Before we move ahead, do keep in mind that calling a game AA or AAA isn’t a measure of its popularity or quality so much as it is a measure of the scope of its production and its development budget, which means we might also talk about AA experiences made by companies that usually operate in the AAA sphere. With that out of the way, let’s dive right in.

DISCO ELYSIUM

You could call Disco Elysium a CRPG, and on paper, technically, you would be correct, but that would also be an incredibly reductive way to describe this masterpiece. From its surreal setting to its heavily flavoured and thematically dense writing, from its complete lack of combat to how bizarrely yet ingeniously it uses its RPG mechanics in conjunction with its storytelling, Disco Elysium is a singular game that’s unlike anything else out there.

Halo 2 

The original Halo was a driving force in creating a substantial market share against Sony and Nintendo, and expectations for the sequel were naturally high. Halo 2 delivered upon those expectations in spades, combining an adrenaline-pumping story with a comprehensive suite of multiplayer options making for an experience that keeps you hooked and doesn’t let go. Hundreds of thousands of fans would have fond memories of duking it out against friends, and Halo 2 might just be the defining Xbox experience for a majority of those fans.

After all, a recent Microsoft tease seemed to be suggesting something along those lines (or so many people though). However, according to Double Fine Productions boss Tim Schafer, a Psychonauts 3 is not in development. Speaking in a recent interview with YouTube channel Cressup, referring to the aforementioned tease, Schafer said that he hadn’t actually seen it, and said that a Psychonauts sequel isn’t currently in the works.

“I didn’t see that,” he said (spotted by PCGamesN). “I’m not working on Psychonauts 3.”

So what is Double Fine working on then? Responding to a question about whether Double Fine will stick with developing larger and more complex projects or return to smaller games, Schafer said that’s not something the studio puts as much consideration on as it does on whether or not a project would align with its company values. Currently, Schafer says, Double Fine is working on “smaller” games, which he says are “new” and, of course “unannounced”.

“We’ve had big games that were admittedly very complex and hard to make, but didn’t have any of the acrimony,” Schafer said. “Psychonauts 1 had a real tough development, but everyone liked each other the whole time. It’s not about big games vs small games, it’s about our company’s values, and whether we are sticking to them. It causes [us] to look at what our values are, and actually write them down and share them with the team. So yeah, we’ll make big games again. We’re not right now, right now we’re making, you know, smaller games. Secret stuff.”

“We’re doing new, unannounced stuff,” he added.

Last year, Double Fine Productions confirmed that it had multiple new projects in the works across a number of different internal teams.

Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)

Metal Gear Solid has a reputation for featuring boss fights that defy player expectations – and Psycho Mantis is definitely one such fight that really shocked gamers back in the day. You see, Psycho Mantis will always evade your moves since he’s reading them directly from the controller – which makes it impossible to damage the boss at first. Psycho Mantis can also read your memory card, and his dialogues will reflect what saves are present on your card.

The solution to beating him is to switch the controller from port 1 to port 2, which makes him open to attacks. Once that’s done, this boss fight becomes ridiculously easy and you can easily gun him down and get on with the story. On repeat playthroughs when you know what needs to be done, Psycho Mantis becomes a very silly albeit creative boss fight that poses little to no threat to the player.

Halo: Combat Evolved

It’s crazy to believe that Halo: Combat Evolved began as a third-person shooter for the Mac. Developed by Bungie, the original game arguably took console first-person shooters to the next level with giant sandbox levels that facilitated multiple approaches, an incredible soundtrack and massive battles. Sure, the level design and story could have been better, but as many gamers’ first introduction to Master Chief, it was perfect.

HYRULE (THE LEGEND OF ZELDA SERIES)

Hyrule has certainly been through the wringer over the course of the Zelda franchise, and taken many different forms over the years. One thing that’s never changed, however, is that Hyrule never fails to suck players right in. From the flooded world of The Wind Waker to the desolate post-apocalypse of Breath of the Wild, Hyrule has provided countless memorable moments that earn it a place on this list.

Hollow Knight 

Team Cherry’s take on the increasingly popular souls like genre has been met with great critical and commercial acclaim, and for all the right reasons. The world of Hallownest strikes a careful balance between being joyful and daunting, and in addition to this – the game has excellent art direction, music, platforming, and level. It’s a really well-rounded and complete package, which is available across all platforms at just a fraction of the cost of contemporaries.

It’s a new month which means a new slate of titles for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Microsoft already confirmed that Dragon Quest Builders 2 is out tomorrow for Xbox consoles and PC subscribers with content like the Aquarium Pack, Historic Headwear, Dragonlord’s Throne and more included. FIFA 21 also releases on May 6th via EA Play for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC subscribers.

However, on the same day, Red Barrels’ Outlast 2 will also be available for consoles, cloud and PC. Cloud and console subscribers will also have access to Ubisoft’s Steep, an open world winter sports title. May 13th is when Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster becomes available for consoles and PC alongside Just Cause 4: Reloaded.

The original Psychonauts is also making its way to the service on the same day for cloud, console and PC subscribers. If that weren’t enough, Red Dead Online is out on the same day for consoles and the cloud along with Remnant: From the Ashes for PC subscribers. From May 15th onwards, numerous titles will be leaving Xbox Game Pass. This includes:

• Alan Wake (Console and PC)
• Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 (PC)
• Dungeon of the Endless (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Final Fantasy 9 (Console and PC)
• Hotline Miami (PC)
• Plebby Quest: The Crusades (PC)

Play them now while you still have the chance. Stay tuned for more details on titles coming to Xbox Game Pass later this month.

YIGA CLAN HIDEOUT (THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD)

Forced stealth sections in games that are not stealth-focused are never a good idea, and this is probably a poster boy for that concept. In a game that is all about letting players do whatever they want, Yiga Clan is a level that forces you to do particular things in particular ways. What’s worse is that it’s not even good. The AI is no good, the stealth is questionable, and it goes on for a bit too long.

OKAMI

Okami is one of the best games Capcom has ever put out – and looking at their impressive catalog of games over the years, that’s no small praise. With its beautiful aesthetic, its engaging gameplay, and fantastic design, it stands out as one of the best games on every system it is playable on. That said, the sales of the game were nowhere near as good as that sort of praise warrants, with only a little over half a million units sold in three years. Hopefully, Capcom decides to give this property another shot, and hopefully, that hypothetical sequel sells better than its predecessor.

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