Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows PC games are once again getting the discount hammer on the Xbox Store, so the TA news team dug a bit to see what they could find.
It’s that time of the week again when we’re snooping through the latest Xbox sales to find the games we think might be worthy of your attention – as the UK weather has decided we’ve got to hit the summer rain in one week. it’s perfect timing. There seems to be a slew of games on sale this week, including Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Windows PC. There are 71 quick completions marked this week, so be sure to check them out if you’re looking for a big boost in Gamerscore.
Although we’re missing a Heidi this week – we were told her menagerie of Ooblets wouldn’t grow on its own, and none of us were brave enough to contest it – Luke took it upon himself to offer four games in her stead, even if they are part of one package. So the three of us urge you to join us on a high-speed adventure that will be tactically challenging, bullet-packed and immensely fun.
Bargains from the latest Xbox sales
Luke – Digerati Couch Co-op Vol. 2
I’ll preface this by saying I haven’t actually played three of the games in this bundle, but the way I see it is you’re spending three bucks on Bleed 2 – that’s awesome – and still get those other games for free. Those others (Vertical Drop Heroes HD, Black Paradox, and Shikhondo: Soul Eater) look pretty good, it must be said, and they’re seemingly much more manageable completions than Bleed 2 (which is solid) at around 8-10 hours a stretch. and with significantly lower ratios to boot. If you’re into shmups and/or roguelikes, this bundle is an absolute bargain…even if you’re only buying it for the one game in the set I actually played. Bleed 2 is a fast paced 2D run and gun action game with lots of tricks up its sleeve including wild air strikes, dodging bullets, projectiles and much more. There’s a bit of Max Payne in his DNA, as well as some Devil May Cry, where each encounter is an amazing dance with death as you weave in slow motion between waves of bullets while firing back… it’s one of those games that just insanely satisfying when it all clicks and you get a great run. Levels are short enough to quickly replay them in search of better grades, and the better you get, the better it feels. So yeah drop a few pounds on Bleed 2 because it’s brilliant, and enjoy the other games that come with it.
Digerati Couch Co-op Vol. 2
It’s time to get cozy with your best friend again for another round of unmissable co-op action. This bundle includes the following games, all of which include local/couch co-op (as well as single player modes):
Sean — Bad North
Bad North is an excellent real-time tactics roguelite that everyone should check out. In Bad North, you must defend small, procedurally generated islands from Viking invaders. These invaders are approaching your island from many different directions by boat, and it’s up to you to choose your troops, choose your battles and position your warriors to protect your land. As far as strategy games go, Bad North is simple – there isn’t much in the way of mechanics to be honest. This makes the game extremely accessible, and if you’re not careful it will easily suck you in and eat you. The beautiful, stylized aesthetic really adds to the simplicity, and along with the game’s atmospheric sound design and music, you can quickly be immersed in the gloomy world. As for the Bad North feats, the list is fairly straightforward, until you get to the Folk Hero difficulty-related feat and the Bathed in Blood feat, which requires a bit of grinding.
Bad North is on sale this week for just $4.49/£3.59/€4.49, which I think is an absolute bargain.
Bad North: Jotunn Edition
Your house is under attack. The king is dead at the hands of Viking invaders. Hope is a distant glimpse in the mist, which fades quickly with each passing moment. If you rise to take your father’s place as ruler, it will fall to you to step up your defenses. But make no mistake – this is not a battle for victory, but a desperate attempt to survive.
Tom – Crash Drive 3
This week’s pick for me is Crash Drive 3, a nifty little arcade racer from M2H. It’s not the usual type of game that I would highlight as a good choice, but I recently started playing it with my son, and it turns out it’s a lot of fun. The game revolves around an open environment that a large number of players can explore in a large number of unlockable vehicles. There are a few different biomes to unlock collectibles and compete in events with the other players in the lobby. The events are random and completely optional and include races, stunt modes, cops and robbers and a number of other fun little activities – there’s even a floating island for tank battles. As for Crash Drive 3’s performance, most of them are focused on completing specific tasks within the game’s events, but there are a few cumulative tasks that require a good cleaning. Master Mechanic instructs you to completely level all of the game’s vehicles, of which there are more than 50, and Event Master asks you to win 100 events. I haven’t caught either one yet, but estimates put a completion between 30 and 35 hours.
Crash Drive 3 is currently 60% off, so you can pick it up for £5.99 / $7.99 / €7.99 if it sounds like your kind of game.
What do you think of our picks this week? Are you going to add any of these to your collection, or do you have some recommendations of your own? Leave a comment below and let us know!
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