It’s that time of year again, when friends and loved ones huddle together, safe from crisp winter air, looking for entertainment. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered, with a vast array of multiplayer games that can be enjoyed together across console, PC, and supported gaming handhelds.
Whether you’re looking for quick bursts of action to keep the family entertained, a cozy co-op adventure with a partner, or something casual to catch up with friends online, Xbox has something to offer for every gaming fan this holiday season. Here’s some highlights, ranging from 2025 releases to timeless games worth revisiting:
We’re excited to share that a half-dozen Xbox first-party titles (plus one movie) have been nominated for awards across multiple categories – voting is now open on The Game Awards official site.
You can play many of the nominees announced today with Xbox Game Pass, including top nominee Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, DOOM: The Dark Ages,South of Midnight, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Tune into The Game Awards on December 11 to see if your favorite games from 2025 take home an award.
The Game Awards has officially revealed the full list of nominees for the year, and we’re thrilled to see such a wide range of unique titles being recognized for their contributions to gaming. Even better, many of these nominees can be played today across Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, and with Xbox Game Pass!
This year our first-party studios received nominations for Avowed, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Ninja Gaiden 4, South of Midnight, and The Outer Worlds 2. Troy Baker’s pitch-perfect performance as Indiana Jones was recognized with a Best Performance nomination, and ‘A Minecraft Movie’, one of the biggest hits at the box office in 2025, was nominated for Best Adaptation.
We’re also equally excited to see that many of our third-party partners have been nominated across a wide range of categories – many of which can be played with Game Pass. Ball x Pit, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Rematch are all up for awards this year, and playable across devices as Xbox Play Anywhere titles. Additionally, Game Pass subscribers receive incredible benefits for nominees League of Legends, Valorant, and – starting tomorrow – Fortnite.
Congratulations to all this year’s amazing nominees – and don’t forget, these nominations join titles on Xbox nominated across the Golden Joysticks, and even the Grammys!
Remember, you can vote for your favorites right now over at TheGameAwards.com. See below for the full list of nominees that you can play today.
PvPvE extraction shooter Arc Raiders is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
The risk of losing your stuff, the danger of the robots, and the unpredictability of other raiders makes for an overall tense experience.
But thoughtful quality-of-life enhancements and a charming ’70s retrofuturist aesthetic help it go down more easily, inviting in genre-curious players.
My favorite shooters accommodate a wide range of players. I didn’t have the fastest twitch reflexes as a teenager, let alone now nearing 40, so I’ll never do well in a straight battle of headshots and KDR. But I’ve poured hundreds of hours into Overwatch and Helldivers 2 because they reward strategic thinking and offer an interesting range of different playstyles, which in turn produces a more compellingly wide range of stories. They also allow me to play alongside more skilled friends without feeling like anyone is compromising their fun.
Arc Raiders may be the next shooter to pull me in. I played for 3 hours across 3 different maps, both solo and in a squad, in a recent closed preview event of the whole game for journalists and influencers. This upcoming PvPvE extraction shooter is set in a future reminiscent of “The Matrix” – rogue robots called Arc have devastated humanity, driving the survivors to hide deep underground in a last stronghold city, Speranza (“hope”).
As the eponymous raiders, players make runs to different zones on the surface, pillaging the ruins of civilization for usable materials while navigating the threats of both Arc robots and their fellow raiders, then making it safely home with whatever they can carry back to base to sell, scrap, craft, or use on subsequent raids.
It’s chasing the microgenre du jour, extraction shooters, which are built around the same general risk/reward loop of going into a hostile area, completing objectives, and extracting with goodies that will fuel future runs. If you’ve enjoyed the likes of Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, Arc Raiders is aiming to be your next obsession – and if you haven’t dipped a toe into extraction shooters yet, this is shaping up to be a gorgeous entry point.
Tension Management
As befits the genre, the dominant feeling throughout my time with Arc Raiders was tension. Any encounter going wrong could mean not just the opportunity cost of whatever new spoils we hoped to take home, but also losing all the equipment we brought in with us. That kind of high-stakes resource pressure, where one’s ability to make progress depends on building and maintaining momentum that can be easily lost, is part of the appeal for the genre’s hardcore fans, but also adds a certain prickliness that could deter other prospective players.
Arc Raiders graciously smooths this out with free loadouts that let you jump into a raid with a minimum viable kit and no risk of loss, helping players that might be stuck treading water while they get their bearings in the game. Every raider also has “Scrappy,” a pet rooster that collects a steady drip of basic materials for them while out on raids, ensuring they can always craft basic necessities like bandages and bullets.
Completing objectives during a raid, whether they extract or not, also nets skill points that can be distributed between three different trees. This all allows for a baseline of progression and character growth/specialization, even if players are struggling to survive most of their runs.
The greatest source of tension, however, was from other people. Unlike a conventional PvP competitive shooter, where the constant pressure of other players is the engine driving gameplay, the rate of encounters was much more variable here. Individual raids across my session varied widely based on the map and happenstance. Some were dominated by long, quiet stretches of scavenging through buildings and sneaking past robots, punctuated by a handful of staccato encounters. Other times we found ourselves stumbling from firefight to firefight as robot engagements drew the attention of opportunistic raiders, and vice versa.
Besides never quite being sure exactly when we would encounter other players, another juicy source of tension was whether our fellow raiders would be hostile or friendly. Over my session I experienced a full spectrum of interactions, from being shot on sight to having lighthearted chats, leading sometimes to them giving crucial help later in the match, other times to betrayal. In that way it reminded me of Sea of Thieves, which cultivates a similar sense of vulnerability by pairing the possibility of losing all your new stuff with the black box of strangers’ intentions. Granting that a closed session of journalists and influencers is likely to be as friendly as the game is going to get, I’ll be very curious to see how the player community’s norms develop once the game is released to the wider public.
The Enemy of my Enemy
One element that might help encourage players to work together is the genuine threat posed by the Arc robots. Far from being rote cannon-fodder, the non-human enemies are dynamic and dangerous, keeping us on our toes throughout, even when other human players weren’t in sight. Developer Embark is no doubt helped here by the fact that Arc Raiders started as purely PvE experience before settling into its current extraction form, which means real development time and resources went into making Arc enemies feel like the star of the show, and not just a supporting player.
Part of this that really stood out to me was how, as the developers have discussed previously, the movement and behaviors for the Arc were not traditionally keyframed and hand-crafted by animators, but rather trained through machine learning applied to physics simulations. It’s essentially the same kind of process used by many real-world roboticists to train their creations in the complex task of navigating physical space, like the robot apocalypse abettors at Boston Dynamics.
The Arc were lively and unpredictable. Shooting out an assault drone’s rotor didn’t send it crashing down like I’d hoped, but rather it awkwardly swung down before compensating with the others and swooping back around to continue the fight in a way that felt compellingly organic.
Stray, small Arc were easily manageable in isolation, but add a few more (or just a single large one) and the situation could quickly get out of hand. The genuine threat posed by the Arc will hopefully help keep pressure on players to at least consider temporary alliances and keep the game more socially vibrant and variable.
Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today!
Arc Raiders needs no help being aesthetically vibrant, however. Following from the graphic design of the logo, the game has a charming ’70s retrofuturism look. This is especially true in the character cosmetics, which were fun and colorful, and had a nice variety of silhouettes – I gave my raider a bright green motorcycle helmet, leather flight jacket, and tight jeans with a stripe up the side. Compared to its peers in the genre, Arc Raiders’ more colorful and playful design sensibility (like unlockable hats for Scrappy – he got a matching little motorcycle helmet) goes a long way to piquing my interest.
It doesn’t approach the full dayglo hyperpop palette of fellow upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, though, and grounds it with a realistic layer of post-apocalyptic wear and tear. Light and sound do a lot to support immersion as well; stalking our way through flashlight-lit underground tunnels crammed with rusted-out cars while muffled gunfire echoes above, or darting from shadow to shadow of bombed out apartment buildings across a plaza lit brightly by the midday sun, keeping an ear out for the ominous beeps of Arc sentries in the distance. The spaces were evocative, with a pleasing range of environments (residential, industrial, claustrophobic, open, flat, vertical, etc.), both within and between maps, which helped fuel the interesting variety of encounters we had.
Smoothed Edges
Arc Raiders has definitely caught my attention, as I’m always on the lookout for good session-based co-op games that I can use for catching up with friends. The game’s fun visual design, tight core loop, and quality-of-life mechanics have smoothed over some of the extraction shooter’s sharper edges, which may give it a real shot at bringing the genre to a wider audience.
Arc Raiders comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title today on October 30.
ARC Raiders – Deluxe Edition
Embark Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 263
★★★★★
*Pre-order the ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition and receive the exclusive Astro Cosmetic Pack including the following cosmetic items:
ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the following content:
The Wanderer Cosmetic Pack, including the following cosmetic items:
– “Valente” Legendary Outfit
– “Pathfinder” Backpack
– “Blanket Roll” Backpack Attachment
Plus:
Character Cosmetic
Finger Gun Rapid Fire Emote
Scrappy Skin
2 400 Raider Tokens
ARC Raiders – Standard Edition
Embark Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 277
★★★★★
Pre-order now and get access to ARC Raiders.
Secure your copy of the game as the Standard or Deluxe Edition, and receive the Lucky Duck Bundle pre-order bonus at launch!
The Lucky Duck Bundle contains the exclusive Hatchling Backpack and Golden Rubber Duck Backpack Charm.
ABOUT THIS GAME
SCAVENGE, SURVIVE, THRIVE
In ARC Raiders, gameplay flows between the surface ruled by lethal machines, and the vibrant underground society of Speranza. Craft, repair, and upgrade your gear in the safety of your own workshop, before venturing topside to scavenge the remnants of a devastated but beautiful world. Play solo or in parties up to three, navigating the constant threat of ARC’s machines and the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors. In the end, only you decide what kind of Raider you are – and how far you’ll go to prevail.
EXPLORE AN IMMERSIVE WORLD
Explore four distinct maps at launch, with more to be revealed as the underground society evolves and expands its reach. Each destination carries the weight of a world twice-destroyed, and the scars of conflicts both old and new. Sift through the remnants for valuable loot, and piece together the past as it’s slowly reclaimed by nature. Evolving map conditions ensure that no two runs are the same, with varying weather, enemies, and mechanics adding unpredictability and danger.
STAKE YOUR CLAIM
In a society built on boldness and bravado, it is up to you to stake your claim as a Raider. The loot you scavenge can be sold for coin or crafted into all-new gear, allowing you take on increasingly lethal dangers head-on. Through both victories and hardships, you’ll gain valuable experience; unlocking varied skills that enable all-new ways of play. In addition, you’ll complete quests for Traders with differing motives and agendas; uncovering both the friction and comradery of a community under constant threat of collapse.
BEWARE THE MACHINES
Lethal machines known as ARC rule the surface, ranging from unrelenting drone swarms to mechanical giants that obliterate everything in their path. Their origins remain a mystery, but their ever-present danger is felt with every step you take. Each machine comes with distinct strengths and tactics, forcing you to pinpoint their weak spots and constantly think on your feet. And remember: the noise of battle carries. Other Raiders may be listening; eager to claim what you leave behind.
FORGE YOUR OWN PATH
Raiders survive by kitbashing scavenged materials; using long-lost tech and looted ARC parts to craft weapons, gadgets, and gear. Upgrade your workshop stations and learn blueprints to craft even more advanced items, or improvise quick fixes in the field to get yourself out of a bind. As you make a name for yourself, you’ll be able to measure your skill against other Raiders by taking on Trials; rising through the leaderboards to earn valuable rewards.
QUESTS
In Speranza, everyone has an agenda, and the Traders are no different. They’ll send you topside on missions in exchange for rewards, slowly revealing more about who they are and what they want for Speranza’s future. Complete quests to earn gear, crafting materials, and XP to level up your Raider and unlock new skill points.
SKILL TREE
The ARC Raiders skill tree branches into three paths: Survival, Mobility, and Conditioning. Spend your points to shape your playstyle. Loot faster and move quieter with Survival skills. Outmaneuver your opponents and threats with Mobility. And enhance your Strength and Stamina with Conditioning. Choose how you grow and what your Raider brings to the battle.
BUILD YOUR ARSENAL
Whether you’re preparing to take down specific ARC enemies or fend off rival Raiders, there’s a choice of weaponry for every fight. Cater to your style with a range of firearms including SMGs, rifles and shotguns, as well as more advanced options such as railguns and energy weapons. Grenades, traps, ziplines and deployables offer the tactical depth needed to outsmart your enemies, while augments allow you to tailor your loadout to your preferred playstyle; unlocking dedicated inventory slots and additional gameplay perks.”
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! Pre-order to receive the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack at launch.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage 30th Anniversary Edition
The pioneer 3D fighting series continues to evolve as Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage takes the gameplay of Virtua Fighter 5 to new heights: Rollback Netcode and crossplay support let you take on any challenger, anywhere, across the globe in the most intense battles yet. A brand-new single-player mode, “World Stage” lets you Challenge powerful rivals on a solo quest to become the ultimate fighter.
This game plunges you into a charmingly creepy marble-shooter world! Play as a cute zombie captain, mouth brimming with marbles, and fend off endless rolling waves before they breach your defenses. Aim your chomping cannon, fire to match three or more identical marbles, and watch them shatter into ghoulish confetti.
In ARC Raiders, gameplay flows between the surface ruled by lethal machines, and the vibrant underground society of Speranza. Craft, repair and upgrade your gear in the safety of your own workshop, before venturing topside to scavenge the remnants of a devastated but beautiful world. Play solo or in parties up to three, navigating the constant threat of ARC’s machines and the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors. In the end, only you decide what kind of Raider you are – and how far you’ll go to prevail.
Asterix & Obelix – Mission Babylon
Microids
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Asterix & Obelix – Mission Babylon – October 30 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S This time, our heroes leave their beloved village for a long journey through the Parthian Empire, a faraway kingdom under threat from Roman invasion. Their mission? To save Monipehni, the King of the Parthians, who has fallen victim to a deadly poison brewed by Bahmbuhzeli, a treacherous sorcerer allied with Caesar. Experience a story full of humor, epic battles and unforgettable encounters in a thrilling platform game!
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the first two legendary adventures in the Erdrick trilogy, brought together in one package. Enjoy the traditional turn-based battles the series is known for. Attack with an assembly of weapons and let loose all kinds of spells and abilities to slay the many menacing monsters. Anyone who pre-orders the digital version will receive a free trouble-free travel kit in the game.
Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition Pre-Order Bundle
Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition invites you to leave behind the hustle and bustle of city life for the charm and simplicity of Alba Village — your childhood hometown. Nestled among lush greenery and sparkling rivers, Alba is known for its fresh-caught fish, delicious homegrown veggies, and warm-hearted community.
Step into the arena and choose your fighter! Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection includes all the essential games from Mortal Kombat‘s early years. Experience the legendary origins of the franchise with the iconic arcade classics that started it all — alongside a curated selection of most-loved home versions and rare, fan-favorite releases — a celebration of the franchise’s groundbreaking legacy.
Va-room! The Rescue Wheels crew is revved up and ready to race! Join Chase, Skye, Marshall, Rubble, Zuma, Rocky, and Roxi, in epic races across Adventure Bay and beyond. You can even cause mischief with Boomer & Frank or Mayor Humdinger. Pick your Pup Racer, each with unique skills like launching tennis balls or spinning out rivals. Master drifting, turbo boosts, and epic signature stunts to rule the dirt roads. Play solo or challenge friends in multiplayer—every racer can be a champion! Grab your best Pup Pals and let’s Rox and roll!
Thirty years after his first appearance on the screen, Simon is drawn into a foreign world by an ancient prophecy, that will tell his origins. This world is populated by powerful yet mostly useless wizards and strange creatures. On his journey, Simon must solve a series of tricky puzzles, operate alchemical devices, and learn powerful spells. And yes, he also has to taste a few disgusting stews!
Descend into the abyss and face your deepest fears in Beneath, a Lovecraftian first-person survival-horror action adventure. Seasoned diver Noah Quinn’s routine expedition plunges into chaos, trapping him in the depths of the ocean, where an ancient evil lurks. As supplies dwindle and nightmarish creatures close in, Noah must confront horrifying mutations, creeping madness, and a sinister conspiracy that threatens humanity itself. With his daughter’s life hanging in the balance, Noah is pushed to his limits in a desperate race against time. Can he uncover the truth and stop an ancient horror from surfacing, or will the abyss consume them all?
Halls of Torment is a horde survival game with a pre-rendered retro look reminiscent of RPGs from the late 90s. Choose one of many hero characters and descend into the deadly Halls of Torment. Fight unholy horrors from beyond and survive wave after wave of enemies until you face one of the tormented Lords. Strengthen your hero with character traits, abilities, and items. Create a new powerful build during each run. Explore various underground expanses and find new powerful items that enable you to venture even deeper into the abyss.
An otherworldly, story-driven shooter with aggressive gunfights and terrifying monsters awaits you. This is the story of a girl who, by the will of fate, faced the beast – and in order to become free, she was forced to study its nature. How far can you go in the fight for your freedom? Embrace your inner demon or be consumed by it.
A three-course meal of an adventure: restaurant manager, light survival RPG, and life sim, all set in the zany universe of the Horseshoe Nebula. As the galaxy’s (soon to be) premiere chef, it’s up to you to seek out the finest ingredients from alien planets, cook delicious dishes, and serve them to customers in the comfort of your fully-customizable space trailer.
Developed by Three Fields Entertainment, the UK-based team comprised of veteran arcade racing game developers, Wreckreation finally hands you the keys to your own MixWorld that you can decorating and personalize, either alone or in collaboration with your friends online. A place of your own where you can continually strive to outrace, out-stunt or even out-crash yourself and others with courses, tracks and game modes designed by you – or your friends – but yours will probably be better.
Abyssal Drift is a minimalist 1-bit puzzle game where you control a lone jellyfish on a mysterious journey through the abyssal depths. Your goal is simple: find the hidden key in each stage to unlock the door that leads to even deeper areas. But don’t be fooled with each level, the puzzles become more challenging and the obstacles more treacherous.
At the edge of the universe lies an oracle house, home to a witch named Luna and a cat with a strange meow called Beebo. As you focus on your work or studies, the melody of time transforms into the radiant light of stars. Use this stellar energy to exchange for exquisite outfits and decorations, dress up Luna and Beebo, and create a cozy, serene corner that reflects your personal style. Sometimes, mysterious travelers are guided by the stars to this place, weaving dreamlike tales of romance and warmth with you.
Play the role of a collector-turned-business-owner. Open a card market and become rich. Build, manage and develop your own collectible card shop where you can trade, collect and battle with the rarest and most valuable cards from the legendary Beast Lords series featuring unique and powerful creatures!
Get Carnage now and discover a new kind of racing game! Driving fast and getting to the finish line is only one of the multiple challenges that await you. Wreak havoc on the streets thanks to the extensive destruction model that lets you not only damage vehicles, but also cause visible changes in the environment. After a long battle, the location will look nothing like it used to at the start!
Get ready for a pulse-pounding platforming challenge in Colorful Boi 2! With 74 meticulously designed levels, you’ll test your reflexes, precision and patience against a gauntlet of devious traps and hazards. Can you conquer the ultimate platforming test and become the Colorful Boi champion?
Are you ready to fight your nightmares and various monsters that have flooded Farland? Can you cope with all puzzles that await you in this horror story? You have to visit 8 huge locations including streets, hospital, cemetery, sewer and military base. You will be able to move between the real world and the world of sleep to solve riddles and fight a scary clown and various monsters.
When monsters steal Pumpkman’s pumpkins on Halloween night, it’s up to you to get them back! Dash through 5 vibrant, quirky levels, outsmarting classic foes like Dracula, The Mummy and The Witch. Jump, dodge and battle your way to their lairs, then take on the big boss in a final showdown! With 3 game modes, a retro chiptune soundtrack and high-score chasing just like the golden age, this pixel-art platformer delivers fast-paced, nostalgic fun.
Hell is Other Demons is an acclaimed fast-paced action-platform shooter, with Roguelite elements. Explore a sprawling, hand-crafted world full of demons, insanely over-the-top boss fights and a heavy synthwave soundtrack. You grew up with the bullet hell arcade shooters which rewarded fast-decision making and creativity? Hell is Other Demons is crafted with expertly executed mechanics and bold, unforgettable style.
Journey of Johann is an action-adventure platformer with puzzle elements. Make your way through levels and a boss with different challenges and obstacles. Collect goblets, secrets and beat time trials. Use your weapons as tools such as climbing, blocking hits and defeating enemies. The game was designed with speedrunning in mind.
Lonely Guardian is a relaxing and accessible 2D platformer where you play as a Foo Dog, a mythical creature from East Asian culture. Your sacred mission is simple: collect the Mystic Pearl, rescue a lost pup and reach the temple gate in each level. With clear and intuitive gameplay, the game combines light exploration, precise jumps and a purifying roar that defeats yokai, breaks stone blocks and opens hidden paths. Everything is designed to be instantly understood, without tutorials or complicated menus.
Catnigma is a magical puzzle game where you control a flying cat on a quest to satisfy its endless hunger for fish. The cat moves continuously in the chosen direction until it hits an obstacle, and it’s up to you to use your wits and magical tricks to collect every fish in the level.
As a child, father often told Laura that she is special. But Laura’s father died before her full age, and Laura didn’t knew what her father had said about her specialty. In memory of her father Laura kept as remembrance an amulet “the Dream catcher” – her father gave it to Laura since she was a little girl, as Laura complained that she has nightmares. In this hidden object adventure, you play the professor’s assistant—a volunteer who has agreed to participate in an experiment to bring Laura back to life.
A mystical adventure in the depths of dungeons awaits you! An engaging puzzle based on classic Minesweeper, enhanced with RPG elements in stylish pixel art graphics. The game offers captivating gameplay where numerical clues on dungeon floors help you navigate safely and avoid deadly traps. Tactical combat allows you to engage enemies with magic and weapons or choose strategic retreat depending on the situation. Compelling quests lead you through mission completion to uncover the secrets of dark depths.
Greek Tragedy is a retro-styled indie survival horror game with puzzle elements. Help Amy keep her life on the college campus overrun by cultists and maybe save her relationship in the process. Uncover conspiracies, sabotage occult rituals and run for your life!
Magnetism is a first-person puzzle with parkour. Use your special suite to manipulate the rooms and make your own path to reach the end of game. The rooms will test your logic and coordination, increasing the challenge with each new room you reach.
As a highly-trained elite operative, you’ll be thrust into the heart of modern-day combat against the ruthless Tariqian Liberation Front (TLF). Prepare for intense firefights, adrenaline-pumping stealth missions, and high-stakes challenges that will put your skills to the test. Explore stunning desert canyons and war-torn cities as you fight to liberate Al-Tariq from the grips of terror. Use an arsenal of powerful weapons and cutting-edge gear to outmaneuver your enemies and complete daring objectives.
Fight, Die, and Rise Again! Step into a roguelike metroidvania, where thrilling combat meets endless loot-hunting. Over 20 hours of non-repetitive main story: On top of that, roguelike replayability with unlockable world difficulties. Will you, the child of destiny, restore balance to a shattered world?
People used to say that parrots aren’t real pirates, that they only belong perched on a captain’s shoulder. But one particularly ambitious parrot is in search of his own treasures and adventures to become a true pirate, a Beaked Buccaneer! Explore four different pirate-themed worlds with alternative paths, and defeat the infamous Captain Smelly and his nefarious crew.
BMX Streets is a next-generation physics-driven freestyle extreme biking simulator. It captures the essence of BMX culture by giving players the ability to find their own style of riding through practice, experimentation, and exploration.
Step into the world of Delivery Dash Co., where every package counts and every second matters! Choose your path in this vibrant low-poly city. With randomized delivery locations, hazards around every corner and arcade-style bonuses, every run is a fresh adventure — whether you’re competing against rivals or shaping your own courier story.
Hannah VCR is a narrative puzzle game where you manipulate a VHS tape to change Hannah’s destiny. Each colored square on the tape represents a part of the scene. You decide the order, and Hannah moves forward alone, facing a world broken by memories, abandonment … and the search for a lost doll. With a retro aesthetic, immersive music and an emotionally charged design, Hannah VCR is a thrilling experience filled with mystery and the things that never fully heal.
Enemy troops, such as infantry, helicopters, tanks, warplanes and drones, are coming for you! Jump on the machine gun and shoot them all! Missions will take place in different warzones, and you will need to adapt your shooting strategy depending on the battlefield: city, desert, jungle, forest, airport and many more! Be on the frontline of the battleground or take to the air to shoot enemies from the helicopter!
Build a small laundry store into a thriving business empire! Upgrade your equipment, design and expand your store, hire staff and more! Upgrade your equipment to provide exceptional cleaning services! Invest in high-quality washing machines, dryers, ironing equipment and even automated washing machines! Create a stylish and inviting space to attract customers! Provide comfortable seating, warm decorations and more funsies to welcome your customers!
Pour the potion into the cauldron, throw in the clover, bone and feather, stir and voila — you have a cute Mixie! Combine other ingredients to create Mixies with different features: winged, horned, spotted, furry … the possibilities are endless. Let your Mixie friends explore the mysterious island, find hidden treasures, repair the magical portal and collect new ingredients to create even more adorable pets. Over time, you might even discover a way to combine Mixies with each other.
You must explore the villa, search for clues, and solve puzzles to understand what is happening and, most importantly, find a way out. But be careful: the presence haunting this place won’t let you leave so easily. Will you survive and uncover the truth?
Enter the relentless world of Releaseburg, a rogue-like survival shooter set in a post-apocalyptic city consumed by chaos. The streets run red as hordes of grotesque zombies rise from the ruins, turning every encounter into a brutal test of skill, precision and nerve.
Embark on the poignant journey of Souno’s Curse, a 2D action-platformer with a unique atmosphere, skillfully blending exploration, intense combat, and emotional storytelling. Play as a daring adventurer venturing into a cursed cave, where every corner holds forgotten secrets, deadly dangers, and a profound story about regret, loss, and the value of the present moment. Explore beautifully hand-drawn environments, inspired by the greatest classics of the genre, and let yourself be carried away by an immersive soundtrack that enhances every moment of your journey.
Dive into the magnificent world of Rieze Maxia as either Jude Mathis, an aspiring medical student from the capital, or Milla Maxwell, a mysterious woman accompanied by four powerful spirits. Master the Dual Raid Linear Motion Battle System, mustering strategy and coordination to overcome action-packed battles in real-time combat. Team up with allies to unleash devastating combo attacks and unlock special support skills to overwhelm your foes.
Step into the cab and hit the European roads in Truck Driver: The Dutch Connection! Set in a fictional world inspired by the iconic beauty of the Netherlands, the game presents a new era of trucking, where AI dispatchers work alongside human drivers and the trucking industry is thriving. Old friends return, new alliances form and every journey demands heart, skill and adaptability.
Lightning strikes again! Xenotilt is the sequel to the cult hit, Demon’s Tilt. Get ready for another pinball fantasy. Xenotilt shreds the envelope with face-melting gameplay and graphics.
In Water Delivery, you step into the shoes of a young delivery driver on their last route of the afternoon in a seemingly quiet rural area… until it isn’t. Drive your van from house to house, hop out with your delivery slip and drop off full water jugs, collect empty containers left on porches, in kitchens, and in sheds, and charge each customer before getting back on the road. What begins as a routine shift turns into a psychological-horror nightmare: flickering lights, neighbors who don’t respond, noises behind half-open doors, and unsettling clues pointing to something darker than simple end-of-day fatigue. As you complete tasks and explore unique homes with stories of their own, you’ll uncover documents, objects, and situations that piece together the mystery suffocating the community.
Happy Saturday eve! As always, at the end of the week, we’re here to offer up our suggestions for games to dive into during your time off. And even if you know what you’re going to play, hopefully we can suggest something new and exciting to consider.
Continuing with our spooky October suggestions, I’ve got two horror recommendations for ya’ll: A throwback to the GameCube era and a jumpscare-free experience spent wandering in strange, unknown spaces. But we’ve got more than just eerie hallways and virus-carrying zombies for you. This weekend we’re chilling in Pokémon-packed (infested?) cities and the abandoned remnants of civilization, hanging out with armed ducks (you read that right), and more!
Let’s get to it.
Absolum
Play it on: PS5, Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”) Current goal: Defeat Azra
I’ve always had a weakness for fantasy-themed beat ‘em ups. I just think pulp fantasy with barbarians and wizards lends itself really well to a genre in which you walk along, pummelling or zapping enemies from time to time, so I quite enjoy the likes of Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara. This subgenre has been deeply underserved in recent decades, but at long last we have a pretty damn good one again. Absolum has roguelike elements that set it apart somewhat from the pure beat ‘em ups I mentioned before, and I have mixed feelings about that. I understand that such elements can draw players to a game and keep them playing for longer than they otherwise might, and I’m not immune to the allure of persistent progression myself. But I also enjoy it when a beat ‘em up feels purely skill-based, and here in Absolum, I’ve known since I started playing that my character would be too weak initially for me to win the game no matter how well I played. I’d have to grind my way to plenty of persistent upgrades first.
However, the world of Absolum is rich enough, and hides enough characters, stories, secrets, and alternate routes, that I haven’t much minded the requirement to fight through it again and again. That’s primarily because the actual beat ‘em up action is just so damn good. Did you play Streets of Rage 4? Do you remember how incredible the hits felt in that game, how much oomph it had when your attacks connected? Well, that’s equally the case here. Perhaps owing to the genre expertise of Guard Crush Games which worked on both this and Streets of Rage 4, the clobbering here is top-notch and definitely does reward skill, even if the various trinkets and abilities you collect over the course of a run can also contribute heavily to your success. Absolum is also visually gorgeous, at times making me feel like I’m playing a Ralph Bakshi cartoon from the 1970s.
It’s great to have a satisfying new fantasy beat ‘em up after all this time. Now I just hope next year’s He-Man game is good, too, and keeps the trend going! – Carolyn Petit
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Play it on: Switch, Switch 2 Current goal: Lock in
God, I knew I was jonesing for a new Pokémon game, but I’m even more aware of it now that I’m actually playing Legends: Z-A. It’s almost like I’m manually breathing and hyperaware that oxygen is in my lungs again. Doctors and mental health specialists, don’t read that last bit.
I’m about six or so hours into Z-A, and after some adjustment to the game’s real-time combat, I’m so glad to be back in the Pokémon world. I still don’t have much sense of the grand plot because I’ve been too busy playing dress-up and using the photo mode to take sick pics of me and my party, but I just encountered my first Rogue Mega Evolution, and fighting a crazed Pokémon in its most powerful form really shows you how well this new battle system works. It’s surprisingly challenging and has me rethinking everything I once knew about Pokémon battles. I hope to have a bunch of Mega Stones by the end of the weekend so my party can face these foes on equal terms. I feel like I could marathon my way to the endgame pretty quickly, but I know I should savor this ride because the Mega Dimension DLC is still months away. Mega Raichu, my beloved, I wish you were here now. — Kenneth Shepard
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: officially “Unsupported” but seems to run well) Current goal: Finish the “Eternal Suburbia” level
Today I wrote about a wonderful surprise I came across on Steam; it’s called Dreamcore, and if you love liminal horror without jump scares, you can read more about it here.
I want to talk about two things here that I didn’t mention in my impressions earlier today. First, I have to give a shoutout to the art direction in this game. Not only are the environments impressively sterile while still having a sense of personality, but the VHS-style fizziness that permeates the screen helps to sell the eeriness of everything; that soft blurriness with gentle chromatic aberration just makes this game feel like some old piece of found footage that maybe you’re worried about watching too much of.
Secondly, this game just wonderfully gets into your head. I was playing it for the first time on Steam Deck in a public place, navigating the game’s first level when I started to hear things. I wasn’t sure if it was in the game or not so I started staring around the room before my eyes absently rested on someone I know. “Everything okay?” my friend said to me. “Yeah,” I replied, “this game is just fucking with me.”
I still don’t know if the sound I heard came from the game or the reality around me, but that’s what makes it so fun. It’s good food for your mind to encounter art that plays with your senses. – Claire Jackson
Resident Evil 0
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Unsupported”) Current goal: Survive
In my quest to prepare for the dreadfully good time I anticipate Resident Evil: Requiem will be next year, I’m jumping into the RE titles that passed me by (though I still might skip 5 and 6 because of everything I’ve heard about those games). I slept on Village, so that’s on my radar, but it made sense to first go back and play the prequel that originally launched on the GameCube back in the aughts.
And! Well, the jury’s still out on this entry for me but I am recommending it here because it already feels like classic Resident Evil. Much of that has to do with the camera angles, which though suitably retro, feel like a breath of fresh air in today’s RE4-inspired, over-the-shoulder world.
If you haven’t played 0, it’s definitely a neat little experiment in RE’s history. Instead of choosing to play as only one character the whole ride through, you can swap between protagonists Rebecca and Billy as you navigate the zombie-infested maps. It can lead to a little bit of weird item management, but it’s still a neat twist on the RE formula that came before. And I really am enjoying the campiness of this legacy era of RE, which make for a nice change after the very serious tone of Silent Hill f. – Claire Jackson
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Unknown”) Current goal: Be a menace and get away with it
Arc Raiders is running its “Server Slam” test this weekend and if you love extraction shooters, go download it right now and start playing. Even if you don’t love extraction shooters, you should still give this one a try. Who knows if this will be the game that finally helps this genre reach critical mass, but it certainly plays well, has a solid post-apocalyptic premise, and just might devour all of my free time when it launches on October 30.
I’ve only jumped in for one match. I died, but I had a good time harassing some poor soul who was also dealing with the antagonistic robots that patrol the game’s abandoned wastelands. It has the intensity I love from this genre, and feels capable of creating the kinds of emergent, unexpected moments of intensity that spontaneously pop up when multiple players are all trying to make it out alive. Hostile showdowns, unexpected alliances, plenty of WTF moments? I’m here for all of it, and Arc Raiders feels damn promising for this style of game. Especially now that DMZ in CoD has stopped getting updates, I could really use a new extraction shooter that isn’t going to be as punishing as Tarkov. Let’s gooo! – Claire Jackson
Escape From Duckov
Play it on: PC Current goal: Make the rest of the birds pay
I did not take Escape from Duckov seriously until this week. A looter shooter starring a duck? No, thank you. I have no patience for games riding high on the brilliant gimmick of giving an animal a gun. But Escape from Duckov, contrary to its name and marketing, is way more than just a gimmick. It’s a top-down, PVE, loot-based extraction shooter that controls well and has a ridiculously compelling progression loop of collecting junk, completing quests, and upgrading your hideout. I don’t know that I’ll stick with it long-term, but it only took a couple of sessions to convince me it has the goods. If you’ve been tempted to give the extraction shooter scene a try but find it too complicated, overwhelming, and sweaty to parse, I recommend giving Duckov a quack or two. It gets at the chaos and appeal but on a smaller, more casual scale that’s easy to grok. I mean, it’s intense for sure, but in a fun way. — Ethan Gach
A bunch of Steam Next Fest demos
Play it on: PC Current goal: Check out some cool games
I couldn’t narrow down my entry to one game, so I’m just lumping a bunch of Steam Next Fest demos together and calling that my entry. I can do that. You can’t stop me. Just like I can’t stop myself from downloading and installing more and more cool-looking demos. So far, I’m planning to check out typing battle royale Final Sentence, the new 3D SpongeBob platformer, that new Bubsy game, and many more. Will I enjoy them all? Probably not. But I’m just excited to stuff myself silly from Steam’s video game buffet. Though the last thing I need right now is even more stuff to play. My backlog is never going to get smaller. – Zack Zwiezen
And that wraps this edition of the weekend guide. What are you playing?
In most extraction shooters, as well as a number of online survival games, players are all-too-familiar with the necessary evil known as a global wipe, in which everyone’s inventory and stats get reset to start all players off again on the same footing. It can sting a bit, but it helps balance out the game for newcomers, as folks who’ve been playing for years could otherwise build up a virtually limitless stockpile of goodies to maintain supremacy. Upcoming PvPvE extraction shooter Arc Raiders, however, has some different ideas on how to implement this in a way that won’t cost everyone their precious, hard-won loot.
In particular, the developers are trying to solve one of the biggest problems with mandatory wipes: It’s really unfair to those who only have limited windows of opportunity to play the game. It sucks when you log a few hours in one week, get tied up with life stuff for the remainder of a month, then come back to find out even the meager earnings you scored during that first week are now gone due to the wipe. Arc Raiders developer Embark is aiming to solve that.
In a blog post titled “Expedition Project,” Arc Raiders’ design director Virgil said that the studio “absolutely [sees] the benefits a global wipe provides [but] one thing a mandatory wipe does not do is respect the investment of those players who do not have as much time to play overall.”
Enter “Projects,” a feature that unlocks after level 20 with a scheduled eight-week window to complete, after which you’ll unlock the ability to reset your character. Should you fail to finish your project within the eight-week window, you can hold on to all of the progress you made, including your gear. You can then continue your progress during the next eight-week period that opens up.
Rewards for completing a Project include unique cosmetics and buffs that get activated when the next expedition rolls around. “Completing a reset,” the dev blog states, “should never give a player a power or combat advantage over anyone who has not completed a reset.” That last point is particularly important given that Arc Raiders is embracing PvP which, in an extraction context, can often result in some unfair situations anyway.
Wipes can make for a rough introduction to this genre of game, and in the end sort of ensure that the game only appeals to those who have considerably more time to play them. Hopefully Arc Raiders’ Projects will solve that dilemma.
