#with a new world/IP/story . the character equally doesn’t know anything about the wasteland

[wastedlands]

wait i just realised that genuinely there are only two games where you don’t play someone originally from a vault

[tsunderin]

Microsoft Round-Up

Hey, do you remember when gameplay at E3 used to be a thing? Microsoft sure doesn’t. 

The Outer Worlds: I can’t help but feel the premise of “fuck big companies. fuck capitalism” rings a little hollow during a AAA game company conference, but I haven’t really heard anything bad about Obsidian myself. The trailer stinger was really underwhelming and the graphics look about equal to Bethesda quality. Not that this means anything about the game itself--it’ll still most likely be fun. 

Bleeding Edge: It’s Overwatch for people who actually want more better diversity! Imagine a game where every female character doesn’t have the same fucking base model and the same Disney-esque face model. It looks... like a carnival aesthetic. Or post-apocalyptic. Stage hazards seem to be a facet as well. 

Ori and the Will Of the Wisps: Still looks cute, and from the audience reaction people are still hype for it. 

Minecraft Dungeons: It’s like... a dungeon crawler MMO? But Minecraft? I think for people who like Minecraft, it could be really fun. 

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order: I like what I’m seeing of the humor in the game. But I can’t say I’m particularly interested in the protagonist.

Blair Witch: “IPs That No One Needed To Bring Back.” Not that it looks bad. It looks promising and way better than the zombie game I originally thought it was. Play as a detective looking for a lost kid.. I think. It might just be me, but some of the imagery screamed Deadly Premonition (like the red trees), which is weird. Since this game is totally not going to be that interesting. 

Cyberpunk: Who the fuck cares CD Project Red still sucks lol. Poor Keanu Reeves.

Spiritfarer: This game looks adorable! You play as a sailing witch and it seems as though you get to craft your boat bigger, and cook, and date monsters maybe? You get to hug them at least. “Learn how to say goodbye” MAKES ME CRY ALREADY WHAT THE FUCK.

Battletoads: Sure is Battletoads still.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright: I love the aesthetic for this. Parts of it are pencil drawn and it seems as though the entire game is comprised of different crafting items. Like Yoshi’s Crafted World, but not Yoshi. I’m here for this shift in design.

Indie @ Xbox:

Dead Static Drive

Pathologic 2

Star Renegades

Afterparty

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator

The Good Life (Yay!!)

Crosscode

Creature In the Well

Killer Queen Black

Riverbond

Unto the End

Blazing Chrome

Felix the Reaper

Undermine

Supermarket Shriek

Secret Neighbor

Ikenfell

Lord Of The Rings Something or Other

Night Call

Totem Teller

Flight Simulator: The graphics are gorgeous, but I got totally stressed just from watching it. Flight sims aren’t for me.

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition: I... was not expecting this, but cool. I’m sure the people that like this series are happy.

Wasteland 3: ....Okay, cold take but I’m kind of over the “wacky post-apocalypse” genre. It doesn’t look like this game does anything that other post-apoca games don’t do better.

Psychonauts 2: Looks cool! And it’s nice that Double Fine joined Xbox, if only so EA can’t buy them up and destroy them.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: Hell yes.

Project Z: Sure is a Dragon Ball Z game. The battles look really cool and dynamic.

12 Minutes: An “interactive thriller”. Dude’s stuck in a time loop until he figures out the mystery behind the maybe murder his wife did against her father. It’s an interesting concept, but I don’t know if I care for the story. 

Way To the Woods: C U T E. Play as a deer with a baby deer and find your way back home. Puzzle platformer, as to be expected. 

Gears 5: I think whatever struggle the heroine is going through will be compelling, but damn I sure know nothing from that trailer. There wasn’t even any gameplay for their new Escape mode, which is, uh, really dumb. 

Dying Light 2: So you’re playing as an infected, which is somewhat interesting. But still, big pass.

Forza Horizon 4: A... lego expansion pack. I think that’s fun! Good for you, Forza.

Gears Funko: I can’t believe they’re showing this off for the second year in a row. AND it’s a mobile game. Please....

State of Decay 2: Heartland: I’m already over zombie games, but I can appreciate the two stories. One of the protagonists is a Black woman, so I can only hope that they do her story justice.

Phantasy Star 2: And here is where I died and for real spent the rest of the conference crying. I have been waiting SO LONG for this. So long. And it finally happened?! I’m still ready to openly weep. I CAN’T WAIT TO PLAY MORE FONEWEARLS!!!

Crossfire X: Full disclosure; I was still deep in happy tears so I have no idea what the fuck this is. It looks like a war game of some sort, and not really that interesting at all.

Tales of Arise: I’m PUMPED for another Tales game. But, uh, couldn’t you make the one line more... interesting? “Everything we knew.... was a lie.” Yeah. That’s every Tales game. Thanks. With the “pulling a sword out’cha girl” system, it looks something like Zesteria’s seraph system. But just from this it feels like a step back from Berseria. 

Borderlands 3: WHAT DO YOU MEAN LILITH “USED” TO BE A SIREN. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER? The classes this time around look really fun, and charge me as horny on main, but Zane could get it from me. I need to log back on BL2 and play that “Lilith and the Fight For Sanctuary” DLC...

Elden Ring: Given that it’s produced by FromSoft and writen by GRRM, it’ll probably be hella depressing and dark. Which isn’t for me, but it looks cool none the less.

Project Scarlett: It sounds like a cool console. An expensive console. We’ll see if it’ll be worth it. 

Final Verdict:

(But more gameplay next year. Seriously.)