Major Nelson brought us a substantial “Out Now Edition” of This Week on Xbox today, showing off all of the shiny new releases that rolled their way onto Xbox’s this week. Anybody owning an Xbox One is sure to have an enjoyable week, as a lot of the most hotly anticipated titles decided to drop at around the same time.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition kicks off the video with Major Nelson explaining to us why the game is more than just a remaster. In Ultimate edition, you not only get a 1080p and a (much needed) 60FPS upgrade to the game’s multiplayer, but you also receive every map ever released for it, and a brand new game mode called “Blitz,” Gears of War’s new take on King of the Hill. The game also brings LAN support, custom games, and spectator mode. For any Gears fan, Ultimate Edition is a must own.
Next up is the Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 beta that’s hitting Xbox’s this week. The game was up for beta last week on PS4, where I got a chance to give it a go – I would highly recommend it, even to folks who aren’t fans of the Call of Duty franchise (I was a long-time hater of CoD, but BO3 turned me right around.) The beta is open to anybody who has pre-ordered,and is slated to end on Sunday (I wouldn’t be surprised if they extend it a day, however).
The other major release is Madden 16, and it’s just as unremarkable as it always is. If you’re a die-hard Madden fan, you’ve already pre-ordered this game, but otherwise this should be a pass for you. If you’re an EA Access member, however, you can try the game out for free and see for yourself if it’s worth your money.
The final huge release this week is Dishonored: Definitive Edition. This is a fantastic title for anybody who can appreciate a good action game, a good stealth game, or even just a good story. Definitive edition is a great pick-up for anyone, and I would even argue that it’s one of the best games to come out in a long time – I can’t recommend it enough. Now is the perfect time to pick it up, with Dishonored 2 in the works.
Finally, we have indie offerings. First up we have Goat Simulator: MMOre GoatZ edition. Goat Simulator is an indie darling that came out of Coffee Stain quite some time ago as a joke, and became wildly popular for its ridiculous ragdoll physics and intentional bugs. This new edition comes with the base game as well as the two DLC, and is well worth your money if you’re the kind of person that appreciates some silly fun.
More notably in indie games, we finally have Don’t Starve: Giant Edition. Don’t Starve is incredible popular, and for good reason. It’s a survival game with beautiful music, haunting art style, and some pretty on-point humor. If you enjoy a challenge, Don’t Starve is a great buy, and I would encourage anybody wanting to get into the survival genre outside of Minecraft to give it a go.
Finally, we have Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Octodad has been one of the biggest indie darlings in the past few years, since the original Octodad was made in a game jam all the way back in 2010. Octodad has the player control an Octopus masquerading in the breadwinner role of the nuclear family, trying to make sure your wife and children don’t find out that you are, in fact, a cephalopod. If you haven’t already, I’d suggest you try Octodad, especially if you have a friend or significant other to play it with. The game’s “Co-op” mode has two players take control of different tentacles at the same time, and the attempted coordination that ensues is priceless.
Nelson wrapped it up by mentioning a few other indie games that are heading to the console (Most notably Whispering Willows, which looks incredible) and telling us September’s free games (The Deer God and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for Xbox One, Battlestation Pacific and Crysis 3 for Xbox 360).
It’s been a great week for anybody who owns an Xbox, and there are sure to be a lot more to come. Keep in mind that great releases like Destiny: The Taken King are just around the corner, so you shouldn’t let the hype die down just yet.
