Microsoft has treated fans to an exciting showcase focused entirely on its upcoming lineup of first-party titles. Read on to find out what treats they had in store.
HALO INFINITE
Firstly, and arguably most importantly, Microsoft got the event off to a strong start with some truly stunning gameplay from Halo Infinite’s campaign. Dropping us into a mission that looks and feels like classic Halo, we are treated to some wonderful in-game footage full of grunts, Elites and Brutes being obliterated by the series’ beloved assault rifle. Also giving us a taste of Master Chief’s new grappling hook and some exciting new weapons, this footage was nothing short of incredible.
STATE OF DECAY 3
Next up, we were treated to a short-but-sweet cinematic announcement trailer for State of Decay 3, the next instalment in the acclaimed survival horror series. Certainly the scariest footage of the showcase, this thrilling trailer followed a young woman hunting in a frozen landscape and encountering a zombie deer. Yikes. This one looks perfect for all you horror junkies!
FORZA MOTORSPORT
No Xbox event is complete without an announcement for a new Forza Motorsport title, so this one came as absolutely no surprise. But with the processing power of the Xbox Series X behind it, this one’s phenomenal graphics are going to look insane. We can’t wait to get behind the wheel!
EVERWILD
This new title from Rare (behind recent hit Sea of Thieves) looks like a truly magical bit of video game escapism. Taking place in an “untamed natural world”, this fantasy adventure looks like it’ll boast utterly gorgeous cel-shaded visuals and some wonderful world design to lose yourself in.
TELL ME WHY
From Life is Strange developed Dontnod comes Tell Me Why, a new episodic adventure following a trans man and his sister as they revisit their childhood hometown to come to terms with their past. The trailer for Chapter One promises plenty of mystery and strong characters to join on an engrossing journey.
ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS
One of the most beautiful games in recent years, Moon Studios’ Ori and the Will of the Wisps is to be updated and optimised for the Xbox Series X, making the game’s breathtaking and magical world even more immersive.
THE OUTER WORLDS: PERIL ON GORGON
The first of two promised expansions for tongue-in-cheek favourite The Outer Worlds, Peril on Gorgon looks to build up the game’s quirky universe with “salacious secrets” and “scandalous strangers”. Fans of the game will be delighted with this first look at more of the quirky sci-fi mayhem that made the first game so much fun.
AVOWED
A very brief tease for upcoming first-person fantasy RPG Avowed gives off serious Sykrim vibes as we get a little sneak-peak at our hero wielding a sword in their right hand and casting spells with their left. With not much to go on from this tease, it’s hard to say much – but colour me very intrigued.
AS DUSK FALLS
From developer INT./NIGHT comes “an original interactive drama”, with its short trailer giving us a glimpse of the gorgeous art style and stellar voice performances. This narrative-driven title looks like it could be your next gaming obsession.
GROUNDED
This quirky and innovative new shooter from Obsidian Entertainment feels like a mixture of Honey I Shrunk The Kids and Rust, putting us in the shoes of four miniature heroes on an adventure through the back garden battling insects and critters. Certainly one of the most original titles on the slate!
PSYCHONAUTS 2
This psychedelic and colourful sequel to the underrated modern classic looks to be expanding on everything that made the first film so great. Fans and newcomers alike will surely be absorbed by this game’s crazy visuals and gameplay that puts you into one of the most colourful worlds I’ve seen in gaming! Our hopes are high and we can’t wait to play this.
DESTINY 2: BEYOND LIGHT
Enhancing the beloved Destiny 2 for next-gen consoles, this new version will run 4K@60fps on Xbox Series X and will also boast an exciting new DLC called Beyond Light that will include a new element called stasis, based on the manipulation of time. This intense shooter looks very well-suited to showing off the Xbox Series X’s strong new hardware.
STALKER 2
This the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic PC shooter set in the creepy wasteland horror of Chernobyl promises one of the biggest and most seamless open-worlds to date, with an epic non-linear and branching story with multiple choices throughout and several endings to explore. This one looks breathtakingly terrifying.
WARHAMMER 40,000: DARKTIDE
This thrilling first-person four-player co-op game has you facing off against hordes of brutal enemies that feel somewhere between zombies and monsters, and by the look of the arsenal on offer, you’ll be able to blast ‘em all to hell. Awwww yeah.
TETRIS EFFECT: CONNECTED
Showing that there is still plenty of life in old properties, this utterly transcendent and dreamy new version of Tetris Effect promises optimized singleplayer and all-new multiplayer alongside truly stunning visuals that will take your breath away. 36 years on, Tetris has still got it. Will it be as popular at Tetris 99 on Switch?
THE GUNK
From the creators of Steamworld Dig and Steamworld Heist comes The Gunk, a stylised sci-fi romp putting you in control of a lone explorer trying to clean up an alien world covered in gunk and monsters. As you explore, gather and craft, you will have to keep your wits about you as the dangerous landscape takes its toll.
THE MEDIUM
This supernatural horror noir mystery, which rather bleakly claims to “all start with a dead girl”, has the player controlling two realities at the same time. Ambitious and innovative, this game looks like an incredibly exciting release with stunning visuals and one of the most interesting premises I’ve seen in gaming for a long time.
NEW GENESIS: PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2
Featuring lots of hectic melee combat, vastly improved visuals and bigger, better environments, New Genesis: Phantasy Star Online 2’s reveal was scarce on details but certainly has my curiosity. Is it a remaster, or a new title, or what? Hard to say at this point, but certainly one to keep your eyes on as a 20-year update on this much loved Dreamcast online RPG.
CROSSFIRE
While we already knew about this FPS title, this new trailer gives us a much closer look at the campaign and all the fun stuff that comes with it – wingsuits and stealth suits, for starters. The fast-paced military shooter follows the world’s private military corporations battling it out and looks like some good explosive fun.
FABLE
Yes, the showcase saved the best for last with this stunning surprise cinematic announcement teaser. Promising a “new beginning” for the beloved franchise, this new entry looks to be acting as a reboot following on from the last release in the series 10 whole years ago. With the power of the Xbox Series X behind it, this could be one of the biggest and most immersive games of the generation and will almost certainly be a must-own for gamers. Needless to say, our jaws were firmly on the floor!
Microsoft showed off a solid lineup of new games. They have learnt from the disastrous Xbox One launch and now understand we are here for the games. Roll on the next generation!
