we are coming August 2022 and we enter the heart of summer, mother Xbox Game Pass however, it continues at its usual pace even during these months when it is generally more inclined to games other than video games. There’s no shortage of interesting releases, especially even though it’s been a month without major first-party productions, as Xbox Game Studios is all still involved in fairly distant projects. Those grounded in the full release will be the first to come, but we’re still talking about the end of September so we can still expect a good amount of news among indies and certain deals with third parties for the Game Pass catalogue. however, it continues to introduce innovations at a remarkable pace.
It’s also worth noting the huge attention Microsoft has obviously devoted to PC users for a while: even at this first batch of August, almost half (and indeed some of the most interesting) of the new games introduced belong. It’s trending into the PC catalog so markedly different compared to what we first saw on Game Pass. In any case, this is first wave of titles for subscribers We already know that Midnight Fight Express and the very interesting Immortality are coming for the second half, remembering that it’s only the first episode of the month, while offering an extraordinary variety of experiences for all tastes. So, let’s do the usual overview in the first half of August.
Ghost Recon Wildlands – Xbox, PC and Cloud, August 2
Ubisoft’s Xbox Game Pass support continues with the arrival of Xbox Game Pass this month. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, the tactical shooter episode that introduces a few interesting innovations within the series. It was the first game in the Ghost Recon series to be based on a truly expanded open world, forcing Ghosts to grapple with the drug cartel in Bolivia and allowing them to operate with considerable freedom of movement and initiative in the greater Santa Blanca region. In the game, we can decide how to achieve map objectives and which approach to take, by taking different paths and making decisions that can affect the progress of the mission and the state of the surrounding world in general. Threats are everywhere and often well hidden, forcing you to adopt Ghost Recon strategies and tactics, but on a scale never seen before. Five years after its debut, Ghost Recon Wildlands remains one of the best games in the series.
Shenzhen I/O – PC, August 4
A puzzle game based on the construction of circuits is a brilliant idea and at the same time quite logical, but not used much in the vast and diverse landscape of the genre in question. Shenzhen I/O so it presents itself as a very original and at the same time well-structured title, but you should expect a tough challenge. In the game we find ourselves having to run various devices by putting together some circuits and making them work in certain ways, but also using some machine language principles in Assembler, so much so that we have to study some kind of attached manual that explains the various. technical aspects of programming. In short, it’s a puzzle game that is not only well-built as a game, but also intellectually stimulating, as it pushes you to get into more technical fields and learn elements that usually have little to do with video games, but still fall right into it. technology and information technology landscape. Those looking for something truly original and inspiring should not miss this Shenzhen I/O.
Turbo Golf Racing – Xbox, PC and Cloud, August 4
After the huge success of Rocket League, it was logical to expect the idea to be revived, modified and reinterpreted in other projects like this one. Turbo Golf Racing, launched directly on Xbox Game Pass. In this case, the reference sport instead of football is golf, but the concept remains the same: driving a car equipped with various upgrades and being able to use power-ups on the field is about pushing a ball into the hole. placed at the end of the track, performing stunts and tactical maneuvers to try to get there before the others. The physics of the courses and the complex design make the challenge very diverse and stimulating, but the competition with other players, which gives the game even more vital support, just like in the famous game Psyonix. On the other hand, Turbo Golf Racing cannot be said to be just a clone: it obviously imposes different mechanics on gameplay, with “sporty” dynamics, tracks that most stimulate driving ability and real racing to get there. before the competitors at the finish.
Two Point Campus – Xbox, PC and Cloud, August 9
More than the August surprise, Two Point Campus actually a real endorsement, a blessing for Two Points Studios, which was practically founded by the old Bullfrog and which shows very clearly what it is made of in the end.
After the excellent results with Two Point Hospital, the studio seems to have reached the full potential of the management idea with this new title focused on the construction and control of a university campus, which paves the way for many parameters to be taken into account. and many activities to do.
As noted in our enthusiastic Two Point Campus review, this is a game that continues to evolve gradually, bringing new features and additional features with truly astonishing frequency and speed. The complexity and depth of the game is tempered by the humorous and caricatured style that characterizes the whole, offering a perfect balance between the seriousness of management and sarcasm, thus proving it is a worthy heir to the tradition of Theme Park and Theme Hospital.
Cooking Simulator – Xbox, PC and Cloud, August 11
Among the many simulations that fill the PC market, most of them are dedicated to the kitchen, Cooking Simulator however, it seems like a particularly interesting title for both the quality of the simulation and the pretty crazy grafts that characterize it. The look is remarkable because the Big Cheese Studio game focuses a lot on realism and manages to stage a very convincing representation of even high-end kitchens, including furniture, work tools, materials and settings in general. It’s then a matter of creating large volumes of prescriptions and trying to please customers as much as possible; this is not easy if you consider a free control system that simulates a large number of parameters and physics to consider. a fairly certain way, it often leads us to solve disasters as quickly as possible and try not to affect the general trend of the kitchen. There is also a real progression with the perk system, which leads to a gradual enrichment of the gaming experience.
Expeditions: Rome – PC, August 11
Not far from its release on Steam, the perfect one is also coming to Xbox Game Pass Expeditions: Romeis a turn-based strategic role-playing game inspired by ancient Roman history. The story puts us in the shoes of a young Legate who flees Rome after his father is killed by an unknown political dissident and is forced to join a military campaign to put down a Greek revolt. Based on this situation, we find ourselves climbing the military and political ranks until we get into the heart of Roman administration, the voice of wars and strategy, by deciding from time to time the path to be followed and how the power will be administered, between power on the battlefield and eloquence in the diplomatic field. In Expeditions: Rome, in addition to the ability to lead troops in conflict with their distinctive traits and abilities, we also have to choose to follow classical republican rules or set out for new paths and intrigues in Roman political life. Alongside the protagonist, the story also features combat companions in an RPG that mixes a strong strategy bent with a good narrative substrate and an absolutely intriguing setting.
Offworld Trading Company – PC, August 11
Let’s move on to the strategic ones, even if in this case a very specific variation of the genre: Foreign Trade Company It puts us in control of a Mars-based company, putting it into a science fiction context that stages a complex economic simulation but makes it so special.
in the game universe Mohawk Games Colonization of Mars has begun, but this procedure seems quite aggressive and fraught with threats from competition, as there are several companies simultaneously exploiting the surface of the red planet. However, the fight against rivals is focused only on the economy, so the issue is not to use weapons, but to try to use the resources provided by Mars more intensively and more effectively, and to know how to better establish its own economic and commercial network. others. new planet. Between economic simulation, science fiction and strategy, Offworld Trading Company offers a truly special experience.
Source: Multiplayer
