Redakcja Choose TV
Kinetic Publishing held its first showcase, during which five new indie games coming to Xbox were presented. Among the announced titles were both laid-back games about wizards and building your own town, and far more unsettling horror entries. The biggest draw was PRECOGNITION, the new game from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story, Telling Lies and Immortality. Horror director Brandon Cronenberg is also involved in the project, which could promise a particularly unusual experience. All announced titles are due to arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere a single purchase will let you play on both platforms at no extra cost.
Five new games from Kinetic Publishing
The first of the showcased titles is Contact Protocol, a science-fiction horror set aboard the spaceship Pale Horse. The player will be responsible for checking information about encountered ships and comparing it with company records. The catch is that any suspicious situation might require making an extremely difficult decision. In the most extreme case the player will be able to fire a torpedo and destroy the other ship, saving their own crew at the cost of other people’s lives. The game is intended to gradually ramp up the pressure and force the player to make increasingly harder choices. Contact Protocol will debut on Xbox Series X|S and PC in spring 2027. The second offering is Crescent County, which delivers a completely different vibe and combines an open world with magic, racing and parcel delivery. The player will take on the role of a tech witch who can ride a flying broom, take on jobs, compete in races and develop relationships with other characters. The game will also strongly emphasise queer themes and witchcraft. Crescent County will arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC in summer 2027. Meanwhile Shellbound will take players to a world sitting on the back of a giant snail, where they’ll play as a parasite able to take control of enemies and NPCs. The release of this unusual metroidvania is scheduled for summer 2028.
Sam Barlow's new game could be the biggest surprise
Another title is Aether Wizard Life, an expansive game combining action-RPG elements, platforming, exploration, city-building, farming, dating, and running one's own shop. This production from Vonder Games also features a crime story about a mysterious group that kidnaps wizards. The game boasts a distinctive, colorful art style inspired by the work of Studio Ghibli, among other influences. It is scheduled for release on Xbox Series X|S and PC in the autumn of 2028. However, the event's biggest announcement is PRECOGNITION, the new project from Sam Barlow. As the creator behind Her Story, Telling Lies, and Immortality, Barlow’s latest work is likely to appeal particularly to fans of narrative-driven FMV games. PRECOGNITION is a sci-fi horror title developed in collaboration with Brandon Cronenberg. The story focuses on time travel, foreseeing the future, and the consequences of altering the course of events. Like Barlow's previous games, this title rewards players who pay attention to the smallest details and attempt to piece together the narrative elements themselves. The developers even recommend keeping a notepad and pencil handy while playing—a clear indication of how heavily PRECOGNITION relies on information analysis. The game is being developed by Half Mermaid Productions, with a release planned for the spring of 2028. All announced titles will support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing players to continue their progress across console and PC without needing to purchase a second copy of the game.
Kinetic Publishing revealed five very different games that will arrive on Xbox in 2027 and 2028. From cosmic horror and metroidvania to a magical open world and expansive RPGs, the publisher's lineup is exceptionally varied. The biggest announcement, however, is PRECOGNITION by Sam Barlow, which could be one of the more interesting narrative science fiction games coming to Xbox. Importantly, all the titles were also announced for PC and will support Xbox Play Anywhere.
source: Xbox
