Xbox Series X|S Game Previews - Page 1

Preview header image for SteamWorld Heist II
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SteamWorld Heist II Preview - Time to Plunder

SteamWorld is host to a myriad of titles spanning across multiple genres. You have the base-building sim SteamWorld Build, or even the turn-based RPG SteamWorld Quest. As a tactics fan, my personal…

June 26, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

The First Descendant Preview Header Image
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The First Descendant Preview - Nexon's Answer to Destiny

I'm always on the search for the next "podcast game," as I like to call them. You know the type of game you can just have going on one screen, with videos, music, or podcasts rolling in the…

June 26, 2024 | 09:00 EDT

A spread-shot cover of VALORANT, showcasing playable character Viper posing next to the games logo and against a red backdrop.

VALORANT Console Preview - One Tap, B Plant, No Cap

In the wake of eSports becoming a growing mine of financial prosperity and career opportunities, it makes sense that console players tend to be on the outside looking in. A keyboard being the optimal…

June 24, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

A hobbit hole built into a hillside on a sunny day.
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Tales of the Shire Preview - The Hobbit Simulator We've Always Wanted

Lord of the Rings is all about wizards, orcs, armies clashing, swords winging, bows a-shooting, right? Tales of the Shire is out to prove LOTR can be about good home cooking, fellowship, and just…

June 19, 2024 | 09:00 EDT

The protagonist looks at a supernatural anomaly in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
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Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Preview – Get in the Zone

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has had a long journey to get to where it is today. It’s a project that’s been in limbo for over a decade since it was originally announced in 2010. It’s been canceled…

June 17, 2024 | 10:05 EDT

A large red bird with a child on its back being followed by a colorful bunch of flying creatures.
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Flock Preview - Wholesome, Wonderful, Whimsy

Sometimes we all need an injection of pure happiness in our lives, and Flock is here to envelope us all in its wholesome embrace. It's a simple, low-stakes game about cruising through the sky…

June 13, 2024 | 08:30 EDT

Marvel Rivals Preview Header Image
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Marvel Rivals Preview - Out for Overwatch's Crown

Marvel Rivals is a fitting name for the upcoming hero shooter by Netease, because I daresay this game will rival Overwatch 2.  During Summer Game Fest, we got a chance to play a few rounds of Marvel…

June 12, 2024 | 08:00 EDT

A party of adventurers stands before a large roaring dragon.
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard Preview - Epic Fantasy Action at its Peak

After a decade, Dragon Age is finally back. With a name change to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I had the chance to see the first hour of gameplay in a hands-off presentation at Summer Game Fest Play…

June 11, 2024 | 11:00 EDT

The player character leaps at an enemy in Enotria: The Last Song
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Enotria: The Last Song Preview – Put It on Repeat

Last time I checked out Enotria: The Last Song at PAX West, the preview demo showed off verdant, lush fields and bright, carnival colors reminiscent of Italy. There was a simple pleasure in exploring…

June 11, 2024 | 09:00 EDT

Header image for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
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Metaphor: ReFantazio Preview - Worthy of Atlus' 35th Anniversary

When a new Persona game releases, it feels like a cultural moment within gaming. Though it might not be Persona in name, Metaphor: ReFantazio is about as close as it gets, which means this very well…

June 11, 2024 | 08:00 EDT

Assassin's Creed Shadows SGF preview image
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Assassin’s Creed Shadow’s Dual Protagonists Open Up a World of Possibilities

With over a dozen Assassin's Creed games released, it's crazy to think we're just now getting to see Ubisoft's take on the Land of the Rising Sun. It's fitting, then, that Assassin's Creed Shadows, …

June 10, 2024 | 04:05 EDT

A space ship shooting lasers with a TIE Fighter on the right side of the screen.
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Star Wars Outlaws Preview - Finally a Galaxy Full of Scum and Villainy

One of the least explored in visual media, yet most yearned for among many Star Wars fans, is a story focused on those with no connection to the force, jedi, or lightsabers. Star Wars Outlaws is…

June 10, 2024 | 04:00 EDT

grit and Valor header image for preview
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Grit and Valor - 1949 is a Strategy Gamer's Delight

Take the positional tactics of Into the Breach, the weapon triangle system of Fire Emblem, and some roguelite elements for good measure, and you'll find that the concoction brewed from this unlikely…

June 10, 2024 | 08:00 EDT

Jan greeting another Alter in The Alters from 11Bit Studios
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The Alters Preview - Resource Management On A Smaller Scale

Last week I had a chance to fly out to Poland to get hands-on time with 11Bit Studios' upcoming title, The Alters. The Alters is a resource management game where players take on the role of Jan…

May 24, 2024 | 09:00 EDT

No Rest for the Wicked header image for preview.
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No Rest for the Wicked has the Bones of a Great Game

My thoughts and feelings for No Rest for the Wicked are complicated, and I'm most certainly conflicted by it all. By all means, this is a game made for me: Dark fantasy? Check. Soulslike? Check.…

April 26, 2024 | 02:20 EDT

Promo image of Melinoe from Hades II, standing in a black void surrounded by magical glyphs in dark green flame.
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Hades II Is A Brilliant Step Forward For Supergiant Games' First Sequel

How do you improve on what came before? That is a question Supergiant Games never had to answer before Hades II. It is a testament to the studio's diverse portfolio of work and their emphasis on…

April 23, 2024 | 09:17 EDT

A player can be seen standing on their mech.
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Lightyear Frontier Preview - The Smoothest Survival Game Of 2024

Lightyear Frontier has been on my radar ever since I got an early demo at Gamescom 2022. Its stunning art style, unique premise, and robust systems impressed me almost two years ago. After sinking…

March 15, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

Rayne Syndicate boss holding a Palworld sphere
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Palworld Preview - Let Freedom and Monkeys With Guns Ring

The world wasn’t ready for Palworld when it was first announced – a monster-taming game with…guns? It was hard to forget the image of using a sheep as a shield against incoming bullets or a squirrel…

January 18, 2024 | 12:00 EST

Smite 2 Key Art
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Smite 2 Preview - The Next Generation of MOBA

Over a decade on, the popularity of Smite cannot be understated. This is something I came to understand during my time at the Smite World Championships, which was held in Arlington, Texas just this…

January 17, 2024 | 09:00 EST

Sargon kicks a boss off his horse in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Final Preview - Is This Anime?

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the most excited I’ve been for a Ubisoft game in a long while. Pitched as a modern take on the franchise, it blends the old sidescrollers with the Sands of Time…

December 13, 2023 | 12:00 EST

Tekken 8 Preview Key Art
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Tekken 8 Preview - Punching Above its Weight

I’ve always been a fan of fighting games, but it has been a long time since I picked up the Tekken series. Admittedly, it wasn’t because I had fallen out of love with it or anything, but because…

December 12, 2023 | 09:00 EST

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth Preview Image Featuring Ichiban Kasuga With a grumpy face
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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Preview - The Ultimate Japanese Middle-Aged Man Simulator is Coming

Sega had a playable demo of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth at its booth at Tokyo Game Show, and you can bet that I had to give it a spin. As a big fan of the series, I have high expectations for this…

October 31, 2023 | 08:00 EDT

Key art for EA Sport WRC Showing off the three terrains and the TR Preview Overlay
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EA Sports WRC Preview - Rally Fun For Everyone

Codemasters have had a monopoly on good rallying games for quite a long time now. Even If you were into the sport back in the 90s then you probably tried out their Colin McRae Rally series. That…

October 12, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

Assassin's Creed Mirage Preview Image showing Basim and Roshan Dueling against sunlight
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Assassin's Creed Mirage Preview - So Long Gear Score, Hello Parry!

Assassin's Creed is reaching its 25th year, and after wading into deeper RPG territory for Odyssey and Valhalla, it is Assassin's Creed Mirage that's bringing the series back to its stealthy roots.…

September 12, 2023 | 08:00 EDT

A header image for First Dwarf featuring the title character.
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First Dwarf Preview - Dwarven Delight

I'm a simple man. I see a dwarf in a game? I play it. So obviously, I'm not skipping out on First Dwarf. It also helps that the game is quite good, if my preview session at PAX West 2023 is any…

September 10, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

Dungeons of Hinterberg featuring the title character, Luisa.
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Dungeons of Hinterberg Preview - It's Time to Explore

It might not be on your radar now, but it definitely should be: Dungeons of Hinterberg combines two addicting game genres into one potent combo. Half action role-playing game, half social sim, I can…

September 8, 2023 | 10:30 EDT

The player character attacks an enemy in Enotria: The Last Song
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Enotria: The Last Song Preview - The Flavors of Italy

Before PAX West, I got an email that described a game as “a Souls-like ARPG that embraces the Italian flavour.” Despite my last name, I’m not as in touch with my Italian roots, but I had to preview…

September 8, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Cities Skylines 2 Key Art Preview Hero Image Showing a Beautiful City
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Cities: Skylines 2 Preview - Listening to Your Community Works

At Gamescom in Cologne, I played a preview build of Colossal Order and Paradox's Cities: Skylines 2. I played the original Cities: Skylines for more hours than I dare to admit, so my excitement and…

September 8, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Towerborne Preview Hero Art Showing the Aces and the Belfry
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Towerborne Preview - Destiny Meets Golden Axe & King of Dragons

At Gamescom in Cologne, I enjoyed some hands-on time with a preview build of Towerborne, Stoic Studio's action-adventure game revealed in June at the Xbox Games Showcase and then further showcased at…

September 7, 2023 | 11:19 EDT

Pieta looks into the camera during a cutscene in Lords of the Fallen
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Lords of the Fallen Preview - A Soulslike Surprise

If you remember the couple years after Dark Souls’ success, a flurry of Soulslikes came out, chasing those bloodied coattails in hopes of tasting that same estus-laden success. Lords of the Fallen in…

September 7, 2023 | 10:30 EDT

Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl Key Art Showing a Stalker and the game's logo
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Preview - Still Rough but Promising

While S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is still several months away I sat with a preview build of the game at Gamescom in Cologne. It provided me with the opportunity to test some of the…

September 6, 2023 | 04:00 EDT

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore header image with the title character.
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Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore - More than a CD-i Game

Call it morbid curiosity, but if you're anything like me, you'll gravitate towards the upcoming Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore due to its visual similarity to those weird, clunky, downright notorious…

September 6, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

An image of the title character for Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai.
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Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai Preview - Anime Goodness

Video game adaptations of manga and anime are nothing new, but Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventures of Strash features a surprisingly refreshing game mode, showcased at PAX West 2023. But…

September 5, 2023 | 11:30 EDT

A spread-shot cover of Jusant, showcasing the games logo, and the main character walking towards a rocky pillar that goes off-screen.

Jusant Preview - Jus(an)t Over The Hills

If there’s one thing you have to applaud Don’t Nod for, it’s their drive to toy with how stories are told through their games. While their bread and butter reside in Telltale-styled episodic content…

August 24, 2023 | 12:00 EDT

Like a Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name Preview Kiryu fighting a gangster

Like a Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name Preview - Kicking It, Agent Style

If Kazuma Kiryu could stop getting into trouble, I’m pretty sure the world would stop turning, so it makes perfect sense that he’s back as the protagonist of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased…

August 23, 2023 | 04:37 EDT

Leroy Smith taunts his opponent during his intro scene in Tekken 8.
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Tekken 8 Preview – Bringing the Heat

When I got access to the Tekken 8 preview period via the closed network beta, the code came with some character guides to help me prepare for “a weekend of good a** Tekken.” It felt like a direct…

August 2, 2023 | 10:05 EDT

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Preview
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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Preview - An Iron-clad Resurrection

The return of Armored Core is something that continues to surprise me. How many years has it been since the last entry in the series? Far too many for such a storied franchise considering the last…

July 25, 2023 | 11:12 EDT

Carvain, one of the major characters in Blue Protocol, readies his spear against enemies
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Blue Protocol Preview - Tales of Online??

Last month at Summer Game Fest, I got a chance to preview Blue Protocol, one of Amazon’s latest publishing forays into the MMO space. I got about 40 minutes of hands-on time, which was enough to see…

July 25, 2023 | 09:44 EDT

Forever Skies Preview - Cover Image Flying the Ship Toward a Greenhouse Tower
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Forever Skies Preview - Could Very Well Be the Next Raft

There aren't very many survival games that capture the fun and challenge of Raft, but developer Far From Home has a serious contender in the genre. In this preview, I'll show you why Forever Skies is…

June 23, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Gord art depicting a tribal shaman standing outside of pallisade walls as two villagers look on over the top. Many monsters surround the shaman.
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Gord Preview - Oh My Gord!

RTS games are a heavily explored genre, so how do you make it fresh? Well, one option is to set it in medieval Europe, have it heavily feature human sacrifice, and fill it with disgusting eldritch…

June 16, 2023 | 01:40 EDT

A party in Remnant 2 exploring a stage
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Remnant II Preview

In all of gaming, there’s a certain beauty in grinding for loot. Watching your damage numbers get higher so you can kill bigger things to get even better gear never really gets old, whether it’s the…

June 16, 2023 | 11:30 EDT

The kitty looking toward the camera in Little Kitty, Big City
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Little Kitty, Big City Preview

Some say everybody wants to be a cat, and that’s never been truer than in recent years. Everyone remembers Stray, but it's time to move over; Little Kitty, Big City is the next cat-based game looking…

June 15, 2023 | 03:40 EDT

prince of persia the lost crown key art
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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Preview

I had the opportunity to play Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown at a Ubisoft event as part of Summer Game Fest.  It’s been over a decade since we last saw an entry in the Prince of Persia franchise,…

June 13, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

cyberpunk 2077 phantom liberty key art
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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Preview

Cyberpunk 2077 has a knack of knowing when and just how much it needs to be over the top without causing people to roll their eyes too much. I had the chance to check out the sole upcoming DLC,…

June 11, 2023 | 03:00 EDT

Distressed Alan Wake in background with Saga Anderson in foreground. Text of Alan Wake II logo in center of image.
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Alan Wake II = Resident Evil + True Detective + Twin Peaks

It has been 13 years since Alan Wake, and Remedy Entertainment are prepared to return to the franchise in what they are calling their most ambitious game yet, Alan Wake II.  Featuring two…

June 11, 2023 | 11:45 EDT

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy flying through the air in Sonic Superstars.
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Sonic Superstars Preview

There's a certain thrill that comes from classic 2D Sonic games when you're in the groove. Spin dashing up a ramp, going through loops, effortlessly bouncing between springboards -- Sonic is at his…

June 11, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

Mileena and Kitana from Mortal Kombat 1 clash in a cutscene
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Mortal Kombat 1 Preview

When you think of Mortal Kombat, it’s easy to get swept up in the brutal, gory, and decadent indulgence of it all. Mortal Kombat 1, the upcoming reboot, is no different in its approach. While I duked…

June 10, 2023 | 01:37 EDT

Lies of P Preview
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Lies of P Preview - The Dark Souls of Classic Literature

There is no question that games like Dark Souls have shaped much of the modern gameplay landscape. When you have studios outside of From Software claiming their game is an “action Souls-like” title,…

June 8, 2023 | 03:55 EDT