Game Xbox Wire

Suggestive Gaming Breaks Down “What You Need to Know” About Psychonauts 2
From a Living Desert to a Volcano’s Peak: Exploring Forza Horizon 5’s Biomes and Seasons
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a Fantastic Flying Experience on Xbox Series X|S

Suggestive Gaming Breaks Down “What You Need to Know” About Psychonauts 2

Posted: 26 Jul 2021 03:20 PM PDT

On August 25, Psychonauts 2 will be unleashed upon the world via Xbox consoles, PC, and Xbox Game Pass, continuing the tale of Razputin "Raz" Aquato, a former circus performer who's left the big top behind to pursue his dream career of being a Psychonaut. If you didn't play the first game, now would be the absolute perfect time to check it out for free with Xbox Game Pass. Don't have time? Well then, you might want to take a look at the latest video (embedded above!) breaking down the story so far, courtesy of our friends over at Suggestive Gaming. Once you're done getting caught up, be sure to enjoy our Q&A with the Suggestive Gaming team below, in which they share some of their process.

Q: Could you run us through the typical process of putting together a 'What You need to Know' timeline video?

A: First, I’ll play through every relevant game in the series I’m covering, capturing all of the footage along the way; sometimes this is easier than others, depending on the availability of the titles. After I’ve got all the footage, I go into research mode and start looking into any supplemental material (such as novels, comic books, movies, etc) and start taking notes on those. With all my notes in place, I watch back through my footage and write my script to summarize the games, while filling in any blanks with the supplemental material. Then, it’s just a matter of recording my script and editing it all together into the final video everybody sees on YouTube.

Q: Outside of just providing a synopsis of the core narrative, is there anything specific you look for when creating a 'What You need to Know' timeline video?

A: Generally, I’ll try to pick up on things I think will make an appearance in or become an important point of a new installment and focus on those things so the viewer can have a better context if/when those threads get tied up when they play the new game. Other things I like to include are fan-favorite moments, even if they’re not super important to the story. The Milkman’s catchphrase is a perfect example of something I knew I’d have to include in this video in particular.

Q: Do you try to strike a balance between using cutscenes versus in-game moments?

A: This usually depends on the series. Some games keep almost all of the story in cutscenes, while others have you play through the events that transpire. While I usually aim to keep my gameplay footage as presentable as possible, sometimes I’m not happy with certain shots because the movement of the gameplay can be hard to follow with how short the clips I use are. Because of this, I like to keep to using cutscenes whenever I can, but sometimes gameplay moments are just too great to leave out.

Q: Was there anything in particular that stood out to you when you were putting together the Psychonauts 2 'What You need to Know' timeline video?

A: The easy answer here is the “Milkman Conspiracy” level. There’s a clear reason that section of the game is so beloved by the gaming community. The level design, quirky non-player characters, and hilarious writing create one of the most memorable moments I’ve ever had in gaming. Aside from that, I loved deep-diving into the background of the Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp and learning about all of its history in-universe.

Q: Are there any narrative threads that you hope will continue in Psychonauts 2?

A: Strangely enough, I’m most excited about Dr. Loboto. Learning his history in the Rhombus of Ruin gives an almost sympathetic quality to his story. Given that we’ve most likely not seen the end of him, I’m very interested to see how he fits into the new game’s story, as well as the true nature behind his actions in the Rhombus of Ruin.

Q: What was it like playing through Psychonauts again? How was your experience playing Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin for the first time?

A: I can still remember returning home from the video store with the first Psychonauts. I was immediately in love with the world and the characters, but unfortunately didn’t get to complete it before my rental was due. It’s really a shame it took me this long to return to it, because I had an absolute blast, and it’s easily the most fun I’ve had playing through a game for the show. As a lover of all things VR, Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin was a super cool experience. I loved seeing all of the characters up close and 3-dimensional in all their high polygon glory, and as I mentioned before, I adore what it added to the story.

From a Living Desert to a Volcano’s Peak: Exploring Forza Horizon 5’s Biomes and Seasons

Posted: 26 Jul 2021 10:46 AM PDT

While there's no denying that flashy supercars and built-for-fun off-road vehicles are the stars of the show in the Forza Horizon series, it's the widely varied, based-on-real-life environments that really make the games shine. Whether it's kicking up dust while blasting across the Australian Outback in Forza Horizon 3 or leaving a swirling trail of leaves through the English countryside on a crisp autumn day in Forza Horizon 4, we've all got great memories of exploring the vibrant worlds created by the developers at Playground Games. With Forza Horizon 5, the team has their sights set on the most diverse locale yet: Mexico.

"We knew from the beginning that we wanted this to be the biggest Forza Horizon yet. However, if we wanted to be the biggest, then we felt we also needed to offer the most diversity and contrast as well," says Mike Brown, Creative Director of Forza Horizon at Playground Games. "Mexico is almost like the whole world in one country: snowy peaks, tropical jungles, epic canyons, beautiful beaches, ancient architecture, and modern cities. When you add on Mexico's incredible culture – the music, the art, the history, the people – there is no more exciting location for the Horizon Festival."

The Playground Games team has broken down Forza Horizon 5's Mexico into 11 distinct and unique biomes, each of which was painstakingly researched and recreated by the team. "Our team collects reference from the location and creates concept images that highlight the beauty and unique detail for each biome. We employ techniques such as photogrammetry to recreate the environment with precision accuracy," says Don Arceta, Art Director for Forza Horizon 5 at Playground Games. "And we bring the beauty of the world in, through the sights and sounds you'll find throughout every area. The goal of the artistic process is to make it feel like you're really there."

Seasons will also be returning to Forza Horizon 5, adding a new layer of diversity and complexity to the experience than previous Forza Horizon games. What's more, each of the 11 unique biomes will transition though the seasons differently. As an example, spring means the rainy season in the jungles and farmland of Mexico, while summer could bring intense tropical thunderstorms along the coasts. Forza Horizon 5 seasons ensure Mexico is constantly evolving, encouraging players to explore the world in full each time the seasons change.

But what about the biomes themselves? Spread out over a map that's about one-and-a-half times the size of Forza Horizon 4's, the 11 biomes represent the most diverse map a Forza Horizon game has ever delivered. Let's take a closer look:

Canyon

You might recognize this as the biome that was shown in the Forza Horizon 5 reveal trailer in June. It's filled with rock formations patterned with unique striations, many of which erode into hoodoos that are only found in the canyon. Fun fact: each of the biomes have unique audio and the canyon has more echoes than any of the others.

Tropical Coast

This might be what you think of when you imagine a tropical Mexican vacation. Filled with palm trees, seagulls, white sand beaches and calm waters, it feels a lot like a postcard come to life. At least that's the case until you reach storm season, which completely changes how you need to navigate it. Watch out for flying palm trees!

Farmland

Unlike the flatter or drier farmland found in some of the previous Forza Horizon games, these rolling hills are filled with lush vegetation, fruit-bearing trees, and wide, shallow rivers. You'll have plenty of fences to smash through and picturesque homesteads to explore while you're cruising through here.

Arid Hills

As you might suspect given the name, this biome is full of dry grasses on rolling hills and plains, providing plenty of open spaces to drive across if you feel like off-roading. One of the coolest features in this biome is a lake that actually dries up in the winter season, opening up shortcuts via fast passages and secret areas.

Jungle

Filled with lush, dense vegetation and towering trees that let beautiful rays of sun through the canopy, this biome also sports some impressive waterfalls and winding rivers. There are also a number of hidden temples in this area, all of which are based on real locations in Mexico.

Living Desert

In a first for the Forza Horizon series, Forza Horizon 5 features a cactus desert that's full of towering saguaros. There are also a number of rock formations and rock piles that are unique to the area. As the name implies, it's full of life and features plenty of flowers and wildlife.

Rocky Coast

While the tropical coast features lots of trees and vegetation, this one has a completely different vibe. Since there aren't many trees, you'll get a full view of the ocean and some excellent views of the sun setting at the end of the day. As a bonus to all you golfers out there, you can even take a spin around (read: through) a golf course.

Sand Desert

Full of towering sand dunes, this biome is perfect for cruising around in a buggy and carving into the sand. If you don't feel like getting sand between your toes, many of the roads in this area feature long straightaways so there are plenty of opportunities to see how fast your favorite ride really goes.

Swamp

Although a swamp might not sound like the best place for a race, this biome's shallow waters are a great place for it. The swamp also features a lot of mangrove trees that sport very thick, interconnected roots. You can actually smash through these during races, changing the route depending on whether or not your car can handle it.

Urban City of Guanajuato

Like a number of cities in Mexico, there's a good deal of amazing architecture and vibrant colors everywhere you look. Unlike a lot of cities, however, it features a lot of rolling hills and tunnels, making for some really fun race routes. As with the Canyon, you'll hear plenty of echoes bouncing around the city's tight roadways.

Volcano

In another first for the Forza Horizon series, this massive mountain is situated right next to the Living Desert. It's a very high-altitude volcano, so driving to the top is a unique experience that rewards players by seeing way off into the horizon. This is also the only place in the game that you'll encounter snow, so be sure to pack an extra jacket.

We hope you enjoyed this in-depth look at the diverse biomes you'll encounter in Forza Horizon 5. This is the largest, most diverse open world ever in a Forza Horizon game, with a vibrant, ever-evolving landscape and limitless driving action in hundreds of the world's greatest cars.

You can explore Mexico beginning on November 9, when Forza Horizon 5 releases for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC on Windows and Steam, and Xbox Game Pass including console, PC and Cloud Gaming (Beta).

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a Fantastic Flying Experience on Xbox Series X|S

Posted: 26 Jul 2021 09:00 AM PDT

Summary

We grab our Xbox Wireless Controller and head to the skies on Xbox Series X|S.
An enhanced Flight Training feature and majestic Discovery Flights highlight some of the new features available.
Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S will be available with Xbox Game Pass starting on July 27.

I just flew an Airbus A320 from my couch, and I can't believe I just typed that. Having logged some time with the PC version of Microsoft Flight Simulator over the past year and going hands-on during its lead up to launch, I'll confess that I remained cautiously optimistic about how well the simulator experience would translate to a console.

Well, as this avid fan of both aircraft and flight simulators, I'm happy to report that Microsoft Flight Simulator has absolutely nailed the landing on Xbox Series X|S, giving gamers a robust, exhilarating, and worthwhile experience that can't be found on any other console today.

Microsoft Flight Simulator - Xbox Series X|S

Start Flying Immediately

Having spent a solid day with the Xbox Series X|S version of Microsoft Flight Simulator – specifically on my personal Xbox Series X – I've flown over black bears in Yosemite National Park, cruised over the Ancient Pyramids, buzzed Seattle's Space Needle, and even visited the Mauna Kea Observatories on the island of Hawai'i.

These quick trips around the globe are thanks to the new Discovery Flights feature that drops you over curated points of interest in ideal weather conditions, letting you easily fly over iconic landmarks, monuments, and other areas of splendor. It basically turns Microsoft Flight Simulator into a killer sightseeing tour operation. You can also create manual waypoints using the robust World Map (now with real map telemetry data) to design a flight path with a few easy clicks. Or you could just drop a pin anywhere in the world, making it that much easier for you to fly over your house.

Going Back to (Flight) School

Flight Training with the Cessna 152 has received a little bit of an overhaul, with many of the flight lessons now assigning points on your performance, giving more detailed feedback on how well you've executed your latest flying lesson, and being assigned an A, B, or C grade. I found this extremely useful, especially transitioning from a flight stick to the Xbox Wireless Controller, as I had to sort of relearn how to fly.

Speaking of the Xbox Wireless Controller, I found that it translates well to a console flying experience. While in cockpit, it feels like you're playing a flying first-person shooter (first-person flyer?): the left analog stick controls the elevator and ailerons while the right analog stick controls your pilot's head. The rest of the default mapping makes a lot of sense, with the triggers managing your rudder, the surface buttons managing your throttle and brakes, the d-pad controlling the landing gears and flaps, and the bumpers acting as modifiers for some of the more complex tasks (trim, camera position, etc.).

It takes a little bit of practice, for sure, especially coming from a flight stick/keyboard and mouse setup if you played Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC. But by the time you complete most of the Flight Training you should feel right at home with an Xbox Wireless Controller in your hands as you take to the skies.

Too Much Good Stuff

Console pilots jumping into Microsoft Flight Simulator for the first time will be treated to a massive amount of readily available content on day one. After a year full of World Updates with enhanced 3D photogrammetry on real world locations like Japan, the Nordics, and the United Kingdom, along with some free and paid DLC (some that remains PC only for now), there's almost so much good stuff that it's hard to know where to start.

Beyond that, you also have all the existing Activities returning to deliver some great pre-planned scenarios for you to try. Landing Challenges are not for the faint of heart, delivering an incredible challenge that will cut your piloting teeth while asking yourself, "Did they seriously build an airport there?!" I still can't believe I managed to land an A320 at Paro International Airport, albeit with a C grade. And yep, you read that right. You get graded on the Landing Challenges now too, putting your score on a leaderboard so you see how well you stack up against your friends.

There's also my personal favorite, Bush Trips. These are some of the most picturesque flight paths you can take in Microsoft Flight Simulator that are a both a true test of your piloting and terrain reading ability where you must rely only on VFR (Visual Flight Rules) to make your way from point A to B – so following roads, rivers, and other landmarks to keep on track. There are assists in place should you find yourself off track, but I can imagine these will be some of the hardest achievements to earn in the game (I'll make my way all the way to Mariposa without any help… one day).

It’s still settling in for me how well Microsoft Flight Simulator has translated to a console experience on Xbox Series X|S. It's feels really close to a 1:1 experience that can be found on a modest gaming PC, albeit with an Xbox Wireless Controller in hand instead of a flight stick – and if you're looking for a console flight stick, I can help you with that here.

It's going to be great re-experiencing this simulator all over again on console, on a large 4K screen and from the comfort of my sofa. Not to mention Xbox Series X is considerably more powerful than the gaming laptop I previously played Microsoft Flight Simulator on. But I think I'm most excited to see all the future console pilots – maybe for the first time — experience one of my favorite genres in gaming. It's going to be great seeing so many screenshots, videos, and more in the coming weeks from the Xbox community as they take to the skies with this can't-miss experience.

Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S will be available July 27 with Xbox Game Pass.

Microsoft Flight Simulator: Standard Edition (Xbox) Pre-Order

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆ 367

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order

Microsoft Flight Simulator is the next generation of one of the most beloved simulation franchises. From light planes to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and stunning aircraft in an incredibly realistic world. Create your flight plan and fly anywhere on the planet. Enjoy flying day or night and face realistic, challenging weather conditions.

Game Xbox Wire

Game Xbox Wire

Summary

Microsoft Flight Simulator: Standard Edition (Xbox) Pre-Order

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