The month of October saw a lot of exciting releases on Xbox One. We’ve compiled an easy list to help you keep track of them.
Blast Brawl 2 ($14.99) – Mind’s Eye Games
Quick Rundown: Blast Brawl 2 is all about quick, fast gameplay as everything features on hit KO’s. It’s a fairly quick completion for you achievement hunters, but it is likely lacking in depth for anyone else.
Blue Rider ($9.99) – Ravegan
Quick Rundown: Blue Rider is a fairly straight forward, competent shoot-em-up game inspired by older classic arcade games.
Castle Invasion: Throne Out ($4.99) — Cat Trap Studios
Quick Rundown: Castle Invasion: Throne Out is a simplistic game based around protecting your castle by killing waves of enemies with one of four weapons. The game has some varied mechanics and is rather fun for the price. The achievements are rather easy as well.
Castles ($4.99) — Badland Games
Quick Rundown: Castles looks absolutely charming and has players moving blocks around the board as they take on the role of builder. Unfortunately the game has extreme pacing issues making it rather frustrating at times.
Castles Review: Three of a grind (Limited Appeal)
Clustertruck ($14.99) — tinyBuild
Quick Rundown: Clustertruck is a fast paced game were players must jump from truck to truck as they attempt to reach the finishline. As the game progesses new skills and abilities are unlocked giving players additional ways to survive as they run toward the finishline. Clustertruck can be insanely fun when it isn’t rage inducing.
Death God University ($9.99) — DSK Green Ice Games
Quick Rundown: Players take on the role of a death god assistant looking for hidden objects in the world. Unfortunately loading screens and no real guidance on what to look for ruin an otherwise funny experience. This game can be completed incredibly quickly if you are an achievement hunter willing to use a guide.
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour ($19.99) — Gearbox Publishing, LLC
Quick Rundown: Duke is back! The game adds an additional 5th episode and remasters the original source code. The irreverent shooter is packed with nostalgia and should appeal to many.
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour Review: Here of Has-Been (Reader’s Choice)
Exile’s End ($9.99) — Magnetic Realms
Quick Rundown: Exiles End is an exploration-driven side-scrolling adventure. The game features puzzles and platforming action as players explore.
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal ($19.99) — Badland Games
Quick Rundown: At first glance Ginger: Beyond the Crystal looks reminiscent of an old Rare game in all the best ways. Unfortunately this 3D platformer never quite lives up to that hype. It should still appeal to some seeking to scratch that itch.
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal Review: Shattered dreams (Readers Choice)
Happy Dungeons (Free To Play) — Toylogic Inc.
Quick Rundown: Happy Dungeons is a free to play dungeon crawler. Set in the same universe as toylogics previous work, comical characters and unique customization plays a large focus in distinguishing this title. While it can be fun with friends, the grind eventually sets in and makes this tough to recommend.
HoPiKo ($6.99) Merge Games Ltd
Quick Rundown: HiPiKo is an intense speed run platformer with hundreds of hand-crafted levels.
Horse Racing 2016 ($12.99) Yash Future Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd
Quick Rundown: Horse Racing 2016 attempts to bring horse racing to the Xbox One. It graphically looks pretty sub par and doesn’t feature any real fun gameplay. The only reason to pick this up is for the easy gamescore.
Jackbox Party Pack 3 ($24.99) — Jackbox Games, Inc
Quick Rundown: Jackbox is back and potentially better than ever. With all new game modes, this party game continues to bring it. As long as you have friends to play with you locally or on Twitch, this game is an absolute blast and worth every penny.
Kyurinaga’s Revenge ($19.99) — Recotechnology S.L.
Quick Rundown: Follow up to the “legendary” Yasai Ninja, Kyurinagas Revenge attempts to utilize the 2D platforming segments that worked well in the original game, expanding them into a full on game. It’s a rather basic platformer.
Manual Samuel ($9.99) — Curve Digital
Quick Rundown: Sam is dead. Death makes him a deal that he can come back to life as long as he can survive a single day of managing every aspect of his life manually. The story in this game shines carrying the intentionally tedious gameplay.
Manual Samuel Review: First World Problems (Reader’s Choice)
Mantis Burn Racing ($14.99) — VooFoo Studios
Quick Rundown: Mantis Burn Racing is a top down racer with fast paced bumper to bumper racing and an RPG-style upgrade system to attempt hold your attention long term.
Monster Jam Crush It! ($19.99) — GameMill Entertainment
Quick Rundown: Monster Jam Crush it brings Monster Trucks to the Xbox One with multiple gameplay modes. Unfortunately it suffers rather drastically from not being fun.
Monster Jam: Crush It! Review: Five Minutes of Fun (No Appeal)
Necropolis ($29.99) BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc
Quick Rundown: Necropolis has a really unique art style and brings another souls-type game to Xbox One.With a lot of depth, this rogue-like should appeal to those looking for an intense challenge.
Reus ($24.99) SOEDESCO Publishing
Quick Rundown: Reus puts a new spin on the God game as players move giants around who literally shape the earth. Unfortunately the game is incredible slow paced and tedious. It’s largely focused on min-maxing land use.
Reus Review: They might be giants (Limited Appeal)
Rogue Stormers ($19.99) Black Forest Games GmbH
Quick Rundown: Rogue Stormers brings mordern art styles to classic run and gun gameplay. The rogue-like offers couch co-op gameplay.
Saturday Morning RPG ($9.99) — Might Rabbit Studios
Quick Rundown: This JRPG is heavily inspired by Saturday Morning Cartoons of the 1980’s. The game is full of references and nostalgia.
Saturday Morning RPG Review: Guess what year it is (Readers Choice)
Slain: Back from Hell ($14.99) — Digerati
Quick Rundown: Slain is a near perfect marriage of heavy metal album art with a Castlevania-style game.While it is hard and punishing, and a tad repetitive at times, Slain should be on your radar.
Slain: Back From Hell Review: Death metal and glory (Highly Recommended)
Solitaire ($9.99) — Bigben Interactive
Quick Rundown: This version of solitaire offers really easy achievements as well as Klondike, Spider and Freecell gameplay modes.
The Bug Butcher ($9.99)
Quick Rundown: The Bug Butcher is an action packed 2D side scrolling game. The core mechanics are reminiscent of Super Pang but with modern twists.
Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide ($39.99) — Fatshark AB
Quick Rundown: Warhammer: End Times Vermintide takes the Left 4 Dead formula and gives it a unique Warhammer twist. This game is more than a reskin and fans of the Left 4 Dead formula should give it a serious look.
Warhammmer: End Times – Vermintide Review: Sincerest form of flattery (Highly Recommend)