I got to see four upcoming Xbox Game Pass games — Here are my thoughts | Windows Central

TL;DR

best Xbox Game Pass titles of 2023. It feels great to play a game that isn't trying to constantly push you to move faster and faster every now and then, and Planet of Lana has the potential to be an excellent, beautiful story-driven game if the full game matches that atmosphere I observed in the ID@Xbox preview. Indie developers are just so creative and passionate, and ID@Xbox games help the best of the best shine on Xbox

The Article


best Xbox Game Pass titles of 2023.




Where The Last Case of Benedict Fox won me over, however, is the execution of the world and the delivery of the story. The voice acting I heard felt great, and I was immediately drawn into the small piece of narrative I witnessed, eager to learn more about what's going on. Self-proclaimed detective Benedict Fox will have to confront trauma, violence, and even the supernatural to find a satisfactory answer to his final case, and I can't wait to learn more about it all.


The Last Case of Benedict Fox is largely set inside an ancient, lavish mansion, where Benedict can return in order to engage with a variety of NPCs. These NPCs aid Benedict in his quest, and can provide him with upgrades, new tools and equipment, and even powerful abilities via tattoos powered by demon ink. I got the feeling that The Last Case of Benedict Fox is much larger and more ambitious than I originally surmised, with a lot of depth to both the world and the development of its main character.


battle its enemies and conquer its world, Planet of Lana puts you in the shoes of someone who feels very small and very powerless in a hostile, yet hauntingly beautiful world.




I didn't get to see as much of Planet of Lana as I did The Last Case of Benedict Fox, with the showing focusing instead on one solid segment occurring within the lush, green swamp region of the game. I saw how Lana and her companion rely on each other to complement their strengths and weaknesses, with Lana's intelligence, insight, and ability to swim working in tangent with Mui's physical agility, size, and obedience.


I'm intrigued to see what the final experience for Planet of Lana will be, as this is a game that's definitely on my shortlist. It feels great to play a game that isn't trying to constantly push you to move faster and faster every now and then, and Planet of Lana has the potential to be an excellent, beautiful story-driven game if the full game matches that atmosphere I observed in the ID@Xbox preview.


Lightyear Frontier. To be frank, I didn't see a whole lot new for this game, and I strongly encourage interested players to go read that previously linked piece for more information. It was great to see that Lightyear Frontier is continuing to march toward release, however, and the game continues to intrigue me with its unique blend of features and mysterious story.


Lightyear Frontier from FRAME BREAK combines elements from many different genres to ultimately become a co-op, farming simulator / exploring-action adventure. It sits players firmly behind the controls of a customizable, upgradeable mech suit and unleashes them in a gorgeous alien world resplendent with life and secrets. There's apparently a full narrative campaign in Lightyear Frontier and endless reasons to replay, and everything I saw during the ID@Xbox preview reaffirmed why the game piqued my interest the first time I saw it last year.


The final game I saw during the ID@Xbox preview is actually one thousands of players have already enjoyed. Everspace 2 follows the space-faring roguelike as a looter shooter action-RPG, and it genuinely looks stunning. I normally don't play these kinds of games (more accurately, I have never played one), but it's clear that ROCKFISH Games is pouring time and effort to make Everspace 2 as awesome as possible.




I'm not certain I'll be personally playing Everspace 2, but I have to admit it both looks stunning and is filled with interesting gameplay mechanics and content. After two years in early access, it's no wonder that Everspace 2 seems so fun, with ROCKFISH Games clearly invested in listening to community feedback. I think its players are in for a real treat. It helps that players don't need to play Everspace (unless you're really invested in the story) to enjoy its sequel; Everspace 2 is not only a completely different genre, it's also far larger and more ambitious than its predecessor.


Some of my favorite games of all time have hailed from the wonderful ID@Xbox program, which now consists of over 4,600 creators in over 95 countries. Just in Europe, there are over 1,200 ID@Xbox creators, and the ID@Xbox team is continuing to grow and evolve in regions like the Nordic countries. ID@Xbox also has a special relationship with Xbox Game Pass, with over 125 ID@Xbox titles available through the service right now.


ID@Xbox showcased some of the most highly anticipated games from the program, and I'm grateful to have been given an opportunity to see the gameplay early and collect my thoughts. Out of the four, I'm definitely the most excited for The Last Case of Benedict Fox, which looks right up my alley. I also can't wait to dive into Planet of Lana, and Lightyear Frontier and Everspace 2 both look like they'll make their respective players very happy.


ID@Xbox rarely gets the attention or fanfare of Xbox's larger shows, especially not smaller affairs like this event that only showed four games, but I'm often more excited by ID@Xbox titles than I am about big-budget "AAA" games from major publishers. Indie developers are just so creative and passionate, and ID@Xbox games help the best of the best shine on Xbox. The Last Case of Benedict Fox, Planet of Lana, Lightyear Frontier, and Everspace 2 all represent that best, and I love to see them inch closer to launch.





Like stripped versions? Subscribe for unlimited stripped versions!
View Original