Xbox Developer_Direct: Indiana Jones, Avowed, Hellblade 2...

To kick off this new year, Xbox wanted to give a vision of what awaits players on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and/or Cloud in 2024. During the Developer_Direct broadcast for the occasion, the Redmond firm highlighted five upcoming games including the highly anticipated Avowed, Obsidian's new action RPG, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle, which had its first official presentation.

Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle

A true iconic success in cinema, the Indiana Jones franchise quickly caught the attention of development studios eager to offer their adaptation of the universe into video games. This began in 1987 with an action game adapting Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Then in 1989 followed two adaptations of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, one point'n'click oriented and the other action-oriented. Other games have since emerged, including two LEGO versions. Of course, since the announcement of a new Indiana Jones game expected on PC and Xbox Series X|S, everyone was waiting to see what MachineGames, the studio that notably worked on Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, would offer.

The Developer_Direct thus provided the first gameplay images of Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle, this new first-person adventure game that will be released during the year and will arrive on Xbox Game Pass as soon as it is released. It is worth noting that the game is produced by Todd Howard (Bethesda Game Studios), created in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, and that Richard Darbois, the actor who dubs Harrison Ford in the French version, will voice the French version of Indiana Jones in the game, with the character also taking on the traits of the iconic actor, at least in his younger version!

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

After a first installment that set the bar high in terms of visual rendering, Ninja Theory is pushing the boundaries even further with its Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. To delve deeper into this sequel and the team's ambitions, the studio invites us to discover a behind-the-scenes video to explore the creation of this adventure. But that's not all, as Ninja Theory took the opportunity to set the release date. Senua will fight for her survival starting May 21, 2024, on PC and Xbox Series X|S. Note that the game will only be available in digital format and will be integrated Day One into Xbox Game Pass, which will also allow enjoying it via the Cloud.

Avowed

Obsidian Entertainment is a studio specializing in action-RPG games known among others for its work on Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, Dungeon Siege III, South Park: The Stick of Truth, The Outer Worlds, or more recently the survival game Grounded and the adventure game Pentiment. Its new project is Avowed, an action-RPG that will take players into a fantasy world. In addition to dynamic combat, the title will offer everyone a set of narrative decisions that will impact the storyline. The combat is also based on this choice mechanic as it will be possible to vary the equipment to approach them in the desired way, with melee weapons, rifles, bows, or even magic wands. It is up to you, during next fall, to venture into the Living Lands to discover their secrets, both on PC, Xbox Series X|S or Cloud, thanks in particular to the integration of the title from its release in the Xbox Game Pass.

Ara: History Untold

Currently presented as a PC exclusive, the title Ara: History Untold will be released next fall and will be added to the PC Game Pass from its launch. A true historical strategy game, it will attempt to modernize the formula specific to the genre by allowing players to discover and experiment. To find out more, Oxide Games welcomes you to its premises through the video below.

Visions of Mana

Even though it is also planned for PlayStation, Visions of Mana had its place in the Xbox Developer_Direct as it will mark the debut of the franchise on Xbox. To be discovered from this summer, the RPG from Square Enix is shown more extensively through a video featuring Masaru Oyamada, the series producer, and Koichi Ishii, the father of the saga and creator of several of the series' monsters. It is the latter who presents the pikuls, the new animal companions. We also learn that the soundtrack will consist of 100 songs and that an adaptive music system will be implemented to ensure a better transition between exploration and combat.