As Windows Phone gamers either enjoy or wait patiently for Rayman Fiesta Run (which briefly launched worldwide yesterday only to be quickly pulled), they’re bound to crave even more Rayman. Well, if you have an Xbox One you’re in luck! The improved for next-gen Rayman Legends has just launched on Xbox One at the affordable price of $39.99. It has been available on Xbox 360 since September last year.
Hungry for more console releases? Capcom and Double Helix’s reboot of Strider debuts today as a downloadable title for Xbox One and 360. And Xbox 360 gamers can pick up Earth Defense Force: 2025 from D3 Publisher and Sandlot today in the US and Friday in Europe. Head past the break for a quick rundown of why you should be excited for these games!
Rayman Legends
Rayman Origins was a sleeper hit when it appeared on consoles back in 2011. It brought classic limbless platforming hero Rayman back into the light with a mixture of breathtakingly beautiful 2D worlds, challenging level design, and delightful 4-player local co-op.
Now Xbox One gamers can enjoy the sequel: Rayman Legends. Everything we loved about Rayman Origins (and the popular mobile version Rayman Jungle Run) returns in Legends. Rayman’s world is more beautiful than ever on Xbox One, running at native 1080P. Rayman and his friends can run, jump, and punch together through more than 60 all-new levels. New epic boss fights cap off each world. The Xbox One version also features two new playable characters and faster load times.
If you’re aching for a local multiplayer game on Xbox One (and something to play with that extra Titanfall controller that comes out next month), look no further than Rayman Legends.
- Rayman Legends – Xbox One – 4.3 GB - $39.99 – Amazon Link – Xbox.com Link
Earth Defense Force: 2025
Would you believe me if I told you this is my most anticipated game of the year? I’m writing from San Francisco, and I can’t wait to get home in a few days and play my preordered copy.
Earth Defense Force is a niche series of third-person shooters that started life on Playstation 2. The game most of us are probably familiar with is EDF: Insect Armageddon, which is a shame. That entry came from a different developer and lacked the series’ magic. EDF: 2025 brings it back, in a big way.
Put simply, EDF: 2025 is a game in which players run around cities and other environments, blasting away at huge hordes of equally huge alien insects, robots, and UFOs. Almost every building can be destroyed and there’s no penalty for leveling the city, so you might as well do it while killing literally hundreds or thousands of enemies per mission.
EDF: 2025 also has a highly addictive mission structure and grinding system. All 85 missions of campaign can be replayed on five different difficulties, and you’ll find different weapons on each difficulty. With over 700 weapons to find (plus lots of health upgrades) spread across four highly distinct character classes, this game will keep you busy pretty much forever. It also supports 2-player split-screen and 4-player online co-op.
- Earth Defense Force: 2025 – Xbox 360 – 4.82 GB – Amazon Link – Xbox.com Link
Strider
Strider started life as a 16-bit arcade game. He eventually appeared in a much-changed NES game and an official sequel for the original Playstation. Capcom fans will also recognize him from the Marvel vs. Capcom games, in which he appears as a playable character.
Now Strider is back after all these years in a retelling of the original arcade game that mixes in elements from the NES version for good measure. Take on the role of Strider Hiryu as he hacks, slashes, runs, and jumps across a futuristic Russian city on his way to defeat the evil Grandmaster.
This new Strider mixes the sword-slashing action of the original game with the exploration you’d find in modern games like Shadow Complex and the Castlevania series. Strider still has his distinctive Cypher sword, but now his sword can take on new forms for different situations. Fans of the original games needn’t worry about this entry’s lack of cred – it features remixed musical themes from both the arcade and NES games.
- Strider – Xbox One – 3.09 GB – $14.99 – Xbox.com Link
- Strider – Xbox 360 – 1.48 GB – $14.99 – Xbox.com Link
