You can probably take a breath now. With the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on Sunday, and its “Extended” sister showcase last night, it feels like the tsunami of gaming events, and their announcements, has finally slowed to a more manageable… stream, I guess?
The ex-E3 period is wrapping up, and while we’ll still be reporting on intriguing titles that catch our eye, as always, these showcase recap posts will be winding down.
So, it makes sense to wrap up with one of the big daddy events. Excluding the couple of additional announcements squeezed into the Extended stream, the 90-minute-each Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcases revealed 35 games launching in the next 12 months, with 36 PC games, and 33 titles coming to subscription service Game Pass.
What won’t we be playing in the next 12 months, according to this handy graphic above (full-size here)?
Sequel Hellblade: Senua’s Saga, rebooted fantasy RPG-lite Fable and similarly comical space RPG The Outer Worlds 2. Though none of these are really unexpected. Bets are that at least one of them will release before the end of 2023 though.
Anyway, if you’ve read our other Showcase recaps, you’ll know how we like to do things around here. “Everything announced” articles abound, like this one for Sunday’s Showcase, and this for the Extended Showcase – which focused on developer interviews and gameplay deep dives. We prefer to spotlight what really intrigued and excited us. Like these standouts below.
Redfall
Think Back 4 Blood, but with vampires instead of zombies. Oh, and Arkane’s signature brand of well-thought-out story, gameplay and world building. We’re not FPS junkies normally, but we can’t wait to sink our teeth into this one.
Open world shooter Redfall sees players choose from a roster of four diverse heroes – each with unique character abilities that range from the scientific to mystical – and then fight to take back the island town of Redfall from a legion of vampires. The emphasis is on team co-op here, but Redfall can be played solo as well.
Redfall launches in 2023 for Xbox Series consoles and PC, and is coming to Xbox Game Pass. Wishlist on Steam here too.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Also combining magic and gunfire in its gameplay is Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, an all-new action-RPG adventure from the makers of Ashen. WOC protagonist Nor and her mysterious companion Enki set out across a vast open world to challenge the Gods, powerful beings whose actions have unleashed an army of undead on humanity, pushing the living to the brink of extinction. Your actions will be key to humankind’s last stand.
Flintlock releases in early 2023 on Xbox One and Series consoles, and is available day one with Game Pass. PC gamers can wishlist on Steam as well.
Pentiment
Drawing comparisons to Disco Elysium is Pentiment from Obsidian Entertainment. This unusual narrative adventure is set in Bavaria in the 16th Century and visually styled on illuminated manuscripts and Germanic woodcut prints. The game centres on master painter Andreas, who becomes embroiled in 25 years of murder, intrigue and social upheaval. This historical mystery role-playing game focuses on character development and choice-driven storytelling, and it looks like there’s some puzzle solving included to boot.
Pentiment is out in November this year for Xbox consoles, cloud and PC, with a day one Game Pass release. Find it on Steam here.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Oozing Tim Burton-esque style is The Last Case of Benedict Fox, which is described as a Lovecraftian Metroidvania. Set in 1925, the supernaturally-charged pulp noir game sees detective Benedict Fox investigate the mysterious demise of a family, with his bound demon companion. Cue secret organizations, forbidden rituals, and cold-blooded crimes. In terms of gameplay, you’ll be exploring the memories of deceased victims, solving elaborate puzzles and fighting demons.
From Plot Twist and Rogue Games, The Last Case of Benedict Fox is coming to Xbox consoles and PC in the Northern Hemisphere spring next year. It will be on Xbox Game Pass day one. You can also check it out on Steam here.
Our miscellaneous thoughts on the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase:
Exciting
- Obsidian’s Honey I Shrunk the Kids backyard adventure Grounded is finally leaving Preview mode, with the full game, now with complete story, releasing this September.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator’s 40th anniversary celebrations are bringing more aircraft to the game in November, including gliders, helicopters, sea planes, plus the historic likes of the Wright Flyer and The Spirit of St. Louis.
- If Netflix series Arcane made you curious to check out League Of Legends, the MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) it’s based on, a deal between Xbox and Riot Games means Game Pass members will be able to play the likes of League of Legends, and Wild Rift, with all champions unlocked.
- The Dead by Daylight-style The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game is coming to Game Pass on its launch date in 2023. The asymmetrical multiplayer horror game will be a cross platform release.
- Look at all these indie games from all around the world (including South Africa), being brought to fruition with the aid of the ID@Xbox programme.
Ambivalent
- Xbox is pushing As Dusk Falls hard. Normally we’d be down for a cinematic, choice-driven experience like The Quarry, Heavy Rain and Life is Strange, but we’re not sure about that interactive comic art style for the game, which releases 19 July, including on Game Pass.
- We certainly aren’t negative after the first 15-minute look at gameplay for Starfield, Bethesda’s ultra-ambitious new space-set RPG. It’s just that, apart for the space combat, it didn’t really blow our hair back. On planet exploration and character interactions had a strong sci-fi Skyrim vibe, which is a bit dated.
Upsetting but must watch
- It’s heartwrenching, but we wish this developer diary from Ukraine-based studio GSC Game World had been included in Sunday’s primary Showcase. It shows how the makers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl have had their lives affected by Russia’s invasion of their country – and yet they continue to work on their game, with a 2023 release in mind.