Yesterday, Microsoft gave us a look at some of the games coming to the Xbox Series X in a live streamed showcase event. I don’t particularly care about the Series X as someone who games on PC announcements are still relevant to me. Despite a lack of gameplay in some key reveals, the showcase generally impressed me. These are some of the highlights.
AVOWED
Well, if Bethesda is going to take its sweet time making a new mainline Elder Scrolls game, it looks like Obsidian is going to step in to fill the void. We didn’t see much of the game during the reveal, but pairing Obsidian’s talent with Microsoft’s funding and a game of this size and scope is exciting to be sure. Interestingly enough, Avowed is set in Eora, the same setting of Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity CRPG titles. Color me intrigued.
FABLE
The Fable reveal was extremely light on well, just about everything. But the fact the series is returning is enough for me to be excited. It feels a bit odd without Peter Molyneux’s involvement, but I’m eager to learn more about what’s in store for next-gen Fable.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
The best post-apocalyptic survival shooter ever made is finally getting a true sequel and it looks absolutely gorgeous. Plenty of games have tried to recreate the unique atmosphere of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. titles but none have really pulled it off. This was the biggest surprise of the show for me.
WARHAMMER 40K: DARKTIDE
There weren’t a ton of details here, but Fatshark looks to be following up its Warhammer Fantasy Vermintide series of horde games with what looks to be 40K Vermintide in Warhammer 40K: Darktide and I am here for it.
STATE OF DECAY 3
Again, scant on details, but the State of Decay 3 reveal has me excited more for its potential than anything else. I played State of Decay 2 earlier this year and I found it to be a unique take on the whole zombie survival genre, but it was ultimately a bit shallow. My hope is the third times the charm for this series.
PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2: NEW GENESIS
PSO2 came and went for me. While possessing some interesting mechanics, the game was just far too dated for me. With New Genesis, it seems Sega might be taking a page out from Square Enix’s A Realm Reborn revamp of FFXIV. It honestly looks almost like an entirely new game to me and this time around I may actually give it a shot.
GROUNDED
Easily the most charming game of the showcase, Grounded is basically the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as a vibrant and stylish survival game. Honestly, it looks pretty awesome and the trailer was comedy gold. Check it out below.
What were your highlights of the show? Share ‘em with us in the comments below!
