitively following paths of flowers to shortcuts across its open world. You’d think there’d no right way to depict something as bizarre as this, but as I feel a leyline-powered boost ignite the rumble of my controller, I start to think, “well, maybe.”
The debut game from Electric Saint – a two-person development team made up of Anna Hollinrake (Fall Guys) and Pavle Mihajlović (Erica) – Crescent County is part-open world exploration, part-dating game, part-gig economy delivery challenge, part-racer, part-life sim, and all-centered around that motorbroom experience. It’s ambitious, and with so many moving parts, you might expect it to have come together in pieces – but the real origin point was straightforward.
One of the earliest pieces of art that inspired Crescent County. Credit: Anna Hollinrake
Hollinrake has been painting images of what she dubs “witch-tech” for years, building a following as people fall in love with the bright, curious worlds she creates in static form. Choosing to leave the world of AAA development behind, and contacting Mihajlović to create the tech, there was only one setting they wanted to bring to life together.
“The number one piece of feedback I get when I’m at conventions selling art based on this world, or on social media when I post images of it, is that people wish that they could live in the paintings I create,” she tells me. “I’m an art generalist for games and have worked along the whole art pipeline, but my specialty is infusing moreish worldbuilding into my work, from concepts to full 3D environments, that give a sense of place, with little story hints throughout. I really want to give people the opportunity to step into a lovingly crafted, painterly space that feels both joyful and a little melancholy and that, critically, they feel at home within.”
It means that Crescent County wasn’t built out of disparate mechanical ideas that the developers wanted to jam into one playspace – every choice has been made because it fits the theme. Even in the early form of the game I play, that comes across. As main character Lu, your motorbroom is key to everything you do – you arrive on the island and take part in a race, then become the island’s delivery courier. That job allows you to meet characters you can get to know (and romance), afford furniture for your apartment, and to customize your broom and go further, faster. In Crescent County’s world, motorbrooms aren’t a vehicle, they’re a culture.
“Motorbroom racing is an underground sport, practised by a small group of the coolest people you know,” says Hollinrake. “It’s very inspired by roller derby and the roller skating community (I’m an avid quad skater myself!), and we wanted to capture that punk, do-it-yourself attitude within motorbroom subculture.”
“In terms of racing though, it’s more about friends challenging each other in playful ways (like seeing who can get up the mountain first), than it is about big formal races with sponsors and crowds,” adds Mihajlović. “If you win, you can expect to learn some secrets about the island, or maybe get a hot tip on how to get a particular broom part, but you can also choose to lay back and spend some more quality time with a racer you have a crush on.”
That idea, that every activity can affect another, seems key to Crescent County. You’re building a life for Lu on the island – a race can lead to romance, a delivery job could net you new decorations, and even the house creation element (so often a side activity) can have effects on the wider game.
“We’re really interested in how we can take classic, cozy house decoration and make it push our story forward rather than being purely for aesthetics,” explains Hollinrake. “In that classic scouring-Facebook-Marketplace way, you can do jobs around the island for people who’ll pay you back with a couch they have in the shed and aren’t using. Inspired by our own experiences living in crappy house shares in our early twenties, we know how big of a difference each single piece of furniture can have on your social life or sense of place – you can’t have a dinner party without a dinner table, and getting your new friends around it lets you chat late into the night and deepen those relationships. Even if the spaghetti bolognese you made was terrible.”
It leads to what promises a very satisfying loop – the more you play, and the more you engage, the more opportunities await you. Again, building Crescent County as a living world rather than a sandbox, is the key. The game’s organized into days and nights that pass based on what you choose to do (you can deliver by day, and race by night), rather than through a linear cycle, which gives you an incentive to choose the interesting thing rather than the efficient thing.
“Each day brings a host of new opportunities to earn some cash, make your flat less sad, and learn more island drama,” says Mihajlović. “You’ll get to pick who you want to help that day – whether it’s because you want to know a particular bit of gossip, you want to get a specific broom upgrade, or because your friend Rava has promised you she’ll give you her unwanted and admittedly ugly couch if you help round up her wayward sheep. You can either plan out your route carefully, or take it a bit more casually and ride around and see what you get up to. At the end of the day you can take your weird couch home, pick where to place it, and invite your friends over for a movie night – who point out you don’t actually own a TV.”
All of this would be moot if the brooms themselves didn’t feel quite so good, and the Isle of Morah wasn’t quite so fascinating a location. That connection to Hollinrake’s art means that this world is a deeply interesting place – unfamiliar silhouettes clutter the horizon, and the sheer fun meant that I spent as much time simply going places than doing, well, Lu’s job. The final piece in the puzzle, then, is in creating a motorbroom that suits you.
“Broom customization is both about building a motorbroom that looks amazing and feels just like you, but it’s also in how you decide how you’re going to navigate the island,” says Mihajlović. “Whether you want to speed down the straights, cut across a field, or glide over a canyon, different broom setups will open different paths and playstyles. You can also put Sigil Stickers on your broom that give you weird and wonderful powers, like an offensive sideways phase shift that you can use to bump your rivals off the track, or a more forgiving 10 second rewind that lets you retake a corner if you didn’t get it quite right.”
The way the team is winding together mechanical and narrative benefits to the player isn’t just fascinating – it’s unusual. It’s the kind of thing that might have been hard to pitch at their previous studios, meaning self-publishing with ID@Xbox has been a boon:
“We’re huge fans of the ID@Xbox program – and before that Xbox Live Arcade,” says Mihajlović. “It birthed or enabled so many of the games that we love, and in a lot of ways the whole indie wave that got us into the games industry in the first place. I actually remember the first Summer of Arcade, and how exciting and validating it was as a teenager to see indie games on a console, so it’s incredible to now be a part of the program.”
With a two-person team, the game still has a way to go until release – and they’re not set on a release date just yet – but the early version I play makes abundantly clear how wild, weird, and ambitious Electric Saint is getting. Just like its motorbrooms, Crescent County might be unfamiliar, but it’s feeling just right already.
Discover this beautiful open world racing on the back of your very own motorbroom. In Crescent County you play as Lu, as you move to the island under tense pretences, eager to start afresh. It’s a game about finding home in a brand-new witch-tech universe.
During the day you’re a motorbroom courier; delivering packages, herding sheep, and setting off fireworks. You find yourself building a life through helping the locals; getting to know their struggles, and their island home. Plan your day every morning by picking your jobs, and then zoom around the island getting things done! The better your broom is the more you can do, and the more of the gossip you uncover.
After you’ve made some change, head down to Bo’s workshop to upgrade your motobroom and make it your own! Replace parts to improve your broom’s handling, top speed, or gliding ability, and pop some Sigil Stickers on it to enable special powers such as Phase Shifting and Time Rewind.
At night, use your customised motorbroom to defeat your new friends in improvised races around the island. Discover shortcuts on ancient ley lines, and sprint through abandoned power stations in rebellious, secret races to win new broom parts.
Start in your cousin’s empty bedsit and collect furniture from the locals to scrap together a cosy new life for yourself on the island. The better your home is, the more activities you can do with your new friends. Can’t have a dinner party with a table, or a date without a couch!
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Bringing ’80s Movie Magic to a 2024 Game
Indiana Jones has a feeling. It’s not just in the more tangible elements – the stories, the hero, or the music – it’s also in the way it was filmed, the minutiae of choreography, and the tone. Those ineffable qualities are what have made this series so beloved, and so lasting. And that’s a very difficult thing to recreate in a video game.
It presented Indiana Jones and the Great Circle developer MachineGames with an extra challenge – not only did the team have to create a fantastic, modern-feeling game, but one that simultaneously captures the magic that swirls around the movies. It comes down to a question of balance: making a compelling game that still looks, feels, acts, and sounds like the movies it’s drawing inspiration from.
In speaking to developers across MachineGames, it’s fascinating to hear how that was achieved, mixing modern game design with traditional filmmaking techniques, all in service of creating something that hits the sweet spot MachineGames has been striving for.
Perhaps one of the best examples of the deep thinking applied comes out of a single scene – one you might even describe as incidental.
‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ contains perhaps one of cinema’s best-known jokes. A crowd parts, and our hero is faced with a menacing swordsman, brandishing a scimitar. He chuckles darkly, passing his sword from hand to hand, before twirling it with expert precision – a show of how tough this fight will be. Indy grimaces, pulls out his revolver, and drops him with a single shot. What we thought was about to be a fight scene becomes a punchline. It’s perfect.
And it’s exactly the kind of scene that shouldn’t work in a video game. This is effectively the intro to a boss battle – this guy should have multiple attack patterns, three different health bars, the works. As it turns out, that very scene may have started as the challenge the team faced – but it became part of the solution:
“That scene is a very good example of type of humor that one can experience in the classic Indy movies – priceless!”, says Creative Director Axel Torvenius. “What we absolutely have been inspired by from that, and similar scenes, is that very humor. To have varied, engaging and rewarding combat encounters has been very important – but to make sure we spice them up with the Indy-humor has been equally important.”
Taken on a wider level, this tells us a lot about MachineGames’ approach – in almost every regard, the team has gone the extra mile to help capture the movies’ magic, even if they’re not an immediately natural fit for gaming, in a new form. And as you’ll see, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Matinée Idol
“Sitting as close as possible to the original look and feel of ’80s cinema was something we wanted to get right from the beginning,” explains Torvenius. “There was never an interest in reinventing the look or feel of Indiana Jones – the core ambition was always to make sure it really hit home in terms of having a style close to ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’.”
You might be surprised at just how deep that effort goes. The team scrutinized the early films, not just for their tone and writing, but for technical detail. What color palettes and film grading were used? Which kind of film stock was in the cameras? How did the original audio team record sound effects? What kind of stunt work was done? And from there, the hard work began – translating those original techniques into not just a modern context, but an entirely different medium.
Some of the stories here are fascinating. Torvenius explains that the team studied how the original film teams created their sets, and applied those rules to locations in the game:
“Obviously in games, the big challenge is that you can constantly peek behind the curtain and go ‘backstage’ – you can roam freely and break the composition. But there are many locations throughout the game where we know from which direction the player will come, or where they will exit and what type of scenery they will see. So we identified those early and pushed those further so we can set the scene more in certain places.”
For cutscenes, which are naturally more controlled, the team could go further: “Another big thing we did for this project was to have a Director of Photography on set for all the cinematic filming in the motion capture studio,” continues Torvenius. “We had the talented Kyle Klütz helping us and working in the mocap studio with this huge, heavy camera dolly rolling around to make sure we captured the right amount of velocity in pan, angular movement, composition and framing. Once we transfer this data into the cutscene shots in the game engine, it gives us a very solid start in terms of a camera work that feels reminiscent of the early Indiana Jones movies.”
Pitch Perfect
Sound is just as important as look for Indiana Jones, of course. From the iconic John Williams score, to the “feel” of its effects, to the iconic Wilhelm Scream (yes, it’s in the game), the soundscape of the movies is just as nostalgic as the look and story.
“The first thing we did was try to identify the core elements of that Indiana Jones sound,” says Audio Director, Pete Ward. “What did we have to nail to evoke the feeling of playing as Indy, in a cinematic way? We sat down as a team and watched all the Indy movies again, and we realized there were several things we absolutely had to get right – Indy’s voice likeness, the musical score, the whip, the revolver, and the punches. There were other things too, like the sound of the puzzles, and the fantastical elements, where we constantly referenced the original movies and [original Indiana Jones sound designer] Ben Burtt’s sound design.”
It led Ward’s team down some unexpected paths. The aim wasn’t to reuse sound effects directly from the game, but reproduce them as faithfully as possible to serve the game’s needs – which in some cases meant returning to techniques used by the original team more than 40 years ago.
“We did hundreds of hours of original recordings, using props like the whip, the fedora, the leather jacket, and lots of different shoe types on lots of different surfaces,” continues Ward. “For impacts in particular, we also used techniques originally used by Ben Burtt and his team, like beating up leather jackets with baseball bats. We also used practical effects where possible, like plucking metal springs with contact mics attached, to get some of that old-school vibe in our spectacular set pieces.”
The result is a game that sounds reminiscent of an ’80’s movie – it’s still naturalistic, but listen closely and you’ll find it comes across in a different way from most modern games.
The same went for the score – John Williams’ soundtracks are among the most recognizable in cinema history, but the aim was never simply to impersonate them. MachineGames brought in composer Gordy Haab to achieve that – a fitting choice given that he’s won awards for his work on multiple Star Wars games by drawing heavy inspiration from Williams, while making them his own.
“Gordy was such a great composer to work with for this project – he really nailed the style and tone, and was able to emulate and seamlessly extend the original score where needed, while also creating entirely new themes for our story and characters that fit perfectly within the Indiana Jones universe,” enthuses Ward. “We were very careful about where and when we first hear certain themes as well – the Raider’s March is the iconic, instantly recognizable theme for Indiana Jones, and we wanted to incorporate it at the right moments, but also develop our own musical story with our own new themes.”
But the risk of creating new elements amid such an iconic score is that they’ll stick out –and again, MachineGames went the extra mile to ensure that this didn’t happen. Haab and Ward researched how the original soundtracks were recorded, and even recorded in the same studio, Abbey Road. Amazingly, they even found out that they’d created accidental connections to the original along the way:
“We even had a couple of session musicians who played on the original sessions for Raiders,” explains Ward. “It was a lovely moment when they came to the control room after the session was finished and told us that!”
Telling the Tale
But where look and sound allowed the team to look back at what had come before, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s story needed to be something entirely new, yet totally fitting for both the franchise – not to mention the game’s setting between ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Temple of Doom’. For Lead Narrative Designer Tommy Tordsson Björk, it required a different kind of research.
“Indiana Jones has an incredibly rich lore with movies, comic books, games and more that we could dig into and use in different ways, not only for immersing the player in Indy’s world, but also to connect the different stories and characters. In this regard, our great working relationship with Lucasfilm Games helped us enormously.
“From there, a lot of our work when developing the worldbuilding has been devoted to researching the 1930s, and then filtering it through lens of what we call an ’Indy matinée adventure’ to make it feel both authentic and true to the story of this world.”
You’ll see that commitment not just to the Indy series itself, but for the time period in which it’s set, in the ways characters talk, the world around you, and even down to the era-appropriate spelling of Gizeh. MachineGames – and the connection of many of its developers, including Björk, to the acclaimed Starbreeze – means that the team has a lot of experience working with established franchises, from The Chronicles of Riddick to The Darkness, and it’s an experience that guided them in this new endeavour.
“The approach that we’ve had on all of our games is to make them as true to what made the originals so great. We don’t want to retread what has already been told, but instead move into new territory that evokes the same tone and spirit,” says Björk. “I think what the development of Indy has taught us is the importance of letting the character control the path of both the story and the gameplay, because this franchise is so much defined by Indy and who he is to an even greater extent than the previous games we’ve worked on.”
Playing With History
And that leads us to the final piece of the development puzzle – turning the history of a movie series into a playable experience. How do you capture the excitement of a tightly-edited, linear movie in an interactive experience, where every player will choose to do things slightly differently, and take their Indy in different directions?
Part of that is in returning to the movie making of it all, by grounding so much of what we play in real-life performance:
“We have done so much motion capture for this game! I think this is most motion capture and stunts we have ever done,” says Torvenius. “And some of the scenes we have in the game are quite wild from a stunt perspective. We shot a number of scenes at Goodbye Kansas in Stockholm, which has a ceiling height of almost 8 meters, just because some scenes required stunts to be performed from that height.
“We’ve been working with some very talented stuntmen and women throughout the production and together with our talent director Tom Keegan I dare to say we have some of the strongest action scenes from a MachineGames perspective yet. When it comes to capturing the look and feel of the stunts and action sequences in the early Indiana Jones movies, it has been a combined effort from various members within MG; obviously our Animation Director Henrik Håkansson and Cinematic Director Markus Söderqvist has an important part to play here for look and feel of animations. And then the audio work from Audio director Pete Ward and his department also plays an important part in making sure everything sounds true to the movie.”
But even the smallest elements have been scrutinized, like throwing a simple punch, for example:
“It has been very important to make sure the combat feels fun and rewarding and easy enough to get drawn into but then hard to master for the ones that likes to crank up the difficulty settings,” explains Torvenius. “We definitely wanted to capture the cinematic feel of the melee combat! Getting those heavy cinematic impact sounds in, having a good response from the spray of sweat and saliva as you punch someone in the face, interesting animations, and the behaviour of a hulking opponent coming towards you.”
This depth of thought is everywhere in the game. Puzzles have been designed with the spirit of whether they might feel right for the movies; locations given the buzz not just of real-life, but a film set; and even the ability to use almost any disposable item as both a distraction and a weapon is drawn from the comic spirit of the movies.
“One of the core ingredients in Indiana Jones is definitely humour. It is something we have worked hard with across every aspect of the game: environmental storytelling, script and VO, in cutscene and story beats, and it absolutely needs to be conveyed in the minute-to-minute gameplay, such as combat. And it is not only the tools you use but also a lot of hard work from the engineer and animation teams to make sure we have interesting, rewarding and fun take down animations. And on top of all of that you also need the best possible audio! And when that cocktail is shaken just the right amount, voilà – out comes something very delicious and fun!”
Which brings us all the way back round to that iconic scene with the swordsman. In a normal game, no, that scene might not make sense when translated to a video game context. But in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle? Well, MachineGames has put in the research, the work, and the commitment to ensure that, while you’re playing this game – from solving spectacular puzzles to near-slapstick combat – it’ll feel worthy of those classic movies.
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
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
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.
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 25 to 29
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!
The year is 2053. The world as we know it came to an end in a war lost to time. Now, only inequality remains, in the form of Viridis, the great city that encompasses the dangerous Blind City and the luxurious Bright City. As former police detective Axel McCoin, you will become the key piece to unmask a plot of corruption and power that plagues the unstable peace of Viridis.
A lore-rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer with Sekiro-inspired, deflection-based combat. Embark on a journey through an Asia-inspired fantasy world, explore a land once ruled by an ancient alien race, and follow a vengeful hero on a quest to slay the 9 Sols—the powerful rulers of this forsaken realm.
You are pulled out of the water by a masked native. With his help, you begin a journey into the depths of a mysterious island. Face the challenges that await you and uncover yet undiscovered places like a dangerous volcano, mysterious figures, and mystical tribes. What will you do to survive?
The game has 50 levels, with increasing difficulty and the introduction of new mechanics as the player progresses. Players can have three distinct sizes: small, medium, and large, growing whenever they collect a seed and shrink one size when they take damage (see board tiles/enemies). If the character takes damage when small, the game ends.
Step back into Hanwell and discover the world beyond it, set in the deeper parts of London. Explore a rich, atmospheric take on Westminster and its various Locations, filled with lore and secrets to discover as you scavenge scarce supplies like weapons and ammo as you utilize the environment in creative ways to take out the Anomolies in a frantic effort to simply survive.
Enter the relentless world of Death Elevator, a sleek, low-poly FPS where every decision matters and every encounter could be your last. With a one-hit death mechanic and dynamic slow-motion, each battle demands precision and quick reflexes. Ascend through randomized floors, battling waves of enemies with ever-changing weapons, as you unravel the mystery behind the elevator.
Show your logical skills and quick mind to help Ada save Codeland by defeating enemies and clear dungeons in this fun and thrilling action adventure full of logical puzzles, loops, and fun visual algorithms suited for players of all ages.
After a 3-year break, the official game of the MXGP is back. All the official bikes and 20 tracks of the 2024 calendar await to give you the full championship experience. Over 50 riders are available, including those from official teams like Red Bull KTM, Red Bull GasGas, Monster Energy Yamaha, Honda HRC, Kawasaki, Nestaan Husqvarna, Monster Energy Triumph, Fantic and Beta MRT.
The Battle of Penguin’s Road is a fast and fun 3rd-person action shooter. The player is given an arsenal of weapons and tools to defeat enemies that attack from the land, sea and air. Master run-and-gun, cover-shooting, long aims, close blasts, melee and commanding tanks for victory!
A top-down rogue-like action game in which you play as heroes of tales and legends that must slay hordes of nightmarish creatures in nerve-racking fights. After the success of Curse of the Dead Gods, Passtech Games returns with an improved formula and a compelling game experience with endless replay value. It can be played solo or with up to four players in co-op.
A relaxing puzzle game where players work to restore the energy systems of a damaged spaceship. The main objective is to move reactors and activate the power grid, solving directional and color-based challenges. The game introduces new levels and obstacles that add depth while keeping the series’ accessible and easy-to-pick-up gameplay.
Embark on a chilling journey with the Thornvale family as they confront a malevolent force unleashed by their own patriarch’s archaeological discoveries. With each passing night, the family is tormented by terrifying apparitions and escalating paranormal activity, leading them to unravel dark secrets buried within the walls of their own home.
Explore nearly 180 territories and tens of thousands of cities. Build airports anywhere and start transporting passengers globally. Adapt your strategy to different regions: shorter routes are easier to manage in places like Europe, while long-distance connections in vast areas will require careful planning due to higher costs.
Blast through 30 high-intensity action-packed racetracks as you compete to be the fastest in every contest. Catch bursts of speed while avoiding slippery banana peels. Grab bottles of nitro to build up your vehicle speed. Collect coins to trade in for stylish new custom skins from the in-game store. Dodge punches and kicks and outrun opponents on different tracks around the world. The big Furious Biker trophy awaits you.
Enjoy over 50 unique levels, each with its own set of obstacles, twists, and turns. Its simple controls make it a snap to learn from the outset and through its three modes, you’ll soon go from fledgling to master putter.
Shines Over: The Damned will take you into a unique experimental horror experience in first person, where your senses will be tested and your reality questioned. You have no name, no memory, no weapons. There are no friends to protect you. You are alone except for your faithful German Shepherd dog, who will guide you through this dark world and stay by your side.
Iron Meat’s first major update adds a whole new layer of gameplay with Mirror Mode.
Picking up a Supercharge or third copy of a weapon upgrade will now turn bullets red.
Added visual background updates, weapon buffs, keeping extra lives, and more to chew on.
Following the success of Iron Meat’s launch back in September, the team at Retroware has been hard at work charting the path forward with planning major content updates to their modern retro gem!
With the first major update arriving on Xbox, you can experience a fine platter of new content to sink your teeth into!
Mirror, Mirror
One of the highly requested new features in the game is Mirror Mode–an option that lets you run through every level, but this time to the left! While flipping the x-axis may seem like a trivial update, facing every enemy, every boss, and every level becomes a whole new experience. Players can unlock this mode after beating the game for the first time on any difficulty!
Red Rapid Fire
A second new feature is the automatic Supercharge upgrade–or the “third” tier of possible weapon upgrades. With the Supercharge upgrade active on a player, all of that player’s projectiles will now have a red coloration, instead of maintaining their blue or green colors, regardless of their current upgrade tier.
So, if a player has one or two guns that are fully upgraded (as in, they fire green projectiles instead of blue), they can try to pick up a third copy of that gun(s) and be rewarded with an automatic Supercharge (Rapid Fire) upgrade, coupled together with a new red color for their projectiles!
My 1UPs, Thank You
With this first major update, we’re happy to announce that all extra lives players earn while playing through a level will be kept as you start a new level. In other words, you now get to keep extra lives if you finish a level with more lives than you started with.
Visual Enhancements to Level Backgrounds
We’ve gone back to the backgrounds of certain levels and added in some more details that we believe will really drive home some of the unspoken narrative points relevant to Iron Meat’s story. Some of these new details include: adding a brief section where the helicopter flies in shooting down at Meat monsters on Forest, adding in spikes to the midboss on Base, adding in surviving pilots to the ending credits animation, and explosive impacts from the Meat meteors on Train.
Other Updates
In addition to minor bug fixes on the backend, we’ve also:
Buffed the default damage dealt by the “E”, “U”, and “M” guns.
Added more Meat to different sections of the Moon Base.
Retooled certain patterns of the MI-24 helicopter boss fight to be more clear.
And slightly changed sections of all levels to be more fair to the player (for example: Meat worms are now killable on Base the second they appear, the Meat Mouth Doors on Train are now killable, and other minor fixes).
We wanted to give players a taste of what we’ve got in store for Iron Meat’s future, and we can’t wait to share even more new content with updates later down the line!Iron Meat is available now!
Iron Meat is a fast-paced, run-and-gun shooter that immerses players in a world overrun by The Meat–an all-consuming interdimensional biomass. With a mix of classic arcade and console mechanics, players will battle against mutated victims and machines, dodge bullet barrages, and crush bosses in nine levels of gore-ific brutality. As Vadim, fight back against The Meat and stop the terrors spawned from scientist Yuri Markov’s experiments on the Moon.
MULTI-PHASE BOSS FIGHTS
Iron Meat pays homage to classic run-and-gun titles from the past, with intense boss fights fixed into multiple phases. With three difficulty settings to choose from, players can put their skills to the test, where a higher difficulty is rewarded with an even more challenging boss battle.
MULTIPLAYER COUCH CO-OP
Who says you have to take on The Meat invasion alone? With 2-player couch co-op, you can grab a buddy to leave a trail of bloody, Meat-infected corpses together! It’s double the firepower, double the carnage, and double the MEAT!
OVER 30 UNLOCKABLE SKINS
You don’t have to be a soldier to fight against The Meat. Hell, you don’t even have to be a HUMAN to do so! With over 30 unlockable skins to choose from, players can customize their character the way they want. Each skin comes with interchangeable parts, allowing for greater customization with mixing and matching. Want a shark head on a robot body with dinosaur feet? DONE. Maybe a half human, half doggo? YOU BET! Or how about a cowboy with a tail and demon wings? Hmm…YEP!
: Digital Premium Edition
