Outer Wilds And Void Bastards – Two Xbox/Windows Exclusives Worth Playing

Outer Wilds And Void Bastards – Two Xbox/Windows Exclusives Worth Playing
Credit: Microsoft via YouTube

Windows have stepped up their exclusives game to challenge the domination of PlayStation and Sony. Now available on Xbox and Steam respectively, Outer Wilds and Void Bastards are two intoxicating games you can now play exclusively on Windows.

Outer Wilds is an open-world space action-adventure game with an intoxicating art style and unique storyline. Developed originally by Team Outer Wilds, the was picked up by Mobius Digital and released on Xbox May 30th. I’ve had a chance to play some hours of the game, and it’s wonderfully addictive. Each turn of the game is a surprise, and the game is expansive.

You repeat the same 20 minutes of pre-supernova over, and over again. While it sounds repetitive, you unlock secrets that alter the gameplay in each of your run-throughs. There are hidden goodies across the vast worlds which you must uncover with little to no hand-guiding from the game. The game leaves you to discover and unravel the mystery on your own. So far the game has received high praise from critics and fans – a title worth checking out, for sure.

Next up, Void Bastards from Manchu Studios. A game inspired by the likes of BioShock and System Shock 2, Void Bastards is another space game with a slightly more violent level of gameplay. You’ll also get a Borderlands feeling from the art-style and combat. Or a Borderlands-meets-Marvel comic book. Look. What we’re trying to say is: the art style is a totally unique and awesome experience as you explore this procedurally-generated rogue-like.

The gameplay revolves around exploring different ships and collecting loot. Once you’ve delved into the game, you’ll quickly see how in-depth the gameplay goes. An expansive crafting system with dozens upon dozens of scrap materials and items to upgrade boggles your mind, to begin with, but also presents you with almost endless possibilities. There’s also a great level of strategy as you try to figure out how to tackle each ship.

Void Bastards is now available, from the Humble Bundle, on Steam. Outer Wilds is available on Xbox and Steam. Both are Windows exclusives. With Gears 5 and the Halo Reach PC version coming at the end of this year, it’s obvious Windows has started to step up its games to combat Sony’s successful PlayStation games, including God of War, the Uncharted Series, and the upcoming Death Stranding.

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