When we first started creating The End of the Sun, a first-person adventure inspired by Slavic folklore, we wanted to build a world that would do more than tell an engaging story. We wanted it to feel truly alive, with every building, object, and detail having its own history.

As a Slavic sorcerer investigating the mystery of an abandoned village, you enter a world inspired by Polish culture, ancient beliefs, and traditions rarely explored in video games. To bring that world to life, we decided to look beyond our computer screens and explore the real places where pieces of this history are still preserved.

From Polish Museums to a Living Game World

One of the most important techniques we used was photogrammetry, which allowed us to bring real-world objects directly into the game as detailed 3D models.

We partnered with local ethnographic museums in Poland, including the Open-Air Museum in Szymbark and the Grociarnia Ethnographic Museum in Jastrzębia. Thanks to their support, we were able to scan hundreds of historical objects, including entire buildings.

We’ve always believed that we’re surrounded by remarkable cultural heritage worth sharing, and creating The End of the Sun gave us an opportunity to introduce some of it to players around the world.

There’s also something special about preserving these objects digitally. Over time, some of the original artifacts may deteriorate or disappear, but their digital recreations can help preserve a record of them for future generations.

After taking thousands of photographs during our research trips, we began recreating these objects and buildings inside the game. Even now, when we compare our original photographs with screenshots from The End of the Sun, we’re sometimes surprised by just how closely the virtual world resembles the real one.

But creating authentic-looking environments was only the beginning. We wanted these objects to become something more than decorations.

When Historical Artifacts Inspire Gameplay

From the start, our goal was to make historical objects an integral part of the experience, rather than simply filling the environments with interesting props. We wanted you to interact with them, discover how they worked, and learn something about the everyday lives of the people who once used them.

For example, one of the game’s quests introduces you to a traditional hand mill used for grinding grain into flour. You can examine its individual parts and discover how the mechanism works. Other quests involve using traditional tools for twisting rope or sharpening a knife.

We also included optional “Learn More” points throughout the game world. When you encounter an unfamiliar object, you can discover what it was used for and learn a little about its history.

This approach helped us introduce traditional crafts, customs, and Slavic beliefs naturally, without interrupting the adventure with lengthy historical explanations.

Interestingly, the relationship between historical artifacts and gameplay sometimes worked in the opposite direction. Instead of looking for objects to fit a quest we had already designed, we occasionally discovered an artifact so fascinating that we adapted parts of the story around it.

These objects also became an important part of environmental storytelling. A carpenter’s workshop or a collection of weaving tools can tell you something about a character’s profession, personality, and everyday life.

Sometimes, the environment can tell a story more effectively than dialogue. All you need to do is slow down, look around, and pay attention to the details.

In fact, approximately 80% of the objects you encounter while exploring the game’s locations were scanned from real-world originals. Each one carries small imperfections, signs of wear, and traces of its previous use – details that would be difficult to recreate with the same authenticity when modeling everything from scratch.

Walking through one of our cottages can sometimes feel like exploring a small, interactive museum. But rather than presenting these objects behind glass, we’ve placed them in a world where you can discover their purpose and the stories behind them.

Capturing the Details of Polish Culture and Nature

Our world isn’t built exclusively from museum collections. We also wanted to capture the beauty of Poland’s natural landscapes and the richness of its traditional craftsmanship.

While exploring the village and its surroundings, you will encounter rocks of different shapes and sizes that we scanned in local nature reserves. We also paid close attention to smaller decorative details. For example, the game features intricate bobbin lace from a local gallery, while cottage interiors and everyday objects are decorated with beautiful hand-painted floral patterns inspired by the village of Zalipie, famous for its colorful painted houses.

These details might seem small individually, but together they give the world its identity. They help make the village feel like a place where people once lived, worked, and celebrated their traditions. We wanted you to experience this cultural heritage naturally, through exploration and curiosity, rather than feeling as though you were being given a history lesson.

A Village That Changes with Time

Our approach to environmental storytelling extends beyond individual objects to the buildings themselves.

The cottages we scanned in open-air museums aren’t simply static 3D models placed into the game. Because The End of the Sun unfolds across all four seasons and different points in time, we carefully modified these buildings to reflect changes throughout the story.

A cottage might show signs of damage or neglect at one point, only to appear renovated at another. We wanted you to notice these differences and experience the passage of time through the environment itself.

Nature plays an equally important role in creating that atmosphere. We made sure the vegetation reflects the character of the Central European climate, with landscapes changing naturally between the seasons.

To make the world feel even more alive, we also recorded authentic sounds of nature ourselves, visiting outdoor locations throughout all four seasons. These recordings became part of the game’s soundscape, helping us recreate not only the appearance of these places but also their atmosphere. Combining real historical objects, carefully recreated buildings, changing seasons, and authentic environmental sounds allowed us to create something that feels both rooted in history and alive with mystery.

For us, the most fascinating part of this process was discovering how much character real objects already possess. Their imperfections, signs of age, and tiny details tell stories of their own. By bringing them into The End of the Sun, we hope players will feel a connection to the people, traditions, and places that inspired our world.

We can’t wait for you to explore this mysterious Slavic village, uncover its secrets, and discover these pieces of history for yourselves when The End of the Sun is out today on XBOX Series X|S.

The End of the Sun

The End of the Sun Forge

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99 $19.99

Get it now

Become a tracker of mythical beings and supernatural forces. Wield the power of the fire of time, explore an ancient land, solve unusual riddles, and experience extraordinary adventures, all part of a greater, captivating story. Find your target, bring order to the chaos of time in the mysterious village, and uncover the secrets that lie within! You are the Ashter – a Slavic fire mage who wields time. You arrive in a village where reality has been distorted, and the villagers have left behind only smoldering hearths. Through your ability to bond with fire, you see what is hidden from others – traces, mythical beings, and spirits of past events. Will you be able to harness your powers to stop the ancient powers and change the inhabitants’ fate? The End of the Sun is a mystery-filled first-person adventure and exploration game set in a Slavic fantasy world. The core gameplay focuses on discovering an open world using a magical map and forming connections with bonfires. Each bond reveals new traces and events invisible to ordinary people. Fully kindled bonfires become gateways to time travel. 1. TRACK – Merge with fire and let it guide you Step into the role of a supernatural tracker. Follow the trail of a mythical being and uncover secrets hidden among blazing bonfires. Each hearth you connect with is a unique investigation, filled with unusual riddles and serving as a gateway to the ancient Slavic world – a realm of magic, fantastic creatures, mythology, and forgotten rituals. Every fire of time you ignite is a piece of the larger tale. 2. UNLEASH THE POWER – Use the flames to travel through time and shape human destinies Feel the might of the fire of time. Influence the paths of heroes’ fates – restore the course of events to its rightful track and discover new fragments of an epic story. Travel across four seasons, separated from each other by many years. Witness the lives of the same heroes at different stages, during the greatest Slavic festivals. Time and hearths are intertwined. Your actions affect the world around you – make changes and carefully observe the consequences. 3. INVESTIGATE – Explore a mysterious village, born from the real world and museum treasures Hundreds of museum artifacts and entire buildings, brought into the game from the real world through photogrammetry, open before you a land where every detail matters. Freely roam the ancient village and its one-of-a-kind surroundings. As you explore this open world, conduct a supernatural investigation rooted in Slavic mythology – more authentic and immersive than ever before.

The post From Polish Museums to XBOX: Bringing the World of The End of the Sun to Life appeared first on XBOX Wire.

The Lost Archives, the second DLC forHalls of Torment, is available now on XBOX! There’s also a large and free update for all players.From the swamps of our first DLC, the Boglands, we are marching into The Lost Archives, where cultists and forgotten knowledge await us.

You’re a new tormented Soul? Here’s a quick overview.

Halls of Torment is a horde survival game with roguelite elements, made in the style of the late-90s action RPGs: pre-rendered graphics, dark dungeons and lots of loot.

Set 30 minutes aside, pick a hero and try to survive as wave after wave of monsters closes in. You can take full control of your hero or use automatic attacks. What’s truly important are your choices: abilities, traits and items that can turn a good build into an unstoppable one. In the depths the Tormented Lords are awaiting, unique bosses that dominate their halls.

Between runs, quests unlock new heroes, abilities, items and blessings that make you permanently stronger, so every attempt takes you a bit further, even when you don’t make it out alive.

The Lost Archives adds a new hall and two new heroes: the Inquisitor, who maintains an iron defense with a harsh focus on retribution and judgement, and the Blood Apostle, who sacrifices her own health for immense gains. Each comes with new abilities, upgrades for existing ones and three full sets of equipment, opening up entirely new combinations.

Both heroes take existing mechanics and push them further. The Inquisitor heralds Block, Defense and Retribution, with several new Retribution items. It introduces two new mechanics: Judgement and Execution. Whenever the Inquisitor takes damage, he puts Judgement on all enemies around him, while his mace triggers Executions. Judgement stacks spread between enemies until they are triggered, then deal unblockable damage, a great way to get rid of strong enemies hiding in a swarm.

The Blood Apostle brings back Sacrifices, a mechanic that has barely featured in the game until now. She trades health for power. The higher her maximum health, the stronger her sacrifices, her health recovery and Affliction. This returning status effect now also jumps to the next enemy when a foe is slain. She regains health by slaying enemies with Fragile or Affliction, and both effects are now uncapped, increasing damage from elemental effects or direct attacks.

Looking for a new test? Once you’ve mastered the new hall, put your skills to the test in the Weekly Challenge. It’s free for everyone, rotates through the five base halls and sets a fixed challenge each week.

Short on time? The free update also adds a new mode to every hall. Until now, the Lords appeared after a set time or a fixed number of kills, now you set the kill goal yourself at the Shrine of Torment. It’s perfect for quicker runs, especially paired with artifacts that increase the number of enemies. The Weekly Challenge also rewards extra Torment Shards to help you push even further.

Finally, the Scriptor now keeps records of your marvelous accomplishments, showing your peak results and accumulated stats since release. This is for all of you who want to know who is the real lord, lady or sovereign over all the halls.

Stay HoT! – Chasing Carrots

Halls of Torment – The Lost Archives

Chasing Carrots

☆☆☆☆☆ 4

★★★★★

$3.99

Get it now

Descend into The Lost Archives, a haunted library sealed away beneath the Halls of Torment. Towering bookshelves, flickering chandeliers, and a slumbering orrery hide secrets that were never meant to be discovered—and the shelves themselves are not done fighting back. What Awaits in the Lost Archives: A New Stage: Hidden deep in the Halls lies the Library of Forbidden Texts, full of books that describe past and current evil forces. Holy powers try to burn out evil and pass judgment on all those who defy the holy will and are in on the dark rituals performed at this dark place. Two New Heroes: Inquisitor – Judgment and Execution in one. A hammer-wielding tank who marks enemies with Judgment. Blood Apostle – Manifests attacks from her own blood, sacrificing her life force to strike harder. Judgment & Execution – Stack Judgment, then execute enemies outright once they fall below the threshold. Retaliation – Anything that hurts you will be punished by the will of… God, demons, or something else entirely? Sacrifices – Expansion on sacrificing your own life to strengthen and unleash attacks. Will you dig your own grave? 66 new quests that all unlock additional rewards 3 new abilities and a dozen-plus Archives-reworked variants of classic abilities 6 new Artifacts 20+ new items (armor, boots, gloves, headgear, necklaces, rings)

The post How The Challenge Shrine Will Change How you Play Halls of Torment appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Both experiences are still being tested. Availability and supported games or devices may be limited while we learn from your feedback.

Use your phone as a controller on a Smart TV

Want to play a cloud game on your TV but don’t have a controller handy? In this preview, you can use a supported Android or iOS phone as your controller on a supported Smart TV. The controls open in your phone’s browser, so you don’t need a separate controller. Some games will also have controls tailored to how they play.

To try it, turn on Preview Features under Settings > Account in the latest supported Smart TV experience. When you launch a game without a physical controller connected, you’ll see an option to use your phone for that session.

The preview is rolling out today on supported TVs, in countries where XBOX Cloud Gaming is supported.

Try cloud connect with the XBOX Nano Controller

Players in the U.S. can preview cloud connect with the XBOX Nano Controller starting today. Instead of a Bluetooth connection to your TV, cloud connect uses your Wi-Fi to connect directly to the cloud server running your game. That can help reduce input latency, so gameplay may feel more responsive.

Cloud connect is still an early test, so it won’t work with every cloud gaming experience yet. For now, you can try it on supported Smart TVs and the web.

Ready to try it?

• Set up your controller: Use the XBOX beta app on Android, or the Xbox Accessories app on PC, to set up cloud connect on your XBOX Nano Controller. XBOX Insider enrollment is required for setup through the PC app.

• Connect to Wi-Fi: Follow the steps in the app to connect your controller to your Wi-Fi network.
• Start playing: Open a supported XBOX Cloud Gaming experience and sign in with the same XBOX account used during setup. Your controller will connect through cloud connect.

Check out the cloud connect setup guide for detailed instructions: https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/hardware-network/controller/cloud-connect.

Help shape what comes next

We’re testing both experiences to learn what works well and what needs improvement. If you have a suggestion or run into an issue, please share your feedback through the preview experience. We’ll use what we learn to help shape future updates.

How to provide feedback

• For phone controller, you can share feedback right from your phone or through a supported Smart TV app:
  • On Your Phone: After scanning the QR code displayed on your TV to connect your phone as a controller, tap the Xbox icon in the top-left corner and select “Give Feedback.”
  • On Your TV:
    • Open the Guide by pressing the XBOX button on your controller or pressing the XBOX icon in the top left corner and selecting Give Feedback.
    • In the XBOX app’s main menu, click on the profile icon in the top right corner and select “Give Feedback”.
• For cloud connect, you can submit feedback through the XBOX Accessories app on PC or the XBOX mobile app by selecting the “Feedback” icon.

The post Preview Two New Ways to Play with XBOX Cloud Gaming appeared first on XBOX Wire.

The holiday season is just around the corner, and the ID@XBOX team is excited to share November’s Indie Selects! Think this is our last Monthly Selects of the year? Think again. Stay tuned next month for our first-ever December Selects, with plenty of indie games to add to your wish list, whether you’re asking Santa or just dropping not-so-subtle hints to your roommate.

This November, we’re thankful for six standout Indie Selects that invite you to survive unbelievable horrors, live your best life, and sometimes do a little of both. Do you slay the undead by the dozen, or put them to work as a surprisingly productive agricultural workforce? Do you prefer solving puzzles surrounded by vibrant colors or unspeakable nightmare fuel? And that sound you hear? Maybe there’s a killer after you. Or maybe the rhythm is going to get you.

Whether you’re not quite ready to let go of Halloween or just looking for something that matches your unique vibe, here are this month’s Indie Selects (in no particular order):

Silver Pines

Silver Pines

Team17

☆☆☆☆☆ 114

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

Outside of its odes to Resident Evil and Twin Peaks, Silver Pines has borrowed some of the most innovative features seen in modern gaming to deliver a highly polished survival horror experience. It has Silent Hill’s map annotations, Gears of War’s active reload, and most notably, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s photo system. If you find a boarded-up door but don’t yet have the crowbar, or a cryptic clue for which you haven’t found the puzzle, you can use your in-game camera (you play as a detective after all) to take a photo which will be pinned to your map. This makes backtracking when you find the necessary item so satisfying, as you work through your own visual to-do list. It’s a feature that should be mandatory for all Metroidvanias moving forwards.

Wych Elm, the ex-Arrowhead developers, opted for rotoscoping to give their protagonists, NPCs and enemies a unique aesthetic that fits perfectly with the unsettling town they have built for you to explore. The gameplay takes place on beautifully drawn 2D scenes which have routes towards and away from the camera, allowing you to explore an intricate, interconnected 3D map which encourages and rewards exploration.

Silver Pines is the best survival horror game you will play this year. It delivers a cohesive, consistent experience, with a single protagonist and play style that eerily builds the tension and mystery over its 15-hour runtime. Any fan of horror or Metroidvanias owes it to themselves to jump in. See you in Silver Pines, detective.

– Ben Robinson

Graveyard Keeper 2

Graveyard Keeper 2

tinyBuild

☆☆☆☆☆ 90

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

Free Trial

Halloween might be over, but the spooky season lives on with a dark medieval RPG called Graveyard Keeper 2. You don’t have to have played the first game in order to enjoy the second, but there are some delightful narrative callbacks that deepen the mystery. In the first game you were pulled through a portal from your mundane contemporary life into a strange medieval fantasy world of magic and zombies; there was a village the explore, lots of NPCs to meet, tasks to accomplish, and zombies to recruit as your helpers. In the sequel, the town has been overrun by zombies and you are the last hope. While the premise sounds dark, there’s a lot of dry humor here and yes, everyone’s favorite sassy revolutionary Donkey is back, of course!

The overall gameplay loop is similar to the first game (a good thing, since it was so effective.) You perform tasks like crafting, building, gathering and farming. You level up and unlock new abilities in the tech tree and advance quests. There’s a lot to juggle in Graveyard Keeper 2, but an improved quest system helps keep your goals clear. While some grinding is unavoidable, finding your groove is deeply satisfying as its many systems begin to automate, overlap, and fuel your progress.

Graveyard Keeper 2 is a stellar sequel that builds on everything that made the original so enjoyable. Gorgeous pixel-art environments and fully voiced story scenes bring its darkly charming world to life. If you want a cozy game with a morbid twist that can easily devour your free time, this is it. Jane Pinckard

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2

Devolver Digital, Big Fan Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 61

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

“The Emperor protects”, but bringing a bolter to the fight never hurts!

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 returns with another glorious helping of retro-inspired FPS action, brutal combat, and enough pixelated carnage to make even the most battle-hardened Space Marine smile. Sometimes you just want to turn your brain off, grab an absurdly oversized weapon, and unleash righteous fury upon anything foolish enough to stand in your way.

As someone who loves first-person shooters, I’ve always appreciated games that understand the simple joy of movement, powerful weapons, and combat that keeps you on your toes. There’s something incredibly appealing about a shooter that doesn’t ask you to spend half your time hiding behind cover. Sometimes the best defense really is an aggressive offense!

This time around, players can step into the armored boots of returning Ultramarine Malum Caedo or unleash destruction as Sister of Battle Nyra Veyrath. Each offers a different approach to combat, with unique weapons and playstyles to explore. The branching campaign also brings some welcome variety, giving players different paths through the grim darkness of the 41st millennium.

What draws me to Boltgun 2 is its unapologetic commitment to old-school shooting. Fast movement, relentless enemies, chunky weapons, and that wonderful feeling of being an unstoppable force in a universe determined to stop you. Add the gothic Warhammer atmosphere and nostalgic pixel art, and you’ve got a combination that’s difficult to resist.

You don’t need to know the difference between an Ultramarine and a Chaos Space Marine to enjoy this one. If you’ve ever wondered what Doom might look like after spending a few thousand years serving the Imperium of Man, Boltgun 2 has a rather explosive answer. For the Emperor!

– Steven Allen

Colorbound

Colorbound

Whitethorn Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$14.99

Get it now

What do you do when the music stops? In Colorbound, you go find it. You play as Anku, a young Aymara boy whose late grandfather was a beloved musician. His band scattered long ago, so Anku sets out across the land to find the missing players, help them reconnect with their instruments, and reunite them for one last tribute performance. It’s a story about loss, but not a sad one. It focuses on the color a person leaves behind and on joy rather than grief.

As Anku travels through lush forests, dusty deserts, and forgotten cities, he collects colors on his palette and uses them to reshape the world around him. Every color behaves differently. Lighter shades make painted objects float away, while heavier ones make them drop. Discovering the intricacies of this mechanic turns light platforming and logic puzzles into a satisfying game of cause and effect.

Colorbound is also a celebration of the creators’ heritage. It began as an entry in the Latin American Games Showcase Game Jam in 2025, built around the theme “What the eyes don’t see, the heart doesn’t feel.” It’s now a pastel, watercolor-inspired adventure shaped by Chilean developer Isaías Arrué’s Andean roots. Its music centers on the zampoña, the panpipe Anku picks up to begin his journey, and that instrument ties the game’s music and color together. It’s a cozy puzzle-platformer that one can easily find themselves lost in.

– Glenn Gregory

Ratatan

Ratatan

GAME SOURCE ENTERTAINMENT

☆☆☆☆☆ 19

★★★★★

$34.99

Get it now

“I have no idea what this is, but I must play this,” is what I said when I saw the announce trailer for this game. A roguelike rhythm-based RPG blending musical beats with side-scrolling action is one of those genre mashups that can easily fall on its face, but Ratatan really hits it out of the park and is a reminder that experimental genres are what make the indie space such a cool place to be right now. I never had any experience with the Patapon series, which is the spiritual predecessor to this game, so I went into this crazy musical game with fresh eyes and an open mind.

Ratatan sends its titular hero on a colorful quest to journey across a harsh land and reach The Everafter while battling hostile Testa and local wildlife in a playful adventure filled with cartoonish chaos. You control Ratatan directly while issuing beat-driven commands to your army, picking Hades-style boons along the way before facing each world’s massive boss. As you progress, Ratakaruta offer random elemental buffs that change your attacks and unlock new abilities. Combined with the rhythm-based gameplay, they keep each run fresh and rewarding. After each run, you return to Rataport to unlock permanent upgrades, craft stronger weapons, and expand your army.  The difficulty curve seems unreasonably hard at first, but after a few runs, the upgrades I gained made bosses much more passable.

Ratatan’s joyful sound design and colorful cartoon aesthetic bring the game to life. Chaining rallies, jumps, guards, and attacks creates an addictive rhythm, with great pacing between intense battles and quieter moments. Rhythm game and roguelike fans will find plenty to love in Ratatan.

– Raymond Estrada

Tenebris Somnia

Tenebris Somnia

New Blood Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆ 32

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

If you’re here for chill feels and a warm, fuzzy story about a woman checking on her ex-boyfriend who’s suddenly gone a little MIA, then this throwback mix of old-school 2D PC adventure game with some truly harrowing survival horror action is probably not the choice for you. Instead, Tenebris Somnia plays directly into the aesthetics of horror film diehards who love to dip their celluloid occult leanings into a vat of ’70s giallo-tinged weirdness.

Then, it makes complete sense that you play as an indie filmmaker named Julia who keeps having weird nightmares about her ex-boyfriend getting killed by monsters. So, what’s a worried ex-girlfriend to do but check on him in the apartment they once shared. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? Incorrect! And your trip to that apartment yields a stumble down the figurative rabbit hole into an alternate dimension filled with witches, demons, and other unspeakable horrors that will pursue you through the various rooms, hallways, and random spaces as you attempt to solve the mystery of what exactly is going on. I dig how the game mixes the backstory of Julia and Ivan’s soured relationship with twisty puzzles and resource collection on top of some really pretty shocking and strange live-action cutscenes. The quality of those filmed segments is pretty solid – and the mood? It’s definitely showing the game studio’s fondness for everything horror from “Suspiria” (notably the ‘70s version) to Silent Hill (notably games 1-3).

But even if you’re someone who’s all in on the specific horror bent that Tenebris Somnia is aiming for, be warned that the gameplay elements – from the action in ducking enemies, to the challenge of puzzles and resource-hoarding – aren’t mere trifles. There is a fair amount of tough love and tactical thought involved in surviving what Tenebris throws your way. But if you feel seen by a game that delves deep into its very offbeat love for spooky cinema, this is definitely one for the dedicated horror heads out there.

The post Indie Selects for November 2026: Survive and Thrive appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Summary

• Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is available November 5, 2026 on XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC, as well as XBOX Game Pass.
• It expands on the timed escape room puzzles of the first Escape Academy, connecting them up into a huge, explorable, puzzle-filled campus.
• Cram a little early studying in to start the school year off right with these tips for escape room novices.

For a certain kind of gamer, nothing lights them up more than the promise of a big space full of environmental puzzles. Puzzles can be tricky to make accessible, though, presenting a thin line sometimes between childishly easy and frustratingly difficult.

Fortunately, Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School fills a great niche: providing a mountain of puzzles, but with clear structure, unobtrusive in-game hints, and a colorful, family-friendly, punny presentation that’s perfect for enjoying with anyone in local or online co-op (but can be played entirely solo if that’s your bag). It’s available November 5, 2026 for XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC, as well as day one with XBOX Game Pass.

Like the original Escape Academy, Back 2 School features lots of discrete, timed and graded escape rooms, which are delightfully free from the constraints of budget, space and physics that limit their real-world counterparts. New for the sequel, however, is that between rooms you can explore the Escape Academy campus directly as a progressively expanding hub world, which is itself full of puzzles to solve and secrets to find.

I really liked this balance between the intensity of the timed escape rooms and the more low-pressure puzzle solving and exploration between them. Connecting up the escape rooms with an interactive, puzzle-filled environment instead of clicking through a menu of static images really elevates the whole experience.

After a few hours puzzling through the game’s opening hours (and many years of real-world escape room experience), I’ve put together the following general, spoiler-free tips for aspiring escape artists:

Have a pencil and paper ready

Old-school Myst fans know that sometimes the most powerful tool at your disposal is a simple pencil and paper. Many – if not most – of the game’s puzzles can be made much easier just through the cognitive offloading of getting it down on paper in front of you. Whether for a cipher or a sudoku, my notebook for this piece ended up getting used more to solve puzzles than anything else.

Check everything

First step in any room is to systematically make sure you look at anything interactable. Any given thing, however mundane looking, might just be a crucial component to a puzzle or a hint to solving one (or at least a fun pun). If you can pick it up or meaningfully interact with it, it’s there for a reason and you will need it eventually.

If you see something, say something

Like real-world escape rooms, Escape Academy 2 is best enjoyed with friends. During that initial step of scouring the room to catalogue everything you’re working with, be sure to say out loud whenever you find something that seems relevant. Countless escape rooms have timed out because people had all the pieces between them, but weren’t properly communicating.

Think backwards

Once you’ve assessed everything currently available to you, one useful way to sort the signal from the noise is by thinking backwards from your objective. What does it look like you’ll need to achieve the final goal, and where might you find that? Continue like that until you find a problem that asks for a solution you have ready to go.

Use hints

Just like a good real escape room will have staff on hand to gently guide you toward solutions when you’re stumped, Escape Academy 2 has a nice and unobtrusive hint system that you should feel no shame in using. If you ever feel stuck, pulling up a hint will direct you towards the next step, and the hints are broken down over multiple screens to click through with increasing specificity, so you can get just the nudge you need without having the solution presented directly, if you don’t want it. Relying heavily on hints will affect your grade, but you can absolutely still get an A grade while using one or two – you may in fact score higher from the saved time.

Have a side hustle

One new addition along with the explorable campus between escape rooms is a school currency that you can collect for completing optional side tasks for other students. These are individual little puzzles with no timer that reward Escape Bucks, which you will need at several points to progress through the story, so you’ll probably want to stay on top of those side tasks as you go, rather than having to go earn everything when you need it. You can also supplement your income by finding Escape Bucks tucked away all over campus – between couch cushions, in toilets, etc.

Escape Academy 2 Deluxe Edition

iam8bit Presents

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

The Escape Academy 2 Deluxe Edition includes… ESCAPE ACADEMY 2 SEASON PASS This DLC includes two upcoming major expansions for Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School. Each expansion will include an all-new narrative set in the Escape Academy universe along with brand new escape rooms, extra credit side quests, and much more! All entirely playable in single player or co-op with a friend – local or online! The Escape Academy 2 Season Pass also includes the Escape Academy 2 Mask-uerade cosmetic DLC pack! Show off your seniority by donning ten Animal-themed masks steeped in the Academy’s mysterious history via Escape Academy 2’s new character customization system. ESCAPE ACADEMY 2: BACK 2 SCHOOL FULL GAME Welcome to Escape Academy, the world’s foremost clandestine educator in the art of Escape. Whether you’re a returning student or a new pupil, you’ve come to the right place. Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School evolves the escape room format of the first game into a whole new GENRE: This is the first open world escape room game, and it's available right in the comfort of your own home.

Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School

iam8bit Presents

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99

Pre-order

Class is (back) in session with Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School! Explore an all-new campus, escape life-threatening puzzle rooms, and unravel a conspiracy as old as the school itself — all before the bell rings. Play solo or grab a friend and start solving in online or local co-op. ABOUT THIS GAME Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is the sequel to the award-winning Escape Academy, enjoyed by over 4 million players! Welcome to Escape Academy, the world’s foremost clandestine educator in the art of Escape. Whether you’re a returning student or a new pupil, you’ve come to the right place. Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School evolves the escape room format of the first game into a whole new GENRE: This is the first open world escape room game, and it's available right in the comfort of your own home. DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS DESIGNED BY MASTERS OF THE CRAFT Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School features an all-new campaign boasting handcrafted, best-in-class escape rooms built by our team of veteran puzzle designers. But unlike real-life escape rooms, the puzzles in Escape Academy aren’t bound by those stuffy safety regulations: Spiked ceilings? Check. 100 foot drops? Check. And, most-dreaded of all… Final exams? Double check. The curriculum here at the Academy is equal parts life-threatening and wacky, because what better way to learn than while confronting one's mortality. EXPLORE A LIVING CAMPUS In Escape Academy 2, the campus is one big puzzle room. Between classes, explore a sprawling, secret-filled hub with mysterious passage ways, hidden tunnels, and dangerous traps. Or chill out with your pals and take in all the *vibes* that student life has to offer. Whatever the case, the Academy’s your new home away from home. GRAB A CLASSMATE AND GET ESCAPIN’ WITH ONLINE OR COUCH CO-OP Escaping with a friend has never been this fun. Escape Academy 2 features both online and splitscreen couch co-op support. And thanks to the new optional No-Timer Mode, students of all backgrounds can puzzle at their preferred pace. DIVE INTO AN ALL-NEW NARRATIVE Escape Academy 2’s all-new story has something for new and returning players alike! You’ll discover a dark mystery surrounding the school’s founding, leading to shocking new revelations about the very nature of The Academy. Connect with new teachers and familiar faces from the first game with an expanded curriculum offering character-driven storylines and puzzle-stuffed side quests! GOING BACK 2 SCHOOL! We’ve rebuilt the look of Escape Academy for the sequel, featuring new environments, tons of details, and even some snazzy new getups for our professors and pupils. Plus, evil genius DJ Doseone is back with a sick round of fresh beats to chill and study to. The all-new OST provides the perfect audio background for puzzling. So whatcha waiting for? It’s time to go…Back 2 School!

The post Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School – Become a Valedictorian with These Tips appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Summary

• Out now on Xbox Series X|S and PC with XPA.
• Try to rebuild your life facing serious family problems and deteriorating mental health.
• How working with psychologists informed our approach to mental health without resorting to simple horror tropes

When people think about psychological horror, they usually think about abandoned buildings, monsters, strange rituals, or someone being chased through a dark corridor.

With Corner Shop: NightShift, I wanted to begin somewhere much more ordinary.

A job.

Adam Callahan works the night shift in a small convenience store. He receives deliveries, puts products on shelves, cleans the floor, scans groceries, checks the cameras and deals with customers. Most of these things are not frightening by themselves. They are things thousands of people do every night.

And that was exactly the point.

Adam is trying to do a normal job while the rest of his life is anything but normal. His relationship with his wife has fallen apart. He has lost contact with his daughter. His financial situation is bad, his mental health is deteriorating, and at the same time he still has to get up, go to work and somehow make it through another shift.

This contrast became one of the most important parts of the game.

Horror Between Completely Normal Things

We did not want Adam’s problems to exist only in cutscenes and then disappear when gameplay starts.

You can have a difficult conversation and, a few moments later, a customer is waiting at the counter. You still have shelves to refill. Something needs cleaning. A delivery arrives. The store does not stop because Adam is having a bad night.

That happens in Real Life Too.

People dealing with serious mental health problems, family conflict, separation or financial pressure very often still go to work. They still talk to customers and coworkers. They still pay bills. From the outside, their day can look completely ordinary.

That idea became more interesting to me than simply creating another horror game where everything around the player is obviously dangerous.

In Corner Shop: NightShift, sometimes something really is wrong. There are blackouts, alarms, disturbing customers and events that should not be happening. But other times, Adam himself is no longer certain what happened.

Did something move on the security camera?

Was somebody actually standing there?

Did Adam remember that conversation correctly?

Or is stress changing the way he understands what is happening around him?

That uncertainty is where much of the horror comes from.

Getting the Conversations Right

Once we decided that Adam’s mental health and family situation would be important parts of the story, we also knew that we had to be careful with them.

It is very easy to write a dramatic conversation about mental illness. It is much harder to write one that sounds like two actual people talking.

During development, we discussed the subject with psychologists experienced in serious mental health conditions as well as specialists familiar with difficult family situations. This was especially important for scenes involving Adam’s psychologist and conversations with his wife. Dialogues and cutscenes touching these subjects were developed and reviewed with specialist input. We did not do this because we wanted the game to feel like a medical textbook. It is still a fictional psychological horror game, and at times we deliberately exaggerate situations to create tension.

What we wanted to avoid were the easiest shortcuts.

A psychologist should not simply appear to explain the plot to the player. A wife dealing with a collapsing family should not exist only to make the protagonist feel guilty. And Adam should not become nothing more than a collection of symptoms. He is a person before he is a horror protagonist.

He can be tired. Angry. Funny. Defensive. He can make good decisions and terrible ones. He can misunderstand somebody, or somebody can misunderstand him.

Mental illness itself was never supposed to be the monster.

The frightening part is losing confidence in your own situation while still being expected to function normally.

You’re Still Doing the Night Shift

We also wanted the simulation side of the game to remain important. You still need to run the store. Customers need serving. Deliveries need handling. Security can be improved with cameras, alarms and stronger locks. Money matters, and Adam’s decisions matter.

As the story develops, these ordinary systems start mixing with what is happening to Adam. A security camera is useful because you need to protect the store, but it can also make you question what you saw.

Working longer gives you money you need, but exhaustion has consequences. Something as simple as finishing another shift can start feeling like an achievement. The story does not stop the simulation. The simulation becomes part of the story.

Adam’s Story is Not Only About Falling Apart

There are dark parts of Corner Shop: NightShift, but Adam’s story is not simply about watching someone collapse. You make choices throughout the game, and those choices influence what you discover and which of the game’s four endings you reach. For me, that was important.

You cannot magically solve every problem Adam has, because people do not work that way. But you can decide how to react to them. This was part of the real human experience we were looking for. Sometimes psychological horror works best when the strange part is surrounded by something completely familiar.

A fluorescent light above a checkout. The sound of a refrigerator at 3:00 AM. An empty CCTV screen. A phone call you do not want to answer.

And then another customer walks through the door, and you still have a job to do.

Corner Shop: NightShift is available now on XBOX Series X|S and PC, with XBOX Play Anywhere support.

Corner Shop: NightShift

PlayWay S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆ 4

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

Get it now

Take a night shift job in a place that runs on habit, not purpose. Restock shelves, take deliveries, clean the mess, and try to make it till morning. Not everything feels right and you’re never quite alone. Something waits in the dark. Corner Shop: Nightshift is a first-person narrative horror sim set in a failing convenience store. Play as Adam Callahan and try to put your life back together. Story Mode: ~15 hours at an average pace, with 4 endings based on player choices. Endless Mode: Infinite gameplay focused on growing and managing the store, with ongoing horror elements. A night shift and a broken life. Blackouts, alarms, and unsettling customers pull you into a puzzle you can’t escape. Find the truth, manage your stress, and don’t let paranoia win. Take your meds. Keep going. Stock shelves, clean up, take deliveries, scan items, and serve customers with snacks, sandwiches, and kebabs. Upgrade the store with cameras, alarms, and stronger locks. Manage your time, your money, and your sanity. Meds don’t pay for themselves. You play as Adam Callahan. His wife is gone, his daughter was taken, and his life is falling apart. He works the night shift to prove he can start over, but the store keeps dragging his past back to the surface, out of order and out of his control. Your choices shape what you uncover and which ending you reach.

The post Corner Shop: NightShift How we Built Horror Around an Ordinary Life appeared first on XBOX Wire.

Available Today

Football Manager 27 (PC)
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Flow from the tactics board to the touchline in Football Manager 27 as foundations evolve to deliver greater control, smoother discovery and a more enticing football world.

Pit of Goblin (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

In this online horror co-op, you play as a scrappy goblin, scavenging dungeons, dodging traps, and fleeing monsters to feed the Goblin King-Queen. Team up with goblin pals, or go rogue, as you dive deep and cause chaos! Fail to feed them, and you might be the next meal!

Coming Soon

Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 4
Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

From the creators of Vampire Survivors, Vampire Crawlers turns the thrill of Survivors into a hyper turn based, rogue-lite card driven blobber. Build busted decks, explore familiar dungeons, and unleash world ending combos. Either take your time and be tactical or play turns as fast as you humanly can: The outcome is always accurate!

Void/Breaker (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 4
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Now available on XBOX Series X|S and Cloud Gaming! Launching in its 1.0 full release, Void/Breaker is an adrenaline-fueled roguelite FPS where you must fight to break free from an endless cycle driven by a hostile AI. Battle relentless machines, craft infinite weapon variants via deep gun modding, and forge deadly synergies to tear down the simulation and destroy everything in your path.

Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 5
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School evolves the escape room format into a whole new genre: This is the first open world escape room game! Featuring online and local two player co-op.

Firefighting Simulator: Ignite (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 5
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass

Face unpredictable dangers, fight perilous fires with your crew, and save lives in Firefighting Simulator: Ignite, an immersive firefighting simulation. Step into the boots of a U.S. firefighter and play with up to three friends or with the help of your NPC-controlled crew members.

MySims Cozy Bundle (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 5
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Now available on console and Cloud Gaming! Make adorable friends and discover creative adventures across retro re-releases of two lovable games in MySims: Cozy Bundle. Step into a town that’s yours to customize in MySims and a cute fantasy world in need of help in MySims Kingdom. There are puzzles to solve, locations to discover, and a whole lot to build, paint, and decorate!

Football Manager 2027 Console (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 10
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Choose your club. Shape your squad. Define your style. Every decision could be the one to change everything in Football Manager 27 Console. Make The Call.

Warhammer Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 10
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Unleash devastating barrages of bullets, blades and magic in the addictive bullet-heaven action of Warhammer Survivors – an officially licensed game from Auroch Digital in partnership with Vampire Survivors developers, poncle. Experience Warhammer’s epic champions, enemy factions, weapons and more, meticulously handcrafted in animated pixel glory.

Tanuki: Pon’s Summer (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 10
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! The Tanuki Festival is coming, and you only have one month to repair the shrine! Play as Pon as you deliver packages, make friends and help the townsfolk with anything they need… all on your BMX! Help out at the local bar, become a sushi chef – even a sumo wrestler – to get the shrine ready for the big festival.

Hope in the City (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 11
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with XBOX Game Pass! Seventeen-year-old Hope Song thought the national exams were her biggest worry… until she got home to a ransacked apartment and two missing parents. In this mystery adventure, investigate through the eyes of an artist, turn sketches into evidence, and watch Hope’s family’s secrets grow stranger and darker with every answer

Thronefall (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 11
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Welcome to the minimalist strategy game where you build a humble kingdom by day and defend it by night. Balance economy and defense by fortifying walls, recruiting troops, and charging into battle yourself to protect your stronghold from relentless waves of attackers.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 12
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

In John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, up to four players cooperate in this action survival game set against a world overrun by zombies, with one goal: saving humanity. Gameplay involves navigating multiple missions across semi-open environments while engaging in combat against large swarms of zombies.

Aphelion (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 17
Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Aphelion is a third-person sci-fi adventure developed by Don’t Nod (Jusant, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage). After crash-landing on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must traverse harsh terrain and shifting realities to save her injured partner, Thomas. Players control both characters in a story rooted in real-world science, created in partnership with the European Space Agency.

Paw Patrol: Dino World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 17
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Embark on a dino-sized action adventure in Paw Patrol Dino World! Explore Dino Island, rescue dinosaurs, overcome obstacles using the Pups’ unique skills and put a stop to Mayor Humdinger’s chaos. Take on the adventure solo or team up with a friend in two-player co-op.

Coming to Game Pass Essential

Looking for even more games? Here’s what’s coming soon to the Game Pass Essential library on November 15:

• Banjo Kazooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Tooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Cloud and Console)
• Gears of War: Judgement (Cloud and Console)
• Halo: Spartan Assault (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Perfect Dark (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata: TIP (Cloud and Console)

In Case You Missed It

Gravhounds (Game Preview) (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – Available Now
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Look, the job’s simple: you and up to three buddies drop onto a planet that wants you dead. Build and grab every shiny thing that isn’t nailed down. The swarm’s gonna get meaner the longer you stick around, but so does the payout. Oh, and you’re a bio-engineered space dog, which means you’re loyal, obedient, and very replaceable. Now get to work.

Game Updates

League of Legends (PC) – Available Now

This season, ARAM Mayhem: Journey to Stardom, features all of your favorite music artists, including K/DA, True Damage, Heartsteel, and Pentakill! Complete missions for your favorite group, climb the charts, and unlock powerful new augments as you become a bona fide superstar.

In-Game Benefits

Valorant (Console and PC) – Available Now
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass

Valorant is releasing a new Agent! Game Pass subscribers have access to all agents with Game Pass Benefits. Chinese operative Hush uses her telekinesis to close the most classified cases. Fighting with precision and finesse, she redirects her combat utility in midair to disrupt and displace the enemy team before suspending them helplessly for the killing blow.

Microsoft Sudoku (PC) – November 10
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass

Game Pass subscribers can enjoy Microsoft Sudoku ad-free, earn twice the XP across all game modes, and receive more Coins in Daily Challenges. Put your skills to the test with six difficulty levels, fresh themes, Daily Challenges, Achievements, and more. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can keep the benefits going on mobile, too!

The First Descendant– Legacy Bundle (Console and PC) – November 17
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass

Season 4 Episode 2 ’Legacy’ has arrived! This in-game bundle equips you with an exclusive Back Attachment and Spray. Express your own style with 10 paints — Matte Jelly Blue, Gloss Dolphin Gray, and Metal Matte Peach Purge. Power through with Golds, Kuiper Shards, Crystallization Catalysts, and EXP boosts.

Leaving November 15

The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Don’t want the fun to end? Save on these games now before they leave Game Pass!

• 1000xResist (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Barbie Horse Trails (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Firefighting Simulator – The Squad (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• GoldenEye 007 (Cloud and Console)
• Great God Grove (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Moonlighter (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Pigeon Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Police Simulator: Patrol Officers (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Relic Hunters Legend (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Total Chaos (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Winter Burrow (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Wreckfest (Cloud, Console, and PC)

That’s a wrap for now! So, get cozy, gather your co-op crews, and be sure to stay tuned to @XboxGamePass for what’s coming up next. Until next time, happy gaming!

_{Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.}

The post Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School, Thronefall, Warhammer Survivors, and More appeared first on XBOX Wire.

The idea is simple: an alligator swallowed an XBOX Series X whole. And yes, it still works.

Measuring more than five feet from snout to tail, the console sits inside a meticulously crafted alligator, visible through an illuminated XBOX Nexus in its body. A custom XBOX Wireless Controller with bite marks rests between its jaws, complete with XBOX-green irises and Nexus-inspired pupils, making the XBOX Series X-BITE ready to play some of the biggest games of the year. The result is part-XBOX Series X, part-creature fabrication.

Bringing XBOX Series X-BITE to Life

Turning the idea into something real required serious craft.

Creature animatronics specialists John Nolan Studio brought the XBOX Series X-BITE to life through 3D modeling, sculpting and fabrication. The studio has created creatures and animatronics for ‘The Witcher,’ ‘Jurassic World Dominion,’ and HBO’s upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series.

Every detail was considered, from the texture and finish of the alligator to the custom XBOX Wireless Controller and illuminated console within. At the center of it all is a functioning XBOX Series X.

Only one exists. It could be yours.

Only one XBOX Series X-BITE exists. Starting today, one person will have the chance to own it.

Want a bite at the prize? The score is simple, there are 3 ways to enter: X, Instagram or TikTok.

1. Follow @XBOX on your platform of choice.
2. Repost the designated XBOX sweepstakes post.
3. Manually add #XbiteSweepstakes to your repost.

Keep your account public so we can see your entry. That’s it. Choose your platform, make your move and you’re in for a chance to win.

Keep your notifications on and your eyes open after entering. If you’re the potential winner, you’ll have 48 hours to make your move and claim the prize. Miss the window, and this gator makes a clean getaway.

The XBOX Series X-BITE Sweepstakes runs from 9:00 a.m. PT on November 3, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. PT on November 10, 2026.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C., 18+. Sweepstakes ends 11/10/26. For Official Rules, https://rules.XBOXpromotions.com/xbite.

The XBOX Series X-Bite is a custom fabrication. No actual alligators were used or harmed in the making of this console. Best as display only.

The post An Alligator Swallowed an XBOX Series X – You Can Win It appeared first on XBOX Wire.