The Xbox Partner Preview just came out over the weekend and, honestly, I really expected something big. After all, this is the first big thing Microsoft and Xbox are showing gamers after the big upper management shakeup with Phil Spencer leaving the company. The Xbox Partner Preview would be a good way to alleviate a lot of concern regarding the state of Xbox. We didn’t get that. We didn’t see Matt Booty, the new head of Xbox Game Studios, coming out to give a big statement of how Xbox will be doing fine in the future.
We didn’t get that. What we did get were a slew of games for video game enthusiasts to chew on. Honestly, I’ll take it! I mean, in retrospect, this is a much better way to show that Xbox is still committed to gaming rather than a guy in a suit saying they are.
The Xbox Partner Preview did showcase nearly 19 games. I can’t really say which games are definitely going to be good or bad. What I can do is give my opinion on what were the five most interesting games I saw during the show.
Growing up, I actually played the original first couple of entries in the Serious Sam series. Unlike a lot of first-person shooters at the time and unlike its name, Serious Sam felt like a more silly and was just a lot of fun. So, I’m glad to see a new entry of the series show up during the show. And it does look like they’re still keeping it un-serious and over the top.
Now, I know I’m in the minority here as, according to the video, more viewers are disliking it more than liking it. I can understand why in a way. The graphics aren’t really that good and it has a much more cartoony vibe. Then again, this is being published by Devolver Digital, a company known for not taking things too seriously, which matches the vibe I’m getting from the trailer.
I don’t really think this will be a huge success but more of a modest hit. If they nail the gameplay by concentrating on making a joy to play by making it a more simplistic shooter rather than add too many mechanics, I think it’ll find it’s audience. I won’t be one of them as it’s supposed to be a multiplayer shooter and I don’t really play those. Still, I can see this being a fun party game for some.
It’s been a while since we’ve got some new details on Stranger Than Heaven, the sort of spinoff to the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise. Well, we got a lot more information on the game during the Xbox Partner Preview! The trailer does show you’ll be able to do a lot of the stuff from the previous games. But the biggest reveal is how Stranger Than Heaven will be set across five entirely distinct time periods!
This does seem like an interesting twist as the game seemingly starts in 1915 and 1965. That means the story will span 50 years! It will be interesting to see if you’ll just be controlling one character throughout all this or if you’ll be controlling your progeny or a totally different character in each era. I’m hoping for the progeny scenario.
Even without the neat little 5 separate eras gimmick, Stranger Than Heaven already looks like it has the same magic that made the later Like A Dragon games really popular. This does look like this is shaping up to be another big hit for SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku.
First off, I gotta tip my hat to the people who made this trailer as they understood the assignment. The Super Meat Boy platformers earned their notoriety for being very difficult games. You need excellent timing and control precision to make it through their punishing levels. So, I’m really glad the trailer for Super Meat Boy 3D shows part of the “fun” is getting super frustrated when you die over and over again just for that dopamine rush of actually finally making it through. Still, you have to go through some torture first and the trailer shows it.
As per usual, the levels in Super Meat Boy 3D don’t really seem all that difficult. But that’s only because you’re not the one playing it! I’m actually kind of scared that Team Meat might not be able to nail the balance between frustration and masochistic enjoyment here. It’s their first time doing 3D environments and I’m not really sure if they’re up to the task of making the transition from 2D levels smoothly. Still, if they manage to get that balance, Super Meat Boy 3D should be a hair-ripping good time.
#4 The Eternal Life of Goldman
Look, I like games that use high-quality polygonal models with really good textures. But there’s still a part of me that yearns for the days where we didn’t rely on 3D models. Call me old-school but I’m a sucker for really good hand-drawn 2D sprites, backgrounds and animations. And The Eternal Life of Goldman certainly fits that bill!
Either the folks at THQ Nordic also had the same yearning for games that used hand-drawn art or they saw some other awesome 2D action platformer like the Hollow Knight games and decided to follow suit. Doesn’t really matter to me as The Eternal Life of Goldman looks like its weight in gold! The animations are superb, especially for the really big boss battles showcased. If you don’t believe me, you can look at the trailer itself or, better yet, experience the fluid animation and gameplay as the demo for this is already out. I’ve already tried it and it does play as good as it looks!
All of the games I’ve highlighted, while they were shown during the Xbox Partner Preview, are all multiplatform games. So, while they’re all interesting in their own way, none of them are a reason why I should get an Xbox console or the Xbox Game Pass as I can play them on other consoles. Artificial Detective is different as it seems like this is the only Xbox “exclusive” as it’s not slated to come out on other gaming systems. Thankfully, this also looks like the best one and the best example of Xbox’s commitment to stay in the video game business.
Now, we all remember how fantastic Resident Evil 4 is, right? Original or Remake, it doesn’t matter. Those games are just excellent. Well, I’m kind of getting the same vibes from Artificial Detective. From the over-the-shoulder camera angle to the idea of having to protect someone to being able to do sneak attacks as well as use environmental hazards to your benefit, I can’t help but think the people behind Artificial Detective played Resident Evil 4 (any version) and decided to pay homage to it with this game.
I will say the game still looks rough around the edges a bit. The graphics aren’t as crisp and the art style could use a little more pizzazz. Still, if it plays enough like Resident Evil 4, this could be the next big Xbox exclusive.
BONUS: Bluey’s Happy Snaps
I’m a little too old for anything Bluey. But I will acknowledge how much the game looks almost exactly like the animated show! I’m impressed with the accuracy. Granted, the animation of the show is pretty simplistic. Nevertheless, the people behind the game really made it look like you’re playing the show!
While I won’t be playing Bluey’s Happy Snaps, I can see a lot of younger kids having a blast playing this.
What was the most interesting game you saw during the Xbox Partner Preview? Let me know in the comments section below!
3rd World Geeks 