2017 is about to be a huge year for Xbox One exclusives. Here are 6 you may not have heard about (that we’re super excited for):
Cuphead
Most notable for its old-fashioned cartoon aesthetic, Cuphead is the stylish bullet-hell style 2-D shooter you didn’t know you needed. The story follows title character Cuphead and his companion, Mugman, as they battle their way through bosses to repay a debt to the devil. The gameplay is heavily focused on boss battles and boasts a pretty high skill cap. The action is fast paced and the side scrolling, watercolor painted backdrops are beautiful. Cuphead can be played alone or in 2-player co-op and is set for a mid 2017 release.
Sea of Thieves
Rare’s newest title, Sea of Thieves, is an open-world pirate adventure game. The game’s main allure is it’s shared world concept with huge multiplayer possibilities. The action looks intense and Rare has stated that it’s going to be the best game they’ve ever made- and with legendary titles like Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong Country, and Conker’s Bad Fur Day to beat, that’s a huge statement. The hype behind this game is unreal, and we can only hope that it’ll live up to the expectations when it releases later this year.
Rise & Shine
Rise & Shine is a combination bullet hell, side-scrolling shooter and puzzle game. According to developers, the game requires you to not only blast your way through hordes of enemies, but also solve puzzles with your bullets. For that reason, Adult Swim Games has labeled Rise & Shine a “think’n’gun” game instead of a run’n’gun shoot-em up side-scroller. This game is also a work of art- each level is hand-drawn and each in game feature is completely unique. The soundtrack is also 100% original and recorded with a “combination of real instruments and one very talented opera singer.” The dev team promises the game will challenge you every step of the way. Rise & Shine released this January and is currently available on Xbox One.
Tacoma
From the developers of Gone Home comes space mystery game Tacoma- a title that was delayed back in 2016 so the developers could make sure the game would live up to it’s full potential. Tacoma lets you play as Amy Ferrier, a new crew member of the Lunar Space Station Tacoma in her first day on the job. However, things aren’t quite right- there’s no one but her on the station. As you would expect, your task is to figure out what the hell is going on in the BioShock-esque space station. Fullbright takes what made the investigative gameplay of Gone Home great and amps it up to another level with the sprawling Tacoma station and zero-G navigation. Tacoma will release in the first half of 2017.
Phantom Dust
This Xbox One exclusive is actually an HD remaster of the 2004 Xbox title of the same name. Unfortunately, the original didn’t have the best release of all time, but the remaster is looking to fix that. The HD remake of this cult classic has much more hype around it than the original ever had, and Phil Spencer, President of Microsoft Studios, is a huge supporter of the remake, saying the original was “ahead of its time.” This version boasts upgraded graphics as well as higher performance. According to Spencer, it should be available for purchase before this year’s E3 (mid-June).
State of Decay 2
Like post-apocalyptic titles like Left 4 Dead and H1Z1? You’ll love this Xbox One exclusive title. State of Decay 2 puts a new spin on the zombie survival genre. You don’t play as a single title character, but rather a community of survivors with unique personalities, backgrounds and skills. Each decision you make changes the community dynamic and the overall outcome of the game. Fresh groups of survivors make for nearly endless replay value and, unlike in the original State of Decay, you can play with up to 3 friends in a 4-man co-op squad.