Assassin’s Creed Origins
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
Ubisoft took an extra year to work on Assassin’s Creed Origins, and that additional development time really paid off in the final product. Origins features an overhauled combat system that is way better and more responsive than what we’ve seen in previous games, even if it does still have a lot of room for improvement.
The Ancient Egypt setting is utterly gorgeous as well, and this could very well be the best time period Ubisoft’s distinguished franchise has sent us back to. Origins’ story is serviceable, but even if you’re not invested in Bayek’s story of revenge, the open world gameplay is still fun, and the historical Discovery Tour mode is definitely worth a look as well.
Cuphead
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
Despite being in development hell for a few years, Cuphead shone when it was finally released into the wild. The game’s eye-catching aesthetic is enough to draw in wandering players, taking inspiration from old-timey Walt Disney cartoons. The animations are fluid, the music is appropriately catchy, and the designs of Cuphead and Mugman are simply adorable.
But it’s the gameplay that will keep you hooked. Cuphead is essentially a boss rush game (with a few platforming levels in between). Players will be forced to learn and memorize boss patterns before they’re able to dodge attacks with pinpoint precision and ultimately take them down.
Batman: The Enemy Within
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
I had my doubts about Telltale’s first Batman series, but The Enemy Within surpasses its predecessor in almost every way. John Doe takes center stage this season, and players get to take an active role in paving the way for him to become the iconic Joker we all know him as. The friendship between John and Bruce is the glue that keeps The Enemy Within’s story together, and it propels players to a thrilling conclusion that actually takes your choices into consideration.
There are still a few missteps here and there, such as a few sub plots being left unresolved and some choices feeling contrived. Even so, The Enemy Within’s final episode is easily the best we’ve ever seen from Telltale, and we can’t wait to see where they go from here.
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
It might be the weakest of the trilogy, but it’s still one of the best action RPGs available on the market right now. Dark Souls II was a pretty great game when it first launched on last-gen consoles, but the Scholar of the First Sin re-release makes it even better.
Yes, there are a few redone enemy placements that feel a little questionable. But more importantly, Scholar of the First Sin includes more lore and story stuff to flesh out the world of Drangleic, and the purpose of the Curse Bearer. The re-release also features 60fps, which is pretty awesome for a game that relies on your responsiveness and reaction, and also packs in the three DLC expansions. For $13, this really is a steal.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
Capcom surprised everyone with the release of Dragon’s Dogma so many years ago on the PS3 and Xbox 360. It had its flaws, and we’ll never stop making fun of the most annoying and pointless pawn quotes (“Wolves hunt in packs!”), but this lengthy action RPG featured a wacky and insane story with enough twists to keep you invested at the end.
The Dark Arisen re-release includes a brand new dungeon available for exploration, and it houses some of the best loot and most dangerous foes you’ll find in the game. Dragon’s Dogma still holds up well as one of the more memorable action RPGs we’ve played even today. They’re masterworks all, you can’t go wrong.
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
It’s been a few years since the release of Bethesda’s massive open world game, and people are still obsessed with it. Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition features all of the previously released DLC packs, including Far Harbor, which is arguably the best out of the bunch. This version of the game also has mod support on the Xbox One, so there’s definitely a lot of fun to be had here.
Even without mods, the Commonwealth is so ridiculously huge and packed with things to do that you’ll easily sink a hundred hours into the game just trying to complete all the side quests.
For Honor
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
It had a bit of a rocky launch, but For Honor‘s player base is still rather big, and it’s perfect for players looking to get into some medieval PvP action. The game does feature a single-player campaign, though it’s really more of a tutorial to get you used to the controls than anything else.
For Honor’s character classes are varied enough, and you’re sure to find one that suits your play style, and there’s also enough customization to keep you invested for a while. The game recently got dedicated servers as well, so the online play is better than ever.
Life Is Strange
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
If you haven’t played Life Is Strange, well, there’s no excuse now. Developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix, Life Is Strange tells the story of Max Caulfield, a young girl who discovers that she has time travel powers. She ends up reuniting with her childhood best friend Chloe, and the two decide to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Chloe’s friend, Rachel Amber.
The story is a gripping one, made all the more engaging by Max’s ability to rewind time and pick different dialogue options in conversations. If you find yourself craving even more Life Is Strange by the end of the series, the Before the Storm prequel starring Rachel and Chloe is also up for grabs.
The Evil Within 2
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
Unfortunately, The Evil Within 2 is one of those games that will probably get overlooked because of its not-so-good predecessor, and weird lack of marketing during its launch period. That being said, if you’re a fan of survival horror games, this is definitely worth playing. The Evil Within 2 features a much more coherent (and actually engaging) story than the first game, and its implementation of a semi open world environment works well to its advantage.
It’s also got so much style. The horrific set pieces are beautifully macabre, and it’s one of the few horror games that actually manages to keep you tense and on edge for most of its run time.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Best Microsoft Spring Sale 2018 Deals
This one really needs no introduction, as you’ve probably heard about how many Game of the Year awards it earned back in 2015 and how it’s quite possibly the greatest open world game ever made. Well, it’s not exactly the greatest open world game ever, but it’s still pretty darn good.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features a massive world full of side quests, and all that other good stuff you’d expect from your typical open world game. But the difference is, its side quests actually feel meaningful and fleshed out, so you never feel like you’re just being forced to do busywork. The story’s rather decent, too, though the combat still leaves a lot to be desired. It also lets you play that Gwent card game, and that’s enough for some people.
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