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What are the best exploration games on Xbox One?

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The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs The Witness vs Firewatch

 vs What Remains Of Edith Finch vs The Long Dark vs Abzû vs Night in the Woods vs Elite: Dangerous vs Observer vs ARK: Survival Evolved vs Jotun: Valhalla Edition vs Dear Esther vs Fe vs Mass Effect Andromeda vs Perception

Specs

Genre

Horror, Adventure, Puzzle, Narrative

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Narrative, Adventure, Walking Sim

Platforms

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Narrative, Adventure

Platforms

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Platform

Playstation 4, Steam

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

First-Person Survival, Sandbox

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, macOS, Linux

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Adventure, Narrative

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Linux, macOS

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Space trading and combat game

Platforms

-

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

Multiplayer

Controller Support

Full

# Players

Greater than 1,000,000

Release Date

2014

Multiplayer

Open Play / Solo Play / Private Group

Level design

Open World

Learning Curve

VERY Steep

Internet Connection

Required

Game World Size

Milky Way Galaxy [Diameter: ~100,000 Light-Years]

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Cyberpunk Psychological Horror

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action-Adventure, Survival

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action, Adventure

Platforms

PC, Mac, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

First-Person Exploration

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, macOS

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Adventure, Action, Platforming

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Playstation 4

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

No

Genre

Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Platform

-

Co-Op

4 Player Online

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

No

Genre

Horror, Adventure

Platforms

Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4

Steam Rating

-

Platform

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

# Players

-

Release Date

-

Multiplayer

-

Level design

-

Learning Curve

-

Internet Connection

-

Game World Size

-

Available on Steam

Yes

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Very surreal and mysterious storytelling

While the game starts out with the premise of a detective trying to solve the disappearance of a young boy, the story quickly takes a sharp turn and begins mixing in some very surreal, strange themes. These themes border on the paranormal and supernatural, and it quickly becomes apparent this is not a clear cut missing persons case. During the course of the game, the story keeps you guessing and invested as you try to figure out exactly what's going on. Additionally, due to the way you explore the nonlinear world, you might be witnessing events out of order which makes it even more mysterious.
Comment

Pro
 Gorgeous, state-of-the-art graphics

During development, real objects were photographed, scanned, and put into the game world using a process called photogrammetry. As a result, everything in-game renders as photo realistic without jagged lines or appearing pixelated. Everything from buildings and trees down to the smallest details like rocks and blades of grass look great.
Comment

Pro
 Immersive atmosphere

While wandering the landscape, it's easy to believe you are exploring an old forest and town lost to time. The buildings are run down and decrepit, the roads and railroad tracks are overgrown with grass, and save for the chirping of birds or the river babbling, it is eerily silent. Exploring around and poking into every dark corner of the vast wilderness, one can't help but feel a complete sense of awe and become fully immersed in the mystery.
Comment

Pro
 Runs at 1080p and 60fps

The game runs at 1080p and 60 FPS.
Comment

Pro
 Heavily exploration based

With the exception of a few storyline gated or locked areas, you have the freedom to explore the entire game world from the very beginning. From the dark forests to the run down old houses, you can wander and go wherever you please, stopping to enjoy the scenery or investigate locations at your leisure. There are no linear story paths to follow and most of the puzzles can be completed in any order. This unhindered exploration allows you to explore the world and unravel the mystery completely at your own pace.
Comment

Pro
 Challenging and rewarding puzzles

The puzzles require great observational skills with many clues being found only after thoroughly exploring the location in which the puzzle resides. Oftentimes, these clues are very discreet, well hidden, and integrated into the environment in creative ways. Piecing everything together can be quite a challenge at times as the puzzles provide no instructions, but also very rewarding as bits of the story are revealed after each successful solve.
Comment

Con
 Framerate drops from 60fps

There are framerate drops in the game but they never go below 30fps and do not tear due to the progressive vsync.
Comment

Con
 Pacing feels unbalanced

There is one notable part of the game where the player spends an uneven amount of time in that the environment is lackluster as well as holds many frustrating puzzles. This makes for what feels like unbalanced pacing and is an aggravating section of the game.
Comment

Con
 Not much dialogue

For a game that is heavily steeped in storytelling, there is a surprisingly low amount of actual dialogue and spoken lines. While it doesn't detract much from the experience, some people might be expecting a lot more writing for a game that boasts its story as a selling point.
Comment

Con
 Horrible character models

They are very plain and look almost cartoonish in nature, which is a stark contrast to the photo realistic environment they inhabit. The same level of work that went into the game world didn't quite make it into the character models, and as a result, they are disappointingly bad.
Comment

Con
 Simplistic gameplay

There is very little direct interaction with the world outside of solving puzzles and reading notes. Much of the game is simply walking around and exploring. From time to time, you will stumble upon a location in which you can manipulate items to solve the various puzzles, read notes, and watch story cutscenes play out.
Comment

Con
 Repetitive puzzle solving

Without revealing spoilers, almost every major puzzle in the game is solved using the exact same logic. While the puzzles themselves are thematically different, the way you approach them and the mechanics they use are the same. After you've figured out how the first one works, you'll be applying the same basic principles to every puzzle in the game thereafter.
Comment

Pro
 Cleverly designed puzzles

All of the puzzles use a simple concept where you draw a line from point A to point B to solve them. This could get old really fast, but the developer has thought of many ways to keep it fresh. While the regular variants are just maze puzzles, they gradually get new layers added to them. It can be symbols you have to separate, panels you have to look at from different angles or clues in the environment. Even after solving around 300 puzzles, the new puzzles you encounter will still feel exciting.
Comment

Pro
 Thought provoking world

Even if some of the puzzles are rage-inducingly hard, the world of the Witness is really peaceful. It's an uninhabited island littered with stone statues and mismatched environments. Yet none of it feels out of place. It is really intriguing to explore each new area, especially because you can find voice recordings in them. At first these may seem like simple audio logs, but each one contains essential clues to gently shift your thought process. To succeed you need to shift your perspective and think outside the box.
Comment

Pro
 Vivid graphics make you want to explore

Everything about this game leads you toward exploration, even the graphics. They're very vibrant and feel alive, invoking in you a sense of wonder. This is thanks to a great variety of colors, ranging from wild, hot pinks to more subdued ocean tones. The colors are also used contrast the environments and make them stand out. For example, there's a location painted orange autumn colors next to a grayish-white quarry.
Comment

Con
 Some puzzles might be impossible for the colorblind and hearing impaired

Certain puzzles use colors to hint at the solution. If you're not able to tell them apart it may be impossible to solve the puzzles. There are also that puzzles require you to listen to the sounds in the environment and use them for the solution. Some of them are masked with sound effects such as car horns or birds chirping, making the puzzles hard to solve. This becomes a lot more difficult if your hearing is impaired.
Comment

Pro
 Great atmosphere

You get lost in the world playing as Henry, it even ends up getting a little spooky. It never shows how it's spooky but there's always that creepy vibe in the background.
Comment

Pro
 Adds interaction to the "walking simulator" genre

Unlike many walking simulator game the player is allowed to interact more with the environment than expected. User can repel down ropes, collect caches of items and even adopt a pet.
Comment

Pro
 Based on exploration and storytelling

Firewatch is basically a exploration game with a very strong focus on the main story. No need to kill enemies or compete with other games online.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent story

Firewatch is an exploration game with a strong focus on its main story which makes you ask "what comes next?" like a good book or enthralling movie.
Comment

Pro
 Fantastic voice acting

There are two leads with each being voice acted in a believable way in how they interact. The relationship presented in the story is given credence due to how well it is acted.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful graphics

The game impresses with stunning graphics and a beautifully crafted world, overlaid with a neat canvas effect.
Comment

Con
 Tremendous build up in story, only to have a lackluster finale

Once the player progresses far enough into the game there are plot thread wrap-ups that seem a bit too convenient and overly rushed.
Comment

Con
 Short game

It maxes out at 5 hours of play, which is a bit short, though it is priced fairly for the time one gets.
Comment

Con
 In some parts the game locks you from entering areas

It might sound obvious but sometimes the invisible walls don't feel right, they are put in places you should be able to walk.
Comment

Pro
 Mysterious story

This award-winning story takes us step-by-step through the tragic and mysterious history of the Finch family. We learn of all the family members, the stories of their lives, and how they met an unfortunate and untimely end. By it's thrilling conclusion, the player has been led on a strange journey filled with all sorts of reveals, surprises, and plot twists. At the end, the game closes by answering the titular question: What exactly does remain of Edith Finch? At the beginning of the game, the player is informed that teenager Edith is the last living member of her family. She speculates and half-jokes that her family suffers from some kind of curse. Throughout the family's history, all of the members have met unfortunate and bizarre deaths. The origins and nuances of the alleged curse are a mystery to Edith and the player alike. The overarching storyline for the game expands deeply on this mystery and features two major themes as it progresses. The first theme is Edith's journey through the sprawling house as she tells of her childhood growing up there. Through Edith, we get to hear family stories and learn of the struggles the family has endured over generations. She comments about the family members as she goes from room to room telling us pieces and parts of her past. As the game progresses, much is revealed about Edith and her family through her tales and observations. The second theme revolves around the various family members and how they met their untimely demises. During the course of the game, the player relives memories of the various family members. These memories are always tragic events that result in an untimely or strange death for those involved. By seeing the story not just through Edith's eyes, but the eyes of the deceased as well, we get a complete, deeper and more intimate look into the lives of the family.
Comment

Pro
 Instills a sense of wonder

From the opening scene to its final moments, What Remains of Edith Finch, seeks to instill a sense of wonder through it's detailed game world. The house itself is a mix of various unconventional architectural styles and flavors. From it's towering bedroom spires to it's dark, claustrophobic basement, each area of the house is different and varied with different decor and textures. Moving from room to room is sometimes done with interesting travel mechanics such as secret passages that act as a seamless transistion between two vastly different rooms. This makes each area feel fresh, new, and exciting. The player is never quite certain what they're going find beyond the next door, which instills a deep sense of wonder of what other secrets the house holds.
Comment

Pro
 Amazing attention to detail

Every room in the Finch house is unique in decor and style, and plays its part in telling the story. No two rooms in the game are alike and each is filled with it's own charm and personality. While exploring the hallways and rooms of the sprawling home, the player will find various notes, photos, trinkets, and old momentos. While not all can be interacted with by Edith, the player is still free to zoom the camera in for a deeper look. Old photos and post-it notes often contain untold stories for the player to ponder. When Edith is narrating, the words she is speaking appear within the gameworld and then dissappear with a variety of different effects. They melt, burst, and fade away depending on her emotions. When Edith mentions a specific object, the words will take shape around that object. This is much more involved than the simple subtitles that most games opt to do.
Comment

Pro
 Expert pacing

The game sets an excellent pace by never giving players a chance to become bored. While detailed and varied, each room only has a handful of objects that can be interacted with. This limited interaction ensures the player will never linger in a single room too long and acts as a gentle nudge to keep moving onward. This encourages a comfortable pacing that allows the player to explore at their own pace, yet doesn't allow for much downtime between important story elements.
Comment

Pro
 Every story features a new gameplay mechanic

As Edith travels throughout the house and surrounding areas, she will encounter objects that tell the history of the various family members and how they met their demise. Upon inspecting the objects, an interactive story will be triggered and the player will take on the role of the family member portrayed in the story. Each one of these stories has its own gameplay mechanic, making for a new gaming experience each time a piece of the family history is discovered. For example, when exploring the room of a young, imaginative child named Molly, the player will come across a handwritten story hastily scribbled in crayon. By examing this note, the player assumes control of Molly for the duration of the tale. This particular story involves taking on the form of different animals and hunting various prey. By the time the story ends, the player not only learns about Molly and her imagination, but they also learn of how Molly met her end. Throughout the game, you will experience the memories and last moments of each family member in unique and interactive ways.
Comment

Con
 No interactive puzzles

There are no puzzles to solve in this game, which can be a dull experience for some. The narrative is told as the player goes room by room without any puzzles or roadblocks for the player to overcome.
Comment

Con
 Short playtime

The game doesn't take very long to complete and can be comfortably completed within a few hours. This may be a turn off for some players who are hoping for a longer experience.
Comment

Pro
 Good balance between surviving and exploring

There is a delicate balance between exploring and surviving, and every aspect of gameplay is closely related. The amount of activity the player performs and the distance they can travel and explore, are balanced around certain metrics such as time, warmth, and calories - and all of these game systems are closely related resulting in a finely tuned experience. For example, eating food replenishes calories, but in order to find food, you have to explore and salvage which causes you to burn calories in the first place. The player must watch how many calories they burn, even when sleeping, and make sure they find or hunt enough food to keep themselves going. On top of this, the player needs to seek shelter from the cold, make sure they are wearing the appropriate clothing, and build fires to stay warm and cook food. During your explorations to salvage supplies and look for food items, you will need to explore carefully as to not get stuck without a place to sleep for the night.
Comment

Pro
 Complete freedom to explore the open-world

The game features a massive, open-world sandbox mode in which there are no quests to gate your progress, or artificial boundaries to exploration. The only goal is to survive as long as possible, and to do it by whatever means possible. This free-exploration, open-world design offers plenty of space to roam for those who want to enjoy a more open playstyle without the hindrances of time gates or quest mechanics. Whether you choose to salvage for supplies, hunt the local wildlife, start cooking fires, or simply just take in the view - the freedom to explore and interact with the world in your own way is endless.
Comment

Pro
 Realistic survival elements make you feel a part of the world

You'll feel like you're living in true survival situation, and the game does an excellent job of placing the player in the role. This game features elements of survival that are very close to the real world, creating an enriching gaming experience for those who want a realistic survival challenge. You will have to keep an eye on your calorie intake, monitor your body temperature, and even craft and wear clothing appropriate to the harsh arctic environment. Staying outside too long after dark can kill you via hypothermia. The wildlife is dangerous and can injure or kill you - as the animals are starving too. You can starve to death if you forget to eat, or run out of food. Death in this game is permanent, and will require you to start the game over.
Comment

Pro
 Story mode adds a new way to play

For those who desire a story to go with their survival gaming, The Long Dark offers a fully voiced-acted, five chapter story mode called "Wintermute" complete with cutscenes. It features all the survival gameplay aspects of the sandbox version, as well as story quests and character development, making it an engaging, new way to experience all the game has to offer. In the story, you'll assume the role of a man trying to survive in the harsh Canadian wilderness after crashing his plane during a geomagnetic disaster. Rather than just a no-bones survival situation, you'll be working through an actual storyline as you head for safety. As you progress the story, you'll have the opportunity to do quests, watch voice-acted cutscenes, and interact with other characters who are fighting for their lives as well. This pulls you even deeper into the game world since you now have a real goal to work for - escaping the harsh wilderness alive. Story mode adds a deeper layer of immersion via storytelling than the sandbox mode, which is only about surviving as long as you can. Though currently not all of the chapters are available as they are released episodically over time.
Comment

Pro
 Four difficulty levels to suit all skill levels

Regardless of your skill level, you will be able to find a difficulty level that suits you and satisfies your craving for a good challenge. This game features four different difficulty levels, making it accessible to a broad range of players. The easiest mode is Pilgrim and it offers a gaming experience suitable to all players where dying is a rare occurrence. For beginning players, Voyager is recommended as it gives you a forgivable way to learn the basics. After that, the difficulty takes a strong curve upwards into the remaining two modes: Stalker, and Interloper - with the latter being considered a very challenging gaming experience only recommended for expert gamers and those who desire a true video game survival challenge.
Comment

Con
 No jumping or climbing

You cannot jump or climb over fences, rocks, or other obstacles meaning sometimes you will have to take the longest route possible to reach your destination.
Comment

Con
 No multitasking

Most actions in the game have a small wait time, and you can only perform one action at time. For example, if you search an item, boil water, repair your clothes, or salvage anything, you will have to stop and wait until the action completes.
Comment

Con
 No tutorial

There is no tutorial or learning mode. When you start the game, you have to figure out how to survive in this harsh world on your own. Some say this adds to the experience, but for many, this can be overwhelming especially in a survival game where everything can -- and will -- kill you.
Comment

Pro
 Soft and calming

Diving through the ocean with an array of colorful fish is very soothing. Your character can even meditate, allowing you to gaze at the surrounding aquatic life. The orchestral music further adds to the soothing feeling, while also giving most locations a sense of wonder. Nothing quite like seeing a school of fish swimming around to the soft tune of pipe instruments.
Comment

Pro
 Educational

Every time you encounter a new fish, you can learn what it's called. There is also the 'meditate' mode which cycles between all the different kinds of fish, naming them on screen.
Comment

Pro
 Absolutely striking art style

Abzû was made by Thatgamecompany, the makers of Journey and Flower. In each of their games, they emphasize taking a distinctive art style and Abzû is no exception. It uses a very bright and vivid color palette to bring out the allure and mystique of the ocean. Lots of colorful fish and underwater plants with the sun shining down on you. Each location looks so peaceful it makes you rethink if the ocean truly is scary. Some of those are followed by a dark area, dim lights and ominous creatures to remind you of the fear.
Comment

Con
 Extremely short

The first playthrough will take you only about 3 hours, which is way too short for a game of its price. You won't get much replay value out of it either, unless you want to get all the trophies.
Comment

Pro
 The simplistic gameplay is surprisingly fun

Running around the side-scrolling town as Mae day in and day out is more enjoyable than it sounds at first. It's mundane, but there's a lot of meaning to find around the town if you're willing to look for it. You go wherever you want, finding out stories about the townspeople and the town itself, or hanging out with friends for scripted story moments. Poking around all over town to find out the history is pretty cool, like the underground diner that Mae used to steal from back in the day, or the old shopping mall that barely gets any customers anymore. When you're not talking to people or going somewhere, you can play around with the rhythm mini-game as you practice with Mae's bass either in her room or in her old band with her group of friends. You can fall into a nice habit of checking in with the NPCs and locations you care about most, almost like in real life where you prioritize the people and places you spend the most time around.
Comment

Pro
 Great coming-of-age story

The coming-of-age story in Night in the Woods is unconventional for a video game, making it more unique and intriguing. After dropping out of college, the main character, Mae, struggles with her own disillusionment in life and refusal to grow up, all the while her old friends find success and move on without her. You join in on that struggle as you live as Mae: aimlessly going around town talking to everyone and listening to their worries, browsing your laptop when you're supposed to be doing other important things, and even pressing a button to wake up in bed every morning as a reminder of how mundane life can be. You see all the ways she doesn't necessarily want to grow up, wishing she could stay a kid forever, but then she talks to an old acquaintance who thinks she's washed up now, making her feel anxious about her failings as a young adult. This type of story is familiar for anyone who has also had a hard time with similar problems, and eye-opening for anyone who hasn't.
Comment

Pro
 Tragic, realistic setting and NPCs

Night in the Woods is set in Possum Springs, once a booming mine town but now a forgotten speck on the map, rife with poverty and decay. Its history is based on several real Adirondack towns, and its portrayal of rural decline is painfully accurate. The townspeople you talk to lament about having to close down their businesses, or wonder out loud how they'll make ends meet. Everyone's economic hardships feel real and relevant to anyone who's gone through the same thing or knows someone else who has.
Comment

Pro
 Well-written side characters

Every character feels like they have a history and realistic personal motivations, even when they're left unexplained. Mae's friends are all different yet interesting in their own ways, like Gregg who's always happy to see her and helps Mae feel like someone truly cares, and Bea with her biting sarcasm and apathy that seem to cover up her more complex issues. The residents of the town also talk about things in ways that are true-to-life, like how they gossip about their neighbors as you listen in, or just flat-out tell you sometimes to leave them alone. Every character in the game feels like a real person, whether they're central to the story or just one of the NPCs you see sitting on their porch all the time.
Comment

Con
 Some pacing issues with the story

The story slogs through the premise of Mae's anxieties and disillusionment for a long time until it suddenly switches somewhere in the middle. There are a few hints here and there about how and why the plot becomes a murder mystery, but these things seem inconsequential and not as important as Mae's personal issues. It ends up feeling strange to change things up partway through to something unrelated to the original premise. While the murder mystery isn't necessarily bad, it would have been nice to see a more focused insight and resolution to Mae's young adult troubles.
Comment

Con
 The main character is insufferable at first

It's hard to like Mae from the start for a few reasons. She's extremely self-centered, she likes to steal for the thrills, and she has no interest whatsoever in fixing her shortcomings. Her life seems to be one awkward moment after another where you can't help but cringe in embarrassment, like in one early scene where she gets drunk at a party and blabs away about her personal problems after spending hours telling herself she wouldn't. As you get to know her, Mae might grow on you, but if you're the type to lose your patience with people who are immature, then you probably won't like her all that much.
Comment

Pro
 Exploration at every level of detail

Full exploration of the galaxy is planned, allowing you to be able to jump from star system to star system, and fly around within a solar system from planet to planet, eventually going all the way down to a planet's surface at a 1:1 scale in a later update. Planetary landings will require a lot of details to be developed and designed, but you can still see the level of detail shift in action when flying into a planet's rings, where getting close enough show the individual asteroids within, which you can then interact with through mining, or by having a battle among them.
Comment

Pro
 Built with future expansion in mind

When Elite Dangerous come out, development won't stop. To build a game with the huge scope of Elite Dangerous, not all of it can be done at once, so the developers have adopted an approach of incremental improvement. Various game play elements are being designed as a foundation for later features. For example, although planetary landings aren't going to be available until a later update, the engine has been designed to be able to support going from lightyears away to meters away.
Comment

Pro
 Very realistic representation of space & star systems

Elite Dangerous uses publicly available real world star maps that we have of the Milky Way consisting of 150,000 star systems. Although in the current beta, full access to the entire galaxy is limited, in the final game, you will be able to visit any of the 400 billion stars in our galaxy on a 1:1 scale. Stars that we do know of are properly mapped in place and are of the correct type given the information we have about them. Stars we haven't collected data on are procedurally generated which allows you to explore any of the 400 billion of them. Star systems are intelligently simulated using the "Star Forge", a generator that simulates the creation of a star system forming from its nebular cloud to determine what celestial bodies appear and what orbits they have. This feature leads to many varied and unique star systems possibly with planets that can co-orbit around each other, or with binary star systems, and infinitely more possibilities.
Comment

Con
 "Mile Wide and an Inch Deep"

The game has a serious problem with depth and requires the user to repeat the same few fun actions over and over again. The world is massive and beautiful but feels empty. The game gets stale quickly despite being visually stunning.
Comment

Con
 Really complicated to learn

Looking up faqs and trade routes from first hand users will be the norm for figuring out many aspects of Elite: Dangerous. On top of this notes will have to be taken, which is made more difficult by the fact the game does not support in game not taking. So a pad and paper is recommended to remember all of the minutia of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Intriguing cyberpunk world

The deserted, rain-slicked streets of the gritty city at night, filled with unsettling displays of government advertisements fits right in with the themes and media that inspired Observer's cyberpunk world. A dystopian future where augmented humans were killed off by a mysterious disease is a fascinating, if familiar concept for cyberpunk enthusiasts. It's interesting to explore this technologically-advanced world where the government has collapsed and a mega-corporation has taken over, making you wonder how you might survive in this type of setting.
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Pro
 In-depth environmental storytelling

As you search around apartment buildings and office spaces with augmented vision, you'll come across emails, video sequences, and notes that flesh out the story. You can take your time to find out about now-extinct religions from the past, learn about the lives of the many people who died from the digital plague, and interact with each piece of evidence lying around at crime scenes. Scanning items, computers and blood stains to solve these crimes can lead you down a rabbit hole of discovering more about the world through environmental storytelling.
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Pro
 Hacking into peoples' memories is an engaging way to investigate crimes

While solving cases, you can hack into a subject's memories through their augmentations, creating a new reality as you physically explore their thoughts. You'll then proceed through the scenes of their memories, listening to conversations that reveal more about the story and the world. The psychedelic visuals as you progress through these memories are unique and mind-bending, making these sequences even more exciting. These sections of Observer go above and beyond the other, more standard investigation mechanics in the game, making each crime mystery unique and exciting.
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Pro
 Terrifying, mind-bending story presentation

Observer's detective story sounds simple, with you tracking down protagonist Daniel Lazarski's missing son, but the way the game presents this narrative is what counts. As you follow leads on his son's whereabouts, you'll analyze crime scenes mostly by searching through horrifying, psychedelic memories from the neural implants of dying or dead victims. These are unstable displays of augmented reality, with broken visuals filled with psychedelic colors, eerie hallucinations, and rattling jump scares. They manage to distort your own consciousness in the game, making you question the reality around you. Through these terrifying experiences, the game poses philosophical questions on the true nature of reality, such as what point technology can take over and shape what we believe is real.
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Con
 Gameplay is limited to mostly walking around

As a "walking simulator," Observer is appealing to players who enjoy taking their time to explore and take in the environment, but it may not have enough gameplay for those looking for a more involved experience. Hacking into minds, analyzing crime scenes and moving from place to place makes up the bulk of the game.
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Con
 Some frustrating, out-of-place chase sequences

Some segments of Observer force you to stealthily avoid a menacing enemy lumbering through a dark workspace or a dilapidated set of hallways, but they don't quite fit with the game's overall freedom of discovery and exploration. If you're discovered, it's game over. These parts ruin the pace and flow that you're used to from the gameplay.
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Pro
 Good character creation

When starting a new game the player is allowed to choose between a man or woman, from there is a plethora of options for making a character with a personalized look.
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Pro
 Stunningly beautiful

The landscape, creatures, structures, even other players are all gorgeous. The textures are seamless, and the character/dinosaur models are just great. The environment ranges from lush green forests, to snowcapped mountains, to incredible coastal views. When you combine all of these things, it adds up to being simply breathtaking.
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Pro
 An absolutely fantastic community

The community for Ark is simply great. Whether you're talking about custom servers, the modding community, or just the playerbase in general, there's always people around to help out with any questions you might have.
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Pro
 The game makes you want to explore, craft, and fight to make the most of its progressive crafting system

Ark is unlike many survival games in that you attain levels as you progress. As you level higher and higher, you gain access to more craftable items. Some are just more powerful versions of lower-tier items (such as leather armor vs. cloth armor), but most are brand new (such as firearms, scuba gear, and saddles for more powerful dinosaurs). This really drives you to explore more areas to find rarer resources and fight stronger dinosaurs.
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Pro
 You can tame and mount nearly every creature in the game

From the small, quick raptor to the massive, vicious giganotosaurus, you can mount nearly any dinosaur in the game. There's huge, flying dinosaurs, aquatic dinosaurs, some that are like walking fortresses, and others that can take those down.
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Pro
 You can share materials, dinosaurs, and structures by forming (or joining!) a tribe with your friends

Users can form a tribe with other online users to for a community. This community can now band together in order to build and grow as well as team up against other tribes. This makes for a fun experience with friends and other players as it requires teamwork in order to be successful.
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Pro
 Increased customization thanks to player-created servers

Ark has hundreds, if not thousands, of great custom servers. You can control things such as PvP, experience, gathering, and taming rates, set things up so there's no griefing (constantly bullying a player or group of players), and the difficulty of the creatures.
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Con
 The game can become a grind

At the higher levels, it begins to take a very, very long time to level up (unless you're playing on a custom server). This can make the game tedious to play for some people.
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Con
 No more Early access, still buggy

Ark has been fully released on August 2017, but bugs are still easily found and many areas of the game lack polish.
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Pro
 Beautiful hand-drawn graphics

The graphics and animations resemble a painting in motion thanks to their colorful, hand-drawn style. Lines are bold, with lots of contrasting colors. The crisp, vibrant look is easy on the eyes and helps to make your journey through green plains, forest, and snowy fields even more inviting. With gorgeous backdrops and scenery throughout, exploring the world is simply great.
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Pro
 Immersive Nordic atmosphere

Not only do you fight war gods as a viking warrior, but the entire landscape and story is steeped heavily in Norse lore from start to finish. Rune stones are scattered around the world which give glimpses into tales and stories about mythology. The landscape itself is heavily influenced by Norway including green plains, mountain vistas, and rolling fields of snow. The soundtrack hums along in the background with soothing, woodwind ballads and crashing battle music. All the voice acting is in Norwegian. Taking on the role of a viking warrior as you roam this vast and detailed world is incredibly well done.
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Pro
 Bosses provide an exciting shift in tone

Encountering a powerful boss after the relaxing nature of the exploration is a huge shift in tone. Rather than calmly discovering and taking your time, you're thrown headfirst into action-packed battles. This stark contrast between calm exploration exploration and thrilling combat is incredible, as the sheer physical size of the bosses shows how massive the world truly is.
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Pro
 Great boss battles

Squaring off against the larger-than-life Jotuns (bosses) is action packed and requires paying attention to the mechanics, but the encounters never really feel unfair. Trying to get a hit in with your axe while dodging massive attacks and environmental attacks can be challenging, but doable once you learn the patterns. Each boss features their own mechanics, and surviving each of these encounters can be rewarding knowing you beat it through skill and persistence.
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Pro
 Relaxing exploration

Much of the gameplay is simply focused on enjoying the scenery and soaking up the lore as you explore. Roaming around and encountering lore items that dot the map and then taking a break to listen to the stories contained within can be quite calming. Walking through snowy fields as the soundtrack plays Viking-inspired music really gets you in the state of mind to see whats around every bend. Casually exploring while enjoying the atmosphere is really what this game is all about.
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Con
 Can be a bit boring

Much of the gameplay consists of walking around searching the various areas for power ups and runes. With the exception of the boss fights, there is very little combat. This slower pace may be boring to some.
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Con
 Combat is too minimalist

There is only a light attack, heavy attack, dodge, and a couple special abilities (which are learned as you progress). You'll also use the same axe for the entire game.
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Con
 Overtuned last boss feels very out of place

The last boss is so hard and unforgiving, that it completely ruins the laid-back feel of the rest of the game. This sharp difficulty spike feels very out of place compared to the other bosses.
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Pro
 Outstanding soundtrack

The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful which suits the games visual atmosphere quite well.
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Pro
 Gorgeous, intricately detailed environments

There is no arguing that the scenery and graphics in Dear Esther is jaw dropping gorgeous. Due to how nothing can be interacted with the environment can be rendered in a much more beautiful way as not much needs to change while walking around.
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Pro
 Can be relaxing

Just sit back, relax, and spend some time with Dear Esther. The experience isn’t long and there’s no pressure to go past the pace you want to go. While it does have a sense of loneliness and isolation the graphics are beautiful and the music is soothing which also lends a hand in the relaxedness of the title.
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Pro
 Pervasive sense of isolation, loneliness, and mystery

The game takes place on an abandoned island, so in a practical sense the player is alone. Add to that that this is a bit of a ghost story and mystery becomes enwrapped within the isolation of the island making for what is as much of an experience as it is a game that makes for a feeling and sense of loneliness and despair that often is only found in real life.
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Pro
 Narrative driven experience

There are no waypoint markers, no quests, in fact nobody else in this world except the player and the narrator. Hike through the world and discover the inner workings of this person’s mind.
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Con
 Short gameplay

Only about 90 minutes to two hours long which is pretty short for a game and can easily be finished in a single sitting.
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Pro
 Enemy encounters can be tense

There's no combat in Fe, resulting in some pretty tense situations with the monsters. If you are spotted by the Silent Ones, rather scary robotic creatures, they can kill you on sight. Hiding in a bush or climbing a tree in a panic to escape can deliver some pretty exciting and tense moments. No matter how careful you are in the open world, some objectives will require sneaking past or evading them to grab key items. These situations can deliver some of the most exciting moments in the game.
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Pro
 Uses music as an interesting platforming mechanic

Songs are used to interact with the world and navigate the platforming aspects in interesting ways. Using various melodies, you'll be able to perform such actions as calling birds to help you cross large gaps, spring boarding off plants for super high jumps, and even summoning a stag to attack enemies. If you're ever lost, there is a melody you can use to call down a bird who will point you in the direction you need to be going. Using musical melodies to navigate the platforming is integrated incredibly well.
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Pro
 Exciting ability progression

Abilities are learned gradually as the game progresses by collecting gems and also learning the musical language of the forest life from plants and animals. As you gain more abilities or learn how to interact with more creatures, you can then go back to old areas and find new paths that were previously inaccessible. For example, birds that may not have paid much attention to you before may now gladly carry you over large gaps once you speak their language. Plants can springboard you high into the air once you can communicate with them. This ability progression is an exciting way to keep things fresh, and makes visiting old areas rewarding with new secrets to be found.
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Con
 Platforming is a bit unpolished at times

The platforming can feel a bit clunky or rough at times. For example, when climbing trees you have to jump to the top branch by branch. Hitting the jump button one time too many will result in falling and having to re-climb the tree from the base. It's just little unpolished details like this that can sometimes make the platforming feel a bit clumsy.
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Con
 Story can seem nonsensical

There is no dialogue in the game, so the story can be hard to follow at times. During cutscenes, sometimes you'll have no clue what's really going on due to their surreal and strange nature. A lot of the story is left up your own interpretation, which can be disappointing for those who prefer a solid, coherent narrative.
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Pro
 You can change the way your character works on the fly

In Mass Effect Andromeda, the class system is incredibly open, and classes can be swapped at any time, even in the middle of combat. Essentially, you can go from being a battle-hardened front line soldier to a crafty engineer, or even to an infiltrator that's capable of invisibility. This will also swap out your abilities, which makes sure you're always prepared for the next challenge you have to face.
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Pro
 Combat is very fast paced

The combat in previous entries of Mass Effect has been based on getting behind cover and having good aim. That aspect still exists in Andromeda, but thanks to the new jump jet, things are much faster and much more fun. The jump jet allows you to vault over obstacles or make quick dashes while running, which lets you flank, charge, and generally just outmaneuver enemies in many more interesting ways.
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Pro
 Exploration is quite fun

Nearly every planet in Andromeda is unique from the others. There's different terrain and environments to check out, new hazards to watch out for, and a plethora of missions to complete on every planet.
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Pro
 Fun multiplayer

Mass Effect Andromeda's fast-paced combat from single-player works well with the team-based multiplayer matches, where up to four players cooperate to complete hacking or target objectives while fighting back against waves of enemies. Maps are densely packed with obstacles and winding rooms to take cover in or to take the enemy by surprise. Aggressive foes actively push back forward into player territory even on lower difficulties, keeping matches fun and intense.
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Con
 Poor face textures and animations

Widely mocked and ridiculed near Andromeda's release, the facial animations, eye movement and tracking, and general skin textures are still sub-par, even after patches meant to fix these issues. Characters look unnatural and downright ugly at times, with the female Ryder inspiring dozens of cringe-worthy compilations of her cinched facial expressions and comical duck-like running animations. Moving to the Frostbite engine no doubt hampered the team's efforts to create believable faces, but in a Mass Effect game, the faces especially should not have been as bad as they were.
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Con
 No single-player DLC

There will not be any single-player downloadable content for Mass Effect: Andromeda. This is especially disappointing because, by the end of the game, the writers clearly intended to give more context through DLC about certain galactic races who were absent from the original story. With the news that the publisher, Electronic Arts, has put the Mass Effect franchise "on ice," the series' future looks bleak.
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Con
 Sub-par storytelling

MEA's writing is very inconsistent throughout the game. Sometimes the dialogue is really poor, having lines like "my face is tired". Other times characters forget important information such as the length of their trip to the Andromeda Galaxy, showing surprise at things that should be obvious to them. Even though there are few great moments with moral grey areas, most of the story feels rushed, incomplete, or done by completely different teams with different visions for the game. The end result is a story that lacks immersion and isn't very memorable.
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Pro
 Great horror audio design

Since the protagonist is blind, much of the horror in Perception is delivered through audio. The lack of detailed visuals and having a clear picture of your surroundings help to make the sounds stick out a bit more. Hearing constant footsteps in distant rooms, doors slamming, and all the bumps and scrapes in the dark can be pretty disturbing and amplify the horror.
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Pro
 Easy mode makes it accessible for all

There is an easy mode where the ghost can't hurt you. This is great for players who just want to enjoy the story and soak up the atmosphere without having to watch out for danger. While it ruins much of the tension and fear, it's still a great way to experience the adventure without worry.
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Pro
 Tense atmosphere

Stumbling around a strange house only using echolocation to guide you can be daunting enough, but the addition of a scary presence who stalks you creates some very scary moments. Having to stand perfectly still in a dark corner or hiding behind some boxes while some unknown entity strolls through the room really gets the heart racing. Every footstep or tap of your cane can alert it to your whereabouts, making each step a fairly nerve-racking experience.
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Pro
 Unique premise creates compelling gameplay

Using echolocation to get around as blind girl is a very interesting premise. By taking a step or tapping your cane on the floor, it sends back information that you can use to navigate the house. However, this same noise can also alert a ghost to your location, meaning you'll need to tread carefully while you search the sprawling house. Carefully navigating the house, searching for clues, and avoiding the ghost all come together to create some pretty compelling gameplay.
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Con
 Fairly generic horror premise

Exploring the haunted house you saw in your dreams is far from an original premise, and has been done a million times.
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Con
 Can become boring

Walking around in the dark only using vague outlines of objects can lose its appeal fairly quickly. There's not much to look at, and this simplistic style may wear thin after the first hour or so.
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Con
 Getting caught by the ghost feels cheap at times

Being spotted and caught by the ghost is sometimes a matter of pure luck. Having it appear randomly when you're not even making any noise can be frustrating and dampen the excitement of carefully managing your footsteps. Sometimes, it will just show up to ruin your day, often giving the impression that it's simply spawning next to you. Depending on your difficulty level, this either sends you back to entrance of the house or to the game over screen.
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Con
 Bland visuals

While walking around using echolocation is a unique mechanic, it creates some pretty boring visuals. Walking around in the dark in video games is usually pretty annoying and uninspired, and this is no exception. Lighting is extremely dark with neon highlights around objects such as doors, tables, and walls. It's a very promising idea; it just doesn't translate well to being visually pleasing.
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Con
 Voice acting is poor

Much of the voice acting is overacted to the point of sounding forced or very generic. Sometimes when Cassie is scared or in a panic she will utter one-liners meant to portray her fear, but they normally just come off sounding humorous.
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