With the announcement that Game Pass would include all future first party titles on the day of their release, I recently got behind the wheel of Forza Horizon 4 and left my backlog in the dust. While often overlooked during conversations about first party dominance, Forza Horizon 4 is one of the best brand exclusives out there right now and a much needed win for Microsoft.
Shadows: Awakening
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Lara Croft has been a gaming icon for over twenty years, spanning numerous reboots and three major motion pictures. The character has been portrayed by several actresses, all doing their part to bring the character to life in one form or another. When Crystal Dynamics rebooted the franchise some five years ago, it reintroduced us to Lara Croft all over again.
Strange Brigade
Warhammer 40K - Inquisitor : Martyr
While 2015's Helldivers did manage to be a fairly entertaining title, it failed to be memorable or leave a lasting impression like other titles of its ilk. Warhammer 40K - Inquisitor: Martyr is the latest sci-fi based hack and slash dungeon crawler to see a release and while it is certainly fun and action-packed, the title is certainly rough around the edges.
Earthfall
Where Warhammer: Vermintide and its recent sequel at least looked to build upon the Left 4 Dead formula with their progression system and fantasy setting, Earthfall simply tries to exist by running around in the skin of Left 4 Dead, expecting different results with what can feel like a bare minimum effort.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
Blending Left 4 Dead with the Warhammer fantasy genre almost seems like a match made in heaven. The original Vermintide shamelessly borrowed from the Left 4 Dead formula while keeping the action consistently flowing and offering up a diverse cast that would banter back and forth as we chopped up the hundreds of enemies that came our way.
NieR Automata: Become as Gods Edition
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
State of Decay 2
Vampyr
Destiny 2: Warmind
Ever since Destiny 2 launched, the community has been very vocal about the state of the game. Its first expansion, Curse of Osiris, was not well received, and several recent updates have come across as nothing more than half measures. Much of the player base has dropped off and moved on to other games and this latest expansion may not quite have what it takes to lure everyone back, at least presently.
Extinction
I've played my fair share of bad games; mechanically broken ones, or those that are barely capable of keeping your attention. I've played numerous titles that have cumbersome controls, countless glitches, and stories and voice acting so bad you have to wonder what publisher would want it being associated with their brand.
Far Cry 5
When Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed: Origins, late last year, it was a title that broke free of a few Ubisoft gameplay traditions. It certainly made substantial strides in regards to refining its gameplay, but it still contained many elements that people have come to expect from a typical Ubisoft release.
Sea of Thieves
We were on the Island when we first heard the volley of cannonballs soaring through the air, pelting our ship into the bottom of the deep blue. We were attempting to solve one of our treasure map riddles when one of my fellow pirate companions hit paydirt when we all heard that satisfying crunch when their shovel found the chest.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Bonus Episode: Farewell
Metal Gear Survive
Metal Gear Survive was never going to win over most gamers. From its announcement, the game was fighting a losing battle, one it had zero chance of winning. The damage done to Konami's image and legacy was tarnished with how it handled Metal Gear creator, Hideo Kojima's exit and departure from the studio.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
I've only ever been a casual fan of the Dragon Ball anime and never once read any of the manga pertaining to the long-running series. It's never been a franchise that sparked my interest to any large degree yet I've almost always checked out the story-based games like the Xenoverse series and even as far back as Dragon Ball Z: Sagas.