Yesterday afternoon, Microsoft put on an intriguing show with their highly anticipated Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase event for E3 2021. While we didn’t get a ton of updates on major first-party exclusives like Hellblade 2, Fable, and Avowed, we did get a good glimpse into the future of Xbox and were left very optimistic about what’s the come in the months and years ahead.
Many are hyped for games like Starfield, Contraband, and Redfall, but I personally know very little about these titles and would need to see more from both (including actual gameplay) to fully understand why the excitement level is so high. With that said, there were five impressive games that I saw yesterday, and absolutely can’t wait to play.
Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 was hands-down the best gameplay demo at yesterday’s showcase. While some will continue to downplay this outstanding racing game series, the fact of the matter is that Playground Games always delivers something special with these titles. Having reviewed Forza Horizon 2 and Forza Horizon 3 in the past, I have a very good idea of what to expect from this year’s entry and I can’t wait to see how it performs on the Xbox Series X. Koalition alumni Edward Velazquez got me into this franchise almost a decade ago and I haven’t looked back since. November 9th can’t come soon enough.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
A Plague Tale: Innocence was my 2019 game of the year and one title that I have continued to encourage people to try out. This world premiere trailer definitely had me excited as I have been wondering for quite some time if we would get a sequel and where the characters would go from here. Judging by what we know so far, it seems like things will get worse for Amicia and Hugo as they continue to have to fend for themselves in a world filled with evil, chaos, and unrelenting rats. If you still haven’t played Innocence, you have plenty of time to do so as this sequel isn’t releasing until 2022, but I can promise you that it definitely will be worth the wait.
Twelve Minutes
As I mentioned on yesterday’s Co-op podcast, Twelve Minutes is one game that I have been following since E3 2019 and I’m very eager to see how the final product turns out. As a top-down perspective interactive thriller in which players have to continuously play through a 12-minute cycle in order to solve a mystery, I feel that there are enough interesting concepts here to make this a must-play game. The addition of James Mcavoy and Daisy Ridley to the cast also assures there will be excellent performances from start to finish. If you are curious about this game and you happen to have Xbox Game Pass, you’ll be able to try it out when it launches on August 19th.
REPLACED
REPLACED is one game that certainly kept my attention from the moment that it was announced. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of futuristic sci-fi-themed movies, tv shows, and video games. When you take this concept and morph it into a 2.5D action platformer, then you have completely sold me on the idea. I certainly look forward to learning more about this game and can only hope the musical score in this trailer is just as cool and engaging as it will be in the final game. REPLACED launches in 2022 and is also coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Xbox has and will forever have the image as a great place to play first-person shooters. While Halo Infinite and Back 4 Blood are two titles that I definitely will pick up on day one, STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl is something that I’m the most interested in playing. The setting and incredible visuals throughout this trailer remind me of Metro Exodus, and even though this game isn’t an Xbox exclusive, it just feels like it will be best experienced on Xbox Series X and PC. I very much looking forward to hearing more about this game ahead of its April 28th, 2022 release date.
This concludes my article on five titles that I can’t wait to play for the Xbox & Bethesda Games showcase. Are there any games that piqued your interest? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
