The wait is finally over for one of the most anticipated video game sequels this year. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor released today and for those who have already gotten their hands on it, it’s been a mostly positive experience, albeit with a few flaws. Of course, not everyone’s had a chance to play it yet, some just haven’t had the chance to pick it up and others are hoping for the game to come out on the previous generation of consoles. 5e3c2i

But will Jedi: Survivor ever be released on past-gen consoles, such as the Xbox One? Well, unfortunately, due to the size and scope of the game, that’s a big, fat no. The simple fact is that the game was made for current-generation tech, and to make it backward compatible with older consoles just wouldn’t be possible.

Whilst this may be bad news for gamers who haven’t purchased an Xbox Series X or a PS5 yet, it does benefit the game overall. Catering to the previous generation of consoles often means compromise. A game that releases on Xbox One and the Series X will be pretty much the same, the latter will just have faster load times and prettier graphics. The team behind Jedi: Survivor has opted to fully utilize the abilities of the current-gen consoles, meaning that the game is the best it can be.

Of course, this isn’t entirely surprising news, considering that the current generation of consoles has been readily available to purchase since 2020. Developers will increasingly be banking on the fact that most of their audiences have an up-to-date console or PC. Unfortunately for those of you who are clinging to your Xbox Ones, it might finally be time to look to the future, because it’s already here.

It’s safe to say that Jedi: Survivor will remain exclusive to the platforms it is currently available on.

For those who grew up in the ’90s and early ’00s, Digimon was always seen as a sort of rival to the Pokémon franchise. While today it is clear which of the two won out, at the time, Digimon was a real contender. From multiple anime shows, manga adaptations, virtual pet toys, trading card games, and movies to video game series, the Digimon fan base was thriving.

Ultimately, Pokémon was the popular choice as the cute creature-taming and fighting franchise scene in Japan (and the world really), leaving Digimon in its dust. These days, the Digimon series has steered more towards the visual novel turn-based RPG, leaving the attempts at pseudo-Pokémon games behind. This has been a slow transition of formula, with Digimon Survive removing all trace of the previous games behind, forging a possible new path for the franchise. 

Digimon Survive is the franchise’s first visual novel and tactical role-playing game. It attempts to balance the usual heavy gameplay in a JRPG and crunches it down into a much smaller quantity, with grinding being almost absent from the game and random encounters being an optional battle on the map. Instead, the biggest part of the game is the story and characters as told through the lens of a visual novel. 

This game is the kind of JRPG that generally requires either a few playthroughs or the use of a guide to fully grasp. Many of its systems aren’t explained, and critical decisions in the story are underplayed at points, with choices determining the fate of certain characters. Those who wish to have more control over their story or pre-determine the way in which their partner Digimon will evolve may benefit from researching the requirements ahead of time. 

Unlike the previous games, Digimon Survive has more of an emphasis on horror and survival elements, with its characters being able to die over the course of the story. Plot-wise, a group of students on a summer vacation in the Japanese countryside seemingly wander into another universe after visiting a remote shrine in the forest. From there, the group is teamed up with their partner Digimon who fights to protect them from the malicious Digimon who wants to use the children as ritual sacrifices. It’s a whole new level of danger for the Digimon setting, one more fitting for a world filled with ‘digital monsters.’ 

The choices you make control the fate of you and your friends in this dangerous new world. The story pivots off in different directions depending on your actions and who players side with on group decisions — even the smallest choice can have devastating consequences. This can be stressful as the correct choice is never really telegraphed, with characters often reacting differently to what may seem an innocent enough comment or compliment. It’s all done really well too, with each character having been fleshed out with flaws and insecurities that can lead down a dark path if not dealt with. Unfortunately, there are limited chances to interact with characters and hard decisions on who to comfort following story events will leave players having to pick between favorites, possibly dooming others to their end. 

The art and visual novel aspects are stunning and really heighten the story. If the visual novel elements were of lesser quality, the game would really suffer, but the developers at Hyde pulled out all the stops. Unlike its contemporaries, Digimon Survive features animated 2D characters with high levels of detail, and an impressive range of expressions and interactions. The voice acting is also high quality and the characters each feel fleshed out, reaching an almost anime-like quality with designs and animation.

The relationships between different characters and their partner Digimon also feel quite real and genuine, each having a unique bond and storyline. The art and story writing really carry the game on a whole, as the actual gameplay elements are so few and far between. Without such care being put into the visuals and storytelling, the game would have heavily suffered as a result. 

Overall, Digimon Survive feels like an amalgamation of many different games in one. It pulls influence from the horror visual novel genre from titles such as the Zero Escape series, Dangarompa, and Doki Doki Literature Club. The new grid-based combat is a layered tactics system that combines elements from Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Into the Breach. Overall, the split between gameplay and visual novel storytelling is about 80 percent novel and 20 percent gameplay, again similar to something like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. 

The core gameplay element in Digimon Survive is the battle system. During story encounters, Digimon may be forced into combat and have to fight to survive. Here, players can pick a team from their roster (both Digimon partners from the story and recruited Digimon), and move them around on an isometric field made of squares. Digimon take turns moving, attacking, using items, and buffing one another. The story-based Digimon partners can ‘digivolve’ mid-battle and help turn the tide against the enemy. 

Interestingly, movement is one of the biggest elements of combat, with the placement of Digimon on the field relative to their target influencing how effective a moveset will be beyond the usual elemental weakness/resistances. Attacks from behind are highly effective, while those from the side are only moderately so. This gives Digimon with higher movement scores the ability to quickly dart in and score massive hits against enemies. This is also the way the AI plays out battles, which can be seen best when Auto Battle is enabled. That being said, I don’t recommend turning on Auto Battle for the major story elements, as those tend to have multiple stages to them and the AI has a tendency to burn through health and attacks fairly quickly. 

The way in which you recruit more Digimon to your side is similar to how it works in the Shin Megami Tensei series, with each individual Digimon having a different response to a set of questions. Answer enough correctly, and players will have a percentage chance to recruit the Digimon into their team or ask for an in-game item. Different Digimon will give different items, this is a useful way to farm specific items as the game has no stores or currency. Otherwise, items can only be found through exploration.  

While Digimon Survive is certainly not the Digimon game that the fans have eagerly been awaiting, it is a strong contender on its own merits. The evolution of the horror to the isekai experience is well overdue and a welcome change in the monster battle RPG genre. Those who prefer the more mainstream, battle-heavy JRPG experience should give it a , while players who genuinely enjoy the Digimon franchise and are willing to try a new, more mature game should definitely give it a go. While it is lacking in gameplay and could use a rework in of explaining some of the more intricate elements, on the whole, Digimon Survive is an interesting and unique addition to the franchise that won’t soon be forgotten.  

This review is based on the Nintendo Switch edition of Digimon Survive. A copy was provided to us by Bandai Namco. 

The video game industry – like the film and television ones – is changing rapidly. Over the past few years, titans like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have increasingly copied business strategies outlined by streaming platforms such as Netflix and HBO. Gone are the days that you bought a game and could play it online for free. Now, you’ll need a subscription of some kind to be able to do that. But while many complain about the economic extortion, these payment plans do come with some nice extras. Like, for instance, free games. Each month, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch subscribers are rewarded for their loyalty by being offered the ability to and play some pretty sweet games, all free of charge (that is, the basic subscription fees notwithstanding). And until the next month rolls around, here are the games which subscribers of various consoles will still be able to access for free. Let’s start with Xbox One, which is offering its Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Ultimate s access to a variety of games. From adult-oriented stealth titles like Hitman 2 to more kid friendly adventure games like Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Stardew Valley and Sine Mora, there’s something for everyone. Up next is the PlayStation 4, which is offering PlayStation Plus subscribers access to two critically-acclaimed shooters: Call of Duty: World War II and Star Wars Battlefront II. One lets you play as a real soldier in the midst of a war, the other a Jedi or stormtrooper killing off one of George Lucas’ thousand-or-so creations.

• Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse – Free to keep until June 30th
• Sine Mora – Free to keep until June 30th
• Hitman 2 – Free to play until June 28th
• Stardew Valley – Free to play until June 28th

PlayStation 4 (Requires PlayStation Plus)

• Call of Duty: WWII – Free to keep from now until July 6th
• Star Wars Battlefront 2 – Free to keep from now until July 6th

Nintendo Switch

• Jump Rope Challenge – Free without restrictions

Being stuck inside during this pandemic hasn’t been the most exciting situation, but it’s all the more reason for gamers to be thankful for services like Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus, which bring with them free titles to every month. And the month of May has now kicked off with Games with Gold‘s first two offerings. You can currently grab the simulation rally racer V-Rally 4 until May 31st and the old-school sports title, Sensible World of Soccer, until May 15th. In addition to these two, May 16th will see the addition of cult classic Overlord 2 until May 31st and action-RPG Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr until June 15th. As always, once you them, they’re yours to keep for as long as you maintain an active Xbox Live Gold or Game Ultimate subscription. Even better, April’s offering of Knights of Pen and Paper Bundle will remain free through May 15th as well, meaning that if you haven’t grabbed it yet, you’ve still got some time to add it to your collection for later.

As promised, Microsoft will continue adding to its fledgling Xbox Game service next month with seven new titles for subscribers to and enjoy to their heart’s content. Announced earlier this year, the subscription-based program requires that subscribers drop $10 a month for unlimited access to any and all games currently housed in its library. That number began at around 100 when service officially began back in June but will continue to grow – and thus add more value for the same price – as time goes on. As for the titles being added on August 1, they’re an eclectic bunch, ranging from Capcom’s comical zombie-slaying survival horror Dead Rising 3 to indie dev Playdead’s Limbo. Both are several years old, of course, but if you’ve yet to try your hand at either, now’s the time do so. Dead Rising 4, while a prettier, more outlandish romp through the undead horde, controversially did away with campaign co-op, so if you’re looking for an entry in the series that you can play side by side with another, this isn’t the one for you. Similarly, if Limbo strikes a chord, like it has for so many others, with you, why not follow it up with Playdead’s similarly brilliant Inside? You won’t regret it. In regards to the rest of August’s additions, see the full list below.

• Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One)
• Dirt Rally(Xbox One)
• Limbo(Xbox One)
• Metal Slug XX (Xbox One)
• Pharaonic (Xbox One)
• So Many Me (Xbox One)
• Ultratron (Xbox One)

If none of those take your fancy, Microsoft announced just the other day the games being given away for nothing with August’s Games With Gold service. Trials Fusion, Bayonetta and more are on the menu this time around and you can see here for all the details.

Like clockwork, the annual summer games drought is already well upon us, offering naught but promises of grand adventures yet to come in the months ahead. Indeed, Call of Duty: WWII, Destiny 2 and Assassin’s Creed: Origins look set to make this one of the best holiday seasons of the decade to date, but until those days draw closer, patience is key. Unless of course, you’re an Xbox Live Gold member, in which case, Microsoft’s on hand to keep your restless digits occupied for at least another month with Games With Gold. Starting August 1, a new batch of titles will be made free to all subscribers of the service, and as always, there should be something on the menu to suit a variety of different tastes. First in line is Slime Rancher. The colorful farming simulator will be available to at no additional cost for the entire month of August, allowing fans of the genre to care for their very own galactic farm full of formless, blobby creatures. Learn to use the quirky, unconventional tools at your disposal and you too can be a successful digital farmer. Following that on August 16 is Trials Fusion, Ubisoft’s successful extreme sports series that asks only that you suspend your disbelief while performing its physics defying stunts. Rounding out the rest of the month’s offerings are the Xbox 360 titles Bayonetta and Red Faction: Armageddon. Available from August 1-15 and August 15-30 respectively, both are classics from the previous console generation worthy of your time, especially the former, which is often considered to be a defining entry in the hack and slash genre. Of course, if you already traded in your 360 for its successor long ago, both will be available through Xbox One Backward Compatability, so be sure to check them out. That’s a wrap for the month ahead, then, but if you’re still lagging behind on July’s Games With Gold selection, both Dragon Age: Origins and Phantom Dust‘s DLC are still available for a further five days. Be sure to grab them while you can!

It’s been a tough three-and-a-half years for Microsoft. Though the Xbox One has been selling fairly well (even outpacing the Xbox 360 this time last generation), its biggest competitor, Sony’s PS4, has been selling astronomically. Optically, the Xbox One is “losing” the console war and it’s proved to be an uphill struggle for Phil Spencer and his team to claw back goodwill and positive mindshare from the jaws of Xbox One’s poorly conceived original vision back in 2013. Like all companies, Microsoft has its fair share of detractors. That said, one thing I think we can all agree on is that having healthy competition within the gaming industry is a very good thing for everyone — if the market was monopolized by a single company, then that would be a veritable recipe for disaster for all who participate in the delights that only video games can offer. We need competition to help push the industry forward and to keep those multi-conglomerate corporations in check. Even though I haven’t switched on my Xbox One for many weeks, I do genuinely want more reasons to do just that. As such, I, and many more, will be rooting for Microsoft when their executives hit the stage this coming June. They need to come out swinging if they hope to walk away in a good position though, and here are 6 reasons why this E3 might be one of the most important yet for the company.

Ever since the hardware was first teased at E3 2016, Microsoft has consistently promised that its next video game machine, Project Scorpio, will far sur any console on the market in of sheer processing power, and thanks to Digital Foundry, we now have a better sense of what to expect from the mid-generational upgrade. In fact, judging by these beefy specs, Scorpio is not so much an iterative upgrade as it is a new generation of video game hardware, what with its 12GB of GDDR5 RAM and an internal processor comprised of eight custom x86 cores. All of this will combine to render a smoother and more consistent gaming experience, with Microsoft’s press release citing faster load times and better textures as part of Project Scorpio’s USP. Not only that, but it’ll be able to capture 4K, 60FPS video, while there’s also mention of improved screenshot capabilities. Per Digital Foundry: “Retroactive screen captures are a new featuring coming to the Scorpio GameDVR. s will have the ability to scan through their captures with ‘to-the-frame’ precision, allowing them to extract the precise screenshot they want.” You’ll be able to take a deep dive into Project Scorpio’s technical specifications, and how they compare with those of Sony’s PS4 Pro, below: Now comes the million-dollar question: what will Project Scorpio cost? Microsoft is remaining mum for the moment – ditto for the system’s actual name – but Digital Foundry estimates that the high-end machine will land in the ballpark of $499 – the same price point of the Xbox One at launch. As for the raw power lurking beneath the hood, DF goes on to state that “the bottom line is that Scorpio’s six teraflops will almost certainly go a lot further than an equivalent PC part.” That, and it’ll also be around 50 percent more powerful than PS4 Pro. Targeted at “that customer, the gamer that expects the absolute best versions of the games,” it’s clear that Microsoft’s cutting-edge product will appeal to only a small portion of the wider gaming audience, but with more information expected at E3 2017, Scorpio is surely on course to release this holiday season. Project Scorpio is out in the wild – or at least its specs are. Below you’ll find a featurette from Digitial Foundry that recounts the ways in which your Xbox One and 360 games will flourish on Microsoft’s newest addition to the hardware family.

UPDATE: Microsoft has now confirmed this with the trailer above. Xbox Austria appears to have jumped the gun in announcing April’s Games With Gold lineup ahead of schedule, although we can’t imagine there’ll be too much harm done by the early announcement. As always, there’s a varied selection of titles headed to both Xbox One and Xbox 360 next month, and there should be something for everyone here. If not, they’re completely free for Gold subscribers, so you’ve got nothing to lose if it turns out you don’t like dismembering the limbs from large swathes of Celtic barbarians in Ryse: Son of Rome.

Full Lineup 5t2k2s

Xbox One

• Ryse Son of Rome
• The Walking Dead Season 2

Xbox 360

• Darksiders
• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

As was the case with this month’s selections, Microsoft has absolutely nailed it with April’s platter of free games. If you’ve yet to play Crytek’s aforementioned hack and slash, set during an alternate timeline version of Rome, then I suggest you start there. Its campaign provides several hours of great fun, and it still holds up today as a visual spectacle, despite its age. Following that is Telltale’s sequel to the original season of The Walking Dead, which features the same narrative twists, turns and shocking moments as its predecessor. With Season Three currently underway, now’s the perfect time to pick it up. For those still working their way through a backlog of Xbox 360 titles, both Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Darksiders are excellent ways to burn some free time, the former of which brings a fitting end to Ezio’s story arc, begun with Assassin’s Creed II. That about wraps it up for this month, but if you’ve yet to experience the joys of March’s options, you’ve not got long to add them to your library for keeps.

Microsoft has lifted the lid on a new line of specialist Xbox One controllers to be released worldwide, with the first one due to launch next month, April 25. Sporting a $69.99 price tag, the Recon Tech Special Edition (pictured above) will be the first in a new line of pads that Microsoft is calling the ‘Tech Series,’ all of which have been designed with military technology and performance patterns in mind. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be particularly useful in a real life combat scenario, but it certainly looks the part. Boasting finishes such as laser-etched textures and gold accents, the underside of the controller features rubber grips for “added control and comfort,” and, of course, has all of the same features of a standard Xbox One gamepad. It’s always nice to see console manufacturers give consumers different options when it comes to playing games and navigating interfaces, especially given how much time we spend holding them, and Microsoft certainly seems to be at the forefront of such efforts. While this particular iteration of the Xbox One pad doesn’t really scream innovation to me, the presence of grips is a feature that I can only hope becomes a standard inclusion for controllers down the road, what with how sweaty one’s hands can get during extended periods of play. We’ll see what future entries in the new line bring to the table, but I’m personally hoping to see more products in the same vein as the Elite Controller, i.e. gamepads that complement certain styles of play. Let’s just hope that if such things come to fruition, they don’t experience the same supply issues as that piece of kit did.

The latest in a series of developer diary videos for Rare’s swashbuckling Xbox One game Sea of Thieves has been released today, this time focusing on the importance of co-op play. Clearly integral to the developer’s vision, multiplayer is incorporated into almost every facet of Sea of Thieves, and what better way to showcase that than with a spot of treasure hunting? Providing a step by step walkthrough of the activity, senior designers Shelley and Andrew Preston begin by introducing us to the intricacies of commanding and running your own ship across the seven seas. As expected, it’s not quite as simple as one individual performing every role, and players will need to effectively communicate with the rest of their crew in order to get the job done. As an example, the captain, while responsible for maneuvering the vessel, can’t directly look at the world map, with other players having to feed vital information back to captain through word-of-mouth.

Another batch of Xbox 360 games has today been made available on Xbox One via the console’s backward compatibility service, Microsoft has announced. Big hitters Battlefield 3, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Dragon Age: Origins are ed by the likes of Ghostbusters and Scrap Metal for the latest round of migrations to the popular feature, which was introduced to Xbox owners back in 2015. If you already own any of the games included, they should show up directly in your library, ready to be ed, although Battlefield 3 will require a hard copy to work. The full list is as follows:

• Battlefield: Bad Company 2
• Battlefield 3 (requires disc)
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Ghostbusters
• Scrap Metal
• The Splatters
• Strania

Microsoft confirmed last month that the number of titles available on the service had sured the 300 mark, having celebrated the milestone by offering Mistwalker’s JRPG Lost Odyssey for free to all Xbox One owners. Likewise, it was announced earlier this month that players had collectively spent over 265 million hours playing 360 games through their Xbox One over the course of 2016, proving that if done right, the effort is well worth it. You can expect the software giant to continue ing backwards compatibility throughout 2017 too, so if there’s still one specific title you’re waiting to see ported over, let Microsoft know by visiting this website.