As the spooky season drifts away and the holiday season rolls into view, Xbox gamers will probably be looking for something else to play that isn’t Starfield.
Bethesda’s RPG may be a mammoth prospect, but those who love Starfield have probably seen much of the content it has to offer already, while those who were disappointed are likely seeking fresh entertainment.
Luckily, the holiday season is usually a pretty rich time for new releases, and such is the case for November 2023, where you’ll find major franchise instalments and indie curios alike.
Let’s take a look at the best Xbox Series X/S games making their way to Microsoft’s console ecosystem in November 2023!
Achilles: Legends Untold (November 2nd)
Soulslikes are ten a penny these days, but Achilles: Legends Untold has a unique hook that makes it stand out from the crowd: it’s also a top-down action RPG.
Combat-wise, you’re getting the same sort of brutal, crunchy melee-focused battling you’d expect from a Soulslike, but viewed from an isometric perspective, which gives the action a more strategic feel.
Don’t worry, though; this Greek mythology-inspired tale will still be packed full of the kind of bone-crunching challenge and deep satisfaction you love about the genre.
Thirsty Suitors (November 2nd)
Thirsty Suitors is exactly the kind of game on which the industry should be thriving, especially as AAA releases (in many cases) threaten to become more bloated and less interesting.
The game is a sort of hybrid of turn-based RPG battling, skateboarding, and narrative adventure, with confrontations between main character Jala and her exes playing out in Scott Pilgrim-style turn-based combat.
While you’re not fighting, you can explore the world of Bearfoot Park with your skateboard, finding secrets and drinking in the rich atmosphere crafted by Outerloop Games.
Football Manager 2024 (November 6th)
It might be difficult to imagine a game as menu-driven as Football Manager being optimised successfully for consoles, but Sega has found a way to translate the game’s stat-heavy gameplay to Xbox.
After last year’s Football Manager 2023 proved popular among console gamers, Football Manager 2024 is back to give you even more reasons to stay indoors as the weather turns colder.
Naturally, you can expect oceanically deep strategic gameplay, as well as a ton of new features that promise to make this year’s Football Manager instalment somehow even more absorbing than last year’s.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (November 9th)
The Like a Dragon franchise (which officially changed its name from Yakuza in the West in 2023) is a hugely reliable one, with every instalment bringing a hilarious and somehow emotionally resonant story with it.
Like a Dragon Gaiden promises to be no different, once again returning to the life of longtime protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as he grapples with his newfound anonymity after faking his death in Yakuza 6.
Expect lots of over-the-top combat, plenty of memorable side stories, and a rich main story that explains how Kiryu found himself taking part in the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (November 10th)
It wouldn’t be November without an appearance from Call of Duty, and so Modern Warfare III is arriving on the 10th, complete with a new campaign, a new zombies map, and more.
The campaign revolves around Captain Price and his task force as they battle returning villain Vladimir Makarov, who’s once again threatening to destabilise what’s left of global harmony.
In the multiplayer mode, new maps will keep things interesting, and the zombies mode promises the biggest map the series has seen so far, so if that’s your jam, you’ll eat well in November.
Broken Roads (November 14th)
Do you love modern CRPGs like Disco Elysium and Wasteland 3? If so, you’ll definitely want to take a look at Versus Evil’s Broken Roads, which looks to marry the dialogue-heavy approach of the former with the post-apocalyptic setting of the latter.
Seemingly taking inspiration from Mad Max, Broken Roads takes place in a devastated version of Western Australia, and tasks you with making your way through the wasteland, dealing with moral quandaries as you go.
Promising the freedom to approach problems in a range of different ways, Broken Roads looks like it’ll continue the current CRPG renaissance, so make sure to check it out if you’re a fan of the genre.
Teardown (November 15th)
Teardown has a range of heists to take on and lots of objectives to complete, but that’s not why a lot of people will be interested in it; the fully destructible voxel sandbox is probably what will seal the deal.
That’s right: in Teardown, you can annihilate pretty much any structure you see, and it’ll come crumbling down as you do so, leaving you giggling amidst the ruins of a once-mighty warehouse or tower.
More objective-oriented players will find more than just a playground to go crazy in, but you’ll still be expected to take full advantage of the destructible scenery as you plan elaborate break-ins.
Persona 5 Tactica (November 17th)
We return once again to the world of the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5 Tactica, a turn-based tactical spinoff of the wildly popular breakout hit JRPG Persona 5.
Tactica sees Joker and his friends facing off against the Legionnaires, the cruel rulers of a strange realm in which people live in fear. Sounds like the perfect job for the Phantom Thieves!
Fan favourite characters like Panther, Skull, and Mona will reappear, and new characters will also make their debuts, so if you love Persona 5, this is a must-play.
