While it’s said to offer oodles more performance than its predecessor, the Xbox One X is, for all intents and purposes, an iterative upgrade. You’ll still enjoy games the same way as you did with Microsoft’s previous consoles, only with better graphics and audio.
That doesn’t mean we can’t get excited about all the new games that will launch alongside the console in November (or shortly after). There are at least 42 of them on the way, with nearly half being exclusive to the One X – but some are more interesting than others. Here’s our top five from those unveiled at the E3 expo:
Metro: Exodus
If you’re still hungering for more of the punishing post-nuclear world inspired by Dmitry Glukhovsky’s novels, you’ll be glad to know that developer 4A Games is hard at work bringing the third instalment of the franchise to life for a 2018 release.
Unlike the last two titles, Metro: Exodus sees your character escape the bleak underground in Moscow and leave the city out on his own. Mutant beasts roam the open world, looking for flesh to feed on – and you’re just in time. The drastic change in environment makes for an interesting twist on Metro’s brand of tense survival horror, and its trailer is certainly worth a look.
Anthem
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As a huge fan of Warframe’s ninja-robot-parkour madness, I can’t help but squeal with delight about this. anthemthegame.com shared-world RPG sees human Freelancers explore a vast natural biosphere beyond the walled borders of civilization, with high-tech exosuits to help you along the way.
You can team up with three more players on quests, battle beasts and marauders, and customize your exosuit as you go. The vibrant open world looks like a great place to do battle, and the flexibility of movement along with a wide range of weapons means you’ll be able to dish out damage just the way you like.
The Last Night
It’s been in the making for a few years now, but The Last Night will finally be ready for cyberpunk fans in 2018. It boasts gorgeous 2D pixel art with four distinct districts to traipse about in, complete with gangster-infested bathhouses, flying taxis and skyscrapers aglow with neon signage.
Publisher Raw Fury explains that in TLN’s post-cyberpunk world, “the fight for survival doesn’t mean food and water, but a purpose for living. Human labour and creativity has been rendered obsolete by AI, so people are now defining themselves by what they consume, not what they create.” As such, the protagonist Charlie is looking for a way to feel like a part of the metropolis he lives in, when things take a dramatic turn. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this next year.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest is easily one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played, and I’m glad that the platformer is getting a reprieve.
While the sequel’s trailer doesn’t reveal much beyond a shadowy forest and our friendly guardian spirit Ori consoling an owlet who’s learned its parents are dead. But if Ori and the Will of the Wisps can capture even half the atmosphere of the original, and deliver similar graphics and Metroidvania-style gameplay in 4K, we’re certainly in for a treat. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t yet have a release date.
Ashen
And now for something different: Aurora44’s Ashen is unlike any dungeon crawler you’ve ever seen, thanks to its unique minimalist art style that I can’t wait to see more of.
As you wander through a sunless open world from a bygone era, you’ll find yourself looking for allies you can trust in order to survive. There’s a plethora of giant monsters, spiders of all sorts and a challenging environment to look forward to in this multiplayer adventure.
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