In this feature, we’ll be taking a look at fifteen such disappointing Xbox One exclusives- note that some of these games have been improved significantly since launch thanks to updates, and that we’re primarily talking about disappointing launches. Also note that for the purposes of these list, we’ll only be looking at Xbox One console exclusives.

With all that out of the way, let’s get into it.

RYSE: SON OF ROME

Ryse: Son of Rome took our breath away when it was first revealed, showcasing stunning visuals and looking like the kind of cinematic action adventure killer app that the Xbox family had always been desperately searching for. What we got was a disappointing mess that didn’t even come close to achieving what we had all hoped it would. Sure, it still looked good- but that’s about as far as it went with positives.

Sea of Thieves

What isn’t to love about the water in Sea of Thieves? It’s meticulously crafted, from the gentle waves rolling against ships in port to their violent crashing during naval battles. How the light behaves with the water plays a large part in how good it looks and Sea of Thieves captures this well, as evidenced by observing any water body at different times of day and in different weather. The fact that water actually plays a part in everything, from diving to naval combat, is also exceptional. Say what you will about Sea of Thieves but it nails the “sea” aspect masterfully.

The Xbox One (finally) launches in Japan later this year, meaning all three major consoles of this generation will finally be available in the country then. Microsoft knows it’s playing catch up with the other two consoles in the region, so they have prepared what might be the most extensive launch plans for Japan in the history of the Xbox brand.

For starters, the Xbox One will be sold in Japan in three flavors- the full bundle includes the console, the Kinect sensor, and Kinect Sports Rivals and Titanfall included, and it retails for 50,000 Yen. Cheaper variants include one that comes with the console and the Kinect, but no games, and one that comes with just the console, with the latter retailing for 40,000 Yen, making it competitive there with the PS4, that also goes for the same price.

In addition, Microsoft revealed the full launch lineup for Japan- because they have the benefit of launching a year later there after launching everywhere else, they’ve been able t0 prepare an impressive list of games:

• Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
• Titanfall
• Need for Speed Rivals
• Battlefield 4
• FIFA 14
• Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
• Strider
• Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate
• Onigiri
• Call of Duty: Ghosts
• Thief
• Tomb Raider
• Wolfenstein: The New Order
• Killer Instinct
• Murdered: Soul Suspect
• Zumba Fitness World Party
• Crimson Dragon
• Dead Rising 3
• Kinect Sports Rivals
• Zoo Tycoon
• Powerstar Golf
• Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
• Child of Light
• Thief
• Halo: Spartan Assault
• Max: The Curse of Brotherhood
• Ryse: Son of Rome
• LocoCycle
• Forza Motorsport 5

The biggest issue there is that very few, if any, of the announced games will actually appeal to Japanese audiences (and those that potentially might have been available on other systems for a fair bit now). Then again, that is also a problem endemic to the PlayStation 4 (leading to the console now being routinely outsold by the Wii U in the weekly sales charts for the region).

Rare has suffered many a setback according to Eurogamer. The studio’s latest Kinect-based project for the Xbox One, Kinect Sports Rivals, failed at the sales counter and has led to numerous layoffs with 16 design and project managers apparently getting the boot.

A spokesperson of Microsoft stated that, “At Xbox, our goal is to constantly create new fun, social and interactive entertainment experiences. As part of Rare’s commitment to this goal, we have made a decision to change our development process and methodology at Rare to best support our future projects, this has led to us reviewing the skills and the makeup of our development teams in our business. Rare continues to invest in our people and future projects.”

Though it confirmed the layoffs, Microsoft failed to mention exactly how many people were let go (sources indicate around 16 employees) and sales of Kinect Sports Rivals seems to be the cause. It also seems to have incurred significant loss for Rare in general.

Rare doesn’t seem to be collapsing (yet), but there’s no denying that its focus on Kinect games will lead to further criticism. Stay tuned for more information.

Spurred by an excellent Xbox 360 port developed by Bluepoint Games, Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall has retaken the number one spot in the UK according to the latest UKIE game charts courtesy of Gfk Chart-Track.

On the other end of the spectrum, Rare’s Kinect Sports: Rival debuted at 14th place. Not quite the best sales, but then again, inFamous: Second Son for the PlayStation 4 is currently at 13th place.

LEGO The Hobbit managed to debut at second place with FIFA 14 dropping to third, while Call of Duty: Ghosts is at fifth place. Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition also rose a few places to enter into sixth, with The Lego Movie Videogame, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes occupying the rest of the top 10.

What are your thoughts on Titanfall’s success? Let us know in the comments.

• 1. Development
• 2. Gameplay
• 3. Sports

Development

While not much is known about the development process of Kinect Sports Rivals, the game has undoubtedly been planned as a title since the release of the well received Kinect Sports. A heavy focus on the accuracy of the Xbox One Kinect device has been used as a heavy marketing point for the title, stating on the games official site that, “Xbox One’s all-new sensor technology reinvents motion game play through accurate and responsive tracking. Kinect Sports Rivals brings pure competition to life. Inches and speed matter. Skill is important. Precision is rewarded. Now, small movements make big impacts in the most exhilarating sports ever.”

The game was first revealed during the Microsoft  E3 2013 press event during which it was announced to be a Day One title. Since then, the game has been delayed. Originally Kinect Sports Rivals was set to release during the Holiday season of 2012, but was rescheduled for spring 2014.

Gameplay

Gameplay will remain largely unchanged given the simple nature of motion control and the limited possible applications when applied to sports titles such as this. Players are represented as an on screen avatar (Champion) and they must make the appropriate body gestures and movements which are translated into gameplay actions via the Xbox One Kinect.

A new feature of Kinect Sports Rivals is your avatar, now referred to as your Champion. The Kinect scans and digitally creates a stylized Champion that resembles the player who takes part in the games in place of the player. Players will join one of three teams who all bring a unique sporting philosophy and playing style to the game.

Sports

Kinect Sports Rivals will (out of the box) include six fully playable sports that includes:

• Bowling – A game of bowling that tasks the player with knocking over pins with a weighted ball.
• Jet ski Racing – Players will race Jetskis across the water in an attempt to reach first place.
• Rock Climbing – Players must reach and grasp for grips on a climbing surface as they try and reach the top.
• Soccer – Players will control a soccer player as they try and score goals against the opposing team.
• Target Shooting – Players will take control of a target shooting pistol in an attempt to hit the most targets.
• Tennis – Players will compete against their opponents to maintain the highest score on the tennis court.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.

After two iterations of Kinect Sports on the Xbox 360 and countless DLC addons, Kinect Sports Rivals is Rare’s first foray onto Microsoft’s next gen console and blends some familiar events with all-new sports, only possible with the enhanced technical wizardry of the new hardware.

Within seconds of booting up, a voiceover from a very enthusiastic David Tennant (of Doctor Who fame) leads you through a brief tutorial to create your very own virtual you. Gone are those cartoony-looking avatars of before; this time round, clever face scanning tech scrutinizes your every crease and crevice to recreate your visage with unnerving accuracy. A few menus allow tweaks to be made, such as adjusting eye colour, facial hair, adding glasses and so on.

"KSR’s matchmaking pits you against others of similar or slightly higher skill level to encourage constant improvement. It’s all very effective and means you’re always going to be pushing yourself a little more to come out victorious."

However, my experience with this was a little hit and miss. It’s undeniably clever but my caricature didn’t really look much like me (I was given a full beard after scanning despite being clean shaven!). I didn’t fare much better after a few attempts at rescanning either, even in different lighting conditions etc… The scans of the family and friends I dragged in front of the camera also produced some mixed results, although there were some that were eerily accurate. Still, it certainly adds to the experience and improves on those avatars of games past.

Once you’ve gurned a few times at the screen and are happy with your digital doppelganger, you’re ready to take on allcomers and become the ultimate champ. And boy, does KSR bring out your competitive streak!

In single player, you soon get to pledge your allegiance to one of three very different teams – Eagle Legion, Wolf Clan or Viper Network – before facing off with other players and teams around the globe in a bid to fight your way to the top of the leaderboards. Alternatively, you can dive straight into any event with friends locally through the Quick Play option.

KSR’s matchmaking pits you against others of similar or slightly higher skill level to encourage constant improvement. It’s all very effective and means you’re always going to be pushing yourself a little more to come out victorious. What’s more, “Xbox One Living Games technology” matches you against your digitized friends even when they’re offline, meaning you’ll be playing against them rather than generic AI.

"Rare says Kinect offers three times more fidelity and 10 times more power than its predecessor, which effectively means that it’s not only your limbs that are now detected but your fingers, hands and head movements too."

On to the six sports then, and KSR offers a pretty decent mix that offers something for everyone. Old hands at the Kinect Sports series will recognise soccer, tennis and bowling – although these have all been overhauled to accommodate the increased fidelity of the new camera. Besides the fact Kinect is now far more accurate, it now spots intricate wrist movements and hand clenching, for example. You really do feel like you’re more in control than before, able to put some wicked spin on your shot when bowling or power that return shot in tennis.

Rare says Kinect offers three times more fidelity and 10 times more power than its predecessor, which effectively means that it’s not only your limbs that are now detected but your fingers, hands and head movements too. Simple things prove really impressive, like outstretching your arm and making a grabbing motion to pick up a bowling ball, and then watching it fall to the ground as your unclench your hand.

Bowling is a firm favourite, guaranteed to consume countless hours of your life and perfect for local play. It’s so much more than simply grabbing a ball and hurling it down the lane to knock down a few pins; you’ve now got to factor in wrist spin, stance, follow through and power. A few successful shots later and power-ups become available: faster bowls, powerful meteor balls that leave a crater in the floor or the ability to force opponents to bowl with their other hand. It all works fantastically and is just as good as heading out to a real bowling alley – you don’t even have to wear unfashionable footwear!

"I found Soccer (or football!) a bit of a slow burner, given that like the version in Kinect Sports there’s no requirement to jog round a virtual pitch or foul the opposition. It all seems a little more reminiscent of fussball or table football, with a few teammates in the distance surrounded by side-moving defenders."

Tennis needs little by way of explanation but feels far more realistic this time round. In fact, the additional accuracy certainly makes it far more involving as timing, positioning and the type of shot all require an element of skill. The power-up of note is the Disruptor Racket, which rewards your rival with a diminutive racket and makes it far harder to play.

I found Soccer (or football!) a bit of a slow burner, given that like the version in Kinect Sports there’s no requirement to jog round a virtual pitch or foul the opposition. It all seems a little more reminiscent of fussball or table football, with a few teammates in the distance surrounded by side-moving defenders. Side-footed or lofted shots determine the power and height of a kick, and you can influence the direction and aftertouch too – and it’s all against the clock. There’s certainly more to this version than its predecessor, and strategically the fact you can energise shots, deflect them and counterattack, certainly makes this a grower. But I’d suggest this isn’t as instantly accessible as the other sports on offer.

New to the lineup then are wake racing, rock climbing and target shooting.

Wake racing will undoubtedly be familiar to the majority of Xbox One owners given that it was one of the few ways to put the camera through its paces at the console’s launch last November. The water-based racing was the sole event available through Rare’s Kinect Sports Preseason trial.

"In fact, so adept was I at scaling cliff faces and vertically-suspended ships that I managed to climb the global league tables to a lofty 14th place… admittedly this was playing a review copy against only a handful of people in advance of the game hitting the shelves, but it still felt like an achievement! And that’s the point of this game – there’s a real desire to compete and be the best."

Playable standing or seated, a simple fist clench is picked up by the all-seeing camera and makes your jet ski accelerate. Relax your fingers and open your hand up to come to a stop. Simply outstretching your arms and steering as you would a bike changes your direction and leaning further to one side makes tight turns possible. A lean backwards or forwards allows some cool flips to be pulled off when driving over ramps or more extreme waves.

The undulating waters and hazards such as mines and moored boats combine nicely with the unscrupulous competitors who will do their utmost to beat you to the finish line. Power ups help them on their way, allowing them to deploy mines, protect themselves with a shield, or activate a temporary speed boost. Great fun and visually, it looks fantastic – especially the water effects.

Grabbing and pulling gestures are the name of the game in the climbing events as you negotiate perilous ascents while rivals try to snare a trailing leg and pull you down. Climbing is arguably one of the sports that best showcases the advances made by Kinect since its last incarnation. This was among my favourite games – especially when played alongside a friend – the tension mounting as you try to accelerate up the wall, all the time keeping an eye on your stamina level to ensure you don’t tire.

If you’re grabbed by a rival, a quick jump frees you from their clutches… although you’ve got to remember to grab the wall again or you’ll plunge to your fate below. There’s nothing more satisfying than storming to the summit having pulled back your rivals and taken the lead. Watch out for those damn grips that give off an electric shock though!

In fact, so adept was I at scaling cliff faces and vertically-suspended ships that I managed to climb the global league tables to a lofty 14th place… admittedly this was playing a review copy against only a handful of people in advance of the game hitting the shelves, but it still felt like an achievement! And that’s the point of this game – there’s a real desire to compete and be the best.

"Of the three Kinect Sports titles, I probably felt less physically drained after playing Rivals; there doesn’t seem to be as much movement or exertion required, which is a bit of a shame for those trying to justify this purchase for exercise purposes."

For me, shooting was initially the trickiest of all the sports – not because of its complexity but the concentration that was needed. Simply holding your arm out and pointing your finger as though holding a gun is all you really need to remember controlwise, but having eagle eyes and lightening quick reactions makes this a devilishly tough event. Play for any period of time and I’ll wager your arm will start to ache too…

Numbered, coloured and timed targets appear onscreen to shoot, while a turret – controlled by your rival – occasionally unleashes projectiles that need to be dodged by sidestepping. The concept is simple: gain a higher score than your opponent over a few progressively difficult rounds. Power ups – activated by calling out the relevant instruction for Kinect to pick up or stamping your foot – include a handy gun jammer, blind fire – which covers up your opponent’s targets and a bonus mulitplier to supplement your scoring.

After each event, a summary screen celebrates your achievement and rewards you with coins (to spend in the online store – to upgrade costumes and kit), XP and fans – increasing your fame rating and unlocking events and so on. At any time you can access the Kinect Sports Hub and share pictures of your champion with the wider community, take part in challenges and events, or check out the global- or friend-based leaderboards.

Finally here’s a title that can show off the enhanced abilities of Kinect and the improved accuracy is quite remarkable. The camera still has its foibles, however – occasionally getting confused and still requiring a decent amount of play space, while the voice commands to access the power ups can be a little temperamental – but many of the issues of past games seem to have been addressed.

I can’t help but feel that six sporting events is a still little miserly for a full-priced purchase but I’d imagine there’s plenty of scope for add-ons and DLC after launch.

Of the three Kinect Sports titles, I probably felt less physically drained after playing Rivals; there doesn’t seem to be as much movement or exertion required, which is a bit of a shame for those trying to justify this purchase for exercise purposes. Most games simply require one or both your arms to be outstretched for sustained periods – which can be a little uncomfortable after a lengthy gaming session (wake racing and target shooting are the worst offenders).

Still, each event is fun to play and there’s plenty to keep you coming back for more. Kinect Sports Rivals is the first game to properly show off the potential of the new Kinect and, as ever, Rare has produced a great game to play alone or with friends.

This game was reviewed on Xbox One.

Microsoft and Rare have released a new video for the Xbox One Kinect-based title, Kinect Sports Rivals. The new video – the developer diary- shows the developers talking about how they like having a competitive spirit in every aspect of life and how they’ve tried to imbue that in their game too, making it fun and competitive at the same time.

The devs talk about the online aspect of the game and how the multiplayer factor will add to the competitive nature that this game, according to them, will give rise to. They say that it’s a “great looking online game” that’s not just fun to play, but is also highly- yes, it’s that work again- competitive.

One of the people from the development team also says that he likes to punch people who’re ahead of him in long cues.

… Does he really? I guess you’ll have to watch the video, because I’m not telling you.

Rare producer Danny Isaac recently spoke to Videogamer about the lifeline for Microsoft’s Xbox One. The internal studio, which is working on Kinect Sports Rivals, believes the next gen console has a fairly strong life – something in the range of “12 years, if not longer”.

“As we went through E3 and Gamescom and looked at the timelines, we just weren’t comfortable that we were going to give the experience to the consumers that we wanted for ourselves and that the franchise was known for.

“We made the decision to move out of the window, which is always tough, there’s very few opportunities to be there day one, and there’s going to be even fewer going forward.

“This console may last 12 years, if not longer. But we got pre-season out, which was good, and it just gave us a little bit more time for the product to stay and cook a little bit more, because really the issue wasn’t so much about depth of content.

“It was, as you see, everyone moves slightly differently, everyone’s homes are set up differently, everyone engages in different ways, and we just weren’t confident that we’d been through enough of that to make sure it was stellar in every situation.”

Kinect Sports Rivals is out on April 8th in North America. Will the Xbox One last the better part of the next decade like the Xbox 360 before it? We’ll need to wait (and wait some more) to truly find out.

Rare will be returning to the console gaming soon with Kinect Sports Rivals, an extension of the popular Kinect Sports franchise which released for the Xbox 360. In conversation with OXM, Danny Isaac revealed that there were some sports that had been cut out this time around, even though prototypes had been prepared for the same.

“Yeah, there were some that didn’t make it. Some we cut completely – we had horse racing and fishing, which we built as prototypes. All the sports that made it into the product were all built as prototypes before.

“We really focused on what could bring the Kinect sensor alive, and what can put it on that pedestal. Horse-racing and fishing were kind of good, but they didn’t make it. We also had some really cool kayaking prototypes, as well as a Frisbee one, and a table tennis game.

“When we go for our preproduction stage and our concept stage, we tend to go very broad and very wide. At the time though the sensor wasn’t complete, so we were prototyping on the old Kinect, as well as trying to mimic the fidelity that we’d have on the actual sensor. That’s when we proofed out things like rock-climbing, with the open and closed hands, and wake-racing, soccer, target shooting and tennis.”

Kinect Sports Rivals will be out in Spring 2014 for the Xbox One.