Xbox Games Showcase + Starfield Direct — Recap
Xbox released its recent game showcase and will continue with the Starfield Direct immediately after. Lets look at the highlights of the show.
Fable
Release Date: TBA
Starting off the show is a new Fable game. You’ll be playing as a regular human in a world full of giants such as actor Richar Ayoade as Dave the Vegetable Enthusiast, ala Jack and the beanstalk. Werewolves will also be present in the game!
Star Wars Outlaws
Release Date: 2024
Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars game features Kay Vess as an outlaw on the run and gets caught up with the crime syndicate Outer Rim. Gameplay walkthrough will be revealed at the Ubisoft Forward presentation.
Payday 3
Release Date: September 21, 2023
Trailer for the heist co-op FPS game Payday 3 was shown. The Payday Gang comes out of retirement to continue their thirst for robbing banks and fight their way against police.
Persona 3 Reload
Release Date: Early 2024
The original Persona 3 has now been remade into a visual style similar to Persona 5. The reveal trailer showed some exploration, social interactions, combat, and Tartarus.
As a new Persona fan after my Persona 5 playthrough, I’m excited to try this one out and play more of the Persona games. Even better if this comes out for the Nintendo Switch.
Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island
Release Date: July 20, 2023
Rare and Lucas Arts team up for a collaboration of Sea of Thieves and the legendary adventure series Monkey Island. This expansion features several iconic characters from Monkey Island, and new adventures to sail on. Best of all, this new original story can be played for free!
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Release Date: 2024
A new Flight Simulator has been revealed with lots of new features such as aerial firefighting, search and rescue, helicopter cargo transport, air ambulance, agricultural aviation, mountain rescue, skydive aviation, aerial construction, industrial cargo transport, remote cargo ops, VIP charter service, air racing, glider pilot, scientific research, experimental flight, low altitude training, executive transport service, airship tour, and hot air balloon trips. THAT’S A LOT. And the visuals are very good too, so this is bound to be a very enjoyable experience.
Also, there will be Dune crossover coming to the existing Microsoft Flight Simulator this November 3rd (in time with the movie).
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Release Date: TBA
This new game from Capcom lets you explore feudal Japan and fight supernatural creatures and various yokai. The art style of this game is similar to Onimusha.
Persona 5 Tactica
Release Date: November 17, 2023
The Phantom Thieves of Hearts make a comeback in this turn-based spinoff of Persona 5. Aside from the new gameplay, new characters, and story, a different setting will also be introduced.
Tactical games are one of my favorite game genres, and partner that with Persona 5, this is definitely a must buy for one. So excited for this game!
Jusant
Release Date: Fall 2023
Explore biomes and uncover the secrets of the tower’s past with this artistic action-puzzle climbing game from Don’t Nod, the developers of Life Is Strange.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Keanu Reeves returns as Johnny Silverhand in the upcoming expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty. This new adventure reunites Johnny and V on a dangerous spy mission and introduces Idris Elba as secret agent Solomon Reed. As a player, you’ll get to visit Dogtown, an unexplored part of Night City and rescue the president of the New United States of America. Expect a massive expansion, twists, secrets, and plenty of stuff to do.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Release Date: 2024
From Atlus, the makers of the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games, debuts a new turn-based RPG which was actually revealed nearly 7 years ago as Project Re Fantasy. This game seems to be inspired a lot by Persona due to its stylish UI elements and character bonds. Another RPG that I’d be on the lookout for in the future.
Hardware Update
Xbox Series S Carbon Black version has been revealed, with 1TB SSD and a price of $349. Sale will start on September 1.
I am one of those players who own an Xbox Series S and are complaining about the lack of memory in console. If I didn’t have an Xbox Series S yet, I probably would have opt to wait for this one instead. Hopefully cheaper options for external memory get announced in the future as well since the Seagate expansion card is too expensive as of the moment.
Starfield
Release Date: September 6, 2023
To end the show, we go to a deep dive with one of the most-awaited games in the recent years. Explore over a thousand worlds and collect resources, do missions, and even stumble upon unexpected areas and enemies in this very vast RPG from Bethesda.
A couple of locations have been revealed such as New Atlantis in Alpha Centauri where the first major human settlement in space resides, Cydonia on Mars which serves as the largest mining facility for the United Colonies, Akila City which is the capital of the Freestar Collective and has a wild west theme, and Neon the pleasure city where anything goes. Outside the bounds of civilized space, there are still plenty of unclaimed systems to explore, but these areas are also home to the most hostile factions in the galaxy such as the Red Mile and Crimson Fleet Headquarters named The Key.
As for character creation, you pick from a line up of 40 presets and customize from there. You can add character backgrounds which gives you backstory and 3 starting skills. You can all add optional traits which provide additional interaction and options on how you approach the world around you. There are also skill trees to further help you such as physical, social, combat, science, and tech skills. Want to mind control aliens? Get the Xenosociology skill! Customize your character however you want it and what suits your playstyle the best.
In space spots, you can buy a ship, customize and upgrade that ship, and hire a crew to join and help you in your journey across space. You can go into Ship Builder Mode to further customize your ship however you want: add compartments, rearrange sections, and even have a complete paint makeover. You can even fight enemies in space to gather ship parts, or hijack enemy spaceships and claim it as your own.
In New Atlantis, you will meet Constellation, a group of people considered as the last true explorers of the galaxy, and are trying to find the answers to some of humanities biggest questions. Some of the member of Constellation can join you on your journey. Each companion comes with their own valuable skills for your ships and outposts, as well as unique questlines. Eventually, some friendships can blossom into romance. If you need more help, you can hire crew in space ports, or encounter additional members to recruit while exploring.
The collector’s edition, named as Starfield Constellation Edition, features a Constellation explorer’s watch same as what you use in the game which acts as a HUD and even connects to your smartphone and provide notifications like a normal smart watch does.
A limited edition Starfield controller was also revealed, inspired with the actual controllers in your spaceship. Also revealed was a custom Starfield headset for Xbox.
I’m so excited for this game! Hopefully there are no major issues on release. The visuals, exploration, and the amount of customization not just for your own character but for you ship as well makes this game quite special. I will definitely add this game in my wishlist. And that controller is neat as well, might consider buying it.
Other Game Announcements:
- South of Midnight (TBA)
- 33 Immortals (2024)
- Avowed (2024)
- Senua’s Saga Hellblade II (2024)
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Early 2024)
- Fallout 76 — Atlantic City (Coming Soon)
- Forza Motorsport (October 10, 2023)
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom — Shadow Over Morrowind (June 20, 2023)
- Overwatch 2: Invasion (August 10, 2023)
- Still Wakes The Deep (Early 2024)
- Dungeons of Hinterberg (2024)
- Cities: Skylines II (October 24, 2023)
- Towerborne (2024)
- Clockwork Revolution (Coming in Due Time)
You can watch the entire showcase, including the Starfield Direct here:
