Jesse 'Doncabesa' Norris
This author account hasn't been claimed yet. To claim this account, please contact the outlet owner to request access.
Writing For
XboxEra Latest Reviews
Now and then, a game comes out of nowhere and grabs you by the ghoulies. It wraps itself around your brain, and all you want to do is play just a little bit longer. Voidtrain, which has been in early access since August 2021, got its hooks into me. For 25 hours, I dove into the void, gathered resources while fighting off foes, and built a train that took me through one hell of a journey.
Yakumo is no Schmoe. The main protagonist of NINJA GAIDEN 4 is one of the best-controlling characters in action gaming history. Across nineteen increasingly batsh*t crazy levels, Yakumo and Ryu Hyabusa lead you through a deadly gauntlet. Platinum Games and Team Ninja take a series known for fast combat and somehow make it way faster. Even the story is slightly less nonsensical than previous entries. Despite all of the high-profile departures, Platinum proves it still has what it takes to make...
PowerWash Simulator 2 takes the idiom “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and dials it up to 11. This is a bigger, prettier, easier to play sequel that’s coming Day One to Xbox Game Pass. I’ve played it across PC and Xbox’s Ally handheld, sorry no early Xbox console code was available, and I loved every moment. It’s a content-rich rich clean-a-thon that’s better with friends, and easier than ever to play with them.
The citizens of Arcadia are once again in peril! Deadly space rifts are appearing, vexing the greatest scientific minds of our era. The Order, Auntie’s Choice, and The Protectorate are vying for power in an epic struggle that threatens reality itself. Coming to the rescue, why it’s a Commander of the Earth Directorate! Will he save these Outer Worlds? Find out in a thrilling 25-hour adventure, with twists, turns, important choices, and daring action!
Bounty Star: The Morose Tale of Graveyard Clem is coming to Game Pass today. You are Clementine, a loner who failed at protecting those in her stead. After wallowing in a drunken stupor, you’ll build her life back up, one repetitive mission at a time. Solid writing and voice work can’t save this one from a frustrating mission and homestead structure, which is a shame, as the game oozes southwestern charm.
BALL x PIT answers the age-old question, “What if you mixed Breakout/Arkanoid with Vampire Survivors-like bullet-heaven madness?”. The answer, to the surprise of no one, is a crazy mishmash of genres that works beautifully, and it’s Day One in Xbox Game Pass, although it lacks the longevity of the titles that inspired it.
It's a boring hunt, man! A boring hunt!
Dying Light: The Beast started out life as an expansion for Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Growing into a standalone title, it may end up being my favorite in the series. It isn’t the biggest or the best; instead, it opts for a perfect length and unmatched gameplay. Kyle Crane is back and beastlier than ever in an exciting new direction for the franchise.
Bloober Team is on a roll. After last year’s smash hit Silent Hill 2 Remake, they have Cronos: The New Dawn, and it’s even better. I’ve spent roughly 15 hours or so total with the game, beating it once and starting up a new game +. This trippy, surreal survival-horror title is one of the best I’ve played in the genre.