We tell you all the news from ID@Xbox

On March 26, I had the chance and the pleasure of participating with other media in a private ID@Xbox event. And I can’t write this article without first thanking Xbox Europe for the occasion, because I really liked what I saw during the presentation in general terms. It was a great online experience, where new gameplay from four very promising titles was presented, in addition to the contribution made live by some of its developers. Those present were also able to ask questions after each presentation.

After a brief introduction to the event, we’ll review many of the titles that came to us via ID@Xbox (Raji, Coffee chat 2 o Space for the unrelated) we move on to the news. We start with Night landscapea side-scrolling adventure with puzzles and enemies, and we end the psychological terror of Always awakens the depths. Next, we will review the four featured titles in depth.

Night landscape

The first video game presented was Night landscapeof Mézan Studios. At first, its side-scrolling view and cute art section quickly reminded me Lana’s Planet, also powered by the ID@Xbox platform by the way. It seemed like another simple adventure, one that might focus more on narrative than clever mechanics or complex puzzles. However, as the gameplay progressed, things began to emerge that changed my mind.

In this adventure, Leyla (the protagonist) will have powers linked to the elements of nature, but above all, directly linked to the stars. Indeed, the sky will be the co-star of the adventure, since constellations will directly influence gameplay with Leyla. They will be very useful in solving puzzles, using them to control rain, wind or to cross various surfaces, such as a seemingly invisible bridge. But be careful when using these powers irresponsibly, because we can die very easily.

Finally, I would like to point out that mechanics also includes fight against enemies, of which only a small number were represented as scorpions. In general they seem very easy to eliminate, but after defeating some of them, a larger one emerged in the form of a “final boss”, which suggests that there will be several bosses throughout the adventure from Leyla. With these ingredients and a magnificent sound and artistic section, Night landscape aims to be one of the great independent groups to take into account during this year.

Botanical Manor

Botanical Manor is a first-person puzzle title developed by Balloon studios. This colorful first-person game comes to Game Pass on April 9. It presents itself as an ideal proposition for those looking for a relaxing experience the controls. Set in 1890s Victorian England, players will be able to wander through a fascinating botanical garden where they can plant their own species of flowers and other types of plants.

Laura de Mey, creative director of Botany Manor, has already told us that all the information players need will be available from the start. Something that is reflected in the log shown during the demo, where you can see all kinds of data about each plant, from its properties to what we need to obtain it. The percentages of sugar or juice that can be extracted from a fruit species will also later determine the appearance and properties of a seed. which we have planted in a pot, which we can water with this previously extracted juice. This is done with a press, but there will be many other factors to consider, such as water or lighting that these plants receive.

In addition to telling us all this and joking about her limited talent for plants, Laure de Mey was also questioned by her colleagues about the origin of this project. Oddly enough, he admitted that he was born largely thanks to observing the garden of Lara Croft’s mythical mansion in Tomb Raider.

Jump ship

The third game we were shown was Jump shipa cooperative first-person shooter that combines frenetic shooting and naval combat. Filip Coulianos (Game Director) was responsible for guiding us through this demo, where Memory showed technical muscle despite being a title the basis of which was developed by 10 people

The combat looks very spectacular, especially when it comes to the first person perspective. Its cooperative nature is reflected in the constant instructions between players to counter the enemy, while another attempts to accomplish the mission objective. That’s to say, coverage will be essential, especially in the case of robotic enemies in the form of drones, and other slower and larger ones, being bullet sponges. But be careful, pirates may also appear when the mission is completed with apparent success.

However, the combat of ships, even showing very attractive images, requires in my opinion “field” and tests to have clearer ideas. What’s good is that we will be able to move inside them, and even interact and improve them. On the other hand, I can assure you that we will visit all types of planets and biomes. In response to my question, Coulianos assured there would be desert, icy, leafy planets and much more. Of course, the game will force our ship to land at specific points. Fortunately, this changes when you move around the map on foot, speeding up the process with a hook along the way. Halo Infiniteand providing loot as a reward.

Always awakens the depths

Finally, the presentation of ID@Xbox brought us even closer to a game that, personally, I am looking forward to. Here is Still Wakes the Deep, the first-person horror game from The Chinese room. And the best thing is that on June 18 it will land directly on Game Pass.

In this in-depth gameplay, led by its Lead Designer Rob Maclachlan, we were able to get a deeper look at what this terrifying experience aboard an oil rig will be like. A strange organism seems to have taken over the facility, and it’s going to be very friendly to us. Without a doubt, the best is its framework, which combines impressive graphics with great sound effects. Every knock, every scream heard at the end of the corridors forces us to be vigilant, so we are going to have a bad time almost at any time.

With this demo we also saw the impact of light through the use of the flashlight, in a short but intense mission in which the protagonist had to find his partner Roy. During the visit you will be able to see several animations that do not clash, and in the case of the faces, they seem to meet their expectations satisfactorily. TI also liked the use of trapdoors and other shortcuts in its level design, which seems to offer very interesting exploration.

To the sound, we must add the excellent dubbing work, since the Maclachlan told us of his satisfaction with the good result of the actor who gave the voice to the protagonist. He also claimed that Kubrick was a source of inspiration in bringing this video game to life, which undoubtedly demonstrates the studio’s good intentions.

Great work with ID@Xbox

With this presentation and many other titles coming to Xbox, Microsoft continues to demonstrate its commitment to the most humble but talented developers. The ID@Xbox program continues to give us a lot of joy, and these four titles only strengthen the projects to come. HASAdditionally, as can be seen in this article, gender diversity is more than evident.. Management, horror, shooters, spaceship battles, there is something for all choices and for all types of audiences. Personally, I think it’s a great time for indie, A and AA titles thanks to ID@Xbox.