Category: Xbox News

It’s our mission at Xbox to bring the joy and community to gaming by putting players at the center of everything we do. We want to empower everyone around the world to play the games they want, with the people they want, on the devices they already own. We call this Xbox Everywhere.

As we look to make gaming more accessible to even more people, and reach the three billion players globally, we’ve invested heavily in the cloud – both for players so they can play the way they want, and for creators so they engage new, larger audiences and build, run and manage their games using best-in-class cloud tools and services. We’ve built this in partnership with Azure, which reaches more people than any other cloud provider.

Since launching in 2020, we’ve seen tremendous growth: So far, more than 10 million people around the world have streamed games through Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Today we reach another key milestone as we expand our business model to make cloud available to more people in even more ways, going beyond Xbox Game Pass to provide our first free-to-play title. In partnership with Epic, Fortnite is available via Xbox Cloud Gaming so fans can play on an iOS device, Android phone or tablet, or Windows PC through web browser. This is just the beginning for us – we’re going to learn, implement feedback, and in time look to bring even more free-to-play titles to players through the cloud.

Our continued growth and ability to enable new business models has been driven by the way we’ve evolved cloud to make it part of the Xbox ecosystem. We started off on Android only running off Xbox One S servers in our datacenters. Since then, Cloud Gaming upgraded to Custom Xbox Series X servers, and launched on Windows PCs, Apple phones and tablets, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X, and we’ve even started rolling it out on Steam Deck. We’ve also seen the community load it up on some unconventional devices via browser, although it looks like they were having a lot of fun. In total, players across all 26 countries have played on more than 6,000 types of devices, from various flavors of Android phones to a range of PCs and iPhones from all generations.

We’ve also enabled Cloud Gaming in more places, like Mexico, Japan, Australia, and Brazil. The gaming community has been phenomenal in all these new countries, and Brazil in particular has blown away our expectations. Adoption was so overwhelming in the first couple weeks that the demand from fans exceeded our server capacity to the point we had to quickly move to deploy more hardware to keep up with demand. The support we’ve seen going to new countries, paired with making more games available on more devices, has led to encouraging results. In the months ahead, you should expect cloud gaming to become available in even more places – we can’t wait to share more.

None of this would be possible without great content. We are in a unique position of not only having a first-party cloud that can deliver the games, but a rich history in gaming inclusive of expansive studios making titles across genres. Since launching under two years ago, we’ve worked with over 125 developers to make more than 350 games from the Xbox Game Pass catalog cloud enabled. We’ve also seen the power of cloud as a discovery mechanism by reducing the time to simply try out and play new games. On average, Xbox Game Pass players who use cloud, discover and play nearly twice as many games as Xbox Game Pass members who don’t play on cloud.

The way games are being delivered to devices has also evolved – when we began all of our games followed a lift-and-shift model to make it as easy as possible for studios to make games playable on cloud. Without the need to make any code changes, games would simply just work on our cloud platform. This has been a great way to build up the catalog with hundreds of games, and many games play wonderfully this way.

We’ve evolved over time and are also making it possible for games to be Cloud Aware; simple changes from the developer can enhance the whole experience. They may choose to add touch controls – either a basic overlay to fully custom controls like you see with Hades – or optimizing font size based on the device being streamed to. We launched cloud gaming with one cloud aware game: Minecraft Dungeons with custom touch controls. There are now more than 150 cloud-aware games featuring touch, and we’ve found games with touch controls lead to more engagement. On average, we see 2x increase in play for games that have touch controls, and 20% of Xbox Cloud Gaming users use touch exclusively.

Cloud aware titles also extend to more intensive games, making it possible to play Gen-9 titles on Xbox One via the cloud. A great example of this is Microsoft Flight Simulator. It became available via cloud on March 1, and quickly became the most played cloud game on phones, tablets, PCs and consoles for the month of March. Players who otherwise wouldn’t have access to Gen-9 titles now have the opportunity to jump in on the devices they own.

I’ll never forget the first time I played a console game on my mobile phone powered by the cloud; it was quite simply a magical experience. That was many years ago as we’ve been on this cloud journey for some time alongside a wonderful and engaged player community and incredible content partners. Together, we believe we have a bright future ahead for all players and creators.

As part of our mission to bring the joy and community of gaming to players wherever they are and to make gaming more accessible to people around the world, I’m excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Epic Games to make Fortnite available on supported browser-enabled devices for free with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) in 26 countries.

This means, starting today, if you love Fortnite you only need two things to play in cloud-supported markets:

• A Microsoft account
• An iOS, iPadOS, Android phone or tablet, or Windows PC with internet access

With no installation or memberships required, all you need to do is go to Xbox.com/play on your web browser and sign-in with your Microsoft Account to party-up with friends or earn your next Victory Royale in Fortnite.

Whether you want to play Fortnite with native touch controls or a supported controller, it’s easy to jump into Fortnite with Xbox Cloud Gaming.

It’s an important step to add a Free-to-Play title to the cloud gaming catalog as we continue our cloud journey. We’re starting with Fortnite and will look to bring more Free-to-Play games people love in the future. At Xbox we want to make gaming accessible to the 3 billion players around the world, and cloud has an important role in that mission. Quite simply we want you to have more choice in both the games you play and the way you choose to play them.

For more information on how to play Fortnite via browser with Xbox Cloud Gaming, visit Xbox.com/play or check out the Support Page here.

First off, let me start by saying that our team, here in Rzeszow, is beyond psyched about the launch of Trek to Yomi, available today for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and with Game Pass. We’re super happy we can talk about our game because we essentially poured our hearts and souls into making it.

Trek To Yomi is a game that draws massive inspiration from the so-called chanbara eiga, something most of us simply know as samurai oldies from the 60s and 70s. We paid a lot of attention to virtually all aspects of these movies, whether it’s the camera work, editing, or lighting.

Almost all of the shots in the game were inspired by these movies, all for the sake of achieving a matching atmosphere and style. Speaking of shots, we had to do tons of meddling with composing them. We had to separate planes not only according to distance but also in accordance with their tonality weight, be it bright, medium, or dark.

Since we chose to realize Trek to Yomi as a black-and-white game, it was important to develop an adequate relationship between light and shadow. We also had to focus on how we draw the players’ attention to certain places on the screen and always create a visually clear action area. After all, we didn’t want any obstacles that would obstruct the player’s vision in the heat of a fight.

Another aspect that was very time-consuming was figuring out how to create a channel of in-game communication with the players. Keep in mind that we were limited to only black, white, and shades of grey. That was something we struggled with initially but in the end, I think we nailed it.

We also really wanted to keep Trek To Yomi historically accurate. Aside from doing our own research, we invited Aki Tabei Matsunaga – a historian who specializes in the Edo period – onto the project to assist us. She helped us immensely and even made sure that the dialogue was stylized to correspond to the Japanese that was used during that time period. We believed that in order to maintain the old samurai movie vibe of our game, we needed it to resemble those films as much as possible. We tried to achieve an effect in which a non-player watches the game and initially cannot discern if it’s a movie or an actual video game.

To deepen the feeling of immersion, we also got rid of certain mechanics that are typical for 2.5D games – jumping and passing through enemies. We felt such actions would pull the player out of the setting we’re trying to embed them in. That’s why combat consists of 3 pillars in Trek To Yomi: timing, stamina control, and combining different fighting styles depending on the enemy you encounter. At the same time, we wanted to make sure that the combat and gameplay appeal to both casual players, who are excited by the aesthetics and general vibe of the game, and more advanced gamers who enjoyed a bigger challenge in terms of combat. We want duel enthusiasts to feel really satisfied after each successful encounter.

Long story short, we really just want the player to become fully immersed in our game, from A to Z. We want them to engage with it to such a degree that they feel compelled to finish the game, just like with watching a good movie! If it’s good, there’s no way you’re not going to want to stay till the end. Unlike the movies, however, we’re giving players the opportunity to choose their own path, so choose wisely!

Once again, we, the team, hope all gamers have tons of fun playing our game. We, for one, cannot bold out enough what an amazing journey the making of Trek To Yomi has been for us. We feel like we’ve become the ultimate weebs just by making this game. Ever wanted to be a part of a samurai movie, well now’s your chance!

Gambatte guys!

Trek to Yomi

Devolver Digital

☆☆☆☆☆ 236

★★★★★

Xbox Game Pass

As a vow to his dying Master, the young swordsman Hiroki is sworn to protect his town and the people he loves against all threats. Faced with tragedy and bound to duty, the lone samurai must voyage beyond life and death to confront himself and decide his path forward.

Xbox and the LEGO Group are teaming up to celebrate May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. As part of the festivities, the LEGO Star Wars Xbox Sweepstakes is releasing 12 consoles to celebrate and showcase 12 iconic characters from the nine Star Wars Skywalker Saga films. Inspired by the LEGO-themed action-adventure game, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, the Xbox Series S custom console and controller designs include BB-8, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Finn, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Rey, Stormtrooper, and Yoda. Each console features a custom color inspired by each of the 12 playable characters featured in the game.

To enter, sweepstakes participants must login to their public Twitter account and follow the official @Xbox account. Once followed, re-tweet the promotional post and include the hashtags #LEGOStarWarsXboxSweepstakes and #Maythe4th. Winners will be notified via Twitter DM.

The sweepstakes entry period will start Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at 7 a.m. PDT through Wednesday, May 31, 2022 at 8 p.m. PDT.

To enter, sweepstakes participants must be a legal resident of any Xbox live supported region and be eighteen (18) years of age or older. Visit the official Sweepstakes rules and regulations for additional information. May the 4th be with you!

LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 759

★★★★★

The galaxy is yours in LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga. Experience memorable moments and nonstop action from all nine Skywalker saga films reimagined with signature LEGO humor. The digital edition includes an exclusive classic Obi-Wan Kenobi playable character. ● Explore the Trilogies in Any Order – Players will relive the epic story of all nine films in the Skywalker Saga, and it all starts with picking the trilogy of their choice to begin the journey. ● Play as Iconic Heroes and Villains –More than 300 playable characters from throughout the galaxy. ● Discover Legendary Locales – Players can visit well known locales from their favorite Skywalker saga films .They can unlock and have the freedom to seamlessly travel to 23 planets as they play through the saga or explore and discover exciting quests. ● Command Powerful Vehicles – More than 100 vehicles from across the galaxy to command. Join dogfights and defeat capital ships like the Super Star Destroyer that can be boarded and explored. ● Immersive Player Experiences – String attacks together to form combo chains and fend off oncoming attacks. New blaster controls and mechanics allow players to aim with precision, or utilize the skills of a Jedi by wielding a lightsaber and using the power of The Force. ● Upgradable Character Abilities – Exploration rewards players as they uncover Kyber Bricks which unlock new features and upgraded abilities across a range of character classes, including Jedi, Hero, Dark Side, Villain, Scavenger, Scoundrel, Bounty Hunter, Astromech Droid, and Protocol Droid.

Gear up for the next chapter in your Halo Infinite multiplayer journey with Lone Wolves: Season 2 – available now as part of Halo Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11, and Steam. Starting today, players can jump in with fresh content including new maps, modes, themed limited-time events, and an all-new premium Battle Pass that never expires.

Season 2 sees a new narrative begin to unfold: Cortana’s dominion has ended, and the Banished rushed to fill the void, decimating all who stand in their way. Spartan Commander Agryna is preparing a new generation of Spartans to face them — and perhaps even more dangerous foes. But a few scattered Spartans remain in the field. These Spartans are rugged and resourceful. Hunters in the dark. And they call themselves… Lone Wolves.

These Lone Wolves are at the center of Season 2’s all-new Battle Pass, featuring 100 tiers of rewards with an emphasis on the free armor core RAKSHASA. Epitomizing the’ Lone Wolves’ spirit, this core incorporates scrapped, damaged, or otherwise discarded UNSC and Banished Equipment to create a distinctive battlefield-manufactured look that stands apart from other Spartan armors. Also featured among the premium rewards are 1,000 Halo Credits for use in the in-game shop, as well as other customization options and effects for your Spartan.

Play matches, earn XP and unlock rewards at your own pace: once purchased, the Premium Battle Pass is yours to keep and complete at your leisure. If purchased the Season 1 Battle Pass but haven’t completed it, you can choose to level it up for rewards you missed, and switch between Passes whenever you like.

Season 2 introduces two brand-new maps to the rotation – Arena map ‘Catalyst’ and a new Big Team Battle map in ‘Breaker.’ ‘Catalyst’ sees players battling in the cavernous depths of an abandoned Forerunner structure: tight hallways, raised catwalks and perilously exposed light-bridges that weave throughout overgrown ruins and towering waterfalls. Meanwhile, ‘Breaker’ is set amongst a Banished salvage yard featuring a massive, deadly plasma cannon, open passageways and soaring mechanical structures that work together to foster Halo’s beloved big-team mayhem.

These maps are home to three brand-new modes for Season 2:

• The king returns with an iteration on one of Halo’s most iconic modes — King of the Hill — where players compete over a “hill zone” that brings the team actively controlling it closer to victory with each passing second.
• The star of the Lone Wolves event is ‘Last Spartan Standing,’ a free-for-all attrition-based mode pitting 12 Spartans against each other in a fight to be the Lone Wolf left standing.
• The all-new Fracture: Entrenched event brings with it ’Land Grab,’ an objective-based arena mode where players fight for control over three neutral zones – earning points for each capture.

This is just a taste of what will be coming in Halo Infinite Lone Wolves: Season 2. For a full breakdown of the season, including maps and modes, head to Halo Waypoint. The game will continue to grow and evolve over time with new additions and quality of life updates, with an ongoing commitment to sustainable development and delivering quality experiences while balancing overall team health. We’re excited you’re on the journey alongside us.

Halo Infinite

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆ 1375

★★★★★

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Legendary Multiplayer, Freed: Halo’s celebrated multiplayer returns, reimagined and free-to-play! Seasonal updates evolve the experience over time with unique events, new modes and maps, and community-focused content. Arena: Halo returns to its roots with fair starts, on-map equipment, and 4-player squads to offer the ultimate arena-shooter experience.  Big Team Battle: Create endless combat possibilities by mixing and matching a rich variety of weapons, vehicles and equipment to experience big-team mayhem and fun that embraces the full spectrum of the Halo sandbox. Spartan Customization: Become a Spartan that’s uniquely your own with a rich and deep player customization system. Earn and discover new cosmetic items simply by playing campaign or multiplayer. Or to obtain even more cosmetic rewards, purchase a Battle Pass that never expires and unlock new content at your own pace. Cross-Generation and Cross-Platform Gaming: Halo Infinite provides an amazing experience across the Xbox One and newer family of consoles as well as PC with stunning 4k graphics and world-class cross-platform play. And, on Xbox Series X as well as supported PCs, enjoy enhanced features like up to 120FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay that usher in the next generation of gaming.* *Up to 120FPS and 4K Ultra HD available on Xbox Series X consoles and compatible PCs only across supported maps and modes; compatible TV or monitor required.

Halo Infinite (Campaign)

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆ 2326

★★★★★

$59.99 $47.99

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Lone Wolves: Season 2 Available Now! Lone Wolves, gear up for Season 2 of Halo Infinite multiplayer! Experience fresh content including new maps, modes, themed limited-time events, and an all-new Battle Pass that never expires. Campaign: When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring. To experience the campaign, purchase Halo Infinite (Campaign). Multiplayer: Legendary Multiplayer, Freed: Halo’s celebrated multiplayer returns, reimagined and free-to-play! Seasonal updates evolve the experience over time with unique events, new modes and maps, and community-focused content. Arena: Halo returns to its roots with fair starts, on-map equipment, and 4-player squads to offer the ultimate arena-shooter experience.  Big Team Battle: Create endless combat possibilities by mixing and matching a rich variety of weapons, vehicles and equipment to experience big-team mayhem and fun that embraces the full spectrum of the Halo sandbox. Spartan Customization: Become a Spartan that’s uniquely your own with a rich and deep player customization system. Earn and discover new cosmetic items simply by playing campaign or multiplayer. Or obtain even more cosmetic rewards, purchase a Battle Pass that never expires and unlock new content at your own pace. Cross-Generation and Cross-Platform Gaming: Halo Infinite provides an amazing experience across the Xbox One and newer family of consoles as well as PC with stunning 4k graphics and world-class cross-platform play. And, on Xbox Series X as well as supported PCs, enjoy enhanced features like up to 120FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay that usher in the next generation of gaming.* *Up to 120FPS and 4K Ultra HD available on Xbox Series X consoles and compatible PCs only across supported maps and modes; compatible TV or monitor required.

Team Xbox is excited to continue bringing new ways to make Xbox better, with you at the center, as we refine the experience and deliver brand new features based on your feedback. This month’s update will bring you the activity feed on the Xbox app for iOS and Android in the form of stories. You will be able to create, share, and view stories with your friends in the Xbox app, and add priority tags for your console gaming experiences with Quality of Service (QoS) Tagging.

Create, share, and view stories with the Xbox app for Android and iOS

Now in Australia and coming to more Xbox supported regions soon, your activity feed is getting revamped for the Xbox App. Stories lets you showcase your skills and keep up to date with your friends. You can share your favorite gaming moments including game clips, screenshots, and achievements with your friends and the Xbox community. You can also reply to your friends’ stories with a message or a quick reaction.

The stories channel is located right on the home screen of the Xbox app. To create a story, click the + button on your gamertag located within the stories channel, and then select the game clip, screenshot, or achievement that you want to post from the gallery. Once selected, you will go to a story preview page where you can choose to add a caption to your post and then click the post button located on the bottom right. The stories channel shows content from the last 72 hours, and anything you share is also posted to your activity feed on your profile.

Add priority tags for your gaming experiences with Quality of Service (QoS) Tagging    

Quality of Service (QoS) tagging is a new service for Xbox consoles and sets priority tags on latency-sensitive outbound networking traffic such as party chat, console streaming, and multiplayer (in supported games). This helps protect your gaming experience from connection issues during times of congestion on supported networks.

In the Settings app under General, Network settings, Advanced settings you’ll see a new button for QoS Tagging Settings. Under QoS Tagging Settings, there are two options: DSCP Tagging Enabled and WMM Tagging Enabled. Learn more about settings options and advanced network settings for your Xbox.

Help shape the future of Xbox

Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and all the latest and greatest Xbox related news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

We love hearing from the community whether you have a suggestion for a new feature that you’d like to see added to an Xbox experience, or you want to give feedback on existing features that could use some improvement. From game capture and share improvements, to helping games load faster, and so much more, we’re always listening and looking for ways to improve Xbox experiences for gamers around the world. If you’d like to help create the future of Xbox and get access to features such as Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC today. Let us know what you think – we’re always listening!

Get ready to throw down in Showdown, the new season of Riders Republic, is available now for all players on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Season 2 introduces the Showdown multiplayer game mode, Wheeling mode for bikes, the Showdown arena, new mass races, and more. Plus, with the new clan feature, you can create an in-game specific friends list to create and manage a clan of up to 64 members to take on the competition with bespoke clan tags and team colors.

Face off in the new 6v6 Showdown multiplayer mode where two teams compete to collect as many lightning bolts as they can, while using equipable toys: gears that open up a new way of playing the game and can also be used in the open world. At the beginning of a match, you and your team can select one toy, such as the Juggernaut, which slams into any opponents in your path, the Sniper, which shoots snowballs at your enemies, or the Spider, which drops traps and lets you double-jump to safety.

The new Wheeling mode allows you to ride on your front wheel or back wheel on all bikes except heavy ones. If you own the Year 1 Pass, you’ll get early access to two toys, the Spider and the Juggernaut. Get the Year 1 Pass with the Gold or Ultimate Edition of Riders Republic, or as a stand-alone purchase. Also available as a separate purchase is the Welcome Pack, which includes a new legendary outfit and 2,300 Republic Coins.

Season 2: Showdown also comes with a new season progression, where over the course of seven weeks all players can unlock exclusive rewards and take part in special activities and live events, such as the Rabbids Takeover event that starts May 18. Assemble your clan and start training for the big events by jumping into the Showdown season in Riders Republic starting today!

Riders Republic™

UBISOFT

☆☆☆☆☆ 456

★★★★★

Jump into the Riders Republic™ massive multiplayer playground! Grab your bike, skis, snowboard, or wingsuit and explore an open world sports paradise where the rules are yours to make—or break. – Battle against over 50 players simultaneously in a massive multiplayer playground—over 20 players on Xbox One.
– Compete in an all-out mass start race—collide, grind, and fight your way to the finish!
– Customize your character to show off your style to your friends or show up the competition.
– Bike, ski, snowboard, or wingsuit through a seamless open world in Career mode or multiplayer events.
– Go wild in iconic US national parks like Yosemite and Zion.

New Year’s Eve, 1999. All of London is preparing to ring in the new millennium — or possibly cleaning out the contents of their bank accounts in fear of Y2K — but the Metropolitan Police has other things on its plate. In the East End of London, a local gang has been quietly amassing a formidable arsenal of weapons and are now preparing to storm one of the capital’s most elite high rises. Can you and your partner take them out before it’s too late?

RICO London is inspired by our love of action cinema — similarities to a certain beloved Christmas classic cannot be overlooked — and we wanted to recreate that same vibe in a game. Much like its predecessor, RICO, you and your partner kick in doors, assess the situation like the consummate professionals you are, and put down the bad guys. There’s a moment of slow motion that both lets players get a jump on the targets and gives that cinematic quality to the action. The cel-shaded art style works together with the effects to give that sense of being inside an action movie.

To enhance the buddy-cop movie feel, we designed it to be played cooperatively, but of course you can choose to go it alone maverick style as well. The levels are randomly generated so you will never experience the same fight twice. This alleviates the boredom of replaying levels where you already know every room and the likely position of every enemy.

Hidden amongst the crates of the Ronson Firm’s latest purchase from their Eastern European friends, are a pair of prototype weapons. These are exclusive to Xbox and can be found as players ascend the building via the usual upgrade path. Like other weapons in the game, each gun has a range of variants with unique names and skins. With an integral suppressor and hand-tuned balance, the Silex-9 is the ultimate high-value sidearm, while the latest experimental import from a secret weapon manufactory, the ACR Assault Rifle combines high-capacity magazines with a devastating rate of fire.

We are also pleased to include an exclusive play mode in the Xbox version of RICO London in which players can test themselves against a series of hand-authored challenges. Leaning into the game’s score attack mentality, the challenge mode offers a brand-new way of playing Rico London, either solo or co-op, where they earn a star rating based on their performance in the challenge against various additional sub objectives selected from a list of potential criteria such as surviving for a set amount of time, killing with headshots only, no use of syringes, and many more.

We sincerely hope you enjoy playing RICO London as much as we enjoyed creating it. Yippie Ki-yay, friends!

RICO London

Numskull Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

RICO London is a gang-busting, name-taking, explosive co-op shooter. Battle your way up the high-rise tower stacked with East End gangsters solo or with a partner. Crash through doors, dodge bullets and turn the weapons of the fallen into your personal arsenal. Do whatever it takes reach the top. London, New Year’s Eve 1999. While everyone is getting ready to party the metropolitan police are working overtime. Detective Inspector Redfern finds herself at the scene of an emerging arms trade at the foot of a high-rise tower. Without the permission of her superiors or the support of backup, Redfern prepares to go kick off the millennium with a bang. High-Rise, Higher Stakes. Ascend the dangerous gang infested tower, taking on tougher goons as you advance. The higher you get the higher the stakes. High Calibre. The three magazines of 9mm you brought with you were never going to get you past the first floor. Chop and change from your ever-expanding arsenal to suit the task at hand as you defeat enemies along the way. Perks of the Job. Customise your loadout with a series of performance enhancing perks and upgrades. Modify your skills as the night unfolds. Double Trouble. It wouldn’t be a buddy cop shooter without a partner by your side. Call in a co-op ride-along, either local or online. It is all down to you (and your partner) to bring the whole lot of them down, in the only way you can… kicking doors and shooting bad guys! • Arcade style game play
• Play through various game modes – Story (Easy), Classic (Medium), Hardcore (Hard), or Daily Play.
• Compelling storyline with exhilarating gameplay to match it
• Buddy cop co-op shooter, in local or online
• Defeat different enemy types to collect new weapons and expand your arsenal
• Rescue civilian hostages and get them to safety
• Many collectible weapson, traits and missions to locate and unlock
• Moment-to-moment action packed gameplay • Battle your way through the towers many storeys. • Watch the chaos unravel in slow motion
• Cell shaded, graphic-novel art style

Rogue Legacy 2 is finally out, and we know a lot of fans can’t wait to jump straight into the thick of it!  For newcomers though, the beginning can be pretty daunting, so here are a few tips and tricks to help amateur adventurers get into the flow.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

Get Rich or Die Trying – Manor Gold Upgrades:  Rogue Legacy 2 is a pretty tough game, and the beginning can be overwhelming for some players.  Your Manor has a ton of upgrades to help you overcome these challenges, but there’s a lot to sift through, so here’s a few skills we recommend new players seek out.  The very first upgrade in the Manor gives gold bonuses to the Traits you choose, but it doesn’t stop there.  Skills like the Repurposed Mining Shaft increases Trait gold bonuses, while Offshore Banking allows players to slowly accumulate gold until they can afford more expensive things.  They may seem costly, but purchasing them early will give you a swift advantage.

Mastery XP OP – the Sage Totem:  Purchasing stat upgrades in your Manor isn’t the only way to power up your character.  Unlocking the Sage Totem will grant you access to Mastery XP, which allows each hero class to naturally become stronger the more you play them.  Even better, these strengths are permanent and carried over between classes.  Players that purchase the Sage Totem and diversify the classes they play can get quick and easy bonuses that will really help early on.

Gotta Catch ‘Em All – Heirlooms: We don’t want to spoil too much, but when scouring around the Kingdom, be sure to stay on the lookout for Heirlooms.  They may seem ominous and daunting at first, but remember, fortune favours the bold!  You may not succeed in their challenges the first time, but for the persistent and eventually victorious, you will be given the biggest rewards the game has to offer.

Show Me Your Moves  – Spells and Talents:  Don’t build bad habits!  Try casting every ability you have, even if no enemies are around, just to help you understand your character’s strengths.  Yes, your weapon is strong, but each hero class also has a unique Talent, along with a random Spell, and using them all is the key to success.  Mana is plentiful in RL2, so don’t be afraid to experiment!

Another Level to Combat – Skill Crits:  Once you’ve grown accustomed to using all of your abilities, you can start taking things to the next level with Skill Critical Strikes, also known as Skill Crits.  Every Weapon and Spell in the game has a way to deal extra damage, such as dashing while attacking, or hitting enemies at the peak of your blade strike.  Not only are these Skill Crits immensely satisfying, but they become stronger as you become more proficient.  Learning the nuances will ensure you can cut down the most powerful foes in short order.

Master Mobility – Spin Kicks:  There’s a reason why we have you Spin Kick so many times in the tutorial.  In Rogue Legacy 2, the Spin Kick is life.  Mastering it adds a new degree to both your platforming and combat repertoire.  In fact, it’s so versatile that you can beat the entire game with that one move alone.  It’s not recommended, but it is possible (yes, someone has done it).

Practice Makes Perfect – The Architect:  We’ve taken great pains to make sure every boss in Rogue Legacy 2 can be beaten without taking a hit.  It takes a ton of practice, but fortunately there’s an easy way to keep trying until you become that good.  Once purchased in the Manor, the Architect will give you the ability to lock down the Kingdom and prevent it from changing.  If you’ve found the boss room already, a locked Kingdom means you can battle the boss over and over, as they are merely a teleporter away.

Pro tip: Spend an heir or two just dodging the boss’s attacks, and see how long you can last.  By focusing purely on defense and not worrying about offense, it’s easier to learn the boss’s attack patterns and timings.  Once they’re all figured out, you can bring the fight to them.

Play Your Way – House Rules: Even after following all these tips, Rogue Legacy 2 still has a steep learning curve and you may still struggle.  Or maybe you don’t want to invest so much time, and instead want to relax on the couch and chill.  Everyone’s different, and House Rules lets you tweak the experience to your own liking.  Raise or lower the difficulty, toggle contact damage, and even slow time down while aiming to let the game run at your pace.

Play however you want, and don’t worry, there is no punishment for using House Rules.

That about covers the basics to help you get started.  Before you even touch the controller, remember that Rogue Legacy 2 is more than just about fast hands and quick reflexes.  Equipping yourself with the right knowledge and the desire to persevere is just as powerful.  This guide is only the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to keep learning new things as you play the game.  There’s a ton more to seek, discover, and most importantly, enjoy.  Thanks for reading, and we hope you have fun with Rogue Legacy 2.

Rogue Legacy 2

Cellar Door Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 30

★★★★★

$24.99 $19.99

Rogue Legacy is back! But now it’s got a 2 on the end of it! Rogue Legacy 2 is a genealogical rogue-LITE. That means it has all the trappings of a typical rogue-like (randomized runs, changing characters, and more), but with persistent upgrades, and persistent dead heirs. In this game, your legacy defines you. Spend your parents’ inheritance and grow the family manor to give your children a better fighting chance. Each child is unique, with their own traits and abilities. Your daughter could be a Ranger. She could also be vegan. It’s a new experience every time. Rogue Legacy 2 also lets you play how you want to. Go hard and fast, and dive deeper into the depths of a randomly-generated world. Or take it slow and steady and build your character up until you’re ready for greater challenges.

The modern world is something that constantly shocks us. But it was impossible to imagine that years later, This War of Mine would not only be a bestseller that shaped 11 bit studios in many ways. But also that life will again painfully remind us about the relevance of its theme, and we once again learn we made more than a mere game.

The Balkan War was the initial spark that ignited the idea to make such a game. But inspirations were also drawn from the Warsaw Uprising, the siege of Grozny, and the Syrian civil war. All those conflicts had one thing in common – the tragedy of civilians trapped in cities destroyed by hostilities. When This War of Mine was still in development, in March 2014, the war in Donbas broke out, and the team felt even more responsibility in crafting its message in the right tone and the importance of what we’re trying to achieve. And now, we’re deeply shocked by the amount of aggression aimed at Ukraine eight years later and the fact that humankind again has to relive all this cruelty.

Hours after Russia invaded Ukraine when images of destroyed buildings emerged on the Internet, people started to write that, “This looks like This War of Mine.” Albeit you can feel proud that your work proved to be so accurate, that it’s associated with certain situations, it’s also tremendously bitter that This War of Mine accuracy remains actual. That’s why we, as the developers behind a game bearing an anti-war message, felt an urgency to act and launched the fundraising campaign for Ukraine on the same day.

Back in the day, when the idea behind the game started to take shape, we felt it could be something unique. A platform to deliver a meaningful message. It couldn’t be possible without a certain delicacy in approach to the theme to portray it with respect and sensitivity. Civilians, trapped in a war-torn reality, dying because of hunger and lack of medicine – this is not something that you associate with plain entertainment which comes to mind when thinking about games. This War of Mine was a risk. But we didn’t back down. To not trivialize the topic, we decided that every part of the game has to correspond with its essence and message. From the gameplay mechanics through the script to the visuals. Everything should act as a cohesive whole that highlights the horrors of war.

As This War of Mine makes its transition to Xbox Series X|S, and thanks to 4K visuals it never worked better as such an experience, thus we can surely say that we succeeded. And being featured in Game Pass will help spread our message even further. The risk has paid off, and after This War of Mine, we told ourselves that we don’t want to make just games. We want to make games with thought-provoking themes that can be considered meaningful entertainment. And we’re still doing so.

This War of Mine: Final Cut

11 bit studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

The Remastered Final Cut version for Xbox Series X|S is finally here! In This War Of Mine, you do not play as an elite soldier, rather as a group of civilians trying to survive in a besieged city; struggling with a lack of food, medicine and constant danger from snipers and hostile scavengers. During the day you need to focus on maintaining your hideout: crafting, trading and taking care of your survivors. At night, take one of your civilians on a mission to scavenge for items that will help you stay alive. Make life-and-death decisions driven by your conscience. Try to protect everybody from your shelter or sacrifice some of them for longer-term survival. During war, there are no good or bad decisions; there is only survival. The sooner you realize that, the better.
This War of Mine: Final Cut main features:
– Inspired by real-life events
– Control your survivors and manage your shelter
– Craft weapons, alcohol, beds or stoves―anything that helps you survive
– Make decisions―an often unforgiving and emotionally difficult experience
– Randomized world and characters every time you start a new game
– Charcoal-stylized aesthetics to complement the game’s theme
– All updates and free expansions added along the way to create the Final Cut