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Xbox One Receives 13 Xbox Games via Backwards Compatibility

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Backwards compatibility is very important in today’s gaming market. AAA haven’t quite lived up to expectations as of late, so many gamers turn to previous generations of games, especially games that existed before season passes and microtransactions. Microsoft has been busy compiling an ever-growing library of Xbox 360 games that can be played on the Xbox One, but now the company has set its sights even earlier and is porting Xbox games over to the Xbox One via backwards compatibility. Starting tomorrow, October 24th, gamers can play the following Xbox games on their Xbox One (all thanks goes to IGN):

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

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It’s the Xbox game that put BioWare on the map and made the company what it is today. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic popularized the concept of a Star Wars RPG and demonstrated that expanded universes don’t always have to tie in with the characters and events of the source material.

Ninja Gaiden Black

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A reworked version of the original Ninja Gaiden game for the Xbox that came with the free Hurricane Pack DLC, Ninja Gaiden Black includes extra modes, enemies, and costumes not available in the original release. The most important change, though, is the difficulty setting changes: an extra easy mode was included after the game’s creator Tomonobu Itagaki received complaints about the difficulty, but he also made all the other difficulty settings harder in response. Many gamers consider Ninja Gaiden Black to be the definitive Ninja Gaiden experience.

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge

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Flight-based combat games are a dying breed, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is one of the better examples of the genre. Xbox’s remake of the PC game Crimson SkiesCrimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, improves on the original’s gameplay and delivers a more cinematic and streamlined experience. The game might not have sold well, but it deserves its position as a cult classic.

Fuzion Frenzy

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These days, most Xbox One games have limited multiplayer. If gamers are lucky, they can play a game with a friend via splitscreen co-op, and if not, they can only play the game with friends if everyone owns a copy of the same online multiplayer game. Fuzion Frenzy, as a four-player party mini-game collection, will finally give Xbox One owners an excuse to huddle with their friends on the couch while playing games together. And, given the recent resurgence of platformer collectathons, Fuzion Frenzy might be the prelude to a slew of new party mini-game collections.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

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The quintessential video game reboot, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time takes the slow and methodical race against time that was Prince of Persia and turns it into an acrobatic masterpiece that tells an engrossing story and works in well-implemented time manipulation powers. While its sequels were considerably less impressive, the original Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for the Xbox is widely considered a critical success.

Psychonauts

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Tim Schafer’s magnum opus, Psychonauts, is the tale of a young psychic who runs away from home (which is also a circus) to join a summer camp for psychics and gets tangled in a web of conspiracies and betrayal. The game’s graphics hold up even today, and the platforming is some of the best in the platformer genre. Psychonauts is yet another game that, despite its critical praise, wasn’t a commercial success, but that has not stopped gamers from enjoying this game.

Dead to Rights

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Dead to Rights was a timed exclusive for the Xbox and a product of the times, as it makes heavy use of bullet time and gun-fu. But, the game is not just nonstop action, and it knows when to take it slow. Dead to Rights is essentially a crime-thriller in video game form, complete with gunfights, plot twists, and kung-fu. The game is a lost gem whose genre has fallen by the wayside and deserves a comeback.

Black

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Black might look like a generic grey-brown military shooter game, but it sets itself apart with destructible environments, a feature that seems to be missing from a lot of modern FPS games, and plenty of carnage. Black is caught haflway between 90s FPS games and modern first person shooters, but that works to the game’s advantage and makes it arguably superior to games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield.

Grabbed by the Ghoulies

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A lost Rare classic, Grabbed by the Ghoulies was the first game the company made for the Xbox after being bought by Microsoft (although, Rare originally developed for game the Gamecube prior to the company’s acquisition). Unlike most Rare games, Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a beat ’em up game, but it maintains the studio’s trademark humor and Grant Kirkhope’s musical flair. The game was previously included in the Rare Replay compilation, but now gamers will have a chance to play this underrated look into what Rare used to be a la carte.

Sid Meier’s Pirates!

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Another remake of an existing game, Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a simulator designed to put gamers in the shoes of a pirate. Players have to manage their crew, ship, and loot stores, and ship and sword battles are a mix of action and RPG mechanics. Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a unique experience that will no doubt please many gamers.

Red Faction II

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Red Faction II is a sci-fi shooter that balances the serious with the silly, all while telling a decent (albeit ridiculous) story. The game doesn’t look as visually impressive as the other games coming to the Xbox One, but it makes up for that with solid gameplay and a unique tone missing from most FPS games.

BloodRayne 2

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Just in time for Halloween, Bloodrayne 2 is a hack and slash game that stars vampires as both the protagonist and antagonists. As a vampire, the main character Rayne can feed on her opponents to regain her health, which keeps the action going at a nonstop pace. Not much else to be said except that Bloodrayne 2 is one of the few games being released for the Xbox One this month that are thematically appropriate.

The King of Fighters Neowave

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While Capcom’s Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom might be the current reigning champion of 2D fighting games, SNK’s The King of Fighters franchise was a very close second. Unlike other The King of Fighers entries, The King of Fighters Neowave is primarily an excuse to gather popular characters throughout the franchise and have them duke it out to see who is the King of Fighters, but that doesn’t detract from the game at all.

Each Xbox game will come with enhanced 1080p resolution, better framerates, and better loading times. Also, gamers don’t have to buy them on the Xbox Store for $9.99 each; anyone lucky enough to still own the physical game disks can just pop them into their Xbox One. I look forward to the other Xbox games Microsoft has plans to make playable on the Xbox One. Personally, I’m hoping for Panzer Dragoon Orta.

All you have to do to get my attention is talk about video games, technology, anime, and/or Dungeons & Dragons - also people in spandex fighting rubber suited monsters.

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Helldivers 2 Players Face Overwhelming Hordes of Factory Striders

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In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.

There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.

Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.

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Todd Howard affirms that the timeline of the Fallout series is coherent and well-constructed

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The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”

It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Evaluating Fallout 76’s Value in 2024

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If you’ve been keeping up with the new Fallout show on Amazon Prime, chances are you’ve been relying on PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium to access and enjoy one of Bethesda’s legendary RPGs. We decided to bypass the highly acclaimed Fallout New Vegas and Fallout 3, opting instead to explore the vast landscapes of West Virginia in Fallout 76. Infamous for its initial reception, Todd Howard’s “Fallout with Friends” has evolved significantly over the past six years. However, does that imply the game is of high quality? Is it worth playing in 2024?

As we ventured out of Vault 76 for the very first time, we were determined to find the answers to those burning questions. Recalling our escapades on the Push Square YouTube channel, we encountered quest-giving NPCs—a feature that was surprisingly absent upon release—awe-inspiring bases built by fellow players—and an abundance of loot that could easily burden us 76 times over.

In the midst of the vast array of open-world online experiences, we found ourselves quite enthralled by the combination of 50s classics playing in the background as we obliterated the heads of ghouls. And to top it off, we were able to enjoy all of this with our friends. Exploring the wasteland in the company of a ragtag band of survivors adds a unique element to Fallout 76, setting it apart from other games in the series. However, does it manage to prevent us from uninstalling and transitioning to one of the mainline entries in the series? To discover more, be sure to watch the complete video!

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