Xbox | Page 54 of 88 | Game Infliction

This Week on Xbox: Wrestling, Moonshine, and New Game Pass Games

Summary

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Doom & Destiny Worlds: Author’s Tips & Tricks Unveiled

Get ready to sail into the realm of Doom & Destiny Worlds, where nerds are heroes, fashion choices are questionable and most “spells” go out in a boom! On the 30th of June you will embark on a journey filled with laughter, friends and some great turn-based strategy!

New players can have a rough time mastering all the game mechanics, so we gathered our top five tips to start your journey with a bang:

1. Craft your way to victory, for base weapons won’t suffice. Don armor and helmets to boost stats and deter enemy laughter. Wild armor and horned helms are the early-game stars, granting stamina for devastating strikes or sturdy defense. Remember, not all heroes can rock sturdy stone gear, so fit those weaklings with wooden sets. Obtaining a Utility Slot armor is a challenge, but get hold of an Anvil and you can craft a Buckler to gain cost-effective dodges and Stamina boosts for your tank.

2. Your journey begins with a humble “Raft”. But wait, there’s more! Hidden in the inventory of your greedy mentor lies the wonder of the seas, known as the “Raftoise”! Snag it and wave farewell to the humble raft. To secure this nautical gem, complete holy patterns, ignite those magical torches and hunt down “Spaghetti Fireflies” under the cover of night. Gather a bounty of 80 Doom-Stones, trade them for the blueprint, and gather the materials needed. Discover the Mask Blueprint in the Moon Tower, craft a Diving mask, and unlock the seafloor secrets. Dive deep, defeat seafloor foes, and claim seaweed and shells aplenty. Oh, and don’t forget to explore the eastern islands for those precious corals!

3. Build, place, relocate! We’ve all been there: you plonk down something like a Crafting Station, a furnace, a cozy couch, or a snazzy torch, only to realize something is just not right. The position feels off, the alignment is wonky, the feng shui is out of whack, or it’s simply triggering your OCD. So, let me introduce you to the Allen Wrench! With this mighty contraption, you can dismantle anything (man-made) from the ground and stash it in your inventory, granting you the power to relocate it wherever your heart desires, without sacrificing a single resource. But here’s the deal: the Allen Wrench isn’t available right off the bat. You’ll need to reach the lofty heights of constructing an Advanced Crafting Station.

4. The level-up system thrives on specialization, not flip-flopping about like a confused chicken! When you choose your destiny, my friend, embrace it fully. Start strong by assembling the classic RPG dream team: Tank, Striker, Healer, and Controller, each representing a stat. While a couple of early hiccups won’t ruin your day, spreading your stats too thin will delay your access to those glorious final-tier talents. Remember: a beefy Tank yearns for top-tier protection, his Magic and Agility need to take a back seat. Swift note: the game has grown with heaps of new weapons and armor. Forge mighty “multi-class” builds that transcend the limits of mono-stats, but brace yourself, it’s a challenge for the seasoned heroes.

5. Magic packs a punch but guzzles Mana Points. Fear not, for MPs slowly replenish at the end of turn or with consumables. Want a tip? In the first turns, the healer might feel a bit useless, so why not make them the designated MP provider for the all-powerful wizard? Unleash powerful spells or debuffs right from the start, aided by the healer’s MP items. For control spells like sleep, let the healer and wizard act last to disable the most dangerous foe. And when it’s time for multi-strike spells, let the healer and wizard steal the spotlight, while the tank and striker polish off the leftovers.

Psst! Are you still with me? Well, congratulations! You’ve unlocked a super-secret multiplayer tip just for you! When you’re playing with friends, only the lucky soul who snags the blueprint gets to craft it. If you are not the chosen one simply send a craft request to your friend using the handy-dandy “Order” option, or better yet, kindly ask them to whip up a copy of the blueprint for you at the trusty Desk.

And finally, let’s tackle the conundrum of confusing inventories. Craft yourself some specialized bags! These marvellous creations possess a magical quality—they collect all loot of a specific type, no matter which player initially claimed it from the ground. Say goodbye to inventory chaos and hello to organized treasure hoarding!

Happy looting and may the spirit of adventure shine upon your quests!

Doom & Destiny Worlds

Heartbit Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
1

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Unveiling the Ferryman: A Journey into Charon’s Design in Smite – An Exclusive Interview with One of the Game Designers

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Lermy, a talented Game Designer who has contributed to the creation of several Gods in Smite, including Yu Huang, Ishtar, and Martichoras. Today, we go behind the scenes into the design process behind the highly anticipated addition of Charon, the Ferryman. Lermy sheds light on the inspiration, challenges, and unique characteristics that make Charon a standout character in Smite.

Andy: Thank you for joining us today, Lermy! Could you introduce yourself and share your role as a Game Designer on Smite?

Lermy: It’s a pleasure to be here! I’m Lermy, a Game Designer for Smite. In my role, I collaborate with a team of talented individuals to bring new Gods to life and ensure a captivating gameplay experience for our players.

Andy: Let’s dive right into Charon, the latest addition to Smite’s God roster. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this fascinating character?

Lermy: Charon is an intriguing character deeply rooted in mythology. As the Ferryman of the Underworld, he predates Hades and holds the responsibility of managing the souls in the afterlife. Being the son of Nyx or Nox, as some may know her, Charon ensures everything is in order within the realm of the Underworld – mainly on his boat. Using the five rivers of the Underworld, he’ll guide the souls to the afterlife as long as they pay the toll; otherwise, they remain in the Styx.

Andy: Fascinating! What led the design team to choose Charon as the next character in Smite?

Lermy: After the release of Maui, our previous Guardian character, we wanted to offer a different experience to our players. Maui is quite showy – definitely check out his cinematic if you haven’t had a chance – but with Charon, we aimed for a true neutral character. Charon embodies the concept of carrying out his daily duties in a balanced manner. He wants to clock into his job, put in his hours, and then clock out. It was about time we brought Charon, a highly requested character, into the game, especially since the community’s interest grew significantly over time.

Andy: The design process sounds intriguing. Could you walk us through the stages of bringing Charon to life in Smite?

Lermy: Certainly! It all starts with exploring the character’s themes. We gather various departments, provide them with a brief on the character’s traits, and discuss potential concerns. Then, we dive into creating the character’s kit, which can be quite challenging. We usually develop three different kits to explore different directions for the character. Eventually, we narrow it down to the most promising kit. Once we have that final kit, we present it to the leads of all the departments for approval. Once signed off, the team begins working on bringing Charon to life.

Andy: Charon’s design seems to stand out among other gods in Smite. How did you balance the spooky elements with the need for him to feel unique in the game?

Lermy: Balancing Charon’s design was indeed an exciting task. Typically, Charon is depicted as frail and decrepit in other media, but we wanted to give him a distinct appearance in Smite. We decided to make him skeletal, a characteristic we hadn’t explored before. Additionally, we made him bulky, resembling a lich lord, while ensuring he felt like part of the Underworld family, alongside Hades and Persephone. And, of course, we couldn’t overlook the boat. It’s an integral part of Charon’s identity

Andy: Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the community?

Lermy: Charon is a really unique tank and I think players will be really excited to see him zooming on the map and moving the souls around.

Paddle into battle with Charon in Smite’s newest Update. Watch the Update Show on July 6, 2023 to learn more.

SMITE

Hi-Rez Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
1549

★★★★★

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Enter the Battleground of the Gods

Join 40+ million players in SMITE, the world’s most popular action multiplayer online battle arena. Become a legend of myth, enter the Battleground of the Gods, and play FREE now!

100+ Gods
Unleash each deity’s unique strategies, legendary weapons, and earth-shattering powers. Rain lightning down upon your foes as Zeus, assassinate from the shadows as Loki, or transform and trick your foes as the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Which God will you choose?

Unique Perspective
Unlike other MOBAs, SMITE puts you directly onto the battlefield with a third-person action viewpoint. From blind-side ambushes to aimed shots, a new pantheon of strategic possibilities awaits.

Become Godlike
Never played a battle arena before? Don’t worry. Auto-buy, auto-level, and the deathmatch-like Arena mode let you jump right into divine MOBA action. Aspiring pro? Top the ladders, join a competitive team, and you too could be playing at the SMITE World Championship.

It’s A Jungle Out There! Discover The Exciting New Update Coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn

Stranded: Alien Dawn is set to receive an exciting free update that will transport players to an entirely new frontier: The Saltu region. This lush, untamed environment is the game’s most diverse and colorful biome yet, and will also introduce several challenges to test players’ survival strategies. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating features of this new biome and explore the unique challenges it presents.

Volatile Weather Patterns

Survivors will find themselves surrounded by towering trees, thick undergrowth, and bounteous wildlife. Navigating this dense foliage can prove tricky, as visibility is reduced. Saltu’s volatile weather patterns can also lead to sudden downpours which drench the landscape, thunderstorms with intense lightning strikes, and thick mists – all of which increase the difficulty for the survivors.

Players will also have to contend with oppressive heatwaves and humidity. Surviving in extreme weather conditions requires careful planning and preparation, such as finding shelter, crafting appropriate clothing, or managing limited resources to combat the elements and keep the food from decomposing in humid conditions. The ability to adapt and react swiftly to changing weather patterns will be crucial for survival.

Surviving the Saltu region demands constant vigilance against tropical diseases. The humid climate provides an ideal breeding ground for illnesses such as: Swarm Fever, Blood infections, and Gut Worms. Players must take precautions, craft medicinal remedies, and seek out natural treatments to counter the risks. Meanwhile, Xenoflora Blight may spread through healthy plants and damage crops if left unmanaged, leaving the group without a harvest.

Meet The Local Wildlife

The Saltu region is home to a wide variety of creatures, and the Jungle Update introduces a host of new alien wildlife. From the Noth and Shogu, two unique animals arriving in the Jungle Update, to the various insectoids and their nests. Players must learn to coexist with these creatures or face dire consequences.

Our friends, and developers of Stranded: Alien Dawn, Haemimont Games, have been working hard to craft an Xbox experience players will remember. They said, “Players can venture deep into the untamed heart of Saltu, a lush jungle region teeming with exotic wildlife and botanical wonders. Prepare to conquer the untold challenges of survival amidst the captivating allure of new creatures and flora.”

They also had an insider tip for surviving in the new region: “Keep a keen eye out for Purpleleaf, a remarkable source of construction materials. While not suitable for direct consumption, its transformative properties shine when it comes to crafting delectable kimchi.”

Embrace challenges, prepare for the unknown, and embark on an exhilarating adventure where conquering the alien wilderness is the ultimate testament to your survival skills.

Other new content available in the free Jungle Update includes:

Area Flags & Work Areas:
Players can now assign survivors to specific ‘working areas’ by using ‘area flags’ device.
Special Equipment/Tools:
Survival Kits
Harvesting Tools
Good Luck Charms
Respirator Masks
Night Goggles
Signal Flares
Grenades
Electromagnetic Umbrellas
New Building, Cooking & Crafting Recipes:
Purpleleaf – cloth, shelter, kimchi. roof
Vegetable Oil – palm oil
Dandelion Spores – tea, healing balm
Coconuts – fermented wine
New Devices:
Area Flags
Purpleleaf Sleeping Spot
Purpleleaf Shelter
Purpleleaf Fence
Purpleleaf Animal Shed
Arcade Machine
Bench-press
VR Set
New ‘Living Mist’ Expeditions:
Human Screams
Leap of Faith
Mysterious Bunker
Ancient Temple
Abandoned Hut
Hidden Stash
New Challenges & Music
A New Survivor
New Achievements
Photo Mode

Stranded: Alien Dawn’s Free Jungle Update is out now and available on Xbox Series X|S. Don’t forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you’ll never miss any news! Make sure to keep your eyes open for information about our brand-new survivor coming to the game and our developer journals with even more information of what is to come. You can also follow the game on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on the Frontier Forums.

Stranded: Alien Dawn

Frontier Developments

☆☆☆☆☆
90

★★★★★

$34.99

Get it now

Brave a new world in Stranded: Alien Dawn, a planet survival sim placing the fate of a small marooned group in your hands. Forge your story through compelling and immersive strategic gameplay as you make vital decisions to protect your survivors from starvation, disease, extreme weather and more. From basic camps to fortified bases, create a stronghold to defend the survivors from attacks by alien creatures that roam an expansive and deadly alien world. Experience an epic and unpredictable journey.

· Discover an expansive, living 3D world with remarkable flora and fauna.

· Manage your survivors’ needs, health and happiness.

· Construct and evolve your own unique base, and devise cunning defences to protect it and survivors from being attacked.

· Plant, grow, harvest and hunt down food. Stockpile useful resources and salvage material from fallen space debris.

· Research technologies to expand your horizons.

· Provide heat, light, devices for relaxation and more to keep survivors on top of their game, ready to face the next challenge.

· React to fluctuating weather and environmental events.

· Learn to play with the integrated tutorial system.

AN UNFORGIVING WORLD
Stranded: Alien Dawn pushes you and your survivors to the brink. Limited resources, unpredictable weather, illness and hostile alien creatures make it hard to establish a foothold on an unforgiving world. The next challenge is never far away, requiring construction of an increasingly robust base using advanced resources and improved defences.

STRANDED SURVIVORS
Ensure your group’s physical and mental wellbeing by providing weapons, medicine, and much-needed entertainment. Every survivor has a unique backstory, varying levels of ability in key skills, and both positive and negative traits. Only by improving their skills and maximising their potential will you survive.

AN UNPREDICTABLE JOURNEY
In Stranded: Alien Dawn, every playthrough is unique. Experience a journey driven by random story events, alien wildlife threats and adverse weather. There will be setbacks; devise your own innovative solutions to problems and manage multiple crises at the same time. However, actions have consequences and as you strive to plan ahead, you must make difficult choices to shape the story of your survivors, balancing short and long-term outcomes with risk and reward.

MODULAR BASE-BUILDING
Design and build your base on an alien world and transform it from simple shelter to high-tech outpost. Protect it with perimeter defences, decorate it with furnishings, introduce automated devices such as defensive turrets, and discover new technology to create your own functioning space pad.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Releases City Update III: Texas

Take to the skies above The Lone Star State to explore the grandeur that many of its cities offer.

The Microsoft Flight Simulator team is excited to announce its latest addition to the ever-expanding Microsoft Flight Simulator experience, City Update III: Texas.

Texas, the second largest state in America, is renowned for some of the most diverse and beautiful urban landscapes in the nation. Microsoft Flight Simulator City Update III: Texas is a meticulously curated selection of the urban regions that best represent the spirit of the “Lone Star State,” including Abilene, Austin, Cedar Park, San Antonio, Schertz, Temple, and Waco. All these cities lie within or near the “Texas Triangle,” the area where most of the state’s population reside and home to its most stunning architectural creations.

The update was generated using aerial imagery collected in collaboration with our partners at Bing Maps and Vexcel. The data was then assembled to create the most realistic digital renditions to date of these cities offered in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Simmers can embark on aerial odysseys throughout each city featured in the update or string metropolitan areas together in long cross-country journeys. Pilots can explore Austin’s Frost Bank Tower, San Antonio’s renowned Alamo and the Brazos River, and Waco’s own Suspension Bridge. Like the vastness of Texas skylines, the possibilities are endless.

Microsoft Flight Simulator City Update III: Texas is available free today to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Make sure that your simulator is running version 1.33.8.0, download City Update III: Texas, and relish in the incredible sights of these great Texas cities. The sky is calling!

Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Premium Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
376

★★★★★

$119.99

$95.99

Get it now

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

Microsoft Flight Simulator Standard 40th Anniversary Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
244

★★★★★

$59.99

$47.99

Get it now

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.

Russian Subway Dogs – Making a Game about the Mutts of the Moscow Metro

Summary

The real-world inspiration behind Russian Subway Dogs.
The basics of being a stray.
Simulation is our secret sauce.

Russian… Subway… What?

Our game Russian Subway Dogs is out today on Xbox One! It’s a single screen arcade game inspired by the real-life stray dogs of the Moscow Metro. I’m going to share how we ended up creating a game with such an unusual theme, and the novel approach we took to add depth, humor and variety to its classic score chasing gameplay.

The seeds of the idea started around a decade ago when I read an article online about a handful of strays that had learned to navigate Moscow’s maze-like subway system. If you’re not familiar with these clever canines, they really do make a daily commute to downtown Moscow, scavenge for food from passing pedestrians, and then return home to the quiet suburbs each night to sleep. One of these dogs was so beloved they even built a memorial statue in his honor!

While reading up on these strays I also discovered the incredible architecture of the city’s subway stations. These aren’t just simple tiled hallways in flat colors. Styles range from a church-like station, complete with stained glass windows, to a super modern Mondrian-inspired design of intersecting lines and rectangles.

The dogs were cute and clever, and the Soviet-era subway stations were grand and palatial (seriously look them up). I knew we had to make this game!

Eat ‘em up Gameplay

So, adorable animals? Check! Beautiful backgrounds? Check! But how does it play?

As the titular Subway Dog you run back and forth along each subway platform trying to keep yourself fed. A stamina bar acts as a combination hunger and life meter, constantly draining while you scramble for food to refill it. Trains pull up to the station, regularly unloading commuters eating and drinking a variety of tasty snacks and beverages for you to steal. A quick bark behind them is all it takes to have them tossing up their food for you to snatch from the air.

Of course, you’ll have some competition, as those trains also bring in rival strays and a ridiculous array of subway wildlife. Everything from subway pigeons, to subway bears will be after your food, losing you points and potential stamina if they snag any snacks.

You clear out this competition with the aid of some very volatile vodka. Carried by random passengers, these bottles of booze create a fiery explosion when they hit the ground. Time your mighty barks just right and you can bounce the bottles around in the air. This is a crucial skill, since vodka explosions will cook wildlife and toast food, creating more filling and higher scoring meals!

Juggling multipliers and air catching combos allows skilled players to turn a minor meal, worth a few dozen points, into a fancy feast, worth thousands. It’s high risk / high reward because if a rival dog grabs a valuable meal those points will be subtracted from your score, netting negative points. Ouch!

Systemic Simulation is Our Secret Sauce!

This basic eat’em up gameplay forms the foundation for Russian Subway Dogs‘ truly unique addition to the arcade genre: systemic simulation. This goes by other fancy names like “multiplicative design”, “chemistry engines” or just plain “emergent gameplay” but what it boils down to is that all the parts in the game interact with every other part in a way that feels something like the real world, or at least a fun cartoon logic version of the real world.

In Russian Subway Dogs this means that any fire source will cook food and melt snow. Snow cools cooked food or can freeze a flopping fish creating a block of ice that can be sent skittering across the stage. The same power-up that lets you bark fire can be eaten by a rival dog, giving it firebarks instead, and of course, those fire barks also cook food! You can also feed bears before cooking them, fattening them up to produce higher quality meats or feed them chocolate (toxic to dogs) producing poisonous meat. Almost everything in the game has multiple uses and interactions!

The result is there are tons of secret tricks to discover and exploit. Every mix of food, people and wildlife on the platform holds its own strategic possibilities and interesting split-second decisions to make.

We Brought Guests!

Russian Subway Dogs includes two different play modes:

Endless is a modern take on the classic score chasing experience. Compete for the top spot on the online leaderboard, while surviving as long as you can. It borrows some modern procedural tricks and auto balancing to keep every session fresh, unique and challenging.

Campaign has you traveling from station to station with hand crafted challenges and over 100 unique sub-missions from your feline friend, The Proletaricat, such as beating a level while sticking to a vegetarian diet, or cooking a “Bear-B-Q”.

Throughout Campaign you will unlock over a dozen playable critters including several from your favorite indie games such as Rad Shiba and Nacho from VA-11 Hall-A, Horror from Nuclear Throne, Uay Chivo from Guacamelee! and more.

Whether you’re a dog lover, a cat lover or a… whatever-Nidhogg-is lover, I hope you’ll grab a subway pass and take a ride with us!

Russian Subway Dogs

Spooky Squid Games Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

$13.49

Get it now

A fast-paced arcade game inspired by the real-life stray dogs of the Moscow metro. Take your orders from the Proletaricat while stealing food, juggling vodka, cooking bears, and more! Features both a lengthy campaign and pick-up-and-play arcade mode.

A new game from Spooky Squid Games, creators of the cult classic platforming slash ‘em up They Bleed Pixels.

Dive into Relaxation with Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, Out Now on Xbox

Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is an innovative and whimsical project that takes a unique approach to gameplay. Prepare to be immersed in a breathtaking 3D environment where you’ll find yourself surrounded by rubber duckies, romantic sunsets, unexpected visitors, and chill music (a truly aesthetic experience if you are a vaporwave aficionado).

But let me explain all of that in greater detail since you are probably wondering: What do I have to do in Placid Plastic Duck Simulator? Well, it’s very simple: Nothing! In PPDS, you create your own narrative as you collect all 101 different ducks and watch them interact with each other and the environment. Some ducks even have unique actions, so get ready to be surprised by the occasional troublemaker.

As a rubber duck, you have zero responsibilities, and you are not required to learn any skills (except for patience). Sit back, relax, and embrace your role as a powerless witness. The nostalgic melodies emanating from the radio will transport you to a place of pure comfort. Observe an airplane soaring across the expansive blue sky, whisking away to unknown destinations. There’s an abundance of activities to engage in, but for now, it’s all about embracing tranquility with the ducks, for true joy lies in the company you keep.

As your collection grows, you are able to give names to your duckies, which might or might not reflect their personality, for that additional comic touch. Some of their special abilities are linked to a specific time of the day, which is one of the reasons why the game has a day and night cycle (the other reason is purely aesthetic). Also, you can make every duck quack if you want, and some of them have special quacks, naturally.

The game also offers two different settings, so you can choose if you feel like having some waterfront relaxation in the summertime, or rather a cozy blanket-warm unwinding while it’s snowy outside. Picture yourself nestled by the fireplace as the sun sets, enveloped in peaceful melodies that create a sanctuary for your soul. Outside the window, the occasional snowfall adds a touch of magic to the atmosphere. Now you are basking on a tropical island amidst the vast expanse of a tranquil sea, where extraordinary things await those with the patience to uncover them. In the world of Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, time moves slowly, allowing you to truly savor the beauty that surrounds you.

After the success it had during its first year as a PC game, where it gathered an unbelievable amount of positive reviews from all kinds of players, Placid Plastic Duck Simulator finally arrives on Xbox! The date is June 27th, so get ready to embark on a quacktastic journey.

The cutest rubber ducks are waiting for you this summer.

Placid Plastic Duck Simulator

Tunnel Vision Studio

☆☆☆☆☆
3

★★★★★

$8.99

Get it now

A relaxing 3D environment where you experience life as a rubber duck, Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is an experiment to induce calm and bliss. You’re up for a reinvigorating stay at your favorite seaside pool. Or mountain pool, if you prefer the snow.

You are not alone. More than 100 different ducks will slowly and happily fall into the pool with you, each with their own style and demeanor.

Float on the water, sunbathe, dip your beak, go down the slide. The radio is playing a nostalgic tune.
Here comes the night. Look at the stars. Turn off the radio, listen to the waves in the dark. Dream.
The sun is rising. The sky is blue. Slide down into the second pool.
An airplane is rushing somewhere, there’s stuff to do.

Not for you.

Live in the present moment, enjoy life.

Everything is going to be alright.

Meet Your Maker Sector 1: Dreadshore Adds New Destructive Tools to Your Arsenal

Sector 1: Dreadshore, Meet Your Maker’s first major content update, is arriving tomorrow giving players all-new tools to put their brutal creativity to the test.

If you’re new to the wasteland, Meet Your Maker is a first-person building game where players can create deadly fortresses using traps, guards, and more, or raid those built by others in a post-apocalyptic test of skill and wits.

Meet Your Maker Creative Director Ash Pannell and Narrative Designer Joe Dermo share more about what players can expect as they journey into the foggy dusk of the Dreadshore.

What’s a Sector?

Major new DLC for Meet Your Maker comes in the form of Sectors. Each Sector unveils a new location uniquely destroyed by the virus that ravaged Earth.

“We’re using Sectors to deliver large gameplay updates through a narrative,” explains Pannell. “It helps expand the story of Meet Your Maker alongside the actual gameplay.”

Sector 1: Dreadshore will include a new environment and themed Deco Pack – both free and instantly accessible to all players. An Arsenal Pack with a combo of key gameplay elements like traps, Custodians, guards, and weapons will also be available, offering up new ways to build and raid. Players looking for even more unique ways to expand their builds can purchase an additional Cosmetic Collection, featuring a new Deco Pack and skins.

Since we’re celebrating the release of our very first Sector, we’re inviting players to claim the Arsenal Pack for free beginning tomorrow until July 10, giving instant access to all the brand-new tools.

Into the Mud and Fog of Dreadshore

Players will be able to build and raid in a new setting far from the harsh, arid Red Sands.

“Dreadshore brings us to a completely different environment than the Red Sands we’re accustomed to,” explains Dermo. “It feels like stepping into a different world and it’s a reminder that even during this apocalyptic event, there remains a uniqueness to many parts of Earth.”

“Dreadshore is the location of an abandoned Sanctuary housed beneath a lighthouse. Within, Advisors were constantly cloned so cruel experiments could be performed upon them. One person escaped, killing the out-of-control Custodian and Chimera on their way out. The new blocks and Deco Packs represent the larger environment and lighthouse that stood over this doomed Sanctuary.”

The Arsenal Pack’s Deadly New Tools

The Arsenal Pack is an incredibly important part of the release. It comes loaded with a new Custodian, trap, guard, and weapon. Each is uniquely designed to destroy your enemies, each with its own connection to the history of the Dreadshore.

New Custodian: Nautilus

“The Nautilus represents the lone survivor of the Dreadshore Sanctuary. This figure built a suit in secret that could bolster their defensive abilities so they could escape,” shares Dermo.

For those wondering how the Custodian plays, Pannell explains, “Nautilus is all about defensive weapon capabilities. All 3 perks greatly buff the Arc Barrier’s capabilities. It finally adds perks to players who love a defensive weapon.”

New Trap: Sentry Beam

This new trap decimates Raiders with a lethal beam of heated light. “The Sentry Beam was used by the Dreadshore Sanctuary to contain their large number of prisoners,” comments Dermo, “It’s a threatening device, as its red eye follows its target’s movement and unleashes a laser that ricochets off surfaces.”

Expect the Sentry Beam to add an interesting element of chaos for Raiders to contend with. “As it bounces off walls it brings a nice new sense of randomness that helps break repetitive patterns of play,” remarks Pannell.

New Guard: Ravager

To maintain a large prisoner population, the lighthouse Sanctuary needed a deterrent. “The Ravager is the unintended result of a Dreadshore experiment and had its vision issues corrected in a strange way,” shares Dermo. “The guard sees multiple targets where there’s only one, and simultaneously shoots a bolt at each. This creates a deadly scattershot effect.”

Like the Sentry Beam, The Ravager was designed to shift how players build and raid. “Think of this one as a different kind of pattern breaker,” adds Pannell. “The Ravager has a horizontal field of fire making it very tough to strafe to avoid. So, when combined with other guards and traps, players will again have to adjust their playstyles.”

New weapon: Demolition Cannon

The newest weapon is a grenade launcher that delivers an explosive payload in a reusable shell. “The Demolition Cannon was developed for war, but as global unrest occurred, it was used more as a lethal crowd control weapon,” explains Dermo. “Dreadshore stocked this weapon as a last resort should the prisoners revolt.”

Every gameplay element has a story to tell. But with all new tools at your disposal, you can craft your own gruesome tale. We can’t wait to see what players create when they get their hands on the new content.

As for those wondering where the next Sector will take us to, Dermo has one hint: “Brrr!”

Let your brutal creativity flourish – Sector 1: Dreadshore for Meet Your Maker launches tomorrow.

Meet Your Maker

Behaviour Interactive Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
138

★★★★★

$29.99

$22.49

Get it now

Meet Your Maker is a post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players.
Switch between roles as you mastermind devious maze-like Outposts filled with traps and guards, then gear up for methodical fast-paced combat raiding other players’ creations.

THE WORLD IS DYING…
You are the Custodian of the Chimera, a living experiment created as a last resort to save life on Earth.
Enter a tactical battle for the planet’s most coveted resource and the key to your Chimera’s evolution: pure Genetic Material.
Construct and fortify maze-like Outposts to extract and guard your Genmat.
Infiltrate and outsmart other players’ Outposts to gather more.
Adapt, upgrade, and evolve… or die trying.

CREATE TO DESTROY
Build a maze of devious deathtraps designed to lure, outwit, and kill trespassing players.
Combine a huge array of customizable blocks, traps, and guards.
Pre-record custom patrol paths for your guards with the innovative AI recording system.
Share your Outposts and watch other players take them on.
Reap rewards from those who die, learn how to strengthen your creation from those who live, and never lose progress or resources by being raided.

OUTWIT TO SURVIVE
Test your grit, wit, and reflexes by raiding other players’ Outposts.
Get in, grab the Genmat, and try to make it out alive.
Gain an edge by choosing the right loadout (melee, ranged, defensive), perks, and consumables to match your challenge or playstyle.
Master every Outpost that stands in your way.

COOPERATE & CONNECT
Combine your creativity and build with a friend or join forces to raid Outposts as a team of two.
Watch raiders challenge your Outposts via the replay system.
Grow your Outpost’s reputation with community feedback.
Find your friends and favorite Builders, and play their Outposts any time.

Meet Your Maker: Deluxe Edition

Behaviour Interactive Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
165

★★★★★

$39.99

$29.99

Get it now

Meet Your Maker Deluxe Edition

Ready to Meet Your Maker? The Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the Scorched Necropolis Collection that expands your post-apocalyptic toolbox with a full set of ancient-Egyptian-inspired cosmetics. Combine myth and machine to build and raid in deadly new directions. Create post-apocalyptic pyramids and temples, or gear up with golden weaponry and Custodian Suits to take on other players’ creations.

Deluxe Edition contents:
Meet Your Maker Base Game

Scorched Necropolis Deco Pack
2 Blocks: Limestone, Golden Age (each available in 3 shapes)
2 Props: Winged Molding, Temple Light
1 Animated Prop: Spinning Enigma
8 Decals

1 Scorched Necropolis Weapon Skin
Sunclaw

2 Scorched Necropolis Custodian Skins
Desert Cyclops, Gilded Warrior

*All items in Meet Your Maker can be mixed and matched freely when building an Outpost or creating a Raider loadout.

Skautfold: Usurper Mixes Metroidvania with Lovecraftian Horror

Summary

Learn more about Skautfold: Usurper from the game’s solo developer, Steve Gal.
Skautfold: Usurper’s creator tells us how his game differs from other Metroidvanias.
The Skautfold series creator talks to us about Skautfold: Usurper, the second game in the horror series.

The Skautfold series is pretty unique in that every iteration is linked to a different genre. While Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity offered a Souls-like experience, its sequel is a true metroidvania. Now Xbox users will be able to dive back in the series’ gothic and tortured universe with Skautfold: Usurper.

I had always dreamed of making games of my own, and had nurtured a big complicated project. I quickly realized that I would have to first create smaller more diverse experiences to learn more about game design and all aspects of creating games though. That’s how I began working on Skautfold, a series where the focus would be on different characters while using multiple genres.

Skautfold: Usurper takes place in an alternate history setting where most of the world is rules by two major empires, the British and the Dawn empire. The setting is haunted by the fact that Lovecraftian forces are real and have been actively altering historical events since around 1000 AD. At the start of the game a giant alien structure suddenly lands in the centre of London and Lovecraftian beasts begin pouring out. After a short clash, things calm down and this is where the story starts.

In order for Skautfold: Usurper to stand out gameplay wise, I created its very own guard system. It combines both a shield and stamina which gives a very different rhythm to combat and increases focus on risk and reward. It wants you to get in the enemy’s face and take risks and circumvent relying on heals as many games do. It regenerates passively so it’s all about learning a nice rhythm to being offensive and defensive.

Gamers should really that the time to understand how the guard system works and see how forgiving it actually is. It will save their lives many a time and let them have a lot more fun more quickly. That being said, the atmosphere and creature design are also worth noting as they can be surprising at times.

Players shouldn’t worry about not having played Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity before jumping into Usurper. While several characters from the first game appear in the game, it tells its own story. Usurper‘s plot contains several important setups and hints at things to come not just for the rest of Skautfold, but its sequel series Granser as well. Besides the story and hinted details, users will find some of those hints by just exploring the map thoroughly.

Before I let you all go, I wanted to thank you all very, very much for your support. I am very happy to see people enjoy my weird games and hope they will enjoy this one too as there was a lot of love poured into it. See you in London!

Ported to consoles by Red Art Studios, Skautfold: Usurper is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Skautfold: Usurper

Red Art Games

☆☆☆☆☆
4

★★★★★

$14.99

Get it now

Usurper is a Metroidvania Action-RPG. With Eldritch horrors having been unleashed by the outer-worldly Citadel, your job is to rid London of its terrors and defeat the Navigator! Use the new “”””Guard”””” system that rewards skillful play and accuracy to uncover the massive structure and defeat the nightmares lurking within.

This sequel to Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity does not require knowledge of the previous game. Recently re-crowned Empress Eleanor has assembled the royal forces and her four most loyal Knights to enter the Citadel in hopes of learning more, and hopefully finding a way to rid London of its terrors. Meanwhile, Waltham, leader of the Weimar, uses his own forces to ascend the Citadel and challenge its leader, the Navigator, for his own… purposes…

Features:

– A compelling story built around the unlikely alliance between a no-nonsense knight and the shadowy being that resurrected him;

– An original battle system built around “”Guard””, a skill that allows the player to charge through attacks and take risks, rewarding accurate timing and risk assessment;

– A massive and versatile interconnected world with countless shortcuts and a variety of diverse areas, from human towns to alien landscapes, grand libraries, ethereal gardens, an Eldritch engine, and a crashed spaceship;

– 8 different stats to spec into (along with stat reallocation) and over 90 different weapons and spells to create countless varieties of character builds;

– Special game modes such as no-guard, 1 HP, permanent-death, and built-in speedrunning.

Game in Style with Exclusive “Barbie” Content for Xbox and Forza Horizon 5

This Barbie is a gamer! Together with Warner Bros. Pictures and Mattel, Xbox is excited to invite fans on a fun, fashionable, and inspirational ride this summer to celebrate the much-anticipated release of the new movie “Barbie,” premiering in theaters on July 21. Bringing Barbie’s signature flair to our gaming platform, we’re honoring all that there is to love about this iconic role model: her persevering optimism, wide-ranging career journey and never-ending capacity for self-discovery. Audiences of “Barbie” will follow the heroine to the furthest reaches of Barbie Land and beyond, and now fans can follow in her high-heeled footsteps with exclusive Forza Horizon 5 in-game content, an inspiring video about careers in gaming with a Barbie touch, the first ever Xbox Barbie dolls, and our most stylish custom Xbox hardware yet.

Race like Barbie and Ken in Forza Horizon 5

Barbie is driven by her various ambitions, and she always does it in style. The film sees Barbie hit the road in a classic 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV Corvette — painted her signature pink hue, of course — while Ken cruises alongside in a 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup. Now, Forza Horizon 5 players can join them in virtual versions of both cars. Racing at the intersection of style, speed and self-expression, “Barbie” fans new and old can find the inspiration to follow their own road and get in the game. Everyone who plays Forza Horizon 5 will be gifted these themed cars — just download them from the in-game Message Center and they will appear in your garage, ready for racing – even if you don’t live in Barbie Land.

Meet Real-Life Game Developers

Young girls thrive when they have someone to look up to, and Barbie has exemplified their limitless potential for decades. With over 200 careers, Barbie continues to reflect new movements. Movie-going audiences will see themselves represented in the film’s Barbies, who are thriving in professional roles ranging from physicist to President. In collaboration, Xbox is spotlighting some of the dolls’ real-world counterparts in the gaming field with a video. Hear about the different careers in gaming as those who work on the Forza franchise speak about their own career journeys, motivations, and personal Barbie connections. Fans can also see the video debut as part of a very special livestream on July 14^th from the World of Barbie, where fans can learn about “Barbie” and see our hosts race in Barbie and Ken rides from the movie, in Forza Horizon 5.

Xbox is All Dolled Up

When everybody plays, we all win! Like the cinematic Barbie Land, Xbox is a community made better by how inclusive it is. To celebrate our commitment to being a place for everyone, we’ve rounded up ten Barbie dolls that are reflective of the Barbie line, which is the most diverse doll line on the market. We outfitted them with the latest Xbox Gear fashion, as well as accessories including an Xbox Series S console, Wireless Controller and an Adaptive Controller. Fans can win the dolls as part of an international sweepstakes.

Dream Console, Meet Dreamhouse

From her DreamHouse to her dream closet, Barbie’s iconic style is unmatched. Now, you can bring her fashion-forward genius to your gaming setup with interchangeable Xbox Wireless Controller faceplates designed after Barbie and Ken’s distinct on-screen outfits. Or go for a complete remodel — in one of our most playful custom console designs in recent years, we’re giving away an Xbox Series S that has been built into the glamorous Barbie DreamHouse. Fans have a chance to win these starting on July 10 on @Xbox and Microsoft Rewards.

About “Barbie”

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Heyday Films Production, a LuckyChap Entertainment Production, an NG/BB Pictures Production, a Mattel Production, “Barbie.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and released in US theaters only on July 21, 2023 and internationally beginning 19 July 2023.