The post Towerborne Developer Diary: Fine-Tuning Fun appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Category: Xbox
How Microsoft Flight Simulator Helped a Groundbreaking Lost Airliner Soar Once Again
How Microsoft Flight Simulator Helped a Groundbreaking Lost Airliner Soar Once Again
Summary
- The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, a groundbreaking airliner for its time, has been reborn as the next Local Legend for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
- A group of volunteers known as the “Condorians” have spent more than two decades piecing a piece of aviation history back together.
- The Fw 200 Condor is available now in Microsoft Flight Simulator ‘s digital marketplace, in conjunction with the release of the latest World Update 18: Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
There have been many times in history where humankind has made its mark on the world, but few events have had as much of an impact as man-made flight at the start of the 20th Century. In the span of a few decades, we went from the Wright brothers flying for a few seconds at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to Lindbergh making his historic solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927, and then even larger craft starting to make the trek across the oceans to usher in the age of airliners. One of those, in 1938, was the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, the newest Local Legend that’s available now in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
“It was the most sophisticated airliner of its time because it was light for its size,” describes Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, Jorg Neumann. “It only weight 17 tons, and it had an extremely wide wingspan, which is why it’s called the Condor. And it was designed to fly high enough (3,000m / 9,800 ft.) where long-range air travel was economical and where you can go without a pressurized cabin; pressurized cabins did not exist for commercial airliners until Boeing’s 307 Stratoliner in 1940.”
It also made a trek from Berlin to Tokyo in the same year, proving to be one of the most innovative and technologically advanced airliners… for a brief time. World War II would dramatically change this era of aviation, and the Condor was soon repurposed for military service.
By the end of the war, only a handful of Condors remained outside of Germany and very little engineering documentation survived. It wasn’t long until spare parts were becoming harder to come by, leading to its grounding and eventual scrapping. This left the Condor, one of the most innovative airliners ever built for its time, essentially lost to history.
“The Condor is kind of a missing link in the development of airliners in Germany, or Europe, before the war. In a way it is a connection between the very first wooden airliners from the 1920s and the Airbus of the 1970s,” explains Heiko Triesch, Head of the Aerospace Department at the German Museum of Technology.
Triesch and a group of volunteers wanted to help restore that missing link, and commissioned the salvage operation of a Condor that had been discovered at the bottom of Trondeim Fjord in Norway. The aircraft was basically in shambles, but a group of enthusiasts were determined to bring the Condor back to life. With assistance from Airbus, and Triesch’s museum, they went to work, calling themselves the “Condorians.”
“There was a core team [of volunteers] at the beginning of the restoration project in 2002 that had done their job training in Bremen during World War II at the Focke-Wulf Company, working on FW200 airplanes,” Triesch says. “They would later become railway drivers or technicians — [you were] not allowed to work on aircraft in Germany for a period of 10 years after the war — but their fascination for aviation never stopped. They became the first volunteers working on the Condor; no one knew more about this aircraft than those veterans.”
The team started with a wreck, significantly destroyed due to saltwater erosion damage. With limited engineering knowledge on how to repair it, it would take some time to begin piecing the Condor back together — but they were determined to figure it out. With a patchwork of parts taken from various other wrecks recovered from around Europe over the years, the restoration of the Condor would take the better part of two decades to complete, finishing recently in 2021. It was around this time that Neumann had reached out with the idea of bringing the Condor to Microsoft Flight Simulator.
“I read the story years ago and knew about the recovery efforts, and that people were reconstructing the Condor,” describes Neumann. “Then it resurfaced all these years later that they had breakthroughs and [had put] the plane back together again. I contacted them and said I have this goal in Microsoft Flight Simulator to preserve aircraft that have sort of been lost in time and they allowed us to come visit and scan the plane.”
But that wasn’t Microsoft Flight Simulator’s only contribution to preserving the memory of this aircraft. The Condorians had the plane, but they didn’t have the cockpit. It turned out, a private collector in Switzerland had put together a Condor cockpit dash but was looking to part with his collection. Microsoft purchased this collection and gave it to the museum, thus giving them an even more complete version of the Condor, which in turn helped bring an even more detailed model into Microsoft Flight Simulator. Neumann highlights the cockpit as the element he’s most proud of being able to reproduce for this Local Legend. – and isn’t coy about implying that this might be the best work the team has done to date.
“We brought two different groups together [for the Condor in Microsoft Flight Simulator],” Neumann tells me. “First, we have a company called iniBuilds that typically makes our airliners. They worked on the A320neo and they’re making an A330 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. They are top notch, the best of best in the industry to make airliners [for flight simulators]. And secondly, we worked with Oliver Moser, who I would call a highly enthusiastic aviation fanatic. He inundates himself and basically gets every book, newspaper, or any piece of information he can get. He’s German, so he has a much easier time with the [Condor] documentation and is probably now one of the most foremost knowledgeable people in the world on the subject. He’s responsible for the flight model and the flight deck and everything, while iniBuilds is providing the artwork, the animation, the sounds, and all that.”
This collaboration paid off in creating a highly detailed representation of the Condor, inside and out. Oftentimes when Microsoft and a partner create a Local Legend, there is not enough information available to create a highly accurate representation of a cockpit. Cockpits are usually not preserved in most museum pieces and there usually are also not sufficiently detailed photographs available to really have high confidence that everything is historically 100% accurate, but in the case of the Condor, the team had sufficient information to get everything correct.
In talking to Triesch, I was curious to know what he thought now that the Condor will now be able to “live on” as a digital preservation flight model in Microsoft Flight Simulator: “I remember there were many talks about just trying to get an engine to run, or ‘We’re sorry, this aircraft will never fly again,’ but now we can! For me it’s a miracle. I was told the Fw 200 is gone forever. Now we have an aircraft in Tempelhof and Microsoft Flight Simulator has made it possible to fly it again!”
“When you think about these people spending 20 to 22 years of their life, remaking every inch of this aircraft, for them to know that this [now enables] us to make it an authentic digital model that can be enjoyed by millions of people – yeah, I think it’s super exciting for them,” Neumann adds. “I think we sort of take aviation for granted these days, but it’s these pioneers and early innovations that are really making all this possible. And I think the Condor plays an important part in that story. And it’s a beautiful, beautiful plane.”
The Fw 200 Condor is available now in Microsoft Flight Simulator’s digital marketplace.
Microsoft Flight Simulator Standard 40th Anniversary Edition
Xbox Game Studios
$59.99
$47.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition features 37 airplanes, gliders, and helicopters with unique flight models, 25 handcrafted airports, 4 classic commercial airports, 14 heliports and 15 glider airports.
Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes – Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World – The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.
Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft – Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System – From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.
Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine – Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling – A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.
The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past
Microsoft Flight Simulator Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition
Xbox Game Studios
$89.99
$71.99
From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.
The Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Diamond Aircraft DA40-TDI
• Diamond Aircraft DV20
• Textron Aviation Beechcraft Baron G58
• Textron Aviation Cessna 152 Aerobat
• Textron Aviation Cessna 172 Skyhawk
Deluxe Additional Handcrafted Airports
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands)
• Cairo International Airport (Egypt)
• Cape Town International Airport (South Africa)
• O’Hare International Airport (USA)
• Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (Spain)
Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes – Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World – The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.
Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft – Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System – From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.
Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine – Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling – A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.
The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past
Microsoft Flight Simulator Premium Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition
Xbox Game Studios
$119.99
$95.99
From light planes to wide body jets to gliders and helicopters, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. The world is at your fingertips.
The Premium Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition includes everything from the Deluxe Edition plus 5 additional highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 5 additional handcrafted international airports.
Premium Deluxe Additional Aircraft
• Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
• Cirrus Aircraft SR22
• Pipistrel Virus SW 121
• Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude
• Zlin Aviation Shock Ultra
Premium Deluxe Additional Airports
• Denver International Airport (USA)
• Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates)
• Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
• Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom)
• San Francisco International Airport (USA)
Explore Your World
• Vivid and Detailed Landscapes – Immerse yourself in the vast and beautiful world that is our planet with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
• Living World – The Earth is vibrant and ever-changing and so is the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which includes live traffic, real-time weather, and animals.
Earn Your Wings
• Aircraft – Hone your pilot skills in a variety of aircraft from light planes to commercial jets with comprehensive flight models. Every aircraft includes highly detailed and accurate cockpits with realistic instrumentation.
• Checklist System – From pro to beginner, scale your level from full manual to full assist with interactive and highlighted instrument guidance and checklist.
Test Your Skill
• Live Weather -The weather engine enables users to switch on the live weather mode to experience real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
• Day and Night Engine – Experience flight at any time of day or year allowing for night VFR, visual flight rules, navigation.
• Aerodynamic Modeling – A state-of-the-art physics engine with over 1000 control surfaces per plane allows for a truly realistic experience.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has fulfilled the aspirations of aviators worldwide for 40 years. Celebrate the award-winning franchise with the 40th Anniversary Edition, loaded with all-new features, aircraft and content that span the history of aviation.
The 40th Anniversary Edition update introduces:
• 1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
• 2 helicopters and 14 heliports
• 2 gliders and 15 glider airports
• 7 famous historical aircraft including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose)
• 4 classic commercial airports
• 24 classic missions from the franchise’s past
The post How Microsoft Flight Simulator Helped a Groundbreaking Lost Airliner Soar Once Again appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for August 26 to 30
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for August 26 to 30
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! This weekly feature highlights all the games arriving soon on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Game Pass. Discover more about these upcoming titles below and explore their profiles for additional information (note that release dates are subject to change). Let’s dive in!
Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition
Xbox Game Studios
$49.99
Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition – August 27
From the creators of the award-winning Age of Empires franchise, Age of Mythology: Retold goes beyond history to a mythical age where gods, monsters, and humans collide. Combining the best elements of the beloved Age of Mythology with modern real-time strategy design and visuals, Retold is an epic and innovative experience for old and new players alike. Secure your domain, command legendary monsters, and call upon the power of the gods to crush your enemies. Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition includes the full game with up to 7-day advanced access starting on August 27.
Core Keeper (Xbox Series X|S)
Fireshine Games
Core Keeper – August 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Awaken as an explorer in a long-forgotten cavern teeming with untold secrets. In this award-winning, 1-8 player mining sandbox adventure, your choices shape an epic journey. Harvest relics and resources, craft advanced tools, build your base, and explore a dynamically evolving world waiting to be unearthed.
Crypt Custodian
Top Hat Studios, Inc.
Crypt Custodian – August 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Step into the shoes of Pluto, a mischievous cat who has just died, and landed in the afterlife’s palace. After a brief and disastrous meeting with the Afterlife Guardian – Kendra – you’re banished from the palace and sentenced to clean… forever!!! Explore the vast grounds that surround the palace, battle beasts with your trusty broom, and gain new abilities to expand your world.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
North Beach Games
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria – August 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria follows the Dwarves as they embark on a new adventure to reclaim their legendary home of Moria beneath the Misty Mountains. Players will join forces to survive, craft, build and explore the iconic, sprawling mines. Courageous expeditioners will need to be vigilant as mysterious dangers await.
SMITE 2 Founder’s Edition
Hi-Rez Studios
$29.99
Smite 2 Founder’s Edition – August 27
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Become a Founding Deity in the Unreal Engine 5-powered sequel to the legendary third-person action MOBA. Play as Gods from across mythology and wield unique godly abilities. Hurl bolts of lightning as Zeus, master the arcane powers of death as Anubis, or backstab your foes as Loki – The choice is yours with the Smite 2 Founder’s Edition.
Cubic 2 3 4 Player Games
CubeCube Sports LTD.
Cubic 2 3 4 Player Games – August 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
35 physics-based party games for family or friends to enjoy together.
Espresso Tycoon
PlayWay S.A.
Espresso Tycoon – August 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Create your brand, decorate your coffee shop, manage your employees and take care of your customers. Use the Coffee Editor to create unique coffee recipes, order deliveries and collect popularity points. Build an entire coffee business and complete all missions!
Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room
Nejcraft
Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room – August 28
A sequel of the award-nominated cross-platform multiplayer escape game Mad Experiments. Alone or with up to 5 friends, follow the story of Hildegarde and Professor Cheshire, explore rich environments to find clues, and solve mind-bending puzzles to escape!
Purrfect Rescue
Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.
Five different sceneries, a hundred kittens to rescue in each, and only one person to take care of it all. Keep your eyes open for ears, tails and noses – kittens are small, and there’s a lot of them around.
SokoPenguin
Eastasiasoft Limited
SokoPenguin – August 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Wear hats and slide blocks as you take the role of a puzzle-solving penguin! A chill puzzle adventure awaits in SokoPenguin, a top-down pixel art block-sliding game where you take the role of a cute penguin and overcome a wide variety of single-screen challenges to help him reach his igloo!
Whacking Hell!
Sanuk Games
Whacking Hell! – August 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere
A frantic 2D top-down shooter with roguelite elements. The gates of hell have opened: whack all the monsters before they whack you! Collect their souls, ramp up your weapons and your spells, and become a slaughtering machine! Defeat waves of enemy attacks and nasty bosses by choosing the right path of upgrades.
Akimbot
PLAION GmbH
In this 3D, action-adventure platformer, play as Exe, an outlaw robot with his unexpected sidekick, Shipset, as you blast your way through armies of robots, control spaceships and forge your own path on a mission to save the universe from impending doom! Set in a sci-fi world where only robots exist, travel the galaxy and experience non-stop robot mayhem and explosive action!
Forklift Simulator
Aerosoft GmbH
$19.99
Forklift Simulator – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Start your career in logistics today in Forklift Simulator! Take on a variety of different missions, a selection of vehicles and an extensive career mode in which you can put your skills to the test. Are you ready for the challenges ahead?
Gori: Cuddly Carnage
Wired Productions Ltd
$21.99
Gori: Cuddly Carnage – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
Humanity has been destroyed – and it’s up to Gori, along with his deadly but wise-cracking sentient hoverboard, F.R.A.N.K, and morose A.I companion, CH1-P, to slay the evil Adorable Army with lethal combos.
Monster Jam Showdown
Milestone S.r.l.
Monster Jam Showdown – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
The excitement of real-life Monster Jam events is ready to explode, thanks to the franchise’s most recognizable icons: the trucks. Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, Megalodon and many others… Drive the hottest rides in Monster Jam racing the current fleet, the legendary history-making trucks, and the wildest fictional beasts from the toy universe. Unlock dozens of trucks and collect countless different liveries!
Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn
United Games Entertainment
$19.99
Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn – August 28
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
It’s 2029. A vicious dystopian future. And it’s up to two warriors of the night to save the nation! After 33 years in the shadows, prepare to see this legendary action adventure in a new light! Looking and playing better than ever before, Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is Tengo Project’s remake of a cult classic that the fans have been waiting for.
Snooker Blitz
CherryPop Games Ltd
Snooker Blitz – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
The only online snooker game you ever need. Challenge your friends, enter snooker tournaments, and go head-to-head against other players in real-time. Shoot snooker with ultra-realistic physics, breathtaking graphics, and have more fun than you’ve ever had playing snooker.
Visions of Mana
SQUARE ENIX
Visions of Mana – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere
A new adventure begins in Visions of Mana – the first Mana game on Xbox and mainline title in the Mana series in over 15 years. Immerse yourself in the vibrant graphics of this beautiful world, where the powers of nature blend with the elemental aspects of mana to create a rich tapestry of life. Journey through enchanting locations with near-seamless transitions in a semi-open field that’s yours to discover.
Valfaris: Mecha Therion
Big Sugar
Valfaris: Mecha Therion – August 29
Therion returns as the hunt for Lord Vroll continues. Pilot an advanced machine of death and destruction in this explosive 2.5D side-scrolling shoot ‘em up, and sequel to the critically acclaimed Valfaris. Strap in and unleash mecha hell!
Wer weiß denn sowas? – Das 3. Spiel
bitComposer Interactive GmbH
Wer weiß denn sowas? – Das 3. Spiel – August 29
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Just in time for the 11th season, Elton, Bernhard Hoëcker and Kai Pflaume are back on Xbox with a brand-new edition. Prove how good your knowledge really is in 30 new shows with exciting questions and the original answer videos. Of course, Kai Pflaume will once again charmingly guide you through the shows. Knowledge, fun and lots of entertainment are just a push of a button away.
112 Operator
Ultimate Games S.A.
112 Operator – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
112 Operator allows you to manage emergency services in any city in the world! Dispatch units, take calls and face situations caused by weather, traffic or changing seasons. Help the city survive escalating events like riots, organized crime, terrorist attacks, cataclysms, natural disasters and many more!
Blocky Farm
Forever Entertainment S. A.
Blocky Farm – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Create the farm of your dreams! Enter the charming world of Blocky Farm where you can manage your lands, take care of animals, harvest fields, deliver goods to the town and create friendship with citizens.
Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Vault Edition
Activision Publishing Inc.
$99.99
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Open Beta | Early Access – August 30
Pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on the Microsoft Store, or subscribe to select Game Pass plans, to get early access to the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Open Beta. This is your chance to go hands on with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and provide essential feedback to help ensure the best day one experience possible when the game launches on October 25, 2024. Learn more here.
Date Z
We Dig Games
Date Z – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Welcome to the heart-racing adventure of “Date Z”, an unexpected twist on high school drama, mystery, and romance. As a senior transfer student, your debut week at a new school spirals into an extraordinary race against time. It’s not just about making friends or acing classes. Your survival hinges on one task: finding a date by Friday.
Forests, Fields and Fortresses
Ratalaika Games S.L.
Forests, Fields and Fortresses – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Forests, Fields and Fortresses is a mix of a puzzle and a board game in which you must build your kingdom. Try the role of a ruler, piece together your lands and ensure the prosperity of your people. Unlock new spells, game events and different starting boards for increased variety.
Sparkle 2 EVO
Forever Entertainment S. A.
Sparkle 2 EVO – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Control the evolution! Climb your way through the evolutional ladder. Start as a little organism and transform into a magnificent aquatic being. Explore the abyss in search of nutritional elements. Attack other species whenever you run out of other food sources. Enjoy beautiful surreal visuals and relax with minimalistic ambient soundtrack.
Star Wars Outlaws
UBISOFT
$69.99
Star Wars Outlaws – August 30
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars action-adventure game and explore distinct locations across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as scoundrel Kay Vess, seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
Super Dark Deception Demo
Glowstick Entertainment
Super Dark Deception – August 30
Super Dark Deception Demo is a fun retro take on the hit horror game, Dark Deception! Beautiful hand-drawn 2D pixel art that gives a classic 16-bit RPG look and feel. Earn XP and unlock powers as you progress that will allow you to even the odds and survive longer against horrendous creatures.
The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for August 26 to 30 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Official Xbox Podcast | Deep Dive Into Towerborne
The post Official Xbox Podcast | Deep Dive Into Towerborne appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Battle Through and Build Ridiculous Dungeons for Gory, Gory Glory in King of Meat
In the world of Loregok, where flocks of local dragons hunger for fame, neighborhood trolls crave funds to pay rent, and global corporate commercialism thirsts to quench its bottom line, comes a fresh source of raw entertainment — you.
Get famous or die trying when King of Meat, the most-watched, sometimes controversial, but always talked-about survival gameshow comes to Xbox Series X|S. Developed by Glowmade and published by Amazon Games, King of Meat is a hacking & slashing online co-op spectacle for one to four players, who step into the role of fearless contenders battling through ridiculous dungeons.
Contender versus Dungeon Creator is more than just the mystical world of Loregok’s greatest pastime. Beyond the glitz, glamour, and celebrity media infatuation lies the true Loregokish dream: lights, camera, carnage! How will you impress bloodthirsty, desensitised crowds of middle-class monsters in this economy? Persevere through colorful deathtraps, build your own fiendish dungeons, or outclass everyone with your distinct, soon-to-be trademark style. Contenders have the lowest life expectancy of all legal occupations, so there’s always room at the top for gory, gory glory.
Sign up now for alerts on future playtests, become a Contender in the most exciting show in the universe, and begin your road to stardom.
Become the Ultimate Contender
Some of you yearn for the spotlight as Contenders. Others may have taken a wrong turn on their way to the restroom. Those desperately seeking fame and fortune can enter joyfully unhinged dungeons built by both the developers and the community. From outrageous enemy gauntlets to methodical puzzles, nothing is off the table in King of Meat.
Conquer the seemingly endless catalogue of devious dungeons to unlock new leagues, challenges, and more. However, completion alone isn’t enough. Whether you are crowned victorious or perish anonymously, you’ll need to impress your audience with stylish weapons, outfits, combos, and over-the-top Glory Moves. Fully customize your Contender to enter the stage your way.
Do not become a Contender if you’re prone to flowing lava, spinning blades, interdimensional black holes, exploding ducks, ice physics, giant hammers, psychotic imps, or hardcore fans. Possible side effects include discomfort, loss of limbs, and of course, death. Ask your coroner if King of Meat is right for you.
Inspire the Next Generation of Dungeon Creators
Take dungeon creation into your own hands in Create Mode, where you are given the tools to create the dungeons of your dreams — and someone else’s nightmares. All of the dungeons in King of Meat have been made with the same tools that you will use to create your own fiendish playgrounds. If you can play it, you can build it.
Do you like explosive barrels? Create a room with slopes and enough explosive barrels to challenge any Contenders determined to finish your dungeon with as few jumps as possible. How about precise jumps? Add bottomless pits with rotating spikes, lava-spitting skulls, and swinging platforms that lead to multiple switches. Shh! One switch triggers even more lava-spitting skulls, while another reverses the direction of the rotating spikes.
As the company whose job it is to empower Dungeon Creators to build unpredictable dungeons, Komstruct takes everything about King of Meat very seriously. Top performers often work themselves to the bone, which has proven to be one of the greatest conservation efforts for endangered skeleton populations. How far will you go to become the most celebrated Dungeon Creator in Loregok?
Unleash your Ridiculous
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die, especially in Ironlaw Plaza where you can buy all of your favourite Contender merchandise. Develop your own style to stand out on the shelves and up at Komstruct Koliseum. Ironlaw Plaza features all of the latest trends in customization – like edible sausage hammers. You never know when you’ll grumble during a rumble.
Embrace chaotic customization across outfits, accessories, emotes, weapons, and Glory Moves. As you progress, you’ll unlock even more cosmetics. Picture your signature look advertised on video streaming platforms everywhere. A look that took you days to earn, hours to perfect, and minutes to share, will now be skipped in seconds. Which of your looks will make those seconds last a lifetime?
We cannot wait to see how Loregok will become even more ridiculous through your stylish actions, wondrous creativity, and silly contributions. King of Meat is available to wishlist now. Check out the King of Meat website for more information and to sign up for future playtests.
The post Battle Through and Build Ridiculous Dungeons for Gory, Gory Glory in King of Meat appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Overwatch 2 x World of Warcraft: Crossing Worlds for the Crossover Event
Overwatch 2 x World of Warcraft: Crossing Worlds for the Crossover Event
Summary
- Overwatch 2’s Art Director shares more about how the team is celebrating World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary.
- The Sylvanas Windrunner Widowmaker skin was revealed live on stage at Opening Night Live during Gamescom 2024.
- The Overwatch 2 x World of Warcraft collaboration event launches in September.
During Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2024, we revealed that Overwatch 2 would be celebrating World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary with an in-game crossover event, and we showed off a skin that will be available during the event—Widowmaker cosplaying as Sylvanas Windrunner. As the Overwatch 2 Art Director and a former World of Warcraft Environment Artist, this was a dream project for me!
Creating immersive worlds in video games is an art that demands imagination, skill, and a deep understanding of how to draw players in. Since joining Blizzard in 2006 as an Environment Artist, I had the opportunity to design some of the most iconic areas and log-in screens, from the original World of Warcraft release up to the Cataclysm expansion. Now, as art director for Overwatch 2, I find myself drawing on those experiences of blending the magical with the real to bring players the first-ever World of Warcraft x Overwatch 2 collaboration!
The Blizzard Journey Begins
Throughout my years with the WoW team, I poured my creativity into crafting the inviting landscapes that WoW players have come to know inside and out. Whether it was the hauntingly beautiful Zangarmarsh or the tranquility of the Grizzly Hills forest, each environment was a labor of love designed to draw players into Azeroth’s rich tapestry.
During my work on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, I found myself gravitating towards a new project called Titan, which eventually morphed into the game we now know as Overwatch. My passion for organics and game lighting found a new outlet here. I shifted focus to lighting and props, playing a role in developing what would become the vibrant world of Overwatch.
Bringing Together World of Warcraft and Overwatch 2
With my grounding in the magical realms of WoW, I approached Overwatch with a desire to create environments that were equally colorful and historically rich. Our goal was to replicate the vibrancy of WoW within the context of Overwatch’s real-world setting. Just like WoW’s distinct aesthetics, Overwatch environments needed to tell a story.
Working on the Widowmaker Sylvanas skin was a collaborative endeavor. It reunited me with former colleagues and friends, evoking a nostalgic sense of camaraderie. Together, we explored how the deep storytelling of WoW could inform the design of Overwatch’s characters and landscapes.
One such instance was our character concept artists’ decision to draw parallels between Widowmaker and Sylvanas, both of whom share aesthetics and pivotal moments in their lore. Widowmaker is a ruthless killer and the perfect assassin, and Sylvanas is a cunning ranger and vengeful leader: the two couldn’t be a better match.
The Art of Enjoyment
Perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of working on these projects is the simple fact that I genuinely enjoy playing both games. It’s a joy that fuels my creativity. It blurs the lines between work and play, turning long hours into passionate exploration rather than mere tasks.
Building worlds that captivate millions of players worldwide is a privilege I never take for granted. Throughout my career, both WoW and Overwatch have been platforms for learning, creativity, and development in ways I once thought unimaginable. The wealth of experiences and the community of talented individuals I’ve encountered along the way have been instrumental in shaping who I am today.
As I reflect on my career from WoW to Overwatch 2, I’m deeply appreciative of the opportunities and experiences that have come my way. The transition from Azeroth’s fantastical landscapes to Overwatch’s dynamic arenas has been a fulfilling creative journey—one enriched by beloved characters, vibrant worlds, and a devoted fanbase.
To all the fans of WoW and Overwatch, thank you for joining us on this adventure. Your passion and engagement continue to inspire us as we craft new worlds and stories. Here’s to many more adventures ahead in the captivating universes we create together!
The Overwatch 2 x World of Warcraft collaboration will be launching in September. Stay tuned for more details about the event, and learn more about Overwatch 2, at PlayOverwatch.com.
The post Overwatch 2 x World of Warcraft: Crossing Worlds for the Crossover Event appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – How Your Character Becomes Unique to You
Summary
- Build a unique character that reflects your in-game choices and personality.
- Explore an authentic medieval world that reacts to your words and deeds.
- Specialize your combat prowess to develop your character further.
Warhorse Studios has meticulously crafted the open world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II to give its players a historically authentic, deeply immersive portrayal of medieval Europe.
One of the truly exciting features is the personal journey you’ll take through this world as Henry, the humble blacksmith’s son of the original game, whose tale of personal vengeance now evolves into an epic saga starring kings, noblemen and villagers alike.
The characters of Henry and Hans Capon are designed to be multifaceted, each with their own flaws and strengths; Henry is more upright and honourable, while Hans has a more carefree (and sometimes reckless) approach to life. Their behavior – including how they interact with others – is meant to reflect their personalities and the world they live in.
To achieve the game’s unique sense of player freedom, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II employs a complex web of systems that sit largely unseen beneath your experience of the world. Through these systems, the world tracks your behaviour in granular detail, working to ensure that every decision you make is reflected in the actions and behavior of the characters in the world, which can unlock (or hide) dialogue options and even quest lines.
For example, and without going too much into spoiler territory, you’ll meet two men who are very aggressive (and probably plan on murdering you). Your natural choice is to remove them from the equation, with the use of a handy axe. But, if you spare them – despite their ill intent – they will then come back and assist you later in the game.
Even Henry’s interactions with his partner in crime, Sir Hans Capon, can take you down different paths, depending on if you address him like a lord or like an equal (Sir Hans doesn’t take too kindly to the latter).
Performing your more nefarious deeds in the shadows offers only limited protection from the consequences of your actions too. Your secret misdemeanours may not be directly acknowledged by the local population, but the world will react to your malevolent influence regardless.
Choose to unleash a secret reign of terror and the locals will become more fearful, arming themselves in the process. Guards will watch you far more closely and you can forget about any discount from local merchants. Push it too far and you may even be (literally) branded a criminal and the burn marks will make clear, to everyone who sees you, that you’re not to be trusted.
However you choose to navigate this complex medieval world, the solutions to many of the moral quandaries you’ll face are rarely a simple choice of good or bad. Indeed, the greyer the morality, the more advantageous the reward may prove to be; however the world will remember how you crumbled in the face of temptation and will judge you for it accordingly.
Many of the more visible systems in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are built around the concept of mastery, rather than simply allocating stat points to gain an instant advantage.
Combat is deliberate and tactical in this world and deepening your skills with any given weapon class provides an unrivalled sense of accomplishment. Focus your efforts on mastering the darker arts of stealth-focused combat instead and you’ll find it easier to slip between your objectives unseen. Additionally, you can choose to invest more time into your crafting expertise and enjoy more potent potions and more effective equipment as a result.
As all these systems ebb and flow in response to your actions and your decisions, your experience of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – and how your own Henry emerges from the story’s conclusion – becomes one that’s uniquely your own.
The skills you master, the decisions you take, and the way you behave all weave together effortlessly to form a deeply immersive and unparalleled RPG experience.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Gold Edition
Deep Silver
$89.99
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is an exhilarating Action RPG, set amidst the chaos of a civil war in 15th Century Bohemia.
You are Henry of Skalitz – an ordinary man doing extraordinary things – caught in a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal, and discovery as he embarks on an epic journey, ‘from a humble blacksmith’s forge to the court of Kings’, searching for purpose in this beautiful but brutal medieval world.
From bustling city streets to lush forests, explore this open-world Medieval Europe through an unforgettable adventure filled with action, thrills, and wonder.
FEATURES
A Tale of Love and Revenge
Live life through the eyes and actions of Henry, a young man on a quest to avenge his murdered parents. His story – illustrated with over five hours of stunning cinematics – takes him from aspiring warrior to rebel, crossing paths with a charismatic cast of characters and an unforgettable set of adventures, as he faces off against the King of Hungary, Sigismund the Red Fox, and his fearsome allies.
A True RPG Experience
Your actions shape Henry’s destiny and how the world will react to him. Customize his appearance, skills, and equipment freely while taking a moral stance on the events around you. Travel around the land engaging in unique activities, such as blacksmithing and archery, to fully immerse yourself in this vibrant region of Europe that will remember your actions forever.
Live a Medieval Life
This stunningly authentic rendition of 15th Century Bohemia allows you to experience this fascinating setting like never before. Get lost in a sprawling city, interact with peasants, and converse with nobles while exploring a vast and rich countryside with taverns, bathhouses, castles, and more.
Authentic First-Person Combat
Feel the clash of steel and visceral combat as you engage in thrilling real-time battles. There’s a range of authentic weapons and combat styles to suit every player. Whether on foot, horseback, or through stealth, you can specialize in elegant sword mastery, brutal blunt weapons, or deadly ranged attacks.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Deep Silver
$69.99
Pre-order now to receive the bonus quest, The Lion’s Crest.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a thrilling Action RPG, set amid the chaos of a civil war in 15th Century Bohemia.
You are Henry of Skalitz – an ordinary man doing extraordinary things – caught in a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal and discovery as he embarks on an epic journey, from a humble blacksmith’s forge to the court of Kings, as he searches for purpose in this beautiful but brutal medieval world.
From bustling city streets to lush forests, discover this open-world Medieval Europe through an unforgettable adventure filled with action, thrill and wonder.
A Tale of Love and Revenge
Live life through the eyes and actions of Henry, a young man on a quest to avenge his murdered parents. His story – illustrated with over five hours of stunning cinematics – takes him from aspiring warrior to rebel, crossing paths with a charismatic cast of characters and an unforgettable set of adventures, as he goes up against the King of Hungary, Sigismund the Red Fox and his fearsome allies.
A True RPG Experience
Your actions shape Henry’s destiny and how the world will react to him. Customize freely his appearance, skills and equipment while taking a moral stance on the events around you. Travel round the land engaging in unique activities, such as blacksmithing and archery, to truly immerse yourself in this vibrant region of Europe that will remember your actions, forever.
Live a Life Medieval
This stunningly authentic rendition of 15th Century Bohemia allows you to experience this fascinating setting like never before. Get lost in a sprawling city, engage with peasants and talk with nobles while exploring a vast and rich countryside with taverns, bath houses, castles and more.
Authentic First-Person Combat
Feel the clash of steel and visceral combat as you engage in thrilling real-time battles. There’s a range of authentic weapons and combat styles to suit every player. On foot, horse or by stealth, you can specialise in elegant sword mastery, brutal blunt weapons or deadly ranged attacks.
The post Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – How Your Character Becomes Unique to You appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Atomfall: The First Hands-On
Atomfall: The First Hands-On
Announced at Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, Atomfall is the surprise new title from Rebellion (Sniper Elite, Zombie Army) that, on first glance, feels like a very British Fallout. A retro-future, post-apocalyptic setting, first-person RPG mechanics, and a world stuffed with weirdos all hearken back to Bethesda’s epochal series. But in my time with a first-ever hands-on build of Atomfall, it quickly became clear that there’s much more to this game than a location transplant.
Set in an alternate timeline following the real-life Windscale Nuclear Disaster of 1957, the first thing you’ll notice about Atomfall is that, for a game set after an atomic meltdown, this place is beautiful. Set in the rolling hills of the Lake District in Cumbria, this is a truly bucolic take on the end of the world – streams babble, nature grows unabated, and semblances of the old world still exist; never more so than in the picture-postcard village of Wyndham you’ll find early in your travels.
It’s a unique location for this kind of game, and sets the tone perfectly – this is less about a world destroyed than a world gone wrong. Outlaws roam the hills wearing cricket pads as armor, vicious rats with glowing blue eyes swarm around tumbledown farm buildings, and druids are said to be performing pagan rituals in the woods, towards ends unknown.
From the outset, how you choose to engage with all this is up to you. For the first portion of my time with the game, I simply hiked the backroads, taking down bandits to loot for their weapons, and scraps of material with which to craft bandages or throwables. Combat will be familiar to players of first-person RPGs, but comes with some distinct touches – you can only quickslot four weapons at any one time, and ammo is extremely scarce, making at least one melee item a must. You’ll also want to keep a stock of healing items, as death is quick here – it quickly becomes clear that avoiding a fight can be as helpful as starting one.
Once I felt suitably tooled up, I began to engage with what might be Atomfall’s most interesting design choice. In Rebellion’s take on the genre, you don’t get quests – you get leads.
From the beginning of the demo, it’s clear that my character is on a journey simply to find out what’s happened here – there’s no grand objective, no hero’s quest. You just have a simple question driving you: What’s going on? And to support that, your journal isn’t full of concrete explanations of what to do, but rather clues you’ve amassed. Early on, I met a trader, who’d throw in local gossip with every barter deal we made – that gave me a lead to a local bunker I might explore, and an approximate location on my map.
Later, I visited Wyndham, and decided to see what was inside the local church – and here’s where the promise of leads became very exciting. Inside, I found a vicar standing over a murder victim – he asked me not to investigate, for fear of inciting the wrath of the soldiers that have occupied the town. I could have left it here, but I searched the body and found a bloodied note that pointed me to a local hotel. Again, I could have followed that clue and gone to explore – but I chose to speak to the church caretaker, who revealed she’d seen the victim entering an out-of-the-way cellar the night before.
Now I had two leads about the same thing – the game didn’t tell me if one was the primary quest, or give me any indication as to the right path, it was down simply down to my own interest. I chose to look through the cellar and, on first glance, thought I’d hit a dead end – until I saw a chink of light from under a wall and realized I could crawl through. Here I found a note that pointed to the local shopkeeper as the murderer, and a clue that he was in-line with the local faction of druids. I went to confront him, and was presented with multiple options – I could report him to the soldiers, explain his part in the murder to the vicar… or even make a deal for his silence.
I chose the latter, and wasn’t just given a physical reward, but an entirely new lead that seems to be drawing me to meet those druids rather than confront them. What the domino effect might be here is unclear this early in my time with the game, but the sheer number of choices I made after effectively stumbling over a quest by accident leaves me very intrigued.
You’re being rewarded for curiosity more than anything else, and I think this speaks to Atomfall’s key interest – this isn’t a game about just exploring a world, but following your own intuition, rather than what the game might tell you is the correct path. Even in this small slice of the game, I could have walked in a different direction – nothing told me to look in that church in the first place.
The secret to Atomfall may be that it’s as much a mystery game as it is a traditional RPG – every quest I’ve completed so far has led me to more quests, more questions, more leads. The game’s form might be familiar, but there’s something unfamiliar bubbling under the surface – I very much want to see more.
Atomfall arrives for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC in 2025, and will be available with Game Pass on day one. Available to wishlist now.
Atomfall
Rebellion
A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England.
Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened.
Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences.
Explore this Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you.
Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!
Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened.
Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences.
Explore this Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you.
Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!
The post Atomfall: The First Hands-On appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred – New Features Revealed Live at Gamescom
The post Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred – New Features Revealed Live at Gamescom appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Avowed Hands On: Playing One Quest in Two Very Different Ways
Avowed Hands On: Playing One Quest in Two Very Different Ways
Avowed, as with all Obsidian Entertainment games, has been designed with player choice at the forefront – your gear, your playstyle, your dialogue, your approaches to quests are all up to you. Xbox Wire had the chance to experience this for ourselves with the first playable preview with the game, which sent us on a journey to retrieve a lost relic.
To get a sense of the freedom that Avowed presents, Wire editors Danielle and Mike both played, and took two very different approaches to the demo. Here’s what we found.
Character Background
Danielle: True to RPG form, Avowed offers up myriad ways to approach the job at hand – even with your very first choices. Avowed offers five different background choices that will primarily affect your dialogue choices in-game, but all equipment and abilities are available to you regardless of the background you choose. Forever a fan of clean, stealthy operations that make me feel cool, I opted for a ranger build with a Vanguard Scout background – more at ease with the wilderness than around noble folk, but a skilled and observant hunter.
Mike: I, however, picked the Barbarian — Danielle took my preferred ranger class before I could blink — but I enjoyed not having to concern myself with stealth, and instead leaned in heavily on the power of my melee weapons, where running headlong into enemies was a bit more of my character’s forte during this demo. My character traits were not strong enough to do any Intellect or Perception checks in interactions with any characters I encountered, but I was able to successfully lie (more on that in a bit).
The World
Danielle: After picking our characters, we headed into the game itself. Avowed is an action RPG set in the land of Eora, which Pillars of Eternity fans will be familiar with. The section we played takes place inside a lush dungeon, paring down the scope of the full game for the sake of a demo but, as we quickly found out, by no means restrictive. In this quest, we’re tasked with locating an expedition group that has gone missing in search of a holy relic. We are however, in true Obsidian fashion, immediately sidetracked by another quest, which involves fetching that relic for another character we meet on the way, which we’ll get into shortly.
As I’m making my way through this cave system towards the first objective, it’s impossible not to notice how gorgeous these surroundings are – vibrant wildlife coats the walls and ceilings, a sparkling waterfall cascades in the distance. I’m transported instantly into the world of Avowed and the adventures it has to offer.
Mike: I too was immediately struck by the bright and colourful design of the cave system. This is no dark, grim fantasy adventure (as the developers have previously mentioned). It’s rich and full of greenery and grand views. I particularly liked how the giant tree roots almost looked like massive arms holding everything up and in place. We know Avowed will have a variety of biomes for us to adventure through, but this was a great introduction to seeing what one of these dungeons looked like – and this is just a side quest! This bodes well for what the main adventure will have in store for us.
Weapons and Magic
Danielle: This is where the fun truly begins. As a ranger, I am of course equipped with a trusty and extremely potent bow called “The Long Touch” which offers some serious bonus perks to sharpshooters. I’m also given the option to upgrade the bow using materials gathered from the wilderness, which is a nice touch for when you don’t want to give up that special weapon after levelling up a few times. Using the bow alongside the Shadowing Beyond skill – which made me invisible for a time – allowed me to deftly chew through smaller enemies with ease.
In a later boss fight, I quickly realized stealth wasn’t going to cut it, and I was able to completely flip the switch into a “shocking” secondary loadout. This included a unique pistol that dealt shock damage. It’s a slower, louder option that sacrificed dexterity for pure pain, which came in handy for battering down the dungeon’s boss. I didn’t just have different weapons either – Tanglefoot, a magic ability that sprouted spiky roots out of the ground to hold enemies in place, came in super handy for dealing with pests. I also had a throwable Electric Lily Seed, which dished out additional shock damage to everyone in this relatively small room.
Even with a loadout I hadn’t fully chosen myself, it felt like I had a ton of options for how to approach each situation, but the tools I had still felt augmented to the style and background of my character.
Mike: Mine was a more… direct approach than Danielle’s. I was able to hot-swap between two weapon loadouts: a dual wield option that paired a common sword with a one-handed axe called “Drawn in Winter” – it deals frost damage, if the name wasn’t a giveaway. I could also quickly swap to the two-handed “Seven Strings” club which dealt massive damage. I elected for the club for most of my playthrough, mainly because I liked the ability to block enemy attacks from the lizard-like Xaurip and giant spiders we encountered. I also had two abilities: Charge, which was a powerful dash-like attack, and Barbaric Shout, which interrupted enemy attacks.
I also liked how my companion Kai, a blue-skinned Aumaua voiced by Brandon Keener (Garrus from Mass Effect), would call out locations of enemies to ensure I don’t get flanked. While the demo only offered us a small glimpse, it’s clear the companion system will be a major component of Avowed and I’m excited to see how this works in the longer-term adventure. Obsidian has shared there will be four recruitable companions that can aid you on your journey – and I’m excited to see how they all play into the story.
Play Your Way
Danielle: The preview presented several opportunities for dialogue, which gave a sense of how conversations will shape your adventure just as much as combat. The Vanguard Scout-specific choices were snappy and to the point, as a background of roaming amongst the trees rather than mingling with royalty would imply. I was given the choice to be polite and honest to Caedmon, a young chap that needed aid, or snarky and unhelpful, but figured that kindness might afford more opportunities down the road if he remembers that I saved his life in a dark cave. Avowed features attribute points that will unlock different dialogue choices, as well as buffs to your combat skills. As a ranger, I was particularly buffed out in the Dexterity and Perception departments, which delivered both extra critical hit chances and more observant options while I talked with other characters.
Mike: It wasn’t long until I was saying to myself that this felt very Obsidian-like – the myriad of dialog choices and interactions afforded to my character will be immediately familiar to players of the studio’s other games. While Danielle took a noble, helpful approach, I took the opportunity to see how the world and characters would respond to a brash warrior who lies through their teeth. There seems to be a wide variety of choice, and more humor than I was expecting (this was a good thing), that make this feel like an Obsidian RPG in the vein of Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. Being able to either help Caedmon by healing his wounds or straight-up lying to him and pretending you’re a ghost is peak form for this studio – and I hope to see high level of player choice throughout Avowed.
I was also curious to see how far I could “push” the dialog with Sargamis, the gold-bodied Oracle who tasked us with retrieving the dagger so he could imbue a soul into a giant, lifeless stone giant – who may just have had something to do with the missing expedition. I’m not going to spoil exactly what happened here – it’s way too much fun not to let you discover it for yourself – but the fact that Avowed let me go so far with Sargamis’ conversation branches, has left me really excited for just how many dialog paths there will be in the mainline adventure.
It’s clear to see that Avowed is shaping up to be an extremely impressive adventure – there’s rich lore to be found in every corner and minimal rigidity to the builds, so you can play however you’d like. Even in this purposely select area, the bones of Obsidian’s RPG mastery are truly at work here, and we can’t wait to see how the choices play out in the full game. This will have to sate you for now but keep an eye out for more updates on Avowed, heading to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass on February 18, 2025.
Avowed
Xbox Game Studios
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance.
Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.
The post Avowed Hands On: Playing One Quest in Two Very Different Ways appeared first on Xbox Wire.