Game Xbox Wire |
- Halo Infinite Update – April 2022
- NeonLore: To Read or Not to Read…in a Video Game?
- This Week on Xbox: Upcoming Indie Games, Updates, and Events
- Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today
- Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade
- Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
- Spring Brings a Whole New Closet to A Gummy’s Life!
- Next Week on Xbox: April 25 to 29
- Celebrate Earth Day with Team Xbox
- Forge Your Legacy in Asterigos, a New Fantasy Action RPG Coming to Xbox in 2022
- Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles Launches Today on the Xbox Store
| Halo Infinite Update – April 2022 Posted: 22 Apr 2022 04:00 PM PDT |
| NeonLore: To Read or Not to Read…in a Video Game? Posted: 22 Apr 2022 02:00 PM PDT Just after wrapping all sorts of certification tests and getting excited for the release of NeonLore, the usual sense of anxiety wave hit me: What if gamers don't understand what we are trying to achieve here? I would classify ourselves as real indie developers. Allow and excuse me to make a bit of pun here by adding the word "real". We are not in financial debt to anyone and we are really a studio of less than ten working people during all times. And we have not received any external investment up to date, while we have released a dozen titles in the last three years. Indie developers likes us have a different kind of anxiety when we launch a game: "Will the game sell enough to cover costs?" is usually replaced by a more tangled question: "Will the gamers understand us"?  Nothing will happen to our indie studio if NeonLore financially tanks. We'll continue to make and release indie projects. We have grown a thick enough skin to ignore most gaming journalists who look at our five-dollar-priced games using the same scope that they review 60-dollar priced games. What we usually need is a bit of inspiration to carry further and continue to take risks and try something different. Sure, running an indie game studio is a business and running a sustainable business is as draining as a boss-fight in a FPS game. However, getting encouragement as indie developers is the true support that we need. And this time, the inspiration for this article came to me when I read a recent interview with ID@Xbox's director Chris Charla. He indicated how much value he gives to indie games by saying, "They don't have to try to be everything to everyone." And yes, in that sense NeonLore is a small game. But in it has some big ideas, maybe it might turn into a whole different genre, maybe it won't. We can't know, we don't want to know. As indie developers, we did what are supposed to do, we had to experiment within our limited resources.  NeonLore will be called just another walking simulator by some. To us, it experiments by incorporating audio books into the game, which we believe to be an interesting way to bring books to different audiences who normally wouldn't meet with that kind of medium. Chris Charla continues in the same article: "Indie games are the most exciting content on the planet", which inspired me to further elaborate about NeonLore, and what we are trying to establish as a genre by starting with this game : What if you wake up one day and your Xbox app notifies you that your favorite author's latest audio book is ready to launch on your Xbox system in the form of an adventure game? Who wouldn't not want to listen to Stephen's King's latest book while walking around locations inspired from that very novel, on the big screen, with glorious 4K textures around? I would, as a gamer. As a game developer whose background is in literature, this would be a dream-come-true and will open broad sub-ranges and alternatives in the socio-cultural space of video games. Mums and teachers complaining about teens not reading books? They are missing outmoded milestones of classical literature? Well, it would be great if they did really read the books, but as precursors in this medium, we can suggest an alternative : Let's travel back in time to early 20th century New York City and let's see the world through Nick Carraway's eyes, and while walking around in such envrionments where we don't have to worry about shooting zombies, we listen to Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby.  Let's see if other gamers would agree with me or not: in NeonLore, hopefully you will enjoy listening to four different short-novels, written by four different sci-fi authors exclusively for this game, while enjoying cyber-punk themed vistas and a bit of puzzle-solving as well. Finally, but not least, another big thank you to the Xbox team for supporting and encouraging indie developers with such risky projects. NeonLore is available today on Xbox!   NeonLorePlaystige Interactive $5.99 Neon-Lore is a first-person free form exploration game. You'll meet interesting characters and discover what had happened to human race in the near future. As you will roam along the neon-soaked streets, you'll discover what the world has become, how life goes on in a world of intriguing fusion of chaos and technological advancement. In Neon-Lore, you will solve puzzles and encounter with various characters and learn about their past life, dreams and fears…And get a chance to discover deeper about the social transformations that has impacted human life in the 21st century… Features: *Discover the world at your own pace. *No failing or quests, you decide about how you explore the world. *Beautiful, cyber-punk themed environments. *Meet 40 different characters and learn about their backgrounds. *Get access to 4 different audio books that contain 4 different cyber-punked themed novels, written exclusively for this game by sci-fi authors. * Relaxing and exciting cyber-punk themed soundtrack. Join the UNTURNED Beta on Xbox One beginning August 4th! A New Microsoft Store Experience is Coming to Xbox Insiders CrossfireX Open Beta Begins June 25, Play 3 Days Early Starting Today |
| This Week on Xbox: Upcoming Indie Games, Updates, and Events Posted: 22 Apr 2022 01:30 PM PDT |
| Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Posted: 22 Apr 2022 01:00 PM PDT Hello! I am Göksan, founder of NAISU, and the main developer In Mokoko X, we want to resurrect the specific arcade genre while adding a modern touch. The game play is simple: capturing the bigger portion of the game screen by drawing lines. The graphical style of our game is a combination of retro-arcade/anime. We've made it colorful and lively as possible. In each level, you fight against absurd bosses who are a nuisance to our eight girls. All the bosses and girls have their own short stories and connections with each other.  Talking about the stories, I wrote all the short stories and inspired from my elementary school times' imagination. So, you will probably find them quite absurd and childish from time to time. I want to give some examples of the short stories from which you will learn the answers to the following questions:
The main reason you fight with these bosses is mainly to help out our lady characters. All the bosses have their special gang of minions as well. All the characters in the game are fully animated and voice overed both in English and Japanese. There is also a main story of Mokoko which unlocks part by part after completing each lady/chapter. But I don't want to spoil it here.  We also made sure that leaderboards are very active and heat up the competition for the top scores. People say the game is a bit hard, but so was the arcade age! But we are not merciless, there is an Easysetting. After you complete the story mode which has 32 levels, Arcade Mode unlocks, where you have to finish all the levels in sequence with a limited number of lives. We have a special leaderboard for this level. That's the place where the most highly skilled players can show off their skills. Lastly, I love this old genre and we are confident that we have done our best to be a worthy successor. I hope you feel the same. Good luck and have fun!  Mokoko XNAISU $11.49 About Mokoko X was inspired from the arcade games from 1980s and 1990s, a popular gaming style back in the time. Mokoko X looks to resurrect the soul of the arcade genre while adding a modern touch. There are 32 levels in Mokoko X; each level has its own unique boss and minions. The main goal is assisting the unlucky girls that need help from the weird bosses. This is sometimes passing a mobile game level, sometimes helping out with the insects in the kitchen. Gameplay The main goal is conquering the bigger portion of the screen. While you are in your own area, you are safe from the enemies until your shield empties. You conquer new areas by drawing out of your area. Drawing, however, deactivates your shield and exposes you to danger. Your shield decreases constantly. If you do not conquer at a certain frequency, your shield will burn out and you will not be safe on your own areas as well. There are 3 difficulties in the game. The difficulty affects enemies, your shield, and required conquered area percentage for the victory. Stories Have you ever asked these questions to yourself: How do you stop a heartless but not soulless emperor? Can someone be a gyroscope and a guard dog at the same time? Why do those ducks attack us? Are there really demonic headphones in the world? Why do lizardmen need a plastic toy for summoning their god? How do you become a villain after revolting against the ant queen? What do scientists want from Albert the wonderful sea creature? Well, Mokoko X answers all these questions and more! Here are some missions! – Help out Iren with her arachnophobia and fight with the imaginary spider Mr.Fyodorov. – Protect Issa's house from getting pillaged by the ghost pirates stuck inside the anchors. They were not the bane of Seven Seas – the crew was killed in their first naval battle. – Toru wished to be a mosquito to annoy people. A local witch heard him, and transformed him into a mosquito. Now he causes trouble to people every night. Fight against the weird enemies… … and learn about their absurd stories! Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Spring Brings a Whole New Closet to A Gummy’s Life! |
| Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Posted: 22 Apr 2022 12:00 PM PDT It's been more than two years since the release of Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York and almost one-and-a-half years since Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York premiered. As far as single-player, story-driven, self-contained games go, an obvious assumption to make is that once a title like that ships, the work is done and the project is complete, right? Well, not quite! Vampire: The Masquerade and World of Darkness in general are properties beloved all around the world. The fan community spans the globe, and especially for games that rely on written content as much as Coteries and Shadows do, localization is extremely important. Back in late 2019 Draw Distance was just under 20 people strong (we're somewhat bigger these days), and the team responsible for the standalone follow-up to Coteries, Shadows of New York, was roughly the same size. As you can imagine, when it comes to translations – which are crucial to let as many players as possible enjoy the stories we tell – outside help is needed.  And it's not an altogether easy process, either! Not only does it require coordination between the core team and the translators, it also involves the license holder, who ensures that the game content is aligned to the brand, and takes care to keep each game consistent in terms of how setting-specific terms are used for each language. This takes the form of a huge glossary that answers nine out of ten questions, but some specific terms might have a history of being translated differently in the past, having fan-favorite terms that might or might not be reflected "officially" etc. – these need additional consulting with the license holder. Navigating all of that is no easy feat: it's time consuming and requires the work of many people before a language update is released for the players to enjoy.  To date, Coteries of New York's original English script has been translated and recently updated into Japanese, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Russian and German, while Shadows of New York enjoyed a French, Brazilian Portuguese and Russian translation – and we're not done yet! In this way, our Vampire: The Masquerade games keep living on and being supported despite being "done" many months ago.  That's not the only way in which our creative work becomes part of the World of Darkness story legacy, however. There is one important integration between our games and Vampire: The Masquerade. World of Darkness brand team announced that next official Vampire tabletop actual play stream, "New York by Night", is inspired by both Coteries and Shadows. The chronicle, which will broadcast first on Twitch and then on YouTube later this year, features events and characters who appear in both Draw Distance games. Chronologically, this story starts after the events of Coteries, and proceeds in parallel with the events of Shadows of New York video game. The streaming chronicle outpaces the events of Shadows, but does not identify a particular ending of the game, allowing everyone to enjoy both. We're very excited to be bringing this new dimension to World of Darkness transmedia storytelling.  Now is a great time to explore the dark and evermore immersive Vampire: the Masquerade universe on Xbox, since the ID@Xbox Un-Halloween Horror sale starts today!  Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New YorkDraw Distance S.A. $19.99 $3.99 Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York presents the conflict between two vampiric factions: the traditionalist Camarilla and the fiercely independent Anarchs. It's a unique, atmospheric, single-player narrative experience, set in the rich universe of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition. – Choose one of three pre-defined characters and play as a Ventrue, Toreador or Brujah – Each playable character offers a selection of powers (Disciplines), different ethical approaches to certain issues, and unique dialogue lines – Character-oriented quests allow you to meet four unique NPCs: a Tremere sorcerer, a Nosferatu detective, a Gangrel of conflicted loyalties and a Malkavian multifoliate online personality with their own agendas. Win their hearts and minds and up to two of them will assist you in the finale – Depending on your choice of the Clan you will be able to see the events from a distinct perspective. One playthrough is not enough to see all the game has to offer! Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Spring Brings a Whole New Closet to A Gummy’s Life! |
| Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Posted: 22 Apr 2022 11:00 AM PDT Hey Survivors! Get ready to relive '90s retro survival horror with Outbreak Contagious Memories], now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One via Smart Delivery. Designed to be a spiritual successor to '90s gaming landmarks like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Alone in the Dark, you're trapped in a city ravaged by the undead – can you make it out alive? Join Lydia in her desperate struggle to escape, either alone or with a friend in co-op. Continue reading for behind-the-scenes reveals and a lot more!  Spiritual Successor The Outbreak series is all about reliving terrifying moments from the history of survival horror, and Outbreak: Contagious Memories drags you back to one of the most important eras. The game is designed to play like a narrative-focused tough-as-nails adventure straight from the '90s, including optional fixed camera views, strict inventory and resource management, shared item caches, limited consumable items to save, and much more. You can even optionally choose to play with old-school tank controls! But, for those out there who may prefer a more modern interpretation of the greats, you can also choose between over-the-shoulder or first-person-shooter views with precision aiming and modern movement! This is also the first title in the Outbreak series to have full voice acting across the entire game, and it's absolutely as cheesy as you'd expect!  Retro Technical Innovation Imagine a late '90s 3D title married with the next-gen technology of 2022, and you'll have a pretty good idea of where our nightmare is headed. Real-time reflections and shadows, dynamic gore that sticks to the environment, and much more meet high framerates and quick load times. The environments will capture you with their dark and moody corridors, alongside a vicious thunderstorm raging all around. It's just you and your flashlight hoping to find respite in a world burning to the ground. Your enemies will be using every advantage they can find to kill you, leaping from the shadows and surprising you just when you feel the safest.  Outbreak: Contagious Memories is the most technically advanced title in the series, and makes full use of Xbox Series X|S to power all of these great effects while still supporting great framerates, even in optional two-player co-op splitscreen! But for those of you still waiting to upgrade, you'll find the Xbox One and Xbox One X versions of the title are tailored towards those consoles, still featuring fast load times, snappy framerates, and more bells and whistles than you'd think!  Bonus Modes, Unlockables, and More! This undead epidemic is brimming with everything you'd expect in '90s survival horror. Experience the story mode, complete with cheesy voice acting and over-the-top-gore, as you work with fellow survivors to escape a city collapsing around you. Once you've survived that nightmare, jump into the unlockable bonus mode, Operation: Rabid Wolf, a hardcore arcade experience inspired by classic Resident Evil bonus modes where you'll blast your way through hordes of the undead across a wide cast of characters, each with their own loadouts, as you fight to rescue survivors strewn around the city. Finally, you'll spend points you earn to unlock gameplay modifiers like damage resistance, unlimited ammo, explosive ammo, and other fun modes that need to be seen to believe. All of the content in the game is playable either in solo or in two-player splitscreen co-op. In co-op, you and your partner are on equal footing – with your own inventories, weapons and limited amount of health. You'll need to work together to outsmart the hordes, solve puzzles, share resources, and survive. If either of you dies, it's game over, and you'll be thrown back to your last save point, or even worse, the beginning of the game!  Passion Project The entire Outbreak series is created by a solo indie developer dedicated to helping fellow fans of the genre travel back in time to the '90s. The series now has seven unique entries, starting from a 2D overhead adventure in the original Outbreak,to over-the-shoulder action in Outbreak: Epidemic], and even semi-procedurally generated rogue-like adventures in Outbreak: Endless Nightmares. Experience the series at a great price with the Outbreak Palladium Collection and Outbreak Gold Collection, all of which include Outbreak: Contagious Memories!  We'll Meet Again Thank you for reading and supporting the revival of classic survival horror. Dead Drop Studios has plenty more stories to share in the Outbreak universe, as well as some fun surprises ahead that you may not expect. Stay tuned as we battle further into 2022 for more news. And, don't forget to pick up Outbreak: Contagious Memories, now available!  Outbreak: Contagious MemoriesDead Drop Studios LLC $29.99 Xbox One X Enhanced Outbreak: Contagious Memories is a send-up to classic 90's horror series like Resident Evil and Silent Hill where your survival will be determined by moment-to-moment decisions, what you decide to carry, and how good you are at spotting conveniently written notes. After being knocked unconscious, Lydia awakens in an abandoned warehouse as fellow survivors debate leaving her behind. Not one to play the helpless maiden, Lydia takes charge, forging a path through crafty environmental puzzles and hordes of the undead to figure out a way for her and her fellow survivors to escape the city. Resources are scarce, is it worth that extra bullet to take down a zombie? Or maybe you should take a risk and try to dodge it. You will have to think on your feet and decide how best to approach every situation. A bullet saved is a bullet earned, but medical supplies are hard to come by in undead uprisings. It's a nightmare scenario, but you don't have to go it alone, grab a friend and work together to escape the city in fully integrated co-op, and look at any scenario from the perspective that suits you with fully integrated 1st person, 3rd person, and fixed cameras. Escape the zombie outbreak your way! Still hungry for more? With plenty of unlockable bonus content like Operation: Rabid Wolf, work with your friends or compete against them, whether it's fighting through the city to rescue survivors, or to beat the main game in record time with nothing but your fists. With plenty of additional content to unlock, one run won't be enough to see everything Outbreak: Contagious Memories has to offer. Features: Classic survival horror mechanics. Inventory and resource management, conveniently written and placed notes, backtracking and puzzles. Full co-op integration, play through the full game solo or with a friend! Integrated camera control, choose between 1st person, 3rd person, and classic fixed camera. Hordes of undead, mutated beasts, and monsters with lots of extra teeth. Unlock Operation: Rabid Wolf, an arcade bonus game where you fight through the city alone or with a friend rescuing survivors. Plenty of unlockable bonus content and game modes. Voice acting that's almost cheesy enough to put in a sandwich! Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Spring Brings a Whole New Closet to A Gummy’s Life! |
| Spring Brings a Whole New Closet to A Gummy’s Life! Posted: 22 Apr 2022 10:00 AM PDT Summary
We have a new reason to party! After bringing the sweetest addition to the game – the ability to customize your gummies with cosmetics – A Gummy's Life has also given players a couple of interesting updates, including a new map, the ability to ping your character, and online multiplayer customization. Players have also been getting exclusive new cosmetics following special events and holidays. Now, you can rejoice in the newest addition brought to the game: a whole new closet! A complete new set of cosmetics will be ready for you as a reward for your efforts. The already unlocked hats and glasses will remain in your inventory, but there's a catch! That past season is over and those cosmetics won't be available to unlock for other gummies anymore (or will they?). So, time to show off your old collection and start collecting as many pieces as you can from the new one!  This new content update is a very special one for those who love the thrill of opening a new present at the end of their online matches. Since the launch of the game on Xbox, online players could get their reward among a closed set of cosmetics and only special holidays and events have brought players new hats and glasses to freshen their in-game looks, but, with this update, their whole closet gets a huge makeover. To get the new hats and glasses available, players just need to remember old mechanics, since the way to unlock cosmetics remains unchanged: just play online matchmaking and, as soon as you finish your game, you'll get to open a present with a random cosmetic, assigned to a random gummy. So, if you want to get every single new look for every gummy, you'd better get playing! This second collection brings you the best looks of the season, so that everyone can show off their prices for engaging in crazy gummy brawls, but also gives completionists a whole new set of awesome unlockable content. Everyone can now start enjoying the new feeling of freshness for the spring season!  No matter if you're into basic looks or you'd rather put on a crazy animal print, A Gummy's Life new closet brings you everything to make the perfect look. Now, get ready to battle and get those new looks to make every victory shine even brighter. Good luck!  A Gummy's LifeEP Games $19.99 Warning! The gummies have come to life… and they have gone fruit loopy! The gummies have invaded the city, they're everywhere: in the football stadium, the park, the fortress, the fairground, even in the beehive?! It's impossible to keep your eyes off the relentless free-for-all gummy action with their floppy fist fights and sweet yet savage sucker punches. They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but since gummies don't have pens, they use their surroundings to terrible effect. And you thought they were so sweet! PICK AND MIX So many gummies to choose from! Choose your preferred flavour and jump into the hilarious wacky battles with friends and family. Unlock different cosmetics to customize your gummies even more. There can only be one champion so show everyone who rules over the sugar! Its winner takes all and that includes the newly unlocked gummies to play with. Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One |
| Next Week on Xbox: April 25 to 29 Posted: 22 Apr 2022 07:00 AM PDT Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for more details (release dates subject to change). Let's jump in! Research and Destroy – April 26 – Xbox Game Pass  Take control of three brilliant Super Scientists in this turn-based action game as you research and develop strange new weapons and gadgets to destroy the Supernatural hordes that have all but crushed humanity! Available on console and PC. The Sorrowvirus – A Faceless Short Story – April 27  Follow the journey of Wyatt Heyll, a young man stricken with a multitude of ailments from an early age. On the verge of death, Wyatt's parents administer a paranormal substance known as the Sorrowvirus, which contaminates the human soul and prevents it from passing on to the afterlife. This causes a subject to fall into Purgatory instead, where they can heal and return to life. However, every time Wyatt comes back, his cancers and illnesses return more quickly than before. Bugsnax – April 28 – Xbox Game Pass – PC Game Pass  Bugsnax takes you on a journey to Snaktooth Island, home of the legendary half-bug, half-snack creatures, Bugsnax. Invited by intrepid explorer Elizabert Megafig, you arrive to discover your host nowhere to be found, her camp in shambles, and her followers scattered across the island alone… and hungry! Available on cloud, console, and PC. The House of the Dead: Remake – April 28  A remade version of the original game introduced in 1997 arcades. A classic arcade rail-shooter that gets a whole new entourage and gameplay changes to suit modern gaming standards.  A 2D precision platformer that requires you to discover the best route to the end of the level. The difficulty curve gradually increases as you progress through the game, requiring even more mastery of the controls and other precise movement. Rico: London – April 28 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S – Smart Delivery  Rico London is a gang-busting, explosive co-op shooter. Blast your way up the high-rise tower on New Year's Eve 1999 taking out East End gangsters solo or with a partner. Crash through doors, dodge bullets, take out the bad guys, and do whatever it takes to make it to the top. Rogue Legacy 2 – April 28 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S – Smart Delivery  Rogue Legacy 2 is what you’d get if you mashed Rogue Legacy and a sequel together. Every time you die, your children will succeed you. Your daughter might be a Colorblind Ranger, and your son could be a Pacifistic Chef. Either way, one of them is getting conscripted. Unsouled – April 28 – Xbox Game Pass  Take on the role of the Fallen Prince in Unsouled , a stylish, fast-paced 2D action-RPG. Fight your way through interactive environments and adrenaline-pumping encounters as you unravel the mysteries behind this world filled with the undead. Galactic Wars EX – April 29 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S – Smart Delivery  Play solo or co-op with a friend to battle a variety of enemies, bosses, and mini bosses. You can choose three different ships to fight as, each with different capabilities. More weapons and power-ups for you in this 16-bit inspired shoot ’em up.  A fun, top-down arcade racing game with retro style graphics where you control little cars racing over thrilling tracks. Start your engines and prepare for one of the wildest racing games ever featuring fast-paced racing with 16-bit styled graphics. Ravenous Devils – April 29 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S – Smart Delivery  Percival and Hildred have just moved to the city with nothing but a dream: to get extremely rich. Manage their tailor shop and corpse-cooking business in a city where crime, corruption, and poverty are commonplace. Increase the renown of their business by buying new tools and upgrading the shops in this horror cooking simulator where the secret ingredient is crime. Related:Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Bugsnax, Unsouled, 7 Days to Die, and More Next Week on Xbox April 18 to 22 Bugsnax Available April 28 with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass |
| Celebrate Earth Day with Team Xbox Posted: 22 Apr 2022 12:01 AM PDT Today, Team Xbox is excited to celebrate Earth Day. Our mission is to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We also recognize the impact that gaming has on our environment. Microsoft has set ambitious commitments to significantly reduce the company's environmental impact and operate as a carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste company by 2030. In support of this, Xbox is also working to reduce its negative environmental impact while continuing to produce the high-quality gaming products and experiences our fans know and love. Team Xbox is making changes across all stages of the product lifecycle in order to meet our corporate sustainability commitments. You can read more about these efforts and what you can do to help reduce your impact in our recent Xbox Sustainability wire post. To find more ways you can reduce your impact on the environment while playing in the Xbox ecosystem, check out what you can do in our latest blog post. We also recently launched our all new Xbox Sustainability Hub. We invite the community to visit and stay current with the latest updates from Xbox. We look forward to celebrating all that Xbox is doing to drive change and make positive impact in sustainable gaming. Here are some of the ways that team Xbox is celebrating and increasing environmental awareness on Earth Day: Gaming and Impact with Microsoft Rewards: World Wildlife Fund, Water.org, and The Nature Conservancy Microsoft Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to support select environmental organizations with Xbox. The below organizations will be featured on console throughout April:
Xbox gamers can earn Microsoft Rewards points in various ways, such as playing or purchasing games after downloading the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox. Earn points and redeem them for real rewards. Join us today and donate through Xbox. Xbox Plays Celebrating Earth Day week with Streamer Takeovers  During the week of April 18 through 22, the Xbox Twitch Channel celebrated Earth Day by featuring environmentally focused streamer takeovers. Explore Amazing Worlds This Earth Day with Xbox Game Pass  While many fans continue to experience widespread social distancing and isolation, we invite our Xbox community to explore amazing worlds through gaming! From building, crafting, or exploration on earth or other worlds, Xbox Game Pass has created an Earth Day inspired collection. Other games feature survival themes in challenging environments and elements of creating or caring for life in sustainable ways. Enjoy exploring! Featured Games
Platform and game availability will vary by region. Learn more about platform and game availability. Minecraft Celebrates Earth Day with New Recycled and Organic Content Product, Learning Content, and Build Challenges  In celebration of Earth Day, Mojang Studios is launching new learning content and a monthly build challenge for Minecraft: Education Edition. Classrooms around the world are tuning in for virtual lessons where students meet sustainability experts and explore Climate Futures, a set of Minecraft worlds created in partnership with Met Office. Microsoft and Xbox worked with the UK Government's Environment Agency to develop a flood preparedness world for Minecraft: Education Edition, which was also launched in UK schools this month. Mojang is also launching a new Earth Day collection of products on Minecraftshop.com that are made from organic or recycled content, including a new Minecraft playset by Mattel. Mattel shares our sustainable vision by highlighting that the new Minecraft Transforming Turtle Hideout Playset is made from a minimum of 20 percent recycled ocean-bound plastic. Find more activities for Earth Day with Minecraft. Hog Wild Nameplate for Halo: The Master Chief Collection  In Halo: The Master Chief Collection, our players can customize their profile with special nameplates commemorating in-game activities or celebrating special events. To bring awareness to the celebration of Earth Day, any players who log in from April 20 to 27 will receive this special 'Hog Wild' nameplate, a not-so-subtle nod to the Warthog vehicle! Celebrate Earth Day with Forza  Inspired by Xbox’s Earth Day and sustainability visual design, this chameleon-themed livery (with polychromatic rims) adorns the 2015 BMW i8, a hybrid, plug-in electric vehicle. The Earth Day livery is being gifted today to players in Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Horizon 4. Keep an eye on the Forza Horizon Twitter to see when it’s been delivered to your in-game Message Center. In Forza Motorsport 7, players will receive the same car and themed livery, as well as rare Earth Day-themed driver gear, by participating in the “Celebrate Earth Day” Rivals event set on the picturesque rolling hills of Virginia International Raceway. The event ends April 26th. Obsidian's Grounded Celebrates Earth Day with Art Contest and T-Shirt Sales Benefiting Captain Planet Foundation!  For Earth Day, Grounded hosted the #FrankenArtContest benefitting the Captain Planet Foundation! During this event, we asked our community to create a design worthy of being printed on a t-shirt using the in-game Frankenline. The finalists are announced, and the winners’ voting will happen live at PAX at the Main Theater and on Twitch! Everyone can tune in on April 23 at 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT to watch the vote and check out upcoming unreleased content to the game. Which design will be placed on a t-shirt and sold in our store, with proceeds going to the Captain Planet Foundation? Check out the PAX panel live to find out! Learn more about the contest and read the rules here. Buy your Grounded Gear here! Age of Empires Honors the History of Earth Day  Over the last few decades, sustainability has become a relevant topic discussed across the globe. An urgency to protect the world's resources, habitats and ecosystems has rapidly increased as the impacts of global climate change and finite resources become more noticeable with each passing day. International Mother Earth Day was established as a day to recognize, educate and urge people to act, protect, and respect the nature surrounding them. Learn more about International Mother Earth Day with Age of Empires as they explore how the world is standing united to save our planet. Microsoft Casual Games Celebrates Earth's Beauty  This month we celebrate our vast and unique planet, and those who work to care for and sustain its health and beauty for generations to enjoy. Experience panoramas of our world through the brilliant brush strokes of artists who have captured its beauty in the newest Microsoft Jigsaw collection – Earth on Canvas. Click here for collection details. To learn more about Microsoft's commitment to Sustainability and how you can contribute through your own conservation efforts, click here. Xbox Honors Earth Day with a New Gamerpic, Profile Theme, and Avatar Items!   In partnership with the Sustainability team at Xbox, we're introducing a new gamerpic, profile themes, and avatar items! The gamerpic and profile theme will be available on console and the Xbox PC app. The profile theme and gamerpic will be visible on all platforms (including mobile and Game Bar), but gamers can change the profile theme on the console and the Xbox app on PC. Get your avatar items here. We invite you to join us on our continued journey and learn more about Xbox's sustainability efforts at our all-new Sustainability Hub. Related:Ghost Garden Games: Women-Led Independent Developer Studio Shares Their Experience at Xbox Game Studios Game Camp New Orleans Celebrate One Million Pirate Legends with Sea of Thieves Legends Week Welcome to the Festival of Ages |
| Forge Your Legacy in Asterigos, a New Fantasy Action RPG Coming to Xbox in 2022 Posted: 21 Apr 2022 12:30 PM PDT Take a closer look at the enemies and the world of Asterigos before you venture on your unforgettable and dangerous journey later this year.Hello! My name is Cheng Hsien Lin, I'm the Game Director at Acme Gamestudio and today I'd like to tell you more about our game Asterigos: Curse of the Stars. This is a fantasy third person action RPG inspired by Greek and Roman mythologies. You play as Hilda – a brave young warrior from the Northwind Legion who embarks on a journey to the great City of Aphes in order to save her lost father, whilst discovering the truth behind the city’s curse. The way Hilda fights is entirely tied to her character progression, and it's fully adjustable to let players decide on their own combat style. The talent system allows you to pick and expand the way you fight by choosing two out of six completely different weapons on the go and mix them as you wish. The gameplay elements are inspired by souls like games alongside a lighter, dynamic combat system, to create a fresh take on the modern action RPG genre, providing you with harmonious difficulty and exploration balance. But let’s talk about everything in order! Welcome to the City of AphesYour journey starts in the magnificent ancient City of Aphes. From the mist-covered bazaar streets to gloomy sewers and deep chasms full of glittering crystals, the landscapes of Aphes are breathtaking and full of danger. You will be able to learn more about the city and the world in general by collecting various notes, visiting places of interest, interacting with locals, and reading through Hilda's journal, which she'll update throughout her journey.  Each area of the city is truly unique and different, not only in visual style but also in the enemies that inhabit them. Be on your guard as you contemplate the majestic buildings around you! Master your combat skillsAs mentioned before, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars features a robust and dynamic combat system. Hilda can pick from a number of different types of weapons like sword and shield, dual blades, spear, war hammer, staff or even magic bracelets, and equip two of them at the time. You can also swap any weapon to another one to better adjust your tactics and combat style on the go, making you completely unpredictable to your enemies!  Additionally you can improve each weapon and level up your special abilities. Experiment with your combat style and find what suits you best. Meet your enemiesLet’s talk about enemies. The world of Asterigos is full of dangerous and unorthodox creatures. There are more than 60 different enemies that players can encounter on their journey. Some are easy to deal with, while others possess incredible powers that will not be so easy to handle.  Take this enemy. The acolytes transform into werewolves and as a consequence they completely change their behavior in combat. The long-range attacks are being replaced by close-range combat. Take down the mighty bossesLet's talk about boss fights! You can expect to fight more than 20 powerful mythical bosses, each with its own unique battle mechanics. Think fast, pick the right weapons combination, learn the combat patterns and you will emerge victorious!  This giant crocodile is one of the many colossuses that Hilda needs to slain and overcome on her journey to the heart of the Aphes. Dodge its lightning-fast attacks and strike with a combination of swift melee attacks and ranged shots. Don't forget to block and heal, otherwise this giant will feast with some brave and young warrior! While the development of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is in full swing, and there's still a lot that needs to be done, we're happy to say that we're partnering with tinyBuild who will be helping us to publish the game in the Autumn of 2022 on PC and Xbox! We'll be sharing more new news on the development of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars in future, so keep an eye out for more articles and videos, and we hope to see you in the City of Aphes! Related:Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One |
| Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles Launches Today on the Xbox Store Posted: 21 Apr 2022 12:00 PM PDT Hi there, We're Luminawesome Games, a small team of four core members based in Vancouver, Canada, and we're super excited to announce that our 3D puzzle platformer, Lumote:The Mastermote Chronicles, is squishing, bopping and bouncing its way onto Xbox One today! Making Lumote has been a real labor of love. It is, without doubt, our passion project. It makes us immensely proud to see what started out as an Unreal Global Game Jam-winning project finally launch on the Xbox Store! The game is set in the Great Depths, a sprawling aquatic world filled with bioluminescent creatures known as 'Motes' who spend their lives deep in the bioverse, living on the rhythms of the electronica soundscape. In the game you play as Lumote, a cute, squishy, bio-luminescent creature on a mission to overthrow the Mastermote. To do so, you'll need to descend through an expansive maze-like series of platforms, and take control of the world's inhabitants on your quest to seize control.  As you can see from the images here, the game is full of vibrant neon colours and has an inviting relaxing atmosphere (and soundtrack), and will, we hope, present gamers with a number of rather clever colour-based puzzles to navigate! So, let's dive into the bioverse and take a closer look at some of the key features found within Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles.  Complex and Evolving Puzzles Gameplay revolves around solving a series of self-contained puzzle rooms, which increase in complexity with each Mote you meet. Once you complete your first playthrough, players can switch roles and take on an even more complex series of puzzles, as the Mastermote! Take Control 'Possession' is the core mechanic found within the game, this refers to Lumote's ability to take control of the world's inhabitants in order to help solve puzzles. This is what allows Lumote to truly interact with the world around it. Each Mote has a unique set of abilities, which players can continually discover as they progress through the game. Early on, players will meet the 'Dumbat', a bizarre little block which powers any other Mote it is resting on. Combining this with the friendly sea slug-like creature, the 'Hover Mover', allows players to transport 'Dumbat' wherever they see fit in order to complete the puzzle. We like to think of the Motes as adorable, luminescent 'tools' to help Lumote take over the world to overthrow the mighty Mastermote!  Seafoam Moocher In the game players will squish, bop and bounce through the world around them. Lumote is extremely curious, highly inquisitive and adorable! You might start the game for the puzzles, but we hope you'll stay for the super-cute Lumote, who we wanted to present an emotional connection to players through non-verbal expressions. The Greatest Depths The Great Depths is a single massive environment with over 50 puzzles separated by towers. Each of these towers marks the players mastery of a specific Mote and unlocks a whole new set of puzzles to explore. There are no loading screens. Instead, the world has been specifically designed using our bespoke rEngine – an original engine built from the ground up for Lumote – so that players can stand anywhere and see all of the progress they have made and everything they have left to do.  Within this world, we have purposely created a contrast between the ominous darkness surrounding each level and the luminous blue and red pathways. Everything that glows is of great importance, and the vibrancy of the environment ties into the level of importance something has within the puzzle itself. This, accompanied by the audio design, enhances the organic, yet cybernetic feel of the aquatic, bioluminescent world that Lumote resides in. We encourage players to stop at any point within Lumote, and take in everything surrounding them – it's such a visually appealing, highly immersive world, which we hope players can take pure enjoyment, and maybe even some inspiration, from. At the greatest depths is the unlikeliest, cutest, hero! Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles is available from today on the Xbox Store.  Lumote: The Mastermote ChroniclesWired Productions $19.99 Seafoam Moocher Squish, bop and bounce through the world around you. Lumote is extremely curious, highly inquisitive and adorable! You might start the game for the puzzles, but you'll stay for the beyond cute Lumote, who manages to deliver an emotional connection to players through non-verbal expressions! The Greatest Depths The world Lumote lives in is a single, massive environment with numerous puzzles separated into towers. Each tower marks your mastery of a specific Mote and unlocks a new set of puzzles to explore as you descend, heading deeper into the Great Depths. After mastering all the motes from the first world, players will be put to the test in a masterclass, taking control of the Mastermote in a different world! Complex and Evolving Puzzles Set in a 3D world full of puzzles and adventure, clever and logical level design eases players in the role of Lumote, and its connection with the world, whilst increasing the complexity with each Mote you meet. The entire world and every puzzle are visible at all times. Electronica Sounds A stunning score accompanies you on a majestical electronica journey, as The Great Depths communicates through music to inform you of key moments and the emotional states of Lumote. rEngine Using the original rEngine, Lumote's puzzles are all interconnected and you can seamlessly go from one puzzle to the next as you progress with zero loading times. As you journey through The Great Depths, you can look down and see what's left to do and look up and see all the progress you've made soundscape, on one epic journey! Photomode See the world of Lumote through the photo mode. Find the perfect angle and share online as Lumote poses for the camera! Mokoko X Revives the Old Beloved Arcade Genre Today Keeping Storytelling Alive: Localization and Legacy in Vampire the Masquerade Outbreak: Contagious Memories Is Available Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One |
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