CUPHEAD
DEVSTUDIOMDHRRELEASESEPTEMBER 2017
The poster child of the ID@Xbox
program. If you’ve ever seen any
promotional material for ID@Xbox it’s
likely that you’ve seen the two main
protagonists Cuphead and Mugman
taking centre stage. And for good
reason, too. Brothers Chad and Jared
Moldenhauer had zero experience
shipping a game, yet Chris Charla and
the team at ID@Xbox had faith in the
duo, and through their hard work and
determination they made one of the
most successful games in the program.
Cuphead is super hard, too. So if you’re
up for a challenge then you have to pick
this one up.DEAD CELLS
DEVMOTION TWINRELEASEAUGUST 2017
Although Dead Cells shares more than a
few similarities with Hollow Knight, which
was released just over a month after
it, it serves up a completely different
experience. For one, Dead Cells takes
advantage of procedural generation to
create its levels. Each new run through
the game will be different from the last
and you’re kept on your toes. But the
real challenge lies in the speed and
ferociousness of its combat. You’re
meant to die over and over again, but if
you can stomach that, and you seek a
real challenge, then it’s perfect. Tight
action-gameplay and beautiful sprite
work make this an indie must-have.HOLLOW KNIGHT
DEVTEAM CHERRYRELEASESEPTEMBER 2018
A relative newcomer to the ID@Xbox
program, we absolutely adored this
little gem last year, awarding the game
9/10 and noting that it’s “a beautiful,
challenging and enchanting game”.
In this expansive Metroidvania you
play as a brave, unnamed bug knight.
You travel through the world of the
Hallownest to discover what’s been
plaguing the land. It’s the combination
of discovering the story through
exploration, the gorgeous setting
and beautiful soundtrack that makes
this game so special. If you haven’t
already played this game you should
pick it up immediately.ID@XBOX
062 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE
INSIDE
DEVPLAYDEADRELEASEJUNE 2016
Ask any independent game developer about
Playdead’s Inside and they’ve probably got
something lovely to say. Time and time
again, this game has been used as an
example of great game design and narrative
beats. “Inside is a game that people are
probably going to be talking about in the
next 50 years,” says ID@Xbox director Chris
Charla. “To be here and part of it, whether
it’s as a player, a developer or a platform
holder, and just this moment in the industry.
None of us are going to appreciate just how
cool it is for another 20 years.”CELESTE
DEVMATT MAKES GAMESRELEASEJANUARY 2018
A wonderfully compelling title that won the
hearts of everyone who played it. You play as
Madeline, who takes it upon herself to climb
the mysterious Celeste Mountain. The reason
it is so well-loved is because of the refreshing
challenge that it provides, as you jump,
climb and dash through a world filled with an
increasingly difficult obstacle course. Building
on your knowledge of tactics and manoeuvres,
you feel a real sense of achievement. It also
offers a touching story and positive message
about accepting yourself for who you are.
A wonderful game.Highlighting
the best
of indie
The ID@ Xbox program has poured out a
wealth of exciting and interesting games
since it first launched in 2014. Together
we’ve travelled across distant lands,
vanquished seemingly unbeatable foes,
laughed, cried and everything in between.
We’ve enjoyed countless unique
experiences thanks to the platform and the
fearless endeavours of pioneering indie
developers who are pushing the boundaries
of what a videogame should be. There are
already over 1,000 games published through
the program, and although we aren’t able to
list every single one of them, here we round
up ten of the best on offer.
WE ROUND UP JUST SOME OF
OXM’S FAVOURITE INDIE
GAMES ON XBOX ONE