Last fall, Microsoft unveiled an initiative to let Xbox owners stream any game in their library, even if it isn't on Game Pass. February's Xbox Update moves that agenda forward with over 50 playable games that Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now access on any supported devices as long as they own the titles.

As related on Xbox's official site, the following titles were among the recently added games that players can stream from their own collection.

• Blasphemous 2
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Slime Rancher 2
• Subnautica
• Subnautica: Below Zero
• The Talos Principle 2
• Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Additionally, streaming support for the titles below will be added soon.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

In this new anthology release of Crime Opera, explore a variety of short stories that take place before, during and after the events of the original visual novel, all presented in beautifully crafted hand-drawn style to convey the drama, emotion and gritty truth surrounding characters’ lives in the criminal underworld. “A Day in the Strife” spotlights the daily life of Terry Childers, a side character from The Butterfly Effect. In the “Recollections” chapter, Molly and Alice get together to reminisce about the past, revisiting critical moments from both their histories. Finally, “Aftermath” serves as an epilogue exploring the immediate fallout of The Butterfly Effect and the impact it has on many intertwined lives.

Experience a new chapter in the mafia tale surrounding the Gallos family! This story begins 9 years after the original. Xander Gallo is now bitter, alone and out of control. He’s causing problems for not only other families within the syndicate but also for younger Gallo members as well. Those who remained behind to continue the family legacy are soon forced to take sides with or against Xander Gallo, while others who have seemingly moved on with their lives are pulled back in against their will. This is a tale of loyalty and deceit, murder and survival, as well as the strength or frailty of familial bonds. As a visual novel, Crime Opera II: The Floodgate Effect allows players the option of witnessing events in linear “kinetic” fashion or to affect how the narrative progresses by making key decisions along the way, all depicted with meticulously hand-drawn character portraits, a wide variety of scenes and scenarios to explore, original backgrounds and a soundtrack to fit the brooding and dangerous atmosphere.

"I'll remember you, even after I die."

This quote, delivered half-way through Lost Records: Rage and Bloom's first "tape," is perhaps the most concise and poignant way to convey what Don't Nod's latest title is about. Lost Records is a game that revels in the melodrama and contradictory nature of adolescence. It understands the yearning we all once had to be completely unknowable and one-of-a-kind while also being fully-understood, accepted, and loved. Within its eight or so hours, insecurity and conviction walk hand-in-hand while the assumed invincibility of youth is stretched to its breaking point. How can one summer--how can life--feel so everlasting yet utterly fragile? Such is the magic of our teenage years.

Lost Records captures this phenomenon stunningly, yet doesn't settle for being a game merely driven entirely by nostalgia or reminders of what it felt like to be young in the '90s. At its core is an eerie, supernatural mystery that spans nearly three decades and threatens to consume the four women involved in it--one that promises violence and the reemergence of events perhaps better left forgotten. This intense, slow-burning narrative provides an excellent framework for an empathetic exploration into girlhood, friendship, sexuality, individuality, expression, and the transition from youth to middle age. All this combined with dynamic characters, cinematic visuals, beautifully-rendered character models, and keen sense of atmosphere makes Lost Records one of Don't Nod's best games to date.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Halo: Flashpoint Spartan Edition

$118 (was $125) | Wave 2 Releases February 28

Preorder at Amazon

Halo: Flashpoint - Recon Edition

$56..84 (was $75)

See at Amazon

The Halo: Flashpoint tabletop miniatures game debuted last fall, but unless you preordered months in advance, the officially licensed wargame was difficult to find in stock. British board game publisher Mantic unlocked preorders for a second wave of units when Halo: Flashpoint launched, but stock still appears to be quite limited. As of February 25, Halo fans in the US can still preorder Halo: Flashpoint's Spartan Edition from Amazon for $118 (was $125). Amazon lists February 28 as the release date for the second wave, though dates and prices will vary by retailer and location since Flashpoint is technically an import.

• Halo: Flashpoint - Spartan Edition -- $118 ($125)
• Halo: Flashpoint - Recon Edition -- $56.84 ($75)
• Halo: Flashpoint - Deluxe 3D Terrain Set -- $70
• Halo: Flashpoint - Dice Booster -- $14 ($20)

Alternatively, you can pick up the Recon Edition for $57 at Amazon. Halo: Flashpoint's Recon Edition carries an MSRP of roughly $75, so this is a pretty nice discount. It's important to note that stock is limited, and while Flashpoint ships directly from Amazon, it's only sold by third-parties in the US at this time. Recon is a more streamlined version of the game with fewer miniatures, cards, and terrain pieces.

Flashpoint is a skirmish game that sees players assemble teams of Halo Spartans or Banished Elites and send them into tactical turn-based battles. Those who have played similar wargames like Warhammer 40,000--especially the smaller-scale Killteam format--will find Halo: Flashpoint's premise and gameplay familiar, but the game's creator, Mantic Entertainment, designed it to be approachable to newcomers.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When it comes to life simulator games, EA's The Sims has largely had the field to itself since its launch 25 years ago. But Krafton's upcoming title, InZoi, looks like it could be a real contender in terms of scale, and it even has more realistic characters than The Sims' cartoonish avatars. Regardless, InZoi director Hyungjun Kim says that he has a great deal of respect for The Sims and doesn't view the two games as being in competition with one another.

"We see InZoi not as a competitor to The Sims, but rather as another option that fans of this genre can enjoy," said Kim during an interview with PC Gamer. "We have great respect for the legacy The Sims has built over the years, since we know that reaching that much depth in such a short period of time is no easy task. This is due to the nature of life sim games which cover the vast and complex concept of 'life,' making it difficult to capture its every aspect."

Kim went on to note some of the features of InZoi, which set it apart from The Sims. In addition to the realistic style for the characters and the world around them, he said that InZoi has "in-depth customization features, and AI-driven creative tools." Krafton has previously stated that the AI features can allow the avatars to develop personalities and even let players use a picture of furniture to translate an object into a 3D model that can be used in the game.

Continue Reading at GameSpot