If you had told me a few years ago that one of my upcoming gaming weekends would be spent playing as a samurai owl running through an 80s synthwave-infused cyberpunk version of feudal Japan, I probably would have laughed. Yet, here we are. Atomic Owl, developed by Monster Theater and published by eastasiasoft, recently made its way to Xbox, and after spending some quality time with it on the Series X, I’ve got some thoughts.
Continue reading
If you’ve spent any time scrolling through YouTube over the last few years, chances are you’ve stumbled across Viva La Dirt League. Their Epic NPC Man sketches—which lovingly poke fun at the absolute absurdity of open-world RPG tropes—are legendary.
And if you know the channel, you know Baelin. He’s the simple, endlessly cheerful fisherman NPC whose entire existence consists of walking a set path, holding a fishing rod, and happily chirping his singular line: “Morning! Nice day for fishing, ain’t it!”
Well, someone finally gave Baelin his own game. Published by Team17 and developed by FusionPlay, Nice Day for Fishing for Xbox turns a brilliant running internet joke into a surprisingly addictive, charming little Action-RPG/Fishing hybrid.
Continue reading
Ever since Balatro completely hijacked our collective free time, the gaming world has been desperately hunting for the next great roguelike card obsession. There is something intoxicating about taking a classic, universally understood tabletop game, wrapping it in modern mechanics, and giving players the power to break the rules.
Enter Black Jacket, developed by Mi’pu’mi Games and published by Skystone Games. It dropped quietly on Xbox Series X|S last month for $14.99, and if you have any weakness for deckbuilders or high-stakes risk-management, it is going to absolutely ruin your sleep schedule.
But instead of playing with a poker hand, this time you’re sitting down at the ultimate underworld casino floor. Your game of choice? Blackjack. The stakes? Your literal soul.
Continue reading
If you told me a year ago that one of my favorite gaming experiences would involve pulling the lever on a slot machine to hack a skeleton to pieces, I probably would have laughed. But here we are.
Solo developer Friedemann (the brilliant mind behind the cozy building game SUMMERHOUSE) teamed up with indie publisher Future Friends Games to bring Slots & Daggers to consoles, including Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. And let me tell you, it is an absolute blast of dopamine, crunchy beats, and retro charm.
Continue reading
If you’ve been following my deep dives into Formula Legends on Xbox, you know I have a massive soft spot for this game. 3DClouds built a fantastic foundation that leans heavily into open-wheel racing history. When I reviewed the Raw Power Pack last November, I fell in love with how it leaned into striking, historically inspired machines, even if the physics demanded absolute simulation-heavy precision. Then came December’s Tech Power Pack, which pushed the envelope with bizarre, experimental vehicles that truly tested my racing lines. Most recently, in January, I took a nostalgic trip through blown diffusers and screaming V8s in the Early 2010’s Season Pack.
But for their latest expansion, 3DClouds isn’t looking backward. They are leaping straight into the modern, high-tech world of electric motorsport.
Formula Legends: Formula E – Electric Evolution is out now, and it changes the entire tempo of the game. If you’re used to the roaring engines of the classic eras, the immediate, high-pitched whine of these electric beasts is going to be a total paradigm shift.
Continue reading
We’ve all been there: staring down a neon-lit arcade claw machine, convinced that this is the time we’ll actually grab that plushie, only to watch the metal hand limp-drop and slip right off. It’s a mix of hope, mild frustration, and addictive “just one more coin” energy.
Now, imagine taking that exact feeling, putting a pastel-colored fantasy coat of paint on it, and smashing it together with a deck-building roguelike.
That is the bizarre, genius premise behind Dungeon Clawler, an indie gem from Stray Fawn Studio that just hit Xbox Series X|S. If you like games like Slay the Spire or Balatro but want something that replaces card math with arcade physics, this is the game you need to download right now.
Continue reading
Whether you grew up with a Game Boy in your hands or you’re just a fan of deep RPGs, you’ve probably felt that itch for a creature-collector that actually respects your intelligence. Most games in the genre lean into the “cuddly” and “whimsical,” but Monster Crown: Sin Eater—just released on Xbox—is a very different beast.
If the original Monster Crown was a love letter to the darker corners of 90s handheld gaming, Sin Eater is the grit and the consequence that comes after. Here’s why this one should be on your radar.
Continue reading
If you’re anything like me, your Xbox library is a constant battle between high-stress competitive shooters and the “I just want to rot on the couch with a coffee” indies. Lately, I’ve been leaning hard into the latter, which is how I stumbled upon Inkling Cats: Beneath the Dreams.
On the surface, it’s a game about kittens. But beneath that cute exterior—literally “beneath the dreams”—is a surprisingly deep, ink-splattered roguelike that feels like a love letter to childhood imagination.
Continue reading
If you’re anything like me, you probably spent way too many hours in the early 2000s obsessed with isometric tactical games. There was just something about that gritty, top-down perspective and the “pause-and-plan” strategy that felt so much more rewarding than a standard shooter.
While many people start at the beginning of a series, my introduction to this world actually began with the sequel, Dustwind – Resistance. Taking command of Jake and his loyal dog, Diesel, was a trial by fire that immediately hooked me on the series’ brutal “Active Pause” combat. It felt like a modern evolution of the Fallout Tactics DNA I grew up loving.
However, after successfully leading that insurgency, I felt compelled to go back and see where the console journey truly began. That led me to Dustwind – The Last Resort for Xbox.
Continue reading
Whether you’re looking to blow off some steam after a long day or you’ve got a weirdly specific itch for arcade-style carnage, there’s a new indie title on Xbox that might catch your eye: Zombies Overloaded.
Developed by Vinterm Games, this title isn’t trying to be the next Last of Us with deep, emotional storytelling. Instead, it leans hard into that classic “Smash TV” vibe—one room, a ton of weapons, and way too many zombies.
Here’s the lowdown on what it’s like to actually play it.
Continue reading