New games release on Xbox One every week, but it can be quite difficult keeping track them all. This is especially true during the summer when so many blockbuster titles are taking up people’s attention with their expansive marketing campaigns. Some of the games we’ve reviewed this week you may not have even heard of. This time around, we’re taking a look at Airheart: Tale of Broken Wings, Shenmue I & II, and Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr.
Airheart: Tale of Broken Wings
Airheart: Tale of Broken Wings is a roguelike shoot ‘em up where you take control of a small craft and have to shoot down pirates. Collecting resources in order to upgrade your ship is also important. You simply fly around a level and fight until you die. You upgrade your weapons and other gear, then attempt to take them down again.
You might be wondering why my first paragraph is so basic. Well, it’s because the game is basic. It’s your standard roguelike fare, but the issue is that it severely lacks personality. By no means it this a bad game, it’s just an above average game. Adding compelling characters – what Sky Force Reloaded did – would’ve served the title well and made it exceptional.
Airheart even supports Xbox One X and looks great on a 4K display. However, there isn’t much that separates it from the rest. Nowadays there are so many roguelike experiences on the market that they seem to blend together. Immortal Redneck stands out due to its odd genre mash-up. These games need that “X” factor. Sadly, Airheart doesn’t have that.
If you’re looking for a fun, casual game – which you won’t get addicted to or particularily remember – then give Airheart a go. It’s a great break between those heavy-hitters. However, we would’ve like to see something unique – like a hilarious story – to supplement the mechanics.
Games can’t just rely on gameplay in this modern age of the hobby. It has to have a story or other quirk that draws players in.
7/10
Xbox One X
Shenmue I & II
Shenmue I & II seems like a missed opportunity because aside from upgrading the resolution and performance, it’s the same game with the same clunky controls. Sega should’ve put much more care into this package because despite its new coat of paint – and it’s an inexpensive coat at best – there isn’t anything else to really admire.
The story is still stellar and the original game brought a lot of innovations to the open-world genre, but they aren’t revolutionary by today’s standard. Who is this collection meant for? The few people who bought the original back in the day? There is no way these dated visuals and clunky controls will appeal to a modern crowd.
Shenmue and Shenmue II are games that needed a proper remaster with updated controls so that a new generation of players could enjoy it. Unfortunately, the developer failed to provide this. Many young people won’t pick this up. Plus, there are a lot of bugs in the game.
If you loved the original back in the day and want to play it on Xbox One, then buy Shenmue I & II. If you’re expecting modern controls and a significant upgrade, then you’ll just have to wait for Shenmue III when it launched in 2019.
7.5/10
Xbox One X
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr is genuinely amazing. It tells a great story which centers around the disappearance of a mysterious vessel. Just like Diablo, you play from a top-down perspective, kill various enemies, collect loot, and upgrade your character.
The Warhammer 40,000 universe is unique because it focuses on humanity in the far future. The lore, the weapons, the armor, and the unbelievable gothic aesthetic gives it a unique look. There are a lot of steampunk influences in there.
Warhammer: Inquisitor – Martyr features hundreds of hours of gameplay given its massive amount of levels and there is also the option to play with your friends. You’ll easily get lost in the game for hours on end.
Unfortunately, some of the reports about the game’s performance are troubling. For example, many users on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 4 Pro are reporting of screen tearing and other issues. Luckily, the Xbox One X version seems to be above that because you can either run it at 1080p 60 FPS or 1440p with an unlocked frame rate.
We went with 1440p because the boost to visual quality is stunning. We didn’t encounter any screen tearing but the frame rate did drop to around 30 FPS when there were areas with a lot of enemies… or certain open world regions.
Despite these problems, Warhammer: Inquisitor – Martyr is a great experience that any fan of Diablo or action role-playing games in general should pick up. While it might not be as technically sound as it should be, you quickly get over when you’re blasting away enemies. There are a lot of characters and customization options too.
You have to pick this game up. The developer has promised a series of free updates and significant expansions through the season pass. Warhammer: Inquisitor – Martyr will just get better from here.
8/10
Xbox One X
Out of all of these games, we would recommend Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr the most. It’s a lot of fun and give you that nostalgic feeling of playing old-school action games like Diablo. All of the titles this week provide their own unique experiences, so give them all a shot if you’re interested. It just depends on what you like, but we all have our favorites.
