This sequel puts players into the shoes of young and promising astronomer and space cadet Kathy Johansen, the youngest Astronaut on earth and the same Kathy Johansen that we first heard of in recordings in the last game, only now you’re stepping into her shoes 10 years on from the events of Deliver Us The Moon. The premise sees players heading to Mars in a last-ditch effort to save those on Earth once more, with players needing to get their hands on the valuable stolen resource of Helium 3 that was taken off to Mars last time around, as it proves to be the last known source of energy that can get humanity out of this sticky situation that is its potential extinction. Of course, Kathy isn’t going to miss out on this opportunity and sneaks onboard the Zephyr with a last-ditch team of astronauts who head out on the recovery mission to not only save humanity but also to uncover more information about Outward, the group that originally stole the valued resource. 

Whilst the game is a direct follow on to the last title, there is no need to have played Deliver Us The Moon to be able to enjoy this title thanks to an informative exhibit at the start of the game showcasing the events of the last title to ensure players are up to speed with just what’s been going on.  

One thing that’s pressed on heavily throughout the game’s 9-hour story is the sentimental side of things, with the relationship between Kathy and her father playing a pivotal role in the narrative of the game. Although early on this comes across as a little cheesy, it does even out eventually and ensures there is a much personal and deeper character to Kathy than simply a budding astronaut going to space.  

Away from the story and gameplay has been changed up somewhat in the sequel with a larger focus on traversal this time around, or more how you’ll be traversing rather, as Kathy utilizes a pair of pickaxes to climb all manner of surfaces, which brings a lot more excitement and verticality to exploring levels and environments which makes things a lot more exciting this time around. Sadly this excitement does feel halted thanks to the clunkiness of it all, with players required to set one axe into a surface, and then focus on the next one whilst giving enough time between each movement to ensure you don’t simply plummet to whatever lays below unnecessarily, and this can be rather frustrating when you just want to move through an area with some level of gusto behind you, but whilst it can be frustrating there are only a few areas in which it felt downright irritating. Of course, a patch could quite possibly smoothen things out later on but for now, there is a little clunkiness to push past. 

Another change this time around is just how much more interactive the world is. Of course, puzzles were prevalent last time out so it was always expected we’d see them return, but this time around we see things go much deeper in terms of world involvement with puzzles requiring more thinking and more objects to interact with this time around. For example, to progress through one particular area I was required to point a beam of energy to power things, however, a few puzzles later and this same puzzle type was invigorated by the introduction of additional obstacles that would weaken the power of the beam, meaning a little extra thought had to be put into just where I was placing each item as to match the required power level required to progress. It’s not exactly a new method to puzzling in games, but it certainly had me engaged enough to think outside the box, which is a welcome surprise after all the handholding seen within many games recently.  

The final aspect to puzzling comes from your robotic companion AYLA, who joins you throughout the game, with some occasions requiring you to manually control AYLA and guide it from time to time as to ensure puzzles are correctly aligned however whilst it certainly doesn’t take away from the experience and doesn’t add unnecessary time to puzzle solving, it simply just provides another unique way to solve puzzles throughout the game which is a positive for variety but not one that was entirely necessary.

Onto the visuals and Deliver Us Mars is a rather eye-catching adventure with some impressive visuals, to say the least. Whilst there are some technical hiccups when it comes to character models, and a certain stiffness to certain scenes every now and again, for the most part, Deliver Us Mars provides a quality experience, whilst environmental detail is just incredible, with multiple areas containing refined details that will have you wanting to pan the camera and just take in the view.

Conclusion

Overall, if you found yourself a fan of Deliver Us The Moon and wanted more, Deliver Us Mars will no doubt have you feeling thrilled. If you’ve yet to play that however then this is still a perfectly enjoyable title in its own right too, and whilst the opening hour can feel like it’s dragging a little, the story soon picks up and feels compelling enough to get you through to find out just what’s been going on. There are noticeable improvements here too and whilst there is still some stiffness and clunkiness to work around, Deliver Us Mars is a game well worth a look if you want something memorable. 

The post Deliver Us Mars Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

There will be few horror fans unaware of the mass interest that was garnered by the P.T. demo on PlayStation a few years back, but whilst many have tried and failed to replicate that experience, we may now have the first title to truly deliver an equally horrifying psychological experience.

MADiSON is a survival horror title played from a first-person perspective in which you take on the role of Luca, whose father has suspected him to have been possessed and has awoken in a locked room within the family home with blood on his hands. Something has happened in the family home and adjoining grandparents’ home, and to get a better understanding, some answers, and a way out, you’ll need to explore.

As you push onwards, you’ll find a tale that weaves dismemberment, murder, a serial killer, ancient rituals, and many more typical horror tropes into the overall experience, however, it must be said that MADiSON is a game that takes these familiar and usually overused gameplay tropes and executes them near perfectly proving that execution is key.

A lot of the gameplay relies on exploration and puzzle solving as you look for a specific item or clue. This is however done with a fantastic blend of pacing and genuine scares, just the right amount that you constantly fear what is around the next corner.

To navigate your way around is simple enough but to uncover the secret to progression is quite another. You see, early on players are given an instant camera and by pointing it at a surface and using it, you can briefly light the darkened expanses of the creepy corridors and see a truthful representation of what stands in front of you. Sometimes you may take a photo and shake it out to see exactly what is there already, point it at something else, and you could find revelations of different rooms, items, an enemy perhaps, or just a shot of horror.

With the game being so reliant on exploration, it would normally be quite easy to find yourself feeling lost, and to avoid any stumps in gameplay, little trickles of information are fed regularly from cassette tapes and messages on the phone to ensure that players are never to far from a point of progression.

Whilst the gameplay is very much like your typical first-person horror puzzle adventure, what sets MADiSON apart from the rest is just how well the gameplay and atmosphere, which I’ll get onto shortly, fit in with the story. The story comes across fairly simply at first, there is the intrigue of mutilated limbs, there is a family secret being kept, and flashes of a news story on the TV tells of a serial killer known as MADiSON. Get a little way in and you’ll see all of this is part of a surprisingly layered story that has you try to uncover what’s happening to Luca as well as what happened with MADiSON. It’s a well-written and for once a believable horror story, to say the least, and it’s rare to see it done so effectively.

Tying it all together beautifully is the incredible atmospheric tension that has been created and is relied upon heavily throughout the game. As you explore the creepy and almost destroyed family home, items can be heard falling or dragging across the floor, and it’s done so in a way that isn’t being used as a jumpscare, but more an intentional reminder that you aren’t alone, whilst other times will see an eerie silence to things in which you can’t help but wait in dread for that scare that may not even happen. It’s frightening and it’s things like this that MADiSON does regularly too to ensure that even when you aren’t physically jumping out of your seat, you are still aware that you soon will be.

Of course, no horror game would be complete without enemies and the enemy within MADiSON is terrifying. It’s an ugly abomination to look at and gameplay will sometimes force you to run away, and other times require you to go towards it. One thing that really shines however is just how well it fits in with the overall experience. This isn’t just some quick scare or easily replaced enemy that you’ll be forgetting about. Instead, the writers have done a fantastic job of creating lore for it and ensuring that when you come into contact with it, you’ll understand just why you need to be scared. It’s possibly one of the creepiest enemies I’ve seen in a horror game and that’s in part thanks to just how well presented and involved the creature is throughout the game. 

Finally, we have the visuals and you’ve guessed it: I’m not going to be found complaining about MADiSON. The visuals are incredible. With attention to detail in every item, fantastic use of lighting and shadows, and a real sense of horror instilled in every area, the team over at Bloodious Games has created an incredible artistic masterpiece here and one that should be remembered in the same breaths as any other iconic title of years gone by.

Conclusion

As someone who plays horror titles as often as I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there have been few titles to truly give me a scare, but MADiSON is one that has delivered in every aspect. It’s not often you’ll find me raving about a near-perfect horror game but for me, this one may well be up there for me as one of the best horror titles available hands down, and without a doubt one of the best titles of 2022.

The post MADiSON Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

Oxide Room 104 is one of the latest titles to arrive in the somewhat new-found season of horror that has arrived on Xbox consoles in recent weeks, and in this tale, players take on the role of Matt, a seemingly lone traveler who after arriving at a motel and relaxing with a whiskey appears to wake up locked within the confines of a bathroom. There’s blood on the door spelling out your name and you have no knowledge of what is going on. With a head injury causing you to feel weak, survival mode kicks in and it’s up to you to figure out how to escape.

Escape is no easy task however as each room is a puzzle and you’ll need to work out how to make your way through each one to finally break free from this motel of horrors whilst progress is met with unusual memory-like flashbacks and creatures that will kill you in an instant should you fail to escape their face full of horrible gnashers, and did I mention the presence of a psychopathic doctor who can be found enjoying some rather disturbing limb-lopping.

One key aspect of progress is the unique items that can be collected. Once you’ve found your way out of the bathroom, additional rooms can be unlocked through the locating of various keys, and with these, you can enter additional rooms and collect all manner of supplies, additional slots for your inventory, and files that shed a little extra light as to what is going on and even a gun and valuable ammunition to fight back against the creatures hunting you down.

Whilst there is a story to be found within Oxide Room 104, the writing isn’t the best. Instead, the real attraction here is the puzzling nature of escaping each room, with progress somewhat slow unless you know exactly where to look.

What can make things even slower is that should you find yourself making a mistake and on the wrong side of one of the abominations that occupy this grisly motel, you’ll find yourself going through a rather interesting death mechanic in which you’ll wake up back in the same bathtub, however this time things are not same. Items may have moved to new locations; enemies may now be in areas in which you could run freely before, or puzzles may be simpler to solve this time around. It’s an interesting concept that ensures the game feels a little more refreshing and dynamic than simply backtracking over everything you’ve already seen and done before and whilst it may slow things down, it’s definitely a welcome feature that we need to see more of in horror games.

The enemies themselves are also a dynamic feature within the game as the enemies you see will depend on the room you are currently exploring and the number of times you have died, but with common enemies taking multiple shots to kill, you’ll need to spend your efforts trying to sneak past the majority of them anyway should you wish to avoid running into an untimely demise and an entire reset of the game, with too many deaths enough to see you need to start from the beginning.

For the most part, gameplay within Oxide Room 104 is very enjoyable. Puzzles are clever, enemies are creepy and I’m yet to find another game besides perhaps Dark Souls and those pesky mimics that make me cautious to even open a door or interact with an item through fear of what might happen to my character, but Oxide Room 104 manages to reintroduce a lot of the things you hope to find when you jump into a new horror game. Even with the naturally low budget of indie horror, things still mostly look great visually, and whilst you won’t find this title up there as an award winner for best visuals, the creepy setting, hideous creatures, and even the attention to detail on various items is certainly impressive.

The letdown if there has to be one comes down to the voice acting. From Matt’s first interaction with horrific enemies to pretty much the majority of vocals delivered, it almost feels as if the character is entirely disconnected from the reality of what is going on around him. That’s not to say it ruins the gameplay as Oxide Room 104 is well worth a play even with no vocals, however, it can be slightly immersion-breaking when you’re sat feeling uneasy at the thought of entering the next room as the music ramps up and delivers a tone of fear into you as a player, only to find the protagonist sounding like he’s seen it all before.

Conclusion

Overall, if you like horror but are fed up with the same overused tropes and want something a little re-energizing then this survival horror/escape room thrill is certainly one to add to your collection. With impressive gameplay ideas, a creepy setting, and some horrific enemies, this is a game that stands out amongst the countless horror titles available on Xbox and it’s one that is well worth a playthrough.

The post Oxide Room 104 Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

There are multiple ways to get stuck in with MX vs. ATV Legends, the most notable of which is the games Career mode option in which players take part in various events across several calendar years of either the MX, ATV, or UTV variety, whilst stopping off at the local ranch to speak to different people who will help your further your career prospects. Each of the three options takes players through a selection of Invitational events and competitive championships in which you participate to earn money and fans mostly, as well as natural progression.

Money earned in these races is available for new vehicles, new parts for your vehicles, new upgrades, and various clothing options for your rider with a wide variety of options available, filtering through the choices is somewhat enjoyable, especially when you spot that part or outfit that really makes the look you want complete.

Besides the Career mode, players can also partake in Exhibition events, Online, or on Split Screen. Each of these options works as you would expect with Exhibition proving a one-off event race, Online allowing you to take on other budding enthusiasts, and Split Screen allows you to challenge your nearest and dearest in some same screen action.

Sadly, whilst all these options make for plenty of racing, MX vs. ATV Legends isn’t a well-polished game, and you won’t get far before you encounter numerous either game-breaking or at the very least immersion-breaking bugs that really take away from the experience.

Even before I’d begun racing, there were glitches in which the screen would flicker, menu options wouldn’t select, and a slightly rarer glitch in which the screen would shake. Once in a race however there were numerous issues from falling through the track and endlessly falling below it, to riders disappearing from bikes and the bikes riding without them, as well as frequent dashboard crashes and occasions in which the joining online lobbies occurred to late leaving the HUD and accompanying race position vacant for the entire event.

This happened so much so that two of the achievements I was able to unlock during my time with the game only occurred thanks to the above-mentioned bugs which really broke any immersion you could have with MX vs. ATV Legends.

Away from the bugs however and gameplay wise MX vs. ATV Legends is just like any recent MX release, albeit a little clunkier on the handling. The bikes handle well and sound like what you’d expect from 125cc and 250cc machines, the ATVs are a blast to drive and the UTVs are interesting to race around in too, but this entry certainly doesn’t hold the finesse and natural feel to things like recent MX releases have managed to achieve in recent years.

More so the tracks that are available for players to tear up the mud in include some rather brilliant options, with the Trails tracks standing out in particular thanks to the tight turns, uphill climbs, and frequent airtime that accompanies each of them. Besides those however are various enjoyable efforts from within the Supercross, National, Rhythm, and Invitational options.

Visually and MX vs. ATV Legends isn’t the best-looking offroad game we’ve seen with some textures looking rather messy and patched together, as well as most jumps literally only popping into view as you approach them which again breaks the immersion quite a bit and isn’t what you’d expect given the power available to the developers with this release. The vehicles however look great with some fantastic attention to detail, especially on the bikes. Finally, and onto the sound, and as with all MX vs. ATV releases, the sound and music options are a big focus. Vehicle sounds are already rather well done within the game with each of the three categories sounding as you’d expect, although again the MX side of things is the most refined, but the music choices certainly aren’t bad and seem to cater to all types of music choices. Whether it’s the incredible theme song Legends are Made from Sam Tinnesz or even the likes of upcoming Reading Festival attendee Poppy, there are certainly some fantastic choices for all to enjoy.

Conclusion

Overall and whilst MX vs ATVs arrival on current-gen consoles was always one we were going to expect, it’s shocking to see it arrive in such a poor state. With glitches galore and a real lack of polish all around, what has long been an exciting series release has this time turned into something that feels like a rushed release that would have really benefitted from utilizing the extra power of current generation consoles to push out something spectacular rather than another general churned out release. Unfortunately, this isn’t one I want to recommend.

The post MX vs. ATV Legends Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

To give you an early resemblance, Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel is a survival horror game that feels a lot like that of the popular horror hit (and one of my all-time favorite games) Resident Evil 7. The game is played from a first-person viewpoint and with inventory management and puzzle solving playing a huge part throughout along with some super creepy monsters, it’s not surprising to see how I’d come to this comparison.

Fobia pits players into the shoes of fresh-on-the-job investigative journalist Roberto, who after an email exchange with a concerned individual decides to jump on a boat and take a trip to the hotel to investigate the various mysteries which have seen other investigators go missing whilst on the hunt for answers. After a night in the hotel, however, it doesn’t take long for things to go wrong, your contact has suddenly gone quiet, strange portals are opening up allowing for passage through areas you really wouldn’t want to be going, and a little girl with a gas mask insists on making terrifying appearances when you least expect it. Your job in all of this is to figure out just what on earth is happening.

Like many similar games within the genre, many paths of progression are blocked by a locked door, or inaccessible area that requires a certain item, or a hidden code to unlock, and via the use of your supernatural camera that is capable of unlocking new paths and doors that were never there before when used through the manipulation of different timelines, and of course plenty of backtracking like good old school horror games like to employ, you’ll slowly but surely make your way through the most terrifying hotel we’ve probably ever seen.

Early on most of what you’ll experience is incredible storytelling and intriguing gameplay through good writing and clever puzzles, but eventually, you’ll find enemies thrown into the mix too, and whilst they certainly do the job of looking incredibly creepy, it has to be said they aren’t the best part of Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel. In fact, if anything the combat is probably the least favourable thing about the entire experience.

That’s not to say what we have here is a bad game in any way, but when you go from intriguing and rather clever puzzles, to simply blasting away pistol rounds at countless enemies, the focus undoubtedly shifts onto action and Fobia is a game that does the quiet and eerie much better than the all-out action.

One thing to note within the game is that saving isn’t something you can just do whenever you want, there are certain places to save and should you rush ahead it is easy to find yourself losing 15 or 20 minutes of progression which can be frustrating should you have finally figured out what to do next or finally got yourself away from being lost only to be thrown back into the thick of it thanks to a bad move, so with that in mind, this is, like most classic old school horrors, a game in which you’ll want to save after every and any bit of progress.

One area in which I cannot stress positivity enough are the puzzles, with players rewarded for reading notes and piecing together bits of information in what are some of the best puzzles we’ve seen in a horror game for some time. Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel is a game that takes the best of Resident Evil and Silent Hill puzzling and mashes them together for a modern-day horror mix and it is glorious, to say the least.

Another Resi-esque feature of Fobia is the presence of an unkillable enemy that pursues you at multiple stages of the game. This isn’t something that you’ll face 24/7, however it goes without saying that these are incredibly tense moments when you’re being followed through a dilapidated and worn hotel. The fact that these moments aren’t permanent ensure that the game keeps its scare factor rather than becoming an annoyance, especially when heading backward and forwards for that lost key needed for progression.

Onto the visuals and if screenshots haven’t sold it to you already, then let me tell you that for an indie adventure with a smaller budget, Fobia is a game that can raise it with the big boys of the videogame visuals. From the opening moments to the final seconds, the sense of decay and misery seep from the walls and world objects better than most horror films can even manage and with incredible attention to detail to almost every item, it seems there is no part that feels untouched from the design team behind the game. Mix this with the fantastic soundtrack and well-timed sound effects and you come to see that Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel is possibly one of the best indie horror titles we’ll see this year.

Conclusion

Overall, whilst the combat could be improved, and if I’m being picky the enemy types could have been expanded upon, the 10–12-hour playtime is worth investing if you enjoy horror and want something refreshing to give you a scare. There may have been multiple horrors to have arrived recently, but this one certainly stands up there as one of the better releases of 2022, whilst the story is one that sticks in the mind from the opening moments and continues after the controller goes down at the end of the evening.

The post Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

Hello Neighbour 2 begins with players being thrust into a tutorial stage set within an abandoned barn. This teaches all the game basics such as movement, controls, and so on. Once you’ve worked through this it’s on into the town and you – a journalist, must uncover the truth of just what it is that’s happening before you.

Now whilst much of the previous entry was restricted to one main house, this time around players are encouraged to explore more openly with multiple houses and buildings to enter and rummage through. Annoyingly there are some sensitive barriers in place that look to stop you from going out of bounds, namely in the form of an annoying bird that would appear and cause you harm if you go too far from the boundaries of what you are supposed to be exploring, but there is more than enough to look around at this stage to keep things interesting.

That said, you’ll need to do plenty of thinking outside the box once more with Hello Neighbour 2 if you are hoping to progress at any reasonable rate as once more. You’ll have no clear indication of how to move forward and each tiny step of progress is usually met with more barriers and obstacles to overcome. The only way to figure it out is usually to try, try and try again so you’ll need plenty of resilience if you’re hoping to see just what the neighbour is up too.

The one early irritation however with Hello Neighbour 2 is the fact that even the tiniest of mistakes can be enough to have you sent back to the starting area, sometimes with little knowledge of what it was that you did wrong exactly which can be somewhat frustrating.

As briefly explored in the previous outing, Hello Neighbour 2 is once more looking to utilise A.I behaviours to judge your gameplay patterns, and it’s fair to say that even at this early stage it does so much better than its predecessor. It only took one or two attempts of me trying something to then be entirely blocked thanks to a rampaging enemy looking for me in that exact location and that was early on so to think this is something that we’ll be facing for an entire game is quite the daunting prospect.  

One new feature that looks to excite is the status effects, with your neighbour able to be affected by dirt, water or temperature effects, which they will then look to overcome by doing certain actions. Not only is this a time to change things up a little and try a new approach but it also brings an entirely new gameplay element to look forward to for those that like to experiment before taking a shot at an obvious route. Visually things look improved upon too. With some fantastic attention to detail within its cartoony appearance as well as some comical inclusions such as a padlock on a car door which serves as humour service if nothing else. Hello Neighbour 2 may still be several months away yet but if what we currently have to experience is anything to go by, then this could well be the game we all hoped the original was, and one that is capable of a good jump or two along the way also.

Overall if things progress at the current rate and we see a few more new features added and maybe a little less limitation on boundaries then this could yet be one of the surprise hits of the year. So keep an eye out for December 6^th 2022 when we finally get to see just how much our neighbourhood enemy has evolved.

This game was previewed on Xbox. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by the publisher.

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Starting off and whilst I don’t normally pay quite as much attention to items until they are in use, one thing that is immediately noticeable is how the GameSir X3 comes incredibly well packaged with a hard carry case protecting it, complete with a meshed storage area for wires and a velcro strap to keep it held in place. Also found within the carry case are a large USB-C cable and swappable joystick covers. It has to be said that whilst high-quality packaging isn’t always a go-to these days for many manufacturers, the high-quality finishing to the storage and packaging of any item is always a great way to show quality in your product and this is the first area the GameSir X3 shines.

The controller itself is designed for use with Android Gaming and cloud gaming services such as Amazon Luna or Xbox Game Pass and with those services the controller functions in a manageable way. The controller follows the same button layout as the Xbox One and Series X|S controllers with A, B, X and Y making up the main action buttons on the face of the item along with two joysticks and a D-pad also available. There are 4 other smaller buttons available but it’s never overly clear what these do with different actions for different games but there is a home function that normally proves useful in most games to get back to the main menu. The top of the controller comes with equally familiar options with LB, LT, RB, and RT making up the options, with a satisfying click to be found when using the triggers which makes them incredibly nice to use much like that of your typical mechanical keyboard.

Sadly if your main intention is to use this for Xbox Game Pass, it’s worth noting that despite the buttons being the same as an Xbox controller they currently aren’t assigned to the same buttons they would be on an Xbox controller, and whilst there is an app that can be used with the device, there is currently no meaningful changes that can be made via use of it such as button mapping, or anything of the like, meaning you’ll be left with controls that aren’t what you are expecting if playing games this way. Of course, that is only a minor issue as most games are still easily playable, but it’s not quite as functional as simply connecting an Xbox controller via Bluetooth to your mobile.

Much like the aforementioned GameSir F8 Pro Snowgon, the GameSir X3 comes complete with a fan and a large cooling plate intended to minimize the temperatures of your mobile during gaming sessions, however, a big negative for me is the fact that whilst this certainly does the job of keeping your mobile cool, even in prolonged heavy use – which is, of course, no easy feat, it also requires external power to do so thanks to no internal battery whatsoever coming with the controller. There is a USB-C pass-through available for power however should you want to make the most of the key feature of the device you’ll need to have it plugged into the mains at all times. Of course, like most devices in 2022, it also comes packing RGB lighting to ensure it maintains that typical gamer aesthetic, but for the most part you won’t see these as they are hidden behind the device on the fan and well out of sight during typical use which points to more of a meaningless inclusion rather than something beneficial.

A major positive however is the included USB-C pivot which allows you to mount your mobile device without any struggle or potential damage to your device’s USB-C port thanks to multi-directional movement on the pivot. This makes both mounting and unmounting incredibly easy and is something I wish we saw in all devices.

Conclusion

Sadly overall it has to be said that whilst the controller feels sturdy and has a lot of potential if you are after a mobile game controller that can be used more like a traditional console controller, the GameSir X3 Type-C Cooled Mobile Gaming Controller isn’t quite yet up to spec. If you want it to offer overheating protection for heavy gaming then be prepared to lose all mobile functionality due to the need to be constantly plugged in to a power supply and if you want to use it as just a simple controller then you’ll have no way to map the buttons and will be able to find many other options available in which you can. Either way, we don’t see a massive amount here that is all that much different to the aforementioned GameSir F8 Pro Snowgon, besides perhaps a better working refrigeration chip, but even so with no mobile way to power it, there is little way to sell this over other items on the market – I’m looking at you Razer Kishi V2.

Hardware provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The post GameSir X3 Type-C Cooled Mobile Gaming Controller Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

Like many other similar titles, Dolmen is played from a third-person perspective, with players first creating their character from a selection of different classes, all of which cater to the usual varying gameplay types most players will be accustomed to; a heavy class, a ranged class, a close combat class, etc, whilst each also comes with pre-set stats to cater to that specific style of play.

Once you’ve got the character ready to go, you’ll be heading out onto the planet Revlon Prime, with the goal being to hunt down some incredibly powerful crystals known as Dolmen. You see, these crystals come packing the capability to create a portal between alternate realities. Unfortunately for you, Revlon Prime isn’t a casual stroll through the park: in fact, it’s been overrun in recent times by all manner of alien critters and creatures, and you need to get in there, figure out what’s going on and get your hands on some of the highly sought-after Dolmen.

The sci-fi world of Revlon Prime is one that’s dark and dreary in design. At first, this comes across as intriguing and interesting, but with a linear path to follow and very little room to explore off the beaten path, the game world does quickly become one that feels rather restricted, and incredibly so when compared to the recent genre release Elden Ring. Of course, linearity doesn’t break a game and often I’ll find more enjoyment from something with a determined path, but with linearity, there needs to be a sense of intrigue still, and with many areas looking reused, it doesn’t take long to feel like you’ve seen most of what is on offer in each area before you’ve even really explored all that much in any specific location.

Dolmen doesn’t just use the aforementioned Dark Souls series as inspiration but also borrows some of its features for use here too. As you progress through even early areas, chances are at least once or twice you’ll succumb to some of the dangerous critters that are running around Revlon Prime, and once you do so, you’ll notice that nanites – your source of XP or ‘souls’ in Dolmen are left behind in the very spot you died through a holographic version of yourself. You can go back to that spot and collect them, but should you die again before you do so, they will be gone for good. So far so Dark Souls.

Of course, in any title such as this combat is a big focus and that much is true here as well, but once more Dolmen has taken the mechanics and features, we know so well from Dark Souls and tried to incorporate them by way of copycat ideas, but sadly lacking even close to the same level of polish. As you’d expect you can hack away at enemies with a light or heavy attack, with light attacks taking less stamina or energy but proving quicker whilst dealing less damage, or you can utilize a heavy attack, using more stamina but causing more damage. Heavy attacks also have the possibility of creating a stunning effect on enemies.

Whilst this may not sound like the poorest form of combat, especially for genre veterans, it has to be said that responsiveness is not a strong point within the game, and with delayed responses to button input, incredibly slow animations, and repetitive combat, there isn’t much to be excited by.

There are options for long-range attacks with firearms present, but even they take up a fair amount of your character’s energy, and with each of the bars already taking ages to replenish, you can often find yourself running from combat more often than you’d want to for a moment just to ensure you aren’t met with an unavoidable attack. This isn’t poor system management either as attempts to use the integrated parrying ability feels useless thanks to the timing window for a perfect parry appearing to be either incredibly minute or simply not working as it should, and on the occasions it does work, it will only push enemies back ever so slightly anyway.

Whilst there are multiple issues I have here, there is something that is deserving of praise. During combat, defeated enemies will drop various rarities of resources, and these resources can then be used to create weapons and shields back at your ship, which is accessed through beacons that copy the bonfire system we all know so well. Doing this does reset enemies including bosses, but it’s a nice way to get something new to use in a fight rather than sticking with the same thing for too long.

Another thing to note is the option to use elemental effects such as freezing, fire, and acid to your attacks. This is however also tied to energy usage and with just a few attacks or a single flurried combo eliminating your entire energy or stamina bars, it does feel like a rework is needed to make this worthwhile in the slightest. Especially when enemies have no such limitation to their attacks and can inflict elemental effects in just an attack or two.

A big focus of any souls-type game is naturally going to be the bosses, and this is an area Dolmen doesn’t fail quite as much on, in fact whilst a few were definitely a bit too simple to defeat, there are a few that require you to rethink your attacks and actually learn the patterns ongoing during the fight, however such as one with a particular Queen Caniptei whose massive tentacles provide a fresh challenge – however, this challenge is one you’ll get used to as to get all the required resources from a boss to create their unique weapon, you’ll need to take them down three times first.

Unfortunately, though, even if the bosses are a ray of enlightenment in this otherwise poor souls-type effort, the visuals do no favours in showcasing them. Much like the environments, most enemies look disappointing and with textures and colours proving drab, dreary, and reused, there isn’t much that comes into play that looks ever looks overly exciting and with sound design lacking the real excitement or opening up to the possibilities of a deadly sci-fi world, there is nothing that makes the design choices stand out here either.

Conclusion

Sadly, whilst Dolmen is a game that may have been well suited 10 or 15 years ago, with a ton of souls-likes already out there such as The Surge, Hellpoint, Mortal Shell, Nioh, and so on, there is a lot to achieve if you want to make it as a memorable experience in the action RPG genre, and Dolmen doesn’t stand up there with the cream of the crop already available.

The post Dolmen Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

Thrustmaster is well renowned for creating some of the finest racing wheels out there with gamers often seen kitting out their sim rigs with expensive yet incredible realistic wheels in the last few years. In fact, you only have to take a peek at our review of the Thrustmaster T248 to see what quality can be on offer, but it turns out they are also more than capable of bringing an ultra-realistic experience to fans of the flight sim experiences too, or at least they are hoping to with one of their latest pieces of kit, the Thrustmaster T.Flight Full Kit X. With this, Thrustmaster look to bring players even closer to the action in the myriad of flight titles available for Xbox and PC, and with Flight Simulator releasing the Top Gun expansion to go along with the recently released movie, what better time to see how their latest piece of kit holds up.

Now the T.Flight Full Kit X is seen as an entry-level peripheral by Thrustmaster, but don’t let that put you off. Included in this kit is the T.Flight Hotas One which comes in two parts, the joystick, and the throttle. Both of these are easily assembled into one complete unit or can be used as separate items and it only takes a minute or two to get everything set up, with an Allen key supplied underneath the unit, and a USB 2.0 connection ensuring it’s good to go nice and quickly one you’ve got it set up in you’re preferred way, no matter if you are using your Xbox console or PC.

Joining the T.Flight Hotas One in the box is the T.Flight Rudders to ensure you have full control over every aspect of your aircraft in-game and much like the T.Flight Hotas One, the Flight Rudders are connected quickly and easily to the Hotas One via an ethernet style port in the side of the joystick, with no further USB connection required.

The first thing to notice off the bat is this product brings a rather sturdy and solid feel when in hand and whilst the plastic could maybe do with a little less shine to stop it holding that ‘cheap’, the general feel of it is smooth and comfortable.

With any peripheral, it’s not always feasible in the typical household to have things laying around and set up all the time and T.Flight Full Kit X is easy to move around should you need to quickly move it, but also weighty enough that it won’t be slipping around your desk with every movement either.

Whilst each item can be used separately, combining them as one complete unit is by far the most efficient way to use it and with a ton of buttons included on each item, you’ll want everything close together to access it all with relative ease.

Now whilst it’s all well and good having the right weight and compact size to be used on a regular basis, the key here is having a device that functions the way it’s intended to, and after more than 30 hours of flights across Elite Dangerous, Ace Combat 7 and Microsoft Flight Simulator, I can safely say that the T.Flight Full Kit X is certainly capable of delivering a believable flight experience, and as someone who has taken to the skies for some daring lessons more than once, it certainly matches up with the real thing enough to feel like the real deal.

To help keep you in the air, whilst also allowing you to navigate the various menus and options on the games, the kit comes with many different buttons which can be set to your choosing within games in a custom configuration but from the box, you’ll utilize pitch and roll by moving the joystick back and forth, or side to side, whilst the underside of the joystick also comes with a moveable wheel to set a level of resistance you feel comfortable with.

There are 8 buttons that come as part of the joystick, with a multi-directional switch, a rapid-fire trigger, and other buttons labeled B1, B2, and F2, which can be configured as you want, and the Xbox Guide button as well as start and select – yes, I’m calling them that!

The throttle meanwhile comes with Y, B, X, and A buttons on the front, and a paddle on the back as well as some additional options mounted including buttons for Previous, Next, B3, B4, and B5 which again can be configured to make the most use of. The layout of these isn’t always the most convenient with the Y button particularly feeling a little awkward to reach but that is more of a nit-pick than any real deserving criticism.  

As for the T.Flight Rudder Pedals, these bring sliding foot pedals with good resistance and allow for movement forwards and backward on each to allow you to set up breaking and rudder support where necessary. This isn’t necessary as the Hotas One Joystick and Throttle are more than capable of bringing a believable experience, but it certainly adds to the experience when using them altogether.

For me, whilst there are flight kits out there that look to bring the weight and feel of a real plane to your living room, the T.Flight Full Kit X is without a doubt a fantastic way to introduce yourself to the world of flight kits. Across all games I was able to test it on, the feel and quality stood up to the expectations and was able to deliver an incredible experience, whilst additionally anyone with a Meta Quest 2 laying around will find the Full Kit X really shines when mixed with a VR experience such as Microsoft Flight Simulator or Elite Dangerous by really cranking up the realism.

Conclusion

Overall, if you’re looking for something that can change the way you play, then this is by no means a bad way to go. At approximately £159.99 it isn’t the cheapest option available but when looking for quality, you’ll get what you pay for, and at this price, I’d argue you’ll certainly get your value out of it should you wish to jump in.

Hardware provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The post Thrustmaster T.Flight Full Kit X Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.

Whilst the above introduction would probably serve as the perfect tale for a horrific twist on everyone’s favorite creature collecting series, Bugsnax instead takes players on a vibrant, colorful, and unique adventure. I can’t say it’s the one I’ve been unknowingly waiting years to play, but for the length of its 8–10-hour playtime, it’s certainly one that can provide a unique and mostly enjoyable experience, even if it is a little unusual.  

Whilst the tale begins with a strong focus on Elizabert Megafig, or ‘Lizbert’ as she is affectionately known, it doesn’t take long to realize this intrepid explorer, the one behind the discovery of the little Bugsnax this tale is all about, isn’t going to play much of a face-to-face role. Instead, a lot of the story of this individual is played out through video diaries. Our protagonists come in the form of multiple Grampuses’, which are capable of human interaction in the traditional sense but quickly become all sorts of unique monstrosities depending on how you feed them.

The goal of Bugsnax is simple. You will need to traverse around Snaktooth Island to catch and catalog all the various Bugsnax, whilst completing tasks for each of the many Grumpuses you come across. Each task is usually simple and often requires you to catch a Bugsnax in different ways, such as by utilizing your provided equipment in the best way possible. This may mean using a slingshot to splash ketchup, chocolate, etc into an area to lure a Bugsnax over, or it may mean setting up a trap on the known path your targeted Bugsnax walks to catch it when out of sight as it roams. Of course, you have the classics such as a simple net too. It’s basic hunting methods but it’s entertaining enough thanks to a wide variety of different Bugsnax, and many having a different method required to capture.

These creatures are cute to look at with each one clearly resembling a mixture of food and known critter. For example, one of my favorites are the Fryder. This little thing is met fairly early on, and its appearance is that of French fries for legs, and a small ketchup container for its body; stick a couple of pairs of googly eyes on the front and attach the behaviour of a spider and you have your classic Fryder. Catching it is as simple as laying a trap and firing ketchup out of your slingshot and the Fryder will come running. It’s simplistic character creation, but it certainly proves an effective one with my first hour or two spent purely looking for more of these little creatures just to see what developer Young Horses could come up with.

Collecting is an important part of the game but for serious players it can become a game of its own with players able to track which ones have been collected, just seen, or both through the use of an in-game diary given by one of the Grumpuses, but for the most part, you’ll only have selected Bugsnax that are necessary for the completion of main quests. Once caught, Bugsnax can then be fed to Grumpuses, which as the main source of food on the island isn’t surprising. The surprise instead appears when these creatures are fed to Grumpuses as these snax then transform whichever chosen body part you select to resemble the specific Bugsnax eaten. Meaning, should you feed a Grumpus a Strawb – a Strawberry inspired creature with cute little eyes and spindly legs, and then choose the leg of the Grumpus, you’ll find them walking around with a Strawb inspired leg. This in turns brings an entirely new reality to the term ‘you are what you eat’ and creating the possibility to fully customize each of the games various NPC’s in any way you want, provided you catch the specific Bugsnax to do so.

Whilst the objectives and quests are simple, with most objectives proving similar, there are multiple environments to explore with players going through a beach, desert, forest, a volcanic mountain, and others along the way. This makes for some varied creatures with the encountered Bugsnax usually always fitting something that suits the environment they reside within.

Sadly, Bugnsax is a very linear title in terms of objectives and creature catching with very few occasions to use creative ways to catch a given Bugsnax. For example, whilst some may need you to throw a specific ingredient on the floor first to lure it over, you’re unlikely to be able to just catch the creature with a trap alone by throwing it at them unexpectedly. Instead, you’ll need to follow the specific initial instructions to ensure the critter is caught rather than finding new and ingenious ways to increase your catalog and that can be a little bit of a bummer as it makes things feel a little overly controlled or that you’re being forced into how you should be playing.

Away from the gameplay Bugsnax offers players some beautiful family-friendly visuals with an art style similar to that of Slime Rancher. Each area and environment are vibrant and colourful and detailed even if a little generic, and whilst the characters may prove rather stereotypical in personality with an attitude-filled teenager and a dramatized superstar in the mix, the Grumpuses come with enough of a unique design to feel different, at least until you start customizing them with edible creatures of course.

As for the audio side of things, the soundtrack does at least bring a soothing sound and for younger players, it’ll probably be something you’re humming along to in the background but there isn’t anything notable to really blow you away rather than what we’ve already seen in similar titles.

For me, the overarching issue lies in the repetitive nature of the gameplay, with things rarely providing more of a goal than going to this place and catching creature X. It’s a basic concept that has already been achieved and mastered numerous times over the years, and with little else to go on besides some frankly predictable storytelling, and most things proving overly linear, Bugsnax does falter a little in its delivery. It’s not a bad way to spend your time, but if you want something that can deliver a unique experience and an engaging story, then you may well find yourself drifting elsewhere after a few hours with this cutesy adventure.

Conclusion

Overall, Bugsnax is likely to be a game that will sit well with the younger audience or casual gamers thanks to its minimalist approach and vibrant and colorful game world. Those wanting a meaningful experience are likely to find the systems in play here too linear and predictable and with no real pull to keep you going, it’ll only remain interesting for as long as you feel entertained by finding new food/creature hybrids. It’s not a bad game, but it’s not one that fills its full potential either.

This game was reviewed based on Xbox One review code, using an Xbox Series S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.

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The post Bugsnax Review appeared first on Xbox Tavern.