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Callum Main: Chaotic party game Overcooked, cities of the future and the launch of Xbox One S

Overcooked released today.
Overcooked released today.

I never imagined I would spend an evening sat in front of the Xbox with my girlfriend arguing over whose fault it was the onion soup had burned after an earthquake split the kitchen in half.

But thanks to Overcooked, this has actually happened.

A game which puts you and some mates in control of a group of tiny chefs, running around a kitchen to create dishes in order to save the Onion Kingdom and prevent the apocalypse at the hands of a giant spaghetti meatball monster … totally absurd.

But, god, it’s so much fun!

A screenshot of one of the many levels in Overcooked.
A screenshot of one of the many levels in Overcooked.

The brilliantly designed levels, created by a two-man team, provided a good challenge, with players sometimes having to juggle cooking and prep across two moving vehicles, ice floes and on board a spaceship.

Graphics wise, Overcooked has gone with a cute, fun styling and the bizarre storyline and script will make you laugh.

That’s if the sheer mayhem of trying to prepare multiple dishes while preventing the kitchen catching fire hasn’t already.

Although this chaotic game out now on PC, it’s clearly designed for casual console gamers first. I actually had issues on my first attempt at playing Overcooked because of the lack of keyboard control details – put plugging my Xbox One controller quickly solved that.

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It’s also a much better experience as a multiplayer game – and anyone who’s ever played Mario Kart will know, these sort of party games take on a new life in a group. After a few beers I imagine complete carnage will ensue.

Working as a team is essential. Trying to go it alone will never work. A good tactic is to have one person prep and the other cook and feed.

There are a few negatives, though, the main one being my concern over Overcooked’s replayability.

While the game does include a versus mode – which is just as much fun, if not more, than the main campaign – I feel there will come a time when people have managed to master each of the kitchens.

But then again, this is one of those games you will introduce more and more friends to, resulting in a different,-but always enjoyable, experience.

If you’re still not convinced, watch this video from Youtube’s Stumpt Games.

Overcooked releases on Xbox, PC and Playstation today, and with it priced at just over £12 there’s no reason to go pick it up!

Score: 8.5/10 (Based on graphics, gameplay and story on the Xbox One)

An image of Rio in 2029 created by one of the concept artists working on Deus Ex
An image of Rio in 2029 created by one of the concept artists working on Deus Ex

Cities of 2029 – as visioned by Deux Ex

One of the things which most attracts me to modern games is the aesthetics. The way the artists are able to create something so breathtakingly realistic is incredible.

This example, released to promote Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, shows the game’s creators’ vision of what cities around the world will look like in 2029 – when the game is set.

The images showcase major cities around the world, with the distinctive landmarks and vistas changed to include futuristic architectural sculptures, creating liveable workable spaces between the existing building and landscapes.

Other cities have been transformed to massive slums with workers toiling away cleaning the streets of discard cybernetic limb, or with areas replaced with what looks to be a prison camp for the augmented.

The Brandenburg Gate image, for example, shows masses of futuristic security forces standing guard over checkpoints separating citizens without augmentations, from those with, while the image of Sydney Harbour Bridge shows a city evolved by Asian influences.

Annual E3 Gaming Conference In Los Angeles

Xbox One S-oldout

With the Xbox One S, the S could easily stand for Stunning and Sleek rather than Slim, it seems more appropriate to have it represent Sold Out.

The revamped console, with a built-in power brick, a 4k Blu-ray player, as well as a larger hard drive, officially went on sale yesterday, but stores are already out of stock.

There’s no doubt Microsoft has improved the looks of the Xbox One, gone is the bulky black beast which had to lie flat, we now have a sleek white console capable of standing upright – something fans have been asking for.

Personally, this is one iteration of the Xbox I will be skipping. Next year will see the launch of Xbox Scorpio and that’s where my money will be going.

Scorpio, that’s its codename right now anyway, will provide a massive increase in performance to drive both 4K gaming as well as VR headsets.

However, accurate details about this new console are being kept locked away.

This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.