Xbox Sales TA Team Pick (August 6)

The Xbox Summer Sale was always going to be a tough act to follow, but there are still some decent discounts in this week’s pick if you know where to look. For those struggling with this part, the TA Press Team is back with a few more pointers. Well, most of them, anyway – Sean is getting drunk in a field somewhere, and Heidi has been struggling to find any featured games that she hasn’t championed recently enough. , therefore politely abstained. Still, the rest of us have put together a choice trio, so you may still find something new to add to your backlog. Here’s what we have for you this week …

Every now and then, i.e. every week, I get lyrical on Outer Wilds. I’m going to keep drumming for a long time this week too. I didn’t even look at the actual discount as it’s worth all your money. All. Oh, that’s 40 percent off… it’s a lot, actually. Let me preface before you rock your world, because this game is not for you if you are bored with puzzles, hate to read, or play AAA games exclusively and want to bangs and bangs all the time (not in a pejorative way, I love them too). Apart from these players, I really believe that this game is an exceptional experience. This is one of my favorite games of all time, so be warned of the hyperbole to come.

This is a space exploration game in which you are given a solar system to explore for 20 minutes until the sun explodes. Now take to the skies in your cute rocket and explore the planets and experience expertly written history. The music is unreal, the look of the game is amazingly well styled, the accomplishments are rewarding (see: Hotshot). The design of the world – or rather the design of the planet – is perfectly suited to what you do as a player. You find the solution to a little mystery which nourishes another, which nourishes past mysteries, present mysteries and future mysteries. It changes the planets you choose for each trip, it makes you feel like you’re working all the time. I cannot stress this enough, don’t look at the guides. Nothing goes wrong, so intertwining history, mystery and exploration so closely is part of the exact science of Outer Wilds. Eventually you come to a conclusion that – and this is not an exaggeration – has reconfigured the way I think about my time on Earth. There’s some weird expansion content on the outer edges of September, so picking it up now and waiting for it to drop into the game is an option, if you like. I don’t know what to say more. I think it’s one of the best games ever made and it’s on sale now. What else do you want?

A vibrant and imaginative fusion of awe-inspiring melodies, simple yet varied twitch gameplay, and a killer sense of style, Sayonara Wild Hearts is one hell of a ride. It’s been on my wishlist for quite a while, but seeing it on sale after receiving so many comments in the comments on my recent best Xbox soundtrack, I knew I had to bite this week. It really brings me back to that turn-of-the-millennial explosion of wonderfully creative music-themed games – Space Channel 5, Rez, Gitaroo Man, et al – before the success of Guitar Hero’s homogenized rhythmic interfaces in just being highways. While not strictly a musical game in the traditional sense, Sayonara Wild Hearts has typical timed entries and rewards gameplay that follows the soundtrack without requiring it as strictly as some other games. could do it.

Sayonara Wild Hearts really keeps you on your toes with its fast-paced gameplay, jumping between different styles and angles with reckless abandon to create an experience unlike any other. Yes, it’s short, but it’s so dense and chaotic that you’ll actively want to go back and relive most of the amazing footage, which is just as good as you’ll have to for a bunch of achievements. Even here the game refuses to play by the rules, with 24 cryptic puzzles where a list of achievements is usually found. Solve them to determine what tasks you will need to complete to take turns unlocking them, and like everything else in this game, I would personally recommend that you go blind and see how you do. If you’re stumped on your way to completion, RadicalSniper99’s superb walkthrough has a neat hinting system for this section, which means you can often find helpful tips that don’t completely spoil the fun. to solve the puzzles by yourself. Or you can just search for the answers and get started. You monsters.

When it comes to zombie survival games, Dead Island tops my list of best experiences. I played the entire game in co-op online with my brother, driving through tropical paradise and dismembering all the undead in our path. It was a fantastic time, filled with tense moments that sometimes catch you off guard and end up being overrun by carnivorous creatures. The story itself is decent and gives the game a natural sense of progression as you travel through the resort, the interior of the jungle, and the main area of ​​the island. I would recommend you get a buddy to play with, as Dead Island is at its best when you can cooperate on your way to greatness.

I didn’t have time to play Dead Island: Riptide or the arcade-style Dead Island Retro Revenge – which I’m now a little ashamed to admit – but at 75% off the pack they’re definitely worth it. cut. To be fair, the first game is worth that price on its own, so the other two are a solid bonus. The chances of seeing a new dead island seem to be receding every moment, so that might be the only way to experience the awesome world… anytime soon, at least.

Any of these three very different offers piques your interest, or maybe you’ve found your own bargains to share? Get involved below!