Just in case you didn’t know, the Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021 kicked off last July 27. For the 7th iteration of the said event. Microsoft has something big planned for its users. In addition to running until September 6, the Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021 will include more than 75 games as part of the promotion.
But, that’s not all. Fans will also get a chance to win prizes for simply participating in the different gaming festivities available throughout the promo period.
Microsoft has also decided to bring back the Microsoft Rewards Gift Card combo from 2020. This year, customers who spend $50 on games that are part of the promotion will receive 5,000 Microsoft Rewards points, as well as a $5 gift card. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can score an even better deal with a $10 gift card reward instead of $5.
Of course, just because you can score good deals during the Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021, it doesn’t mean that you should just buy any game you can get your hands on.
Scroll down below to find out our picks for the best games to get during Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021.
The Ascent by Neon Giant
As a twin-stick action shooter with cyberpunk elements and optional multiplayer gameplay, The Ascent should be a straightforward experience. Unfortunately, we say “should” because it felt a lot like the developers were relying heavily on the multiplayer aspect of the game.
This isn’t to say that The Ascent isn’t a fun game to play on your own. The solo experience is great. The cyberpunk aesthetics work quite well in drawing you in and making you play from start to finish. The game also offers a ton of replay value as there are a ton of different builds and loadouts for you to try out.
Even so, the best way to enjoy The Ascent is to play with three friends as the four of you take your time climbing to the top. If you can, avoid playing long sessions. Play the game in spurts and appreciate the journey. We reckon this is the kind of experience that the developers had in mind when making The Ascent.
Hades by Supergiant Games
It’s not very often that an “indie” title matches up with a big-name AAA game in gaming awards. However, this is exactly what happened with Hades and The Last of Us 2.
In truth, these two games could not be more different from each other. One is a roguelike game with punishing gameplay. The other is a narrative-heavy drama that feels a lot more like a movie in video game form. Despite the differences, these two often found themselves competing for the same awards and accolades.
Now, Hades is coming to the Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Naturally, we can’t just stop recommending it.
Supergiant Games’ latest game, Hades marries amazing visuals and character design, a unique take on the Greek pantheon, as well as actual character development. This is all wrapped up in a roguelike game with precise combat execution and gameplay.
Perfect games don’t really exist, but Hades comes close.
Death’s Door by Acid Nerve
The comparison to the Soulsborne games is both valid and wrong. We say the former because Acid Nerve’s latest game definitely takes inspiration from FromSoftware’s critically-acclaimed genre-spawning titles. On the other hand, we say the latter because Death’s Door feels less like a Soulsborn derivative and more like a macabre take on the League of Zelda franchise.
If that description alone is enough to pique your interest, then we recommend picking this wonderful action-exploration adventure game up.
Death’s Door is only spooky by name. The actual game itself is full of whimsical humour and adorably grotesque characters in a story that takes place in a fairy tale land that’s all purposely drawn in low-poly graphics all viewed from an isometric perspective.
Dreamy, challenging, and entertaining, the only thing missing from Death’s Door now is a sequel.
Samurai Warriors 5 by Koei Tecmo
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is exactly what Koei Tecmo Games did with Samurai Warriors 5 and it seems to have worked well for them with the latest instalment of the Samurai Warriors series.
If you weren’t already a fan of the older Samurai Warriors games, we doubt that you’ll like the fifth one. However, those who had a chance to sample its predecessors and hardcore veterans will love what Samurai Warriors 5 brought to the table. There’s nothing new, by any means, but the way that it incorporates numerous ideas and systems in a way that makes the core gameplay loop as fun and as varied as ever makes this arguably the best Samurai Warriors game ever made.
The only downside here is, as we’ve already mentioned, there’s no ingenuity. Samurai Warriors 5 will eventually feel no different from the Samurai Warriors games that preceded it (or the Dynasty Warriors and the Warriors Orochi spin-off).
Then again, by the time that the gameplay starts to run thin, you’ll have gotten the most out of your money and treated yourself to some good old pure and casual slicing action fun.
Eldest Souls by Fallen Flag Studio
If you’re looking for a new game to jump into, Eldest Souls is a solid good pick! Eldest Souls is exactly what it sounds like, a brutal souls-like with influences from Dark Souls and Bloodborne heavily incorporated into its works. Honestly, we don’t know how they got away with it.
This game is for those looking for a good adrenaline rush to the head with 10 bosses to fight intense and life-threatening battles. Basically, you’re a mere mortal going up against several gods in battle in order to save the world – sounds familiar? Well, Eldest Soul is aggressively fun, and we would recommend it for those who are fond of boss rush battles and souls-like games! Grab your overwhelmingly large obsidian sword and get to hacking away.
The Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021
These are just some of the best games to get during Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021. Because the promotion isn’t going to end until at least a couple of weeks, you can expect Microsoft to shine the proverbial spotlight on other must-play titles. Here are some that you might want to consider as well: Cris Tales, Orcs Must Die! 3 and Last Stop.
If we’re being honest, every game that Microsoft highlights as part of the event is well worth getting.
Of course, we understand that not everyone can afford to splurge money only to end up with a huge backlog of games to play. Because of this, we recommend taking a good look at our recommendations to see which one tickles you fancy. We can guarantee that all of them are well worth your time and money.
Here are all the games for you to look at – Xbox Summer Spotlight 2021.
