Besides the agonising IGN advert breaks and the two overly enthusiastic presenters, tonight’s ID@Xbox showcase was actually a pretty decent outing.
Scattered throughout the presentation were a handful of updates on some of the year’s most anticipated roguelikes, and the good news for Xbox fans is that a bunch are coming to Game Pass. Below can you find mine and Mike’s highlights from the hour-long showcase:
Balatro hits Xbox Game Pass and gets Friends of Jimbo DLC Pack 4 starring Fallout and more
Let’s get the big one out of the way first. With there being very little roguelike news in sight, Xbox then dropped the bombshell that another free set of face cards will be arriving soon in the form of the Friends of Jimbo DLC Pack 4.
The newest update includes cards based on some of gaming’s biggest franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Critical Role, Dead by Daylight, Fallout, Civ VII, as well as indies Bugsnax, Rust, and Slay the Princess.
That’s not all, it was also announced that Balatro is now available on Xbox Game Pass and subscribers can now download it for free.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is announced to be arriving sometime in 2025
We were also pleased to see that indie darling Moonlighter is set to receive a sequel at an unconfirmed date in 2025.
Titled Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, the game looks absolutely stunning from its announcement trailer, with it pivoting from the pixelated look of its predecessor to a more polished 3D visual style.
According to the game’s Steam description, it will allow players to “dive into vibrant dimensions brimming with shiny loot and pesky enemies.” Its Steam page also notes that players can grow their shop and tinker with a selection of weapons and gadgets.
The game is set to arrive on Steam, Xbox Series, and PS5 and will be coming to Game Pass on day one. We also have our money on an eventual Switch 2 release, but we will see.
Patapon spiritual successor Ratatan receives its first gameplay trailer
Breaking us out of the trance-like state induced by the frequent and intrusive IGN adverts was Ratatan, a rhythm roguelike and spiritual successor to the PSP title Patapon.
The game looks like an absolute fever dream, blending the precision button presses of rhythm games with side-scrolling action and brightly coloured, anime-inspired visuals.
The game’s Steam page notes that its roguelike elements will see Ratan and its Cobun receive different power-ups and rewards from every battle. Players will experience different adventures each time, with various power-ups bringing various diverse effects and increasing gameplay possibilities.
Ratatan is planned to release at an unconfirmed date in 2025 on Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, PlayStation consoles, and Xbox Series.
33-player action-roguelike 33 Immortals is entering Early Access on 18th March
We also heard that one of our most anticipated roguelikes of 2024 will be storming into Early Access on 18th March.
If you haven’t heard of 33 Immortals already, it’s an ambitious 33-player co-op action-roguelike that has been described as a “lean, mean distillation of the MMO raid experience.”
The game is heading to Xbox Series, PC via Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store, and just like many other games in the showcase, it will be coming to Xbox Games Pass in the near future.
The news follows after 33 Immortals received a closed beta last May/June.
Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun in Buckshot Roulette
“How much to bet your life” is the chilling question posed in the trailer for Buckshot Roulette, a new multiplayer horror with roguelike elements.
The game sees you play a high-stakes game of Russian roulette with up to four other players. The premise certainly reminds me of a certain scene from Squid Game Season 2 (no spoilers though, I promise!).
Buckshot Roulette is coming soon to PC and Xbox Game Pass.
