Xbox Showcase 2023

That felt like E3.

Microsoft clearly understood the assignment, in a way that Sony didn't quite. The Xbox Games Showcase generated some much-needed positive press, while offering proof that this generation is no longer stalling and that their acquisition-heavy strategy is poised to start paying off. 

The Showcase delivered several world premieres, offered a healthy mix of genres, and kept the chat to a bare minimum, at least for the first hour. Game followed game, and the "Play it Day One with Game Pass" graphic featured heavily.

And to finish, a Starfield spotlight. The deep-dive was both tantalizing and tiresome, with Todd and his team talking up a good game. We'll soon see whether they can back it up.

I tackled the 2-hour stream in chunks. I wasn't getting up at 2 AM to watch it live, and a busy morning meant that I had to pick at the presser as and when I could. I'm not sure whether this made it more palatable or robbed it of its momentum.

I've never played a Fable, but I will most certainly be playing the new one, as it's hard not to like Richard Aoyade. And speaking of things that are hard not to like, South of Midnight certainly stood out. Star Wars Outlaws had me wondering why nothing SW has ever been as good as the Clone Wars TV series. I'm not a Star Wars person, but Clone Wars was good telly. 

I have a lot of time for Sarah Bond, and Phil Spencer too for that matter, but the overly-stilted and oddly-pausing style of public speaking she and so many many other presenters employee drives me mad. "You (pause) are the IN--spiration". Talk proper, yeah? Anyway, a lot of time for Sarah and Phil.

33 Immortals is the name of a game that I've written down but I can no longer recall what it is. Persona 3 Reload is a thing that is real. I was *this* close to playing the port on Game Pass earlier this year, but much like the PSP version that's been sat on my Vita for the best part of a decade, it remained untouched. To be honest, I should probably just accept that my interest in the series is limited to P4 Golden, and that I'm unlikely to ever be drawn to it in the same way again. Avowed looked a bit basic, didn't it?

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 was as impressive as it was unpleasant. I appreciated the first Hellblade, but did I enjoy it? I recall it being oppressively grim. Of course not all games have to be bright-coloured romps; they don't have to be enjoyable, either. It's fine for games to be hard work, but I'm not sure I have time for such experiences anymore. In stark contrast, we got Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth next. The mere sight of Kasuga put a smile on my face! And knob gags! 

I bet there aren't any knob gags in Hellblade 2.

I'm not sure whether Path of the Goddess will be for me, but it got me thinking about how Capcom consistently makes games that I enjoy and that stand out. When Capcom has something to say, I take note.

Forza Motorsport is on Game Pass, so I'm sure I'll take that for a spin, which in car parlance means "I'll try it". I won't play Persona 5 Tactica, but it made me wonder whether SEGA would ever make a Yakuza Tactics, which I'd most definitely play. I'll try Jusant because it'll be on Game Pass. Metaphor: ReFantazio has a very silly name and is another reminder that Atlus are masters of in-game menu design. Clockwork Revolution looks very derivative but no less intriguing for it. "Coming in Due Time" is a wish-washy approach to release schedules that I can get behind. More honest than "2024".

Phil made a last minute, proof-of-life appearance, and gave us a tidy wrap-up: we've got games, very soon and further down the road. A clear and confident statement, and a nice Hexen t-shirt to boot.

And last but not least, the Starfield Direct which, if nothing else, convinced me to order the limited edition wireless controller. I honestly don't know what to make of it just yet, but I'm definitely looking forward to September. I might bounce off Starfield, as I've always preferred more traditional fantasy settings to space, though there are certainly exceptions (the Mass Effect Trilogy). Perhaps I'll be hooked and spend over a hundred hours zipping around the galaxy; I also can't rule out playing it significantly less and just being satisfied with a rewarding and gist-getting 20-30 hours. I'm certainly intrigued and I always enjoy these shared, community moments where it feels like everyone is playing and talking about the same game for a couple of weeks.

All in all, a pretty good not-E3 showing.