Enter The Next Generation! All The Next-Gen Reveals From Xbox’s Series X Event!

After months of anticipation to find out just what the next generation of consoles has in store with the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, Xbox teased a handful of new games coming to the Series X, and even though we are only offered a glimpse of most of these titles, they look stunning. 

First Look Xbox Series X Gameplay

 

Bright Memory: Infinite 

This game started as a project in Steam's early access that after many revisions, shows its new style in Bright Memory: Infinite. This slick, time-bending shooter combines both first-person gun battles and melee in a trippy, sci-fi world full of mystery and action. The most impressive part of Bright Memory is the fact that all of the insanely detailed work on screen from the mechanics to the graphical presentation was all developed by a single developer Zeng Xiancheng. The trailer shown during Xbox’s event is by far the most impressive piece we’ve seen from the game, and I can’t wait to see what else Zeng has in store for this one. 

Call of the Sea

This first-person adventure/puzzler came out swinging thanks to its enchanting depiction of a lush island full of secrets and danger. You play as Norah, a woman casting out into the unknown in search of her lost husband on a faraway island. Incredible island vistas are brought to life thanks to the next-gen ray-tracing technology. The scenes shown have an undeniable beauty to them, but the uncomfortable yet enticing mystery bubbling just beneath the surface makes this one of my most anticipated games to come out of the showcase. 

Chorus

Space shooters are as old as gaming itself, with some of the medium’s oldest classics taking part in a cockpit zipping through space. Chorus is the story of both pilot and spacecraft, as you zip through the cosmos at breakneck speeds and engage in hectic firefights throughout an expansive story set in a universe filled with intrigue and high stakes. Even from the short snippets of gameplay in the trailer, this one simply looks like a blast to play. 

Dirt 5

At first glance, you could’ve almost mistaken this offroad racer for a new Forza. You drive through multiple real-world locations and partake in a supposedly meaty story to boot. Racing games have always struggled with including truly great stories along with the high octane gameplay, but Dirt 5 is looking to up the ante in more ways than one. This game is one of the best examples of just how high the graphical presentation looks to be on the Series X, with the level of realism on display being second to none at this point. Whether or not it can nail its lofty goals of creating the boldest offroad racing game yet, time will tell but it sure is pretty. 

Madden NFL 21

Another year, another Madden. The game continues to get upgrades in the visuals department, and with sports being on hold how they are, this one may just be the most popular yet. 

Scarlet Nexus 

An anime-inspired RPG, Scarlet Nexus takes you to a futuristic series under siege by some anything but ordinary foes. The game’s bold palette of reds and blacks are as impactful as can be, and the unique looking psychic powers in the combat system look to shake things up for the former Tales developers over at Bandai Namco Studios.

Scorn

As a huge fan of the cryptic and otherworldly work of artist HR Gieger, who is responsible for numerous science fiction worlds including the Alien films (which Metroid also heavily borrows elements of), the first-person horror adventure Scorn looks like a terrifying yet oh so inviting look into the unnatural and alien. You explore this world non-linearly and solve puzzles along the way, and if the trailer is anything to go on, it won’t be like anything you’ve ever seen. 

Second Extinction

Mutant dinosaurs? Check. You and your buddies taking them on with big weapons? Also check. 

The Ascent 

Cyberpunk is big right now, and The Ascent looks to bring the dirty-lived in future to the realm of top-down Action-RPGs. The combat looks fairly standard for games like it, but what blew me away about this one is the incredibly detailed cityscape the game takes place in. There are so many interesting characters walking the streets, and the insanely dense pockets of buildings and passersby make this vision of the future look too good to pass up. You can play this one solo, or with a squad of four total to up the action even further. 

The Medium

If you want even more horror goodness, The Medium looks to deliver with its perspective-shifting environments as you move between the real world and a spirit world as well as plenty of scares. 

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

The original Vampire: The Masquerade is something of a cult classic PC game that puts you in the shoes of a Vampire. You can choose between various factions, and if its anything like the original, make tons of decisions that have huge effects on how your story plays out. 

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Yakuza has already taken players through several adventures through dense Japanese cities, but Like a Dragon is adding a bit of RPG flair. Even though the story takes place in the modern-day, Like a Dragon twists the RPG formula of warriors and mages with current jobs like chefs, musicians, and bodyguards that all have their ownmoves and abilities in turn-based battles. 

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Even though it was teased throughout the showcase as being a full gameplay reveal, we got a short and fairly gameplay-less showcase of the newest Assassin's Creed. The story revolves around the Vikings, and has you upgrade your village as you explore both land and sea. This one is leaving behind the leveling system of the past two games for a more natural progression where you unlock skills as you progress and that should allow for a bit more gameplay freedom this time. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: First Look Gameplay Trailer

 

Share Your Thoughts

What do you think of these new games? Are you excited to see what the next-generation has to offer? Let us know below!

 

By: Noah Friscopp