November is upon us. That means after over a full year of hype, the latest generation of video game consoles is about to become available. Microsoft is ready to launch the Xbox Series X, and Sony is about to launch the PlayStation 5. You’ll have read a lot of information about the new PlayStation both on this site and elsewhere, so today we’re going to redress the balance by talking about the best games available on launch day for the Xbox Series X. If we’ve got our timings right, you’ll only have a couple of days to wait before you can go out and buy the shiny new console – it ships to stores on November 10th.
If you’re one of the many people who will be planning to get their hands on Microsoft’s new flagship machine on the day it becomes available, you’re probably wondering which games you’ll be able to play on it. That’s where we come in. We’ve looked over the games that will be available on launch day, and we’ve picked out the highlights for you. We know that different gamers have different tastes, and so we’ve tried to pick out at least one option for each kind of gamer. Let’s get right into it!
Observer: System Redux
Halloween might have been and gone, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t scare yourself stupid during the darkest months of the year. If that sounds like it’s up your street, look no further than “Observer: System Redux,” which takes place in a terrifying, post-apocalyptic version of Poland’s capital city, Krakow. PC gamers will already be relatively familiar with this title, as it was released for home computers in 2017 and received a series of five-star reviews. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a simple rehash, though. The game has been given a new coat of next-gen paint and features a slew of content that wasn’t in the original release. That makes it bigger, badder, and a whole lot darker than it was three years ago.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
We probably don’t even need to sell you on the idea of buying the latest version of “Assassin’s Creed” – it’s one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. The stellar success of the series has already seen it turned into a movie, and it’s about to become a live-action television series for Netflix, too. This latest incarnation of the game sees players take control of a Viking character as the Vikings land on the coast of England during the 11th century. While the game is being released for both the Xbox and the PlayStation, Xbox players get to enjoy it a couple of days early because of the earlier launch date of the Microsoft console. This is guaranteed to be a big hit and might even be the standout game of 2020.
Bright Memory
If you love “Devil May Cry,” you’ll probably also love “Bright Memory.” While Chinese company FYQD Personal Studio might not yet be a big name in the gaming world, releases like this will help to put them on the map. It’s a combat and shoot-em-up game played in the first person with some truly beautiful graphics and an immersive story, placing you in charge of a character who’s handy with a sword but also has an equally handy set of superhuman abilities. The studio is so confident of the success of this game that they already have a sequel lined up for next year.
Tetris Effect: Connected
Who would have thought that humble old “Tetris” would still be a big deal in the 2020s? Great ideas never get old, and “Tetris” is one of the finest video game ideas of all time. This is a sequel to “The Tetris Effect,” which came out in 2018 and sparked a new wave of passion and enthusiasm for the classic brand. That success somehow led to the introduction of Tetris-themed games at online slots websites like Kong Casino. A slot called “Tetris Super Jackpots” was released by Bally at around the same time that “Tetris Effect came out.” That was followed up by another online slots game called “Tetris Extreme,” which hit websites at the end of 2019. When a game is so marketable that it’s deemed a bankable brand by the companies who make online slots, it’s a good sign that it has a big audience. This isn’t the “Tetris” of your childhood – it’s all grown up and shockingly addictive.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
So far, all of the entries in the “Yakuza” series of games have been classic beat-em-ups. “Like A Dragon” sees the franchise move in a new direction. While combat is still a significant strategic aspect of the game, it’s now played as a turn-based affair with a lot more strategic thinking involved. A “jobs” feature has also been added, which will be familiar to anyone who’s played Japanese RPG games before but might take some getting used to for those who haven’t. The game was released in its home country at the start of the year but has never previously been available to a western audience. We think that it will prove to be equally popular abroad as it has been in Japan.
The Falconeer
No console launch would be complete without a quirky game to play on it, and “The Falconeer” looks like the game most likely to tick that box. This is an open-world sandbox of a game that invites you to go wherever you like and do whatever pleases you so long as you can maintain aerial dominance in a series of dogfights. Your character is a (frankly weird) robotic falcon, controlled by the titular falconer. With dreamy visuals and an enormous fictionalized planet to explore, this is a game that could almost be whatever you want it to be. Think “Star Fox,” but with slightly more cuteness and much more content.
You’ll probably see all of these games become available for the PlayStation as well as the Xbox. That’s because exclusivity is a rare thing in video gaming these days – it doesn’t make much sense for publishers to leave money on the table when they could earn more by making their creations available to as many people as possible! Despite that, there are expected to be a few Xbox-exclusive games announced in the near future. When that happens, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, enjoy your new console and these incredible games!
Image Editorial credit: Anthony McLaughlin / Shutterstock.com
