Yes I know these are not really free you have to subscribe to the appropriate yearly pass. Okay, we got that disclaimer out of the way who won the month. Playstation won the month fairly handily but neither Xbox nor Playstation really wowed me with their free games.
When the most “fun” game of the month is a retooled Kinect launch title it can seem like a bit of a slog.
From Playstation Plus
Nioh
When I first glanced at the results I thought it said Nier as in Nier: Automata, that would have been cool well maybe next month. (Or Spider-man oooh we could get Spider-man) But no we got a Samurai Dark Souls game called Nioh.
Now let me first say of the six games offered this month Nioh is clearly the best of the bunch. A proper triple-A title that reviewed very well and has a sequel headed our way soon. It is also Samurai Dark Souls and honestly, I have been playing Dark Souls games since they were called King’s Field and I dread starting a new one.
In my current backlog, I already have future robot Dark Souls, Lovecraftian horror Dark Souls and a couple of actual Dark Souls… well Dark Souls all unplayed (Though Lovecraftian horror Dark Souls aka Bloodborne is going to get a proper outing from me as soon as I clear out these Xbox Game Pass games, finish the Uncharted trilogy and probably take Cyberpunk 2077 out for a spin.)
And yes I do recall the Nioh demo I believe I got my ass handed to me by a crab.
Outlast 2
Outlast 2 is a survival horror game that starts with a loving couple in a helicopter and if you don’t know what happens next please turn in your video game playing badge to Marge seated on your right.
Okay, so the helicopter crashes the damsel portion of our loving couple is kidnapped and it is up to our hero to save her by hiding every two minutes and filming hillbillies and religious nuts with his camcorder.
So it is The Hills Have Eyes version of the ye old hide cause you can’t fight back survival horror game. leaving aside my eye-rolling boredom at such a prospect for six to eight hours thematically it makes no sense. I understand why Amanda Ripley has to hide for the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation but why exactly is our hero unable to take an ax or pitchfork to these yokels holding his wife?
You know Alan Wake did this kind of thing correctly nine years ago. Give me limited ammo and a flashlight that eats batteries like an American woman at a cruise ship buffet. But don’t make me hide in the wardrobe because Cletus is nearby.
From Games with Gold
Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
Do you know the problem with the previous Sherlock Holmes games? They were not hip enough to appeal to today’s younger audience. So they redesigned it with a new younger Sherlock and more action-oriented gameplay.
I know the reviews were a bit on the harsh side but this doesn’t look that bad. I have yet to play one of the Sherlock Holmes games and I only know them primarily from the Watson memes. They do look a decent change of pace. Alas if I were to start the series I am not sure I would choose the game that every agrees is the weakest of the bunch
The Final Station
Our second XboxOne offering is an indie game that honestly has a nice premise and seemingly fun mechanics. But (and there is a but here) it commits what is becoming an unforgivable sin.
Pixelated graphics. I understand there are times where pixel graphics are defendable. You are replication a game from the early nineties or your game is so action-packed and your studio so small it was the best way to make sure you had a silk-smooth 60 frames a second.
There is zero reason to do so here. It simply makes the game less appealing than it otherwise would be with normal graphics. Bit of a shame but I really hope this trend of making everything pixellated goes away for good real soon.
Star Wars Jedi Starfighter
Hey, its a movie tie in game from a Star Wars universe no less. Well, that is good news. The bad news the Star Wars film, in particular, is Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Ugh.
At least it is a flight simulator so the chances of a platforming level where sand gets everywhere are diminished. Alas, it is a seventeen-year-old flight simulator that wasn’t all that good, to begin with. Also assuming the lets play I posted below isn’t a speedrun the entire game takes about three hours
Joy Ride Turbo
Finally, a game that looks fun with no caveats. It’s also a game I already own. How do I own this? I don’t think I ever bought it. Was this given away before?
Anyway, a Kinect Kart Racer reworked for a controller. Is it a good Kart racer? Meh.. but it is a fun colorful Kart racer and it won’t kill me a minute after I land on the first beach (I am looking your way Nioh)
