I'm not sure I'll pick this one up, but I have awesome memories of watching this and playing with the toys, with my two sons. We played with the toys for hours. I really really hope this is good and it succeeds.
I'm fully invested in Death Stranding. I'm playing that any chance I get. I believe I'm staying in each chapter waaaaay longer then I should be. My breaks from more serious gaming have been coming in the form of Balatro or Bloons TD6. I also broke out MK8 with some friends on Saturday night. Good weekend!
As a kid, I sold off entire libraries of games and systems to be able to afford the next system. As an adult, I don't have the space or the time, to dedicate any more to gaming. I was extremely content with the previous price point of ultimate. I was okay with not owning anything. I'll play what I want, move on when I want, and most of the time, I'm not replaying. I'm stacked until April, then I'll need to make a decision. I'm going to come and go with Ultimate in the future. I could see me do it for a few months if there's games I want to play and I have more time to play them. If not, I'll just sub to a cheaper tier and be happy with it, or I'll buy games on sale. Since the price increase, I've actually picked up 4 games on sale that I'm ready to play come April.
@Scrubchub I get you! If I hadn't started Death Stranding, I would be looking to play through KCD2 and then DS. For me, DS came to gamepass right when I was finishing a game. But I agree, probally not games you want to split your time playing at the same time.
I think strategically releasing older exclusives on the other platforms could open the door for future adopters of Xbox platforms "IF" they play their cards right.
Honestly, I just play the games, I'm not too worried about anything in the video game realm at the moment.
I downloaded all 3. I've yet to fire up Outlaws. I started Death Stranding and Space Marines at the same time. I only made it through the tutorial on Space Marines before making the decision that I enjoy Death Stranding much more. Now I'm fully invested in Death Stranding.
I like the original Outer Worlds game. I'm looking forward to the sequel; I just haven't gotten to it yet.
I think releasing all 3 in the same year was not the best decision. Dang! Stagger those releases please. It's not like those games are quick experiences. Are they not competing against each other for both gamer's money and time?
To address the primary topic, I'm playing this game for the first time. I'm on chapter 2. At first I was ready to bail to be honest; but it's weirdly sucked me in. It's the game that I keep thinking about playing. I don't know if that will translate to me finishing it or moving on though.
@johnK to jump into the other conversation: I'm in my mid-40's. I typically have a primary bigger game that I'm focused on, then 2 indie type games that I can play quick sessions; one loaded on the Xbox, the other on the PC, or both. Those games tend to be games like Vampire Survivor, Ball X Pit, Balatro, Blue Prince, those type of games; maybe Forza or a sports game. If I venture to other games for too long, I 100% forget the story and how to play. Sometimes I can jump back in with no issue, other times I have even walked away.
I was soooo excited to finally play this game. I finally tried it last week when it came out, but quit before the tutorial portion. I just wasn't drawn in like I thought I would. I haven't uninstalled the game yet so I may give it a more fair chance; but ultimately while I was playing, I couldn't stop thinking about playing other games. From my first impression, I gave it a 6/10.
I've been looking forward to playing Space Marine 2 for a long time. I have it installing now, and I'll be taking a step back from Death Stranding to give this a go. If it plays good, I may not return to Death Stranding (I have mixed feeling on that one).
I wasn't buying the DLC anyways, and I can wait 4 days more to play any game. Outside of Vampire Survivor DLC, which tends to be fairly cheap, I have not purchased DLC in years.
I found last year's developer direct to showcase games I was more excited to play than this one. There's a good chance I'll play all 4 games, I'm just not super psyched for any of them.
I'm excited to check it out and I think it'll happen soon. I'm almost done with BallxPit. I have a few achievements I'm trying to grab then I will move on.
I've had Lonely Mountain loaded on my Xbox since day 1. It's fantastic and it's always able to provide that much needed break from playing other games. I may think about purchasing this game.
I'm stacked up until April. When it runs out, I will cancel Ultimate and reevaluate Gamepass at a lesser tier or not at all. I've also recently purchased a few games on sale so when April hits, I may not do Gamepass at all.
@TuscanUK I believe this is based on sales, not review scores.
....but I 100% agree, it's a travesty that more people aren't buying Dave the Diver at that price. Personally, I found the game to be very unique, the character designs were awesome, the music fantastic, and the gameplay was very fun.
I voted for South of Midnight out of the following games that I played: South of Midnight, Gears of War: Reloaded, Keeper, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4, Xbox Retro Classics.
Keeper was cool, but I need more substance. I found it to just be cool art. Gears and TH are great! But I can't vote for remakes.
I know I'd love Outer Worlds 2, Avowed, and The Elder Scrolls; but unfortunately those games take me forever and I played Fallout 4 and Outer Worlds within the last 12 months. Sometimes I need breaks in-between large games. I plan to play them. When I do, I'll love them.
I would have thought Indiana Jones would have been eligible last year but not this year? It came out early December 2024, right? If it's eligible, it should have been nominated for GOTY IMO.
Total travesty that South of Midnight wasn't nominated for it's art and/or music.
I walked away early from Clair Obscur, I couldn't get behind the combat or the world/environments. I keep saying that maybe I'll go back and revisit, especially after the last update, but the backlog is just too large at the moment.
Keeper was very cool experience for me. Definitely not GOTY; but perhaps something for it's art direction?
Blue Prince should win the Indie Award, even if it's up against Clair Obscur. It stands for everything Indie, it's extremely unique, and it's well designed. I couldn't stop playing this game even when I was frustrated and not feeling like I was getting anywhere.
One of my favs from this past year! It's probably not a "game of the year" for me, but boy was the art, story, world, characters, and music great! The only thing I didn't think was great, was the combat/action. That got a bit repetitive by the end of the game.
I also just finished Keeper. Great art and interesting story. At one point early in the game, I questioned what I was playing, but it did quietly suck me in and keep me wanting to play up to the end. It's a cool experience.
I'll give both Banishers and Marvel a try while I still have Ultimate. I'll admit it, I never even heard of Banishers. Marvel Cosmic Invaders, I saw the trailer when that got announced; and I've been keeping up with the news of characters in the game. I don't think I'd buy either, but trying them while I still have an active Ultimate sub is a "must".
I'm at Ultimate until at least April. I'm disappointed with the price hike....but I'm also still very happy with the product. We'll see what the library and future release window looks like come April. Perhaps I'll go back to just buying single games when they go on sale. Maybe I'll take a look and see there's still value. For now, I'm really enjoying the subscription. I've gamed more in 2025 than I have in since the early days of the Switch.
I may move forward with Ultimate by jumping in month by month. I already do this with many of the streaming platforms. If I don't see any content I'm interested in coming out, I discontinue them until I'm interested again or have more time. I might end up doing that with Ultimate.
I'm finally playing the first game currently. I don't know why I waited. Even after seeing that 2 was coming out, I had months to complete the first game! Nope! I just started last week.
I think I'm probably about 40% done. I'll be late to the party once again! I may even need a break between the two.
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Re: That Viral Thomas The Tank Engine Game Is Officially Releasing On Xbox Next Week
I'm not sure I'll pick this one up, but I have awesome memories of watching this and playing with the toys, with my two sons. We played with the toys for hours. I really really hope this is good and it succeeds.
Re: Roundup: All The Biggest Xbox Reveals From The MIX Spring Showcase 2026
None of these interest me. Strong Pass.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 7-8)
I'm fully invested in Death Stranding. I'm playing that any chance I get. I believe I'm staying in each chapter waaaaay longer then I should be. My breaks from more serious gaming have been coming in the form of Balatro or Bloons TD6. I also broke out MK8 with some friends on Saturday night. Good weekend!
Re: Talking Point: Are You Happy With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate In 2026?
As a kid, I sold off entire libraries of games and systems to be able to afford the next system. As an adult, I don't have the space or the time, to dedicate any more to gaming. I was extremely content with the previous price point of ultimate. I was okay with not owning anything. I'll play what I want, move on when I want, and most of the time, I'm not replaying. I'm stacked until April, then I'll need to make a decision. I'm going to come and go with Ultimate in the future. I could see me do it for a few months if there's games I want to play and I have more time to play them. If not, I'll just sub to a cheaper tier and be happy with it, or I'll buy games on sale. Since the price increase, I've actually picked up 4 games on sale that I'm ready to play come April.
Re: Three Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (March 3)
@Scrubchub I get you! If I hadn't started Death Stranding, I would be looking to play through KCD2 and then DS. For me, DS came to gamepass right when I was finishing a game. But I agree, probally not games you want to split your time playing at the same time.
Re: Two Games Are Available Across Xbox Game Pass Ultimate & Premium Today (March 4)
Neither for me!
Re: Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (March 3)
I'm going to play both, but I'm currently very invested in Death Stranding.
Re: Opinion: Xbox Should Consider Cancelling Halo: Campaign Evolved For PS5
I think strategically releasing older exclusives on the other platforms could open the door for future adopters of Xbox platforms "IF" they play their cards right.
Honestly, I just play the games, I'm not too worried about anything in the video game realm at the moment.
Re: Digital Foundry Compares Resident Evil Requiem On Switch 2 & Xbox Series S, With Mixed Results
@Globo I agree 100%. Well said.
Re: Analyst Provides Interesting Data On How Well January's Big Game Pass Additions Performed
I downloaded all 3. I've yet to fire up Outlaws. I started Death Stranding and Space Marines at the same time. I only made it through the tutorial on Space Marines before making the decision that I enjoy Death Stranding much more. Now I'm fully invested in Death Stranding.
Re: Review: Resident Evil Requiem (Xbox) - Capcom Delivers A Masterful Mix Of Action & Horror
I have not played a RE game since 5. I'm not sure I'll start back up with this one.
Re: Three Games Are Available This Week With Xbox Game Pass (February 24-26)
Nothing for me, but that's okay. My full attention is with Death Stranding at the moment.
Re: The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Be A 'Classic' Bethesda RPG As Team Passes 'A Big Milestone Internally'
I need to admit first, that I have not played Fallout 76 or Starfield.
I love everything that came before those two games. I may even love those 2 if I give them a chance.
I have faith that the next game in the series will be good.
Re: These Eight Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (February 19 - March 3)
Fantastic additions!
Re: Crisol: Theater Of Idols Brings Its 'Gripping' Survival Horror Adventure To Xbox This Week
@bert0503 You beat me to this comment!
It really puts off Bioshock vibes. Hopefully it plays as well as Bioshock.
Re: We'll Start Seeing More GTA 6 This Summer Ahead Of November Launch, Says Take-Two CEO
They'll hit the Holiday window in 2026.
Re: Obsidian Says Two Of Its 2025 Titles Didn't Meet Sales Targets, Vows To Learn For The Future
I like the original Outer Worlds game. I'm looking forward to the sequel; I just haven't gotten to it yet.
I think releasing all 3 in the same year was not the best decision. Dang! Stagger those releases please. It's not like those games are quick experiences. Are they not competing against each other for both gamer's money and time?
Re: Xbox Series S Owner Shows What Smoking, Dust And Dirt Can Do To Your Console
None of my video game systems or PCs have ever looked like this from either of my two houses I lived in or my childhood home.
However, my office PC gets extremely dusty/dirty because it's a construction site. It never looked like this though.
Re: These 10 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Major Additions (February 5-17)
Great additions. I'm not sure how many I'll play right away but I definitely see some good ones I'm interested in.
Re: Death Stranding Director's Cut Gets Huge Player Bump Thanks To Xbox Game Pass
To address the primary topic, I'm playing this game for the first time. I'm on chapter 2. At first I was ready to bail to be honest; but it's weirdly sucked me in. It's the game that I keep thinking about playing. I don't know if that will translate to me finishing it or moving on though.
@johnK to jump into the other conversation: I'm in my mid-40's. I typically have a primary bigger game that I'm focused on, then 2 indie type games that I can play quick sessions; one loaded on the Xbox, the other on the PC, or both. Those games tend to be games like Vampire Survivor, Ball X Pit, Balatro, Blue Prince, those type of games; maybe Forza or a sports game. If I venture to other games for too long, I 100% forget the story and how to play. Sometimes I can jump back in with no issue, other times I have even walked away.
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions Of Space Marine 2 On Xbox Game Pass?
I was soooo excited to finally play this game. I finally tried it last week when it came out, but quit before the tutorial portion. I just wasn't drawn in like I thought I would. I haven't uninstalled the game yet so I may give it a more fair chance; but ultimately while I was playing, I couldn't stop thinking about playing other games. From my first impression, I gave it a 6/10.
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
I'll play Vampire Crawlers, Gears, Fable, and FH6 for sure.
I'm interested in SW Galactic Racer, GTA, the new Capcom IP, and Toxic Commando.
Re: Microsoft Adds Three New Dynamic Backgrounds For Xbox Series X|S
.....and I'll be getting none of the these.
I prefer the game related themes.
Re: Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (January 29)
I've been looking forward to playing Space Marine 2 for a long time. I have it installing now, and I'll be taking a step back from Death Stranding to give this a go. If it plays good, I may not return to Death Stranding (I have mixed feeling on that one).
Re: Forza Horizon 6 Is Tweaking Progression In The Hopes Of Addressing A Common Series Complaint
I like this approach and I'm more excited to play this than I was FH5.
Re: Forza Horizon 6's Controversial Game Pass Upgrade Costs As Much As The Game Itself
I wasn't buying the DLC anyways, and I can wait 4 days more to play any game. Outside of Vampire Survivor DLC, which tends to be fairly cheap, I have not purchased DLC in years.
Re: Double Fine's 'Kiln' Revealed As The Surprise Game At Xbox Developer Direct 2026
Double Fine games are okayish. I always feel their games are a bit overrated. I thought Keeper was meh to be honest.
Re: Poll: How Would You Grade 2026's Xbox Developer Direct?
I found last year's developer direct to showcase games I was more excited to play than this one. There's a good chance I'll play all 4 games, I'm just not super psyched for any of them.
....but I love the presentation style.
Re: These 10 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Multiple Major Additions (January 21 - February 3)
I almost purchased Space Marine 2 and Death Stranding during the holiday sale!
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions Of Star Wars Outlaws On Xbox Game Pass?
I'm excited to check it out and I think it'll happen soon. I'm almost done with BallxPit. I have a few achievements I'm trying to grab then I will move on.
Re: Seven Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Late January 2026
I've had Lonely Mountain loaded on my Xbox since day 1. It's fantastic and it's always able to provide that much needed break from playing other games. I may think about purchasing this game.
Re: Poll: In Order, Which Games Are You Most Excited For At The Xbox Developer Direct?
1. The surprise: Come on! We don't even know what it is. Why doesn't this intrigue people more? Maybe it will suck, but the unknown is exciting.
2. Beast: I'm excited because I know only what was shown in the trailer.
3. Fable: I never really got into the originals but I'm always open minded to see what's new.
4: Forza: I love Forza and I will play this for sure; but I'm always a casual Forza player so I'm least excited to hear about it.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Xbox Game Pass In 2026?
I'm stacked up until April. When it runs out, I will cancel Ultimate and reevaluate Gamepass at a lesser tier or not at all. I've also recently purchased a few games on sale so when April hits, I may not do Gamepass at all.
Re: All New Games Coming To Xbox In January 2026
I'm not really excited for anything announced for January, but there plenty of games on sale or on game pass that I've yet to play.
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Playing Over Christmas Break?
I've dived back into Vampire Survivors & Balatro. They're perfect games when I have only 10-30 minutes.
I'm playing through Gear of War: Reloaded, but I'm almost done.
Then I'm starting something bigger. Avowed, Outer Worlds 2, Skyrim again, Starfield, Diablo 4.
I might fire up Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Re: These Are The Top-Selling Games In The Xbox Countdown Sale 2025
@TuscanUK I believe this is based on sales, not review scores.
....but I 100% agree, it's a travesty that more people aren't buying Dave the Diver at that price. Personally, I found the game to be very unique, the character designs were awesome, the music fantastic, and the gameplay was very fun.
Re: 15 First-Party Games Released On Xbox In 2025, But Which Was Your Favourite?
I voted for South of Midnight out of the following games that I played: South of Midnight, Gears of War: Reloaded, Keeper, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4, Xbox Retro Classics.
Keeper was cool, but I need more substance. I found it to just be cool art. Gears and TH are great! But I can't vote for remakes.
I know I'd love Outer Worlds 2, Avowed, and The Elder Scrolls; but unfortunately those games take me forever and I played Fallout 4 and Outer Worlds within the last 12 months. Sometimes I need breaks in-between large games. I plan to play them. When I do, I'll love them.
Re: Four Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (December 9)
I love Ultimate Chicken Horse so I will be downloading Ultimate Sheep Racoon immediately.
Re: Vampire Crawlers Is A Survivors Spin-Off, And It's Set For Xbox Game Pass In 2026
Very interested in this. I can't wait to see this world in a different genre. I'm still playing Survivors.
Re: Dave The Diver Finally Announced For Xbox, And It's Splash-Landing Today!
I love Dave the Diver! I doubt that I'll double dip, but I strongly recommend this game.
Re: Two Xbox Game Pass Titles Nominated For GOTY At The Game Awards, But Microsoft Misses Out
I would have thought Indiana Jones would have been eligible last year but not this year? It came out early December 2024, right? If it's eligible, it should have been nominated for GOTY IMO.
Total travesty that South of Midnight wasn't nominated for it's art and/or music.
I walked away early from Clair Obscur, I couldn't get behind the combat or the world/environments. I keep saying that maybe I'll go back and revisit, especially after the last update, but the backlog is just too large at the moment.
Keeper was very cool experience for me. Definitely not GOTY; but perhaps something for it's art direction?
Blue Prince should win the Indie Award, even if it's up against Clair Obscur. It stands for everything Indie, it's extremely unique, and it's well designed. I couldn't stop playing this game even when I was frustrated and not feeling like I was getting anywhere.
Re: This Xbox Game Studios Adventure Deserved More Nominations At The Game Awards 2025
@Cikajovazmaj I think your post is perfect! That's my feelings about it too.
Re: This Xbox Game Studios Adventure Deserved More Nominations At The Game Awards 2025
One of my favs from this past year! It's probably not a "game of the year" for me, but boy was the art, story, world, characters, and music great! The only thing I didn't think was great, was the combat/action. That got a bit repetitive by the end of the game.
I also just finished Keeper. Great art and interesting story. At one point early in the game, I questioned what I was playing, but it did quietly suck me in and keep me wanting to play up to the end. It's a cool experience.
Re: Marvel Cosmic Invasion Is Suddenly A 'Day One' Xbox Game Pass Title, Arriving In December
I'll be downloading this for sure.
Re: These Nine Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (November 19 - December 2)
I'll give both Banishers and Marvel a try while I still have Ultimate. I'll admit it, I never even heard of Banishers. Marvel Cosmic Invaders, I saw the trailer when that got announced; and I've been keeping up with the news of characters in the game. I don't think I'd buy either, but trying them while I still have an active Ultimate sub is a "must".
Re: Red Dead Redemption To Receive Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade This December
@TheOldHunter4K This is a series I've never played. I might finally start with this update.
Re: Poll: Now That The Dust Has Settled, Which Xbox Game Pass Tier Are You Subscribed To?
I'm at Ultimate until at least April. I'm disappointed with the price hike....but I'm also still very happy with the product. We'll see what the library and future release window looks like come April. Perhaps I'll go back to just buying single games when they go on sale. Maybe I'll take a look and see there's still value. For now, I'm really enjoying the subscription. I've gamed more in 2025 than I have in since the early days of the Switch.
I may move forward with Ultimate by jumping in month by month. I already do this with many of the streaming platforms. If I don't see any content I'm interested in coming out, I discontinue them until I'm interested again or have more time. I might end up doing that with Ultimate.
Re: Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition Isn't Getting The Best Reception From Fans Right Now
I love the game but I wouldn't buy this. I would only buy this if I never played it.
I'm sure it'll be a good sell on the Switch 2 for Nintendo fans who never made it to the Wasteland.
Re: Xbox & Bethesda Announce Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition For Next Month
I love Fallout 4. If this comes to gamepass, I'll revisit so I can play through the DLCs.
Re: The Outer Worlds 2: Release Date, Release Times & How To Get Early Access On Xbox
I'm finally playing the first game currently. I don't know why I waited. Even after seeing that 2 was coming out, I had months to complete the first game! Nope! I just started last week.
I think I'm probably about 40% done. I'll be late to the party once again! I may even need a break between the two.