Hello folks, and firstly, let me apologise for the lack of updates and articles over the last week or so, but with the current ongoing global pandemic, sorting out technical issues such as getting new technology sorted is rather tricky. No matter though, as this caffeine-addicted author is now, for the meantime, sorted on the technology front. With the advent of the new Xbox’s on the horizon, the raft of games available to play is getting ever bigger. Not only has EA access been folded into the Microsoft Game Pass experience, but news of Microsoft buying Bethesda and Bungie means that a whole host of games that might not have been available to play before on the Xbox systems are now available to play. Furthermore, lots of Xbox One exclusives, such as the Halo, Gears of War and Forza franchise titles are getting remasters and upgrades for the new Xbox Consoles. So, which games coming out will this traditionally frugal bastard be shelling out for in the near future? Read on, dear gamers, and find out…
Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4 is probably my most played game on the Xbox console, and with good reason. I love getting ridiculously rubbish cars, and then tuning and modding them up to be speed demons, purely for the sake of comedy. Racing down the iconic Princes St in Edinburgh in a Reliant Robin at 100 mph with stabilisers on the side is really quite funny, particularly if you’re racing online with the headset on. It gets even better, however, as being a writer and gamer in Scotland, you can’t help but feel a wee bit of national pride as you hurtle through your capital city in glorious 4K at well over 150 mph.
The brilliance of Forza Horizon 4 doesn’t stop with the setting, however, as the roster of cars available to drive is well over double of it’s predecessor, with cars as rare and unique as a Koenigsegg for which only 8 in the world exist, to cars as common (and albeit as nostalgic) as the Volvo V70, which I think nearly every geography teacher in the early 2000s owned. Personally, when I’m playing this game (which you can find me at the Gamertag WhiteRose1270), you’re most likely to find me pulling donuts in a Ford GT40, with one monstrous V10 engine installed, and been fully converted to 4 wheel drive. When I found out that this game was getting an upgrade for the Xbox Series X and S, it’s fair to say that my already caffeine-addled imagination started doing backflips, and to be fair, if you’ve just read through this paragraph, it’s fair to say that you can imagine my reaction.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
If you’re a regular visitor to this site, then the chances are that you’ve already read my review of this game, but if you’re not, then welcome, dear reader. This game was basically willed into existence by a generation of gamers and skateboarders alike, with the majority of us being in our mid-to-late twenties and early thirties. Basically, for the uninitiated, this game is a complete remaster of the original two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games and is published by Activision. All the great things that you remember from the first two games are there, and with a new roster of skateboarders and challenges added on.
As I alluded to in my review, it is a bit pricey for what you pay for, but from what we know, this game is getting a makeover for the next generation of consoles be it on the new Xbox Series S and X, and also on the PlayStation 5. Sorry, Nintendo gamers, but there’s no word on the Switch port as of yet, but if the rumours are to be believed coming out of the land of the rising sun, then you can hold your breath, as you might end up with a new console (or just an improved console) before long. Either way, it’s fair to say that I’m very much looking forwards to playing this on the Xbox Series X.
Gears of War 5
Gears of War 5, or simply Gears 5, is a breath-taking jump forwards in the Gears of War franchise, with two different multiplayer modes, a whole change in the lore, upgraded graphics which are leaps and bounds in front of the previous instalments in the franchise and there’s a whole lot more to enjoy. Seriously, this game came on to game pass at day 1 of launch, and I had serious fun learning and playing this game. As eagle-eyed readers might well know, I wasn’t a Microsoft guy at the time this game launched, but due to my previous job, I got to borrow somebody’s Xbox and have a lot of fun playing this game. It’s brutal, bloody and brilliant, and when this game comes out with a next-gen makeover, I’ll be one of the first to start chain-sawing aliens in the face in order to protect humanity.
As for the multiplayer mode. Despite the microtransactions (grr), the battle royale mode involved in this game was hilariously fun to play, as I discovered that I really, really sucked at this mode, but the amount of shit-talking and calls of “get good” was absolutely phenomenal. I’m not sure as to how well that fly given the new Xbox Terms of Service, but at least for that rainy September of 2019, I was as happy as a pig in shit playing this game. Come the Series X, bring the fucking noise!
FIFA 21
Okay, folks, so there are two reasons why this game is on this list. The first is that you simply cannot ignore the online football gaming community, even if the Electronic Arseholes that are EA are fleecing people for billions to play their desired teams. The second is that EA access has now been folded into Microsoft’s Game Pass experience, adding in all their games from their assorted franchises. Want to score a 35-yard screamer of a goal against Aston Villa? Now you can. Want to dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo? Dunk away. This, by far has my inner sports gamer the most excited. With the lockdown in place due to the ongoing global pandemic, this might soon be the way of hosting your own fantasy football league, and the idea that us Xbox Gamers get that included into Microsoft’s Game Pass is spectacular.
But why FIFA, and not NBA or any of the others? Well, whilst this might be the only sporting game on this list, it isn’t the only EA game on here. The reason why FIFA is on the list is due to one unfortunate fact. Because Pro Evolution Soccer (or PES for short) took a break away for a few years, FIFA has become the dominant football game available, and I can’t wait to score a penalty against Rangers FC at Celtic Park in glorious 8k resolution.
Grounded
This game is basically a really awesome combination of Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Bioshock and Minecraft. You might think that these three concepts make for unusual bedfellows, and dear readers, I was in that category myself until I decided to take a look at the game as a beta version launched onto Microsoft’s Game Pass. You play as one of four protagonists, with the option for cooperative play, as you try to survive for 24 hours in your back garden at the height of approximately one centimetre tall. There are options for building structures and exploration, with some truly magnificently animated animals around you. Careful of arachnids, though, as the wolf spider is truly fucking terrifying.
If, however, like me, you’re scared of spiders, have no fear. Obsidian, who have made this game, have put in a helpful arachnophobia mode, which allows you to reduce the spiders to blobs. They’re still Spiders, and they will still kill you in the game, but you’re not going to be dissected by visual nightmare fuel if that’s what you’re scared of. Also, whilst we’re mentioning Obsidian, I’m just glad they’re making another survival horror game.
Forza
The Forza racing game series is as old as Xbox is itself, with 4 spin-off games and 7 mainstream games to play, each one testing your racing logic, strategy and balls, but to be fair, most of the mainline games have delivered graphical updates but more of the same. This is why, during the Xbox Showcase event, everyone lost their fucking minds at the improvements shown for the new Forza. Instead of being a new instalment in the franchise, Forza for the Xbox Series X and S is a complete revamp, stripping away the history of previous games and giving us a pure, white-knuckle, pedal-to-the-metal experience in glorious 8k. We don’t yet know if this game will be available at launch like some of the other titles mentioned in this list, but given what we already know about this game, it’ll more than certainly be worth the wait.
So, whether you’re the sort of racing gamer that likes to race the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit in a Formula 1 car during the night and a thunderstorm, or whether you’re the sort of gamer that likes caning a Peugeot 206 around the Brands Hatch circuit on a warm summer’s day, it’s fair to say that this game will indeed have something for everyone. Now, if Microsoft deliver peripherals for this game, it’s fair to say that my bank balance won’t be recovering any time soon.
Conclusion
So, that’s my list for you lovely people, and I really hope you’ve enjoyed it! Let me know what you think about this in the comments section, and I’ll get back to you. As always, follow us on Twitter at @GamerhubGB and find us on Facebook at @GamerhubGB, and I’ll speak to you in the next 48 hours or so.
For Gamerhub GB, I’ve been Davey, and I’ll see you soon.
