20 13 GAMES COME TO XBOX GAME PASS Hooray Xbox Game Pass subcribers, 13 games are waiting for you to pick up and play! The new games include 5 existing games and 8 new releases that were scheduled to launch from the 15th of September. Whether you are looking for an adventurous story or a battlefield, there is something for you. These 13 games rolled out between the 15th of September and the 1st of October. The first on the list being Flynn: Son of Crimson, an action and fantasy-packed game that invites players to devour and discover Crimson energy. Its 2D platform game mode mirrors the next coming release of an oldie, Lost Worlds: Beyond the Page. A variety of games became available towards the end of September such as Lemnis Gate, a first-person shooting game that requires combat strategy. Debuting
on Xbox for the very first time, the Lemnis Gate game director James Anderson hopes the ‘mix [of] some strategic gameplay with something a bit more pugilistic’ will resonate with players. Moreover, another game called Astria Ascending made its debut on the 30th of September. In the fantastical world of Orcanon, you play as a hero to restore peace. The Xbox Game Pass satisfies both FPS and RPG fans alike. As exciting as it sounds, Phoenix Point wraps up the collection of releases. A thrilling title similar to XCOM, operates with new mechanics and a distinctive manual aiming system. In its futuristic and sci-fi setting, players fight against alien invasions and formulate their own tactics in battle. Of course, saying hello to new games meant saying goodbye to old games. The previous releases on Xbox Game Pass including Drake Hollow and Ikenfell announced their
My all-time favourite game When I think of my favourite game, I think of hours spent in my room, playing The Sims 4, creating characters and little stories within the game. The franchise is basically a lifesimulator game where you can create your own ‘sim’ and walk them through life, completing milestones like getting a job, building a house and raising a family. However, this type of gameplay is only surface level, which makes the game so appealing to so many players. There are no rules when it comes to The Sims; players can do whatever they choose – for example, those with Machiavellian tendencies can go round causing havoc to the world, killing sims just because they can! The Sims team even encourage this, creating unconventional deaths such as being killed by a mutated plant with the head of a cow (creatively named a Cowplant). The developers certainly have
a sense of humour and have further encouraged players’ wacky interests by bringing out different expansions of the game to suit each taste. For those like me, who want to play a more conventional, world-building game, there is a pack released called Parenthood which allows deeper relationships and stories to be made between parents and children. For those with more fantastical sensibilities there is a pack named Realm of Magic where you can explore a wizarding world. One doesn’t even have to play with characters; what makes it so popular to some is its focus on building, bringing out packs which centre solely on build items. Another reason why I love The Sims so much is down to its community aspect. Those who play it feel a sense of belonging created by both The Sims team and other players – the developers constantly listen to players, sending out polls and questionnaires to see what they want next from a pack, and they also invite YouTubers of the game to test upcoming expansions
Gaming By Melody chan
exit. On the 31st of September, these games were no longer available to the pass’ subscribers. Drake Hollow initially released in August 2020, is favoured by those who enjoy survival and management games. It can take up to 25 hours to complete its 50 achievements. Likewise, Ikenfell, popular among RPG enthusiasts, requires approximately 20 hours to unlock all its achievements. A review critic, Heidi Nicholas explains the charms of the game, ‘the strength of Ikenfell’s story and characters, the wonderful music, all come together in a wash of cutesy pastels, magic, and a gentle sense of humour’. The new additions did bring excitement for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, yet the halt on other great games was a tragic loss.
By Hamilton brown and report their experiences online. It may seem unexciting from an outside eye, but once you start playing you get lost in the experience, something I feel is a positive sign of a good computer game.
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