When you’re tired of playing the same type of first-person shooters, “Souls”-like epics or role-playing games, indie titles feel like a breath of fresh air. At the Xbox showcase featuring independent developers this month, I had a chance to check out a few titles and try out the Xbox Adaptive Joystick. The games offered a much-needed take from the typical blockbuster triple-A projects I’ve been playing and had plenty of charm, so that I marked them on my calendar.
The new Microsoft peripheral looks almost like a Wii nunchuk controller or the PlayStation Move Navigational Controller. The big difference is that it was designed in collaboration with the gaming and disability community. It’s lighter than any of those controllers and has a mount for wheelchair users. Microsoft said it’s made to meet the needs of players with limited mobility.
Trying it out myself, the controller had four face buttons that are mappable and a useful analog stick. Although it looks like it would be a motion controller, it doesn’t have that feature, but it can be plugged into other Microsoft devices such as the Xbox Adaptive Controller or the stock one. It’s on sale for $29.99.
The Xbox Adaptive Joystick was developed in collaboration with the gaming and disability community, according to Microsoft. (Gieson Cacho/Bay Area News Group)
‘PROMISE MASCOT AGENCY’ The controller worked well with the “Promise Mascot Agency,” an open-world game from Kaizen Game Works Limited. Players take on the role of a former Yakuza who faked his death and decides to help rebuild the titular business, and in the process, he revives a dying Japanese town. It’s a quirky adventure with a lot of innuendo as players recruit down-on-their-luck mascots, rebuild their reputations and send them out on odd jobs to help businesses.
A lot of the game focuses on driving around the quaint Japanese town and exploring locales, but the real goal and depth lies in managing the stable of mascots and pairing them with the right jobs and handlers. Despite some risque characters (the game deals with Yakuza after all), the developers said the game is wholesome as the “Promise Mascot Agency” revitalizes the town and the former gangster builds a new life. (Planned release is April 10, 2025)
‘HELA’ “Hela” was the most promising title I played at the event. Developed by Knight’s Peak, the adventure puts players in the shoes of a witch’s mouse familiar. The older lady has fallen ill, and it’s up to the tiny creature to fulfill some of her big responsibilities. I’m a sucker for games from a lilliputian perspective and I liked the project’s detail and sense of scale.
