Xbox Series X|S Game Reviews - Page 1

The key art for Another Crab's Treasure, which shows protagonist Kril holding his fork
Review

Another Crab's Treasure Review - Crab Battle

I'd like to start this Another Crab's Treasure review with an admission: I didn't know things were so brutal under the sea. Did you know crabs are literally killing each other down there with…

April 24, 2024 | 12:00 EDT

Main characters from Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Review

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes - Short Expectations And Mismanaged Scope

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a new title from Rabbit and Bear Studio, a studio formed by game developers and artists who worked on the original Suikoden titles. Hundred Heroes itself is a…

April 21, 2024 | 11:00 EDT

A spread-shot cover of Botany Manor, showcasing the entrance of an illustrious manor decorated with colorful and vibrant flora.

Botany Manor Review - More Than Chemical

If you could pigeonhole any publisher, it would be Whitethorn Games. A catalog composed of cottage-core and kitschy chronicles of ordinary people doing (extra)ordinary things, whether it’s the…

April 8, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

The Open Roads logo against key art depicting a forest and a pink sky
Review

Open Roads Review - Driving Motivation

Appropriately enough, Open Roads has traveled a long and winding path to launch. Revealed in 2020, the road trip adventure was originally being worked on under the Fullbright name, but then…

March 27, 2024 | 12:00 EDT

A promo image of Alone in the Dark, showing Edward Carnby and Emily Hartford in front of the game's logo, darkness surrounding them.
Review

Alone in the Dark Review – Southern Gothic Hospitality

Discerning horror fans are aware of Alone in the Dark's legacy. The original 1992 release was a pioneer of survival horror, introducing many ideas, tropes, and gameplay elements that would be refined…

March 19, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

Outcast a New Beginning screenshot showing a man in an orange top gliding over a lush forest heading for a coastal fishing village
Review

Outcast: A New Beginning Review - A Social Outcast

While you may be forgiven for thinking that the days of the white-as-the-driven-snow pulp action protagonist are over, our Outcast: A New Beginning Review might make you think twice.  If you're in…

March 17, 2024 | 10:00 EDT

Header image for Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection by Aspyr.
Review

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection Review - You Can Kill Gungans

Ah, Pandemic Studios. Playing Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection reminds me of its original development studio, and how much I adored both this team's work. Known for games such as Destroy All…

March 13, 2024 | 09:00 EDT

A spread-shot cover of WWE 2k24, showcasing several of WWE's iconic wrestlers and characters in a key art to celebrate Wrestlemania's 40th anniversary.

WWE 2k24 Review - Hollywood Apologetics

Personally, I’m glad wrestling isn’t a tired punchline of “fake-ry" anymore. In the beginning stretches of WWE 2k24, wrestling commentator Corey Graves defines wrestling as an art form, and I very…

March 4, 2024 | 06:00 EST

An spread-shot cover of Penny's Big Breakaway, showcasing the titular character escaping several penguins with her sentient yo-yo alongside her.

Penny's Big Breakaway Review - Shut Up and Dance

Looking back on it now, Sonic Mania really was a minor modern miracle. Spearheaded by Christian Whitehead, it has revitalized a franchise that’s now seeing a more consistent graph of quality, and for…

March 1, 2024 | 10:30 EST

Header image for Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster by Nightdive Studios.
Review

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster Review - Return of the KEX

Without Nightdive Studios, it's a fact I wouldn't be as big of a boomer shooter fan as I am today. The work they do to make the inaccessible, well, accessible is an insane feat of game development.…

February 28, 2024 | 08:00 EST

Three pirates can be seen on a ship overlooking the ocean.
Review

Skull and Bones Review - Dead and Buried Already

As I set sail in Skull and Bones I am reminded of many experiences. There is a vague glimmer of the remnants of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag here occasionally, but most of the time I recall a lot…

February 21, 2024 | 10:05 EST

The title of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden in cool blue letters in a dark background. Red can be seen below, sinking into a void.
Review

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Review – Frontier Spirits

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden continues developer Don't Nod's history of ambitious interactive narratives. It is a refinement of the team's character-driven thematic storytelling while still…

February 12, 2024 | 12:00 EST

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth key art featuring two figureing holding bottles of liquor as a glowing golden kana character floating between them on a blue aura cloud
Review

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review - Top Tier Questing

It gets to a certain point in a long-running series where the latest entries stop resembling the originals. Luckily, that’s not an issue Like a Dragon has to contend with because it would be…

January 23, 2024 | 07:51 EST

Sargon shoots a celestial arrow into the sky in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Review

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review – It's About Time! (and Space)

Prince of Persia hasn’t been in the limelight for years, with its last mainline entries barely making a splash (Forgotten Sands, indeed). Thankfully, The Lost Crown brings it back to the forefront…

January 11, 2024 | 12:00 EST

A spread-shot cover of Pinball M, showcasing an emaciated hand in darkness preparing to pull a pinball trigger.

Pinball M Review - Tilted Terrors

There’s a certain novelty to pinball tables that always outweighs the potential of pinball itself. Quick tie-ins to popular IPs, voice clips from said IPs characters that are semi-relevant to the…

December 13, 2023 | 10:00 EST

A scene from Avatar Frontiers of Pandora with the TechRaptor review text
Review

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review - Opening Pandora's Box

The world of Pandora has been a place people have yearned to visit for a decade and a half. While gamers got a chance to visit it in 2009s video game movie tie-in it's only this year that the world…

December 6, 2023 | 06:05 EST

Image of a city in SteamWorld Build that is well-connected with roads and has lots of different buildings
Review

SteamWorld Build Review - A Dig-Lightful City-Building Adventure

Since the inception of the SteamWorld universe, we’ve been treated to games across different genres, such as SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Quest. Thunderful now explores the City Building genre with…

November 27, 2023 | 09:00 EST

An spread-shot cover of Roboquest, showcasing a large yellow robot standing alongside a young girl and a blue robot against the backdrop of a large spherical robot.

Roboquest Review - Rust Belt

When it comes to the FPS branch of roguelikes and roguelites, you won’t find a universally praised title in the same way you would for say, a dungeon-crawling roguelike, or a deckbuilding roguelite.…

November 18, 2023 | 11:00 EST

Boruto playing his new VR game in Naruto X Boruto
Review

Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Review - Narratively Bankrupt

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games have always been an excellent way to recap the story of Naruto. As the series continues to grow through Naruto Shippuden and Boruto how does Naruto X Boruto Ultimate…

November 17, 2023 | 09:00 EST

Spirittea Review Key Art Showing a red clad character praying at a shrine in the woods while the game logo fills the top right corner.jpg
Review

Spirittea Review - Once More, With Spirit!

Cozy games have been experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately, and our Spirittea Review should make it pretty clear that they’re here to stay. If you haven’t heard already, Spirittea is a cozy life…

November 13, 2023 | 02:47 EST

The logo for Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, showing Kazuma Kiryu in a black suit lighting a cigarette.
Review

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Review – Yakuza Greatest Hits

To an extent, writing this Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name review feels unnecessary. The game feels less like a fully-fledged Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios title and more like a premium…

November 6, 2023 | 10:00 EST

A spread-shot cover of Jusant, showcasing the game's logo and the main character walking towards a rocky pillar that goes off-screen.

Jusant Review - Quixotic, Melodic, Entropic

As climate change continues to be a point of unnerving discussion in regards to the future of the planet and humanity, its stature in video games has always been from the point of integration. There…

October 31, 2023 | 11:30 EDT

An image from our RoboCop: Rogue City Review featuring RoboCop in his classic silver armor.
Review

RoboCop: Rogue City Review - Good Shooting, Great Sleuthing

RoboCop: Rogue City takes a familiar formula -- cop shoots baddies while looking for clues -- and raises it to new heights by staying absolutely true to its franchise roots. We've covered other great…

October 31, 2023 | 05:00 EDT

Alan Wake staring at the camera from Alan Wake II with the TechRaptor image Overlay
Review

Alan Wake 2 Review — A Mesmerizing Murder Mystery

Alan Wake 2 is easily one of the best survival horror games I’ve ever played. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most problematic that I’ve reviewed. Does that make sense? Well, allow me to explain…

October 26, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Hellboy Web of Wyrd key art showing a german expressionist background with hellboy himself walking on the right-hand side
Review

Hellboy Web of Wyrd Review - Clunky but Funky

It’s difficult to approach a Hellboy Web of Wyrd Review. Partially, it’s great to finally have an action game based on Hellboy that wasn’t made before we were allowed more than 20 polygons on screen…

October 18, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

A spread-shot cover of Kona II: Brume, showcasing the main character Karl Faubert looking into the horizon, with a dark cloud in the shape of a moose head above him and the game's logo.

Kona II: Brume Review - Iced That Guy, To Kona Phrase

In the wake of winter coming thick and fast, it’d be remiss of me to not mention the 2017 adventure game Kona as one of gaming’s most comforting winter wonderlands. A wholly original adventure game…

October 18, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Amy looking at a giant Robot
Review

Sonic Superstars Review - Running With What Works

Sonic Superstars has a lot to live up to. Fresh off the well-received reinvention of 3D Sonic with 2022’s Sonic Frontiers, Superstars is the blue blur’s next outing in a strictly 2D adventure. The…

October 13, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Key art for the Lords of the Fallen review, depicting a sinister figure with glowing eyes and a massive sword
Review

Lords Of The Fallen (2023) Review - Dark Soul Reaver

Any Lords of the Fallen review should, by rights, begin with its somewhat troubled development cycle. This game has been through a lot; it began life as Lords of the Fallen 2 in what feels like a…

October 12, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

The player character approaches the green world boss in Cocoon
Review

Cocoon Review - A World Within Worlds of Intrigue

Every now and then, you get a puzzle game that perfectly uses the gaming medium to create a whole new kind of puzzle that’s as engaging as it is clever. I didn’t plan to write a Cocoon review, but…

October 10, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Basim and his bird companion from Assassin's Creed Mirage with the TR Overlay for reviews
Review

Assassin's Creed Mirage Review - It Feels So Good To Be Back

Assassin's Creed is celebrating its 15th anniversary with the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage. Mirage might be a smaller adventure but it returns to the gameplay formula of pre-RPG Assassin's…

October 4, 2023 | 07:05 EDT

A spread-shot cover of Forza Motorsport, showcasing a yellow Cadillac race car and blue Chevrolet sports car racing close to each other, with the game logo in the top right.

Forza Motorsport Review - Heavy Metal Mercy

Despite a rather tepid stack of releases last console generation, I still have a soft spot for the Motorsport line of Forza games. While Forza Horizon has dominated the market with its perfect mix of…

October 4, 2023 | 03:05 EDT

A large moss covered giant yelling.
Review

Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur Review - David Struggles Against Goliath

Like many of us, I played Hades (our Game of the Year in 2020) and absolutely loved it. Seems like a no-brainer to try to make some of that magic on your own, which is exactly what Knight vs Giant:…

October 2, 2023 | 04:00 EDT

The main character, V, jumps from a great height, with Dogtown’s pyramid building seen in the distance.
Review

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Review — High-Stakes Espionage

I felt a bit of trepidation prior to writing our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review. Partly, it’s due to how the base game was mired in a lot of controversy during its initial launch three years…

September 20, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

The Lies of P main character in a close up staring into the camera.
Review

Lies Of P Review - Do Puppets Have Souls?

I'd like to begin this Lies of P review by asking the following question: what other classic works of literature would make good Soulslikes? Could you imagine Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennet…

September 13, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

Starfield Review Keyart
Review

Starfield Review - An Interstellar Adventure

Starfield feels like a game that people have been waiting a long time for. Waiting, in the sense that it’s been ages since Bethesda has put forth an original IP outside of the world of Elder Scrolls…

August 31, 2023 | 12:00 EDT

Key art of Sea Of Stars
Review

Sea Of Stars Review - A Voyage to the Past

2023's been a very good year for games. From Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, to Baldur's Gate 3, to the recent Armored Core VI. Amongst these giant AAA is the indie I've been anticipating for…

August 29, 2023 | 07:41 EDT

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Review Header
Review

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Review - Claw Grip Forever

I will go ahead and start this one with a hot take: I do not like the Souls series. Something about it just absolutely does not click with me in any way. However, I am a huge fan of Armored Core,…

August 23, 2023 | 11:00 EDT

The title of Immortals of Aveum, with Jak's sigil visible on one half of the screen.
Review

Immortals of Aveum Review – Battlemage Simulator

Immortals of Aveum is an ambitious experience. Befitting an EA Originals project, it is brimming with creative ideas and novelty. While some of that ambition is realized, it doesn't fully hide some…

August 22, 2023 | 12:00 EDT

GORD key art depicting a red-haired woman weilding fire to face off against evil monsters
Review

Gord Review - Gord Alone Knows!

Dark Fantasy is a term that gets bandied around a lot these days, primarily by pieces of media that could only be described as dark if you were being charitable while comparing them to Hello Kitty.…

August 15, 2023 | 09:16 EDT

Turbo Overkill Key Art
Review

Turbo Overkill Review - Become Chainsaw Man

Apogee Entertainment is synonymous with some of the industry's oldest and most coveted first-person shooters. It's not an understatement, then, to say that Turbo Overkill has a lot to live up to. But…

August 10, 2023 | 10:12 EDT

Image of Character From Atlas Fallen About To Smash A Wraith
Review

Atlas Fallen Review - Sand Isn't Always Bad

I didn't expect to enjoy Atlas Fallen as much as I did. Featuring a VERY enjoyable set of traversal mechanics and a vibe (and mechanics) akin to many games in the Xbox 360 generation, Atlas Fallen…

August 9, 2023 | 02:11 EDT

Exoprimal Header
Review

Exoprimal Review - Extinction Averted

Like all live service games, Exoprimal is going to live and die by its player population. If it catches on, it might not go the way of the dinosaurs. Although it's frontloaded by the same repetitive…

July 21, 2023 | 10:27 EDT

Remnant 2 review header.
Review

Remnant 2 Review - Rising From The Ashes

2019’s Remnant: From the Ashes was an odd blend of fun gunplay, somewhat limited procedural generation, and uneven difficulty. Despite its flaws, it was still an enjoyable time both solo and with a…

July 20, 2023 | 10:11 EDT

A spread-shot cover of SOULVARS, showcasing the game's logo and the main character Yakumo standing in a lonely street with a purple beast staring at him

SOULVARS Review - Biblical Demon Antivirus

It’s easy to consider pretension as nothing but a net negative, especially when you’re uncertain of what you’re dealing with. Not knowing exactly where the path will take you is certainly a fear-…

July 1, 2023 | 10:56 EDT

Dr. Fetus shows his appreciation to all his loving fans in the Mean Meat Machine key art.
Review

Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine Review - Where's The Beef?

There was a time when Super Meat Boy was synonymous with indie gaming. From its starring role in the famous documentary on the subject to its main hero’s appearances in adventures from other…

June 26, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Microsoft Flight Simulator Stockholm Arlanda With SAS Airbus A320 Parked at Gate 42
Review

Microsoft Flight Simulator - Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Orbx) Review - Nordic Beauty

Orbx has released another major Scandinavian airport add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it's Stockholm Arlanda (ESSA) serving the capital of Sweden.  Considering that it's one of the most…

June 22, 2023 | 10:00 EDT

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life review header.
Review

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life Review

A lot has changed with farming sims since Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life originally released nearly 20 years ago. What was once a relatively niche genre has now seen many new releases each year, with…

June 22, 2023 | 09:30 EDT

The Painter almost completing his Magnum Opus in Layers of Fear
Review

Layers of Fear (2023) Review - Is It Meant To Be THIS Dark?

A good remake or remaster is never a surprise in this day and age, who doesn't want to play a game they liked in a shiny new package? We've seen these remasters take all kinds of forms too whether it…

June 15, 2023 | 12:00 EDT